Summer travel edition!

Much has been made over the years of Brian Eno’s Music for Airports, which as a fan of Eno’s ambient works, I find uninspiring in spite of the cool backstory of the French commissioning him to write music to play in an airport. I don’t recall hearing this album played in any airport I’ve frequented, but once I did hear some cool minimalist music playing as I rode a moving sidewalk in some especially mod terminal of Chicago’s O’Hare Airport many moons ago. So I ask, What’s the coolest music you’ve ever heard in an airport (what’s played through your own earbuds excluded).

What’s the largest amount (in terms of bulk/weight) of records/CDs you’ve traveled with by air?

If you could airdrop thousands of copies of one album that’s currently rocking your summer to residents of your next destination, what would it be? Please specify “next destination” and how this may factor into your choice.

What’s your favorite piece of music – rock or otherwise – specifically about travel by train?

The Go-Gos’ “Vacation” or Stiff Little Fingers’ “Gotta Getaway”?

What’s your favorite piece of music – rock or otherwise – specifically about travel by airplane?

What’s the furthest you’ve traveled specifically to see a concert?

Complete this song lyric: “The more one travels, _____________.”

I look forward to your responses.

What We Lack

Discounting longtime collaborators in rock ‘n roll who finally split, from The Everly Brothers to John and Paul to Roger and David to Ray and Dave, what are the most regretful, early breakups in rock ‘n roll? I’m listening to Big Star’s #1 Record and some related outtakes, and say what you will about the other two records and Chris Bell’s solo record, the pairing of Alex Chilton and Bell is PERFECT. Bell soothes the restless, frayed Chilton; Chilton lends a testicle to Bell. In a similar vein, Chris Stamey and Peter Holsapple split too soon, and that reunion 128-string guitar workout doesn’t count as them getting back together again. A box off aesthetic salt peter was dumped into the making of Mavericks! Again, though, the last thing I want is for us to get side-tracked talking about that album.

I’d argue that other short-time couples, like Bryan Ferry and Brian Eno, had run their course. No regrets. Can we still be friends?

What about the breakup of Paul and Hamish Stuart? Too short a period of collaboration or just enough time for closure?

I’m sure you’ve got your own regretful breakups to discuss. I look forward to your comments, but remember, no regrets over partnerships that simply ran their course. There ain’t no good guy, there ain’t no bad guy…

Townsman 2000 Man, our Rookie of the Month, has submitted the following blast of fierce, passionate rock ‘n roll fury and advice. Listen to what the man says!

Thank you, girls

The apparent arrival of Wuss Week at RTH has motivated me to put forth the effort and not only take from the RTH community, but to give something back as well. Mr. Moderator asked me to contribute something if I had the time, and I’m kinda still finding my way on that request, but the 24/7 rock and roller in me can only take so much Scuffy Shew and The Byrds. I try, but really, where’s the FUN!?

So I give you Exhibit G. The new Gore Gore Girls album, Get the Gore. You can feel safe purchasing any completely unheard album where the cover is a white Gretsch guitar, a black leather boot with five-inch heels, and thighs up to here. Trust me on this – you really can’t go wrong. Even on a puny cd you can tell that the insides of this one are gonna be great. The lp cover must be glorious. (I wonder if you can get a 24” record so the cover would be twice as big?). But what really counts is that these girls from Detroit just tear it up when it comes to rock n’ rolling, and their sound is infectious and fun, incorporating loads of guitars, pounding drums, and a knack for melding girl group harmonies into some seriously hard rock and roll.

The album kicks off with “Fox In A Box”, which is the kind of silly teenage girly anthem that The Donnas do well, but The Gore Gore Girls are less bombastic and AC/DC sounding. The Gore Gore Girls are leaner, more worldly, and definitely more assertive women than The Donnas are. Where The Donnas may make a boy weak in the knees, The Gore Gore Girls have that affect on men. Check out “Pleasure Unit”. I tend to like misogynistic rock n’ roll, not because I don’t like women, but because I can empathize with the singer having a trampled on heart and feeling that getting even with all of womankind is the best option. Being a man, I know damned well that this getting even never works because women just don’t play fair and they know they don’t have to.

“Pleasure Unit”

So I think The Gore Gore Girls are misandrists (oh, yeah I had to look it up, I wanted to make up mansogynists, too). But I can empathize with that. Besides, women like that fascinate men anyway.
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