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7688 Comments
Hot and
talented…killer combo
a grown
up child with a band… classic!
an album
light on production? Finally. I’ll check it out.
oooh,
haven’t listened to this album yet, I am going to download it right
now. I am intrigued.
Ah yea,
Sea & Cake make my ears feel good.
That is
enough, man. I love finding new bands at my age (45) that I can relate
to. These guys are great. Thanks Crawdaddy for coming back and turning
me on to them like you did bands in the 60/70’s
That is
enough, man. I love finding new bands at my age (45) that I can relate
to. These guys are great. Thanks Crawdaddy for coming back and turning
me on to them like you did bands in the 60/70’s
You guys
should check out Lifter Puller (or, LFTR PLLR) if you like The Hold
Steady. It’s Craig and Tad’s (Hold Steady lead guitar) old band. They
played energetic, booze soaked shows for years here in ‘mundane’
Minneapolis. A real underground favorite.
The video
for the live performance of Jungleland gave me CHILLS.
I have seen
Bruce perform 80 times and never saw anything like The Hold Steady.
Their show last weekend in Harrisburg PA blew me away as did their
performace of Atlantic City at the Bruce tribute at Carnegie Hall last
month.
I
don’t know The Hold Steady but I do love The Boss, so I am going to
check them out. Finn has big shoes to fill.
Bob
Hill has it right. Craig Finn is not Bruce Springsteen. He is Craig
Finn. Why can’t that be enough?
I saw Sean
play November 2006 in Vancouver and was very impressed with his guitar
prowess. And yes, Sean proves that he is quite the actor on the DVD,
there are many memorable scenes, often just glances he gives, or
expressions!
Check out his other videos on youtube…Dead Meat is great. Can
this kid act too?
Sounds
like there may be a torch-bearer for Elliott Smith’s melancholy-pop.
The youtube clip is pretty special. Don’t think his dad could even play
guitar that well.
Yeah, no way can we afford this bullshit
either. We are paying quite enough and are glad to think the money we
are paying might find its way to the artist as intended. We started out
as pirate radio …then became legal with internet takilmafm.com up
here in the woods of southern Oregon. Perhaps they will force us into
being Pirates again! Or….only play the “unsigned”
artists….some very good!!!
Love the illustration that goes with this article…good lead
in!
EVER HEARD
OF RADIO ON RADIO;TUNE IT ON ONCE IN A WHILE;NOT LIKE ON LINE IT NEVER
GOES OUT
The bottom
line is that these ultra greedy record companies who have no conception
of what is going on today cannot work out an agreement among themselves
for a “standard fee”. Like all greedy businesses in the past government
will have to regulate the cost of art.
If it
does happen we should all quit buying music and encourage everyone else
to do so. Those greedy bastards can go broke and look for a real job. I
have paid for thousands of records, tapes and cds. I have bought items
BECAUSE of hearing a clip online. SMARTER UP MUSIC INDUSTRY!!! Videos
did not kill the movie industry. Streaming audio will not hurt the
performers in the long run. Thanks Wolfgang staff. Sorry if this double
posts.
no way
is this actually going to happen. Talk about regressive.
I’ll
second that, Jason. There’s no way I’ll be able to continue with my
“personal” internet station on live365 (Chakra Chip Cookies) if the new
rates go into effect on July 15th. The more people understand what this
will mean to them, the more we can light a fire under our
congresscritters to pass HR 2060. We can only hope.
yeah, this is
bullshit. Thanks for bringing up an important topic, jason. Good
timing.
Maybe you
could look into a band called Prairie Madness. They were
fantastic.
Oooh, what
a neat idea for a column. I can’t wait to see what other bands and
albums you un-earth.
This band
reminds me of Can. Good stuff, and can’t wait to check out the
record.
Good
story, thanks! This magazine continues to be about making it up as you
go along. The rock snd roll experience, even in this new age, demands
tobe shared. With honesty and passion.
lyndol, you’re a moron. You’re missing
the point of the whole piece. This is a story ABOUT a new editor taking
over this man’s legacy, and the range of emotion and process involved
with passing that torch. It’s an integral aspect to the re-launch of
this historical magazine. Plus, identifying with the new editor helps
resurrect some of that old magic of Crawdaddy. If you don’t understand
the importance in addressing that, than you’re missing the entire point
of Crawdaddy.
Dear
Writer/Editor. How about keeping yourself out of the next
article.
great piece.
Really looking forward to this site. Great idea.
I never
knew that 1 man could be so influential on rock journalism…
pretty amazing that he started it all considering how many magazines
are out there nowadays. Great read, thanks.
Thanks for the treat, Ms Ed. A fun read. It’s also nice to read
something by someone who appears to have arrived just a couple of days
ago from the Summer of Love in ‘67: No cynicism, irony, post-modernism
or corporate libertarianism. Jossie, you’re outtasight!
A fan
of Paul and the original, this tribute piece would undoubtedly do Paul
proud.
paul
is the man. I love the story about him and bob dylan. New editor, you
are clearly going to make Paul proud. Nice work.
I met
Paul in 1967 in the office next to the Waverly and still have the tape
of the interview. It was published in an international magazine, and, I
hope, helped spread the gospel. Anyway, it was one of the most fun
hours I ever spent – especially considering the
interruptions!
I love the
illustration!
You don’t
mention reel to reel tape. Sure, they were awkward to use but many of
my old commercially recorded reel to reels from the ’60s still have
great sound quality. Most of them I have converted to digital and
generally they sound as good as todays CDs. I have certainly had better
results converting reel to reel than converting vinyl (sometimes a
little tape hiss but no crackles, pops etc).
Dude,
Ripping? There used to be this legal idea of “fair use.” Buy the album,
copy it to cassette, play it in the car, the Walkman, the office. All
legal. iTunes is not a store it’s a leasing agency.
I miss vinyl
records. And I hate MP3s. Cool article though. Hope you write about how
MP3s are crap!
I can’t
believe folks used to put turntables in their cars!
well said,
max. a nice little run down – I’m excited to read more of your columns!
You know what you’re talking about.
That’s a great
point Roger. I used to wear out every record or CD I bought. It was an
occasion. Now I find myself downloading a song and then losing it in
the shuffle.
My
question is: now that music is so accessible and playing non-stop
EVERYWHERE (supermarkets, gas stations, shopping malls, button-sized
mp3 players wired to our skulls) is anyone still paying attention to
what they’re listening to? I miss the ceremony of picking a record off
a shelf buckling under the weight of vinyl, pulling it out of the
sleeve, laying down the needle and actively participating in the music
listening process!
Wow…great sound! Just in time to
catch them at the Great American.
killer
review. Writing style is flawless. Looking forward to reading more by
ms.zimmerman.
Bruce has
inspired an incredible amount of musicians, they all seem to be coming
into the light this year. Foryou
Bruce also
appears on Jesse Malin’s new CD (on “Broken Radio”) and is reportedly a
fan on The Hold Steady’s mst recent CD “Boys and Girls in
America”
Good call
on Marah’s Dave Bielanko. Malin too. There’s nothing retro about them,
though – that’s like tagging a baseball player ‘retro’ because he uses
a wooden bat instead of aluminum. For us diehard fans, though, it’s
wonderful in one way that these world-class talents are not known to a
wider audience, because… for now, at least, we can still get down
front and centre for mind-blowingly great shows in club-sized venues.
Springsteen has, of course, appeared on stage and on record with
Marah… sharing the limelight as well as passing on the torch, I
think.
‘Friendly
Fire’ is different, much different, from Sean’s first effort
‘Into the Sun’, which was more experimental, somewhat uneven, but
with flashes of jazzy rock-pop brilliance. ‘Friendly Fire’
is artistically consistent, intensely personal, hauntingly beautiful
and full of bittersweet melancholy lyrics that leave you sad, yet
somehow euphoric and satisfied. The song compositions are consistently
superior and his voice is spectacularly well suited for the subject
matter, which is ‘lost love and friendship’. This is a
first rate artistic statement reminiscent of his father’s first solo
album, but instead of Primal Scream, you have Primal Introspection. The
laidback pop song aura that pervades the album’s 37 minutes is
eerily similar to the more upbeat ‘Revolver’, which
coincidentally also clocked in at only 35 minutes. The DVD, that is
conjoined with the CD, is a spectacular indie-type video that ties the
music together in strange and unexpected ways. It is brilliant,
innovative and sweet and features appearances from Lennon & friends
including Lindsay Lohan, Bijou Phillips, Asia Argento, Carrie Fisher,
Devon Aoki, Jordana Brewster and others. This is something that others
will no doubt emulate. 1. Dead Meat The opening piano brings to mind a
sad circus clown atmosphere, and then breaks into a lovely pop harmony
that cleverly disguises the wicked sentiments behind the lyrics. It’s
amazing that Sean can express vengeance with such philosophical
non-chalance and sweetness. After hearing this song performed live it
clearly has hit single stamped firmly on it. 2. Wait For Me This has a
catchy upbeat tune and great lyrics with hauntingly beautiful acoustic
guitar, understated bass and tack piano with tasteful drum touches by
Bill Dobrow. Easily made for radio play and concert material.
Sean’s voice is perfect, natural and not overly produced. 3.
Parachute A masterpiece of lyrical and sonic beauty. This song is hit
material and highly addictive. You cannot stop listening to this song
after you have once heard it due to the hypnotic, mesmerizing quality
of the music and deeply felt, highly ironic lyrics that penetrate the
listener’s soul. 4. Friendly Fire This song filled me with great
sadness and actually made me cry. It’s a brilliantly haunting melody
with masterful lyrics to match. The lyrics are obviously deeply
personal for the artist, but apply equally well to others in similar
situations. The song is full of pathos and is both wistful and
unforgettable. The minor chords that permeate the entire CD are very
evident here. 5. Spectacle This song is also deeply personal; but, once
again the lyrics are cold without being overly harsh and I am certain
this song will remain tattooed on many a girl’s neurons for years to
come when they hear it at just the right moment and realize it could be
about them. “Love is such a dangerous game.” 6. Tomorrow A sweet,
beautiful throwback to the great balladeers of the 50’s and
60’s: Cole Porter, Sinatra, Bennett, Lennon/McCartney. This song
is phenomenal in the solo acoustic version that Sean does live, usually
as an encore. 7. On Again, Off Again A quiet little ditty about the odd
paradox that is love and is full of beautiful soaring background
harmonies. “Love Is Like The Ocean Forever In Motion Forever
Changing Never Twice The Same†8. Headlights I love this strange
little psychedelic gem of a song with itâ
Friendly
fire was an amazing album and Sean is amazing, as it his he does not
get a lot of publicity and had to swim on his own, with very little
help from da and ma. Sean’s music is the kind that grows on you, that
attatches itself to your mind and you can’t go to sleep with out
thinking about it. I don’t think it sound ‘Beatlesque at all though,
very original and HIM not his father or any one else.
I disagree with
the last two posts. The record is nice. It’s not groundbreaking, no,
but Sean does have taste.
I
couldn’t believe my eyes when I read your review! My ears tell me this
record is boring, predictable stuff that never would have seen the
light of day without the name Lennon.
Sean is
really average at best. Would he have a deal without the Lennon name?
Doubtful. People are afraid to be critical in any way due to his
father’s legacy. Y.Ono gets the same treatment nowadays.
Redemption is mine. I was one of the 4 or
5 people who heard Silver Apples when the 1st album came out in ‘68,
and I loved the stuff. I was a white teenage drummer in Charlotte NC.
The sound grabbed me right away. I bought the album, then later found
and bought the 2nd one (making me 1 of 2 people). I later spent some
years on freeform radio in the Triangle of NC, where I actually aired
the stuff. I really spoke highly of Silver Apples, but everyone thought
I was nuts. It was many many many years later in Boston when I found
the German bootleg cd of both albums, and I grabbed it right away and
loved it all over again. When the SA reunion deal happened in NYC, I
found Simeon’s email address, learned of his re-discovery of Taylor,
wrote him, and he quickly responded and sent me a whole bunch of new
cd’s, including one that had a few odd outtakes from their 60s days.
Turned out he & I had some common ground in East
Tennessee.
Dear Editor:
Best wishes in your quest to bring an old icon (the magazine) back to
life.
Good to know how
it was to meet a visionary. Crawdaddy was as present as the music
during the late 60’s. Rolling Stone, too, but I always flet more of a
kinship to Crawdaddy due to its humble beginnings and the ability to
pin it all on one person. Paul choose more of the music that I had an
interest in. Jossie, keep up the good work.
I hope this
signals a resurgence of the too long dormant Summer of Love. Right on.
Very interesting, about the rock’n'roll science fiction
connection…
Page France are my
lifeeeee
Great
article, Bob. You’ve inspired me to check out The Hold
Steady.
I just saw em
in detroit and had the exact same feelings as wayne h…well,
almost…you’ve seen bruce 80 times and never saw anything like the
hold steady’s show?? Great, but not bruce…I can’t see them ever
taking that show to an arena or stadium. And you know what? That’s fine
with me.
Nothing wrong
with being inspired by Springsteen. But Finn creates a whole different
community of characters and places, puts on a different live show, and
probably has a different fan base. Both great. No problem with multiple
greats, right?
I agree with
Emily – great idea for a column. Maybe you can look into Psychedelic
Psoul/Freak Scene (Oddly, I never knew which was the band name and
which was the album title), the Harumi album and the work of Mort
Garson. And have you heard Essra Mohawk’s debut “Sandy’s Album Is Here”
under her original name, Sandy Hurvitz? It’s beautiful – imagine Carole
King as an impassioned teenage girl with creative writing class
lyrics.
“Roll on roll out the door
the floor
Fantasies…”
What a great
article on Paul.I’ll look forward to future areticles.Please stay in
touch with Paul and let us know how he is doing. You the
girl.
Minor point of
order: the chamber orchestra came first. With regards to the size of
the symphony orchestra, the progression is from small to big.
All
Hail the Hold Steady. They’re great. But no need to rag on the Arcade
Fire, Mr. Hill. They’re the best, most vital band to come around in a
long, long time. And they probably draw as much on Springsteen as Craig
Finn does.
Dear Jocelyn,
You really painted a beautiful mental picture of this entire
experience. How wonderful it must have been to meet and talk with a
pioneer of rock journalism. A great read!
Crawdaddy! Was a godsend in the 60’s to teens like myself, growing up
on small midwestern towns that had no music scene whatsoever for
literally 100 miles in any direction.Even Rolling Stone had yet to
venture thru its formative years and copies of both mags wree hard to
come by. I even liked the ads for Ampeg amps and various artists whose
records were not to be found in my local department store or music
shop. But I never understood Paul or his editorial musings. I wasn’t
interested in “serious” discussions of rock music, we just wanted to
Rock Out! But it saved my life in a way, just the same…knowing
that someone Out There was trying to do something different and
exciting with the medium of rock music and youth culture in ‘67 and
‘68.
I miss
vinyl albums and the album art on the jacket. I stil;l use my 25 year
old turntable altho when the current cartridge finaly wears out, I will
be unable to find or fabricate a suitable replacement that
matches.
I LOVE PAGE
FRANCE!
This article
is great Bob! I plan on checking them out now.
This is
insanity!!!!
hate vinyl
but love mp3. Never listen to vinyl in my life.Just like the pong game
and the Xbox 360 which would you rather have.
Bob, your
article gave me goosebumps! You documented the nostalgia that is such a
large part of Craig’s lyrical genius, perfectly! I’ve been advocating
for THS since “Almost Killed Me.” Do I thoroughly enjoy the
‘indie-pop-rock’ of Arcade Fire and CWK? Of course, but THS is pure,
unadulterated, boot-stompin, ass-kickin, beer-chuggin Rock N Roll! All,
hail The Hold Steady
Was very
surprised to see a Sean article, the man’s under-appreciated in the
music world. Saw him live in SF, and I agree, his guitar skills are
amazing & memorable.
Great article,
Jocelyn. Paul’s legacy is safe with you at the helm. Can’t wait to see
where Crawdaddy goes from here. And congratulations.
I love
this band! They’re so cute.
wonderful imagery. I want to be proposed to while listening to the
national!
Not one
scream? How disappointing. Nice words although now I won’t be able to
listen to this album without thinking about your engagement
either.
I LOVED
your review. You are a very elegant wordsmith. If you decide not to
marry this joker, will you marry me?? Please, Please!! Smooches. -
JK
So glad I
read the review to the end. Made me smile. Congrats, Jocelyn.
I love the
national!!! Great review.
I gotruby
so hyped up just reading this review, I coulda listened to Phil Collins
and been ready to break some stuff – luckily P&L deliver with some
serious rawk to soothe the part of me that wants to chew limestone and
light cars on fire. This is like Andrew WK meets Husker Du… in
other words, totally awesome. Thanks for the tip, Wyman.
I think I’ve
finally found a way to go coffee free.
Veggie
Sausage and Peanut Butter Sandwich – UMM YUMMY!!
I can image TMBG
probably have a wacky recipe in there.
I can image TMBG
probably have a wacky recipe in there.
What a great
idea! I want to go buy it.
From
what I understand about SoundExchange, they do not cut checks to
artists on a regular basis. What are they holding on to all that money
for, anyway?
“Oscillations” has long been a secret DJ weapon; mixes perfectly with
Can, early Kraftwerk, Neu and plenty of other krautrock or fuzztone
nuggets. Essential listening…
Funny tech
column!
Good points, but
down time on PCs due to non-music software problems is still worse than
on Macs.
“bass
players hate everyone” – classic.
I hate computers
for music. I love tape. I hope you talk about tape soon cause this is a
great column.
wow. That is
too interesting. I’ve always loved that record.
Interesting… didn’t quite know this. Nice to hear it in Pete’s
words.
May the
youth of today realize they can create their own wonderful scene as
they make the world a better place. Yalla Yalla Play hookey and carry
the fire into the heart of the darkness Peace
listening to
this interview, it’s amazing, weird to hear Strummer say that he
thought he’d live another 50 years. Chilling.
Forgot how this song transports me back
to 1967, Adventure Car Hop, U.S. One, Saugus, MA, listening to Arnie
Ginsberg, Boston’s Alan Freed. Why have I not heard of a Boston garage
band doing a cover of this?
Logos,
godhood? Oh please. More like Route 128 at 70 mph just before WMEX
signs off for the night. Equally cosmic; a lot less
pretentious.
Shakespear- heh
I remember
seeing these kids perform on some short-lived late night show back
then. I was a skate punk back then too, but about 5 years their senior.
