Latest news with #BorntoBeWild
Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Cultural history of late-'60s rock hits some sour notes
There's a depth and richness in rock 'n' roll that, at its best, rivals other art forms. But to reveal it, the music has to be placed in the broader texture and framework of culture and politics. John Einarson is the Winnipeg author of more than 20 rock-music music biographies. His past subjects include Neil Young, Randy Bachman, John Kay, Ian & Sylvia, The Byrds and Buffalo Springfield. From Born to Be Wild to Dazed and Confused Despite his literary output, he allows his crowning epitaph to be that 'he opened for Led Zeppelin' as the 17-year-old guitarist of local band Euphoria at the Man-Pop Festival at Winnipeg Stadium in August 1970. He's clearly a rock-music musicologist of the first order. And he also knows the tech stuff inside out. As a former rock musician, he writes knowledgably about guitar makes and models, tunings, chord progressions and amplifier manufacturers and sizes. But his focus this time round is conceptual, and much more ambitious than a rock bio. It's a cultural history, viewed through the lens of rock music in the late 1960s. He's set himself a tall order — one he doesn't fill, and which is handicapped by a dubious editorial choice in the book's format. Einarson traces the evolution of rock 'n' roll from psychedelia to heavy rock to heavy metal. Each of the three years he principally treats of — 1967, '68 and '69 — is introduced by a 'Timeline of Significant Events,' multi-page month-by-month one- or two-sentence bulleted lists of significant historical or musical events of each year. It's the kind of pedagogical aid Einarson, a former schoolteacher, might employ for instructing middle or high school students. But it has no business in a cultural history about rock music. Some of the timeline potted summaries also surface in the chapters that follow. But far better if more of them were integrated into the music-driven narrative, and the bulleted lists nixed. The net result: the music isn't fully and seamlessly placed within the larger context of the times and shaping historical events. The book's title encompasses two songs Einarson considers signal recordings for the birth of hard rock — Steppenwolf's Born to Be Wild, released in 1968, and Led Zeppelin's Dazed and Confused, released in 1969. But he begins the narrative in 1965, with the rise of psychedelic music. He charts how psychedelia's gentler, more experimental ethos gave way through 1966-67 to a louder, heavier and more visceral sound, pioneered by the Who, the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Jeff Beck. It finally crystallized in the likes of Steppenwolf and Led Zeppelin, he maintains. He links the evolution of psychedelic-cum-flower-power rock into a darker, heavier rock genre due to worsening geopolitical events — the Vietnam War's Tet Offensive, the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedy, increasingly violent student and civil-rights protests, the presidential election of Richard Nixon. This heavy rock, often today dubbed 'classic rock,' in turn gave way to a host of successor imitators, collectively known as heavy metal. Heavy metal music's intellectual quotient is near zero. It's a kind of a soma, loudly lulling its fans into ignoring real-world issues. Both early and later practitioners (Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Megadeath, Metallica) are weak derivatives of the pioneers of heavy rock (Jeff Beck, Cream, Led Zeppelin, Steppenwolf). What heavy metal imported was more overt sexual content, dilettantish dabbling in the occult, mysticism and Satanism, and adolescent proto-anarchism. Weekly A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene. But Einarson renders neither a critical judgment nor an endorsing defence of the genre, remaining pretty much mute on its merits or lack of same. This is an intelligent record of rock music's evolution in the late 1960s. But while it's an interesting chronicle, there's a dearth of considered scrutiny. The music's interaction with politics and geopolitics is thin. The music's interaction with contemporary books, movies, plays and television is negligible to non-existent. The broader context of the music is too often missing. As cultural history, it's criticism lite. Douglas J. Johnston is a Winnipeg lawyer and writer.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘American Idol' says goodbye to Slater Nalley and Thunderstorm Artis ahead of Season 23 finale
