Feb 022009
 

Et tu, Boss?

The timing of The Boss wheeling out an 80-piece, robed African American choir during the performance of his new single, “Working on a Dream,” as part of his enthusiastic and otherwise inspiring Super Bowl Halftime Show performance was regrettable. For some time I’ve been thinking about using the month of February, Black History Month in the real world, to open a discussion on issues of race in rock ‘n roll. It was never my intention to pull The Boss into this discussion. As I think about the music world’s frequently missed opportunities that have resulted from both real-world barriers to musical integration and artificially divisive marketing genres, like Rock and Soul and Rhythm and Blues and so forth, not once did I consider Bruce Springsteen to have contributed to this problem. If fact, I’d say that as much as any white rocker over the last 35 years, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band have sincerely done as much as anyone at keeping the footbridges across our racial divides intact. So don’t take what I’m about to say too personally, Bruce.
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Feb 022009
 

RIP, indeed. Billy Powell was Great.

On One From the Road, Ronnie gives up a “Billy Powell on the piano” at the beginning of the piano solo on (I think) “Call Me the Breeze.” And I’m pretty sure that he introduced Billy’s solos on more than one occasion. (I don’t recall him introducing anyone else, I wonder if that was cause for inter-band tensions.)

What I’m looking for is other shout-outs that have been captured on an official release.

Please confine the shout-out to those which take place during the song, not in between. So, Mick’s introduction of the band in between songs on Love You Live does not count.

I’ll open with what I consider to be the gold standard: “Bob Mayo… Bob Mayo on the keyboards,” from Frampton Comes Alive.

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Feb 022009
 

As in past months there were some fine competitors for January’s Comment of the Month, but we’re going with Townsman Dr. John for this deadly serious piece of rock commentary, from a thread on moments when we’ve reached the end of the road in buying albums by a favorite artist. Along the way, we got into a side conversation on the recently reissued deluxe edition of The Bee GeesOdessa album, until recently a completely forgettable dollar-bin album that not even a red velvet cover could convince rock nerds to take a chance on buying. But that’s the beauty of rock nerd culture, isn’t it? And among the many beauties I come across on Rock Town Hall are passionate and creative defenses of albums that I wouldn’t think anyone could take so seriously. Here’s the Good Doctor’s winning comment:

Odessa’s dramatic storylines and forays into Americana remind me of a record released a year later, John Cale’s Vintage Violence.

I like Odessa a lot, especially because it has some great deep cuts, such as “Black Diamond.” This is an album for people who appreciate the band’s stylistic quirks, rather than their ability to mimic other bands to create pop hits.

Rest assured that the fun I poke is with love and empathy. We’ve all been there. We’ve all defended our own version of Odessa by tying it into an equally overlooked album. We’ve all used part of our defense of an album to take a poke at another rock nerd’s biases. Well played! I’ve got to say that my soft spot for Vintage Violence is just the sort of thing that I hope will help me when I finally get around to revisiting Odessa. And I sense that poke about people who appreciate the band’s “ability to mimic other bands to create pop hits” was directed at me, among others. I’ll show that Dr. John! you can correctly imagine me thinking when I first read this.

Sometimes people outside the Halls of Rock ask me, “What’s the point of talking about music as obsessively as you guys talk about music?” Next time I’m asked that question I may just point to this post and how it may help me open my mind next time I listen to an album I’d long ago dismissed. This, my friends, is the value of the Examined Rock Nerd Life.

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Jan 312009
 

Two-tight end alignment indicates Run

Prop bets on The Boss’ Super Bowl XLIII halftime performance are now open. Thanks to Townsman Chickenfrank for kicking these off. I’m starting out by bringing his suggested bets to The Main Stage and throwing in a few of my own. Feel free to do likewise. Now, let’s get it on!

Over/under:

  • Number of bandanas on stage: 1 1/2.
  • Maximum number of singers crowded around one mic at any time (ie, Rock ‘n Roll Iwo Jima alignment): 3.
  • Number of different songs he touches on in his 12 minutes: 6.
  • Number of hats on stage: 3.
  • Total count of everyone in the band: 10.
  • Football related: how many times will we see Warner’s wife in the stands? 3.

Other:

  • In what football alignment (eg, 4-3, 3-4, Power I…) will the band take the stage?
  • Will any member of the E Street Band wear a football jersey on stage?
  • Will The Boss holster his guitar at any point?
  • What will be the most significant clothing/Look move (eg, Bono flashing the American flag in the lining of his leather jacket, Janet Jackson flashing her boob)?
  • Will The Boss tell a between-song story of any length?
  • Will The Boss introduce a special guest performer?

Remember, any gambling that goes on tomorrow is for amusement purposes only.

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Rock Rugs

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Jan 302009
 

Perkins!

What rockers are wearing a piece or otherwise fortifying what age and genetics have denied them? Elton John and Carl Perkins are givens. Paul Simon gave up trying, so he’s no longer under observation. I’ve long suspected something’s going on with Ron Wood (rug), Bill Wyman (rug), and Steven Tyler (weave), but I can’t be sure. I’d like to think something’s up with Gene Simmons, but they couldn’t sell a weave that looks that bad, could they?

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Jan 302009
 

The moment we’ve been waiting for is nearly upon us: The Boss will descend on the Super Bowl halftime show to christen a new era and, more importantly, promote his new album. When news of The Boss’ appearance first hit, way back in September 2008, we had no way of knowing he’d have a new album to promote. Does he open with the new single or stick it in the middle of his set? As we began doing when this post first appeared, there’s time to predict his set list. Will halftime have to last 4 hours? Will The Boss tell a story of the time his dad gave him a hard time for playing rock ‘n roll rather than trying out for the football team?

This post initially appeared 9/29/08.

Rock ‘n Roll Iwo Jima

The Boss will be resurrecting his mighty Iwo Jima of rock at the 2009 NFL Super Bowl halftime show. Although the event is a few months and many concussions, blown pool picks, and overblown endzone celebrations away, feel free to start blogging on your predictions for this performance…NOW!

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Jan 292009
 

I’m sure I’m not the only person who wonders what’s been going on in Macca’s noggin these last few years. The mystery deepens in this recent clip from The Colbert Report. Is this just the update of The Chris Farley Show sketch, taking into account the post-Gervais comedy landscape? Or is something else going on here? Who exactly is having the Last Laugh in this sketch?

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