Power trios

Was listening to a "best of" CD of The Outfield today at work, on the CD-ROM drive of my computer.  Was in the mood for "Heart-Shaped Box", so switched over to The Best of Nirvana-- another three-piece band.

Material Issue is my #1 favorite band:  also a three-piece.

And the band I was in (Quiet Storm) with Guitar Cousin and "Crash" Adams was also a three-piece.

Bell (a little-known -- but very good -- Seattle band) was also a three-piece -- at least in the beginning.


Maybe it's all a coincidence.  Or maybe that's just where my aesthetics lie.


--GG

The Bandname Prefix

This blog entry is more "PG-13" than I usually do...


Yesterday at Christmas lunch I was seated at the "kids' table" (a long story), next two my high school-aged nephews (my in-laws, I suppose).  One of them said something about prawns (we were having shrimp cocktails), and I noted that "Sex" could be added to a lot of words to make a good band name:  e.g. "The Sex Prawns".

I got to thinking about this, and came up with a pretty decent list.  I've tried to retain only the ludicrous ones, and omit the ones that could actually be "a thing" -- e.g. Sex Psychologist.

However, I have retained a few that are in that in-between-realm of "initially ludicrous -- but actually plausible" (e.g. "The Sex Pyjamas").

I was pretty stream-of-consciousness over this.  I've tried to group them by theme.

I also realized that if I use the word "sox" a bazillion times in a single blog entry, I'd get put on the wrong sort of search engine results.  So, I'm using the word "Sox", instead.


Grouped approximately by theme, here are some potential band names:



-The Sox Curtains





-The Sox Bagels



-The Sox Waffles




-The Sox Lightbulbs


-The Sox Tacos
-The Sox Eggplants

-The Sox Coasters
-The Sox Mushrooms
-The Sox Tractors
-The Sox Forklifts
-The Sox Pavement
-The Sox Gravel

-The Sox Painters
-The Sox Carpenters
-The Sox Historians
-The Sox Boxers
-The Sox Boxes

The Sox Trumpets
-The Sox Tubas
-The Sox Fiddles
-The Sox Cowbells
-The Sox Tunas
-The Sox Flounders
-The Sox Squids
-The Sox Flounders
-The Sox Eagles
-The Sox Guppies
-The Sox Bottles
-Sox Cargo
-Sox Suitcase
-Sox Trolley
-The Sox Mountains
-The Sox Rivers
-Sox Clouds
-Sox Handles
-Sox Suitcase
-Sox Suitcase
-Sox Luggage
-Sox Lumber
-The Sox Lumberjacks
-The Sox Loggers
-The Sox Collectors
-The Sox Farmers
-The Sox Ranchers
-The Sox Cowboys
-The Sox Hashtags
-The Sox Hankies
-The Sox Ankles
-Sox Flamingo
-The Sox Penguins
-The Sox Pandas
-The Sox Pianos
-Sox Mongoose
-The Sox Weasels
-The Sox Ferrets
-The Sox Kettles
-The Sox Cookers
-The Sox Blenders
-The Sox Tomatoes
-The Sox Potatoes


-The Sox Riddles


-The Sox Routers

-The Sox Modems

-The Sox Mainframe

-The Sox Protocols

-The Sox Computers



-The Sox Puzzles

-The Sox Crosswords


-Sox Centrifuge
-Sox Walrus
-Sox Cockroach


-The Sox Archers
-The Sox Clowns


-The Sox Chisels

-The Sox Hammers

-Sox Hammer

-Sox Micrometer

-Sox Gauge

-Sox Vice


-Sox Bandsaw

-The Sox Spiders
-The Sox Beetles
-The Sox Cobwebs
-The Sox Horses
-The Sox Walrus

-Sox Banshee

-The Sox Ghosts


-Sox Pickaxe

-The Sox Shovels


-The Sox Parrots

-The Sox Budgies


-Sox Budget

-Sox Accountant

-The Sox Archeologists

-Sox Debit


-The Sox Pencils


You can actually do this "adjective + noun" thing with a lot of semi-random word pairings.  I suspect a lot of bands actually do this -- e.g.

-The Velvet Underground
-Smashing Pumpkins
-Velvet Revolver


--GG

Under my brain

Fifteen minutes ago I sat down at my computer to do a tedious task.  In that situation, I often call up some sort of music video playlist on YouTube, for musical accompaniment.

