Between-Song Banter

 Posted by
Mar 272009
 


What’s your feeling on between-song stage banter? I usually dread it, but every once in a while I see an artist who’s good at it. Richard Thompson‘s banter was highly entertaining when I saw him with a band in the late-80s. RTH contributor Rodney Anonymous from the Dead Milkmen used to talk like crazy, but he was like a punk rock George Carlin and his rants added to the energy of the band’s shows. I’ve seen Pere Ubu more than any other non-local band, and although David Thomas is usually awkward and miserable, he’s highly entertaining.

On the other hand, there’s Elvis Costello, who’s not bad but overstays his welcome. Most other performers mumble stuff half-heartedly, making me wish more bands would play nonstop segues like The Ramones. Then there’s Bruce. His long, corny raps about his Dad at the breakfast table, giving him hell for his long hair and rock ‘n roll are cherished by his fans, but when I saw him live in 1980, they almost single-handedly threatened to ruin what little I enjoyed about the show. The Boss is also big on the rah-rah stuff, the “Hello Cleveland!” incantations. It all reminds me of some of the reasons I don’t attend any kind of church.

As I said, I don’t dislike all between-song banter and I’d love to recount a specific story that made the concert experience better than it already was. However, I’m not one of those guys who can recite quotes from favorite movies that I’ve seen a dozen times, so I’m definitely not one of those guys who can recount a particularly good piece of between-song banter. But I’ve heard more than a few of you spit back Monty Python routines and the like. I’m sure you’ve got a particularly good and/or bad stage-banter experience to recount.

I look forward to your thoughts.

Share

England Dan Dead

 Posted by
Mar 272009
 


I had no idea Dan Seals of England Dan & John Ford Coley fame – and a successful country music singer-songwriter in his own right – died this week, at 61. Thanks for pointing that out Townsman Al.


For that matter, I had no idea Seals had a successful country music career following his duo’s big soft-rock hit.


For that matter, I don’t recall ever knowing that he was brother to Jim Seals, of Seals & Crofts. If ever there is a Battle Royale to determine the First Family of Soft Rock, the Seals boys are going to earn consideration alongside the Taylor clan.

There’s so much I never knew about England Dan despite the fact that his duo’s big hit has been stuck in my brain for 30-some years. Did you know he was poised to have a #2 hit song as an artist in a band signed to Stax?

It’s only fitting that we pay the man his proper respects…after the jump!
Continue reading »

Share

Swan Songs

 Posted by
Mar 262009
 

See ya later, alligator!

What’s your favorite planned farewell album? Final albums by bands that simply broke up for whatever reason, including death of a key member, do not count. I’m talking albums that were released with clear knowledge that this would be the band’s swan song. I’m not sure how many albums there are that fit in this category, such as Cream’s Goodbye Cream, so we’ll count any album that was released as a “final” album before any one of David Bowie‘s “retirements.”

Share

Take Rock Town Hall’s What Townsperson Are You? Quiz

 Posted by
Mar 252009
 

Like

I know that some of you have been dedicating your time-wasting efforts to Facebook. That’s cool. I have also been making some time to help this social networking site jump the shark. Everybody needs the chance to rub virtual elbows with “friends” you otherwise wouldn’t have made the effort to stay in touch with, as proven by the fact that before Facebook you had not been in touch with them for the past 5 to 10 years.

I know, too, that there’s a desire to allow various “apps” into our web-interactive lives to enable us to share personal details with friends, such as our 5 Movies That Shaped My Breakfast Choice This Morning and our 5 Movies That We Thought About While Taking a Dump Later in the Afternoon. Some of the apps are pretty cool, allowing us to easily embed album cover or DVD box images into our lists. It’s not so easy to do things like that in the Halls of Rock, and beside, Mr. DogModic himself frowns on the posting of too many lists without supporting thoughts. He thinks we can do more than that. He thinks we should provide each other opportunities for disagreements, tangents, and the like. Shoot, this place doesn’t even allow us the option of clicking on a little “thumb’s up” icon. WTF?!?!

Do not despair: I hear you, Facebook-inquisitive Townspeople! As focused and unwavering as you may think I am in encouraging us to meet the objectives of Rock Town Hall, I’m a bigger and baser man than that. I don’t want you wasting your hard-earned blow-off time on other sites when you could be here, not only rubbing virtual elbows with knowledgeable, interesting, humorous rock nerds but skinning virtual knees and elbows as you dive for the loose balls of rock criticism! In this bigger and baser spirit, I offer you Rock Town Hall’s first quiz, the What Townsperson Are You? quiz. Our apps are not yet as advanced as those you might have found so engaging on Facebook, but answer the following questions and within 24 hours of your submission our specially devised Rock Town Hall apps will spit out the answer you’ve been secretly dying to know!
Continue reading »

Share

I Was a Fucking Idiot — How About YOU?

 Posted by
Mar 242009
 

Guys, I’ll keep this brief. When I was in high school, I had no stomach for any music that involved funk, disco, or any kind of repetitive groove. And I was adamant about how bad it was. James Brown sucked. P-Funk was awful. All forms of “disco” were retarded. In short, I was a fucking idiot.

How about you? What were you most wrong about as you grew into the generous, open-minded, brilliant music aficionado you think you are today?

I look forward to your responses.

HVB

p.s.: I also remember going through a phase in junior high when I sincerely believed Ted Nugent was a better guitar player than Jimi Hendrix.

Share
 Older Entries  Newer Entries

Lost Password?

 
twitter facebook youtube