Wow, here’s an oldie-but-goodie that many of our current daily participants have not had a crack at. For veterans, look at some of these never-forgotten, always-missed names. This thread is so old that I think I’ve actually had time to change my mind about my stance on a band or two. Enjoy.

This post initially appeared 1/27/07.

Think about it Rock Snobs: the sound of many cult artists you likely didn’t hear until your late-teen years and later probably would have sounded foreign or just…wrong to your prepubescent ears. Surely, some of you will object to this characterization, claiming a hip older sibling who turned you onto Van Der Graaf Generator or even hipper parents who conceived you while cranking up Stockhausen’s latest. Hey, maybe you had “visionary” ears, fully formed, from birth. Who am I to argue? And more power to you!

For the rest of us, there was some work involved. We could have played it safe with a string of good-enough Steve Miller Band albums, or for younger Townspeople – what – U2’s forays into irrelevance? Instead, we pressed forward, past the cool, beyond the cutting edge, into the vaults, where an overweight, ill-groomed older guy with Coke bottle lenses made us magic mix tapes of sounds from the underground.
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You know the drill: please provide your gut answers to the following questions. Let your gut be your guide!

SHOWDOWN (choose one): The Rolling Stones‘ “Emotional Rescue” or “Start Me Up.”

Which older style of music usually sounds particularly worse than the original when revived in pastiche form by a more current artist?

Is there any better mediocre artist in his own right who spawned more kick-ass covers than Larry Williams?

What’s the last meaningful horn section used in rock, one that sounds uniquely integrated into a song, not just “dialed in” a la the Rent-a-Memphis Horns or Earth, Wind & Fire horn section?

What’s one of the most unexpected uses of horns in rock ‘n roll?

Which older style of music often sounds better to you than the original when revived in pastiche form by a more current artist?

I bird shat on me first thing yesterday morning. I knew it was going to be a good day. Let’s hope today brings more of the same, preferably without the bird droppings. Regardless, I’m going to celebrate the magic of Richard Baskin. Who or what do you want to celebrate today?