Top left: Sting 1; Top right: Sting 2; Middle: Sting 3; Bottom left: Sting 4; Bottom right: Tantric lute player.

Courtesy of Townsman bobbybittman, we ask the question, With which Sting would you most like to engage in tantric sex?

Make your answer count in today's poll! Feel free to provide your rationale, citing a key passage or two, in the Comments section for this thread.

Sting: Obama best person to handle world's 'mess'

NEW YORK (AP) - Sting isn't a religious man, but he says President Barack Obama might be a divine answer to the world's problems. "In many ways, he's sent from God," he joked in an interview, "because the world's a mess."

But Sting is serious in his belief that Obama is the best leader to navigate the world's problems. In an interview on Wednesday, the former Police frontman said that he spent some time with Obama and "found him to be very genuine, very present, clearly super-smart, and exactly what we need in the world."

"I can't think of any be better qualified because of his background, his education, particularly in regard to Islam," he said.

Still, Sting, who released the seasonal album "On A Winter's Night" this week, acknowledged the president had a "difficult job" ahead of him.

"Mama..."

In 1977, Ronnie Spector, the spiritual mother of Bruce, recorded a single produced by His guitarist and bandleader, Miami Steve, and backed by His E Street Band. The involvement of The Boss had to be kept secret for fear of retaliation by former manager Mike Appel, with whom He was already involved in career-threatening litigation, litigation that His fans feared would threaten His mission.

However, the lawsuits brought forth by Appel could not contain His ability to put forth His message directly, on stage in His customary 7-hour concerts. Along with His E Street disciples and the support of Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, The Boss continued to preach, and on a May night in Red Bank, New Jersey, at the Monmouth Arts Center, he experienced the fateful meeting with his "mother," Ronnie Spector, that our artist for Station 4 of The Boss, Holly Niagra, of Windsor Locks, Connecticut, has interpreted after the jump...

Read more

Limiting ourselves to a representation of one of each body part, how many body parts can identify through song titles? The song titles may contain more than one body part, such as the Smokey Robinson & The Miracles song I've cited in the title, but once a part has been cited in one song title, it cannot be cited in another. This may be a tough one with these conditions, but I want to prevent against the 8 billion song titles featuring parts like "head" and "heart."

So two body parts (head and toe) are down with who knows how many more to go!

Coincidence? That's Ray Cooper in the back, on spoons, with Harry Nilsson at piano, George on guitar, and Ringo.

Shortly after their release a friend burned me the entire mono and stereo box set reissues of The Beatles' catalog. It was an incredibly generous and thoughtful gesture, but I'm sorry to say I've yet to hunker down with them.

Part of the reason is because I'm leery about "cheating" on my vinyl albums that I've had since I was a boy. Part of the reason is because I've been so damn busy. Finally, as always, I'm simply leery about hearing what a modern-day remastering will do to the mix of records that are essential to my being. For instance, I'm sure some of you have heard my rant against the '90s remaster of "Satisfaction," the one that uncovered an acoustic guitar!

Last week I was hanging with Townsman andyr, and he'd bought a couple of the stereo remasters. He played me Rubber Soul, and a week later what most stands out for me is the tambourine on "Wait." As is so often the case with modern-day remastering, the process gives space to and brings to light background instruments that were meant to be felt more than heard. It's as if Ray Cooper is doing the remastering of these '60s records.

The other things that stood out for me were the clarity around Ringo's drum fills, which I found almost as distracting as the tambourine on "Wait" and which often pointed out Ringo's technical deficiencies, and the clarity around the vocals, which highlighted just how strong The Beatles were at singing. Not all singers could stand up to that aural scrutiny!

Whether you own these Beatles reissues or not, if you've heard even a song or two from them, what stands out for you?

Lemmy Kilmister is featured in the current issue of Rolling Stone. The writer called him "rock and roll’s Zelig," and I think the article laid out a pretty compelling case for him: He was Jimi Hendrix’s roadie; he gave Sid Vicious bass lessons; he attended some of The Beatles' Cavern Club shows. On top of all that, he’s Lemmy, for chrissake.

Is there anyone else who has a greater claim Rock and Roll Zelig? Please confine your answers to musicians. I don’t want this to turn into a catfight between Bebe Buell and Pamela Des Barres.

This special edition of Dugout Chatter requires not only your customary candid, from-the-gut answers but your own leave-behind query, meant to inspire additional chatter. Following is a small set of descriptive phrases, the kind that you may find in a chiche-ridden rock feature or review concerning an a solo artist or band. For each phrase, respond with the first artist or band that comes to mind.

Now here's where you help the chatter build: after sharing your associations, please leave your own descriptive phrase for the next Townsperson to answer atop the initial set of responses. Got me? Great. Let's associate!

• ...incorrigible bad boys of rock 'n roll...
• ...once again delivers rock 'n roll comfort food...
• ...certain to incite RTH debate...
• ...crowned the Elfin Prince of Rock 'n Roll...
• ...challenging, constantly evolving band...
• ...his nimble bass runs add character to the most pedestrian of compositions...

I look forward to your responses, and don't forget to leave us with your own descriptive phrase for us to associate!

As many of you know, I'm a big fan of Roy Wood, in particular his work with The Move and his solo album Boulders. However, once he crossed the line into ridiculous, futuristic-retro glam with Wizzard, I have trouble keeping up with the guy. First of all, his recordings sound worse than ever. I'm no audiophile, and I've always found something charming about the overloaded sound of The Move records and the claustrophobic Boulders, but Wizzard simply sounds terrible - and not in a good way.

More troubling is the progression of Wood's Look and what it says about his interest in communicating with humans on any level. As seen in this 1972 ELO video, the guy was pushing it a few years before Wizzard and his Mustard solo album. It's one thing to be "eccentric," quite another to announce to the world that you do not intend to ever be taken seriously, not even in a joking way.

Anyhow, I've rarely found interviews with Wood, and my attempts at reaching him myself have not been fruitful. I'm all for rock's outsiders, wildmen, and such, but someone needs to put a little scrutiny on Roy Wood, someone needs to ask him one question:

Read more