For some reason, I typed in "The Stems".  The first hit was the song "At First Sight" -- which I immediately recognized as a (very good) song off the Young Einstein movie soundtrack, which features only '80s-ish Australian bands.

Funny that that band popped out of my brain.  I really like the song -- but I never got around to listening to the rest of their stuff.

Subconsciousness.  :)


A link to the song's lyrics.


Music video:


(The soundtrack CD has better fidelity.)


--GG

Two items

At a garage sale a few weeks ago, I picked up a few $2 CDs of bands that I’d never heard of.  Am listening to a pretty bad band – but at least they’re enthusiastic about it.


On the way in to work today, I saw a mom yelling at her young daughter to stop crying.  I don’t think that’s how it works.




--GG

Almost a band shirt

My favorite band from Seattle -- and probably one of my top ten favorite bands ever -- is Bell*.

From what I can remember, I wanted a band t-shirt -- but they didn't have any.  However, Vanessa Veselka, the "brains of the outfit" (songwriter, guitarist, singer), had started her own label:  Yeah, It's Rock.  And she had a t-shirt for the label.  And that was as close to a "band t-shirt" as I got.

That was about 1997.  So, about twenty years later (yikes!), here I am living in Australia (instead of Seattle), going to the movies today with my family while wearing my Yeah, It's Rock t-shirt.

I'm not sure that I have a specific point -- except that the probability is very high that this is the only Bell-related t-shirt in Australia.


--GG

*Get one of their first two albums:  A Clear Sense of Beauty is my fave, and has two songs on my "To Cover - Someday" list (and it's easy to find on Amazon); Perfect Math has the song "Already There", which is good.  Cruelly, they never "went anywhere" -- so if you pick up their album you can be hipper-than-thou about a cool yet obscure Seattle band from the '90s.   

Finally accepted The Dandy Warhols

For years, people have been telling me that I'd probably like The Dandy Warhols.  And about five years ago I saw the music video for "Scientist" and liked it -- but when I investigated some other DW songs I wasn't really taken.

Maybe my tastes have drifted slightly -- because a week ago I picked up their album Welcome to the Monkey House, and it's been on non-stop rotation at work. 

Curiously, the vibe and vocal harmonies of their song "I am Song" reminds me of The Rentals -- except that the arrangement lacks vintage synths.  Being reminiscent of The Rentals is a good thing.  :)


So, yeah:  Dandy Warhols.


--GG

Material Issue trumps Devo

Last night I working on a task at my computer, and was playing some YouTube music videos in the background for ambiance.  I ended up looking up some Material Issue videos -- and was reminded how much I enjoy their music.

Devo was my first "favorite band" (although I discovered The Cars and The Ramones at about the same time) -- but even though I really enjoy Devo (both their musicality and their quirkiness), I believe I like every single Material Issue song:  no filler.

They have slow songs, and fast songs.  And the lyrics are pretty good, too.







Sorry Devo.  But you're still in my Top Five.  :)


--GG

Devo classified

Visited a CD store on my lunch break.

I was slightly disappointed to discover that Devo wasn’t in the “Alternative” section: they are now found in the “Popular” section.  So I guess they're "mainstream" now...


Also: I asked the sales clerk to look up an album by New Order (a new wave band from the '80s) in the computer, to see if it was in stock.  The clerk (25-ish) asked “New who…?”

But she did know knew of the song “Blue Monday” (“How… does it feel… to treat me like you do…”),which was one of their big hits.


I knew someone who, about five years ago, was 18 or 19 and looking for a Christmas job at a CD store.  One of the interview questions was "Name all of the Beatles."  She couldn't -- but got hired anyhow.


I am a cranky old man.


--GG

A striking resemblance

It's late "winter" (such as it is!) here in Brisbane, Australia -- so I was wearing a stocking cap indoors, because I was cold.  (Cleverly, homes in Brisbane tend to not have "central heating", because -- Hey! -- we're subtropical.)  I looked in the bathroom mirror, and thought, "I know who **I** look like...!!!"


Me:

Him:

Guitar not included.


--GG

Vince Clarke

Vince Clarke was in Depeche Mode... then Yaz (or "Yazoo", depending on which side of the Atlantic you're on)... and then Erasure.  All good bands.

An interview.



Showing his basic technique, with a delightfully old (from today's perspective) computer with a sequencer. 



In the below footage, at about 4:16, regarding a wall-filling modular synth:

Interviewer: "And how do you come across these things? I mean, they're not so [easy] to find?"

Vince Clarke: "Well -- this I bought new. 'Cause, that's how old I am."


