One thing I can think of today coming home from church:
I am glad I can see the colors and hear the sounds; not just the music, but the sounds like cars SHHHH-ing arong on wet pavement [see below]. Just looking around and seeing all the various greens in the grass by the freeway. I was coming off 183 to 360 north and some white birds were over in the grass, pretty close to the road since not much traffic goes that way and a few just hopped into the air for a few seconds... what a life where we can see all the colors.
I am reminded of another Ed I knew who was "colorblind" because he did not see colors the same way 'normal' people do [don't go there Deborah S Maness]; I wondered if he saw what I call 'green' as, oh, say a 'purple' what everything would look like if you rainbow was one or two colors off. He was a really talented artist, though,; he was really good at mosaics, taking a bunch of little cut up pieces of one or several pictures and making a NEW picture out of it. And a good writer. Last I heard he wrote for a travel magazine, but that was several years ago, when he lived next door to Tracey and that wild woman he lived with whose name escapes me...
Saturday, June 26, 2004
Standing on the back porch of the ADT building, sipping coffee on this muggy, cloudy Saturday, watching traffic and realizing I'm six weeks out from being out on the streets. Oddly, that still does not bother me too much outwardly. I am a little more scatterbrained than usual, which Lizzie is ascribing to stress, though I am sure there are those who know my family that will attribute it to genetics...
Actually, I was watching and listening to traffic flow out on 183. I know I have often said that one of my favorite things to do when at my grandparents in Pennsylvania is to just laze about and listen to traffic going around the curves on the main road. Listening to trucks downshifting and the throaty roar as they apply the throttle and the whine of all kinds of tires on the road. It's strangely relaxing when sleeping on the exceptionally comfortable 7' couch or taking an afternoon nap in the hammock. Of course it's also comforting to be on vacation and be near such wonderful people as my grandparents, so I guess it's a combination of things.
So I am watching traffic and I get to thinking: What would people have said 100 years ago if you had told them that in the field they were standing would be all the buildings and a strip of road where people would be whizzing along in metal buggies going 20 or 30 times faster than they could walk [or five times faster than their fastest horse]. Then I wondered about the trees. There are a few BIG big ones still around here that have probably been here for 50 or 60 years; what changes have they seen and endured? Which leads to more questions, like 'What's the most awesome thing you've ever experienced or seen? What's the most tragic thing that's ever happened to you? What is society's greatest accomplishment in your lifetime? What's our greatest failure?'
No these are not easy questions. Maybe that's the problem sometimes; I don't ask the easy questions, I just jump right on the big hard ones. Too late to change? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe I am just interested in my own answers and curious about the variety of responses I will get from others. I myself am not thinking milestones like babies or weddings, but that's just me...
Hmmm, Ryan Adams on the CD [don't go there those who will criticize; I remain the music snob, so fuck off] 'Starting to Hurt.' Hurt, I know something about. Hurt of not being understood, hurt of losing your dream job, hurt of rejected romantic, hurt of fear, hurt of knowing the truth, hurt of discovering deception... most of the hurt in my life is my own fault caused by my own fears. I know I stay in a groove because it is comfortable, because I hate change. I know most of my regrets are things I didn't do, things I never said, letters never sent. I guess I have learned to live with that.
Raining now at lunch time... I like driving around town in summer showers, love the smell of rain hitting the hot pavement, the sound of cars ssshhhh-ing along rainy streets. I do NOT like driving on the rainy freeway. I still remember when I was 17 and driving to Pennsylvania... I took over in Texarkana in the middle of the night and about 5 seconds into the drive it started pouring rain and then we his the construction zone: 200 miles of one lane freeway, trying to keep up to speed in a driving rain with 18 wheelers up my arse... I don't think I even made Little Rock before Dad suggested he take over. Then one time I was driving up to Wichita at night and me and this truck were going up 35 in and out of squalls, but the road was soaked and every time I'd go to pass I'd get right up behind the cab and I'd be just blinded by spray and I'd fall back [no stones]... this went on for about half an hour before I was able to get by. I loved going down on Lemmon Ave when Oliver lived over in Dallas on rainy Saturdays, down to one of the sub shops and over to the late great Stage and Screen. I have spent quite a few rainy days scrounging through used book and record stores [not necessarily buying anything, you understand, just scrounging]; the old Half Price that was off Camp Bowie was great for spending rainy days, long and narrow and smelling like old newsprint and old wood floors, like some place in the French Quarter in New Orleans, without the humidity. That's something else lost with the cookie cutter modern strip mall; individuality of the space; now every chain store is laid out VERY SIMILAR to every other one. BLECH!
You know, I just spoke to one of those 'my alarm isn't working and I can't function, what if someone comes and takes my stuff, what if something happens' types. People, it's a TOOL, and not a good one. Wonder what she will say if they cut her phone line and come take all her stuff. I know it's inconvenient when your stuff gets taken, but it's just stuff. You can always get more stuff. Probably BETTER stuff, too. Madness, this business of protecting your stuff and the place you keep your stuff so you can make more money and go out and get even more stuff. I don't know, maybe it's me, but if someone wants my stuff that bad... I have VERY LITTLE that's totally irreplaceable; A lot of stuff with SENTIMENTAL VALUE, which would be a major pain to replace, but not much that's irreplaceable. Anyway, if you think that alarm is a force field like they show on the commercials, boy are you mistaken. I love the alarm commercials where the alarm center looks like the starship Enterprise; great special effects and graphics. No, it's not really like that; it's just like your office with a bunch of people staring at computers in little half wall cubicle groups.
All right, back to the serious stuff. The new Wilco... has its odd moments, different, but not that different from Summerteeth [though no mellotrons, ED] and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. More rock roll and straightforward [I'm A Wheel, the John Lennon-esque Hummingbird, even the long Spiders (Kidsmoke) has some great rock and roll sections], but the long droning Less Than You Think is... I don't know. I have no problem with long drone/ambient, but I know some people will. But Tweedy's made a descent living [minus what he just shelled out to Betty Ford] being praised for being 'interesting, fresh, new and groundbreaking' yet being damned for not making 'commercially exploitable [i.e. weird]' records. Basically, it continues exploring sounds like Tweedy has done since Summerteeth. Maybe it has a lot to do with the ongoing connection with producer Jim O'Rourke, with whom he also made the offbeat but very good Loose Fur album. Maybe Jeff has just enough Neil Young FU left in him to keep dodging our expectations. Or as he said in Shot in the Arm: "What you once were isn't what you want to be anymore."
