Rock Stars

I saw Velvet Revolver last night at the Val Air Ballroom in Des Moines. If you're not familiar with Velvet Revolver, they are the [warning: trendy buzzword coming] "supergroup" formed by Slash, Duff, and Matt Sorum from Guns and Roses along with singer Scott Weiland from Stone Temple Pilots. The Val Air is a great place to see a band like this. It's essentially a giant, open room that allows you to get as close to the band as your elbows and tenacity will allow. The upside is that you really feel like you're part of the show. The downside is that you are almost guaranteed to end up with someone's beer on your person.

I've been a long time Stone Temple Pilots fan, but this was the first time I've ever seen Scott Weiland perform in person. He was mesmerizing...all over the stage, up on the risers, gyrating in that Scott way of his. It was immediately apparent that he is a true rock star. I know that seems obvious...but I mean he's a REAL rock star. In my mind, there's a slippery and slightly intangible distinction between a rock performer and rock star. A performer is someone who gets up on stage and plays a gig...it could even be an amazing gig...but they are also someone who could get a regular job and blend into society if their music career tanks.

However, a rock star is from another planet. Someone who breathes in oxygen and breathes out rock and roll. Someone who was born looking like they belong on the cover of Rolling Stone. Rock stars have bet their entire lives on making music. It's a do or die situation for them. If their music career doesn't take off, they will end up dead or in a homeless shelter. I've been to dozens of concerts, but I would say that the only two rock stars I've seen are Steven Tyler and Scott Weiland.

Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes was close, I'll admit. In fact, the last time I saw him perform he managed to provide a very rock star quote. The show was plagued with technical problems and the show had to take a 30 minute break in the middle of the set to deal with speaker issues. At the end of the show Chris said, "Thanks for coming the show. If you have any complaints, send all of your nasty emails to whatever the f*** this place is." Good quote.