Roger O Green

I Have a Headache

This one in particular:

I made the mistake of reading some of the comments on some of the YouTube videos about racism. There’s some weird stuff in the videos themselves, but the opinions of some people – oy. Try the conversation about racism in Alberta, for one. Or better still, don’t bother.

There’s a December 2006 CNN poll on racism shows that most Americans do see lingering racism — in others.

Meanwhile, Hispanic Business magazine reports that bias costs companies billions. So, bigotry is not just wrong, it’s expensive.

Not so incidentally, John Mellencamp has a new song called Jena:

It can also be found on his website. BTW, the name of the town is pronounced Gina, not Jenna.

Anyway, I think every once in a while, the fact that we’re still dealing with this stuff makes me feel as though my head were in a vise.

But I don’t think the answer is to pretend that we don’t SEE differences in race, because we do, just like we see red hair or a burka. It’s how we ACCEPT differences, in my view.

ROG

Kill More Of Your Idols

Back in JANUARY, I summarized the first half of the book Kill Your Idols, edited by Jim DeRogatis and Carmel Carrillo, about classic albums that were overpraised. I promised the rest the following month. Well, the book then disappeared in my home office, until my wife tidied up (mostly HER stuff, I might add), and I found it again.

Patti Smith, Horses. Arista, 1975. By Melanie Haupt.
The writer’s point: I really want to like it, but I just can’t get down with it.
My point: Actually, I tend to agree. I bought this, on LP, and listened to it several times, trying to “get” it, but I don’t.

Bob Marley and the Wailers, Exodus. Island, 1977. By Dave Chamberlain
The writer’s point: overly commercial, not his best effort, lacks fire.
My point: I don’t know the other albums well enough to say, but I enjoy it on its own merits.

Fleetwood Mac, Rumours. Reprise, 1977. By Jim Walsh.
The writer’s point: Actually, I don’t know WHAT the point is. Mostly, how he wants to get a gun so he can kill the members of the band, I think.
My point: I own it on vinyl. There are a few songs on here I actually like (Go Your Own Way) – I know people who would disagree – but I am surprised that it became the utter phenomenon it did.

Paul McCartney, Ram. Capitol, 1971. By Tom Phalen.
The writer’s point: bombastic, over-produced weak songs.
My point: OK, it’s definitely a goofy album, and even at the time of its release, it took some heat, so I’m surprised it’s even included in the book. That said, I enjoyed it well enough, and don’t care that Paul swiped stuff from his previous band.

John Lennon/Yoko Ono, Double Fantasy. Geffen, 1980. By Allison Stewart.
The writer’s point: The album is impossible to separate from the events of December 8, 1980. Lennon’s contributions were moving, if slightly cloying. But Ono’s atonality interrupts even that.
My point: Yes, 12/8/80 is all over it. I liked that John was (finally) comfortable in his skin. And I sorta like Kiss Kiss Kiss. But truth to tell, I haven’t listened to it in so long, that except for the Makin’ Whoopie swipe I’m Your Angel, I can’t even REMEMBER the Yoko songs.

The Sex Pistols, Never Mind the Bollocks…Here’s the Sex Pistols. Warner Brothers, 1977. By Jim Testa.
The writer’s point: Except for Anarchy in the U.K. and God Save the Queen, he’s got the feeling that he’s been cheated.
My point: Agree. I find the rest all but unlistenable.

Dead Kennedys, Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables. Alternative Tentacles, 1980. By Marco Leavitt (of Albany, NY).
The writer’s point: Hard to take because they take themselves so seriously, even when they’re trying to be humorous.
My point: Actually, I’ve never heard of this album.

Bruce Springsteen, Born to Run. Columbia, 1975. By David Sprague.
The writer’s point: The Newsweek/Time hype of this bloated album with characters devolved from his previous releases was muscled by the pre-release of every song to a rock station in Cleveland.
My point: O.K., it isn’t the messianic departure the hype suggested, and maybe is a bit overproduced in that Phil Spector way, but still enjoyable.

Bruce Springsteen, Born in the U.S.A. Columbia, 1984. By Rob O’Connor.
The writer’s point: Springsteen is corny, mundane, and conventional. He doesn’t recognize rock and roll as the rebellious forbidden fruit, and obviously never had a real job in his life. He intentionally misled people into misreading the title song, ripped off the other songs from other artists, and generally panders to his audience. The album sounds like mud.
My point: I was never hot on Dancing in the Dark, but that aside, I think this is an interesting, diverse piece of Americana.

