Davy Jones, 1945-2012

Davy Jones is dead at the age of 66. The Manchester native had an illustrative career, most notably as the lead singer of The Monkees, Despite auspicious beginnings -- they were essentially a theatrical response to the Beatles, with members who were all hired to look cute but not play their instruments -- they fought for and won creative control over the band. And they had the musical sense to work with some of the best songwriters of the day, like the Kingston Trio's John Stewart, who penned the great "Daydream Believer."

Song in My Head (and in my classroom)

During the past few weeks, I have been teaching poetry.  As a segway into our anthology, I used this Shel Silverstein classic.  Our biggest discussion point" is the word "bitch" necessary or not.  What do you think they feel? 
Originally, Johnny Cash did not want to record his friends poem, but was convinced by his wife June Carter Cash to do it.  He debuted it at the San Quentin Prison, and the inmates loved it.  Here's "A Boy Named Sue."

A Marriage Made In...

Damon Albarn's latest project is called Rocket Juice and the Moon -- it's a terrible name but the other musicians more than make up for it. On drums, it's Tony Allen (who was with Albarn during The Good, The Bad and The Queen) and on bass -- Flea.

Damon Albarn and Flea. How about that?

The album comes out next month, but here's a live performance from late last year. I especially like Flea's hat.

Fallon Does Vedder on Lin

The one thing Jimmy Fallon excels at is impersonations, and this one's pretty much spot on. And it's creative. It's Fallon doing Eddie Vedder singing Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" -- rewritten of course for the ubiquitous breakout NBA star Jeremy Lin. Here's the link to the full version: http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/video/pearl-jam-sings-jeremy-lin/1387180


And here's the original Pearl Jam song for comparison's sake.

And Now For A Real Awards Show...

This year's Brit Awards were held tonight. And - no surprise - Adele was once again the big winner. But of utmost interest to me was the special Brit award given to Blur for their "outstanding contribution to music."

Damon, Graham, Alex and Dave performed together for the first time since 2009 and did "Girls and Boys" and "Song 2" among others.

They even trotted out Phil Daniels for a spirited version of "Parklife".

And here's "Tender":

A follow up on all that is Foo.

What an ironic post title (Everyone Hates Foo Fighters,) considering they are, probably the most beloved rock band out there today. 

You stand somewhat alone on this subject  - but I’m with you.

I really liked their first two records.  “This is a Call,”  “Big Me, “Monkey Wrench,” and even “Everlong” were cool songs.  They even covered Gary Numan with a  version of “Down in the Park.”  I liked that Dave Grohl was able to come out of the shadows of Nirvana and assert himself saying “look at me, I’m not just some lame drummer.”  He could play various instruments, sing, and write quality rock songs.  Then three things happened that I am not sure how, affected the band:

1. Pat Smear quit the band.  Hard to put my finger on what he brought to the band.  He didn’t play on anything for the first album, for it was almost Dave Grohl’s entire demo that was used.  He helped with The Color & the Shape, and subsequently left on national television’s MTV Music Awards.  He is, somewhat back in the band, but doesn’t play consistently with them live, or, even a whole show.  I do like that, while on hiatus from the FF, he produced the debut album form VH1’s “Bands on the Run”  runner-up, Harlow. 

    2.  “My Hero.”  A song that was supposedly about Kurt Cobain.  From all I read, Cobain was not overly fond

         of Grohl, being quoted, as hating him – and this was not even coming for Courtney Love, who said similar

        things about him earlier. I felt it was phony, and was turned off immediately.  I was given the next CD, and I 

        still think it is in the cellophane.  

3. Taylor Hawkins – who is this guy and why is he celebrated?  I think he is a fine drummer, and love that he plays in a Police cover band, but for a band where the main guy does the drumming on record, he should be somewhat expendable, and instead is pushed to the forefront.  He is the second most recognizable member after Grohl.

I know I’m in the minority, but I just don't get all excited about them, and their videos -where they are either silly or angry. 

Funny, one of my closest friends is a hug fan of the FF’s, and even had them play at the  release party for one of his videogames.  

