| WHO ARE THOSE GUYS Actually, since I’m on the subject of musicians I admire (was I actually on that subject?) let me just say that I don’t seem to be impressed with most well known names and that. It seems that the ones who make the greatest impression on me are the ones I’ve either played with or have seen in action like the bass player from Nomeansno and that tall bass player in the old Rollins Band and that even taller bass player Reggie from Headquarters (oi nigger where are you- I want to see you again!). Then there’s that bass guy that was in Yes (don’t really know how tall he was), and the really short skinhead bass player in that punk band who opened up for GBH that time in Stoke Newington. Then there’s that bassist, Smith, from Klyde Konnor, and that one who was in the Beat Nigs when they played in that cow barn in Kansas, and that other bass player from The Buttworms... But mainly I admire the kinds of musicians you find on those truly underground labels like Lonely Whistle Music, Bliss, and KAW. Real people doing real music in the real world. But most people you’d meet in a pub don’t know and aren’t interested who those musicians are, so for the sake of polite conversation I then have to rely on well known names to spout whenever some prick asks me “What kind of music do you like?” Nat King Cole. Bloody Hell. Now THERE was a guy that could have sung the fucking phone book and made it sound great. My musical idols are relatively few, but that guy is definitely one of them. And I don’t particularly like “singers” much. I recognise that Frank Sinatra was one of the greats from my childhood but I just don’t really care for his stuff that much. Couldn’t STAND Bob Dylan and never really liked The Beatles when I was young. I do really like Marilyn Manson and Leonard Cohen. I thought Harry Chapin was great. Maybe later I’ll relate the story of how he kissed my girlfriend at a gig and made me jealous. Jackie Gleason and Fred Flintstone were also great singers. Oliver Hardy. Jimmy Somerville. I like the music of John Lee Hooker but I can’t say he’s a good singer. I like Cab Calloway stuff, too. I’m probably spelling some these names wrong but you get what I mean. Johnny Cash was a hero of mine. His “Live At San Quentin” album was the first record I ever actually remember owning. Fuck, I could go on and on like this, but the point is...well, just exactly what IS the fucking point? Looks like there are no women in my mental musical hall of fame. Well, I did really like Carly Simon when I was a kid but that was just because you could see her nipples on that album cover and “You’re So Vain” was permanently on the radio. And I was into Patty (or was that Patti) Smith as well. “Easter”, “Horses”, and all that. Couldn’t stand Ella Fitzgerald. I don’t know what the fuck I’m going on about here, but I’m sure it all meant something when I started. You see, I type with two fingers so it takes a bloody long time for me to get anything done and consequently I loose the fucking plot quite often. Bugger. I’m sure there was SOMETHING I was trying to say... |