Of all of the weird/awesome/goofy shit that took place during last week’s six-hour “12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief,” two of the massive fundraiser’s most talked-about performances have been left off of the corresponding live album. As noted in our 36 Most Memorable Moments roundup, a kilted Kanye West arrived toward the end and river-danced circles around the nearly ceaseless run of (impressively well-) aging English rockers. He delivered a fierce 13-song medley that helped push the show to the finish line and no doubt helped bring in some of that $50 million that 12-12-12 raised. Also, that Sirvana thing happened — you know, the “Nirvana reunion” featuring Paul McCartney on vocals.
But while the jackass who defiled Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” by rhyming it with “poo-ya” (Adam Sandler, of course) has his own spot on the concert LP’s track list, Kilt Kanye and Sirvana have been left off. Why? Billboard reports that Columbia, the set’s distributor, refused to comment and that a source from the publishing world refuted the idea that thorny legal clearances were to blame. But they do cite unnamed sources who speculate that “West’s perfectionism” is to blame and that “it’s likely that he wasn’t happy with the performance.” So, essentially, Kanye being Kanye. Then again, Billboard also refers to West as “the only musical performer not featured,” and Dave Grohl was on the official bill.
As for the main Foo’s absence from 12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief, the album, again signs point to the artist being the issue. Shortly after Sirvana debuted “Cut Me Some Slack” at the benefit gala, Grohl revealed that the song was recorded for his forthcoming Sound City documentary and that, guess what, it will be on the soundtrack album, which is already available via iTunes. Macca and the boys wound up performing the track on Saturday Night Live over the weekend.
Ki12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief, track list:
1. Bruce Springsteen – “Land of Hopes and Dreams”
2. Bruce Springsteen – “Wrecking Ball”
3. Roger Waters –
– a. “Happiest Days of Our Lives”
– b. “Another Brick in the Wall 2”
– c. “Jean Charles de Menezes”
4. Roger Waters – “Us and Them”
5. Roger Waters – “Comfortably Numb” featuring Eddie Vedder
6. Adam Sandler and Paul Shaffer – “Hallelujah”
7. Bon Jovi – “It’s My Life”
8. Bon Jovi – “Wanted Dead or Alive”
9. Eric Clapton – “Got to Be Better in a Little While”
10. Eric Clapton – “Crossroads”
11. Rolling Stones – “You Got Me Rocking”
12. Rolling Stones – “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”
13. Alicia Keys – “No One”
14. The Who – “Who Are You”
15. The Who – “Baba O’Reilly”
16. The Who – “Love, Reign O’er Me”
17. Billy Joel – “Miami 2017 (Sandy)”
18. Billy Joel – “Movin’ Out”
19. Billy Joel – “You May Be Right”
20. Chris Martin – “Viva La Vida”
21. Chris Martin – “Losing My Religion” featuring Michael Stipe
22. Chris Martin – “Us Against the World”
23. Paul McCartney – “Helter Skelter”
24. Alicia Keys – “Empire State Of Mind”