I won’t criticize Dave Grohl for believing in the idea of authentic rock.  Some (most) of the best music was created this way, and I respect that he feels that rock has become a lost art form. 

I just don’t see the FF's putting anything out there that has been meaningful in a while. 

Song In My Head

It's one of the best songs of the past 25 years, even though it's a little out of the usual for me. It's "Vincent Black Lightning 1952" by Richard Thompson, a modern folk song about a criminal who has two loves in the world: his red-haired girlfriend Molly and his motorcycle. And I believe it's (still) the most frequently requested song in NPR history. Fitting.

Richard Thompson, of course, is a towering figure who breaks down boundaries despite having a signature sound and style. Want proof? Check out his cover of Britney Spears' "Oops I Did it Again". It was part of his 1000 Years of Popular Music collection, where he explored the best songs of the past millennium -- from medieval madrigals to today's pop. And all of it still hews true to the electric folk pop he pioneered in the late 60s and early 70s with Fairport Convention.

Video Vault

We're going back to 1978 for an under-rated power pop gem by Shoes called "Tomorrow Night". For some reason, this song popped into my head yesterday, and I had to think pretty hard to remember the name of the band. They're called Shoes -- not The Shoes -- and they were a quartet formed in Zion, Illinois. If I'm not mistaken, we acquired the 45" because my cousin was a radio DJ and this was one of his rejects. That said, I have to agree with some of the comments on the YouTube page -- it's a surprise this song (and this band) didn't leave a bigger mark. I hear the obvious notes - Power Pop and New Wave - but there's almost a shoe-gaze feel to this. And the jangly rhythm guitar under the chorus sounds like it could have been played by Peter Buck's alter ego. Call me crazy. All in all, a nice find.

Everyone Hates Foo Fighters

OK, not everyone. But they bored me at the Grammys and there's been a lot of buzz about Dave Grohl's speech about how computers don't belong in music. Here's what Grohl said, according to the Los Angeles Times:

"This is a great honor, because this record was a special record for our band. Rather than go to the best studio in the world down the street in Hollywood and rather than use all of the fanciest computers that money can buy, we made this one in my garage with some microphones and a tape machine...
To me this award means a lot because it shows that the human element of music is what's important. Singing into a microphone and learning to play an instrument and learning to do your craft, that's the most important thing for people to do.
It's not about being perfect, it's not about sounding absolutely correct, it's not about what goes on in a computer. It's about what goes on in here [your heart] and what goes on in here [your head]."

Well, at first blush that doesn't sound offensive. But here's why it is: Foo Fighters -- as I unartfully blogged on Sunday night -- are a bore. They haven't offered anything creatively in about 15 years. In fact, they've been pretty much re-making their debut album in the years since. Sure, every now and then (and frequently in their early years) they come up with a catchy song like "This Is A Call" or even 2002's "Times Like These", but it's all the same stuff. Grohl's still dining out on his days backing up Kurt Cobain. And their body of work is a warmed over catalog of generic rock, the stuff only has-beens and never-will-bes can truly be proud of.

Grohl fails to comprehend that music -- real music that drives those deep emotional responses he's talking about -- can be achieved in a variety of ways, on a variety of instruments, electronic and otherwise (OK, Not with Auto-Tune!). But it's not like he's out there recording Zen Arcade - in one take. And it's a poor craftsman who blames his tools. After all, it's not how we make music but the music we make that matters.

Song (Not) In My Head

A co-worker of mine just admitted she had "Renegade" by Styx in her head. So I figured it was worth sharing.

Enjoy!

Song of the Summer?

The New York Times asks whether it's too soon to pick the song of the summer. It is, after all, February, and the temperature in Midtown Manhattan right now is a balmy 43 degrees. Still, the Times offers the new Sleigh Bells single "Comeback Kid" as a bona fide contender. I think it's a good tune -- a bit more melodic maybe than what we heard from Sleigh Bells their first time out -- but I'm not ready to crown it just yet. Ask me again in a few months.

Here's the video.

For Those Of You Still On a Glen Campbell High...

