Greetings, and welcome to Reservoir Music Notes! I didn’t comment too much about Mick Jagger’s SNL appearance last week, but after reviewing the clips, I gotta say, Mick’s appearances with Foo Fighters and The Jeff Beck Group should serve as a wake up call to the rest of The Stones, because Mick was in top form and he proved, finally, that he can play with somebody other than Keith and The Stones, and still kick butt!

Mick’s solo albums have been rather dry and sterile and lacking in soul, except for a few tracks here and there. Every time he tried to do his own thing, all that happened was that he proved that he needs The Stones!

Enter Foo Fighters! Foo Fighters are without question, the greatest, and pretty much the only, rock band success story of the past twenty years! Not to take anything away from them, they are a great band of musicians and songwriters in any era! Never was this more self evident then last Saturday night when they backed Mick Jagger on a medley of Stones’ hits. Foo Fighters are able to rock out with the best of ‘em, while retaining just enough interesting, unexpected moves to bring something different to the tried and tested three chord formula. They threw in just enough of their own musical personalities to improve on The Stones without losing the spirit of the originals. It was something like when Jimmy Page toured with The Black Crowes, who proved they could play, and Chris Robinson could sing, Led Zeppelin, better than Led Zeppelin!

Now, although The Stones proved they’re still The World’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band when they want to be, in the Martin Scorsese documentary, “Shine a Light”, on most nights they’ve lost a step or two. Still better than most bands out there, just not compared to themselves! Foo Fighters are the exception to this rule! They take it to another level, one The Stones themselves haven’t been on for a long time! Like I said, Keith and The Boys can go there whenever they want. They just have to be inspired, which maybe they aren’t to be playing with Mick anymore! But Mick could tour with Foo Fighters and it would be the most exciting musical event of the year, and I hope he does it!

This week’s live music choices are few, but very high level. Pick of the Week is EILEN JEWELL and LOS STRAITJACKETS at Club Helsinki in Hudson on June 1st. These are both artists I’ve championed in the past and will do so again. Check out Jewell’s “Sea of Tears” and anything by Los Straitjackets. There’ll be a hot time in the old town tonight! Don’t miss this!

Not really familiar with ANDERS OSBORNE, but The Village Voice called him a “New Orleans guitar demon”, and that’s good enough for me! Bowery Ballroom, June 2^nd.

LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM was always one of the bright spots of Fleetwood Mac. BB King’s, June 4^th.
Reggae royalty JIMMY CLIFF stops by the Prospect Park Bandshell in Brooklyn on June 5^th. Always a great spot to see a band, doesn’t hurt that Cliff is still rockin’ 40 years later!

Have a great week!

Fred Perry is the owner of Reservoir Music Center on Route 28 in Kingston, and founding member of Alt-Country supergroup, The Brooklyn Cowboys, is from a 3rd generation musical family and lives in the Hudson Valley, where he does what he can to promote live music.