ARAB TIMES, SUNDAY, JANUARY 24, 2021 NEWS/FEATURES 13

People & Places

Music

‘Silver Dream’ underwhelms Chris Cornell shines on ‘album of covers’ By Mark Kennedy

hris Cornell, “No One Sings Like You Any- Cmore” (UMe) No disrespect to Sinead O’Connor, but there’s an- other version of “Nothing Compares 2 U” that might be even better than the one the Irish singer delivered. That would be the cover by Chris Cornell, which is ragged with heartbreak. It’s the highlight of “No One Sings Like You Any- more,” a batch of 10 covers that the leader of Sound- garden and Audioslave recorded in 2016, a year before his death. Included are tunes originally made famous by giants like Janis Joplin and John Lennon. Throughout his career, Cor- nell covered other artists and was covered himself, once by no less than Johnny Cash, who recorded Soundgarden’s “Rusty Cage.” Cornell seemed to relish tackling other art- ists’ music, including “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson and “Thank You” by Led Zeppelin. His live sets included songs by Black Sabbath, the Beatles and Dolly Parton. None of those Cornell made this latest collection, which focuses on more polished gems, overseen by producer Brendan O’Brien. Cynics might say this new album is just a money grab from those who watched Cornell’s cover of Guns N’ Roses’ “Patience” go to No. 1 on Billboard’s main- stream rock songs chart earlier this year. But there’s nothing here that Cornell touches which isn’t fasci- nating, excellent or lighters-in-the-air cool. Many are simply better than the originals. What he does with Ghostland Observatory’s “Sad In this April 18, 2007 file photo, Larry King speaks to guests at a party held by CNN, celebrating King’s fifty years of broadcasting in New York. King, who interviewed Sad City” is remarkable, taking a synth-heavy, New presidents, movie stars and ordinary Joes during a half-century in broadcasting, has died at age 87. (AP) Wave-ish tune into a momentous foot-stomping rock classic. He does the same with Electric Light Orches- tra’s “Showdown,” stripping the original of its bed of strings and adding a driving funkiness. Obituary His version of Joplin’s “Get It While You Can” is simply unrecognizable. Cornell knows he can’t out- wail the electric Joplin, with all her vulnerability and fear, so he goes in a different direction, transforming ‘Broadcasting giant for half-century’ what was a bluesy ballad into an arena rocker. Cornell turns soulful when he tackles Lorraine Ellison’s “Stay With Me Baby,” letting his voice soar by replacing the delicateness of the original with a powerful neediness. He keeps the vocal distortions in his version of Larry King dies at age of 87 Harry Nilsson’s “Jump Into the Fire,” but tightens the meandering arrangement and ups the bass. His cover LOS ANGELES, Jan 23, (AP): Larry neutral, and King was the essence of its 2cents,” he said in a typical tweet in of John Lennon’s “Watching the Wheels” is very re- King, the suspenders-sporting every- middle-of-the-road stance, political fi g- 2015. spectful — maybe even too much — but the song in- man whose broadcast interviews with ures and people at the center of contro- His Twitter account was essentially terlinking the two men is heartbreaking: Both dads, world leaders, movie stars and or- versies would seek out his show. a revival of a USA Today column he taken too soon, enjoying the little things in life. This cover image released by UMe dinary Joes helped defi ne American And he was known for getting wrote for two decades full of one-off, The album is bittersweet — another chance to hear shows ‘No One Sings Like You Any- conversation for a half-century, died guests who were notoriously elusive. disjointed thoughts. Norm Macdonald a voice that’s deeply missed. Nothing compared to more’ by Chris Cornell. (AP) Saturday. He was 87. Frank Sinatra, who rarely gave inter- delivered a parody version of the col- him. King died at Cedars-Sinai Medical views and often lashed out at reporters, umn when he played King on “Satur- ❑ ❑ ❑ Center in Los Angeles, Ora Media, spoke to King in 1988 in what would day Night Live,” with deadpan lines Moon Taxi, “Silver Dream” (BMG) the studio and network he co-founded, be the singer’s last major TV appear- like, “The more I think about it, the Moon Taxi