What's the last concert t-shirt you remember buying?

The Who (2006). Picture of Pete leaping.

Is there another undeniably great '60s band other than The Who that never produced an original album in that decade (ie, not a hits collection) that a majority of even that band's fans can agree on as being great?

I don't think I understand the question. I keep repeating it to myself over and over and am drawing a blank. I feel stupid. Other than The Who? Does this mean a band that came into prominence after their 60s debuts? Like The Stones? Please expalin...

Which rocker would you be most interested in reading a novel by, whether that rocker has ever authored a novel or not?

Pete Townshend. Or Bob Dylan.

What favorite artist's new Look was so distasteful to you upon first seeing it that you briefly questioned whether you should continue liking said artist's music?

That Spector trial afro is pretty special. Made me rethink "Be My Baby".

In these tough economic times, let's say even The Boss has to do some belt-tightening and issue a layoff. If you're The Boss, which member of The E-Street Band do you layoff and why?

Little Steven is gone. He can make okay on his on. Besides, how many guitarists does one need?

Which novelist would you most be interested in hearing a rock 'n roll record by, whether that novelist has ever recorded a record or not (and whether rock 'n roll and records even existed when the novelist wrote)?

Elmore Leonard.

TB

TB, I meant that, among bands that came to prominence in the '60s, which bands beside The Who did so while not releasing an acknowledged CLASSIC album. For instance, the first two albums are kind of spotty. Not all Who fans really like The Who Sell Out. There's always been a Tommy backlash. I don't know that The Who has an original album from the decade in which they made their first big mark that even their biggest fans can agree on as a stone-cold classic the way Beatles fans can agree that Rubber Soul and Revolver, for instance, are classics or the way Dylan fans can rally around Blonde on Blonde and Highway 61 Revisited. In fact, I wonder if the only Who album that all Who fans will acknowledge is extremely solid, whether they're sick of it or not, is Who's Next.

I hope that clarifies the question a bit.

What's the last concert t-shirt you remember buying?

A bootleg Stones shirt in 89.

Is there another undeniably great '60s band other than The Who that never produced an original album in that decade (ie, not a hits collection) that a majority of even that band's fans can agree on as being great?

Are The Hollies great? If so, isn't The Hollies Greatest Hits the only album of theirs you need?

Which rocker would you be most interested in reading a novel by, whether that rocker has ever authored a novel or not?

I bet Patterson Hood could write a cool book.

What favorite artist's new Look was so distasteful to you upon first seeing it that you briefly questioned whether you should continue liking said artist's music?

Ever see Mick Jagger's Knebworth 76 outfit? It's part sailor suit, part lingerie. It's a really bad look.

In these tough economic times, let's say even The Boss has to do some belt-tightening and issue a layoff. If you're The Boss, which member of The E-Street Band do you layoff and why?

Little Steven. He can be a DJ or TV actor and Nils Lofgren can certainly do anything with a guitar Steven can do.

Which novelist would you most be interested in hearing a rock 'n roll record by, whether that novelist has ever recorded a record or not (and whether rock 'n roll and records even existed when the novelist wrote)?

I wonder if HP Lovecraft would have done something like The Cure or something like Slayer or maybe even one of those mush mouthed speed metal things?

That's what I was thinking, but I wanted to be exactly sure. Thanks for the clarification, Mod!

It's a legitimate thought that I honestly don't have an answer to. I think you've found the one group that this is the case for...

TB

I bought a Camper T-shirt a couple months back because they were really good that night, and I felt like they could use the money having slid down to a smallish unpacked venue. I also approached the table hoping to buy one of those hippy looking silkscreen designs from the cover of one of their early albums. Alas, these were unavailable in anything but infant sizes so I ended up with a pretty generic shirt in support of their compilation album that had come out recently. C'est la vie.

Although Live Dead was released in the 60's, I think it's pretty much conventional wisdom that the Dead's first consistently great studio album was live Workingman's Dead, circa 1970.

Robbie Fulks thoroughly entertaining blogs and occasional printed pieces make me think he could crank out a pretty good novel if he set his mind to it.

I've gotta go with everyone here. the Boss is a compassionate guy and Little Steven seems to have a lot of alternative irons in the fire. Besides, didn't that rat jump off the E-Street ship for about 10 years after the Born in the USA tour.

OK, she's not exactly a novelist, but I think Mary Karr could rock.

What's the last concert t-shirt you remember buying?

Plimsouls about 3 years ago.

Which member of The E-Street Band do you layoff and why?

Good points about Little Steven, but to me, he has a whole bunch of Jersey shore, back in the day cred, so he isn’t going anywhere. I’m assuming the fiddle player doesn’t count. I think that Clarence brings the least to the party but that would not be well received by a big chunk of the fans. I would go with Max Weinberg. He drumming is rock solid but I find it extremely boring. He hasn’t been with the Boss from the very beginning like Gary W. Talent. Max’s son has been playing about half the set on the current tour. Bruce could probably get the son at a cheaper price. He could come off like the good guy by spinning the whole thing like Max had to bail because of commitments with Conan, but Bruce was still willing to hire the son out of loyalty.

Which novelist would you most be interested in hearing a rock 'n roll record by?

Bukowski, although that would probably be better suited as a jazz album.

1. I was thinking at first that I had never done that, but then I remembered that 5 or so years ago I bought a shirt at a Pernice Brothers show. It said I HATE MY LIFE (the name of one of their songs) across the front and Pernice Brothers on the back. I wore it to work once at my old job, and I remember someone said to me "You got issues."

2. Creedence comes to mind, because they were not an album band.

3. I think Robyn Hitchcock could do it, especially now that the surrealism has settled down a bit.

4. At first I was thinking Little Steven too, but then I got to thinking how important his high harmonies are. I think he could do without Nils, but the fiddle player is even more expendable.

5. Thomas Pynchon.

CCR is a CORRECT answer that came to mind for me too, BigSteve, and I'll be right behind you in line for that Pynchon rock album.

What's the last concert t-shirt you remember buying?

A 'Song Remains the Same' repro from Foreman Mills. If you mean actually at a concert, it was the Good Charlotte hoodie I got for my 15 year old cousin at a festival pier show about 2 years ago. When I went to see the Police last year(free tickets, never would have paid for that), there was a really cool 'Regatta de Blanc' tour shirt for sale...for $50 bucks. Fuck That.

Is there another undeniably great '60s band other than The Who that never produced an original album in that decade (ie, not a hits collection) that a majority of even that band's fans can agree on as being great?

No.

Which rocker would you be most interested in reading a novel by, whether that rocker has ever authored a novel or not?

Bozz Scaggs.

What favorite artist's new Look was so distasteful to you upon first seeing it that you briefly questioned whether you should continue liking said artist's music?

Peter Gabriel's fat bald gnome Look.

In these tough economic times, let's say even The Boss has to do some belt-tightening and issue a layoff. If you're The Boss, which member of The E-Street Band do you layoff and why?

Steve Van Zant, for being more famous as an H.B.O. gangster with hair than as my guitarist. Besides, Nils can play the electric guitar.

Which novelist would you most be interested in hearing a rock 'n roll record by, whether that novelist has ever recorded a record or not (and whether rock 'n roll and records even existed when the novelist wrote)?

A Quadruple-Album of Heavy Rock by Herman Mellville.

How about Clapton in all of his formations? I know people who love DISRAELI GEARS and BLUESBREAKERS, but they have plenty of naysayers. LAYLA is to him what WHO'S NEXT is to the Who, the one album all fans agree on.

I don't want to read any novels by rock and roll stars. I also don't want to see their art, don't want them to open restaurants and don't want to see them play baseball.

And I don't want baseball players, novelists, actors or televangelists playing rock and roll.

And KING DORK sucks.

Concert Shirt - I got one at The Eric Clapton Crossroads festival in 2007. Got a classic Van Halen shirt at Target for $8 recently.