Actually, I was watching and listening to traffic flow out on 183. I know I have often said that one of my favorite things to do when at my grandparents in Pennsylvania is to just laze about and listen to traffic going around the curves on the main road. Listening to trucks downshifting and the throaty roar as they apply the throttle and the whine of all kinds of tires on the road. It's strangely relaxing when sleeping on the exceptionally comfortable 7' couch or taking an afternoon nap in the hammock. Of course it's also comforting to be on vacation and be near such wonderful people as my grandparents, so I guess it's a combination of things.
So I am watching traffic and I get to thinking: What would people have said 100 years ago if you had told them that in the field they were standing would be all the buildings and a strip of road where people would be whizzing along in metal buggies going 20 or 30 times faster than they could walk [or five times faster than their fastest horse]. Then I wondered about the trees. There are a few BIG big ones still around here that have probably been here for 50 or 60 years; what changes have they seen and endured? Which leads to more questions, like 'What's the most awesome thing you've ever experienced or seen? What's the most tragic thing that's ever happened to you? What is society's greatest accomplishment in your lifetime? What's our greatest failure?'
No these are not easy questions. Maybe that's the problem sometimes; I don't ask the easy questions, I just jump right on the big hard ones. Too late to change? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe I am just interested in my own answers and curious about the variety of responses I will get from others. I myself am not thinking milestones like babies or weddings, but that's just me...
Hmmm, Ryan Adams on the CD [don't go there those who will criticize; I remain the music snob, so fuck off] 'Starting to Hurt.' Hurt, I know something about. Hurt of not being understood, hurt of losing your dream job, hurt of rejected romantic, hurt of fear, hurt of knowing the truth, hurt of discovering deception... most of the hurt in my life is my own fault caused by my own fears. I know I stay in a groove because it is comfortable, because I hate change. I know most of my regrets are things I didn't do, things I never said, letters never sent. I guess I have learned to live with that.
Raining now at lunch time... I like driving around town in summer showers, love the smell of rain hitting the hot pavement, the sound of cars ssshhhh-ing along rainy streets. I do NOT like driving on the rainy freeway. I still remember when I was 17 and driving to Pennsylvania... I took over in Texarkana in the middle of the night and about 5 seconds into the drive it started pouring rain and then we his the construction zone: 200 miles of one lane freeway, trying to keep up to speed in a driving rain with 18 wheelers up my arse... I don't think I even made Little Rock before Dad suggested he take over. Then one time I was driving up to Wichita at night and me and this truck were going up 35 in and out of squalls, but the road was soaked and every time I'd go to pass I'd get right up behind the cab and I'd be just blinded by spray and I'd fall back [no stones]... this went on for about half an hour before I was able to get by. I loved going down on Lemmon Ave when Oliver lived over in Dallas on rainy Saturdays, down to one of the sub shops and over to the late great Stage and Screen. I have spent quite a few rainy days scrounging through used book and record stores [not necessarily buying anything, you understand, just scrounging]; the old Half Price that was off Camp Bowie was great for spending rainy days, long and narrow and smelling like old newsprint and old wood floors, like some place in the French Quarter in New Orleans, without the humidity. That's something else lost with the cookie cutter modern strip mall; individuality of the space; now every chain store is laid out VERY SIMILAR to every other one. BLECH!
You know, I just spoke to one of those 'my alarm isn't working and I can't function, what if someone comes and takes my stuff, what if something happens' types. People, it's a TOOL, and not a good one. Wonder what she will say if they cut her phone line and come take all her stuff. I know it's inconvenient when your stuff gets taken, but it's just stuff. You can always get more stuff. Probably BETTER stuff, too. Madness, this business of protecting your stuff and the place you keep your stuff so you can make more money and go out and get even more stuff. I don't know, maybe it's me, but if someone wants my stuff that bad... I have VERY LITTLE that's totally irreplaceable; A lot of stuff with SENTIMENTAL VALUE, which would be a major pain to replace, but not much that's irreplaceable. Anyway, if you think that alarm is a force field like they show on the commercials, boy are you mistaken. I love the alarm commercials where the alarm center looks like the starship Enterprise; great special effects and graphics. No, it's not really like that; it's just like your office with a bunch of people staring at computers in little half wall cubicle groups.
All right, back to the serious stuff. The new Wilco... has its odd moments, different, but not that different from Summerteeth [though no mellotrons, ED] and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. More rock roll and straightforward [I'm A Wheel, the John Lennon-esque Hummingbird, even the long Spiders (Kidsmoke) has some great rock and roll sections], but the long droning Less Than You Think is... I don't know. I have no problem with long drone/ambient, but I know some people will. But Tweedy's made a descent living [minus what he just shelled out to Betty Ford] being praised for being 'interesting, fresh, new and groundbreaking' yet being damned for not making 'commercially exploitable [i.e. weird]' records. Basically, it continues exploring sounds like Tweedy has done since Summerteeth. Maybe it has a lot to do with the ongoing connection with producer Jim O'Rourke, with whom he also made the offbeat but very good Loose Fur album. Maybe Jeff has just enough Neil Young FU left in him to keep dodging our expectations. Or as he said in Shot in the Arm: "What you once were isn't what you want to be anymore."
Tuesday, June 22, 2004
Review: Rancho Texicano : ZZ Top
Disc ONE of Rancho Texicano is the ZZ Top collection I have been waiting to materialize for years.FINALLY, a truly definitive gathering of the essential ZZ Top from the Warner Brothers years when Billy Gibbons played good raunchy blues guitar straight up: no synths, no drum machines, no distortion pedals. And while there remain arguments over content [Manic Mechanic over Thunderbird for one], it touches on ZZ Top as they were: a dirty, gritty blues band with a great sense of humor, long before they became cartoon characters with long beards passing out the keys that magically turned boys into chick magnets.
