Blogcritics: Comments on The Barry Stoller Jukebox - conclusion

Comment by Barry Stoller

Tue, 4 May 2004 11:37:43 EDT

I was rather tempted to add a Crowd +1 45 to the list (I've got both Capitol issues) but decided that would be a bit too ... partisan. Thanks for looking over the list.

Comment by Clif Daniel

Tue, 4 May 2004 11:11:53 EDT

I watched you put this one together . I had expected something a bit closer to home for 1965 or 1966 . But , that's cool ... As I've said before, I admire your ability to present your opinions of a song or artist in the same manner as one might describe a fine wine. Some of your opinions are out there, however. 1. 'It's Been A Long, Long Time' - Les Paul & Mary Ford I also have a few Les Paul & Mary Ford items .. Les Paul is more than deserving of number one position on your list, the godfather of electric guitar 5. 'Quiet Village' - Martin Denny If cover art sells albums , it's easy to see whay hers were good sellers, I have only one of her albums, every track is unique and has something to offer. 8. 'Midsummer New York' - Yoko Ono / Plastic Ono Band haha ... ughhh , I played this once and only once. Was down on my family's farm in Mississippi years ago ... my grandpas bloodhound took to full stride howling in agony , we tracked him down the levy and across across Rosedale ( yes , that Rosedale ) and finally he was spotted down near 61 & 49 hiways ( yes , the crossroads ). We did mange to get him home , but he was never quite right again. 10. 'Soul Experience' - Iron Butterfly a great piece of vinyl to find, I've got this one also 5. 'DOA' - Bloodrock - Capitol 3009 - 1970 anybody that knows me , knows that I have way to much to say about Bloodrock. You may not have had what I expected for the 1965 or 1966 slots, but this'll do, glad that you included it in your list. 7. 'Highway 61 Revisited' - Bob Dylan - Columbia 43477 I don't have to say anything about Bob Dylan, I'm jealous. I'de love to have a 7" version of this myself" 8. 'I Saw Her Standing There' - The Beatles - Capitol 5112 a nice piece of vinyl and a great song. the man that killed rock and roll ? ... wtf , shit Barry .... never mind !! ... " Enjoyed the thread ... FYI Beach Boys , Catch A Wave 7" Capitol Label 1973 Original Issue 45 W/ GERMAN-ONLY PS & "WENDY" ON THE B SIDE. 1973 ORIGINAL ISSUE AS THIS WAS NEVER A SINGLE IN THE 60'S. M-/M Nice cover art also .. a wave of couse. New old stock - one in stock - they are 16.00 proud of this one.

Comment by Barry Stoller

Mon, 3 May 2004 17:41:41 EDT

Zappa, again. As I recall, he starts his book with the admission that he's unread - then proceeds to rap like he knows it all. I have no criticism with his anti-communist stance, only that's it's laughably ignorant; there's a big difference between consumer products and the means of production and either he was conflating the two for the sake of swaying those more ignorant than he, or he didn't know himself, thus he had no business pontificating about communism in the first place. I recall his famous spat about the LSO union, that's not what I meant; he wrote some anti-union tune directed against roadies and proceeded to play this little ditty from the stage, attempting to humiliate his own grunt workers from the safety of his self-appointed throne. Add Zappa's life-long homophobia and sexism and a FULL, rather unpleasant, right-wing portrait appears. (Forget the Michael Moore point, which merely generalizes the particular. And...don't be distracted by Zappa's ridicule of Republicans; it's possible to stand to the RIGHT of Republicans - just ask Mark Farner, who Zappa rather liked.) Like I said above, Zappa's political stance - and immaturity - was a real distraction from his musical talent, which was immense. ('Apostrophe,' with Jack Bruce and Jim Gordon, should be on the robot radio 24/7.)

Comment by JR

Mon, 3 May 2004 15:32:26 EDT

Either that or it's real simple.

Comment by Mark Saleski

Mon, 3 May 2004 14:47:53 EDT

so zappa was a right-winger because he criticized unions? gees, then i guess michael moore is a right-winger too. dang, life's complicated.

Comment by JR

Mon, 3 May 2004 14:34:54 EDT

Yeah, but the musicians' union is a joke. And he also did anti-Republican tunes. Remember "Dickie's Such an Asshole"?

Comment by Barry Stoller

Mon, 3 May 2004 13:42:59 EDT

Hey thanks, HW Saxton Jr, for the info. Maybe I'm thinking of the 33RPM? Anyway, the Brubeck is '49. About Zappa, yes a phoney. And, continuing with the right wing charge, he did an anti-union tune in '83.

