Has anyone seen Late Night at the Apollo lately? I had fallen asleep during the last bit of SNL and when I woke up I thought it was still SNL, but found that it was actually Late Night at the Apollo that had come on. People really like to rub that tree. There was a 10 year old on there who really evoked quite an emotional response. It’s so real.
Did you ever listen to any of those 45s you recently picked up? I’d really like to get your thoughts on “Lovers Never Say Goodbye” by the Flamingos. Like I said during our phone convo, it’s one of my all time favorite doo wop ballads. Real heartfelt stuff -something I never hear in anything served up by Zappa.
In a late sixties interview I have on an MP3, Zappa claims to be a huge fan of doo wop. He talks little of his love of the music and spends most of his time bragging about the records he had access to before anyone else. Maybe I’m wrong here, but most of Zappa’s musical modus operandi is “what can I do to bring as much attention to myself as possible?” He is the king of attention grabbing noodling: lyrical noodling, instro noodling, you name it noodling. Ever been broke and had one of those Ramen meals? On the surface, it looks like it may have the potential to fill ya up. But after it’s down, ya still feel hungry. One likes at least a little meat at supper time, something that provides real sustenance.
Maybe I’m wrong here, but most of Zappa’s musical modus operandi is “what can I do to bring as much attention to myself as possible?”
[Cough, cough…]
I probably like Zappa less than you do, Eplurbie, but I don’t think this is his M.O. If anything, I don’t think he draws enough attention to himself, to whatever his true “game” might be. He’s like a Harlem Globetrotter of rock: lots of fancy dribbling and passing, but you want to say, “Put the ball in the net, already!” Maybe we’re saying the same thing, I don’t know, but I think his noodling and proclamations are a smokescreen for whatever it is he might be getting out of those obscure doo-wop records. Kind of like the way any of a handful of us tend to write up here now and then.
Wait until you see the 2 interviews that will be running this week on Rock Town Hall. What a contrast in styles of discussing music. One delights me; one disgusts me. You’ll be the judge.
To explain, when I want to take time to possibly appreciate a work of art, I expect to get some sense of the artist’s “soul” or, maybe more importantly, the soul or principles behind the work of art itself. Whether I end up liking that “essence,” if you will, of the work or not, I want to at least get a feel for what it might be. I get almost none of that from most Zappa. He’s turning so many tricks, in most cases, that I get no human spark out of his music. My inability to take pleasure in much of his music is different than, say, the pure hatred I feel when I hear the music of Journey. I hate Jouney and hate what they’re doing in their music. I’d punch their music in the face if I were to meet it on the street. With Zappa, however, it’s often like meeting an annoying person at a person, someone thrwoing so much bullshit at me that I just have to walk away before I say something so rude that I might regret what I say. When Zappa shuts up and plays his guitar solos, I do get a sense of why he plays music. Other than that, I usually feel like he’s hiding his true intentions through a bunch of group wanking. Make a little more sense?
Humor me. You’re listening to one of those noodling guitar solos. What runs through your mind?
And what’s all this shit about your hatred for Journey? Wow! There’s a bold stand! You’re really gonna create a whole lot of controvery with that statement! And just for the hell of it, what’s so Godawful about Journey that they’re deserving of your hatred. Why are they more deserving of your hatred than Zappa? Man, I long for the days when a bolder cat had the balls to stand up in front of a crowd and ask rhetorically, “Zappa or Krappa?” Hell, if you want this thing to take off, you need to start being a man again and say something that’s gonna cause some trouble, i.e. start running your mouth about what you REALLY think about all this half-assed shit!
Waiting in vain for your balls to enlarge,
E. Pluribus
Humor me. You’re listening to one of those noodling guitar solos. What runs through your mind?
Primarily two things: 1) I like his tone, and 2) I’m glad I can at least like his tone because now I feel a little better about trying to cut him some slack based on his facial hair.
