I think it's time for The Rock Hall to take a page from Cooperstown and change it's induction policy. Baseball's Hall of Fame inducts members based on "merit" and not an annual quota system. A couple years ago, they didn't induct anyone into Cooperstown. One can still argue who merits induction, but there are very few undeserving players enshrined. The Rock Hall has come to a point in history where almost all the no-brainers (except The Zombies) are already inducted and there just aren't five acts every year who merit induction. That being said, I can list five acts who should be in and weren't nominated this year; The Zombies, Cheap Trick, Electric Light Orchestra, Duran Duran and Yes. Anyhow, I voted this morning in the fan ballot and only voted for two groups, The Smiths and Green Day.
In the 80's, The Smiths weren't in my wheelhouse. I was mainly listening to Sabbath, Priest and Maiden and couldn't wrap my head around "This Charming Man". Even today, Morrissey is a walking, talking nonsense machine. However, over the years I have grown to like much of The Smiths' catalog and recognized their vast influence on alternative music. I still don't like "This Charming Man". In fact, I'm probably in a small minority who prefer Moz's solo albums to The Smiths. Bottom line, they are way overdue for induction.
At the risk of losing my hipster cred, I like Green Day. It's true. Three of my favorite albums are Dookie, Nimrod and American Idiot. My only gripe with them is they seem to have been an influence on horrible bands, such as Blink-182. However, based on their own merit, I feel they deserve to be inducted.
After some consideration, I decided to pass on Sting and Stevie Ray Vaughan. While I love The Police and secretly wish I were more like Sting, I don't feel his solo material merits induction. I give him some credit for having the balls to release a lute album, but that's not a ticket to The Rock Hall. And he wrote "Soul Cake". Sorry Mike. As for SRV, that was a tough call. Back in the day, I was all about Stevie and even got into the Blues because of him. I still love "Pride and Joy" and "Cold Shot", but overall his music hasn't aged well for me. He's an interesting nominee but I don't feel he merits induction.
I can lump the rest of the nominees into two groups; those I hate and those I wonder why they were even nominated. The latter group includes The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Chic, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, The Marvelettes, N.W.A., The Spinners, War and Bill Withers. Rounding out the nominees with those I hate are Kraftwerk, Nine Inch Nails and Lou Reed. In fairness, I strong case could be made for all three of them, but not by me.
In the future, it's hard for me to conceive of five acts that are locks for The Rock Hall, period, let alone five every year. Other than Pearl Jam, Radiohead, The White Stripes and Foo Fighters I'm stumped. Consider Cooperstown. Peace.
A Living Will For My Music Collection
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Kasabian: 48:13
Since today marks the U.S. release of Kasabian's new album, 48:13, I thought I'd post about my second favorite band of the 2000's. I've been a fan for a decade, so when I got on social media I began following them. I was confused by all the hype for the release of 48:13 back in June, because I could find nothing about it's release in the States. I finally broke down in August and ordered it as an import. Perhaps it's late release in America was a record label decision to coincide with their short tour of the States, but I took it as an indictment on the U.S.
Let me preface what I'm about to say by pointing out I'm not usually a fan of things that are popular with the masses. However, how is it that Kasabian can headline Glastonbury 2014 and sellout stadiums all over the U.K. and Europe, but in the States...crickets. Kasabian were just in America and played a handful of shows at clubs like The Metro in Chicago. I just don't get it. Luckily for them, they seem to be successful enough in the rest of the world that they apparently don't need to be big in America. Selfishly, I wish they were on a 50 date U.S. tour and were playing The Quicken Loans Arena with their full show.
Before I get to 48:13, let me backtrack a bit. My introduction to Kasabian was the use of their song "Clubfoot" in a commercial for a TV show. I don't remember the show, but I had to check out the band behind that song. At the time, my wife had a job interview in Georgetown and I tagged along. While I was killing time during her interview I happened across the Kasabian album at Barnes and Noble and picked it up. That CD is still our "go to" when we're in the car together or want to just listen to music at home. It is a perfect combination of rock and British club music. There is not one bad song and there are several standout tracks, like, "Clubfoot", "I.D.", "L.S.F. (Lost Souls Forever)", "Reason Is Treason" and "Test Transmission". If my kids decide to check out my Kasabian collection I recommend they start with that album.
48:13 is another strong set from the band that builds on their previous albums. Kasabian are one of those bands with a charismatic lead singer, Tom Meighan, who doesn't write the lyrics. Those duties fall to multi-instrumentalist and producer Sergio Pizzorno. At this writing, the tracks that stand out to me are "Glass" and "Stevie". "Glass" is a song about how the media tries to control us. We are urged to "turn off everything" and warned that "we are taught to watch the puppets, not the hands controlling". There's also a good class warfare rap by guest vocalist Suli Breaks. "Stevie" is about gun violence. The title character is a kid with problems who's off his med and get his hands on a gun. He's urged to resist violence and live to fight another day. Part of Kasabian's appeal is sexual energy. It's not particularly what draws me to their music, but I enjoy in the song "Bumblebee" when they sing about being in ecstasy and imploring "all you pretty things get on board this mothership". If you aren't familiar with Kasabian and you like high energy rock music with a groove check them out. Peace.