From the chug of Brown Sugar [not in any way, shape or form the Stones song], to the hanging blues of Just Got Back from Baby's, [blues guitar extraordinare that one Eric Clapton could only dream of these days] to the great riffing on Just Got Paid , with its Johhny Winter inspired slide work [and its sped up cousin Heard It on the X] to the Stones meets Johhny Winter of Francene to the twin kill of Waitin' for the Bus/ Jesus Just Left Chicago to the slow Peter Green/ Fleetwood Mac inspired minor key blues [think Love That Burns and Looking for Somebody] Blue Jean Blues to the back beat driven, tongue in cheek of I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide and A Fool for Your Stockings and the funky cool of Isaac Hayes and David Porter's I Thank You to the crowning song of the great Deguello, Cheap Sunglasses, it's 75 minutes of almost totally essential ZZ Top.
Disc two however is a collection of 'after the fall' ZZ Top. The over the Top innuendo of Tube Snake Boogie and Pearl Necklace leading into the mega-platinum MTV success years of Eliminator and Afterburner. Taken on its own, Eliminator remains an album of great songs, though every song here [and from Afterburner, except the ballad Rough Boy] is driven by a four-on-the-floor dance beat: thump-thump-thump-thump and guitars with enough distortion to make one think he is listening to a Ratt record. Not the natural distortion of a guitar and a Marshall stack turned up to ten, but the unnatural big fuzz of 80s hair bandsÂ? which in effect ZZ Top was except their hair was hanging down from their chins. The two tracks from Recycler, Double Back [which did 'double' duty in one of the 'Back' to the Future films too, I think] and My Heads in Mississippi are better, leaning back but not returning to their roots, but the inclusion of the terrible Viva Las Vegas and a 12" mix of Velcro Fly leave me scratching my head. NOTHING else deserved to be on this collection, like Dirty Dog, TV Dinners or Bad Girl from Eliminator? We're not talking about a criminal offense here for NOT including these; not like X leaving the 12" mix of Wild Thing off their Beyond and Back collection. The inclusion of a 12" mix of Legs is sort of interesting [I remember Marty telling me at the time that there were different mixes of Legs on the CD and vinyl version anyway, which I think is true; I know the CD mix of Dire Straits' Brothers In Arms album is longer, too, notably on Why Worry], but the inclusion of the promo only live take of Cheap Sunglasses takes me further back to the days of real radio; Q102 in Dallas played it a lot, back when there was real Album Oriented Radio [AOR]. [Ask your parents if you don't remember.]
Overall? Four and a half for Disc One, a GENEROUS Three and a Half for Disc Two, FOUR Les Pauls!
Disc ONE of Rancho Texicano is the ZZ Top collection I have been waiting to materialize for years.FINALLY, a truly definitive gathering of the essential ZZ Top from the Warner Brothers years when Billy Gibbons played good raunchy blues guitar straight up: no synths, no drum machines, no distortion pedals. And while there remain arguments over content [Manic Mechanic over Thunderbird for one], it touches on ZZ Top as they were: a dirty, gritty blues band with a great sense of humor, long before they became cartoon characters with long beards passing out the keys that magically turned boys into chick magnets.
From the chug of Brown Sugar [not in any way, shape or form the Stones song], to the hanging blues of Just Got Back from Baby's, [blues guitar extraordinare that one Eric Clapton could only dream of these days] to the great riffing on Just Got Paid , with its Johhny Winter inspired slide work [and its sped up cousin Heard It on the X] to the Stones meets Johhny Winter of Francene to the twin kill of Waitin' for the Bus/ Jesus Just Left Chicago to the slow Peter Green/ Fleetwood Mac inspired minor key blues [think Love That Burns and Looking for Somebody] Blue Jean Blues to the back beat driven, tongue in cheek of I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide and A Fool for Your Stockings and the funky cool of Isaac Hayes and David Porter's I Thank You to the crowning song of the great Deguello, Cheap Sunglasses, it's 75 minutes of almost totally essential ZZ Top.
Disc two however is a collection of 'after the fall' ZZ Top. The over the Top innuendo of Tube Snake Boogie and Pearl Necklace leading into the mega-platinum MTV success years of Eliminator and Afterburner. Taken on its own, Eliminator remains an album of great songs, though every song here [and from Afterburner, except the ballad Rough Boy] is driven by a four-on-the-floor dance beat: thump-thump-thump-thump and guitars with enough distortion to make one think he is listening to a Ratt record. Not the natural distortion of a guitar and a Marshall stack turned up to ten, but the unnatural big fuzz of 80s hair bandsÂ? which in effect ZZ Top was except their hair was hanging down from their chins. The two tracks from Recycler, Double Back [which did 'double' duty in one of the 'Back' to the Future films too, I think] and My Heads in Mississippi are better, leaning back but not returning to their roots, but the inclusion of the terrible Viva Las Vegas and a 12" mix of Velcro Fly leave me scratching my head. NOTHING else deserved to be on this collection, like Dirty Dog, TV Dinners or Bad Girl from Eliminator? We're not talking about a criminal offense here for NOT including these; not like X leaving the 12" mix of Wild Thing off their Beyond and Back collection. The inclusion of a 12" mix of Legs is sort of interesting [I remember Marty telling me at the time that there were different mixes of Legs on the CD and vinyl version anyway, which I think is true; I know the CD mix of Dire Straits' Brothers In Arms album is longer, too, notably on Why Worry], but the inclusion of the promo only live take of Cheap Sunglasses takes me further back to the days of real radio; Q102 in Dallas played it a lot, back when there was real Album Oriented Radio [AOR]. [Ask your parents if you don't remember.]
Overall? Four and a half for Disc One, a GENEROUS Three and a Half for Disc Two, FOUR Les Pauls!
