Nov 232011
As we prepare for a long weekend of thanks and overeating, let us take a moment to give thanks to a fellow Townsperson for something specific they’ve added to your rock nerd world this year. Thanks of a general nature, such as “Thank you, Mr. Mod, for setting me straight about so many things this past year,” will not be accepted!
I also encourage you to tell me, Who among the following artists is most thankful?
Is it an attractively hirsute Sinéad O’Connor?
While we have our disagreements about quite a few things, I thank misterioso for his backing me up on the Beach Boys’ Smile in the face of Mr. Mod’s misguided attempts to lionize Mike Love. However, I do thank Mr. Mod for being a fellow Move fan – I just need to work on him about the rest of Roy Wood’s output.
Also, most thankful of the presented artists? None of the above – I nominate the once-great Sly Stone and “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”.
I am thankful to whoever it was way back who claimed that the Hollies’ “Air That I Breathe” sounded like David Bowie. I was among the many who laughed it off and thought it was a crazy notion. About a month later, I was flipping channels on my car radio and came across a song that was (at that moment) unfamiliar to me, and my first thought was “this sure sounds like SPACE ODDITY-era Bowie!” A second later, the familiar chorus came on, and, ta-daa! It was “Air That I Breathe.” The moment must have been a middle eight or some other forgettable moment in the song, but there it was, out of context! Anyway, I am thankful because I expect not to be bombarded with “I told you so.”
Alanis seems thankful she’s not with that Full House guy anymore.
I’m thankful for the laughs provided here by Alexmagic, Chick, Bittman, et al.
If I had time to be specific, I wouldn’t have this computer or job.
I’m thankful to Tony (backed up by Misterioso I think – apologies if it wasn’t and if it was you backing him up, I can’t find the thread) for recommending King Crimson’s Red, which I downloaded and really like.
I’m thankful to LadyMKR for the great collection of post punk stuff a couple of weeks back on the podcast, and to Mr Mod for the gift (which hasn’t arrived yet but I’m looking forward to).
I’m thankful to the Hall for making me feel welcome, and letting me ramble on at some length about pet subjects without telling me to shut up, as my family would.
You were specific enough, thanks.
The Gift will be sent out next week – sorry for the delay; work has been brutal. I know the suspense must be killing you.
Mark me down as another Move/Wizzard/Roy Wood fan, Tony, I wobble between The Move and The Zombies as my favourite band of all time, usually to the derision of people I share that with.
Roy Wood played at the Northampton Music Festival last year (a free event on the market square, could anything be better than that?), which was a hoot while it lasted, although it started tipping down with rain about twenty minutes into the set and the power blew up. After several a capella renditions of I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day from the crowd they managed to retrieve the electrics just long enough for him and the band to get two-thirds of the way through it before they went off again, but the crowd carried it through to the end. He signed some stuff for me afterwards and I was a complete gibbering mess in the presence of such greatness.
Alanis seems most thankful. It’s a simple numbers game.
Jennifer is thanking one person.
Sinead is only thanking those within ear shot.
Alanis, by thanking India in the first line of the chorus, covers 1,210,193,422 people in one shot. And that’s not even counting anyone else she thanks throughout the rest of the song.
Definitely not me, Stan. Any recommendations I have regarding Crimson would be of the negative variety. But I am thankful to you for thinking of me.
No worries Mr M, I look forward to it!
There are few artists I’d like to get into the Hall for an interview more than Roy Wood. I’ve got a dozen questions on Boulders alone. If you or any other Townsperson finds a way to reach him, let me know. I’ve tried writing the contact address at his crappy website a couple of times with no response.
I think Jennifer is most thankful for the sound crew letting her do her karaoke thing after the band played and they began breaking down the stage.
I am not watching the videos right now, and just choosing Jennifer as most thankful because apparently she gets to do something or other about Led Zeppelin, and that makes her happy. It would make me have to poop, but Jennifer seems immune to that.
I’m thankful for Saturday Night Shut Ins. I want to do one. I don’t know how, but if you can do it on a computer, then I should be able to figure it out. Has anyone noticed how awesome Brownsville Station sounds when they pop up? I’m thankful for Cub Koda, too.
Most of all this year, I’m thankful that Yeungling is finally available in Ohio. Thanks, Dick! You are THE MAN!
You’ve lived without Yeungling all these years? Man, that was my group of friends’ main brew. [Cue mockcarr, cdm, et al’s ensuing discussion of wholegrain micro-brews.]
I’m thankful to ALL of the Townies for the laughs, the tears (of frustration, usually), the insights into some stuff I probably wouldn’t have considered otherwise, the heated debates and/or bickering over the nerdliest minutiae of Rock and/or Roll, the healing, the reaching and, most of all, I’m thankful that E Pluribus G. only shows up about once or twice a year.
I’d BE thankful if somebody had smacked the mic out of that Jennifer girl’s hand for doing that irritating ‘tapping-time-on-the-mic-with-my-fingers’ affectation thing. Man, oh man, I hate that….when people who can really sing do it (most often those erroneously tagged as “divas” by their pr reps and the media), let alone this chick. Thanks, I needed to get that off my chest.