Various Artists, My Greatest Exes. By Carmel Carrillo.
The writer’s point: Since I’m the co-editor of this book, I can write an indulgent chapter about music my ex-girlfriends like and dis them (the songs, and, by extension, the ex-girlfriends).
My point: Not worthy of comment.

Elvis Costello and the Attractions, Imperial Bedroom. Columbia, 1982, By Michael Corcoran.
The writer’s point: It’s trying to be Sgt. Pepper or at least Pet Sounds. Instead the album is bloated and pretentious.
My point: I was totally distracted by this sentence:
I was there when they unlocked the front door at Strawberry Records in Albany, New York, the day Imperial Bedroom came out. I KNEW this guy! He used to write for a variety of publications, some of which he put out himself, that he would drop off at FantaCo, the comic book store I worked at in that time period. Knew his then-girlfriend, too, who was MUCH younger. AND I used to buy albums at Strawberry’s, and at Just A Song, which was virtually in the same space before that.
As for the album, I just didn’t play it all that often. There were three or four great songs that stood out, but the rest, not so much.

U2, The Joshua Tree. Island, 1987. By Eric Waggoner and Bob Mehr.
The writers’ point: U2 hemorrhaged sincerity to produce “one of the most relentlessly banal albums in the pantheon of the greats.”
My point: As early as 1988, I had this album on my 20 desert albums. When I told that to someone, he thought it was too soon to tell. Fair enough; it’s still on my 20-30 desert albums.

Public Enemy, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. Def Jam/Columbia, 1988. By Arsenio Orteza.
The writer’s point: Shrill noise similar to “Chinese water torture” with a 20-year-old message. And racist to boot.
My point: I have never owned this album, so feel unqualified to comment.

Nirvana, Nevermind. Geffen, 1991. By Anders Smith Lindell.
The writer’s point: It “made punk safe for the shopping mall.” The overdone soft/loud schtick wore out its welcome.
My point: This is first album that made me feel old. I thought the lyrics to Smells Like Teen Spirit were laughable or a parody, though I appreciated it musically. Upon more plays, I appreciated it more, though it DOES have too much of that soft/loud schtick.

The Smashing Pumpkins, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. Virgin, 1995. By Rick Reger.
The writer’s point: It was “designed to create the impression of ‘significance’ where, in fact, none existed. The scope of the album isn’t its strength, it’s its “fatal flaw”.
My point: I’ve never owned it, so can’t speak well enough of it.

Radiohead, OK Computer. Capitol, 1997. By David Menconi.
The writer’s point: Completely boring and unmoving, though marketed well.
My point: I bought it. I listened to it thrice. I don’t get it, either, though the last time, I heard it in 2- or 3-song chunks and it was (surprisingly) better.

Wilco, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Nonesuch, 2003. By Allison Augustyn.
The writer’s point: Tranquilizing, with a few catchy songs
My point: This was on my “to buy” list -I have other Wilco, which I like – but I haven’t yet.

That’s it, except for About the Contributors, which is a lot of fun, actually, because at least half of them have one or more albums on their Top Ten albums that someone else has royally panned.

ROG

The Beatles at Stax

Today, an album called Stax Sings the Beatles is scheduled to be released. But did you know that the Beatles nearly recorded at Stax in 1966? Manager Brian Epstein coming to Memphis to scope out the soul label site, before deciding there was too little security? Here’s one article and Stax guitarist Steve Cropper’s take. Also, go here to read pages 96 and 97 of Rob Bowman’s account in his book Soulsville U.S.A.

Of course today, John Lennon would have been 67; Sean Lennon, who I saw perform earlier this year, is 32.

Here’s a montage some YouTuber made last year in honor of John’s birthday:

Ken Levine found this radio broadcast of John Lennon, disc jockey that I enjoyed.

Dick Cavett helps John Lennon, sorta. In re: that, the Lennon FBI files.

Really strange: the John Lennon Artificial Intelligence Project. Yes, I tried it.

Bob Gruen’s pictures of John and Yoko.

The John Lennon Songwriting Contest.

Hip-Hop Sgt. Pepper’s – The Cover Art.

Yellow Submarine Beatles iPod.

Rooting Interest, Part 2

Cubs – GONE
Padres – GONE
Yankees – GONE
Phillies – GONE
Red Sox
Angels – GONE
Rockies (they’ve won 17 of their last 18)
Indians
Diamondbacks

So, I’m rooting for the RED SOX, the only team I supported that made it out of the first round. (Yes, you can root for the Red Sox AND Yankees; I live in Albany, which is equidistant to both cities.)

In honor of New York Yankees radio analyst Suzyn Waldman, who broke down in tears after the Bombers were eliminated Monday night. Some folks are making much of this; I think it’s a non-issue.
ROG

Wacky Noodles and Other Things

The mom blogger quiz from MamaBlogga
Take the Mom Blogger quiz!

