Music What Happened? Scott Miller, Modern Musical History & the Art of the Annotated Mix-Tape!

I found out about Scott Miller's brilliant music book Music What Happened? shortly after he passed away. Just a short description of the book and I knew that this book would be something worth reading. It was so beautifully written that about a month ago, I read through it once again.

Like Bands through the hourglass....

Miller is best known for his work in the pop group Game Theory. I always liked what he did. Anybody who has even heard a few of his songs knows that he knew how to concoct a infectiously catchy pop song, while not falling into a formulaic rut. But what I find most interesting is his singing, the way he phrased lyrics, always striving to find a new and interesting way to express himself, in some ways reminding me of a great jazz soloist. I mean, you can recreate a jazz or pop song, but you can't really recreate unique performers--and if you try, it's really no longer unique.

Unfortunately, as far as I know all Game Theory recordings are long out of print and pricey--if you see something by the band at a reasonable price, don't wait around. He also made a number of discs as the Loud Family, which seem to be readily available, if not in print.

But I have to say that I enjoyed Music What Happened? immensely. For me, the book is not a like a conventional book about music at all, but more resembling an interactive conversation with a knowledgeable, quite enthusiastic music fan, who also happens to be in the music biz. I know that this sounds creepy, but due to the vibe of the book (I mean his candor, and his generous sharing of his musical worldview with the public), I have to keep pinching myself to remind me that he isn't some long-lost buddy of mine. I won't say that I am in alignment 100% with his musical tastes, but I have to say that for the most part we are in agreement, even at times to the degree that I feel the thing when you and your friend, or girlfriend say the same thought at the same time. And if Scott Miller is raving about an album I don't know about, I want to hear it. And if he spends a fair enough time evaluating artist or band I am lukewarm about, maybe I respect his opinions enough so that I should listen again with fresh ears.

Basically, this book is a chronological collection of mix-tapes, with pithy, revelatory, thoughtful, sometimes hilarious annotations. The chapters begin with 1957 and end in 2011. Most of the songs are Pop songs, Rock songs, RnB, Soul, and some Rap. In the preface of the book he basically explains what he is doing. If someone did a book like this and just made mixtapes based on very narrow personal interests, the book would not be worth looking at. But in a very clever way he blends in songs that he likes (sometimes songs that have fallen through the cracks or are under appreciated) with big classic songs or songs that were emblematic of what was going on in music each year. Songs that made 1985 different from 1987, whether it be a new breakout talent, or the introduction of some new form of recording technology. And it probably was a bit of a challenge to limit the songs to the length of a mixtape. But I think that if he merely made up mixtapes in the 80's loaded with dBs and Let's Active he would have felt he was going the whole process a disservice.

The fact that Scott Miller was a musician and produced and engineered other peoples albums and therefore a person knowledgeable about the music business in general adds other dimensions to this project. It is very interesting to read the annotations when he breaks down a songs structure, or talks about the hit on the snare on the third beat in another song. Or musical trends, like DX7 synth and drum machine sounds, big studio recording excess, or the return to prominence of the guitar in the 90's.

One of the touchstones behind his musical evaluations, is How does this song make you feel?, an aspect of music that is surprisingly absent from a lot of music criticism. What does the music do to you at a most personal level? And I think that he is successful at communicating the emotional/intellectual power that music can convey. Some songs are included in the book because they were important to him when he was 10 years old, not because there is anything inherently more interesting about them than any dozen or two other songs that were released the same year. So often you see people responding to critics best-of music lists with crazed rage and personal attacks. "How could you possibly ignore this record!!!", as though there was a real and final answer to this question, which is really all conjecture. As though someone could also actually listen to all the new releases that come out each year! I would advise you to go with the flow, check out Van Duren, or Julian Cope, Kanye, Arthur Alexander or Shearwater. "You never know until you try", a great philosopher once said.

Part of the fun of course, was the corroboration of songs with my tastes, sometimes surprisingly. I don't want to give away to much, but I didn't expect to see Squirrel Bait here. Of course you know the Beatles are heavily represented, but it was great to see him come up with great music that really needs to be better appreciated, while giving a reasonable representation of different eras.

But there were some moments when he really struck a nerve for me, like when he made reference (I can't recall exactly where) to the la-la-la's in the verse section of The Beatles classic "You Won't See Me".

Or this quote about the Chills from 1985.

Heavenly Pop Hit is simply magical in its freshness and luminosity. "I stand and the sound goes straight through my body/I'm so bloated up happy I could throw thing around me", is so peculiar a choice of words that it could only be the truth.

And that my friends, could be a manifesto for what this wonderful book represents. I'm very grateful that Scott Miller was willing to share his thoughts with us. If you are a fan of pop music, you really need to pick up a copy of this!

Between a Clenched Fist and a Kiss: Useless......: The Very Best of T.V. Smith!

If you don't know about the work of T.V. Smith, I encourage you to get educated.

A great way to find out about his music (you can buy his whole catalog later). Originally with punk legends The Adverts, he has persevered over the years, accumulating a very impressive songbook.
While staying true to his ideals. He's one of the good ones.

If it tastes so good, why do you feel so sick?

