From: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org (fegmaniax-digest) To: fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Subject: fegmaniax-digest V14 #25 Reply-To: fegmaniax@smoe.org Sender: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk fegmaniax-digest Tuesday, February 1 2005 Volume 14 : Number 025 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: The Chris Stamey Experience [Rex Broome ] Re: The Chris Stamey Experience ["Brian Nupp" ] Re: The Chris Stamey Experience ["Brian Nupp" ] Re: Coachella [Eb ] robyn on amazon ["michael wells" ] Letterman done good [Steve Talkowski ] Re: robyn on amazon [Benjamin Lukoff ] Re: robyn on amazon [Eb ] walking on sunshine [Benjamin Lukoff ] Re: walking on sunshine [Eb ] RE: walking on sunshine ["Marc Alberts" ] Re: walking on sunshine [Capuchin ] Re: walking on sunshine [Eb ] Re: walking on sunshine [Jeff ] Re: walking on sunshine [Glen Uber ] Re: Coachella [Rex Broome ] Re: walking on sunshine [Rex Broome ] Re: walking on sunshine [Rex Broome ] Re: walking on sunshine [Benjamin Lukoff ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2005 09:06:54 -0800 From: Rex Broome Subject: Re: The Chris Stamey Experience Brian Nupp wrote: > Anyone else enjoying Chris Stamey's new release with Yo La Tengo? > Larry Tucker? > > 2 good releases from Stamey in less than a year. In other news, it looks quite probably that we'll be adding the original lineup of the dB's to the reunion colomn. - -Rex ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2005 12:13:32 -0500 From: "Brian Nupp" Subject: Re: The Chris Stamey Experience From: rexbroome@gmail.com > >In other news, it looks quite probably that we'll be adding the >original lineup of the dB's to the reunion colomn. Can you elaborate??! ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2005 09:20:11 -0800 From: Rex Broome Subject: Re: The Chris Stamey Experience > >In other news, it looks quite probably that we'll be adding the > >original lineup of the dB's to the reunion colomn. > > Can you elaborate??! > This just showed up on loud-fans: ___________ Published: Jan 28, 2005 Modified: Jan 28, 2005 8:08 AM dB's record together By DAVID MENCONI, Staff Writer Don't call it a reunion just yet, but a new album is in the works by the dB's, one of the cornerstones of North Carolina rock. If it comes together, it will be the first album in more than 20 years by the Winston-Salem power-pop band's original lineup. "We haven't used the 'r-word' yet," says singer-songwriter-guitarist Chris Stamey. "We're still trying to figure out what to call this, exactly. But we've been recording, and we did seven songs in Hoboken the first week of January. So now we'll see if someone might give us the funding to do a record." The original quartet of Stamey, Peter Holsapple, Gene Holder and Will Rigby came together in the late 1970s. The dB's never progressed beyond the level of cult favorites, but they made an important contribution to the budding new-wave movement in the early 1980s -- the wave that later yielded R.E.M. Since leaving the group in the early '80s, Stamey has worked with major figures including Alejandro Escovedo, Cream bassist Jack Bruce and R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe. Since the dB's dissolved in 1988, members have worked together in various combinations. But the original foursome has not been heard from since 1982's "Repercussions." The restart adds another iron to the fire of Stamey, the only dB who still lives in North Carolina (in Chapel Hill). He just released his second album in less than a year, "A Question of Temperature" (Yep Roc Records), and he's already deep into another album, tentatively titled "November." Stamey and Holsapple also have a children's album in the works and possibly another duo record. As for when the dB's album might emerge, the main issue is Steve Earle's schedule. DB's drummer Rigby plays in Earle's band, so they'll have to fit recording sessions around Earle's touring schedule. Details should be on www.thedbsonline.net as they emerge. In the meantime, Stamey marks the release of "A Question of Temperature" with a show Sunday at the Pour House in Raleigh. Show time is 7 p.m., and tickets are $10 at the door. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2005 13:39:53 -0500 From: "Brian Nupp" Subject: Re: The Chris Stamey Experience >This just showed up on loud-fans: >dB's record together... Oh wow. That would be great! Thanks Rex. - -Nuppy ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2005 15:02:58 -0700 From: "Marc Holden" Subject: Coachella I'm a bit disappointed with the Coachella line-up so far. It has some good stuff, but not too much GREAT stuff. I was really hoping for a better reunion (like the Jam). I'm not a big Gang of Four fan, so I wouldn't go out of my way for them. It's always good to see the Fiery Furnaces. I'm not real familiar with the Cocteau Twins but have had them recommended enough. At least Nine Inch Nails and Wilco can't be scheduled at the same time, so I might catch them both. www.coachella.com Really tired today. I decided to do the round-trip to Hollywood yesterday to see Richard Thompson at the Largo. Very worth it, even if I did only get a 30 minute nap before heading to work this morning. I need to get a car with an autopilot setting... Marc Ambition is like a frog sitting on a Venus's-flytrap. The flytrap can bite and bite, but it won't bother the frog because it only has little tiny plant teeth. But some other stuff could happen and it could be like ambition. Jack Handey ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2005 17:52:22 -0800 From: Eb Subject: Re: Coachella > I'm a bit disappointed with the Coachella line-up so far. It has some > good stuff, but not too much GREAT stuff. I was really hoping for a > better reunion (like the Jam). I'm not a big Gang of Four fan, so I > wouldn't go out of my way for them. It's always good to see the Fiery > Furnaces. I'm not real familiar with the Cocteau Twins but have had > them recommended enough. At least Nine Inch Nails and Wilco can't be > scheduled at the same time, so I might catch them both. Yeah, I'm a bit disappointed too. Maybe it's just because the lineup seems a bit too "British" in sensibility for me. Gang of Four would be the #1 reason to go for me. Number two, probably the Futureheads. There are some other names which I'd enjoy seeing, including established favorites (Weezer, Cocteaus, Snow Patrol, NIN, Fiery Furnaces), a few bands which I'll probably like once I buy their stuff (British Sea Power, Matmos...) and bands which I don't collect but would like to see anyway (Wilco, Bauhaus, Mercury Rev, the Arcade Fire, Spoon, Bright Eyes). But none of this adds up to nearly the temptation of last year's festival, which included at least a half-dozen names whom I wished to see more than any of the above bands minus Gang of Four. Bauhaus? Cocteaus? New Order? NIN? Gang of Four? A few too many faded veterans at the top of the bill, methinks. Eb ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2005 21:46:42 -0800 From: "michael wells" Subject: robyn on amazon This may be old news, but Spooked made the Amazon critics Top 100muscling off Stereolab in the last spot to come in at a solid #99. Thats 12 spots below the new William Shatner and some 97 spots below Modest Mouse, in case any perspective is needed. Ye gods. On the bright side, the Dag Juhlin / John Wesley Harding two-show double bill here last Saturday was a peach. At 6 = hours for both shows (4 = of music) it was an awfully LONG peach, yes, but tasty nonetheless and with a minimum of repeats. Wes new material is much more up my street than his early days. Michael Id be interested to know what #101 was Wells ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2005 00:28:05 -0500 From: Steve Talkowski Subject: Letterman done good I missed the first 10 minutes, but Dave's show about Carson is very good - he just finished a lengthy segment with Peter Lassally (executive producer on the Tonight Show) Doc's up next... - -Steve p.s. Anyone hear the new Death Cab for Cutie cover of Julian Cope's "World Shut Your Mouth?" I heard it twice over the weekend while listening to one of my favourite radio stations online, KEXP.org, and it's pretty cool. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2005 21:48:10 -0800 (PST) From: Benjamin Lukoff Subject: Re: robyn on amazon On Mon, 31 Jan 2005, michael wells wrote: > This may be old news, but Spooked made the Amazon critics Top 100muscling > off Stereolab in the last spot to come in at a solid #99. Thats 12 spots > below the new William Shatner and some 97 spots below Modest Mouse, in case > any perspective is needed. Ye gods. It should be noted that Robyn *did* make #2 on Amazon's Folk list for 2004. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/feature/-/547870 ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2005 22:05:16 -0800 From: Eb Subject: Re: robyn on amazon >> This may be old news, but Spooked made the Amazon critics Top >> 100muscling >> off Stereolab in the last spot to come in at a solid #99. Thats 12 >> spots >> below the new William Shatner and some 97 spots below Modest Mouse, >> in case >> any perspective is needed. Ye gods. > > It should be noted that Robyn *did* make #2 on Amazon's Folk list for > 2004. > http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/feature/-/547870 In other news, have people seen those teasers for the next episode of "American Idol"...with some tonedeaf woman wailing "Walking on Sunshine"? Lordy, I can't explain that song's continuing high profile.... Eb ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2005 22:20:00 -0800 (PST) From: Benjamin Lukoff Subject: walking on sunshine On Mon, 31 Jan 2005, Eb wrote: > In other news, have people seen those teasers for the next episode of > "American Idol"...with some tonedeaf woman wailing "Walking on > Sunshine"? > > Lordy, I can't explain that song's continuing high profile.... It's catchy, man! ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2005 22:32:44 -0800 From: Eb Subject: Re: walking on sunshine >> Lordy, I can't explain that song's continuing high profile.... > > It's catchy, man! Well, just to pick a compatible counterexample, think of R.E.M.'s "Can't Get There from Here." It's from a similar era with a similar feel, and by a much more popular band...and yet, when's the last time you heard THAT song? I just don't think "Walking on Sunshine" deserves the ongoing attention. For me, the crucial moment of lameness is the chorus, where she sings "I'm walking on sunshine" and then inserts those pedestrian "WOOOAHs." It's the sort of empty lyrical filler which people often gripe about in songs like "Sussudio" and McCartney's "My Love." Phooey. Meanwhile, Tony's back! WOOOAH! Eb ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2005 22:45:43 -0800 From: "Marc Alberts" Subject: RE: walking on sunshine Eb wrote: > >> Lordy, I can't explain that song's continuing high profile.... > > > > It's catchy, man! > > Well, just to pick a compatible counterexample, think of R.E.M.'s > "Can't Get There from Here." It's from a similar era with a similar > feel, and by a much more popular band...and yet, when's the last time > you heard THAT song? Saturday, when I listened to Fables again for some reason. Spooooooooky.... > I just don't think "Walking on Sunshine" deserves the ongoing > attention. For me, the crucial moment of lameness is the chorus, where > she sings "I'm walking on sunshine" and then inserts those pedestrian > "WOOOAHs." It's the sort of empty lyrical filler which people often > gripe about in songs like "Sussudio" and McCartney's "My Love." Phooey. On the other hand, it makes for a great parody song, exemplified by it being Fry's favorite song on Futurama, and therefore used as a device to make him seem even more anachronistic then your average re-animated 1000 year old formerly-cryogenically frozen guy. Marc > > Meanwhile, Tony's back! WOOOAH! > > Eb ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2005 23:50:27 -0800 (PST) From: Capuchin Subject: Re: walking on sunshine On Mon, 31 Jan 2005, Eb wrote: >>> Lordy, I can't explain that song's continuing high profile.... >> It's catchy, man! > > Well, just to pick a compatible counterexample, think of R.E.M.'s "Can't > Get There from Here." It's from a similar era with a similar feel, and > by a much more popular band...and yet, when's the last time you heard > THAT song? First, I would argue that they don't really have a similar feel. Can't Get There From Here is much darker, I think, and about escaping the rotten world, whereas Walking On Sunshine is all about embracing the lovely world. Second, can you really just sing that one out loud while riding down the street? I mean, I can get so far as "that swallows you whole" and then I just start mumbling. > I just don't think "Walking on Sunshine" deserves the ongoing attention. The hook is just so upbeat and it's coupled with a lyric that's hopelessly optimistic. I think it will remain a big song well through the rest of the century. > For me, the crucial moment of lameness is the chorus, where she sings > "I'm walking on sunshine" and then inserts those pedestrian "WOOOAHs." Gosh, if we could just eject anything that's lame and pedestrian from popular culture, we wouldn't have any pop songs at all... and forget television... > It's the sort of empty lyrical filler which people often gripe about in > songs like "Sussudio" and McCartney's "My Love." Phooey. I don't think so. I think the bit in Walking On Sunshine is purposely recalling its roots in soul music, whereas Phil Collins and Paul McCartney haven't a soul between them. J. - -- _______________________________________________ Capuchin capuchin@bitmine.net Jeme A Brelin ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2005 00:26:22 -0800 From: Eb Subject: Re: walking on sunshine >> Marv: >> Well, just to pick a compatible counterexample, think of R.E.M.'s >> "Can't Get There from Here." It's from a similar era with a similar >> feel, and by a much more popular band...and yet, when's the last time >> you heard THAT song? > > Saturday, when I listened to Fables again for some reason. > Spooooooooky.... Well, obviously, I meant hearing the song "in public" for reasons beyond your own control. > On the other hand, it makes for a great parody song, exemplified by it > being > Fry's favorite song on Futurama, and therefore used as a device to > make him > seem even more anachronistic then your average re-animated 1000 year > old > formerly-cryogenically frozen guy. Hm. I didn't even know about that usage, since I only watched that show a