From: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org (fegmaniax-digest) To: fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Subject: fegmaniax-digest V9 #17 Reply-To: fegmaniax@smoe.org Sender: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk fegmaniax-digest Thursday, January 20 2000 Volume 09 : Number 017 Today's Subjects: ----------------- call off the hounds! ["Faecal Emergency" ] Material Issue100% Robyn0% [Plpalmer@ix.netcom.com] life imitates feg -- AGAIN! ["Faecal Emergency" ] Re: ignorant question [MARKEEFE@aol.com] Re: ignorant question [MARKEEFE@aol.com] are any of you turned on? [Bayard ] Re: ignorant question/embarrassing records ["Richard Zeszotarski" ] Re: ignorant question/embarrassing records [Ethyl Ketone ] yes i am definitely turned on. mmmmmmm. ["Jason R. Thornton" ] Re: ignorant question [Eb ] Re: embarrassing records [Katherine Rossner ] Guiltiest *Pleasure* [Vivien Lyon ] Re: ignorant question/embarrassing records [hal brandt ] Re: embarrassing records [Eleanore Adams ] embarrasing albums [Eleanore Adams ] That chubby guy in South Park Hell! Simon! Dennis & Tommy! [The Great Qua] Vanity Kills, it don't pay bills [John Barrington Jones ] Re: guiltiest pleasure [Eb ] guilty pleasures [fartachu ] Re: guilty pleasures [Eb ] Re: embarassing [ultraconformist@ets.cncdsl.com] Re: ignorant question [normal@grove.ufl.edu] Audities picks for '99 [steve ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 11:48:24 PST From: "Faecal Emergency" Subject: call off the hounds! mr. chris franz has kindly forwarded mr. aidan merrit's post, meaning the rest of you can cease your preparations to do so. thanks, chris! next time you're in town, i'll buy you a wiener or something. ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 11:59:02 -0700 From: Plpalmer@ix.netcom.com Subject: Material Issue100% Robyn0% If anyone wants to trade Material Issue CDRs, I have a two CD set of b-sides and rarities. Peter ultraconformist@ets.cncdsl.com wrote: > >Does anyone know the story behind them? > > Why yes. > > The tone of your post is kind of funny to me, this "we found this test > pressing, whatever happened to these people" tone, because in Chicago > Material Issue was a VERY BIG DEAL. Not to mention they were kind of...hrm, > how to explain it, kind of local heroes I guess. Or rather, Jim Ellison > kinda was really. I had friends and acquaintances who knew and played with > the guy, I was only fairly vaguely "waving acquainted", you might say. > Anyway, just gave me a grin to see someone be like "hey, who are these > guys?". > > They signed to Mercury and recorded three albums for them, "International > Pop Overthrow", which sold somewhat well, and "Destination Universe", which > sold more modestly (tho "What Girls Want" was a moderate alt radio hit), > and "Freak City Soundtrack", which sold hardly at all. "Telecommando > Americano", which came out on Rykodisc in 1997, is what basically were > demos for what would have been the next Material Issue record, and the 1987 > "Material Issue" ep (originally on Big Block/Land). > > >Is any of their stuff still available? > > Um, "International Pop Overthrow" might be. > > Love on ya, > Susan ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 12:00:06 PST From: "Faecal Emergency" Subject: life imitates feg -- AGAIN! just received an electronic mail from somebody (not on the list), regarding a pending robyn trade, with the following query tacked on to the end: This will sound bizarre--but do you know somebody who has tapes of Jim Ellison from Material Issue (RIP) and Pat Dinuzio together? I was cleaning off the envelope to reuse it and saw a papaer on the front with their names on it. Let me know! nirvana have also covered Here She Comes Now, by the way. ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 15:08:56 EST From: MARKEEFE@aol.com Subject: Re: ignorant question In a message dated 1/18/00 11:43:39 PM Pacific Standard Time, jh3@winco.net writes: << I guess I just automatically react badly whenever I see the word "resonate" being used. It seems like such a nebulous term... but from the way you were using it originally, I have to assume you're saying that what makes song lyrics "successful" or whatever is the extent to which one can personally relate to some sort of true experience being described or emotion being conveyed, and I just think that's a big load o' hooey. >> Huh. Okay. I know that what I said is often true for me, but