NNF Presents: Rock Solid Podcast Discussion thread

[Pat Francis]

I like to think that the only reason that Pat called the first episode "episode 001" was so that this week's would be "episode 007". Well played, sir.

That would be totally ridiculous! And true!!!!!!! Just wait until we get to episode 002112

[scamboogah]

Please save all Yes discussion for episode 90125.

[Fritz Zwicky]

Please save all talk of Zager & Evans until episode 2525. I mean, if Man is still alive, of course.

[DiggityDawg]

I can't believe I have to wait 3139 years until the Van Halen-centric episode.

[Bryan_]

12 years 8 months and 3 weeks until the Iron Maiden episode.

[Pat Francis]

If you're listening... please "like" us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rock-...40303379337132

[johnnyfashion]

That would be totally ridiculous! And true!!!!!!! Just wait until we get to episode 002112

I don't think any true 70s/80s music fan would begrudge you naming the 21st episode "Episode 021(12)".

[Pat Francis]

Episode #008 is available for your listening pleasure: http://rocksolid.libsyn.com/double-downsizing Don't forget to "like" us on Facebook. Enjoy!

[Finnias Jones]

Agree with whittling down White Album, Exile, and Tusk (although I would include Stevie's "Sisters of the Moon" - very witchy and features a great Lindsey solo at the end).



Wonder why you guys didn't get into dissecting other classic rock elephants in the room like Blonde on Blonde (there must be some filler there, right? "Sad-Eyed Lady" at least), Physical Graffiti (couldn't do it myself as I love acoustic Zep too much), and Derek & the Dominos' Layla (always found Clapton over-rated but there's good stuff there).

What about The Who's Tommy and Quadrophenia? I admit concept albums are harder to trim. As a big prog-rock fan I would find it difficult to cut a minute from Genesis's Lamb Lies Down On Broadway (still Peter Gabriel's best work IMO), but could easily prune Topographic Oceans by Yes into a manageable single album. (I won't even mention ELP's Works, Vol. 1)

And I'm with Pat: as a classic rocker, it took me a LONG time to get into The Clash. Never liked their vocals, until I realized they were a musically solid rock band all along. Just not the greatest singers.

No mention of 80's alt-rock staples like Zen Arcade, Double Nickels on the Dime, and Daydream Nation? Love 'em all but there's still a bit of fat to be found…



And oh yeah, Hero Hero is indeed a repackaging of the first two Priest albums made for UK indie label Gull Records. Somehow after the band signed to Columbia with the album Sin After Sin (another double word use) the band lost the rights to their early catalog. Which is too bad because, while the first one Rocka-Rolla (1974) is cool but kinda slow and sludgy, their sophomore LP Sad Wings of Destiny sounds crisp and features many memorable songs that would be enshrined years later on their live album Unleashed in the East. I've long assumed that they chose to emphasize that material on their first Columbia live album so as to earn more royalties from their early classic period. And BTW, the title "Hero, Hero" comes from a line from a song from the Priest debut called "Dying to Meet You" which is about a soldier in combat.

[Pat Francis]

All valid points! I agree Sisters of The Moon is very coll and I actually like 3/4ths of TUSK. As with all of our topics... we will revisit "Double Downsizing" in the future and tackle other albums you mentioned plus titles like "The Wall" and others. Thanks!

Agree with whittling down White Album, Exile, and Tusk (although I would include Stevie's "Sisters of the Moon" - very witchy and features a great Lindsey solo at the end).



Wonder why you guys didn't get into dissecting other classic rock elephants in the room like Blonde on Blonde (there must be some filler there, right? "Sad-Eyed Lady" at least), Physical Graffiti (couldn't do it myself as I love acoustic Zep too much), and Derek & the Dominos' Layla (always found Clapton over-rated but there's good stuff there).

What about The Who's Tommy and Quadrophenia? I admit concept albums are harder to trim. As a big prog-rock fan I would find it difficult to cut a minute from Genesis's Lamb Lies Down On Broadway (still Peter Gabriel's best work IMO), but could easily prune Topographic Oceans by Yes into a manageable single album. (I won't even mention ELP's Works, Vol. 1)

And I'm with Pat: as a classic rocker, it took me a LONG time to get into The Clash. Never liked their vocals, until I realized they were a musically solid rock band all along. Just not the greatest singers.

No mention of 80's alt-rock staples like Zen Arcade, Double Nickels on the Dime, and Daydream Nation? Love 'em all but there's still a bit of fat to be found…



And oh yeah, Hero Hero is indeed a repackaging of the first two Priest albums made for UK indie label Gull Records. Somehow after the band signed to Columbia with the album Sin After Sin (another double word use) the band lost the rights to their early catalog. Which is too bad because, while the first one Rocka-Rolla (1974) is cool but kinda slow and sludgy, their sophomore LP Sad Wings of Destiny sounds crisp and features many memorable songs that would be enshrined years later on their live album Unleashed in the East. I've long assumed that they chose to emphasize that material on their first Columbia live album so as to earn more royalties from their early classic period. And BTW, the title "Hero, Hero" comes from a line from a song from the Priest debut called "Dying to Meet You" which is about a soldier in combat.