Listen to this awful song. It's "My World Fell Down" by Sagittarius, with uncredited (lucky for him) vocals by Glen Campbell. And it's truly atrocious.

More Grammy Musings

9pm - Oh Chris Martin, just please go away. You have no talent... and you're lucky to be married to Gwyneth.

My highlights so far:
Bruce -- fantastic. Look for Obama to use "We Take Care of Our Own" during his re-election campaign...

Reba's Joker smile...

When was the last time the Foo Fighters did anything interesting? I mean, besides don a Slayer T-shirt?

Chris Brown looked like he was in a live-action Q-Bert game, for all of you who remember Q-Bert.

LL has done very well for himself -- it's not an easy night given the news of the past 24 hours.

There is no one as classless as Fergie.

Oh, and Marc Anthony looks like Skeletor.

9:05 - I gotta say, the Rihanna song wasn't half bad. I expected to not like it at all. My wife about Coldplay: "These guys are insufferable."

9:06 - Man up Chris Martin and lose the falsetto.

9:07 - I am genuinely excited for Glenn Campbell. And Foster the People with the Beach Boys.

9:09 - OFF TOPIC - My wife says the Chipotle Willie Nelson ad is the best ad ever, and vows to eat there every day for the rest of her life.

9:11 - Victor Cruz? Mario Manningham? Really??? You had a great year and you salsa dance. Whatever. (Frustrated Eagles fan.)

9:13 - Best Rock Performance... Foo Fighters? Sure, give it to the band based on body of work. But they haven't done anything interesting in 15 years.

9:16 - Beach Boys!! Well, maybe just Maroon 5. What a disappointment to be teased with a legend and entertained by the most boring band in the world. The American Coldplay. Banal, boring and utter shite.

9:19 - Foster the People -- Love the trademark suits -- but the lead singer should show a bit more emotion or something... I mean, open your mouth when you're singing...

9:21 - Now it's the Beach Boys -- on their 50th anniversary. With the theremin? Nope... it's a keyboard.

9:22 - love the cutaway of Glen Campbell -- one-time Beach Boys studio guitarist. So sad he's fading away...

9:23 - This really is great... So cool to see them all together. And they sound good. Like they're in their 20s again. Terrific!

9:25 - To answer Colleen's question about the Beach Boys... It took me a while, but I grew into the Beach Boys -- they weren't big in my house when I was a kid but in my adulthood, I've come to really love them. Those are classic pop songs, with arrangements like no one else ever. "God Only Knows" is one of the greatest songs ever written.

9:27 - What's with Adrien Brody? He replaced Thierry Henry in the Federer/Henry/Woods ads for Gillette...

9:31 - Stevie Wonder -- I saw him in Urth Caffe in West Hollywood last year.  Oh come on... Play "Love Me Do" on the harmonica.. that was sounding so good...

9:32 - Sir Paul McCartney... You were the third best Beatle. You only beat out Ringo. Take a bow.

9:36 - Common pays tribute to Gil-Scott Heron. Hipsters everywhere smile.

9:37 - Best R&B -- Give it to El Debarge!!!
Oh, no. Why can cheer for Chris Brown? The guy beats up Rihanna and wins a Grammy. There's no justice.

9:39 - The Civil Wars -- didn't know them, but they sound good. Maybe there's intelligent life in Nashville after all?

9:40 - Pennsylvania's own Taylor Swift. Kate (my wife) loves her. And she's got a banjo. More signs of intelligent life in Nashville. I mean, in a culture where singers don't write their own stuff, I respect Taylor Swift for doing both. She seems like a good kid.

I give you this:

9:50 - Song of the Year - I go for Mumford and Sons but Adele will win it.

9:51 - Yep. Adele wins again. Yawn. Not sure what the big deal with this one is.

9:52 - Kate Beckinsale is dressed like the guy in the Statue of Liberty costume in Midtown.

9:53 - More auto-tune -- from Katy Perry! So now Russell Brand has moved onto Zoey Deschanel? She looks just like Katy Perry. OK, minus the blue hair.

She looks like one of Marge Simpson's sisters. Thelma's sexing it up for the Grammys.