Re: Journey…
You are pathetic. I truly dislike the music of Journey. I’m certain there’s nothing I might be missing. Zappa/Krappa at least has enough going on that I can revisit it and dislike it all over again.
Why don’t we get back to the issue of people whose M.O. is to do nothing but call attention to themselves? Show us your balls by doing something in public for once and putting your name to it. Go ahead, try typing your last name into one of these boxes.
Why don’t we get back to the issue of people whose M.O. is to do nothing but call attention to themselves? Show us your balls by doing something in public for once and putting your name to it. Go ahead, try typing your last name into one of these boxes.
I exhort:
Don’t you fucking dare! Mr. Mod may know his rock, but he don’t know showbiz. Your role in these parts has nothing to do with thoughtfully yanking on your beard while arguing the relative merits of the Mascara Snake versus Holger Czukay. Leave that to the rest of us. For you, friend, it’s about anonymous blasts of humorously written, though sometimes painful, *truth*. You fucked things up once before when you made a public appearance and showed everybody who you *really* are — don’t screw things up over here the same way. Mach schau!
Forget it. The trade off isn’t fair. I give myself up, and in return, I get months and months of politically correct critiques of “stars” and topics that I (and you too, if truth be told) don’t really give a shit about. How ’bout this? Screw the interviews and your disgust about recent industry practices. Serve up that “offensive on all levels” review of “Songs in the Key of Life”, and I might just turn myself in -permanently. And I don’t want the watered down version. I want the thing that made even an asshole like me recoil, the analysis you barked out while we were sitting in the parking lot at Wawa or whatever it was.
I just listened to the Flamingos 45 a couple of times. I’m glad you singled out the “Lovers Never Say Goodbye” side as the one to listen to, ’cause it’s the one that shines on this platter. I agree with your contention that the Flamingos sound surprisingly engaged for a group flogging a pretty boxed-in pop music flavor. Doo-wop ain’t my favorite as a general rule, but this one is strong and sincere.
As for the rest of the pile I found, I’ve been sparing and attentive in my listening –mainly ’cause I want to save ’em up for an old-fashioned “record listening party” with my buddy Christian, whose eyes lit up when he scanned the discs. I have, however, dipped into the Larry Williams (I really dig both sides of that “Bony Moronie” single), Cozy Cole (“Topsy” is strong, I think), Maureen Gray (BO-ring!), and — another good Plurbie call — the Betty Everett. That one is definitely in my next Thrifty Music collection; it’s dynamite.
I love a good ballad. The other Flamingos winner is their version of “I Only Have Eyes For You.” I’m fairly sure you’d like that one as well.
I really gave myself a good education during those years when I went out junking for records when I had practically nothing in my collection. That’s how I found out about all those great ballads, i.e so many of them were covered by the doo wop groups. You wanna hear a really great ballad? Pick up a Platters best of and check out that song “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.” You’ll quickly understand why I don’t get involved in conversations regarding the greatness of some mega pretentious act like Television. Again, listen to “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.” Television. Jesus. Give me one fucking Television song that’s even worth a smidgin of “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes”. And I don’t wanna hear any of that apples and oranges shit either. Bad is bad, period.
So what’s your stand on Zappa – the all noodle and no meat man? Zappa or Krappa? I certainly don’t hear anything there on the level of “Life is But a Dream” by the Harptones.
And yes the Voxpoppers disc is a turd, although I like the guitar sound on “The Last Drag.” I know that’s a little ridiculous, but I originally found the record in high school, during those years (late 70s to early 80s) when a decent guitar sound on top 40 radio was unheard of.
Keep me posted on your flight schedule,
E. Pluribus
Has anyone seen Late Night at the Apollo lately? I had fallen asleep during the last bit of SNL and when I woke up I thought it was still SNL, but found that it was actually Late Night at the Apollo that had come on. People really like to rub that tree. There was a 10 year old on there who really evoked quite an emotional response. It’s so real.
