Well, it happened. Eight years after they published the last Top 500 Albums of All Time, Rolling Stone Magazine has released a fresh, brand new list. I will admit I haven’t read through it yet. But, I do plan on making a comparison between the 2012 list and this 2020 list and filling the gaps of listening. I am prepared to complain about some missing or knocked off. I am also prepared to question what the heck “they” were thinking. This was brought to my attention by Clay Howard as a joke, I think. But, it’s not joke to me. I will keep you informed on how that goes, as well. You know I have to blog about it, so… here’s your warning shot. It’s the only one you get.
Until tomorrow, and back to the list we go… Scorp out!
— “We received and tabulated Top 50 Albums lists frommore than 300 artists, producers, critics, and music-industry figures (from radio programmers to label heads, like Atlantic Records CEO Craig Kallman).” – Rolling Stone
In addition to The BCPF’s and my usual Saturday routine, we had to go by Lowe’s to pick out stuff for the renovation project from the “Flood of 2019.” But, we had fun doing that. We also got to go to our happy place which is Underdog Records. We picked up some good stuff and got to talk with Jonathan, so that’s always a plus. Here’s what we got:
R.E.M. – Monster — I have talked a lot about the Vagabond Saints Society in the past. The first show I ever performed with them was the “REM – The Later Years” show around 2007 or so. I had two songs with VSS on that show and one was on this album, “Crush with Eyeliner.” I liked that song then and I like it now. The rest of the album is okay, but it’s one that The BCPF never had on any medium, so yay, us! 2xLP with an entire remix album, so it’s like two-in-one. New.
Creedence Clearwater Revival Featuring John Fogerty – Chronicle – The 20 Greatest Hits — This is #59 on the RS list and yes, it is a compilation album. I didn’t listen through it because I didn’t listen to “greatest hits” albums after the Merle Haggard and Loretta Lynn ones. Whew! But, this has a lot of great CCR on it and it was in a weird green vinyl, so I picked it up after it sitting in the bin for a while. 2xLP. New.
Cheap Trick – One On One — Cheap Trick’s sixth studio album and the first one to feature Jon Brandt after Tom Petersson left the band. It looks like Brandt only played bass on a few songs and that Rick Nielsen played on most of it. So, there must have been a transition period before Brandt showed up and when they started recording. This album isn’t my fave from them but it has some good stuff: “If You Want My Love,” “She’s Tight,” “I Want You,” and more. VG+.
Procol Harum – The Best Of Procol Harum — Jonathan at Underdog has told me many, many times of his love for Procol Harum. This is a greatest hits compilation and I’m looking forward to what they call “hits.” We’re all familiar with “White Shade of Pale” and possibly moderately aware of “Conquistador” but the rest, I’m interested in. VG++.
The Kinks – Give The People What They Want — The 18th album from The Kinks, this was in their “Early 80s” phase. I think it was a good time for them. It wasn’t British Invasion popularity or even feel (duh!) but I think, still, it was good. The singles on this album were “Better Things,” “Destroyer” and “Predictable.” VG++.
The Kinks – State Of Confusion — The 19th (yep, the follow up to the previous entry) released from The Kinks. The best-known song from this album (and pretty much any Kinks album since the 60s in the US, at least) is “Come Dancing.” Missing from this LP version but on the cassette version was a song called “Long Distance.” Turns out that my friend Parke Puterbaugh, who was a critic for Rolling Stone magazine commented, “there’s no excuse for omitting [‘Long Distance’ from the LP version of State of Confusion]”. I need to find it on streaming or something. VG++.
The haul was somewhat light this week but we filled in some listening time with some Nine Inch Nails records that my pal Daniel Butner let us borrow. I’m trying to absorb some of it and a lot of it I like, but a lot of it, I still don’t get, but it’s growing on me. Underdog Records celebrated its anniversary this past Friday and that’s always a great time/thing to celebrate. They have a few new pieces of used equipment if you’d like to get your listening stations updated! Listen to each new episode of The Less Desirables to hear the TLD/UR special of the week. Use Discogs to keep track of your music collection.
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
— “I know you. I know you’ve seen her. She’s a sad tomato. She’s three miles of bad road. Walking down the street. Will I never meet her? She’s a real woman-child. Oh, my kiss breath turpentine.” – “Crush With Eyeliner” (Berry/Buck/Mills/Stipe)
The month of September is a huge month for KISS fans, even if they don’t know it. Why you may ask? Because the month of September is the anniversary month for the releases of TEN KISS albums. I’ve talked about Alive!, Animalize, Asylum, Paul, Gene, Ace, Peter, Lick It Up and Crazy Nights. Here’s the last one for September. It’s one of great debate, I’m sure. I am conflicted with it myself. And, I’m doing it a day early because Saturdays are scheduled for something else.
