I haven't been on here since it's inception. Many factors have contributed.
Gotta say that I feel intimidated to contribute, as much of the music being discussed I know nothing about. It almost seems like you guys are trying to "out-cool" each other by finding rare and kitschy subculture bands. Don't get me wrong, I think it's great and I have to admit I am a little jealous. But, alas, I will always be a sucker for music with a "hook" and therefore relegated to the barbaric and mundane art-form of pop influenced rock/punk music. When I say pop, I don't mean The Jonas Brothers. I mean bands like The Replacements, The Pixies, etc.
Forgive me my over-zealous music lovers for I am a sinner of the "give me instant pleasure" music. Rarely do I find a band that I like that I have had to search for the genius in it. I knew the first second I heard a Ramones album that I would love them forever. I didn't have to listen to Ramones Ramones 25 times to "get it".
With that said, I suggest you put a dose of Surferosa (Pixies), Tim (The Replacements) and Too Tough to Die (The Ramones) on your vinyl record players and wax poetic about how esoteric and ground breaking each of them were in their ownright. To me some bands simply play songs that remind me of times past and captured those times for me so vividly I can't turn away when I hear them.
-40-
19 comments:
Who gives a damn about cool? I don't think cool is a factor here. For years the music industry (which includes media such as radio, MTV, Rolling Stone, Spin, etc., and large scale retail including big boxes like Target, Best Buy, and Walmart) has crammed shit down our throats while really great music has fallen by the wayside with barely a notice. A lot of people here feel a responsibility to talk about stuff they love that fell (or is falling) through the cracks.
When we are kids, we establish our identities in large part with the music we listen to. It defines a big part of who we are. At that point, we do listen to music to be "cool". I can't speak for the other people here, but, being almost 50, those days are long gone for me. Music can't make me cool - it's way too late for that.
The first record I wrote about on this blog was Lou Reed's Blue Mask, a high profile release on a major label. The last post I made was about an obscure record (Oh.) by a semi-obscure musician (Roger Miller . . . who, incidentally, I don't consider obscure at all, but he doesn't have any records at Walmart). Yesterday, I listened to Led Zeppelin, Big Star, Hendrix bootlegs, Vindicatrix, and even spent about an hour listening to Throbbing Gristle tape loops on the Gristleism machine (a little AM radio type device pre-loaded with 18 TG tape loops). That goes from mainstream to obscure to esoteric almost to the point of the ridiculous.
Long story short: it's about the music, man. Nothing else. Don't be afraid to step up for the stuff you love, no matter how mainstream or obscure it is. I'm sure most of the people on here like the records you mentioned, and maybe you inspired someone to go back and listen to them. If you got a record stuck in your head, or a record that inspires you, let us know. That's what it's all about.
You're missing my posts bro ("bro"! ha!). We're the lumpen proletariat!
As a former co-worker/friend said to me with a shrug when gave me a CD that had been curated (always a bad place to start) by John Corbett, who was the real bro of another co-worker: "but I like music."
But never mind Zink, while he has the ability to subject his ears to the worst caterwauling this side of a raccoon fight and enjoy it, he doesn't do it to be cool!
I think you missed the joke in my "out-cool each other" comment. I wasn't trying to slam you guys for liking bands I have never heard of. I was pointing out that as an observer that hasn't contributed to the site in a long while it looks like a "I'm going to one-up you" piss fest on crazy bands. That doesn't mean it's the case, it's just an observation from someone so out of the loop you guys are in that it seemed funny because I'm truly the ignorant one in here.
