Wednesday, October 03, 2007

885 mmmm... The First 50


No way we can do all 885... but the first 50 truly seemed to be calling our name.

885: Soul Survivors Release “Expressway To Your Heart”

M: Ugh. What I feared. I can see it now. 722: Melanie releases “Brand New Key.” 649: Tony Orlando releases “Tie A Yellow Ribbon.” 511: The SLA releases Patti Hearst.

T: All right... Philly represents. But honestly, didn't the Beatles themselves have 885 more memorable musical moments than this song?

884: “The Time Has Come Today” becomes a hit for the Chambers Brothers

M: 883: “Time Has Come Today” slowly slides down the charts. 882: “Time Has Come Today” shows up on Rhino’s “Rockin’ Soul Hits of the 60s” compilation. 881: “Time Has Come Today” licensed for many, many commercials.

T: I would have voted it in for it’s devastating inclusion in Coming Home, one of the great post-Vietnam anti-war flicks.

883: “Shining Star” becomes Earth, Wind & Fire first and only #1 hit in the US

M: “Boogie Wonderland” was robbed.

T: Hey… my brother-in-law will love this!

882: Isle of Wight Festival

M: When I was a kid, I thought this was the “I Love White” Festival. Couldn’t ever figure that one out.

T: Huh? This seems so wong.

881: Gorillaz debut with Tomorrow Comes Today

M: The first of many “Damon Albarn’s side project debuts” on the list.

T: The Archies of the new millennium?

880: Jeff Buckley dies

M: If anything is just slightly less significant than the release of “Sugar, Sugar” this is surely it.

T: Tragic. Hope this isn’t beginning of a ghoul pool.

879: The Archies release “Sugar, Sugar”

M: Proof positive that Trip hacked the list and replaced the “Rick Wakeman breaks the 30-minute solo barrier” entry that belonged here.

T: Wow… the first single I ever bought. I unapologetically love this song – thanks Jughead!

878: Live at Budokan by Cheap Trick

M: Roughly 874 spots too low. “This next one I’m sure you all knoooow . . . “

T: Cheap Trick, In Color and Heaven Tonight better be on this list. Of course, any album containing “Surrender” is worthy.

877: Electric Light Orchestra release Face the Music

M: Nine seconds ago, I couldn’t have told you that ELO had an album called Face the Music. Isn’t “memorable” right in this countdown’s name?

T: On this album, ELO go for baroque.

876: WOMAD Festival

M: OMIGOD.

T: The first of 700 Peter Gabriel mentions.

875: Gram Parsons forms Flying Burrito Bros/The International Submarine Band in 1968

M: I think we’re confusing “memorable” with “important.” I’m sure that some of the Sub Band members don’t even recollect this.

T: This record sold like seven copies. But it’s Gram Parsons, and it’s got “Blue Eyes”, so cool beans.

874: Jerry Lee Lewis marries his 13-year-old cousin

M: We could fill this entire thing with the Killer’s marriages.

T: He didn’t marry her on his Labor Day telethon, did he?

873: Norah Jones sings “I Think It’s Going To Rain Today” at Higher Ground Benefit

M: I call bullshit. Ask 100 people if they remember this, get 100 blank stares.

T: Did this event actually happen? Randy Newman better pop up later for something besides “Short People”.

872: Pitchfork debuts

M: I rate this 5.4.

T: Pitchfork is to music as the Mets are to clutch.

871: The first wave of Ska

M: You ain’t seen comedy till you’ve seen me try to explain the difference between reggae and ska to my mom. I’ve yet to introduce the concept of the two-tone revival.

T: I knew there was a ska revival… this I didn’t know about.

870: Heavy Metal Parking Lot is released

M: “Beavis and Butthead” come to life, only the cartoon seems more plausible.

T: Jesse: Dude! You got a tattoo!
Chester: So do you, dude! Dude, what does my tattoo say?
Jesse: "Sweet!" What about mine?
Chester: "Dude!" What does mine say?
Jesse: "Sweet!" What about mine?
Chester: "Dude!" What does mine say?
Jesse: "Sweet!" What about mine?
Chester: "Dude!" What does mine say?
Jesse: "Sweet!" What about mine?
Chester: "Dude!" What does mine say?
Jesse: "Sweet!" What about mine?
Chester: "Dude!" What does mine say?
Jesse: "Sweet!" What about mine?
Chester: [angry] "Dude!" What does mine say?
Jesse: [screaming] "Sweet!"