“I hate you Ronald Regan!”
Pass the
excederin.
HAHAHA-
hilarious!
Glad to hear that
he’s still writing and recording. Without Richman, there’s no Cars, no
Talking Heads, no “new wave” as we knew it. Few artists as unassuming
as he is have had a biggger impact on music. He was (and is) 5 years
ahead of his time.
one of my
favorite songs by Richman, next to his Modern Lovers stuff, is the one
about dancing in a lesbian bar. Good stuff.
Sounds like a
very tense experience. I wish I could have been there at the Castro
theater to see the performance. It sounds like Jonathan was truly in
his element.
oh
man…what a fun read. The interviewer’s frank and candid approach
here is truly refreshing. I like how it’s left open-ended with regards
to the film. That’s how jonathan would want it.
Precisely.
You mean
like how the theme from Jeopardy sounds allot like Holiday In
Berlin?
I guess one
reason to compare them would be to give folks who like the captain a
newer band to check out that has many of the same elements.
apples and
oranges why bother to compare not even in the same universe just listen
to the real deal the captain
Not exactly
sure I believed Brian Brown until I listened to both bands after
reading the article. I could hear the similarities. An interesting take
two bands I would have never placed together in the same
category.
I’ve been
lucky enough to see pretty much all of the bands referenced in this
article (except for The Hold Steady but I’m putting that right on June
2nd at Shepherd’s Bush). I totally agree with Mr Hill that performers
that make you feel like you witnessed an event are few and far between.
I can’t believe that Marah aren’t a much bigger band than they are as
their live show is awe inspiring. Just hope that the live show is
enough to sustain The Hold Steady in the MP3/MTV here today gone
tomorrow 21st Century. Great article by the way
The Who
performed BOTH rock operas at the Fillmore East in fall of 1969 in a
week-long stint there. Tremendously powerfull and awe-inspiring still
to this day!
I love the way
this is written. It feels as if I’m right there with the author in the
café watching Jonathan eat that cookie.
Hey…..The author rocks for putting up with the pretentious
bullshit, baggage that comes along with being blessed to make your
passion your living. Richman should be glad there’s still someone
willing to seek out/put up with him!
Never
heard Erase Errata but I know the Magic Band grooved like some
acid-crazed mix of Sly Stone and Frank Zappa. “I’m Gonna Booglarize
You” has to be one of the greatest tunes ever recorded!
Road food
is good and good 4 u
I’ll take my PC any
day for audio against any Mac.
Tommmy can
you hear me?
this. Song.
Rules.
It’s cool to see
another band not “be” Capt. Beefheart per se, but carry on in the same
vein. Capt. Beefheart, you have to put in the work to get something out
of it. But the work is worth it.
The most
memorable thing about Beefheart’s band was the vivid red LP album
jacket for Trout Mask Replica, a real eye-catcher. The music inside was
utterly unlistenable. I never believed ANY of the hype about how
“great” or “foresighted” this pretentious crap was. I still have my
bright red copy of Trout Mask replica, can’t say I ever listened to it
more than once, many years ago. A bigger rip off than the Dead’s “Steal
Your Face”. Steal your money is more like it!
kjnd.dlmldkdd d d
dfhd dsks dhbjdjdjdfkk sbgffffof
My only
experience with Jonathan was back when he was on Twin Tone. He was in
Minneapolis and did an interview at a little cable radio station. I
don’t remember the interview, but I was there and I do remember that he
had a notepad and was copying information down from an article about
American Indians. The guy interviewing him told him that he could go
downstairs and copy it for him on a copying machine, but Jonathan
didn’t want to do that because if he wrote it longhand he’d remember it
better. I think he had car trouble too. He was pretty cool.
Tony,
great visual! Cookies and time, what a great combo. One thing Jonathon
should know is what a wonderful person you are to talk to. You always
make my day. Keep writing.
I allways
will love Jonathan
hey great
article!!! I agree with you totally!!!
Well, much as I
love Jonathan, it was kind of unfair of him to make you feel like this
– I would have felt rushed and awkward as well. He is probably nervous
of interviews as he has been so misquoted in the past, but even so, he
shouldn’t treat every single interviewer like this now because of
it.That’s like treating ALL of a certain type of people with suspicion
because ONE of them once treated you badly. Not nice.
That cookie metaphor is great! I miss that kind of writing these days
Am I reading these comments correctly? Are people actualy upset with Mr. Richman because he is shy and uncomfortable during interviews?
The implications of your comments are that all celebreties are obligated to be superhuman in personality and extroversion and all thoes that fall short are “pretentious” or intentionaly making people feel ackward.
I hope I never become famous…
Good article. But the way I understand it, ASIO, WDM, GSIF are not drivers they are specific audio streaming protocols. Audio drivers are more of a software interface and control between the audio hardware, operating system and audio program/application that needs to adhere to an established audio streaming protocol.
Good article. But the way I understand it, ASIO, WDM, GSIF are not drivers they are specific audio streaming protocols. Audio drivers are more of a software interface and control between the audio hardware, operating system and audio program/application that needs to adhere to an established audio streaming protocol.
This is a great find. I really don’t like the band name but I dig the music.
okay..i`m a Band nut since the Hawks..but you still haven`t convinved me..if anything Los Lobos is the band that has the real versatility that it will take to wear the crown once removed…
but i admire your enthusiasm..
sluggo
interesting take on the longevity of wilco. cool parallel to dylan.
the dylan interview..fun… the Mcartney and Starr interviews fluff…the Mailer interview great chewing…the rest…a bad waste of a good tree..give it up Jann..and let the DC5 in the HOF willya !!!
sluggo
you gotta love neil young!!!
first time they shoved Hunter out the door was the end…give it up Jann
I couldn’t agree more…this piece was well written and SMART!Thank you. I miss the days of being genuinely excited about a new release and more often than not giving it one listen, casting the disc aside and then going back to it weeks, months and sometimes years later and having the light bulb go off and having something to really treasure. Not many bands can do that for me anymore but Wilco can and it is worth keeping the faith. Isn’t that what it’s all about? For me it is.
I find Wilco a bit tiresome. Maybe its just after the big success of YHF and everyone claiming to be big fans forever turned me off.
I thought this album was gonna suck, but you may have just changed my mind. Looks like I’ll have to check it out… now.
The church of Courvoisier. Classic.
Yeah, and now we have Screamo. God help us all.
I totally agree with the notion of giving Wilco the benefit of the doubt. Some bands can do no wrong in the eyes of a true fan. As far as Wilco is concerned, innovation is the key. If that means not giving the fairweather fans what they want, well then, too bad.
i adore leonard cohen!! can’t wait to watch the DVD. and i like that you guys are reviewing things like books and DVDs in addition to CDs.
wow. what a fantastic find.
Why is it seem to be the rule of thumb that the more boring, obscure and self indulgent a band allows itself to be, the more critics and fans wax over the importance of the work? I own every Wilco album. I was there at the start. This new album (and yes there are a couple of good songs and jams) just bores me. Sometimes Rock and Roll is about three chords and a lyric. I wish Wilco might remember that on occassion. Again, I’m a fan. But starting to wonder why.
Why is it seem to be the rule of thumb that the more boring, obscure and self indulgent a band allows itself to be, the more critics and fans wax over the importance of the work? I own every Wilco album. I was there at the start. This new album (and yes there are a couple of good songs and jams) just bores me. Sometimes Rock and Roll is about three chords and a lyric. I wish Wilco might remember that on occassion. Again, I’m a fan. But starting to wonder why.
Why is it seem to be the rule of thumb that the more boring, obscure and self indulgent a band allows itself to be, the more critics and fans wax over the importance of the work? I own every Wilco album. I was there at the start. This new album (and yes there are a couple of good songs and jams) just bores me. Sometimes Rock and Roll is about three chords and a lyric. I wish Wilco might remember that on occassion. Again, I’m a fan. But starting to wonder why.
Boring, self-indulgent, and even obscure, really, are all in the eye of the beholder. And to fall back on the archaic cliche of “three chords and the truth” or whatever, while certainly quaint and earnest and somewhat endearingly idealistic, is over-simplifying things. Because sometimes, it’s not about that at all.
i am now quite interested in this band called palliard. hope to see them touring around.
interesting, and well-written commentary! looking forward to reading more from edward.
I don’t know about you, but all my programs use ASIO drivers, not ASIO audio streaming protocols. Better call Steinberg and tell them they’ve been doing it wrong all these years! :o)
Interesting take on the “instant gratification game”. Indeed so, I agree with you. Some bands are more cut out for that than others. As far as letting the music sink in, as you said… the “instant world” doesn’t really give that time. And it doesn’t always feel like Wilco give you that time either, when they – when you get it – already moved on to something new. Musical journeys can be a good thing, like for example Dylan, and (a great example as a Deadhead) Grateful Dead, but when you get the feeling you had about Ryan Adams – which i really agree with you about -
“the feeling he’s mostly just dabbling in different genres to entertain himself” – then it gets boring. Now I have yet to listen to the new Wilco album, but I haven’t got that feeling about them, yet at least.
Right on. This had to be said! I disowned RS when they ut Brittany Spears on the cover of the Women in Rock issue! I shouldn’t have waited that long!
can’t wait for this to come out next week. although i dig the harder stuff, i can imagine pelican has good enough taste to expand on what they’ve already done while keeping it real.
Double wow.
This is such a great recording. I saw Neil play this year at the Bridge School Benefit and he is still incredible but it’s so different to hear him when he was young.
The 40th issue of Rolling Stone put clear perspective on our country’s most enlightened era gone wrong. The interviews were informative and inspiring. Nothing like Edward Scott’s review, a tunnel-vision synopsis of drek, to answer the question of why we failed.
Tell it brother, sounds like you were there!
The 40th issue of Rolling Stone put clear perspective on our country’s most enlightened era gone wrong. The interviews were informative and inspiring. Nothing like Edward Scott’s review, a tunnel-vision synopsis of drek, to answer the question of why we failed.
The 40th issue of Rolling Stone put clear perspective on our country’s most enlightened era gone wrong. The interviews were informative and inspiring. Nothing like Edward Scott’s review, a tunnel-vision synopsis of drek, to answer the question of why we failed.
The 40th issue of Rolling Stone put clear perspective on our country’s most enlightened era gone wrong. The interviews were informative and inspiring. Nothing like Edward Scott’s review, a tunnel-vision synopsis of drek, to answer the question of why we failed.
The 40th issue of Rolling Stone put a clear perspective on our country’s most enlightened era gone wrong. The interviews were informative and inspiring. Nothing like Edward Scott’s review, a tunnel-visioned ill conceived synopsis of drek, to answer the question to why we failed.
The 40th issue of Rolling Stone put a clear perspective on our country’s most enlightened era gone wrong. The interviews were informative and inspiring. Nothing like Edward Scott’s review, a tunnel-visioned ill conceived synopsis of drek, to answer the question: why we failed.
Sorry my comments came up so many times. A computer runtime error…
I dunno, that 40th Anniversary cover was laaaaaame. Almost as bad as when Time Mag declared “you” as person of the year with the mirror on the front that made us all look like we were in a funhouse.
It’s amazing how much of this rant is still relevant today.
it is “Snodgress” not “Snodgrass”
Longevity for any artist hinges on both the ability and the willingness to change. If you as a consumer wish to keep up, cool. If not, cool. What could be more boring as an artist than to hear a request for a song you’ve played every night and what could be more boring as a fan than to feel let down if you don’t hear it. “Free Bird, man.”
I signed up with Being There. Summerteeth was an enjoyable listen so I was willing to try YHF which blew my mind. Ghost was an interesting reminder of my early recovery. Sky Blue Sky is a subtle and mature album. I enjoy a band that is interested in growth, not stagnation. More power to them for the willingness to experiment and to stay interested in the process.
Wow, I’ve got to get me some of this
Cool that you’re reviewing these things. I always see them come in at my store and kind of shake my head, thinking their just there to profit off artists by being critical.
I might seriously look into some of them for artists I don’t know very well
Whether rocking out with the Horse or in singer songwriter mode ,Neil Young is a resource that we should all treasure.
Like every other critic out there, you eviscerate pop culture and in a lame apologetic attempt not to seem “old”, you end your article by picking out a few lame bands and saying they’re great and that we’re living in exciting times. What a bunch of self-serving crap. You and other disingenuous critics, are an even bigger problem than the conglomerates you purport to despise, because you shape your real sentiments, in order to not seem out of touch and to keep your jobs.
Like every other critic out there, you eviscerate pop culture and in a lame apologetic attempt not to seem “old”, you end your article by picking out a few lame bands and saying they’re great and that we’re living in exciting times. What a bunch of self-serving crap. You and other disingenuous critics, are an even bigger problem than the conglomerates you purport to despise, because you shape your real sentiments, in order to not seem out of touch and to keep your jobs.
For posterity, this article was written by a person under the age of 30. Not exactly “old”…
i love this feature of crawdaddy. i think it suits its purpose.
what about laptops though? it seems the new Apple macbook pro has the upper hand on ANY “PC” laptop…. especially when you get the RAM upgrade. uh? UH??
Rolling Stone stopped being relevant a long time ago (And I’m 45, use Mojo or Uncut or Goldmine or local magazines or the internet to get a read on music, and not to be cool). It’s only fitting they do a review of the sixties that is as self-serving and lame, as they themselves have been for so long now. Even for articles and interviews about bands from that era and the the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and recent, the above sources are the ones to use.
Rolling Stone lost their credibility when the moved from SF to NYC decades ago. That said, I enjoyed some of the anniversary issue, like the interviews with Patti Smith and Neil Young. “Bloc Party and Bright Eyes” – they’re okay bands, but compared to the Beatles, Stones, Who, Kinks, Beach Boys, Hendrix, Janis, Doors, and all the rest, they hardly compare. And what’s with slagging Jane Fonda – “abomination of a career” – she has always stood up for what she thought was right – unlike so many of us. When a disgruntled vet stood in line to spit in her face at a book signing, she just wiped it off and continued. That’s class.
Rolling Stone lost their credibility when the moved from SF to NYC decades ago. That said, I enjoyed some of the anniversary issue, like the interviews with Patti Smith and Neil Young. “Bloc Party and Bright Eyes” – they’re okay bands, but compared to the Beatles, Stones, Who, Kinks, Beach Boys, Hendrix, Janis, Doors, and all the rest, they hardly compare. And what’s with slagging Jane Fonda – “abomination of a career” – she has always stood up for what she thought was right – unlike so many of us. When a disgruntled vet stood in line to spit in her face at a book signing, she just wiped it off and continued. That’s class.
I was truely excited about the new release and I love it. A Ghost is Born is still growing on me. Like you said, maybe it’ll take 10 years before I fully get it.
Java Masterbater,[see above]
You are NOT worthy! Please let me take your unwanted burden out of your unappreciative hands.You obviously are one of those who”REMEMBER” the 60’s.I for one will cherish an almost unplayed Trout Mask Replica and keep it save from the ears and likes of you…send C.O.D ok!
Java Masterbater,[see above]
You are NOT worthy! Please let me take your unwanted burden out of your unappreciative hands.You obviously are one of those who”REMEMBER” the 60’s.I for one will cherish an almost unplayed Trout Mask Replica and keep it save from the ears and likes of you…send C.O.D ok!
Java Masterbater,[see above]
You are NOT worthy! Please let me take your unwanted burden out of your unappreciative hands.You obviously are one of those who”REMEMBER” the 60’s.I for one will cherish an almost unplayed Trout Mask Replica and keep it save from the ears and likes of you…send C.O.D ok!
Java Masterbater,[see above]
You are NOT worthy! Please let me take your unwanted burden out of your unappreciative hands.You obviously are one of those who”REMEMBER” the 60’s.I for one will cherish an almost unplayed Trout Mask Replica and keep it save from the ears and likes of you…send C.O.D ok!
I think what you just said is more insulting to Jonathan – you lump him in with all ‘celebrities.’ He is way too cool to be a ‘celebrity’ – are you really putting him in the same category as Paris Hilton
To clarify, I don’t expect him to be superhuman, just human and compassionate when fans are understandably nervous when interviewing him. This interviewer was going all out to be respectful of JR, avoiding topics he knew would make him uncomfortable etc, and I just really relate to his nervousness when he realised JR wasn’t being very responsive and that he was on some kind of time limit – the cookie timer!
hey anonymous — I know what you mean about the hype. I was actually so indifferent to the YHF love tsunami that to this day, I don’t own an original copy. At a certain point I ambivalently accepted a burned copy, figuring I might as well at least know what everyone was so ga-ga about, and once I did… Well, I’ll be damned if it’s not truly a great album. I’m not really a member of the cult of Wilco, but I think they deserve the accolades, even if they don’t come from me.
Similarly, I’ve never had a Dylan phase, and I’m glad. Yeah yeah yeah, I know, he’s the king of the gods of every great note ever played on any instrument on earth, and the best lyricist since whatever, I get it. Having grown up obsessed with music but somehow not Dylan, I feel lucky that I can view a lot of music that people say is Dylanesque without the Dylan foil. I remember playing the Velvet Underground for someone who’d never heard them, and all they could say was “huh, it sounds like Dylan.” I felt bad for them.
I do recognize, though, that every other new band that comes out, I tend to hear and think, “huh. sounds like the Velvets.” What can ya do?
Actually, Neil wrote “Cowgirl” in March 1969, and didn’t meet Carrie until later the following year, after “Diary of a Mad Housewife” came out. Nice sentiment, though.
Actually, Neil wrote “Cowgirl” in March 1969, and didn’t meet Carrie until later the following year, after “Diary of a Mad Housewife” came out. Nice sentiment, though.
Actually, Neil wrote “Cowgirl” in March 1969, and didn’t meet Carrie until later the following year, after “Diary of a Mad Housewife” came out. Nice sentiment, though.
Actually, Neil wrote “Cowgirl” in March 1969, and didn’t meet Carrie until later the following year, after “Diary of a Mad Housewife” came out. Nice sentiment, though.
Actually, Neil wrote “Cowgirl” in March 1969, and didn’t meet Carrie until later the following year, after “Diary of a Mad Housewife” came out. Nice sentiment, though.
Actually, Neil wrote “Cowgirl” in March 1969, and didn’t meet Carrie until later the following year, after “Diary of a Mad Housewife” came out. Nice sentiment, though.
Music From Big Pink was recorded in studios in NYC and LA.