40
I hear what you're saying there Forty, but it's kind of like going on a food blog and saying "i really like pizza and hamburgers, who needs all that other shit." dont get me wrong, i love pizza and hamburgers as much as the next guy, but i also like to explore new flavors, textures, spices, cuisines...
there is so much good music out there, why not experience as much of it as possible? or, just stick with the staples, whatever floats your boat.... like Bill Zink said, I think any music is open game here, like it says in the title of the blog, just whoevere and whatever you're listening to at the time.
having said that, i may need to spin me some Ramones today.... :)
First off, re: "some bands simply play songs that remind me of times past and captured those times for me so vividly I can't turn away when I hear them", I'd like to add Mudhoney "Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge", Monster Magnet "Spine of God", and Kyuss "Blues For Red Sun" to that list, all still in my rotation, although in some circles I think any one of those could be deemed "esoteric".
Secondly, I def post some esoteric little known shit, but the intent is never to be mr. super cool, but rather to get you guys up on something i enjoy. For me, and the intent when we first set this blog up, was not "look how cool i am to have something you never heard of", but rahter "check out this thing you never heard of, it's great and i want you to enjoy it with me". Especially in the new blog era where you can captain crawl basically any of this stuff, it's a great way to hear something new.
Lastly, is the Gristleism machine the Throbbing Gristle version of the Buddah Machine II? I got those for both of my kids for Christmas. hahaha, ok, so that's pretty esoteric.
dc
I seem to have struck a chord with the "cool" comment. For that, I honestly meant no offense and apologize if anyone took it that way. I thought I was actually asserting the fact that I feel kind of like a poser because I am so out of the loop on what you guys are listening to, that for me to add anything seems rather pointless.
With that said... I do feel there is a need to understand one's roots in their artistic likes. So, for me, why not seek out the old hamburger shack that you used to go to when you were a kid? I tend to enjoy going to Keedy's in Palm Deserrt and eating breakfast once in a while. Catch my drift?
This last year I started playing music again and my band actually played in L.A. in January and we played with four other band. Two of them were completely boring. Of the other two, one of them had a great set of musicians and a tool of a front man and I felt bad that they were doomed for failure because of him. However, the last band was called Rakoon and they were classic L.A. rock meets Alice Cooper. The lead singer painted raccoon circles around his eyes (hence the band name) and they even had a smoke machine. THey started their set with Immigrant Song by Led Zeppelin and suprisingly nailed it in their own way. I probably wouldn't buy their album as it didn't really catch me, but I would see them live again in a heartbeat for the kitschiness of it.
A lot of my current rotation of albums would probably make you guys yawn but here is a good example of what I am listening to...
Wilco - Summerteeth
Imaad Wasif and the Two Part Beast - The Voidist
Urge Overkill - Saturation
Frank Black - Cult of Ray
Unsound - Compilation of recordings I have of theirs that I put on one cd.
I think DC makes a good point that a lot of it's relative.... eg, there are plenty of people out there who would consider a band like Urge Overkill to by pretty "obscure"
Speaking of UO, I remember putting a post up about "Exit the Dragon" a while back. A great, and totally overlooked album that was unfairly trashed by critics at the time, and may have broken the band. It's not as quite as immediate as "Saturation", more of a grower, but well worth a revisit if you havent heard it in a while.
On a final note, Forty you should give a shout out if and when you guys play in LA again. There are some of us in the Los Angeles metro area who might try and attend....
