Jann S. Wenner em 28 de setembro de 1968, realiza a primeira entrevista completa da Rolling Stones com o meu herói do dia.

Para começar, nesta noite, o meu herói bebia suco de laranja sem LSD, e  falou sobre o próximo disco de sua banda ” Deaf, Dumb and Blind”, que mais tarde rendeu um clássico bastante conhecido: Tommy.
O álbum em questão, influenciou uma das obras primas mais extraordinárias do rock’n'roll: The Dark Side Of The Moon, do Pink Floyd, e criou um pacto eterno do rock com o movimento psicodélico.

Pense num garoto surdo,retardado e cego, que tinha o nariz maior que o mundo. E dizia que por causa de seu nariz escrevia músicas e tocava guitarra.

Nariz a parte, justamente nesta noite de 68, ele não destruiu a sua guitarra no palco do Fillmore West.

Pior, disse nem ligar a mínima para isso.

Bom, é que até hoje, contamos para os nossos afilhados, em volume alto, essa história. É que eu não tenho filhos e não estava lá nesta noite. E tudo começou numa terça-feira durante um show, quando sua guitarra bateu no teto e rachou ao meio…

O meu herói é perfeccionista ao extremo e também grande compositor.
Tocou banjo, violão e girando o seu braço direito contra as cordas de sua guitarra se transformou numa entidade musical. Entidade SIM.

Nascido numa família de músicos, sempre super respeitáveis com ele, que não o impediam de fazer nada.
Nem tocar guitarra, nem fumar maconha, nem ao menos usar a cama de sua mãe para a sua primeira transa.

Na Inglaterra mod de 60, e seu exército de lambretas, ele e sua banda invocavam ação com seus improvisos generosos e composições que permanecem. Essa entidade musical, vivinha da silva, lider de uma das maiores bandas de rock do planeta, já foi The Confederates, The Detours, The Hig NUmbers e por duas vezes The Who.

Um mod agressivo, extremamente elegante e fashion, que cada vez mais é para nós o Rock’n'Roll de hoje,ontem e para todo o sempre. Salve meu herói. Amém.

Lembre-se que ele ganhou um violão de sua avó aos 12 anos de idade e escutou muito rock americano.
Ou ainda, recorde-se daquele garoto surdo, retardado e cego, que tem o nariz maior que o mundo e o coração do tamanho dos anéis de saturno.
Falsamente acusado de molestar criancinhas, provou a sua inocência e cá para mim, queriam pegar ele desde o lançamento de Tommy.

Tommy, personagem central desse épico, era um garoto diferente, que se movia através da música e muitas vezes era molestado pelo seu tio pervertido. Apesar de o significado dessa história jamais ter sido de fato explicada, Tommy é mais precisamente, uma viagem pela infância real e imaginária de meu herói.

Mas peraí, se você agora sabe o nome dele, lamento. Seu rock está precisando de mais uma porção de Roger Daltrey, Keith Moon, John Entwistle e Pete Townshend.

Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend vive atualmente em Richmond, Inglaterra, e embora seja mais conhecido por sua carreira musical, se envolveu ostensivamente com o mundo literário, escrevendo artigos em jornais e revistas, resenhas de livros, ensaios e roteiros.
Sofre de surdez parcial, devido a exposição a música em volume alto pelos palcos que incendiou.
O herói do dia nasceu em 19 de maio de 1945 e toca guitarra, piano, sintetizador, banjo, baixo, bateria, violino, bandolim e ukelele.

Leia o romance semi – autobriográfico do cara: The Boy Who Heard Music.

Ou reveja grandes momentos do The Who: I´m Free, We’ re not gonna take it, Pindball Wizard, Who’s Next, entre tantos outros clássicos.Dá-lhe!

www.thewho.uk

Next song tonight is from the fantastic Who, with a version of Substitute from 1974

I. Her Man’s Been Gone
Her man’s been gone / For nigh a year / He was due home yesterday / But he ain’t here (2x)

II. Crying Town
Down your street your crying is a well-known sound / Your street is very well known, throughout your town / Your town is very famous for the little girl(s) / Whose cries can be heard all around the world

III. We Have A Remedy
We have a remedy / You’ll appreciate / No need to be so sad / He’s only late / We’ll bring you flowers and things / Help pass your time / We’ll give him eagle’s wings / Then he can fly to you
[Spoken] We have a remedy. We have! Little girl guide, why don’t you stop your crying? Here comes Ivor the engine driver to make you feel much better

IV. Ivor The Engine Driver
My name is Ivor / I’m an engine driver / I know him well /I know why you feel blue / Just ’cause he’s late / Don’t mean he’ll never get through / He told me he loves you / He ain’t no liar, I ain’t either / So let’s have a smile for an old engine driver / So let’s have a smile for an old engine driver

V. Soon Be Home
We’ll soon be home / We’ll soon be home / We’ll soon / We’ll soon, soon, soon be home [Come on, old horse]

VI. You Are Forgiven
Dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang / Cello, cello, cello, cello, cello, cello (etc.)
I can’t believe it / Do my eyes deceive me? / Am I back in your arms? / Away from all harm? / It’s like a dream to be with you again / Can’t believe that I’m with you again

I missed you and I must admit / I kissed a few and once did sit / On Ivor the Engine Driver’s lap / And later with him, had a nap / You are forgiven, you are forgiven, you are forgiven.