Music From Big Pink was recorded in studios in NYC and LA.
jove, i love your feedback.
Mike may be right about the actual recording, but I think what the writer is getting at is the creation of the songs, which took place at the house, hence the title of the album. Apparently the actual recording itself took just two weeks (according to the original review of this record, http://theband.hiof.no/albums/rs_15_music_from_big_pink.html). Amazing.
Demo tapes for the album Songs from big Pink were recorded in the basement of the house itself, which is why so many people just say the album was recorded there.
No question Wilco is an exceptional band; not that they’re incredible (all tastes differ) but exceptional because (as Concklin so eloquently explained) their music is so much more transmogrification in their style, sound, and meaning.
I’ll admit I’m a fan, but I’m a fan because I love music and regardless of what genre it is labeled or whom the new album has suprised/disappointed/blown away, I know that it will be unique and different. And after all, isn’t music all about change – spitting in the face of history (with a subconscious respect for the past)?
Avoiding a semantic debate I would say that Mr. Richman is a kind of celebrity. Paris Hilton isin’t so much a celebrety as a spectical in my opinion.
I also think you have to look at both sides of the coin. Richman doesn’t know that this interviewer is going to be considerate. All he knows is that he seems to have a little fame and people will go to great lengths to exploit that fame. So understandably he is guarded during interviews.
The point I was getting at was that people seem to demand certain behavior from the famous and they get upset when the famous person turns out to be human like the rest of us. I simply haven’t seen such a plain example of that behavior before and thought I’d try to call it out and address it to hear the counter argument.
Palliard where have you been all my life?
This recording is 36 years old, not 16. Anyone thinking this show was from 1991 shouldn’t be writing an article on it.
This recording is 36 years old, not 16. Anyone thinking this show was from 1991 shouldn’t be writing an article on it.
music needs to be pure in whatever form. Just keep it real. Thanks for the article.
After reading your article,I bought my first CD by Cohen. great music. Thanks
norman mailer thinks T.Leary is an ass…
Is it just me, or is the Band popping up everywhere these days? Who cares..too much still ain’t enough. Don’t know Palliard, but they’re in good company in this article. Liked their mp3, too.
norman mailer thinks T.Leary is an ass…
I`m inclined to agree..tune in turn on drop out …what a lame concept…
I have a double vinyl release of Nick Drake’s bedroom tape recordings, and on it he covers “Blues Run the Game.” That was my first exposure to Frank, and it haunts me still; one of my favorite songs. Recently a singer/songwriter friend of mine rolled through town with her band, and dedicated a song to me at her show — a cover of “Blues Run the Game.” She had no way of knowing it was a favorite of mine, I’d never mentioned it. I told her how much I loved it and she said, “yeah, I pegged you as a Jackson C Frank fan,” but then I told her about the Nick Drake cover. Pathetically, through all this, I’ve never gone out and found the Frank album or done much resarch. With this write-up, though, that’s it. I don’t care what mood I’m in; the next record I buy will be this one, and it’s about friggin’ time. Or maybe I’ll go on a hunt for this on vinyl…
amem.
Wow, hard to believe this is a band from the UK. Thanks for sharing.
Rolling Stone just mirrors the Pop culture. It has some good things to say but in no way is it like it used to be. Is anything? Yes it is a shame that Bush has been elected twice? But this has always been a conservative country. However as a “country” it appears that our IQ is dropping.
Rolling Stone just mirrors the Pop culture. It has some good things to say but in no way is it like it used to be. Is anything? Yes it is a shame that Bush has been elected twice? But this has always been a conservative country. However as a “country” it appears that our IQ is dropping.
An informative and well written article. It’s rare to read an article about technical issues that is written with a sense of humor. I laughed several times while reading it.
An informative and well written article. It’s rare to read an article about technical issues that is written with a sense of humor. I laughed several times while reading it.
Great review, interesting comparison. Nitpicky fan thing though, and that is that Nels Cline didn’t join the band until after A Ghost is Born was released… I’m lame.
Excellent to hear Keith Moon, sober it appears,reflect a little on stuff. Very nice!
When Yankee Hotel Foxtrot came out, I jumped on it, but after listening repeatedly in the summer of ‘02, realized it was more about a mood than anything you could pin down musically or lyrically. A Ghost is Born seemed to be even more about that. I think Wilco is basically a group that appears to be about nothing or pure abstraction, but leaves a residue that stays with the listener, sometimes uncomfortably. Tweedy’s singing sometimes grates on me–I find him to be a quintessential whiner–and their musical experimentations seem pretty benign and unskilled, unemotional and calculated at times. Actually, I feel their best work was probably when they came down from that a bit, using Woody Guthrie’s lyrics in collaboration with Billy Bragg for the Mermaid Avenue albums, which you don’t mention at all.
This reviewer has apparently always been clueless. His first-issue review of Simon nkel’s “Sounds of Silence” twice praised Garfunkel’s guitar playing!
This reviewer has apparently always been clueless. His first-issue review of Simon nkel’s “Sounds of Silence” twice praised Garfunkel’s guitar playing!
This reviewer has apparently always been clueless. His first-issue review of Simon nkel’s “Sounds of Silence” twice praised Garfunkel’s guitar playing!
This reviewer has apparently always been clueless. His first-issue review of Simon nkel’s Sounds of Silence twice praised Garfunkel’s guitar playing!
Music needs no pure form. Folk-rock is (was) real. This editorial held little water when originally published and holds NONE today. Evolution of form. Dig it.
What makes folk-rock real?
Anyway, I don’t think we need to read these reprints and think, omigod this is supposed to stand up to today’s values. I think it’s pretty interesting to see how Paul and others probably felt about the meshing of two genres of music into a new sound, a new thing.
Also, music probably does need a pure form, or the evolution of form wouldn’t exist.
It seems to me that this article is deeply and problematically vague. Besides the dangerously uninformed assertions about entire genres of music (ahem, “ganster rap,” really?), there is nothing to suggest that “there has never been a better time to be a music fan.” I think the 90s were a pretty good time, and for that matter I bet the 1940s were pretty cool, too. Ironically, few publications have championed Bright Eyes more than Rolling Stone.
I dunno… Comparing a brand new band to Led Zeppelin using those metrics is just too easy.
The real metrics that matter seem to be:
In Zeppelin’s day, how many albums did LZ1 sell in the first year and how many other act’s were competing with Zep for the buyer’s dollar? If you are looking at sales metrics, those factors have to be included.
NOW, if you are looking at the merits of the music, that’s a different thing entirely. Almost 40 years later, it’s hard to imagine a”new” act that not derivative, unless they’re just weird (Mars Volta, anyone?). Wolfmother’s first CD is at once a breath of fresh air and a pair of comfy old slippers. But that’s because of it’s contrast with the current-day environment and the fact that it, while derivative, is unique in a sea of pop/hip-hop/emo noise.
excellent perspective. how many of us have been saddled with “the new springsteen” “the new “led zeppelin” ad nauseum. Truly memorable bands are that way because they’ve found or created new ground. If you haven’t already, check out LZ’s “How the West was Won,” which captures them at their performing peak. Top that.
i got this last night, and i think you might be right about the last track. Weird about the Jack White stuff.
An excellent diary entry from a true listener. Timing is everything with a song or performer. It took me years to understand Neil Young, and when I finally got it, it was like I was hearing rock n’ roll for the first time. No one could force that to happen for me.
Fabulous and so damn funny!
This is interesting… especially since below there’s a review of the new Shellac record where you have to download the album from the label’s site. For 16 bucks I only got mp3s. Nothing else. Even though the music is good, that kinda sucks.
There’s certainly nothing prestigious or infamous about playing a guitar with Clapton’s name on it, but that only further proves the point: Townshend brings the thunder even when playing an overrated hack’s signature model. What’s next? Anyone seen Lou Reed playing a John Mayer custom model?
Another outstanding Mobley article!
This is one of the most truthful articles on rock that I have read in recent memory. Long live Pete Townshend!
Interesting how so many people were talking about the I Ching at that timeperiod. John Cage did them all ten better a decade earlier.
this is a cool idea… so many albums become a flash in the pan for almost no good reason.
my head is swirling from reading this review. in a good way.
i always look forward to reading this column!
geez, never really thought about the logistics behind collaborations. i love me some CSN (and Y) – thank god they worked it out!
Surely the band was aware of its stylistic forbears, but the way they write their music is one thing. It’s not entirely fair to hold the press’ critical comparisons against them. Being compared to Zeppelin is the kiss of death; no band could hold up to that on the strength of a single album, unless every metric of comparisons is employed, as Rob Rose pointed out. It may be furstrating to hear the Wolf-Zep gong banged again and again, but railing against it in a column only propogates it further. Perhaps if popular opinion was that Wolfmother is better than Zeppelin ever was — well, that would demand correction. But no one’s saying that. Critical comparisons are simply a reviewer’s attempt to assign definition the things inherently fluid, and when one band so clearly apes another, critics would be remiss if not to point it out.
Also, for the record, you’re in a glass house, Mr. Hill. It’s completely unfair to compare Mendelsohn’s blog to Zeppelin’s throne on Rock Mt Olympus. Whether wrong or right, rock writers are the unsung Moses-es of musicland, and it’s absurd to even conceive of such a comparison being fair. In the history of rock journalism, maybe half a dozen critics have made any kind of lasting name for themselves. It’s the nature of the beast. What right have you to condescend? Your jab is myopic at best, and at worst, discrediting.
great review! i love this approach!
french kicks is definitely one of those bands that grew on me over time.
This man’s a true Rock commentary genius!
Keep rock’in Mobley
i think the line
“When you think Zeppelin, you think the ‘70s, which is good, ’cause that’s where they made their mark. When you think Wolfmother, you think the ‘70s, which is bad, cause it’s almost 2010.”
pretty much says it all….and by the looks of the current music scene, we won’t see bands like Zep or Floyd or Sabbath again. nobody today has the cajones and the vision to make music that transcends the moment. the White Stripes will be a foot note 15 yrs from now, as will the Killers, etc. Remember Oasis? yeh, exactly.
I agree – one of the more entertaining reviews to an album I’ve read in a while. I would love to see something like this weekly.
Aw come on, CT. I think Wolfmother is a total joke, but there’s nothing less becoming than the whole “there will never be another sabbath or zep!” credo. It’s the hallmark of the old and out of touch.
But Wolfmother hasn’t slept with Pamela DeBarres…or have they?!
When the Who played those songs at the 911 concert…oh, man, I cried and felt so freakin’ proud. Those songs and those guys still held up over all this time. Those words are as meaningful today as they ever were…We won’t get fooled again.
i need a miracle every day!
What, then, would be the “pure form” of music? A caveman banging an animal’s jawbone on a tanned caribou hide stretched from tree to tree? I don’t think that that “pure form” exists any longer. Evolution of form exists on so many different levels that we can hardly, if at all, identify the lot of them. What makes folk-rock real? The mere fact that we speak of it 30 years after its inception, I would suppose.
interesting…i had no idea these sort of campaigns were happening. long live album artwork.
Max you are brilliant! There is an article circulating about “Crush Management” who brought us the uber-lame fallout boy and panic…ughhh! makes me want to vomit even saying those names…even their management company calls them the ‘boy bands’ of the 00s…haha think NSync with guitars, and they admit it ALL about commercialism marketing selling t-shirts. so it’s not only no longer about the music, but now they even celebrate that it’s 100% about moving “product”… sigh to quote from one of the best movies ever made, “ohhhh what a world, what a world!”
Like Rob Rose I think that you can’t compare old bands to new bands with all the changes in how music is distributed and upsorbed by the masses.
But unlike Rob, I dont think Zeppelin was any newer then any of the bands now. Everything is derivative. Led Zeppelin didn’t just fall out of the sky complete with some never heard before sound.
Well, you might be blowing it out of context. We’re talking rock and folk. Some people are purists. Others not. Maybe you like your music undefined and muddled. I’d prefer to be either here or there but not in between.
But you should be able to compare them based on the kind of music they play and the aesthetics they put forth. And, it’s especially nice to have this showdown between two bands, after reading review after review of new bands who are compared (sometimes rightfully so) to older bands. It gives the reader a sense of what they are getting into before they listen to it.
I agree with you, Headwig. The comparison is a mental starting point.
The first time I ever heard this album it put me in a trance. With consecutive listens, I find that my mood depicts the way in which I perceive the music. For example, I listened to this while on a jog yesterday. A far different experience than the first.
I absolutely love this band.
Paul was 17 for the Garfunkel error, and Paul Simon called him up and told him about it. Simon also told him it was the most honest review of their record that he read.
As for the “16″ mistake, eep! Sorry folks. Ironing out production deadlines and process as it were on this third issue, this mistake managed to evade us. Clearly, as the concert is from 1971, it is thirty-six years. We’re making the change now. — Ed.
“giving us the great healing mercy fuck we all so desperately need”
Haha! I love it!
Young did not perform at Monterrey Pop Festival w/ Springfield
I think that the music produced between ‘65 and ‘75 was primarily brought about because of the “electrification” of the blues and other music forms that existed prior to that time, the willingness of AM/FM radio to play the new musical forms and the link between the new music and the emergence of the counter revolution.
This confluence produced a period of heightened creativity and technological innovation that stretched musical boundaries to new limits.
Ever since these limits have been tested, but they have not been significantly extended.
Two weeks ago, I took my 17 year old to see Roger Waters. He witnessed Dark Side in its entirety along with much of WYWH, Sheep and select cuts from the Wall among others. Ever since, Pink Floyd, Zep, Hendrix have dominated his sound system/DVD player. I don’t think this will be a short termed phenomenon.
Shellac is a band with their own sound that no one can replicate. Fueled by cold, abrasive winters and seething hot summers spent in the wonder bread culture of the mid-West. Seven years was too long to wait for this.
Check out tBP’s cover of Flim (Aphex Twin), it is a brilliant take on a brilliant song.
Check out tBP’s cover of Flim (Aphex Twin), it is a brilliant take on a brilliant song.
I don’t think he was saying that Young performed with Springfield at Monterey as he refers to that time as the “period of Monterey”.
This is the silliest review I have ever read. Mike Conklin doesn’t seem to get the music at all. And Shellac have never sent out free promo copies because they think that reviewers should pay for the album like fans do. How is that “anitquated”, surely it would be antiquated if they followed the normal pattern of record label behaviour and desperately send free copies to every reviwer? Seems to me that they don’t need or want the publicity – how exactly is that silly.
By the way — has anyone seen the modern swedish psych/”classi”-style band Dungen live? That lead singer has the Robert Plant thing DOWN. The blond locks, the head toss, the tambourine, the pants so tight they might as well be painted on… They’re not a Zep rip-off, per se, but that dude does one hell of a Plant dance.
Excuse me, but vinyl is still around after all these years. It’s too bad we’ve created a 5 minute attention span MTV generation with little or no knowledge of the history of the music or of the artists they listen to. It’s no wonder that most people don’t care about the sound quality of their music format(s). I’ve seen firsthand how most people treat their LP’s, cassettes, VHS, CD’s, DVD’s, and it’s really not pretty. Again, very few people know the proper care and feeding of their investments (damn shame, I believe). If you have musci formats that you can translate into CD’s or DVD’s (or even MP3’s with their lower sound quality) from the original sources more power to you, and long live all high quality recorded sound formats. People, take care of your music formats and they will give you high quality sound even 40 or 50 years from now.
Has Bob Hill ever heard of John Paul Jones?
Actually, no one is taking advantage of the digital file like it could; mp3s have built-in support for album art, lyrics, and other notes. Yet no mp3s come loaded this way, and no software or player decodes it and present it to a listener. Imagine listening to the music, seeing album artwork per song, and reading lyrics and comments while listening to Winamp or playing your iPod. Much better than watching a video over and over. Also, SACDs and DVDs don’t play in cars or portable players, so are not a good substitute for digital tracks. Digital is the future.
“nobody today has the cajones and the vision to make music that transcends the moment”
disagree. see:
radiohead,
the flaming lips,
bjork.
there are more…
radiohead???? oh goooodness.
Music has become so uncreative in the last 10 years that “mediocrity” has become the “new creative”. Watching the “Pyramid” video struck me as garage band Sabbath. Semi pro… How can anyone compare this cut to anything Zeppelin did…ever? It contains absolutely none of the creativeness, subtleties and musical interaction that made Zepplin the phenomenal band they were.
The bass player plays the same riff loud then soft then loud again, not changing even one note up… ever. Listen to John Paul Jones sometime. Every verse, chorus, bridge was played slightly different everytime around, every song!
The guitarist plays the same thing everytime around also in “wannbe” Tony Iommi fashion. Page was an endless well of new ideas and riffs.
And the drummer might as well be a metronome or a digital loop. Bonham defined and set the standard forever for rock drumming. Bonham was “part” of the music. You could isolate a Bonham drum riff and it you could name what song it is, as if Page started the riff to Misty Mountain Hop, you’d know what song it is in three notes…the same with a Bonham riff. Isolate Wolfmother’s drummer…it’s a metronome with zero creativity.
I agree that I’m not sure you can break new ground anymore musically, but you can at least still provide creative musicianship and musical interaction between the players.
After hearing Zeppelin 1, I couldn’t get enough! After hearing this cut from Wolfmother. about 3/4 of the way through..I had enough!
this is the best review i have read about the album. i’ve found it incredibly underrated it deserves talk of best album of the year. at the same time – the new sunset rubdown may be the only competetior to give it a run for its money.
I would still rather Jerry Garcia was alive so I didn’t have to pay attention to any of this kind of talk…
thanks to Mama Cass,40 plus years of my life has been blessed by the music of CSN
Neil Young’s Music has been a comfort to so many for so long,All Classic’s that we’ll live on long past any of us..
“radiohead???? oh goooodness.”
ok, fine. i guess they don’t carry much weight with you. which i find strange. i’m not a sad radiohead obsessive by any means, but as far as ‘modern’ mainstream bands go i’d venture them as perhaps the most expansively creative.
musical boundaries are generally not pushed within the mainstream, as far as I’ve had the pleasure of noticing. this is partially to do with the way that the music industry (well, as far as major labels work) push bands. it is more financially feasable to push a band as a short-term fast-yielding investment.
music that isn’t derivative will always sounds ‘weird’, simply because the terrain it covers has (hopefully) not been covered extensively before.
no?
Excellent article! There is none better than Pete Townshend and The Who.