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PS: one of my all-time favorite user reviews from Amazon.com is this guys review of Urge Overkill's "Exit the Dragon" (posting it here verbatim since I cant really link to it) --->
""The band at the edge of forever, November 12, 2002
By A Customer
I am shocked at how few people to whom rock really matters have knowledge of this album. I feel somewhat clumsy all the same in labelling it a 'lost masterpiece' as UO still maintain a relatively healthy degree of respect and name recognition. But it is all the same true that 'Exit the Dragon' broke the back of this extraordinary band, and on account of that fact they never achieved anything close to the status they deserved. The lead review damns with faint praise by suggesting a link to 'Exile', 'Big Star 3' etc. I say this not because it is as good as 'Exile' or 'Riot' - (it isn't, but what is?) - but because it suggests that Urge are worthy of commedation largely on account of the quality of their influences. I think the real truth is that this is one of the few hyper-intelligent bands who rose above their own capacity to be arch and delivered instead a clear-eyed illustration of the sheer weight of everything they had been through together; the bruising of their collective dreams. In so doing they produced a testament to all that is glorious in rock music. Appropriately enough, hardly anyone cared. In my opinion, 'Exit the Dragon' is one of the great, great albums, - far better than any other UO effort - and is worthy of being compared to the efforts of any band in any era. Obviously, there's stuff like 'The Candidate' and 'Guyville' on the other releases, but this is the one definitive album Urge released. I am one of those who failed to realise on first listen how much 'Dragon' had to offer, indeed, it was probably a few years after first listening before I really came back to it. But when that switch was finally flicked, I was floored. It is impecable: so slick, so brilliantly played, yet so raw and human. If I had to choose one track it would be 'Take Me', but I am loathe to dissemble further. You need to get it, and stick with it. Listen to this album in tota, repeatedly, very very loud. It will reveal itself, I promise. This is high art, at the absolute peak of the form, and deserves to be remembered for decades to come.""
I think this is a great blog and I appreciate everyone's loop/bag/angle/tastes. I don't think anyone is judgmental here(well there was that Beatles dude, yawn) but it comes down to who does all the posting. DC has an esoteric streak and does a lot of posting so there you go. I would love a dialogue about the Pixies, and who in the hell is Imaad Wasif?
Also have to agree with Clark on Zink's love of noise, I think I remember him once tapping his foot to a breaking wood chipper. Just kidding there but his pallet is vast, and he also has a hell of a sweet tooth. And I know one day I will do a post on The Pink Fairies and he will be the only one who comments. I have to confess I got Clark and Bill on here because I wanted some dudes closer to my age and musical background, thanks bros!
Such is my faith in this blog that I am about to try and appreciate Urge Overkill for about the 100th time. Wish me luck, I think I am missing a gene for digging those guys.
hahaha re: Imaad Wasif is pretty esoteric, bro! Me, Ator and Forty went to high school with Imaad, both those guys were in bands with him, and now he is in Yeah Yeah Yeahs touring band and also has solo career on Sub Pop (right?)
It's funny the posts that generate a lot of comments..... I'm down with Pixies and Wilco. And hahaha on that Beatles guy who wrote posts like he was reviewing albums for Rolling Stone and it was 1971. I think we are all open-minded on this blog but that dude had to go.....
Personally, I just like to hear thoughtful people's opinions about stuff they're digging. I found Kurt Vile on here (got Childish Prodigy off emusic last week). I've found a couple of other things as well. My only mild issue with this blog is a vague discomfort with all the file sharing (ducks head... I said "vague" dammit!).
I think Bill actually PLAYS a mean, wood chipper; drop tunes the fucker if my recollection is correct. I have a set of board tapes from his '85 tour of Romania.
(DC, it's getting time for another libation)
Exit the Dragon IS one of the greatest albums ever! That is a great review by whoever wrote that. I couldn't really add more to what he said.
There is something about the hooks in songs like Positive Bleeding, Crackbabies and Bottle of Fur off of the Saturation album that keep me coming back to it though. It is a very polished album and super power pop but with a hint of kitsch and a punk rock attitude of we don't give a fuck, we're going to sing these lyrics about bitches in Havana that need to row across the Carribean so I can shag them.
As far as Imaad Wasif. Agreed, he would be consider VERY esoteric. One of my few finds. And I can only say I found him because I happened to go to high school with him.
As for me playing in a band with Imaad? I was the first bass player of Lowercase, true. But I never once played a live show with them. I practiced with Imaad and Brian Girgus for about 3 months and then they told me to take my Fisher Price amp and get the fuck out, without ever telling me I was kicked out of the band. In truth, I wasn't ready to play (I really sucked at that point, but so did Girgus; he was atrocious!) and I didn't fit Girgus's idea of being a true emo bitch. He even trashed me in an interview that I read without naming me. Fuck that guy!