Useless is a greatest hits collection of his music which came out in 2001 on JKP records in Germany. Fans may quibble over individual song selections, but I think it is pretty damn great. It was released at a time when most of his music was out of print, so this was produced as a quick fix to that problem.

But the collection was re-recorded versions of the originals, which would normally give me pause to consider purchasing it. But this greatest hits set is pretty essential in my view. First of all case, Smith is in very fine form. Which is no great surprise. But his backing band?

None other than German Primo Punks, Die Toten Hosen! So you have a world-class songwriter teamed with a completely kick-ass rock band. It's a perfect storm of punk rock perfection!





Previously he has made similar collaborations, making an EP with Finnish punks Punk Lurex Ok, the Future Used to Be Better, which is also another amazing collaboration.

But what make Useless so good is that while the songs have a great anthemic quality to them, Smith's lyrics are smart. The music never fails to get you worked up, while making you think. And the song My String Will Snap was put on record for the first time, for all you completists.



The disc isn't that easy to get, but seems to be available at Smith's on-line store, where there is plenty of other items worth checking out, like many of his recently reissued solo albums and even tour diaries. A good place to help support a worthy cause.

At Home He's a Tourist, Part 4: Maybe Jonathan Swift was right.....Gulliver's Travels Part 4

I recently finished reading Gulliver's Travels, the satiric tale by the great Jonathan Swift. I had been a fan of Swift since I was a child, watching Gulliver's exploits in Children's movies and cartoons. Of course the novel is not a child's book at all. It is very much a book for grown-ups.

And the movies did not get to the third or fourth journeys. Only Big G and sometimes Big G and Tiny G. Even worse,  I feel sorry for the moviegoers of today who only know Lemuel Gulliver from the recent movie where Jack Black portrayed the big man. Not his best moment, particularly his little dance to "War" at the end.

Some would call Swift's novel a thinly veiled screed directed at his political enemies, a form of literary vengeance.

I would rather like to believe that the novel is in fact a thinly veiled screed against the human race. Or Yahoos, as they are called in Houyhnhm land. Which is a place where (in Swift's words)....

I enjoyed perfect health of body and tranquillity of mind; I did not feel the treachery of inconstancy of a friend, nor the injuries of a secret or open enemy. I had no occasion of bribing, flattering or pimping to procure the favour of any great man or of his minion. I wanted no fence against fraud or oppression; here was neither physician to destroy my body, nor lawyer to ruin my fortune; no informer to watch my words and actions, or forge accusations against me for hire: here were no gibers, censurers, backbiters, pickpockets, highwaymen, housebreakers, attorneys, bawds, buffoons, gamesters, politicians, wits, splenetics, tedious talkers, controvertists, ravishers, murderers, robbers, virtuosos: no leaders or followers of party and faction: no encouragers to vice, by seducements or examples: no dungeon, axes, gibbets, whipping-posts, or pillories: no cheating shopkeepers or mechanics: no pride, vanity or affectation: no fops, bullies, drunkards, strolling whores, or poxes: no ranting, lewd, expensive wives:no stupid, proud pedants: no importunate, overbearing, quarrelsome, noisy, roaring, empty, conceited, swearing companions: no scoundrels, raised from the dust upon the merits of their vices, or nobility thrown into it on account of their virtues: no lords, fiddlers, judges, or dancing masters.

I think Swift's problem may have been that he kept his feelings bottled up. But maybe a world run by horses could be a Utopia. I may be wrong but as far as I know we haven't tried it for years.

I think Swifty was on to something. I'm not talking of course about Lemuel Gulliver's Third Journey, the flying island, where he makes fun of scientists (philosophers) and other modern intellectuals. We already have the Tea Party.

I'm talking about the 4th journey, to Houyhnhms land. The land ruled by talking horses.... But maybe a world run by horses might be a Utopia after all.

These days most ordinary Americans no longer trust their governmental leaders. Many people believe a female president would do a better job as President, and I would not necessarily disagree. Certainly other nations are way ahead of the curve with this.

But perhaps it might be even better to look to another species. I do believe most of us would trust a talking horse. Maybe even more than they would trust Ronald Reagan. Many  A talking horse would be electable in the United States. Think of how many hits cute animal videos get on YouTube.

And America has had a long love affair with talking horses.....and and an even longer love affair brown-nosing celebrities...

TV's The Famous Mr. Ed.......
 

See, a horse with glasses is a brainy horse. You can't tell me Sarah Palin's trainers didn't glean some ideas from 1960's television.

 

 

Don the Wonder Horse from Hot to Trot

I would pick a stock picking horse over a stock picking baby any day. A stock picking baby needs a good exorcism.

So we celebrate the lives of two Patriotic Americans, trailblazers for their species. Their hard work and perseverance has paved their way for America's next greatest hope, today's generation. Perhaps these highbrow horses emigrated from Houyhnhm land and therefore were unable to hold political office in America. Or maybe or nation was just not ready yet, not open minded enough. Today, however,  is a different story altogether.