I can definitely accept that it wouldn't be the case for all other people. What is it about the lyrics of a song that make it successful for *you* then? << Personal experiences tend to be overrated, in my opinion. If I wanted to re-live my personal experiences every time I turned on the CD player, I'd listen to songs about programming computers, shoveling horse manure, and getting gnawed on by seemingly cute little kitty-cats >> Well, I think the idea is to relate to *intersting* personal experiences - -- to tap into something meaningful. Or to distract yourself from something crappy by listening to something fun. The celebration of the mundane in music can be kinda cool sometimes, but I'd rather shoot myself than listen to a song about computer programming. << And saying that RH lyrics (or anyone else's) "resonate with [your] sense of humor" is like saying that your paycheck resonates with your sense of financial well-being. It may be true, but it just sounds a little pretentious... to me, at least. >> Well, excuh-yooo-ooose ME! I'll try to not, like, ya know, talk so, like, pretentiously, or whatever, from now on, 'kay? ;-) << But I guess that doesn't necessarily make you the embodiment ofrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr444444444 eeeeeeeeeedsdzxzxzzz pure evil. >> Thanks! :-) [if he only knew about my telepathic cat programming voodoo abilities, he'd think differently . . . heh, heh, heh . . . ] - ------Michael K. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 15:16:30 EST From: MARKEEFE@aol.com Subject: Re: ignorant question In a message dated 1/19/00 10:36:48 AM Pacific Standard Time, matt@picton.net writes: << And - shock, horror - is Valerie Loves Me actually *about* anything?? >> I seem to remember hearing or reading an interview when that came out and that it was based on some real girl from the lead singer's past. But, basically, it's just a very good boy/girl song. Mmm. Those staccato guitar stabs and then the big shout of "Valerie loves me!" -- a great pop moment. - ------Michael K. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 15:21:45 -0500 (EST) From: Bayard Subject: are any of you turned on? > >Yes, their lyrics are simple. So what. They've got some great songs. > What is it that makes their songs so great if they can only come up with > simple lyrics? [...] Simple-minded lyrics can sometimes be that which > distinguishes the great songs from the catchy. There is a vast difference, I think, between "simple" and "simple minded". Simplicity has ties to purity, for example, and can denote such. By the bye, who here has an always- on Net connection and can donate me some FTP space? The robyn-related benefits to you are large. DSL, cable net connection anyone? =b ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 16:01:39 EST From: "Richard Zeszotarski" Subject: Re: ignorant question/embarrassing records >> >><< >Here's a fun game: What is the cheesiest, guiltiest-pleasure album >>that >> >any of us has in our collections? Are we man/woman enough to divulge the >> >truth? Well, in mine, there are several. I've already mentioned on here that I own a copy of the Ukrainians' album with the Smiths' covers, sothere's one already. Others would have to be William Shatner's "The Transformed Man", Happy Flowers' "Oof!", the Ethel Merman Disco album, a 50 cent bin cpy of Abba's "Arrival", and a 25 cent bin copy of Hit TV theme songs (featuring "What's Happening", "Welcome back, Kotter", and, oh yes, the Theme from S.W.A.T.). I also once owned a copy of the What Peggy Wants tape, which was a pseudo-goth, glam rock band that featured future member/members of Squirrel Nut Zippers. - -Rich "Mr. Tambourine MAAAAN!"Z ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 16:12:35 EST From: "Richard Zeszotarski" Subject: Re: ignorant question >Me? Probably Belinda Carlisle, but the Jane Wiedlin album is fully >justifiable. >Which Jane Wiedlin album? I have the first, self-titled one, and while, >yes, it is incredibly bubble-gummy pop, I find it a lot of fun, so add that >to mylistof guilty pleasure albums. >Oh, and I don't apologize for the Oingo Boingo even though Viv thinks I >should. You shouldn't. I adore Oingo Boing, having really gotten into them during my big ska/80's new wave phase. - -Rich "It's a Dead Man's Party, who could ask for more?" Z ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 16:20:16 -0500 From: Ethyl Ketone Subject: Re: ignorant question/embarrassing