Remember, we’re interested in your feelings here. Coming to terms with how these two videos make you feel is the only way we’ll ever get to the bottom of the RTH Bowie Problem.
Video #1:
Video #2:
Apr 082007
hrrundivbakshi
Apr 022007
Folks, it’s time again for another edition of the RTH Thrifty Music series, hosted by yours truly. As you can read in greater detail here, this is the place where we discover — and, today, perhaps rediscover — interesting and timeless music that we might not bother with had it not been thrown away by somebody before we acquired it.
Today’s focus is a simple one: Classic Rock. There are times when I’m not even sure what the term means, but — like the art critic once famously said — I think we all know it when we hear it. Today’s triptych presents one vital tune I rediscovered; one questionable tune that, well, begs questions; and one new discovery that may help us define yet another Rock Niche that’s not really in need of further definition.
On to the show!
First up: “Rat Bat Blue”, from Deep Purple‘s otherwise execrable Who Do We Think We Are LP. I found the album for 99 cents, saw that it had “Woman From Tokyo” on it (one of my all-time DP faves), and thought it might have a few undiscovered treasures buried deep on its grooves. Wrong! This album sucks! However: I was downright startled to hear one song — “Rat Bat Blue” — for the first time in almost 30 years, and to be reminded of just how totally boss it is. Yeah, yeah, the “lyric” is retarded, but the band cooks, the riff is to die for, and the production is hard-rock perfection. Seriously — I admit I’ve got a huge boner for the Vanda/Young AC/DC studio sound, but this may be the greatest-sounding hard rock album in history.
I was also startled to realize that this song must have marked a major milestone for me as a young music listener, because as soon as I heard that riff come pounding out of the speakers again, I realized it’s one of those riffs that I’ve always had stuck in my head, and as crazy as it sounds, I almost mean that literally. Perhaps other musicians here will understand what I’m trying to say. It’s like the drum intro to the Clash’s “Revolution Rock”, or the opening fanfare to the theme from “Rocky” — it’s always been on instant recall in my head, so strong was its original pull. A riff by which all other riffs are measured. In this case, I had completely forgotten who wrote it, and where I’d heard it, until I plunked this dusty vinyl on the turntable. But now, the prodigal riff has come home at last. Slaughter the fatted calf and prepare to make merry, for the riff that was once lost is now found!
So this calls for answers to two questions:
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Mar 252007
Spend more than a few minutes browsing RTH during springtime, and like as not you’ll run across somebody either busting on American Idol or trying to explain to the naysayers why it’s worth watching. I’m firmly in the latter camp, and, at Mr. Mod’s prodding, I thought I’d take a moment to share the reasons why. Hopefully, I’ll manage to steer clear of any yawn-worthy defenses of “pop” music (how many times do we have to go down that road?), as well as the temptation to get all catty about the frankly awful performances that can certainly still be found on Fox every Tuesday night at 8:00 pm.
Because there are some awful performances to be found there. I suspect it’s these awful performances that cause folks like Mr. Mod to get all tight-assed about the show — and the pepole who tune in for the train-wreck cheesefest, then breathlessly blog about how bad Sanjaya Malakar‘s version of “You Really Got Me” was, make it easy for folks like Moddy to “take the high road” by simply never watching. I don’t exactly understand how it’s easier to spend an hour pondering sides three and four of “The Best and the Rest Of Be Bop Deluxe” than watching 10 kids sing their hearts out for America, but whatever.
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Mar 182007
So, look, fellow RTHers — over the past week, I’ve scored a number of very interesting musical bits and pieces in the thrift store bins of Our Nation’s Capital. But today I want to focus on two or three in respectful tribute to our long-suffering Moderator.
Seriously, guys and gals — ol’ Jim really does put up with a lot from us, and he deserves at least a little bit of respeck every once in a while. So, I have decided to dedicate this third installment of my Thrifty Music series to our own Mr. Mod.
As always, I encourage newcomers to read Volume 1 in the series to fully acquaint themselves with the overarching philosophy behind this ongoing project.
Now — to the Modular tunes at hand!
Donnie Hathaway, “Love, Love, Love”
First up, a nicely scratchy 45 of Donny Hathaway singing “Love, Love, Love.” I submit this to Mr. Mod with the following question in mind: You’ve made it quite clear that you find the What’s Going On album to be bloated, self-indulgent and — seemingly most important — unfocused. Well, here’s an extremely talented singer clearly ripping a very focused page (if not an entire chapter) from that Album You Love To Be Iconoclastic About — and acquitting himself rather nicely, too, if you ask me. My question is: If this were a small part of an album that showed as much focus from start to finish, would you prefer it to the “classic” album it emulates?
