The Days of Lore

Rolling Stone: Not so pretty

Wednesday, March 25th, 2009 | musiX | 7 Comments

It’s no secret that Rolling Stone magazine has steadily been going to hell in a handbasket for years. Financially, too, I’m sure. I receive a free subscription to the hippie-hipster rag because I purchased a few tickets through Ticketmaster (I figured I’m owed about $183 for all those service charges I’ve paid over the past 20 years).

It’s bad. Thin political pieces. Lame interviews. Predictable album reviews. Buzzing about buzz bands that buzzed so many moons ago. My favorite part of the magazine? Reading the From the Vault section and waxing nostalgic on the songs and albums that were popular decades ago.

Three things that have recently made me cringe: A sorry stab at satire in the form of a faux interview with former President George Bush in January; a five-star review of the new U2 record by usual suspect David Fricke; and the latest cover featuring two pretty young things from a show called Gossip Girl sharing an ice cream cone … looks like strawberry, perhaps.

Don’t get me wrong—I don’t like Bush, I like-like U2 and I really like pretty young things and ice cream … oh ice cream … sweet, sweet ice cream …

… where was I? Yes, during the first week of March in 1979, the Top 10 singles were as follows:

1. Gloria Gaynor
“I Will Survive”

2. Rod Stewart
“Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?”

3. Bee Gees
“Tragedy”

4. The Pointer Sisters
“Fire”

5. Donna Summer with Brooklyn Dreams
“Heaven Knows”

6. Olivia Newton-John
“A Little More Love”

7. Peaches and Herb
“Shake Your Groove Thing”

8. The Doobie Brothers
“What a Fool Believes”

9. Village People
“Y.M.C.A.”

10. Dire Straits
“Sultans of Swing”

Tags: David Fricke, Rolling Stone, U2

Ki** our a**, Ja** We**er!

Monday, December 8th, 2008 | musiX | 2 Comments

Well, I’ll be damned. A non-KISS frea … err … fan has called attention to the fact that those fun-loving, middle-aged Knights in Satan’s Service STILL haven’t been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The fine folks over at Ear Farm have made their Top 20 Candidates For the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, written in a very logical, un-KISS frea … err … fan-biased-diatribe kinda way.

To put it into perspective, an artist is eligible for the Hall of Fame 25 years after the release of their debut. KISS was eligible in 1999. Yeah, they didn’t make the 2009 cut, either. Of course, KISS’ exclusion makes perfect sense when you realize who’s chairing the RNRHOF: Jann Wenner, founder of Rolling Stone, the magazine that never gave KISS the time of day even when the band was in their halcyon ’70s prime. The complete HOF list is here. And if the following clip (one of my personal favorites) doesn’t scream rock ‘n’ roll, I don’t know what does.

KISS performing “Parasite” live in San Francisco, 1975

Tags: "Parasite", Ear Farm, Jann Wenner, KISS, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Rolling Stone

Barroom blitz

Friday, October 31st, 2008 | musiX, pdX | No Comments

Blitzen Trapper might have the best logo I’ve seen in years. However, if you were to judge a band by its album cover you might think the Portland, Ore., sextet was a throwback to when rockers dressed like women and women liked that sort of thing. But there’s nary a gimmick here. Blitzen Trapper hearkens back to American roots music of the late-’60s early-’70s in the vein of Neil Young and The Band—it’s the kind of music I’ve been listening to for years without actually having listened to Blitzen Trapper. How could this happen?!

The band has been kicking around since 2003, but it wasn’t until the release of 2007’s Wild Mountain Nation that these guys began their journey to becoming household names in the hovels of music dweebs across the country. Blitzen Trapper has appeared in Rolling Stone, received the elusive “Pitchfork bump” and has been blogged about by everyone and their mothers (hi mom!).

With the recent release of Furr (their first for Sub Pop), the members of Blitzen Trapper are doing it all over again. Rave reviews, big shows (they’ve already played with Fleet Foxes and Stephen Malkmus and have gigs lined up with Iron & Wine and a Nov. 17 performance on Late Night with Conan O’Brien). Why not? Smart lyrics, pop hooks, sweet harmonies. Just the right amount of twang and rawk. Fits well in a smoky bar or a big stage. You’d be silly not to like it. Does this mean it’s acceptable for critics to officially bring back the term “alt-country”? Didn’t think so.

“Gold For Bread” - Blitzen Trapper

Tags: Blitzen Trapper, Fleet Foxes, Furr, Iron & Wine, Neil Young, Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Stephen Malkmus, Sub Pop, The Band, Wild Mountain nation