Mr. Moderator

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

Ace Frehley Ain’t No Coward (or Was That Dutch Courage?)

Mar 092010

Word is that Ace Frehley takes umbrage with my characterization of him as the KISS member who most benefited from makeup. His people report that he especially objects to my insinuations that he was once the most cowardly member of the band.

To refute insinuations of Frehley’s timid place within KISS, we have been provided with video record of the band’s appearance on Tom Snyder‘s Tomorrow show, an appearance on which Ace showed the night owls of the world who had the biggest personality in rock’s most supersized band.

Note how Ace distracts from the serious legacy building that Gene Simmons was working to construct. You know Gene’s thinking it’s time to devise a new character/band member.
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RTH Confessional: Townspeople, Confess Your Rock Crimes

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Mar 082010

Let he who is without a Rock Crime record cast the first Rolling Stone!

Whether your personal Rock Crimes are big or small, we know you’ve committed at least one. If nothing else, you were born with original an Rock Crime. It’s time you ‘fess up and come clean with a Rock Crime you’ve committted. Those who confess and apologize will be granted immunity. Those who continue to run from The Truth will be suspects in the next sweep of the Nebraska Manhunt!

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Which Member of KISS Most Benefited From the Makeup?

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Mar 072010

Is that all there is?

I never liked KISS – in fact I couldn’t stand them – but like all rock-loving kids in the ’70s, the first time photos leaked of the band members without their mighty makeup, I snatched up a copy of whatever magazine and took a peek:

Mark Linkous of Sparklehorse Commits Suicide

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Mar 072010

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Sick of goodbyes, all right. Troubled Sparklehorse leader Mark Linkous says Goodbye.

Surprise Philly Show by Benny and the Bums?

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Mar 062010

Not this Benny!

Philadelphia-area fans of a certain South Jersey ~~hubcap~~ hepcat from the ’80s music scene may be interested in a show coming to the M Room (15 W. Girard Ave, Philadelphia) this Sunday night, March 7. The headliner goes by the name Benny and the Bums, but a source and usually lurking Townsman tells me this “Benny” is an old friend and beloved showman who left our orbit years ago for some ~~rock a few spots over from the sun~~ California grass. Why this show is shrouded in mystery I do not know, but for the safety of my friend – who is expecting to have a burlap bag placed over his head on Sunday evening before being driven to the ~~7-11~~ club in a ~~Ford Rambler~~ unmarked car – I will say no more. At Rock Town Hall we’re all about safety and accurate reporting! I plan on ~~growing a beard~~ being there in case this turns out to be the musician I’m told it is going to be.

Rock Town Hall Celebrates the Oscars: Best Portrayal of a Musician (Including Actual Musical Performances) by a Non-Musician Actor

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Mar 052010

Disqualified!

Until the moment I put the finishing touches on this post I had no idea that actor Jeff Bridges had recorded an album of music. He seems to be a shoo-in to win the Oscar for Best Actor this Sunday night, but as a result of having released an album of his musical performances other than whatever he performs in his recent film, Crazy Heart, he is disqualified from this Battle Royale.

Specifically I’m asking that we determine the best portrayal of a musician (including actual musical performances) by a typically non-musician actor.

The actor needs to be portraying a musician; he or she cannot simply break out into song as a teenage greaser in a musical set at Rydell High. Beside, John Travolta, like Jeff Bridges, would also be disqualified for having released his own albums.

John Travolta, “Razzamatazz”

John Travolta, “Easy Evil”

Furthermore the actor needs to actually perform music in the film. Despite having seen the film about a half dozen times, I’m not sure if I know whether Justine Bateman or Julia Roberts actually played and/or sang in Satisfaction. Please research this issue before nominating either one of them. Same goes for Mary Stuart Masterson in Some Kind of Wonderful and countless other actors who were so convincing that it’s hard to tell if they could really play.

A few more contenders before I ask you to put on your thinking caps and hash this out…
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What’s the Next Rock ‘n Roll-Themed Broadway Musical?

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Mar 032010

The following topic was just phoned in by Townsman andyr. He apologized in advance for the sickening direction this thread is likely to take.

Broadway’s latest rock ‘n roll-themed music is called Million Dollar Quartet, which is “inspired” by – what – an hour or so of dicking around at a piano in Sun Studios by Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, and Carl Perkins. The results of this impromptu jam session, which sat in the can until 1981, were unwhelming, but unwhelming music didn’t stop the producers who decided to turn the career of Billy Joel into a musical stop the producers of Million Dollar Quartet!

What andyr wants to know is, What’s the next rock ‘n roll-themed Broadway musical?

Previously.

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