But instead of discontinuing my listen altogether to tend to the delicate sensibilities of man's best spoilsport, or constantly interrupting it with mid-track cue-stick nips and tucks, I begrudgingly decide to stop between tracks. In between, say, the slippery wig-out "See No Evil" and “Venus” mix of the instrumentally majestic but lyrically droll, a song about a surreal “Tight toy night,” featuring a hilarious call and response between lead singer Verlaine and the boys in the background vocals: “Didja feel low? No, not at all. Huh??? / I fell right into the Arms of Venus de Milo” – the punning not as funny as the underpinning incredulity, “Huh???”
But more than not allowing Gus to divert my rapt attention from the absolutely frightening and tightly manic guitar frenzy of the aptly-titled “Friction,” there was no way I was going to let him keep me from total enjoyment of the essential 10-minute title track’s non-stop flight of imagination and perfect amalgam of crescendoing instrumentation and evocative lyrics:
I remember
how the darkness doubled
I recall
lightning struck itself.
I was listening
listening to the rain
I was hearing
hearing something else.
Life in the hive puckered up my night,
the kiss of death, the embrace of life.
There I stand ‘neath the Marquee Moon
Just waiting,
Hesitating...
I ain't waiting…
The sense of intuitive seeking and heightened anticipation is more than paid off in the interplay of Verlaine and Lloyd’s mesmerizing lightening-striking-itself guitar build up, a heady brew that simmers and gradually comes to full boil and even to a boiling-over point.
Speaking of things coming to a boiling point, as “Marquee Moon” wanes, I look out the window and see Gus barking furiously, and no doubt waking the neighbors. He wants back in. Has he completely forgotten I'd done him a favor by letting him out, or has he had second thoughts? Maybe he can get into the dog-friendly second side of the album, which is just as good but not so tightly-compressed – there are even some exquisite and graceful moments in "Guiding Light" and "Prove It."
He can have my old headphones.
I'm now feeling kind of good about having the opportunity to teach an old dog new tricks with some classic, trailblazing tracks. On the subject of tracks, though, I stop in mine. With my luck, he's probably going to want to listen to Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music. All four sides. Again.
Come to think of it, that dog never did have good taste in music.
Article comments
1 - Mark Saleski
great reading gordon. Marquee Moon is a killer record. those two guys extracted some torturous sounds from their guitars.
2 - Christopher Rose
Brilliant album, brilliant writeup, still one of the great rock albums even after thirty years!
FUCK!
Thirty fucking years!!
How did that happen?
Thanks from someone who did listen to all 4 sides of Metal Machine Music in a row. Twice!
3 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
Thanks Mark--even after all these years, it demands repeated listens. I can't get by with just playing it once and putting it away.
4 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
Christopher--thanks for the comments. I don't like to think about that thirty year mark, but I must say, the record never sounds dated.
About Metal Machine: only heard parts of it once, when I was working in a record store and, blissfully ignorant, we tore open a store-play copy and started to play it for the crew and customers. A very abbreviated sampling of all four sides told us all we needed to know. Probably chased away a couple customers, too.
5 - Rebecca
This is a great album! I have it on CD. I remember the first time I heard it, I was convinced they couldn't possibly be getting those sounds out of their guitars.
6 - Herman
"alternately crook-and-nanny angularity and sinuous energy" is a great description! You didn't come up short. MM is one of my absolute favorite deserted island records - a very short list, too.
You should hear the newest Verlaine albums, or better yet, see him live.
7 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
Thanks Rebecca--that sense of extra-mile guitars snagged me the first time around, too.
8 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
Herman--Though I've never seen him live, I have several Verlaine albums--but nothing real recent. Time to seek out something new, right after I stop wearing out the grooves on MM again.
9 - Christopher Rose
I don't have it in me to be loyal to artists any more - Marquee Moon is awesome and I listen to some or all of it often. The rest of Television and Tom's solo work just never makes my personal playlist.
I'm fickle, I am.
10 - Mark Saleski
wasn't a 'new' Verlaine record released not to long ago? an instrumental album that was out of print? am i hallucinating?
11 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
You're more right than you know, Mark: Two new albums--"Songs and Other Things" w/ vocals AND "Around," instrumental and largely improvised. Turns out to be first releases since 1992, so I'm like Rip Vinyl Winkle--fell asleep and didn't miss anything, only thought I had.
12 - Vern Halen
The 2003 Rhino / Elecktra CD reissue is great -includes the indie single "Little Johnny Jewel" and some alternate takes, including another studio version of "Marquee Moon." And the Adventure reissue is pretty good too. Do yourself a favor and go buy 'em both.
13 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
Thanks Vern--that alternate take of "Marquee Moon" sounds especially intriguing.