The Rewind Button: The Great Twenty-Eight

The Rewind Button is a group blogging project that I’m participating in. We’re taking on Rolling Stone‘s Top 40 albums of all time and writing our own reviews of them.

Chuck Berry The Great Twenty EightI used to think I wanted to write professionally about music. The Rewind Button project helped me discover that I don’t want to do that. I’m enjoying this; however, I prefer listening to music rather than deconstructing it. The Great Twenty-Eight by Chuck Berry is a perfect example of this feeling.

Listening to this album makes me want to dance. It’s fun, and my foot can’t stop tapping. Sure, some of the songs have the same beat, but I don’t care, because its energy overwhelms any stagnation. The piano trills, that stand-up bass, those blues-based chord progressions…this is rock-in-roll to me. This album should be in the top 10 of Rolling Stone‘s list.

We’re halfway through our list, and I’m not going to stop reviewing the albums. But I am going to stop beating myself up for not offering an intellectual discussion of the albums. Some of these don’t warrant that. Some of them are pure emotion. The Great Twenty-Eight is one of those.

Please visit these other blogs participating in The Rewind Button project:

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Posted in <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/category/music/" rel="category tag">music</a>, <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/category/rewind-button/" rel="category tag">Rewind Button</a> Tagged <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/tag/1950s/" rel="tag">1950s</a>, <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/tag/1982/" rel="tag">1982</a>, <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/tag/blues/" rel="tag">blues</a>, <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/tag/chuck-berry/" rel="tag">Chuck Berry</a>, <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/tag/energy/" rel="tag">energy</a>, <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/tag/music/" rel="tag">music</a>, <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/tag/rewind-button/" rel="tag">Rewind Button</a>, <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/tag/rock-and-roll/" rel="tag">rock and roll</a>, <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/tag/rolling-stone/" rel="tag">Rolling Stone</a> 1 Comment

The Rewind Button: The Velvet Underground and Nico

The Rewind Button is a group blogging project that I’m participating in. We’re taking on Rolling Stone‘s Top 40 albums of all time and writing our own reviews of them. There will be a new album and review each Thursday (or there about).

The Velvet Underground and NicoMy first band, Kilted Yak*, ended a lot of our shows with a cover of “Sister Ray.” We chose that song because Joy Division used to cover it, and we were obsessed with White Light/White Heat, the Velvet Underground’s second album.

I didn’t bother listening much to the band’s first, self-titled album. I wanted the chaos and noise of their second album, not the prettiness of Nico’s voice glossing over Lou Reed’s tales of dirty streets and deeds. Over time, though, The Velvet Underground and Nico has become a regular rotation in my personal playlist.

The songs sound familiar, and they never get old. They don’t sound dated. I suspect this album will sound as relevant 500 years from now as it is today, because there is no expiration date on humanity’s obsession with sex and life’s underbelly. As long as we have rebels, we’ll have people influenced by this album, wanting to emulate it, wanting it for the soundtrack of their lives.

Dave Lefebvre, over on MusicQwest, says he feels cool listening to this album. I do, too. Great albums have swagger that jumps from the songs into the listener, giving him a feeling of invincibility. Let me listen to some Velvet Underground, and I won’t take shit from anyone.

On my recent vacation, I found myself in a Copenhagen bar called Floss. It’s a small, narrow bar upstairs, with a young, party-worn clientele. But make your way to the back and down the spiral staircase. There you will find a huge room housing pool tables and sofas beneath a haze of cigarette smoke. This is the place for an album like The Velvet Underground and Nico. Put it on repeat, grab a two-dollar Tuborg beer and chalk your cue stick. You’ll feel like the world’s coolest person, no matter who you really are.

*Who can guess where our band name came from?

BONUS: Check out this bootleg, Live at End Cole Ave., a 1969 Velvet Underground show from my city, Dallas.

