Remember when President Jimmy Carter admitted to Playboy to having committed adultery in his heart? Today I committed an unnecessary box set purchase in my heart. Here’s my story:
Oct 132010
Oct 132010
I don’t think I’ll ever see such a straightforward, lovely performance on television like this 1970 appearance by Aretha Franklin on the The Cliff Richard Show. That’s too bad.
At a dinner with my work colleagues tonight, a friend asked me why I hate Journey so. “I know you’re the musician,” she said, “but I think Steve Perry’s voice is so beautiful.” Maybe so, but everything about Journey felt so contrived to me. I didn’t say that to her. “It’s just a matter of taste,” I said as diplomatically as possible.
Earlier in the day someone asked me what I thought about Christina Aguilera. “I don’t care for her music,” I said without hestitation, “but I often find her voice surprisingly expressive. Just wish she weren’t so over the top.” She couldn’t say a little prayer the way Aretha and Dionne Warwick did first, in their prime.
Oct 132010
In the above clip, one of Prog-Rock’s Sexiest Men, Chris Squire, and Yes bandmates Steve Howe and Alan White, humorously discuss the halcyon days of rock cape-wear. It’s fitting that they should have the first word on the matter because, along with their bandmate Rick Wakeman, they took The Cape about as far as it has gone in rock ‘n roll history to date. The Cape is our latest subject in an ongoing series assessing of Rock’s Unfulfilled Fashion Ideas. Maybe you can help us better understand the cape’s appeal and possible resurgence in rock ‘n roll style.
Oct 122010
A shot in the arm of the recording industry!
For a while now, I’ve been wondering when the music industry would grab their shoulders with both hands and yank their collective head out of their collective ass.
Now, they are finally starting to cater to the criminally underserved 78 rpm market.
According to Tom Waits’ website, “On November 19th, Preservation Hall Recordings will release 504 limited edition hand-numbered 78 rpm vinyl records featuring two tracks by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band with very special guest Tom Waits.”
Although this doesn’t benefit me directly, it gives me hope that someday soon I’ll be able to enjoy new releases on my preferred format, the wax cylinder.
On a related note, is anybody else excited about the Leon Redbone box set that is being released exclusively on 1,500 kg piano rolls?
Oct 122010
Innerspeaker, by Tame Impala
The moment of truth has arrived. Yesterday’s Mystery Date was a track by Tame Impala, a new Australian psych band whose debut album, InnerSpeaker, is a fine homage to the sounds of Piper at the Gates of Dawn, S.F. Sorrow, and related “head” records from the Summer of Love. Here’s one of the “hits,” a most Norman Smith production-styled “Lucidity.”
[audio:https://www.rocktownhall.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/04-Lucidity.mp3|titles=Tame Impala, “Lucidity”]Oct 112010
Let’s review the ground rules here. The Mystery Date song is not necessarily something I believe to be good. So feel free to rip it or praise it. Rather the song is something of interest due to the artist, influences, time period… Your job is to decipher as much as you can about the artist without research. Who do you think it is? Or, Who do you think it sounds like? When do you think it was recorded? Etc…
If you know who it is, don’t spoil it for the rest. Anyone who knows it can play the “mockcarr option.” (And I’ve got a hunch that there are a lot who know this one.) This option is for those of you who just can’t hold your tongue and must let everyone know just how in-the-know you are by calling it. So if you know who it is and want everyone else to know that you know, email Mr. Moderator at mrmoderator [at] rocktownhall [dot] com. If correct we will post how brilliant you are in the Comments section.
The real test of strength though is to guess as close as possible without knowing. Ready, steady, go!
[audio:https://www.rocktownhall.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/mysterydate101110.mp3|titles=mysterydate101110]Today’s Mystery Date is brought to you by Townswoman ladymisskirroyale!
Oct 112010
Let’s get this party started! How did you waste your weekend?
