Fashion Board 12-09-03 through 1-08-04

Originally posted by sebastian_dangerfield
Neil doesn't have quite as many gems as Dylan, nor the ocon magnitude of Dylan, but his output is way larger than Dylan's and in being so, he's quietly amassed a rather impressive library of timeless music.

I think the music of the Dead (the country/bluesy stuff, not the psychedelic jazzy stuff), Young and Dylan will have the longest reach into the future because its simple and timless. The themes are approachable to any listener and will wear like old Delta blues.

We owe today's musical history discussion to a comment made by none other than purse junkie? guys, consider the source. She is jessica simpson without the looks, money, hot husband and boobs.

[Shape Shifter]

Originally posted by Not Bob
Second, e/o is right about all the greatest hits -- no way they should count. The occasional live record (didn't read long enough to see whether Cheap Trick Live in Budokan made it, but it should have), sure, but greatest hit albums aren't albums.

I generally agree, but there are exceptions. Some of the old timers recorded before the advent of the album format. The only way you're going to get Hank Williams, Elvis' best work, or the old bluesmen on the list is with some sort of hits compilation. Similarly, Phil Spector produced singles for other artists. It seems appropriate to include compilations of his work on the list.

I am disturbed by the lack of holiday music on the list. "Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Time." People get knighted for this. And what about John Denver and the Muppets?

[spookyfish]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
Maybe five or so years ago, I saw him in concert and he was surprisingly articulate. What really struck me, though, was his guitar playing. I usually think of him as a lyricist that I totally didn't realize how good he was as a musician.

For the record, I've never had any trouble understanding Dylan. I also think that the aging of his voice is not necessarily a negative. Take a listen to Love and Theft. There is a world-weariness to his voice that fits the songs perfectly. Not to say Dylan hasn't always come across as world-weary, but his voice has grown into the themes over the years.

(Either that, or that recording just has really good production values).

And FWIW, Brian Wilson's speaking voice is a dead ringer for Carl the Assistant Groundskeeper these days. It's kind of sad.

Originally posted by sebastian_dangerfield
I never quite picked up on the whole 'classy' thing exactly. I understand that its an insult or some sort of jibe aimed at one's social status, but in the spirit of full disclosure, could you explain, so a poor bastard who hasn't learned "paigow-speak" fully can appreciate your response.

Yes, I realize half the fun of the insult is in the fact that not everyone gets it, so if this is a sort of inside joke that I have to learn on my own, fuck it...

The foul truth is that there is no such thing as paigow-speak othter than the foul truths that I speak that others merely think but think are to unspeakable to speak. Which is why they are foul truths.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by NotFromHere
I don't think I could take 2 hours of wedding talk.

. . .

Better than two hours of Trista talk, though.

And did it last only two hours? I flipped past it on my way to something else, and watched for what seemed like five minutes (although probably was 30 seconds). All I saw was the "special guests" walking down the aisle. How many special guests get to walk down the aisle at a normal wedding? MotB; parents of the groom; perhaps a grandmother; bridesmaids/groomsment, right? It seemed, but perhaps I hyperbolize, that "now this is trista's hymenbuster, accompanied by her sorority sister; next up, Ryan's brother, accompanying the firehouse's dalmatian."

[tmdiva]

Yeah, whatever. It was nice, but how sad is it that Trista wasn't the prettiest woman at her own wedding? I guess she's cute, but she has lots of wrinkles and squinches up her eyes when she smiles, and her boobs are a tad too big for her frame. Her matron of honor, on the other hand, was really lovely.

I watched because my sil, besides having been Ryan's jr high girlfriend, also knew three of the groomsmen--one was her first kiss, one her Sweet 16 boyfriend, and one dated her best friend.

tm

[sebastian_dangerfield]

Originally posted by dtb
Although I hate to break this to paigow, the [cringe] ironic usage of the word "classy" has been in my lexicon since college (and I don't think I knew paigow in college -- unless her name is Amy -- in which case, Hi Amy! -- because she and I would use it in our own little lingo between ourselves -- I know, how "college").

ANYWAY... my use of "classy" is simply meant to indicate something vulgar. Not aimed at one's social status, necessarily.

No real mystery, really.

OK, so I had it pretty much correct, but thanks for the clarification.

Of course I was being vulgar. It was a vulgar topic.

BTW, flagging me for being low brow here is a bit pointless, don't you think?

[bilmore]

Originally posted by Shape Shifter
And what about John Denver and the Muppets?

They likely decided that there was simply too much overlap with the Dave Matthews Band.