Let me preface what I'm about to say by pointing out I'm not usually a fan of things that are popular with the masses. However, how is it that Kasabian can headline Glastonbury 2014 and sellout stadiums all over the U.K. and Europe, but in the States...crickets. Kasabian were just in America and played a handful of shows at clubs like The Metro in Chicago. I just don't get it. Luckily for them, they seem to be successful enough in the rest of the world that they apparently don't need to be big in America. Selfishly, I wish they were on a 50 date U.S. tour and were playing The Quicken Loans Arena with their full show.
Before I get to 48:13, let me backtrack a bit. My introduction to Kasabian was the use of their song "Clubfoot" in a commercial for a TV show. I don't remember the show, but I had to check out the band behind that song. At the time, my wife had a job interview in Georgetown and I tagged along. While I was killing time during her interview I happened across the Kasabian album at Barnes and Noble and picked it up. That CD is still our "go to" when we're in the car together or want to just listen to music at home. It is a perfect combination of rock and British club music. There is not one bad song and there are several standout tracks, like, "Clubfoot", "I.D.", "L.S.F. (Lost Souls Forever)", "Reason Is Treason" and "Test Transmission". If my kids decide to check out my Kasabian collection I recommend they start with that album.
48:13 is another strong set from the band that builds on their previous albums. Kasabian are one of those bands with a charismatic lead singer, Tom Meighan, who doesn't write the lyrics. Those duties fall to multi-instrumentalist and producer Sergio Pizzorno. At this writing, the tracks that stand out to me are "Glass" and "Stevie". "Glass" is a song about how the media tries to control us. We are urged to "turn off everything" and warned that "we are taught to watch the puppets, not the hands controlling". There's also a good class warfare rap by guest vocalist Suli Breaks. "Stevie" is about gun violence. The title character is a kid with problems who's off his med and get his hands on a gun. He's urged to resist violence and live to fight another day. Part of Kasabian's appeal is sexual energy. It's not particularly what draws me to their music, but I enjoy in the song "Bumblebee" when they sing about being in ecstasy and imploring "all you pretty things get on board this mothership". If you aren't familiar with Kasabian and you like high energy rock music with a groove check them out. Peace.
Sunday, September 28, 2014
10 Most Influential Albums
Last week, Lucky Records Dave posted his personal 10 most influential albums, so naturally I had to reciprocate. I have posted about some of these albums in the past, so I beg your indulgence. Just a reminder, these are my personal top 10 influential albums, not necessarily my favorites or the albums I perceive to be the best. Here goes...
1) Kind of Blue- Miles Davis: This is cliche, but true. I attempted Bitch's Brew first and wasn't ready. I almost wrote Miles off at that point, but I took a shot on Kind of Blue and it blew my mind. After devouring all the Coltrane and Second Quintet releases, I returned to Bitch's Brew and was finally prepared.
2) Night at the Opera- Queen: In junior high we were divided into two camps; Team Bohemian Rhapsody or Team Dream On. I was squarely in the Bohemian Rhapsody camp. That single opened my mind to the possibilities of music. As a kid it seemed like such an epic song. It wasn't verse, chorus, repeat. There were movements. There was the crazy Galileo part that I didn't even understand, but it amazed me nonetheless.
3) Greatest Hits- Elton John: I don't know if greatest hits albums count, but I played the hell outta this record. I was a rural white kid who couldn't make out most of the lyrics, but I treasured these songs. Even though it's preposterous to imagine Elton John (or even Bernie Taupin) as the protagonist of "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting", I smile every time I hear that opening riff. Maybe a couple of the sounds Elton John really likes are indeed switchblades and motorbikes. Part of me likes to think it's true.
4) Reality...What A Concept- Robin Williams: I was a huge Mork and Mindy fan, so when Reality...What A Concept came out I was all over it. I was young and didn't get the vibrator references, but this album really helped me through an awkward adolescence. I was timid, lacking in confidence and hadn't formed much of a personality when this album came out. I was amazed at how fast Robin Williams' mind worked and how much people loved him because he was funny. I realized humor was a viable alternative to being a jock or popular or good looking. His comedy was a life line. R.I.P.
5) Permanent Waves-Rush: I was already aware of songs like "Working Man", "Fly By Night" and "Closer To The Heart", but Permanent Waves completely sucked me into Rush fandom. I will love Rush till the day I die.
6) In The Aeroplane Over The Sea- Neutral Milk Hotel: My most read post, by a wide margin, is the one I did for this album. Go ahead and read it again:)
7) Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots- The Flaming Lips: This album did two things in my life. It got me through my divorce from my first wife and it got me back into rock music at a time I'd pretty much given up on it. In the near future I'm going to post on Wayne Coyne again, but in many ways he has changed my life. This is by no means my favorite Flaming Lips album, but it means the most to me personally. Hopefully that makes sense.
8) Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot-Sparklehorse: My favorite album and the one that speaks to me on a spiritual level. If you are interested read my Sparklehorse post, as well as my Cracker post which ended up being mainly about Sparklehorse.
9) Reckoning- R.E.M.: This is my favorite R.E.M. album. When it came out, I was in heavy metal. Still, something about their combination of rock, country and jangle spoke to me. In the late 80's, I had no use for G 'n' R or Metallica or hair metal anymore and I returned to Reckoning. Since then I've listened almost exclusively to alternative and indie rock.
10) Never Mind The Bollocks- Sex Pistols: I grew up in rural mid-Michigan and never heard this album until my senior year of high school (1983). My friend Kyle's brother let a few of us hang out in his basement one night. It was my first time drinking. We sat around talking about girls and listening to Kyle's brothers records. The two records that blew my mind were Joe's Garage and Never Mind The Bollocks. It woke me up to the fact that there was more music out there than what was played on AOR radio stations. No offense Journey.
Since I didn't post anything this summer, I will be playing catch up for awhile. I will be getting around to Courtney Barnett, Parquet Courts, Popstrangers, Kasabian and many more. Peace.
1) Kind of Blue- Miles Davis: This is cliche, but true. I attempted Bitch's Brew first and wasn't ready. I almost wrote Miles off at that point, but I took a shot on Kind of Blue and it blew my mind. After devouring all the Coltrane and Second Quintet releases, I returned to Bitch's Brew and was finally prepared.
2) Night at the Opera- Queen: In junior high we were divided into two camps; Team Bohemian Rhapsody or Team Dream On. I was squarely in the Bohemian Rhapsody camp. That single opened my mind to the possibilities of music. As a kid it seemed like such an epic song. It wasn't verse, chorus, repeat. There were movements. There was the crazy Galileo part that I didn't even understand, but it amazed me nonetheless.
3) Greatest Hits- Elton John: I don't know if greatest hits albums count, but I played the hell outta this record. I was a rural white kid who couldn't make out most of the lyrics, but I treasured these songs. Even though it's preposterous to imagine Elton John (or even Bernie Taupin) as the protagonist of "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting", I smile every time I hear that opening riff. Maybe a couple of the sounds Elton John really likes are indeed switchblades and motorbikes. Part of me likes to think it's true.
4) Reality...What A Concept- Robin Williams: I was a huge Mork and Mindy fan, so when Reality...What A Concept came out I was all over it. I was young and didn't get the vibrator references, but this album really helped me through an awkward adolescence. I was timid, lacking in confidence and hadn't formed much of a personality when this album came out. I was amazed at how fast Robin Williams' mind worked and how much people loved him because he was funny. I realized humor was a viable alternative to being a jock or popular or good looking. His comedy was a life line. R.I.P.
5) Permanent Waves-Rush: I was already aware of songs like "Working Man", "Fly By Night" and "Closer To The Heart", but Permanent Waves completely sucked me into Rush fandom. I will love Rush till the day I die.
6) In The Aeroplane Over The Sea- Neutral Milk Hotel: My most read post, by a wide margin, is the one I did for this album. Go ahead and read it again:)
7) Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots- The Flaming Lips: This album did two things in my life. It got me through my divorce from my first wife and it got me back into rock music at a time I'd pretty much given up on it. In the near future I'm going to post on Wayne Coyne again, but in many ways he has changed my life. This is by no means my favorite Flaming Lips album, but it means the most to me personally. Hopefully that makes sense.
8) Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot-Sparklehorse: My favorite album and the one that speaks to me on a spiritual level. If you are interested read my Sparklehorse post, as well as my Cracker post which ended up being mainly about Sparklehorse.
9) Reckoning- R.E.M.: This is my favorite R.E.M. album. When it came out, I was in heavy metal. Still, something about their combination of rock, country and jangle spoke to me. In the late 80's, I had no use for G 'n' R or Metallica or hair metal anymore and I returned to Reckoning. Since then I've listened almost exclusively to alternative and indie rock.
10) Never Mind The Bollocks- Sex Pistols: I grew up in rural mid-Michigan and never heard this album until my senior year of high school (1983). My friend Kyle's brother let a few of us hang out in his basement one night. It was my first time drinking. We sat around talking about girls and listening to Kyle's brothers records. The two records that blew my mind were Joe's Garage and Never Mind The Bollocks. It woke me up to the fact that there was more music out there than what was played on AOR radio stations. No offense Journey.
Since I didn't post anything this summer, I will be playing catch up for awhile. I will be getting around to Courtney Barnett, Parquet Courts, Popstrangers, Kasabian and many more. Peace.
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Facebook and Social Media
I've confessed in previous posts that I am loathe to embrace technology. I don't have a smart phone. I don't text. I don't download music. I'm not on Twitter. You name it...I'm not doing it. Unwittingly this Spring, my wife gave me her hand-me-down Samsung tablet and my descent into the time suck of electronic gadgetry began.
