Bambi Kino - Taking Beatles Tribute To A New Level

Thanks to the ever informative Beatlefan magazine, I've recently been hipped to a unique new Beatles tribute band (and one actually worth checking out) - Bambi Kino. Named after The Beatles' first accommodation in Hamburg, Germany, the band features Mark Rozzo (Maplewood). Ira Elliot (Nada Surf), Doug Gillard (Guided By Voices) and Erik Paparazzi (Cat Power). Formed In New York City back in the summer of 2009, the band played  Hamburg's legendary Indra Club in 2010 (marking the 50th anniversary of The Beatles debut at the same venue).

What sets this band apart is they stick strictly to The Beatles repertoire circa the Hamburg years. This means energetic covers of mainly 50s & early 60s rock and roll, with a few scattered Lennon/McCartney originals from the period thrown in. While they thankfully don't concern themselves with wigs and costumes (outside of some Hamburg-era leather jackets), their attention to detail is striking. Obscure songs like 3:30 Blues (often played by The Beatles in the wee hours when few patrons were around) and Nothin' Shakin' (But The Leaves On The Trees) are given equal space alongside more well known fair like Kansas City and I Saw Her Standing There.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCPdNhpZHS4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmgFbmRpBvA&feature=related

Going beyond that (for the Hamburg shows at least), they even had German guest vocalists come up on stage and sing lead vocals on songs like Money (That's What I Want), just as The Beatles would do on occasion. That truly impressed a hardcore Beatles nerd like myself. The toilet seat around the neck in-joke was the icing on the cake!

During their August 2010 run, Bambi Kino recorded their self-titled debut at the Indra, featuring 12 songs from the ever growing set list. Released in 2011, it's available from amazon.com and on iTunes, along with a single of Some Other Guy (which features 2 splendid covers not on the album - Falling In Love Again and Red Sails In The Sunset).

Any Beatles fan who grew up with the Live At The Star Club album (like myself) or who ever had dreams of starting a clever tribute band like this (again, like myself) should really check out Bambi Kino. Perhaps there's still time for me to form that Wings University Tour 1972 tribute...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GE-uxfmKcfs

The Melody's Coming In Clear: Ringo Returns!

"Wings" is the new single by Ringo Starr from his forthcoming 17th studio album Ringo 2012, out January 31st in North America. Of course a single in today's music industry means a digital download. Oh how I miss the long-gone era of CD singles that usually featured 1-3 extra songs not found on any album. I could be wrong, but I think Ringo's last physical single was 1998's "La-De-Da."

What's unique about "Wings" is it's a re-recording of a solo Ringo track from 1977's Ringo The 4th album. In my 30-plus years of being a fan of the solo Beatles, I would never have predicted Ringo returning to this particular song. It's nice to know there's still a few musical surprises up the old boy's sleeve!

Start to finish, he's made the revisitation well worth the effort. Long past putting out music with commercial charts in mind, Ringo records pretty much for the love of making music these days, and "Wings" clearly illustrates this. Featuring a nice, sprightly drum track, Ringo also harmonizes with himself    on a few lines (a rare occurrence in the man's catalogue). At 71, he sings this better than his 37 year-old former self, which really gives this version the edge for me. Brother-in-law Joe Walsh contributes some fine lead guitar work throughout.

2011 saw the release of only one new studio recording by Ringo Starr, a great version of Buddy Holly's "Think It Over," which will also be included on Ringo 2012. "Wings" bodes well for the rest of the full length album (albeit featuring a much too short 9 tracks) at the end of the month.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu7qpQFGXZ0