If you like to hear Johnny Marr play guitar . . . and I know some of you do . . . Rolling Stone is streaming his new album prior to next week’s release.
If anyone has the earned the right to jump on the nostalgia bandwagon for New Wave sounds, I guess it’s Johnny. Vocals are not so buried in the mix, like he did with 2003’s Boomslang with the Healers.
Funny, I was just gonna use the All-Star Jam to ask if anyone has heard any of the new Johnny Marr stuff. I will certainly check that out, though I fear it may be coming 20 years too late.
Did anyone finish reading that article on the Winner’s history of Rock on Grantland? It was a little long, but I thought the last one, on The Black Keys and the demise of Rock N’ Roll in general was pretty interesting (though I think he’s a little off on the Keys – a big part of their attitude is just Northeast Ohio). I liked the whole thing in general. It was prety interesting.
I mostly liked it. I agree that the Black Keys were kinda awkwardly shoed in there at the end. I did get to wonder who would be the key five-or-so bands for the Loser’s History of Rock.
Boomslang — and I think I’ve opined on this here before — is one of my favorite albums of the 2000s. I am probably a minority of one on that position. It’s a real studio album — the live clips from his TV appearances from that era don’t do it for me. I may go see him in at the 9:30 club here in DC for this tour, though.
I have yet to finish the Black Keys’ piece (and I – somehow – missed whatever lousy band preceded them, that rap-metal band with Fred Durst?), but I share Oats’ take on the series. My main objection was its role in too seriously trying to attribute worth to most shit bands with very little sense of humor injected to acknowledge the reality that rock ‘n roll seems to be going to hell in a hand basket as each new part of the story unfolds. All in all, though, I was surprised at how much I stuck with it.
The Loser’s History five key bands would be tough! How obscure do you need to get? 13th Floor Elevators and Big Star obscure or Parish Hall and Revelons obscure? He had some good points about radio being rock’s friend and in the end, radio abandoned rock (but that’s because there’s only like three radio stations left in the country).
That band was Linkin’ Park – and that was a boring article. In ten years no one will know who Linkin’ Park was, nor will they care. The other bands he chose will be remembered (or already are). Or maybe they’ll get a Critical upgrade here in the Hall. If they do, I’m gonna have to find a new place to play!
I’ve enjoyed the Grantland series. I thought the series’ main focus was explaining which bands were financially successful during the different periods and why. In that sense, it was very well done. Using that perspective, all those bands have to be recognized for their worth and place in the continuum of RnR. Whether or not they deserve it, or if their success is ultimately good or bad for all of us, was only secondary.
If you don’t like how a particular sports champion plays, you can argue it’s ugly and bad for the sport, but you can’t deny their success if they win the trophy. That’s what I got from the series; good or bad – here were the winners of each of those eras. And winning just meant $$$. I found it very interesting.
Deserving of a He Was A Great Man, I just heard that Kevin Ayers has left us. I don’t know much about him other than that I love his solo albums but find Soft Machine unlistenable. I could forgive any amount of prog-jazz noodling for a small amount of this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG9JKsCE4Iw
Surely you must have one of your patented musical interactions involving an old girlfriend stories to tie into Ayers’ life and works! Write it up, good sir, and we’ll run it on The Main Stage!
(I must say, it’s a joy having you back in business, Happiness Stan.)
I saw Kevin Ayers play a solo acoustic gig in the early 70s. He was elegant, funny & very good. It was your regular weekend hippie, everybody must get stoned, small show & the reason we were hugging the small stage was that the support act was Syd Barrett.
A man who we hoped was Syd (no-one was sure) appeared & as he readied himself a roadie adjusted the mic stand. There was a frank & angry exchange of views, everybody left the stage & no-one returned. Ah Man ! We think that we might nearly have seen Syd Barrett !
I’ve been listening to “Whatevershebringswesing”, my favourite Kevin Ayers record & remembering a night when he entertained us.