handful of times. Chalk up another one.... - ----------------------- Jeme: >> Well, just to pick a compatible counterexample, think of R.E.M.'s >> "Can't Get There from Here." It's from a similar era with a similar >> feel, and by a much more popular band...and yet, when's the last time >> you heard THAT song? > > First, I would argue that they don't really have a similar feel. > Can't Get There From Here is much darker, I think, and about escaping > the rotten world, whereas Walking On Sunshine is all about embracing > the lovely world. Well, this is something I always notice about your musical views. You don't have much feel for music, and tend to immediately jump to lyrical analysis. I didn't work too hard at picking that song for comparison, but I will say that both songs have explosive, simple, circular choruses with very basic chords. And I can guarantee that's what made "Can't Get There From Here" a radio single when it was new, not its "darker lyrics about the rotten world." Also, both arrangements are in the same picked '80s-guitar vein, with extra horns added as a special touch. >> For me, the crucial moment of lameness is the chorus, where she sings >> "I'm walking on sunshine" and then inserts those pedestrian >> >> "WOOOAHs." > > Gosh, if we could just eject anything that's lame and pedestrian from > popular culture, we wouldn't have any pop songs at all... and forget > television... Zzzzz. Yeah, yeah...it's all garbage except for stuff which tech dorks like. We know, we know, we know. > I think the bit in Walking On Sunshine is purposely recalling its > roots in soul music If it was soul, the "wooahs" would retain some spontaneity and wouldn't be letter-perfect identical every time they appeared. > whereas Phil Collins and Paul McCartney haven't a soul between them. And thus, Jeme pumps out another hopeful troll. Watching the Letterman tribute to Carson right now...a nice job. And no Don Rickles this time, thank heavens. Eb ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2005 07:40:55 -0600 From: Jeff Subject: Re: walking on sunshine On Mon, 31 Jan 2005 22:32:44 -0800, Eb wrote: > >> Lordy, I can't explain that song's continuing high profile.... > > > > It's catchy, man! > > Well, just to pick a compatible counterexample, think of R.E.M.'s > "Can't Get There from Here." It's from a similar era with a similar > feel, and by a much more popular band...and yet, when's the last time > you heard THAT song? > > I just don't think "Walking on Sunshine" deserves the ongoing > attention. For me, the crucial moment of lameness is the chorus, where > she sings "I'm walking on sunshine" and then inserts those pedestrian > "WOOOAHs." It's the sort of empty lyrical filler which people often > gripe about in songs like "Sussudio" and McCartney's "My Love." Phooey. I'm not sure I know what it means for a song to "deserve" being butchered on _American Idol_, or even to deserve mass popularity - but I think one thing such songs have is a sort of generic quality. What I mean by that is better illustrated by your counterexample: sure, "Can't Get There from Here" is catchy, but it feels very much like an R.E.M. song (even though it's an odd, R.E.M.-fails-to-be-funky song at that), and it's hard to imagine anyone but Stipe singing it, or anyone else singing it not reminding listeners of Stipe singing it (even if they don't know who Stipe is). "Walking on Sunshine," though, sounds like the sort of song written to be sung by anyone - and so it is. I think that generic quality of a lot of big-ass hit songs is one reason I don't like them: they're like greeting cards, in that they seem generally applicable to lots of situations but lack the quirkiness and personality of (metaphor breakdown) something quirky and personal, like that R.E.M. song (whether you like the song or not). I think the complaint about the "whoa-ohs" is a bit odd: I mean, rock and R&B history is just jam-packed full of expressive, non-verbal moments like that. Then again, sometimes I get a bug up my ass about songs whose chorus is only the title phrase repeated over and over again, esp. if that phrase is just naming something rather than being a sentence. (Naturally, now I can't think of an actual example...) > Meanwhile, Tony's back! WOOOAH! I admit, I didn't see that coming: I wasn't sure who Jack was talking about. - -- ...Jeff The Architectural Dance Society http://spanghew.blogspot.