This mini-opera is long, and totally worth it. Of course there’s a story, but don’t bother with it. The clip is from the Rolling Stones’ Rock and Roll Circus, circa 1968. The Who had just perfected this on a long tour, and totally ripped through it, causing the embarrassed Stones to shelve the whole project. Watch Pete Townshend knock down a cymbal stand early on in the performance, then proceed to take his frustrations out on the rest of the song. The band totally knows it’s swingin’ on this. Only sections IV and V drag a bit, but that’s what makes the conclusion so exciting. This is a legendary band at its peak.

The Who has long been one of my favorite bands of all time, so it was a particular treat to receive from Netflix the Blu-ray version of their 1977 performance at Kilburn.  Completely coincidentally, the Blu-ray was released one year ago yesterday!

The main feature was digitally restored and the audio remastered, so it looks and sounds great.  The performance includes many of my favorites, with “Baba O’Riley,” “Behind Blue Eyes,” “Pinball Wizard,” “My Generation,” and closes with “Won’t Get Fooled Again.”  Other highlights are the first live performance of “Who Are You” (the only time Keith Moon would perform the song in front of an audience before his death the following year), and their rendition of the 1950’s classic and Who staple “Summertime Blues,” always a soft spot for me.

The extras on this disc include a 1969 show at the London Coliseum where they did their mini-opera “A Quick One, While He’s Away” (I wish I could live in that song, that’s how much I love it), and an uninterrupted performance of Tommy (completely awesome).

Now I really can’t wait to see The Kids Are Alright again, which is waiting for me in my Netflix queue.

Le groupe anglais sera de retour aux Etats-Unis en 2010.

Les experts du rock, The Who, seront sur scène à la mi-temps du Super Bowl XLIV le 7 février 2010. Emmenés par Roger Daltrey et Pete Townshend, Les Who joueront sûrement leurs plus grands classiques ” My Generation, Baba O’Riley,… “.

Chaque année, lors du ” Halftime “, un groupe prestigieux ( U2, Bruce Springsteen, Rolling Stones, Tom Petty,… ) vient enflammé le public ainsi que près de 90 millions de  téléspectateurs rien qu’aux Etats-Unis.

Pourvu que Pete et Roger ne cassent rien…

Source : Billboard

Roger Daltrey, vocalista do The Who, disse em entrevista ao semanário inglês “New Musical Express”, que pretende escrever uma autobiografia.

Daltrey está atualmente na turnê solo “Use it or Lose it” e explicou os seus motivos para escrever o livro. “Estou pensando em uma biografia sim. Acho que está na hora de escrever sobre a história da minha vida e as coisas que fiz, que acho mais interessantes. Nem tudo foi diversão, mas valeu a pena. O único problema é que as pessoas geralmente querem saber o pior sobre a gente, e não sei se estou preparado para isso“

Um dos maiores vocalistas da história, Daltrey tem uma grande história de vida e óbvio que o livro deve falar da complexa relação com o guitarrista do The Who, Peter Townshend.

Enquanto Daltrey está fazendo shows e pensando no livro, Townnshend está escrevendo as letras do novo álbum do The Who, que deve ser lançado em 2010.

We’ll be fighting in the streets
With our children at our feet
And the morals that they worship will be gone
And the men who spurred us on
Sit in judgment of all wrong
They decide and the shotgun sings the song

I’ll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around me
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
And I’ll get on my knees and pray
We don’t get fooled again
Don’t get fooled again

Change it had to come
We knew it all along
We were liberated from the fall that’s all
But the world looks just the same
And history ain’t changed
‘Cause the banners, they all flown in the last war

I’ll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around me
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
And I’ll get on my knees and pray
We don’t get fooled again
Don’t get fooled again
No, no!

I’ll move myself and my family aside
If we happen to be left half alive
I’ll get all my papers and smile at the sky
For I know that the hypnotized never lie

Do ya?

There’s nothing in the street
Looks any different to me
And the slogans are replaced, by-the-bye
And the parting on the left
Is now the parting on the right
And the beards have all grown longer overnight

I’ll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around me
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
Then I’ll get on my knees and pray
We don’t get fooled again
Don’t get fooled again
No, no!

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss

Em 1967 os apresentadores Tommy e Timmy Smothers do programa de TV “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” queriam que o The Who quebrasse os instrumentos na televisão como faziam nos shows.

