The Current Music Blog: August 31, 2006 Archive

Our List-Crazy British Friends, No. 4

Posted at 7:00 AM on August 31, 2006 by Hans Eisenbeis (1 Comments)

Despite their penchant for the latest, greatest Whoosie Whatsit in the world of pop music, the British show themselves to be in the throes of an extreme conservativism when it comes to the old Desert Island bit. Normally, our cousins across the pond merely look at the current cover of Melody Maker or New Music Express to pronounce Ye Greatest Band of All Tyme. Perhaps it's nostaligia. Or maybe it's these litigious times that caused the latest poll to be heavily skewed to the Fab Four. Just two months ago, those fickle, funny, insular people picked this album the greatest ever. (Wha?!) So but here's the latest pulse-taking:

1. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club - The Beatles

2: Thriller - Michael Jackson

3: The Joshua Tree - U2

4: Rumours - Fleetwood Mac

5: Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd

6: Revolver - The Beatles

7: Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon and Garfunkel

8: Abbey Road - The Beatles

9: A Night At The Opera - Queen

10: The Beatles - The Beatles

Say, by the way: We just know they adore Fleetwood Mac's insanely overrated 1977 record because of its misspelled title. We imagine Elvis Presley's "Gaolhouse Rock" would have charted nicely, too.

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What Happens When They Put You On TV

Posted at 7:10 AM on August 31, 2006 by Hans Eisenbeis (2 Comments)

Folks with ridiculous satellite TV hookups might have caught The Boy Least Likely To on the UK's GMTV yesterday--their first time evah. While the pop duo sound like sunny-day bedsitters, we can assure you: They know how to party like rock stars, as evidenced by this disturbing entry (presumably by Jof) on their MySpace blog:

i had a party on saturday and someone left a plastic bag with a loaf of nimble bread and a banana and a tin of baked beans in. i thought that was a bit strange. it's not really the sort of food you'd bring to a party. and if they were meant to be presents for me then whoever brought them should've at least wrapped them up and given them to me. not just left them in a bag in the kitchen. also, i don't really like bananas or bread with bits in. one of my friends is weird.

Aside from our revulsion at the persistent lack of capitalization that is epidemic at MySpace, we can sense the narcissism of rock stardom creeping in here. Gentlemen, no matter how big you get, you cannot expect every inanimate object in the world to be gift-wrapped just for you.

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The Quotidian Life

Posted at 7:11 AM on August 31, 2006 by Hans Eisenbeis

Last week, our old friend Bob Mould began peddlling a new record under the name "Blowoff." It's a collaboration with deep-electronica knobber Richard Morel, and continues Mould's experimentation in guitar-synth alchemy. Although the album won't officially be released until November 7, it's available now from iTunes, or direct from Mr. Mould himself.

Among all the so-called "musicians" who supposedly "blog," we have to hand it Bob: He gets the whole idea. On his own, non-MySpace blog over here, he laughs, he cries, he links externally. Best of all, he opens a small storm window into his daily grind:

On the personal front, I've been lame - several unanswered phone calls and e-mails. Soon.

Thursday, boys night out with W: SMDF (packed) and Eagle (not bad). A late night, but not as late as other times.

Friday, I renewed my Costco membership, as I was in search of a new television. I don't watch much TV, but I do watch a fair amount of DVDs - especially this one. WOOF (beyond packed), then Halo (brief).

Saturday, some much-needed culture. National Gallery for the Venetian Renaissance exhibit (and a tasty sandwich in the new food court atrium), then the Hirshhorn; Anselm Kiefer is one of my top 5 artists of all time…

Sunday, brunch with M and Tom. Outside Starbucks Clarendon, there was a very Valley Of The Dolls crime scene.

Mould calls it "Boblog: A quiet and uninteresting life." Given the body of evidence, we have our doubts about the "quiet" part.

Earlier: Bob Mould @ The Current, July 2005