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| From | "josh chasin" <jchasin@nyc.rr.com> |
| Subject | Re: Vinyl Kings and the very essence of power-pop |
| Date | Tue, 8 Jun 2004 10:59:05 -0400 |
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----- Original Message -----
From: <bob_hutton@standardlife.com>
> What is it about us power-poppers that we seem to need our beloved music
to
> be so self-referential?? I mean I love The Beatles to death, but over the
> last few years I've probably listened to more Beatles soundalikes than I
> have listened to the originals.
Bob, speaking for myself I can answer this one. I grew up with the Beatles
and Beach Boys-- I'm 44 and was aware of each before I was 10. I never play
my Beatles records anymore, because I've heard each one so many times that I
can close my eyes and imagine any song all the way through. I'm listening
to "Ticket to Ride" in my head as I type this. Oh wait, now I'm
inexplicably listening to "Do You Want to Know a Secret." Where did that
come from?
When someone like the Vinyl Kings comes along-- or more to the point
personally, the High Llamas, who's Gideon Gaye I played to death when I got
it-- it was the thrill of hearing music that was "almost" sorta like the
originals, but different. I wouldn't go so far as to call these bands
providers of new Beach Boys songs or Beatles songs, but they do provide
something akin to that to my jaded ears. Hell, that's why I liked Kon Tiki.
Over the last 12 months I've played Aerovons and Vinyl Kings more than all
my Beatle records combined-- not because they are better, but because I know
every "whoo," every brush of the guitar string, every horn line on every
Beatle song. They hold no mystery anymore. They have not become less
great. But they have been thoroughly discovered.
I have a friend who was into Pearl Jam in a big way in the early 90s. I
asked him why (I never got bit by that bug). He said, simply, he was tired
of his Led Zep records.
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