records At 4:01 PM -0500 1/19/00, fegs wrote: Here's a fun game: What is the cheesiest, guiltiest-pleasure album that any of us has in our collections? Are we man/woman enough to divulge the truth? Oops, I almost forgot more vinyl embarrasement: god I just remebered I have that first Deep Purple album - "Shades of Deep Purple" It was one of my first albums along with "Through the Past Darkly" also "Have a Marijuana" - David Peel and the Lower East Side plus I admit I still have: American Beauty Skeletons From the Closet and Wake of the Flood on vinyl (all guilty pleasures). And that first Jimmy Buffet album, the one he did while he was still in Nashville? I can see the cover but can't remember the title since all my records are in storage along with my turntable... "Questions are a burden for others. Answers are a prison for oneself." **************************************************************************** C. J. Galbraith Ketone Press meketone@ix.netcom.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 13:26:54 -0800 From: Eb Subject: Re: power pop, etc. MG: >I associate the term with post-punk melodic bands like the Buzzcocks after >Howard de Voto had left, and (talking of Feargal Sharkey) the Undertones. >Records with a typical power pop sound from that era are 'My perfect >cousin' by the Undertones Your conception of the term is a lot more abrasive than the norm. Like, if you're talking about that era, I think the ultimate example is probably the Knack. Punk doesn't have much of a place in the "power pop" canon -- the musical influences mined seem to be almost exclusively pre-1975 (unless one borrows from *another* contemporary band whose influences are exclusively pre-1975). >Fortunately this is an album question, so I don't have to mention my >extensive collection of Bonnie Tyler singles. The answer is probably the >Bee Gees first album, which I bought for 'Craise Finton Kirk'. Heh. I had that album for several years...bought a totally trashed copy for a quarter. I finally traded it back, at least partially because its horrible condition was such a turn-off. I can still hear in my head the one line which skipped.... >And I've >got 'Blows against the empire' but I thought it was fantastically cool, >which gives you some idea ... Huh...maybe I should hear this album. Though it does have That Chubby Bearded Guy on it, right? Ehh Department: I heard two Material Issue albums (International Pop Overthrow and whichever one had a deep orange-ish cover), and they fell too close to the "generic pop template" for me. My sister coaxed me out of my copy of IPO, though -- I guess she dug it.... Eb (who is Danny Amis?) PS I doubt that anyone else here can top "A Kenny Rogers Christmas." I think we have a winner. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 13:33:06 -0800 From: "Jason R. Thornton" Subject: yes i am definitely turned on. mmmmmmm. At 03:21 PM 1/19/00 -0500, Bayard wrote: > > >Yes, their lyrics are simple. So what. They've got some great songs. > > > What is it that makes their songs so great if they can only come up with > > simple lyrics? [...] Simple-minded lyrics can sometimes be that which > > distinguishes the great songs from the catchy. > >There is a vast difference, I think, between "simple" and "simple minded". >Simplicity has ties to purity, for example, and can denote such. Without delving too far into a discussion on semantics, yes, "simple" can mean a variety of things. And I'm probably guilty of fluctuating a bit on the definitions. While I agree that there can be an emotionally powerful sort of purity and innocence inherent in the "basics" (and this is perhaps what can also be appealing about the Magnetic Fields - the regurgitating of a multitude of "simple" yet charged forms), constant and widespread naivety is not always a "good" thing. Relying on it can stifle creativity and change. Too much emphasis on simplicity only allows the simple-minded, the unintelligent and unartistic tripe like the Backstreet Boys and Mariah what's-her-body, to come to the forefront of public attention. It allows craftspeople rather than artists to run the show. I'm not saying we should dismiss tradition nor fill all our songs with big long words. I'm just saying that simplicity without an intelligent, innovative edge can be quite boring. Or at least not interesting enough to label "GREAT." Which was pretty much my problem with Joel's choice of words. In fact, I'd say