One of those quiz things from Jaquandor; some numbers were missing, and then I dropped two questions I’d answered before recently, while keeping a couple repeats I could answer differently.

1. You have $5 and need to buy snacks at a gas station. What do you buy?

It would depend how much water I’d already consumed – if enough for the day, probably get a cranberry juice. The rest is pure rationalization: fruit pie or fig bars, because they have fruit; light popcorn, pretzels or Snackwell cookies, because it could have been worse; a soft oatmeal raisin cookie, because it has oatmeal; and something chocolate, such as Mounds or M&Ms , because I’ve said, “Oh, to heck with it.”

2. If you were reincarnated as a sea creature, what would you want to be?

Neptune.

3. Who’s your favorite redhead?

I once had a very weird dream featuring Julianne Moore.

4. What do you order when you’re at IHOP?

Probably go to IHOP once a year, always on the road. Rooty Tooty Fresh and Fruity strawberry, because my wife likes the way I say it.

5. Last book you read?

The Genius of Impeachment.

6. Describe your favorite pair of underwear.

If by underwear, one counts T-shirts, then it’s this blue U.S. Congress one that my friend Mary gave me.

7. Describe the last time you were injured.

Crashed bike into a curb on Everett Road in Albany, described vividly here.

8. Rock concert or symphony?

It would depend. Have probably been to a near equal number of each.

9. What is the wallpaper of your mobile phone?

No idea.

11. Favorite drink?

Long Island iced tea. Haven’t drunk it in years. But this is wrong; it was served way before the late 1970s.

12. What type of top/teeshirt are you wearing?

As of this writing, one I got from the Red Cross.

13. If you could only use one form of transportation for the rest of your life what would it be?

The train, assuming that there is really light rail around here.

14. Most recent movie you’ve watched at the movies?

The Simpsons Movie.

16. What’s your favorite kind of cake?

Carrot cake. Usually have it once a year, on my birthday.

17. What did you have for dinner last night?

As of this writing: spinach quiche; I’m a real man.

18. Look to your right what do you see?

Books, some of my wife’s papers, a portable CD player, a garbage can.

19. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?

I could not tie my shoes until I was nine, so I only wore loafers. Which doesn’t answer the question, does it? Well, I’ve answered it before.

20. Favorite toy as a child?

A teddy bear, probably three feet tall.

21. Do you buy your own food?

Or my wife does.

22. Do you think people talk about you behind your back?

I encourage it. (“Did you hear what Roger just did?”)

23. When’s the last time you had a sour gummy worm?

A long time ago. Don’t like them.

24. What’s your favorite fruit?

Apples (especially Macs), pears, strawberries, blueberries.

25. Do you have a picture of yourself doing a cartwheel?

No.

26. Have you ever eaten snow?

At least once every year.

27. What color are your bedsheets?

Right now, yellow.

28. What’s your mom’s favorite flower?

I’ll ask her.

29. Do you listen to classical music?

Often.

30. Do you have a wacky noodle?

My daughter has two, and she plays with them even when she’s not in the pool. One of these days, the noodle is literally going to hit the (ceiling) fan, and chaos will ensue.

31. Do you watch Spongebob?

When we first discovered it, quite often. Actually not much in the last three-and-a-half years, ironically.

32. Last food you ate?

Cheerios and Shredded Wheat.

33. Do people consider you intelligent?

Seriously, there are people who think I’m brilliant, just because I was on some game show.

35. Is your away message on?

No. You know what I hate? When I send a message to a listserv and I receive 37 out-of-office messages.

36. Have you ever tried gluing your fingers together?

Something to do NEXT lifetime.

37. What curse word do you use the most?

I really do try not to. It’s probably s***, although a****** is my favorite.

38. What time is your alarm clock set for?

5:30 on the weekdays; blame my wife.

42. What CD is currently in your CD player?

Actually nothing. I’m really into playing vinyl right now. That would be a Star Wars album, not the soundtrack, but the actual story, with scenes from the movie, narrated by the late Roscoe Lee Browne.

43. What movie do you know every line to?

Nada. But Annie Hall is probably the movie I know the most lines to. That or the Wizard of Oz.

46. Do you sleep in the same bed with your pets?

No pets.

47. Do you enjoy giving hugs?

And getting. Probably not getting nearly enough.

48. What part of your name do people mis-pronounce?

Occasionally, maybe to be funny, people say Rogger, sorta rhyming with Frogger.

50. If you were to become famous, would you drop your last name?

Nah, it’s too colorful.

ROG