It’s the weekend! Tell us what’s on your mind, where you’ll be somehow, somewhere Friday night.
Apr 112014
Mr. Moderator
Apr 102014
Yesterday, on the eve of KISS‘ induction into the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame, I learned that Lou Reed cowrote a song for the band’s Bob Ezrin-produced concept album, The Elder. Certainly, upon the completion of this recording, Lou must have remarked that KISS and his Berlin producer captured his music the way it was meant to sound!
Apr 082014
Straight stand. Round base. It’s cooler. Simple as that.
Straight stand. Round base. It’s cooler. Simple as that. Prove me wrong!
For the purposes of discussion, let’s leave the benefits of boom stands for drummers, keyboardists, and dudes playing Ovation roundback acoustic guitars out of the equation. Anyone can argue for boom stands and stands with the tripod bottom for reasons of comfort. James Brown might have worn beige orthopedic shoes had he been concerned for his onstage comfort.
Apr 072014
Since Jesse Winchester is not, as of this writing—contrary to reports earlier today—yet dead; since I cannot muster even the mildest false devastation over the sudden and unexpected death of “media personality” Peaches Geldof, the daughter of Bob Geldof and the late Paula Yates, whose presence I never knew existed until this unfortunate turn of events…let’s celebrate the life—and mourn the confirmed death—of a great…song and dance man, Mickey Rooney. Let’s put on a show!
Have you ever mustered the enthusiasm, idealism, drive, and insanity to put on a show? I have. Even when the show itself is a complete flop by objective standards, it’s almost always a blast. Hell, I can’t think of a time when it hasn’t been a blast, so I’ll drop the “almost” from that statement. Mickey’s Andy Hardy character had it right. When the chips are down, when no one believes in you and your artistic compatriots, when your community needs you, put on a show!
Let’s hear your stories of organizing shows.
Apr 032014
It gets worse.
The almost-always well-intentioned but annoying Steven Hyden of Grantland takes a disturbing look at the future of the always-annoying, not-even well-intentioned Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame. Check it out. Don’t shoot the messenger, Hyden, who is only doing the dirty work of confronting a credible future.
Which contemporary artists, if their careers ended today, would definitely get into the Rock Hall? Which artists need a little help? Who is going to get snubbed? The rank speculation that follows is rooted in five assumptions:
1. The Rock Hall will continue to exist well into the foreseeable future.
2. My personal taste will continue to run contrary to the Rock Hall’s choices.
3. The Rock Hall will become noticeably less rock-oriented in the years ahead. Pop, hip-hop, and electronic/dance artists will be ascendant. Metal and punk bands will (still) be largely ignored. But it will still be known as a “rock” museum.
4. The Rock Hall will always care more about commercial success than critical acclaim. But some critical acclaim is required.
5. None of this will ever matter, but I will find it interesting anyway.
Apr 032014
Anything goes in an All-Star Jam, even the use of slang! What’s the happening chatter around your locker in the Halls of Rock?
Apr 012014
Is it just me, or would you approve of legislation limiting the height of lead singers to no taller than 6′ 3″? As much of a heightist (in the pro-tall sense) as I tend to be when it comes to sports and many other walks of life, really tall singers never look cool to me. They actually make me uncomfortable and distract me from digging their music. Trust me, it’s not a matter of them having an unfair advantage, you know, with the spotlight and the glory that already comes with being a lead singer.
Surely I’m missing some super-cool 6′ 5″ singer, but the first guys who come to mind are Arcade Fire’s Win Butler (6′ 4½”?); Midnight Oil’s stark-raving mad, bald Peace Warrior Peter Garrett (6′ 4″); and Queens of the Stone Age’s stoner-jock lead man Josh Homme (6′ 4″). I’ll take these big men on my basketball team. I’ll take my chances with them banging away on drums (lord knows I love long, lanky drummers), but I don’t want to see them hunched over a mic stand, not even a cool, old-school straight stand.