Para dar maior dramaticidade, foi colocado um explosivo na bateria do Moon, detonável por controle remoto. Também estava acertado, como um momento cômico, que Tommy sairia para ver de perto os destroços e Pete iria tomar seu violão e espatifá-lo no chão, enquanto Tommy o olharia espantado.

No ensaio, Moon achou a explosão muito fraca e insistiu que o técnico colocasse mais explosivos (três vezes mais para ser exato). O resultado na hora do show foi um estrondo tão grande, que estilhaços de bateria caíram sobre os operadores do estúdio e um estilhaço em particular acertou e feriu Keith Moon.

Enquanto Pete e Tommy estão fazendo seus papéis à frente das câmeras, Moon sai rapidamente do palco com o braço ensangüentado. Existem fontes que afirmam que esta explosão foi tão alta que veio a causar o já conhecido problema de audição de Pete Townshend, embora ele tenha desmentido isto diversas vezes.

1. Billy Field – You weren’t in love with me
2. Camera Obscura – Destitution
3. Department S – Is Vic there?
4. Fantastic Something – The night we flew out of the window
5. Gregory Gray – Books to read twice
6. Herbie Armstrong – Do You
7. Le Change – Back seat of my car
8. Nevada – In the Bleak Midwinter
9. Phillip Goodhand-Tait – Everyday
10. Robert Wyatt – I’m a Believer
11. Rouen – Ordinary Life
12. Rouen – Young for Today
13. Scarlet Party – 101 Dam-Nations
14. Southern Comfort – Return to Frog City
15. Still Life – Away from this Town
16. Stockholm Monsters – National Pastime
17. The Farmers Boys – In the Country
18. The Records – Starry Eyes
19. Tonight – Drummer Man
20. Villa de Ville – Everything Counts

Obscure Seventies songsmith on Elton's label gets welcome revival

 

Phillip Goodhand-Tait

Goodhand-Tait is his real surname, although at school and into the mid 1960s, he was known as Phil Tait. His mother taught piano and his father was an active trades unionist. In 1957 the family moved south to Guildford where Goodhand-Tait attended Pewley school. Before long, he was singing in beat groups several nights every week under names such as Phill Tone and the Vibrants. In 1961, they renamed themselves Phill and the Stormsville Shakers, a group formed with Paul Demers on drums, Ivor Shackleton playing guitar, and Kirk Riddle on bass. “Stormsville” was the title of a 1960 Johnny and the Hurricanes album and ‘Shakers’ was meant to indicate the frantic nature of their performances.

In 1964 the Shakers played the Ricky-Tick club circuit, and backed Memphis Slim. He toured in the early 1960s as Phillip Goodhand-Tait and the Stormsville Shakers (his backing band from Guildford) supporting the likes of Larry Williams.

He wrote songs for Larry Williams; Roger Daltrey (“Oceans Away” – on the album ‘Ride a Rock Horse’ - and “Parade” and “Leon” – both on the ’One of the Boys’ album); Gene Pitney (“You Are” and “Oceans Away”); Zoot Money (“No One But You”) and Love Affair (“Bringing on Back the Good Times”, “A Day Without Love” and “Baby I Know”).

By 1971, he had branched out, and wrote the score for the film, Universal Soldier. In 1976 he played the harmonium on Chris de Burgh’s LP Spanish Train and other stories.

This track is of course a cover of the famous Buddy Holly song slowed down to make an emotive piano-based ballad and featured on the 1971 DJM (Elton John’s label who was a big supporter) album ‘I think I’ll write a song’.

It soundtracked many a teenage romance.

Fantastic Something

Fantastic Something were a UK based duo made up of two Greek born brothers, who had a hit in the early 80s called “If she doesn’t smile”. They disappeared after just two releases. The other one ‘If she doesn’t smile’ I also own – special requests will be treated sympathetically. They were on the great Cherry Red label. A glorious sound.

Camera Obscura

In the early Eighties there were a number of bands like Eyeless in Gaza, White Door  and Thomas Leer around who produced atmospheric synth music. Camera Obscura released this single and then fled – nowadays there is an excellent Glaswegian India band with the same name. The layer of soil thickens above the grave of the original and lamented Camera Obscura.

Department S

The late, great Vaughan Toulouse lent his vocals to this and many other great songs. The three remaining members of the band regrouped a year or so back to record a cover of Alvin Stardust’s ‘My Coo cachoo’

However, this song and their other great song ‘Going Left Right’ will never be bettered.

Rouen 

Rouen hailed from  the town of Bewdley in Worcestshire in the 1980s and signed to Virgin.
They realeased one album and a few singles, getting a listed on Radio 1 for one single – ‘Young for a Day’.

The band comprised of Nick Cox Keyboards with Nick Allsop, J Johnson, Mark Roslanowski and Nick Sellars.

Two tracks are recalled for duty here – ‘Young for a Day was the minor hit – ‘Ordinary Life’ is completely impossible to find anywhere else – so fill your boots.