Heavens Sake, the band that I was in and still the proudest of (we were greatly influenced by KISS), was still happening in 1998. It was in and out but it was happening. I had seen MTV’s “Unplugged” featuring KISS, along with a reunion of the original members while at drummer Bob’s apartment. We saw KISS actually reunited in makeup on the Grammys, introduced by Tupac. They had a reunion tour and we went. So, it was inevitable that there would be an album. This was the “reunion” album, Psycho Circus, in 1998 on September 22.
I say that in quotations because Peter really only played on Ace’s “Into the Void.” And, current KISS “Spaceman” Tommy Thayer played leads on all but four tunes. And, Bruce Kulick, former KISS member, played bass on the title track and “Dreamin'” and played the backward guitar track on “Within” and rhythm guitar on “Dreamin’,” as well. The drums, this time, weren’t played by Anton Fig in Peter’s stead, this time it was Kevin Valentine (who played on Revenge and Hot in the Shade, as well), known from Donnie Iris & the Cruisers and he was a touring drummer with Cinderella for a bit. Valentine also is an Emmy award-winning composer.
Whilst it was supposed to be a “return of KISS,” even in sound and feel it wasn’t old KISS. There were a lot of aspects of Carnival of Souls, the grunge-metal hybrid they were working on before getting the wise idea of “putting the band back together,” still on here. “Within” is the prime example of that, and in fact was demoed for that album. They had stuff that really sounded like most of the 80s-era stuff, especially Crazy Nights and Hot in the Shade. Again, this was a reunion album in concept only.
When you go out and play American football with all the rules, the same team, the same players, and call your team the New York Yankees, it’s still American football. You can call it a return to the “old KISS” but when the same two people are in charge of the songwriting and the same players are in the studio, it’s still the “new KISS.” Now, all that being said, I’m glad.
I loved the new KISS. I loved the old KISS. I still love KISS. As I said, up until Hot in the Shade, they couldn’t do any wrong, and, even with a few hiccups since that album, I still love them. It’s like that uncle that you know does dumb stuff but you still love him. The band evolved. They grew. They regressed. They moved forward. They moved backward. They adapted and that’s probably their biggest sin, here. I don’t think it would have been possible to return to Destroyer or Love Gun. I don’t think they forgot how to play and write like that, I just think it wasn’t them. If you listen to Sonic Boom or Monster (more on those next month), it’s not far from the same sound as this album.
I think they loved the idea of a KISS reunion but didn’t love being reunited. In a Rolling Stone interview in 2009, Paul said, “We tried to do a Kiss album, and it was an ill-fated attempt because there was no real band. For a band to make a great album, it has to share a common purpose…and we didn’t have it.” It was also revealed that Ace and Peter were trying to negotiate more money out of the “partnership.” You don’t negotiate money with Gene and Paul, not anymore. They feel they’ve survived without Ace and Peter, they kept the name going – regardless of the circumstances, and I think they knew that it was only a matter of time before it all came to an end.
In a very tongue-in-cheek attempt to return to some semblance of the old KISS sound, what do they do? They hire Bruce Fairbairn who was known for Bon Jovi’s Slippery When Wet and New Jersey albums, Aerosmith’s Permanent Vacation, Pump and Get a Grip, and AC/DC’s The Razor’s Edge. Now, all of those are fine and decent albums but do any of them scream what KISS would have sounded like as “old KISS?” All of those are the slickly-produced, sugary popped, the 80s/early 90s hair band mess. Which, I am quite fond of, actually. But, most folks aren’t when it comes to a KISS reunion.
People were disappointed. I wasn’t. Is it my favorite KISS album? Absolutely not. Is it top 10? Absolutely not. Is it top 20? Well, considering there are only 20 studioalbums, it kind of has to be, right? It ranks higher than does either Sonic Boom, Monster, Hot in the Shade, Ace or Peter’s solos, and the gasper for this whole thing, Dressed to Kill. Yeah, I’ve really always been so-so about that one. Live with it. I do. This was the last good KISS record to me.
Contrary to what my blog always sounds like, I’m not anti-Ace or anti-Peter, I just don’t care. They squandered their chance and it’s okay that they milk what they can from what they had: sober, not sober, whining, moaning, happy, in, out… whatever. But, I’m really indifferent about their involvement in the band. I felt a little down when they didn’t all play together on stage for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but I’m kind of glad at the same time. Upon the announcement of the “End of the Road” tour that is coming to be the actual retirement tour (we’ll see), people are calling for Ace and Peter to be part of it. Nah. They don’t deserve it in my eyes. Plus, even on the reunion and “farewell” tours, Peter couldn’t keep up and Ace was Ace. Tommy does the same licks, doesn’t mess them up and still has feeling in his playing. Just let it go. If you’re the “F.You without Peter and Ace,” then go back and listen to the old stuff and relish what you had but shut the heck up. Stop living in the past. Paul and Gene aren’t going to change their minds and they don’t care if you don’t give them money. You’re just grandstanding at that point.