American Idol favorites Slater Nalley and Thunderstorm Artis were eliminated from the singing competition on Monday. The two singer-songwriters went home after 19 million viewers cast their votes during the second night of Disney performances on ABC. John Foster, Jamal Roberts, and Breanna Nix advanced to the Season 23 finale on May 18. Each contestant performed two songs, with Slater taking on "You've Got a Friend in Me" from Toy Story and "Born to Be Wild" from D3: The Mighty Ducks. Lionel Richie told the 18-year-old from Atlanta, "You've come a long way, son," as Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan praised the teenager's song choices. More from GoldDerby 'Deli Boys' and 'Shifting Gears' showrunner Michelle Nader says both shows 'are about humanity and make people laugh' Gabby Samone returns to 'American Idol' for the season finale. Who's joining her? 'The Voice' recap: America votes as Top 12 perform for a spot in the Season 27 finale Slater's audition was one of the season's most memorable. He had Carrie in tears when he performed "Traces of You," which he wrote in honor of his high school English teacher's son who was killed eight years prior. "Every single person that hears that can fill in that memory with somebody that's in themselves," Carrie said. "I couldn't have imagined you doing that any better." With that, Slater earned his golden ticket to Hollywood. Throughout his American Idol journey, Slater performed "Ophelia," "Over the Rainbow," "Soulshine," "This Ain't It," "Your Song," "Angel From Montgomery," "Whoever's in New England," "Atlantic City," "Can You Feel the Love Tonight," and "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right." SEE Gabby Samone returns to 'American Idol' for the season finale. Who's joining her? Thunderstorm took on "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" from Cinderella and "Find Yourself" from Cars on his final night in the competition. Carrie told the 29-year-old from Hawaii, "You are all heart. You don't do too much or too little. We feel your heart behind it." The accomplished musician is no stranger to reality TV singing competitions. In 2020, he competed on Season 18 of The Voice, where he placed third with coach Nick Jonas. Throughout his American Idol journey, Thunderstorm sang "Imagine," "Is This Love?," "Reckless Love," "I Love You," "Fire and Rain," "The House of the Rising Sun," "When We Were Young," "Faithfully," "Colors of the Wind," and "Out of the Blue." While Slater and Thunderstorm both scored millions of fans throughout the season, it wasn't considered a shock to see them go home at this stage. John Foster and Jamal Roberts have long been considered frontrunners for the Season 23 title and Breanna Nix often finished among the top three in Gold Derby's weekly polling. Fans of Slater and Thunderstorm won't have to wait too much longer to see them again. Although they won't be competing, both will be performing on the Season 23 finale of American Idol on May 18 (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT). SIGN UP for Gold Derby's free newsletter with latest predictions Best of GoldDerby 'The Masked Singer' spoilers: Who is Boogie Woogie? 'RuPaul's Drag Race' winners list: Every season, plus 'All Stars' Vote for 'Survivor 50': The 3 new questions center around design, survival, and strategy Click here to read the full article.
CBC
01-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Long considered an American rock anthem, 'Born to Be Wild' has a Canadian backstory
Released in 1968, the song Born to Be Wild is a classic — you'll hear it in commercials, in movies and on television, at birthday parties, weddings and corporate events. The song transcends generations. Its energy, raw defiance and that iconic guitar line have made it one of rock's most powerful anthems. "Born to Be Wild, it's one of the best songs any rock band ever made," says musician Jello Biafra who played with the Dead Kennedys. The song is the signature hit of the band Steppenwolf but also represents a turning point in music history. It was a time when flower power was beginning to wilt and the world was turning dark; it was the era of the Vietnam war, assassinations, protests, and social unrest. Made famous by the cult-classic film Easy Rider, it was iconic Americana. Yet, four out of five band members were Canadian, and two of those, John Kay and Nick St. Nicholas, were German immigrants. Their story is told in the new documentary Born to Be Wild: The Story of Steppenwolf now streaming on CBC Gem. Behind the rebellious roar of Born to Be Wild is a surprising origin story that is as much about cultural upheaval as it is about the musicians who created it. Watch | Musicians Alice Cooper, Jello Biafra and others talk about Born to Be Wild Musicians Alice Cooper, Cameron Crowe, Jello Biafra and others talk about Born to Be Wild 13 days ago Duration 1:55 Steppenwolf's roots were in Toronto's Yorkville neighbourhood Born Joachim Krauledat in 1944 in East Prussia, where his father was killed at war before his birth, John Kay and his mother were refugees who escaped to West Germany and eventually moved to Canada in the late '50s, landing in Toronto. To add to their struggles, John was diagnosed at an early age with a severe visual impairment, achromatopsia, a rare condition that causes limited vision, sensitivity to light, and colour blindness. He is legally blind. The dark sunglasses he wore on stage were worn because he had a severe aversion to light, not because he was trying to be cool. Around the same time, Nick St. Nicholas, born Klaus Kassbaum, came to Canada with his family from post-war Germany. They both came of age in the blossoming music scene of Toronto in the early '60s – now known as the Haight Ashbury or Greenwich Village of the North. John was honing his blues-influenced guitar and singing skills, and as a solo artist, he played in the coffeehouses of Yorkville. Previously a sleepy residential neighbourhood, in those years Yorkville was coming alive with a burgeoning hippie folk music scene: "It was