Scarlet Party

Scarlet Party was formed in Essex in the early 1980s. The founder members were, singer/songwriters Graham Dye and brother Steven Dye, with drummer Sean Heaphy

They began to perform at many top venues, to a well established following, and had already recorded an album of original material, and were signed to a major record company, when joined by fourth member, Mark Gilmour, brother of Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour, on lead guitar.

The debut single, ‘101 Dam-Nations’ was released on EMI’s famous Parlaphone label, on 16 October 1982, along-side a special re-release of Love Me Do, celebrating The Beatles’ 20th anniversary at EMI. This helped to get Scarlet Party noticed, and with the voice of Graham Dye, uncannily resembling that of John Lennon, a television, radio, and magazine, publicity campaign, helped to reinforce the connection. The single was enthusiastically received (Kate Bush described it as her favourite), and reached number 44 in theUK Singles Chart. The follow-up single “Eyes of Ice”, was released in February 1983, on ice-clear vinyl, which was a request from the band, and all art-work for the sleeve was created by Graham Dye, using coloured pencils. EMI then decided not to release the completed album, which was to be called ‘Scarlet Skies’.

‘Scarlet Skies’, was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in 1981-82, but has never been officially released. The linked songs explore themes of war, love, and alienation, in styles reminiscent of both the mini pop operas of The Who, and the progressive concept albums of Pink Floyd.

The band recorded more original songs written by the Dye brothers, as a four piece, until the departure of Mark Gilmour at the end of 1983, and then, once again, as a three piece, also working on other projects, including a musical cartoon adventure based on the band, none of which were taken on by EMI.

Scarlet Party continued performing live shows, joined briefly by new member Micky Portman on bass, and recorded several more tracks at Abbey Road Studios. However, the band now feeling disheartened, and disappointed in EMI, decided to call it a day at the end of 1985.

Graham Dye went on to work as lead vocalist, on several albums by The Alan Parsons Project, and more recently, a new version of ‘101 Dam-Nations’ was made, featuring Graham and Steven Dye, together with Phil Collins  playing the drums. The brothers requested the help of Alan Parsons to produce the recording, which is not yet available. A shame.

Gregory Gray

Scottish-born singer/songwriter Gregory Gray released three fine albums of quirky, danceable pop from 1986 to 1995. However, his story goes back further than that and involves both a brief involvement with a second-string group of Northern Irish bubblegum popsters and a name change to disassociate himself from that chapter in his past. Gregory Gray was born Paul Lerwill in the village of Coleraine, Northern Ireland, on May 20, 1959. Lerwill picked up the guitar as a teenager and at the age of 19, he joined Rosetta Stone, a bubblegummy pop group led by Ian Mitchell, formerly of the Bay City Rollers. Known as “Flash” during his stint in Rosetta Stone, Lerwill stayed with the group until 1982, long past their brief notoriety amongst the pre-pubescent crowd. Following that, Lerwill changed his name to Gregory Gray to disassociate himself from his sugary past and formed an obscure group, called Perfect Crime, who were in more of a Waterboys-meets-U2 vein. He was a friend of Bono from the much more popular U2.

Finally signing a solo deal with CBS in 1986, Gray released his first album, Think of Swans, later that year. An artsy, often obscure record that maintains the Waterboys influence from his Perfect Crime days, Think of Swans was a complete commercial stiff and Gray was dropped after its release. After woodshedding for several years, Gray signed with Atco Records and released his much poppier second album, Strong at Broken Places, in 1991. That album was produced by Gray’s friend Davitt Sigerson, who later became the president of EMI Records. Sigerson signed Gray to EMI in 1995 and released the Stephen Hague-produced Euroflake in Silverlake, a Pet Shop Boys-like album of quirky electro-pop. Unfortunately, it followed his previous two albums into commercial oblivion and Gray gave up on his solo career, moving from Northern Ireland to New York in the late ’90s and forming an Underworld-like dance rock group, Mary Cigarettes.

Nevada

Their version of ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’ is possibly my favourite Christmas song of all. Sadly I can’t tell you anything about them as they are not recorded anywhere – and Last FM talks about a death metal Russian band of the same name – the two are not connected. I remember as a teacher in the Winter of 1981 scouring the second hand record shops of Brighton to acquire all the old favourite Christmas songs to compile into an all time best Christmas album on C90. I then duplicated a 100 at the University language centre and proceeded to pay for my indigent Christmas with the proceeds of a hunderd two quids gathered in from the students in my care. This was pre’That’s what I call Christmas’ days – so this probably represented a bargain.

Southern Comfort

These were the band that made up the others behind Iain Matthews in Matthews Southern Comfort, famous for their version of Joni Mitchell’s ‘Woodstock’ in 1970. After Iain left to go solo the band carried on and had a very minor hit with ‘I sure like your smile’. On the B side of this was this track – ‘Return to Frog City’ from the Harvest album ‘Frog City’ with a great slide guitar erformance from the legendary Gordon Huntley who sadly died in 1985. I played this into the ground in 1971 which may explain its white blitz sound.

