Category Archives: steve

Statement Of Fact

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Got a better – at least longer – post coming soon, but this for now:

Saw a picture of the RnR Hall of Fame nominees this morning including Sting. In front of the mic with his eyes closed and both his arms stretched out.

Was thinking, the first time a supposed rock ‘n’ roll singer closes his or her eyes and stretches his or her arms out, he or she should be:

a) exited stage right or left by the neck with a shepherd’s crook

b) have his or her public singing license revoked

c) shot.

Or all of the above.

For Paul Revere

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The guy I’m working up a duo act with picked Kicks as a song which I sing and I can’t honestly admit I had ever paid much attention to the song until recently. The corny, heartfelt “stay away from drugs, girl” message is pretty funny.

Reminded me of (in usual backwards fashion) this classic off the first Vibrators album (which made my Top 50, I believe). The only early punk song I know about being good. RIP Paul Revere:

Gotta Post Once In A While

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To thwart Peter’s scheme of total domination.

I want to write a big article on some great rock oral histories, but I forget how to post pictures. Ah well. Maybe someday.

Got a new used car a little over a week ago and it has the best car stereo system I’ve ever owned, featuring a Rockford Fosgate sub. (Remember when we were young and up on high-end stereo equipment?)

Cranked the criminally underrated Masters of Reality debut album (in my Top 10 – I forget where) and this one really hit me. Just a crunching killer of a riff. The dated 80’s glam women in the video are amusing too.

Happy Birthday To Me

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Going to see Bryan Ferry at the Tower in Philly on my birthday Saturday and this is the probable set list:

SET LIST:

Re-Make/Re-Model
Kiss and Tell
Slave to Love
Ladytron
If There Is Something
Oh Yeah
Stronger Through the Years
Loop de Li
Johnny and Mary
Tara
Take a Chance with Me
More Than This / Avalon
Casanova
Love Is the Drug
Virginia Plain
Editions of You

ENCORE:

Let’s Stick Together
Jealous Guy​

I’m not as old as Bryan but I’m every bit as sexy.

Lots of good ones here, but I’ll leave you with my favorite (out of these):

Last Truth From Tony Kinman

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No more after this, I promise.

“There was a lot of garbage, but there’s always a lot of garbage. There’s a lot of garbage now. My basic rule of thumb when it comes to anything, whether it’s movies, music, or books is at least 90 percent is going to be shit. At least, and sometimes it will get up to 99 percent shit. Only a tiny fraction of anything at any one time is going to be really good.”

I’m pretty sure we’re at the 99 percent threshold right now.

Can’t Help It

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More former Dil Tony Kinman from the really good read Left Of The Dial:

“I would not compare the Ramones album to what I consider the single greatest moment of rock ‘n roll history. It’s in Little Richard’s recording of Lucille. Little Richard is screaming so loud that he overdrives his mic. On the hit version, there’s actually distortion recorded on that. I don’t care if you are even recording for a shitty indie punk rock label. Punk rockers would not let that happen, nowadays. That was a major hit song by a major hit performer of the time. I am speechless just thinking about it. To me, that is the single greatest moment because of what it is, which is incredible, how it sounds is great, and because of the context. He’s overdriving the mic, but the way things were back then was, ‘C’mon Richard, that sounds good enough. We’re done here. Let’s go, man, I’m thirsty, or whatever, or we better get to the gig.’ The era, the primitive rock era and the way those guys worked back then. . .And to this day, that song still has more truly astonishing passion and emotion in it, real terrible energy in it, than anything that has come since.”

I can’t hear distortion in this, but I think I know what he means. Maybe it’s shitty youtube or something. I especially like watching the drummer here. He amuses me:

Then, it occurred to me that Little Richard reminded me a lot of a character out of my childhood. Cesar Romero’s Joker (always will be my favorite Joker). The wild eyes, the hair, the maniacal smile. If Romero’s Joker wasn’t at least partially influenced by Little Richard, it’s a helluva coincidence. Even the moustache (which I always loved that Romero kept even under the Joker makeup).

Long Time Coming

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I’ve been listening to Graveyard’s Hisingen Blues for the last month and it’s a dandy of an album. Definitely my Summer of 2014 album for sure, even though it’s from 2011.

Random thoughts:

1) Was gonna post a couple other more “grab you right off the bat” songs but never got around to it. This one turns out ultimately to be my fave. Once it creeps in, it doesn’t go away.

2) Hisingen Blues has been such a wonderful album experience for me. I now enjoy the whole thing entirely and know the flow. I anticipate the next song. It’s a wonderful thing, baby. If any of you guys can pull your heads out of shuffle-land, I highly, highly recommend this selection.

3) These guys STILL EXIST believe it or not. They were in the states not too long ago playing Coachella, but I missed the boat. Please God, let them survive as a band for another trip to the US. (Who wants to go with?)

4) Tell me who they remind you of. Obviously, this song is pretty Zeppy, but there’s other stuff there. I can’t pinpoint it.

5) I usually favor the Gibson/Marshall guitar sound, but this isn’t that. These guys are Orange (the latest thing in hard rock, I guess) men, but I love it.

6) This song’s about heroin, no? Bonus points.

7) The voice as an extra instrument: When the singer belts out the melodic scream immediately following “Tonight a demon came into my head” (yes, a demon came into his head), it hits me as hard as any lyric.

8) Checked out some reviews and stumbled upon this: “Earlier this year, the much-anticipated Hisingen Blues topped the Swedish album chart, outselling even the ballyhooed return of Britney Spears.”

Sure must be nice to have the masses care about quality music, huh? (Maybe I wouldn’t like it, kind of like everyone screwing your girlfriend.) Anyway, maybe I need to move to Sweden. Something’s definitely different there musically.

OK, here goes: