Nov 082010
Building a bomb has never looked so enticing, has it? Why don’t we work together to build a bomb of an album, a hyped-up, ambitious work of art and commerce that is intended to soar like Led Zeppelin but, rather, goes down like a lead zeppelin. (Pants or tights optional.)
What makes for a bomb of an album? Do we have what it takes?
I think it needs to be a concept album of sorts, preferably one which comments of a futuristic blend of technology and politics.
And it should be a supergroup comprised of technically great, but totally clueless players like like Steve Vai, Flea and Neil Peart.
Yeah, technology and politics – and the environment – should be at the root of this “concept album of sorts” (an important distinction over a straight concept album).
Very important: the album needs to be focused on “reinvigorating” classic rock tracks — iconic music, as interpreted by today’s hottest artists. Examples might include:
I Am the Walrus by the Jonas Brothers
Sympathy For the Devil by P Diddy
Waterloo Sunset by Lady Gaga
What all these tracks might have to do with the future or the environment is unclear to me, but it *is* important.
Duets are always bombtastic.
Picking up on the “futuristic concept album”, focus on technology and the environment and band full of technically proficient dopes threads, I feel one of (if not all three) the album, band or key song names should be something like “Acid Reign”.
That just has that feel of misguided, reviled, futuristic concept failure that a Kilroy Was Here or Music From “The Elder” really tapped into.
I think it should be pro-Communism. Isn’t it about time? Concert For Cuba, as a band name maybe.
First song they tackle is off the Who’s Tommy “Fidel About”.
Prior to being released in the US the album should be lauded by UK critics.
I agree with the huge futuro/enviro/politico themes and using current pop artists interpreting the classic rock forms of old to build a bigger bomb. I would also like to see a long, torturous recording process including the firing of multiple producers, engineers and assorted Olivers played out in the music press. Always look for the quote, “It was 2 1/2 years of hell. Feelings were hurt and we learned some hard lessons but we came through it stronger and this is the best work we’ve ever done”
But wait, this entry from U2 might make all of your wildest dreams come true: http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2010/11/u2s-spider-man-musical-delayed-yet-again.html
Maybe it could contain a previously unknown song by a famous artist, a demo that was never recorded properly. The lost Paul McCartney song that he wrote for his pet chicken in 1974. And it has to have five or six different producers. Probably should also have a reggae song and a rap or something.
Truth continues to be stranger than fiction!
I’m with you, K. The more cooks in the kitchen, the better tasting the soup, right?
That U2 link reminded me that there should absolutely be some kind of multimedia tie in, preferably an avant-garde theater production.
“Acid Reign: Rock opera; Futuristic eco-political thriller; and now, for a limited time, on Broadway!
Starring Tim Curry as The Despot; Wallace Shaw as The Mole; and Lenny Kravitz as Johny Equinox
Finally political theater that ROCKS!”
Produced by Don Was.
Ouch! Don Was had a great run of producing comeback albums, has that ended?
I think it should have one track produced by the hip-hop man of the hour – don’t know who that is, though. The Neptunes, Timbaland, something like that.
So does this album have an overture?
I think every song should have a subtitle that explains what’s happening in the “plot.”
For example
1. My Baby’s in the Mood Tonight (Xena and Phospherus prepare to descend into the earth’s mooncrust as part of a special covert mission.)
2. Oh C’mon Now Really (The Brain-President gives a speech on television that Janet finds especially troubling.)
3. X = Y + Sugar (The Monsignor’s wrestling career is derailed by an untimely scandal.)
Was’ great run, if he ever really had one, ended as soon as he started appearing in a basketball jersey and white dreads.
Definitely!
I think we need a lot more W. Axl Rose in this project. How can you build a Rock Bomb these days without his expertise?
It needs to have a scale model of Stonehenge.
In my neck of the woods, they recently had a screening of “Kilroy Was Here.”
http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2010/10/12/styx-kilroy-was-here-northwest-film-forum-oct-15
A screening of the Kilroy Was Here” film seems like something that needs to go down at the next Rock Town Hall meetup. Maybe a Kilroy Was Here/Sgt. Pepper double feature/endurance test?
Let’s make it a triple-feature by adding “All This and WWII Too,” or whatever that shit-tacular was called.
I have begun thinking about what we might be able to do for our informal, annual Holiday Season get-together in the Philly area and maybe elsewhere. I will seriously take this under advisement. I also hope to be in touch with some of our Boston-area Townspeeps in the coming weeks about a possible night out in your town. Stay tuned!
Perhaps a viewing, with commentary, of the Style Council’s Jerusalem. Seriously, has anyone else ever suffered through this piece of crap? Start here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5WBfmzpeXk
Was it misterioso who was wondering why some of us Jam fans have trouble allowing the band to age with us? Why did you have to expose me to this Jerusalem thing? HORRIBLE!
That Jerusalem makes Kilroy sound goood, don’ it???
We need a new lead singer who was discovered on You Tube who has no concept of the history of the band and wants to help “modernize” them
I am so rooting against this project, and I’m not even sure why…Oh, wait! I know! I hate Broadway shows..even (especially) “rock oriented” Broadway shows. It’s always as if Up With People decided to cover The Rolling Stones and I’m supposed to like it because it’s The Rolling Stones.
Since I cannot add any more comments on comments regarding the Style Council’s Jerusalem, perhaps it might be assigned as required viewing in order to see if anyone can come up with anything good to say about it.
Sounds like a plan!