I knew these facts distinctly, but until watching this 1977 live clip of Bryan Ferry it hadn’t occurred to me that we’ve interviewed two members of his touring band from this period. Who do we go after next?
Mar 052011
Mar 042011
In our recent Who Is It? game there was some disagreement over just how iconic Nicolette Larson‘s upturned chunky sandal was. It turns out, however, that I wasn’t the only Townsman to have had that image driven into his brain. And I’m not a foot fetishist, but it’s interesting what the mind can retain. My guess is that some of you will be able to identify more than half of the following feet. Collectively I wouldn’t be surprised if you can name all but one. What do you think?
Walk Before You Run
#1
#2
#3
#4
Too easy for you? Try our next level!
Mar 042011
Let’s try another 1-2 Punch, shall we? Top 10 lists are too much; Top 5 lists invite too many opportunities for throwing in a hipster, obscuro choice to distinguish oneself from the raging masses. What I’d like to know is what TWO (2) songs you would choose from an artist’s catalog to say as much about that artist that you believe represents said artist’s core as possible? In other words, if you could only use TWO (2) songs from an artist’s catalog to explain all that said artist is about to a Venutian, what TWO (2) songs would you pick to represent said artist’s place in rock ‘n roll?
I’ll pose two artists and you—love ’em or leave ’em—give me each artist’s representative 1-2 Punch. Dig? Here goes! Continue reading »
Mar 032011
Wow, I just caught Mavis Staples performing “Creep Along Moses” on Conan, and she and her band were something else! With the perfect mix of artifice and mojo she restored my faith that televised musical performance magic can still happen. Just a few days ago, while revisiting Devo‘s appearance on Saturday Night Live and then Graham Parker & The Rumour on Fridays I worried I’d never see any musical performance on TV again that would dazzle me so. I was wrong.
What’s the last televised musical performance that knocked your socks off?
Mar 032011
No, not the dancer in this video, silly, but the following musicians, either in their recently aged state or presented in cropped fashion from an iconic photograph from their prime! Are you ready? Let’s start with a relatively simple one to give you confidence. Most likely no clues are needed:
#1: Who is this distinguished, cheerful, award-winning veteran rocker?
Easy enough, right? Let’s try some more. Foot fetishists beware of our next photo!
Mar 022011
My teenage son has great taste in music—and I’m not just saying this because much of his tastes mirror his old man’s. However, as he just reminded me the other day, he still thinks Captain Beefheart is the worst rock ‘n roll artist he’s ever heard, even worse than all the stuff he is correct in feeling sucks. These occasional exchanges over his not liking Beefheart give me the opportunity to sagely nod my head and give him a “You’ll see…” talk. Isn’t it better he first hears one of these dismissive “You’ll see…” talks from his own father before he gets them from older guys in high school?
“You’ll see…” I knowingly spoke down to him, “you’ve got good taste. You’ll thank me some day.”
And I believe he will. (I’ve got nothing more to say, on the other hand, to those of you who still don’t get Beefheart.)
What artist whose music you love is least likely to appeal to teens who will one day know better?
If You Don’t Break Out Into a Shit-Eating Grin While Watching This Then, Man, I Don’t Have an Answer
Mar 012011
How did so many pedestrian guitar wankers (eg, Pat Travers, Frank Marino) catch on with the “cool” kids in my high school yet I never heard them talk about Rory Gallagher? I was only aware of him through occasional references in actually cool magazines, like Trouser Press, that only aspiring rock nerds like my teenage self ever read?
I don’t how much mileage I’d ever get simply listening to this guy, but any time I click on a video performance of him I’m rocking like Danny DeVito’s character in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. He’s more than a shin kicker, I tell you. Mach schau, Rory, mach schau!
And let us not forget to send Mad props to his bassist’s stance and so many other delights in this clip!
