As we’ve noted before, it’s a wonder what a quick YouTube search inspired by a recent post can turn up.
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Jun 122008
Mr. Moderator
Jun 092008
During a recent Last Man Standing thread Townsman cdm proposed a future topic, which we present today: Albums that you are convinced you are the only person to ever have spent money on. For those of you who were taking chances on albums in 1978, the above video may help jog your memory. Since the explosion of indie rock and DIY releases, the opportunities for spending money on an album that no one else has spent money on have expanded astronomically.
As is usually the case, we expect you to do more than simply list these albums. Tell us something about them. What attracted you to actually buying them? Should you worry that your secret will be out and other hipsters will seek out existing copies of this album?
Jun 092008
Are ya watchin’ me, Bob?
A while back we analyzed the legendary duel in The Last Waltz between Eric Clapton and The Band’s Robbie Robertson. Using cutting-edge technology and the better part of three lunch breaks, we compared the efficacy of Clapton’s Guitar Solos to Robertson’s Rock Faces. This groundbreaking study has led to similar inquiries in development and not yet reported, such as a comparison of the efficacy of Aretha Franklin’s pipes to Mariah Carey’s tits and ass from this legendary VH1 Divas performance.
While this and similar studies are ongoing, I’ve been thinking about the concept of the evolution of Rock Faces. How much of what an artist hits the stage with is owing to God-given talent and how much of an artist’s facial means of communication is developed through hard work and study? I decided to kick off this inquiry with an examination of the evolution of the Rock Faces of The Band’s Robbie Robertson. The conclusions we draw from this analysis are only the tip of the iceberg. In coming weeks, as we discuss these findings and examine the evolution of Rock Faces by other artists, we’ll surely develop a more comprehensive picture.
As you know, many members of what would become The Band backed up Bob Dylan on some of his first electric tours. Here’s a young, studious, respectful Robbie accompanying Dylan on acoustic guitar in a hotel room. In a wholly subservient role, Robbie’s all about respect. The closest he gets to flashing anything remotely resembling a Rock Face, is around 56 seconds into the clip, when he engages in an empathetic head dip in rhythm with the descending chord progression.
Jun 092008
Townsman Tvox, while necessarily donning the Pince Nez for a correction in a recent thread, made this interesting admission regarding a cool cover his old band used to feature:
The Wishniaks used to cover Peter Laughner‘s “Sylvia Plath”. Only we covered the version done by Philly locals The Johnsons. To this day, I don’t think I’ve heard the Laughner version.
I was reminded of how many years passed before I finally heard the original version of “Louie Louie” or even “Twist and Shout”. I did hear the originals eventually, but I’m sure there are still songs I know well in a cover form without ever having heard the original. I’ve got to think about this. How about you? Have you ever had an experience like the one Tvox expressed, whether you’d covered the cover version or not?
Jun 052008
The other day, when Townsman Sammymaudlin took it upon himself to drop a huge electronic dump on The Germs, I gladly dropped my drawers and added to the dung heap. It turns out I was not alone in having my issues with that band and with hardcore in general. Others were mystified by the negative reactions, telling us we “had to be there” to appreciate these bands, that neither sounded good on record nor, for that matter, in concert. Townspeople candidly shared stories, displayed scars, and acknowledged their own shortcomings. I’m OK, You’re OK, was the prevailing sentiment. It was a moving day, yet one Townsperson was not satisfied. SoCal transplant Mwall still needed an explanation as to why some of us felt The Germs sucked. He was not satisfied by the resulting inability of Germs sympathizers to explain why they were good. It’s as if he thought we were obligated to adhere to American values like Innocent until proven guilty.
To his credit, Mwall did not back down. He kept at us, finally recommending particular songs that we should hear – without prejudice. And so I acquired the songs he recommended; cleared my mind of all memories of hardcore dudes scoffing at my own band’s particular brand of “pussy” music; and cleared my mind further of those same dudes, a few years earlier, before they gave up on their aspirations of being the next Tony Iommi and took up hardcore instead, even then scoffing at my friends and I for being such pussies. Let’s just say I was very clear and open-minded before revisiting The Germs. I’m, like, totally Pacific as I revisit these Germs songs I dismissed on one listen nearly 27 years ago. Following are my thoughts and the songs, for you to play and revisit alongside me.
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Jun 052008
To get California Day on Rock Town Hall rolling we’re posing a set of “Going to California”-themed questions that ask for your gut responses. We’ll keep it mellow, though. Why don’t you put down the top and follow us up the Pacific Coast Highway? Our special Going to California Edition of Dugout Chatter follows the jump!
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Jun 052008
California Grass
Take a good look at this simple map listing California towns. How much California grass can we cover powered solely by songs citing specific California towns? Feel free to cite songs citing towns not specified on this map. I don’t need songs citing the entire state. There’s no blanket song citation. We need to go town by town. Got it? Let’s get to it!
