Mr. Moderator

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

What Instrument Has Come the Furthest in Today’s Music and What Instrument Has Fallen Off Course?

Mar 092009

That’s a self-explanatory topic title: What instrument has come the furthest in today’s music and what instrument has fallen off course? By “today’s music,” let’s say the last 10 years. By “come the furthest” I mean which instrument’s role has expanded most significantly, or something along those lines. By “fallen off course” I mean which instrument’s role has diminished or been stunted the most. You can be a wiseacre and nominate the triangle or you can be the thought-provoking Townsperson we know you to be.

Rock ‘n Roll Fantastic Four

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Mar 082009

I’m not a comic book guy, but I know some of you are. I do, however, think of certain rockers in terms of their comic book-style superpowers, so I’m looking forward to what I may learn from this discussion. Rock superpowers can be very important skills.

From what I can gather regarding the Marvel comic The Fantastic Four, which debuted in 1961, this was a new kind of superhero group, one that was as in touch with its “family” dynamic, human flaws, and celebrity as much as its responsibility to fight bad guys and display their superpowers. Since they came on the comic scene shortly after the birth of rock ‘n roll, I’ve chosen them in our quest to design a rock ‘n roll analogy.

Who’s your Rock ‘n Roll Fantastic Four, your Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and Thing? Full bands can count if covering all four characters, but they cannot count collectively for one character, dig? You must select four individual musicians (they can be members of bands) based on their rock superpowers, crime-fighting abilities, and maybe more importantly, psychological profile.

If you need some help thinking about this Fantastic Four concept, here’s Wikipedia’s description of the original Fantastic Four:
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Rock ‘n Roll Holy Grail: Eno in Live Circa Here Come the Warm Jets

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Mar 062009

Eno catches a breeze.

UPDATED! Since this first posted, we’ve learned this is Brian Eno & The Winkies, from a BBC appearance. Seems this live band only supported Eno on a handful of gigs. All four songs from this session are now included for your pleasure. Thanks, BigSteve!

Somewhere on the Web, I believe on some Roxy Music site, there’s a very brief (20 seconds?) clip of Brian Eno and musicians in the studio, playing “The Paw Paw Negro Blow Torch.” I was really excited when I found this clip. I can’t find it at the moment, but supposedly it’s from a movie that was made of Eno in the studio at this time. I’ve never been able to find another frame of the movie on the Web, and it’s hard enough finding anything at all written about it. Just now I tried to find a capsule review of the film that I’ve seen before, but no dice: just a bunch of stuff regarding Eno’s work with U2 and Coldplay. Even a film and rock collector friend has had no dice finding a print of this film or more than the brief descriptions that we’ve occasionally run across. This guy’s got all kinds of obscure films in a warehouse, but he can’t get a sniff of this Eno film we so badly want to see.

Luckily I keep a bunch of stuff around, in a not so organized fashion, including CDs of mp3s I downloaded about 8 years ago on a computer that long since died. The IT guy at my old place of employment was able to extract all my precious downloaded mp3s and mpgs, including the following two: live tracks in the studio, I believe, of Eno and bandmates – possibly from this very film! I especially love the straightforward, Stonesy rhythm guitar of this version of “The Paw Paw Negro Blow Torch.” Enjoy.

Brian Eno, “The Paw Paw Negro Blow Torch (BBC)”

Brian Eno, “Baby’s On Fire (BBC)”

Brian Eno, “Totalled (BBC)”

Brian Eno, “Fever (BBC)”

Can You Love Him Out of It?

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Mar 062009

In examining the Stephen Stills confronts a heckler, then his friends love him out of it clip from the Big Sur movie (full clip after the jump) that I think has cleared up a very foggy memory I had of watching this event on the tv the my wood-paneled basement in my childhood home, I kept coming back to the look on this guy’s face:

Concerned hippie at Big Sur, witnessing Stephen Stills in a poolside tussle with heckling hippie.

The poor guy looks like he’s witnessing the complete collapse of the Love Generation. We know that Stills had his friends to love him out of it, but did this guy? Rock Town Hall, I ask you to provide the love this guys needs. Our Concerned Hippie needs you to love him out of it.

The most loving words for our shattered friend will be rewarded with a most-appropriate prize!
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Rock Tantrums

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Mar 062009

[Rock Town Hall suggests you turn down your speakers before clicking on the following YouTube clip, especially if Mom, the kids, or your boss are around.]

I’m sure by now you’ve all heard the legendary Troggs Tapes, the profanity-filled band argument captured in the studio, on tape, for posterity! If you haven’t heard it, you may do so by clicking on this thread’s introductory YouTube clip. It’s audio only, so feel free to close your eyes and envision the angry and unformfortable reactions by band members.

What I’d like to hear are your favorite rock tantrums. They could be other leaked recordings of well-known bands in the heat of battle, written anecdotes thereof, or possibly best of all your personal experience with rock tantrums, whether as an observer or participant. Who knows, maybe I’ll share a few of my sudden “retirements.”

WANTED: Intelligent, Open-Minded Discussion Regarding the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Mar 062009

Townsman Dr. John raised a partially fair point in a comment at the tail end of a recent thread:

You know, it sure would be refreshing for someone to critically comment on the Jefferson Airplane or Grateful Dead–without sounding like someone with an irrational fear of hippies.

Although I personally objected to this charge in the thread in which it was made, being a proponent of a large swath of “hippie music,” I do agree that those of us who do not love the Dead or the Airplane too often resort to cheap shots at any given moment. It is fun and easy to do. I think even a fair-minded chap like the Good Doctor could see that. But I believe we can do better, and I believe we can have a dialog without either side resorting to cheap shots or blanket characterizations of anyone with an opposing point of view.

Here’s what I propose we do:
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Mandom

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Mar 062009

Why bring back the following series of clips? To ensure we never forget the true essence of Mandom. That’s why.

This post initially appeared 4/30/07.

This pretty much sums up my life. Maybe your’s too. Mad props to would-be Townsman Jay for pointing this out.

UPDATED!
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