"Prick me with your love pin"? Somewhere Spinal Tap is shaking its collective head and wondering why they never got any love for the line "Poking in your pea patch." Thing is, it was a joke when they sang it...

9:58 - Best Country Album -- Gee, will Blake Shelton win? Nope... Let's give it to the same band that ripped off the Alan Parsons Project and won last year.

10:06 - OK, I will now attempt to get excited by Adele. OK, she does have a great voice, but I can't imagine myself listening to her. At least she doesn't need Auto-Tune. I give her credit for that. But according to her Wikipedia page, she cites The Spice Girls as a major influence and she's a fan of Tottenham Hotspur. That's two strikes...

10:11 - Can't wait for Glen Campbell!!!

10:16 - Taylor Swift intros the Glen Campbell tribute. Nice. Starting with an admirable cover of "Gentle on My Mind"...  and then Blake Shelton doing "Southern Nights", one of my least-favorite Glen songs...
What's Glen going to sing? "Rhinestone"? "Wichita Lineman"? I vote for "Galveston"... I genuinely love Glen Campbell. Of course... it's "Rhinestone Cowboy" ... This is great. He looks good, given what he's going through. And he sounds good... Love the guy...He just owns it out there. Good for him! And there's Sir Paul, singing along. But who are the people texting at the end of the song? Seriously? Texting during Glen Campbell? I weep for the future.

10:25 - "A Grammy moment like you've never seen with Chris Brown..." Why do they love this guy? He's a troglodyte.

10:27 - That's the second time that Pepsi commercial with Elton John playing a king has aired. And I can't help but thinking the best part is the end, with Flavor Flav. Even though the guy has been a walking joke for about 20 years.

Tony Bennett and Carrie Underwood ... together... really? I couldn't care less.

It's 10:30, and I've got to say I figured there would have been a whole lot more of Whitney Houston than there has been...

10:32 - Tony Bennett and Carrie Underwood doing "It Had To Be You"... a major snooze. A better duet is Will Ferrell as Neal Diamond and Kate Hudson as Christina Aguillera.

Best new artist... hmm.. Bon Iver beats out Nicki Minaj? Wow... that's got to be an upset. Justin Vernon seems like a genuinely good guy. And he give Eau Clair, Wisconsin a shout out. And then the music starts to get him off the stage... rude.

10:39 - Applause meter for the dead: Amy Winehouse 7... Nick Ashford... 4 ... Phoebe Snow... 1 ... Jerry Leiber ... 1... Steve Jobs ...2... Heavy D -- 1...  Nate Dogg... 1... No one's clapping??? What gives, people?
Dave Mason... nothing...  Clarence Clemons... nothing.
Whitney Houston -- 3.
And now Jennifer Hudson... singing "I Will Always Love You". Kate and I were trying to figure out who would sing what by Whitney Houston the moment we heard the news she died. It didn't take us long to figure it would be Jennifer Hudson -- someone who's no stranger to tragedy -- and it would be this song.

10:51 - Why can't they play a few clips from Soul Train? Instead, we get this idiot Chris Brown with the most boring band in the world Foo Fighters.

Seriously, I think the last good Foo Fighters single was 2003's "Times Like These". Can anyone argue with me on that?

10:58 - Umm... the Residents called... they want their act back.

10:59 - Really CBS? I have to wait around to "be the first to know" who's going to win Album of the Year? I can tell you right now it will be Adele. No one else is even close.

11:06 - Can I ask what the hell I'm watching right now? Nicki Minaj taking Madonna's "Express Yourself" to a new level. I'm not really paying attention and yet I'm pretty sure I've seen this act before... Except for the levitation and exorcism bits. Yawn.

11:10 -- Lady Antebellum: "Just one year ago we were honored to find out what we could win by ripping off the Alan Parsons Project. I wanted to rip off someone good, but we figured, hey -- this'll get us on the radio."

11:11 -- Record of the Year -- a real shocker -- it's Adele's "Rolling in the Deep." Now we have to listen to that chav accent again...

11:19 - What would happen if you held a match near Diana Ross's hair? I realize it's a wig, but I'm just askin'.