At first, I viewed the tablet in much the same way I would a rattlesnake. I didn't touch it and only looked at it warily from a safe distance. After considerable coaxing on her part, I finally began playing around with it. I quickly came to the realization that this device could free me from the shackles of a desktop computer. I was able to go on the interwebs while sitting in the family room with my family. That was the moment the rattlesnake became a crack pipe. My wife realized too late what she had unleashed. I was, and still am, on it all the time.
On April 21st, I had a brilliant idea for Sound Mind world domination. I would set up a personal Facebook page, then create a page for Sound Mind and promote it on social media. I was not deterred by the fact that when I started Sound Mind I was required to create a Google+ account and have never figured out how it works. Anyhow, I set up my Facebook page and began liking the hell outta shit; bands, authors, comedians, TV shows, restaurants, blah, blah, blah. Then I began receiving friend requests from family, friends, co-workers and ghosts from my past. I was bombarded with electronic stimuli. However, there was one person who I liked that lead me down a rabbit hole...John Hodgman.
I've been a fan of Hodgman for quite awhile, going back to his appearances on The Daily Show and his commercial role as the PC. Then he wrote three hilarious books of fake world knowledge; Areas of My Expertise, More Information Than You Require and That Is All. I was not aware at the time that he also hosts a podcast called Judge John Hodgman. In his podcast, he solicits people to bring their disputes to his internet courtroom and submit to his rulings. The complaints are usually funny, as are the proceedings. Occasionally, the case is a heartfelt concern on the part of one party and the judge's ruling is very poignant. Unfortunately, I enjoy the podcast immensely and there are over 170 episodes. I've probably listened to about 120, much to my wife's chagrin. To further compound this problem, Hodgman lead me to another podcast hosted by his friend John Roderick of The Long Winters called Roderick on the Line. RotL is co-hosted by Merlin Mann and is basically a 90 minute B.S. session between two friends who talk about music, life, philosophy and history. It's very funny and thought provoking. Unfortunately, there are over 120 episodes. of which I've listened to about 100. Needless to say, I spend considerable amounts of free time dicking around on my tablet, rather than blogging, writing or socializing with my family.
Not surprisingly, I still haven't created a Facebook page for Sound Mind. I determined that Sound Mind was not ready for prime time and needed some sprucing up before going on Facebook. I intended to go back and insert videos and links into old posts and incorporate them into future posts. I was also slightly concerned about feedback from Facebook friends to particular posts. Another result of the Facebook time suck was I went months without writing a post. It felt ridiculous to put Sound Mind on Facebook when I hadn't been actively posting. Now that I'm posting again, I plan on creating a Sound Mind Facebook page very soon. Now I just have to get going on the Sound Mind book. Peace.
At first, I viewed the tablet in much the same way I would a rattlesnake. I didn't touch it and only looked at it warily from a safe distance. After considerable coaxing on her part, I finally began playing around with it. I quickly came to the realization that this device could free me from the shackles of a desktop computer. I was able to go on the interwebs while sitting in the family room with my family. That was the moment the rattlesnake became a crack pipe. My wife realized too late what she had unleashed. I was, and still am, on it all the time.
On April 21st, I had a brilliant idea for Sound Mind world domination. I would set up a personal Facebook page, then create a page for Sound Mind and promote it on social media. I was not deterred by the fact that when I started Sound Mind I was required to create a Google+ account and have never figured out how it works. Anyhow, I set up my Facebook page and began liking the hell outta shit; bands, authors, comedians, TV shows, restaurants, blah, blah, blah. Then I began receiving friend requests from family, friends, co-workers and ghosts from my past. I was bombarded with electronic stimuli. However, there was one person who I liked that lead me down a rabbit hole...John Hodgman.
I've been a fan of Hodgman for quite awhile, going back to his appearances on The Daily Show and his commercial role as the PC. Then he wrote three hilarious books of fake world knowledge; Areas of My Expertise, More Information Than You Require and That Is All. I was not aware at the time that he also hosts a podcast called Judge John Hodgman. In his podcast, he solicits people to bring their disputes to his internet courtroom and submit to his rulings. The complaints are usually funny, as are the proceedings. Occasionally, the case is a heartfelt concern on the part of one party and the judge's ruling is very poignant. Unfortunately, I enjoy the podcast immensely and there are over 170 episodes. I've probably listened to about 120, much to my wife's chagrin. To further compound this problem, Hodgman lead me to another podcast hosted by his friend John Roderick of The Long Winters called Roderick on the Line. RotL is co-hosted by Merlin Mann and is basically a 90 minute B.S. session between two friends who talk about music, life, philosophy and history. It's very funny and thought provoking. Unfortunately, there are over 120 episodes. of which I've listened to about 100. Needless to say, I spend considerable amounts of free time dicking around on my tablet, rather than blogging, writing or socializing with my family.
Not surprisingly, I still haven't created a Facebook page for Sound Mind. I determined that Sound Mind was not ready for prime time and needed some sprucing up before going on Facebook. I intended to go back and insert videos and links into old posts and incorporate them into future posts. I was also slightly concerned about feedback from Facebook friends to particular posts. Another result of the Facebook time suck was I went months without writing a post. It felt ridiculous to put Sound Mind on Facebook when I hadn't been actively posting. Now that I'm posting again, I plan on creating a Sound Mind Facebook page very soon. Now I just have to get going on the Sound Mind book. Peace.
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Farewell GbV and Centro-matic
Maybe Gene Simmons is right and rock is dead. At least it feels that way to me as my two favorite bands, Guided by Voices and Centro-matic, decided to shut it down this past week. I shouldn't be upset. Both of these bands are prolific and have left behind an amazing catalog of music that I will treasure for the rest of my life. Hopefully, my kids will discover my hoard some day and be touched by these bands as well. Selfishly, I am upset. Guided by Voices' breakup was perhaps the most abrupt thanks to social media. When I checked my Facebook feeds the other day (more about that in a future post), there was a post about GbV adding shows in Detroit and Columbus. I wasn't particularly interested because I already had a ticket for their upcoming show at The Grog Shop in Cleveland. I couldn't believe what I was reading a few posts later when they announced their breakup and cancellation of the remainder of their tour. It really sunk in when I received a refund notification for my ticket. I didn't want a refund, I wanted an effin' rock show! What the hell could have happened in a couple hours where you go from adding shows to breaking up? I'm sure Kevin Fennell can attest that Pollard is a hothead and a loose cannon, but come on. Apparently, there isn't a straight forward explanation coming from Uncle Bob anytime soon. However, he did seem to leave open the possibility of reuniting another iteration of GbV in the future.
If you are a loyal Sound Mind reader, you know Robert Pollard and Tobin Sprout are two of my favorite songwriters of all time. Tobin has a true gift for pop song craft, whether as Pollard's "George Harrison" or as a solo artist. If you aren't familiar with his work check out some of his songs, such as, "Atom Eyes", "It's Like Soul Man", "Scissors", "Dodging Invisible Rays", "E's Navy Blue", "All Used Up" and "Paper Cuts". I've recently had to wrap my head around the fact that he has political views that I don't agree with, but I've managed to compartmentalize that from his music.
Robert Pollard is a savant who seems to hold the entire history of rock music in his brain. His unique gift is word collage. I'm confident he will continue to churn out music at an alarming rate with his various side projects and solo albums. I do have to admit one thing though. Back when I did a post on his best non-GbV songs, I realized that with the exceptions of Not In My Airforce and From A Compound Eye his solo albums are not very good. I much prefer him in the context of GbV and hope he revives one of the Doug Gillard lineups in the future.
Then there's Centro-matic. Loyal Sound Mind readers also know Will Johnson is my favorite songwriter, bar none. He is also very prolific, but Centro-matic is my preferred Will Johnson vehicle. Their breakup is more gradual as they opt for the farewell tour approach. Sadly for me, they will not be coming to Ohio. As much as I love them I can't drive to Buffalo in the middle of December. I saw them once and they played to a very small crowd at the Beachland Tavern. Not to be that guy again, but it's discouraging that a band like Centro-matic couldn't breakthrough on even a Kings of Leon or Death Cab For Cutie level. Ironically, I probably never would have heard of them except they came up on a search I did for similar bands to Guided by Voices. Redo The Stacks is every bit a lo-fi masterpiece as Bee Thousand. I wish I had the ability to quantify why Will's songs mean so much to me. It's an emotional, soul level connection that defies explanation. Yet, you can't even walk into an independent record store and find a copy of one of their albums in stock. Well, maybe in Austin.
I hope Gene Simmons is wrong. I hope kids still work out their chops in the garage and dream of making it big. Gene has probably never listened to "The Best Ever Death Metal Band In Denton" by The Mountain Goats, but John Darnielle wrote a line that he may want to heed. "When you punish a person for dreaming his dream don't expect him to thank or forgive you". Even if their dream will likely never come true. Peace.
If you are a loyal Sound Mind reader, you know Robert Pollard and Tobin Sprout are two of my favorite songwriters of all time. Tobin has a true gift for pop song craft, whether as Pollard's "George Harrison" or as a solo artist. If you aren't familiar with his work check out some of his songs, such as, "Atom Eyes", "It's Like Soul Man", "Scissors", "Dodging Invisible Rays", "E's Navy Blue", "All Used Up" and "Paper Cuts". I've recently had to wrap my head around the fact that he has political views that I don't agree with, but I've managed to compartmentalize that from his music.
Robert Pollard is a savant who seems to hold the entire history of rock music in his brain. His unique gift is word collage. I'm confident he will continue to churn out music at an alarming rate with his various side projects and solo albums. I do have to admit one thing though. Back when I did a post on his best non-GbV songs, I realized that with the exceptions of Not In My Airforce and From A Compound Eye his solo albums are not very good. I much prefer him in the context of GbV and hope he revives one of the Doug Gillard lineups in the future.
