Music Blog 4/24/2010

Take Our Test by Minutemen (from Project: Mersh, SST Records, 1985)

From the justifiably fabled trio that was led for all too brief a time by D. Boon.

Boon, who died tragically the same year this record was released, was a stunningly great guitarist and songwriter, and he was an all-around wonderful guy. I had the good fortune to meet him and his band mates in 1984, when my band opened for Minutemen during a few of their dates along the east coast. I still remember Boon standing in the front row and smiling during one of my guitar solos, which was great, except that I was embarrassed because I wasn’t half the guitarist he was.

He no doubt would have tallied a high score on the Wonderlic Test, too.

Come Fly With Me by Frank Sinatra (from Nothing But the Best, Reprise, 2008)

“Contempt for the audience…that’s what killed Dennis Day’s career!”

Crocodile by XTC (from Nonsuch, Geffen, 1992)

Can anyone explain to me why some people with predilections toward jazz and other “serious” music feel that XTC lip service merits automatic entry into the Club of Certifiable Punkitude? I can’t figure that one out.

Hey, Jazzers, Axemen, Floutists, Keith Jarrett, et al: put down your flugelhorns, afuche cabasas, vibraphone mallets, conch shells and Chapman Sticks, dig the wax outta your ears and broaden your horizons a bit. You can start by listening to almost anything by Minutemen. The worthwhile musical paths will thereafter reveal themselves.

Cervesa on the Mesa by The Fathoms (from Tube: Atlantic Surf Essentials, Cherrydisc Records, 1996

Modern surf music…an oxymoron? No!

Seven Samurai Soundtrack Music by Fumio Hayazaka (from Rashomon/Seven Samurai original Motion Picture Scores, Varese Sarabande, 1984)

If you’ve never seen Seven Samurai, you should. If you do, try this exercise: match the personalities of people you know with those of the seven samurai. It’s great fun, and in the process you’ll learn a lot about yourself and about how people perceive you.

I’ve known a Kikuchiyo, two Kanbes, and a Heihachi, all of whom thought I was a Kyuzo.