You’re so right about the ‘Highway 61′ comparison (not that I’m familiar but I’ll take your word for it)… maybe that’s the best review of Sky Blue Sky that could be written….. that you’ll find yourself saying to yourself every other day…. “Ahhh… I think I’ll listen to Sky Blue Sky now”, and off into happy land you go :-D
As I’ve said in discussions with other fans of Wilco…. it’s not brilliant, it’s not a masterpiece, it’s not groundbreaking… but that’s not the point of this album. The point is that I love it – all of it – and it brings a smile to my face.
Similar in that respect to Zwan’s record…. that wasn’t a Corgan masterpiece, but that record too transports you to a place that is pretty enjoyable to be.
“King of America” by Elvis Costello is, to me, one of the best records ever. I have it on vinyl and his lifesize mug w/ full beard and crown on his head says it all. A true classic sleeper album by Costello!
Idont need no stinking badges or music critics to tell me what i should or shouldnt like stick in your ear
The main thing: Is the music worth listening to in the first place? Unfortunately, most times not.
Not much on my mind today.
Have all you missed Joe Bonamassa? He is covering evrybody while being creative and original at the same time in his own.
Hey, very interesting portal! Great work!
Wolf mother does not even compare to idividual talents of the Guitarist, Drummer, Singer and Bass Player. Zeppelin had the most talented musicians of their kind ever. They were and still are the most talented band of all time. Sorry Wolfmother’s out there, they are good but they can only wash zeppelin’s feet right now.
cds doin` the dodo..?
of course..we have purchased in our lifetime, 78`s ,45`s,33`s,8tracks,reel to reel,cassette,cds, and sometimes the same song on each medium..this translates into buckets of $$ for someone dunt it?..so it must be nearly time for cds to be redundant .
Music companies should have, and still should, embrace new technologies. The CD is a 20 + year old format. People are not still buying Atari 2600’s and VHS vcrs. We’re savvy enough to know that the CD is build around 20 year old technology and it’s limiations. Music companies should have phased out CD at least 5 years ago. SACD sounds fantastic, but DVD-Audio has more to offer. Music compaines should embrace DVD Audio AND include the album in “portable-resolution” mp3 files on every DVD. People would buy the DVD for the hi-res 24bit 5.1 audio and have the 128kb files for their iPod. This would be the way that portable files and discs could co-exist.
I had a a mindblowing experience in 2003 at neil young’s bridge school benefit when they all performed live together again, acoustic, for The kids…a great cause indeed…and at one point a cappella… all those songwriters are the S#!t, thanks mama cass, sorry I didn’t make it to your parties…
the author of this story shld do some minimal research … james taylor didn’t ‘flounder’ after apple folded and as another reader pointed out, neil young didn’t play with buffalo springfield at monterey … david crosby sat in for him
Apple would soon fold under the neglect that came from the Beatles break up, and CSN, as with most acts that did ultimately sign with Apple, such as James Taylor and Billy Preston, would have likely floundered when the label folded.
Emphasis on the word “likely”
And it was the “period of Monterey” not “Monterey”
Sheesh.
That being said, Shellac can afford to pull this kind of shit because idiots like me still want desperately to hear their records.
yeah, thanks Cass for unleashing 40 years of boredom upon all us discerning music lover — super group or sleeper group?
really, the point is what is derivative and what’s not.
“weird” or “challenging” rock music, it’s like beer. at first sip you think, ‘ew, kinda weird.’ and then after a few more sips you realize it’s one of the more amazing things the human race has going for it. then you also realize it’s not that weird at all, because your grandpappy always reeked of the stuff. and eventually you get around to drinking a classic brand of beer called Budweiser, and soon enough, you and your grandpappy are sitting around drinking beer together, telling fart jokes, at your cousins wedding.
Huh?
all rock music is somewhat derivative, even Zep, even when it’s the weirdest thing you’ve heard, and that’s quite okay, in my opinion. sometimes it’s all about what is tasty and in front of you at the moment.
like bob said, it’s what you do to try and add your own verse.
Very astute observations. You’re right on about The Concert for NY it was like a wake until The Who grabbed everyone by the throat and shook them out of their funk.
But wait, there’s more…what about celebrity rock stars who attend G-8 summits and such? Are they still rockers or just misguided
philanphropists?
Bono? Misguided? Tsk, Tsk. The way I see it is Bono is just asking people to hold true to their word. Put their money where their mouth is. I don’t care who does the job of getting people affordable AIDS drugs, if its a rock star or a mailman, as long as somebody does! Love to ya!
you’re a fucking idiot
Beautiful. A true listener’s collection of rock’n'roll music personalizes their soul more precisely than a barcode.
Nice article.Crosby Stills are three of the greatest artists of their (MY) generation,too often underappreciated.Their debut album still gives me goose bumps after nearly 40 years.
Yeah, James Taylor certainly did not flounder after apple folded!
Moon was always a lot more intelligent than presumed. Possibly the greatest original drummer of his time. Nice to hear him speak in a thoughtful and insightful manner.
The Bad Plus are geniuses, man. Sometimes I just can’t sit through some of the meandering crap that they produce, but that’s the trouble with liking a band like this. When they really get together and, just, you know, go, it’s magic. Their originals are more interesting to me than their covers: Layin’ a Strip for the Higher Self State, Dirty Blonde, And Here We Test Our Powers of Observation, and the gorgeous, gorgeous composition “Neptune”. Though, for every one of those there’s a Do Your Sums or Heart of Glass.
Still. Get to know them, and you will love them.
Oh man. Just perused the stuff. There’s a huge contingency of exactly the stuff I was talking about- Giant, particularly. I’d recommend it, but I haven’t bought it. Wait, you’ll (likely) hear one.
Sounds rad, but who invited the guy from the Decembrists? Has all that warm Bud finally taken its toll on Uncle Bob?
you know, i never liked this one either… but i looooooove will oldham.
great article. I feel like I just read way more than a music review/discussion. This is what music writing is all about: attempting to use words to elaborate upon musical phenomenon that virtually evade linguistic description. Crawdaddy! is great for this. Keep up the good work!
I think the big labels are really in their last death throes, trying to greedily hang onto their profits, unable to look into an uncertain future. My prediction is that they’ll start focusing more on the Distribution side of things, while sitting on cash cows like Paul McCartney or Toby Keith. They’ll rely on the smaller labels to take all the gambles with new artists and indie bands, waiting for these bands to start garnering a profit… and then they’ll seduce them with big distribution deals. The small labels may be sub-contracted as little PR / marketing companies, focusing much energy on promoting and acquiring new talent, while using cushy big label dollars for the rare investment. Just a thought.
is this the same writer who wrote the internet radio piece? solid voice. you know what you’re talking about.
i never even heard of this guy, and now i am fascinated. someone needs to make a documentary.
Bonnie Prince Billy makes me want to cry. i love him.
Interestin’. As a Shins fan, I would definitely buy this record if it were like less than five bucks.
yes! great comparison! two fantastic bands with longevity. love the rest of the beach boys/shins relations in this issue.
whoa. that’s an awesome picture of Bowie doing MIME! that’s definitely my favorite phase of his.
mmmm…i love the beach boys.
Great stuff. You guys are doing good work finding some obscure but really interesting people.
“I talked your folks out of making you cut off your hair”
thats why every single one of my songs (12GB of total music) has been downloaded for free. Although I use an iPod, I’ll be damned if I am going to pay CD prices. At least this way, if my music has personal info on them, it will be the info of someone else.
Perhaps when labels pay the artists what they deserve, release quality CD’s (with more than 2 radio airplay singles with 12 more crap filler tracks) and make the pricing worth my while I will legally get my music.
I’m unhampered by knowledge of the originals, but I do like solo Billy.
This isn’t his greatest album, but the versions of Gulf Shores and Brute Choir are amongst his greatest tracks – in my opinion.
Gonna get the album. Thanks for the review!
It’s not that I am pissed at the Big 4…they just don’t put out product worth spending the money on or even worth downloading for free.
A long time ago, theyd ecided that accountants and lawyers needed to run the business, not “record guys” as they dismissively called people like Ahmet Ertegun etc…. SO thats why we have the situation where they don’t put out interesting acts anymore and only see lawsuits as the way to grow the bottom line.
what a gangsterly-written review
Sorry Jennn, but it has been the record labels focus on distribution that has helped create the current situation. In the early 90’s they bought all the major independent distributors. SO when the digital revolution came, the lables choose to focus on the old model since they were still paying off the debt of having acquired all the distibutors.
“Finally” (a first read for many even though the review is almost 40 years old!), someone who understands the vision and the value of Brian Wilson/Beach Boys music. Williams realizes that “progress” for the BBs is “in terms of the listener, he feels himself moved further (at least I do) by each new album the Beach Boys produce.” His insights are more relevant today than they were when first written!
Phil@PrayForSurf.net
Truly a great album, and largely overlooked these days.
i was not so impressed with the last Shins record… even musically… i might have disagree that these two bands are alike. the beach boys had the ability to keep things interesting and grow (at least with their first few albums), but the Shins keep pumping out the same sound with nothing to different or interesting happening. and the main problem there is that i think they have it within themselves to do a lot more creatively.
fucking tad doyle… that dude rules.
What a fun sounding album. I gree, boogers and gyrating hips…..maybe I should get this album. PLus I looooove the author and her cool ass review and I’ll pretty much buy anything she recommends cause sheeees soooo cooooool.
“thats why every single one of my songs (12GB of total music) has been downloaded for free”
That’s BS… admit you don’t want to pay even for the good quality stuff, even when they are not part of the RIAA people…
And DUH! you think it would be THIS easy to give us untrackable tracks? come on people! of course they were going to cover their asses with something… otherwise EMI or any of the others when they do, would agree on doing it.
This is a fantastic album (especially combined on single disc with 20/20). It deserves a reappraisal.
great fucking record
paul is a formidable creator who shaped what we now file as classic nostalgia. i dont think short, chunky, w/blonde moe haircut would catch today’s superficial attention. certainly those are all very minor in describing paul, and for that i am truly grateful, every day. thank you, paul, in three-part harmony.
What a hilarious yet informative article- I’ll be looking out for Datarock! I’m all about the gyrating hips and heads bobbin’.(I chuckled myself at the Uranus bit)….I agree with Mands (hmmm…wonder who that is?Haha)- the author kicks ass.
terific music piece, terific human story; good book piece. Way to go, Denise! –Paul Williams
“the stuff that was left in the margins” is a great line…doc’s life is a great example of how complicated/multi-faceted/undiscovered we all are and how much of interest and beauty is left unknown, too often, and how well we can serve others with all our foibles firmly intact…your story did it’s job in peaking interest in the man and the book
What a great listen from a great genius!
Outstanding review and illuminating interview — congrats all around.
Great review. Want to listen to the album.
To get more back ground information about The Shins, read their stories on http://www.theshins.co.uk
i thought the nickleback thing was funny… since they’re just a crappy sell-out band like all the “big 4″ bands r.
Lest we not forget the involvement of the Man From 44 Long…
EXCELLENT! Read his book. Buy his albums. Also the overall document, Positively 4th Street.
Long live the Replacements! I’ve never heard of this tape and wonder how difficult it is to find? As a completist, I’d love to own it.
I wish someone would show me a new artist on a major label that is not a ‘wanker’. I love that word! Very fitting!
Hey Max,is this a slam against bands like Gorillaz and Beastie Boyz?
Sounds rad, but who invited the guy from the Decembrists? I agree! the album is fantastic!!
Near the beginning where they talk about her Ohio hometown, you can hear the words to “My City was Gone” off of “Learning to Crawl” in her interview related to the downtown being torn down and everything being replaced by malls…cool interview!
I agree, Paul! 12 is a love letter to rock’n'roll from the original punk rocker (with flowers in her hair). Glad to see Patti getting some love!
This is a fantastic article! informative but personalized – this is why i read crawdaddy.
i loooove her voice.
I remember listening to the Replacements nonstop during a roadtrip to KeyWest. It was nice. Well written artice.
That show was at Roselands not Irving Plaza. Jesus!
While I can’t imagine how this will go down as a solo project, it does seem like Marco was the creative leader all along. Really awesome band though. Good review!
i wanna sing two gallants at the top of my lungs in a karaoke bar in ireland.
oh, to write like this man.
His book “Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up To Me” is a real gem and a total keeper. I miss this sort of literary cultural voice. Who is that today?
timberlake can play himself some instruments.
great write up baby
another great piece – you should do this for a living.
i hope the vault realizes how talented you are. i’m glad you finally found another stage for your passion and talent. now get back to writing songs will you!
what a smartly written perspective on indie rock “then and now.” this is one of the best articles i’ve read in crawdaddy so far, and while the details of the DJ story were interesting, the personal context and commentary on the consumerism involved in the industry today was what really held my interest. seriously, an awesome article!
Ahh… the life and times of Gnossis Pappadopolis — forgive me if misspelled, but it was four decades ago when I read his book. The worlds of words and music lost someone wonderful when Richard died, way.too.soon. The songs he sang with Mimi are still in rotation on my players. Definitely one of my all time favorite artists.
I agree. This is good stuff. So much out there is just people shitting on the music machine instead of making an effort to find and talk about something worthwhile
By the way, that cover art is on the original cassette, which came out before any of the bootleg CDs
Great! Crawdaddy, one of 2 great no nonsense mags back in the 60’s (along with Boy Howdy’s Creem) champions a clever boy with limited range emotionally, lyrically and musically, as (almost) the NEXT BIG THING. The worst song on “Other People’s Lives” is better than anything the Hold Steady have yet to create. When they pull the roof off the sucka like Sir Ray, then write the glowing review. Until then, “I’ll take Rembrant, Titian, DaVinci and Gainesborough”! (RDD)
Anyhow, interested parties can email me at veets321 at dodgeit.com
well, i could get my hands on one for 50 cents at a garage sale, ya know. i’ll most likely be emailing soon.
True, true. The trick is finding the right garage sale.
You can call your local congress-person…I did and spoke to actual people every time. They both actually wrote back and acted on my complaints…as for REDSTRAT-give me a break, if terrestrial radio gave the people what they wanted, no one would need to seek out other avenues. Never mind that, what is wrong with seeking other avenues of discovery anyway?
Marco always wrote all their songs: he is JG!
QOTSA gives good release.
‘91 was a good goddamn year.
Patti Smith is a great artist who has gotten better. Which shows that punk artists can grow and still be punk. As I write this I realize Patti deserves a broader lable than punk. How about Rock goddess!
It’s about time someone did a proper review on Patti! I swear mainstream reviewers dont even listen to the record!
i still have the double vinyl downstairs of ‘in heaven there’s no beer’ or something like that…horrid quality, never played a track on any of my dj gigs like i thought i would…you’ll probably see it on ebay tomorrow. ;)
i know i’ll be damned for saying this, but i actually preferred seeing paul westerberg solo than seeing the replacements before they broke up. (i say, wincing at the onslaught of verbal beer bottles being tossed in my general direction)….though let me add that if tommy stinson decided to play with him, i wouldn’t kick that show outta bed.
As much as I love Patti Smith, and even like this album, It seems somewhat hyperbolic to say that rock and roll will be forever changed by a collection of cover songs.
Week after week, it’s like you’re reading my mind, Max.
How much would you love to own it? I’ve got an original cassette collecting dust.
The image running alongside this review is cover art I created for the most commonly found CD bootleg of the cassette. Of which I own two copies.
haha, hell yeah. i was born that year, and music from that era is really all the music i listen to
I don’t even have a cassette player.
Chris Mars created that cover
Ditto, Mars created it.
Jimbo, why would you love to own it if you don’t have a cassette player?
Fuck yea
Right on! (Guess what decade I was born….)
To me, it’s always about the songwriting. Many (not I, unfortunately) have been called “stars”, but few have been great songwriters. Prince is a great songwriter who creatively abused the technology, to his own benefit.
Oh man oh man, so damn TRUE!!!!
P.S. where can I get the un-squisher?
i’m a sucker for ’90’s nostalgia, and reading this story was better than masturbating. i say that enthusiastically- this here’s some real good stuff.
I really like the style of this guy’s writing! Good subject matter, well written.
Whoops! I mistakenly put “Max Mobley” as the author. No, Max did _not_ sing his own praises. I did!
Richard’s Cornell ‘58 classmate at Cornell, C. Michael Curtis, quotes in an oral history in the university archives, two Paris 1968 slogans that still resonate:
“Be Realistic, Demand the Impossible.”
“All Power to The Imagination.”
oops! I’m not Max Mobley, he’s the guy that wrote it! sorry!
Aw geez man, that article ruled. Being a 17 year old Dino jr fanatic, I can really relate to what your saying and by no means at all will I be standing idle when i see my favourite band for the first time on their Australian tour in a few weeks.
Don’t forget too their fantastically non-self-promoting video for “Alex Chilton”. As I recall (it seems to be taken off YouTube — like a little promotion would hurt!) the whole video is just a single shot of a guy from behind whose face you can’t see, sitting in a chair smoking a cigarette while this energetic rave of a song plays. Hilarious high/low concept, totally appropriate.
i love you
Nicely handled intro to this artist. never heard of her, want to go listen to her now.
So true. Listen to Bob Dylan’s vocals today and they are as rough and raw as they ever were. Listen to Ozzie and he sounds like he’s running through every effect known to man.
Fun and accurate. Almost makes me wish I owned some vinyl…
There is definite piano player pose likenss
I completely agree. Couldn’t believe how much of this could be used today by just inserting different band names. Good stuff
Unfortunately, Gore and the environmentalist community has to work within the system to effect change and combat global warming. There is no “clean” way that would be effective. Even the natural gas bus referred to has a negative impact. There is no current way in our out-of-control industrial society to avoid harming the earth and indeed since man first discovered fire and planted food crops he has contributed to pollution and distruction. Go back to 1968 and Paul Ehrlich’s The Population Bomb. The fuse has grown very short. We did not heed the warnings that were there. Drafting Al Gore in 2008 would be a good start and perhaps man’s last chance to save the earth from a “shock and awe” revolt against man’s presence.
You know, I just found out about Gary Higgins and now he’s here. Wonderful musician! Glad he is getting his due respect!
great review.
i remember reading somewhere that the grateful dead were playing a show at the fillmore until well into the morning. when done they announced a surprise guest. the stage lights go on and the beach boys break into “heroes and villians”! i would love to know if this show was recorded or if anyone out there was at this show.
i like this comparison. they even sort of look the same sitting there at the piano.
great piece. i love learning about these old fellas. how cool that he emerged after all this time, and is still playing shows!
