healing

Something for Everyone

Nov 092011

The recent rifts over Billy Joel had me yearning for something that we all could agree on. I stumbled across this series of videos from an episode of Eight Days A Week, a British music talk show. Not only did it offer a well-spoken and coifed Green Gartside, a grey but tactful Nick Lowe, and rock critic/pseudo groupie Janice Long, but the discussion covered such a wide assortment of musicians circa 1984 that it seemed that we all could find something to love.

In part 1, we have the conundrum of a whether a member of Culture Club‘s solo attempt is any good. We move along to some footage of The Clash at Shea Stadium and discussion of the jettison of Mick Jones.

In part 2, we have fun the Liverpudlian way, with Echo and the Bunnymen.

And in part 3, we hear about Pogue Mahone and other pub bands of the time.

Along the way, we are also treated to references to Neil Diamond, Elvis Costello, The Moody Blues, and the latest band to jump the pond, REM.

Enjoy.

Parts 2 and 3 follow after the jump!

Friend of the Hall Andy Shernoff Has Not Forgotten the Day to End All Days!

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Oct 212011

We all had a good laugh on May 21, 2011, when the long-promised Apocalypse did not happen. However, if you weren’t paying attention, that day was only the beginning of the end. The actual end of the world as we know it is due for today, October 21. (Now the timing of REM’s break-up is making sense…)

[NOTE: The following video is NSFW, but after Saturday, will it matter?]

Well, I’m here to tell you that Friend of the Hall Andy Shernoff did not let our temporary sense of relief on May 22nd cloud his mission to keep the world abreast of its impending doom. If you’re over 18 (or at least say you are), you can view his video for his smash hit “Are You Ready to Rapture?” here.

Finally, as we await tomorrow’s likely canceled broadcast of Saturday Night Shut-In, broadcast “LIVE” from San Francisco, you may want to revisit our May 21st episode, one of your Moderator’s personal faves.

Rock Town Hall’s Saturday Night Shut-In: Has ROCKTOBER Come to a Premature Crashing Halt?

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Oct 082011

Sounds of the Hall in roughly 33 1/3 minutes!

In this week’s edition of Saturday Night Shut-In Mr. Moderator works out his feelings over an aprupt end to his baseball fantasy life, as his beloved Philadelphia Phillies are knocked out of the first round of the playoffs. As part of the healing process, he feels the pain of New York Yankees fans, Boston Red Sox fans, and even San Francisco Giants fans. Can there be more to ROCKTOBER than the march to the World Series? Will Phillies fans ever get their taste of the “Dynasty Sampler?” We urge all baseball fans looking ahead to next year to join us in this special early edition of our weekly podcast.

[audio:https://www.rocktownhall.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/RTH-Saturday-Night-Shut-In-48.mp3|titles=RTH Saturday Night Shut-In, episode 48]

[Note: The Rock Town Hall feed will enable you to easily download Saturday Night Shut-In episodes to your digital music player. In fact, you can even set your iTunes to search for an automatic download of each week’s podcast.]

Music That Makes You (or Me, at Least) Feel Inadequate

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Sep 282011

“Blackbird” came on Pandora “radio” the other night, as my wife and I drove home from a long road trip to Central Pennsylvania. I cringed. I’d just cringed for the previous song, an REM song, I believe. For my wife, this second cringe was one cringe too many. “What’s your problem with this song?” she made the mistake of asking, as I reached for the SKIP button. In an extraordinarily rare moment of compassion and maturity I left my answer at, “I don’t know, that’s one of my least-favorite Beatles songs.”

Of course I know exactly why this essentially solo, fingerpicking, tender love song by McCartney ranks among my 5 Least Favorite Beatles Songs (excluding throwaways like “Wild Honey Pie,” which aren’t worth ranking): It makes me feel inadequate.

What’s the Most Hurtful Act Committed by Anyone In or Closely Associated With The Beatles?

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Aug 312011

America?

What’s the most hurtful act committed by anyone in or closely associated wth The Beatles? It could be a recording, a guest appearance, a public statement, a private affair, an actual felony, or whatever by anyone in or closely associated with The Beatles. If you need examples of what it means to be “in or closely associate with” the band, this old thread may help.

If Paul McCartney‘s dispicable treatment of Hamish Stuart doesn’t take the cake, I propose that George Martin producing America may be the most hurtful act committed by anyone in or closely associated with The Beatles. When I learned, as a Beatles-obsessed boy, that he produced America’s big hit records I felt sick in the stomach, like I’d learned some horrible secret about a favorite uncle or teacher. I still feel that way.

Sammy Says “Thanks!”

Posted by sammymaudlin

Aug 012011

As many of you know, I (Rock Town Hall’s own sammymaudlin) suffered a “traumatic brain injury” on February 16 of this year. It was really just a freak accident. Sadly no drugs or alcohol were involved. Even though I only fell in my hallway the “scale” of the fall was recorded as that of a “backwards fall from a 2-story building.” I was induced into a coma for 2 weeks to control the brain swelling. And to boot, my 12-year-old son’s appendix burst while I was holed up in a hospital for 6 weeks.

Anyhoo…It was quite the stressful time for both my family and me.

So many folks came to our aid with supportive emails, snail mailed cards, financial contributions (Q: Ya know how much money a self-employed guy makes when he can’t work? A: Zip!), meals for the family, yard care… It was amazing and beautiful to see how many people did so much to help out. Without a doubt I now feel more connected to life, love, people, and more.

Blah, blah, blah. The purpose of this post is to personally thank my peeps here at RTH. The posted support, emailed support, and community/financial support via Sausages For Sammy was overwhelming and deeply appreciated. Many of you I know personally and my love for you is el grande. And many of the RTHers that helped out I have only met once and some I’ve never even met in person at all! For these folks I don’t so much take your support personally as much as I do a testament to this cool community that we have all built together. A place so great to many of us that when one of us was in need, you did what you could. The Reverend sums it best for me here:

Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow

Posted by trolleyvox

Jul 292011

In a rare, reflective moment, the white suits over at RockTownHall Labs were recently gazing bleary-eyed at the various records and cds contained in the climate-controlled vault when, in an even more rare moment of sudden group awareness, and without the aid of the RTH topic generator, it occurred to several of us that we own records we haven’t listened to in years, records we can’t seem to get rid of.

Was this (anal) retention the result of some childhood trauma? A clinging to nostalgia for our 17–23 musical coming-of-age demographic frollic in the rock ‘n’ roll sun, after which our musical tastes ossified along with the bones in our lower spine (males only)? A passive form of denial, or at least an unwillingness to deal with the clutter, physical and emotional, of our present and past, respectively? Are we really ever going to play that third Psychedelic Furs record ever again? The CCR Best of record? Hasn’t culture blunted our need to spin those songs ever again in our own homes? And what of all those ’90s bands that had a great song and so we bought 3–4 albums and some 7-inches by them hoping in vain that they’d replicate the success? RTH Labs now invites our readers to stand up, state your name, and join the conversation in a show of healing and in a concerted effort to move onward past the doldrums of self-inflicted record collection melancholy.

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