Mr. Moderator

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

Songs You Can’t Believe You Remember, Times You Forgot Ever Existed

Oct 272011

If you held a gun to my head prior to stumbling across this lip-synched performance of Mouth and MacNeal’s “How Do You Do” you would have been forced to pull the trigger. Until the song ran for about a minute I had no memory of ever having heard it. Then I realized I had heard it when I was a kid. It’s one of those songs from my youth like Melanie‘s big hit: I can’t hum a lick of it until I hear it. Then I remember too much, and too much about the times in which such songs existed in the Top 40. This is from a time I’d forgotten ever existed. I kind of like remembering it, though.

What’s a song from your childhood and/or a time that you forgot ever existed until recently?

On the other side of the coin, following is a song I wish I’d never remembered. Yet another number from a time I forgot ever existed…

Say It Ain’t So: England’s “Most American” Rocker, Paul Rodgers, Sworn in as a Canadian Citizen

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Oct 262011

Long considered (by myself, if no one else) perhaps England’s “most American” rocker, former Bad Company/Free vocalist Paul Rodgers was sworn in today as a Canadian citizen.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

*PAUL RODGERS SWORN IN AS A CANADIAN CITIZEN*

October 26, 2011 – At a public ceremony in Surrey, B.C. last Friday October 21st The legendary *Paul Rodgers* was sworn in as a Canadian Citizen.

A statement from Paul:

It may not be my native land but Canada is surely now my home. While I’ll always be an Englishman, Canada has given me so much for which I am grateful. My wife, your former Miss Canada Cynthia Kereluk, a new and extended family and the chance to be truly free in a country that with its quiet strength combines the best of so many worlds.

I’m proud to be a Canuck.

Thank you, Merci.

Paul Rodgers

I don’t know about you, but I’m hurt—and a bit pissed. Bad Co and Free were totally aimed at Americans! Any sales in the UK or Canada were a bonus. Bad Co so badly wanted to be American it wasn’t funny. I bet Rodgers was jealous of the English guys in Foreigner, who presented such a Corporate American Rock image that they could slip across our border without use of a passport. Play me one ragged Canadian chorus in any Bad Co song! Johnny didn’t travel to Toronto to become a shooting star, did he? Have you ever suspected the slightest sense of humor from any Bad Co recording? Canadians are funny, man! Everybody knows that. And what’s with the “Merci?” He’s gonna try to convince us he speaks French after 40 years touring the world with his brand of Goon Rock?

Surely Rodgers has been suffering through an identity crisis since his stirring induction speech for Bob Seger‘s entrance to Rock Town Hall’s Foyer of Fame. He thought he could replace Freddie Mercury in a reformed Queen. Wasn’t that like casting Clint Eastwood as the transvestite singer in The Crying Game? I know, Canada gave ’70s arena rockers around the world hockey sweaters, and as he mentions, he plucked his beautiful wife from their land, but still… I’m more Canadian than Rodgers. If Rodgers was going to defect he should have defected to the US of A.

Here’s hoping our Canadian correspondents will check in with their thoughts on this stunning news. I really don’t mean to take anything away from your great country. Everything Rodgers says about it is true. I just don’t like the fact that he chose you over us.

If You Can’t Say Anything Nice About…Kraan

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Oct 262011

We here in the Halls of Rock Town are sometimes taken to task for being overly negative, snarky, hyper-critical, and all too often, just downright rude. As part of our collective efforts to bring a bit of sunshine and light to the world wide web, we occasionally make an extra effort effort to find something good to say about, you know, stuff that is clearly godawful.

It is in that spirit that we embark on yet another effort to bring some positivity to our proceedings. Please spend some quality time with the video above, then — if you can — please find something nice to say about it. You’ll feel a whole lot better, I promise you.

I look forward to your comments. Just remember, if you can’t say anything nice about this video… please don’t say anything at all.

Consult the Orockle: What Is It That Is Really Bugging People About U2′s Rhythm Section?

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Oct 252011

The wisdom of The Hall continues to amaze me. For as many knowledgeable individuals who dazzle with their rock knowledge, it is the collective wisdom of our participants that I find most dazzling.

It is in this spirit that I want to allow for further amazement—not only for the people but by the people. Rather than turn this into my own original post, maybe even do a few minutes of research on the Web, I thought better of it. Instead, I’d like to pose a question on behalf of a fellow Townsperson to the collective wisdom of The Orockle.

Townsman trigmogigmo has a question he’d like to pose—and one that he hopes will inspire other questions we’d like to have asked when we had more time to find the answers ourselves. Read on, please. Continue reading »

All-Star Jam

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Oct 242011

Any rock ‘n roll nightmares you want to share? A new record that makes you want to scream? The patented RTH All-Star Jam is the place where YOU set the scene.

What’s the Worst Job in Rock?

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Oct 242011

It’s Monday morning. Perhaps you don’t feel like going to work today. Think you got it bad? Think about the quartet in this video? Think someone in rock has or has had it even worse than them? I bet someone does. Who might that be? What job is worse than that of the quartet introducing Saturday morning cartoons?

I look forward to your answers.

Rock Town Hall’s Saturday Night Shut-In: ROCKTOBER Broadcasts “LIVE” From the Coast of Loving!

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Oct 222011

Sounds of the Hall in roughly 33 1/3 minutes!

In this week’s edition of Saturday Night Shut-In Mr. Moderator broadcasts “LIVE” from the Coast of Loving, “Frisco,” as the natives call it, specifically! The Moderator is calling all Peace Warriors to tune in, turn on, and drop whatever it is you were doing. As an added bonus, for those curious to learn more about Eric Burdon & The (Then-)New Animals, you’ve come to the right episode.

[audio:https://www.rocktownhall.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/RTH-Saturday-Night-Shut-In-50.mp3|titles=RTH Saturday Night Shut-In, episode 50]

[Note: The Rock Town Hall feed will enable you to easily download Saturday Night Shut-In episodes to your digital music player. In fact, you can even set your iTunes to search for an automatic download of each week’s podcast.]

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