Hey Hrundi,
Did you ever listen to any of those 45s you recently picked up? I’d really like to get your thoughts on “Lovers Never Say Goodbye” by the Flamingos. Like I said during our phone convo, it’s one of my all time favorite doo wop ballads. Real heartfelt stuff -something I never hear in anything served up by Zappa.
In a late sixties interview I have on an MP3, Zappa claims to be a huge fan of doo wop. He talks little of his love of the music and spends most of his time bragging about the records he had access to before anyone else. Maybe I’m wrong here, but most of Zappa’s musical modus operandi is “what can I do to bring as much attention to myself as possible?” He is the king of attention grabbing noodling: lyrical noodling, instro noodling, you name it noodling. Ever been broke and had one of those Ramen meals? On the surface, it looks like it may have the potential to fill ya up. But after it’s down, ya still feel hungry. One likes at least a little meat at supper time, something that provides real sustenance.
Epluribusgergely wrote:
[Cough, cough…]
I probably like Zappa less than you do, Eplurbie, but I don’t think this is his M.O. If anything, I don’t think he draws enough attention to himself, to whatever his true “game” might be. He’s like a Harlem Globetrotter of rock: lots of fancy dribbling and passing, but you want to say, “Put the ball in the net, already!” Maybe we’re saying the same thing, I don’t know, but I think his noodling and proclamations are a smokescreen for whatever it is he might be getting out of those obscure doo-wop records. Kind of like the way any of a handful of us tend to write up here now and then.
Wait until you see the 2 interviews that will be running this week on Rock Town Hall. What a contrast in styles of discussing music. One delights me; one disgusts me. You’ll be the judge.
Moderator says,
“His noodling and proclamations are a smoke screen for whatever it is he might be getting out of those obscure doowop records.”
????????????????????????????
Elaborate please.
E. Pluribus
To explain, when I want to take time to possibly appreciate a work of art, I expect to get some sense of the artist’s “soul” or, maybe more importantly, the soul or principles behind the work of art itself. Whether I end up liking that “essence,” if you will, of the work or not, I want to at least get a feel for what it might be. I get almost none of that from most Zappa. He’s turning so many tricks, in most cases, that I get no human spark out of his music. My inability to take pleasure in much of his music is different than, say, the pure hatred I feel when I hear the music of Journey. I hate Jouney and hate what they’re doing in their music. I’d punch their music in the face if I were to meet it on the street. With Zappa, however, it’s often like meeting an annoying person at a person, someone thrwoing so much bullshit at me that I just have to walk away before I say something so rude that I might regret what I say. When Zappa shuts up and plays his guitar solos, I do get a sense of why he plays music. Other than that, I usually feel like he’s hiding his true intentions through a bunch of group wanking. Make a little more sense?
Yeah. It’s fine. It’ll do.
Humor me. You’re listening to one of those noodling guitar solos. What runs through your mind?
And what’s all this shit about your hatred for Journey? Wow! There’s a bold stand! You’re really gonna create a whole lot of controvery with that statement! And just for the hell of it, what’s so Godawful about Journey that they’re deserving of your hatred. Why are they more deserving of your hatred than Zappa? Man, I long for the days when a bolder cat had the balls to stand up in front of a crowd and ask rhetorically, “Zappa or Krappa?” Hell, if you want this thing to take off, you need to start being a man again and say something that’s gonna cause some trouble, i.e. start running your mouth about what you REALLY think about all this half-assed shit!
Waiting in vain for your balls to enlarge,
E. Pluribus
Primarily two things: 1) I like his tone, and 2) I’m glad I can at least like his tone because now I feel a little better about trying to cut him some slack based on his facial hair.
Re: Journey…
You are pathetic. I truly dislike the music of Journey. I’m certain there’s nothing I might be missing. Zappa/Krappa at least has enough going on that I can revisit it and dislike it all over again.