Also, in the above footage -- at around 0:40, check out the shot of the panning around his "synth workshop".  I would love to have that sort of setup...


--GG

Mike Dean song about being an away dad

I discovered this song as the backing music to a YouTube video.  I'm not usually "Country" -- but I like anything with good lyrics and a good melody.

To me, it's about being a dad with a job that takes you away from your family.  I think it's about working on an offshore oil rig -- but it applies to Navy folks, people in the mining industry, touring musicians, etc.

Applies to husbands, wives, and moms -- not just dads, of course.




Mike Dean's webpage is here, if you want to buy his music.


--GG

Simple yet catchy

Found this guy by accident.


I like it:  simple, yet catchy.

A strong counter-argument for people who don't think they can make music because they lack fancy equipment.


--GG

I wish

I had loaded some Beatles songs onto the kids' mp3 players. I had also loaded some of the songs that I wrote and recorded. 

Boy #2  asked me who did “Yellow Submarine”. I told him that it was by the Beatles.

A little while later one of my songs came on. He asked me, “Are you part of the Beatles band?”

I wish.:)


--GG

Coldplay

I guess everybody else in the world but me knows about the band Coldplay.

I'd heard the name, and YouTubed a few of their songs -- but I wasn't taken.

But then I heard the song "Viva la Viva", liked it, did a web search -- and then discovered that it was by Coldplay.

So then I read the Wikipedia page -- and discovered that they did the song "Clocks", and that backwards music video for "The Scientist".  Ah!  OK.  So I picked up their Viva la Vida or Death and All of His Friends album.  Pretty good.


It reminds me of in my youth, when my church youth group was on a road trip, and I listened to a Cars album -- probably Heartbeat City -- on cassette, on a friend's walkman.  With just about every song, I realized, "Ah!  This song I've been hearing on the radio -- it was by The Cars!"


It just takes me a while to pick up on these things.


--GG

An open letter to Vanessa Veselka

An open letter to Vanessa Veselka:


Hi!


I'll preface this by saying that I am a fan (lower-case "f") -- but I am not a "Fan" (upper-case; tinged with craziness).

Illustration:  I don't have all your lyrics memorized; I don't own any The Pinkos albums; I haven't read your novel (sorry:  nowadays I only read non-fiction -- mostly about guitars, recording techniques, and woodworking).  And I just don't have the time or the sense of focus to be an adequate stalker.  

And, of course, I now live in Australia.  Too far to telecommute.


However, I do very much enjoy the songs of your band Bell (1990s; Seattle).  I have all three of your albums.  And **somewhere** I have a CD where I dubbed the songs from your red demo cassette tape, the blue demo cassette tape, and your KGRG radio interview.

And I do end up wearing my red "Yeah, It's Rock" t-shirt about six times a year.  It depends on which end of the closet I start from.


Anyhow, I recently re-discovered my stash of Bell albums, in which you were the songwriter, guitarist, and singer (possibly in that order).  Back in the day my Bell CDs were in heavy rotation.  Since moving to Australia, however, they've slid out of sight -- partly because I no longer have music playing all the time around the house (The Lady prefers the quiet).


A few points:

-Although I was always wary of the classification "grunge" -- especially since the term was coined by someone outside the Seattle scene -- I never thought of your music as being within that genre.  But now, nearly 20 years later... OK, yeah:  I can see Bell as part of that larger "sound".

-It's a crying shame that -- for whatever reason -- you guys weren't as big as Nirvana (or at least Pearl Jam).  I don't get it.  (No, I don't get it; I don't, don't get it...)

-Your first album, A Clear Sense of Beauty, is a masterpiece.  I would say it has as many hits as Nirvana's Nevermind.  I particularly enjoy "Loose & Unsubdued", "Attempted Pop Song #1", and "Upon Greater Reflection".  "Upon Greater Reflection" is, in fact, on my (fairly long) list of "Songs to Cover".  One of these days.

-As of today, there are now at least two copies of A Clear Sense of Beauty in Australia:  mine, plus the one that I bought online to give to a co-worker who is my age and appreciates "1990s Seattle scene" music:  indoctrination.

-I typically list Bell as one of my Top 10 favorite bands or artists ever.  For comparison, the other bands are probably Buddy Holly, The Cars, Devo, The Ramones, They Might Be Giants, Material Issue, The Smithereens, Fountains of Wayne, Michael Penn, Regina Spektor, Laptop, Chromeo and Quiet Storm.  (Well, I'd have to trim some to make it **truly** "Top 10".  But it's indicative.)  I don't know if that's company you wish to keep; but hopefully it's complimentary. 