simple-mindedness and laziness, formulaically taking the easy path in songwriting and music, are what drain the "simple," the basic and the pure, of its power. When I said before that "I don't mind filling the world with love songs, I just don't want them to be silly ones," by "silly" I didn't mean "humorous" or "fun." I think humor can be brainy. I meant only the foolishly simple - - as opposed to deceptively simple. As someone else pointed out... I like synth-pop. And Chris Isaak. How embarrassing is that? Talk about simple. I'm not even suggesting that I'm somehow "above" liking simple things. But the stuff that really impresses me though - the stuff I would really categorize as "great" - usually has a little something more. - --Jason "it is still merely the rock and the roll to me!" Thornton "Only the few know the sweetness of the twisted apples." - Sherwood Anderson ------------------------------ Date: 19 Jan 2000 16:42:36 -0500 From: Jeffrey_Rose@eri.eisai.com Subject: Lyrics vs. melody, etc. I look to different genres for different musical pleasures. I like rock, power pop stuff, and electric blues for car rides, parties, or for doing chores around the house, etc. Lyrics aren't really important here but an occasional choice line from someone like Hitchcock or Scott Miller (Loud Family) does enhance the staying power of the music. The energy, melody, and beat of the song is what floats my boat. When I want the lyrics to count, I listen to singer-songwriter types like Peter Himmelman, Bill Morrissey, James McMurty, Greg Brown, and Loudon Wainwright. Of course, Richard Thompson's best stuff satisfies both needs. For relaxing with the sports page on Sunday morning, its either hard bop jazz, solo acoustic guitar stuff, or classic country blues. Can't explain why. Just is. Anyway, rarely do I expect a song to satisfy me on all levels and after all, variety is the spicegirl of life. Jeffro ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 16:49:28 -0500 (EST) From: Christopher Gross Subject: Re: ignorant question/embarrassing records > Here's a fun game: What is the cheesiest, guiltiest-pleasure album that > any of us has in our collections? Are we man/woman enough to divulge the > truth? Mine may be the Galactic Force Band's 1978 classic, _Spaced Out Disco_. Cheesy disco versions of the theme music from Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, etc. I had my parents buy that one for me when I was ten or so, and haven't listened to it since I was eleven or so, but I can't quite manage getting rid of it.... How about guiltiest-pleasure movies? I've always had an inexplicable fondness for White Lightning (1973). Burt Reynolds plays Gator McClusky, an Arkansas moonshine runner released from prison to help the Feds build a case against the corrupt sherrif who murdered Gator's little brother. Lots of car chases and white trash stereotypes. I cannot offer a single rational reason why I like this movie, but I do. - --Chris ______________________________________________________________________ Christopher Gross On the Internet, nobody knows I'm a dog. chrisg@gwu.edu ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 17:00:33 -0500 From: Stephen Buckalew Subject: Re: ignorant question Eb wrote: >PS I doubt that anyone else here can top "A Kenny Rogers Christmas." I >think we have a winner. I wonder what Robyn's cheesiest guilty pleasure is...remember, this is a guy who covered "Kung Fu Fighting".... ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 14:05:31 -0800 From: Eb Subject: Re: ignorant question >I wonder what Robyn's cheesiest guilty pleasure is... Probably the Queen Elvis album. ;) Eb ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 17:17:42 -0500 From: Katherine Rossner Subject: Re: embarrassing records Since I've gotten rid of all my vinyl (no lectures, please) rather than deal with moving it, probably the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem discs. (My favorite when I was two...) Or maybe "American Pie". At 04:20 PM 1/19/00 -0500, Ethyl Ketone wrote: >god I just remebered I have that first Deep Purple album - "Shades of Deep >Purple" It was one of my first albums along with "Through the Past Darkly" "Through the Past Darkly" was the first CD I ever bought for myself. (And it might be the only definitely "rock" album I still have. No, there's also a "best of" for Blood, Sweat, and Tears.) The recording I'm most embarrassed by still enjoying is a tape of French