have a new album with a dozen songs, Variety tweeted. No cause of death was given, ance. Sinatra was an old friend of more I appreciate the equator.” but you may be forgiven for losing track of them. but CNN reported Jan. 2 that King had King’s and acted accordingly. King was constantly parodied, often One unmemorable, formulaic tune bleeding into been hospitalized for more than a week “Why are you here?” King asks. through old-age jokes on late-night another leaves the listener underwhelmed by the ef- AUSTIN, Texas: Dave Chappelle tested with COVID-19. Sinatra responds, “Because you asked talk shows from hosts including David fect. Has it been 20 minutes, really? How many bland positive for the coronavirus just before A longtime nationally syndicated me to come and I hadn’t seen you in a Letterman and Conan O’Brien, often songs have been offered? his comedy show scheduled for Thurs- radio host, from 1985 through 2010 he long time to begin with, I thought we appearing with the latter to get in on But perhaps “Silver Dream” — the Nashville alt- day, forcing his upcoming appearances to was a nightly fi xture on CNN, where ought to get together and chat, just talk the roasting himself. rockers’ sixth full-length album — is not intended for be canceled, a spokeswoman said. he won many honors, including two about a lot of things.” King came by his voracious but no- music lovers. The band has already sold the single Chappelle was expected to perform Peabody awards. King had never met Marlon Bran- frills manner honestly. Thursday through Sunday at Stubb’s With his celebrity interviews, po- do, who was even tougher to get and “One Step Away” to ESPN’s SEC Network for cover- Destitute age of college football. Waller Creek Amphitheater in Austin, litical debates and topical discussions, tougher to interview, when the acting That deal is just the latest in which deep-pocketed Texas. Those shows have been canceled King wasn’t just an enduring on-air giant asked to appear on King’s show He was born Lawrence Harvey and Chappelle is quarantining, his repre- personality. He also set himself apart in 1994. The two hit it off so famously Zeiger in 1933, a son of Jewish immi- brands have snapped up Moon Taxi music — Maker’s sentative Carla Sims said in a statement. Mark, Jeep, Microsoft Surface Pro, BMW and Mc- with the curiosity be brought to every they ended their 90-minute talk with a grants from Eastern Europe who ran a The comedian is asymptomatic. bar and grill in Brooklyn. But after his Donald’s. Is this the real silver dream of the title? Chappelle had been performing social- interview, whether questioning the as- song and an on-the-mouth kiss, an im- We are witnessing the natural effect when a band ly-distanced shows in Ohio since June, sault victim known as the Central Park age that was all over media in subse- father’s death when Larry was a boy, loses the last of its edge, lured into writing mainstream and moved his shows to Austin during jogger or billionaire industrialist Ross quent weeks. he faced a troubled, sometimes desti- fl uff. They even have a song on the new album called the winter, Sims said. Rapid testing for Perot, who in 1992 rocked the presi- After a gala week marking his 25th tute youth. “Take the Edge Off.” It’s all the musical equivalent of the audience and daily tests for Chap- dential contest by announcing his can- anniversary in June 2010, King abrupt- A fan of such radio stars as Arthur the gradual bleaching of coral. pelle and his team were implemented. didacy on King’s show. ly announced he was retiring from Godfrey and comedians Bob & Ray, After the sadly underwhelming — sonically we Comedian Joe Rogan was scheduled his show, telling viewers, “It’s time King on reaching adulthood set his sights mean, clearly not monetarily — album “Let the Re- to perform at the shows Friday and Interviews to hang up my nightly suspenders.” on a broadcasting career. With word that cord Play” in 2018, there was a glimmer of hope in Saturday. He apologized on Instagram to In its early years, “Larry King Live” Named as his successor in the time Miami was a good place to break in, he 2019 that the band had righted its course with the ter- followers for the canceled shows, saying was based in Washington, which gave slot: British journalist and TV person- headed