Loneliness Remembers What Happiness Forgets
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Current Mood: 
full
First off, it just so happens that it’s Sus’ birthday today. Go wish her a happy birthday. Go on, I’ll wait.
It seems like it’s been a while since I’ve had anything meaningful to share here. It’s been a confusing time for me lately. Life changes. Work changes. My relationship to those around me changes. I change. I’ve wasted hours like I haven’t in months. I’ve coveted like I haven’t in years. I have thoroughly cleaned my apartment for nothing in particular. I have considered more thoughtfully what I might want from life and what I might be moving towards. I’ve been surprised. I’ve been disappointed. I’ve pondered: is it better to love or be loved?
Now, in what is maybe not my most traditionally masculine admission, I find myself totally wanting to go see South Pacific at the Golden Gate Theater. Anyone want to come with?
It can’t be this Friday though, because that would be the night of TCB‘s return to San Francisco (by way of Café Du Nord)! This is always such a fun show, and you know how swanky Du Nord is. We’ve got some new tunes up our sleeves, and what’s more: the opening act is Erasure-esque! It’s no secret that I <3 Andy Bell (and South Pacific? Hmmm…). So, I know the economy is sucking, and I certainly don’t want to jinx it for ourselves, but the fact is that all three times we’ve played here in the past have been complete sell-outs. So if you want a guaranteed spot at this show, don’t wait to buy your tickets!
With all these Beatles reissues lately, I’ve taken it as a sign that I need to finally delve into their extensive catalogue. You may be surprised to hear that prior to last week, I had never owned a Beatles album of any kind. I mean, I knew the hits and all, but only in so far as they’ve permeated our culture so uniquely. I’m now going chronologically through their offerings, listening and re-listening, trying to absorb it all mainly as an exercise in history, but also as songwriting education. I’m not convinced I’m going to walk away from it all as a “super fan,” but so far, I’m appreciating what I’m hearing. Incidentally, I wonder if Beatlemania 2.0 is bringing any more work for Beatallica?
Completely unrelated to that (despite what would seem to be an obvious Beatles connection), I picked up a Vox AC30 recently. I’d had my eye on one for a few years, but the stars just didn’t align for me to pull the trigger. Well, over Labor Day weekend, there were some exceptionally awesome sales, and while I resisted the initial barrage of marketing (thanks to Wally and I mutually talking each other down off the ledge), when sales were extended an extra day, I couldn’t hold out anymore. It arrived this week, and I got into the studio this afternoon to try it out. And it is lervely indeed. Will it make an appearance at Friday’s Du Nord show? TBD, folks.
The quote of the week comes from Wally, who, after hearing of my eventual surrender to the Vox, was left to face down his own G.A.S. demons:
“By the way, the sale is still on today. Get thee behind me Satan.”
wait til you get to “revolver.” absolutely love that. mccartney’s got one of the best breakup songs ever on there, “for no one,” and lennon has probably my favorite set of beatles tracks, “i’m only sleeping,” “and your bird can sing,” and “she said she said.” harrison’s leads scorch throughout, especially on his song “taxman,” but he offers the only tune on the album that i don’t care for, “love you to.” i am a hardcore beatles nut, inclusive of lennon and macca’s solo output as well, and of abo <TRUNCATED>
Ah ha! Well it will be great to get your opinions on this stuff as I work through it. So far I’m up to Hard Day’s Night. These first three albums have a lot of great original compositions, but I’m not blown away by their covers. Which is to say that being very familiar with most of the original girl group recordings, I don’t feel they’ve really added anything to them. I’ll keep an ear out for those tracks you mentioned. One bit of Beatles trivia I actually did know was that I thought the T <TRUNCATED>
oh, it may well have been paul on that track, as they all dabbled in various roles on different songs. i always wished they would have avoided the whole covers thing, but thats pretty much how it worked back then. it’s funny they finally went 100% original on “hard day’s” and had a very strong album, but were back to doing multiple covers on “beatles for sale.” with such strong originals as “no reply,” “what youre doing,” “i’m a loser,” and “i’ll follow the sun” on board, the covers Really seem <TRUNCATED>
Hullo – Nick here from the TCB myspace. Yup Ben you are correct that Paul played those solos in “Taxman.” I was talking to a few people on facebook the other day and we were talking about all the peeps who have stolen that bassline from Taxman….most notable The Jam used it in their song “Start!”…and The Smithereens have used that taxman guitar solo on a few of their songs. I agree with Colin in that Revolver is thee best Beatles album…and maybe the best pop album ever? Maybe. They were <TRUNCATED>
I totally just went and wished myself a Happy Belated Birthday. I should take myself out to Red Robin to celebrate.
A Vox? Is that like a Box, but more expensive?
i think it had to trip listeners out as the most insane (and rocking) record yet. it’s like, they started to go in a mature direction with “rubber soul,” and one would think there would have been more of that “nowhere man” type jangle pop over a few more records, but thanks to drugs they matured in a whole other psych direction. “she said she said” is just fantastic. they were all over the map with drug addled ideas. it was genius to learn the “i’m only sleeping” lead bits Backwards, recording t <TRUNCATED>
Would love to see South Pacific!