My favorite tunes on this album are the title track, “We Are One,” “Dreamin'” (which got Paul and Bruce sued for copyright infringement from Alice Cooper, he won, they settled out of court) and “Journey of 1,000 Years.” I could have done without “You Wanted the Best” because I’m not a fan of “cheerleading” songs and that’s all it was. “Into the Void” was okay. I do actually like “Within,” but then again, I liked COS, too. The rest are okay, too. I like it. Most don’t. I get it, but oh well.
Tomorrow will be 20 years since this came out. To me, it’s still the “new KISS album.” It’s hard to count Monster and ESPECIALLY Sonic Boom. I just listened to Psycho Circus again for good measure.
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
— “I’ve been waiting here to be your guide. So come, reveal the secrets that you keep inside. Step up! No one leaves until the night is done. The amplifier starts to hum. The carnival has just begun. You’re in the psycho circus. And I say welcome to the show.” – “Psycho Circus” (Stanley/Cuomo)
So, the title of this post is two-fold, a double entendre, if you will. First, I have completed the first drafts of the video job. The copy, the VO, the splicing, it’s all done. Now, I just have to have the client sign off on them, which I’m waiting for him to do tomorrow. If there are changes needed, then I’ll make those and if not, then I will put it together and have it ready for next week. Right as rain, that.
The other thing is I listened, again, to the Velvet Underground + Nico album. This time it was because of “procedure.” Because I play something that was released today, or I play something from someone whose birthday or deathday is on this day.
None of the releases for today did I have in the collection. No one’s birthday was today that I could find that mattered. Today was, however, the anniversary of Andy Warhol’s death. So, since that was my only recourse, I played it. I took one for the team.
I hate that album. I must say that today I found it more tolerable than usual, but I still didn’t enjoy it. I told someone that it is the auditory equivalent of eating cow dung for breakfast. Oddly enough, I really like Lou Reed solo. And, I don’t mind two of the Nico songs on the album.
But, overall it’s just a wreck of sound. I don’t like “raw.” I don’t like the lo-fi production value. I think it sounds like they were just goofing off, although I know they weren’t. I don’t like the off-key talk/singing that Lou Reed does in this. I don’t like the “artistic” side of it. But, I do like how the songs are written.
I think it’s kind of like Bob Dylan. Great songs but man I like hearing others doing them. I have some folks say that it’s one of the “finest” albums ever recorded and to that, I say it’s absolute bullshite. You can be all hipster and claim to like it all you want, but it’s pure crap, at least in this album form. There, I said it.
And I’ll end up with at least two more VU albums because they’re on that darned list and I want all that I can get from it. I was asked why I do that and my answer was because I am a collector. Some disagree with me, but I don’t care. I do what I want. That’s how I roll. The BCPF likes it but she likes a lot of stuff that I don’t necessarily like to listen to. That’s okay. I have it here for her. Yeah… that’s it.
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
— “Hey, white boy, what you doin’ uptown? Hey, white boy, you chasin’ our women around? Oh pardon me, sir, it’s the furthest from my mind. I’m just lookin’ for a dear, dear friend of mine. I’m waiting for my man.” – “Waiting For My Man” (Reed)
So, I know the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is at times controversial, sometimes political and always polarizing subject. Some think it’s contrived, others a complete waste of time. I have been critical of their inability to nominate qualified artists over some that have been sketchy at best.
Now, I know opinion is a major boiling point in things like this. I don’t like this band so they shouldn’t be in there. How can they say that’s rock and roll!? Where’s KISS!? They let N.W.A. in? Those are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the HOF. I was guilty of that, as I’ve said (and said above). But, I have to look beyond my personal tastes (because there’s not account for that I’ve always been told) and look to the importance of the artist.