The Records

Living as I did in Southend in the Seventies, it was an exciting time to be a music fan. Will Birch was at the centre of the scene as drummer with Eddie and the Hot Rods which he had quit to form The Records with fellow Essex man John Wicks. The Records were far more impressive in potential than fellow bands such as the Kursaal Flyers and even Dr Feelgood – they had pure pop class. By fans of the genre, they are considered one of the most seminal British power pop acts of all time. They are often referred to as The British Big Star. They are best remembered for the hit single and cult favourite included here: ’Starry Eyes’. In the 70s and 80s, the only constant members of The Records were John Wicks, Will Birch and Phil Brown. Today, former members of The Records record and perform as solo artists. Lead singer John Wicks tours in his group John Wicks And The Records, while guitarist Jude Cole continues to record and perform as a solo artist.

Although the original version of UK rock group The Records disbanded in the 1980s, their music continues to be a major attraction in the world of rock and roll. Their hit single ‘Starry Eyes’ is still played on classic rock and college rock radio stations throughout the continents.

John Wicks currently works as a producer/songwriter and has formed a new all-star lineup known as John Wicks And The Records. Wicks performs classic songs from his days with The Records, which he co-founded with drummer/songwriter Will Birch in the 1970s. At a John Wicks And The Records concert, expect to hear classic songs from his years in The Records in addition to all-new material.

John Wicks And The Records continue to play sold out shows around the world, having performed with the likes of Guided By Voices, Dramarama and the Electric Prunes among others. Although they played CBGBs in the past, it seemed only fitting when John Wicks And The Records chose to perform as part of the CBGBs farewell concert series when the legendary rock and punk venue prepared to permanently close it’s doors in 2006.

Guitarist/singer, Jude Cole, was the only American to play in The Records. Today, Jude Cole produces numerous artists and co-owns Ironworks Studios with actor Kiefer Sutherland. Hailing from London, England, The Records performed with such acts as Elvis Costello, The Cars, The Jam with Paul Weller, Robert Palmer and Joe Jackson. The Records formed at the height of rock and roll in the 1970s and recorded three major label albums for Virgin Records. They released several singles including Starry Eyes, Teenarama and Hearts In Her Eyes. Albums included “Shades In Bed,” “Crashes,” “Music On Both Sides,” “Paying For The Summer Of Love” and “A Sunny Afternoon In Waterloo.”

The songs of John Wicks/Will Birch have been covered by artists such as Mary Chapin Carpenter, Michael Monroe from Hanoi Rocks, Blackpool Lights, Too Much Joy, The Methadones and British beat group The Searchers.

The Farmers Boys

The Farmer’s Boys were from Norwich. They formed in the early 1980s and were briefly called “Bang Goes My Stereo” before changing their name to The Farmer’s Boys. The band’s first single, “I Think I Need Help”, was release in April 1982 with a few more releases in the same year. In January 1983 “More than a Dream” was reissued as their first single for EMI. Several more singles including this Shadows cover and two albums were released before the band split in 1985.

Baz and Mark went on to form The Avons in 1985. Mark later joined The Nivens, Stan formed Dr Fondle and Frog joined The Higsons and played keyboards on a Julian Cope tour in the late eighties. Original guitarist Andy left early on to join Serious Drinking. In 2000, Baz, Mark & Stan got back together as The Great Outdoors.

These songs have been rescued from the very depths of Stannard’s Library, converted digitally from their original vinyl state and lovingly brought to your attention. Some of these artists will never record again and have not been washed up on the beach of any long forgotten compilation. I humbly offer them here for your edification and delight. You may never see their like again.

http://rapidshare.com/files/308992682/Roy_s_Library_5.zip

Eu me sinto culpado em abandonar esse blog. É o segundo post seguido que abordo esse tema, mas whatever. Foi só pra ter um assunto pra introduzi-lo. Vou voltar a atualizar aqui assim que minhas provas acabarem e eu ficar mais relaxado. Pra vocês terem uma ideia, preciso tirar 7,5 na próxima prova de matemática.

Bom, pra manter vocês atualizados: ontem chegou meu DVD do The Who (farei review logo mais) ao vivo em Kilburn. Encomendei no sábado, pela Livraria Cultura, e chegou ontem. Tudo dentro do prazo.

Ontem também tive que me arrastar do colégio até a porra da loja de música pra comprar um jogo novo de cordas pra minha guitarra. É, eu consegui estourar elas. O maior esforço nem foi esse: foi TROCAR. As cordas mais finas dobram com mais facilidade, e assim permanecem. Eu consegui, de alguma forma, colocar o negócio na tarraxa de um jeito errado. Tive que refazer tudo. Bom, o que importa é que tá tudo bem agora, só falta as cordas se habituarem com a afinação certa e partir pro abraço. Próximo passo é comprar o amplificador.

