The other night I finally got around to seeing director Noah Baumbach‘s latest film, Greenberg, starring Ben Stiller, as the title character, a depressed 40-year-old former musician who’s house sitting for his successful brother in LA, scene of Greenberg’s dashed music dreams. I liked it, and Stiller was surprisingly restrained in playing the sort of pathetic dick I’ve known too well and verged on being myself. Greta Gerwig co-stars a the cute, goofy, young love interest and Rhys Ifans plays Greenberg’s old band buddy, who sucks it up and manages to help occupy his old friend’s time in hopes of moving past the dick he was and still is.
As in his previous two movies, The Squid and the Whale and Margot at the Wedding, the film is populated by the sort of liberal arts educated, 100% natural cotton-clad types who tend to dig the daily proceedings in the Halls of Rock. With characters who were former bandmates this movie is especially rock oriented, and the Greenberg character can’t help but see the world through his rock nerd–glasses. The soundtrack was compiled and scored by James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem. Whether you’ve seen the movie or not, I thought Greenberg touched on some good topics for today’s round of Dugout Chatter. Remember, it’s your gut answers that count!
What’s the best song you’ve heard in a Starbucks?
The first time Greenberg meets Gerwig’s he plays her “It Never Rains in California” and asks her if she remembers the days when LA radio stations played that song whenever it rained. What weather-related song do you most associate with radio stations of your youth?
SPOILER ALERT…
What’s the best coke music?
If Ifans’ doesn’t immediately bring an image to mind he’s the laid-back, tall, gangly, unkempt Welsh actor who typically plays the laid-back, tall, gangly, unkempt buddy of an anxious leading man. I the Stiller-Ifans characters’ musical history was discussed (but never seen), I imagined the tall Ifans playing guitar next to the tiny Stiller and thought of a particular songwriting duo in which the short guy actually was a Welshman and looked a bit like Ifans. Who’s your favorite “mismatched” songwriting/guitar duo?
If you had to write one cranky customer complaint letter to a figure in rock, how would it start?
I look forward to your responses.
my hatred for Squid & Whale coupled with my fear that i’m just like Greenberg has had me not see this movie.
Wow, you’re the second person today who’s told me they hated The Squid & the Whale. That’s one of my favorite movies from recent years. You’re still A-OK in my book.
Haven’t seen Greenberg; haven’t resolved my conflicted (if mostly negative) views on Stiller. When he’s good he’s very good. But more often than not he’s not good, or, perhaps, chooses projects badly. Anyway, haven’t seen The Squid and the Whale, either, but I thought Margot at the Wedding was excellent and Baumbach’s first film, Kicking and Screaming, ranks very high in my book.
Best song in Starbucks: I seldom notice, or remember, but I do remember one time hearing “Ever So Lonely” by Monsoon. That was kinda cool.
Weather-related song of my youth: “I Can See Clearly Now” by Johnny Nash.
Best coke music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfU17niXOG8&feature=related
Cranky Letter:
Dear Mick and Keith, Instead of wasting your time and ours updating Exile outtakes, how about organizing a comprehensive Stones “Bootleg Series”?
Let me add that Baumbach’s 2nd film, Mr. Jealousy, which looked for a while like it would be his last film, is much better than its reception at the time would suggest.
What’s the best song you’ve heard in a Starbucks?
I don’t go to Starbucks enough to think of one.
What weather-related song do you most associate with radio stations of your youth?
Still Raining Still Dreaming by Hendrix on WMMR
What’s the best coke music?
I would imagine something faux-sophisticated like Home at Last or something else from Aja by Steely Dan.
Who’s your favorite “mismatched” songwriting/guitar duo?
Those guys in Sparks.
If you had to write one cranky customer complaint letter to a figure in rock, how would it start?
Dear Mr Blavet,
I appreciate the depth of your knowledge and your love of the genre, but please shut the fuck up while the songs are playing.
The Squid and the Whale… meh.
I didn’t even know the guy had one film before The Squid… let alone two. I’ll have to check them out.
Yeah, I HATE when DJs talk over songs!
Hey, I just remembered that Oats may have a great answer to one of these questions:
https://www.rocktownhall.com/blogs/index.php/the-most-coked-out-song-ever/
Damn straight!
Good lord, yes. Esp. Kicking and Screaming. A classic of post-collegiate cluelessness.
yes! that one!
What’s the best song you’ve heard in a Starbucks?
Don’t drink coffee. Don’t know.
What weather-related song do you most associate with radio stations of your youth?
I remember my family house-sitting for somebody in DC in the mid- late70s, and me waking up to DC 101, DC’s then-preeminent rock station. It was raining outside, and I heard “Riders On the Storm” for the first time. I thought it was unbelievably cool. The next time I knowingly heard the Doors, I was in college, and was smart enough to realize how badly they suck.
What’s the best coke music?
The honest answer is “I don’t know,” but based on what I know about its effects, I’ll guess… hmm… “D.M.S.R.” by Prince. Hedonistic, sex-obsessed — seems to fit the bill.
Who’s your favorite “mismatched” songwriting/guitar duo?
Really, post-“Today!” Beach Boys and Brian Wilson/Mike Love. Prior to “Pet Sounds,” they were matched perfectly. After that… not so much.
If you had to write one cranky customer complaint letter to a figure in rock, how would it start?
Dear Paul McCartney: please get counseling.
I was singing Riders on the Storm with my 3 year old recently because it was raining — I sang “like a dog without a bone” and he came back at me with “like a cat without ice cream”
What’s the best song you’ve heard in a Starbucks?
