May 022007
A Venutian lands near your record collection and asks you for one example of each of the following genres.
- Early Rock ‘n Roll
- British Invasion
- Soul
- Folk-Rock
- Psychedelia
- Singer-Songwriter
- Heavy Rock
- Bubblegum
- Prog-Rock
- Art Rock
- Funk
- Disco
- Power Pop
- Punk
- Indie
- AAA
Which one exemplary record of each genre would you pull from your shelves?
Early Rock ‘n Roll: Chuck Berry-The Great 28
British Invasion: The Beatles-Beatles for Sale
Soul: Otis Redding-The Soul Album
Folk-Rock: CSN-first album
Psychedelia: Jimi Hendrix-Axis:Bold as Love
Singer-Songwriter: Nilsson sings Newman (An interseting twist)
Heavy Rock: Van Halen I
Bubblegum: Monkees first album?
Prog-Rock-Yes-The Yes Album
Art Rock: Eno-Here Come The Warm Jets
Funk: James Brown-Love Power Peace
Disco:Donna Summer-Love to Love You
Power Pop: Big Star-#1 Record
Punk: Dead Kennedys-Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
Indie: GBV-Alien Lanes
AAA:I have no idea what this would entail exactly
maybe Wilco’s Summerteeth?
Early Rock ‘n Roll: The Johnny Cash Sun Sessions
British Invasion: Meet the Beatles
Soul: James Brown: Sex Machine Live
Folk-Rock: Simon and Garfunkel: Parsley, Paprika, etc.
Psychedelia: Hendrix, Axis.
Singer-Songwriter: Jim Croce’s Greatest
Heavy Rock: Blue Cheer: Vincebus Eruptum
Bubblegum: The Archies: Sunshine.
Prog-Rock: Faust IV
Art Rock: Yes, Close to the Edge.
Funk: Ubiquity’s 70’s Funk Comp.
Disco: Saturday Night Fever
Power Pop: The Raspberries
Punk: Never Mind the Bollocks
Indie: Pavement: Slanted.
AAA: whatsis? AlternativeAggroAssiness?
I wanna add some categories:
Comedy: Steve Martin: Let’s Get Small
Southern Rock: Allman’s Live at the Fillmore
Noise / Post-Rock: Sonic Youth, Daydream Nation
Glam rock: T. Rex, the Slider
Hardcore: Hüsker Dü: Metal Circus
crap! i just noticed that Dex and I chose the same thing for “psyche”, so if I may: i wanna change my psyche choice: Pink Floyd, Piper at the Gates of Dawn.
art
Early Rock ‘n Roll – the Buddy Holly Collection
British Invasion – Well Respected Kinks
Soul – Lady Soul – Aretha
Folk-Rock – Complete Recordings – Heron
Psychedelia – Uncle Meat
Singer-Songwriter – Pink Moon – Nick Drake
Heavy Rock – Fireball – Deep Purple
Bubblegum – Kites Are Fun – the Free Design
Prog-Rock – Lark’s Tongues In Aspic – King Crimson
Art Rock – Another Green World
Funk – In Yo’ Face vol. 1/2
Disco – N.A.
Power Pop – I would tell them they don’t need such picayune subdivisions on Venus, either, unless there’s space for forty more here, and that’s just silly. I’d use the extra space in their hold for the CD by Gentra Pasundan, of a Sundanese Wedding Ceremony. Lovely non-rock, could save the earth from destruction.
Punk – The Ramones – the Ramones
Indie – There’s only one record in this bin, and it’s Pavement.
AAA – I’ve been a member for years, but I never used the roadside mixing and mastering service.
Early Rock ‘n Roll: Elvis Presley – Rocker
British Invasion: Beatles – Hard Day’s Night
Soul: James Brown – 50th Anniversary Collection Folk-Rock: Byrds – Mr. Tambourine Man
Psychedelia: Beatles – Revolver (I don’t care if this doesn’t meet YOUR criteria)
Singer-Songwriter: Bob Dylan – Another Side Of
Heavy Rock: Who – Quadrophenia
Bubblegum: Monkees s/t
Prog-Rock: Jethro Tull – Aqualung
Art Rock: I would direct them to a sculpture exhibit
Funk: I am too pale, but were I not, see Soul above
Disco: I am too lazy and insecure to dance when what I really want is sex and that feckin’ insistent beat won’t freakin’ stop and I have to go someplace else to drink so I will stop thinking about the sex I’m not going to have. Honestly, I can send them a couple blocks down 17th Street if they really need to know.
