Another Music Snob Gives Me Pause
There's a web site I frequent to see what other music snobs think and to discuss various music snobberies [though some of these people are Vinyl Collector Snobs, sometimes they're pretty funny] called the Record Collector's Guild. I haven't posted in a while, but I cruise by every few days to see if anything catches my fancy [and boy are they people DOWN DOWN DOWN on EBay!].
Anyway, I saw today someone posting on getting the new Who single. Now I am one of those people who thinks Townsend and Daltrey should hang up the Who name, especially now that Ox [John Entwhistle] has passed away. It's not the Who without Ox and Moon the Loon. [But somehow I am still contemplating seeing the Rolling Stones again.]
But RC liked the new single, but it got him to thinking. He says in his post [View the whole post here]:
So I guess what I?m getting at here is this: does this music still have relevance in todayÂ?s marketplace among today?s listeners? To me, a large part of the rock & roll experience is that it symbolizes youth. The rebellious, f-you streak that many of us still hold dear in spite of our age. This is why rockers are usually hammered by the press as they get older, but musicians in other forms of music (jazz, for example) are viewed as mature, seasoned professionals who just get better (not always the rule, I know). Bottom line in blunt terms: do old people belong in rock & roll?
My instinct at this juncture is to jump up and shout "NO!!!! Call it a day! Bow out gracefully you old farts!" [Did I mention I am thinking of seeing the Stones again?]
A few replies down I came across this from Captain Vague and I had to stop myself:
Did you enjoy listening to it? Did it let you forget about life's daily struggles for a few short minutes? If the answer is yes, then that's all the relevance that rock and roll has ever had, or ever will have, no matter how old the person is who bends the string or sings a note.
I AM a music snob. If you like something blatantly commercial and don't like my off the wall not popular favorite [Replacements, Superchunk] I WILL give it to you with both barrells. But after reading this, I may have to re-think that. A lot.
Sunday, August 27, 2006
How I Wish That It Would Rain
How sad to hear the thunder all around you
But never feel the good cool rain
The breeze is slight refreshment
And you can smell the air charged with ozone and ions
From lightning
And you can feel the rain surrounding you
But the windshield of the truck
Parked outside the window of the new home
Shows only a few sad, pathetic hits
Not enough to even settle the dust
Not enough to raise the humidity as the street gets wet
I miss the smell of rain in the summertime
I long to dance under a cloudburst
[well, maybe just stand under it and let it soak through my t shirt]
And smell the rain and listen to the patter on a roof
And hear the runoff splashing on the side walk
And dripping heavily from leaf to leaf
But the thunder getting more distant
And the radar shows the storms dying and driving away north east
And I sit in my half finished homestead
Wishing for a cool cool rain
How sad to hear the thunder all around you
But never feel the good cool rain
The breeze is slight refreshment
And you can smell the air charged with ozone and ions
From lightning
And you can feel the rain surrounding you
But the windshield of the truck
Parked outside the window of the new home
Shows only a few sad, pathetic hits
Not enough to even settle the dust
Not enough to raise the humidity as the street gets wet
I miss the smell of rain in the summertime
I long to dance under a cloudburst
[well, maybe just stand under it and let it soak through my t shirt]
And smell the rain and listen to the patter on a roof
And hear the runoff splashing on the side walk
And dripping heavily from leaf to leaf
But the thunder getting more distant
And the radar shows the storms dying and driving away north east
And I sit in my half finished homestead
Wishing for a cool cool rain
Friday, August 25, 2006
Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton is recovering from radiation treatment for throat cancer and will skip the beginning of the band's upcoming tour, the band's publicist said.
Hamilton, 55, will be recovering with his family after a seven-week radiation treatment he just completed, publicist Marcee Rondan said Thursday. He will join the "Route of All Evil" tour in mid-October.
Rondan said she had no further information about Hamilton's condition.
David Hull, a longtime friend of the band who played in the Joe Perry Project, will fill in as bassist, she said.
