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Despite all the amputations ...

... you can still dance to a rock 'n' roll station, right? At least it's what Uncle Lou keeps telling us down the years, every time we spin that track. And he should know. Because for sure the Velvet Underground was the greatest rock band of the 1960s. (Don't worry. I'm not discounting the Beatles. The Beatles, too great for words or desert-island list making, were beyond this mortal coil.) And, hands down, Roxy Music was the greatest band of the '70s. (Speaking of that decade, thanks, Aaron, for picking up on the Television reference! No one else is nearly so cool as you.) Talking Heads without question the greatest of the '80s. Radiohead, naturally, of the '90s. On these we can agree. But these here oughts? Admittedly it is more problematic. Broken Social Scene? I could make that argument. Bright Eyes? I dig that Conor to death. And yet ... well, we have a few more years to make the call. Point is, while it's a little confusing, the thing we used to call rock music is alive and important as ever. Except that fewer of you are paying attention. But it's not the attention that makes it great. Now along comes frumpy naysayer Elton

John to claim that not only is the music just not happening for him anymore, it's not happening for anyone. And know who killed it, to his mind? The Internet. Uh, sure, Sir Elt. That's the ticket. He told Britain's The Sun newspaper: "The Internet has stopped people from going out and being with each other from creating stuff.
Instead people sit at home and make their own records, which doesn't bode well for long-term artistic vision.
Hopefully the next movement in music will tear down the Internet. It would be great to see the Internet shut down for five years and see what sort of art is produced over that span. I'm sure, as far as music goes, it would be
much more interesting than it is today."

Wait -- I thought he was supposed to be OFF the crack. Shut down the Internet for five years? Sure thing. What a creative idea.

Then he cuts to rock critic mode: "In the early '70s there were at least 10 albums released every
week that were fantastic. Now you're lucky to find 10 albums a year of that
quality."

The excellent hosts of "Sound Opinions," billed as the world's only rock and roll talk show, Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot, on KPCC 89.3 FM every Sunday evening at 8, did the arithmetic on Elton, and wondered: "520 great albums a year in the '70s? Don't think so."

If you've lost your religion and want to get it back, check out their show, featuring the best of both new and old bands. You'll wonder why you ever strayed ...

Posted by Larry Wilson on August 23, 2007 5:21 PM |

Comments

Was your Uncle Lou a paraplegic? It's kinda hard to dance to anything. What a positive outlook.

Posted by: Miss Havisham | August 23, 2007 8:11 PM

pardon me: it's a lyric. from the song by lou reed, leader of the velvet underground, called "rock 'n' roll": "despite all the amputations / you could still dance to a rock 'n' roll station / ... and it was all right ... / her life was saved by rock 'n' roll."

Posted by: larry | August 23, 2007 8:45 PM

Personally I think the best radio is now on XM. Dylan's Theme Time Radio rocks ... it fact it's been instrumental in introducing my nine-year-old to great tracks like Shorty Long's (Isn't that a great name?) "Devil in the Blue Dress" and other r&r classics like "Rocket 88.
Tom Petty has a show too, called "Buried Treasure" where he spins platters as diverse as Traffic, Johnny Cash and Dusty Springfield.
Guess I don't have to mention, that I don't hear much of Sir Elton's stuff on these shows ....hmmmm...i know there are stations that play it though.
If anything satellite and iTunes are instrumental in keeping music including Elton's (or older stuff) alive and vital in the 00s.
Yeah right take down the Internet ...perhaps Sir Elton should consider changing his name to Sir Luddite

Posted by: fcg | August 23, 2007 8:45 PM

I started a Pandora station - which you can check out by going to my site and clicking on "Radio Free Proctor" up top.

Hey - Television is a great band.

I agree about Velvet Underground being the greatest band of the 60's.

I say Kraftwerk for the 70's - they were so influential on so many different types of music. Maybe a toss up between Kraftwerk and David Bowie.

80's, as much as I'd like to say Gary Numan or Adam Ant, I'm going to have to go with Depeche Mode.

90's? Meh...not really into 90's stuff..

Music, for the most part, sucks now. Stuff on Metropolis records is good though - like Covenant (well, I guess they're on Sony now), Wolfsheim, Apoptygma Berzerk, and of course - VNV Nation.

I don't like current music. Even the fashion is a rip off of stuff I listen to. Now we've got My Chemical Romance running around in Adam Ant civil war jackets...WTF?!

At least wearing eyeliner is semi en vogue again (For now).

Posted by: Aaron Proctor | August 24, 2007 9:54 AM

Ike Turner does a good version of Rocket 88. (Not a joke)

Posted by: Aaron Proctor | August 24, 2007 9:55 AM

Thanks Larry, for clueing me in on Uncle Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground. My knowledge of band names and lyrics are fleeting. My head so cluttered with useless details, top lip serious, bottom lip sarcastic.

Posted by: Miss Havisham | August 24, 2007 10:05 AM

aaron
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocket_88

The Ike Turner verson is the one we were listening to recently. He's apparently playing piano...some say it's the first rock record recorded at Sun

Posted by: fcg | August 24, 2007 11:01 AM

Yep, fcg, I learned about that song when I was in St. Louis...at least I brought one good piece of knowledge back :-)

Posted by: Aaron Proctor | August 24, 2007 2:00 PM

I'll stay away from trying to even consider which bands might be the best for which decade. No question Lou Reed and Velvet Underground were one of the most influential of their decade... and so were many others.

I listen to Radio Paradise on the computer at work during the day. It seems to be some guy programming from a computer in his basement in Chico. (Or a very clever Clear Channel ruse.)

Internet radio is great!

Posted by: Paul (that talker guy) | August 25, 2007 9:16 PM

You should listen to Radio Free Proctor:

www.proctorformayor.com/music

Posted by: Aaron Proctor | August 26, 2007 7:09 PM

I agree with you about both the Velvet Underground for the 60s and Radiohead for the 90s. Both were outstanding bands that broke new ground and helped shape the music of their decades.

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