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2005 08:12:39 -0700 From: Glen Uber Subject: Re: walking on sunshine On 1 Feb 2005, at 06:40, Jeff wrote: > I think the complaint about the "whoa-ohs" is a bit odd: I mean, rock > and R&B history is just jam-packed full of expressive, non-verbal > moments like that. Then again, sometimes I get a bug up my ass about > songs whose chorus is only the title phrase repeated over and over > again, esp. if that phrase is just naming something rather than being > a sentence. (Naturally, now I can't think of an actual example...) Don't get Eb started about "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm". ;) Cheers! - -g- =+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+= =+= Glen Uber =+= Grand Junction, Colorado USA =+= Singer/Songwriter/Multi-Instrumentalist/Producer/Publisher =+= \berMusik =+= Zymurgy Records =+= Grubby Tunes Publishing =+= Email: glen@ubermusik.org =+= Web: http://www.ubermusik.org =+= Mobile: +1.970.201.0118 =+= AIM & Yahoo! Messenger: telecaster1958 =+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+= =+= "Information is not knowledge. Knowledge is not wisdom. Wisdom is not truth. =+= Truth is not beauty. Beauty is not love. Love is not music. Music is the best." =+= --Frank Zappa =+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+= ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2005 07:54:00 -0800 From: Rex Broome Subject: Re: Coachella Eb: > Yeah, I'm a bit disappointed too. Maybe it's just because the lineup > seems a bit too "British" in sensibility for me. True, the undercard just kind of reminds me of how little interest I've had in recent British music. I wouldn't recognize Snow Patrol if I heard them, but it all just points towards the diminishing returns of bands eager to be influenced in turn by last week's big thing... Radiohead -> Travis -> Coldplay -> Starsailor -> whoever the hell it is now. I have a copy of that British Sea Power record and it's okay, and I like what I've heard of Idylwild, but I really can't be bothered to keep up. And I still can't be bothered with Nine Inch Nails. I saw the Cocteaus a couple of times and Bauhaus once, so that's less exciting than to me than it would be to some, but still cool. Never seen New Order. Strange to see Mercury Rev buried so far down the bill... I thought they'd become pretty huge in their way, just under Flaming Lips level. They're good live, too. Wilco with Nels Cline is enticing as well. I'm still on the fence about Arcade Fire, although I think I'm starting to like them. A little disappointing, but still a possibility in my newly bachelorized state, if I call it my entire gig budget for the year. - -Rex ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2005 08:13:11 -0800 From: Rex Broome Subject: Re: walking on sunshine > >> Lordy, I can't explain that song's continuing high profile.... > > > > It's catchy, man! > > Well, just to pick a compatible counterexample, think of R.E.M.'s > "Can't Get There from Here." It's from a similar era with a similar > feel, and by a much more popular band...and yet, when's the last time > you heard THAT song? Well, "Sunshine" was also a major chart single. "Can't Get Here From There", not so much; nb. most folks consider "Losing My Religion" to be "early" R.E.M. Maybe a better, more shine-compatible comparison would be "Shiny Happy People", which you might still hear, and warranted a Sesame Street segment. A lot of a song's longevity, at least in the mass culture arena, depends on how many people heard it when it was initially released, I'd think. I could sure live without ever hearing "Walking on Sunshine" again, though, but at least Kimberly's dotage is paid for. - -Rex ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2005 08:55:08 -0800 From: Rex Broome Subject: Re: walking on sunshine On Tue, 1 Feb 2005 11:44:32 -0500, Bachman, Michael wrote: > Was Driver 8 released as a single? I seemed to remember it getting > some video airplay back in 1985 on MTV. "Driver 8" and "CGHFT" were both singles with videos, yes, but I think they only really got much play on the "alternative" shows in MTV. I definitely recall "Fall On Me" sneaking into the regular playlist (somewat amazingly, if you remember the video), and "The One I Love" was huge, video-wise. > I always liked the Bangles cover of KR's "Going Down To Liverpool". > Kimberly probably made a few bucks off that one, which in my mind was > a much better song then WOS. I like it as well, and yeah, much better song. A friend of mine recently picked up last year's (?) Bangles record and I keep meaning to ask her how it is. The Costello cover was nice. - -Rex ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2005 10:12:50 -0800 (PST) From: Benjamin Lukoff Subject: Re: walking on sunshine On Mon, 31 Jan 2005, Capuchin wrote: > > It's the sort of empty lyrical filler which people often gripe about in > > songs like "Sussudio" and McCartney's "My Love." Phooey. > > I don't think so. I think the bit in Walking On Sunshine is purposely > recalling its roots in soul music, whereas Phil Collins and Paul McCartney > haven't a soul between them. Why do people hate Paul so much? Can you honestly listen to his entire catalog, Beatle and solo, and not find a bit of soul in it anywhere? ------------------------------ End of fegmaniax-digest V14 #25 *******************************