Thursday, May 27, 2004
Frontline: No Surprize
Hmmm... well Tampa took over in the third, so I caught a good chunk of Frontline [Ed] and no suprises: corporate radio, corporate greed, MTV and the CD killed the music industry.
Face facts folks, it's true. Have your boy Sherman program your Way Back machine back to 1986, when the music industry was all ready on the ropes [because of home taping, the original 'file sharing'] and looking dead. Then the CD came out and we all snatched up fresh, clean copies of the vinyl we stole from our parents or brothers and that carried the industry for a while... then BIG companies like bought up music labels and Catalogs [Sony buying CBS/Columbia, Universal buying MCA, Time/Warner merger anyone?] and then the labels bought up the little indie labels that were breaking NEW artists, effectively cutting off their feeder system... then corporations can own a thousand radio stations and they program all of them the same... the guy from Rolling Stone put it best: "Suddenly the guy from Philly who was a little crazy and would play a record no one else would is GONE." Finally, the MTV image over substance takes over; can you imagine trying to get an UGLY band like the Velvet Underground or the Turtles [who did great POP songs] or AC/DC with Bon Scott on MTV? It's all flash, no pan anymore. David Crosby said "It doesn't matter that Brittany Spears is about as shallow as a birdbath because she's appealing." I remember reading something about MTV killing the mysticism of rock because you used to only see about ten photographs a year of your favorite band, 'if you wanted to know what they looked like, you had to go to their show.'
So the music industry has run out of ways to sell you repackaged Who, Rolling Stones and Doors [maybe] and because it's all bottom line driven, they're not breaking new artists... stop me if I haven't been telling you the same thing for the last FIVE YEARS. And the backlash has begun because people are tired of paying 15 bucks for a CD with two good songs and a bunch of SHIT [Attention AEROSMITH!!!]. The manager of Outkast said the onus comes back to the industry to make GOOD records again... what an idea. Someone pointed out that ARTISTS are being told to have their end done by this date to get their album on the X Quarterly earnings report... "Mick Jagger is INSPIRED, he doesn't WANT to have his record done by this date..."
They focused on two 'artists', Sarah Hudson a Goldie Hawn/Mark Hudson daughter like Kate and the new 'Supergroup' Velvet Revolver [GNR and Stone Temple Pilots]... one who will be an 'image', one who will be a real musical statement, though I don't know who is buying Velvet Revolver... I think I have moved past that, but I don't know. It seems so 'throwback.' And one is doing very well, one is not. Guesses?
Sure music is a one in a million shot [or about 100 in 37,000 according to the show] but Frontline made it seem like a cold cold business. Man I feel sorry for you guys putting your hearts out there on your sleeve and doing shows and all that. It made me want to sell my guitars, honestly.
Ok, SUM UP: Basically, the Music Industry took you, the consumer for granted and assumed you would eat up whatever flavor of the month they shoved in front of you. And you finally had the balls to shove it back in their face. Good for you.
Hmmm... well Tampa took over in the third, so I caught a good chunk of Frontline [Ed] and no suprises: corporate radio, corporate greed, MTV and the CD killed the music industry.
Face facts folks, it's true. Have your boy Sherman program your Way Back machine back to 1986, when the music industry was all ready on the ropes [because of home taping, the original 'file sharing'] and looking dead. Then the CD came out and we all snatched up fresh, clean copies of the vinyl we stole from our parents or brothers and that carried the industry for a while... then BIG companies like bought up music labels and Catalogs [Sony buying CBS/Columbia, Universal buying MCA, Time/Warner merger anyone?] and then the labels bought up the little indie labels that were breaking NEW artists, effectively cutting off their feeder system... then corporations can own a thousand radio stations and they program all of them the same... the guy from Rolling Stone put it best: "Suddenly the guy from Philly who was a little crazy and would play a record no one else would is GONE." Finally, the MTV image over substance takes over; can you imagine trying to get an UGLY band like the Velvet Underground or the Turtles [who did great POP songs] or AC/DC with Bon Scott on MTV? It's all flash, no pan anymore. David Crosby said "It doesn't matter that Brittany Spears is about as shallow as a birdbath because she's appealing." I remember reading something about MTV killing the mysticism of rock because you used to only see about ten photographs a year of your favorite band, 'if you wanted to know what they looked like, you had to go to their show.'
So the music industry has run out of ways to sell you repackaged Who, Rolling Stones and Doors [maybe] and because it's all bottom line driven, they're not breaking new artists... stop me if I haven't been telling you the same thing for the last FIVE YEARS. And the backlash has begun because people are tired of paying 15 bucks for a CD with two good songs and a bunch of SHIT [Attention AEROSMITH!!!]. The manager of Outkast said the onus comes back to the industry to make GOOD records again... what an idea. Someone pointed out that ARTISTS are being told to have their end done by this date to get their album on the X Quarterly earnings report... "Mick Jagger is INSPIRED, he doesn't WANT to have his record done by this date..."
They focused on two 'artists', Sarah Hudson a Goldie Hawn/Mark Hudson daughter like Kate and the new 'Supergroup' Velvet Revolver [GNR and Stone Temple Pilots]... one who will be an 'image', one who will be a real musical statement, though I don't know who is buying Velvet Revolver... I think I have moved past that, but I don't know. It seems so 'throwback.' And one is doing very well, one is not. Guesses?
Sure music is a one in a million shot [or about 100 in 37,000 according to the show] but Frontline made it seem like a cold cold business. Man I feel sorry for you guys putting your hearts out there on your sleeve and doing shows and all that. It made me want to sell my guitars, honestly.
Ok, SUM UP: Basically, the Music Industry took you, the consumer for granted and assumed you would eat up whatever flavor of the month they shoved in front of you. And you finally had the balls to shove it back in their face. Good for you.
Wednesday, May 19, 2004
Rock and Roll Is Dead As Kenndy in Dallas
97.1 KEGL [most recently just 'The Eagle', but formerly Eagle 97, formerly Z-97... yes, that goes WAAAYYY back... I remember they had a 'Beatles A-Y' weekend (no 'Z', get it?) the weekend before the change, like 1983/84?] is now 'Sunny 97.' Great, just what the metroplex needs, another Neil Diamond- Simon and Garfunkel - ABBA- John Denver pushing station.