Okay, so Aerosmith's music the last decade and a half is corporate and slick and sell out and just BAD. But I will keep a good thought for Tom Hamilton because it's not his fault. Probably. Where IS that Steven Tyler solo album, by the way? Is he holding it because Joe Perry's stiffed so bad? Did I ever mention I found it finally at the used CD store and was almost excited because I hoped it would be an old school rock and roll album ala the first two Joe Perry Project records? I listened to about 30 seconds each of the first three songs and put it back. I had thought Steven Tyler drove that band to the commercial slick and unappealing, but apparently Joe bought into it too. Too bad. I know the guy still has riffs like Combination, Rats in the Cellar and Toys in the Attic in him somewhere.
On a similar note, I was talking with Tracey the other day about Tom Petty when I bought that anthology about why Tom's all pissed off at the music business. Tracey said in the last Rolling Stone interview [aka "Tom's Last Interview Ever" - is he following more and more in Bob Dylan's footsteps?] that he's really fed up with the music corporations and we speculated that they really give 'The Artist' no more power over his releases, as if Tom gave them a record and they rejected it for not being commercial. I know that happened to Aerosmith with Get A Grip or Nine Lives. So Tom's decided he's not going to play anymore. Not that that's a bad thing, maybe a few years off and Tom becomes Dylan or Johnny Cash...
All Over But the Shouting
I got the last few things out of my apartment, did the clean up and turned in my keys today. It's all over now, baby blue. Remind me in a few years how badly moving sucks.
All Over But the Shouting
I got the last few things out of my apartment, did the clean up and turned in my keys today. It's all over now, baby blue. Remind me in a few years how badly moving sucks.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Anthology
I bought the Tom Petty best of Anthology - Thru the Years yesterday, along with a Tom T Hall hits CD and Marvin Gaye's Super Hits [60's hits] on vinyl. [Everything else is packed and I got a good deal.]
The Petty is a good collection and even though this ia s 'TP & the Heartbreakers" collection, there's still 4 or 5 TP solo tracks from Full Moon Fever, which pisses me off a little. While this collection does have some deeper cuts [including, Deb, the "It's just the normal noises in here" opening on Even the Losers, Hometown Blues, Rebels, Straight Into Darkness], you take those five cuts off [and Jammin' Me - BLECH!, ] and you can add Insider from Hard Promises, Southern Accents from that album, Fooled Again from the first, Magnolia from You're Gonna Get It and Shadow of a Doubt from Damn the Torpedoes. Take off the add on tracks Waiting for Tonight from the Replay Box and the new cut Surrender and add two of your favorites missing from this set. Maybe Let Me Up [I've Had Enough] from that album...
See, that's why I still prefer to make my own mixes. In most cases the record company wants to have all the hits jammed on, even though there's all ready a Greatest Hits collection out - make you spend your money again for the same songs, right?
The only band that ever got it right - and this was, I am sure, a contractual obligation thing, was fucking Aerosmith. There's the CBS/Sony Greatest Hits and then there's a great album of album cuts, Gems.You don't need and you don't get Dream On again, but you need Rats in the Cellar, Lick and A Promise, Chip Away the Stone, Nobody's Fault and Jailbait - it's truly a kick ass collection. Makes up for them putting on the shorter single mix of Sweet Emotion on Greatest Hits. Almost.
I mean, yes some of those anthology / hits collections were essential to my picking up some more by some groups: The Beatles 1962-1966 and 1967 - 1970 sets, the Stones' Hot Rocks 1964- 1971, Jefferson Airplane's Flight Log and 2400 Fulton Street collections, the Doors ' Greatest Hits [the 1980 single Lp]. These were vital for me discovering some things. But usually once I got beyond that, I'd find much odder, more interesting things and file the best of away. Like getting Jefferson Airplane's After Bathing at Baxter's at Sound Warehouse when I was 19. Weird? Hell yes! Trippy, before I knew what that ment but sooooo cool. Somebody to Love? Forget that, check THIS out!
I bought the Petty because it puts a lot of the songs I still love on a couple CDs I can enjoy. But it could be better. Why isn't there someone other than Rhino paying attention to things like this? Yeah, those hits will keep filling the coffers of the record company pricks, but why not have someone say "we can put these album cuts on a CD on a limited run and sell 100,000 and make a little bread." Why does it always have to be about making the most money and not leaving the artist a little integrity?
