Musings – The Cars, Blondie and Billy Thorpe
Welcome to the first Musings of a Madman. This will be my short forum to spew my thoughts on rock music, chat a little about Rock Oracle and share at least one great piece of music each column.
Everything Will Be Alright
Last week we published our first article since we decided to re-energize the site. The piece focused on the Best Songs of The Cars. They’re not a band I often play during workouts, parties or car rides, so I had forgotten how deep their catalog was… and how fantastic their first two albums were. As a bonus, I had the chance to work on this list with my wife who is almost as big a rock fan as me, so it was extra special.
As much as I loved The Cars music, I need to mention the fact that they absolutely sucked live. Thirty years after the fact, they are still memorable for how bad they were when they hit the stage. That’s a special kind of bad.
The next list I dig into will be the Best of Foreigner. Share your thoughts on their best tracks on our Facebook Page. I’d love to include your thoughts and quote you, plus it makes my job easier.
The Prettiest Girl in Her Class
I recently read “Face It,” Deborah Harry’s autobiography. I loved early Blondie and they were one of the bands that helped shape my nascent love of rock and roll and new wave as a teenager. Harry is an interesting person who has lived a fascinating life and one hell of a rock ‘n roll singer, but she’s a shitty writer, or maybe we blame that on her co-writer Sylvie Simmons who we would expect to be better?
There were so many riveting little tidbits that Harry floats in her book but never expounds upon. I kept thinking “That’s it?” David Bowie’s penis, sex in a phone booth, an abduction in NYC, drug trips… they all left me longing for more. My recommendation: Don’t read it; you’ll just be frustrated.
On a positive note, the fan art that she shares throughout the book is quite cool.
Any thoughts on what the next rock biography on my reading list needs to be?
Musical Manna
This week’s featured song is a deep cut. Australian Billy Thorpe had a meandering rock music career that took him around the country and through several different genres. In 1979, he was in the United States where he created a space opera that featured this title song. This is best listened to while wearing headphones at a high volume:
Rock On – The Veteran Cosmic Rocker