869: R Crumb designs the Cheap Thrills album cover

M: The R stands for “random.”

T: Oh my god - this means that wackjob that designed all the hideous prog rock covers will get a top ten moment for Tormato.

868: Big Star release #1 Record

M: Big Star’s third-best album makes the list? I have a feeling that we could make a list of 885 other moments and no one could tell the difference.

T: I’ll just say… thanks for putting Big Star on any list.

867: Counting Crows release their debut album, August And Everything After

M: This is starting to remind me of Bubba Gump’s recitation of the ways to prepare shrimp.

T: Like a fine whine, this one has aged gracefully.

866: The “Roxanne” hip-hop wars

M: XPN’s target demo scratches its collective head.

T: It’s always treat to when “fuck” hits the public radio airwaves. Well, at least it happened during fund raising… so nobody heard it.

865: US festivals

M: Did I hear Michaela call this the “U.S. Festival”? Clearly, not everyone remembers.

T: Jeepers… I only remember a fat Ozzy from this bad boy.

864: Harry Belafonte records the “Banana Boat Song (Day-O)”

M: Our first entry referencing fruit. Perhaps the Osmonds’ version of “One Bad Apple” is yet to come.

T: Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! I was hoping to conjure up the countdown that makes sense appear.

863: John Fahey becomes the father of acoustic free-form guitar

M: Coincidentally, this is number one on the list of 885 Most Esoteric Musical Moments.

T: Certainly memorable for Mr. and Mrs. Fahey.


862: Island Records signs King Sunny Ade, tries to make Juju music from Nigeria the next Reggae

M: I have this record, and I love it, but is the abject failure to turn America on to Juju really all that memorable? Ranks with my high school efforts to make girls find me attractive.

T: 885 is a big number.

861: Pamela Des Barres writes “I’m With the Band: Confessions of a Groupie”

M: Like “To Kill A Mockingbird,” with Jimmy Page as Boo Radley and a slutty girl as Atticus Finch. Sort of.

T: Here’s $100 that says her ex-husband, who actually made music, doesn’t finish in the top 885,000 mmmm.

860: Satanic Subliminal Messages

M. Ereh fo tuo kcuf eht teg.

T: Is this the PMRC list?

859: Pure Pop For Now People sets standard in new wave power pop

M: Well, this goes without saying.

T: OK… Jesus of Cool.

858: R. Kelly creates the “Trapped in the Closet” series

M: Senator Larry Craig’s theme song.

T: The underage sex thing… maybe. But nobody knows this series even happened.

857: The “Rock Lobster” dance craze

M: If this was a craze, this blog is a sensation.

T: First, I’ve never liked this song. Second, please stop playing it at every wedding I attend.

856: America: A Tribute to Heroes airs uninterrupted on all major networks

M: Let’s go snark-free for a minute. Springsteen’s reading of “My City of Ruins” opened the show and nearly stopped my heart.

T: I’m with Michael.

855: Bill Clinton chooses “Don’t Stop” as his campaign theme in 1992

M: Bill Clinton choosing “Baby Got Back” as his personal theme song must be coming up.

T: I thought this was his Monica Lewinsky dedication.

854: The Flaming Lips play the Peach Pit After Dark on Beverly Hills, 90210

M: This better not finish ahead of Suzi Quatro playing Arnold’s on “Happy Days.”

T: Really? The band that gave us Yoshimi and The Soft Bulletin are remembered for this?

853: Anthology of American Folk Music released

M: This was a hugely important moment in American ethnomusicology. I don’t know a single person who owns it.

T: The Gene Shay vote is in.

852: John Fogerty sued for “stealing” his own material

M: Saul Zaentz should get his own wing in the Hall of Very Stupid People.

T: It’s late, I think I’ll go plagiarize myself. I’ll be back in a minute.

851: King Records is founded in Cincinnati in 1943

M: If you knew that there ever was a King Records, raise your hand. Put down your hand, you big fat liar.

T: I gotta admit… this one feels like a real moment.

850: 16 Magazine hits newsstands

M: On a third grade questionnaire, I listed 16 Magazine as my favorite book. Not proud of that, either.

T: Since that magazine didn’t really have anything to do with music, maybe TV Guide will make the list too.

849: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band: The Movie released

M: Confession: When I first saw this movie (in fifth grade, on what passed for a date among eleven-year-olds), I had no idea there was a Beatles connection.