[Finnias Jones]

Ugh, The Wall - my least favorite Pink Floyd album until The Final Cut came out (and anything post-Waters is not Floyd to my ears). But it would be easy to prune The Wall down to a very solid single disk, as the good tunes seem so obvious, even to me as a teen at the time. I knew many dudes in high school who worshipped that album as if it were the story of their life.

Curious as to whether Gary would be able to trim down the triple LP Sandinista! by The Clash into a rock solid album. And how about Prince's 1999, which I love but has a couple clunkers and some too-long, self-indulgent tracks (see also: Stevie Wonder).

Expanding on what Pat & Gary discussed about double albums in general: part of the appeal is that they are/were an immersive experience enabling the fan to spend even more time with their favorite band. The main fault of so many double LP's was that the band had too much material for a single, but not enough for a double. Thus the filler - stuff that would normally become B-sides or outtakes. And after the introduction of CDs, the approximate 90 minutes of the double LP format got downsized to a more manageable 60-80. In the mid-1980's (still pre-CD era) I remember buying a double album from Joe Jackson (Big World, 1986) that had side 4 of the vinyl totally blank. A bold move that must have really pissed off his label…

Which leads me to another potential future topic: my original introduction to KISS was via borrowing fellow tween's copies of Double Platinum & Alive 2 (both double LP's). My Catholic parents would not allow me to buy their albums because they were reputedly "Satanic" - a memo that must have gone out to every Christian in America during the late 70's. So maybe you guys could discuss influential compilations and live albums that serve as "gateway drugs" to a band or to an entire genre of music.

[Kelsow]

I'm absolutely loving this show. It's nice to be able to hear some new bands. I especially liked the Young the Giant tip.

As far as Banjo goes Pat, have you heard of Old man Luedecke?
http://radio3.cbc.ca/play/band/OLD-M...-The-Beginning
He's from the Maritimes as well as bands like Sloan, Joel Plasket and remember April Wine?

Keep the great shows coming.

[Fritz Zwicky]

Loved this episode. Gary, if you want to get people into the Magnetic Fields, you gotta lead with the clear single:



Such an awesome pop song, and so indicative of the clever lyrics that the rest of the album boasts.

[Fritz Zwicky]

"I could listen to all my friends and go out again, and pretend it's enough. Or I could make a career of being blue. I could dress in black and read Camus, smoke clove cigarettes and drink vermouth, like I was seventeen--that would be a scream. But I don't want to get over you."

It doesn't get much better than those lyrics.

[Finnias Jones]

Volume Z
Wow, you guys nailed some of my favorites.

Thank the gods, no Frank Zappa. Have tried many times to get into that guy and it's never taken. Respect him, but don't really like his music.

Zebra - my fave track, very epic Zep/Rush flavored (and the TRON video makes it even more fun):


A heavy ZZ Top track that I love - kind of a math-rock boogie:


Another great early Zevon song:

[luvrhino]

I have very little "Z" music. With the last name starting with Z, i only have a few stray Warren Zevon tracks and two free Amazon MP3s from a jazz sampler by Joe Zawinul.

However, using first names, Zoë Keating is my favorite cellist. I first learned of her from one of the best non-NNF-related podcasts out there, Radiolab in their Quantum Cello episode. Earlier this year, she gave one of my top three, if not the best, live music performances i've ever seen. She usually performs solo, but she'll loop up to 11(?) separate tracks, all performed live, using her computer and foot pedals. Here's my favorite song of hers:




I currently only own just one song by Zoey Van Goey, but it's this really pretty twee, indie pop song:



Zoey Van Goey's other songs are a somewhat eclectic mix of various indie pop genres, linked by the pretty and engaging singing by their lead singer, Kim Moore.

[Monty]

I'm a pretty big fan of this cover of Britney Spears's "Baby One More Time" done by Dweezil and Ahmet Zappa:

[Pat Francis]

If you like girls then you will love Episode #010... posting later today!

[Finnias Jones]

Rock Solid #10 - Songs About Girls

Another great episode - thanks Pat, Gary, & Matt. The games at the beginning are good fun.

What, no "Rosanna" by Toto (or Steve Perry's "Oh Sherry")?
How about "Jane" by Jefferson Starship



some more old school classics:
Beatles - Michelle
Leonard Cohen - Suzanne

then lots of "Sara(h)" songs:
Fleetwood Mac - Sara (from Tusk, one of Stevie's best ever)
H&O - Sara Smile
Bob Dylan - Sara (from Desire, 1976)
Thin Lizzy - Sarah (two different gentle ballads by Phil Lynott 1972/79 - one is about his grandmother, the other his daughter)



and some less obvious rockin' tunes about gals:
Led Zeppelin - Darlene (from Coda)
Cheap Trick - Oh Caroline
AC/DC - Whole Lotta Rosie

[Pat Francis]

How about Suzanne by Journey

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCpTNnJoOxs