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?
Yesterday’s important Polarizing Platters discussion preempted our 18th day of JAMuary. My apologies. As a way of rewarding your patience, I bring you two Latin-tinged jams. The first is from the Latino rocker you’d most expect to celebrate JAMuary, Carlos Santana, from his Welcome album, which my good friend Townsman Hrrundivbakshi turned me onto. The second jam is from Mars Volta guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez‘s solo album, Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fungus. Word is the instrumentals that make up this album were originally intended for use on a Mars Volta record, but I guess they came up with other mind-blowing jams instead. If I knew how to say “Enjoy!” in Spanish I would, so pretend that’s how I leave you as you jam on in a Latin vein.
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, “Tied Prom Digs On the Docks”
A fine, fine pianner player in the boogie-woogie/rock tradition has gone with the wind. Dead yesterday at 56 from a heart attack. RIP, Billy Powell.
Skip ahead to mile marker 2:28 for what I think was Billy’s finest moment.
NEXT: Rock Town Hall’s Official Eulogy…
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Recent reports that a Townsman scored a $2 used copy of Jellyfish’s Bellybutton album immediately brought to mind the image of the front desk of Rock Town Hall’s dream record store, where we would keep a bin of Polarizing Platters, records that cause Townspeople to immediately take sides, in even numbers, pro and con the music value of each album. We would keep this bin at the front counter because Rock Town Hall Records clerks and clientele are always up for a musical debate.
I think this Jellyfish album would qualify for the bin. People around here seem to either love it or hate it, and I sense the feelings for the album are split fairly evenly. An album like The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, on the other hand, has no business being in the bin. Although there are many advanced rock nerds to be found among us who might claim the album is “overrated,” who’s really going to make the argument that the album “sucks” or, more importantly, is somehow harmful to the rock landscape?
Am I being clear? Am I wrong in beginning the stocking of this important bin with this Jellyfish album? Are you really going to tell me that E. Pluribus Gergely and I are vastly outnumbered in our musical and moral objections to this album? More importantly, what Polarizing Platter would you add to the bin?
Cruise ship lines, insurance companies… what’s next, Mr. Pop?
In rapid-fire style, Rock Town Hall wants to know what’s NOW PLAYING (or was most recently playing) as you read this post! How is it? Is there a story to tell? Would you recommend this to anyone? There’s not a minute to waste!
UPDATED. All bets are off. Listen to the full solos in all their jamtastic glory!
Today JAMuary honors the drummers, beginning with an Identify the Drummer game. Following are a dozen roughly 30-second clips of well-known rock (and one soul) drummer…on his own…unencumbered by his bandmates…soloing! See how many drummers you can identify. Following identification of each drummer, we’ll let that drummer cut loose with his full solo. Is there a drummer in the house? This promises to be an All-Star Jam that’s only fitting for this special month-long celebration.