First off, what constitutes Rock and Roll? Is it just a genre of music that includes predetermined instruments with or without vocals? Or, does it go beyond that and stretch into attitudes as well? My admitted idol, Gene Simmons, sparked a bit of controversy last year over the inclusion of N.W.A. in the HOF. According to Rolling Stone, Gene said this to Ice Cube: “Respectfully, let me know when Jimi Hendrix gets into the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame. Then you’ll have a point.” Ice Cube shot back about Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Chubby Checker inventing rock and roll and, from what I can understand, Cube made it about race (but… wasn’t Jimi black?). Gene said in response: “You’ve got Grandmaster Flash in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Run-D.M.C. in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? You’re killing me. That doesn’t mean those aren’t good artists. But they don’t play guitar. They sample and they talk. Not even sing.” I don’t know that I agree with him on that part. Yeah, rap is a different animal altogether but I believe what Cube said in response to that part was all telling: “I respect Gene Simmons, but I think he’s wrong on this because rock & roll is not an instrument and it’s not singing. Rock & roll is a spirit. N.W.A is probably more rock & roll than a lot of the people that he thinks belong there over hip-hop. We had the same spirit as punk rock, the same as the blues.”
I want to focus on six words in that last part. Rock & roll is a spirit.
It took me a long time to realize that. It wasn’t something that I liked, therefore it wasn’t something that needed to be in the Hall of Fame. Well, bullstein on that! Anyone can look at my music reviews on this blog in particular and tell that I am no expert on anything other than my opinion. My backstory and history and the music industry’s backstory and history don’t necessarily run in the same circles. I like what I like and I’m pretty staunch in those things, right or wrong, I’m there. What I like compared to what most others like is hit or miss (usually leaning more toward the “miss”) and certainly my ideas on what something should be is just a personal incantation. It’s not gospel or even informed a lot of the time. That’s one reason why with the Eugeology list, I have tried to pay very close attention, do some research and craft the proper responses and or thoughts for each entry. Rock and roll is a state of mind, or, well, spirit.
This brings us back to the HOF and the inductees for 2018 have been announced. First, let’s see who was actually nominated this year: The Meters, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, J. Geils Band, Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, Link Wray, Moody Blues, Dire Straits, Eurythmics, Judas Priest, Kate Bush, Rage Against the Machine, Depeche Mode, The Zombies, The MC5, The Cars, LL Cool J, Bon Jovi, Nina Simone and Radiohead.
I voted many times (you were allowed one per IP addy, per day) and my votes were always the same with one alternating. I voted for The Cars, Depeche Mode, Radiohead, Nina Simone, Dire Straits, and Eurythmics. I guess my newfound love for first wave/new wave was showing. However, three of those actually made it in. I wasn’t not for Judas Priest, The Zombies, Kate Bush or MC5 to get in, I would have been fine with them, as well. But, not who I was voting for this time. The final list was as such: Bon Jovi, Nina Simone, Dire Straits, Moody Blues, The Cars and listed as “an early influencer,” Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe. I hate that title for her, “early influencer.” I’m not a fan of blues and I’ve made no bones about that, but man this lady could wail some serious blues guitar and she sang like nobody’s business. She belted her tunes with major conviction and regardless of whether she was relevant mostly in the 1940s or not, I believe if she’s worthy of being in, she’s worthy of being in. It doesn’t need a special category. At least not in that direction. She deserves to be here because she was influential to many of the top blues musicians, either directly or indirectly. I wanted a few YouTube vids to get myself more acquainted with her style and man, it was pretty great. Yeah, I just said that.
Nina Simone, it’s about danged time. She stood out. There was none like her. She was scary, too. She thought nothing of pointing out someone in the audience that was being an idiot or disruptive and she’d tear you a “new one” anytime she thought you were wronging her. Great musician and great raspy, yet smooth vocals. My first introduction to her was in the film Point of No Return (the Americanized La Femme Nikita) which wasn’t that great of a film but whatever. I also loved her version of “Black is the Color of My True Love’s Hair” (the Jaffa Remix). And, she’s a North Carolina girl! She’s from Tryon, NC.
The Cars were never known for their dynamic stage presence, but they wrote some catchy-arsed tunes. Their first album is darn near perfect start to finish and I really dug Heartbeat City, as well. They were the inspiration for a good many new wave and mainstream artists alike. One of my votes, I am glad they’re getting in. I hate Ben Orr won’t be here to see it.
Dire Straits. I was never a “fan” per se, but they have some serious moments. Brothers in Arms is a fantastic and powerful album from end-to-end, even if you leave in “Money for Nothin'” and “Walk of Life.” As overplayed as those songs were, they were well written and what guitarist isn’t at least a little bit jealous they didn’t write the opening riff of “Money?” I have to admit I didn’t know what that song was about until about two years ago. It snapped and I was like… wait! It’s about that!? I don’t know what I thought it was about, really. But, it’s a little twinge of jealousy from two working joes that they have to do all this heavy lifting and these “yoyos” playing their guitars get paid for nothing. Not true of course, but we all choose our “work.” Of course, their career is far beyond that album forward and backward. Mark Knopfler is a great guitarist and his work onthe soundtrack for The Princess Bride was quite awesome. I’m glad they got in.
