RTH Glossary

Bruce Springsteen Initial Recipient of Rock Town Hall’s Rock Badge of Courage for “Born in the USA”

Jan 182011

The Boss holsters a la Rambo!

Popular music discussion blog Rock Town Hall has awarded Bruce “The Boss” Springsteen its first-ever Rock Badge of Courage for His heroic efforts to lift “Born in the USA” to the anthemic heights the song required.

The Rock Badge of Courage is the highest artistic decoration awarded by Rock Town Hall, even higher than induction in the Hall’s Foyer of Fame. It is bestowed on musicians who distinguish themselves “conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her artistic cred above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against The Man, apathetic bandmates, or any other enemy of The Power & Glory of Rock.”

Although the song “Born in the USA” first saw the “light of day” while being composed for possible inclusion in the Michael J. Fox/Joan Jett movie of the same name, the rocking studio version had yet to be recorded as Bruce and His E Street Band neared completion on their 1984 album. With the band off for Presidents’ Day and The Boss anxious to record this passionate tribute to veterans of the Vietnam War, he took matters into his own hands. For the rhythm track He looped a recording of Max Weinberg‘s kick-and-snare drum check at the old Meadowlands. For the distinctive synth riff He called on the services of His 12-year-old nephew, Nelson, who had recently received a Casio keyboard for Christmas. Bruce played the rest of the tracks and singlehandedly carried the slipshod arrangement on the strength of his lyrics and vocal performance.

Rock Town Hall’s Rock Badge of Courage Commission is accepting nominations for future recipients of this honor.

Kokomotion

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Dec 062010

Do the Kokomotion!

This RTH Glossary entry was developed by Townsman alexmagic, who did the heavy lifting, as he often does, in a comment on an earlier thread. As a side benefit of this entry, the term may satisfy the rock world’s need to claim its own version “jump the shark.”

Kokomotion: The inevitable late phase of an artist’s career trajectory, in which they nakedly attempt to recapture the sound that made them initially famous.

The “Magic Man” illustrated this phase by comparing Paul McCartney’s “Silly Love Songs” with The Beach Boys’ “Kokomo”:

Taste and quality issues aside, I think there is a key difference between “Silly Love Songs” and “Kokomo.”

“Silly Love Songs” was written by a guy who was still in the middle of being an active, successful artist. It’s positioned as a statement of “you can bag on my songs all you want, but look at how rich they keep making me!” Some hubris, there.

“Kokomo” was written by a band long past its prime making a last-ditch effort to get any kind of traction. That it somehow worked is a testament to the commanding presence imparted by the authority of a captain’s hat.

McCartney’s Kokomotive moment, then probably would have been the Give My Regards to Broad Street album, where he was redoing actual Beatles songs. I guess a case could be made for the “Tripping The Live Fantastic” tour, where he started to re-embrace his arena rock status, only with his Beatles’ numbers more heavily in play.

I prefer to think of Broad Street being his “Kokomo,” though, because that would mean that Bryan “FX” Brown would have the distinction of being in both Broad Street and Cocktail, where “Kokomo” itself found its place.

Bryan Brown: Rock’s True Zelig?

For the record, can you identify the Kokomotive moments in other artists’ careers?

Pinky Rock

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Oct 252010

Originally posted April 4, 2007.

Pinky Rock is the style of rock that centers around the rhythm guitar playing that is most readily identified with Chuck Berry, the Godfather of Pinky Rock. Surely this style of guitar playing existed before the age of Rock ‘n Roll, but from Berry’s pinky one of the building blocks of the genre was born.

In the Pinky Rock style, the guitarist uses his or her pinky, in most cases, to hammer from the 5th note onto the 6th note of the Barre chords he or she is playing. Sometimes the pinky continues up to the 7th note. This guitar style sets up rock’s all-important backbeat. Other rhythm section instruments have been known to incorporate this hint of the 6th note and 7th notes, most notably the piano or organ (eg, Seger’s “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man”), but the style of Pinky Rock, per se, specifically requires use of the guitar…and, most likely, the pinky. (Played in open-chord style or using intervals, as Pete Townshend might do in his rare uses of this style [eg, “Long Live Rock”], the ring finger can be substituted.)

Along with Chuck Berry, the commonly acknowledged Masters of Pinky Rock include Dave Edmunds and Keith Richards. John Lennon and George Harrison were particularly strong Pinky Rock practitioners but not quite as groundbreaking as the aforementioned. Consider them along with Buddy Holly and Angus Young, the style’s top advocates. Billy Zoom of X performed some of Pinky Rock’s finest variations, but he never committed to the style the way Edmunds did on his cover of “I Hear You Knocking”.