11:19 - Album of the Year -- again... This won't be a surprise. Yep, Adele's won another one.

11:22 - Nice shout out by Adele to Rick Rubin, who she says taught her about "quality control."

11:27 - I think we can come up with a more compelling backup band for Paul McCartney during this closing set: Guitar -- Steve Stevens... Bass -- Les Claypool... and on the drums... Neil Peart!!! Goodnight everybody!!!!

The 54th Grammy awards - a running diary

8:00pm - "Ladies and gentlemen, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band!!!"  Ten of the greatest words ever spoken...too bad "We Take Care of Our Own" sounds like anything else he has done post The Rising.  He looks great, and keeps the classic "Bruce pose!" Black outfits anyone?

8:07 - A prayer for Whitney Houston.  This will be the big theme of the night.  Unsure how I feel about this...

8:10 - A standing ovation for Whitney.  What bugs me is that she was a forgotten about sad story.  Now we mourn her like she was #1 last week. I thought I just read a few weeks back that she was going to be homeless.  Where were these people then?  Still torn about this.

8:11 - LL Cool J called Paul McCartney an "OG!!!" & Taylor Swift a "round the way girl!"  Nice, and I can't live without my radio!

8:13 - My kids were excited to see Bruno Mars.  A bit of a throwback: a little Sam Cooke, James Brown, & Little Richard. ..yet, the whole does not equal the sum of its part, or however the phrase goes.  I find it ironic that a guy busted for coke possession is talking about Whitney. 

8:22 - Alicia Keys & Bonnie Raitt sing a tribute to Etta James.  "At Last" is an all time classic, but I truly cannot name anything else by her.  I have seen Cadillac Records, and I'm still at a loss.

8:25 -  First award, and we cannot go wrong.  Adele, 23, looking 50, Lady Gaga wrapped in twine, Katy Perry tan & blue haired, and Bruno Mars, mugging, awfully to the camera.  Adele wins.  I smell a pattern.

8:27 - I guess since Rihanna is secretly dating Chris Brown, we too should embrace an abuser.  Should I post her medical shot after he hit her to remind people what he did to her?  Also, it happened right before the Grammys, and she was so banged up, she could not perform. Not a fan, nor will I support him.  Coffee break for me.

8:38 - Shocker! Kanye & Jay Z win best rap song.  Yawn.

8:39 - Molly (my 12 yr. old): "Oh my God, Reba's lips look like the Grinch!"

8:41 - No one fluctuates weight like Kelly Clarkson.  Just a few weeks ago on SNL, she was large.  Big difference! Here she is Jan. 8th.

8:49 - Foo Fighters.  Jack Black is pretty excited.  My only question is, would Nirvana perform on the Grammys? 

8:59 - A merger I could care less about, but my kids wanted to see - Rihanna & Coldplay.  The whole house is critical of Rihanna: from her voice, to outfit, her hair, dancing, to laying on the stage.  Yet, they like the song.  How are they related to me?

I heard an interview with Chris Martin on Howard Stern and I kind of liked him.  His biggest fault tonight is wearing a shirt two sizes too small...and maybe that off key falsetto!

9:08 - Anticipating Glen Campbell!

9:15 - "Walk" by the FF best Rock performance?  I cannot look at the "Lotus Flower" video without thinking of Fred Armesten imitating Thom Yorke for the Michael Buble Christmas Duets album on SNL.  

Dave Grohl still referencing Nirvana 20 years later...sad.

9:21 - Yes!  Foster the People!  Nice job.  I love the subtleness of FTP wearing the striped shirts like the Beach Boys in their heyday!  

Glen Campbell dancing is just great!

Colleen (my wife) asked if I like the Beach Boys.  I said I respect them, and Brian Wilson.  "God Only Knows" is a masterpiece.  Glad to see he is performing with the family, otherwise, it's the same group that comes to the Allentown Fair every year.  Is Stamos with them???

Glad to SEE the theremin!!! - wait is that a keyboard???