Dee Dee Warwick, “I’m Glad I’m a Woman”
Second: You and I have gone toe-to-toe before on the topic of Dionne Warwick. I say she’s only as good as the songs she’s given, and that Burt Bacharach is the only reason she’s worth listening to; you continue to believe in some mush-mouthed notion that she and Burt Bacharach were joined together by God, and that each makes the other reach his/her highest conceivable artistic peak. Well, you and I can continue to disagree about all that. For now, check out this cool A-side I scored of Dionne’s baby sister, kicking major ass on a beautiful song entitled “I’m Glad I’m a Woman” (and I do mean song: this is one of those rare numbers where I find the lyric to be every bit as compelling as the music). Not as idiosyncratic as her older sister, but… wow!
James Darren, “Goodbye, Cruel World”
Finally, Mr. Mod, I offer you a surprisingly fun and catchy single entitled “Goodbye, Cruel World,” sung by teen heartthrob James Darren. Who’s James Darren, you ask? None other than the actor who went on to play Jim Corrigan on T.J. Hooker! By golly, I actually like this song – that pennywhistle figure is killer!
Anyhow, that’s all I got this time out. I’ve saved one or two more tunes from the last couple of weeks’ hunting that I hope to share with you all soon, ’cause they’re really strong. I just wanted to go on record first with this loving tribute to our very own Mr. Mod. Thanks, as always, for keepin’ it real.
Your pal,
Hrundi V. Bakshi
Mar 122007
So: REM is set to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame. There have been a number of laughably inane choices made by… well, by whoever does the choosing over there — but this one causes an especially bitter bile to rise in my gullet. I mean, really — why REM? Okay, so that first album was a breath of fresh air with a good four or five songs on it, worth listening to more than once. And you might get me to admit that you could make a decent C-30 mix tape of their better material from across their career, but — I mean, come on! What good did their existence bring us? Who’s next? The B-52s?
Anyhow, as much as I find REM’s music boring, repetitive, and just plain irritating, I’m not going to waste any of your valuable time trying to explain just how much they suck. And I’m certainly not going to do so in the context of a spurious discussion of whether they “deserve” to be in the RRHOF. (In truth, I suppose they’re perfect for the Hall. Just don’t put ’em anywhere near the Seeg, or the Zeez.)
No, instead, I thought I’d just riff on a central component of that band’s utter lame-assedness: their front man, Michael Stipe.
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Mar 072007
I would never claim (or want) to be the General Manager of this formidable RTH team, but I do feel it’s within my rights to call out our real talent when the bases are loaded and we need a team player with what it takes to bring us on home. Right now, that man is Townsman Rick Massimo, and we desperately need him to give us the straight dope on this year’s American Idol contestants.
I’m hoping that Rick can specifically comment on the spine-tingling performances that Lakisha Jones and Amanda Doolittle are bringing, week in and week out. Let me tell you, both of these girls are *amazing*.
So howzaboutit, Potato? You gonna tell us what’s what? Help de-stuff the shirts ’round these parts. Help the naysayers understand that there’s a little bit of real, serious talent worth watching this season. Get in that batter’s box, son, and show us what you got!
Mar 052007
What ho, fellow RTHers! I fear I spent far too many paragraphs in my introductory Thrifty Music post jawboning about the whys and wherefores of this music I love so much, so, with your kind permission, I shall simply dive in to the first collection I offer up with trembling hand, sweaty brow and palpitating heart. I trust that you, too, will find much to enjoy here. And remember: it only cost me a buck-twenny-five, so if you don’t like it, I don’t care!
Anyhow, here goes:
First up, a surprisingly funky groove by the band that backed up John Lennon during his frankly awful Sometime in New York City period, Elephant’s Memory. The tune is called “Mongoose”, and some know-it-all on the InterWeb informs me that it actually climbed to #50 on the pop charts — when, I couldn’t say, and don’t care. There is so much to love in this song: that silly lyric, the serious foot-stomp funk, and — come on, how can a song about a freaking mongoose fighting a cobra not kick ass?! I’d also like to ask the following two questions: am I the only person who hears how blatantly Naughty By Nature ripped off this song’s groove for their “OPP” smash in the ’90s? Question two: How badly must John Lennon have sucked to make this band sound like shit in the early 70s? I ask you!
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