Apr 092007
If you could dictate what in the music of artists you love would influence the music of future generations, what elements of their sound would you pass along and what elements would you hope future musicians would bypass? Try these examples on for size and then assign the next Townsperson ready to participate a band you love and the characteristic parts of their sound for them to determine future use.
Pass it On or Walk on By?
The Beach Boys
- Surf- and Chuck Berry-inspired, rockin’ teen anthems
- Teenage symphonies to God
- Cut-and-paste experiments in American harmony and Van Dyke Parks imagery
The Rolling Stones
- Concise, driving, twin-guitar rants
- Sprawling blues-rock explorations of sex and tax evasion
- Ron-Wood era motivation for Jagger-Richards healing and world tour
The Clash
- Rabble-rousing punk anthems, ripped from the headlines
- Ecclectic, sprawling, politically charged mix that sounds ripped from the headlines
- Would-be rabble-rousing punk anthems, ripped from the headlines, with hints of ecclectic sprawl
Clear enough? To review, 1) you answer at least one of the following choices, then you leave a choice for the next Townsperson to answer. Enjoy!
It’s most inmportant that the sprawling, blues-rock aspect of the Stones carry on. Nothing wrong with the first era either. I’m not one to rock the boat on the RTH line on the Woody era.
Bob Dylan
Striking, sly protest folk singer
Striking, sly voice of his generation
Inscrutable interpreter of his back catalog
From The Clash, I’ll still take:
* Ecclectic, sprawling, politically charged mix that sounds ripped from the headlines
This one has had its day:
* Rabble-rousing punk anthems, ripped from the headlines
Put more positively (a mix of anthem and sprawl), yes. Put this way, no:
* Would-be rabble-rousing punk anthems, ripped from the headlines, with hints of ecclectic sprawl
Velvet Underground
–Driving rhythm section veering towards chaos
–Dark, literate lyrics with subtle twists
–Blond ice goddess singing flatly to imply European decadence
Good ones, Tom and Mark. Let me see if I can help get this ball rolling a bit more.
I’ll keep your first 2 VU qualities, Mark and ditch the ice goddess routine.
How about The Ramones