A SORROW-FILLED, DEEPLY DEJECTED EDITION OF COMM-A-RAMA
Yes I am sadder than Elton John on the day the sailors leave port, for just this very afternoon (while doing a little reconnaissance checking out the enemy) I discovered something that, although I prefer not to know, I must for the sake of not only myself but for all humanity. Remember a few months back when none other than Jay Whatshisface, that Hinman guy who engaged in a load of slander and half-truths directed against not only myself but my highly-underrated BLACK TO COMM fanzine said he was going to deep-six his second attempt at a music blog which was titled "Detailed Twang" because it just took up too much of ol' whitecollar's time and energy, thus relieving me of some of the inner-mounting pressure of having such a loathsome "competitor" even if only a tad bit? Well, as some of you may know it didn't take long for the "man" to create a movie review blog called "Celluloid Hut" which deals with that I would call the artsy-fartsiest of the uppercrust arthouse flicks (with a few slummers tossed in of course) which I guess would be more suited to the blogster's "talents". Nothing of my concern true; after all I shall never fear that Jay would review a good Bowery Boys flick on this particularly tiffany-esque blog even though the idea of him writing not only about microbrewery beer and hoity-toity moom pitchers still doesn't do my guts any good!
However, in the sage words of Bob Dylan "now is the time for your tears" because (get this!) contrary to his word, Jay actually went and reactivated his allegedly dead 'n buried "Detailed Twang" blog and is (shudder!) once again writing about all of his favorite "post-punk" amerindie/whatever alternative muzik drivel, polluting the blogosphere with his oh-so-precocious ramblings regarding quaff that a good portion of us knew enough to trample over whilst heading for those great sixties garage band and seventies proto-punk platters that remain near and dear to each and every one of our pea-pickin' hearts! It is a frightening experience akin to that legend where when one villain is slain THREE pop up to give us even more of a hassle! Only this ain't some myth straight outta JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS but for real and that's enough to scare a full grown rockism-inspired blogger such as myself!
I know I shouldn't react like this...after all, in the wild and wooly world of rockism people like Hinman are what one would call a flea-bite on the pockmarked derma of ineffectual rock criticism. But sheesh, after the number that not only Jay but his spiritual butt buddy Dave Lang did on me a few years back (and with the lack of any decent justice or at least apologies being emitted from their stodgy stiff upper lipped beings) you can bet that I am still thirsting for some fresh hides on my den wall! I get that way sometimes even though justice delayed or justice denied for that matter is par for the course as far as my life goes, but that doesn't mean that I can't still LUST for a bitta that elusive justice with a nice hunka revenge tossed in for good measure!
And so here we are, with Jay's three to my one blog 'n who knows what inanities this faux-libertarian (who rah-rahs for none other than Benito Guiliani while the real libertarian/traditional conservative candidate RON PAUL continues to dodge the slings and arrows of the posthippie libertineians at REASON) will be spouting off about a wide range of musical philosophy (or myself for that matter!) as the weeks roll on. It certainly is cause for distress in the hearts of any true BLOG TO COMMer out there in internetland, and you can bet that there will be many a sleepless night here at headquarters as I toss and turn beneath my Beaver Cleaver "dooner" recently won on ebay thinking of ways to "off" this evil man of such vile repute. I got it, how about a nail bomb disguised as a package from Chuck Warner! He'll be sure to fall for that 'un and who knows, perhaps that yank of the string'll be enough for those flying shards to permeate not only Jay but some of his visiting San Franciscan alternative stage door Johnnies who come over to listen to those rare eighties offerings the guy made his name with writing 'em up in his own inimitiable style during that long hard climb up the shaky ladder to rock criticism heaven. Now wouldn't that be just ducky!
But until that eventful day I just guess my heart will have to bear the sorrowful knowledge that Mr. Jay once again is out there dumping his printed toxins into the well of civilized blogpatter and there's nada I can do about it. Now I know how Dick Tracy felt when he hadda let the Mumbles Quintet free due to lack of evidence, and frankly unlike Tracy I don't think that the evil guy's gonna come to justice in this particular saga! But despite my the heavy weight upon my fragile and deeply sensitive self I will soldier on and give you another brief-yet-pow-r-toch-esque "Comm-A-Rama" just oozing with pertinent info regarding some of my recent Cee-Dee acquisitions. It's the least I can do for you, the face-front fan of this tried and true weblog, right?