a magnet for those that just felt out of place in the regular neighbourhoods," remembers Kay in Born to Be Wild: The Story of Steppenwolf. These coffeehouses were the venues that became the meeting grounds for musicians, artists and intellectuals. Figures like Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Gordon Lightfoot and David Clayton-Thomas all made their mark here. The scene in Yorkville mirrored the larger global movements, where music was no longer just entertainment —it became a powerful tool for social and political change. A few streets away, Yonge Street venues were blasting out rock and roll and R&B, to the likes of Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks – with a young Robbie Robertson on guitar. The two music scenes collided as a breeding ground for young musicians like John and Nick. "Toronto was the nexus of American music and British music," says Canadian music producer Bob Ezrin in Born to Be Wild. "If you take it on a per capita basis, the people coming out of Toronto, we're punching way above our weight class." Through a mutual friend, John was introduced to Nick, who was playing in clubs with fellow Oshawa musicians in a band called Jack London and the Sparrows. Just around that time, the band was separating from singer Jack London and were looking for a replacement. John and Nick connected over their love of music and shared background. John started jamming with them and eventually was invited to join the band, renamed The Sparrows: Nick St. Nicholas on bass, Jerry Edmonton on drums, his brother Dennis (later known as Mars Bonfire) on guitar, and Goldy McJohn on keyboards. This was the foundation of what became Steppenwolf. The story of an iconic song: Born to Be Wild The Sparrows first went to New York and then travelled to Los Angeles in search of success. Nick, who was the only one with a driver's license, drove the band across the continent. "Los Angeles at that time, this was a gritty town," says John Kay's daughter, Shawn. "Coming out of the ashes and being tough. And that's where hard rock came from." The scene in Los Angeles would also influence their sound. In L.A. they played alongside bands like the Doors, but it was San Francisco where, by the late 1960s, the city's counterculture was in full swing. The band went north and it was there that they first attracted a cult audience, including a biker crowd that started to converge on their shows. In San Francisco, the band eventually parted ways over creative differences. They scattered, went back to L.A., forging their way alone, or with new bands. Eventually, John brought most of the band back together to form Steppenwolf. Dennis Edmonton (aka Mars Bonfire) departed from the band to pursue a solo career shortly after, but left them with a demo of the first version of the band's breakout hit. Living in a small apartment in L.A. where he couldn't use an amplifier, he recorded an unplugged, almost whispered version of Born to Be Wild. John Kay and Steppenwolf – with new guitarist Michael Monarch — would take this recording to a whole new level that would become the iconic anthem we know today. The lyrics were a call for adventure: "Get your motor runnin' / Head out on the highway." It echoed with the biker subculture and exemplified everything that they stood for: riding, rebellion and freedom. It was no coincidence that Born to be Wild was featured in the film Easy Rider, an indie movie starring Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper who play two bikers on an epic road trip. The film became a huge mainstream success and solidified Steppenwolf's reputation as a biker band. Both the film and the song embodied the rebellion of the 1960s — a rebellion against conformity, authority, and societal norms. Watch | Members of Steppenwolf talk about the impact of Born to Be Wild Members of Steppenwolf talk about the impact of Born to Be Wild 13 days ago Duration 1:30 Written and directed by German filmmaker Oliver Schwehm, Born to Be Wild: The Story of Steppenwolf is a refreshing and unexpected story of a song that is ubiquitous in pop culture all over the world. Weaving the story through interviews and live scenes with surviving band members, their families, and artists like Alice Cooper, Taj Mahal, Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous), Klaus Meine (The Scorpions), Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys), Dale Grover (The Melvins), Bob Ezrin (Producer: Kiss, Pink Floyd, Taylor Swift, among others). It also features incredible archival footage and photos, including never-before-seen 8-mm film from Nick St. Nicholas' vault. The film brings to light an endearing new Canadian perspective on what was long considered to be an American music story. These days, John and Nick live about an hour's drive from each other in southern California. They hadn't been together for over 50 years, until this documentary reunited them at the premiere in Munich in July 2024. They were arm-in-arm on stage presenting the film. Says Rolling Stone music critic Cameron Crowe, "There's a lot of love for Steppenwolf out there and I think why their music remains present … It's authentic. It's not a toy band with toy emotions. They're actually sincere." Watch Born to Be Wild: The Story of Steppenwolf now streaming on CBC Gem.