Mudando de assunto, estou nesse momento baixando uns jogos por torrent, pro PSP. God of War (já tinha zerado e tudo mais, mas depois que meu PSP antigo morreu, deletei ele e agora tô com nostalgia pra jogá-lo), Little Big Planet e Assassin’s Creed. Fora isso, venho jogando Rock Band: Unplugged e Super Mario World no emuladorzim (outro motivo pelo qual eu amo meu PSP <3). No PC, comecei a usar o Steam. Resultado: baixei algumas demos, pesadinhas até. Tô viciado e encantado com a série Left 4 Dead. Comecei jogando a versão demonstrativa do 2. Gostei bastante e acabei baixando a versão full do primeiro, e tô adorando. Recomendo a todos. Quem sabe, faço review também. Fora L4D, joguei Braid e gostei bastante. É, sem dúvidas, o Mario da nova geração. Porém, com funcionalidades alteradas. Também recomendo.

Bom, acho que é tudo o que eu tenho pra dizer a vocês. Até o próximo (?) post. Abs.

1964 gick jag på Kärrtorps gymnasium, var 17 år och ett popsnöre. Året innan hade jag på minuten när skivorna kom till Sverige köpt de två första LP-plattorna med Beatles. Både Beatles och andra engelska band som Rolling Stones, Kinks, Pretty Things, Downliners Sect och The Who skulle 1964-65-66-67 snurra i ett i ett i ett på skivspelaren.

Jag köpte också Cornelis Vreeswijks debut-LP, ”Ballader och oförskämdheter” (1964). Varför då? Skulle det vara musik för ett popyngel? Inga elgitarrer larmade och inga trummor slamrade. Cornelis spelade akustisk gitarr och sjöng. Det var allt.

Cornelis Vreeswijks debut-LP.

Akustisk gitarr gick väl an men då skulle det vara amerikanska protestsånger typ Bob Dylan, som jag precis hade upptäckt. Men Cornelis sjöng ju inte ens på engelska utan på svenska. Han var, jag menar, vissångare…

Här har nu en visa skrivits
om William, stadens tok.
Åt skämt som med honom bedrivits
man skrattar sig ryggen i krok.
Man lurade dåren att klättra på taken
för att jaga hästar. Har du hört på maken!
Häst-på-taket-William, gå upp och hämta ned han!
Alla älskade William för dom fick skämta med han.
(“Häst-på-taket-William”, 1964)

”Häst-på-taket-William” ska faktiskt (enligt uppgift i bl a Klas Widéns biografi, se litteraturförteckningen) ha varit Cornelis Vreeswijks första egna låt – den allra första låten han skrev! Så häpen jag blev, när jag på senare år fick reda på det. Han var sig själv, som mest och bäst, redan i förstlingsverket.

Förresten kan det sista ordet syfta på hela debut-LPn (som föregicks av en EP med fyra visor som också finns med på LPn). Cornelis Vreeswijk debuterade inte som debutant utan som en (missförstå inte ordet) färdig artist. En personlighet och mer: en unik personlighet. ”Ballader och oförskämdheter” är, från första till sista spåret, en enastående debut. Han gjorde, i mina öron, ingen bättre LP. Möjligen den så kallade ”sambaskivan”, alltså ”Tio vackra visor och Personliga Person” (1968), men den är lite av en annan genre och historia.

Cornelis skulle bredda sig, både poetiskt och musikaliskt: bli fräckare och grövre i dikt och mun vad gällde sex och politik, sjunga till jazzkomp (som Jan Johansson, piano, Rune Gustavsson, gitarr, och Sture Åkerberg, bas) och popbandet Made in Sweden (med Jojje Wadenius på elgitarr), importera och omplantera brasiliansk samba, tolka Carl Michael Bellman, Evert Taube, Edvard Persson, Povel Ramel och Gustaf Fröding, översätta Victor Jara.

Amatörgitarristen Erikssons första sång- och spela-häfte.

Hans mest kända och populära låtar började komma året efter debuten – t ex ”I natt jag drömde något som…” och ”Brev från kolonien” (1965), ”Ångbåtsblues”, ”Jag hade en gång en båt” och ”Balladen om herr Fredrik Åkare och söta fröken Cecilia Lind (1966), ”Deirdres samba”, ”Somliga går med trasiga skor” och ”Felicia, adjö” (1968), ”Hönan Agda” (singel 1969), ”En halv böj blues” och ”Turistens klagan” (1978).

Han skulle lägga till men inte dra ifrån. Den han var vid debuten förblev han till sin död. Han var sig själv trogen. Roten, kärnan, hjärtat, själen – det typiska och kännetecknande, det som vi kände och känner igen som Cornelis – fanns fixt och färdigt redan från början.

