Mr. Moderator

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

Dugout Chatter

Sep 052007

Today’s Dugout Chatter means a lot to me. It’s my chance to share some thoughts I had while driving all over Italy for 17 days, enjoying the sweet life and contemplating the horror of a world in which rock ‘n roll songs have no lyrics that end in consonants. I hope these questions mean something to you and you do your part in reaffirming our collective faith in rock ‘n roll. I will thank you in advance, and I look forward to your responses.

Ian McLagan or Nicky Hopkins?

Which album have you avoided listening to for years as you have, I would hope, a snuff film?

Have you ever spent time in a place in which rock ‘n roll has no context, when even hearing a beloved rock song you’ve brought along for the journey has greatly diminished meaning?

Lou Reed’s “Perfect Day” or The Kinks’ “Days”?

Who’s your favorite poor man’s Jagger?

If only one member of a band is allowed to wear a moustache, which instrument should that band member play?

What’s behind the nagging rock nerd suspicion that Pete Quaife was The Kinks’ “secret sauce?” And to tip my hat to my thoughts on this, did his Look promise as much as he delivered?

Rock Changeups

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Aug 312007

I was listening to The Clash’s “Train in Vain” the other day, and I got to wondering if it’s one of rock’s most effective changeups. The music is not too foreign for anything the band had done to that point – it’s not a simple stylistic move, like Led Zeppelin tackling reggae on “D’yer Maker”. And while Mick Jones was always good for an autobiographical song about an old mate, the band never tackled the topic of anything beyond platonic love. Even “Lover’s Rock”, a track earlier on side 4 of London Calling, is more of a “politics with a small ‘p'” song, as Paul Simonon might explain.

So I ask our Townspeople…What’s your favorite rock changeup and what about it makes it a special one?

Is There a Drummer in the House: “But I’m Different Now”

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Aug 292007

~~The Jam – But I’m Different Now~~
Some of you many be aware of how much I think Rick Buckler held The Jam back from being a top-notch band. To me, no Buckler performance best illustrates how off the mark this guy could be. Is there a drummer in the house to explain the point of the drum beat he has chosen for “But I’m Different Now”? I’m not sure that the version supplied by Townswoman Sally C is the released version from Sound Affects, but that is the version that puzzles me. While you’re at it, is there a bandleader in the house to tell me how Weller tolerated all those swishy hi-hits in the middle of his slashing guitar rhythms? I look forward to your responses.

Jagger’s Best Acting Work

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Aug 292007

I present Mick Jagger’s best acting work:

Better, dare I say, than his work in Ned Kelly!

“All You Need Is Love”…In True Stereo

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Aug 282007

Hey, what can we say about this one?

The Beatles, “All You Need Is Love” (German true stereo mix)

If you loved The Beatles anywhere near their time, there’s a good chance you’ve got a soft spot for this song. If you’re some post-punk dude, you probably think of this song when dismissing The Beatles as “overrated.” That’s cool.

In this final track from the German true stereo version of Magical Mystery Tour, you get the added depth in the string and horn arrangements. The bass is a little heavier. The song sounds a little less like a jingle and a little more like the latest Lennon manifesto. A fine line, I know.

So that’s it. I hope you’ve enjoyed our trip. Thanks for taking the ride.

Lou Reed…As His Music Was Meant to Sound!

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Aug 282007

Only a woman can love a man…

“Baby You’re a Rich Man”…In True Stereo

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Aug 272007

We’re heading into the final turn! I hope you who have been able to follow along with this reconsideration of Magical Mystery Tour – with the aid of the 1971 German true stereo mixes. If you’ve missed a day, search back. We’ll keep these tracks up for a limited time.

The Beatles, “Baby You’re a Rich Man” (German true stereo mix)

What I’m about to say may shock you: I’ve long loved this song. There are so many slight songs from The Beatles’ psychedelic phase that work primarily as showcases for McCartney’s heavy Rickenbacker bass parts. Paul’s reputation is typically as The Showman, The Cute One, The Writer of Granny Numbers, and even The Multitalented One, but he’ll never get all the credit he deserves as an Emotionally Engaging Bass Player. I’m not kidding: his basslines are the emotional center of so many songs, especially these half-baked psych-platitude pieces.

In this version of “Baby You’re a Rich Man” you get to hear even more of the bass – the lows and the attack of the picked strings. It’s one of Paul’s trademark songs. The song also features those little runs on an organ or some other kind of reedy instrument. What’s making those “raga” noises? I’ve always dug them, and I dig them even more on this version.

Finally, let’s not forget John Lennon‘s contributions to his own song. It might seem I’ve dismissed the song itself, but John’s commitment to the lead vocals and his enlightened point of view is worth tuning into. Lennon was in the middle of a long stretch of tuning in and out of Beatles activities, but when he tuned in, he could pull off almost any type of half-assed song with the best of them. This is no exception.

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