Battle Royale: Understandably Self-Absorbed Musicians Listening to a Playback of Their Latest Recording

 Posted by
Oct 252010
 

I was never a fan of the Rolling Stones’ documentary Gimme Shelter, but I forgot how gripping and realistic this scene of understandably self-absorbed musicians listening to a playback of their latest recording was. There may be no better scene of this sort captured on film or video—or at least that’s the claim this scene is making as it shuffles triumphantly around the squared circle, arms raised, proclaiming inevitable victory before the bell has rung on this Battle Royale!

Do you have a studio playback scene to top this one? It can be from a real rock film, a fictional one, or even your own experience. All challengers for the belt will be judged on soulful gazes, knowing nods, off-mic banter, cans, artful couch slouches, wise producers/engineers, gear porn, cool observers, band members singing or air-playing along to the music, studio tans, tracking beards, Oriental rugs, and so forth.

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Pinky Rock

 Posted by
Oct 252010
  
Originally posted April 4, 2007.


Pinky Rock is the style of rock that centers around the rhythm guitar playing that is most readily identified with Chuck Berry, the Godfather of Pinky Rock. Surely this style of guitar playing existed before the age of Rock ‘n Roll, but from Berry’s pinky one of the building blocks of the genre was born.

In the Pinky Rock style, the guitarist uses his or her pinky, in most cases, to hammer from the 5th note onto the 6th note of the Barre chords he or she is playing. Sometimes the pinky continues up to the 7th note. This guitar style sets up rock’s all-important backbeat. Other rhythm section instruments have been known to incorporate this hint of the 6th note and 7th notes, most notably the piano or organ (eg, Seger’s “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man”), but the style of Pinky Rock, per se, specifically requires use of the guitar…and, most likely, the pinky. (Played in open-chord style or using intervals, as Pete Townshend might do in his rare uses of this style [eg, “Long Live Rock”], the ring finger can be substituted.)

Along with Chuck Berry, the commonly acknowledged Masters of Pinky Rock include Dave Edmunds and Keith Richards. John Lennon and George Harrison were particularly strong Pinky Rock practitioners but not quite as groundbreaking as the aforementioned. Consider them along with Buddy Holly and Angus Young, the style’s top advocates. Billy Zoom of X performed some of Pinky Rock’s finest variations, but he never committed to the style the way Edmunds did on his cover of “I Hear You Knocking”.

Pinky Rock is sometimes confused with a style of Jangle Pop. It’s not. Although the techniques share similarities, their intent differs. Jangle Pop guitarists are typically looking for variations and colorings within the established rhythm of a song; Pink Rock guitarist are establishing the rhythm.

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RTH Contest: Win New Keith Richards Autobiography

 Posted by
Oct 242010
 

Keith Richards‘ autobiography, Life, is due October 26. In an effort to show just how smart Townspeople are and how able we are to move beyond cliched rock journalism and blog discussion, why don’t you see if you can use the time from now until the book’s release to tell us something we don’t already know about Keef, something off the beaten path, something fresh and insightful? Why wait until Keef tells us himself – if he even does get around to telling us something we don’t already know?

The Townsperson who tells us the Most Interesting Previously Unknown Fact or Anecdote about Keef – true or not – will be awarded a copy of the man’s new book! This contest runs through 11:59 pm EST, October 25, 2010. Contestants will be judged on Originality, Historical relevance, Avoidance of well-established Richards cliches (eg, Jack Daniels, blood transfusions, fights with Mick), etc.

A special message from our Celebrity Judge follows the jump!

Continue reading »

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Last Man Standing: Rock ‘n Roll Remedies

 Posted by
Oct 222010
 

What I’m looking for is a remedy for an ailment or affliction.  The affliction can be as simple as being lovesick, but the remedy has to be something tangible, that you ingest or apply topically, like a tonic or an ointment. Also, it needs to be more specific than just “a pill” or “a handful of pills.”

So, for instance, “Good Lovin'” would not qualify because the doctor simply suggests that the cure lies in a lifestyle change that includes more “good lovin.” Nor would the rock and roll doctor in the Little Feat song, because he doesn’t really offer advice; the narrator merely ticks off the doctor’s rather impressive credentials.

Home remedies are encouraged, and the likelihood of the “cure” actually curing anything does not matter.

I’ll lead off with “Strychnine,” which, according to The Sonics, is good for what’s ailing you.

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What the Hell Happened to the Age of Rock Video?

 Posted by
Oct 222010
 

Townsman cherguevvara twice posted this link in hopes of fostering discussion with no luck. That happens sometimes. Perhaps the fact that this 20/20 piece from 1980 on the bold, technological new age of rock videos went in so many directions that would become long-overgrown trails that it was difficult to break down the application of this clip to the futuristic guitar thread in which it first appeared. Watching it again, though, I think there’s a lot of meat to chew on, particularly around the question of What the hell happened to the Age of Rock Video?

Before getting to this theme, it must said that this clip contains scenes of Boss molestation and a primo Stevie Nicks, a laughable segment touting the high-tech promise of a fingerprint-laden Laserdisc, and a funny excerpt for a 1950s ad for a 45 player. The reporter also refers to Mike Nesmith‘s music as “fair to middlin’,” which is a criticism that’s not heard often enough for the one Monkee granted the Lennon Pass.

One of the well-known label execs—I think Clive Davis—doubts that this age of video rock will come to fruition because of issues of repeatability: “What would you want to watch repeatedly?” Davis, critic Dave Marsh, or the reporter eventually ask. Some survey conducted by Nesmith concluded that adults would watch music videos with porn and kids would watch them if they featured cartoons. My long-desired concept of PornMTV never took off, so clearly the actual answer would be “Not much.” Do even box sets of  rare concert footage from legendary bands get played more than three times? I bought that Led Zeppelin box set of concert and rare tv performances from about 10 years ago, and although it’s a great collection, I don’t know that I’ve watched it more than three times.

The high-falutin’ video concept albums that the likes of Nesmith and Todd Rundgren had their eye on went nowhere. Not even CDs with bonus video content make much of a dent, do they? The video aspect often bogged down my computer, if I tried to watch it that way.

What happened to the age of rock video? Few cable television networks play videos. MTV abandoned them altogether, and VH1 only features the same two dozen “Best of the ’80s” clips. Videos, as easily accessed on YouTube and other websites, have become a worthwhile means for sampling new music, but the rock video as a distinct art form never approached its destiny as PornMTV. Or did it? Continue reading »

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Either/Or

 Posted by
Oct 212010
 

No, not me.

Sometimes life gives you a clear choice between two alternatives. So, too, does rock and roll. There are many examples of rock lyrics in which the narrator is faced with clear-cut decision. Probably the best known (probably because he goes on and on about it) takes place between Meat Loaf (that’s Mr. Loaf to the New York Times) and Ellen Foley in the backseat of Meat’s car: “So what’s it gonna be, boy, yes or no?” We all know how that turns out.

Checking into this further it seems like it is more common for the narrator to just present the choices and leave it to the listener to determine the outcome. Here’s an interesting dilemma posed by Brandon Flowers:

“Are we human or are we dancer?”

I would have to go with human. Have you ever seen those chained up dancing bears in the Russian circus?

Or even the funky robots in the Beastie Boys videos?

Non-human dancers are just creepy. Stick with human and you can still dance if you feel motivated to do so.

So, what are some more examples of the either/or choice in rock. And what decision would you make given the facts as presented?

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