Mike Love knows talent when he sees it. Wait ’til you hear this Altbach guy’s story and learn what early ’70s hits he wrote. And he’s classically trained. (Damn, I’ve got to finish up that Satanic Beach Boys piece!)
This Altbach cat’s also got jazz chops. Check out this next clip, in which he jams with a Townsman dbuskirk-worthy jazzbo, Charles Lloyd. Lloyd knows talent—and finely woven Navaho blankets to boot! Altbach, Mike Love, blankets, and more. Can you dig it? Continue reading »
Ah, The Beach Boys‘—or should I say Brian Wilson‘s—aborted Smile…the stuff on which Rock Town Hill was constructed! Continue reading »
I’ve got a theory about why so many Beatles fans despise “She’s Leaving Home”: more than anything I think it’s in defense of George Martin, whose feelings were hurt when he was shut out of arranging the strings. That’s sweet of you, but really, the song’s not that bad! The way I hear my fellow Beatles fans talking about it I have to stop and check that they’re not actually talking about “Fool on the Hill” or one of Paul’s “Auntie” songs.
I think I’m onto something: your hatred of “She’s Leaving Home” is rooted in your desire to defend the honor of Sir George Martin.
As for substitute arranger Mike Leander, what is so bad about his work on that song? What might tasteful George Martin have done differently? I was surprised to learn that Leander had his hand in all sorts of records, most notably serving as Gary Glitter‘s partner in (musical) crime (eg, co-writing his hits, including “Rock ‘n Roll, pt 2”). I think he also did the saccharine string arrangements for The Rolling Stones‘ “As Tears Go By.” So there!
What’s so bad about Soul Asylum? Why does mere mention of them make the likes of Townsman misterioso “shiver?”
Is it the fact that their commercial stuff and its “pro” production exposed them and much of that “heartland” ’80s “alternative rock” as little more than wannabe 1970s-era AOR, the kind of stuff Rock Town Hall’s patron saint of mediocrity, Bob Seger, and the likes of REO Speedwagon cranked out? Did Soul Asylum, The Replacements, et al suddenly pale next to a simple, direct artist from the tail end of ’70s AOR like Tom Petty?
While we’re on the subject, what’s going on with Pirner’s hair and jeans these days, and when’s the last time you thought about those big, honking cardboard boxes they used to house CDs in?
The Cougar Conundrum?
In a recent interview with Terry Gross of NPR’s Fresh Air, songwriter Rodney Crowell inadvertantly touched on a subject that we in the Halls of Rock can no longer ignore: The Mellencamp Conundrum. Crowell was telling a story of his young, aspiring songwriter self meeting with legendary Amercan songwriter Guy Clark. The sage passed along the following words of wisdom to the young man the ropes:
You can be an artist or you can be a star. You can be an artist who becomes a star, but I don’t know if you can do it the other way around.
Just hours before I heard that interview Rock Town Hall was bursting at the seams with the need to finally examine the plight of John Mellencamp. The Mellencamp Conundrum is named for the artist, who has spent more of his career trying to live down his youthful, “overnight” success as heartland pop-rock sensation John(ny) Cougar than possibly any pop sensation in the history of rock ‘n roll who has ever attempted to “do it the other way around,” as Guy Clark warned young songwriter Rodney Crowell against attempting.
I just stumbled across this 1980 clip of a song called “Better,” by a once-popular Phoenix, AZ band, Blue Shoes. Was this band 30 years ahead of its time? I propose hipsters The Fiery Furnaces cover this song and re-create this video shot for shot.
(You’re welcome.)
I Can't Hold Myself In Line
As promised, Townsman Hank Fan has shared a .zip file compilation covering the “Golden Age of Country Music” (1965–1975) with us, I Can’t Hold Myself In Line. I encourage fellow Countryphobes to do what I’ve done—click here—and download and listen to this generous gift. Thanks, Hank Fan!