I really know very little of Moody Blues other than that sappy arsed “Nights in White Satin,” “I’m Just a Singer (in a Rock and Roll Band)” and 1986’s “Your Wildest Dreams.” I know I should know more. I will probably get educated on my lack of knowledge by those who read this blog. I would go as far as saying that I want to know more. I do have The Other Side of Life on vinyl (with the aforementioned “Your Wildest Dreams”). Perhaps that will go on soon. I know it’s a pale representation of the band’s collective work but you gotta start with what you’ve got, right? I guess.
Bon Jovi. Bon Jovi. Hmmm… Okay, I’ll admit it. I like Bon Jovi from New Jersey back. My favorite album from them is the first one, cleverly called Bon Jovi. It was piano/keyboard driven rock and I liked that. “Love Lies” and “Shot Through the Heart” are great. On CD the only one of those in the range I mentioned that I don’t have is 7800° Fahrenheit. I don’t know why, either. I know they get a bad rap when it comes to rock and roll. It was cheesy and hair bandy, sure. But, they sold records and they put on a good show. The songs, as juvenile and over-polished as they sometimes were, were well-written. I can’t complain about them, really. Plus, they outright beat the pants off the other nominees in the fan votes. I mean it wasn’t even close. The fan vote was easily twice as many as the next closest nominee if not three times. It was crazy. I knew they’d not have a problem getting in, so I never voted for them.
Well, that’s my thoughts on this. I will probably get wrung for it, but hey, it’s the way it is. What are your thoughts, Dear Reader? Who do you feel should be in the HOF that isn’t? Of what are your thoughts on the HOF in general? What could be done to make it a more legitimate accolade? Is it already legit? Answer me those things. Thanks in advance.
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
— “I don’t mind you coming here and wasting all my time. Cause when you’re standing oh so near I kinda lose my mind. It’s not the perfume that you wear. It’s not the ribbons in your hair. And I don’t mind you coming here and wasting all my time.” – “Just What I Needed” (Ocasek)
This is one of those “to make you feel old posts.” This past Thursday, when I was posting the review of the latest Eugeology entry, I totally forgot the mention that it was the 30thanniversary of Def Leppard’s Hysteria album. Yeah, take that in, again… 30 years.
The album was #464 on the Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums of All Time. Here’s what I wrote when I reviewed it:
I was 17 going on 18 when this album came out. My high school years were summed up around that time. The entire first side (thinking of the cassette copy I wore out) was awesome with the screaming guitar of “Women” to the processed drums of “Rocket” to the bright sounds of “Animal” and the dark torture of “Love Bites” and the saccharine-flavor of “Pour Some Sugar On Me” to the clever play on words of “Armageddon It.” Side one of this album by the “World’s Most Cursed Band” really did rock my 17-year old behind! “Gods of War” had one of the coolest, yet simplest basslines of my youth. The title track was the best thing on Side Two for me. Side One plus two songs on Side Two makes a damn fine album. The rest of the songs are ok, but nothing that knocks me over. DUG IT!
It was a great time in my life. Innocent. I loved the album, at least side one. I wore that out. I also wore out the CD. Now, I own it on vinyl as well. This was Def Leppard for me. Yeah, I get Pyromania and all that, but it doesn’t move me like this one did. High and Dry was okay, but it was a little rough for me. I have never made any bones about my favor of slick production over raw and rough production. Robert “Mutt” Lange slicked this up like nobody’s business. And, remember, Rick Allen had already lost his arm and yet he pulled this performance off with flying colors. Yes, the drums are processed and they’re electronic but at that time, it was all they could really do. Yes, it was
Yes, the drums are processed and they’re electronic but at that time, it was all they could really do. Yes, it was heavy on the synths and keyboards, but I love that stuff, too. Seven singles from the album were released. “Women” was the first for the US. It only made it to #80 on the Billboard Hot 100. Then, “Animal” which made it to #19 on that chart. The title track was up next and made it to #10. The album’s (and the band’s) biggest hit ever came next: “Pour Some Sugar on Me.” Oddly enough, even though “Sugar” has the distinction of being the band’s biggest name song, it only made it to #2. The sad anti-ballad “Love Bites” was next and that rode the “sugar wave” all the way to #1; the band’s only #1 in their career, thus far. Still riding the high, “Armageddon It” made it to #3 and then “Rocket” to #12.
It has sold over 25 million copies and is certified 12x Platinum (diamond level), according to the RIAA. It is about #23 on the all-time album sales in the USA. It lasted a long time on the charts as a whole and it seemed it wasn’t going away. It wasn’t, I suppose. I was quite okay with that.