T: This album shipped double platinum, returned triple platinum. I miss the 70’s.

848: Noel Gallagher plays MTV Unplugged by himself

M: Not here because of Liam’s petulance, but because it marked the last time MTV played music.

T: Up next, the night Dave Davies lip synched solo on American Bandstand.

847: The Sounds of Sinatra with Sid Mark

M: I’m not from Philly, so I don’t know this, but I’m sure Frank sounded better on Sid’s show than anywhere else.

T: A radio show… this bodes well for a top 5 finish for The World Café.

846: The Roots of The Blues Brothers

M: I’m the Dan Aykroyd of Teenage Kicks, standing around and doing nothing while the other guy does the hard work.

T: Nothing says soul music like Dan Ackroyd in a pork pie hat.

845: Diana Ross Teams with Chic in 1980

M: I did not know until this moment that Bernard and Nile produced this record.

T: My personal mmm moment # 845 – Michael discovers that Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards produced Diana Ross.

844: Fela Kuti Forms Africa 70 in 1970

M: Trip is baffled, but I think it’s cool.

T: I’ve heard of him, so that’s memorable, right?

843: Fugazi form in 1987

M: I’m looking forward to breaking this out into categories. Where will this place in the all-time ranking of band formations? I bet that list is going to look silly.

T: $5.00 shows… these guys should go kick Sting’s ass.

842: Henry Mancini composes the theme to The Pink Panther

M: Anyone else have an overpowering urge to install fiberglass insulation?

T: Sirrrrr… that is not my list.

841: John Mayall forms The Bluesbreakers

M: I’m getting bored already. When does this end?

T: Wait a second… an American radio station played a John Mayall song other than “Room to Move”. Now there’s a moment.

840: A New Generation Discovers Leonard Cohen in 1990

M: The inclusion of a Cohen song in a Christian Slater movie rates a spot? Trip holds out hope for the Rave-Ups appearing in that Molly Ringwald flick.

T: 21 people discovered Arthur Alexander from a Teenage Kicks post. We've got 839 chances left to place.

839: Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk by Legs McNeil

M: This has Bruce Warren’s fingerprints all over it. It’s like Oprah’s Book Club for geeks. And, yeah, I’ve read the book.

T: I know a guy who rents a house in Bucks County to Legs McNeil. Killer book. "It's such a gamble when you get a face".

838: Bye Bye Birdie hits movie theaters in April, 1963

M: I’m sure everyone knows this, but Conrad Birdie was modeled after a young Conway Twitty. Not everyone knows that I once guarded Mr. Twitty’s tour bus.

T: Ann Margaret is smokin’. And sheesh… how ‘bout playing “You Gotta Be Sincere”?

837: Luciano Pavarotti dies September 6, 2007

M: I’m betting that this is the most recent event on the list, unless Britney losing her kids somehow sneaks in.

T: I’ll never forget where I was the day the big man died. I was eating lunch at Genuardi’s.

836: Gene Autry records “Back in the Saddle Again”; makes it the theme for his radio show

M: I’m looking forward to Aerosmith records “Back in the Saddle Again,” makes it the theme for recovering junkie rock stars.

T: If anyone reading this remembers this moment (and congratulations on still being alive), sorry I wrote “fuck” earlier.

835: Michael Azerrad writes Our Band Could Be Your Life

M: Yeah, I’ve read this one, too. Ain’t proud of it.
T: I’ll take any excuse to hear Husker Du on the radio.

4 comments:

lahuitrefrite said...

Ah, glad you guys are back.

The rankings rankle. If I'm gonna listen, I just gotta ignore them. But the whole countdown suggests to me that this year, it's about the station, their archive, and what they can offer to listeners and not so much the other way around. Can still make for some interesting listening, I reckon, but contributes less to community building. Y'all are taking care of the latter. Thanks.

artmaven said...

The first 50 or all 885 . . . I'll happily take whatever ya got.



Dammit . . . I can never remember my password to this thing.

artmaven said...

Quote T: 21 people discovered Arthur Alexander from a Teenage Kicks post. We've got 839 chances left to place.

Make that 22. I'm late but on board. Been listening on Rhapsody tonight to Lonely Just Like Me. I'm up to the Fresh Air trax now and the whole thing is just great. Too late for the countdown but thanks for the post. Like I said, I'll take whatever ya got.

Anonymous said...

Honestly, Depends(r)-worthy!