Well, I take that back - Sony / CBS does do that on their Essential series. Those are about 50/50. Check out the Essential Sly and the Family Stone and see what I mean. Or the Essential Cheap Trick.
I bought the Tom Petty best of Anthology - Thru the Years yesterday, along with a Tom T Hall hits CD and Marvin Gaye's Super Hits [60's hits] on vinyl. [Everything else is packed and I got a good deal.]
The Petty is a good collection and even though this ia s 'TP & the Heartbreakers" collection, there's still 4 or 5 TP solo tracks from Full Moon Fever, which pisses me off a little. While this collection does have some deeper cuts [including, Deb, the "It's just the normal noises in here" opening on Even the Losers, Hometown Blues, Rebels, Straight Into Darkness], you take those five cuts off [and Jammin' Me - BLECH!, ] and you can add Insider from Hard Promises, Southern Accents from that album, Fooled Again from the first, Magnolia from You're Gonna Get It and Shadow of a Doubt from Damn the Torpedoes. Take off the add on tracks Waiting for Tonight from the Replay Box and the new cut Surrender and add two of your favorites missing from this set. Maybe Let Me Up [I've Had Enough] from that album...
See, that's why I still prefer to make my own mixes. In most cases the record company wants to have all the hits jammed on, even though there's all ready a Greatest Hits collection out - make you spend your money again for the same songs, right?
The only band that ever got it right - and this was, I am sure, a contractual obligation thing, was fucking Aerosmith. There's the CBS/Sony Greatest Hits and then there's a great album of album cuts, Gems.You don't need and you don't get Dream On again, but you need Rats in the Cellar, Lick and A Promise, Chip Away the Stone, Nobody's Fault and Jailbait - it's truly a kick ass collection. Makes up for them putting on the shorter single mix of Sweet Emotion on Greatest Hits. Almost.
I mean, yes some of those anthology / hits collections were essential to my picking up some more by some groups: The Beatles 1962-1966 and 1967 - 1970 sets, the Stones' Hot Rocks 1964- 1971, Jefferson Airplane's Flight Log and 2400 Fulton Street collections, the Doors ' Greatest Hits [the 1980 single Lp]. These were vital for me discovering some things. But usually once I got beyond that, I'd find much odder, more interesting things and file the best of away. Like getting Jefferson Airplane's After Bathing at Baxter's at Sound Warehouse when I was 19. Weird? Hell yes! Trippy, before I knew what that ment but sooooo cool. Somebody to Love? Forget that, check THIS out!
I bought the Petty because it puts a lot of the songs I still love on a couple CDs I can enjoy. But it could be better. Why isn't there someone other than Rhino paying attention to things like this? Yeah, those hits will keep filling the coffers of the record company pricks, but why not have someone say "we can put these album cuts on a CD on a limited run and sell 100,000 and make a little bread." Why does it always have to be about making the most money and not leaving the artist a little integrity?
Well, I take that back - Sony / CBS does do that on their Essential series. Those are about 50/50. Check out the Essential Sly and the Family Stone and see what I mean. Or the Essential Cheap Trick.
Monday, August 21, 2006
Moving and Other Blues
The apartment is about 2/3 empty now - down to just the essentials for the next few days: some clothes, dishes, coffee maker, TV, jambox, bed, couch, computer obviously and some heavy stuff.
I know I've not been really enthused about this place for a year or so, but it's been HOME. I'm sure in a few weeks my new place will be comfortable and after a few months it will be home, but it's the transition period that makes you feel weird. Kind of like flying for me - being home is great, being at your destination is great, it's the part in the air I don't like. It's kind of like being nowhere.
Anyway, the movers come Wednesday. Then it'll be time to vacuum it up, clean the showers down one last time, empty the fridge and start a new chapter of this journey.
Some people use real shelf paper - bachelors use newspapers. The papers under the dishes are dated Weds August 26, 2002. I guess that sounds about right. I am still tired from that move and I only moved about 200 yards. I got it all done in one day only because my sister and brother in law went back over and brought everything from my closet and bathroom. Thanks Dana and Cory!