Now I haven't listened to the Eagle for more than two songs in a long time, but where are the Alice In Chains - Tool - Metallica - Korn crowd going to turn to now for their music? The Eagle went to that when the satelite radio metal channel Z-Rock went under, now there's no place for the disinfranchised white youth to go but the 'Urban' channel, or totally underground, like the metal [I mean real metal: Metallica, Slayer, Metal Church] of the early 80s. There's nothing for them left on the air in Dallas. There's the Bone 93.3, heavy on 80s hair metal [Def Leppard, Poison, Motley Crue, Dio]; the Edge 102.1 for the 'Nirvana and Post Nirvana' crowd; boring old ZPS at 92.5, heavy on Eric Clapton, Led Zep and Stevie Ray; Molidie Goldie Oldies on KLUV, KISS' Top 40, some heavy Urban Contemparay, oldie R&B, Adult Alternative [no screaming guitars]... country, but that's even splnterred to 'New Country', 'Classic Country', 'Texas Country' and 'Americana.' There's no place now for 'Grunge and Post Grunge Hard Rock.'
I guess it's inevitable... just like TV and records, the audiences keep splintering into smaller and smaller Niches. I got DIGITAL CBALE [Comcast's idea, not mine] with the 57 music channels [INCLUDING Latin Holiday Music, how's that for a niche?] with:
Rock
Classic Rock
Soft Rock
Power Rock
Alternative
Progressive Adult Alternative
70s
80s
New Wave
Metal
I mean... that's SPINTERED!
I don't know, maybe it's just me mourning the loss of Radio. I know I spent COUNTLESS hours listening to the radio, ever since I have been aware of hearing as a sense. Just thousands of hours between age 6 and 19, when I stared getting more into records and had a decent selection... But back then, radio was what I had, and I heard a lot of things, long before Corporations pigeonholed us into 'Rock/Classic Rock/Metal/ Soft Rock/...' You could hear Fleetwood Mac Rumours into Chicago into Cheap Trick into ELO into David Bowie into a little Earth Wind and Fire... I was an AM/Top 40 junkie before we hit Texas and I was turned on to FM, but even in the late 70s/early 80s, it wasn't all about "We only play THIS. We don't play THAT." Sometimes I miss that. It's refelcted in my tapes that go from Metallica to U2 to Missing Persons to CCR...
Bo Roberts reminded me this morning that this was about money. The demographic for the Eagle [18-24] doesn't have any and 'they don't get car dealer ads, they don't get beer ads, they get the Gas Pipe...' I know. I KNOW. But still, anything that keeps promoting the splintering of US vs THEM makes me a little warier.
97.1 KEGL [most recently just 'The Eagle', but formerly Eagle 97, formerly Z-97... yes, that goes WAAAYYY back... I remember they had a 'Beatles A-Y' weekend (no 'Z', get it?) the weekend before the change, like 1983/84?] is now 'Sunny 97.' Great, just what the metroplex needs, another Neil Diamond- Simon and Garfunkel - ABBA- John Denver pushing station.
Now I haven't listened to the Eagle for more than two songs in a long time, but where are the Alice In Chains - Tool - Metallica - Korn crowd going to turn to now for their music? The Eagle went to that when the satelite radio metal channel Z-Rock went under, now there's no place for the disinfranchised white youth to go but the 'Urban' channel, or totally underground, like the metal [I mean real metal: Metallica, Slayer, Metal Church] of the early 80s. There's nothing for them left on the air in Dallas. There's the Bone 93.3, heavy on 80s hair metal [Def Leppard, Poison, Motley Crue, Dio]; the Edge 102.1 for the 'Nirvana and Post Nirvana' crowd; boring old ZPS at 92.5, heavy on Eric Clapton, Led Zep and Stevie Ray; Molidie Goldie Oldies on KLUV, KISS' Top 40, some heavy Urban Contemparay, oldie R&B, Adult Alternative [no screaming guitars]... country, but that's even splnterred to 'New Country', 'Classic Country', 'Texas Country' and 'Americana.' There's no place now for 'Grunge and Post Grunge Hard Rock.'
I guess it's inevitable... just like TV and records, the audiences keep splintering into smaller and smaller Niches. I got DIGITAL CBALE [Comcast's idea, not mine] with the 57 music channels [INCLUDING Latin Holiday Music, how's that for a niche?] with:
Rock
Classic Rock
Soft Rock
Power Rock
Alternative
Progressive Adult Alternative
70s
80s
New Wave
Metal
I mean... that's SPINTERED!
I don't know, maybe it's just me mourning the loss of Radio. I know I spent COUNTLESS hours listening to the radio, ever since I have been aware of hearing as a sense. Just thousands of hours between age 6 and 19, when I stared getting more into records and had a decent selection... But back then, radio was what I had, and I heard a lot of things, long before Corporations pigeonholed us into 'Rock/Classic Rock/Metal/ Soft Rock/...' You could hear Fleetwood Mac Rumours into Chicago into Cheap Trick into ELO into David Bowie into a little Earth Wind and Fire... I was an AM/Top 40 junkie before we hit Texas and I was turned on to FM, but even in the late 70s/early 80s, it wasn't all about "We only play THIS. We don't play THAT." Sometimes I miss that. It's refelcted in my tapes that go from Metallica to U2 to Missing Persons to CCR...
Bo Roberts reminded me this morning that this was about money. The demographic for the Eagle [18-24] doesn't have any and 'they don't get car dealer ads, they don't get beer ads, they get the Gas Pipe...' I know. I KNOW. But still, anything that keeps promoting the splintering of US vs THEM makes me a little warier.
Saturday, May 08, 2004
Lots of stuff to cover:
1. NHL Playoffs
Saw Tampa Bay come back and wear Philly down today. Nice game. Looking forward to thye hard working, fast San Jose Calgary series. Yes, I said Toronto would win the Cup. Would like Tampa and whoever comes out of the west. Since this may be that last hockey of calander 2004, better enjoy it.