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Todd Rundgren-SOMETHING/ANYTHING 2-CD set (Bearsville/Rhino)
The votes are in, or shall I say that the "vote" is in for only one person dared let his opinion as to whether or not I should've purchased this double-disque set be known (my interest was piqued after reading Fred Whitlock's "Todd Rundgren is a Punk" article in SPOONFUL #2 natch!). Said voter said "go for it!" and so I did, although other than for the boss pop single "I Saw the Light" I actually found very little on this two record set that tickled my fancy, or anything else for that matter. The cheap-sounding Woody's Truckstop tapes starting off side four (using archaic elpee lingo) were of course fun enough for mid-sixties necromancers like myself and I kinda liked some of the more power-poppish moments that were scattered about (even the Wolfman Jack tribute!), but SOMETHING/ANYTHING seems to bypass the promised punk for a more early-seventies SoCal appeal that doesn't do my system any good. In fact SOMETHING/ANYTHING comes off like typical 1972 Warner Brothers cool-teen hipster fodder from the laid-back Los Angeles industry-rock feel to the "aren't I so clever?" instrumental whiz of a Frank Zappa album, and if I wanted to hear that I woulda gone for their albums 'stead of this! A few more spins might have SOMETHING/ANYTHING growing on me, but really didn't Brian Eno and Brian Sands for that matter do this troubled multi-instrumentalist rock genius trip a lot better?
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Saucers-WHAT WE DID CD (Grand Theft Audio, try Bomp!)Any act following on the heels of Mirrors and Rocket From The Tomb's bound to come off like an episode of SHIRLEY TEMPLE THEATER after a few hours of TWILIGHT ZONE, but despite the anticipation of letdown I must say that these Saucers were an excellent late-seventies bunch that took the best that the early-seventies proto-punk era hadda offer (Cle first wave "demonic intensity", Roxy/Eno, Sparks...) and made sure it didn't become obsolete in the anything-goes latter portion of that decade. From Craig Bell's Cle re-dos ("Frustration", "Muckraker", "Annie" and the excell-o "Slow Down") to Malcolm Marsden's pure pop for someoneorother you can't go wrong with this Golden Age of Underground Rock collection that'll bring back tingly memories of just how great it was hearing all this long-gone energy the first time 'round. And if you think I didn't buy it because of the presence of one Seth Tiven (future Dumptruck/ex-NEW HAVEN ROCK PRESS scribbler) and all of the psychic vibrations emanating from my earlier writeup on his brother then you'd be wrong as usual!
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Television Personalities-DON'T CRY BABY....IT'S ONLY A MOVIE CD (Damaged Goods)
I know I'm treading upon Hinman territory writing about post-seventies alternafashion music such as this, but since I was "in" on the whole Rough Trade revolution whilst it was happening exploring the depths of Swell Maps and Raincoats discs while Jay was still questioning the existence of Santa Claus I feel that I have every RIGHT to pontificate on the TV Personalities since it's just as much MY music, if not more, than his. But still, Hin' may have the last laugh on this 'un because DON'T CRY BABY sounds like one of those TV Personalities albums I just hated back in the nineties but I'll admit sounds pretty nice, if sparse here in the late oh-ohs. From the covers of Richman and Harrison (!) to Treacy's own sloparound on old Velvets/Barrett riffage this does make for a once-in-awhiler that's just as tender-yet-snide as all those great TVP/Times singles I spent the very early-eighties snatching up because they were a lot easier to find than the real things (John's Children, Creation...)!
