Mr. Moderator

Mr. Moderator

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

Consult the Orockle: Tell Me Something Else That’s Anywhere Near This Good

 Posted by
May 222009
 

Who among us hasn’t been amazed by the wisdom of The Hall? 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 continue a feature that was launched a couple of months ago, not only for the people but by the people.

As originally described, the concept is simple. This is a place to seek specific wisdom from the collective intelligence. These are not to be philosophical queries but rather to seek advice and wisdom on specific rock questions. It may be a place to seek listening and purchasing recommendations.

Today I have a simple request, for The Orockle, one that may spark lengthy conversation, or not, but will hopefully illicit some sage advice.

As always, when any of us consult The Orockle, the opportunity exists for folks to ask similar questions and receive similar advice. The topic shouldn’t necessarily focus just on my topic.

Here’s the question I would like to ask The Orockle:
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Sons of Champlin

 Posted by
May 222009
 


In seeking out some tracks and an entire album by Jefferson Airplane last night, I came across an album by another SF band I’d always heard about but never heard, Sons of Champlin. The album I stumbled across is called Follow Your Heart. After checking it out last night, I’m tempted to say that I’ve finally found a SF band I can sink my teeth into: really soulful singing, nice ensemble playing, little of the melodrama that has always bogged me down with Jefferson Airplane. Along with the title track, I was impressed by “Children Know,” “Before You Right Now,” “Hey Children,” and “Child Continued.”

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Artists You Were Really Excited to See That Turned Out to Be Terrible Live

 Posted by
May 182009
 


Townsperson jeangray, in a recent thread, raised a point that’s worth bringing to The Main Stage:

Perhaps we need to do a thread about artists we were really excited to see that turned out to be terrible live.

Perhaps we do. Thanks, jeangray!

The first artist who came to mind for me was James Blood Ulmer, about 10 years ago. Rather than the charging, repetitive stuff I’d come to love of his, his live show at some Saturnismine-approved alternative rec hall was nothing more than the shambling, out-of-tune noise that our tone-savvy friend Hrrundivbakshi probably hears when he hears the music of James Blood Ulmer. To make matters worse he had the last hippie, flute-playing woman on earth blowing along with this racket. As much as I wanted to like the show, it really sucked. Even more than the one and only time I got to see The Clash, on their Combat Rock tour. That show was merely “humbling.”

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Tommy (the Movie): a) Good, b) Good-Bad, c) Bad, d) All of the Above?

 Posted by
May 152009
 

UPDATED: FOLLOW COMMENTS FOR CAST OF ROAD HOUSE TRADE CHALLENGE!

Last night, following a very long day of business and pleasure, I got home around 10:15 pm, checked e-mails, confirmed the losing score of the Phillies’ game had not been overturned, and then flipped channels for a spell until I could barely keep awake. Then, just as I was about to call it a day, I saw that Ken Russell‘s Tommy was about to come on! This is one of those train-wreck movies I can’t help but watch whenever it comes on. I was both fascinated and repelled by it when I saw it in the theaters as a kid, and my reactions to the movie have not changed since then on repeated small-screen viewing. I knew from the start that I would pay for staying up an additional hour today—my brain was already starting to throb from overuse—but I rationalized that it had been some time since I saw the opening scenes, with the boy actor as Tommy. Beside, I told myself, it would be good for Rock Town Hall.


I ended up watching through the scenes with the boy and the first, highly influential scene with Roger Daltrey as the deaf, dumb, and blind adults Tommy being taken by his mom, Ann-Margret, to the Marilyn Monroe-worshipping church led by Blooz Minister Eric Clapton. I consider this film highly inspirational on a personal level because Daltrey exemplified what would become one of my most cherished bits of comedy at home: my love for and impersonation of actors acting blind in movies. No offense to our blind Townspeople checking in, but Hollywood really gave you the shaft when it came to a lousy repertoire of approaches to acting blind.
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Your Rock ‘n Roll Mendoza Line

 Posted by
May 152009
 

Here’s an oldie but goodie I thought might be worth revisiting. Please read the set-up closely: the Rock ‘n Roll Mendoza line is meant to identify something more than a 1-hit wonder not even worthy of further consideration as a strong artist. The first time this ran we had some good feedback from a number of Townspeople who’ve been less active of late or checked out altogether. Now that you’re here, feel free to extend this discussion.

This post initially appeared 0/13/07.

You know what baseball’s Mendoza Line is, right? Named after former Pittsburgh Pirates’ light-hitting shortstop, Mario Mendoza, it refers to a sub-.200 batting average, the surest sign of offensive failure in the sport.

Today I’d like to hear about Your Rock ‘n Roll Mendoza Line, that point at which an artist who has at least 1 song that you really like yet has by demerit of the bulk of said artist’s output completely failed in your ears and eyes. Is there a particular band or artist that defines Your Rock ‘n Roll Mendoza line?

Click here to watch Frank Black’s “Headache” video. (Thanks, Viacom!)
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