2. Michael Moore Is a Big Fat Liberal Pig
So Disney no longer wants to distribute his film. SO WHAT? Micheal Moore is a man with an agenda [What, Bowling for Columbine wasn't anti-gun? Roger and Me wasn't an attack on big business?] and companies shy away from the controversial ALL THE TIME. This movie is going to be controversial in a big way [" The film, Fahrenheit 911 is critical of President Bush's actions before and after Sept. 11 and describes Bush's relationships with powerful Saudi families, including that of Osama bin Laden. "] and Miramax/Disney wants no part of it. Let Micheal Moore contact all his Hollywood friends and get distribution through another comapny. Someone out there wants to be the next Washington Post and say "The President knew what when and where." Hell I am SURE Molly Ivans with throw in a couple mil on an independat distribution to see 'Dubba-U" kicked around...
My co-worker Jim and I were discussing and he said this, which I think sums it up."Funny how they are calling it censorship. As we all know, a private company making a decision about what it wants to do is nobody else's business. [my italics] For them to use the censorship word or the phrase 'corporate censorship,' is ludicrous. Disney/Miramax would LOVE to distribute a Bush bashing flick. The Weinsteins (Miramax) are so tight with Barbara Streisand and her beliefs that they have her on speed dial. Miramax, (the company who loves supporting indie films and filmmakers.) But [they] backed out of working with Mel and his indie Jesus flick. Disney has no choice but NOT to distribute the Moore flick. Jeb Bush would revoke those Orlando tax breaks so fast it would make your head spin. Disney doesn't need any more problems."
3. Van Hagar and Pixies Touring, Whatever Happened to Speed Burning Guitarists?
Sammy's back with Eddie, Alex and Mike. YAWN. Pixies are touring at $ 50 a seat. I hope they are calling this a "Filthy Luchre" tour as well. Joe Satriani has a new album out, which I know because I saw a commercial on TV. Is anyone still listening to that heartless but techinically great [if you understand music theory] speed shredding guitar anymore? Jeez, give me Al Dimeola or Larry Carlton or Father Frank [Zappa] any day.
4. When the Rain Comes, They Run and Hide Their Heads
Was doing my spring cleaning today when I heard the thunder. Had to go roll up the windows, stood out in a cold spring rain. Fell good on a body hot from scrubbing floors [Yes, on my hands and knees, it's the way my Mom taught me.] Watched people ducking for cover like they were walking or driving through acid. They missed their chance to get soaked down. I can relish the memory in August when it's 100 for the 12th day in a row.
5. Jasper Stone
I went out to Azle last weekend to see Edaward-O and tracked the new record with Ed [and got my copy]. Ed is right, it rocks like fuck. It makes me sad Henry isn't here for me to tell him that this is the best band record yet.
By the way, they are playing Dada Friday night 5/14 and I am putting Ed up here next weekend, so let's get a Saturday Hootenany going in my living room, eh?
6. Stuff THIS in your peace pipe, J Michael Leone
I have decided under the Rock and Roll Discussion Group debate rules of November 2003 [see archive] that LED ZEPPELIN was the last rock and roll band. Proof: How the West Was Won with the Whole Lotta Love complete with Elvis [et al] medley. Eveything after Zep was a derivative of Zep or something else.
7. It's JUST a TV SHOW!!!!
Goodbye friends... let's see if I feel the same when ER goes... probably.
1. NHL Playoffs
Saw Tampa Bay come back and wear Philly down today. Nice game. Looking forward to thye hard working, fast San Jose Calgary series. Yes, I said Toronto would win the Cup. Would like Tampa and whoever comes out of the west. Since this may be that last hockey of calander 2004, better enjoy it.
2. Michael Moore Is a Big Fat Liberal Pig
So Disney no longer wants to distribute his film. SO WHAT? Micheal Moore is a man with an agenda [What, Bowling for Columbine wasn't anti-gun? Roger and Me wasn't an attack on big business?] and companies shy away from the controversial ALL THE TIME. This movie is going to be controversial in a big way [" The film, Fahrenheit 911 is critical of President Bush's actions before and after Sept. 11 and describes Bush's relationships with powerful Saudi families, including that of Osama bin Laden. "] and Miramax/Disney wants no part of it. Let Micheal Moore contact all his Hollywood friends and get distribution through another comapny. Someone out there wants to be the next Washington Post and say "The President knew what when and where." Hell I am SURE Molly Ivans with throw in a couple mil on an independat distribution to see 'Dubba-U" kicked around...
My co-worker Jim and I were discussing and he said this, which I think sums it up."Funny how they are calling it censorship. As we all know, a private company making a decision about what it wants to do is nobody else's business. [my italics] For them to use the censorship word or the phrase 'corporate censorship,' is ludicrous. Disney/Miramax would LOVE to distribute a Bush bashing flick. The Weinsteins (Miramax) are so tight with Barbara Streisand and her beliefs that they have her on speed dial. Miramax, (the company who loves supporting indie films and filmmakers.) But [they] backed out of working with Mel and his indie Jesus flick. Disney has no choice but NOT to distribute the Moore flick. Jeb Bush would revoke those Orlando tax breaks so fast it would make your head spin. Disney doesn't need any more problems."
3. Van Hagar and Pixies Touring, Whatever Happened to Speed Burning Guitarists?
Sammy's back with Eddie, Alex and Mike. YAWN. Pixies are touring at $ 50 a seat. I hope they are calling this a "Filthy Luchre" tour as well. Joe Satriani has a new album out, which I know because I saw a commercial on TV. Is anyone still listening to that heartless but techinically great [if you understand music theory] speed shredding guitar anymore? Jeez, give me Al Dimeola or Larry Carlton or Father Frank [Zappa] any day.