Don't understand the Who Question either

I bet Neil Young could write interesting fiction.

I dont want any novelist writing a rock record. Steven King was our best hope....

I think Bruce is ADDING people, I saw him on Sunday and he had two backup singer, Nils and Little Steven, Sister Suzi Tyrell, Max and Jay Weinberg, The Professor, Big Man, Gary and the new guy who took over for Phantom Dan.

Talk about too many people on the field! (still a great show though)

Culture Club? They were big when I was in middle school and I liked the songs but I could really dig Boy George

--last concert t-shirt you remember buying?

Drive-By Truckers.

--undeniably great '60s band that never produced an original album in that decade a majority of even that band's fans can agree on as being great?

I'm with pudman13: Clapton.

--rocker would you be most interested in reading a novel by

Patterson Hood was a good answer. I'm going to go a similar route and say Mike Cooley. His book would be shorter, funnier, and tighter than Hood's, if their songs are any indication.

What favorite artist's new Look was so distasteful to you upon first seeing it that you briefly questioned whether you should continue liking said artist's music?



--which member of The E-Street Band do you layoff and why?

Soozie Tyrell. Little Steven feels too indispensible, for showmanship alone. He's the Boss's onstage foil.

--Which novelist would you most be interested in hearing a rock 'n roll record by?

Michael Chabon.

What's the last concert t-shirt you remember buying?

The Hives. It was cheap.

Is there another undeniably great '60s band other than The Who that never produced an original album in that decade (ie, not a hits collection) that a majority of even that band's fans can agree on as being great?

CCR is a fine answer. Do the Animals have a killer album?

Which rocker would you be most interested in reading a novel by, whether that rocker has ever authored a novel or not?

Jeff Tweedy

What favorite artist's new Look was so distasteful to you upon first seeing it that you briefly questioned whether you should continue liking said artist's music?

Well, I don't see it when I'm hearing it. The Who's look never quite recovered from the Mod burial, but that was part of their appeal. Luckily they sort of broke up after that New Wave "look".

In these tough economic times, let's say even The Boss has to do some belt-tightening and issue a layoff. If you're The Boss, which member of The E-Street Band do you layoff and why?

Of course, I'm tempted to say he should give himself a golden parachute, join AIG, and let his band play karaoke for others. Ah, Nils is expendable in their schtick, and in fact is better on his own anyhow. I couldn't figure out what he was supposed to be miming in that Super Bowl show.

Which novelist would you most be interested in hearing a rock 'n roll record by, whether that novelist has ever recorded a record or not (and whether rock 'n roll and records even existed when the novelist wrote)?

George Pelecanos uses pretty solid music references throughout his DC-set mystery novels. It's a quick way of fleshing out his character's point of view.

Omitted the look thing by mistake. My answer is "Amy Winehouse." And the corollary was, yes, I was right to quit listening to her music.

That 60s question is confusing since a lot of very good bands were really singles artists then.

Sourbob, thanks for correcting your oversight on the Look question. Your answer was KEY!

Clapton, in all his permutations, is another great answer to that "no classic '60s album" question. The Animals may fit the bill, but as much as I like them I'm not sure that they rank as GREAT. Same goes for The Hollies, although some would argue that they're a lot better than The Byrds:P

Whoa. WTF? People are claiming that Creedence Clearwater Revivial had no great albums in the 60s? *Willy and the Poor Boys* and *Green River* are not great records? Give me a break.

And *Animalism* is a great Animals album.

Concert T-shirt: R.E.M. (in 1985)
So-So-60s-albums from Great Group: the Everly Brothers
Rocker Novelist: Alex Chilton, Shane MacGowan, Roddy Frame
Rocker's New Hairdo/Outfit: Mick Jagger (many, many times)
E-Street Reject: Little Stevie
Novelist Rocker: Thomas Pynchon, Phillip K. Dick, or Nick Tosches

The last music T-Shirt that I bought was a Modern Lovers one that I got from the UK via the Web.