Medborgare, ur spår är tiden,
det hävdar jag bestämt.
Törhända ni jagar standard?
Ja, jäklar vilket skämt!
Den varan är såsom såpa
som man hastigt försöker ta.
För var dag blir den bättre
men den blir aldrig bra.
(“Ballad på en soptipp”, 1964)

Vad bestod hans personlighet av? Eller låt mig formulera frågan så här: Vad var det som fick en popgalen 17-åring som repade med sitt band i cykelstallet att varva Beatles, Stones och Vreeswijk på grammofonen?

Det måste ha varit bluesen. Att Cornelis inte var någon vanlig vissångare som spelade valskomp – du-dutt-dutt, du-dutt-dutt – på gitarren utan tuffare än så. Som blues, nästan. Blues på svenska. Han var, så måste jag ha känt, en svensk vissångare i samma tid och anda som Beatles, Stones och Dylan, det musikaliskt och politiskt explosiva 60-talet. ”Jag sjunger en visa i vinden” diktade och sjöng Cornelis i just ”Visa i vinden” på debut-LPn. Visst var det samma blåst som ven genom Bob Dylan-sången ”Blowin´ In The Wind”?

Om förebilder och influenser har Cornelis berättat i flera intervjuer. Först ”lyssnarsånger”: melodier med texter att lyssna på, en tradition som var vanlig i Holland och som den unge invandraren Vreeswijk hade med sig i öron och kropp när han kom till Sverige, då var han 12 år.

Sen brukade han nämna Leadbelly och Josh White, bägge svarta amerikanska bluessångare/gitarrister. Han nämnde också Georges Brassens, fransk vispoet, och Mose Allison, amerikansk jazzpianist, sångare och kompositör.

Det var som gjort för mig. Josh White, som kring 1960 ofta besökte Sverige, hade varit på TV och sjungit blues och amerikanska folksånger till gitarr. Också Georges Brassens hade jag faktiskt hört. När jag åkte på språkresa till England fanns i samma värdfamilj en skolkille från Frankrike. Han presenterade Brassens för mig. Och Mose Allison bara fanns där. Alla som på 60-talet lirade i ett popband ”upptäckte” och gillade honom.

Cornelis Vreeswijk lyssnade in Whites akustiska bluesgitarr, förenklade tekniken något och anpassade till nylonsträngad gitarr. Han gjorde svenska visor, sånger eller låtar om människor och händelser med texter som var burdusa som Brassens och ordfyndiga som Allisons.

Resultatet blev, för att låna en kommande LP-titel, ”Poem, ballader och lite blues” (1970). (Forts…)

(Ur boken ”Svenska sång- och rockpoeter 1”,
utgiven 2005 av BTJ)

Rolling Stone is saying that The Who has been booked to play this year’s Super Bowl.  I’m not sure I’m feeling this.  AC/DC would have been my choice since the half time show usually leans classic rock (boring!).  Who would you like to see??

P

For over 20 years the Super Bowl, the biggest American sporting event, has used the game’s halftime show to feature outdated, “safe” acts that are rarely offensive. (Who didn’t roll their eyes when the Anaheim High School Drill Team preformed during Super Bowl I, am I right?) And the practice needs to end. Soon.

Here’s a short list of outdated and “safe” acts that have graced the Halftime Show:

Super Bowl XXII, 1988: Chubby Checker

Super Bowl XXVI, 1992: Gloria Estafan

Super Bowl XXVII, 1993: Michael Jackson

Super Bowl XXVII, 1994: The Judds

Super Bowl XXVIII, 1995: Tony Bennet

Super Bowl XXX, 1996: Diana Ross

Super Bowl XXXI, 1997: ZZ Top, James Brown

Super Bowl XXXII, 1998: Boys II Men

Super Bowl XXXIII, 1999: Gloria Estafan (again!), Stevie Wonder

Super Bowl XXXIV, 2000: Phil Collins

Super Bowl XXXVII, 2003: Sting

Super Bowl XXXVIII, 2004: Janet Jackson, Janet Jackson’s weird nipple-clipped boob

Super Bowl XXXIX, 2005: Paul McCartney

Super Bowl XL, 2006: The Rolling Stones

Super Bowl XLI, 2007: Prince (toned down, given religion and losing most of the sexy)

Super Bowl XLII, 2008: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Super Bowl XLIII, 2009: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

And now, introducing our new inductee that promises not to offend or confuse any viewer:

The Who in 1975 when they were releasing records without shit like "Baba O'Riley," which is an awful song no matter who plays it. (Photo from Wikipedia Commons)

The Who.

Once treated as a dangerous, insane band, The Who are now old men.

Very old.

And they’re now just Pete Townshend and Roger Daltry. They’re sober. They eat right. There may be explosions during the show, but rest assured that they will be handled by professionals, and not a drunk Keith Moon.

So, what the fuck is the point of having The Who then?

