Mr. Moderator

When not blogging Mr. Moderator enjoys baseball, cooking, and falconry.

Rock Tangos

Aug 172012

The ever-expanding popularity of the tango.

I’ve been way behind on a number of fronts this past week. Blame it on that thing called WORK. With a free minute available, here’s an interesting thread sent in by a Townsperson who shall remain anonymous, unless he or she would like to step forth and claim all the credit that is due. To others whose needs I am behind in serving, please hold tight. I do plan on getting up to date with you. Thanks. Take it away, Townsperson Who Shall Remain Nameless Unless Desired Otherwise!

I’ve developed a fascination lately with a trio of songs that draw on the tango. I’m thinking there must be any number of examples of this, but I wouldn’t know how to begin to look for them. Any ideas?

Here are 3 examples:

1. Firewater, “Bourbon and Division”

An Open, Private Letter to My Friend E. Pluribus Gergely Regarding That Dylan Movie, I’m Not There

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Aug 152012

I'm Not You.

My friend,

How’s it going? I know we spoke on the phone last night and I know we discussed plans to get together and hash out some serious stuff, but I miss the private, personal communications we used to have here, in public. I’ve got something I’d like to discuss. Man to man.

I just tried watching a half hour of a movie I’ve put off watching for the last couple of years, a movie I’ve repeatedly been tempted to watch, I’m Not Here, the Dylan movie by Todd Haynes, who’s directed a couple of films I like a lot, especially Safe, that one with Julianne Moore, before she broke through by dropping trou in that Robert Altman flick. Have you seen it? (The Dylan movie, that is.)

If You Can’t Say Anything Nice About…Freak Ballet

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Aug 142012

Nice!

I got some grief for my last attempt at playing nice. I guess Charlie Dore had too much going on with that sub-Starland Vocal Band number. See if Freak Ballet doesn’t challenge your ability to say something nice…

Last Man Standing: Lefty Guitarists

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Aug 132012

It’s 5:12 PM EST and I just learned that today, August 13, is Left-Hander’s Day. What the hell? I’ve been left handed all my life and no one’s ever told me about this day. In the remaining hours of this blessed day, let’s have a time-sensitive Last Man Standing on left-handed guitarists. Lefty bassists count too, but we’ll rule out banjo players, mandolin players, lute players, lap-steel players, and the like. We’ll also rule out guitarists like myself, who are left handed but decided to learn to play right handed to make it easier to buy guitars and play other people’s guitars. The guitarist (or bassist) has to play left handed.

I’m kicking things off with Justin Bieber, who coincidentally I just learned was a left-handed guitarist about a half hour ago, when I picked up a recent issue of Rolling Stone and saw him strumming southpaw.

Entries in this time-sensitive Last Man Standing will run through 11:59 pm EST. The actual Last Townsperson Standing will be awarded a VERY SPECIAL PRIZE! Game on!

All-Star Jam

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Aug 132012

All instruments, all reports from the wide world of music are welcome. The All-Star Jam is the place to do your thing.

Call for Mathematicians: Help Rock Town Hall Calculate the Angle of the Ideal Bass Stance

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Aug 132012

I stink at math, but I am confident in my belief that John Doe‘s bass stance from this X performance meets the ideal angles (ie, crotch-to-feet triangle, feet-relative-to-shoulder width, etc) that all bassists should emulate. May I request that one of the Hall’s mathematicians calculate the angles that make up this ideal bass stance? I was really hoping that Letterman would ask Doe about his stance. This research will benefit other bassists in learning and adopting this proper bass stance? Thank you.

Previously.

Greatest Live Band Best Known for Not Playing Live

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Aug 112012

I saw Tom Waits on Letterman last night. I know he doesn’t play live that often. Beside that concert film he did coming out of the Frank’s Wild Years period, I don’t recall seeing him play live on a screen since his early hobo piano balladeer days. He was pretty good last night, but I much preferred his sit down on Dave’s couch. I’ll take Waits the raconteur or actor any day over Waits the musician.

You can have your early Beatles concerts. I love the Beatles above all other bands. I know they made girls wet their pants and were probably the first band best known for not playing live, but I think their brief performance on the rooftop in Let It Be so far surpasses any live clips I’ve seen from their early days that the band is only the second-greatest live band best known for not playing live.

Give me XTC from their live days over any other audience-fearing band I can think of. It’s the weekend. I know Andy usually looks like a smacked ass. I know E. Pluribus Gergely‘s “Man or Machine” criticisms of the band. I’m down with their music and the band’s overall Man or Machine conflicts. Their music has a high degree of difficulty without being prog. They can play. Original drummer Terry Chambers IS a machine, and I mean that as a compliment.

Pop the following full XTC concert up on your Google or Apple TV and watch along with me.

(Am I missing a better live artist best known for not playing live?)

Older Entries Newer Entries