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Robbie Basho-VENUS IN CANCER CD (Tompkin's Square)Argh! More late-sixties nudity on elpee covers! At least this ain't one of those strategic hide-the-goodies sleeves that way too many chickenhearts dished out at the time, but come on, just what hath John Lennon wrought when he'n Yoko dared to be The Bare Hair Bunch anyways! Nuttin' but a whole load of copycats jumping in on the nude trend of the day (and at least Yoko looked a lot better'n the twiggy they got to post on this 'un!), but I ain't interested in "poozle pushing product" as Lester Bangs once said but the magnif sounds found herein! And as far as Robbie Basho goes this is some pretty enveloping music that this long-gone stringbender's put out for our listening pleasure. Pretty much like his earlier outings on Takoma with that rich eastern-tuned guitar playing that sounded so full it coulda been an entire band, not to mention Basho's patented vocalese which comes off like a western take on Indian raga-moan. Works wonders especially during those late-night kick-uppa-feet times when you wanna forget the stress and strain o' the day. A must for thost of you who, like me, began following Basho only after we first heard Edgar Breau's recommendations, but frankly I'll still trample over Basho and even John Fahey platters to get to my NEW "world music" guitar fave, mainly Sandy Bull!
19 comments:
Sorry Chris! My description wasn't very in depth but did describe the music as un-punk for the most part. I still like it when Todd's voice totally cracks during "You Left Me Sore"; which is something no one would leave on a record in the pop world within the last 20 years. "Slut" is pretty rousing as well. It's OK that we disagree though, I probably enjoy a bit more pop and romance in music than you and our ages put us at slightly different vantage points to these sounds. Guiliani! I had been willing to give Jay the benefit of the doubt, two sides to every story, everybody makes mistakes, type of deal but.... Hitching ones wagon to Guiliani whose cabinet is stuffed with warmongering neocon crazies, and cozying up to the bloodthirsty Hitchens and his too trendy tracts of anti-religion are really unforgivable. That along with some really limp and not-zesty-at-all choices of underground sound of late are trying as well. To be fair I have to say that when I first got a hold of Black To Comm, either the Miriam Linna or Edgar Breau cover issues, the reactionary nature of your content was a fresh angle in my world. As time has passed, and the death toll keeps adding up, even though Bill Clinton isn't in office, Limbaugh's spectre, however slight in these pages, galls me a bit more. I am more of a peer to Mr. Hinman at least in age (39), but I still find most of your musical choices of greater interest, and importance. I'm a registered Democrat, but I frequent Antiwar.com and Takimag and have Ron Paul (along w/Kucinich (all done I'm afraid)) up on my myspace page. Your mag (and now blogspot) aimed me at (or remind me of) areas found sincerely lacking in cotempo-rock-screed. The liner notes to Cyborgs Revisited were also sweet tonic to this bad Catholic as well. Pax, Phil(thyRex) D.
Well, I was going by the voting, and since you were the only one to cast a ballot I had no choice but to buy the disques! (Notice how I'm letting the votes regaring whether or not I should get TRULY FINE CITIZEN go on a little longer, and not just because you were the only one to vote in the previous election!) I'm not blaming you for my lack of enthusiasm with the album, but with proto-punk thrills getting harder to find as the weeks/years roll on (that may change with the arrival of the latest UGLY THINGS) it's like I have to grasp for punk rock references in cool early-seventies fanzines like SPOONFUL to see what I've been missing whenever I get the chance! SOMETHING/ANYTHING is a def. keeper, though personally I had envisioned it in a rather different light considering Fred Whitlock's glowing appraisal!