Then there's Centro-matic. Loyal Sound Mind readers also know Will Johnson is my favorite songwriter, bar none. He is also very prolific, but Centro-matic is my preferred Will Johnson vehicle. Their breakup is more gradual as they opt for the farewell tour approach. Sadly for me, they will not be coming to Ohio. As much as I love them I can't drive to Buffalo in the middle of December. I saw them once and they played to a very small crowd at the Beachland Tavern. Not to be that guy again, but it's discouraging that a band like Centro-matic couldn't breakthrough on even a Kings of Leon or Death Cab For Cutie level. Ironically, I probably never would have heard of them except they came up on a search I did for similar bands to Guided by Voices. Redo The Stacks is every bit a lo-fi masterpiece as Bee Thousand. I wish I had the ability to quantify why Will's songs mean so much to me. It's an emotional, soul level connection that defies explanation. Yet, you can't even walk into an independent record store and find a copy of one of their albums in stock. Well, maybe in Austin.
I hope Gene Simmons is wrong. I hope kids still work out their chops in the garage and dream of making it big. Gene has probably never listened to "The Best Ever Death Metal Band In Denton" by The Mountain Goats, but John Darnielle wrote a line that he may want to heed. "When you punish a person for dreaming his dream don't expect him to thank or forgive you". Even if their dream will likely never come true. Peace.
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Mr. Roboto, Steve Perry and Bowling
Are you intrigued? Wonder where I'm going with that post title? Me too, so grab a house ball, slip on some gently used shoes and I'll try to keep it out of the gutter.
So, last Friday the family and I trekked down to Columbus because my daughter was in a state junior bowling tournament. Had I written this post that night it would have been an unhinged diatribe about bowling culture and the Columbus freeway system. Luckily for you, dear reader, I've had a few days to cool down. Let me just say Mapquest is powerless against Columbus. We spent an hour going around in a circle while attempting to get from The Columbus Zoo to the bowling alley. The previous week my wife had to travel to Columbus and I spent over an hour on the phone with her looking up directions on Mapquest and Bing. Eventually she had to stop somewhere and ask for directions. Then at the tournament, there was this obnoxious little boy who kept getting in my face between his turns bowling and I wanted to punch him in the head. And the crowd at the tournament reminded me of a certain Wilco album title. Think about it for awhile and I'll reveal the answer at the end of the post.
Anyway, we had planned on going somewhere for dinner before the tournament, but due to our "side trip" we didn't have time. So, we ended up eating at the bowling alley while we waited for the festivities to begin. As I sat there eating a turkey, bacon and Swiss wrap, Chili-cheese Fritos and a Pepsi-Cola, I was listening to classic rock playing overhead. I don't know if the music was curated by someone on site or if it was piped in, but suddenly I heard "Mr. Roboto" by Styx. Back in middle and high school I was all about Styx, Foreigner, REO, Boston, Kansas, Blue Oyster Cult, Journey; basically the staple bands of album-oriented rock radio. One of the first 45's I bought was "Lorelei". I had Grand Illusion, Pieces of Eight and Paradise Theater on LP. I had 45's of "Renegade" and "Blue Collar Man". I still love all of those bands, except Styx. Looking back, I think it was Mr. Roboto that destroyed my love of Styx. It was at least the first domino to fall. I suppose Dennis DeYoung's subsequent descent into insufferable d-baggery and Tommy Shaw's musical association with the reprehensible Ted Nugent were the final death blows. But Mr. Roboto opened my eyes to what had been there all along; Dennis DeYoung's propensity toward pomposity and melodrama. I had somehow managed to rationalize songs like "Lady" and "Come Sail Away", but Mr. Roboto was a bridge too far. And WTF was the Kilroy thing all about? And I want to kick DeYoung square in the nuts everytime I hear the lyric "I am the modren man". MODREN! Then he claimed he couldn't perform live because of the stage lights, then sued the band when they moved on with a replacement. Then he went on to continue a performing career, presumably with stage lights.
I say all of this about Styx because I still have those 45's in my collection. I'm not sure why, because I'll never play them again. The LP's were among those that vanished during my multiple move years. Occasionally, as I paw through the used record bins, I'll stumble across Grand Illusion or Pieces of Eight and briefly consider replacing them in my collection. Then I remember it was bloated nonsense and continue digging. Anyhow, my kids probably don't need to bother with "Blue Collar Man". Now Journey is another story. Journey are an easy target for crapping on and sometimes I'm as guilty as anyone. Especially now with all of Neal Schon's shenanigans and the horrendous Steve Perry replacement clones. However, my mind was blown yesterday when I went on Facebook and saw Steve Perry come out of seclusion and perform with Eels. Of all the bands in the world, Eels would be one of the last I'd think of for a Steve Perry comeback and "It's a Motherfucker" one of the most unlikely songs. But there it was on the webs. Whatever you think of "Open Arms" or songs about dudes "born and raised in South Detroit", which doesn't exist, early Steve Perry Journey is awesome. Wheel In The Sky. Lights. Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'. Anytime. Feeling That Way. Anyway You Want It. I love "Wheel In The Sky", even though it always reminds me of the time my dad dragged us to the Isabella County Fair. I hate fairs, carnivals, circuses, amusement parks and rides. This time I was guilt tripped into riding the tilt-a-whirl and had a panic attack will listening to Journey. Unfortunately, there isn't a good hits collection with just their early stuff, so the only thing in my collection is a LP of Infinity. I whole-heartedly recommend my kids listen to that and if they want to hear more it will be on them, not me. So, to finish the bowling story, the kids had a great time at the Zoo and my daughter enjoyed the bowling tournament. My wife and I drank a lot the following night. Here's a link for the Steve Perry video. Peace.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ip4F9fGHZ00
SUMMER TEETH
So, last Friday the family and I trekked down to Columbus because my daughter was in a state junior bowling tournament. Had I written this post that night it would have been an unhinged diatribe about bowling culture and the Columbus freeway system. Luckily for you, dear reader, I've had a few days to cool down. Let me just say Mapquest is powerless against Columbus. We spent an hour going around in a circle while attempting to get from The Columbus Zoo to the bowling alley. The previous week my wife had to travel to Columbus and I spent over an hour on the phone with her looking up directions on Mapquest and Bing. Eventually she had to stop somewhere and ask for directions. Then at the tournament, there was this obnoxious little boy who kept getting in my face between his turns bowling and I wanted to punch him in the head. And the crowd at the tournament reminded me of a certain Wilco album title. Think about it for awhile and I'll reveal the answer at the end of the post.