9:34 - Colleen: He (Sir Paul McCartney) looks pretty good.  Me: "Not really.  He dyes his hair and I think has extensions."  Vocally he sounds flat.  Yet, since he IS a Beatle, he gets a standing ovation.


9:38 - Gil Scott Heron remembered.  Nice.  The Revolution Will Not Be Televised!

Did they just nominate EL DIBARGE???

Chris Brown wins.  I can't back this guy.

9:41 - Colleen on the Civil War: "who ARE these guys?"  Country music is almost non-existent in our world.

EXCEPT FOR...
9:42 - TAYLOR SWIFT, my six year old's favorite.  I have a friend who teaches in Wyomissing (Reading, PA - where Taylor is from.)  You CANNOT speak a bad word about her in BERKS county.  Case closed.  Ok, I'll be kind, she can rock the banjo!

Colleen saw me chuckling as I wrote that and states that, she likes her.  Swift gets a standing ovation!  I love that she gives that dumbfounded look!  Colleen likes that she (Swift) likes Fleetwood Mac ( a Colleen & Doc Harson favorite.)

9:53 - Adele - two for two.

9:55 - Colleen: "Is something wrong with our TV?"  hahaha. Nope, It's Katy Perry breaking into her new song.   Nothing better than Katy Perry singing "ET"; a song that kids love, yet so overtly sexual.  "Prick me with your love pin..."  hmmm.

9:59 - What's up with Miranda Lambert's baby voice?  Country music: a part of Americana I just don't get.  BTW, I root for the 3rd wheel in Lady Antebellum.

10:08 - Why do I feel that they are pushing Adele?  She had major surgery.  She has nothing to prove, yet she felt she needed to sing tonight.  I just don't want her to blowout her pipes.  She looks a little like Ann Margaret.  Maybe that is because they try to film her from the shoulders up.  Nobody would guess she was 23.

10:13 - Molly asked me to wake her when Nikki Minaj comes on - I won't.  I'm sure we could make a great drinking game out of whenever Nikki Minaj rolls her eyes...

10:18 - C'mon "Wichita Linemen!!!"

10:20 - "Southern Nights."  How, I don't know, but I can sing along with it.  Too bad Blake Shelton is using a teleprompter to do the same.

10:22 - Glen sounds good.  LOVE the pink coat. Too bad his dentures are getting in the way.  He is one curmudgeonly looking fellow.   I think "Rhinestone Cowboy" is all we are getting.  Colleen is chuckling with his sidebar comments while singing. A fitting swan song.  Glad he enjoyed himself.

10:33  - Did Carrie Underwood call him Tony BENNIS?

10:35 - Bon - Hella'va neck beard, buddy!

10:37 - Colleen: "Where's Justin Beiber?"  Yup, that's my wife.
         
             Colleen on Bon Iver: "Goodbye, guy."  Ironically, winning that ward means exactly that.

10:38 -A Bruce reference.  Do you think Springsteen stuck around?
          
           First Whitney reference in a while.

10:41 - Dead musicians; one of my favorite parts of the show. Andrew Gold quickly skipped by.  Figure out that one...

The Big Man, Clarence Clemons is given proper respect.  Jungleland.  Nice.

10:45 - To me, I find it odd that to memorialize Whitney Houston, they use the Dolly Parton song.  She had other hits that were written specifically for her.  What about "The Greatest Love of All"?  Still, a sad tale.  Previously, I would have thought Amy Winehouse was going to be given the big "in Memoriam" treatment.

10:55 - Dancy Party!!!  Where did this crowd come from?  Didn't we just see people like Adele sitting in the front row?   Why do we get more Foo Fighters?

10:59 - The Grammys just turned into MTV's New Year's Eve Party with Dark Mouse.

11:07 - A Nikki Minaj mini movie about exorcism?  This is almost as good as R. Kelly's "Trapped in the Closet."I can say the fake British accent cannot hold a candle to one, Lady Sovereign.

11:11 - Colleen just gave a "what the hell?" when seeing the Nikki Minaj theatrics.

11:!2 -Record of the Year -  shocker (NOT!!!)  Adele primed to win.  My question is: didn't Mumford & Sons perform "The Cave" on last year's Grammys?  BTW - where has GAGA been?  She usually puts on a big performance.