As for the political part of your note, it's hard to see just how anybody who would claim to drink from the font of any brand of libertarianism (not that I particularly do, and that "l" in front of the kind of libertarianism that I adhere to is getting smaller and smaller as the days roll on) would even consider rah rah-ing for the likes of Benito G., but considering the strange paths REASON has taken over the past decade who knows if that term really has the meaning that it once did! (Consider me closer to the paleocon school ie. Buchanan and the oft-smeared late columnist Sam Francis, though Justin Raimondo remains my all-time fave homo writer since William Burroughs.) But sheesh, I still can't see how these so-called libertarians (even of the Hinman school) could even think of cozying up to phonies like Guiliana let alone a Trotskyite warmongers such as Christopher Hitchens (strangely enough its his pseudo-neocon bloodthirst and unapologetic defense of the likes of Trotsky for fighting "fascism" that bothers me the most...his anti-religious raves just seem like more village idiot blather getting taken as worthwhile copy). But then again what more can you say about a movement that unfortunately has devolved from H.L. Mencken and Barry Goldwater ideals and the smarter aspects of late-sixties youth radicalism to catering to the most disgusting segments of our modern day existences in the name of "liberty"? But with a "movement" that can go free-form all over the place and attack its more cohesive aspects (Rothbard, Rockwell, Paul) while cuddling up to the gay marriage and bestiality gang what else would you expect. Next step, the deification of Anton Lavey??? I think it's already happening, so don't be too surprised!
Too bad you're getting "galled" by the spectre of Limbaugh in those nineties issues. Must just be a spectre if you continue to see it on this blog because I really am at odds with the man o'er a number of items such as his borse-blindered views regarding the Iraq situation as well as his cozying up to the neocon agenda to the point where he actually agrees with Abraham Lincoln's draconian measures adapted during the Civil War in order to mow down all opposition to his will (something the neocons wish they could get away with in the here and now). Still I'll take the guy over any of those smarmy, condescending liberals that are so champing at the bit for the return to power even if I can't hack Mr. L's hawkishness (which you know never would have reared its ugly head if it was Clinton doing the bombing!). And he keeps saying the he hears complaints about how there is "no conservative out there running for president"...I mean, what is Ron Paul if not a conservative in the fifties tradition???
But back to the point...yeah, I didn't think SOMETHING/ANYTHING was as hot as you did, and maybe you are more of the romantic when it comes to rock & roll. And hey, if you still wanna get galled at my worldview, just compare it to the competition (like about twentysome years of what'll happen when the ultra-libs get hold of all the reigns!) and see just who was right in the first place.
I think you should buy TRULY FINE CITIZEN. I heard it once in a used record store many many years ago and found it to be both sparse and mellow at the same time (weren't the Grape basically down to a trio at this time?) So many in the "west coast" scene rediscovered their country roots as the scene was falling apart circa 1969. I remember it being COMPLETELY unpretentious.
Chris, did you like the Byrds' BALLAD OF EASY RIDER or FARTHER ALONG lp's? It doesn't really sound like those, but if you didn't like those, I'd stay away from this. Personally, I like the "burnout country-rock" genre.
I'll probably buy a copy myself while it's still in print.
The CD reissue of TRULY FINE CITIZEN looks like it has some bonus tracks too, including some live things.
BILL S.
Hey Bill-Gotta admit that the only latterday Byrds heard by me is via an early-eighties "Greatest Hits" collection featuring four Byrd members on the cover (McGuinn plus I forget who else) displayed in Crosby Stills Nas ahd Young hippie pose complete with acoustic guitars and droopy moustaches! You automatically knew who this comp was being sold to, though that didn't stop me from buying it on a Friday night in '83 when I had a strange fixation for some Byrds music I just couldn't cure! Anyway, yours is vote #2 in favor of TRULY FINE CITIZEN, a landslide so far as I see it!
Chris,
RE The Byrds, as much as I love the 65-67 Byrds, there's one thing the post-David Crosby Byrds lineups have going for them: they are post-David Crosby. Forgetting the Gram Parsons line-up for a moment, I'll take either Skip Battin or Gene Parsons or Clarence White over Crosby ANY DAY OF THE WEEK. Also, I always enjoyed the Kim Fowley-Skip Battin compositions on the final albums--they provided diversity and balance on the albums and always brought a smile to my face.
You should get the BYRDS LIVE AT THE FILLMORE, FEBRUARY 1969 CD that came out in 2000. It's the McGuinn/Clarence White/John York
(who's working with Kim Fowley again now in 2008!)/Gene Parsons lineup, and they are in great form. How I regret not having been old enough to have seen the latter Byrds live. Too bad I didn't start attending concerts at age six like the guy on the WFMU call-in show that you linked to a while back.