As for the 2nd question, I would say the Byrds. There's been quite a difference of opinion of which album by the original or semi-original linup (up to Sweetheart of the Rodeo) was their best.

As for the Look question, I think that Elvis Costello's growing of a beard & appearing on the cover of Musician magazine w/Jerry Garcia around the time of Mighty Like A Rose was the first small chinks of the lessening of my fandom of him.

Rockers turned novelists: I would say Ray Davies & Martin Newell

Novelists turned rockers: The're both dead, but I would say P.G. Wodehouse & John Kennedy O'Toole

I don't care too much about Bruce and/or the E-Street Band. Maybe he should fire them & just go around solo doing Woody Guthrie songs while his daughter does steeplechase w/her horse in the background.

Last t-shirt bought: Seattle band The Cops. I think I was the only person at the show who wasn't a member of one of the opening bands. The Cops are now on indefinite hiatus. Too bad, they rocked.

Novel rock #1: Randy Newman

Bad new look: Elvis Costello's current one.

I say The Boss ditches everyone except Tallent and Max, and makes The E Street a power trio. Not that I'm saying that the result will be very good.

I too wouldn't mind hearing Pelecanos make an album. He wrote the lyrics to a pretty good Steve Wynn song a few years ago. I think it was called "Cindy, It was You."

Diskojoe wrote:

As for the Look question, I think that Elvis Costello's growing of a beard & appearing on the cover of Musician magazine w/Jerry Garcia around the time of Mighty Like A Rose was the first small chinks of the lessening of my fandom of him.

Good one!

butcher pete, good defense of CCR. Green River may be their best lp, and it's a very good one. That said, I don't know that anyone considers it or any CCR album a "classic."

I need to get myself a copy of Animalism. Thanks for the reminder. A friend was supposed to set aside a copy for me among his thousands of used albums that he sells, but I don't know what he did with it.

What's the last concert t-shirt you remember buying?

None. I hate shirts with things on them. Except buttons, I guess.

Which rocker would you be most interested in reading a novel by, whether that rocker has ever authored a novel or not?

Donald Fagen certainly has it in him to write a novel, and I’d definitely read it if he did. I’m surprised Skunk Baxter never came out with a series of Tom Clancy-esque books about a fictional beret wearing guitar player-turned-defense contractor-turned-President of the United States who goes around killing terrorists and saving the world.

Bill Wyman might have a Lolita in him.

Least readable potential novel by a rocker I like would have to be Prince. Can you imagine trying to read a novel full of Prince-speak and rebuses? {@} would not wish 4 that 2 happen 2 u.

What favorite artist's new Look was so distasteful to you upon first seeing it that you briefly questioned whether you should continue liking said artist's music?

Sam Coomes from Quasi had a really bad long hair/super skinny/pale/basketball jersey thing going on the Sword of God album that threw me in a major way. Luckily, by the time they came here on tour, he had switched to a very cool, Instant Karma-era Lennon look, with the buzz cut and army coat and all. An excellent Look adjustment choice then and now.

In these tough economic times, let's say even The Boss has to do some belt-tightening and issue a layoff. If you're The Boss, which member of The E-Street Band do you layoff and why?

Now this is a good question!

Sourbob nails exactly why all the Little Steven guesses are wrong. He’s worked himself way too far into Bruce’s routine. That whole goofy bit they did at the end of the Super Bowl show? Nobody else is in the E-Street Band is taking that spot.

cdm actually nailed my exact train of thought: Max is victim of the rock recession. Springsteen knows he has a steady gig, and he sees Max wearing those suits on TV every night. It’s a no-brainer. Bruce offers him a buyout and they both get to save face when The Boss claims that it was because of Max’s duties as part of moving out to LA for the Tonight Show. Then they can go out and hire a cheap young guy from Jersey to replace him, and Bruce gets to create this new guy’s back story from scratch, giving him a few more years’ worth of stage patter.

The next rock recession question might be: if Mick and Keith were forced to balance the books to placate Stones shareholders, who would they let go and replace with an extra, Charlie Watts or Ron Wood? Wood’s certainly in the historically more expendable slot, but I think it might be more complex than that.

Which novelist would you most be interested in hearing a rock 'n roll record by, whether that novelist has ever recorded a record or not (and whether rock 'n roll and records even existed when the novelist wrote)?

Pynchon is a great answer. I would definitely listen to an album that sounded like Vineland.

A Melville album would be like Procol Harum, wouldn’t it? I’d listen to that. Which reminds me, with the recent uptick in pirate news, I need to eventually do a post about the best song about pirates or sailors.

"Bill Wyman might have a Lolita in him."

I think you mean a Lolita might have Bill Wyman in her.

I'll play along too.

What's the last concert t-shirt you remember buying?

I don't buy many concert t-shirts. The last one I either bought or was given was from my friends and labelmates, The Knife & Fork Band, featuring RTH's very own Geo.

Is there another undeniably great '60s band other than The Who that never produced an original album in that decade (ie, not a hits collection) that a majority of even that band's fans can agree on as being great?

I'm sorry this question caused so much confusion but pleasantly surprised that no one argued with my premise that The Who failed to turn out a stone-cold classic album in the '60s. I'm going to leave out bands I don't consider quite GREAT (eg, The Hollies, The Animals, and many other singles-based bands). Although CCR was a singles-based band, I think that at their best they turned out GREAT music - a notch more original and vital than their singles-based breathern. Because no one (but butcher pete) has ever raved about a single CCR album of original material (they are the definition of a Greatest Hits band), I'm going to support all other nominations of them for this answer.

Some of the greatest Motown and Stax artists, operating in even more of a singles-based market, also failed to release a commonly acknowledged GREAT album: The Temptations, The Supremes, The Four Tops, Otis Redding, Sam and Dave...

Was it Diskojoe who suggested The Everly Brothers? I think of them as a late-50s band, but they're probably more of an early-60s band that gets left out of these discussions because they came out before The Beatles.

Which rocker would you be most interested in reading a novel by, whether that rocker has ever authored a novel or not?

Pete Shelly.

What favorite artist's new Look was so distasteful to you upon first seeing it that you briefly questioned whether you should continue liking said artist's music?

Elvis Costello's Deadhead/Mighty Like a Turd phase, from which he's never really recovered, Look-wise or, for the most part, musically. Once his Look began lacking definition, his music did as well. Coincidence?

In these tough economic times, let's say even The Boss has to do some belt-tightening and issue a layoff. If you're The Boss, which member of The E-Street Band do you layoff and why?

There have been some great arguments made for Max Weinberg and the time for an amicable buyout could not be better, but if I'm The Boss, I'm giving pianist Roy Bittan the boot. The piano has played a minor role in The Boss' music since The River, when Danny F's organ and accordion came to the fore. Those 10-minute songs with the long piano intros could be trimmed down. Beside, that piano's a lot of weight to haul around on the road.

I should note that this question was inspired by a broader topic suggested by Townsman Alexmagic. Thanks, my man. After this test run I'm pretty sure we're going to begin running an occasional theme on rock budget crisis issues.

Which novelist would you most be interested in hearing a rock 'n roll record by, whether that novelist has ever recorded a record or not (and whether rock 'n roll and records even existed when the novelist wrote)?

I've already seconded Pynchon, but let me add my own choice to this list, Thomas Berger.

Mr. Mod, it's wasn't me who suggested the Everly Brothers.

Also, I do want to take issue about 60s soul artists not having classic albums. Otis Blue, by Otis Redding, has been regarded & acknowleged as a classic album, especially in the UK (it recently came out in a deluxe edition). Live at the Apollo by James Brown and Night Beat by Sam Cooke also comes to mind. The Sam & Dave albums, especially Soul Men and Double Dynamite, are also regarded as classic.

Phooey on youse guys that can't get behind CCR. Green River and Willy and the Poor Boys are both as good as Classic Rock gets. Cosmo's Factory is even better those. There's only one Exile on Main St. That doesn't mean there aren't other great albums, just that there aren't other Greatest Album Evers.

I can't count Live at the Apollo as an album of original music; it's a live album with songs that had already been cut as singles, right?

I know the Brits in particular make a big deal about Otis Blue - and surely it's halfway to any Otis Greatest Hits album collection - but is it really considered a "must-have," landscape-changing Otis Redding album or is it the first Otis album you decide to buy after you've bought a hits collection and at least two Otis live albums?

Again, with CCR, I'm way behind them as a band and way behind Fogerty as a singer, but how many people start out buying CCR through a hits comp vs how many people start out buying Green River or Willy and the Poor Boys? Show of hands if you started with anything but a CCR hits collection.

"Bill Wyman might have a Lolita in him."

I think you mean a Lolita might have Bill Wyman in her.

cdm, I can't even begin to tell you how disappointed I would have been if no one had written this before I checked back in. Virtual fist bump!

Mod, doesn't Federici's death last year in turn make Bittan's job more secure today? Springsteen already has one new guy filling the Danny spot, so he's going to want to keep The Professor around for continuity in that whole area. I also think that The Boss is socially responsible enough to keep Bittan on the payroll because he knows what happens when he doesn't: Jim Steinman brings Bittan into the studio. Does Bruce really want that on his conscience again?

I think Bruce cuts Max loose and goes scouting for a new drummer. And when he does, he ends up trying to steal away that guy currently drumming for McCartney. Once that guy's in the band, Bruce starts giving him some of the Big Man's old gags and it leads to Clemons feeling underappreciated and a bit like he's being replaced in the stage show. I expect this would be the focus of Clemons' second memoir, if he ever followed up No Small Parts For The Big Man.

"Otis Blue" may well be the only 60s studio soul album considered by critics to be a classic, but I ask, how many of you have listend to it lately? It's not an "album" at all. It's whatever he happened to record the previous few months. It certainly has some classics on it: "Respect," "Ole Man Trouble," "You Don't Miss Your Water," "I've Been Loving You Too Long," but it also has several completely unnecesary covers, as do most not-classic albums of the 60s. I'll give him a pass on "Satisfaction" because of the whole concept of him showing the Stones what it would have sounded like with horns (even though I don't like it), but covers of "My Girl?" "Shake?" "Wonderful World?" That's not my idea of an immortal classic album, not even close. Redding is as much a greatest hits type as anyone mentined anywhere in this thread, and much much moreso than CCR, whose albums, while maybe not masterpieces, all contain songs that I would miss if I only had a hits comp.

Redding himself said he never recorded albums, that he just cut songs. I think that "Otis Blue" earned its classic status because it introduced critics to him moreso than that it hangs together as an album.

"Live At The Apollo" does qualify as a classic, but aren't live albums just variations on greatest hits albums?

People might start with a hits comp for CCR now, but when they were functioning and the K Tel collection wasn't out yet, plenty of people started off with Green River or Cosmo's Factory. Those are the first ones I heard, but the first one I got around to buying was that Royal Albert Hall lp. I don't get how that matters, though.

What's the last concert t-shirt you remember buying?

I rarely buy t-shirts at shows anymore mainly because I already have so many of them as it is and only so much drawer and closet space. Plus, I typically wear a XXL (XL can fit sometimes but sometimes they're a bit snug) size t-shirt and most of the time, I just don't see shirts in my size (with some notable exceptions). With all that said, I think the last concert shirt I bought was a Dead Milkmen shirt (cow logo on white background) last October. Hi mrclean!

Is there another undeniably great '60s band other than The Who that never produced an original album in that decade (ie, not a hits collection) that a majority of even that band's fans can agree on as being great?

A statement like that makes me write wanna something snotty like "if most of The Who's fans don't think that The Who Sell Out is a great album, then they can suck it" or "if most of The Who's fans don't think that The Who Sell Out is a great album, then they don't have ears". Oops, I just said it. :-)

I don't have an answer to your question, though, without thinking about bands that you would definitely regard as 2nd or 3rd tier.

