Boom, Clack…Boom, Clack?
By Wolfdog | Filed under Media, Seen Your Video, asides | Comments (11)
It was a Wii X-Mas in these parts, and I decided to go above and beyond and get the kids (yes, it was for the kids) Rock Band 1&2.
(No really. The kids wanted it. Honest.)
Of course, one of the selling points for me was the inclusion of the Replacements’ Alex Chilton. But the Rock Band series also seemed less Heavy Metal loaded, and includes everything from Dinosaur Jr to Elvis Costello to The Talking Heads. So, like most guitar players out there, I really wanted to play drums. Without the whole divorce-trap, space-taking, loud-as-hell deal that a real drum kit would present.
So we started our family band, with me on drums, and my daughters on vox and guitar. They picked out the name Pickles (I wanted something with more majesty. Oh well.) and we started our tour. Pickles is doing well so far, we have branched to clubs outside of Boston now, and we stick to mainly playing on medium just to reduce the failure rate.
So I have spent a lot of free time practicing. (Please don’t tell my real band. They think I’m learning our new songs, I’ll just have to fake it in a Paul Stanley sorta way next gig.) I managed to get pretty good at most of the songs on medium. Including Alex Chilton.
So I thought, ‘I know this song inside and out, no reason I can’t master it.’ and tried it on Hard. The best I can say is that I didn’t fail. But the incessant hi-hat and bass drum about killed me. It was much harder than I could imagine. At least much harder than the ‘boom, click’ Westerberg described as he chuckled in his interview for Rock Band.
Then I saw this video on YouTube of some kid nailing 100% on Expert.
After my jealousy died down a bit, I thought about how cool that is. And the dozens of other videos showing kids trying to master that song. I know it’s just a silly video game, and pushing buttons doesn’t equate making music, but the idea of childrens by the millions beating out Alex Chilton in their living rooms makes me smile. I feel that’s the saving grace of a game like this. Exposing people to music they might otherwise never hear. I can’t tell you how tickled I am when my ten year-old daughter starts singing Elvis Costello’s Pump It Up to herself while doing homework.
If it’s on daddy’s iPod, it’s old and smelly. But if it’s in Rock Band, it’s cool. I’ll take it any way I can.
NEW song “Bored of Edukation” available for download
By Jodi | Filed under In the News, Media | Comments (16)
Well, well, well. . . we knew it was only a matter of time. Download Bored of Edukation on Amazon now! It’s a single 4:46 song for 99 cents. I’ll pass on the Tunecore link for those not in the US as soon as I can.
Dudes, did you know Bob Mould was writing his autobiography? How come nobody tells me this stuff!
This is an awful lot of news for a damn Friday. What the hell people?
Tags: Bob Mould, bored of education, downloads, paul westerberg
New Paul Westerberg: 3oclockreep & Finally Here Once
By Jodi | Filed under In the News, Media | Comments (52)
You can download the album which is called “3oclockreep” from Tunecore for $3.99. It consists of two tracks, one called “3oclockreep” which clocks in at 20:08 and the other called “Finally Here Once” which comes in at 3:27. I think Our Man Paul is trying to nickel and dime us to death. I haven’t downloaded either song yet. But I think something must be up, I mean this is odd.
Tags: 3oclockreep, Finally Here Once, paul westerberg
This just in — 49:00 Album Artwork
By Jodi | Filed under Media | Comments (4)
So we just got an e-mail from Our Man Paul’s manager that included a picture that you can use for the back cover CD Artwork. For you burn and printers, here you go. Who loves ya, baby?
Just click the thumbnail below to go the large image, and right-click (ctrl-click on a Mac) and choose Save Image. If you have any problems, I can e-mail the images to you too.
Front Cover:
Back Cover:
And for you uber nerd (like myself) who have the chunked-up version of the album too, I made this, with our (un)official tracklist:
See, I do really love you!
Tags: 49:00, cover art, havefun
’Do It To It: A Field Guide To Rock and Roll Hair Styles
By blasty | Filed under Media | Comments (0)
Tommy Stinson gets a mention in this article from the Gibson Guitar website:
http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/do-it-to-it-a-field-guide-to/
The Rooster ’Do
Nothing says ’70s rock boogie sleaze like this classic, as rocked by Exile-era Keith Richards, and sported to perfection by Ronnie Wood and Rod Stewart in the Faces … and, eh, Ronnie today too … Let ’em know you love the rock like punk never happened—just ask pre-beard Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes, Let It Be-era Tommy Stinson, Hanoi Rocks, and this happy family.
Be very careful with this one though. You need a mop to pull it off and make sure you keep it loosely spiky on top, and shaggy in front. A few snips too many and you’ll be walking out of the Fantastic Sam’s having just dropped six bucks on the infamous Mullet—also known as The Kentucky Waterfall, The Gretzky, Business In Front Party In The Back, and The MacGyver. And by its very nature—and perhaps in the nature of the don’t-give-a-heck fun-lovers who sport it—the Mullet is tenacious. Growing one out takes patience.
Tags: paul westerberg
Cover Band: The Replacements Do The Stones Pt. III
By Wolfdog | Filed under Cover Songs, Media | Comments (1)
From the Beacon Theatre in 1987, the Keef classic Happy.
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Cover Band: The Replacements Do The Stones Pt. II
By Wolfdog | Filed under Cover Songs, Media | Comments (6)
Happy Black Friday! I hope you successfully purchased that wildly discounted electronic device at your favorite retail shop at an ungodly hour this morning!
In honor of this day of manic consumerism, I wish I had a Mats cover of Steely Dan’s Black Friday. But they never seemed to veer towards Fagen/Brecker songs.
So instead I will just post another Stones cover. Here’s Heart Of Stone from the Uptown Bar in 1985.
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Cover Band: The Replacements Do The Stones Pt. I
By Wolfdog | Filed under Cover Songs, Media | Comments (2)
Happy Thanksgiving y’all!
This year, I’m thankful for the normal stuff. You know, family, friends, solvency, nutty bars, beer….. but this year I’m gonna add cowbell to the list.
And Honky Tonk Women. (Pittsburg, PA 1987)
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Cover Band: The Replacements Do The Who
By Wolfdog | Filed under Cover Songs, Media | Comments (4)
Carrying over a theme from a Kinks cover, here’s the young Mats ripping through the uber-classic Substitute in 1981. The boys would have made decent mods.
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PS – I have a fair amount of material to sift through to find more covers, but would appreciate an special requests or submissions.
Cover Band: The Replacements do The Kinks
By Wolfdog | Filed under Cover Songs, Media | Comments (20)
As Jim Walsh’s book gives witness to, the Mats frequently played the role of a cover band live. Many times the covers were delivered with purpose and practice. Sometimes they were tossed off in bits and pieces seemingly killing time. Either way covers seemed to be solely a way for them to entertain themselves.
So, in the dorky fashion I rolled out way too many Can’t Hardly Wait’s…..here’s a series of live Mats covers. Starting with The Kinks…
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