Excluding bands that suddenly lost key members and 1-hit wonders, who are rock’s most spectacular flameouts? That is, which artists, in the course of one release, lost it, to date, for good? Let’s be honest; no Mr. Nice Guy objections!
Jul 182007
Jul 172007
I know we’ve got a lot of hip tastemakers wandering through the Halls of Rock, but I’m gonna assume that there aren’t a lot of you who own this Ghostface Killah album, More Fish, that my buddy dropped on me. I don’t say this to brag and to pretend that I have any hip-hop cred, but to introduce four songs from this album that I want you to hear. Check ’em out. The first one begins with a good 2 minutes of X-rated “What’s Going On”-type banter. To save Mr. Moderator the task of crafting another warning, let’s just say these songs are best checked out in seclusion. (And if it starts to get too hot in the kitchen, click on the video, above.)
“Ghost Is Back”
“Miguel Sanchez”
“Good”
“Josephine”
As I wrote earlier, compared with the depressing Young Jeezy and the cynical Nas, this foul-mouthed CD from Killah was a breath of – if not fresh – organically pungent air. All the stuff I objected to in the other CDs – the bitches, the hos, the ice, the F-bombs, the N-grenades – went down relatively easy because the music is so good and the guy’s delivery is so confident, so together. I couldn’t help but think that it’s all about the music, it’s only rock ‘n roll, more or less. If all that socially inappropriate stuff that’s in Killah’s music is a part of the groove, is an integral part of what he’s putting out there, then maybe there’s no point in worrying. Crap is crap or crap can be valued as fertilizer depending on the context.
Jul 172007
David Gilmour with Spinal Tap, or so I have read.
Jul 162007
Note: The following video is not recommended to be played at work, in an airport, in church, in the presence of children, and possibly in the privacy of your own home. It is presented here as a talking point, to accompany a question that Rock Town Hall sees the need to ask each year this practice continues.
Let me just ask the question: Is it okay for musicians to call black people niggers?
Jul 162007
Note: The following video is not recommended to be played at work, in an airport, in church, in the presence of children, and possibly in the privacy of your own home. It is presented here to allow you to hear the music of Young Jeezy, one of three hip-hop artists KingEd has become acquainted with over the past months.
A couple of months ago a friend dropped three then-recent hip-hop releases on me: Young Jeezy‘s The Inspiration, Nas‘ Hip Hop Is Dead, and Ghostface Killah‘s More Fish. “I’d like to get your take on this stuff,” he said. “This Young Jeezy guy is all the rage,” he continued, “it’s hardcore gangsta shit. Some of it’s actually scary.”
This would be some listening assignment, I figured. Just the thought of an artist naming himself Ghostface Killah had been bugging me. Isn’t the body count high enough already? But who am I to judge a rapper by his handle? I spent a few days spinning these CDs as I drove around, and here are my impressions.
Young Jeezy really is nasty. The fist song, “Hypnotize (Intro)”, drops 18 N-bombs. Coupled with the fact that the guy can’t pronounce his own lead-off song title (he repeatedly says “hypmotize”), I’m pretty clear this album will not offer much in the way of critical thought. (Thanks for that helpful, parenthetical hint in the title, by the way.) However, Young Jeezy offers much in the way of unself-conscious social criticism. “Still On It” drops a mere total of 11 N-bombs after a stunning half dozen in the song’s opening seconds. Track 3, “U Know What It Is” gets back on pace with 18 instances of self-hatred. And on and on. Contrary to the album’s title, The Inspiration is the most depressing and vacant music I’ve ever heard. Throw in a cynical mix of canned pop hooks for bad measure.
Continue reading »
Jul 162007
Summer travel edition!
Much has been made over the years of Brian Eno’s Music for Airports, which as a fan of Eno’s ambient works, I find uninspiring in spite of the cool backstory of the French commissioning him to write music to play in an airport. I don’t recall hearing this album played in any airport I’ve frequented, but once I did hear some cool minimalist music playing as I rode a moving sidewalk in some especially mod terminal of Chicago’s O’Hare Airport many moons ago. So I ask, What’s the coolest music you’ve ever heard in an airport (what’s played through your own earbuds excluded).
What’s the largest amount (in terms of bulk/weight) of records/CDs you’ve traveled with by air?
If you could airdrop thousands of copies of one album that’s currently rocking your summer to residents of your next destination, what would it be? Please specify “next destination” and how this may factor into your choice.
What’s your favorite piece of music – rock or otherwise – specifically about travel by train?
The Go-Gos’ “Vacation” or Stiff Little Fingers’ “Gotta Getaway”?
What’s your favorite piece of music – rock or otherwise – specifically about travel by airplane?
What’s the furthest you’ve traveled specifically to see a concert?
Complete this song lyric: “The more one travels, _____________.”
I look forward to your responses.
Jul 162007
Who Can Forget the Iwo Jima of Rock?
Townswoman Citizen Mom checks in with the following notification of a Philadelphia radio station countdown to which she’ll be contributing. Some of the Rock Town Hall links are nods to what might be our own would-be contributions to this party to which we’ve not be invited. [Sob.] I say, while cheering on Citizen Mom’s, we crash the party and submit our own 8.85 Most Memorable Musical Moments. Make us proud, Mom!
Just when you thought ‘XPN had the whole 885 Countdown thing sussed, along comes this year’s project, the 885 Most Memorable Musical Moments — yes, it’s a mouthful, but well suited to a list that could include television performance, notorious band breakups, court battles, questionable fashion choices, even untimely death. Continue reading »