-Your Wikipedia page implies that you're no longer "doing music".  I just wanted to say -- as one songwriter to another -- that not everyone can write a good song.  Fewer still can manage to write **more** than one.  So, no matter what else you accomplish in life:  hey, you've achieved.  Nicely done.  :) 

-Finally:  Long ago, I said "Good songwriting."  (Examples: "I've thrown rubies to the sea" as imagery for futile watefulness:  sheer genius.  And rhyming it with "...but it all fell to debris":  who the heck uses "debris" in a rhyme scheme?  Well done.)  I'm just re-listening to A Clear Sense of Beauty in my CD-ROM drive on my laptop, through the built-in speakers (and subconsciously inferring the insubstantial bass  from memory...).   Good guitar playing, as well -- e.g. the massive string bends on "Transit". And the singing's good, of course. 


Hope all is well, and that you have a marvellous life.  :)


--Gye Greene (the pseudonym of an old fan)

Three layers of coincidence

Well!  Three layers of coincidence today.

First, I received a wedding invitation from my two aunts, who are getting married in a few months in Washington State.

Then, I was reading a magazine clipping that my dad sent me about the music industry, and it made a passing mention of the duo Mackelmore & Lewis.  I did a quick YouTube search, and this was the first video that came up.



And finally -- it turns out that Macklemore & Lewis are from Seattle (as am I).


So, small world.


--GG


P.S.  For what it's worth, Macklemore graduated from The Evergreen State College.

Good songwriter rapper guy

It's worth checking out this guy's YouTube channel:  good songwriting, good singing, good rapping.










I appreciate that he's actually PG (mostly), and positive:  that's not always the case with the rap.


--GG

Various music recommendations

Old Roommate asked me for some music recommendations.  He also suggested that my responses might make a good blog entry.  And he's right.


I'm rapidly finding that my tastes aren't **everybody's** tastes.  So, just because I like this stuff doesn't mean that you will.

Here's what's on my recent playlist (so to speak) -- plus a few things that I like, but haven't listened to for a while.  In stream-of-consciousness order:


For some reason, female solo acts have been the "new bands" that I've been listening to.

Lisa Mitchell (song "Coin Laundry")

Jem (Welsh singer-songwriter) (song "They" and "Just a Ride")

Regina Spektor ("Fidelity", "Eet", "Better")

A lot of Aimee Mann's stuff -- but not all of it.

Material Issue is one of my favorite bands (1990s). Sadly, the singer/songwriter/guitarist guy killed himself after the fourth(?) major label album; so, that was that.

Guided By Voices no longer exists (1990s?) -- but they did a lot of quirky, catchy, lo-fi short little songs.

The Outfield (late '80s?) ("Since You've Been Gone", plus others you'll probably recognize from the radio)

Rush (Canadian; not for everyone) ("Tom Sawyer", "Temple of Syrinx")

Spiderbait is an Australian band (3 piece); sometimes the guy sings, sometimes the lady sings; they cover lots of different styles ("Black Betty", "F**ken Awesome")

The Ting-Tings (duo) ("That's not My Name", "Shut up and Let Me Go")

The Grates (Australian 3 piece, no bassist) ("19-20-20", "Trampoline", their breakthrough hit "The Message") (I only like their first two albums)

Operator Please (Australian, all were in high school when they did their breakthrough album) ("Just a Song About Ping-Pong")


--GG

More obscure bands

Three bands that you've probably not heard of.

The first one is Fury in the Slaughterhouse.  I have two of their albums.  They write good tunes.  This is one of their better songs:  ''Radio Orchid''.  Sad song, good lyrics.




This band is the Eurogliders.  I don't think I've heard of them before.

Although the song (''Can't Wait to See You'') isn't catchy in a specific way, I like the use of synths:  very ''period piece'' (in retrospect).




Finally, here's Sunnyboys, with ''Alone with You''.  Reminds me a bit of Tommy Tutone...



--GG

Found this by accident

Driving to work a few days ago, listening to the radio, heard a song from the '80s that I'd never heard before.

James Freud and the Radio Stars:  ''Modern Girl''.


Catchy; I like the sound.  Will have to find more of his/their stuff.

A quick Wikipedia search shows that he's Australian.  Explains why I'd not heard of them:  I'm not from around here.


--GG