After reading this article I downloaded “Red Hash” from iTunes. It’s absolutely incredible. Its sure to become a favorite. The soft earnestness of his voice paired with the minimalist backdrop of acoustic guitar remind me of another of my favorites, Iron and Wine.
Dinky. I worked with you at the Channel and I have learned one thing… what goes around comes around. You were always one of the good guys. Stay well… and love every moment.
great dinky-i loved your spirit coming through
Hey Paul! Shasta here! Patti is still the BOMB! Get in touch (myspace.com/shastaman)
The premise seems sketchy to me. Personally, I believe that Chan Marshall has far more in common with Laura Nyro.
dinky, i can’t wait to read more of your columns!
Live Earth is getting greener and greener with the venue sizes shrinking and cities canceling. Sounds like that is the author’s ultimate goal – we all sit perfectly still and emit zero anything.
Dinky is the real deal … human, humble and humorous … and my pal.
Couldn’t have said it better myself, Jocelyn. When Ryan’s on, nobody’s better, and his career highlights provide a body of work that should be the envy of musician’s and songwriter’s in any related genre, yet he takes a boatload of shit for
virtually everything he does, both personally and
artistically. “Easy Tiger” is the work of one of the most significant artists of recent years at the top of his game.
Excellent review. I always thought the guy was over-rated, but I dig the linked track. Looking forward to some of the “middle of the road” tunes.
you have been a great mentor and
even better friend. See you soon
Tim Miller
Excellent article! It’s amazing how relevant these same ideas are almost 40 years later!!
I really liked the analysis of record labels trying to create “The Boston Scene”.
The rock band “dime a dozen” clause is even more appropriate today with labels dry-humping the same genre mercilessly these days.
I also think Paul must be intrigued by the extent at which his “new level of mass communication” prediction came true! With the internet, traditional media outlets (notably radio stations and print zines)have been stripped of their power and decentralized. The labels will need a whole new strategy to keep their piece of the pie, with DIY working out so well for so many bands.
Outdoor festivals and saving the planet really IS an oxymoron.
Yet I think that any extra amount of attention drawn to the issue can only be a good thing.
Political and social pressure on the government is much needed now, when many congressmen are still trying to deny that global warming (or even evolution, for that matter) exists. They’ll find it much harder to deny that people — or voters, moreover — care about these “imaginary” issues, with so much public attention.
We need to get away from an oil-based economy and reveal the automobile as the dinosaur it really is …before we all become extinct. There is more money in peace and love, than oil and war. If music is our channel, then let it be loud! Let it say what this sad, broken world needs to hear. Live Earth helps us launch the trend and raise our everyday awarness of climate change and to expose the path to reversing it. Small steps. Plant the seeds.
Nice paper Tony, thanks for writing consistently to Jonathan’s spirit. I met him a few times in Paris and found it quite easy to discuss with him. I guess this is how interviews could work with him, an informal conversation where people express themselves frankly. But I must say that I never had the nerve to really do an interview with him, instead I interview people who know him or were involved with him. You can read them on the jojoblog.
That’s the spirit, Dinky. May you stay forever young.
Dinky, you rock like no one I ever met. I feel blessed to have met you. You are the writer of the music bible and the world is a much better place because of you! You are truly an angel.
thanks for sending this to me Dinky. That really is quite an uplifting story!
Dinky, you rock like no one I ever met. I feel blessed to have met you. You are the writer of the music bible and the world is a much better place because of you! You are truly an angel.
Keep on taking your musicmedicine!
Marianne
Dinky…I’ve known you since I was 10(36 now). You have always been an idol to me. Your story gives us all hope that people really do “Give a Damn” !!!
I remember the fund raiser at the Middle East in Cambridge just like it was yesterday! (”I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends”) Wow, talk about a trip back in time…
It was Dr. Howard Jonas (see his comment on June 27) who pointed Dinky to Dr. Black. Howard, who had been our physician until he retired and who has remained our friend through all these years, is an angel himself. Without his urging, Dinky would not have gone to the ER in Minneapolis. His support encouraged Dinky to try acupuncture and helped him through his darkest hours. He’s a true healer, understanding how the spirit and body are intertwined.
Great review – one of the (possibly *the*) most intelligent things I’ve read about this album. I really like it btw.
Dinky, a great and inspiring article that gives further clarity on how it is that you give so much light and beauty to all who are fortunate enough to meet you. Much luv and mo’ jazz.
I read the original article 40 years ago, and I vividly recall some of the exact language Paul wrote back then, and here it is again! I used some of his points in many a beer-soaked discussion about pop and rock music with my friends back then. Good to see this article again!
Rollng Stone has always sucked, basically. It merely reflected the popular culture as it was at a specific time and it has changed along with society and its readers. The 40th anniv issue was insipid, the celebrity interviews vapid, and like the 60;’s were for most ppl, just a big letdown.
Jane Fonda can never adequately apologize to Viet-era veterans for her insi[uid and vapid pic sitting at the North Viet anti-aircraft battery. See how she tosses her hair for the camera! See her bright eyes sighting down the barrel of the gun! See Jane still (still!)descrbing herself in the silliest of Hollywood/New Age terms as a person still discovering herself. Yeah, right.
Hey where can I get the newest version of Pro Tools? Oh yeah, i want those “New Old Stock” power tubes for my 4 channel 150 watt amp head, with midi interface and a custom pedal board, too..while your’re at it throw in some of those….
I dig that the Beasties are settling into this. I think it’s a nice place for them to be at this point in both their career and life.
Jesus. I love finding out about musicians like this. Good one, Crawdaddy!
if i still smoked pot, i’d listen to this.
Dinky – It has been 35 years or so since the “Big System” first blew them all away in Lenox. From groups on the way up who couldn’t play then and turned their amps up to 10 to cover their mistakes to established musicians who bitched during the sound check, you have made them all sound better. From stadium to club, you are still the best live mixer in the business. Thanks for the music, my friend.
Now about the new Sound Forge and its relationship to Pro Tools ….
I’ve tried to listen to Chan several times. Her music does nothing for me. Joni on the other hand has a place on my personal Mt. Olympus. I really don’t think that there’s any basis for comparison at all, but I am glad to hear that Joni is working on a new album.
Dinky,
You are a true original as well as an originator.
We all are better off thanks to you.
this is really a great album.
Dinky, moving piece. Keep on Truckin’ my man.
I wonder if it’s possible that a “monkey” might actually be capable of writing the words? They did discover that even “gorilla’s” are capable of communicating … Maybe the untrained is just limited to using canned tools for that new sound…. and just because there is a lack of “instrumental training”, isn’t it quite possible to have natural talent after all? Musician’s have regurgitated music for years- as if it was their own… I agree with this portion of your message- it’s the lack of skills in writing, and need to add that the unfiltered messages in the music these day’s that offends the most- forget about the canned riffs and beats…that’s at least tolerable… Let’s just hope that the “audience” can break free from the machine- and start demanding the “machine” to promote music tory that is part of it …to be worth listening to, and enjoying again. See no…? Speak no? Hear no? Music?
When I was a 16 year old living in Birmingham, England, Jonathan was the first person I ever interviewed for my fanzine. This must have been in 1982 or so. We got 10 minutes out of him and he did stretching exercises all the way through. He did his best to answer our, frankly poor, questions though. He’s a star to my mind.
Dinky,
I want my 1/4 share of the “WEM” sales and also what happened to that twelve pack of Newcastle Brown you “hid” from us on the way back from the “Whiskey A-Go-Go” in Newcastle???????????
Love ya!
John Mac
Being from Michigan, I thought it was cool when Soundgarden released “Superunknown” in a vinyl format with artwork that folded out into a handy rolling tray. Long live vinyl!
Oh my God. I think I just earned something. Cool!
I liked your early criticism of the media paying homage with cheesy “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” tributes… but why play into that by bringing it back at the end? :\
Good recommendations, though!
“the sound of the voice, reflection of inner self, sweet imaginary friend from early childhood, and the words so charming and unsettling”
Great description! :)
‘Javamaster’: “Moonlight On Vermont” and Ry Cooder unlistenable? Go back to your lossy MP3’s dude . . .
Brilliant article! I have always admired DK, it is awesome to see an interview with Klaus. Kudos!
Nice article, but let’s give credit where credit is due – the lyrics for “Golden Hair” came from a James Joyce poem.
paul westerberg has covered the song in concert for years.
Dear Dinky, From the moment that we met years ago in Boston at that Music Convention, I have considered you a friend of the heart. Thank you for sharing your personal story with us in this article. My spirit wings its way to you.
Syd was the Man, no doubt, in the early days.Dave Gilmour was a superior guitar player and at least equal vocalist.Who knows?
Syd might have taken them there, but the fact is Gilmour DID.
what? nice one.
IMHO, David Gilmour is the true genius
David Gilmour is a great musician and a great singer but I saw back-to-back shows with Roger and David solo and Roger won out big time. Heck, he wrote 85-90% of the songs and he’s the one that best feels the passion of what he wrote. Don’t get me wrong, Floyd would not have sounded like Floyd without Gilmour but most guitarists can mimic what David wrote (coming up with the notes is what is impressive).
they’re back together again a friend saw them in Glasgow said they were incredible
there was only one Syd Barrett. I’d love to hear more beyond Opel, Barrett, and The Madcap Laughs,and Peel Sessions- though perhaps the sound quality is too poor on what is unreleased.
aaron, i disagree with the premise of “psychotic recording sessions” completely. i’ve heard lots of the sessions and they’re very lucid. he does multiple takes and changes each one up in interesting ways. is this crazy? listen to his words. I also wager that syd lived a normal life with a garden and his bike and was probably quite content in this but i’d never dream of bothering him. i do think that waters et al made a huge error in kicking him out so coldly! not nice to play gigs and record with a new guitarist without ever telling syd what was going on. passive agressive!!
I agree totally with the views of the article. If you have read anything about Syd you would know that the history is written by the winners. My only regret is that he didn’t step forward and say F-off to the others(except Rick)and set the record straight not the one that the others portray as the truth.
DK are an icon. A true milestone in the development of our youth… now two generations of them. Thanks for the great article!
This article brings to mind another english act Genesis , their early work is overlooked because of later popularity. both bands went against the grain with little commercial success.at the time ,what made me love these bands was they were not just another blues based band spitting out remade versions of early blues{not to say that wasn”t fun} but there was just so much of it. Syd and Gabriels lyrics And others of that period raised mine and many others musical standards for the better , for that i will forever be grateful .
Good one, Brian! A lone voice of reason among the sea of “acid casualty” BS.
Aaron, sorry, but Gilmour’s and Waters’ “patience to sit with Syd” is known to us exclusively from their own words. (Pretty loud ones, I have to say.) Robert Wyatt, who worked with Syd on “The Madcap Laughs”, gives quite a different account (http://www.furious.com/PERFECT/wyatt.html). This sounds more like Waters and Gilmour were just unable to pick his musical ideas where a more experienced musician like Wyatt was quite at home.
I must say your “facts” seem a bit out of whack. Those “Mean Bastards” were all childhood friends who had to watch someone whom they cared for deteriorate. Both Waters and Gilmour were the only one with patience enough to sit with Syd through his psychotic recording sessions.”Stole his band”, you mean the one they (WATERS, WRIGHT, MASON, BARRETT)started together? “Stole his sound”? Come now, the later sounds nothing like the former. I’m a big Syd fan, and have explored most of his stuff, and agree that most Pink Floyd fans wouldn’t.(”Which ones Pink”) I would make sure my bashing is on point before I went around making those statements. Are you the people Syd’s parents had to protect him from after his fall? I wonder how cool you would have thought it to be to drop by and slip the mad genius 1 more hit of acid just so see what happened?
way to show your versatility, crawdaddy! cool piece!
Saw them 2 weeks ago in Nottingham. So good it hurt. Check out their albums – every song a gem; insightful lyrics, quality musicians. Possibly the greatest ‘undiscovered’ band of all time. What more could you want?
“Shine On You Crazy Diamond” isn’t cheesy – it’s heartachingly beautiful – the band’s farewell to someone they recognized as a genius. The song is definitely tinged with regret – it’s not as if Waters and the rest of them wanted Syd out of the band; the man would stand on stage and not play, or freak out and storm off in the middle of a performance. I can see why it seemed like a smart move to edge out Barrett and bring in Gilmour. Syd was a definitely a pioneer in his songwriting and guitar playing, and the rest of Pink Floyd never tried to deny it. Just listen to “Shine On” or “Wish You Were Here”.
so thats what 44.1 is all about!
I know these two hardcore bluegrass/americana purists and they give these guys a nod for authenicity, but man, i find it unlistenable. O’Death? More like, O’Crap!
I finally got to reading your article. I must say your writing is getting quite good and your positive outlook is an inspiration. Thanks for keeping me in the loop.
Marnie Stern rocked my socks off in an eight-hour Guitar Hero II marathon. Not only does she have the chops but the stamina to boot! God, I hate myself.
Of all the incredible music that came out in 1979 this was my favorite song (actually late ‘78). A stop-you-in-your-tracks intro, John Perry’s transcendent lead playing, ambiguous drug-infused lyrics, the sheer propulsion of it all. They blew me away at the Longhorn in Mpls. that year.
Lothar and the Hand People’s
“Machines” is the ultimate rock theremin …
the beatles’ “masterpiece” sgt.pepper’s was recorded 12/66 – 4/67,
piper was recorded 2 – 3/67.same abbey rd. studio.pepper was released
6/67,piper was released 8/67.same record co. one might draw the
conclusion that the fab 4 were influenced by and perhaps even
“borrowed” from the madcap.why was the floyd album held back so
long?,what were the beatles afraid of ? someone even more on the
cutting edge of innovation than they themselves? it makes one wonder.-
While I applaud your support for Syd, I believe that he chose to drop out because of the demands of touring and having to come up with a hit single every few months. While he enjoyed the free flow of the UFO, I believe he was too creative a person to be satisfied recreating three minute hits every night in a different venue. It’s clear that songs like Bike, Astronomy Dominie, and Interstellar Overdrive gave Pink Floyd the basis for their later sound. It’s also clear that we would not have Syd’s solo albums without Gilmour’s help; and, that Roger Waters used Syd and his experiences as a basis for PF’s greatest work, and that he has recognized Syd’s greatness. It’s wrong to think that all artists want success. Many, like Syd, would prefer to remain true to their gift rather then pervert it to become successful.
One word comes to mind: noise
I agree, with most points….that is.
I wouldn’t call the other Floyds mean bastards…Gilmour and Waters helped produce Syd’s solo albums. They made sure he received all royalties that were due to him, allowing him independence.
Try being in a band with someone who is mentally unstable, and in those moments long ago in a heady and fast paced rise to the spotlights, do you really think they had time to stop and take stock of the creative genius in their midst, or were they more concerned with him drooling and playing he same chord for two hours?
I LOVE Syd, DO NOT GET ME WRONG…I was a fan since fourth grade…LITERALLY!
Some of his music could easily be great children’s songs, and they are…but I can see both sides of the coin, and nobody can be blamed for what happened.
That is all…
Johnny Tronny, Fun Machine
the other word that comes to mind: rock!
dude, Cocteau Twins and Sonic youth both “hit the underground stratosphere” with debut albums in 1982. Echo and the Bunnymen’s Crocodile dropped in freaking 1980, give that a spin and tell me who influenced who. For Against owe just as much to the Cure and even early U2. YoLa might have gone pretty blissed out at times but I don’t think they sounded anything ever like for against. And maybe my eyes arent as “finely combed” but I would have head straight to the new release section since Eschelons was just reissued in 04 and December in 05. I am not saying for against were bad, just that maybe sometimes the reason a band gets forgotten in time is not cause music fans have bad memories, but cause the band was just so forgettable. I also think its pretty sad that an authentic 80s sound can only be described as like something off a movie soundtrack. The 80s actually existed in real life, too. This whole thing is just kind of backwards.
great piece! i feel enlightened about a band that i really didnt know much about, thanks!
hahaha, love the part about madonna’s self-righteousness and the aging VJs, hilarious!
I was there for the Dolls at the very begining in the Oscar Wilde room of the Mercer Arts Center, and at the end for Red Patent Leather at the Hippodrome. Welcomed their comeback a few times live. Great article about an important influential band. I still miss Johnny Thunders, though. He was always a really nice guy to me. Despite the junk, he was a mensch.
Hello
Very interesting information! Thanks!
G’night
good review. but calling arcade fire lame is lame.
I haven’t heard this Spoon album yet, but as for Arcade Fire, I think they’ve been a little overrated from the get-go. That said, I also think NB is a solid album. Not worth the tremendous hype, but certainly not worth bashing. All in all, I’m inclined to agree that there is some “mainstream syndrome” at play here.
I saw AF live recently, though, and I gotta say… yeesh! Way overblown for my tastes, show-wise. They’d rule if they just played their instruments without all the dramatic stage hoo-ha.
Great piece, Bob! I was a little put off by the Wolfmother piece a few weeks back, but this here wipes the slate cleaner than clean.
This is also a great column for evaluating reunions! Plenty of fodder there, nowadays.
Thanks for the solid thoughts.
I just started getting into making music on my Mac and a guy at Guitar Center knew about your column and told me to check it out. It is pretty cool stuff.
I’d love to read your take on DIY music making on a computer with some tips. Out of everything I’ve read on the subject, your stuff is by far the most accessible. I now know to use 48k and 24 bit. Though getting it to 44.1 seems like a challenge. Any recommendations there?
I just watched a documentary on Arthur “Killer” Kane filmed around the time of the reunion called “New York Doll”. It was sad and brilliant. Any doll fan should check it out.
what a sad, tragic story.
Long live the Dolls.
this clip came up in my player as a keith moon interview, so it is misnamed. great interview though
This is good stuff. Now if only Al Gore would practice what he preaches and not use 20x the energy of the average American.
I second the first comment. Seriously, what’s the deal with the Neon Bible backlash? Bashing the album has been prevalent across the internet, are we all just falling victim to the ” I can’t like them now that they’ve been featured in the mainstream” syndrome? Sometimes a little maturity goes a long way. Neon Bible was a huge project, it def. deserves a significant amount of credit.
this is a good interview
My mom shared a house with Arthur in the 70’s. He was a really sweet guy
that youtube video is fucking awesome
i don’t believe it has anything to do with the “mainstream syndrome”… maybe it was all the hype, because maybe the hype allowed them more credit than they deserve.
