Rock Town Hall • Rock Music Discussion

Over .500

Posted by diskojoe

May 152012

What major rock acts, with 8 or more studio releases, have a “winning percentage” over .500 through the course of their career? In other words how many acts with 8 or more studio releases had more great–good albums than stinkers in their career? Only studio albums will be computed: no comps, no hits or outtakes collections, no live albums, etc. All eligible studio records released under the band’s name count, even those stinkers that may have been released following the departure/death of key members.

I would have to guess that the Beatles would probably be a rare act that hit close to 1.000 (ie, 100% great–good albums).

Pickup Games

Posted by Mr. Moderator

May 152012

Following my thoughts the other day on how much I would have liked to have chosen Booker T & the MGs as my teammates for a pickup game of hoops, I got to thinking about other pickup sporting events and which musicians I might like on my side. I’ll share my thoughts on the matter as they are fully developed. Meanwhile, which artists would you choose in a pickup game for each of the following sports? Please choose full bands for any team sports (and as many as 2–3 full bands for sports requiring more than a handful of players) and solo artists or duos for sports involving 2 or 3 players per team. No picking the best players from any given band and leaving the weak links off your roster! Remember, you need to play as well; you’re part of the count—no subs. It is recommended that you choose musicians who will compliment your game.

Rough touch football (7 v 7)
Schoolyard basketball (5 v 5)
Doubles tennis (2 v 2)
Small-sided indoor or artificial turf court soccer (7 v 7)
Beach volleyball (2 v 2)
Softball (10 v 10)
Street hockey (6 v 6)
Professional tag-team wrestling (2 v 2)

Choose sides!

School House Rock: Precedents & Antecedents

Posted by al

May 142012

I’m a pretty big fan of Bill Withers. Live At Carnegie Hall belongs on any Top 10 list of albums.

I ran across this quote in the September 2011 issue of the UK magazine The Word. Regarding Withers, David Hepworth writes “Withers is an exceptional artist. No obvious influences and no musical descendants either.”

I read that line and immediately thought it outrageous but then couldn’t come up with any obvious influence or any musical descendants either.

Can you?

Or can you think of another artist who meets those criteria?

Time Sure Is Tight: Bassist Duck Dunn Dead

Posted by Mr. Moderator

May 132012

Steve Cropper has announced on his Facebook page that his longtime partner in crime, Donald “Duck” Dunn, died in his sleep this morning, after playing 2 shows in Japan. Man, he did much more on the bass, but no one could lay into that signature 3-note riff at the heart of so many Stax/Volt songs the way he did.

Rock Town Hall’s Saturday Night Shut-In: Sunday Morning Mothers’ Day Edition

Posted by Mr. Moderator

May 132012

Sounds of the Hall in roughly 33 1/3 minutes!

This week’s delayed Sunday morning edition of Saturday Night Shut-In celebrates Mothers’ Day, in which your Moderator discusses the 3 mothers at the root of his world. Our phone lines are down today, so feel free to write about a musical memory regarding your mother in the Comments space for this thread.

Later in the show, the Moderator examines the nature of the group interview and the psychological torment in the backstory of the characters of the blockbuster movie The Avengers. SPOILER ALERT!

[audio:https://www.rocktownhall.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/RTH-Saturday-Night-Shut-In-79.mp3|titles=RTH Saturday Night Shut-In, episode 79]

[Note: You can add Saturday Night Shut-In episodes to your iTunes by clicking here. The Rock Town Hall feed will enable you to easily download Saturday Night Shut-In episodes to your digital music player.]

From the Mouths of Babes

Posted by Mr. Moderator

May 112012

Ah, those darn kidz play the darndest music! To help celebrate Mothers’ Day, share kiddie band performances that only a mother could love here.

When Worlds Collide: Jeff Lynne Produces Dave Edmunds and the Record Industry Badly Needs to Add Fiber to Its Diet

Posted by Mr. Moderator

May 112012

I’d forgotten about this little hit song of Dave Edmunds, “Slipping Away.” It’s got a lot in common with one of ELO’s last hit songs, “Don’t Bring Me Down.” That song and this Edmunds production by ELO’s Jeff Lynne set the stage for a decade of constipated production jobs by Lynne for already established tight-ass artists Edmunds, George Harrison, and Tom Petty. I don’t necessarily dislike the records Lynne produced for these artists, man, get these guys some bran muffins!

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