There are so many — so very many — wonderful things about this video/performance. How many can you spot? Use your eyes!
I look forward to your responses,
HVB
Jul 122007
hrrundivbakshi
Jul 112007
Did Avril Lavigne rip off the chorus to her smash hit “Girlfriend” from obscuro New Jersey ’80s pop-rockers The Rubinoos? You be the judge!
Here’s Avril:
And the Rubinoos:
BREAKING EVIDENCE!?!? Continue reading »
Jul 092007
Simply beautiful
The other day, I scored a significant haul of dusty old 45s at the local Value Village — the stuff of which will form the core of a couple of upcoming Thrifty Music editions. One single in particular, however, proved itself so noteworthy that I felt compelled to feature it separately.
The song in question is called “Moody”, by one Scuffy Shew, from 1973. I urge you to give it a listen. As you do, please think of all the tortured, self-important, pretentious artistes whose causes have been championed ’round these parts. I’m especially looking at all of you who endure every cheek-flapping fart Lou Reed ever committed to vinyl, or those of you who revel in every hollow, clanging note to be found on sides one and two of Television‘s first album. Fans of Be Bop Deluxe, Sparks, and Neu! — I charge you in particular with the duty of opening your ears to some real music for a change.
Scuffy Shew, “Moody”
What we’ve got here in Shew’s “Moody” is something different. Something simple, vital, beautiful, and ultimately, genuinely important, like a first kiss or the smell of the ocean on hard-earned vacation. I don’t know where to begin explaining why it’s as Great as I think it is; all I know is that if you can’t wrap your head around its simple charm, you need your ears — not to mention your brain — thoroughly irrigated.
Come on, guys, be real about this rock and roll thing for once, willya? Sheesh. I know E. Pluribus will understand what I’m getting at here.
I look forward to your responses,
HVB
Jun 282007
First person to identify this gentleman racer wins a coveted RTH No-Prize.
I look forward to your responses.
Jun 212007
Worse
Folks, the chuckles we’ve been getting out of EPG’s dismissive “singin’ through your beard” references have forced the RTH Labs to ponder: Does the growing of a Rock Beard always signal a turn for the creative worse? After numerous meetings, internal research notes, and PowerPoint presentations, my colleagues in the white lab coats say there’s only one way to find out. We need your help!
Here’s what you must do: think of a rock/soul personality who conspicuously grew a beard at some point in their career. Review their creative output prior to the arrival of their neck-felt, and compare it with what came after. Ask yourself this simple question: Did things get better or worse?
NOTE: The goal of this exercise is not to ascertain whether there are any quality bearded rockers out there. We are trying to determine whether the arrival of a beard portends creative flaccidity. Here are a few analyses to get you started:
- Eric Clapton: WORSE.
- Bon Scott: WORSE.
- Robert Plant: WORSE.
I look forward to your responses.
Jun 182007
Ring a bell?
Greetings, fellow RTHers!
Seeing as how my last attempt to bring a little fun and games to the hallowed halls was such a dismal failure…I’m trying again!
This time, I’m looking for a little creativity from you. Assisted creativity, that is. Following is a list of words and/or phrases. Your job is to produce a brief writing sample using the stipulated number of words and/or phrases, in all required categories. Format is unimportant — free verse, drama/play, haiku, essay, satire, whatever — but you must use the required words as indicated below! As always, the “winner” — determined by our Moderator — receives a prize and a virtual raspberry from all assembled.
I look forward to your responses.
Category A — Look (choose two)
Weatherbeaten leather jacket
“Aviator”-style sunglasses
Chuck Taylors
David Lee Roth “full bug” cowboy boots
Steve Vai Hair
Bill Cosby sweater
Mr. Moderator’s coiffure
Tom Petty’s teeth
Keef’s false teef
Kneepads
Y-front underpants
One sparkly glove
Walter Becker’s beard
Bob Seger’s grandpa glasses
Category B — Music (choose up to two)
Hip-hop
Power pop
Death metal
Classic rock
Disco
Oom-pah
Polka
Field hollers
Category C — Key Personalities (choose one or two)
Bill Wyman
Lou Reed
Billy Barty
Seth Dick III
Sib Hashian
The Prince Of Wales
Alex Van Halen
Joe Tex
Jeff Lynne
Jim Dandy
Waddy Wachtel
Lee Sklar
Ray Cooper
Paul McCartney
Bob Seger
Category D — Catch Phrases (choose no more than three)
“That’s gotta hurt!”
“Look at the size of that thing!”
“Shut up and scrape the bowl.”
“Ever since Nicholson won his Oscar, it’s been like this.”
“Does that thing have peanuts in it?”
“Now that’s what I call an ass-whuppin’!”
“I… I am filled with shame.”
“Ride ’em, cowboy!”
“Never mind all that. Have you seen Soul Plane yet?”
“GOD, that stinks!”
“Matt Damon!”
“That’s what SHE said!”
“Like a rock!”
Category E — Lyric Snippets (choose at least one)
“Come about hard, and join the young and often spring you gave”
“Mama say, mama sah, mama-ku-sah”
“I started a joke, which started the whole world laughing”
“My best friend, he shoots water rats and feeds hem to his geese”
“78 revolutions a minute, now!”
“There was nothing in my life bigger than beer”
“Juicy fruit… juicy!”
“Let me tell you how it will be”
“Wang dang, what a sweet poontang… she got a thang like a rang-a-dang-a-dang!”
“You keep scraping away”
“Her mommy was Mex’can, and her daddy was the ace of spades”
“Just get an electric guitar, and take some time, and learn how to play”
Category F — Food (choose no more than two)
Dr. Brown’s Celery Soda
Zagnut
Burgers ‘n beer
One hot kielbasa
Jack Daniel’s
The bearded clam
One pinched loaf
Chicken legs
Dinty Moore Beef Stew
Vienna sausages
Melons
Jun 122007
Hey, guys and gals! I’m back with another fiendishly clever challenge for you — one, as always, that will reward those of you who embrace your idiotic obsession with rock trivia and other chick-repellent tendencies.
Today, your job is a simple one: identify the bands and songs from whence these opening phrases come. The difficulty? These are all spoken word introductions…and not always featuring the artists themselves!
Some of the following are easy, some are not. I am sure, however, that between the lot of you, all answers will be found. In the meantime, to make your answering easy, I’ve included a handy, cut-and-paste-able list you can fill in at your leisure:
Click on numbers, below, for each audio clip.
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Enjoy yourselves…talk to you later!
