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Lou kills ’em!
Mar 262010
Mar 262010
Things have been a little quiet so far this week. I sense we’re burned out from the stunning conclusion of that recent Last Man Standing. It’s time we get a little chatter going. What do you say? Most of you know this drill by now, but if you’ve been following along from the sidelines and want to make your initial splash in the Halls of Rock the following questions require nothing more than your gut answers! Let’s roll!
What’s the last record you turned a friend onto?
What’s the last record a friend turned you onto?
Are there no new drugs influencing young musicians these days, or have tales of albums inspired by Oxycontin and ADHD medications not yet been reported?
Without looking it up, how many members of The Zombies can you name?
Without being overly nasty, what might you see Meg White doing with her life that would surprise us after Jack White puts an end to White Stripes?
What’s the best original mock-1950s song, recorded from 1970 forward?
I look forward to your responses.
Mar 262010
Is there really a need for a set up beyond the title of this post? I really like Joy Division. I’ve liked them since I first heard them in college. I really dislike just about every band that was considered a contemporary of Joy Division (eg, Killing Joke – ugh!) and that has since followed in their wake. I did, however, like the first New Order ep and one of their hit songs from a year or two later, that one about a range of eye colors.
I can’t shake feeling a little weird whenever I find myself digging my old Joy Division albums, as I’ve been doing this morning. Is there an artist for you who is such an anomaly to your tastes that you kind of feel the need to duck from yourself?
Mar 252010
Have ever fantasized about putting together an album of cover songs that would represent something about where you’re coming from musically, spiritually, or whateverly My close personal friend, Townsman andyr, and I have long joked about recording a “solo” album of covers that mean a lot to us but that we could not realistically see convincing our bandmates rallying behind. We’ve had some success in getting our bandmates to cover songs that would fit the model, such as R.B. Greaves‘ “Take a Letter Maria,” but bandmate chickenfrank, in particular, quickly catches onto how corny a path we would lead the whole band, if we had our druthers. That’s cool.
These songs we joke about adding to that album have never been set in stone, but they share core musical values from our AM radio-informed youth, especially an abundance of chooglin’ rhythms and quick I-IV-I chord progressions, such as the hook in the chorus of The Box Tops‘ “Soul Deep” (and Nick Lowe’s “Skin Deep,” for that matter). Billy Swan‘s “I Can Help” definitely makes the track list. We have never formally discussed what would be on our joint solo album, but I’m pretty sure it would be done in the slavish manner of Dave Edmunds‘ Subtle as a Flying Mallet.
For us, mind you, this covers album would not necessarily be a collection of our favorite songs but a representation of a particular aspect of our collective tastes. (Other musical influences we might cover would be left to another project, such as the equally long-discussed Clash cover band, The Magnificent Seven, which would play exclusively a rotating set of 7 Clash covers.) Your personal covers album can be organized according to whatever principles your heart desires.
So think about it – and andyr and I will too, in the course of this thread: What 10 songs would make up your personal covers album?
Mar 242010
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Not to offend anyone’s religious views, but this musically relevant story in today’s Los Angeles Times caught my eye.
You recall Sinead O’Connor‘s career jumped the shark when she ripped up that picture of the Pope on a 1992 appearance on Saturday Night Live. She’s been what you’d call a “flake” since losing her spot on the hit parade, but after all these years, I’m impressed with how she articulates her feelings on the Catholic Church and the latest wave of institutional abuse scandals.
I wasn’t a fan of O’Connor’s music before or after her “scandalous” act that October 1992 night, but I was astute enough of a “girlwatcher,” I’m sad to say, to sense that she had something going on despite the shaved head and baggy blouses. I wasn’t offended at her act in any way, nor was I particularly impressed. Eighteen years later, however, it’s nice to hear from O’Connor without all the vitriol and rhetoric.
It was maybe 10 years ago when I had my first positive vibe over O’Connor – aside from digging her inner Look, that is. Continue reading »
Mar 242010
I never used the guitar distortion stomp box The Rat myself, but here in Philadelphia I’ve long associated it with Townsman saturnismine,* who’s always had it ready to boost one of his solos whenever I’ve seen him play live and the few times I’ve played alongside him. I’m pretty sure he’s the only guitarist to have used a Rat on one of my own band’s recordings, when he overdubbed dualing solos on what we hoped would go down as the shortest seemingly long guitar jam in rock history. In other words, I hated The Rat for whatever weird aesthetic reasons I’m prone to hating inanimate things until I heard being stomped on and played through by my friend.
I learned from another friend of the Hall today that Charlie Wicks, the creator of The Rat and the founder and CEO of musical equipment manufacturer Pro Co died of cancer a couple of weeks ago. This other friend is also a cool guy and cool musician. I may have to re-think The Rat…
In honor of Mr. Wicks and his Rat, what’s your favorite stompbox? No digital plug-ins, please! I wrote about my favorite a few years ago, here.
Also in honor of Mr. Wicks, Rock Town Hall’s Official Eulogy follows the jump!
Continue reading »
Mar 232010
In a recent thread someone wondered aloud if there was anyone in rock who has actually gotten better with age. Mr. Moderator offered up Nick Lowe, who I think falls short but A for effort. I can’t find which one of you said it but for you I offer up Robyn Hitchcock.
A bit of my history with The Man Who Invented Himself. I got turned onto the Soft Boys when a DJ at my college station spun “Millstream Pigworker” from Can of Bees. Couldn’t find the album version on YouTube but this is close.
