I have recently discovered this guy. Odd, but after a few weeks, is name started to sound familiar. I now find that I enjoyed his father’s music when I was in my 20’s.
Your thoughts and comments, please.
never heard of him. but i’m going to the ben folds show in denver next week and rufus wainwright is opening.
That should be a great show!!
Rufus has been around for a while, just not in the big mainstream, though he has a huge gay following.
Doesn’t he sing “Hallelujah” on the Shrek soundtrack? I love that song and he does it so beautifully. I actually have it as part of my running music even though it’s kind of slow. After you listen to it, compare it to Leonard Cohen’s version which is very hard on the ears.
So, who’s his Dad?
Dawn
You probably would not know his father, Loudon Wainwright. If anything I have ever said made any sense, pick up Rufus Wainwright’s album “Poses”. And if you want to be mesmerized, pick up his double CD that also has a DVD of a live performance. His live perforance seems otherwordly. He completely steps out of his over-the-top gay peronna the instant he begins to perform. You would never put the two together.
I am not into weird off-beat alternative stuff by any means–give me the Eagles, Jackson Browne, etc. But this guy has taken over the music in my head.
And yes, that is him in Shrek.
His stuff is off the hook. He has a huge college following.
So, who’s his Dad?
Dawn
Loudon Wainwright III, also known as the guitar player in The Swamp, in early episodes of MAS*H
Talking New Bob Dylan - LWIII
Hey, Bob Dylan, I wrote you a song.
Today is your birthday if I’m not wrong.
If I’m not mistaken you’re fifty today,
How are you doin’, Bob? What do you say?
Well, it musta been about ‘62,
I heard you on record, and you were brand-new.
An’ some had some doubts about the way you sang,
But the truth came through and loudly rang.
Yeah, you were hipper than Mitch Miller,
And Johnny Mathis, put together.
So I got some boots, a harmonica rack,
A D-21, an’ I was on the right track.
But I didn’t start writing until '68,
It was too damn daunting, you were too great.
I won a whole lot of Bob Dylan imitation contests, though – huh
Yeah, times were a-changin’,
You brought it all home –
“Blonde On Blonde”, “Like a Rolling Stone” .
The real world is crazy, you were deranged,
An’ when you went electric, why, everything changed –
A shock to the system.
Had a commission at yer motorcycle wreck –
Holed up in Woodstock, with a broken neck.
The labels were signin’ up guys with guitars, Out to make millions, lookin’ for stars.
Well, I figured it was time to make my move –
Songs from the West Chester County Delta country.
Yeah, I got a deal , and so did John Prine, Steve Forbert and Springsteen, all in a line.
They were lookin’ for you, signin’ up others,
We were “new Bob Dylans” – your dumb-ass kid brothers.
Well, we still get together every week at Bruce’s house –
Why, he’s got quite a spread, I tell ya – it’s a twelve-step program.
Well, but we were just us and of course you were you,
“John Wesley Harding” sure sounded new.
And then “Nashville Skyline” was even newer,
‘Blood On the Tracks’, an’ the ringin’ got truer.
Let’s see – there was another one in there somewhere…oh, I got it, I got it – “Self Portrait” –
Well, it was an interesting effort.
Yeah, had to stop listening, times were too tough,
Me bein’ the new me was hard enough.
You keep right on changin’ like you always do,
An’ what’s best is the old stuff still all sounds new…
Yeah, today is your birthday – have a great one, Bob!
Bein’ the new you is one hell of a job.
My kid cranked up her boom-box to almost grown
When I heard you screamin’
From her room –
“Everybody must get stoned.”
Thanks a lot, Bob – happy birthday, Bob.
I saw him in the mid to late 90’s when he opened for Bare naked Ladies and I’d have to say it was the single worst performacne by a musician I have ver seen. He was stand alone no back up band and if it wasn’t for the fact that he walked out the mic and his hand moved to play the guitar you would have thought there was s statue up there singing. I am telling you he didn’t move any mucscle that wasn’t required, stone still. His singing was horrible totaly off pitch and really painful to listen to. I couldn’t believe he was an opening act for anyone.
Sounds like he had a bad night or I had bad ears, I’ll have to give him another go.
Maybe I am mistaken.
Or not.
Love “Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk” which all too accurately describes my current, problematic, choices.
Just watched that on DVD 2 days ago - one of the ones with Loudon in.
So has anyone seen the Aviator? I just saw it last night on DVD…
Reason I bring up the Aviator is that in the movie they go to the Coconut Club 3 times. The first time Rufus is the lounge singer. (I actually caught that) What I didnt catch was that singers on the 2nd and 3rd visit were Louden and Martha Wainwright, respectively. Pretty clever…
Aha! Pretty good of you.
A quick review: The Odd Man Out Tour with Ben Lee, Rufus Wainwright and Ben Folds is a must. A must.
Rufus was great, in a wierd totally camp gay singer-songwriter sorta way. He was wearing a blouse with a broach and tassles.
Ben Folds. Man, who would have ever thought a pianist could be a rockstar. The noise made by the three guys on stage – piano/vocals, bass and drums – was amazing. Huge.
Ben and Rufus covered a George Michael song and I couldn’t help but sing along. I felt nostalgic. And old. But, truthfully, guilty feet don’t have rhythm.
Anyway, it was a great show. Very fun. Great musicians.
Ben Folds. Man, who would have ever thought a pianist could be a rockstar. The noise made by the three guys on stage – piano/vocals, bass and drums – was amazing. Huge.
Is he playing with the Ben Folds Five (actually a trio) again?
Dawn, I like Jeff Buckley’s version of “Hallelujah” best. Very dramatic. Cohen’s songs are best when done by some one other than Cohen, even when it’s Concrete Blond.
Doesn’t Martha have a new album out? (Album- geeze, date myself just a little eh?)
The show was billed as just Ben Folds. The band is a trio (like BF5), but bass and drums are different guys. Maybe half the set was BF5 material.