Why don’t we get back to the issue of people whose M.O. is to do nothing but call attention to themselves? Show us your balls by doing something in public for once and putting your name to it. Go ahead, try typing your last name into one of these boxes.
Jim browbeats:
Why don’t we get back to the issue of people whose M.O. is to do nothing but call attention to themselves? Show us your balls by doing something in public for once and putting your name to it. Go ahead, try typing your last name into one of these boxes.
I exhort:
Don’t you fucking dare! Mr. Mod may know his rock, but he don’t know showbiz. Your role in these parts has nothing to do with thoughtfully yanking on your beard while arguing the relative merits of the Mascara Snake versus Holger Czukay. Leave that to the rest of us. For you, friend, it’s about anonymous blasts of humorously written, though sometimes painful, *truth*. You fucked things up once before when you made a public appearance and showed everybody who you *really* are — don’t screw things up over here the same way. Mach schau!
Forget it. The trade off isn’t fair. I give myself up, and in return, I get months and months of politically correct critiques of “stars” and topics that I (and you too, if truth be told) don’t really give a shit about. How ’bout this? Screw the interviews and your disgust about recent industry practices. Serve up that “offensive on all levels” review of “Songs in the Key of Life”, and I might just turn myself in -permanently. And I don’t want the watered down version. I want the thing that made even an asshole like me recoil, the analysis you barked out while we were sitting in the parking lot at Wawa or whatever it was.
In the words of one of my all time favorite authors, “God bless you, Mr. Hrundi!”
It’s damn good to know that there’s another Yossarian out there!
So did ya play that Flamingos record yet? And where do you stand on Zappa? Zappa or Krappa?
Hope to hear from you soon,
E. Pluribus
Hey, Plurbie —
I just listened to the Flamingos 45 a couple of times. I’m glad you singled out the “Lovers Never Say Goodbye” side as the one to listen to, ’cause it’s the one that shines on this platter. I agree with your contention that the Flamingos sound surprisingly engaged for a group flogging a pretty boxed-in pop music flavor. Doo-wop ain’t my favorite as a general rule, but this one is strong and sincere.
As for the rest of the pile I found, I’ve been sparing and attentive in my listening –mainly ’cause I want to save ’em up for an old-fashioned “record listening party” with my buddy Christian, whose eyes lit up when he scanned the discs. I have, however, dipped into the Larry Williams (I really dig both sides of that “Bony Moronie” single), Cozy Cole (“Topsy” is strong, I think), Maureen Gray (BO-ring!), and — another good Plurbie call — the Betty Everett. That one is definitely in my next Thrifty Music collection; it’s dynamite.
I’ll keep you posted otherwise.
FIRST TURD SMELT!
Hey, Plurbie — the Voxpoppers really suck!
I love a good ballad. The other Flamingos winner is their version of “I Only Have Eyes For You.” I’m fairly sure you’d like that one as well.
I really gave myself a good education during those years when I went out junking for records when I had practically nothing in my collection. That’s how I found out about all those great ballads, i.e so many of them were covered by the doo wop groups. You wanna hear a really great ballad? Pick up a Platters best of and check out that song “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.” You’ll quickly understand why I don’t get involved in conversations regarding the greatness of some mega pretentious act like Television. Again, listen to “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.” Television. Jesus. Give me one fucking Television song that’s even worth a smidgin of “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes”. And I don’t wanna hear any of that apples and oranges shit either. Bad is bad, period.
So what’s your stand on Zappa – the all noodle and no meat man? Zappa or Krappa? I certainly don’t hear anything there on the level of “Life is But a Dream” by the Harptones.
Agree or disagree?
E. Pluribus
And yes the Voxpoppers disc is a turd, although I like the guitar sound on “The Last Drag.” I know that’s a little ridiculous, but I originally found the record in high school, during those years (late 70s to early 80s) when a decent guitar sound on top 40 radio was unheard of.
Keep me posted on your flight schedule,
E. Pluribus