Rock Town Hall • Rock Music Discussion

Silent Songwriters

Jun 082012

In His Own Voice

On his Facebook page, would-be Roxborough resident and Newbridge mayor Jon Wurster, partner-in-crime with Tom Scharpling on The Best Show on WFMU (my favorite 3 hours of radio—heard over the Web, often after the fact, in archive form) and drummer for Superchunk (among many others), asked the following question of his close, personal friends, a question that is right up our alley. Jon has approved of us re-posting this for discussion here. He looks forward to your responses.

News broke recently about a Peter Buck solo LP that’s in the pipeline. This will be the first the world hears his singing voice (as far as I know). What other major songwriting forces never sang in their bands? My entries (and let me know if I’m wrong, just don’t preface it with “You stupid idiot”):

Johnny Marr?
Did Robbie Robertson sing lead on any Band songs?
Greg Ginn
Jimmy Page
Steve Harris
Angus and Malcolm Young
Johnny Ramone (didn’t write a lot but…)
Neil Peart
Tom Scholz
Eddie Van Halen
Iommi/Butler
Nikki Sixx
Did Walter Becker sing lead ever?
Has anyone but James Hetfield sung lead on a Metallica song?

Once and for All: Marty Balin Boils Rock ‘n Roll Down to its Cliched Essence

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Jun 082012

In our continuing quest to identify rock’s most cliched moments I present to you the following performance, which may take the cake. You couldn’t commission a panel of hacks to write and perform a more cliched song than this one…could you? The person who posted this video does not allow embedding, so you have to click here to watch it. Enjoy.

Scavenger Hunt: Rock ‘n Roll Fan Art

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Jun 072012

Bruce Hornsby and Brent Mydland, by a fan

I love rock ‘n roll fan art. Not that I could do better, but it almost always reduces the fan’s hero to a state that runs counter to said fan’s admiration for the artist. That’s life. I appreciate being able to find pieces such as the loving tribute to Bruce Hornsby and Brent Mydland above, during Hornsby’s stint with the Grateful Dead. Gotta love the care the artist gave to Hornsby’s hair.

I invite you to join me in a celebration of rock ‘n roll fan art. The link to the best (ie, worst) piece of fan art will be awarded a very special rock ‘n roll-related prize. Let the Scavenger Hunt begin!

Bob Welch Commits Suicide

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Jun 072012

I just learned that Bob Welch committed suicide.

For all the stupid rock trivia stuff I’ve taken the time to know, I know nothing about Bob Welch. As a kid I was dazzled by “Sentimental Lady.” I still am. Both versions: his solo hit and his earlier take on the song when he was still a member of Fleetwood Mac.

I know nothing about Bob Welch. He never looked cool, not even when it wasn’t unnecessarily uncool to wear a pink, scoop-neck shirt, a beret, smokey oversize shades, and a scarf, but “Sentimental Lady” was magic. There’s a sense of resignation and obsession in that song that’s hard to beat.

I’ve heard a few other songs by Welch, including “Ebony Eyes,” his second hit song from his brief moment in the sun. I don’t recall liking anything else I’ve heard by him, but I love “Sentimental Lady.” Both versions.

I have no idea why Welch committed suicide, but it’s a damn shame. Anyone who’s ever done anything creative wishes they could do one thing as well as Welch did when he wrote and sang “Sentimental Lady.” When I was trying to write my “Sentimental Lady,” my one masterpiece (who am I kidding, I still am), I used to think it would give me strength, get me through the worst times in life. Probably trying to chase that dream is what gives me strength. Maybe peaking doesn’t last forever.

RIP, Bob Welch. You wrote one more excellent song than most of us will ever write.

The Money Shot: Vocals

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Jun 062012

The “money shot,” that big payoff moment… David Bowie provides one of rock’s all-time money shots at the 1:16 mark of “Heroes,” when he jumps up to the higher register. Even rock fans who have had issues with Bowie tend to dig “Heroes,” and I bet even the most down-to-earth, meat-and-potatoes rockers among get a little chill when his vocals leap an octave.

I believe a significant portion of 1980s music was founded on this device, surely not a device Bowie founded but one he drove into our collective conscious. Bono, in particular, has tried to work this money shot move into 75% of U2’s songs.

In future weeks we’ll examine money shot moments featuring other instruments, but today let’s focus on vocalists. What are some of rock’s other most-influential vocal money shots?

All-Star Jam

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Jun 052012

Shhhhhh….

$200 a Day Plus Expenses: An Examination of the Local Music Rockonomy

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Jun 042012

"Then there's the cut for the bouncer..."

My wife and I have been on a Rockford Files kick of late. We’ve been watching the show on Netflix from the first episode forward. We’re still in Season 1, but man is that show even better than I remembered it.

My wife’s always been a Rockford Girl. She thinks James Garner is the most handsome man ever on a TV series. I used to dig the show as a kid, digging Rockford’s hair, erect shirt collars, and general sense of Mandom, but I didn’t dig him that way. Until this recent kick, however, I couldn’t remember much about the show other than the theme song and his cool car. I thought one of those Cagney and Lacy women costarred with him, but I was confusing it with Rock Hudson‘s ’70s PI show, McMillan and Wife. He wasn’t as hot as His hair hair wasn’t as good as Rockford’s. Speaking of the theme song, does any TV theme song better encapsulate its main character than Mike Post’s classic, which perfectly captures the sound of Rockford’s renegade cowboy of a 1970s PI?

But this isn’t the reason I bring up Jim Rockford’s and his never-changing rate for his detective services. I’d like to engage in a discussion of the local music rockonomy as you have experienced it.

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