From: owner-loud-fans-digest@smoe.org (loud-fans-digest) To: loud-fans-digest@smoe.org Subject: loud-fans-digest V2 #132 Reply-To: loud-fans@smoe.org Sender: owner-loud-fans-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-loud-fans-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk loud-fans-digest Tuesday, April 9 2002 Volume 02 : Number 132 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [loud-fans] Music, art and commerce ["Larry Tucker" ] [loud-fans] Jon's Swap CD [AWeiss4338@aol.com] [loud-fans] smoky somethings [Jeffrey with 2 Fs Jeffrey Subject: [loud-fans] Music, art and commerce I thought a lot of y'all would enjoy this email posted to the Paisley-Pop list from Tim Lee. It was in response to another list member and friend, John Micek's, concerns on doing your own songs with an occasional cover tune that you feel fits your material and as a tribute or, as has happened to some of his friends, evolve into strictly a covers band that makes more money, but at what personal cost as an "artist". Tim's response was wonderful. And to some extent I had a similar conversation with Will Kimbrough last Thursday night, when he played a terrific hour long solo set to essentially me, his manager, the soundman and about a half dozen barflies. I asked about playing empty clubs and how hard that must be. His response was that it just went with the business and that it really didn't matter because he was doing what made him happy. Sure attention and money would be nice, but he'd rather it come on his terms if at all. You just gotta love these guys! - -Larry (who can't play a lick, but is a supporter of these guys and their likes to my last penny and always tries to be there for a live show) =================================================== Damn, John ... Good topic ... one of my faves. But of course, you have to start with the basic premise: Is Music Art? Frankly, most of the people I've encountered during my forty-plus years on this earth that called themselves "musicians" (a pathetic term if there ever was one) probably don't consider it as such. I can only speak from my own experiences, and I don't feel that others need to agree with me. Everyone must choose their own path, grasshopper. Growing up in Jackson, Mississippi, was probably not unlike growing up in your neck of the woods. Back then, there were two kinds of bands: those who played the Mississippi Coliseum (Yes, Journey, Black Oak Arkansas) and those who cranked out 3-4 sets a night playing shitty clubs and frat parties (everybody else). Within the WBs, we faced this question ... do we play enough covers to fill an evening so somebody will want to pay us, or do we do what we want and let the chips fall where they may? I wasn't too old before I realized I was bored with the former and fascinated with the latter. And that became my chosen path. Your question, for me, divides people who play music into two categories (not including the prerequisite exceptions to every rule): those who play music because they're compelled to (artists) and those who want to be stars/make a living with their instrument at any cost/etc. (those who call themselves musicians). Of course, there are those artists who make a damn good living at what they do (see Tom Petty, Neil Young, etc.), but there are few in the other category who create art. Bobby and I had a discussion recently wherein he was bemoaning the fact that his last release didn't sell as many as he'd have liked and he wondered why even bothered to keep writing and recording. I'd like to think he does it because he is compelled to do so. I know that's the only reason I've started doing it again. I have these songs in me, and they have to come out. On top of that, I love getting together with other people and making racket. It satisfies something within. Otherwise, I'd have no reason to do it. Stardom and popularity hold no fascination for me, not to mention the fact that they're unattainable to any but the absolute luckiest anyway. S and P are hollow forms of motivation. I'm finishing up a new album right now that's one of the most fun projects I've ever participated in, and I pay my own way to play live every chance I get. I've been kicked in the teeth by the music business a thousand times, but it ain't about that for me. It's all about getting to do it. It's a goddamned priviledge to get to play rock n' roll. How many people out there wish they could do it, but never get the chance? It's a pain in the ass, but it's pretty damned special when it's done right Art