First person to identify this gentleman racer wins a coveted RTH No-Prize.
I look forward to your responses.
Jun 282007
Jun 272007
A few Townspeople have been bugging me to restate my opinion that The Rolling Stones’ Beggars Banquet is the worst of the great Stones albums. I’ve been holding off on doing this for a few reasons, including the following:
- I’ve been really busy and I don’t want to give this topic anything less than my full attention.
- I’m loathe to have to define “great Stones albums.”
- I’ve been really busy and haven’t wanted to waste any of my precious time on all those “blackface” acoustic, dusty porch-blues numbers that litter that album.
As I’ve fiddled, Rock Town Hall’s dugout has started to smoulder with dialog such as the following:
Townsman Hrrundi: What’s wrong with you, boy? I just gave “Beggars Banquet” a quick scan for a reality check, and I was right — it’s a stinker! It’s got a few strong — in one or two cases, crucially important — Stones tracks, but in general, the album is chock-a-block with the worst kind of pretendo-country/blues nonsense. Really. I’ll give you “Street Fighting Man” and “Stray Cat Blues” — those are songs where the Stones actually bring something unique and Stonesian to the table. But all those acoustic snoozers? Gimme a break! Music to clean the bong by!
Townsman Epluribusgergely: Beggar’s Banquet will never be an LP for your ears. Why? 1) It doesn’t have your beloved written and recorded at Sam Ash sound that Aerosmith too favored when they recorded their version of “Walkin’ the Dog.” 2) There’s an originality in the pseudo country blues numbers that you’re not hearing, i.e. taking Harry Smith anthology material and making it dirtier, ethics and style wise. 3) There’s an overall emphasis on acoustic instruments. And 4) They thought Bob Dylan was good…
Although I’m impressed by Hrrundi’s opening salvo, I can’t trust that this discussion will proceed toward the final, necessary point without my involvement, so let’s get it on!
Continue reading »
Jun 272007
One of an occasional rock-related travel pieces submitted by a Townsman or Townswoman on the road! In today’s report, from a recent trip to Japan, Hrrundi lets his picture speak a thousand words. He adds only a mere 23 additional words to the story. Enjoy!
“This would be funny if it wasn’t one of the best record stores I’ve ever been to — you’d crap your pants in there!”
Jun 272007
More than a few of you may be aware of my love for Roy Wood’s solo masterpiece, Boulders. This one-man band outing represents, for me, a landmark in Prock, that is the as-yet-not-fully defined subgenre of progressively self-referential rock and pop music.
You may have heard my spiel before, even if you’ve never heard the album. You may have heard the album before, but even if you couldn’t stand it, I encourage you to grab a copy out of a dollar bin – hell, sadly almost no one wants their old copy – and listen to it in order, preferably a few times. I believe it’s an album of obsessive, whimsical craft and strange beauty. You’ve heard me rattle on about a song’s ability to meet the True Objectives of Rock. An album like this one surely was not part of the original plan. However, in the post-Sgt. Pepper’s era, when the artifact of a rock ‘n roll recording and album could hold as much value as the record’s emotional and rhythmic content, a special place was carved out for rock ‘n roll shut-ins to enjoy in the privacy of their own room. Boulders is just such an album. Do not expect to throw this on at a party and proceed to high-five your friends. See if you can stick in there for the first three tracks, and then see if you can hang on through track 7. If you can get that far, I beg of you to hold tight for track 9, the aptly named “Rock Medley”.
Effin’ Jeff Lynne! The guy used every move in Wood’s book, dating back to his pre-Lynne work with The Move through this stuff and the worst boogie-glam of Wizzard. Wood was the real deal, so real that he often sucked in his overreaching, high-concept flights of fancy. I don’t mean to get down on Jeff Lynne too much, because a Townsman played me the new album by that 40-piece band in the brightly colored robes. My god, Jeff Lynne’s worst work with ELO outshines that crap, but Lynne never put his Prock talents to work on such an inner plane as Wood did on Boulders. This album is sorely in need of some explanation. I’ve got some questions for Wood, and don’t think I haven’t been trying to track him down.
Jun 272007
Who says Lou’s never animated?
Jun 262007
Work it now, work it!
What’s your favorite aside in a song (eg, Jimi’s “Move over Rover, and let Jimi take over!”)?
What’s your “go-to” insincere compliment for a show or record you really don’t like a whole lot?
What’s the most overrated studio overdub (ie, not part of the band’s standard live arrangement and not including double-tracking)?
What’s the worst part in a song you otherwise like?
Have you heard the new albums by Bryan Ferry and Nick Lowe, both due out today?
If 2000 Man can see the need for rewriting rock history through a Stones perspective, through what perspective could you imagine yourself rewriting rock history – provided you had the time, of course?
I look forward to your responses.
Jun 262007
Rock of Ages
Tonight on Larry King Live, Larry host surviving Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr along with surviving Beatles brides Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison. King is sxpected to make his case for being crowned the Fifth Beatle. Says a rep for King, “Although Larry respects the decision of Rock Town Hall to crown George Martin as the Fifth Beatle once and for all, Larry hopes, if nothing else, to ensure a higher ranking than Philadelphia broadcasting legend Larry Kane.”
The interview will also include Cirque du Soleil founder Guy LaLiberte, as The Beatles’ tribute Love celebrates its 1-year anniversary playing in Las Vegas. It is expected that The Beatles families will thank LaLiberte and his group for doing their part to ensure that no present or future member of the extended families of McCartney, Lennon, Harrison, and Starr will ever have to work through the year 3017.
You can send in questions for Larry to ask the band here. No joke; he’s going to need help forming a few coherent questions. Please copy Rock Town Hall on your questions in the Comments section. Thanks.
