Sounds of the Hall in roughly 33 1/3 minutes!
Nothing particularly particular about tonight’s episode. I’ve been dwelling on the past since I started reading Simon Reynolds‘ book Retromania, or perhaps I should say “hate-reading.” I liked his post-punk review Rip It Up and Start Again, but this one has me a little bothered or, as the French would say, “bouleversé.” I will read the whole damn thing before passing more judgement. Until then we’ll let these songs play and see if they evoke memories of any good or bad days.
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Thank you for the days!
Playlist:
Days – The Kinks
My Rockin Days – Bees Make Honey
Better Days (live) – Badfinger
Blue Days, Black Nights – Buddy Holly
Sweet Days Waiting – Teenage Fanclub
Everybody’s Happy Nowadays – The Buzzcocks
Faster Days – Velvet Crush
Glory Days – The Wilderness of Manitoba
Days – Television
One of These Days – Pink Floyd
Days Of Wine and Roses – The Dream Syndicate
Hey Cliff,
Though I am a big fan of Simon Reynolds’ intelligent and vocab-rich writing, Retromania freaked me out. I crossed my arms and thought “fine, everything we listen to is returning to the infant stage of music. NOW what are we supposed to do?”
One thing that Reynolds mentions in passing a few times in the book, but that he told Mrs.Jade and I in person, is that he likes listening to music that is looking back over its shoulder to its influences as much as the next guy does.
He seemed to feel that he had turned over a stone, wasn’t quite sure he felt comfortable with what he saw, and didn’t have any answers. He did want to point the situation out, though, and to open up a dialogue.
It sounds as if he really cherishes the post-punk days, where anything was possible and everything was permitted, and I think he is asking “can we possibly move forward in similar/but new fashion?”.
I asked him what the future of music would look like, then, but of course that’s up to the innovation of musicians. The book does get us into quite a frustrating spin cycle.
What’s bothered me the most is that I feel somewhat judged for being a curator. Well, I’ve always been a curator. I like details, facts, musical trees. Is it my fault that the internet has made all these things much more accessible? Maybe, I’m a little tired of plunging the depths of records stores, or wasting an afternoon at a record show sifting through Leo Sayer albums looking for that elusive album The Scruffs. I don’t think my attitudes have changed all that much because now I’m able to shuffle my ipod and hear Link Wray next to a New Order song followed by The Louvin Brothers. I don’t what that shows, but Mr. Reynolds is that last person to tell me that it’s wrong.
Also, there is a slight arrogance that all new music is not worthy just because of it’s influences. Well, I’m very sorry Simon but even post punk had it’s roots in the 60’s. I’m not that interested in debates about greatness. I’m more interested in whether something moves me. So, if the new Surfer Blood single sounds like the Beach Boys filtered through Television with a little Strokes, than Tough Shit. I happen to like their music. Just ’cause it’s new doesn’t mean it isn’t worthy to ME.
Ppfeww, remember when I said I would finish the book before passing judgment.
I hear you and couldn’t agree more. In fact, due to having the same sorts of questions, I had contacted Mr. Reynolds and along with other members of the Hall, asked him some questions:
https://www.rocktownhall.com/blogs/simon-says-simon-reynolds-answers-rock-town-hall-questions/
I didn’t finish the book either, but it did start to change my thinking a bit, especially about current music, which I listen to a lot. It must have been bad enough in the 80’s to point out music that sounded like the 50’s, but now we’ve amassed several more decades – that’s a lot of opportunity for comparison. I don’t know whether it’s my certified “old fart” status or whether new music isn’t very interesting, but all I can think of when I hear a lot of the stuff is what previous music it sounds like. Case in point: I can’t listen to Savages without thinking, “Jesus, that vocal is a complete rip-off of Siouxsie Sioux!” Reynolds is the first person to tell you HE is a curator, too, and I think he was a bit surprised when friends became really angry with him about this distortion. He has said that he would probably re-write portions of the book to not take such a harsh tone (such as the one you comment on.)
As for your show, I loved it, once again. It was nice to hear my old Providence regulars, Velvet Crush. And that Buzzcocks album, the one that introduced me to the band, is still one of my favorites. Thanks again for the weekend entertainment.
Good episode, cliff! Are “days” songs typically of a gentle, wistful tone, or do we simply happen to like “days” songs of this variety?
It’s funny how it worked out that way. I didn’t have a lot of time to go through my collection and find some oddities so I picked this lot because they were very familiar to me. I noticed the wistful thread coming together so I ran with it. Yet, a few of the songs are looking forward with optimism.