I’d never say it was a favorite of mine, overall, but I will say it’s my favorite Def Leppard album. Happy 30th to you, my high school friend. See you in another 30 (and before).
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
— “In the beginning, God made the land. Then He made the water and creatures, then He made Man. He was born with a passion, love and hate. A restless spirit with a need for a mate. But there was something that was missing, something lost. So he came with the answer, here’s what it cost: One part love, one part wild, one part lady, one part child. I give you: Women.” – “Women” (Elliott, Savage, Collen, Clark, Lange)
So, my first marriage happened on April 9, 1994. I didn’t know that Kurt Cobain had passed away. I didn’t care that he had (once I found out), on two levels: I couldn’t stand him because he “single-handedly killed my music;” I had a honeymoon to get to. Turns out it was suicide, which I also have a hard time with and which had led to a few disagreements with my current wife, The BCPF. So, on top of all that, I had a real hard time giving two piles of dung about it or him.
As I stated at the end of last year, as I was doing the Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums of All Time, I have had a total turn around about his music and really, about him, as well. “My music” was at its end anyway and as a matter of fact, I think he wrote pretty good music when I let the biased haze fade away. So, back to the suicide thing…
Conspiracy theories were everywhere within months of his passing. His psycho biatch of a soon-to-be-ex-wife had him murdered, a friend had killed him, the list goes on. I won’t begin to say that this film cleared anything up. If anything it adds more questions, but it does raise some eyebrows in the case of Courtney’s actions and reactions and the same for their friend Dylan Carlson. The godmother of Love and Cobain’s daughter, Francis Bean, their entertainment attorney, Rosemary Carroll, was helpful until she realized that Tom Grant, the private investigator who was hired by Love to find Kurt, was finding things that he was going to go public with. She didn’t want anything to do with the situation after that.
Supposedly the police ruled it a suicide, never (until three months after this was filmed) developed the pictures taken at the crime scene and dropped the ball on a lot of things in the investigation. Tom Grant, whose own investigations is the basis of the docudrama, and Benjamin Statler, who directed the film never actually accuse anyone of anything, but they do try to make a case to reopen the files and reexamine the entire situation. A few of the “experts” in the film were upset with it because it portrays them as supporting that it was anything other than suicide. Some agreed and some didn’t.
I have to say, that to me, outside of when you actually hear Courtney’s and others’ voices on recordings that Grant made, the portrayals are a bit slanted and seem forced and pushed, both for entertainment value and in pushing their view. After all, it is their film and it is their view. I’m just not sure I’m buying it, at least not all the way. Do I think he killed himself? I think it’s probable. Do I think he was murdered? I think it’s plausible. Either way, a music icon is gone and we’re not bringing him back.
One thing I found fascinating is the amount of heroin they say they found in his system in the toxicology report. I don’t know the amount right off hand but if he had had that much, it would have rendered even the most serious heroin junkie unconscious before he ever had the time to pull the trigger. Also, the location of the empty shotgun shell in perspective of the way the gun was held, is darn-near impossible. Love was in a position to lose a lot of money if the divorce had happened due to a prenuptial agreement. With him dying before that had a chance to happen, well she still gets royalties from his music, today. She was pretty shady before they found the body. The list goes on and on and that makes for a strong case to perhaps reopen the case.
Rotten Tomatoes rates it only 30% Rotten but the audience score was 76%. That’s a vast difference. IMDb has it at 7.5 stars out of 10. That’s right on the money with the audience from Rotten Tomatoes. I saw this film on Netflix and it played at a/perture cinema for a bit when it came out in 2015. I liked the film but didn’t think it really answered anything and was more conjecture, with a bit of theatrics and slant, than anything. I thought it was good food for thought. I rate the film 3.75 out of 5. Incidentally, I have had this on my list for about a year. I decided to watch it this morning and had totally forgotten that this weekend (the day you read this, probably) April 8, is the 23rd anniversary of his death (at least when they found him). It was coincidental. Have you seen it? What did you think? What would you like to read/hear me review?
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
— “If you want to get away with murder. You kill a junkie.” – Max Wallace
a/perture cinema, the Official Movie Sponsor of The Less Desirables, presents The Less Desirables Movie of the Week, Pretty in Pink (1986), starring Molly Ringwald, Jon Cryer and Harry Dean Stanton.
Per IMDb: “A poor girl must choose between the affections of her doting childhood sweetheart and a rich but sensitive playboy.”
