What you can’t see here is the Purple Rain motorcycle Jeff rode to the photo session.
HVB
Mar 222013
hrrundivbakshi
Mar 192013
Greetings, one and all! I come before you a sleep-deprived zombie, still consumed with amazement at the incredible awesomeness of having a first child. My daughter is very healthy, seemingly happy, and thus far, seems perfectly perfect to me. The possibility that she could have shitty taste in music, be afraid to dance, or (shudder) fall in love with a broke-ass drummer is still far enough in the future that I choose to believe none of those things could ever possibly happen.
But I didn’t make this appearance to talk seriously about years to come. No, I am here as Master of Japery and Lord High Commissioner of Fun & Games to ask you one simple question: what song do you think filled my head in the first 24 hours after my Miss M was born?
Those of you who have had the experience I just did will know that after the birth of a first child (assuming you wanted it), one’s heart is filled to bursting, and all the cares and worries of parenthood are subsumed in a tidal wave of the purest ell-oh-vee-ee LUVV. In fact, the days I spent in the hospital right after my girl was born were surprisingly reminiscent of the first few precious, hazy days I’ve spent locked up with the special girls I’ve fallen in love with over the years — you know that feeling, like you’re in an opium den of pure positivity and nothing-could-ever-go-wrong-ism. You don’t want to leave, but at the same time, you know one day you must. You suck on that love-opium pipe as long as you can, and then cross your fingers as you cross the threshold back into the cold light of day, and inevitable reality.
But, again, what I want to know is: for those first few precious, purely positive days, before the sleepless nights and screaming tantrums — what song was stuck in my head? Give me your best guesses. I’ll guide you with clues and hints as I deem necessary. First Townsman to get to the correct answer wins a coveted RTH No-Prize!
I look forward to your responses,
HVB
Mar 042013
Easy as 1-2-3. Simple as do-re-mi. That’s how easy this little game can be.
Here’s all you got to do: I’ll start with a line from a noteworthy song, starting with the letter “A.” For good measure, and to show you how this game is played, I’ll give you another line, from another song, this time starting with the letter “B.” You’ll note that the second line makes sequential sense after the line that precedes it. This is an important rule! You are free to start a new “verse” once we’ve collectively strung together at least four lines.
To make this contextually relevant, I urge you to copy and paste the lines preceding the one (and only one!) you add, so we can watch the A-B-C of it unfold.
We’ll start with a free-for-all — any band, any song, just make sure you follow the alphabet and remember we each get just one line per post. As we progress through the alphabet a few times, we can get fancy, restricting the lines to just one genre, or artist, or just artists with beards who wore platform shoes and so forth.
Here’s my first line, and a further one to show you how this game is played:
Accidents will happen
Because the night belongs to lovers
I look forward to your responses.
HVB
Feb 242013
Many of you already know that I am a fairly big fan of the works of Terence Trent D’Arby. The world needs more unapologetically pretentious pop/soul artists, and he certainly was one for the better part of the 1990s.
Anyhow, I chanced upon a listing on YouTube for a TTD video I didn’t know existed: “Dance Little Sister.” Now, I’ve always loved this song — for me, its ferocity seems to transcend the cheeseball 1980s production flourishes that come close to ruining his first album, Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D’Arby. So it’s a winner, and I eagerly clicked to watch TTD tear it up.
Boy, did I dial a wrong number! Who green-lit this stinker?! The band looks unbelievably uncool in every possible way, TTD seems to lack any interest in what he’s doing, and the “cut-to” scenes of — of what, exactly? — seem to have been flown in from a diaper commercial.
For me, this video was a major, major let-down. I know we’ve talked about “holy grail” audio pieces that have been revealed to suck upon actually hearing them for the first time; do any of you have any video let-downs as disappointing as this one?
I look forward to your responses — and I also attach a rare bit of TTD video that doesn’t suck to show you what I was hoping I’d discover, but didn’t.
HVB
Feb 172013
Following up on a story about the passing of the guy who wrote “Along Comes Mary,” Tandyn Almer, has unexpectedly turned me on to a bunch of great songs I’d never heard before — and one or two I’ve always loved that it turns out Tandyn wrote, in whole or in part. (“Shadows & Reflections”? “Sail On Sailor”? Almer co-wrote both of those.)
Too many online remembrances and feature stories have focused on the more curious and “newsworthy” (in a VH1 Behind the Music kind of way) aspects of Tandyn’s life, and that’s a shame. By all accounts, he was happy and well liked, and that’s what really matters. A good, and seemingly well informed, accounting of Almer’s accomplishments can be found in this excellent career retrospective/obituary, found somewhat strangely on a Catholic faith-related blog.
Anyhow, I guess I just wanted to pass along my respects for a great artist I basically knew nothing about until today. Being able to hear the original Eddie Hodges version of “Shadows & Reflections” alone — that was totally wonderful; what an awesome arrangement! (Also, check out “Butterfly High,” a psychedelic masterwork performed by Hodges and Almer under the most excellent band name “Paper Fortress.”)
HVB
Feb 152013
Groovy, baby! (Click photo for full-size view.)
As we learn during Once and For All February, some rock debates have taken years to settle. Here’s one that has been debated hotly but not been resolved: Who’s Britain’s Best-Dressed Pop Star?
The nominees are right here in this photo: Brian Jones, Ronnie Lane, and George Harrison! (Apologies to Paul Weller.)
Who's Britain's Best-Dressed Pop Star?
- Brian Jones (53%, 16 Votes)
- George Harrison (40%, 12 Votes)
- Ronnie Lane (7%, 2 Votes)
Total Voters: 30
Loading ...Feb 122013
It’s time we determine—once and for all—the Greatest Key Change Deployed at the End of a Song Because It’s Going Nowhere. “Greatest” is defined here as “you know what? That schlock arranger’s trick actually works in this song, and it’s genuinely better for it.”
I was reminded of this on my way into work, when “Living On a Prayer” came on the radio, and I found myself waiting for the schlock key change moment near the end of the song, which occurs here (sneak ahead to the 3:23 mark):
Is there best use of this trick? I’m not sure. I need your help!
This is an open-entry discussion. Make your case. We will tabulate/assess the winner on February 28, 2013.