If ator is Halterlein which I am starting to think he is (ator- I'm Huge!), he would truly be the one that KNOWS Imaad. He played in Zao (one of my all time favorite bands from out here in the desert and basically responsible for me getting into playing music) and Lowercase, in which he toured with the band and recorded albums with them. Quite a difference in his and my relationship with Imaad.
DC- Is the 2uo still making music? I remember watching you guys play live in some wherehouse in Brooklyn one time (actually it was right after watching Imaad's band, Alaska!, at a venue in Brooklyn). I really enjoyed it.
Of course now I can't find any viable Urge Overkill on Capt. Crawl. I'm a little biased against them because their scene was my neighborhood and they seemed a little goofy. Will keep looking
Clark were you working with Zink when he had that Zoso Disc? Took that Zeppelin CD, covered the data side with duct tape, tore it of so it was all gunky from adhesive, than popped it back in his player. And ENJOYED it! Bill you out there?
Is Alaska friends of you guys? I think DC told me he knew those cats, that album is okay, but I really like that song "Rust and Cyanide", in fact I just put it on.
rootless,
ator, DC and I graduated high school with Imaad Wasif who is/was the lead singer and guitar player for Alaska! and Lowercase prior to that. He now plays guitar with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs when they tour and has a project of his own called Imaad Wasif and the Two Part Beast. He is very talented in my humble opinion.
Little known fact... we also went to high school with Josh Homme of QOTSA and Jesse Hughes of Eagles of Death Metal. It's weird to throw that out there as if I'm name dropping. I don't really know Josh, but I do know Jesse. It's weird to me that when I speak of them now, it's almost always in the context of their "fame", which is ridiculous in so many ways.
I just felt I'd throw that out there. There was quite a underground music scene in the Coachella Valley from '89-'96. It's too bad no one ever truly documented it.
TOO TOUGH TOO DIE THE RAMONE IS GOOD I LIKE IT!!!
Ah, my ears are burning . . .
You know, I still try to cut up CDs all the time. New CD players don't skip like the old ones do. I've got a discman that skips pretty nice, but it's not like the 80's, where the store's CD player would try to read through adhesive tape and knife gouges. Also, pre-recorded discs work better than burned discs. One of these days, I'll find just the right machine at a pawn shop, and I'll be UNSTOPPABLE!
There's actually an album out by Japanese composer Yasunao Tone called Solo for Wounded CD which is nothing but a cut up CD. It is probably the harshest thing I own which, as Clark and Gabe have referred to, is pretty harsh.
Gabe! I just rocked that Pink Faires in my car last Friday!
Anyway, I'm kind of a musical thrill junkie. Some days it's John Fahey, other days I have the woodchipper wound up in the basement (a Teisco guitar detuned and run through a Rat, a Maxon OD808, a DOD Flashback Fuzz, and a Boss footswitch EQ plugged into a Fender Bassman half stack).
For what it's worth, I'm down with Urge. I did like them a little better when they were taking way too much acid ("God Flintstone"). But if I lived in Wicker Park back when Gabe was in the area, they probably would have been on my last nerve as well.
DC, you're spot on about the Gristleism machine. My wife freaking hates that thing. And Forty, I never took offense. This is a fun discussion.
I guess this post has travelled a bit, hopefully my comment isn't too out of context.
If the albums you cite are what you are currently listening to and want to talk about, I would encourage you to post. I refer to this as "nostalgic" music, and I mean that in a good way. I know that there have been posts similar to this in the past - citing a band or album that had a positive influence.
There are a couple of things that a post about nostalgic music can provide:
1. it may remind another reader of their interest in that band or album.
b. it may intice another reader to go back and listen to a band or album that they may have missed for whatever reason.
Maybe the blog is a little heavy on the more obscure stuff out there, but I guess that is just the path people are on. Speaking for myself, I enjoy traversing an album/band/genre's roots and marvel at some of the paths that have brought me to my current playlists.
so did "Big Steve" officially come out of retirement?
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