If you like to hear Johnny Marr play guitar . . . and I know some of you do . . . Rolling Stone is streaming his new album prior to next week’s release.
http://rol.st/12q20Vc
If anyone has the earned the right to jump on the nostalgia bandwagon for New Wave sounds, I guess it’s Johnny. Vocals are not so buried in the mix, like he did with 2003’s Boomslang with the Healers.
Funny, I was just gonna use the All-Star Jam to ask if anyone has heard any of the new Johnny Marr stuff. I will certainly check that out, though I fear it may be coming 20 years too late.
Did anyone finish reading that article on the Winner’s history of Rock on Grantland? It was a little long, but I thought the last one, on The Black Keys and the demise of Rock N’ Roll in general was pretty interesting (though I think he’s a little off on the Keys – a big part of their attitude is just Northeast Ohio). I liked the whole thing in general. It was prety interesting.
I mostly liked it. I agree that the Black Keys were kinda awkwardly shoed in there at the end. I did get to wonder who would be the key five-or-so bands for the Loser’s History of Rock.
Boomslang — and I think I’ve opined on this here before — is one of my favorite albums of the 2000s. I am probably a minority of one on that position. It’s a real studio album — the live clips from his TV appearances from that era don’t do it for me. I may go see him in at the 9:30 club here in DC for this tour, though.
I have yet to finish the Black Keys’ piece (and I – somehow – missed whatever lousy band preceded them, that rap-metal band with Fred Durst?), but I share Oats’ take on the series. My main objection was its role in too seriously trying to attribute worth to most shit bands with very little sense of humor injected to acknowledge the reality that rock ‘n roll seems to be going to hell in a hand basket as each new part of the story unfolds. All in all, though, I was surprised at how much I stuck with it.
The Loser’s History five key bands would be tough! How obscure do you need to get? 13th Floor Elevators and Big Star obscure or Parish Hall and Revelons obscure? He had some good points about radio being rock’s friend and in the end, radio abandoned rock (but that’s because there’s only like three radio stations left in the country).
That band was Linkin’ Park – and that was a boring article. In ten years no one will know who Linkin’ Park was, nor will they care. The other bands he chose will be remembered (or already are). Or maybe they’ll get a Critical upgrade here in the Hall. If they do, I’m gonna have to find a new place to play!
Wasn’t somebody asking that we give Tom Petty a Critical Upgrade a couple weeks ago?
I’ve enjoyed the Grantland series. I thought the series’ main focus was explaining which bands were financially successful during the different periods and why. In that sense, it was very well done. Using that perspective, all those bands have to be recognized for their worth and place in the continuum of RnR. Whether or not they deserve it, or if their success is ultimately good or bad for all of us, was only secondary.
If you don’t like how a particular sports champion plays, you can argue it’s ugly and bad for the sport, but you can’t deny their success if they win the trophy. That’s what I got from the series; good or bad – here were the winners of each of those eras. And winning just meant $$$. I found it very interesting.
I was going to limit my Critical Upgrade to “Long After Dark” only. Still may do it!
Deserving of a He Was A Great Man, I just heard that Kevin Ayers has left us. I don’t know much about him other than that I love his solo albums but find Soft Machine unlistenable. I could forgive any amount of prog-jazz noodling for a small amount of this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG9JKsCE4Iw
Surely you must have one of your patented musical interactions involving an old girlfriend stories to tie into Ayers’ life and works! Write it up, good sir, and we’ll run it on The Main Stage!
(I must say, it’s a joy having you back in business, Happiness Stan.)
I’ve been listening to “Joy of a Toy” today. Pretty damn cool album & it sounds nothing like Soft Machine.
I saw Kevin Ayers play a solo acoustic gig in the early 70s. He was elegant, funny & very good. It was your regular weekend hippie, everybody must get stoned, small show & the reason we were hugging the small stage was that the support act was Syd Barrett.
A man who we hoped was Syd (no-one was sure) appeared & as he readied himself a roadie adjusted the mic stand. There was a frank & angry exchange of views, everybody left the stage & no-one returned. Ah Man ! We think that we might nearly have seen Syd Barrett !
I’ve been listening to “Whatevershebringswesing”, my favourite Kevin Ayers record & remembering a night when he entertained us.