Mac Review Cast

It is difficult to fathom what it would be like to own a voice that when it sings, sounds as if the weight of the world is being channeled through it. When I imagine what sorrow, lament, and regret sounds like (with the addition of whiskey and cigarettes) there are a few voices that come to mind. Johnny Cash and Leadbelly would be at the top of that list but Mark Lanegan would be right up there too.

What is strange about an artist owning a voice so distinctly mournful is that hearing him doesn't make me sad. It comforts me in the way that it reminds me that in life there are highs and lows, and the valleys are just a part of living. Mark's voice naturally helps carry the burden of tough times and there is something marvelously reassuring and uplifting about having someone prove that you aren't alone in that temporary pain. I believe people misinterpret the kind of voice Mark Lanegan has for being strictly melancholy but tonight I am out to prove that there is an unmistakable joy and beauty buried in the throats of those who sing the Blues.

From 7PM to 9PM tonight I will spend two hours exploring the multitude of projects associated with Mark starting with the Screaming Trees, his solo catalog, and then the seemingly endless numbers of collaborations that  perhaps he has become best known for. (Twilight Singers, Gutter Twins, Breeders, Mad Season, QOTSA, Maggie Bjorklund, UNKLE, Isobel Campbell, Soulsavers, and so on)

WWW.WRIR.ORG to stream live or 97.3lp FM for locals.

The work of Charles Peterson taught me at an early age that capturing a band either posed or live was a true art form and if done right can express the true energy, spirit, and personality of an artist or group. I never gave much thought to band photography until I was introduced to his work in 1990. Fifteen years later in 2005 I was fortunate enough to see an entire exhibit ("Touch Me I'm Sick") dedicated to his talent at the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, VA. Charles was also there for the opening night and I had a chance to show him the pile of his band press photos I had collected during the '90s.

He was signing books that evening so I am especially glad I had the opportunity to shake his hand and thank him for opening my eyes to a world of music I had originally been just using my ears to enjoy. He seemed a little confused as to how a girl who grew up NJ had all these pictures by him but I explained I had friends who worked at Sub Pop and that I eventually moved to the Emerald City so it wasn't too bizarre of a tale. Charles mentioned he didn't have a copy of a few of them (the promo photo card version) one of them being of Mark Lanegan (image below), singer from the Screaming Trees who at the time had released his first solo record for Sub Pop.

Found within this post are two promo pics (Nirvana w/ the original line up + Mark Lanegan) from my personal collection; now signed by CP.