south in 1957 and landed a job rifi c song “Restless.” But that was a false dawn. they’d be rescheduled. A post earlier the show an air of gravitas. Likewise ality Piers Morgan. sweeping fl oors at a tiny AM station. Moon Taxi just doubled down on mediocre, dad this week showed Rogan at Stubb’s King. He was the plainspoken go-be- By King’s departure that December, When a deejay abruptly quit, King was jeans alt-rock and are now so distant from their bril- with Chappelle and other stars including tween through whom Beltway bigwigs suspicion had grown that he had waited put on the air - and was handed his new liant 2012 album “Cabaret” that it’s too far for a taxi Donnell Rawlings, Ron White and Elon could reach their public, and they did, a little too long to hang up those sus- surname by the station manager, who to drive. “It’s a long walk back from yesterday,” lead Musk. earning the show prestige as a place penders. Once the leader in cable TV thought Zeiger “too Jewish.” singer and guitarist Trevor Terndrup seems to ac- Refunds will be available for tick- where things happened, where news news, he ranked third in his time slot A year later he moved to a larger knowledge on the new album. etholders at their point of purchase. (AP) was made. with less than half the nightly audience station, where his duties were ex- So let’s just call them what they really are right ❑ ❑ ❑ King conducted an estimated 50,000 his peak year, 1998, when “Larry King panded from the usual patter to serv- now: jingle writers. NASHVILLE, Tenn: Country star Dolly on-air interviews. In 1995 he presided Live” drew 1.64 million viewers. ing as host of a daily interview show over a Middle East peace summit with His wide-eyed, regular-guy ap- that aired from a local restaurant. He Also: Parton said her brother Randy Parton, who sang and performed with her, as well PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat, King proach to interviewing by then felt dat- quickly proved equally adept at talking LONDON: Simon Rattle is set to leave his job as mu- as at her Dollywood theme park, has died. Hussein of Jordan and Israeli Prime ed in an era of edgy, pushy or loaded to the waitresses, and the celebrities sical director at the London Symphony Orchestra to He was 67. Minister Yitzhak Rabin. He welcomed questioning by other hosts. who began dropping by. lead the Munich-based Bavarian Radio Symphony Parton, who turned 75 this week, said everyone from the Dalai Lama to Eliza- Meanwhile, occasional fl ubs had By the early 1960s King had gone Orchestra, the two organizations have said recently. in a statement released on Thursday that beth Taylor, from Mikhail Gorbachev to made him seem out of touch, or worse. to yet a larger Miami station, scored a Rattle, one of the world’s most acclaimed conduc- her brother died of cancer. They were Barack Obama, Bill Gates to Lady Gaga. A prime example from 2007 found newspaper column and become a local tors, will become the German orchestra’s chief con- among 12 children in the Parton family, Especially after he relocated to Los King asking Jerry Seinfeld if he had celebrity himself. ductor in 2023. He will retain a role with the British raised in Sevierville, Tennessee. Angeles, his shows were frequently in voluntarily left his sitcom or been At the same time, he fell victim to orchestra as conductor emeritus, the LSO said. Randy Parton sang, played guitar and the thick of breaking celebrity news, canceled by his network, NBC. living large. The German company said Rattle, 65, has signed an bass in his sister’s band, and had hosted including Paris Hilton talking about “It was important to me to come across initial fi ve-year contract to lead the orchestra and the his own show at the Tennessee theme her stint in jail in 2007 and Michael Workaholic as a ‘big man,”’ he wrote in his autobiogra- Bavarian Radio Chorus. park since the opening in 1986. He also Jackson’s friends and family members “I was the No. 1 show in television, phy, which meant “I made a lot of money Rattle said he was “thrilled” to accept the post and released music on his own. Parton said talking about his death in 2009. Larry,” replied Seinfeld with a fl ab- and spread it around lavishly.” honored to succeed conductor Mariss Jansons, who her duet with him on “Old Flames