Van Morrison - Astral Weeks (lala) I have to give it up to Van Morrison for having the brass to cavalierly throw both the Beatles and Elvis under the bus in this bar discussion with Ben Greenman in The New Yorker. I have entertained thoughts of writing a book titled "F*ck the Beatles" with a cover mimicking the famous cover, chronicling the hobbling aspect of Beatles worship in contemporary music practice but I'm not sure I really feel that way, nor do I have the deconstructionist chops to take a successful poke at that sacred cow. There is an essay in the next book (rough version here) about this subject that paints a less incendiary and more accurate portrait of what I am getting at.
Steely Dan - Katy Lied (lala) Not long ago, I expressed a distaste to Steely Dan (which I'm not sure I have anymore either) in a bar and a nearby perfect stranger was immediately ready to take me outside over it. I played along for a bit until the guy was taking it all a little too personal, and a bystander reported afterwards telling a mutual friend at the bar that I might need some backup. That friend approached, listened in for a second and walked back, saying "He's on his own with that one."
Best Steely Dan line, ever (from Seth Rogan's character in Knocked Up): "If you ever catch me listening to Steely Dan, I want you to slice my head off with an Al Jarreau record."
ReplyDeleteJust listened to your appearance on the _Aja_ Smackdown on WNYC's Soundcheck... I am a Steely Dan fanatic, but you articulated my annoyance with _Aja_ better than I could have. You have to admit that "Peg" is a pop masterpiece though. C'mon now.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Warren.
ReplyDeleteRe "Peg": Totally, though I was prepared to say "Sure 'Peg' is catchy, but so is hantavirus" if it got ugly.