Mr. Moderator

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

Carbon/Silicon on Fresh Air

Jan 312008

Did anyone hear the Fresh Air interview with Carbon/Silicon, the new band Mick Jones and Tony James have going? I’d heard some songs over the last year, prior to this interview, and they were very direct and enjoyable. In the interview Jones and James are equally direct and enjoyable. No grand statements or judgments to make here, implied or otherwise. As the Clash fan that I’ll always be, it was cool hearing two old friends talk about the process of trying to make music as 50-year-old men. If you’re curious, you can check out the interview with Terry Gross here and the band’s website here. They regularly post new songs on their website – for free. Then you can also buy most of the songs on CD, because as one of them explains in the interview, walking down the street with a new album by a cool band made them feel a bit cooler when they were young and trying to find their way.

Countdown to Super Bowl Blogging: Those Were Different Times

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Jan 312008

While you’re bemoaning this year’s Super Bowl Halftime Extravaganza, consider halftime shows from simpler times, when halftime meant nothing else but taking a dump and grabbing more food and drink.

From the young and innocent days of Super Bowl VII…

And in honor of BigSteve’s home state, no matter where he’s presently headed, from Super Bowl XXIV…

OK, Asking for Clarity Regarding Keith Richards Is a Dangerous Proposition

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Jan 312008

In the Comments from our Keith Richards’ Most Memorable Guitar Solos thread, Townsman Dr. John responds to my noting the similarities between the slide guitar solo in “Let it Bleed” and any number of solos Keef would play on Chuck Berry covers, such as “Carol”, with the following:

Uh, I’m not hearing any sluggish Chuck Berry riffs in the solo to “Let It Bleed.” In fact, it’s rather fluid and acts as a call and response to Jagger’s improvised vocals at the end of the song.

I’m starting to worry a bit about the growing disconnect between the imaginary Stones you’re hearing in your head and the Stones EVERYONE ELSE hears.

Or to put it another way, listen without prejudice.

Don’t worry, Townspeople, my skin is thick enough to withstand this attack on my character. More importantly, thankfully, I have digital copies of both “Let it Bleed” and “Carol” handy, which I trust will enable me to prove the FACTS supporting my comparison. I have posted the songs and my clarification on the next page, where I ask you to listen to the solos, in particular, and clarify whether I or Dr. John is the one listening without prejudice. In advance of your support, Dr. John and I thank you.
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The Turning Point: Double Shots On Me!

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Jan 312008

Good times!

To celebrate The Turning Point in this heretofore crappy week, I’m posting a gentle mix of recently acquired tunes, all of which are available on eMusic (see their introductory offer on the right column, if you’ve never tried this service). Consider this a round of double shots on me! I hope you dig it. I hope some of these tracks make you feel as good and optimistic as I do today. Enjoy!

I knew Neil Finn had a son who’s been playing with him, but I didn’t know he released his own album, I’ll Be Lightning. This stuff’s pretty good and not unlike Dad’s work. Don’t let comparisons to Elliott Smith scare you off!

Liam Finn, “Better to Be”
Liam Finn, “Lead Balloon”

When the siblings of The Fiery Furnaces take their meds and can concentrate on producing concise, quirky, New Wave- and Bowie-style tuneage, I’m usually interested. Here are two tracks from their new, relatively concise album, Widow City. Fans of their equally focused EP from a few years ago take note!

The Fiery Furnaces, “Duplexes of the Dead”
The Fiery Furnaces, “Ex-Guru”

Since I first saw them on a late-night show when their first album hit our shores, I’ve been thinking I’ll dig Gomez. Any time since then, when I’ve tried out a song or heard one on the radio, I wonder what I was thinking. I stumbled across this solo album by Gomez member Ian Ball last month and thought I’d check it out. I liked the album cover, what can I say? I also dig a number of the tunes. Maybe it’s time to check out Gomez again. Any suggestions of where to start?

Ian Ball, “When We Were Cool”
Ian Ball, “I Knew You Were Trouble”

Countdown to Super Bowl Blogging: Separated at Birth?

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Jan 302008

When the New England Patriots are up 31-3 at halftime and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers unexpectedly launch into the lugubrious “Into the Great Wide Open”, the following pop culture exercise might come in handy and impress your friends.

Take a look at this interview with Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Wait for the close ups. Pay particular attention to his mouth, also taking into consideration his flinty eyes.

Does he remind you of anyone from the worlds of both film and Constitutional Rights?

Keith Richards’ Most Memorable Guitar Solos

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Jan 302008

Help me out here, Townspeople. I don’t profess to keep good track of Who Plays What on even my favorite recordings by my favorite artists. A point of constant confusion is Who Plays What on Rolling Stones‘ recordings. I love the Stones’ twin-guitar attack through all their lineups…well, up to a point. The main strength of that twin-guitar attack is the band’s rhythmic force. They typically don’t need no stinkin’ guitar solos to make a great record. And that’s cool.

Driving in this morning, however, I heard “Sympathy for the Devil”. I’m pretty sure that’s Keef on lead guitar, right? I would think that’s by far his most memorable guitar solo. What are his next most memorable guitar solos? “The Last Time”? “Time Is On My Side”? One of those clunky Chuck Berry covers, like “Carol”?

Keep in mind: by memorable I mean “sticks in your mind.” I’m not looking for the most tasteful, underappreciated solo Keef’s ever played nor am I looking for a particularly memorable riff or series of passing notes. I’m looking for memorable soloing moments when the spotlight is ON!
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Clapton Is Man

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Jan 292008

The Sound of Man

After opening my presents on Christmas morning my wife confessed to a gift she nearly bought me. The confession was a closing to an aside she had made a couple of weeks earlier, when she mentioned having consulted with Townsman Andyr on a possible gift for me. For the next couple of weeks I tried to imagine what she might have discussed with him and what his advice would have been. I’d browse lists of box sets and new rock bios, hoping that my friend would not steer her wrong. Little did I know, as my wife confessed that morning, that it was a tongue-in-cheek gift she had in mind: the Eric Clapton autobiography, Clapton. Would you believe my oldest friend in the world suggested that she not play into our typical “slave to humor” dynamic? (It’s cool, though, 35 years of friendship do not evaporate over one such bum suggestion.) Would you believe that later than day another family member, with no knowledge of my wife’s prior consideration, gave me the book as a Christmas gift?

I tore through this autobiography in a week’s time. Not because I’m a big fan of Eric Clapton but because, as I waded through the early chapters, I was fascinated at the sober, straightforward self-portrait of a man that was developing. As boring and unsatisfying as the autobiography could be – much like the man’s music – the story was refreshing in its departure from the typical rock star story of Rise and Fall and Rebirth With the Help of a Strong Woman. Ralph Fiennes can hold off on those guitar lessons. This autobiography may be second to Bob Dylan’s excellent Chronicles, Vol. 1 on the Hollywood Screenwriters Guild’s “Pass” list.

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