Was THAT a hoot!
Bill S.
dude-
why don't you grow the fuck up?
Nice comment. Now why don't you go back across the room and stick Jay Hinman's whizzer back in your mouth.
because it's so far up your latent homo ass. besides, it looks like you enjoy it.
Boy that last one made sense! I guess there really ain't much to do in Delaware tonight pal!
sure there is; listen to shitty bona fide promo's, jackoff to nancy comics & drink diet pepsi. oh sorry, that's what your doing!
The witticisms just keep on comin'! Hey, time for your ibogaine!
whatever dipshit. fuck you.
Tell it to your analyst, sweetie. C'mon, don't I have any real readers out there???
Wow, is that what grown-ups do? Leave anonymous harassing posts? Not even clever ones at that? The Pagans, The Left, George Brigman, Mike Hudson and friends singing "Cold Meat", you must be retarded to call the Bona Fide roster lame. Go listen to some Fiery Furnaces, ok? On your ipod. I don't wanna grow up. XO, PhilthyRex
Hey Chris
Yeah you still do have some real readers out there. Never bothered posting a comment before, but been apprecitaing your writing for an age and it's inspiring to see you still covering the good shit after such a long time.
Never bothered reading anything of Jay Hinman's so I can't say anything about him, but you may be interested in hearing about his "spiritual butt-buddy" Dave Lang. Dave loves to portray himself as some kind of underground rock badass when he's hiding behind his monitor, but in reality he is a conservative, cringing, middle-class PUSSY who hardly ever left his home town in his life. The guy proclaims his love for D.Boon and acts like he's some kind of representative of the working man, but actually lives in a house bought from the proceeds of his trust fund, went to one of Melbourne's top private schools and never had to struggle for anything in his life. What's more, in his private time he actually listens to Huey Lewis and the News!
So screw the jealous little Aussie blowhard and keep crankin' out the real rock'n'roll journalism for those who truly care.
As you guys can tell, I'll publish any comment as long as it ain't spam! An' I guess that last night's angry young moose from Dover really wanted to leave the posts probably in a drunken rage of sorts...and frankly, I gotta congratulate him because these "dudes" usually give up after one or two hits but my pal just kept comin' back for more! But sheesh, what kinda taste does this guy have to go after not only Bona Fide records but NANCY comics and Diet Pepsi anyways (I think he meant Diet Dr. Pepper in ref. to one of the titles of a post last summer, but I'll forgive him in his stupor!). As for you Jan, thanx for the kind words though I gotta take issue wit'cha about your use of the term "cringing, conservative middle-class PUSSY who's never left his hometown in his life" which I think many of my enemas out there would prefer tagging ME with! Though I ain't no pussy (and I cringe only when listening to bad music!) and I strive for middle-class-dom (more $$$!), that description almost fits me to a "t"! Heck, And though the likes of Jay and Dave may want to argue, I don't even like being called "conservative" anymore because of just what that movement has become...maybe you can refer to me as a paleoconservative but that's another blogpost. And really I never had to struggle for anything in life other than searching out Master Radio Canaries tapes!
But in all, it was funny seeing this guy go ballistic over the opening paragraphs of a post which I thought was so obviously tongue-in-cheek, or better yet tongue-up-cheeks but you just can't second-guess people anymore. Hey Dover Boy, if you're hittin' the bottle again tonight how about startin' up another round! I just dig that nighttime blog action!
I keep seeing this feud metioned, what the hell did these guys do to you?
Long story...let's just say that Lang made a whole slew of accusations (in the guise of a review) based on half-truths, distortions and outright fibs regarding my own personal beliefs regarding music and civilization which Hinman seconded adding a few jibes of his own (basically a dismissal of my musical tastes and even more distortions based on Lang's). Both crossed the line, and both deserve whatever evil may befall them.
You'd probably like Rundgren's more experimental followups to "Somethinganything" better, such as "A Wizard, A True Star" or "Todd". Both of those albums are more freaked out, especially "A Wizard, A True Star".
Who else did Clarence White play with besides the Byrds and the Everly Brothers?
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