Power Pop: Big Star – Radio City
Punk: Sex Pistols – Never Mind The Bollocks
Indie: REM – Murmur or Reckoning
AAA: Duracel
I don’t know about the rest of that crap but for souther rock it would have to be Skynrd Street Survivors, not the Allman Bros.
I think it’s interesting that everyone so far assumes that Venusians have time to listen to whole albums. Since they’re closer to the sun and their orbit is shorter, I would think the pace of life ought to be much faster than on Earth.
I think the Venusian scout would pat your head and say “Please pretend that I only had enough space in the capsule for an iPod Shuffle. Pick a song in each category, and we’ll get back to you if we want more.”
Sun Ra claimed to actually be from Venus. If he went back there after shuffling off this mortal coil, I suspect they’ve got enough music there now anyway.
Early Rock and Roll -Just about all the early Chuck Berry Chess singles.
British Invasion -Beatles ’65 -the US mono version with all that extra reverb.
Soul -Slip Away, This is My Country, Cold Sweat, Just My Imagination. It’s tough to find a solid soul LP that isn’t a greatest hits package. And I don’t wanna hear any horseshit about how incredible the What’s Going On LP is either.
Folk Rock -If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears (Mamas and Papas), Flowers (Stones)
Psychedelia -Revolver
Singer Songwriter -Another Side of Bob Dylan
Heavy Rock -Are You Experienced
Bubblegum -Don’t bother
Prog Rock -Don’t bother
Art Rock -Hunky Dory
Funk -Cold Sweat, I Can’t Stand Myself (When You Touch Me), I Got the Feelin’
Disco -Back Stabbers
Power Pop -Don’t bother.
Punk -All Costello LPs up to and including Get Happy. They still hold up remarkably well, and that’s saying a lot.
Indie -Don’t bother, but as far as fairly new stuff is concerned, the latest Dixie Chicks LP has some great songs on it. Especially good is a number entitled Silent House.
Townsman Fingeroff said:
I don’t know about the rest of that crap but for souther rock it would have to be Skynrd Street Survivors, not the Allman Bros.
I say:
We REACH, brother Mike! Not only did you get the correct southern rock band (Skynyrd, and that’s *definitely* the easy part), but you also got their best album up in the spotlight. Great work!
I’ll go a with a single song in each genre, as I had in mind when I wrote the question.
Early Rock ‘n Roll: “Don’t Be Cruel”, Elvis Presley
British Invasion: “Bus Stop”, The Hollies
Soul: “Chain of Fools”, Aretha Franklin
Folk-Rock: “Do You Believe in Magic”, The Lovin’ Spoonful
Psychedelia: “It’s All Too Much”, The Beatles
Singer-Songwriter: “Fire and Rain”, James Taylor
Heavy Rock: “Good Times, Bad Times”, Led Zeppelin
Bubblegum: “Hitchin’ a Ride”, whoever did that song (I forget, and I’m not pulling out the single right now)
Prog-Rock: “Starless and Bible Black”, King Crimson
Art Rock: “China My China”, Brian Eno
Funk: “Tell Me Something Good”, Rose Royce (?)
Disco: “MOre Than a Woman”, The Bee Gees (yeah, I hear you fans of the Tavares version – not bad)
Power Pop: “Big Brown Eyes”, The dB’s
Punk: “White Riot”, The Clash
Indie: “Motor Away”, Guided By Voices
AAA: Beret-wearing, Froom-produced Richard Thompaon’s “Black Kennedy Limousine”, or whatever that annoying song is called (“Gene Vincent Escalade”? “Cigar Store Eddie Cochran”?)
Early Rock ‘n Roll — Little Richard, Long Tall Sally
British Invasion — Freddie & the Dreamers, I’m Telling You Now
Soul — Otis Redding, These Arms of Mine
Folk-Rock — The Byrds, Bells of Rhymney
Psychedelia — Jimi Hendrix, Purple Haze
Singer-Songwriter — Jackson Browne, Doctor My Eyes
Heavy Rock — The Who, Summertime Blues
Bubblegum — The Archies, Sugar Sugar
Prog-Rock — King Crimson, Red
Art Rock — Roxy Music, Mother of Pearl
Funk — Cameo, Word Up
Disco — KC & the Sunshine Band, Get Down Tonight
Power Pop — Big Star, Back of a Car
Punk — Ramones, Sheena Is a Punk Rocker
Indie — Yo La Tengo, Barnaby Hardly Working
AAA — Sara Maclachlan, When Somebody Loved Me
Mod’s singles picks:
Vanity Fair did “Hitchin’ a Ride.” I remember thinking that htat little piano break, then groove for the outro was bad ass when we were kids. I still love that song.
But I also thought the Spoonful you picked was pure bubblegum. Their folkiness appears only intermittently to my ears, and not at all on that one…
And, I say, since you didn’t specify, and we all went for albums, respond with your full-length picks!
You want full-length picks too, General?
Early Rock ‘n Roll: American Grafitti soundtrack
British Invasion: A Hard Day’s Night
Soul: Vol. 5 of the Atlantic R&B series
Folk-Rock: Dylan’s Bringing it All Back Home
Psychedelia: Jimi Hendrix, Are You Experienced
Singer-Songwriter: Carol King, Tapestry
Heavy Rock: Led Zep II
Bubblegum: No full album worthwhile
Prog-Rock: King Crimson, Starless and Bible Black
Art Rock: Brian Eno, Taking Tiger Mountain…
Funk: Funkadelic, America Eats Its Young
Disco: Saturday Night Fever soundtrack
Power Pop: Big Star’s First
Punk: The Clash (US version)
Indie: It would be insincere of me to suggest one
AAA: Would Paul Simon’s Rhythm of the Saints qualify?
Happy now?
Mr. Mod cracks wise:
Happy now?
I honestly reply:
Yes.
I’m down with the one song list for the Venutians…
* Early Rock ‘n Roll: Chuck Berry “Jonny B. Goode”
* British Invasion: The Who “My Generation”
* Soul: Sam Cooke “A Change Is Gonna Come”
* Folk-Rock: Simon & Garfunkel “America”
* Psychedelia: Pink Floyd “Arnold Layne”
* Singer-Songwriter: Jeff Buckley “Lover, You Should Have Come Over”
* Heavy Rock: The Small Faces “Song of a Baker”
* Bubblegum: 1910 Fruitgum Company “Yummy, Yummy, Yummy”
* Prog-Rock: Demis Roussos “Velvet Mornings”
* Art Rock: Art Brut “Modern Art”
* Funk: Booker T & The MG’s “Hang ’em High”
* Disco: Abba “Waterloo”
* Power Pop: Paul Collins’ Beat “Rock n’ Roll Girl”
* Punk: Iggy Pop “Search & Destroy”
* Indie: Beat Happening “Teenage Caveman”
* AAA: Peter Gabriel “Mercy Street”
Early Rock ‘n Roll: Chuck Berry “The Great Twenty-Eight”
British Invasion: The Beatles “Meet The Beatles”
Soul: Otis Redding “Otis Blue”
Folk-Rock: Bob Dylan “Highway 61 Revisited”
Psychedelia: Love “Forever Changes”
Singer-Songwriter: “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan”
Heavy Rock: “Led Zeppelin IV”
Bubblegum: “Bay City Rollers” (first album)
Prog-Rock: “The Yes Album”
Art Rock: “Talking Heads ‘77”
Funk: James Brown “Get Up Offa That Thing”
Disco: “Saturday Night Fever” Soundtrack
Power Pop: “The Beat” (Paul Collins Beat)
Punk: ”Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols”
Indie: The Red Button “She’s About To Cross My Mind”
AAA: one of my wife’s Train records 😉
Co-written by Neil Finn. This song will be on the new Crowded House album as well.
Ohhh! SINgles! Well then here’s today’s list for Venus:
Early Rock ‘n Roll – Come On – Chuck Berry
British Invasion – Love Me Do – the Beatles
Soul – I Didn’t Know – Al Green
Folk-Rock – The Only Living Boy In New York – S&G
Psychedelia – Third Stone From the Sun – Hendrix
Singer-Songwriter – Where Do the Children Play – Cat Stevens
Heavy Rock – No One Came – Deep Purple
Bubblegum – Bubbles – the Free Design
Prog-Rock – Gates of Delerium – Yes
Art Rock – Driving Me Backwards – Eno (live 1974)
Funk – Silly Putty – Stanley Clarke
Disco –
Power Pop – In ‘n’ Out of Grace – Mudhoney
Punk – Holiday In the Sun – Sex Pistols
Indie – Loretta’s Scars – Pavement
AAA – What the fuck is “AAA”? Saturn, can you be surprised I don’t know the term and then explain it?
Wow, I had no idea Neil Finn cowrote a Dixie Chicks song! Epluribus has been raving about this album for some time. I’ll have to check it out.
Nice to see the love for Paul Collins’ Beat. They had a great Rock World video when I was a teen.
Isn’t AAA the term for Adult Alternative whatever, or what in the Philly area is better known as “XPN music”?
“XPN music”? Let’s not encourage other civilizations to disintegrate our planet! And the fine balance of whether to pick your favorite song that could fit in a genre or to pick one most representative of the genre gets all out of whck, in that, if it is exemplary XPN music, then it has properties which prevent it being a fave song for the most part. (See “Disco.”) And what is the elusive third “A”?
AAA stands for “Adult Album Alternative” (or maybe “Adult Alternative Album”). I honestly thought this was common knowledge, but maybe that’s because I eagerly devoured Musician Magazine’s coverage of this radio format’s rise in the early ’90s.
You’ve got it, Oats!
Has anyone else noticed General Slocum’s your high-falutin’ dismissals are coming with greater frequency since the receipt of his Hear Factor mix? Good thing you threw some Sabbath on that mix you made for BigSteve to keep your cred with The People.
Early Rock ‘n Roll- Elvis Presley, “All Shook Up”
British Invasion- The Beatles, “I Want to Hold Your Hand”
Soul- Otis Redding, “Mr. Pitiful”
Folk-Rock- Bob Dylan, “Like a Rolling Stone”
Psychedelia- Pink Floyd, “Arnold Layne”
Singer-Songwriter- Joni Mitchell “A Case of You”
Heavy Rock- Black Sabbath, “War Pigs”
Bubblegum- The Monkees, “She”
Prog-Rock- Genesis, “The Musical Box”
Art Rock- Roxy Music, “Re-Make/Re-Model”
Funk- James Brown, “Sex Machine”
Disco- The Bee Gees, “Night Fever”
Power Pop- Jellyfish, “New Mistake”
Punk- X, “Los Angeles”
Indie- Yo La Tengo, “Tom Courtenay”
AAA- Aimee Mann, “Fifty Years After the Fair”
Understand that, as I handed over the following albums, I’d be *strongly* cautioning Mr. Venusian that it’s impossible to pick any single, accurate “representation” of any of these genres — and that these genres and categories are barely definable and completely miss the point about what makes music worth listening to. But after that terse, cautionary note, I’d pull out the following:
Early Rock ‘n Roll — Little Richards comp
British Invasion — Meet The Beatles
Soul — Exciting Wilson Pickett
Folk-Rock — the Byrds’ first LP
Psychedelia — 12 Dreams of Dr. Sadonicus
Singer-Songwriter — Gord’s Gold
Heavy Rock — Deepest Purple
Bubblegum — Archies comp
Prog-Rock — Moving Pictures
Art Rock — Some Pere Ubu thing
Funk — Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome
Disco — Saturday Night Fever soundtrack
Power Pop — Between the Bridges, Sloan
Punk — Singles Going Steady
Indie — Any old crap will do — Pearl Jam?
AAA — see previous category
Southern Rock — Street Survivors
Heavy Metal — Motorhead comp
Please note also that I’d further caution our Venusian friend that the singer/songwriter, bubblegum, prog, art rock, indie and AAA categories were likely to be a huge waste of his planet’s time, and that my selections were merely meant to illustrate what that stuff sounded like.
Townsman Hrrundi said:
Listen, Venutians are very cut and dried. They don’t heed your well-intentioned disclaimers. They’re gonna take you at your word whether you like it or not. You get one chance to impress them. You fail? Tough!
Cop out!
Hey hrrundi, I’m pretty sure the Venusian can think for him/herself!