I work with someone who knows someone who claims to drink at the pub he goes to. I’ll make enquiries.
I am thankful that Mr. Mod was able to locate a Sinead clip at probably the height of her physical attractiveness. I saw her at George Washington University in 1990 before she totally went of the deep end and it was actually a pretty good show. She was still sporting the baldy “look” then, but she was a good-looking woman when she let hair grow out and before she started wearing the nun’s headress she’s fond of today.
I’m thankful for the way most of our threads completely drift off into territories which, though unforeseen, are often more interesting than the intended destination. I’m thankful that townspeople seem to appreciate the silliness of most of my contributions — though it’s been too long since I’ve really let loose with a seriously hateful, divisive rant. I suppose you should be thankful about that.
I am thankful for being reminded to dip back into all the Nuggets after a bunch of years. thanks for the head-to-head competition.
Although that made me laugh out loud, I need to point out that I am much more open minded about beer than you are giving me credit for. Don’t get me wrong, I have my favorites, but aside from Coors Light and Michelob Ultra, I’m up for most beers.
Now scotch on the other hand..
It was Big Steve who seconded my King Crimson recommendation, and I’m glad you like Red. That album demonstrates that not all prog is unicorns, moonbeams, and elves. Crimson could be downright brutal at times.
By the way, thank you for your perspectives and obvious love and knowledge about English rock. For instance, Lord Sutch is little more than an odd footnote here in the US, and I didn’t realize that he was such a treasured institution in England.
Sorry, man, no foul is meant when I cut on anyone for their nerdy alcohol comments. I stopped drinking right after I first moved past the “more than a gallon,” twist-off wine top era, so my usually well-developed, adaptable nerd powers desert me when those side threads come up. It’s just my cry for help.
Yes, I’ve had to bring it back with me every time I go to PA. Not a problem when Rolling Rock was brewed in Latrobe, but now that it’s from New Jersey, I don’t drink it anymore (cuz it tastes bad). Yuengling is good stuff and very reasonably priced. They make the only light beer I actually like, so my wife always buys me that.
You’re welcome.
Thanks Steve, and apologies for the misplaced attribution!
Treasured institution may be over-egging it rather, and better known even in his lifetime by political nerds than lovers of good music. Important historically for reasons other than he intended.
I’ve always admired prog fans, those I’ve known are almost without exception good-humoured folk, only rarely rising to the incessant jibes from people who don’t get it, which probably explains why I’ve generally always been prepared to try to listen to it once – even though most of it is as incomprehensible to me as my Beefheart and Fall records are to almost everyone I know.
I’m just glad you liked it. It’s intense, but a man who likes Beefheart and The Fall handle it. If you want more, I’d try an Adrian Belew era KC album like Discipline. It’s a little more song-oriented.
I’m thankful for Stan’s UK perspective. It’s very helpful. I remember we had an Australian guy for a while, and that was cool too.
To be honest, I don’t think your liking of Beefheart and the Fall bothers us. However, your professed admiration of Terry Jacks and “Seasons in the Sun” is a little bit scary. 🙂
Darn, I hoped I’d got away with that one!
Yes, I’m hoping that mikeydread resurfaces some day. I believe he’s now living in France. Maybe life’s too good for him to be hanging with us these days.
It goes without saying that I’m thankful for each and every one of you for the 100+ witty, intelligent, and/or “out there” comments we receive each day. I’m also thankful for those of you who helped found and design this place. I’m sure you know who you are.
Stepping a bit beyond the Hall itself, I’m thankful to those working musicians, critics, and whatnot who agree to join us for our occasional interviews and even contribute to the occasional project (eg, My First Demo).
I haven’t listened to it in years, but the third one with Belew – with the yellow cover – had long, intense instrumental stretches.
I was feeling all thankful back on October 10 but now I can’t remember what for. Hmm, I guess I should be thankful my Sunday morning runs along the Detroit River listening to the previous night’s SNSI. Special shout out to tonyola and other Townspersons who had every right to tear my comments up and down but chose restraint instead.
Thanks Steve 🙂
I am thankful for now being unable to listen to music without wondering what one of you might be thinking of it or how it might be fabricated into a thread. I’m very thankful for being exposed to and learning more about music that I didn’t know much about, and for the constant laughs about said music.
I’m thankful that I finally got to meet Mod, and that Stan is a frequent poster of things English.
Cheers, all!
I’m thankful to cdm, Tonyola, mysterioso, cdm, and funoka for making me crack open the Who archives and revisit some music I love but don’t listen to often enough.
I’m thankful to Mr. Mod for being such an inclusive and engaging host of The Hall, such as when I posted a comment that failed to convey my humorous intent, and he posted a reply stating that he didn’t mean to offend me.
I’m thankful to ladymisskirroyale for kicking off a thread or two that corrected my misunderstanding of what “post-punk” really encompasses.
The yellow Belew KC album is Three of a Perfect Pair. It’s a mixed bag – first half is mostly mediocre-to-fair Belew songs, second half is more Fripp and much better.
For Belew-era Crimson, I recommend Discipline and Thrak.