Molly Ringwald plays Andie Walsh, a pretty girl who lives in near poverty after her mother leaves the family and her dad (Stanton) is too depressed, or lazy, to work to support the family. She has a fashion ingenuity about her and designs, and makes, her own clothes. She works in a local record store for an eccentric boss, Iona (Annie Potts) and they basically sit around and gossip and talk boys and troubles. Andie is picked on at school by the rich and popular girls, often to cruel measures, but Andie refuses to give up the antagonists, which makes her look even more like a goody-good-doer. Her main worry, though, is that she won’t get asked to the prom.
She has a not-so-secret admirer, though; two actually. First, there’s the lovable geek and outcast, “Duckie” Dale (Cryer) whose undying love for Andie has him hanging out with her father during the day, following and somewhat harassing her around at work and hanging out at her house in the evenings. They’ve been friends for a while and he’s smitten. She only sees them as friends. Then, there’s Blane (Andrew McCarthy). Blane is a rich kid who struggles with his sensitivity and living up to the snobbish standards of his other rich friends. It’s a tough ride, really.
He takes an interest in Andie and that not only infuriates Duckie, it makes Blane’s best pal, Steff McKee (played by a pre-weight gain/still an a-hole James Spader), reveal his true a-hole self. It’s not pretty. Andie is skeptical of the whole thing because she worries that she’s out of Blane’s league, he’s rich, she’s poor. She’s somewhat embarrassed by it. They go on a date, Duckie flips out. How does the date go? Who takes her to the prom? You’ll have to watch to find out.
I’ll admit that for whatever reason, I never saw this all the way through until just a few years ago. I don’t know what it is about the rom-com John Hughes “Brat Pack” films that just escaped me, because I really enjoy them. I just didn’t see them. I think to some extent we all know someone like each of the characters and we can relate to them. While the times are different, the situations really aren’t. It’s typical coming-of-age stuff and it’s relative to us because of it.
We watched this film to introduce 3B to it. That’s part of the Sunday tradition, now. Cook and watch an older film. He seemed to really enjoy it. He’s in high school now and I can see, and I think he can, too, the relativity to his life. He laughed a good bit. That’s a good sign.
Jon Cryer plays the part of Duckie perfectly. Smart, witty but a lonely outsider who is just head-over-it with Andie. McCarthy shows good sensitivity and still has the pretty-boy look to fit what the part needed. Harry Dean Stanton, is still alive today and is 90 years old. He’s a great actor and played the part of Andie’s dad with compassion for his daughter but with the distraught disposition that the role called for. James Spader is always a great a-hole. Molly Ringwald grew up with John Hughes. She is what she is because of him. She has talent and it shows up in this film. She took the lead and ran with it.
John Hughes has a way with capturing what he’s looking for in a story line through his soundtracks. They always are more than just songs in the background. Take for instance the song “If You Leave” by OMD. It’s in the final scene. If you’ve seen the film you understand why that’s important. If you’ve not seen it, you will when you do. Other songs fit in perfectly, too. The title track, of course, “Left of Center” from Suzanne Vega and Joe Jackson, “Shellshock” from New Order, “Wouldn’t It Be Good” by Nik Kershaw (on the soundtrack as Danny Hutton Hitters), “Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want” from The Smiths, and so on. It is considered by many to be one of the top movie soundtracks of all time. Huffington Post, Rolling Stone and Allmusic all rated it in their greatest soundtrack lists.
Rotten Tomatoes rates it at 80% Fresh with an Audience Score of 81%. IMDb has it at 6.7 stars out of 10. That’s a little lower than I though it would/should be. We watched this on Amazon Prime and I rate the film 4.25 stars out of 5 because I think it’s an important film for those living that age, now, for us that grew up in the one depicted in the film and because the soundtrack is awesome. Have you seen it? What did you think? What would you like to read/hear me review? I want recommendations, dang it!!!
This past week saw the first three-way disagreement of an album on this journey we call “Eugeology: Eugene’s List of Hard Rock Albums and Possible Gems” compiled by Eugene and reviewed and blogged by him, Jon and me. It was Kick Axe’s Vices. It’s cool that we can do that, though. So, let’s get to this week’s entry:
#5 – Hellbilly Deluxe: 13 Tales of Cadaverous Cavorting Inside the Spookshow International by Rob Zombie.
This is probably the most difficult entry I’ve written in a while. Certainly more than any of the other four Eugeology entries and probably harder than many of the latter Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums of All Time entries, as most of those were really obvious. This, though, is enigmatic to me.
My problem with this album, along with about everything Rob Zombie does – from his films to White Zombie – I can’t get a grasp on how I feel about it. I listen to it with an open mind, putting stuff down and listening to it without typing or reading or anything that would serve as a distraction. I do this because I want to give it the fairest of shakes that I possibly can. I hear it and all I hear is music. I don’t hear anything that pleases me. But, on the converse, I hear nothing that displeases me.