Don’t misunderstand me — the music I selected for the genres I think Venus ought to be spending time listening to are solid, and I stand behind them as Earth’s cultural ambassador. But I feel it’s my duty to explain to our Venusian friends that not all British invasion music sounds like the Beatles, and that the Beatles tried occasionally to write “soul” music, and so forth. I understand this is stating the obvious, but putting a (ahem) “list” like this together is a fool’s errand, wouldn’t you agree?
Mr. Mod tries, tries, again:
Has anyone else noticed General Slocum’s your high-falutin’ dismissals are coming with greater frequency since the receipt of his Hear Factor mix? Good thing you threw some Sabbath on that mix you made for BigSteve to keep your cred with The People.
If The People were in any position to bestow “cred,” I’d have it in spades, without any help from Ozzy. And I should hate to think that my varyingly falutin’ dismissals had ever been less than regular! I realize it’s imperative to make the Hear Factor concept sensational and tortuous, at least to some extent. But real music fans listening to mixes made by other genuine music appreciators can only every be but so negatively impacted by them. Now, if the people on some sort of Current Flash In the Pan Girl Singers fan-site were to make mixes for us, we’d have some real pain, possibly resulting in the commission of felonies. But for now, I’ll step up to the plate if need be:
Arrgh! This Motwon! I’m going crazy! CRAAAZEEEE!! I just threw my Hear Factor CD down the garbage disposal! Though the mp3s are still on my iPod! DAMN YOU, RTH!!! [smash] FUCK Smokey Robinson!! [crash] FUUUUUCK!!! [tearing hair out] I need to hear some Frank Zappa! WAAAAAAAAAAH!!
Oh, General! Keep on keepin’ on. Don’t mind my prodding.
slocum, i’m with you: i have no idea what AAA is either. help!
also, finger, fritzie: i prefer the allmans…sorry. i love that skynard album, though.
can i quibble with people over their choices? quadrophenia is “heavy rock”? you kiddin’ me? “heavy rock” has synths and horns and introspective passages galore? our friends from venus would be sorely misled.
also, why isn’t “new wave” a category?
it is now: new wave: the cure, boys don’t cry.
grumpitty grumpitty grump!
just having fun, of course…this is a great thread…
I took “heavy” to mean “lyrics filled with thoughtful and deep personal significance and existential yearning”. If I had any Mountain, likely I would have said that because Leslie West would be a fine example of big fat slob rock. That’s only one guy though, what’s portliest band? The Fat Boys don’t count.
Don’t bring up all the other hyphenates that are missing for crissakes. I’m just glad I won’t be getting a hear factor Art-Rock cd, Art.
There was one key category I kept off the list:
Rock ‘n Roll
See if you can come up with a best example of that! (If you don’t already know what my choice would be, you must be real new around here. Register and chime in!)
Rock ‘n Roll
See if you can come up with a best example of that!
Ashtray Heart!
My choices – single/album
Early Rock ‘n Roll – Maybe Baby – Buddy Holly
British Invasion – A Hard Days night
Soul – Since You’ve Been Gone – Aretha Fra
Folk-Rock – Colours – Donovan
Psychedelia -Somebody to love -Jefferson Air
Singer-Songwriter – Operator – Jim Croce
Heavy Rock – Mama Kin – Aerosmith
Bubblegum – Dizzy – Tommy Roe
Prog-Rock – ZZZZZZ
Art Rock – ZZZZZZZ
Funk – Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin
Disco – When Will I see You Again – 3 Degrees
Power Pop – In The Street – Big Star
Punk – Garageland – The Clash
Indie – ZZZZZZ
New Wave – Lipstick Vogue
AAA
Charlie wrote: “Don’t bring up all the other hyphenates that are missing for crissakes. I’m just glad I won’t be getting a hear factor Art-Rock cd, Art.”
I write:
Fair enough, Charlie!!
p.s. All this talk about Venutians on the list lately – favorite song about aliens or mythical subject?
Mine:
Viva Satellite! (Teenbeat)
“Secret Wedding Plans”
http://www.teenbeatrecords.com/mp3s/viva1.mp3
Sally- Off the top of my head (other than novelty songs like Purple People Eater) I could only think of The Pixies “The Happening” or Gary Newman’s “Praying to the Aliens”.
It’s hard to be “Space Oddity” and “Ashes to Ashes”, if they qualify.
Mr. Spaceman by the Byrds.