I am trying to get it all done myself this time, though I have Mom coming up tomorrow to give a hand and have some lunch. This time Wednesday it should be all over but the shouting. Take the cable box back up to Grapevine, turn in the keys and let the chips fall where they may.
Speaking of starting new chapters, it's about time for a new address book. Not that the old one is beat up or anything, but there's so many... I don't know. People I've lost, by their choice or mine. It's true, sometimes I just STOP calling people back [which reminds me I need to call Ed!] and let them go on about their business. Some people have stopped calling me back. It happens.
SOME people change their address every year whether I like it or not. That's kind of fun to see people crossed out and new addresses as they keep beginning new chapters in their own life / adventures. Some try new places and find they don't like them or their jobs move them on or they have kids and need bigger spaces, a couple of divorces... Some people build their dream house, some people just find their comfortable spot and set down roots. A few souls that are no longer on the mortal plane...
Looking on some of the other pages I find directions to new addresses, quick notes to myself, one sad page with funeral information...
Anyway, just updating looking back on one chapter in this long day's journey into night...
The apartment is about 2/3 empty now - down to just the essentials for the next few days: some clothes, dishes, coffee maker, TV, jambox, bed, couch, computer obviously and some heavy stuff.
I know I've not been really enthused about this place for a year or so, but it's been HOME. I'm sure in a few weeks my new place will be comfortable and after a few months it will be home, but it's the transition period that makes you feel weird. Kind of like flying for me - being home is great, being at your destination is great, it's the part in the air I don't like. It's kind of like being nowhere.
Anyway, the movers come Wednesday. Then it'll be time to vacuum it up, clean the showers down one last time, empty the fridge and start a new chapter of this journey.
Some people use real shelf paper - bachelors use newspapers. The papers under the dishes are dated Weds August 26, 2002. I guess that sounds about right. I am still tired from that move and I only moved about 200 yards. I got it all done in one day only because my sister and brother in law went back over and brought everything from my closet and bathroom. Thanks Dana and Cory!
I am trying to get it all done myself this time, though I have Mom coming up tomorrow to give a hand and have some lunch. This time Wednesday it should be all over but the shouting. Take the cable box back up to Grapevine, turn in the keys and let the chips fall where they may.
Speaking of starting new chapters, it's about time for a new address book. Not that the old one is beat up or anything, but there's so many... I don't know. People I've lost, by their choice or mine. It's true, sometimes I just STOP calling people back [which reminds me I need to call Ed!] and let them go on about their business. Some people have stopped calling me back. It happens.
SOME people change their address every year whether I like it or not. That's kind of fun to see people crossed out and new addresses as they keep beginning new chapters in their own life / adventures. Some try new places and find they don't like them or their jobs move them on or they have kids and need bigger spaces, a couple of divorces... Some people build their dream house, some people just find their comfortable spot and set down roots. A few souls that are no longer on the mortal plane...
Looking on some of the other pages I find directions to new addresses, quick notes to myself, one sad page with funeral information...
Anyway, just updating looking back on one chapter in this long day's journey into night...
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Flush the Flashback... or Not
[Add bitter old man to my growing list of titles, I guess...]
The VH1 Classic Rock of the 80s tour hits Dallas this weekend and I am disgusted [as usual] at this big 80s nostalgia trip people want to go on. Last week the Steve Perry-less Journey and Def Leppard, this week, the Spares on Tour.
Okay, Lepp has some great stuff; why do they want to release an album of covers? Isn't that the first sign of a bands demise? Where does Def Leppard fit into the current scene? I don't think they're one of those bands like Rush or AC/DC who can keep NOT changing and doing it. When's the last time Lep had a hit? Journey without Steve Perry - well, I never liked Journey anyway [well, maybe The Party's Over and The Girl Can't Help It] so big fuckin' bag of nothin' for me. Same story - when's the last time they did something that made you sit up and take notice?
So this week it's Rick Springfield [classic bubblegum power pop - Cheap Trick does it better], Loverboy [What were we thinking? Oh, yeah, we didn't know any better! Ditto Foreigner!], Scandal [first EP is a killer, I can live without ever hearing The Warrior again] and Eddie Money. Eddie was good for one good single an album, what has he done lately? Even Joe Cocker uncorks a great one every ten years or so!
