Music Hall of Fame

So ROTF how long have you had these strange obsessions?

Howard

ROTF, I can sympathise; I notice that ELO aren't in there either

What a load of old rubbish! I guess you need a title to qualify. Looks like a tabloid newspaper line-up to me. Think about it; if they still did Variety at the London Palladium - they'd all be on the bill. Pop Redcoats the lot of them (I'll exclude the dead dudes who were naturally saved the ignominy of becoming old farts - and The Kinks ).

quote:

Originally posted by BigH47:
So ROTF how long have you had these strange obsessions?

Howard

Since about 1965 when I first heard Folk Routes, New Routes by Shirley Collins and Davy Graham - our house was full of records that were bought for those who liked dancing and suddenly I came across this record of music to listen to.

My second obsession was brought about by the 1980s - after some great music at the beginning and end of the seventies; I thought great here comes the 80s, but it was drab more about appearence than songs and then one fine day I turned on the John Peel show and didn't believe what I heard at all, not all - it was Albert hammond Bootleg by Half Man, Half Biscuit and once again it was music to listen to.

One story I like best about HMHB is that they turned down an opportunity to appear on Channel4's The Tube because it clashed with a Tranmere Rovers home game.

Rotf

quote:

Originally posted by bhazen:
ROTF, I can sympathise; I notice that ELO aren't in there either

Agreed - ELO were much maligned which is shame 'cos the put some mighty fine music together.

What this points up to me is the increasing tendency, as the Baby Boomers age and consolidate their grip on power and the culture, to mythologise and museum-ify rock'n'roll. In my home town, there's the EMP (Experience Music Project), the pet toy of Paul Allen (Microsoft co-founder) which charges high fees to view Jimi Hendrix' underpants behind glass or whatever; for me, it kills the rock 'spirit', whatever that is. Nostalgia looms increasingly large (a natural development, considering 50 years' history), and corporations sponsoring big rock tours (American Express brings you the Rolling Stones!). Merchandising is so pervasive as to be fatiguing (although, particularly in light of how some bands were ripped off in the 60's-70's, I can't really blame their reunion tours, greatest-hits-packaging-t-shirt-keychain-DVD extravaganzas to make some money for eventual retirement).

The real rock spirit emerges when you see a faded rock legend appear unexpectedly at a small club in your town, and rips it up; or you pull out some musty old LPs from the attic, dust 'em off and have a listen to the soundtrack of your youth.

I loved the comment by Pete Townsend(I think) saying there is a building? This is "just a fucking TV programme".

Howard

quote:

Originally posted by bhazen:
What this points up to me is the increasing tendency, as the Baby Boomers age and consolidate their grip on power and the culture, to mythologise and museum-ify rock'n'roll. In my home town, there's the EMP (Experience Music Project), the pet toy of Paul Allen (Microsoft co-founder) which charges high fees to view Jimi Hendrix' underpants behind glass or whatever; for me, it kills the rock 'spirit', whatever that is. Nostalgia looms increasingly large (a natural development, considering 50 years' history), and corporations sponsoring big rock tours (American Express brings you the Rolling Stones!). Merchandising is so pervasive as to be fatiguing (although, particularly in light of how some bands were ripped off in the 60's-70's, I can't really blame their reunion tours, greatest-hits-packaging-t-shirt-keychain-DVD extravaganzas to make some money for eventual retirement).

The real rock spirit emerges when you see a faded rock legend appear unexpectedly at a small club in your town, and rips it up; or you pull out some musty old LPs from the attic, dust 'em off and have a listen to the soundtrack of your youth.

I completely agree.

My big fear is that the Boomers will shove the Beatles' memory (and music) so far down the throats of everyone else, that resentment and dismissal will result.

As a card-carrying Fabs fan, I say: no more. A moratorium on books about them, film/video histories, or CD compilations, for at least ten years. Alright, media companies?

p.s. Man/Biscuit have the funniest titles since Hatfield & the North! "Joy Division Oven Gloves", "Asparagus Next Left", Achtung Bono etc.

HMHB wrote to my two favourite Christmas songs too

My favourite being

It's Clichéd To Be Cynical At Christmas from Trouble Over Bridgewater

the other being

All I Want for Christmas is a Dukla Prague Away Kit from Back in the DHSS

Dukla Prague were a Czech football side, who went bankrupt, reemerged in the lower divisions, got promoted back to the First Division, then renamed to Marila Pribram. They play in maroon and gold. The name Dukla recalls a World War Two battle at Dukla Pass in Slovakia, where Czechoslovak and Soviet troops defeated occupying Nazi forces in 1945. The song is about Subbuteo, the kids' football game with plastic figures, flick the figures to move them and hit the ball. There are also about a million different accessories for the game, to drain doting parents of their every last cent. These crop up throughout the song. No mention of how a stray foot has a tendency to wipe out half of the team, though.

BTW Bridgewater is a town in Somerset in England

DHSS is Department of Health & Social Security, and of course the title was inspired by the other great mersey side band's Back in the USSR.

Rotf

PS Hatfield & the North - a superb band from Canterbury, Kent - Let's Eat Real Soon and Fitter Stokes Takes a Bath being two my favourite H&TN songs. Stunning vocals from Richard Sinclair of Caravan fame.