Tuesday, July 26, 2005
You Know Where You Can Stick That Thumb
I don't know what's worse, the fact that Dinosaur Jr. even bothered to reunite or the fact that people are actually excited about this.
Maybe it's Pixies-syndrome, that feeling of excitement one gets when a band that one was either too young or too far from a city to see the first time around reunites. I suffered from Pixies-syndrome and I wish that someone had told me how sloppy they play live before I stood out in 110 degree Palm Springs heat crying out of sheer disappointment. And so I write this today, as your friend, in hopes that you too will not have to suffer from the taste of tear-salt in your overpriced beer someday.
I had only a passing appreciation for Dinosaur Jr. back in 1992 based on a video or two that were regularly aired on Request Video. Then I saw them live.
It wasn't even like I went to the show to see Dinosaur Jr. The trio was booked at the Rose Bowl in a slot opening for the Cure. We arrived early enough to catch the Cranes, who astounded our little clique of gothlings with Alison's fragile voice. We were high on music (and maybe a clove cigarette or two) when Dinosaur Jr. took the stage and played about forty-five minutes of the most grating rock music I had ever heard. It was the musical equivalent of slinging cafeteria slop onto a plate and calling it food. They closed the set with a rendition of "Just Like Heaven" worse than anything I ever heard at a high school battle of the bands. It was our good fortune that Robert and the boys played brilliantly, otherwise I might have erased this concert from memory.
Oh, I've been to shitty concerts since then, like the time Emily's Sassy Lime and Noise Addict played like they hadn't even bothered to rehearse over at Jabberjaw and I spent the bulk of the night listening to my ride babble as to how Brian Krakow of My So Called Life was checking out her goods. Dinosaur Jr. was worse than that.
A few years later, one of the KXLU elders asked me why I loathed Dinosaur Jr. and I mentioned that show.
"Oh, well, they always suck live," he answered.
To this day, I cannot understand why people would listen to a rock band knowing how abysmal the songs will sound live.
Maybe it's Pixies-syndrome, that feeling of excitement one gets when a band that one was either too young or too far from a city to see the first time around reunites. I suffered from Pixies-syndrome and I wish that someone had told me how sloppy they play live before I stood out in 110 degree Palm Springs heat crying out of sheer disappointment. And so I write this today, as your friend, in hopes that you too will not have to suffer from the taste of tear-salt in your overpriced beer someday.
I had only a passing appreciation for Dinosaur Jr. back in 1992 based on a video or two that were regularly aired on Request Video. Then I saw them live.
It wasn't even like I went to the show to see Dinosaur Jr. The trio was booked at the Rose Bowl in a slot opening for the Cure. We arrived early enough to catch the Cranes, who astounded our little clique of gothlings with Alison's fragile voice. We were high on music (and maybe a clove cigarette or two) when Dinosaur Jr. took the stage and played about forty-five minutes of the most grating rock music I had ever heard. It was the musical equivalent of slinging cafeteria slop onto a plate and calling it food. They closed the set with a rendition of "Just Like Heaven" worse than anything I ever heard at a high school battle of the bands. It was our good fortune that Robert and the boys played brilliantly, otherwise I might have erased this concert from memory.
Oh, I've been to shitty concerts since then, like the time Emily's Sassy Lime and Noise Addict played like they hadn't even bothered to rehearse over at Jabberjaw and I spent the bulk of the night listening to my ride babble as to how Brian Krakow of My So Called Life was checking out her goods. Dinosaur Jr. was worse than that.
A few years later, one of the KXLU elders asked me why I loathed Dinosaur Jr. and I mentioned that show.
"Oh, well, they always suck live," he answered.
To this day, I cannot understand why people would listen to a rock band knowing how abysmal the songs will sound live.
Comments:
<< Home
was that morris beef the elder? though he wasn't really an elder. Yeah I never got what the big deal about Dinosaur Jr. or Husker du for that matter was. what's so hot about typical indie hyped bands anyways. by the way have you heard the new Remote Viewer, i dig it.
-estellewhoforgotherpassword
p.s. I like Cat Power, but they sucked so bad when we saw them play at the Troubador. banging on the piano, because it was out of tune. damn, wish i had a gong to gong you with!