Anyway, we had planned on going somewhere for dinner before the tournament, but due to our "side trip" we didn't have time. So, we ended up eating at the bowling alley while we waited for the festivities to begin. As I sat there eating a turkey, bacon and Swiss wrap, Chili-cheese Fritos and a Pepsi-Cola, I was listening to classic rock playing overhead. I don't know if the music was curated by someone on site or if it was piped in, but suddenly I heard "Mr. Roboto" by Styx. Back in middle and high school I was all about Styx, Foreigner, REO, Boston, Kansas, Blue Oyster Cult, Journey; basically the staple bands of album-oriented rock radio. One of the first 45's I bought was "Lorelei". I had Grand Illusion, Pieces of Eight and Paradise Theater on LP. I had 45's of "Renegade" and "Blue Collar Man". I still love all of those bands, except Styx. Looking back, I think it was Mr. Roboto that destroyed my love of Styx. It was at least the first domino to fall. I suppose Dennis DeYoung's subsequent descent into insufferable d-baggery and Tommy Shaw's musical association with the reprehensible Ted Nugent were the final death blows. But Mr. Roboto opened my eyes to what had been there all along; Dennis DeYoung's propensity toward pomposity and melodrama. I had somehow managed to rationalize songs like "Lady" and "Come Sail Away", but Mr. Roboto was a bridge too far. And WTF was the Kilroy thing all about? And I want to kick DeYoung square in the nuts everytime I hear the lyric "I am the modren man". MODREN! Then he claimed he couldn't perform live because of the stage lights, then sued the band when they moved on with a replacement. Then he went on to continue a performing career, presumably with stage lights.
I say all of this about Styx because I still have those 45's in my collection. I'm not sure why, because I'll never play them again. The LP's were among those that vanished during my multiple move years. Occasionally, as I paw through the used record bins, I'll stumble across Grand Illusion or Pieces of Eight and briefly consider replacing them in my collection. Then I remember it was bloated nonsense and continue digging. Anyhow, my kids probably don't need to bother with "Blue Collar Man". Now Journey is another story. Journey are an easy target for crapping on and sometimes I'm as guilty as anyone. Especially now with all of Neal Schon's shenanigans and the horrendous Steve Perry replacement clones. However, my mind was blown yesterday when I went on Facebook and saw Steve Perry come out of seclusion and perform with Eels. Of all the bands in the world, Eels would be one of the last I'd think of for a Steve Perry comeback and "It's a Motherfucker" one of the most unlikely songs. But there it was on the webs. Whatever you think of "Open Arms" or songs about dudes "born and raised in South Detroit", which doesn't exist, early Steve Perry Journey is awesome. Wheel In The Sky. Lights. Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'. Anytime. Feeling That Way. Anyway You Want It. I love "Wheel In The Sky", even though it always reminds me of the time my dad dragged us to the Isabella County Fair. I hate fairs, carnivals, circuses, amusement parks and rides. This time I was guilt tripped into riding the tilt-a-whirl and had a panic attack will listening to Journey. Unfortunately, there isn't a good hits collection with just their early stuff, so the only thing in my collection is a LP of Infinity. I whole-heartedly recommend my kids listen to that and if they want to hear more it will be on them, not me. So, to finish the bowling story, the kids had a great time at the Zoo and my daughter enjoyed the bowling tournament. My wife and I drank a lot the following night. Here's a link for the Steve Perry video. Peace.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ip4F9fGHZ00
SUMMER TEETH
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Centro-matic: Redo The Stacks
In my recent Record Store Day post I aired several grievances, one of which was Centro-matic's Redo The Stacks being a limited regional release. I was so amped when it was leaked as a RSD release. It was the only Centro-matic full length I didn't have and I'd only heard four songs from the album by scouring the interwebs. So, when it was announced as a limited release I thought I was screwed. Thankfully, more copies were produced and my friend Mike hooked me up. I've immersed myself in the record for a few days and it has cemented Will Johnson as my favorite songwriter of all time. It has also confirmed Redo The Stacks to be the lo-fi masterpiece I had long suspected it to be.
