What's on Your Mind???
Disturbing Trends in CD Land
Has anyone else noticed these new one name 'critic pick' bands [i.e. The Strokes, The Hives] are issuing 30 minute CDs? 12-13 songs but only 30-35 minutes of music? Is this a good 'Less Is More' trend? Rancid's great Life Won't Wait has 22 songs clocking in at just over 64 minutes... that's 2.9 minutes a song. The Hives' Tyrannosaurus Hives 12 songs clock in at 31 minutes for about 2.5 minutes a song. They're not writing Soundgarden/Black Sabbath long spiraling dirges, not even writing Beatle-esque pop masterpieces, just three or four chord shouters... they couldn't come up with two or three more songs or added an extra chorus or verse for a short guitar solo or anything and gave the 'Consumer' a better value for his money? I could understand the Ramones financing their own low budget first few records {$ 6000 for that first album!} but in this day and age, on a major minor label [Interscope, dist by Universal]? I admit I bought mine used for $ 8, but did the label lower the 'Suggested Retail Price' for such a short CD? If they did, then okay, but if they suggested a full $ 16.99 for this, then I understand and lean a little more for the 'Music Sharer.'
Are You Serious?
I feel like Jack Black in High Fidelity saying this; You know the scene where he's playing the Kinky Wizards tape in the store "What is this?" "It's those skater fucks... and it's really good." The new Silverchair.. apparently the lead singer dude almost croaked last year and he's been writing good songs since then.
Other buying habits recently, I have been buying a lot of older country since I can't find much current 'Rock' that I want to listen to beyond about three listens and current country sounds like 80s pop. Fabulous collections by Merle Haggard, Steve Earle, Hank Jr's Greatest and some Dwight.. the Hives, Heather Nova from the 90s [reminds me of ex Breeder/Belly girl Tanya Donelly], best ofs by ELO and Heart... FINALLY got the new Westerberg tonight. I guess it's good that my CD shop kept selling it out, at least it means SOMEONE is buying it besides me.
Can someone explain a Fritz Ferdinand to me?
Living In the Past
Put my earrings in this past weekend to go hang out with young 'Holy Mikey' [who came over fresh from getting new tattoo-age]... I felt like a punk again, or at least someone younger. I felt like the nights we'd go into Deep Ellum to drink it dry and catch some bands, knowing we weren't going to get laid or anything, and basically howl at the moon and be rockers. Friday and Saturday nights for forgetting that the five other nights you were a lonely music snob and seeing unapproachable girls in mini skirts and cleavage to think about later... basically living those drunken, lonely Replacements songs. Friday night is killing me, indeed.
But the question arises: Am I pretending to be someone I used to be or allowing the 'true me' to surface again? I have locked myself into Mr Cool Calm Collected Music Snob for so long, have I forgotten my 'true self?' Am I what I am now or am I what I was then with a few years of polish to smooth out the rough edges? Or are they the same? Did I let my inner teenager/Chaz of youth out to play again for a while?
The earring are out now [like a fool I bought piercing studs and they stretch my holes and stab me in the back of the ear when I sleep on them... should have been paying attention!], the jack is back in his box, and I am part of the briefcase carrying 'Do Nothing' brigade again. They even have me wearing slacks and real business shirts at this new job! They're trying to make me respectable!!! But like cool fall and spring [and even summer] nights that push you into feeling alive again... maybe that's it. Maybe I just felt REALLY alive again for a few hours.
Stuck Inside of Euless With Hall of Fame in Mind [OR Reading the Back of My T Shirt]
The Lovin' Spoonful is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame worthy band????!!!!???? For what, electric harpsichord? I got nothing against John Sebastian and the boys personally, they made some great singles, but they 'changed the face of rock and roll?' NO. UH-UH. NO WAY.
Thoughts? Answers? Shut ups? chazg66@yahoo.com
SALEH!!!