Which rocker would you be most interested in reading a novel by, whether that rocker has ever authored a novel or not?

Good question. Maybe Elvis Costello or Lou Reed? As far as younger artists, I'm looking forward to Joe Pernice's novel.

What favorite artist's new Look was so distasteful to you upon first seeing it that you briefly questioned whether you should continue liking said artist's music?

That's an easy one. Although I didn't actually start listening to his stuff until a few years later, Elvis Costello's bearded hobo look circa Might Like a Rose just made him look awful. I kind of grew to appreciate it, though, for the perverse reason that it pissed so many of his fans off (and for no good reason, I say).

In these tough economic times, let's say even The Boss has to do some belt-tightening and issue a layoff. If you're The Boss, which member of The E-Street Band do you layoff and why?

Nils Lofgren. I always thought that 3 guitar players were too much for that band. I don't have anything against Nils, but Bruce can't lay himself off and you need Little Steven for the bandana factor alone.

Which novelist would you most be interested in hearing a rock 'n roll record by, whether that novelist has ever recorded a record or not (and whether rock 'n roll and records even existed when the novelist wrote)?

Brendan Halpin (he wrote Dear Catastrophe Waitress, one of my favorite novels in recent memory)

The novelist (at least of the ones I like0 who I'd least likely wanna hear a record by is Nick Hornby, only because it would probably sound an awful lot like Marah.

I need to get myself a copy of Animalism. Thanks for the reminder. A friend was supposed to set aside a copy for me among his thousands of used albums that he sells, but I don't know what he did with it.

If it's the same friend I'm thinking of, I bought an Animals' Greatest Hits Lp off of him a few years ago at his big record sale in South Philly.

There's no need to speculate about who is going to replace Max. Just click on the link below and scroll down to see pictures of Max's kid sitting on the throne. There's even a picture of him playing with max sitting right next to him playing tambourines. The fix is in, I tell ya.

http://www.backstreets.com/setlists.html

Alex: Terrorist fist jab right back at you.

Beware: "Animalism" has "Shake" on it too!

I won't go too much further into this particular argument at the moment, but I'll ask in all seriousness: Are there any truly great albums (top echelon) that are not by songwriters? When I think of the albums that rank at the very top of the critical canon, none of them are packed with cover versions, (and I think that it should be that way.) A few of that are not by songwriters are still full of "new" material, much of which was written for the performer, creating a coherent record (i.e. "Dusty In Memphis.")

Is this question worthy of a new thread?

Oh, in answer to my own question: The Byrds' MR. TAMBOURINE MAN? (though I would argue in favor of YOUNGER THAN YESTERDAY and NOTORIOUS BYRD BROTHERS, both of which are predominantly self-written) Fairport Convention's 2nd, 3rd and 4th albums? Interesting that the best US folk-rock band and the best UK folk-rock band are the first two bands I think of here...

pudman13, Rubber Soul was made in the exact same circumstances as Otis Blue, i.e. it was comprised by whatever the Beatles happened to record the previous few months, including a leftover from the Help sessions & it was actually done in a rush in order to get it out before Christmas.

Also, what's w/the hatin' w/the cover versions of Shake, Wonderful World & My Girl? Otis did the 1st two as a tribute to Sam Cooke who died a few months before & indeed his version of Shake is probably the best known today. Also, his version of My Girl was his 1st big hit in the UK, where it reached #11.

Also, I agreed w/brylant on the brillance of the Who Sell Out, which is magnified by the new Deluxe Version & Animalism is a pretty good album.

That's not exactly right about RUBBER SOUL, though certainly there are great albums that were essentially nothing more than a collection of songs.

RE: cover versions. See my other post.
"Wonderful World" is a song I hate in every single possible version, by the way, even the Cooke original, but that's not really my point.

