Townswoman Citizen Mom checks in with the following notification of a Philadelphia radio station countdown to which she’ll be contributing. Some of the Rock Town Hall links are nods to what might be our own would-be contributions to this party to which we’ve not be invited. [Sob.] I say, while cheering on Citizen Mom’s, we crash the party and submit our own 8.85 Most Memorable Musical Moments. Make us proud, Mom!
Just when you thought ‘XPN had the whole 885 Countdown thing sussed, along comes this year’s project, the 885 Most Memorable Musical Moments — yes, it’s a mouthful, but well suited to a list that could include television performance, notorious band breakups, court battles, questionable fashion choices, even untimely death.
The thing I like about this is that it’s not an attempt to create any kind of canon of officially-sanctioned “rawk” moments. This seems much more personal, more of an effort to create an archive of testimony about the way music infiltrates our lives across a spectrum of sounds, visions and experiences. Check out some of the XPN staffers’ offerings here.
And, being the radio station that brings it with the the 21st Century Stylie, the 885MMMM (say it with extra “mmmmmm…”) will have a strong web presence, including — you know it, you love it — guest bloggers, and I will be one of them!
Each Friday throughout the countdown, watch this space. And by all means, vote for your most memorable musical moments, here. [NOTE: That purple link is what us Townspeople click to stuff the ballot box with our 8.85 Most Memorable Moments.] On Mondays, it’s the Late Greats, writing today about Most Memorable Concerts I’m Embarassed About. Now, you have to go a way to beat Richard Marx, but I’ll offer up either Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark or A-ha, both seen at the Tower circa ’87, from my personal files.
And of course, extra sloppy kisses to my friends at XPN. I’ll do you proud, poopies.
so let me get this straight…matt reilly thinks that HIS OWN interview of roky erikson (or that time when he met john paul jones)
i mean, these moments in matt’s life rocked MY world, but….is the list supposed to be comprised of such personal memories?
oops…shoul’ve read “…HIS OWN interview of Roky…is one of ROCK’s most memorable moments?”.
Was is Reilly who also said the death of Johnny Cash a most memorable moment? I guess shock value counts for little.
i think Helen Leicht brought up the death of johnny cash.
i’m okay with that submission. that’s not a personal moment.
matt reilly’s list (and the lists of a few others) are like me saying that one of the greatest moments in rock was that time that rich kauffman and i heard “green tambourine” at three on the morning while tripping during a drive through georgia on the electric love muffin’s first tour.
It’s funny you criticize the personal nature of Reilly’s moments. Citizen Mom’s opinion is that the list’s openness to personal moments is what makes it refreshing. Personally, I’m still offended Rock Town Hall wasn’t invited to take part in this momentous event. I’ve been looking for someone or some blog to declare war on. Maybe this is it. Any other suggestions?
But my darlings, Rock Town Hall WAS invited to participate, by yours truly. By its nature, RTH is not any one person’s blaaaawg, so how can you Guest Edit? And for feck’s sake, am I not ambassador enough? Make rock and roll sexytime, not war, Mr. Moderator!
Also, saturismine strikes the appropriate contrarian note and makes a decent point, but it’s worth pointing out that it’s called “Most Memorable,” not GREATEST. So like, I have my doubts that the time I lost my car in the JFK parking lot after the U2 Joshua Tree tour show might not make the list, the SHOW itself, or maybe the tour or the album surely will. Great moments are made of small ones.
thanks for understanding my point of view, citzen mom!
far be it from me to invalidate anyone’s personal memories.
i was more wondering about the logistics of compiling such a list if personal memories are invited as contributions.
so are you saying that if enough people mention experiences related to, say, the u2 j-tree tour, then that tour might make the list?
this would indeed constitute a list of “most memorable” moments.
though it hasn’t been described as such, it’s an interesting experiment in collective memory.
Citizen Mom, my apologies for being so ready to make war that I didn’t realize we had been invited:) I’ll be pitching in, but don’t think I’m still not looking to pick a fight. Who’s it gonna be, dawgs? Let’s rumble!
I’m ready to fight here, but not because I have an argument. It’s just that I like to hurt people.
Where’s Pete Doherty when you need him?