I was with you until the last paragraph. The computer I’m typing this on is made of plasitc, and it’s already obsolete and should be replaced and I can guarantee the next one won’t be made out of old Air Supply LPs. How about people start living in the same city they work in and walking or riding a bike there for starters before you come after my record collection.
Thank s for the article. I always thought that the Buffalo Springfield musicand lyrics were great. Great talent to every element of this group. I agree with Roger-the youtube vidoe is fucking awesome.
Maybe it was the hype, as my moniker would suggest, but as semi-serious music fans/critics, it might be our responsibility to sort through the hype and decide whether an album deserves a certain amount of credit and not to then bash it if it garners a lot of attention in the media…I think maybe the backlash has at least a little to do with the hype, and had it not had all the hype, then the backlash wouldn’t be quite so vitriolic, which leads back to the “mainstream syndrome” which makes this debate sort-of ridiculous because we’re both saying sort of the same thing. I’m done now.
Nice interview with Ray. It would be nice to hear some interviews with Dave Davies too.
Stone Pony on July 20th- woo hoo!
Hey I happen to love For Against but yeah, this piece is a little strange and makes some wild assertions/connections that are just plain wrong. Sounds like something that you’d read on Pitchfork.
I’d like to hear more from Ray. I agree with his view on virtue and evil.
It’s interesting to witness how a celebration of Spoon quickly turned into “Arcade Fire on Trial”. I am ignorant of any significant Neon Bible backlash. However the existence or non-existence of said backlash has zero effect on my existing feelings for the Neon Bible: it is still a weak album with middle school lyricism* and bland production that really tries to make us “feel” but ends up falling flat. Does that make the Arcade Fire a bad band? No, it’s just that this last album wasn’t as strong as something like, say, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga.
*eating in the ghetto off a $100 plate*
-seriously Win, seriously?
I never heard of this group but after viewing their video, this is not traditional in tone, lyrics and beat. It seems like they are playing three different things but it sounds O.K.There is more potential here with fusion and direction in the groups presentation.
Glad to find Crawdaddy again – it’s hard to keep a good forum down. The question of whether the Dolls have 30 yrs. of pain to spare feels ‘off’; they might not need that much of emotional backlog to launch another single or record into the ears. Mission of Burma is perhaps a cool example of this phenom. They toured after reuiniting out of the blue, recorded OnOffOn (not stellar, but not embarrassing by a long shot), and then recorded the obliterati – a hulking whallop of songs. The other thing the artivle brings to my mind are the expectations of the audience — expecting an encore. Fer me, I miss the day when the final song of the set really felt like “THIS IS IT, I CAN’T TAKE NO MORE.” Then you got hit with the act playing a few more songs and WHAMMO! the ball they knocked out of the park is knocked out of the state – a good surprise.
Assertions aside the site could have just posted the song and nothing else. I mean this is just plain not a lo-fi band (and even if it was it is by accident, not style). You could say postpunk but he never says that. Reinforced by randomness like ‘mysterious recluse’, why, because of Lincoln NE(a big city) or just you cant find the album? wha? And if a UK band can tour US then whats futile about touring from NE? And which is ‘subconsciously nebraskan’, the band (as in the title) or ‘modern music?” What does that even mean? Hey Freud, did you switch to weed or something? Theyre more british-inspired anyway. And the ‘discovery’ line, and then maybe poof, it was all a dream, The End. This was a great band but I really dont think ‘modern music’ has For Against in its subconscious unless that is where all forgotten stuff ends up. But yes, okay it is nice that someone has written about them even if it is all wrong and weird. Sorry, the sonic/echo claim just kills me. Kids these days!
so, fastigium dreams, if you know so fucking much, why didnt you write the fucking review?
The Beastie Boys did not begin their career “Coming on with the outrageous ‘Cookie Puss.’” Their debut came a year before that, with “Pollywog Stew.” That EP was released on Ratcage Records, and the new tune “The Rat Cage” is a sly reference to the old label.
great interview with ray, i’d like to hear more from him and dave.
music writing = knowledge + skills.
I dont pretend to have skills but i have knowledge, what cani say? Theres plenty of awesome writing in this zine and i look for that. It burns me when people publish wrong and weak stuff thats all.
Whoa. Looks like an editor should step in here and stop things before someone gets hurt. Actually that Pitchfork comment did hurt a little…
In all seriousness though, we (of course) take the responsibility here for not fact-checking this story with the utmost care… and perhaps this is the post-fourth kick in the pants we needed. You can’t see me here at my desk sitting on an inflatable donut, but I am.
I like the passion though, and I hope that our dear readers keep that going.
So, yeah, there’s my positive spin.
EXCELLENT interview with the best singer/songwriter ever. Hope they reunite 1 more time!!!
crawdaddy still rules and this is still a cool piece, made even better with hot comments, poor kid. gun club’s right its still a clue-in to an obscure band and he was close enough to call it “dream pop”. And for the other stuff he gets an A for creativity! :)
that’s right. it’s never too late for discovery!
Good work! Seeing them at the troc with you was pretty good too.
my brother saw their last concert.
i remember it haunted him knowing he saw their last show with ronnie. that band was perhaps the greatest constant of my 70’s youth in s. fla. ! i just wish i had the chance to see them with ronnie!
The Springfield have always been one of my favorite bands. I had the pleasure of seeing them live, on a show with the Beach Boys no less, back in the sixties. The boxed set from a few years back is a must.
I’m happy that Paul mentioned “Flying on the Ground”. What a great song and what memories it brings back.
even if some of the assertions are off, i just learned about a band i’ve never heard of that i like. thanks!
Fabulous
While Syd is great, and started something undeniably awesome. They were all looking for fame and glory. It seems that as Syd slipped into madness this was less and less a priority. It probably was hard on Rogers etc. to have to watch their friend slip away mentally but “the show must go on!” They won. All right? They came in and you killed off Syd and you took his land. That’s what conquering nations do. It’s what caesar did, and he’s not going around saying, “I came, I conquered, I felt really bad about it.” The history of the world isn’t people making friends. They had better weapons, and they massacred him. End of story.
July 10th actually was my birthday.
And I drove to NYC to see them the next day.
I loved this album.
great stuff…Lets hear from Dave too..
Nice work, Mike. I’m trying to think up some super-clever, insider-y objection (”the band will never be the same without Bob Egan on pedal steel!”), but I find I agree with your analysis completely. ML
This song also graced John Peel’s all-time Festive Fifty and has been covered on record by nearly everyone from a symphony orchestra, REM, dwarf band, easy-listening Farfisa organ to Japenese punks. Truely a masterpiece.
This is one of the better Ray pieces. God Save The Kinks!!! Thanks for putting this on line.
Saw the Dolls in Long Island on Saturday. They were loud, funny, energetic, a little sloppy, in a word, they rocked. New songs are great and they played all the old shit I could have ever expected. May they live forever in the hearts and minds of music fans everywhere.
Caught the 2007 Dolls in Long Island this weekend. They were loud, funny, wonderful, energetic, a little sloppy but mostly they were fucking great. I mostly try to ignore the comeback bands with fewer than 3 original members (not easy to do these days) but I’m really glad I made the exception this time. The new songs rock hard without being irrelevant and the old shit sounded as fresh as the Mercer Arts Center days. Rock on, Dolls!
I pledge to stop wasting my money on unnecessary packaging and overpriced CD’s and DVD’s…unless of course the CD is a B-side limited release in a package of 100% post-cosumer reycled paperboard
I got here from RKnet and I have to say, I went in expecting to not like this review mainly because it was five years too late. But by the time I got to that witty retelling of your experience with Better Son/Daughter, I was laughing and willing to see where you were going with this. I’m glad it wasn’t just a funny review with a little bit of facts thrown in. Your last paragraphs were spot on and captured exactly what made those early records so amazing for me. I know RK is moving on and trying a new sound these days, but I do hope that there will be familiar bits of their former selves in all the newness.
weird… i listened to their myspace stuff and liked it quite a bit.
interesting…. on my recording program i only have the options of recording at 8, 16, or 32 bit…. would it be bat to record at 32?
This is fine rock’n’ roll journalism. It makes me want to listen to both bands. Sounds like they have something to say about the American Dream gone wrong.
I like the idea that Interpol are the musical Heinz. Excellent image. Ever since they appeared on that Pepsi concert-in-the-dead-of-summer-show (pre-Antics) on the (ex) Warner Bros network, I had a feeling that this kinda ho-hum state would be their current locale. And it is sad. …but how much of it is symptomatic of bands just being over-focussed these days? Albums have far narrower spectra than, say… Bee Thousand or The Cult’s pre-Electric output. Is it a matter of coolness as professionalism toppin’ good ol’ teenage lust or ?
Very well-written article! :)
This man is amazing.
Well put. I picked up this record last week and the only thing I like about it is the cover.
Planet Earth rocks. Interpol less so.
Everyone should pick up a Thee Mighty Caesers album
This is excellent. I’ve always been a fan of SOAD, and hate when they are compared to Korn and other shitty Nu Metal. The DK’s are a much more kindred spirit. Great piece.
Has been re released on cd with bonus tracks. Excellent reissue
This song is used to tremendous effect in new Don Cheadle movie, “Talk to Me.” Very powerful stuff.
Thank you for the article. It ia a very touching and insightful account of a great singer and song writer
I am happy to hear that you quit smoking.In that respect you beat the Devil too. Not really my type of music-a little to slow in development and no percussion,that I could detect. It would cause me to smoke or drink excessively.As for Slints Siiderman- Flame on.
Incredible. I’m in absolute awe.
This is a great article, great writing and very apropos discussion of the evolution of a band’s sound, seeing that Rilo Kiley has a new album coming out. Any Rilo Kiley fans know that the sound, at least from the single “Money Maker,” is definitely different. Can’t wait to see what they come up with, but I have a feeling that they’re getting further and further from the simple sublime beauty of Execution…we’ll see.
this is one of the albums which has never left my playing device in the last 35 years.. i.e record-player cassette recorder cd player… and yes get the reissue with the bonus tracks .. excellent
Nice interview, thanks. There is no town called Kent. There is a county called Kent in which there is a town called Chatham, where he lives. I like his attitude, even though I am a proffesional artist with a mortgage. He pays his bills via his creativity, so do I, so Bollocks, I must be an amatuer too! ;-)
great to see a write-up on this overlloked classic. i still love this CD today. i remember the LP came wrapped in a brown paper bag on the original isuue!
She blew us away at a gig in Brighton earlier this month. The audience aren’t dancing yet because the music is so novel, so new. We’re listening, in awe; stunned.
This guys a wild man! Rock on…
Such serene honesty. Brilliant.
John Sinclair before going to Europe was DJ show on WWOZ in New Orleans a commerical free radio station.
I’m going to have to give this album a few more spins. My hope is that The Else will become similar to The Spine in that it appreciates with every listen. TMBG is my all time favorite band but I must say I was hoping for a little bit more from the TMBG/Dust Bros combo. But having said that, the only bad Giants song is one that skips.
I’ve never been a SOAD fan and to see them compared to the great Kennedys somehow just seems wrong. But this article does offer valid points of similarity. I may have to borrow my roommates SOAD albums after all.
This article is GREAT! Thanks for speaking truth to power and laughing off the “crazy diamond” myth, which has always bothered me. Syd simply has no peer, then or now. He was truly special.
Great! brian ! magnifique article, du jamais vu ! pardon, du jamais lu !
Thanks to you we could know who were The Syd Barrett Surplus!
Nice piece. Clearly, you enjoy the song comes through most of all. It’s always positive to see someone express such pleasure which this writer sees as an unlocking of the gate, if you will, for others to do so as well. Shine the light, brother, shine it bright.
i really want to hang out with Billy Childish too.
extremely hard to find. I live in mpls and i cannot find it here at all.
This was one of my desert island disks when it was first released; it remains so today. What about the original CRAWDADDY! article on them? R Meltzer, perhaps?
Simply the greatest song ever written.
When he appears in the US v. John Lennon film out a year or so ago, it was somewhat sad to see the majority of the audience go “John who?” when he came on or was mentioned. At the same time, it makes sense. Unless you 1. dug hi-energy rock n roll and 2. politics in your rock and roll, you’d likely NOT hear about the man (esp. if you’re born in 1975). What’s interesting about Guitar Army is how it documents the localizing of Sinclair’s impact (by way of imprisonment and his own admitted change from idealist to paranoid for a spell in the late 60s.) A friend of mine went to see him in Rochester and he was asked ‘what do you think about DIY punk movement n’ stuff (citing Fugazi)… his reply, it’s nothing. I really want t pick up Seize the Time. But at what point does rock music get hurt by overtly political leanings?
Daytrotter Rocks!
brilliant…i love this section
Great album a lost gem is right
No, they’re not. They’re forcing stubborn old rich dudes to reconsider their arhaic and artist-hurting business practices.
It’s not surprising, though, that you would feel this way, given that, like the record labels, you seem to be missing the most important point about blogs and file sharing in general. Hadn’t you stopped to consider that maybe, just maybe, that blogger posting the recording you worked on would serve as publicity for your project, creating awareness and possibly even allowing you to do better than just scaraping by financially?
I bet Clap Your Hands Say Yeah are pretty happy every blog in the universe posted their shit a few years ago.
My wife and I were the only two people in the room at the Exit In in Nashville the night an unknown Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers opened for Al Kooper. We put our feet on the stage and talked to the somewhat surly guys throughout their set. Look what that did for their career!
One thing at a time… I’m still waiting for the VHS tape recorder to destory the movie industry. After that happens, we’ll tackle this issue.
This is one of my top 10 favorite albums of all time. It’s nice to see that there are others out there that appreciate this classic album!
Wow,
This guy fucking rules.
I was a little skeptical of your point halfway through. But your right. There is a sense of entitlement with blogers these days. And the comment bellow just backs it up. “You should be happy someone stole from you, it made Clap Your Hands Say yeah popular”
Anonymous YOU miss the point. He’s saying the labels suck and that they’ve been greedy. But that blogers aren’t entitled to post whatever they wish, it think it’s pretty clear he didn’t WANT publicity YET. How dare he?
And while I think more than 10% of blogs post original thoughts, it’s not much more, and not very often. and that’s pretty sad. They COULD be so much more. I want to see creative ideas around music, not just poaching and re-posting.
That’s why I check out this site occasionally.
Right on Mr. Thomas
hard to believe this piece is 41-years-old…its freshness is a revelation. thanks.
Art is to be felt, not interpreted. That fact should put all the bad literature professors out of jobs.
Check out the Donkeys and Casiotone for the Painfully alone on Daytrotter!
Great review of a classic CD. Thanks!
Hey,
I think you made some really good points here. Thanks for all of the info… turned me on to someone I knew nothing about.
A slight criticism: Bringing up the points about sex w. dogs and abuse as a child is tricky ground. Those are really heavy pieces of information and need to be treated with care. As it stands those points were raised early on but never elaborated on further in the article. In order to validate their existence I think you should consider exploring more of Childish’s psychology and how he has come to terms with such harrowing experiences from his youth. Much of the article appears to focus on his thoughts on what it means to be an artist rather than what it means to be a human (as a whole). Those details from his youth fit into the latter category so if you want to include them then think about expanding this. How did he deal with his abuse and deviant sexuality? How did it affect him and how does it continue to affect him? These (and more/deeper questions) are worth consideration.
Otherwise, solid job.
I’D LOVE TO TURN YOU ON: President Richard M. Nixon called Tim Leary “the most dangerous man in America!” Leary went to prison and Nixon was pardoned. As Tim once philosopically commented, “Just say ‘Know’…”
Hey Paul ~ Welcome back from a longtime reader I remember well the exciting early mimeo copies of CRAWDADDY way back in ‘66 and how you captured the Spirit of the Time in print in many reports ws ~ esp that classic piece in the studio with the DOORS recording “The End” ~ and all the rest about the Beatles, Stones, Dylan, Beach Boys etc thru the years in mags ~ seems like only yesterday… best from Bob
Very inspiring, Dinky. a dear friend and fellow performer must be the 20th guy in the world with the illness. He’s hanging in as well and still performing occasionally but we’ve all been living under a bit of a cloud. Your experience gives us strength and hope. One old road dog to another.
Great article from someone who obviously “Gets” Jojo
One of the great “lost” albums of all time, nice to see it get some recognition.
Thought I was maybe one of three people that have this disc. Dug it out just last week, still skrolls my nerds.
Have always wondered if the LA police drama “Boomtown” copped it’s title from this album ….
great piece! very important, relevent, timely topic, enjoyable read.
you quit smoking?! how dare you!!!!
i love this section of C-daddy
Great review! :) The intro snagged my attention… Isn’t it strange being “the old person” at the shows these days? I remember being 15 and just staring in awe at 20-40something year olds and wondering what they’d lived through or seen.
what a cool site!! love that its based in the midwest.
nicely written
these guys are pretty amazing–kinda BRMC, kinda White Stripes, kinda more intimate lyrics…good heads up! thanks!
go back to binge drinking, it helps
This site is incredible. I dig the Boris Yeltsin stuff
While not much of a fan of the typical 80’s music scene, this is absolutely one of the BEST albums I’ve heard – EVER! The song writing, the music, the production reminds of the honest turmoil of life in a big city, without pandering. I rate it VERY high in my extensive music collection and give my highest recommendation to all music fans. It’s now 20 yrs after their break up and I’m still praying they work together again. (Note: David Baerwald released some great albums afterwards, and are also worth searching out). To Danks for such a great album!!
Yes, a performer should give their all no matter what the size of the crowd, no question…but this article really just makes me think this:
Is it any wonder that record companies are going under? What waste and stupidity?!?! How many albums could have been recorded by any number of different bands on the cheap for the cost of sending 8 people to Europe multiple times? To play for two people? What, they couldn’t fly all the “important” record co. execs to one place for the show?
Gawd, I can’t wait until this sick business implodes and all those morons are out of work. Good luck getting a new job when you’re a 50 year old record company executive.
I love listening to her. And this article helps to understand the Artist herself and her approach to music. Thanks
Great article. I have to hand it to anyone who can reference Eddie Rabbit and Chris Gaines within the first three paragraphs.
