If you were in a band, which of the following guys would you rather have on rhythm guitar based on their Look and stage presence alone?
First, please check out Hiram Bullock making sweet, sweet love to his sunburst Strat at the 1:00 mark in the following clip:
Then, check out that guy in the back with the two-toned acoustic guitar and the colossal hat at the 00:12 mark in this next clip:
This is the opposite of a Morton’s Fork, a choice between two equally unpleasant alternatives. I don’t this there is a wrong choice here, but that should not prevent you from choosing.
For some time The Back Office and I have discussed the concept of running one-question interviews. In fact, we tried to nail down such an interview once, when we were approached to review Eagles guitarist Don Felder’s autobiography. The one-question interview is best reserved for major artists who are too busy to sit down with us for an extended chat. The question should be a question that you feel only you have the insight and balls to ask. Felder’s camp considered our offer, but he was already booked for some 2:00 am appearance on CMT.
For years prior to launching Rock Town Hall I’ve kept a pocketful of single questions that I would ask some of my favorite artists, if I ever had the chance to run into them. Continue reading »
I owe a debt of “gratitude” to lurking Townsman Great 48 for introducing me to this video. He said all kinds of mean things about it when he brought it to my attention, but I know we can do better. I think it’s time we focused our positivity together — there’s been far too much snark around here lately. So remember: if you can’t say anything nice about “Puff Puff Give” by Hannah’s Field… don’t say anything at all.
By the way: extra points for saying something nice about the trustafarian playing the drum.
I understand that the number of citizens interested in this performance review will be small, but those among the interested deserve this. I sat 20 feet from theAdrian Zmed performing a song-and-dance retrospective of his career. The chicken-missus and I went on a cruise of Alaska. Skipped the comedian and the magician, but I was intent on having good seats for Zmed. He was on the ship for one night only. Unfortunately, the show was copywritten, so all photos and recording devices were prohibited.Continue reading »
While researching some performances by the briefly reunited McGuinn, Clark & Hillman I stumbled across this cover of “Almost Saturday Night” by Gene Clark and Carla Olson. As some of you know, I feel The Byrds are one of the most difficult decent ’60s bands for me to like (although I tend to like the Gene Clark-sang jangly hits best). As some of you also know, I don’t readily tune into country music. I do, however, love Creedence Clearwater Revival and indentify with sufferers of Fogerty Syndrome. This laid-back country cover of a solo Fogerty song I discovered through Dave Edmunds‘ balls-to-the-wall cover is very good despite all the hazards, for me, that went into its making. That suggests that the song may be impossible to screw up. I think it’s a combination of the comforting chord progressions, the harmony lines, and the identifiable themes expressed in the lyrics. Have you ever heard a bad cover of “Almost Saturday Night?” Could you imagine one?
Are there other songs you can think of that can’t be screwed up, no matter who covers them and in what style they are covered?
Years ago, when my wife and I were first dating, we ran into one of my old musician friends on a street corner. His long hair and slacker Shaggy Rogers facade hid the fact that he was a gentle, thoughtful guy whose only vice was sweets. After continuing on our way, she said something like, “Band members have this reputation for being tough and cool, but whenever I meet them they’re usually the nicest people in the club.” From 1978 through the 1980s, Penny Rush-Valladares interacted with rock stars galore while running Backstage Cafe, a concert catering company in Kansas City, Missouri. In the process, Penny became a member of the Kansas City rock scene herself. From both the tales on her website, Rock and Roll Stories, and our conversations about her her experiences, it quickly became clear that Penny was among the many nice ones in the rock scene, super nice.
But this hard-working, rock ‘n roll-loving hippie (in the best sense of the term) isn’t beyond dishing more than her patented turkey dinners. In the course of our talk we gain some shocking insights about the likes of Roger Waters, Neil Diamond, and Bob Dylan – not to mention a story about Van Halen that’s more disgusting than I would have thought possible. A key detail about a diminutive purple presence in the ’80s rock scene explains so much, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. In the true spirit of the Halls of Rock, Penny brings a cheerful attitude, a bruised-but-not-beaten sense of idealism, and the willingness to let it all hang out. You won’t run into a Penny on any old street corner.
Penny’s website chronicles some of her earliest rock ‘n roll stories, including her night with The Beatles; we start with her entry into rock ‘n roll catering.
RTH: Can you summarize your work as a rock ‘n roll caterer? How did you get started as a caterer for touring musicians? You were initially based out of a certain venue, right?
Penny: Well, yes and no. I worked out of the Uptown Theatre in the beginning, helping another woman and learning the ropes. But it soon extended out into other venues. It was in its infant stages and we made it up as we went along. Basically we had to come up with a little dressing room food for the artists and some crew dinner for 20 or so guys. The reason I got involved was because I loved going to concerts and wanted to be backstage, so I soon realized there was a need for food and I knew that was something I could do.
It just kept evolving and demands from the artists kept getting more involved and official. A contract “rider” came along, which listed all the particular needs of each act and their food requirements were included. So it didn’t take long for me to start specializing in concert catering. I never wanted to do other kinds of catering, because I was only doing it to be backstage.
ESPECIALLY since the band showed no taste or common sense at all in their repertoire. I mean, come on — having (for example) a curvy female sergeant in camo pants, jungle boots and tight T-shirt singing “Walk This Way” — I mean the whole lyric, with all the references to schoolyard pussy and what-not — to a room full of teenage boys? With Sam Ash guitars screaming in the background? I’m no prude, but… wha? What does that have to do with love of country, or the caissons rolling along?
Read the whole thing to see what this taxpaying cat’s getting at, then contribute to a setlist worthy of our armed forces! Don’t be some namby-pamby kiss-up and suggest non-rocking songs like “This Land Is Your Land.” Don’t show your hatred for the Middle America that our troops protect by cynically suggesting Toby Keith numbers. This is YOUR US MILITARY ROCK AND SOUL BAND (at least for our US readers, but we invite readers from all nations to help construct this setlist). You’ve got 15 songs plus an encore. Make your setlist suggestions count! This set needs to represent all that is rocking about our armed forces and the United States of America!
Taxpayer and Super-Patriot hrrundivbakshi will decide all final set selections. Thank you.