4. When the Rain Comes, They Run and Hide Their Heads
Was doing my spring cleaning today when I heard the thunder. Had to go roll up the windows, stood out in a cold spring rain. Fell good on a body hot from scrubbing floors [Yes, on my hands and knees, it's the way my Mom taught me.] Watched people ducking for cover like they were walking or driving through acid. They missed their chance to get soaked down. I can relish the memory in August when it's 100 for the 12th day in a row.
5. Jasper Stone
I went out to Azle last weekend to see Edaward-O and tracked the new record with Ed [and got my copy]. Ed is right, it rocks like fuck. It makes me sad Henry isn't here for me to tell him that this is the best band record yet.
By the way, they are playing Dada Friday night 5/14 and I am putting Ed up here next weekend, so let's get a Saturday Hootenany going in my living room, eh?
6. Stuff THIS in your peace pipe, J Michael Leone
I have decided under the Rock and Roll Discussion Group debate rules of November 2003 [see archive] that LED ZEPPELIN was the last rock and roll band. Proof: How the West Was Won with the Whole Lotta Love complete with Elvis [et al] medley. Eveything after Zep was a derivative of Zep or something else.
7. It's JUST a TV SHOW!!!!
Goodbye friends... let's see if I feel the same when ER goes... probably.
Sunday, May 02, 2004
Looking Back Down a Hard Row to Hoe
Was looking over the archives and found my October NHL predictions... let's see how I did:
HITS!
DALLAS: curious to see how well Marty Turco plays for the first three weeks. If he is bad, this team can sink.
I am going to claim this... the Stars went EXCATLY as Marty Turco carried them... when he lost his rythym going into the playoffs, they were indeed sunk.
VANCOUVER: With Todd Bertuzzi and Marcus Nasland, this teeam continues to be dangerous. If one of the Sedin twins can step up and produce some points, they could go far.
partial credit... one of the Sedins did step up and they were awesome in the regular season... right up until TB stuck his glove into a big mess... cannot recover from a loss like that, even though he was having a wretched year [or one of his Islander years...]
PRETENDERS: CHICAGO [home of the BLACKHAWKS; remmeber they were an original 6 team?] is a major market, so why does their management continue to operate like a small market team.
Trend continued trading away Alexei Zhamnov and Steve Sullivan... good young core there, but they will not be contenders for another five years...
If NASHVILLE can stay healthy, they also could sneak in at a 7 or 8.
And they scared the big bad Red Wings, outworking them all series long and winning the franchises first two playoff home games ever.
TAMPA BAY, not WASHINGTON will win the South-Least in a runaway. John Grahame will allow Nick Khabibulin to sit once in a while, like when the Montreal comes to town, and Vincent Lecavilier and Brad Richards will continue to spark plug a good offense.
... nuff said
PRETENDERS: Washington, like Philly, will continue to search for production from overpaid aging stars liek Jagr and Bondra. They will miss the playoff entirely when Carolina sinks them with two weeks left in the season. Success for the PITTSBURGH PENGUINS will be leading the league in power play percentage with Mario Lemieux, and 20 wins. Other than that there is litle hope for my Pens.
Well I missed that Washington could even be IN the playoff race with two weeks left in the season, but oh well. The Pens lost Mario early but put up great power play numbers... not sure they got 20 wins but played competitve late in the year...
BIG MISSES!
COLORADO will win the West. They're fast, they're super skilled and they can outscore anybody like nobody's business.
Well it looks like San Jose has the work ethic to down the 'Lanche here, though 'They're not dead yet...
DETROIT: Can this "Over the Hill Gang" suck it up for one more run at the Cup? Considering Chris Chelios was done LAST YEAR, I'd say... maybe. Hull, Shannahan still dangerous, Zetterberg and Datsuk seem to be real deal, Hasek will be good, but Detroit will go as far as Steve Yzerman carries them. If the captain goes down, [or anyone, really] they do NOT have the depth to recover.
partial credit... Hasek was a miss and they were able to overcome injuries all year long, but they seem to be able to be outworked in the playoffs... Nashville did it to them for that series and now Calgary is capable...
NEW JERSEY will win the East again. They now have the best goaltender in the game and they still have a defensive system in place and three lines that can score. They have a couple guys who can be high scorers [Elias, Friesen and Langenbrunner, who I am predicting will emerge to take Joe Nieuwendyk's place, and John Madden, who remains a dangerous two way player] but do not have a dominant line since the Jason Arnott - Peter Sykora - Patrick Elais line was broken up. But scoring by committee works for them. I think Marty Brodeur remains the X factor who gets the job done over Ottawa.
partial credit: Elias picked up game, Scott Gomex became their set up guy after Langenbrunner went down and the EGG [Elias, Gomez, Gionta] line became a great line... still, no one else picked it up behind them and the Devils sank like a rock in the first rouond...
OTTAWA remains the # 2 pick in the East. They have great scoring and great goaltending, I just think Martin Brodeur continues to dominate the game and make runs at all of Patrick Roy's records. The full time addition of Jason Spezza will add to a ferocious offensive attack and many are predicting that this is year Wade Redden come into his own of the blue line. Havlat, Alfredsson, Hossa still the best right side in hockey. Still, I will take the Devils. They just KNOW how to shut people down!
partial credit: Took Toronto to seven games in a very physical playoff series, but early bad play cost them a high seeding...
BOSTON continues to be a threat because of Joe Thornton, Glenn Murray, Sergei Samsonaov [after missing much of last year after wrist sugury] and Mike Knuble, but their D has questions, is Felix Potvin an upgrade, and will they have a second line? But the B's can make teams miserable with a big, if inexperianced defensive group. Boston is also a major market team with poor management [ala Chicago] problems.
partial credit: Rookie goalie stole the show there, shored up D and spent some money getting Gonchar and Nylander at the deadline [creating a second line]... untimately killed by a hard working speedy small team...
The NEW YORK Hockey RANGERS will finally earn their slalries and make the playoffs this year. And it will be a rejuvenated commitment to defense by Brian Leetch,Tom Poti and Greg de Vries that will make it happen. They WILL decide to sacrifice points for defensive coverage and the whole team will follow suit, led by Bobby Holik and Mark Messier. They will have a top 20 scorer in Alexi Kovalev. Questions remain of the left side though and Mike Dunham will be worn out by the time the playoffs roll around. Bet on them to lose in the first round.
