Next week, after the holiday break has had a chance to settle in and Townspeople have begun fulfilling social commitments we will resume play in our tournament to determine—once and for all—rock’s greatest backing band ever.
The first two rounds have been completed. The attached grid shows where we stand as we prepare to enter the Regionals: REGIONALS 12/23/11
Because the selections from this point forward are so crucial to future generations’ understanding of rock history, play will follow a different course of action in this round. Before any voting can take place, Townspeople will be encouraged to post YouTube clips of the backing bands you support in the coming round. You may begin launching your campaigns now, in this thread, or await the posting of the individual brackets. Then, after a few days of lobbying and counter-lobbying the polls will open. Dig?
I’m open to persuasion between the Crickets and the Tennessee Two, both backed iconic singers who would very probably have made it regardless of their backing band, but who nevertheless were enough a part of the sound to still matter.
I don’t really get any period Elvis, so am inclined towards the Family Stone, who produced tight and funky music despite the vagaries of Sly, but if somebody can produce a really killer clip of the TCB band my vote may well be swayed.
Bruce leaves me cold, it all sounds like overblown posturing to me and there’s too much of it: the E Street Band always sound to me as if they’re waiting for Bruce to draw breath so they can all do their thing, like kids chucking stuff around the classroom the moment the teacher walks out of the room. Just as you think it’s going to end the sax starts up and it goes on for another twenty minutes. Crazy Horse on the other hand do what the competition says, and that is to back Neil Young without their egos getting in the way. The Crazy Horse album they made in 69 or 70 or whenever it was stands up well, and the clip I posted of them behind Ian McNabb demonstrates a solid backing group who have pretty well left their egos at the stage door, making the noise they make faultlessly without any sax or drum or bass solos, time after time. If it gets boring that’s because the frontman is getting boring, they fill the space magnificently, beautifully, without getting in the way.
I’ve heard the Spiders, obviously, while Bob Seger is obviously a cheese amongst cheeses in the Hall he’s only had one hit over here, so a killer clip could send me scurrying to youtube in an open-minded frame of mind to find more and sway a vote.
Even with my new-found understanding of the love for the Rumour in the Hall I’m behind the Wailers, and probably at this moment coming down with the Maytals, (which is probably a sign of my prejudice against Costello, whose songs I find harder to listen to these days). If anyone can come up with a stonking live version of Big Tears or Radio Radio then, again, this vote might be swayed.
Not sure if this will turn Stan’s head, but here’s Elvis rehearsing the TCB Band:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKOjcoJMyXw
It’s from the movie Elvis — That’s The Way It Is. I love drummer Ron Tutt, and his long-sleeved polyester shirt in this clip is classic.
That is a great clip, as well as a great shirt and great drumming.
I have a hard time seeing myself voting against The Family Stone this early. But I will say this, and I think it’s something the Elvis backers should focus on when play resumes: They only time post-Army Elvis ever looks cool is when he’s interacting with his band. When he’s in the round with them and goofing off a little but still singing his ass off while they go to work, it’s a lot easier to remember why being Elvis Presley ever meant as much as it did, so they deserve serious credit there.
Remember ChickenFrank’s Lipstick vogue comment on the thread about the worst of the best? Here’s a clip of the early Attractions doing that number.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dip-FtbsD8E
I remember when I saw them for the first time ust before the second album came out, during the middle of this one, it seemed like they were flying out there like my wildest Free Jazz records but still ROCKING HARD. Chicken may have been right that the song was nothing more than a vehicle for the Attractions to riff out, but that’s fine with me. Those Thomas Brothers just light it up, and when stuck with a single electric organ, Nieve is perfect.