February 2010 Archives

Who’s the Secret Sauce?

Feb 222010

Who’s the Secret Sauce in each of the following bands? You know, the not-always-obvious band member who adds that special, hard-to-define something to put their band over the top?

This exercise doesn’t work in bands with Rock Superpowers throughout, such as The Beatles, and it won’t work in trios with a dominant member. The Secret Sauce is more likely to reside – discretely – in a larger, faceless band. Let’s try our hand at this, shall we? You don’t need to know the name of the Secret Sauce – you may simply refer to the person as “the bassist” or “the drummer.” When you’ve completed your answers/rationales (if necessary) to as few or as many bands as you like, feel free to add your own band for Special Sauce identification. Only one Secret Sauce member is allowable per band.

The Band
The Beach Boys
Steely Dan
Yes
Heart
Echo and the Bunnymen
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Chicago
Pere Ubu
The Dammed
Jethro Tull
REM
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
New York Dolls
Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young
Any one of David Bowie’s backing bands
The Byrds
Flying Burrito Brothers

I look forward to your answers.

This Job Calls for the Lute: Sting in the Pay of Tyranical Uzbek Regime

Posted by hrrundivbakshi

Feb 222010

I swear this is not an Onion piece, nor am I making it up. A must-read for every Sting-questioning rock fan! Click here to check it out!

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“I am well aware of the Uzbek president’s appalling reputation in the field of human rights as well as the environment. I made the decision to play there in spite of that. I have come to believe that cultural boycotts are not only pointless gestures, they are counter-productive, where proscribed states are further robbed of the open commerce of ideas and art and as a result become even more closed, paranoid and insular.”

Previously.

Why Do British Rockers Typically Have More Style Than American Rockers?

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Feb 222010

OK, maybe you’ve had some time to think about this question, based on our current poll: Why do British rockers typically have more style than American rockers?

Is it, as the poll states:

Because they’re still playing catch up to the original, stylish American rockers.
Because they wear “trousers.”
Because they lack America’s midwestern population of rockers still aspiring to look like The Raspberries.
Another reason, which you will answer in this thread.
Or do you disagree with this premise altogether and are ready to discuss it now?

Personally, I think the British have been working harder all these years to catch up to Elvis, Little Richard, et al.

What Song Would You Like The Stones to Cover?

Posted by 2000 Man

Feb 192010

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I had a friend that used to be a big Stones fan and he always liked their cover songs. I do too, but he used to just think everything he heard would have been better had The Stones done it. I’m thinking in particular that he thought The Stones would have absolutely killed Billy Thorpe‘s “Children of the Sun.” I never liked that song, but who knows?

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I know what song I always wanted them to do. I wanted them to do it because I thought it would have kicked ass on Rod Stewart‘s version, and I like the way Rod did this song. I can just imagine Keith and Mick Taylor slashing through this, and Jagger would have owned this one. Besides, Charlie would have only done a cursory drum solo, letting the guitars get right back to work.

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I also wish The Stones would have released their version of “Drift Away” (I’ll use an mp3 of it; the YouTube versions seem to cut off early and it’s been awhile since I shared any of the vaults with you guys), but they recorded it while it was still pretty high in the charts, I think. Still, it would have been a nice B-side.

“Drift Away”

What song would you like to see them cover?

I Dare You, Mr. Mod!

Posted by Oats

Feb 192010

Jason Falkner‘s album I’m OK, You’re OK, which came out in Japan in 2007, is getting released in the U.S. this week! It’s streaming here for now. It’ll probably be up there only for a few days, so get at it while you can, Mr. Mod… I dare you!

Of course, those of us who actually, like me, enjoy some Jason Falkner music — Hrrundi, Alexmagic, etc. — are also welcome to give a listen. So far, it’s okay. Not mindblowing, though the song “Stephanie Tells Me” is pretty nifty.

Consult the Orockle: Questions We’d Like to Have Asked

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Feb 192010

The wisdom of The Hall continues to amaze me. For as many knowledgeable individuals who dazzle with their rock knowledge, it is the collective wisdom of our participants that I find most dazzling.

It is in this spirit that I want to allow for further amazement—not only for the people but by the people. I was going to try to turn this into my own original post, maybe even do a few minutes of research on the Web, but then I thought better of it. Instead, I’d like to pose a question to the collective wisdom of The Orockle.

The question I’d like to pose – and one that I hope will inspire other questions we’d like to have asked when we had more time to find the answers ourselves – will follow a little bit of background. Read on, please. Continue reading »

GolfRock Bands Together for Tiger

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Feb 192010

Kenny G and Tiger in better times.

As a show of support for golfer Tiger Woods, rockin’ golf enthusiasts Kenny G, Alice Cooper, and the members of Hootie and the Blowfish are uniting under the GolfRock banner to record a song in support of the golf legend. All proceeds from sales of the as-yet-composed song will benefit an organization supporting amateur golfers and caddies who aspire to one day affording the opportunity to develop a sex addiction.

Alice “wouldn’t miss this for summer break.”

The idea for this benefit started with Kenny G. “I spent many a summer as a caddy,” recounts the saxophonist, “getting an up-close look at pro golfers and the country club tail at their disposal.” G considered a career in golf, but as he puts it, “I had much better control of my embouchure than a 7-iron.” With the troubles facing the embattled golf icon, G was concerned that the public scrutiny surrounding Woods would jeopardize the romantic opportunities for all golfers. “I called my golfing buddy Alice, and we agreed that something had to be done.”

Cooper, who these days is nearly as well known for his short game on the links as he is for his shock-rock theatrics in concert, began furiously working his cell phone to recruit other artists to this cause. “Iggy, Flea, and Sheryl Crow are all but confirmed,” said Cooper. “Wyclef Jean wants in, even though he’s never played more than miniature golf!” Cooper says that Hootie’s Darius Rucker is working some of country music’s biggest stars. “Kenny and I figured Darius might be able to reach out to the likes of Jay-Z,” laughs Cooper, “but it turns out he’s got no pull in the hip-hop community.”

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