Well I was RIGHT about Dunham...
PRETENDERS: TORONTO, good offense, no defense, Eddie the Eagle back to 2001-02 numbers and going crazy by year's end. Niewendyk back with Gary Roberts, though, give offsensive depth. Still, blue line a joke.
Eddie had a great year and their blue line was decent [shored up late adding Leetch]...
FINALS: COLORADO over NEW JERSEY in 6.
Well, nobody's perfekt...
Was looking over the archives and found my October NHL predictions... let's see how I did:
HITS!
DALLAS: curious to see how well Marty Turco plays for the first three weeks. If he is bad, this team can sink.
I am going to claim this... the Stars went EXCATLY as Marty Turco carried them... when he lost his rythym going into the playoffs, they were indeed sunk.
VANCOUVER: With Todd Bertuzzi and Marcus Nasland, this teeam continues to be dangerous. If one of the Sedin twins can step up and produce some points, they could go far.
partial credit... one of the Sedins did step up and they were awesome in the regular season... right up until TB stuck his glove into a big mess... cannot recover from a loss like that, even though he was having a wretched year [or one of his Islander years...]
PRETENDERS: CHICAGO [home of the BLACKHAWKS; remmeber they were an original 6 team?] is a major market, so why does their management continue to operate like a small market team.
Trend continued trading away Alexei Zhamnov and Steve Sullivan... good young core there, but they will not be contenders for another five years...
If NASHVILLE can stay healthy, they also could sneak in at a 7 or 8.
And they scared the big bad Red Wings, outworking them all series long and winning the franchises first two playoff home games ever.
TAMPA BAY, not WASHINGTON will win the South-Least in a runaway. John Grahame will allow Nick Khabibulin to sit once in a while, like when the Montreal comes to town, and Vincent Lecavilier and Brad Richards will continue to spark plug a good offense.
... nuff said
PRETENDERS: Washington, like Philly, will continue to search for production from overpaid aging stars liek Jagr and Bondra. They will miss the playoff entirely when Carolina sinks them with two weeks left in the season. Success for the PITTSBURGH PENGUINS will be leading the league in power play percentage with Mario Lemieux, and 20 wins. Other than that there is litle hope for my Pens.
Well I missed that Washington could even be IN the playoff race with two weeks left in the season, but oh well. The Pens lost Mario early but put up great power play numbers... not sure they got 20 wins but played competitve late in the year...
BIG MISSES!
COLORADO will win the West. They're fast, they're super skilled and they can outscore anybody like nobody's business.
Well it looks like San Jose has the work ethic to down the 'Lanche here, though 'They're not dead yet...
DETROIT: Can this "Over the Hill Gang" suck it up for one more run at the Cup? Considering Chris Chelios was done LAST YEAR, I'd say... maybe. Hull, Shannahan still dangerous, Zetterberg and Datsuk seem to be real deal, Hasek will be good, but Detroit will go as far as Steve Yzerman carries them. If the captain goes down, [or anyone, really] they do NOT have the depth to recover.
partial credit... Hasek was a miss and they were able to overcome injuries all year long, but they seem to be able to be outworked in the playoffs... Nashville did it to them for that series and now Calgary is capable...
NEW JERSEY will win the East again. They now have the best goaltender in the game and they still have a defensive system in place and three lines that can score. They have a couple guys who can be high scorers [Elias, Friesen and Langenbrunner, who I am predicting will emerge to take Joe Nieuwendyk's place, and John Madden, who remains a dangerous two way player] but do not have a dominant line since the Jason Arnott - Peter Sykora - Patrick Elais line was broken up. But scoring by committee works for them. I think Marty Brodeur remains the X factor who gets the job done over Ottawa.
partial credit: Elias picked up game, Scott Gomex became their set up guy after Langenbrunner went down and the EGG [Elias, Gomez, Gionta] line became a great line... still, no one else picked it up behind them and the Devils sank like a rock in the first rouond...
OTTAWA remains the # 2 pick in the East. They have great scoring and great goaltending, I just think Martin Brodeur continues to dominate the game and make runs at all of Patrick Roy's records. The full time addition of Jason Spezza will add to a ferocious offensive attack and many are predicting that this is year Wade Redden come into his own of the blue line. Havlat, Alfredsson, Hossa still the best right side in hockey. Still, I will take the Devils. They just KNOW how to shut people down!
partial credit: Took Toronto to seven games in a very physical playoff series, but early bad play cost them a high seeding...
BOSTON continues to be a threat because of Joe Thornton, Glenn Murray, Sergei Samsonaov [after missing much of last year after wrist sugury] and Mike Knuble, but their D has questions, is Felix Potvin an upgrade, and will they have a second line? But the B's can make teams miserable with a big, if inexperianced defensive group. Boston is also a major market team with poor management [ala Chicago] problems.
partial credit: Rookie goalie stole the show there, shored up D and spent some money getting Gonchar and Nylander at the deadline [creating a second line]... untimately killed by a hard working speedy small team...
The NEW YORK Hockey RANGERS will finally earn their slalries and make the playoffs this year. And it will be a rejuvenated commitment to defense by Brian Leetch,Tom Poti and Greg de Vries that will make it happen. They WILL decide to sacrifice points for defensive coverage and the whole team will follow suit, led by Bobby Holik and Mark Messier. They will have a top 20 scorer in Alexi Kovalev. Questions remain of the left side though and Mike Dunham will be worn out by the time the playoffs roll around. Bet on them to lose in the first round.
Well I was RIGHT about Dunham...
PRETENDERS: TORONTO, good offense, no defense, Eddie the Eagle back to 2001-02 numbers and going crazy by year's end. Niewendyk back with Gary Roberts, though, give offsensive depth. Still, blue line a joke.
Eddie had a great year and their blue line was decent [shored up late adding Leetch]...
FINALS: COLORADO over NEW JERSEY in 6.
Well, nobody's perfekt...