Because out of all those artists listed above, how many do you like at least one song of, or could hum at least one song? Each and every one of them. And when you get into The Stones, Bruce, Tom, Paul and Prince: We all like them. Those guys all rock and anyone saying different is a liar who should be dressed like a wolf and set free near Sarah Palin.

We all like these artists because these peeps crank out the hits. One wrote “Satisfaction.” Another wrote “Purple Rain.” Good lord, Paul McCartney was a Beatle. These aren’t some namby-pamby one-hit-wonders. These cats are destined for a prolonged superstardom even in death. But they’re all old acts. All of them. No one watching has to see something too new, something they could describe as “the shit the kids listen to now-a-days…”

That’s my issue here. There are very few instances of featuring even newish acts in the Super Bowl. In 2001 at Super Bowl XXXV Britney Spears performed–but with Aerosmith. Justin Timberlake performed in 2004–but with Janet Jackson and her boob. Whenever there is something new, it is curbed with something old and safe…or at least that’s attempted.

What if we did this in other events, or in the game itself?

Bob Costas: “All right we’re about to start here in Dolphin Stadium here in beautiful Miami, Florida. Football fans over 50 will be glad to see that for the first few snaps the Steelers are starting Joe Namath as an ode to Super Bowl III, we assume Ben Rothlisberger will be starting after that followed by a cameo by Joe Montana for a critical 3rd down early in the 2nd half.”

I’m not asking for the Decemberists to play, but why not Wilco? How about Kayne West?

The NFL has allowed Up with People to perform four times, dammit! I’ve never met a football fan who likes motivational, happy, dancing/singing troops in my life. Why not allow for a band composed of members under 40, just at the very least?

thank you classic rock groups
which began in the 1960’s
for teaching me how to
play the electric guitar.

—

—

Clear Channel has launched a new streaming channel on iHeartRadio for the new film Pirate Radio. The movie, about renegade rockers in the 1960s off the coast of England, is full of great music by The Beatles, The Stones, Beach Boys, Dusty Springfield, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Smokey Robinson, David Bowie, Otis Redding, Cat Stevens and more.

The movie is about a group of DJs who “go rogue” and start a radio station on a boat in the middle of the Northern Atlantic, playing rock records and breaking the law all for the love of music. The songs they played united and defined an entire generation and drove the British government crazy.

It’s a great concept for a station and a perfect promotion of the film. The station has a website where you can listen, watch movie trailers and video clips, check out pictures and buy the soundtrack of the movie. I love the integration of on and offline media used to promote a real station based on a fictional retelling of a story about a real station….

NOTE: For still more irony, Rusty Hodge from Soma.fm let me know that the real station, Radio Caroline,  is still streaming online.

Some good mash ups…this group doesnt switch songs as often as mashup artists like girl talk, the milkman, or super mash bros.  all of the stuff i’ve heard tends to stick to a small number of songs the entire way through.  This one’s called “Eminem Front”.  It uses samples from the who, eminem, and clipse together.  I can’t find it on youtube but here’s a mediafire link

http://www.mediafire.com/?fhaxzy2yn4v 

and a hypem.com link if you just want to listen http://hypem.com/#/track/956918/The+White+Panda+-+Eminem+Front+Eminem+vs+The+Who+vs+Clipse+

They also have one called “Golden Encore” that i like even more but I cant find it on youtube or any other website besides hypem.com.   its a mash up of Jay-Z’s “Encore”, OneRepublic’s “Apologize”, and The Whitest Boy Alive’s “Golden Cage”. i’m not sure if an mp3 is available anywhere but you can give it a listen here:

http://hypem.com/#/track/925148/The+White+Panda+-+Golden+Encore

Here’s one more with Wiz Khalifa’s “Burn after Rolling” mixed over “Walking on a Dream” by Empire of the Sun…this ones pretty catchy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6-xeOm4qc4

mp3 download http://www.mediafire.com/?rgmifjyyjje

I went to the gym today for the first time since my surgery.  I know I mentioned I was going to go in Hawkesbury, but I thought better of it and decided to heed my doctor’s recommendation to wait.  I saw him on Friday and he cleared me to go back to working out.

Today was rough.  My legs felt fine, my body felt strong, but my lungs.  I haven’t had burning in my lungs from being out of breath in a VERY long time.  Six minutes into the elliptical machine, I had to stop to drink some water and clear my throat.  My lungs were working overtime.

Still, I finished my full hour of workout and left the gym feeling pleased as punch.  It was hard, but I did it.

I got home tonight, changed into lounge clothes and realized my belly button felt kinda sore.  In the last hour, it’s gone from kinda sore to “wow, I really can’t have my waistband sit there”.  It’s turned bright red and it looks very angry.

Fuck.

I’m going to have to go and see my doctor and see what I’ve done to myself.  This whole surgery thing sucks.

I’m going to weigh in tomorrow for the first time in weeks.  I’m nervous.