Main Stage

One of These Things Just Doesn’t Belong

Jan 082009

Me and a buddy were watching Letterman the other night when flavor of the week GlasVegas came on. My fiance is from Glasgow, so I know how tough it can be and these boys fit the part, leather jackets and all. But then the camera moved from the Joe Strummer impersonator singer to the drummer. My friend was first to comment: “Why is the lead singer’s mom drumming for these guys?” We then exchanged cracks around the imagined premise of him trying to get her into the group. (If I’m in. me mum’s the drumma yah fooks!”) Good times.

Anyway, to the point. Watch the video and ask yourself this question. Has there ever been in which the members have such a uniform look, but one stands out like a sore thumb? I think in this case it may seem even more discernible because she is actually kinda dressing like them…

Last Man Standing: Songs That Were Obviously Re-writes of Other Songs, By the Same Band

Posted by hrrundivbakshi

Jan 082009

You know the rules: one submission at a time, last man standing gets a coveted RTH No-Prize. I’ll begin with:

“Baby Talks Dirty,” The Knack

… a rewrite of “My Sharona”

Nitpickin’: Can Rock Town Hall Find Five Things Worth Criticizing Roy Orbison for, Excluding His Look?

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Jan 072009

Unsoiled?

The knowledgeable, opinionated Townspeople of Rock Town Hall have a gift (and sometimes curse) for finding fault with the greatest of the greats in rock ‘n roll. We were the first to cite Keith Richards’ dearth of memorable guitar solos. We were the first to point out that Lennon’s contributions to Rubber Soul dragged the otherwise landmark Beatles’ album down a notch. And who else but Rock Town Hall was going to bring the Charlie Watts hoax to light? OK, you none of you stooped to those depths, but let he who hasn’t picked nits around here at some point feel superior – and perhaps inferior, in our rock-snob eyes.

As a way of confirming that even we can appreciate talent and good taste when it’s there for the taking, let’s conduct a most likely fruitless exercise in nitpicking.

Last night, loaded up on 50 mg of prednisone, I watched a 1972 Roy Orbison concert from Australia. it occurred to me that, beside his genetically compromised Look, there may be very little to find worth criticizing in the man’s work. Orbison’s not among my Top 10 faves or anything, but he had a great voice; sang strong, narrative, dynamic songs; and could rock when he wanted to. Plus he made great use of shades.
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Official RTH Ron Asheton Memorial

Posted by sammymaudlin

Jan 062009

Coincidentally The Back Office was just working on this and we can’t think of a better individual to launch this new tradition for than Mr. Ron Asheton. Hat tip to Oats for clueing us in.

Melt the Masters!

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Jan 062009

Recently I heard Eddie Money’s “Two Tickets to Paradise” on Classic Rock radio 2 days in a row. It’s not close to the worst song ever, but it has no business ever being broadcast on the public airwaves again. It doesn’t add anything to our lives that Money’s first single, “Baby Hold On,” didn’t deliver. It’s not even a song we can take pleasure in disliking. It’s just there, like a piece of dried gum on a crowded city sidewalk. If some station’s got to play Eddie Money, isn’t “Baby Hold On” a slightly less relevant song? I hereby move that the record industry melt the master tapes of “Two Tickets to Paradise” and recall all vinyl and digital copies in circulation. There’s no point in anyone needing to hear that song again.

What do you say? What completely irrelevant song would you move to have deleted from public airplay – and recalled from private collections?

Comment of the Month: Rundgren Calls BS on Former Classmate!

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Jan 062009

December’s Comment of the Month comes courtesy of Townman dbuskirk, who tracked down Todd Rundgren to confirm an oft-told tale from a former classmate. Poor Joe Epperson. Clcik here to review. Nice work, db.

The World Moves on a Woman’s Hips:
Female Bass Player as Contemporary Fertility Goddess

Posted by sammymaudlin

Jan 052009

The world moves and it swivels and bops

My infatuation with female bass players is well documented and this thread could easily, especially for me, be a flippant, voyeuristic look at hot chicks thumping basses (don’t worry we’ll get there), but the truth is that I feel that there is a deeper connection between the bass and the female that is primitive and intoxicating.

Nothing against men bass players but more so, I feel, than any other instrument, the bass and woman have a unique connection. In fact I would haphazardly postulate that there are more female bass players in rock bands than female any-other-instrument players. The sexist hypothesis might be that the bass is easier to play. Well that’s as may be. But, regardless, I think women are drawn to play the bass.

My theory is that bass-chicks are modern-day Fertility Goddesses.

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