Hear Factor, deux: Everybody Needs Education

 Posted by
Dec 092009
 

Hot on the heels of a recent Philadelphia debut show by an All-Star Ukelele Orchestra, cofounded by Townsman cdm and featuring deliveries by a moustachioed chickenfrank, comes the latest Hear Factor submission, a collection of a certain kind of old-time music rarely discussed in these hallowed halls.

Everybody Needs Education (~46 MB)

Although all are encouraged to download and live with this mix before reporting back to us on how it really made you feel, man, I am especially keen to know what Townsman Hrrundivbakshi feels about this stuff. Consider yourself summoned!

What’s Hear Factor?

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Drop-the-Cat Video Moments

 Posted by
Dec 092009
 

Sorry, kitty…

We’ve all got our “Wait, wait…check it out!” musical moments, those special, super-cool points in a song that you want, no, you need your friend to hear. In all the years we’ve had rock videos in our lives, are there equivalent moments, which I will call drop-the-cat moments, as the sweaty, muscular factory worker in Madonna‘s “Express Yourself” video does when surprised to see the back of our tastefully naked, freshly milk-bathed Madge?

Despite my silly (yet sincere) example, a moment that follows in the video shortly after that cat lands on all fours, these drop-the-cat video moments need not be salacious. Whatever video moment puts you in that factory worker’s state of surprise and wonder will do. Links to your video with the time at which the drop-the-cat moment occurs for you are more than welcome!

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Favorites of the Decade?

 Posted by
Dec 082009
 


Listen, I know that technically the first decade of the 21st century doesn’t come to a close until December 31, 2010, but if we get hung up on such technicalities we’ll forget to examine this topic next year. Over the course of a decade that I cannot put my finger on musically, I’m curious to know what your favorite rock-related releases/moments have been since 2000. I am asking for your favorite choices in the following category rather than best, because I think the latter term pressures us to “think critically” and make sure that we’re taking into account stuff that we know will top every major music outlet’s coming Best of the Decade issue. So think about it:

  • Favorite album of the decade:
  • Favorite song of the decade:
  • Favorite artist of the decade (even artists who may have died prior to the decade, count):
  • Favorite live show of the decade:
  • Favorite music-related technological innovation of the decade:
  • Favorite Look of the decade:
  • Favorite music-themed movie of the decade (fictional, documentary, whatever):
  • Favorite music-themed book of the decade (fiction, biography, etc):
  • Favorite music-related change of heart you experienced this decade:
  • Favorite [add your own music-related topic] of the decade:

I look forward to hearing about your FAVORITES!

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10 Rules of Rock and Roll

 Posted by
Dec 032009
 

UPDATED!

There have been a few performers who started life as music journalists. Not many have gone the other way but Robert Forster, co-founder of the Go-Betweens, has always been a little unorthodox. He has been making a name for himself as very fine writer about music and last month released a collection of reviews, essays, and fiction all about music.

It’s called 10 Rules of Rock and Roll.

Rules 10 through 6 have been hashed over these last few days. If you need a refresher, here they are:

10. The three-piece band is the purest form of rock and roll expression.
9. Great bands don’t have members making solo albums.
8. Every great artist hides behind his manager.
7. The guitarist who changes guitars on stage after every third number is showing you his guitar collection.
6. No band does anything new on stage after the first 20 minutes.

Following are rules 5 through 1, THE BIG PAYOFF I’ve promised! Drum roll, please!
Continue reading »

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Clarence Clemons’ Big Man Hits the Bookshelves

 Posted by
Dec 032009
 

Judging by this New York Times’ book review of Clarence Clemons’ long-awaited autobiography, Big Man, a newly added coauthor, Don Reo, and the book’s editors really hacked up the initial galleys that Rock Town Hall was granted exclusive rights to review in November 2007. Back then the book was entitled No Small Parts for The Big Man, and excitement was in the air. Beside cutting out all the gripping stuff about the recording of The Boss’ classic records, the galleys we received had none of the fantasy stuff described regarding the likes of Thomas Pynchon and Norman Mailer.

Let’s not even get into this book’s fictional “legend” chapters, printed on gray paper, in which Mr. Clemons has extended imaginary run-ins with people like Thomas Pynchon, Norman Mailer, Richard Brautigan and the surfer Laird Hamilton. It’s too painful. – Dwight Garner, The New York Times

Thanks to Townsman dbuskirk for tipping us off to the book’s delayed release and eventual review in this obscure publication.

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