I don’t know. But the Starbucks in Montrose at 71 and 18 is where a disproportionate number of really great looking women get their coffee. I’ve taken trainees there just to see if they’d notice, and every one of them has (including me when I was a trainee). Other than that, I pretty much never go there and stay for any length of time.
What weather-related song do you most associate with radio stations of your youth?
Ridin’ the Storm Out. Hey, they played it all the time.
What’s the best coke music?
Fleetwood Mac.
Who’s your favorite “mismatched” songwriting/guitar duo?
Rick Derringer and Johnny Winter. I don’t think they wrote that many songs together, but that was the first thing that came to mind.
If you had to write one cranky customer complaint letter to a figure in rock, how would it start?
Dear Kid Leo,
The Underground Garage is a great idea for a radio station, but when I’m paying for the damned thing, can’t you come up with 24 hours of unique programming every day and drop the playlist? If you did, I’d still be a Sirius subscriber.
First off, surprised by Mr. Mod’s love of Squid, since it was produced by (and very similar to) Wes Anderson, who he hates. Kicking and Screaming is great, but not as good as Metropolitan.
Philadelphia radio weather staple: The Who’s Love Reign O’er me. Like clockwork.
Mismatched songwriting/guitar duo: Those two guys from Nixon’s Head.
Dear Bryan Ferry, Why’d you have to dress like such a self-conscious fop and act so affectedly “suave?” Totally ruined Roxy Music for me.
Pince nez: that was Rick Derringer and *Edgar* Winter.
Clearly you have a future poet on your hands!
Agreed, Metropolitan is brilliant. A great film. Unbelievable to me that Whit Stillman made three very fine films and then has not made another since 1998.
High five on Whit Stillman’s three films!
I liked Squid. Thought Margot had some interesting moments (in particular, the scenes featuring music by Karen Dalton and Tusk-era Fleetwood Mac). Haven’t seen Greenberg, but would like to. The director I really dig is Andrew Bujalski (Funny Ha Ha, Mutual Appreciation). Stillman’s okay if you haven’t had your fill of Woody Allen (I have).
What’s the best song you’ve heard in a Starbucks?
After I’d moved north, a conference I went to in Charleston SC was my first time being in the South again. At a stopover in the Atlanta airport I went to Starbucks, and they were playing some generic soul music CD, Stax stuff. The black women working behind the counter were singing and dancing along while they served the customers. It was like the Bob Wills song — That’s What I Like About the South.
What weather-related song do you most associate with radio stations of your youth?
Randy Newman’s Louisiana 1927 (“they’re trying to wash us away”).
What’s the best coke music?
The Blasters. I saw them in a club when their first album came out, and after the opening band a bass player I knew said “I have to run over to my house for a minute, wanna come along for a ride?” When we were there he laid out some lines, which was very unexpected. When we got back, the Blasters were just hitting the stage, and they were really good. I mean they were REALLY good. Since that’s the only time I’ve ever done coke, that’s the best coke music to me.
Who’s your favorite “mismatched” songwriting/guitar duo?
Morrissey & Marr.
If you had to write one cranky customer complaint letter to a figure in rock, how would it start?
Iggy–
Put a shirt on. It’s time.
He has another film in the wings called Damsels in distress.
OK, I’ll play:
The Kinks’ “20th Century Man” was a nice surprise while we popped into a Starbucks in Northern California’s “garlic country” to load up on caffeine (after unloading another liquid) while driving to Yosemite. I ended up buying the interesting classic rock mix CD before we left.
The two-way switch on rock radio stations’ boards that flipped from “Riders on the Storm” to “Here Comes the Sun.”
That’s a tough question. Is there a kind of music that’s sure to drive cokeheads and their mirror from the room? I once thought Fripp & Eno’s No Pussyfooting would be good because it featured so many mirrors on the cover, but no dice.
Cher and Gregg Allman
Dear Kid Rock,
Please stop embarrassing Bob Seger…
Nez Pince – Remember Johnny Winter And? Rick Derringer and Johnny shared writing credits on Rock N Roll Hootchie Koo. I think I’m right, I’d have to go check the record, but I’m pretty sure.
I have Greenberg on my shelf now, I don’t think that spoiler is going to ruin it for me.
I don’t go to Starbuck’s but I bought a bunch of world music collections for a cafe I once co-owned. I really liked a few of them and never got them back when I went back to a paying job.
The Dead’s “Sugar Magnolia” comes on every bright clear day in college towns around the country.
I remember a whole car full of coked up folks yelling along to the Barenaked Ladies Gordon . I don’t think I could bear it in my current cokeless state.
Jack White and Loretta Lynn were an odd combo on that one record, which was pretty good the one time I heard it.
Dear Bret Michael,
Glad you lived, now go do it without any TV cameras following you around.
“What’s the best song you’ve heard in a Starbucks?”
The only thing I do at Starbucks is snatch the Sunday New York Times out of their recycling….
“What weather-related song do you most associate with radio stations of your youth?”
“Walking in the Rain” by Flash and the Pan
“What’s the best coke music?”
“I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing”
“Who’s your favorite “mismatched” songwriting/guitar duo?”
Kid Creole/Coati Mundi!
“If you had to write one cranky customer complaint letter to a figure in rock, how would it start?”
Dear Chuck,
Don’t you think it’s time to stop peeing on diner waitresses and record another record? Would it kill you to give Rick Rubin a call?