Can’t King boasted of never overpreparing bergasted look. “Do you know who I He accumulated debts and his fi rst died in 2019. Hold a Candle To You” would “always for an interview. His nonconfrontational am?” broken marriages (he was married The UK-born Rattle took up the job in London in be a highlight of my own career.” His last recording was a song with style relaxed his guests and made him Always a workaholic, King would eight times to seven women). He gam- 2017 after 15 years as head of the Berlin Philharmon- Dolly and his daughter Heidi called readily relatable to his audience. be back doing specials for CNN within bled, borrowed wildly and failed to ic. He said when the appointment was announced in “You Are My Christmas” that was on “I don’t pretend to know it all,” a few months of performing his nightly pay his taxes. He also became involved 2015 that it would be his last major job in music. Parton’s most recent Christmas album. he said in a 1995 Associated Press duties. with a shady fi nancier in a scheme to News of his departure was lamented by many in the “He shined on it just like he’s shining interview. “Not, ‘What about Ge- He found a new sort of celebrity as bankroll an investigation of President British arts community, who worry the country will in heaven now,” Parton said. (AP) neva or Cuba?” I ask, ‘Mr. President, a plainspoken natural on Twitter when John Kennedy’s assassination. But lose cultural clout because of its departure from the ❑ ❑ ❑ what don’t you like about this job?” the platform emerged, winning over when King skimmed some of the cash European Union. Or ‘What’s the biggest mistake you more than 2 million followers who si- to pay his overdue taxes, his partner Rattle said his reasons for taking the job in Mu- NEW YORK: Bob Avian, a Tony Award- made?” That’s fascinating.” multaneously mocked and loved him sued him for grand larceny in 1971. nich were “entirely personal, enabling me to bet- winning choreographer who had a role in At a time when CNN as the lone play- for his esoteric style. The charges were dropped, but King’s ter manage the balance of my work and be close some of the most beloved and infl uential er in cable news was deemed politically “I’ve never been in a canoe. #Itsmy- reputation appeared ruined. enough to home to be present for my children in a shows on Broadway, including “Dream- meaningful way.” girls,” “A Chorus Line,” “Follies” and Although Rattle’s exit is not directly linked to “Miss Saigon,” has died. He was 83. Brexit, but the lack of a world-class concert hall in Avian died Thursday of cardiac arrest London may be a factor. Rattle took up the London at Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderd- job in expectation that a new home would be built for ale, Florida, said Matt Polk, head of the Michael Bennett, Cameron Macintosh, mained remarkably modest about the orchestra, which is currently based at the Barbican theatrical publicity fi rm Polk & Co. Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd his own achievements on so many center, a multipurpose arts venue. Tony-winner Tony Yazbeck on Twit- Webber. landmark musicals,” said Cameron Plans for a new concert hall in London have stalled. ter called Avian “a sweet and kind spirit It was with Bennett that Avian enjoyed Mackintosh in a statement. “He facili- In a statement, LSO chairman David Alberman and who generously gave his creative talents a long professional partnership, working tated the genius of Michael Bennett to legendary works.” Marvin Hamlisch as associate choreographer or assistant and with every little step he took taught managing director Kathryn McDowell said Rattle said: “His legacy will live on stage for director on such Bennett-choreographed me more about the art of staging a “will be taking forward a number of signifi cant pro- years to come.” productions as “A Chorus Line,” “Prom- modern musical than virtually anyone jects with us over the coming years working from our Avian rose from a dancer in “West ises, Promises,” “Coco,” “Company,” else I’ve met. It was a privilege to have home base at the Barbican.” (AP) Side Story” and “Funny Girl” to work “Follies, “Seesaw”. been his friend and colleague for over alongside such theater luminaries as “For someone so talented, he re- Parton Chappelle 35 years.” (AP)