 

American Beauty

Yeah, that what I'm talking about. The eloquent, fun-loving, hearty-partying talking horse from the Empire Casino commercials in Yonkers! Aside from Mary J Blige and Ella Fitzgerald, he is probably Yonkers' biggest celebrity. Definitely a dude I could see myself hanging out with at a barbecue. You have to agree that it must be an awesome thing to enter a casino and get greeted by a real live horse. I am a bit concerned that I haven't seen him in many commercials lately. He may be in rehab--he looks he may have a cocaine-coated snout (a la Rob Ford) in the above picture. Maybe ran up too big a tab, maybe skimmed a few oats off the top.

Supposedly there was a contest to give him a name. I don't know how that turned out. Perhaps he cherishes his privacy. As a celebrity, I'm sure he doesn't want wackos hanging around his townhouse. Or perhaps he had to go into the Witness Protection Program and is working in a Deli somewhere in Indiana now. One day you are on top of the world, people buying you free hot dogs at Nathans, and the next day they're giving your regular table away at X2O.

I think we should give this a shot. Last presidential cycle, the Republican primary was run like a reality show. This feels like the next winning concept. I think I can smell a ratings bonanza. Or something similar....


I say we name him Morty.

Dublin's Likely Lads---#1's Poised to Conquer--Sharon Shouldn't

While you were busy the last few weeks organizing your Grammy party, you may not have realized music has already moved on.

Here is a big fat slice of punk-pop excitement from Dublin's #1's. I think they have a few singles out, maybe a cassette. And I think a beer coozie, which tells me they mean business.  No long-player out yet, but you've gotta love this song and the video accompanying it! Yeah, you've heard it before (maybe from a little group from Derry), but it still sounds great!

I think you'll be hearing a lot more from these 4 likely lads soon.

The 7" Single is on Sorry State records and also Alien Snatch records for those interested.




I first heard about these guys via Music Ruined My Life, a terrific music blog which is well worth
checking out.

Addendum:
I neglected to mention originally that I thought these guys had a little Kiwi punch in their arsenal. Check out their version of The Clean's Odditty! Yowza!

Mythology, Perception, and Reality--Hari Kunzru-- Gods Without Men

I read Hari Kunzru's remarkable book Gods Without Men last year. I've been meaning to say a little about it for a while but just haven't got around to it until now. This novel is probably the best fictional work I've read in a while. I believe that it was a NY Times notable book from 2012. So I'm sure for a lot of people Gods Without Men is far from being a hidden gem. But I like to write about things that impress me, whether they are obscure or less well-known. Usually, my posts lean toward obscurity, I guess.....

Atop the tallest of earth's peaks dwell the gods of earth, who suffer not man to tell that he hath looked upon them....

I don't really want to give away too much about the book. It would be very unfair.

Something strange going on out in the Desert. For years people are being drawn there. But for what, if anything? Is there something beyond our human knowledge and understanding in this remote area, or is this some sort of illusion imposed on the real world by human consciousness?

While reading Gods Without Men I was reminded of some dialogue from Dostoevsky's Brothers Karamazov, where someone commented that if God did not exist, than man would have to invent him. Looking into it a little more, I'm now finding the quote in the book is a reiteration of a remark originally made by Voltaire.

Gods Without Men to me is in some ways a vehicle to discuss this issue. Not so much about religion but about human nature and how we perceive and process things. How our minds are wired to create a semblance of order even when any order is nonexistent. The novel is expansive however, covering psychology of human relationships, the possible underpinnings of mythology in the real world, popular delusions and the madness of crowds, the Culture of Celebrity. Artificial Intelligence. UFOs. Native American Folklore. And we aren't being enlightened here by an all-knowing narrator with X-ray vision. Kunzru's narrative is a contradictory weave created from the perspectives of numerous people.

Throughout the book I found myself being pulled back and forth, wondering what actually is happening. The tension produced by superb pacing of the narrative is both exhilarating and at times disconcerting. So often, events proceed, and as much as people understand reality, in many cases they are inert actors that can't control the outcomes as the world deteriorates before them. Part of the story exists in the present, but the narrative also goes back to earlier historical eras, which would lead you to believe that there is a pattern recurring. And this adds to the mystery. But certainly the nature of what this pattern may actually be is up for debate. At each point in time the explanations for what is happening are different, based on changing knowledge and cultural mores/conceits of the different eras.

But the beauty of this novel is that the contents are so rich, that I would be more surprised if someone came away with the exact same opinions that I have processed. And I don't think that this is an unintentional outcome. And while the going gets extremely rough for individuals in the novel, optimism seems to persist on some level. I find that there is a great humanistic spirit running throughout this book, despite the many weaknesses and failings of human beings.

Sure, I have read books that are good reads, that are interesting and even astonishing in scope. I might appreciate novelists' inventive use of language, or their ability to create unbelievably imaginative literary frameworks. Gods Without Men, in addition to being a great read, is packed full of philosophical and intellectual digressions. This aspect places the novel to a whole other level of quality.

I found God Without Men to be brilliant. It's a novel that interacts with you, forces you to think about pretty much the nature of everything. Certainly there are people who wouldn't want to bother with a work this challenging, but my view is that Hari Kunzru's writing would be an excellent source of sustenance for your intellect.