What was it a few years ago? The B52s, Go-Gos and the Fixx? Not a bad bunch if they were in their prime - 20 years later, no, thanks! Sammy Hagar? Never was a huge fan.
It begs the question - would I go see any show simply for nostalgia? Faster Pussycat at the Granada... the Smithereens. I'd like to see The Alarm if they come through. The Georgia Satelites if Dan Baird came back to the band... where are you, Dan?
It's like watching the first hours of MTV on VH1 Classic last weekend. Some of that shit just reeks -April Wine? .38 Special? But we didn't know any better at the time. Look at those Def Leppard videos from the Pyromania era and see how horrible they are. Billy Idol's Dancing With Myself? Horrible cheesy. But we didn't know!
I have nostalgia. Sure I still crank it up when Photograph comes on. But those days are dead, for better or worse. I don't want to pretend I'm back in high school drinking beer at someone's houseparty jamming to the Miami Vice soundtrack anymore. I don't want to relive passing out in the 120 degree heat on the floor of the Cotton Bowl at the Texxas Jam. I don't want to be cruising Johnson or Camp Bowie in my Dad's '85 Cutlass Supreme blasting whatever was in the mix that day. I've grown up, I guess.
But again, here I sit marvelling at Unfinished Sweet from Alice Cooper's Billion Dollar Babies as I put the vinyl on my hard drive. So what do I know?
Flush the [Your] Flashback - I need to write this song for Alice to do. 26h Anniversary of the Flush The Fashion album...
[Add bitter old man to my growing list of titles, I guess...]
The VH1 Classic Rock of the 80s tour hits Dallas this weekend and I am disgusted [as usual] at this big 80s nostalgia trip people want to go on. Last week the Steve Perry-less Journey and Def Leppard, this week, the Spares on Tour.
Okay, Lepp has some great stuff; why do they want to release an album of covers? Isn't that the first sign of a bands demise? Where does Def Leppard fit into the current scene? I don't think they're one of those bands like Rush or AC/DC who can keep NOT changing and doing it. When's the last time Lep had a hit? Journey without Steve Perry - well, I never liked Journey anyway [well, maybe The Party's Over and The Girl Can't Help It] so big fuckin' bag of nothin' for me. Same story - when's the last time they did something that made you sit up and take notice?
So this week it's Rick Springfield [classic bubblegum power pop - Cheap Trick does it better], Loverboy [What were we thinking? Oh, yeah, we didn't know any better! Ditto Foreigner!], Scandal [first EP is a killer, I can live without ever hearing The Warrior again] and Eddie Money. Eddie was good for one good single an album, what has he done lately? Even Joe Cocker uncorks a great one every ten years or so!
What was it a few years ago? The B52s, Go-Gos and the Fixx? Not a bad bunch if they were in their prime - 20 years later, no, thanks! Sammy Hagar? Never was a huge fan.
It begs the question - would I go see any show simply for nostalgia? Faster Pussycat at the Granada... the Smithereens. I'd like to see The Alarm if they come through. The Georgia Satelites if Dan Baird came back to the band... where are you, Dan?
It's like watching the first hours of MTV on VH1 Classic last weekend. Some of that shit just reeks -April Wine? .38 Special? But we didn't know any better at the time. Look at those Def Leppard videos from the Pyromania era and see how horrible they are. Billy Idol's Dancing With Myself? Horrible cheesy. But we didn't know!
I have nostalgia. Sure I still crank it up when Photograph comes on. But those days are dead, for better or worse. I don't want to pretend I'm back in high school drinking beer at someone's houseparty jamming to the Miami Vice soundtrack anymore. I don't want to relive passing out in the 120 degree heat on the floor of the Cotton Bowl at the Texxas Jam. I don't want to be cruising Johnson or Camp Bowie in my Dad's '85 Cutlass Supreme blasting whatever was in the mix that day. I've grown up, I guess.
But again, here I sit marvelling at Unfinished Sweet from Alice Cooper's Billion Dollar Babies as I put the vinyl on my hard drive. So what do I know?
Flush the [Your] Flashback - I need to write this song for Alice to do. 26h Anniversary of the Flush The Fashion album...