CBC
19-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
'Born to Be Wild, it's one of the best songs any rock band has ever made'
When you hear the opening riff of Born to Be Wild, you're instantly transported to a different time. The energy, raw defiance and that iconic guitar line have made it one of rock's most powerful anthems. But behind its rebellious roar is a story that's as much about cultural upheaval as it is about the musicians who created it. " Born to Be Wild, it's one of the best songs any rock band ever made," says musician Jello Biafra. Watch | Musicians Alice Cooper, Cameron Crowe, Jello Biafra and others talk about Born to Be Wild Musicians Alice Cooper, Cameron Crowe, Jello Biafra and others talk about Born to Be Wild 1 hour ago Duration 1:55 It was the signature hit of the band, Steppenwolf, written by lead singer John Kay, a German-Canadian musician with a taste for hard-edged rock and Canadian-born Mars Bonfire, Steppenwolf's primary songwriter (and Kay's brother-in-law). Their story is told in the new documentary Born to Be Wild: The Story of Steppenwolf now streaming on CBC Gem. Steppenwolf's roots were in Toronto's Yorkville neighbourhood Born Joachim Krauledat in 1944, Kay moved with his family from post-war Germany to Canada in the late '50s, landing in Toronto. Years later, he was swept up into the electric environment of Yorkville, a quiet residential neighbourhood that had transformed into the beating heart of Toronto's counterculture. "It was a magnet for those that just felt out of place in the regular neighbourhoods," remembers Kay in Born to Be Wild: The Story of Steppenwolf. Coffeehouses, folk clubs, and intimate venues became the meeting grounds for musicians, artists and intellectuals. Figures like Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Gordon Lightfoot and David Clayton-Thomas all made their mark here. Initially dominated by folk music, Yorkville's soundscape quickly expanded to embrace rock, blues and psychedelia. "Toronto was the nexus of American music and British music," says Canadian music producer Bob Ezrin in Born to Be Wild. "If you take it on a per capita basis, the people coming out of Toronto, we're punching way above our weight class." The scene in Yorkville mirrored the larger global movements, where music was no longer just entertainment; it became a powerful tool for social and political change. It was here that Kay refined his songwriter skills and crossed paths with musicians Jerry Edmonton and his brother Dennis (later known as Mars Bonfire). Kay became the lead singer of their band, The Sparrows, a vital predecessor to Steppenwolf. As the world grappled with the social upheaval of the 1960s, Kay found his voice in the raw power of electric rock — mirroring his desire to break free from convention and explore uncharted musical territory. Drawing on a mix of psychedelia, blues and a growing political consciousness, they created a sound that was both fresh and revolutionary. The story of an iconic song, born in the California desert Kay and several other Toronto musicians who would come together to form Steppenwolf moved south to Los Angeles in search of greater success. By the late 1960s, the city's counterculture was in full swing, and the band's raw, powerful sound — a mix of blues and psychedelic rock — captured the mood of the time. That's where Bonfire initially wrote the track that would become an anthem. The lyrics spoke to the universal desire for freedom: "Get your motor runnin' / Head out on the highway." Its lyrics weren't just about hitting the road, they were about rejecting the restrictions of the mainstream and embracing self-expression. Kay, who had always wrestled with authority, saw the song as a personal expression of defiance. Born to be Wild was featured in the film Easy Rider, an indie movie starring Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper who plays two bikers on an epic road trip. The film became a huge mainstream success and solidified Steppenwolf's reputation as a biker band. Both the film and the song embodied the rebellion of the 1960s — a rebellion against conformity, authority, and societal norms. Watch | Members of Steppenwolf talk about the impact of Born to Be Wild Members of Steppenwolf talk about the impact of Born to Be Wild 1 hour ago Duration 1:30 As Steppenwolf grew in fame, John Kay faced serious health problems Beneath the legendary status and electric performances of Steffenwolf, Kay faced a personal battle that few knew about. As a child, he was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative disease that attacks the retina and leads to gradual vision loss. It