nursery rhymes. Katherine - -- Ye knowe ek, that in forme of speche is chaunge Withinne a thousand yere, and wordes tho That hadden pris, now wonder nyce and straunge Us thinketh hem, and yit they spake hem so. - Chaucer, "Troilus and Criseyde" ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 14:49:59 -0800 (PST) From: Vivien Lyon Subject: Guiltiest *Pleasure* Ahem. There is a difference, and I think it is an important one, between the album in one's collection that continues to render one prone and feeble with guilty pleasure, and the album in one's collection that is embarrassing but one cannot bear to get rid of it, though one has not listened to said album in years. Having said that, I must courageously make my bid for most cheesy and embarrassing guilty pleasure. I hereby proclaim my love for a Christian pop-folk band from the late 60's-early 70's called The Good News Circle. Lyrics (that I occasionally find myself belting out, much to Cappy's chagrin) include such gems as: Back on the road to Jesus Nothing in the sky but the light of day Breaking in a new tomorrow What a way to go! Traveling highways Telling his story Byways are my ways Singing his glory Now the road is winding And in time we'll come to rest Day by day we're finding That the one way is the best! It's not just the bad, Ned Flanders quality of the lyrics that make this so ridiculous. The music is is a wretched neutered pastiche of sixties/seventies musical styles, pathically funky in places, unconvincingly soulful in others, and white white white. Vivien I also like Neil Diamond's Jazz Singer. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 16:03:40 -0600 From: hal brandt Subject: Re: ignorant question/embarrassing records > Here's a fun game: What is the cheesiest, guiltiest-pleasure album that > any of us has in our collections? "The Ultimate Prophecy" - J.D. Blackfoot "Storm At Sunup" - Gino Vanelli "Nunsexmonkrock" - Nina Hagen > PS I doubt that anyone else here can top "A Kenny Rogers Christmas." I > think we have a winner. Waitaminnit...before a winner is declared, consider these vinyl gems (actually in my collection!): "The Amazing Spiderman: Beyond The Grave-A Rockcomic!" (Buddah BDS 5119) "Reach" - Richard Simmons (Elektra E1-60122 F) "Fun & Romance" - Wolfman Jack (Columbia KC33501) [autographed!] (catalog #'s included for historic purposes only-these are all mercifully out-of-print, I do believe...) /hal ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 15:30:00 -0800 From: Tom Clark Subject: Re: ignorant question On 1/19/2000 8:47 AM, Michael R. Runion wrote: >> Here's a fun game: What is the cheesiest, guiltiest-pleasure album >> that any of us has in our collections? Are we man/woman enough to >> divulge the truth? > >REO Speedwagon "Hi Infidelity" (gulp...and I've even gone through two >copies of this!) > >runners up: >Foreigner "4" >Chicago 16 >Journey "Escape" Sorry, Mike, you're going to have to leave the list now. - -tc Guiltiest pleasure: ABC "The Lexicon of Love" (Also the first album I ever bought in the CD format). First album ever bought with my own money (3rd grade): Grand Funk Railroad "Live Album" ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 15:37:08 +0800 From: Eleanore Adams Subject: Re: embarrassing records I am a proud owner of two Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass albums, the Lonely Bull andWhat Now My Love. On vinyl. elenaore ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 15:40:58 +0800 From: Eleanore Adams Subject: embarrasing albums I am a proud owner of two Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass albums, the Lonely Bull andWhat Now My Love. On vinyl. elenaore ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 19:28:12 -0500 From: The Great Quail Subject: That chubby guy in South Park Hell! Simon! Dennis & Tommy! Eb flows: >>And I've >>got 'Blows against the empire' but I thought it was fantastically cool, >>which gives you some idea ... > >Huh...maybe I should hear this album. Though it does have That >Chubby Bearded Guy on it, right? Yes, why yes indeed it does. - --Quail, still distressed that Carrie finds Deep Purple and the Grateful Dead "guilty" pleasures. Hey, even Tony Soprano likes his Deep Purple! PS: My guilty pleasures are manifold, but the ones that leap to mind are Duran Duran's first two albums. Oh, and Styx's "Paradise Theater" and "Kilroy Was Here," which I swear to God I still listen to. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 17:43:31 -0800 (PST) From: John Barrington Jones Subject: Vanity Kills, it don't pay bills Hey Tom Clark! Just remember that one person's guilty pleasure is another's cause for great offense. "Lexicon of Love"? How could you? That album is brilliant!! (ah, but "Beauty Stab" is not....and that is one OF MY cheezy favorites that just sprang to mind. But......ugggggghhhhhhh.....I just can't stop!!! Must listen to more "Beauty Stab"!) =jbj= ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 17:39:58 -0800 (PST) From: John Barrington Jones Subject: guiltiest musical pleasure I can come up with two; one has just become cheezy within the last few years for various reasons. The first album I ever bought with my own money (much against my babysitter's chagrin; I told her she could buy a Classical tape for me, and once we got in the store and she was picking out something for me, I ran to get it and plunked down my pathetic quarters, dimes, etc.) was Cat Stevens' Teaser and The Firecat. Still a favorite to this day. I listen to it a few times a year. The other one is Prince's 1999 (and Controversy). The Artist gets a bad rap these days for his attention grabbing stunts, and the hipper crowd of today (the ones with the Old Navy vests) frowns upon that "skinny motherfucker with the high voice." Cheezy singles are MUCH more embarrasing and easy to think of. "Just Remember I Love You" by Firefall is one that quickly comes to mind. "Baker Street" by Gerry Rafferty is another one. I remain, =the ancient lobsterman (now with cheez whiz sauce)= ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 18:50:13 -0800 From: Eb Subject: Re: guiltiest pleasure JBJ: >I ran to get it and plunked down my pathetic quarters, dimes, etc.) > >Cat Stevens' Teaser and The Firecat. I have that, too -- I bought it for a pathetic quarter, in fact. He's *somewhat* of a guilty pleasure (I even have three other cheap CS records), but hey, he wrote some charming little songs. Nothing wrong with that. He never sold out. The only thing which really makes his music "guilty" today is the controversy over his strident religious views. I mean, I'd certainly feel a lot more guilty about owning a James Taylor album (I don't) than a Cat Stevens one. For instance. >The other one is Prince's 1999 (and Controversy). Prince, a guilty pleasure? Come on! Sorry folks, but the Kenny Rogers confession still claims the #1 slot. ;) Ebfish & coffee ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 23:15:44 -0500 From: fartachu Subject: guilty pleasures when we last left our heroes, Eb exclaimed: >PS I doubt that anyone else here can top "A Kenny Rogers Christmas." I >think we have a winner. hmmm. *both* nu shooz albums? +w ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 20:34:46 -0800 From: Eb Subject: Re: guilty pleasures >when we last left our heroes, Eb exclaimed: > >>PS I doubt that anyone else here can top "A Kenny Rogers Christmas." I >>think we have a winner. > >hmmm. *both* nu shooz albums? Well, come on...you don't count. Your whole *collection* is a guilty pleasure. ;) Eb ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 23:28:49 -0600 From: ultraconformist@ets.cncdsl.com Subject: Re: embarassing Additions from our house. Doug has some he wants to add although he is feg by proxy. They're good ones tho. John Kay (ex-Steppenwolf)- "Forgotten Songs and Unsung Heroes" Whatever the second Iron Butterfly is called Camel- "Nude" AND "Rain Dances" Duke and The Jupiters- "Taste The Night" Henry Gross- "Henry Gross" He also owns and likes a frightening number of the other albums mentioned. He also owns Kenny Rogers XMas but claims he doesn't know where it came from either. Someone is going round the country planting these babies. Mine: I actually couldn't find much that embarassed me. I don't know if this is because I have great taste or because I am not easily embarassed in this regard. In any event, there wasn't much that I enjoy listening to that I also think is more than about 80 percent awful. David Allan Coe- "Live". Yes, this is the one with "Take This Job and Shove it". I really bought it for "You Never Even Called Me By My Name (Sad Country Song)", which I love. This album is a total redneck experience. "Big Country"- "Big Country". Haven't listened to the whole album in years but still get surprisingly into it when I hear "In A Big Country" on 80s nights. I would probably still like it if I bothered to