You know, the All-Star Jam holds universal appeal. Tell us what’s happening in your musical part of the world. Sightings of tonyola and Happiness Stan would be especially appreciated.
Aug 232012
Mr. Moderator
Aug 222012
The Philadelphia Phillies are having a “turn back the clock” 1990s nostalgia night tonight, specifically turning the clock back to 1991, the last year the Phils wore the burgandy pinstripe uniforms that graced their excellent late-’70s/early-’80s team. The team was in the middle of one of the franchise’s typical decade-long runs of sub-mediocrity. The legendary Sil Campusano was touted as a potential “answer” to the void in centerfield. By 1991, fans couldn’t wait to see Campusano and the burgandy pinstripes go.
As part of tonight’s ’90s Nostalgia Night the Campusano-esque Space Hog will perform, probably playing its one minor hit, the one with the Penguin Cafe Orchestra lift, at least 2 times, maybe even 3. I used to wonder if Penguin Cafe Orchestra got a cut of that song’s royalties.
What are your especially nerdy musical associations with the early 1990s?
Aug 222012
Mockproof?
Short of appearing on the cover of Rolling Stone in a pee-soaked diaper is there anything traditionally less cool Rick Ross could have worn for his big cover shot?
I don’t know jack about Rick Ross. I suspect he makes music that I would chuckle over in a way that shows my complete lack of respect for the cacophonous, impotent complaining that I hear in most modern-day hip-hop music. I would then briefly feel a little guilty for holding such a dismissive opinion of an entire genre of music, including the fine people who dig that stuff.
Presently I feel a little guilty about looking at this photo of a fat, tattooed, bejewled man with his bunched-up briefs rising way too high above his droopy jeans and feeling remorseful that people no longer get shoved face first in toilet bowls for looking this way. He’s probably wearing “bo-bo” sneaks, maybe the 4-stripe adidas knockoffs his Mom picked out of a bin at the grocery store for $3. It’s a disgrace. It’s not cool. It’s not even “I’m so uncool I’m cool!” cool. It’s stupid.
I need to drop about 30 pounds. I need to make sure my belt is doing its job. I need to maintain a modicum of cool as I judge others, as I long for the day that musicians get back to raising the bar for cool fashions and behaviors.
Aug 222012
From Rolling Stone:
British rocker Graham Parker has reunited with his original band, the Rumour, for their first album together in more than 30 years, Three Chords Good, out November 20th on Primary Wave Records.
The Rolling Stone piece contains a track from their upcoming album, which delivers the chunky guitar crunch many of us grew up loving. An update on the documentary on the band that Rumour guitarist and Friend of the Hall Martin Belmont first discussed with us as well as Parker’s upcoming appearance in an upcoming Judd Apatow movie are also covered. I’m psyched.
While Rolling Stone fails to credit the Hall for its small but not insignificant role in the reunion, we can allow ourselves a pat on the back.
Aug 202012
Look at him, he’s taking notes with his eyes. How do we know he’s not a cop?!?! – Russell, the band member with the friendly mustache
Followed moments later by this:
Aug 172012
Pussy Riot
RTH knows best is yet to come. Stay strong #PussyRiot! (Official tweet from Rock Town Hall)
Perhaps the most alarming aspect of the recent Pussy Riot prison sentence that’s rocked Russia is how inept security was at shutting down the lip-synched performance. The London Police Service would have “pulled the plug” on the band in a sober, orderly fashion. Someone should have dialed 999.
On the bright side, artists and celebrities in the West have been provided a golden opportunity to grab some press by tweeting deeply meaningful shows of support. Even DJ Qualls risked backlash from his huge Russian Orthodox following by throwing his weight behind the band.
Aug 172012
You know how a certain admittedly somewhat talented artist can grate on your nerves for reasons too deep to get into even here in the Halls of Rock, the safest haven for rock ‘n roll hang-ups on the Web? Think about the anguish that the perceived arrogance of XTC’s Andy Partridge causes our friend E. Pluribus Gergely. Clearly it’s personal. We’re not sure we ever want to get to the bottom of it.
The artist who brings out the worst in me for reasons I’m not ready to face is The Byrds’ Roger McGuinn. For that reason I find the following video the most satisfying Byrds performance I’ve ever seen. Egg on face. Enjoy…after the jump!
