Rock Town Hall • Rock Music Discussion

Most Disappointing Collaboration Ever?

Feb 252010

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Sorry to have to do this to you, but recent talk of a Ray Davies-Bon Jovi collaboration on “Celluloid Heroes” made me wonder if there was some video evidence of this highly disappointing collaboration.

Aesthetically, because I know we’ve got a lot of Kinks fans here, is this the most disappointing collaboration ever, or would it be the collaboration that was determined as the Rock Crime among Rock Crimes of the 20th century, Ja-Bo? Or is there a collaboration that you’ve found even more disappointing?

I dread your responses.

(IT FEELS LIKE) FRIDAY FLASHBACK! Oh, America!

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Feb 252010

This special, early edition Friday Flashback is at the request of Townsman alexmagic. This video came to mind as part of an ongoing discussion over the most disappointing collaboration ever. In that thread you will find some strong challengers to the legendary Ja-Bo collaboration, deemed the Rock Crime of the Century, and a recent guest stint by Ray Davies with Bon Jovi. The following collaboration, however, if not the most “disappointing” or even “disheartening,” may be the most bizarre one we’ve seen. Only in America! (Careful study of this clip may also come in handy for a possible upcoming examination of the Satanic influences in The Beach Boys.)

This post initially appeared 7/8/08.
Our nation carries on!

Shocking Photos of Musicians Playing Unexpected Instruments

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Feb 232010

Say what?

For some reason this photo of Elvis Presley playing bass always makes me do a double-take. Of course he was capable of doing more than holstering a guitar – and every guitarist knows it’s not too hard to pick up a bass and fake it now and then – but Elvis seems too regal for the bass. I don’t know, it’s a bit like seeing Carl Wilson play drums (thanks to Townsman bobbybittman for directing me to this video of a relative masterpiece among post-Brian turds).

Speaking of Beach Boys photographed on unexpected instruments, the following came to mind: Continue reading »

Who’s the Secret Sauce?

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Feb 222010

Who’s the Secret Sauce in each of the following bands? You know, the not-always-obvious band member who adds that special, hard-to-define something to put their band over the top?

This exercise doesn’t work in bands with Rock Superpowers throughout, such as The Beatles, and it won’t work in trios with a dominant member. The Secret Sauce is more likely to reside – discretely – in a larger, faceless band. Let’s try our hand at this, shall we? You don’t need to know the name of the Secret Sauce – you may simply refer to the person as “the bassist” or “the drummer.” When you’ve completed your answers/rationales (if necessary) to as few or as many bands as you like, feel free to add your own band for Special Sauce identification. Only one Secret Sauce member is allowable per band.

The Band
The Beach Boys
Steely Dan
Yes
Heart
Echo and the Bunnymen
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Chicago
Pere Ubu
The Dammed
Jethro Tull
REM
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
New York Dolls
Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young
Any one of David Bowie’s backing bands
The Byrds
Flying Burrito Brothers

I look forward to your answers.

This Job Calls for the Lute: Sting in the Pay of Tyranical Uzbek Regime

Posted by hrrundivbakshi

Feb 222010

I swear this is not an Onion piece, nor am I making it up. A must-read for every Sting-questioning rock fan! Click here to check it out!

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“I am well aware of the Uzbek president’s appalling reputation in the field of human rights as well as the environment. I made the decision to play there in spite of that. I have come to believe that cultural boycotts are not only pointless gestures, they are counter-productive, where proscribed states are further robbed of the open commerce of ideas and art and as a result become even more closed, paranoid and insular.”

Previously.

Why Do British Rockers Typically Have More Style Than American Rockers?

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Feb 222010

OK, maybe you’ve had some time to think about this question, based on our current poll: Why do British rockers typically have more style than American rockers?

Is it, as the poll states:

Because they’re still playing catch up to the original, stylish American rockers.
Because they wear “trousers.”
Because they lack America’s midwestern population of rockers still aspiring to look like The Raspberries.
Another reason, which you will answer in this thread.
Or do you disagree with this premise altogether and are ready to discuss it now?

Personally, I think the British have been working harder all these years to catch up to Elvis, Little Richard, et al.

What Song Would You Like The Stones to Cover?

Posted by 2000 Man

Feb 192010

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I had a friend that used to be a big Stones fan and he always liked their cover songs. I do too, but he used to just think everything he heard would have been better had The Stones done it. I’m thinking in particular that he thought The Stones would have absolutely killed Billy Thorpe‘s “Children of the Sun.” I never liked that song, but who knows?

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I know what song I always wanted them to do. I wanted them to do it because I thought it would have kicked ass on Rod Stewart‘s version, and I like the way Rod did this song. I can just imagine Keith and Mick Taylor slashing through this, and Jagger would have owned this one. Besides, Charlie would have only done a cursory drum solo, letting the guitars get right back to work.

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I also wish The Stones would have released their version of “Drift Away” (I’ll use an mp3 of it; the YouTube versions seem to cut off early and it’s been awhile since I shared any of the vaults with you guys), but they recorded it while it was still pretty high in the charts, I think. Still, it would have been a nice B-side.

“Drift Away”

What song would you like to see them cover?

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