11:20 - I love the giant wig on Diana Ross.  Album of the Year, hmm, would I buy any of these?  I just try and think how many of these had multiple hits on it - oh forget it, you know Adele will - I mean won it.  

11:23 - A thank you to Rick Rubin.  All I have to say is " NO SLEEP 'TILL...."

11:25 - LL just called Sir Paul "my homie!" He (LL) did a nice job tonight.  He was quick, jokeless, and to the point.  I would have liked a performance of this one, though...

11:26 - Sir Paul looks disturbing, and is off. 

11:27 - Who knew Matt Pinfield played drums...

11:29 - One thing I like about "Golden Slumbers" on the Beatles record is that it is the one time all 3 majors (John, George, and Paul) trade guitar solos.  A fun end to a career as a band.  For this performance, at least we get Bruce & Joe Walsh.  Who is the guy with them - NOT DAVE GROHL.

Goodnight all!

Big Star's Big Reach... (And Where Are They Now... Kurt Ralske Edition)

Listening to "September Gurls" by Big Star reminded me of a favorite song from my college years -- "Special One" by Ultra Vivid Scene. UVS was fronted by Kurt Ralske, who was clearly influenced by the Jesus and Mary Chain -- at least stylistically. But the verses in "Special One" (which was the underground band's best-known song and featured Kim Deal of the Pixies) sound a whole lot like "September Gurls" to my ear. Listen for yourself.

After I initially wrote this post, I did a little research and found that others have made the connection, too. Allmusic.com spotted it in their review of UVS's Joy 1967-1990 (saying Alex Chilton could sue for royalties) and there's a whole thread about it on a Teenage Fan Club forum here. 

Now, onto the Where Are They Now portion of the post. Kurt Ralske is a visual artist working in the medium of digital video and programming. And he's now a professor at the Rhode Island School of Design.

North Koreans Take On "Take On Me"

So you've probably already seen it, but the video of the North Korean accordion musicians playing a-Ha's "Take on Me" is worth watching. I'm sure the Dear Leader is smiling somewhere in heaven.

And when you're done watching that video, you can watch this ultra-creepy video of shrunken North Korean guitarists. I don't believe that they are children -- I think they are miniturized adults. And the way they all move in unison really weirds me out.

Song in My Head

Midnight Oil's "The Dead Heart". I heard it last night on Sirius and the line about corporations having more rights than people ('oh yeah') is totally relevant today. Just ask Mitt Romney about that. Either way, Midnight Oil was one of those great bands that I only recently came to really appreciate.

Why I Hate Tribute Bands

"I know it's over - still I cling/I don't know where else I can go..."

I appreciate what a band like The Sons and Heirs is trying to do. They want to bring back the experience of seeing something no one will ever see again -- a Smiths concert. Fine. But that's life. I missed my chance to see them live. I regret that, but The Sons and Heirs isn't the solution. Their act is so forced, so tortured and honestly, so dreadful. The beauty of the Smiths was that they were unlike anyone else. They were utterly creative -- a tense marriage of the genius guitar work of Johnny Marr and the literary wit of Morrissey -- and they were unlike anyone else. A tribute band is just like someone else. And that's why a Smiths tribute band (or any tribute band) just doesn't work. As Joe Strummer sang: "Phony Beatlemania has bitten the dust." Amen.

Damn you Spinner! - Songs used in Super Bowl commercials!

What struck me the most about yesterday's Super Bowl commercials wasn't the quality of the commercials, but the choice in songs used.  The first series of commercials open up wit Echo and the Bunnymen's "Killing Moon," and closed with the the Darkness' "I Believe in a Thing Call Love," with Kanye West, the Cult, the Animals, Ray Charles, Motley Crue, Fun, James Brown, Tone Loc, and others sprinkled in the middle.

I was going to post a few songs and videos, but Spinner beat me to it.  Here's their link, and here is the Darkness - hey, why not?  Man, Justin Hawkins was born too late.  He would have given Diamond Dave a run for his money!