March 2013 Archives

Fascinating Paul Revere & The Raiders Footage—With the Band Dressed in Groovy Civilian Clothing, No Less!

Mar 062013

I didn’t know Paul Revere & The Raiders were allowed to be seen in public in anything but those stupid Revolutionary War outfits they’re known for wearing. Those things always bummed me out, even when I was a kid who couldn’t get enough of The Band‘s practically Civil War get-up. To this day, when I hear the music of Paul Revere & The Raiders I bob my head and think, These guys were good! These guys were underrated! As soon as I see them in costume, however, I discount their musical achievements.

Townsman diskojoe passed along this YouTube clip, two thirds of which is a 1969 televised lip-syncing performance from Where the Action Is. For the first time ever I get to see the band in groovy civilian clothing, and their music is so much more enjoyable to not only hear but watch. Better yet, as diskojoe pointed out, midway through “Out on the Road” (3:07 mark), Dan Ackroyd‘s Tom Snyder, Catherine O’Hara‘s Lola Heatherton, and an unidentified third go-go dancer storm the stage as if they were beamed in from that space hippie planet from Star Trek.

Watch this clip carefully and you won’t be disappointed in its wealth of intra-band knowing glances and grins. Those of you who know Townsman sethro, my close personal friend, longtime drummer, AND dentist, will recognize his patriotic father banging the skins!

The Rock Video Stylings of Michel Gondry

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Mar 062013

Provided the snow that’s expected to fall in Delaware and points south of Philadelphia doesn’t blow up to New York tomorrow I am planning on seeing director Michel Gondry introduce and discuss the influence of the 1963 film British kitchen-sink film Billy Liar at the IFC Center.

I really like Gondry’s movies and rock videos. I simply like his all-around style, which is why I’m most interested in hearing him talk about this movie I saw years ago and liked well enough (but not as much as some other movies from that period). I didn’t realize until reading up on him, though, that he was also a drummer in a French band, Oui Oui, and that he directed a certain favorite video with obvious debts to this Oui Oui video…after the jump!

All-Star Jam

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Mar 062013

This it over. Then get back to us with your decision.

More Bass

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Mar 062013

Someone wasn’t paying attention to the man’s wishes…

I heard an old Jerry Wexler interview over the weekend that Nick Spitzer did for American Routes. I loved hearing interviews with Wexler. What a cat! My close personal friend and bandmate Sethro met him not too long before he died. Of all the musical experiences Sethro had without me, in his other bands, that may be the experience about which I’m most jealous. Spitzer wrapped up the rebroadcast of that interview with a story I’d heard once before: when Wexler was asked what he’d like his tombstone to read he said, “More bass!”

What musical epitaph would you like to have engraved on your tombstone (or urn or whatever)?

I look forward to your responses—and hope it’s ages before your wishes are put into practice!

A-B-C

Posted by hrrundivbakshi

Mar 042013

Easy as 1-2-3. Simple as do-re-mi. That’s how easy this little game can be.

Here’s all you got to do: I’ll start with a line from a noteworthy song, starting with the letter “A.” For good measure, and to show you how this game is played, I’ll give you another line, from another song, this time starting with the letter “B.” You’ll note that the second line makes sequential sense after the line that precedes it. This is an important rule! You are free to start a new “verse” once we’ve collectively strung together at least four lines.

To make this contextually relevant, I urge you to copy and paste the lines preceding the one (and only one!) you add, so we can watch the A-B-C of it unfold.

We’ll start with a free-for-all — any band, any song, just make sure you follow the alphabet and remember we each get just one line per post. As we progress through the alphabet a few times, we can get fancy, restricting the lines to just one genre, or artist, or just artists with beards who wore platform shoes and so forth.

Here’s my first line, and a further one to show you how this game is played:

Accidents will happen
Because the night belongs to lovers

I look forward to your responses.

HVB

Clean-Up Time

Posted by funoka

Mar 032013

Getting rid of CDs this weekend. The edict has been out there for awhile — we remodeled last summer, things had to go in boxes, etc. It’s cold outside, there’s nothing else to do, and Mrs. funoka bought some of those massive CD storage folders, so it has begun. I got through “H” in my rock/pop boxes. As I do this, I am sending some stuff to Amazon’s trade in website — so far I have racked up about $150 in credit, which includes some random DVDs. It’s amazing what is worth a few bucks and what is worth a quarter, according to Amazon.

Of course, I’m keeping more than Mrs. funoka would like — I mean these Peter Himmelman CDs are out of print! Some stuff isn’t worth anything — why do I have two Cousteau CDs? Why do I have all these Grant Lee Buffalo CDs? Listened to some Dave Edmunds (DE 7th) and Heart (!). Getting into the L’s now.

I am now listening to Lemonheads — The Atlantic Years, which is pretty damn good.

Meet the Cast of Downtown Abbey!

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Mar 032013

It’s Sunday night, America. Still no new episodes of Downton Abbey. You’re missing it, aren’t you? I know I am. But I’ve got some good news that may help satisfy your jonesin’ for the upstairs-downstairs antics of the 21st century’s early 20th century English estate.

You may recall our recent call to cast the rock musical version of the BBC/PBS smash hit Downton Abbey, the edgier Downtown Abbey. If you need a refresher, click this link. That’s why we provide such links, you know.

As expected, Townspeople were neither sparing nor unimaginative with their entries. Our celebrity judge, He Who Hates Litterbugs, had almost as tough a time choosing winners as we did finding pictures showing what must be considered the “bad” profiles of a number of our cast members. Our cast follows the jump, but first, congratulations to the following winners of the Top 5 casting entries, chosen for not only their physical resemblance to the Downton Abbey cast members but their overall mien:

mockcarr (Carson)
hrrundivbakshi (Kemal Pamuk)
machinery (Bates)
ladymisskirroyale (Thomas),
(TIE) chergeuvarra (Lady Crawley) & cdm (Lord Crawley)

See these inspired casting choices and many more…after the jump! Thanks to all who played along, even 2000 Man.

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