The 2009 Men of Rock

Aug. 23, 2009

The 2009 Men of Rock
Some musicians who made a difference this year...

By Kristi Kates 8/24/09

Just like last year, a combination of factors determine who this year’s Men of Rock are. Find that near-perfect accomplishment, originality, forward-thinking, collaboration, philanthropy, environmental support, quantity, quality, and this year, in some cases, bravery - and that’s how we’ve chosen the rockers that are tops for 2009. Let’s count ‘em down:

9. PERRY FARRELL
Farrell’s strength lies in staying under the radar, to some degree - and then surfacing with something big when you least expect it. The multi-faceted and quirky musician/entrepreneur, whose bands include Jane’s Addiction and Satellite Party, is the only person to have performed at all eight Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festivals to date - albeit under five different names - and his 2009 also continues to find him both helming and performing at one of the biggest and most popular rock fests in the country, Lollapalooza, which he founded back in 1991. In addition, Farrell continues to campaign for environmental concerns, and plans to release his next album only digitally.


8. JAY-Z
Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter’s big year started with his departure from legendary rap/hip-hop label Def Jam Records - but this choice wasn’t a detriment to his career at all. On the contrary - Jay-Z quickly signed a new imprint/distribution deal with Atlantic/Live Nation for his own label, Roc Nation, and became hip-hop’s biggest earner topping the 2009 Forbes Hip-Hop Cash Kings List. Mr. Beyonce Knowles also spent much of last year and part of this year recording his latest album in Hawaii, where he went to avoid the crowds of NYC and L.A.; his The Blueprint album is now set for release in September, where it will take its place as the final installment in Jay-Z’s Blueprint trilogy of albums.

7. ANDREW BIRD
Andrew Bird may not be raking in the big bucks like Z yet, but this darling of the indie scene has been popping up in an impressive amount of places over the year to date. The Chicago-born singer-songwriter’s fifth solo album, Noble Beast, hit stores the first month of 2009, and quickly became a critical and hipster-fan hit; not content with that much acclaim (or music), Bird released the Fitz and the Dizzy Spells EP this past May. You’d think that would’ve kept him busy enough, but no; in addition, Bird appeared on Loney, Dear’s 2009 album, Dear John, and showed up to impressively perform on everything from this year’s Lollapalooza stage to NPR Music and Talk of the Nation.

6. ADAM YAUCH
In addition to musical talent, the elder statesman of The Beastie Boys and Free Tibet activist also has a whole lot of marketing savvy, as evidenced by the band’s February 2009 re-release of their landmark second full-length album, Paul’s Boutique, in a digitally-remastered form for its 20th anniversary. Not ones to rest on their laurels, Yauch and crew also completed work on their eighth studio album, Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 1, and planned to release it this September; that plan was postponed by Yauch’s being diagnosed with cancer. But in typical cool, collected, and positive Yauch fashion, he announced the situation to his fans with grace, and the band - and Yauch - shall press on.

5. JACK WHITE
Last year, Jack White surfaced on this list for his work with The White Stripes and The Raconteurs; this year, he’s number five for his third band, The Dead Weather, which he formed with the singer from The Kills. How many bands can one man maintain? Apparantly at least three, if you’re Jack White. The Dead Weather’s debut disc hit stores in July of this year, with White also taking on production duties for several other artists - Rachelle Garniez, the Dexter Romweber Duo, and Mildred and the Mice. But wait, there’s more - White also played himself in the rockumentary It Might Get Loud, a film all about the history of the electric guitar (alongside Jimmy Page and The Edge) that was released this past August.

4. JEFF TWEEDY
Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy snagged an honorable mention here last year, and now that Wilco’s latest album, wittily titled Wilco (The Album), is out, the skilled musician has been even busier in adding to his list of accomplishments. These are made all the more notable by his personal triumphs: quitting smoking, and his ongoing courageous battles against migraines, depression, and panic attacks. In addition to their 2009 set, Tweedy and Wilco also freely distributed their cover of Woody Guthrie’s “The Jolly Banker” in order to encourage donations to the Woody Guthrie Foundation; appeared with singer Feist on David Letterman; and joined Beck in the studio as part of his “Record Club” project.

3. JACK PENATE
Jack Penate, much like Andrew Bird but within a different genre of music, has also been all over the place this year. The XL Recordings singer-songwriter takes his songs to a more pop place, which has garnered him rave reviews across the UK as well as more than a few dancing feel - it’s only a matter of time before this side of the pond catches on. Penate’s “Tonight’s Today” dropped on UK radio in January 2009, followed by second single “Be the One,” and Penate hasn’t looked back since. His album, Everything is New, quickly started climbing the charts at its release on June 22, he’s played gigs with pals Adele and The Maccabees, performed in Camden Town as part of the iTunes Live Festivals show, and also hit stages at the Radio 1 Live Lounge, T in the Park, the Reading-Leeds Weekend, Wireless 2009, and the Glastonbury Festival. And he’s touring in America as you read this.

2. BRANDON FLOWERS
Whether he’s decked out in guyliner, retro Western outfits, or a modernized version of Mad Max gear in shredded fabric and feathered embellishments, Killers singer Flowers and his band coordinate their styles with each album, pushing the band through a variety of phases to refine their sound and make it more complex and dense with each turn. But as talented as the band is, they likely wouldn’t be where they are now - one of the top-drawing modern rock acts in the country and indeed, the world - without Flowers’ sensitively melodramatic and distinctive vocals, as well as his mesmerizing performance abilities as one of the best rock frontmen of today. Flowers also defends his band with a fierceness rarely seen in today’s rock world, directly pinpointing copycat acts and speaking his mind about the state of music today; meanwhile, The Killers’ latest album, Day & Age, has gone Gold in the U.S. and Platinum in the U.K., selling over 3.5 million copies to date.

1. CHRIS MARTIN
No matter how you slice it, Brit Chris Martin arrives on this list again - and in an even higher spot - due to the fact that neither he nor his band, Coldplay, have slowed down since a year ago. Martin and Coldplay started 2009 with nominations for four BRIT Awards - Best Group, Live Act, Single, and Album - and they won three Grammy Awards in February for Song of the Year, Best Rock Album for Viva La Vida, and Best Vocal Pop Performance for a Duo or Group. Not a bad way to begin a year. In May, Martin and Coldplay gave away a free live performance CD dubbed LeftRightLeftRightLeft - a nine-track gift for their fans - and in June, they both began filming part of their live shows for a forthcoming concert film, and also started supporting Paul McCartney’s “Meat Free Monday” campaign, which is attempting to help slow climate change by promoting one meat-free dietary day each week. The singer, married to actress Gwyneth Paltrow, also doesn’t drink, do drugs, or smoke, making him not only a great example to fellow musicians due to his extensive songwriting, singing, and performance talents, but also to people as a whole; he’s also a solid supporter of Oxfam’s Make Trade Fair campaign, as well as of President Barack Obama.

HONORABLE MENTION: MICHAEL JACKSON
Putting Jackson’s personal life aside, it’s pretty remarkable that he was still proving himself as a viable entertainer at 50, with sold-out shows for his This Is It tour and rehearsal footage that proved he still had the moves of someone half his age. It remains tragic that he departed before the grand public had a chance to revisit this groundbreaking performer’s musical and dance skills.