Great video clip of Glenn getting his bell rung! Looks like Danny took offense (as did I) to Danzig being compared to Presley and Morrison.
hilarious!!!! and so well written
What is “perfect” about this song is Buddy’s use of a Fender stratocaster guitar. Its iconoclastic sound defined rock and roll. Even today the guitar’s single pole “hum” gives that certain twang, that separates rock music from all other sounds. All rock and roll fans owe a debt of gratitude to Leo Fender for inventing the sound that enabled Buddy Holly to stand out.
correction to last post:
Well, Yusuf hasn’t severed TIES with Cat Stevens anymore. Did you see him at “Live Earth” playing the old Cat songs, and the audience loving it? He even sang Stevie Wonder’s “Saturn”. Yusuf was loving it also.
I think you’re definitely right when it comes to the inferiority of Good News compared to Moon and Antarctica – but I think Modest Mouse’s idea on that album is that a lot of the songs sound the same, as if they were written as an opera and broken into separate pieces. It’s an album that flows together really well, and I think that’s what albums are really supposed to do, as opposed to collections.
Glad you wrote about these guys – they’re incredibly inventive, and I think invention becomes harder to find with more fame.
i’m definitely not comfortable with their happiness.
F***ing awesome! Rush Rules, Glad to see you brought back the jokes Max!
scott solter has a hell of alot more to do with the intricate sonic design of vanderslice’s sound than vanderslice does. I’ve worked with solter several times and it disturbs me that even after this record says”produced, recorded, mixed by solter you still give it all to vanderslice. pay attention
First discovered the Raspberries through Eric Carmen’s first sole effort. Wore that one out on vinyl has since been replaced by a CD. Power pop at it’s best!
Did i hear Glenn say Mommy…
Good article
Maybe that’s how they came up with the name Moving Pictures. . .
Seems like Glenn had it comming
The realty of this situation is that Danzig wasn’t expecting this guy to retaliate the way he did and he got caught..thats it,I don’t think it was the beginning of the end for him at all he is and always will be a great artist(frontman) he is an icon this idiot who punched him is some 40 year old jerk off still trying to suck c*ck for an opening slot which never happens he is a loser and everyone makes him out to be some hero. Danzig is a household name, I mean I have heard this guys name a half a dozen times and I still couldn’t tell you it if you ask me, what does that tell you his 15 minutes are up.Oh I am sure Danzig would probably beat the hell out of this dude if given the chance, and for the younger fans out there who don’t know shit about music and wanna watch someone get knocked out go watch UFC but if you wanna hear some great music that still stands the test of time and who %90 of the bands are influenced by listen to the entire Misfits catalog or Samhain or Danzig
My vote goes to Sufjan, even though you know my thoughts on organized religion. I love his music, which is kind of out of character for me.
that is the most….well there are no words for it, you say that MM is crapping out. ha look who you have posted on the concert vault. you are helping the world get…well dumber. that is a mild statement on my part way worse than dumber. i bet you don’t even know who the kings of leon are, but i’am sure you enjoy My Chemical Romance. point being if this is what you do for a living or if you think that you have well rounded openions you are very wrong. your parents should have been killed before you where conceived, or mabye there parents. the point is people like you are the problem. please get in a car wreck
love sam
Andre post a rebuttal coward
love sam
Whatever he barely got hit.
hahaha… i laughed out loud at the rush bit… funny funny funny.
The guy was over fifty years old at this point. I’m not defending his actions, but fer Crissake, this happened years ago, I saw it after it first happened, get over it already.
Man, I once wrote a review in which I tried to explain just how terrible Kings of Leon are, and it led to more angry emails than I’ve ever gotten, all from people who were just as dumb my man Sam. Here you go, Sam… have fun:
http://www.thelmagazine.com/5/7/musicology/feature5.cfm
Kind of a quick, glancing shot, but goddamn, this should have been written 3 years ago. WGAS now?
but it wasn’t written 3 years ago.
i am pretty sure that this is the best article i have ever read- i am dying to go listen to “the con” and i don’t even like music!
i’m confused… sam, what point exactly are you trying to make? you’re fucking stupid dude, wishing death on a writer because his opinions vary from yours (who likes kings of leon???) huh? go talk to your shrink.
why the hell did this person do this review? how inappropriate, not to mention condescending. and, in CRAWDADDY, of all places! oh, well. i got to see the RASPBERRIES a few times, including their NYC debut at Carnegie Hall with openng act, STORIES (with Michael Brown already AWOL), and then twice at clubs, the third time being with the two “new” guys, Scott McCarl el McBride. they were always great, especially the last time. i remember them opening with OVERNIGHT SENSATION that time. great songs, great singing, great playing, pretty good haircuts, and in the dreaded early 70’s when almost nothing resembling Rock’n'Roll was being played anywhere, let alone on the radio. and, those were some big ass hits, too. oh, and super cool guitar licks. they deserve better than that asinine snotty review.
that should have read ….Michael McBride
I want to hear anything compared to Pat Benatar. She has an amazingly powerful voice and tremendous range. Now if I ican figure out how to buy the track on iTunes I’ll be OK.
Very well written article!
i think the writer agreed several times that they were great, but that power pop annoys her after awhile. this is a double disc! i don’t think there’s anything snotty or asinine about that. pretty asinine for you to say so, actually.
i totally agree with that guy who felt that the writer given this assignment was completely the wrong person. there is a big difference between writing a review of a contemporary band, with a contemporary record but, a band like the RASPBERRIES who’s fans are pretty much the same ones who have been fans for decades, you want someone who is into the band, and can relay the various pluses and minuses contained therein from that perspective. the purpose of these kinds of archival releases are for those fans essentially, and any new ones a nice little cherry on top. no one is seriously expecting a new generation to discover the guy they know from ALL BY MYSELF’s first band. to review it like it’s something else is just wrong, and, as another RASPBERRIES fan, i find it, well, asinine.
a new RASPBERRIES release? a live one? that is good news. hey, scott, don’t worry about these kids and their “reviews”. we know. they don’t. are these the same people who listen to BRIGHT EYES? MY CHEMICAL BULLSHIT? MADONNA? who cares?!
Hey, they weren’t the Beatles, but so what, Did anyone even call it power pop when those guys were having hits in the deep dark wastleand of post-60’s crap that was American radio? i remember them as a cool breeze in Hell each time they put out a new one. and i love “I Wanna Be With You”. By the way.
isnt there something to be said for a reviewer with a fresh perspective, that isnt emotionally invested in a band?? i dont know what everyone is freaking about about. she says they’re “great”, “polished” “strong”"and even “glorious”. that is NOT condescending.
well well well- looka here! first of all i apologize to Angela Zimmerman for using the word asinine, although it was not directed at her, but at the idea of,to paraphrase Chester, trying to review a record of a band who hasn’t existed in 30+ years as if it is being reviewed for a new audience potentially deciding whether this new RASPBERRIES record is for them. 99.999% of all copies of this record that will be sold will be sold to people who, like myself, made up their minds about the RASPBERRIES 30+ years ago. these kinds of reviews should be written by someone who is, if not a fan, than someone who is at least very knowledgeable about the artist in question. that way the audience that is potentially interested in the record can get some idea of the quality of it before plunking down $300 or whatever a cd costs this week. that is what i thought was asinine although i now apologize for using that word. i certainly meant no offense to the writer, she’s just calling it as she sees it. sorry, Angela.
heh…heh…a pebble…
aaa y ke tanto loko
el wn kanta la rajaaaa
As a faithful reader of Crawdaddy! and a member of a younger generation, who has absolutely not an inkling of interest whatsoever in My Chemical Romance or crap bands of the like, I have to say that this is a great review. It’s very even-handed and captures a newer more contemporary point of view. But I have to admit, I won’t buy the CD and if that’s what you old farts are pissed about, well, I guess…But whatever, at least I checked them out and listened to some of their songs. Now I have an idea of the definition of power-pop. I NEVER EVEN HEARD OF THE RASPBERRIES until this review. I mean I’ve heard some of their more popular songs, but seriously geezers, step off.
Bright Eyes: yes.
My Chemical Bullshit: no.
Madonna: no.
Hmmmm,
I smell formaldehyde. My dad used
to have their records, and used to rock them in the 80’s. They were better than most in the 70’s and better than even more in the 80’s (excluding the underground music that took root.) But having said that, that’s not saying much. It’s like saying the MOJO deserves some respect for only taking 15min to send a 1 page fax. I don’t think it takes a person who was using them in the 70’s to give an honest appreciation of the device, nor does does it negate the fact that in the grand sceme of things it’s still mediocre…and that goes for the Raspberries too!!
Appreciating it in it’s zeitgeist is certainly a good thing, but doesn’t mean it deserves any extra points for just being OK in a time when most everything else sucked.
Their arrangements were boring, and musically just not that inventive, and that doesn’t change just because disco was being pounded through the airwaves back when you still had hair.
She did have have positive things to say about them. In-fact, I think if she’s at fault AT ALL, its for being too generous.
thanks for this. Very appropriate Crate Digger piece considering the flux of indie Canadian bands as of late.
As a Raspberries fan who has bought the record, I would like to say that the reviewer was off base in her negatives (is there a Raspberries fan who doesn’t love I wanna Be With You, as opposed to finding it “annoying”?) as well as in her praise. The performances are pretty good, but, if you’re a Raspberries fan, or “someone who is very knowledgeable about them”, it would be hard to not talk about the great guitar riffs that distinguished those songs as much as any other aspect of them. Unfortunately, the mix here is crappy; it’s horribly guitar-lite, and drum heavy. and diminishes the band’s power (the power part of power pop). i’m sure the gig itself was not like this. the parts are there, just not where they should be in the mix. so, anyway, while there is certainly something to say for a fresh perspective from a reviewer, there is something missed,as well. unfortunately, the people for whom something is missing are the ones who would be interested in buying the thing to begin with. By the way, given the (un)availability of Raspberries live recordings, and the strength of a good performance, for all those who give a shit about the Raspberries, it’s still worth buying.
i love these letters. i couldn’t be prouder of being older. this is soooo funny. you go, kids. while you’re at it, you should kill your parents, and burn all their records. yahooooooooo!
DON’T LISTEN TO OLD MUSIC! EVER!
Great review. I unfortunately watched the movie as well. And while I agree this guy is scary, he is not as scary as sharks. In the end, he was inconsequential.
notice that no one ever says ‘danzig is an influence’, it’s the misfits. danzig was boring us all more than a decade ago with his pathetic rock and this youtube video is probably the only thing produced from him of any interest.
btw, wtf happened to parker lewis, i thought corin nemec had a rockin’ career ahead of him…he had the talent, but you gotta wonder if he burned some bridges as well b/c part of casting is ‘do i really want to hang out with this actor for 16 hours a day for 5 months?’
i think this just shows that people this fiercely faithful to a band as dated as the raspberries are horribly limiting themselves. get over it. it’s just one reviewer’s opinion. and “i wanna be with you” is fucking annoying.
so now her praise is off base, too? you people are all off your rockers. literally.
the film gave todd phillips a career. but gg and his antics were all an attempt to over shadow the fact that he had no talent and deserved way more ass kicking than he received. dumbass should’ve killed himself on stage…but the threat was a publicity stunt like the rest of his shit….literally.
who cares,I still will buy Danzig cds,nobody wins all the time,he is human,I don’t know anyone who has heard of the other guy.Danzig just put out lost tracks(has some great songs on it), and has a movie comming out in ‘08,again I would like to point out the other guy is doing what?
i care. this shit is hilarious!
it has merit because of danzig’s catalogue filled with punishment of all varieties.
no one’s discrediting what he did in the past.
The Molasses Age… I now have a new term for my days of dial-up. And: Geeks, Romans and Countrymen? Can’t we just cut to the chase and say “guys?!” ;)
A fine review. However, the minimal amount of talent (most noticable in his country side project) does not detract from the fact that GG was borderline psychotic. Spreading sh*t on yourself and others isn’t art. If he didn’t have the cloak of rock n roll to hide behind, this guy would have easily been in jail or an insane asylum. There is little artistic merit to him or his shows and people who think he is some sort of revolutionary-cum-punk pioneer need to wake up!
Ooh the video was rad! It’s so nice to see my favorite Beatle writing good music again! (Can’t say I was a fan of Wings…) Thanks for the review, Paul, I think I got my new music for the next month :)
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I don’t think it’s a matter of choosing, but… Sufjan is just getting started. His work can’t begin to compare to what Cat created between ‘70 and ‘72 alone, when Cat was his age. Thanks, I loved the whole Stevens/Stevens thing.
Exactly, Pollywog Stew was their debut. But they came on (as in gained speed and popularity) with the rap Cooky Puss, a true sensation!
My dear friend, Max. Thanks for the amusing ancedotes. Any article mentioning Rush, Marillion, Yes, and Gentle Giant is worth its weight in gold!
For the record, MM licensed a song to a Nissan commercial in 2000, a song off Moon ctica. So if selling out is a major concern, welp, that technically happened long before they started to suck.
Moving on, I agree that MM has been on a downward spiral with each major label release, and I have actually been a fan since pretty near the beginning. Ultimately, though, I forgive them. They’ve worked damn hard to get where they are. Brock is certifiably messed up en la cabesa, and I don’t think there exists a prescription strong enough to change his lyrics any time soon.
It’s sad that they’ve started sucking, but it’s nice knowing they exist and that someone old school finally got his due, even if I don’t like the stuff anymore. Frankly, I don’t think this album warranted this column. Longtime fans had it pegged as mediocre 3 years ago, and it was hardly overlooked, or under- or over-rated, or surprising in its day, or controversial, or whatever.
And Sam — geez, man. Relax. You’re ridiculous.
this guy sounds like a way more extreme Jim Morrison… only jim morrison really made art on stange… it sounds like this guy just liked being a dumbass
Danzig really must’ve held back cuz he could have killed danny by accident. Danzig will always be the best.I love you, gorgeous!
this guy sounds nothing like jim morrison. jesus.
Yes, Peggy Sue is as perfect as they come. Let’s give some of the credit to J.I. Allison, one of the great drummers of all time. I can’t think of another drummer who played so adeptly to a guitarist. Playing paradiddles on this track was genius.
I found this from a RUSH forum. Dude, I hope you got your ticket!
Your almost as funny as Alex! But listening to Rush in an MP3 is like drinking champaign from a tin can!
I think both earlier comments are bang on!!!!
Well said Jove. I think the reason the article was written was because that is the point of the “Ex post facto” column. To wit
“The idea here is that we’ll take a look at a given album at least a year after its release. The idea is to consider a record after it’s had time to mature, after certain critical expectations have been lifted; to see how an album stands up on its own feet and how it stands up over time.”
BROS? I LIKE THAT THERE YOO-NITED STATES OF MERICKA ALBUM!
Certainly, Ray is a very wise MAN, not only a musician. God bless The Kinks!
GG became a street punk degenerate, had talent listen to stuff with the band the Jabbers. did not sell out and became twisted after divorce.
Are you kiddin’ ???????????
I never heard Sean before linking to his You Tube clip–but I really hear Yoko in his voice–and his brother got their dad, John’s.
3rd paragraph, the writer says something about “Float On” and numerous commercials. Anyway — Doge, you’re right; I suppose the column welcomes just about anything. I guess I just feel that more often than not, there’s not much to say, although there are some cases where there is. The Bonnie Billy and Q editions of this column are cool. This one — eh — there are just so many albums to cover, so little time… But it’s all subjective. Maybe it’s my fault for haivng congratulated and shrugged off MM a long time ago.
I was a young teenager and my thoughts were not so complicated, when the Raspberries were active and contemporary. I could relate to there songs of love and lost love,there music was neither philosophical or ideological just plain innocent like my young teenage mind. Thanks Raspberries for the memories.
was selling out actually a factor of this article? i myself didn’t get that. the writer said that he thought they deserved the notoriety
Shouldn’t intellectual property rights protect the ability of an individual to control what he creates? It seems that the only action the DMCA takes is to take away an artist’s right to control what is done with his own music. It sets a rate that the artist must sell the music at, regardless of his wishes. I don’t think webcasters should have the right to play someone’s music without obtaining their permission.
SOAD Armenian brothers are CENTRAL ASIAN in heritage –NOT middle eastern
I was also at the “last” show…
Greenville SC
I’m so friggin’ pissed I missed Marnie. I’ve been talking her up and listening steadily since her first show in SF, the week her album came out. Damn it! I was hungover, the girlfriend was sick, I had lots of work to do… I though maybe I’d get away with not regretting it. But nope. Thanks, Crawdaddy!, for rubbing it in.
Sufjan’s Seven Swans is some dang depressing stuff if you ask me. Also, Neutral Milk Hotel (E6) is certainly not all fun and games, though it sounds poppy/happy.
That aside, this is indeed a great article that holds an interesting fact to light about the proliferation of happy indie pop. Of course happy music has always been around and there has always been an equal amount of it, only now with the new DIY/internet set-up, more people simply get to hear about it.
Call me a curmudgeon, but really, I still can’t shake the idea that the happier music gets, the more mindless it becomes, the more it falls under the category of sheer entertainment/diversion/distraction. It can be of equal artistic merit, absolutely, but I don’t think we can call it “counterculture,” per se, since really, what could possibly be easier for the powers that be than to have us all in smiley, dancey P.Spree dazes all day long, humming Pipettes tunes and so forth? Even when there’s no direct correlation between happy music and consumer culture, when people are so decidedly happy and willfully shutting out the negativities of life, then hey, let’s get a latte at the closest place (starbucks)! Let’s eat that nice shiny apple (covered in wax and pesticides and shipped from china)! Let’s etc etc.
A stretch, but not a far one. And for the record, I love me some good happy pop from time to time. Los Campesinos! is tops, lately.
I would have thought “Listening Wind” from “Remain In light” was even more African in influence
Wow… this article is great. You really make a point. Great interviews, too… not just slagging off without having it be balanced out with the interviews. This is overdue.
the accompanying video is really amazing. they should’ve stayed that way.
Hey, Gion was on the Gilmore Girls. That move alone makes him the coolest!
a note to themadterran: yes, jesus does indeed hit like the atom bomb.
METALLICA DOWNLOADED MY SONGS
You have to be kidding me. Where did you learn to read.
1) None of this had ANYTHING to do with the artist intellectual property rights. That’s a song writers royalty and is covered by a whole separate set of laws and groups, and no one is debating that. This is about paying for the performance, which is an unprecedented request in any medium or art. The performers get paid for the act of performing a song someone else wrote, for the psychical act of playing someone else’s intellectual property. The labels own the right to the recording and are paid through sales, which are declining, whether they should be compensated so aggressively or at all for internet radio pay (regular radio does not pay for performance royalties) is the debate and one that i’m asking you to make up your own mind about.