Pinky Rock is sometimes confused with a style of Jangle Pop. It’s not. Although the techniques share similarities, their intent differs. Jangle Pop guitarists are typically looking for variations and colorings within the established rhythm of a song; Pink Rock guitarist are establishing the rhythm.

The Lennon Pass

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Sep 212010

“Saint John Lennon,” by Raphael Labro (courtesy of http://raphaellabro.com/).

Here’s a helpful new addition to the RTH Glossary, originally courtesy of Townsman pudman13, if short-term memory serves.

Based on the critical Teflon of its namesake, John, the Lennon Pass describes the point when an artist is granted a critical “lifetime pass” for accumulated subpar works based on the emotional/spiritual/humanitarian connection rock fans have with said artist’s landmark works and cultural influence. The Lennon Pass may be thought of as a form of rock ‘n roll sainthood.

There’s nothing necessarily wrong with an artist getting the Lennon Pass. Even music fans who do not particularly care for said artist may admit that the pass is merited. The Clash – and Joe Strummer in particular – are a band frequently cited for getting the Lennon Pass. If she hadn’t done so with the surprising success of Easter, High Punk Priestess Patti Smith solidified her Lennon Pass when she returned from her 40 days and nights in Michigan, having established a family with Fred “Sonic” Smith only to lose him to cancer shortly thereafter.

Perceived martyrdom or any form of death, however, is not a requirement for the Lennon Pass – and I don’t mean to make light of these losses. Despite being a curmudgeonly, overweight artist who’s put out little of real interest in more than 30 years, Van Morrison holds the Pass. Bruce Springsteen is another frequently cited recipient; however, some non-believers go out of their way to question His worthiness. Heck, some rock nerds even go out of their way to tear down the works of Lennon himself.

In extreme circumstances the Pass, once granted, can be revoked. Lou Reed is an example of this, having finally had his Lennon Pass revoked after a career-full of failed attempts at spiting the Lennon Pass Committe when he started parading around with that new tai chi addiction.

Simply being an acknowledged Great Artist and/or wildly popular does not ensure the granting of the Pass. The Rolling Stones, for instance, lost all hope of receiving the pass once Mick Jagger crossed all lines of good taste by appearing on stage in football pants and Capezio slippers and then participating in the so-called “Rock Crime of the Century,” Ja-Bo. Despite their best efforts in the studio and across Third World nations, U2 have been unable to acquire the Lennon Pass.

The Wilson Choice

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Sep 082010

As any heterosexual guy who grew up in the 1970s can tell you, maybe the toughest fantasy sex choice that could be made was whether, if given the choice between Heart‘s Wilson sisters, you would sleep with Ann or Nancy. Which one of Charlie’s Angels you’d sleep with was another challenging question, but with a trio to choose from (not including the Fourth Angel, Cheryl Ladd) most guys could at least feel like they were making some progress toward a resolution by eliminating one.

Some of you may remember how the conversation started in schoolyards, lunch rooms, and ballfields across America:

Q: Ann or Nancy Wilson?

A: [Pause]

Sometime in the mid-1980s Townsman chickenfrank finally determined the appropriate answer to this delicate question, an answer we’ll term the Wilson Choice: Continue reading »

The Listen But Don’t Look Principle

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Aug 202010

Close your eyes.

Following some recent comments regarding a couple of Townspeople’s distaste for Cheap Trick, BigSteve suggested the following advice:

It’s too late for y’all to get Cheap Trick, but, as with Herman’s Hermits, they’re a great example of the ‘listen but don’t look’ principle.

The listen but don’t look principle should be of assistance for Townspeople who can’t get past a variety of visual beefs: from silly stage wear and goofy antics to the vagaries of aging and genetics. Think of all the artists whose music might benefit from the application of this principle in your own listening life. Certainly this principle has its limits, but BigSteve may be onto something. This may be why some of us find rock ‘n roll most enjoyable when holed up in a dark room, alone and listening to recorded music.

Rock ‘n Roll Iwo Jima

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Aug 082010

Rock ‘n Roll Iwo Jima

On some as-yet-undetermined date in some as-yet-undetermined city (surely a United States city), Bruce Springsteen and His E Street Band struck the powerful, unifying, healing pose that’s come to be known through the Halls of Rock as Rock ‘n Roll Iwo Jima. This is a pose that had never before been perfected on stage, not by Seger, John Mellencamp, or U2. Today we will attempt to define this term for future generations of musicians, rock critics, and music lovers, and we will begin to trace its development.

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