Consider this…
…before you consider this.
Oct 172007
Mr. Moderator
Oct 162007
Momma
What influential band, if any, do you feel has been milked dry by bands that have followed in their wake?
The Velvet Underground are the first band that comes to mind for me. I feel the noisy/drone thing has been milked. G.G. Allin adequately squeezed the teats of the degenerate thing for all it was worth. The lighter, repetitive thing has been done over numerous times by the likes of Yo La Tengo. The surprisingly tender thing…ditto. If a woman in a band with a charmingly weak voice never steps forward to take lead on a song over the next decade, the world of rock will not suffer. No offense to anyone who’s milked any one of these rock teats, by the way. They are all part of the fantastic fabric that is the legacy of the VU. The only thing that was not milked dry in the VU’s music was the band’s ease with older forms of rock, but I’m not expecting any younger bands – bands that probably can’t play a journeyman cover of a Chuck Berry song if their lives depended on it – to pick up on that strain of VU magic.
I’m sure you’ve got your own legendary rock band teats you’d like to see retired. Give momma a break! you’ve been thinking. Now tell us why.
Oct 152007
You’ll recall that trip back home, where I rooted through the dark corners of Mother’s Basement and uncovered a forgotten mix tape! As promised, here’s Part 2 of this fortunate find. Once again, Mad Props to The Boys in the Basement, who I should add recently successfully fought off attempts at sociopolitical profiling.
Rockfour, “Half & Half”
Githead, “These Days”
Clarence Smith, “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child”
Cobra Verde, “Crashing in a Plane”
Glenn Branca, “Lesson No. 1 for Electric Guitar”
Enjoy!
Oct 152007
It’s all in the strings!
It was recently reported that a visitor to the Halls of Rock expressed dismay at our Lou Reed…As His Music Was Meant to Sound! series, claiming it cast our hero in less-than-flattering terms. It was recommended that we watch video from the Velvet Underground’s reunion shows instead. Visitor, we value your recommendation, and we hope you log in to see the fruits of your rock labors. Complete with the headless Cronenberg guitar; a mullet; and a shiny, puffy leather jacket, Rock Town Hall proudly presents Lou Reed…As His Music Was Really Meant to Sound!
Continue reading »
Oct 132007
You, Townspeople, were polled on the following question:
What’s the best standard-issue, pre-1980 solo Beatles Greatest Hits/Best of album? The poll and the not-so-surprisingly close results follow.
- 1975’s John Lennon collection, Shaved Fish: 30% (7)
- Ringo’s 1976 collection, Blast from Your Past: 26% (6)
- 1976’s The Best of George Harrison: 22% (5)
- 1978’s Wings Greatest (McCartney): 22% (5)
Total Votes : 23
At this point I will ask you to defend your selection, first answering the following questions:
- Did you actually vote for the album or the artist you most favor?
- Did you consider the great songs – for that artist – to crap quotient? I’m sure you’re all aware that Greatest Hits/Best of albums do not always contain an artist’s best songs.
- Did you consult with our resident expert in Greatest Hits/Best of collections, Townsman Andyr?
All right! With those questions answered, please explain in 25 words or less what made your decision THE CORRECT choice.
I look forward to your comments.
Oct 122007
Hail, hail rock ‘n roll!
Oct 112007
Ever make that trip back home and decide to root around the dark corners of Mother’s Basement, pulling out old boxes of knick-knacks from your childhood: Cub Scout badges, old guitar picks, an arrowhead, a foreign coin that still seems as exotic as it did when an uncle gave it to you in 1972? Sometimes we root through Mother’s Basement and uncover a forgotten mix tape! That’s just what I did earlier this week. Check out Part 1 of what was on this tape.
Orchestra Harlow, “Everybody’s Got Something to Hide (Except for Me and My Monkey)”
Brian James, “Ain’t That a Shame”
Matthew Sweet, “The Ocean In Between”
Joel Plaskett Emergency, “True Patriot Love”
The Godz, “You Won’t See Me”
Laghonia, “Everybody Monday”
Hope you had as much fun with these tracks as I did. Truth be told, Mad Props to The Boys in the Basement for many of these contributions that I’ve chosen to share with you! Stay tuned for Part 2…