[NotFromHere]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
Better than two hours of Trista talk, though.

And did it last only two hours?

Who knows? I was caught up in the train wreck called the Billboard Awards. What a positively stupid format. Good thing I have Tivo and can buffer away all the stupid talk between Jessica Simpson and her stupid husband. It's bad enough that she's stupid, but to write her a script to force the stupidity was just wrong. And the stupid sexual innuendos, or maybe not so innuendo but obvious was also wrong.

And why do people still lip synch at these things? It's so obvious. At least Clay Aiken didn't lip synch. But Shania and Beyonce are so bad at it, they should stop.

[Sidd Finch]

Originally posted by Not Bob
I think that one Led Zeppelin album is two too many, but I realize this is my own personal opinion, and they had a great impact, blah blah blah, but please.

You are disturbed.

The list is interesting, but weird. A Beach Boys album as No. 2? Christ.

Lists like this should never mix jazz and rock. You can't compare albums in these two genres in any useful or generally acceptable way. I see "Kind of Blue" pretty high on the list, and it's a great album (though IMHO only the second greatest jazz album), but then I can't understand why the other great jazz albums that are so much better than most rock albums are missing. The inclusion of a token jazz album is more annoying than anything else.

Originally posted by tmdiva
Yeah, whatever. It was nice, but how sad is it that Trista wasn't the prettiest woman at her own wedding? I guess she's cute, but she has lots of wrinkles and squinches up her eyes when she smiles, and her boobs are a tad too big for her frame. Her matron of honor, on the other hand, was really lovely.

It is sad when spinsters wed isn't it? I mean it is a relief for some- the spinster, the spinster's mother (assuming she is still alive) and the spinster's matron of honor. But the wrinkles, the squinchy eyes, the not being as pretty as your other, younger friends. And wearing white? what a joke. nobody looks good in that over the age of thirty. And to put this debacle on tv? they should have done it in city hall with no camera. the poor dear completely humiliated herself. just wait til young Ryan takes his first lover. the full on sagging will have kicked in. I look forward to ABC's coverage of "Trista and Ryan's divorce". Like they say, once a spinster, always a spinster and it doesnt matter how many people on the football team you banged either.

I watched because my sil, besides having been Ryan's jr high girlfriend, also knew three of the groomsmen--one was her first kiss, one her Sweet 16 boyfriend, and one dated her best friend.

tm

Uh, no, you watched bc you are up there wth ncs and b-l in your reality tv addiction. dont blame this on you SIL who we all know dated Ryan back in the day. Who are you, str8? And is "Sweet 16 boyfriend" a euphemism for hymenbuster?

[spookyfish]

Originally posted by NotFromHere
And why do people still lip synch at these things? It's so obvious. But Shania and Beyonce are so bad at it, they should stop.

Hush your mouth. Shania and Beyonce could lip synch to a recording of Wallace Shawn reading Blacks Law Dictionary, and that would be just fine by me.

[Aloha Mr. Learned Hand]

Originally posted by Sidd Finch
The list is interesting, but weird. A Beach Boys album as No. 2? Christ.

My God, man. Obviously you've never heard Pet Sounds. Personally, I would strongly consider it for No. 1 with Revolver.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by spookyfish
Shania and Beyonce could lip synch to a recording of Wallace Shawn reading Blacks Law Dictionary, and that would be just fine by me.

Sure, but you'd still want to turn off the sound and put on some Barry White instead.

Originally posted by spookyfish
For the record, I've never had any trouble understanding Dylan. I also think that the aging of his voice is not necessarily a negative. Take a listen to Love and Theft. There is a world-weariness to his voice that fits the songs perfectly. Not to say Dylan hasn't always come across as world-weary, but his voice has grown into the themes over the years.

(Either that, or that recording just has really good production values).

Right the second time. To say "I've never had any trouble understanding Dylan" is to say "I've not seen him perform live in the last __* years." I had the pleasure of catching 2 separate performances by him in NOLA this past year, and was astonished at his inability to articulate, even by traditional Dylan standards. "Tombstone Blues" was utterly unidentifiable until the first chorus rolled around, and even then, it took the second chorus for confirmation.

The beauty of studio work is that they can keep trying until he comes through with an articulate take. There is a world of difference between "Things Have Changed" on a shiny aluminum circle, and the garbled mess croaking out of a PA system.


*I'm open to debate on the actual figure. The few shows I caught with him in the mid '80s were perfectly fine, but the times I've seen him since the turn of the Century have been abyssmal. Fixing the exact moment of his fall from grace within that lacuna is an exercise left to the reader.