Christie's Auction House has announced that it will sell off '70's Punk Memorabilia on 11/28. The first thing that comes to mind is "counterfeit." Steve Jones (Sex Pistol's) has sold his "original" white Les Paul that he used on Never Mind the Bullocks something like 7 times to 7 different suckers. He openly admits to this fraud and thinks it's funny (so do I).
If someone is dumb enough to pay a thousand dollars for a set list from a Clash show 30 years ago they should keep in mind that while punk was about calling attention to the fake posturing found in everyday life it wasn't against exploiting the gullible stupid masses that let other's decide what's important and valuable for them. I hope Mick Jones wrote it up last week and wiped his arse with it.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Paul Westerberg 49
For an album that lasted less than a month online and cost .49 to purchase I think that we have witnessed the epitome of rock n' roll spirit in this cyber-world (or as close as you can get to it here). Great songs (some of his best since 14 Songs) whipped out and thrown online with no 6-month record company hype or second guessing middle men trying to figure out how to best market for profit.
49 is a man recording songs at home, making his own artwork (kinda) and throwing it up for all to devour. Sure, tons of indie kids and unsigned bands put things on the web everyday in hopes of discovery or getting a larger fan base but this is different. Westerberg could easily get someone to "properly" release his recordings if he so desired and would probably get a couple of free dinners out of the deal but he 's living life differently right now and the old coot may be finding a way for rock music to be lively again. Stripping away layers of the b.s. between fans and bands can only be a good thing. Maybe rock music could even get unpredictable again. 49 sure is.
49 is a man recording songs at home, making his own artwork (kinda) and throwing it up for all to devour. Sure, tons of indie kids and unsigned bands put things on the web everyday in hopes of discovery or getting a larger fan base but this is different. Westerberg could easily get someone to "properly" release his recordings if he so desired and would probably get a couple of free dinners out of the deal but he 's living life differently right now and the old coot may be finding a way for rock music to be lively again. Stripping away layers of the b.s. between fans and bands can only be a good thing. Maybe rock music could even get unpredictable again. 49 sure is.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Blew the Chord
I was playing guitar this morning with the window open (it's finally cool enough) and a man walking by stopped and listened. I was creating a song spontaneously with fairly common structure for anyone who is familiar with the Beatles or 60's era Stones and was feeling pretty good about things. No words, just music.
When I got to the bridge, or middle eight for those who follow along with such things, I not only picked the wrong chord but also fretted it wrong and ruined the moment. The pedestrian shook his head and kept walking. It was that obvious. My cats are fluffy. That sentence is what the chord was like. Disruptive and annoying.
I have since figured out a way to make that chord work in a Guided by Voices "cut and paste" kind of way. It's not pretty but it's bold and artsy. I've been waiting for that guy to walk past for a couple of hours now, hoping he was just going to the store, or for a walk, and would pass by returning to his place of origin.
I would play a few bars leading to the bridge and give him the mind blowing wrong chord with confidence so he would see that it could work. It could be "fluffy cats" and turn into a song that made it relevant, even referencing the previous beauty but never fully returning to it.
I think he may be avoiding this street so he doesn't have to be disappointed again. He is probably old school and would hate the Bob Pollard method of songwriting, but at least he would see that it could work.
Maybe he would be so impressed that he would offer me a beer from the six pack he just bought and I could turn him on to Bee Thousand and let him know when my band is playing so I could dedicate the inspiration to finish this song to him from the stage.
Maybe he went home and finished the song way better than I ever could. Maybe he'll let me hear it someday and turn me on to some songwriting technique so creative that only he could have done it so well.
When I got to the bridge, or middle eight for those who follow along with such things, I not only picked the wrong chord but also fretted it wrong and ruined the moment. The pedestrian shook his head and kept walking. It was that obvious. My cats are fluffy. That sentence is what the chord was like. Disruptive and annoying.
I have since figured out a way to make that chord work in a Guided by Voices "cut and paste" kind of way. It's not pretty but it's bold and artsy. I've been waiting for that guy to walk past for a couple of hours now, hoping he was just going to the store, or for a walk, and would pass by returning to his place of origin.
I would play a few bars leading to the bridge and give him the mind blowing wrong chord with confidence so he would see that it could work. It could be "fluffy cats" and turn into a song that made it relevant, even referencing the previous beauty but never fully returning to it.
I think he may be avoiding this street so he doesn't have to be disappointed again. He is probably old school and would hate the Bob Pollard method of songwriting, but at least he would see that it could work.
Maybe he would be so impressed that he would offer me a beer from the six pack he just bought and I could turn him on to Bee Thousand and let him know when my band is playing so I could dedicate the inspiration to finish this song to him from the stage.
Maybe he went home and finished the song way better than I ever could. Maybe he'll let me hear it someday and turn me on to some songwriting technique so creative that only he could have done it so well.
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