As most of you know already, we have members from various bands of some distinction hanging out here in the hallowed Hall. But I don’t think we have quite so many members from any one band as we do representing Philadelphia’s redoubtable Nixon’s Head. What concerns me isn’t so much that they’re (almost) all here — I think that’s great. It’s the fact that they use this forum to air their intra-band dirty laundry. It’s clear to me that they’re a band issuing a pathetic cry for help — and I think as fellow rockers and rock appreciators we owe it to them to respond with kindness and understanding. In an effort to help them begin the Healing, I’ve prepared a short question-and-answer form that I hope will help kick-start some constructive dialogue. Note that, in the same way abused children are given a teddy bear to help them point out where they’ve been hit or touched inappropriately, I thought I’d center this first discussion on a “neutral” topic through the miracle of YouTube. No Beatles, Motown, Sun Ra, Burton Cummings, jam bands, or Television here; we need to enter this dialog gently and non-threateningly.
Here, then, is your Rock teddy bear, and here are your questions. Mr. Moderator, andyr, chickenfrank, and sethro — I hope you’ll all take a moment to stop and think about your answers and how they might make your fellow band-mates feel.
1. Describe your feelings about this band’s gear. Do you see it as simply “flashy” or “showy,” or does it contribute to an important component of a unified Look?
2. Tell us how you feel about the manly baritone singing lead. Does his testosterone-fueled basso profundo add to the weight and majesty of this number or distract from the contributions of the band’s weedier members?
3. (Question for sethro) Notice how the Strangers have put their drummer right up front. Now, clear your mind for a moment… and share the first thoughts that flow back in. Think about the last time you performed on stage. Where were you?
4. On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being best), rate the song in terms of a) catchiness and b) bass/drum-driven “groove” or “drive”
5. On a scale of 1 to 10, please rate the extent to which you think this song rips off better material from the era. Now tell us whether you think this is a bad thing.
Thanks for participating, guys. I’m really hoping that a frank, open exchange — constructively guided — will help free up some destructive, bottled up feelings that have been seething under the surface for far too long.
Can we all comment or just the members of the band?
#1 they have a cohesive early Beatles look. A ton of bands ripped off this look back then so these guys look really generic and unoriginal, yet they look like they’re supposed to. They look pro. I find the use of longhorn guitars mildly interesting. It reminds me of the late great Aldo Jones. All in all, uneventful emotions from me about this aspect of the group. #2 Is this singer supposed to be like Andy? Maybe. I just dont care. He is a little strange sounding for a lead singer but the audio in this tuber sounds off to me. Remember here that I’m a drummer. I dont do “music” and I dont give a shit about what they’re singing. #3 You finally started to stir up some long repressed feelings here. I do not like when the singer is directly in front of me. It blocks the audience members from seeing me. I know it’s not “about me” but most of the time..”it is”. Over the years, you get used to a standard set up of a band in a small club and you live with it. I think the Strangers put the drummer and the singer up front cause the other 2 guys were so weak. The Head is not like that. We have massive forearms, and calfs(especially Mr. Mod.) The guy is also missing a rack tom. I wonder if that’s his normal setup or did some tv guy suggest that he would be more visible for the broadcast if that drum was out of the way. #4 I rate this song a 5 in catchiness. It’s OK. It dosn’t make me want to find an album of theirs on ebay. The drive is pretty good but there is no ballsy guitar line in there to get the blood boiling. All I start to here is Frankie Valli meets the Beachboys vocals. The bass line is rocking nicely. . #5 This song sounds like a Johny Lightning tv commercial. Very California jingle based
Your therapist responds:
… first of all, I find it telling that “the quiet one” in the band has stepped forward first. Mod, Velv, Chick — this should tell you something.
Now, to Sethro’s comments:
– #1: Kudos for spotting the longhorns right out of the gate. Imagine how much *less* interesting this band would be if they were a “Fender band.” Yawn. Those longhorns *say* something! The word “BALLS” comes to mind, but maybe that’s just one of my many rock hangups talking.
– #2: Velv… are you listening? I for one find it shocking that an integral part of your creative team has reached the point where he just doesn’t care about the “music” anymore. Let’s not beat around the bush: as far as I can tell, he’s already quit the band. Again: shocking. Find out what it’ll take to get him back on the team — then offer him double that price.
– #3: Iteresting comments about calves and forearms, but we’re not here to discuss repressed yearnings of that sort. Rather (and, again, I urge the rest of the band to consider the fact that Sethro came forward with his feelings *first* here), we need to listen to your deep, longstanding dissatisfaction with being seen as a stain on the curtain behind the Head’s front-and-center rock show. You may all have calves and forearms to die for, but there’s a critical member of the band who’s suffering from creative atrophy behind you!
– #4: Good call on the Frankie Valli thang here. I’m not supposed to take sides in this discussion, but I think it’s safe to say that I also felt a strong Four Seasons vibe here — in a very good way.
– #5: Johnny Lightning! Excellent! Um… have you ever considered taking on that name on stage? I wonder if your band mates would feel comfortable with that level of prominence for you. Or would Mod just start calling himself “Mr. Hot Wheels”?
I look forward to the comments from your band mates. I see some real Healing on the horizon.
Townsman mwall: feel free to comment, but — if I may be so bold — can the rest of us wait until Mod, andyr/velv and chickenfrank have had a chance to air their feelings? Thanks.
HVB
They’ve got at least one too many of those longhorn guitars. Too unified gear is not cool. A band’s got to show of a range of cool wares.
I’m troubled by the lead vocals, badly troubled. It’s like Eddie Vedder fronting The Turtles.
I think I can answer for sethro here: “I was in the back, where the band needs to place me so that I don’t steal any more thunder with my sad, soulful, manly looks.”
It’s a 5.5 in terms of catchiness (points off for the lead vocals, but at least they’re so weird they help drive the song home a bit further) and a 2 in terms of groove. More than the singer, the drummer messes this song up for me bigtime. He constantly resorts to some sloppy little roll on the snare that kills the drive.
It gets a 6.5 for ripping off The Turtles, The Grass Roots, and other like-minded bands. Definitely a song a better band could cover and raise by a point or two on all categories. This ripping off aspect, by the way, is a very good thing.
I look forward to your analysis and our collective healing. Thanks.
Now I’m going to think some more about this, after reading sethro’s comments…
sethro wrote:
Man, that’s damming! However, it’s good that he’s letting this genie out of the bottle. Perhaps it will help us all express the true disdain we have developed for each other. Perhaps it’s time we admit that the band is really all about each of us, individually. Now that I think about it, it was always andyr who pooh-poohed creative, unified stagewear. “That’s not ME,” he’d tell us. You think it’s me when I show up to a client meeting in a suit and tie?
Then sethro says, “I dont do ‘music’ and I dont give a shit about what they’re singing.” Already I’m getting a sense of what the real problem is with this band’s performance. Come to think of it, I frequently catch my own singer singing some nonsense that in no way reflects MY lyrics, MY heart and soul. I’ll kindly correct him, but later I feel a degree of shame and anger over the fact that he’s singing stuff so off the mark that it’s clear he doesn’t have a clue what the particular song is about! Christ, sometimes I write songs that are thinly veiled criticisms of HIM and he doesn’t get it.
Without andyr even responding yet, I feel I better understand how he’s been getting in the way of me and sethro. I’m curious to see what chickenfrank thinks about all this. Ever since he played in that country-rock band, he’s been known to mutter something about “restraint.” What’s that all about?
I’d rather point out the spots where Sethro touched me. Question 1, like Sethro said I’m reminded of a friend and fellow musician known for playing a longhorn who died too young.
Next I’m quickly reminded of the Boston band, The Lyres, who used longhorns and I’m filled with a seething jealousy that we never achieved the extremely modest level of success they enjoyed. Arrgghh! I’m not ready for the healing to begin yet. I’ll have to check back in later with my responses to your other questions, but I don’t want to impede anyone else’s chatter.
1) As hashed out in great depth previously on RTH Mach 1, put me in the extremely pro-uniform camp. Any band that wears matching outfits wins in the look department. Individuality be damned. Get with the program.
2) The singer sounds and looks like he suffered a mini-stroke. Distracting.
3)Drummer up front; great for fake video shoot. Logistically ridiculous in real live situation with the mikes and chords, and the feedback and blowing away the audience with volume. If you wanted to be up front, you should have picked a different instrument. Too bad.
4) 3.5 Yawn.
5) I support the rip off: 9 They’re not bringing anything new to the party, but if you have the sex and drugs you don’t really need the rock and roll. Kudos for getting their mediocre asses on TV.