I mean, I do like “Living Dead Girl” and “Dragula” (although I did have to hear a horrible version in karaoke at a local bar last week) and I mean like, a lot, even. I liked “Thunder Kiss ’65,” too. I guess it’s a matter of liking the singles. But, the rest of it, is just… there. So, I’m going to move out of whether I like it or not and touch on what I think are highlights of the album. That seems the fair thing to do.
Rob Zombie has become known as much for his films, mostly in the horror noir genre, as he is with his music. Films like House of 1000 Corpses, its sequel The Devil’s Rejects and his two Halloween remakes, dark, horror and well… zombified. That is in direct correlation to what his music is all about. There’s a classic horror/sci-fi vibe to the whole thing. The song “Dragula” is named after the car that Grandpa Munster drove around in the television show, The Munsters. The grinding, industrial mix of what is considered “heavy metal” with electronic music is like a buzzsaw taking out your eardrums, and you’re most likely digging that.
I do like that the members of the band only go by their last or nicknames: Riggs, Blasko, Tempesta. There’s a cameo by Tommy Lee on the songs, “Meet the Creeper” and “The Ballad of Resurrection of Joe and Rosa Whore.” I like the sound bites from the old sci-fi/horror films and the creepy girl’s voice in “Call of the Zombie.”
The lyrics of the songs are clever humor buried in the wild macabre of “Zombieland.” These are good driving songs. You can tell with the title of the album that Rob doesn’t take himself too seriously, that’s a plus. I’ve listened to this album about 4 times now, trying to find the words to describe it and I guess now I can actually say that I do like it, but I’m still completely indifferent to Rob Zombie. I can’t pull either direction in enough to get on a side, so I’ll straddle this fence to the point of parts of me going to sleep, I guess.
I keep thinking that “Perversion 99” is hiding “I Need Love” from LL Cool J but going through some weird filter.A lot of this sounds the same to me, lots of grinding and pulsating and that’s not a bad thing, just there’s a whole lot of it. Some good ones are: “Demonoid Phenomenon,” “Superbeast” and, of course the two hits. I don’t care for “How to Make a Monster.” Beyond those songs, it’s definitely listenable, but I don’t know how remarkable. It’s good but it starts to get gnarly the more it goes on; it grates on you. If you’re a fan of hard and heavy novelty music (and I mean that in the best, positive way), then you’ll like this. If you don’t, just go ahead and stay away. I certainly don’t mind it.
I can’t wait to hear Eugene’s, and especially, Jon’s take on this.
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
— “Dead I am the pool, spreading from the fool. Weak and what you need, nowhere as you bleed. Dead I am the rat, feast upon the cat. Tender is the fur, dying as you purr. Dig through the ditches and burn through the witches,I slam in the back of my Dragula!” – “Dragula” (Zombie)
You know I finished the Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums of All Time list on December 30, 2016. Well, knowing my fascination with lists and the quest to find delicious things that I either didn’t know about, care about or just misjudged, my pal, Eugene, has offered me a whole new list to stroll through. It’s called, Eugeology: Eugene’s List of Hard Rock Albums and Possible Gems. Thanks, Eug.
But, I’m not alone in this.
Beer Dad Jon has asked to be included in this list and has agreed to write a blog post with me as a review of each album. Eug will write one as well. So, conceivably, each week we’ll have a different album to listen to. I believe what Eug said was that this list is really more his 50 most underrated hard rock albums, not necessarily greatest ever. I know he’ll correct me if I’m wrong. Perhaps we’ll go over that list when we’re done with this one? Who knows?
Eug and I, no matter our ‘being married’ for 21 years, don’t always (read: hardly) hear ear to ear when it comes to music. Some of his favorite styles I really can’t stand (blues, mainly) and he doesn’t get my fascination with musical theatre. That’s just the tip of the iceberg but it is a significant piece in our relationship; both contentious and funny. It’s an easy opening for pop shots at each other, like we need any help with that.
So, like with the Rolling Stone list, I can’t promise it will be every week that we do our blogs and I don’t know if we’re releasing posts in unison or just when we get to it. I’m going to venture a guess as to the latter. I’m going to attempt to put mine out at least once a week, depending on what I’ve got going on and, really, how often Eug is able to dedicate to assigning the albums. We’re all busy and it’s cool. We’re not in any time crunch that I know of. So, keep your eyes out for our posts. Again, thanks, Eug. I actually look forward to this.
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
— “These 50 are in no particular order… “ – Eugene B. Sims
Useless Things Need Love Too 