For the record, I love Otis Redding's versions of "Shake" and "My Girl," especially live, when he ramps up the BPM! His version of "Satisfaction" mostly proves how amazing The Stones' original is.

My 2 cents:

--What favorite artist's new Look was so distasteful to you upon first seeing it that you briefly questioned whether you should continue liking said artist's music?---


David Bowie on the cover of "Let's Dance". My gut knew something went very wrong before I heard the proof…

The trifecta for WORST EVER for change in look, change in name and change in style of music in one gigantic freefall… Buster Poindexter... THUD,THUD,THUD.

underthefloat, those are some POWERFUL answers!

Thanks Mod. I totally agree with your Costello beard thoughts.
I was listening to "Get Happy" today for the first time in a long time. What a terrific batch of songs. Virually, every song strong and to the point. The crisp and clean shaven Costello.

"Show of hands if you started with anything but a CCR hits collection."

WILLIE & THE POOR BOYS was my first CCR record, a cut-out I picked up in high school. I always thought all their albums were well sequenced with worthy non-hit stuff in them. The latest editions have wonderful bonus stuff as well.

I own Cosmo and that's all. I'll be the first to admit that I should own more CCR (and I will). I have this weird inner thing where I just have very very hard time buying greatest hits comps. I will buy them for two reasons: If it's an artist I'm marginally interested in and feel that hits are all I'd ever want. OR if the package is baited with tracks only available on that set (example: The Who Then and Now with the new tracks). I'm more likely to buy a box set (The Hollies) than I would greatest hits. I don't know why I do this.

I'll go to bat any day any time for Sell Out. HOWEVER, I understand what Mod meant by his question. But, hey, I'd got to bat for By Numbers, too...

TB

For the record, Sell Out is my favorite Who record, but I know a lot of Who fans who don't like it. It's lacking in the Daltrey/balls department, and that's a big attraction for Who fans.

I kinda go back and forth between Sell Out and Who's Next. One of the frustration/great things about The Who is no one album captures all the things they did well.

I think Endless Wire is one of the strangest "reunion" albums ever released. It sounds like one of Pete's Scooped demo albums, but with Roger singing lead. And of course, there's an indecipherable plotline. All in all, not an album I particularly enjoy.

I'm one of the Who fans not sold on Sell Out. It's certainly not because there's not enough Roger. I think the good songs are really good. It's just that I find the commercials intensely annoying. I admire the concept, but it's just not an album I want to listen to all the way through.

I think the expanded Sell Out srives the point home better, but I understand that its harshest critics felt like the "concept" fell flat by side two of the original LP (the commercials and jingles disappeared). I can understand this beef. Song for song, I adore this LP.

As I said before, I like Endless Wire as a collection of Pete Townshend songs. As a proper Who album, I don't know. I'm glad they did it, for their sake. I suppose it erases any ill feeling about It's Hard, but 25 years is an awful long time. It's not like they had It's Hard in the can and realized that it was a turd so they rallied the troops to make that "last great record" a la The Beatles with Let It Be/Get Back/Abbey Road. Sometimes it's better to let sleeping dogs lie. Endless Wire is not a classic album in any sense nor will it ever be, but I like for what it is: a collection of new songs written by Pete and sung by Rog. And I happen to like the songs themselve (even the crazy "story").

TB

Regarding the lack of commercials on side 2 of The Who Sell Out, in his article on the album that appeared in MOJO, Dave Marsh had the theory that side 1 was crass commericalized AM & side 2 was the more free form FM w/o the forced zaniness. It sorta kinda makes sense.

That does make sense, but doesn't Dave Marsh like that record more than anyone in the world? He'd probably find a way to explain any of its flaws, which is understandable...Dave's more die hard than even me.

TB

Well, I need to withdraw my nomination of the Everly Brothers.

Turns out that their early great Warner Brother albums were released in 1960 and 1961 (*It's Everly Time*, *Fabulous Style Of...*, *Date With...*).

But they released a lot of really poor albums after '62 or so. Though some think *Roots* (1968) is a great album.