-estellewhoforgotherpassword
p.s. I like Cat Power, but they sucked so bad when we saw them play at the Troubador. banging on the piano, because it was out of tune. damn, wish i had a gong to gong you with!
No, Morris Beef the Elder made me sit through six encores from Guided by Voices, which is bad enough! It was either Ben or Tony who told me that.
I so know why we are buddies as I too cannot get into Husker Du. And the best thing about Cat Power was when we realized that we were sitting next to Dave Grohl, which is so much better than the typical LA quasi-celebrity sightings at shows.
I haven't heard the new Remote Viewer. You'll have to play it for me when we hang out next and I'll play you the new Stellastarr*.
I so know why we are buddies as I too cannot get into Husker Du. And the best thing about Cat Power was when we realized that we were sitting next to Dave Grohl, which is so much better than the typical LA quasi-celebrity sightings at shows.
I haven't heard the new Remote Viewer. You'll have to play it for me when we hang out next and I'll play you the new Stellastarr*.
I saw Dinosaur Jr. at the Spaceland and I guess I am the lone defender of them here.
I think watching Dinosaur Jr. at a place like Spaceland is the only venue that D Jr. should ever be fairly judged on. With that statement comes the implied (made explicit now) statement that they are not and should have never been an arena rock group. There is something to be said for J. Mascis long and somewhat disjointed solos and the the vocals that are shy and recluse while the guitar wails in defiance. That's the dynamic Dinosaur Jr. should be judged on. I never got Andrew WK or Guided By Voices, or even Blonde Redhead, but I can say that Dinosaur Jr. are at least a little more entertaining to watch than they are.
II'll be excited about watching a band that Sonic Youth saw fit to take them along with Nirvana; a band that Krist Novoselic thought were good enough to talk about them any chance he got.
They're not that good, but I rather have indies flocking to them and letting the "true" Postal Service fans finally get into their shows.
~Hugo G.
I think watching Dinosaur Jr. at a place like Spaceland is the only venue that D Jr. should ever be fairly judged on. With that statement comes the implied (made explicit now) statement that they are not and should have never been an arena rock group. There is something to be said for J. Mascis long and somewhat disjointed solos and the the vocals that are shy and recluse while the guitar wails in defiance. That's the dynamic Dinosaur Jr. should be judged on. I never got Andrew WK or Guided By Voices, or even Blonde Redhead, but I can say that Dinosaur Jr. are at least a little more entertaining to watch than they are.
II'll be excited about watching a band that Sonic Youth saw fit to take them along with Nirvana; a band that Krist Novoselic thought were good enough to talk about them any chance he got.
They're not that good, but I rather have indies flocking to them and letting the "true" Postal Service fans finally get into their shows.
~Hugo G.
P.S. I also saw Cat Power at the Troubadour and I don't think I have ever been as upset as I was that night. I was totally ripped off! I even bought my tickets early! $25 dollars plus service charges went down the drain. She didn't even finish her set because she was either too drunk, too frazzled, or too lazy to do so. But i still like them.
~Hugo G
Post a Comment
~Hugo G
<< Home
Archives
2005-04-24 2005-05-01 2005-05-08 2005-05-15 2005-05-22 2005-05-29 2005-06-05 2005-06-12 2005-06-19 2005-06-26 2005-07-03 2005-07-10 2005-07-17 2005-07-24 2005-07-31 2005-08-07 2005-08-14 2005-08-21 2005-08-28 2005-09-04 2005-09-11 2005-09-18 2005-09-25 2005-10-02 2005-10-09 2005-10-16 2005-10-23 2005-10-30 2005-11-06 2005-11-13 2005-11-20 2005-11-27 2005-12-04 2005-12-11 2005-12-18 2005-12-25 2006-01-01 2006-01-08 2006-01-15 2006-01-22 2006-01-29 2006-02-05 2006-02-12 2006-02-19 2006-02-26 2006-03-05 2006-03-12 2006-03-19 2006-03-26 2006-04-02 2006-04-09 2006-04-16 2006-04-23
