I'm usually not Mr. Reactionary or NEthing, but after reading the results of Mark Prindle's recent "Top 7-3 Readers' Survey" & some other best-music-of-the-decade blogs recently, I think mayB it's time 4 me 2 fess up:
I'm old. Done. Over the hill. Outta touch. Retired.
Which doesn't mean I'm giving up, of course. They can have my laptop when they pry it outta my cold dead hands. (Which is, hopefully, a LONG way off.)
I'm just saying that musically-speaking, I'm totally fucked in the head, dude.
As far as current music goes, I mean. But U probly already knew this.
Some Xamples: In Mark's huge list of "Best of the 2000's" results, I recognize a handful of titles. & I've heard mayB 1/2adozen of them.
My buddy Gardenhead has bn writing his ongoing "Distended Top 20 Albums of the Past Decade" since the middle of Dec over at ASLEEP ON THE COMPOST HEAP. Last time I checked he was about 1/2 finished. I'm still hanging on 4 more. His writing's really great. U can SEE the music he Dscribes, if that makes NE sense.
The thing that gets me is: I don't know NE of the albums he's written about so far. Don't know artists, titles, songs -- completely oblivious 2 all of it. & summa those folks R pretty popular....
So yr liable 2 C a few changes here at the Back-Up Plan. (Yeah sure, like what? Writing in Real English...?)
I'd like 2 start by announcing that I'm proud 2 B a member of the newly-formed OGRENET -- the Old Guys' Review Exchange NETwork. A group of opinionated guys who Just Can't Help blogging about their opinions on practically everything, but especially about music. & their lives. & sometimes books. Jobs. Old love affairs. & other stuff.
Of course, officially I'm the only current member of OGRENET. But I'm pretty sure I know some guys who'd join me....
My buddy R.S. Crabb at THE THOUGHTS OF R. SMITH would probly B thrilled 2 B a member of OGRENET -- consider this yr official invitation, Crabby!
The Crabster qualifies Bcos he rants & raves about stuff even more than me, & each wk he posts a Top 10 of whatever's playing in his CD player. That's good enuf 4 me. & tho I think he's mellowed a bit in the past yr, he can still get pretty cranky. & so can I, Ghod knows....
However, NE organization worth its weight in tax-free donations must have an Initiation. So, 4 the Crabsta's initiation, he must change the name of his blog 2 THE THOUGHTS OF EMERLIST DAVJACK.
...Rastro at LA HISTORIA DE LA MUSICA ROCK might B open 2 joining -- age-wise he qualifies, he's in his 40s -- but he's WAY more in-touch w/ current music than I am. WAY more. Not sure how cranky he is. But the invitation's out there, R....
Drew at DREW'S ODDS & SODS might qualify. Not sure about his age or how cranky he is, but judging by his fondness 4 '70s rock, I'd say he's probly a member-at-heart already.
Mark Prindle is probly just a touch 2 young 2 join OGRENET -- in his mid-30s, he's 2 young 2 B a curmudgeon just yet. & in his ongoing efforts 2 try 2 keep up w/ all the Hip New Bands That The Young Kids Dig, I'm sure he's probly on a 1st-name basis w/ some bands that would scare the living shit outta me....
U're probly wondering about the requirements 2 Bcome a member of this new society/network/conspiracy/task force/underground movement/whatever. Glad U asked.
U might B a potential member of OGRENET if:
* Yr cranky/grumpy/pissed-off/Dpressed at least 1/2 the time.
* U actually walk around telling people who don't care that "Rock & roll just ain't bn the same since 1971."
* U really think the Last Good Music Year was 1971. Or '72. '73. '77. '79. Or '82 at the absolute latest.
* ... & U have a list of reasons WHY.
* ... That U carry around in yr pocket....
* U spend 1/2 yr time searching 4 old songs & albums U haven't heard since U were 12 yrs old.
* U spend the other 1/2 of yr time Bing Dpressed when these songs & albums -- 1nce U find them -- don't sound as good as they did when U were 12 yrs old.
* U kick yrself Bcos U didn't grab intresting-looking off-the-wall albums 30 yrs ago when they were only $3.99 in the cutout bin of yr fave local record store. Now yr paying 4x that much 2 get the same albums on CD.
* U think the Who peaked w/ SELL OUT.
* U think Yes peaked w/ THE YES ALBUM.
* U think the Beatles peaked w/ A HARD DAY'S NIGHT.
* U think Led Zeppelin peaked w/ THE BROWN BOMBER.
* Pink Floyd peaked w/ PIPER....
* Rush peaked w/ PERMANENT WAVES... or 2112....
* U remember what band Terry Jacks was a member of....
Think U qualify? Comment below. I'll start collecting names.
We'll all get 2gether, mayB have R 1st Annual Convention at the Worland, Wyoming, Days Inn.
We'll need nametags. In BIG print, 4 those of us who can't C 2 well NEmore.
& a logo! Gotta hava OGRENET logo! How bout a cartoon of some old, withered, gray-haired, prune-faced guy, sitting in a rockin chair, right next 2 1 of those old Victrolas, w/ the horn sticking right in2 his ear? That'd B great.
Now if I just knew some1 who could draw....
Thursday, February 18, 2010
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2 comments:
Missed this when it was new, but catching it now and had a laugh
Thanks for the invite, be glad to join up, but I don't know if I qualify.
I can be one cranky bastard, but I'm not sure I'm gonna be qualified as a member of OGRENET if I'm gonna be laying down Scratch Acid references like that. 'Course THEY'RE 25 years old now. . . .
Anyway,
* I think the Who peaked w/ XXXX XXX LIVE AT LEEDS
* I think Yes peaked w/ XXX XXX XXXXX CLOSE TO THE EDGE
* I think the Beatles peaked w/ X XXXX XXXXX XXXXX ABBEY ROAD.
* I don't think Zeppelin ever peaked, their whole career is one plateau, each album is great. The only things I don't love unreservedly are "Kashmir" and "D'yer Ma'ker"
* Pink Floyd peaked w/ XXXXX ANIMALS ....
* Rush peaked w/ XXXXXXXXX XXXXX HEMISPHERES
* As far as remembering what band Terry Jacks was a member of.... I DON'T!
Anyway, there's my application, if I haven't missed the deadline . . . .
R: Ghod bless ya 4 reading My Back Pages.
Of course U qualify 4 OGRENET. Now we'll have 3 card-carrying members: U, me & RS Crabb. Which means somewhere EVEN SMALLER than the Worland, Wyo., Days Inn will B more than large enuf 2 host a convention. I gotta start making convention arrangements. & find some1 2 make nametags. & membership cards.... -- TAD.
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