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As some of you may recall, I can’t stand Cameron Crowe’s semi-autobiographical rock flick Almost Famous. Among the many scenes that didn’t work for me is the key tour bus party sing-along to Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer.” I have to think that even rock fans of that film found that an especially wimpy and unrealistic song over which the fictional hard rock band would unite.
Assuming you agree that a more appropriate song was needed, what song would you have chosen for this scene? Continue reading »
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I’ve been thinking about the musical choices that bands/musicians/record producers make when mixing a track, and realized that there is whole subgenre of music that could be defined by the complete unintelligibility of the lyrics. Whether the choice to distort or smear over the lyrics was made to heighten the caché of the music (possible examples = My Bloody Valentine, New Order) or to cover up really stupid writing (see My Bloody Valentine, New Order) it can grant an instant point of discussion and, my thesis, make the listening experience even more enjoyable. As someone whose enjoyment of REM is in inverse proportion to the intelligibility of their lyrics, I would tenderly propose that some songs are made better by the obfuscation of the words. Some examples for me include Cocteau Twins, Les Georges Leningrad, later Talk Talk, Liquid Liquid, some Deerhunter, and plenty on the 4AD label. And yours? Think of it as musical Mumblecore.
Do you remember your first music-playing device, be it a record player, 8-track, cassette player, Walkman, CD player, or for our youngest Townspeople, mp3 player? Care to describe it? Does anything stand out in your memory about it?
I had a record player that was plastic, olive-green, and textured on the outside. Flip up the top and the plastic was off-white – also textured, to better pick up smudges from my dirty hands. The turntable itself was brown. I can’t remember for sure if the arm was brown or off-white, but I remember my shakey hands were always challenged by lifting the arm onto a specific track. The cord was a 2-pronged brown affair. I experienced my first electric shock on that cord, leaving one of my fingers between the prongs as I plugged it in. Ouch! Continue reading »
This clip, which Townsman dbuskirk shared with some of his close, personal friends this morning, brought back memories of some of Hall & Oates’ lesser, pre-pastel ’80s hits, but what stood out most for me was Daryl Hall‘s blue jumpsuit.
As the results of a solid 2 minutes of research indicate, Elvis Presley first donned the jumpsuit in 1969. Was this the first time the jumpsuit entered the world of rock ‘n roll? A piece on a 2007 Graceland exhibit on Elvis’ jumpsuits notes that the Elvis jumpsuit was originally a 2-piece ensemble, inspired by The King’s karate wear. As he prepared for his Las Vegas stint following the legendary ’68 Comeback Special, Elvis saw the jumpsuit as a more-interesting alternative to the standard tuxedo favored by “square” performers.
He was going there to rock. Wanting something different and special, he called upon Bill Belew, who had designed the now-classic black leather suit and other outfits for the ’68 special. Inspired by Elvis’ great interest in karate, Belew came up with simple two-piece gabardine suits with tunic-style tops and simple, long karate-style belts knotted to one side with the ends dangling from the hip.
It turns out that Elvis didn’t wear the actual 1-piece jumpsuit – which we all would agree is the mark of a true jumpsuit – until his 1970 Vegas run. For the record, therefore, it was not Elvis who introduced the jumpsuit to rock ‘n roll, but perhaps this guy:
FUN BOY THREE LOSES BELT TO MANDY MOORE (SEE COMMENTS)!
PIuAUJ2VyP4] Fun Boy Three covering “The End” challenges all comers to a Battle Royale!
Can you name one cover song more unexpected than Fun Boy Three covering this Doors classic? You may try, but proceed at your own caution. Note how there is not the slightest hint of irony in the band’s performance. This is the real deal, baby, and it’s chilling in its unexpectedness!