is all about the doing. I believe this more than I believe anything else. If your friends have the art in them (sorry if I sound like an Astral Weeks outtake), they will create. If they don't, they'll settle for cover band oblivion. Getting back to Jackson, I was the only guy out of our age group/generation/crowd/whatever that took the chances and tried to make a living with my art. I failed, no big deal. There were people who were probably more talented than me who never tried. What's the difference? They've probably got a bigger house, a retirement plan and a job that pays better than mine. What have I got, besides a scrapbook of great reviews thicker than a '59 Les Paul and more than a dozen recorded documents of my endeavors? Well, the satisfaction that I gave it everything I had, that I worked my ass off in the name of art (which, to those who believe in it, is more important than religion, politics and commerce). Plus, I've got a kabillion great memories (including getting to sit in on stage with the likes of Green on Red, Rain Parade, Chris Stamey, R.E.M., Game Theory, Dumptruck and the dBs, among others; thrift store shopping with Mitch Easter and Faye Hunter; recording with Matt Piucci; sitting around motel rooms playing guitar with C. Stamey; recording with Gene Holder, Will Rigby and George Cartwright; having Richard Lloyd burst into the dressing room at CBGBs, shouting, "Where's Tim? Oh, hey man, how you doing?"; playing a gig at Maxwells with a pickup band consisting of Gene Holder, Doug Wygal, James Mastro and backup singers Faye Hunter and Janet Wygal; hanging out with John Doe and Exene; drinking with any, or all, of the aforementioned, and I'm just getting started) and a bunch of stories to lay on anybody unfortunate enough to end up on the barstool next to me at happy hour. Maybe that doesn't amount to much in corporate America, but it means a lot to me. I can't imagine that I'd have led a more satisfying and cool life up 'til this point (and I ain't done) if I'd stuck to playing four sets of covers a night so I could make a few bucks down at the KA house. Life, like art, is in the doing. Go out and do it. yr. pal (who tends to ramble a bit and lives in a van down by the river), Tim (in memory of Ronnie Van Zandt) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 8 Apr 2002 08:49:11 -0500 (CDT) From: Jeffrey with 2 Fs Jeffrey Subject: Re: [loud-fans] it's all in the numbers On Sun, 7 Apr 2002, Roger Winston wrote: > Tonight's screwball but inscrutable episode of the X-Files revealed that > Agent John Doggett has the exact same birthday as Scott Miller (April 4th, > 1960). Since the episode was about numerology and the significance of > birthdays, this must mean something. What does it mean? What DOES it mean?? I haven't been watching, and I saw only a few minutes of this waiting for my tape of _Futurama_ to rewind - but what I want to know is, since when and why do Scully and Reyes have the same hairstyle? Are they the Bobbsey Twins or something? - --Jeffrey with 2 Fs Jeffrey J e f f r e y N o r m a n The Architectural Dance Society www.uwm.edu/~jenor/ADS.html ::American people like their politics like Pez - small, sweet, and ::coming out of a funny plastic head. __Dennis Miller__ np: Julian Cope _Floored Genius 2_ ps: Miles - the Momus has landed. Thanks! ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 8 Apr 2002 13:11:04 -0600 From: "Roger Winston" Subject: Re: Re: [loud-fans] it's all in the numbers Jeffrey with 2 Fs Jeffrey on 4/8/2002 2:49:11 AM wrote: > I haven't been watching, and I saw only a few minutes of this waiting for > my tape of _Futurama_ to rewind - but what I want to know is, since when > and why do Scully and Reyes have the same hairstyle? Are they the Bobbsey > Twins or something? ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 8 Apr 2002 13:15:13 -0600 From: "Roger Winston" Subject: Re: [loud-fans] it's all in the numbers Jeffrey with 2 Fs Jeffrey on 4/8/2002 2:49:11 AM wrote: > I haven't been watching, That's the sensible course of action these days, to be sure. > and I saw only a few minutes of this waiting for > my tape of _Futurama_ to rewind - but what I want to know is, since when > and why do Scully and Reyes have the same hairstyle? Are they the Bobbsey > Twins or something? It makes it easier for the Serial Killer of the Week to target them. One-stop shopping and all that. Maybe it's the official FBI female hairstyle? Hey, just wait till Doggett starts sprouting Miller-hair. Latre. --Rog ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 8 Apr 2002 14:50:53 -0700 From: "me" Subject: [loud-fans] priceless review http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11217-2002Apr7.html Turn It Up, and Where's the Beer? - -- brianna - -- ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 8 Apr 2002 21:22:08 EDT From: AWeiss4338@aol.com Subject: [loud-fans] Jon's Swap CD It is called Available Light. Some of these I'm going to group together for various reasons. Low-In Metal, American Analog Set-Diana Slowburner II, I like Low a little better than AAS, these are two very nice slow soft songs, pop, and Low just caught my interest a little more than AAS Fine China-We Rock Harder Than You Ever Knew, For/Against Vacuum, Bailter Space, Be On Time, Half String, Eclipse-pleasant pop that is okay, of all of them, I like Fine China the best, it was the most interesting of all of them. Over The Rhine i Radio Heaven, Bjork, Heirloom, two songs that tilt toward techno, and I like both a lot, and I've never been a Bjork fan until now, is this from her current album. I have an old Over the Rhine album, this is very different than Happy With Myself, and their other 10K Maniacs inspired songs. Beulah A Good Man Is Easy To Kill, Pedro The Lion When They Really Get to Know You They Wil Run, two solid pop songs, and I give Beulah the nod because I like the flute solo and the lyrics, and will check them out. Pedro too at some point, as I like dthe lyrics too to this one. of montreal, nicki lighthouse, Danielson Famile Big Baby, cute pop, OM is nicer and cuter, although I don't know if I could listen to a whole album of them. Between the finernails-scraping-across-the-blackboard vocals and the word 'sissy' which if you want to be really PC about it is homophobic, I don't really care for DF. It's not cute to be nasty. Aphex Twin 54 Cmyru Beats- full on techno, and while I don't think I could listen to a whole album of this, or dance to it, as it would make me dizzy, I like it, this rocks. Thingy Mayday, great pop that i want to hear more of. I especially like the chorus, has the right sense of urgency. New Order, Rock The Shack, this does just that. A friend from another list sent me a tape of some of the songs on their new album and this was on it, this was one of my faves. Love it, will buy it. Jimmy Eat World, Bleed American, I have the album, and this is the best pop punk album on the charts right now, in fact this album just wnet gold. The Middle is the single and it's becoming a top 40 hit, and sounds better than Blink 182, and The Strokes, much much better. This is punk, and it rocks. Emo is the most intersting thing to happen to punk in awhile. Magnetic Fields, All the Umbrellas In London, I've been playing this song over and over, it's my fave. In a better world Stephen Merrit would be huge, and this song would be #1 on the top 40. This is just perfect from start to finish. Andrea ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 8 Apr 2002 23:24:57 -0500 (CDT) From: Jeffrey with 2 Fs Jeffrey Subject: [loud-fans] smoky somethings This is a pretty dimwitted article...but it does source the name of Franklin Bruno's band, for those of you who are interested...: http://www.jsonline.com/onwisconsin/movies/apr02/33595.asp And hey: given Ann-Margret's character in that movie, I think it's a pretty good line. You've just got to accept that she speaks in this sort of bizarre teen slang that never existed. Somewhere, a pretentious academic is trying to relate the writing of her dialogue in that movie (_Kitten with a Whip_) to, uh, Burgess's Russian-English hybrid in _A Clockwork Orange_ or to Borgesian experiments in irreality... - --Jeffrey with 2 Fs Jeffrey J e f f r e y N o r m a n The Architectural Dance Society www.uwm.edu/~jenor/ADS.html ::Solipsism is its own reward:: __Crow T. Robot__ np: Ken Stringfellow _Touched_ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 9 Apr 2002 00:11:38 -0500 (CDT) From: Jeffrey with 2 Fs Jeffrey Subject: [loud-fans] signs of impending apocalypse, pt. 5,392 ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 8 Apr 2002 23:46:57 -0700 (PDT) From: "Joseph M. Mallon" Subject: Re: [loud-fans] signs of impending apocalypse, pt. 5,392 On Tue, 9 Apr 2002, Jeffrey with 2 Fs Jeffrey wrote: > Perhaps GWB could steal Ozzy's line to his family when dealing w/ the Middle East: "I love every one of you, but you're all fucking mad." Going off the rails, J. Mallon ------------------------------ End of loud-fans-digest V2 #132 *******************************