According to the liner notes, it was recorded in typical 90's lo-fi fashion at drummer Matt Pence's house in Denton in 1996-7 "on everything from tape recorders to machines with fancy L.E.D. displays". The opening track, "The Pilots On The Wall", could easily fit on GbV's lo-fi classic Bee Thousand. Pavement's influence is in evidence on the song "My Super-Model Girlfriend Gone AWOL". The rest of Redo The Stacks is vintage Centro-matic. It's fuzzed out and ramshackled with big drums and great lyrics. And there's plenty of ambient background noise for which I'm a huge sucker. Sonically, it's very similar to their 1999 rarities album The Static vs. The Strings, Vol. 1., which was comprised of songs recorded between 1996 and 1998. In fact, it included three songs from the Redo The Stacks sessions (Who's Telling You Now?, D. Boon-Free and Now That You Have Blown Away The Cards).
As I mentioned before, I knew a few songs from Redo The Stacks. "Am I The Manager Or Am I Not?" and "Fidgeting Wildly" are part of the Centro-matic canon and I found "Post-it Notes From The State Hospital" and "Rock And Roll Eyes" on You Tube. I love the lyrics of "Post-it Notes". The narrator of the song has been committed and is apparently deluded about how long his stay will be. "It's a new arrangement/ if only you'd arrange to get me out in a week/ now I stagger through halls and sleep in some room/ checking off calendars 'cause you're coming soon". Another stand-out track is the beautiful Will Johnson ballad "Starfighter #1479". It's apparently a song about playing a video game because he mentions bonus points, quarters and credits, but it sounds very epic and heroic. There are 23 songs on this album and they are all varying degrees of awesome. There is nary a turd to be found. I was already recommending Centro-matic to my kids, but they MUST begin with Redo The Stacks. If they don't love it I will have failed as a father:) I don't remember if I've already posted a list of my favorite songwriters, but this is my current list. Peace.
1) Will Johnson
2) Robert Pollard
3) Tobin Sprout
4) Mark Linkous
5) Stephen Malkmus
6) Neil Finn
7) Jimi Goodwin
8) Gerard Love
9) Tommy Keene
10) Glen Phillips
11) David Kilgour
12) Evan Dando
13) John K. Samson
14) J. Mascis
15) John Darnielle
16) Bill Janovitz
17) Jason Lytle
18) E
19) Bob Mould
20) Ray Davies
According to the liner notes, it was recorded in typical 90's lo-fi fashion at drummer Matt Pence's house in Denton in 1996-7 "on everything from tape recorders to machines with fancy L.E.D. displays". The opening track, "The Pilots On The Wall", could easily fit on GbV's lo-fi classic Bee Thousand. Pavement's influence is in evidence on the song "My Super-Model Girlfriend Gone AWOL". The rest of Redo The Stacks is vintage Centro-matic. It's fuzzed out and ramshackled with big drums and great lyrics. And there's plenty of ambient background noise for which I'm a huge sucker. Sonically, it's very similar to their 1999 rarities album The Static vs. The Strings, Vol. 1., which was comprised of songs recorded between 1996 and 1998. In fact, it included three songs from the Redo The Stacks sessions (Who's Telling You Now?, D. Boon-Free and Now That You Have Blown Away The Cards).
As I mentioned before, I knew a few songs from Redo The Stacks. "Am I The Manager Or Am I Not?" and "Fidgeting Wildly" are part of the Centro-matic canon and I found "Post-it Notes From The State Hospital" and "Rock And Roll Eyes" on You Tube. I love the lyrics of "Post-it Notes". The narrator of the song has been committed and is apparently deluded about how long his stay will be. "It's a new arrangement/ if only you'd arrange to get me out in a week/ now I stagger through halls and sleep in some room/ checking off calendars 'cause you're coming soon". Another stand-out track is the beautiful Will Johnson ballad "Starfighter #1479". It's apparently a song about playing a video game because he mentions bonus points, quarters and credits, but it sounds very epic and heroic. There are 23 songs on this album and they are all varying degrees of awesome. There is nary a turd to be found. I was already recommending Centro-matic to my kids, but they MUST begin with Redo The Stacks. If they don't love it I will have failed as a father:) I don't remember if I've already posted a list of my favorite songwriters, but this is my current list. Peace.
1) Will Johnson
2) Robert Pollard
3) Tobin Sprout
4) Mark Linkous
5) Stephen Malkmus
6) Neil Finn
7) Jimi Goodwin
8) Gerard Love
9) Tommy Keene
10) Glen Phillips
11) David Kilgour
12) Evan Dando
13) John K. Samson
14) J. Mascis
15) John Darnielle
16) Bill Janovitz
17) Jason Lytle
18) E
19) Bob Mould
20) Ray Davies
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