Mar 012010
 

Owing to the recent influx of new subscribers to our Rock Town Hall Facebook page as well as other new visitors to the Halls of Rock who’ve been drawn here by a couple of recent features I’m running this brief public service announcement closer to our last such reminder than I usually do. I hope newer visitors take a second to read this before registering and becoming participants in our daily threads. It’s pretty painless, and your participation is sure to liven our days. If you think you know this drill, feel free to move on at the risk of missing the All-Star Jam that follows the jump. Here goes! Continue reading »

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Mar 012010
 


I’ve never seen Paul McCartney’s vanity film Give My Regards to Broad Street, not a lick of it if you don’t count any segments that were broadcast on MTV in the day as his video single. From the little I’ve seen on YouTube this morning and the little I’ve read about it – hell, from nothing more than still photographs from the shoot – I’m thankful for not having seen it. Although the video clip that kicks off this thread is of a surprisingly half-decent song (and features friend of Rock Town Hall Chris Spedding front and center), I suspect this film would be included in the Great Beatles Refuse Removal Truck that’s coming to your town.

Simple question: What Beatles-related debris would you chuck once and for all?

Specific songs you don’t like, be it “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” or “She’s a Woman,” will not be accepted. Nor will blanket tosses, such as the entire solo career of your least-favorite solo Beatle. This psychedelic dumptruck is looking to collect the offshoot stuff, the vanity projects and collectibles, that are truly not necessary and that will possibly threaten the band’s legacy – and your own rock nerd reputation – through this millenium. For instance, George’s limited-edition autobiography, I Me Mine, may be another example of Beatles debris that’s ready to be tossed, but I wouldn’t know, because I wasn’t one of the suckers lucky 2000 to pay some exorbitant price for this tome.

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Mar 012010
 

Mad props from one Danko fan to another!

T-Bone Wolk, longtime Hall & Oates collaborator and bassist for the G.E. Smith (another H&O alum)-led Saturday Night Live house, died Saturday, February 27, of a heart attack. Known as the third (or sometime fourth, behind Oates’ mustache) member of Hall & Oates, Wolk first made his professional mark as a bassist on Kurtis Blow’s “These Are the Breaks.” Along with being the cool, hat-wearing, occasionally Rick Danko-style bass-playing foil to the ponytailed, grimacing Smith (who in fairness may be as fantastic a human being as they come), Wolk played with Elvis Costello, Roseanne Cash, and many more.

In recent years Wolk was often seen playing guitar alongside Hall & Oates, which taking nothing away from his 6-string chops just wasn’t right.

NEXT: Rock Town Hall’s Official Eulogy…
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Feb 282010
 

The Rolling Stones are set to reissue Exile on Main Street in expanded bonus-track – even unfinished-leftover-track-completed-years-later-by-surviving-members-a la-The Beatles’ “Free as a Bird” and “Real Love” (but with neither Mick nor Keef having to die first) bonus track – format! This will surely be their best album since Exile…!

One name in particular stood out for me from this report:
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Feb 282010
 


New feature that is likely the most horrible feature ever here in the halls. It’s like Dugout Chatter but laser focused and violent. It’s anathema to all that Rock Town Hall stands for. But the concept is simple. A question is posed. You answer it as quickly as possible with zero qualifications as if you had a… gun to the head. Debut category-

What’s your favorite song?

I know, I know. Outlandish question. Typically when I’m asked to name my favorite song I reply “If you can name a favorite song then you haven’t heard enough music.” But that’s not what I’d say if I had a… gun to the head. If that were the case I’d say-

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Feb 282010
 


Elfin, harp-playing indie darling Joanna Newsom has released a triple album, Have One On Me, on Drag City. If you can’t get off on a three-album set of this Lady of the Woods then someone’s been slipping salt peter into your breakfast cereal! Contrary to initial reports, a bonus DVD of performances lacking sound is not being offered. Damn!

For purposes of sincere discussion, I pose the following questions:

  • Has anyone heard this album yet? Does she use the triple-album format to stretch out, a la The Clash on Sandinista, or is it three albums worth of the harp-plucking, thumb-sucking, little girl musings we’ve come to know and love?
  • How much more or less would you like Newsom’s music if she looked like Kathy Bates?
  • Is Newsom’s success in any way a testament to the last 35 years of punk/indie rock?

I truly hope to gain some insights from fans of Ms. Newsom.

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