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hrrundivbakshi

Mach Schau, Tom Jones!

 Posted by
Nov 082008
 

With this post, we inaugurate a new running series in the Halls of Rock Town, in which we collectively examine a single, stand-out performance, to focus on and assess its “mach schau” factor. To kick things off, I bring you Tom Jones in 1969, doing what he did best: moovin’, groovin’ and making women get all twitchy *down there*.

I once read an insightful comment comparing Elvis to Tom Jones, suggesting that Elvis had all the talent he needed to be a great soul singer, but all he ever wanted was to achieve whitebread success on the stage in Vegas. Tom Jones is/was the opposite: someone who clearly yearned to be a soul shouter, but was blessed with a God-given knack for Vegas-style entertainment excellence. Sometimes I agree with this assessment. When I watch things like this, though, I’m not so sure — and I’m not sure I care!

So join me, won’t you? Watch Tom Jones doing his thing, then tell me: did he or did he not MACH SCHAU?

I look forward to your responses,

HVB

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Battle Royale: Most Rockin’ Movie Star

 Posted by
Nov 042008
 


(Make sure you skip ahead to 3:15 for the key bit of dialog.)

In a recent conversation, I blurted out something in a very matter-of-fact way — the way that usually sets me up for a rhetorical pin-fall from somebody who thinks more than me before they open their yap. This time, however, everybody involved in the chat nodded their head in agreement. What I said was:

“The most totally rock and roll movie star ever? Bruce Lee.”

There was no disagreement during that conversation, and there should be none now. Bruce had swagger, balls, an intelligent, improvisational perspective on ass-kickery, wore cool shades, racing stripes, and was just generally all that.

Hand over the belt!

HVB

p.s.: Bruce Lee was called to mind as I watched an incredibly awful Matt Helm movie last night. The credits listed Bruce Lee as “Karate Consultant.” As I watched the movie, Dean Martin’s lumpy ineptitude at the business of chops and kicks made it clear Bruce couldn’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. Every now and then, though, an obvious stunt-Karate dude made an appearance, and that dude could kick some ass! Using the marvel of digital freeze-framery, I slowed the film down to the point where this guy could be identified. Sure enough: it was Bruce Lee in a leisure suit with a curly wig on!

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RTH Labs Tone Exercise, Part II — Bringing It All Forwards Home

 Posted by
Oct 302008
 

Here’s a follow-up message I received from RTH Labs Senior Analyst Milo T. Frobisher this morning:

Greetings, Hrrundi!

Well, I see that the pale and pasty residents of the Hall have acquitted themselves surprisingly well on our most recent laboratory challenge. Nevertheless, I suspect many will be surprised when they hear the songs that continue to mystify them — once they hear them “forwards.” Would you be so kind as to post the collage I sent, in “forwards” mode?

Thank you again for your dedicated service to the scientific pursuit of rock and roll.

Sincerely,

Milo T. Frobisher
Senior Research Analyst
RTH Labs

Milo’s wish, as always, is my command. Here’s the file in question.

HVB

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RTH Labs: Tone Exercise, Part I — Please Backwards Please

 Posted by
Oct 272008
 

Milo T. Frobisher, Senior Research Analyst at RTH Labs, sent along the following, asking for your assistance:

Greetings, Hrrundi —

I wonder if you’d be so kind as to post the attached file on Rock Town Hall at your earliest convenience. It may help address the issue of “instant recollection” that some claim is possible upon hearing a few distinctive notes played on an elctric amplified guiitar. Our goal in assembling the audio sampler I’ve forwarded is to determine whether the notes are what is being recognized by RTH’s over-educated rock nerds, or the “tone” of the guitars in question. I for one have my doubts about the possibility that “tone” on its own is sufficient to generate recollection, but, with the help of RTH’s membership, we shall see.

Here is the file in question.

You’ll note that all the audio samples in this collage are backwards. This should have no effect upon tone, but ought to do a reasonable job masking the musical phrases in question. I assure you all of the tunes in question, when played “forwards,” ought to be quite easily recognized by the basement-dwelling, mac-and-cheese-eating, pock-marked denizens of the Hall. To make matters easier, the RTH Labs have selected only the first second of all the songs being sampled.

If, as I suspect, few of the sampled songs are recognized, please post the second file I’ve attached, which features these same songs, played *forwards*. And please make it clear to those Townsmen with recording facilities enabling them to “flip” these tunes on their own, that doing so would run counter to both the spirit and technical purpose of this exercise.

Thank you once again for your service to the advancement of science in rock and roll, Hrrundi. You are a great asset to these halls, to be sure.

Sincerely,

Milo T. Frobisher
Senior Research Analyst
RTH Labs

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A Classic Rock Riddle

 Posted by
Oct 252008
 

Twice in the last week, I punched up the local “classic rock” station on the car radio, and *twice* heard the exact same song the moment I switched to the station. I’ve attached an audio collage of snippets from the tune, processed a bit to do a decent job of masking the artist in question. Your task: summon all you know about classic rock playlists — and tune your nerdy earbulbs — then tell me the artist and the song in question. First correct answer gets a coveted RTH No-Prize, and the opportunity to rant at length about how totally lame today’s “classic rock” playlists are.

Here’s the collage I offer.

I look forward to your responses.

HVB

Postscript: please note that these two times I tuned in the classic rock station were the *only* two times I’d tuned to the damn station in about three years!

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Little Feat: What’s the Big Deal?

 Posted by
Oct 172008
 

Sorry to post and run, but it’s late, and I have a two-bourbon buzz on. I had to get a couple of drinks down my gullet to withstand the jam-tastic wankathon that confronted me at a Little Feat show I got backstage tix to tonight. I want you all to know that the only reason I went is because a number of you — including many whose musical opinions I otherwise respect — swear by these guys.

It wasn’t terrible. I mean, it wasn’t even 20% as bad as the Phish show I got dragged to once. Or 5% as bad as I imagine Dead shows used to be. But it wasn’t really my cup of tea. Fair enough and “big fucking surprise,” I hear you guys moaning as you roll your eyes and lunge for the bong. But, seriously, do me a favor and tell me why you like Little Feat so much. What I heard was an extremely competent roots-rock/jam band, with very, very little of interest to say. Here’s a way to get at what I want to know: why do I love Lynyrd Skynyrd so much, yet find Little Feat so uninteresting?

Before you throw rotten tomatoes at me for trying to get you to say (once again): “because it’s jam-band hippie shit, and you don’t like that stuff, HVB!”, let me just say that there were a few bourbon-fueled moments where I was actually able to nod my head sympathetically to lead guitar player dude’s sextagenerian stratocaster bliss-out, and I was actually mightily impressed with drummer dude’s game. But, really, what the fuck are these guys singing about? Why do I love “Get Up, Stand Up” by Marley so much, yet find Little Feat’s version so lame?

If ever I needed some serious RTH Healing, it’s now. Please explain, so that I may grow and mature as a music listener.

Thank you all, and I look forward to your responses.

HVB

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