Comment by Eric Olsen

Mon, 3 May 2004 13:32:21 EDT

smoking affects all organs of the body

Comment by Mark Saleski

Mon, 3 May 2004 13:29:46 EDT

i thought zappa died of prostate cancer.

Comment by Eric Olsen

Mon, 3 May 2004 13:20:47 EDT

My point is that Zappa was dependent upon a drug and it killed him. This sort of leaves his thoughts on the subject a bit tainted.

Comment by HW Saxton Jr.

Mon, 3 May 2004 12:38:53 EDT

Barry, RCA records debuted the 45 RPM disc back in February of 1949. Just fer the record!(Bad pun intended).

Comment by JR

Mon, 3 May 2004 12:35:36 EDT

In fairness, I think Zappa's objection to drug use was the behavioral effects. Cigarettes aren't quite as effective at turning a person into an instant asshole as, say, cocaine is. Having said that, I don't think I could stand to be around a chain-smoker.

Comment by Mark Saleski

Mon, 3 May 2004 12:34:21 EDT

is this the quote: Americans like to talk about (or be told about) Democracy but, when put to the test, usually find it to be an 'inconconvenience.' We have opted instead for an authoritarian system disguised as a Democracy. We pay through the nose for an enormous joke-of-a-government, let it push us around, and then wonder how all those assholes got in there. Communism doesn't work because it is out of phase with human nature. Are we gonig to wake up one day to find this statement equally true when applied to the concept of Western Democracy? in the page previous to this zappa dumps on communism being againts human nature because "people want to own stuff".

Comment by JR

Mon, 3 May 2004 12:31:02 EDT

I wonder what his position on state-funded music education was.

Comment by Eric Olsen

Mon, 3 May 2004 12:25:11 EDT

I thought he was more libertarian/iconoclast than anything. And he was also an incredible hypocrite: attacking drinkers and drug users as morons, fools, weak, etc., while he smoked himself to death before he turned 53.

Comment by Barry Stoller

Mon, 3 May 2004 12:19:20 EDT

According to his book, capitalism was the true reflection of 'human nature.' That's a reductionist argument a la Ayn Rand. Zappa's primary objection to the politicians at the time of the 'censorship' issue was simply that some of them were thinking of regulating market activity - that's a 'free speech' stance under the guise of a free business stance. Where I come from that's right wing - and moronic.

Comment by Mark Saleski

Mon, 3 May 2004 11:49:11 EDT

wow, zappa was as far from right-wing as you could get. (well, not as far as i am from right wing, but that's another story)

Comment by Barry Stoller

Mon, 3 May 2004 11:40:55 EDT

Did you just call Frank Zappa a "right wing moron"? Yup, based on the infantile political comments in 'The Real Frank Zappa Book.' (Love his wah-wah tone and speed nevertheless.)

Comment by JR

Mon, 3 May 2004 11:33:13 EDT

Did you just call Frank Zappa a "right wing moron"? By the way, thank you for this line: ...new wave was essentially the early 60s done by machines...

Comment by Barry Stoller

Mon, 3 May 2004 11:04:26 EDT

This certainly takes us to our core disagreement - hegemony. Yes, Brian Wilson almost single-handedly invented (and definitely legitimized) studio session rock (i.e. adult contemporary), so he certainly casts a dark shadow over the development of pop & rock music. Yet I give him much higher marks than the Fabs, owing to (1) his singular position (not requiring a George Martin to guide his arranging skills); (2) his inventiveness with arranging (consider how the exotic instruments on 'Catch A Wave' and 'Good Vibrations' illustrate the lyrics whereas the exotic instruments on most of Pepper are indiscriminately, even excessively, placed); and (3), owing to the Smile debacle and the present-day under-appreciation for Wilson, his underdog status (a factor guaranteed to warm my heart). Thanks for checking in, Eric. BTW, I forgot 2 of my favorite discs - and one is by The Who, can you believe it?

Comment by Eric Olsen

Mon, 3 May 2004 10:11:19 EDT

Mostly great list - what I have a very difficult time with is discerning a pattern in what is cool or not cool other than what you happen to like or not like: you clearly like the Beach Boys but not the Beatles. I find their stylistic paths very similar. If you're vilifying the Beatles for killing rock 'n' roll, why not the Beach Boys, who certainly didn't rock any harder than the Beatles after their early Chuck Berry-copped hits.