Stuck in My Head

My Alex Chilton kick continues, this time with an early 90s band deeply influenced by Chilton's Big Star. Scotland's Teenage Fanclub were critical darlings in their day, but I didn't exactly like them at the time. I've gone back and listened to 1991's Bandwagonesque, which is full of power pop gems that sound like carbon copies of the standout tracks from Radio City or #1 Record. Here's one of them -- "Star Sign".

What is Classic Rock?

The numbers gurus over at FiveThirtyEight put together an excellent analysis of what constitutes classic rock. They analyzed song plays on classic rock radio in the top thirty markets across the country and found that -- while there are a lot of similarities (Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, ZZ Top, Boston), there are just as many differences. For example, Billy Joel gets the most plays in New York and Miami, but far fewer plays elsewhere. Of course, I'd be happy if he got no plays -- how could a piano be the lead instrument in classic rock?

And of course just reading the article will send you down a YouTube rabbit hole. Mine began with Boston's schlock rock anthem "Peace of Mind" (one of two Boston songs among the ten most frequently played songs on classic rock radio) and ended with "Turn Turn Turn" by the Byrds.

Anyway, read all about it here.

Stumbling Upon Gold

Did you ever have one of those times when you fell down a YouTube rabbit hole and discovered something truly great? It just happened to me.

I'm reading the new biography of Alex Chilton, and as a result listening to a lot of Box Tops and Big Star. One of my work colleagues came of age in the late 60s, and knew the Box Tops, but didn't realize Chilton was 16 when their classic single "The Letter" was released.

So then I tried to explain Big Star, and how Chilton went in a completely different direction with that band. I played "September Gurls" (which is probably in my Top 15 all-time) and he thought of Marshall Crenshaw. So I went looking for Marshall Crenshaw songs -- other than "Someday, Someway" which everyone of a certain age knows -- and found this:

I realize I'm late to the game: the song was used in the movie D.E.B.S. and covered by everyone from Freedy Johnston to Bette Midler and to Owen Paul and even Ronnie Spector, but the original is truly great song.

The Best World Cup Anthem Of All Time

Those of you who know me already know how I feel about this topic. Without a doubt, 1990's "World in Motion" by New Order (rebadged as England New Order in support of their home side) is not just the best World Cup Anthem of all time, but the only one you can actually listen to. There's nothing not to like about it, unless - like me - you stumble upon the myriad occasions when John Barnes performs his rap. He's apparently willing to do it anywhere, anytime. Here he is at Mark Wright's 50th birthday party:

And here he is in a tight bathing suit sitting poolside last month in Dubai. No joke -- someone with a camera asked him to rap, and he obliged.

Barnes may be a good sport, but that's just embarrassing for everyone involved.

But even that's not as bad as Germany's 1994 effort -- the one that enlisted the Village People to sing about all the great things that happen in America, where that year's Cup was held.

At least that has kitschy charm. And if Juergen Klinsmann succeeds with the USA team, the song and video can be forgiven.

The songs that deserve the title of worst World Cup anthem ever are the typical run-of-the-mill dreck that the corporate entities try to feed us. Take "We Are One (Ole Ola)", this year's collaboration between Pitbull and Jennifer Lopez.

Pure garbage. Ditto for 2010's "Waka Waka" by Shakira.

I much prefer this year's "England's Heartbeat" by Shuttleworth featuring Mark E. Smith of The Fall. It sounds promising....

But no. And then there was this 1998's official England anthem "(How Does it Feel) To Be on Top of the World" featuring the ill-conceived pairing of the Spice Girls and Echo and the Bunnymen.

What were they thinking?

Stuck In My Head

Here's a nearly forgotten gem, and it's hard to believe it's been more than 20 years since its release. In the summer of 1993, California punk band Face to Face released "Disconnected" as a single, only to re-mix it for a subsequent EP and re-record it for a later album. That's a lot of mileage off of one track, but two decades later it's still a hell of a track.

Stuck in my Head

I found this tune last week when I posted about the 90s alt-rock nonsense lyrics supercut. And a week and half later, I can't get Sloan's "People of the Sky" out of my head. I didn't know this Halifax band at their admittedly modest zenith back in the 90s, but on the strength of this song alone I went and listened to more of their work. Sadly, the rest of the Sloan back catalog doesn't seem to stand up to this track. That's OK -- "People of the Sky" is just another perfect power-pop gem that is nearly gone ... and virtually forgotten.

LEGO me this, my brotha!

Where were these when I was a kid?  I loved LEGOS and music.  Combining the two rock my world.  You can get all sorts of great bands: The Smiths, Cypress Hill, Joy Division, The Beastie Boys, KISS, Blur...you name it.
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