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Posted in <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/category/music/" rel="category tag">music</a>, <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/category/rewind-button/" rel="category tag">Rewind Button</a> Tagged <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/tag/1960s/" rel="tag">1960s</a>, <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/tag/1967/" rel="tag">1967</a>, <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/tag/cool/" rel="tag">cool</a>, <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/tag/drugs/" rel="tag">drugs</a>, <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/tag/joy-division/" rel="tag">Joy Division</a>, <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/tag/kilted-yak/" rel="tag">Kilted Yak</a>, <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/tag/lou-reed/" rel="tag">Lou Reed</a>, <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/tag/new-york/" rel="tag">New York</a>, <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/tag/rewind-button/" rel="tag">Rewind Button</a>, <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/tag/rock-and-roll/" rel="tag">rock and roll</a>, <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/tag/rolling-stone/" rel="tag">Rolling Stone</a>, <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/tag/sex/" rel="tag">sex</a>, <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/tag/velvet-underground/" rel="tag">Velvet Underground</a> 2 Comments

The Rewind Button: The Sun Sessions

The Rewind Button is a group blogging project that I’m participating in. We’re taking on Rolling Stone‘s Top 40 albums of all time and writing our own reviews of them. There will be a new album and review each Thursday.

Elvis Presley The Sun SessionsThis edition is a dramatic scene featuring a conversation among music royalty in a game room.

King of Pop: You know, P., it was your hip swivels that I stole for my knee shaking.

King of Rock: The swivels, uh-huh, they were natural, not something created for show.

King of Pop: I don’t believe that. Don’t tell me that once you swiveled and heard the girls scream you didn’t swivel just a little harder the next time.

Queen of Rock: It’s not in the hips guys. It’s all in the chest, the way you shake what ya momma gave ya.

King of Rock: Another manufactured move. I’m natural. My music and moves come from my soul.

Queen of Rock: The only thing natural about you is how you naturally stole black music for your own gain.

King of Pop: That’s true! I took it back.

King of Rock: It wasn’t theft. It was a tribute, uh-huh.

Queen of Rock: What parts were tributes? The blues? The swing? Your voice?

King of Rock: All of it. If it weren’t for me, you’d be 20 years behind.

Prince of Darkness: I’m going to have to butt in here you don’t mind this crazy talk can’t we all get along and just play music or some pool?

King of Rock: I’m with him. Let’s love the music and stop picking apart who it came from.

Prince of Darkness: It really doesn’t matter in the end cuz we’re just listening to one big story with different chapters and narrators.

King of Pop: That’s the most insightful thing you’ve said in the last forty years.

Queen of Rock: It’s just that your chapter comes first when it shouldn’t.

King of Rock: Well, little darlin’, whose should?

Queen of Rock: Arthur Crudup. Bill Monroe. Kokomo Arnold. Do I need to go on?

King of Rock: I can’t help it if I had a bigger, uh-huh, stage presence than them. They should be thanking me.

King of Pop: They would if people remembered them. They’re a footnote to you.

King of Rock: Better a footnote than nothing.

Prince of Darkness: The pool table is ready let’s stop all this mumbo jumbo and play a round drinks are on me Jack Daniels anyone?

King of Rock: I got first shot.

Queen of Rock: Let me and Pop take first shot. It doesn’t always have to start with you.

King of Rock: Keep up this attitude and you’ll be out on your own.

Queen of Rock: It’d be better than following in your shadow.

King of Rock: Which you’ve taken full of advantage of.

King of Pop: Let’s take a break and relax. You know, the Prince of Darkness is correct. We’re all telling the same story. What’s it matter who started it? It’s how it ends that matters the most.

Prince of Darkness: If we keep up this criticizing like we do we’ll end it sooner than it should end let’s just play and enjoy the moment and not worry about who’s first or eleventh its all the same when you sleep at night.

End Scene

(Author’s note: Elvis’ version of “Blue Moon” floors me every time I hear it.)

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Posted in <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/category/music/" rel="category tag">music</a>, <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/category/rewind-button/" rel="category tag">Rewind Button</a> Tagged <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/tag/1950s/" rel="tag">1950s</a>, <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/tag/1954/" rel="tag">1954</a>, <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/tag/elvis-presley/" rel="tag">Elvis Presley</a>, <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/tag/rewind-button/" rel="tag">Rewind Button</a>, <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/tag/rock-and-roll/" rel="tag">rock and roll</a>, <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/tag/rolling-stone/" rel="tag">Rolling Stone</a>, <a href="http://www.pimplomat.com/tag/sun-sessions/" rel="tag">Sun Sessions</a> 1 Comment