was the reason he was nearly always seen wearing dark sunglasses. For someone whose identity was tied to the stage — where every performance demanded precision and presence — the diagnosis felt like a cruel twist of fate. Hiding his condition was initially a way of protecting the band's image. He feared that admitting to his failing eyesight might tarnish Steppenwolf's legacy or diminish his place in rock history. Says his wife Jutta Kay, "For most musicians during that time, it was all fun and going wild and doing all sorts of stuff. For John, because of his eyesight, it was more of a livelihood. And he was very, very focused on making this happen. I mean, John was kind of the lead guy there because that's just his nature. you know, to take command." Kay found new ways to continue writing lyrics, composing music and performing. He and the band Steppenwolf concluded their touring activities with a final performance on October 14, 2018, in Baxter Springs, Kansas. Since then, the band has not scheduled any further concerts. Kay continues to be active in music. He has embarked on solo projects, including his recent podcast series Rockstar to Wildlife Advocate, which chronicles his journey from rock musician to champion of wildlife. The podcast is available to stream on platforms like YouTube and Spotify. While Steppenwolf as a band is no longer touring, their legacy continues through their music and the ongoing endeavours of John Kay. Says music lover and filmmaker Cameron Crowe, "There's a lot of love for Steppenwolf out there and I think why their music remains present … it's authentic. It's not a toy band with toy emotions. They're actually sincere." Now streaming on CBC Gem.
Associated Press
30-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
WeatherTech's Big Game Teaser Goes Wild
Nothing holds back a group of women who were 'Born To Be Wild' thanks to WeatherTech CHICAGO, Jan. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Four daring 70+ cougars out for a joy ride in a 1963 Lincoln Continental convertible show that this older generation can inspire people of all ages in this year's Big Game teaser spot for WeatherTech from longtime agency partner Pinnacle Advertising. The music-video-inspired ad is set to the 1969 Steppenwolf rock ballad 'Born to Be Wild,' as it follows four audacious women of a certain age living it up around town in their classic convertible. The spot was directed by Grammy-winning film and music video director Joseph Kahn, known for his music videos with artists such as Taylor Swift, Britney Spears, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Beyonce, Post Malone, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey and many more. 'Our American-made story is well-known to the US consumer through our 12-year history of advertising on the Big Game and has helped us build brand recognition throughout the country,' noted David MacNeil, CEO of WeatherTech. 'This year we saw an opportunity to stand out on advertising's biggest stage with an unexpected and highly entertaining spot.' The 60-second teaser focuses on the women's boisterous adventures around town tagging trucks, flirting at stoplights, and flashing their Bingo wins – free to live life on the wild side thanks to the protection they rely on from WeatherTech products. The teaser ad can be seen here. 'We purposefully brought on music video director Joseph Kahn to give this year's ad the energy and entertainment value to make a bold splash. The audience knows the WeatherTech brand for its American-made messaging, so the chance to build on that heritage with a new approach was a fun creative challenge,' explained Michael Magnusson, Founder and CEO of Pinnacle Advertising. Buckle up and hold onto your drinks (or don't, if you've got WeatherTech) - the fun and adventurous spot airs in the second quarter. About Pinnacle Advertising Pinnacle Advertising is a full-service advertising agency dedicated to creating meaningful connections between brands and consumers through its belief in 'The Creative Pursuit of Serious Results.' With expertise spanning strategy, creative, media, and analytics, Pinnacle partners with clients to deliver impactful campaigns that drive results. About WeatherTech® For decades, WeatherTech has delivered on its promise of quality and craftsmanship through a commitment to American-made auto, home and pet products. Globally renowned for its laser-measured FloorLiner™ and innovative CupFone®, the Bolingbrook, Illinois headquartered company continues to push industry boundaries through superior design, engineering and international brand recognition. More information can be found at
