If a band could be the poster child for Health Care reform, it might just be Oakland's Rogue Wave. In the past few years, frontman and songwriter Zach Rogue (aka Zach Schwartz) has gone through a career-threatening spinal injury (which he still has a numb right hand from) and drummer Pat Spurgeon has had to deal with kidney failure. The band toured with Spurgeon getting twice a day dialysis, while waiting for a kidney with grim prospects. The whole experience was documented in the documentary D Tour (scroll down for clip). Spoiler alert: a match miraculously came, but the uninsured Spurgeon still has to take ridiculously expensive anti-rejection drugs for the rest of his life.
And here lies the double-edged sword for Rogue Wave. If they finally break through and become successful, it may be great for Zach Rogue, but Spurgeon would be in trouble, as his prescriptions would no longer be covered thanks to his poverty standing. With the recent release of Permalight, the band still looks to expand on its current fanbase, and are playing Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Monday to do the same. With the passing of the Health Care Reform bill last night, the band has even more to look forward to, albeit four years down the line.
Speaking of health coverage, Inara George will be performing with The Bird and the Bee on The Ellen Degeneres Show this Tuesday while 8 months pregnant (she's due April 30). Prior to the newborn, the band will be delivering Interpreting the Masters Volume 1: A Tribute to Daryl Hall and John Oates, which is as it sounds: an album of Hall & Oates covers. At a recent show in Los Angeles, a mustache-less John Oates made a surprise appearance, so there's definitely a possibility we might see one or both of Philly's favorite blue-eyed soul duo join the young group when they (please!) do "Private Eyes.".
Elsewhere, Montreal’s The Besnard Lakes will be building a sonic landscape when they play Fallon on Tuesday night. Led by husband-wife duo Jace Lasek and Olga Goreas, the band is playing in support of the recent release The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night. Joan Jett is back plugging The Runaways as well as her greatest hits, this time on Letterman (Wednesday). And while we're on the subject of <The Runaways, we're reminded of a similar rise and fall story involving an all-girl band: Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. IFC's giving the Roger Ebert-penned, Russ Meyer-directed camp-classic another look, thanks to The Runaways, and it's worth the DVR space, if only for dialogue like: "You're a groovy boy. I'd like to strap you on sometime." (Also look out for psychedelic rockers Strawberry Alarm Clock playing at a groovy party.)Playlist: Picks for the week
Monday, March 22
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: k.d. lang
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Rogue Wave
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Grizzly Bear (REPEAT)
Tuesday, March 23
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Neon Trees
FOX: Lopez Tonight: Trey Songz
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Rodrigo y Gabriela
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: The Besnard Lakes
SUNDANCE: Grand Theft Parsons: Gram Parsons
SYNDICATION: The Ellen Degeneres Show: The Bird and the Bee
Wednesday, March 24
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Mishka
CURRENT: Embedded: Thievery Corp, Amanda Palmer, Delta Spirit, Common (REPEAT)
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: The Clientele
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: The Raveonettes
SUNDANCE: The Devil and Daniel Johnston: Daniel Johnston, Gibby Haynes, Thurston Moore, Kathy McCarty, Jad Fair
Thursday, March 25
FOX: Lopez Tonight: Rodrigo y Gabriela
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Robert Randolph and Sacred Steel
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Lupe Fiasco
VH1: Tupac: Resurrectino: 2pac
Friday, March 26
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Daniel Merriweather (REPEAT)
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Ludacris
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Black Lips
Saturday, March 27
IFC: Beyond the Valley of the Dolls: Strawberry Alarm Clock
PALLADIA: Woodstock: Three Days of Peace & Music: Crosby, Stills, & Nash, Canned Heat, The Who, Richie Havens, Joan Baez, Ten Years After,
I only know 'Kicking the heart out' (from one of the Weeds OST's). Great music.
ReplyDeleteOverhere those kind of things are in basic insurance, and we're obliged to be insured (although there are always people who will fall out of this boat because they fail to pay the relatively low cost of that insurance - about 100€ per month). I've had several medical procedures in the past which otherwise would've made my parents take out a loan or something.
I hope the health bill will be a great step in the good direction, not just for Rogue Wave's bandmembers.