2) The current law FORCES artist to allow Soundxchange to collect for them whether they want them to or not. Even if they wished to NOT have their new-found royalties be collected (not that they’d see a penny of it) so that there music was free to be played by all and opening new ears to them, they CAN’T NOT have them collected. Sounexchange will just collect and use their money to lobby (which it’s prohibited from doing) unless they sign up and claim it. And the CRB will not allow anyone else to comete and become a collector, letting say, the indie’s creat thir own collect that fits with their interest. This takes away all control from the artist.
3) Legitimate webcasters only play what has been sent to them by bands and labels.
The DMCA is in the wrong, it needs to be thrown out, but I think your missing the point or just not reading well.
I can’t say enough about the clarity and cleaness of the recording. How did they get the sound so pristine? That coupled with the performance make this cd/dvd a MUST have.
This is a great article but it missed one fact. Somebody / some bodies need to be arrested for breaking the law. If we were talking about any other non-profit incitements would have already been handed down and at the very least records would be seized for an investigation of activities. Who knows these guys might be funding terrorism.
Really interesting, but I think you leave out a big point. A lot of the current crop of happy music is in response to the wake of the depression of grunge and post-grunge.
You left out how the Polyphonic Spree evolved out of the death of Tripping Daisy’s (who’s hit was covered on that same EP). A banmd that broke apart because of the death of a member due to heroin use.
Oddly enough, some of this could be rooted to the first Foo Fighters album, which proved it could all be done by one guy. And Dave Grohl did a reasonably happy album because he didn’t want it to be Nirvana.
Darren,
Intellectual property rights do not protect people who actually create things. They protect people who own the rights to the things that are created, and then use the mumbo-jumbo of legal language to designate the owners ‘creators.’ This makes about as much sense as designating calves cows because they’re full of milk, but then, we are dealing with lawyers and lawmakers and capitalists, this kind of confusion IS their mother’s milk.
Interesting that the guy who WAS the sound and music of “Remain in Light” is in the picture on the ringtone ad above, but remains unmentioned by all. (It’s Adrian Belew, by the way)
Jason, you said:
“And the CRB will not allow anyone else to comete and become a collector, letting say, the indie’s creat thir own collect that fits with their interest. This takes away all control from the artist.”
Can you provide a reference for this? I’ve heard this said before, but I haven’t seen any law or rule that prevents an artist from: 1.) Setting his own royalty rates independent of the CRB, and 2.) joining other artists to create their own collection agency. Their agency won’t have the same powers as the government’s agency, but as far as I can tell webcasters and artists are still free to negotiate their own rates independent of the CRB. The problem is that the CRB allows the webcaster a way to get around the artist’s wishes.
wow… this band is lovely. thanks so much for introducing them to me.
i saw Mojo Nixon about 8 years ago in a small, sweaty club and he owned it. the entire place was captured by this man. one of the best shows i’ve seen in my entire life.
Darren,
1) Yes, the CRB’s ruling is not int he interest of artist….or the various players. The process IS the problem. That’s why I think we should toss out section 114 and start over with more up-to-date information on the effect of this industry.
2) No, Soundechange has been unwilling to negotiate rates. It has a few examples of of how its tried, but so fare they have all been rigged offers, and that is one reason the two senators are pissed. Further the NAB has put to together a very fair and comprehensive proposal that affects all involved. Soundexchange has not responded.
3) The last CRB ruling and a CRP ruling before it denied allowing another collector. It’s logic is ridiculous especially given that (unlike what is usually written) Soundexchange was a part of the RIAA that was spun off, it WAS NOT created by the gov. The RIAA created it to do just what its doing now. and spun it off before the 1st CRP ruling. Make no mistake, it was created to find a way to collect for the big labels, not the artist. But when a third independent party tried twice to seek permission to sign and collect for artist (many expressed a preference for them) the CRB denied them saying they did not make a good argument that suggest they would be more efficient and thus benefit artist. There is not a WORD reguarding CHOICE for artist, it was not even a consideration.
I implore you to read it. If your interested, you’ll find much better information here than from google news.
HAHA,
“This is a great article but it missed one fact. Somebody / some bodies need to be arrested for breaking the law.”
That’s actually an opinion. But true. What would happen if an environmental non-profit got caught doing something it is prohibited from by law? They’d be splayed on national television.
This is ridiculous. Why doesnt the same rule apply to internet radio, as normal radio. Surely if royalty rates arn’t paid on either that will be fair. Otherwise it will just kill off community radio type services. Ads are fine, but don’t treat each differently when they arn’t. I can’t believe how much that your congress does that affects us here.
Hey Adam: You’ve opened up some interesting issues here. I think that a feature article might even be to small to really get into the complexities of what you’re talking about. If you’ve got the time and desire, keep doing research and maybe take it the next level: like writing a book!
Some comments/questions to consider… I’m not sure if a person’s emotional condition directly translates to the type of music they make. Happy people can make sad music and vice-versa. But that’s even a tricky statement because most people roll with a mixture of happiness and sadness, which fluctuates with the ups and downs of their lives.
I’m also not sure if white middle class kids are happy (is there data/research on this) and if they are that’s a bad sign of things to come because there are a lot of terrible things going down in our country and abroad (of course, there always are). So rather than counterculture I’d mark it as complacency. It’s great that the young folks are able to book their DIY tours across the country –- even on that level they’re subtly being capitalist by learning how to run a small business model — but if they’re not using they’re middle class privilege to help improve the world otherwise than what are we gaining as a society in the end? I am totally aware that not all indie-rockers are privileged, but let’s not forget all the gas that gets burned up by bands on tour. Happy or sad songs, all of that energy consumption is just adding to the problem.
When referring to indie-musicians, don’t forget to include all of the non-white people selling hip-hop tapes out of the back of their trunks in several different parts of the country. How do they fit into the equation?
Regarding the 70s…
Quote: “the major labels had strengthened their stranglehold on the music industry… The counterculture, which had once ruled the charts, was left to fend for itself.”
-True, but many of those countercultural icons were still putting out very challenging material on big labels in the 70s. Neil Young was in full effect throughout the 70s. Dylan did some great work in the first half of that decade. Newcomer, Bruce Springsteen, had some wonderful records. Not to mention, Leonard Cohen still had a lot to say. And even Lou Reed (post-Velvets) who ranged from terrible to genius put out some left-of-center material… Metal Machine Music, after all, was on a major and he STILL got to make records after that. Also to varying results, the Grateful Dead did pretty much whatever they wanted – when their own label folded – they signed right back with the majors.
-Also, among the new alternative voices in the 70s, a number of the good ones were scooped right up by the majors: Patti Smith, the Ramones, Talking Heads, Television, etc…
Quote: “The days of the politically-minded masterpiece were over, replaced by an era of disco and progressive rock.”
-Dance music is always in with some sector of the population and as it turns out, that four-on-the-floor is still prominent in indie culture. I’d argue that bands like LCD Soundsystem, the Rapture, Daft Punk, and Chemical Bros. bring just as much happiness to one of their shows as the Pipettes and Polyphonic Spree. In fact the sort of happiness LCD Soundsystem brings is based on the groove of his music and the energy it funnels into crowds rather than a pre-fabricated aesthetic that begs to prove: “We are happy people”.
-Were there really that many politically minded masterpieces in the 60s or were people making amazing music that got sucked into political and counter-cultural movements? (Check out Didion’s comments about the 60s and the Doors in her essay, “The White Album”) It’s also tough to always align a musician’s beliefs as a person with what they lay down to tape. Dylan had lots of political things to say in his folk days but in the end he just wanted to play in a rock band. The Beatles seemed more interested in making beautiful music than making it political (Lennon certainly took a bunch of political stances but those tended to take the form of conceptual art with Yoko b
This is one incredible album. Don’t think of their Saturday night Fever disco days but incredible rock psychedelic guitars and harmonies. One of the best albums of the 60s and even forever!
Still lovin’ the column, Max! Informative and funny. I’m finally getting into Rush, too =).
…with Yoko by his side.) The Velvets re-arranged rock music but Lou Reed has been more of a political force (in his music) in his later life than in the 60s. And yes there’s Neil Young, but he’s seemed kept a real consistent political state of mind throughout his career (Hawks and Doves notwithstanding).
Quote: “Then, in November 1976, a little-known British band who had just signed to EMI released their first single. It was called “Anarchy in the UK.” They, of course, were the Sex Pistols. Punk had arrived.”
-The Sex Pistols were never DIY. They were just dirty. Yes, punk had arrived in the sense that it had arrived as a commodity: an aesthetic that could be marketed through music and clothing. But the real punks: Stooges, New York Dolls, the Velvets, and Clash (in their heads if not in their pockets) – I think – might have had a greater influence on the DIY godfathers like Ian McKaye, Gregg Ginn, and Mike Watt… I could be totally wrong though.
And last but not least, what about K Records, yo? Where do they fit in here? How about a detailed look at the development of Twee? (there’s an article on the ‘fork from awhile ago called Twee as F—k; definitely worth checking out.)
–You’re onto something, Adam. Keep at it! Can’t wait to see what you come up with!
Dude, the Polyphonic Spree make me want to vomit and then stir twinkies into my vomit with slim jim’s so I can vomit some more. Just for the record.
Anyway, I’m going to have to echo the concern that “happy” music is really swell in the age of the all-powerful conservative agenda, and (and I am NOT giving the P. Spree any credit here for doing anything remotely important), potentially dangerous, and NOT in a subversive and/or “indie” way, but, in a sad and ironic twist, dangerous in its apathy. This is not the apathy of the 90’s we’re talking about, when there did actually exist remnants of a stable white American middle class whose kids lived meaningless lives of consumerism, endless opportunity and no apparent political upheavel whatsoever. No one was even talking about global warming anymore! This set the stage for grunge: when it was cool not to give a shit, because there was nothing to give a shit about.
Back to the present day… Could there possibly be any more to be pissed about? Only the richest of the rich can go to college in order to work for free while gaining the skills to get an adequately paying job in order to eventually acquire assets without a lifetime of debt and slavery to corporate hell for the foreseeable future to pay off said debt; I don’t even know what to say about international nor domestic politics; and to top it all off, the vast majority of Americans have no fucking clue what good music is, because they have no fucking clue what good ANYTHING is, because they live their lives like fucking zombies and do whatever Clear Channel tells them to. Hence, for those of us who have found our way to this magazine and care about music if nothing else: Fine, satisfy your cravings for happy sappy pop once in a while! Most things are healthy in moderation. But please, spend more of your time and money on something that means… something. I’m not saying that meaning has to be “sad” per se, but jesus, get real.
So… I just realized I didn’t say anything about the article. I’m sorry, I should probably get a journal or a therapist instead of taking up space here. Just had to get that out.
I don’t have any doubt that other companies aren’t being allowed to collect the royalties charged to webcasters who use the CRB license to play music. But what’s I’m looking for is a law or rule that prevents a music artist from:
1.) Negotiating with a webcaster to play his music for free or for a rate higher or lower than the CRB rate, and
2.) Artists forming their own organization to allow for collective bargaining with webcasters, independent of the CRB. I’m not talking about taking over SoundExchange’s role, I’m talking about artists acting on their own like they would in a free-market.
If they have the ability to set their own rates, then it seems that the high CRB rates don’t necessarily have to affect them. If SoundExchange demands incredibly high rates, any artist can say “Forget SoundExchange, you can play my music for X amount per play or for X percent of your revenue.”
Thanks for an insightful story on one of the greatest bands ever.
Daren,
I agree that is the ideal. Perhaps if they re-write the DMCA that may be a possibility. Unfortunately the early CRP (pre CRB) ruling based on the DMCA prohibit artist from doing so. Make no mistake the CRP process under the CRB is the problem. I denies a real market in favor of an artificial one derived by a panel of arbitrators using a rigged standard.
Want it to change. Write your congressmen and ask the to pass the IREA and take action towards re-writing section 114 of the DMCA. Tell them you WILL follow their actions on the matter and that your vote depends on it.
This album IS one of the best ever, as is all their 60’s albums. Check ‘em out!
Thanks, I will check out the CRP and see how it affects the artist’s right to negotiate their own rates. If artists really don’t have the right to set up their own collection agencies my opinion of the current situation would change. I might have questions for you later about this. :)
this one my favorite records. Total psych-rock…over shadowed by Sgt. Peppers…which is cool, I guess.
Not sure if you were having a bad day, or you failed to listen. Next time listen to the record a few times…it sounds best when played.
All the other banter was word quota.
Ahh, the Beat Farmers and Mojo Nixon Roper! I attended many of their shows 20 years ago, and never saw a bad one. The Farmers were a tight live band, and for the most part, their records didn’t quite do them justice. RIP Country Dick and Buddy Blue. As for Mojo, he always seemed to work whatever audience he had. I saw him open for the Violent Femmes at the Greek Theatre in LA once, and he and his “sonic love jug” climbed out 8 rows into the audience to beat some sense into those KROQ Femme fans.
I saw Black Flag in that era, too, what a powerful live act they were.
I KNOW A MOUSE AND HE HASNT GOT A HOUSE I DONT KNOW WHY I CALL HIM GERALD ..
im confoosed
Ray is God…
God Save The Kinks!
Ok, I’ve spent more time than I should looking through the DMCA and other related documents, and I can’t find anything that backs up what you are claiming: That artists are not able to form their own organizations to set their own royalty rates, independent of the CRB.
Can you provide a reference that shows what you are claiming?
Nice interview :o)
Got any Dave Davies interviews too? ;o)
Live shows are tough. Like he said, they’re almost always ‘you gotta be there to believe it.’ But isn’t that’s where the proof is in the pudding? Records can be worked over, take by take. Live shows are a (sorta) more honest depiction of who the group is, in the member’s relations to each other, to the audience. What albums can NEVER show you is how a group’s music reacts to wrong notes, unexpected tempos, car backfires, and audience response noise. Records are sorta better to talk about because of their finitude, shackled to turntable and stereo but not filling space as completely as live music. And besides, if you see a group create a 100% faithful presentation of a recorded song, how do you know they’re not just lip syncing?
Too bad there is no video of Bonnie Bramlett clocking Elvis Costello back in the day. This a one is weak unless you actually LIKE The Misfits. Maybe it’s because I’m an old f**k, but I never did enjoy their over-salesmanship.
Their music? Ha! They WISH they could be The Mentors.
Interestingly enough, Stereo mono mono is a love song between two speakers in love – Jonathan and Heather playing the parts of the speakers respectively. When you play this song on a good set of speakers it should seem as if your speakers are singing to each other.
“So how did it happen? How did we go from a counterculture that produced four-piece guitar bands playing sour grunge rock to sprawling indie pop collectives with kaleidoscopic instrumentation? Well, like everything these days, it seems that the answer starts with new technology?”
Isn’t this a bit of a non-question? What he described happened all the time. Think of the Beatles (up to ding Sgt. Pepper), Love’s move from their first LP to ‘Forever Changes’. (I was gonna say the Beach Boys, but stopped ’cause Pet Sounds, at least, is a socko studio musician’s album, but it wasn’t much of a Beach Boys collaborative effort. Anyway.)
And Random Question: Remember when The Southern Death Cult described themselves as Positive Punk?
Aw, this is a great piece in honor of chris, i hope he sees it.
Now that I’ve had immediate access to 2,000 songs, I’m not sure what I’d do without them. I have a song to approximate almost every possible scenario. I create the soundtrack to my life. I quite like it. It adds color and depth to my otherwise mundane existence.
This is a great story… I wish the side of Keith London going from corporate slave to a guy with a real honest mission in life was developed a bit more.
When I have kids I’d definitely provide them with something like this.
I dont agree with previous post.U2 are still graet band.With no doubt the greatest! every album is fantastic on its way. To have cash in bank is normal thing, because every big band is ritch.so that doesn*t make a sense
yes, i can’t believe something like this has taken so long to reach the market. great idea!
i agree with dean, this sounded more like an advertisement than a music article or story of his life.
my vote goes to any band that doesn’t contain Yoko!
Marnie Stern is clearly an original artist with a unique approach and an unconventional singing and guitar style. I must point out however that, although overall, Howard Wyman’s Crawdaddy review is beautifully worded, detailed, and supportive; he clearly has a different definition of the word “shred” than most rock/metal aficionados and particularly musicians. The word “shred” is usually applied to guitar pyrotechnics on the order of those delivered by Van Halen, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Dimebag Darrell, Michael Schenker etc., and the list goes on and on. These are players with advanced technical command of the fretboard who can jam about two thousand 64th notes into a nanosecond, simultaneously pulling off licks that most of us can’t do at a tempo of 80 clicks per minute. Although Marnie is an interesting and original guitarist; she is no “shredder”. I believe Howard’s repeated use of this adjective in his review mischaracterizes Marnie Stern’s playing style and is demonstrably incorrect once one listens to her MySpace or YouTube recordings. I am curious as to whether Howard’s definition of “shredding” is out of synch with most music lovers or whether he has succumbed to the temptation to describe and promote a new and offbeat female guitarist with unnecessary and inaccurate hyperbole, simply because she includes tapping technique in her bag of tricks. Does tapping make one a shredder? There are other descriptions of her guitar playing which veers from conceptual and inventive to atonal that would IMAO more closely reflect her style, and which to be fair to Howard’s review he also hints at or describes. Her playing is more reminiscent of prog and art rockers with a dash of metal, than shredders. She has not fallen into many of the melodic ruts many other musicians suffer from. Her guitar style does seem to reflect her development as a bedroom and not a band/garage player; sort of what would happen if you crossed Kate Bush and Sonic Youth with Robert Fripp. With that said, I think she is well worth going to see and a developing artist with her own approach, just not a “shredder”. Her guitar work still lacks a certain dexterity that will hopefully mature with repeated gigging. Solos in her songs are actually rather infrequent, one of the hallmarks of the true shredding guitar hero. Do not go to her next concert expecting an XX chromosome version of Ynwie Malmsteen. Go expecting to see an unusual artist who incorporates tapping technique and a metal, and sometimes even speed metal, sensibility that we don’t often see in female performers. Marnie may yet develop into a guitar hero without the clique chops that so often characterize the typical heavy guitarist. I look forward to her future studio efforts.
at least it’s advertising something that is worthwhile!
uh, this is not an advertisement, its about a man who found himself broke and bored and changed lives by incorporating music into an innovative idea. try reading it again.
cool new feature crawdaddy!
Wow. I feel sad about what’s happened to rock music now. I think this is like some sort of epitaph. Brilliant.