dig it out. I like "The Seer" too, and unlike the first album which at least had the virtue of novelty, "The Seer" has no real redeeming features. Malcolm McLaren- "Fans"- haven't listened to it in years, but this is like a zero stars album which I still liked last time I pulled it out "On A Clear Day You Can See Forever"- movie soundtrack. I actually am not embarassed by musicals per se but this one is admittedly really corny and lame. I listened to it a lot when I was a kid so I have a lot of affection for it. "Space Jazz"- a bunch of jazz guys who converted to Scientology playing L. Ron Hybbard compositions. I got this for a buck and have never actually listened to it, but I'm sure it's terrible. Love on ya, Susan ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 00:50:39 -0500 (EST) From: normal@grove.ufl.edu Subject: Re: ignorant question On Tue, 18 Jan 2000, Stephen Buckalew wrote: > Here's a fun game: What is the cheesiest, guiltiest-pleasure album that > any of us has in our collections? Are we man/woman enough to divulge the > truth? Hmm...not counting the pile in my closet (the "I hate the album and I can't sell it back because I only paid a dollar for it, but I'm not gonna throw it out because that'd be wasteful" pile) The Monks: Black Monk Time (The best dumb one-chord stomp album I've heard) White Town: Women in Technology The Monkees: Changes (it was a gift. I _meant_ to ask for "Instant Replay") Harry Nilsson: Popeye Shawn Phillips: Second Contribution various stuff by Ray Charles*, Ferrante & Teicher**, Lenny Dee***, and Burt Kaempfert**** *: No, not _that_ Ray Charles. THis one was white, could see, and sucked the vitality out of every song he touched. **: Their Ravel album was really cool so I bouhgt four more and it turns out they're easy-listening. ***: His cover of "The Peanut Vendor" was really cool, so I bouught four more of his albums and it turns out they're just bad. ****: No excuse. My "stuff I should be ashamed of but ain't" list is too big to post. (highlights include John Pizzarelli Jr, Donovan, Supertramp But I still got no Grand Funk, so I say I'm not the worst of them. Terrence Marks Unlike Minerva (a comic strip) http://www.unlikeminerva.com normal@grove.ufl.edu ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 00:25:08 -0600 From: steve Subject: Audities picks for '99 Just to finish off the power pop discussion: AUDITIES 1999 TOP 20 RECORDS 1. Fountains Of Wayne - UTOPIA PARKWAY (844) 2. Cherry Twister - AT HOME WITH CHERRY TWISTER (720) 3. XTC - APPLE VENUS, VOLUME 1 (528) 4. Linus Of Hollywood - YOUR FAVORITE RECORD (460) 5. Matthew Sweet - IN REVERSE - (444) MEMORIAL LONDON CALLING (1979) ROLLING STONE'S BEST ALBUM OF '80S AWARD: Owsley's eponymous album made 1998's top 20, and was picked up by a major label in '99, and garnered 411 points, which would have placed it 6. 6. Jason Falkner - CAN YOU STILL FEEL? (391) 7. The Flaming Lips - THE SOFT BULLETIN (381) 8. Gigolo Aunts - MINOR CHORDS AND MAJOR THEMES (341) 9. Wilco - SUMMERTEETH (296) 10. The Shazam - GODSPEED THE SHAZAM (285) 11. Cloud Eleven - CLOUD ELEVEN (283) 12. Star Collector - SONGS FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY (265) 13. Sloan - BETWEEN THE BRIDGES (222) 14. Michael Carpenter - BABY (221) 15. Ben Folds Five - THE UNAUTHORIZED BIOGRAPHY OF REINHOLD MESSNER (220) 16. Bill Lloyd - STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS (180) 17. Mayflies, U.S.A. - SUMMERTOWN (168) 18. Ed James - MEET ED JAMES (166) 19. Tal Bachman - TAL BACHMAN (154) 20. The Negro Problem - JOYS & CONCERNS (150) 21 through 50 21. Walter Clevenger and the Dairy Kings (148) 22. Minster Hill (146) 23. The Velvet Crush (140) The Rooks (tie) 25. The Lolas (133) 26. The Finkers (124) 27. Gladhands (122) 28. David Grahame (115) 29. Mike Viola and the Candy Butchers (113) 30. Quasi (110) 31. Cockeyed Ghost (104) 32. Blue Cartoon (101) 33. Matt Bruno (100) June and the Exit Wounds (tie) 35. John Faye Powertrip (99) 36. Magnetic Fields (93) 37. Nice Guy Eddie (92) 38. Outrageous Cherry (89) 39. Supergrass (86) 40. Martin Luther Lennon (84) Beck Fiona Apple (tie) 43. Anton Barbeau (83) 44. Doug Powell (77) 45. Old 97s (76) 46. Richard Thompson (75) The Pearlfishers (tie) 48. Idle Jets (73) 49. Guster (72) Myracle Brah (tie) _______________ We're all Jesus, Buddha, and the Wizard of Oz! - Andy Partridge ------------------------------ End of fegmaniax-digest V9 #17 ******************************