encore

Nov 1, 2007 at 7:46 AM
51 comments

Yinz didn't think I forgot about the Old 97's, did you? Of course I didn't. I just knew Sister #2 would be sad to see Rocktober end and would want to hear one last song. Every time I've seen the Old 97's, they've closed with "Timebomb." Even their live CD and DVD end that way. One would presume it's the last song at all of their shows. Who am I to argue with success?

Old 97's - Timebomb

51 comments

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Oh yes, it's another band trying to be The Replacements. Thanks!

Please. Don't forget that I have heard the Replacements. The Old 97's don't sound anything like them. And they're better than the Replacements ever were.

Everyone know they're making the music they are because of The Replacements
Your fave, Christgau thinks so.
The Times thinks so.
Random fans think so.

And onbeing better then The Replacements ever were? You yourself have been known to say, "it's hardly fair to put the best of paul westerberg's entire career up against what anybody else could come up with in the past year, isn't it?"

Hmmmm.... The band doesn't think so. They cite their influences as the Clash, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, the Pixies, and the Kinks. Somebody needs to come to grips with the fact that her favorite band isn't as influential as she thinks they are.

And way to cite that Paul Westerberg quote out of context. It doesn't have anything to do with this discussion. I never said that the Replacements weren't good. I said they weren't influential.

Of course they aren't going to mention it -- because it's so damn obvious. It sounds to me like someone needs to come to grips with the fact that his favorite band is nothing but a hopeless derivative of a band that was much, much better.

It's not obvious. I thought of a few bands when I first heard the Old 97's but none of them were the Replacements. I've never said that they - the Old 97's - made groundbreaking music, and I'm fine with that. I'm not the one imposing a false importance on my favorite band.

The thing is that it's not false. The importance is there, it's just that you refuse to see it. Your homework? Go read Michael Azerrad's Our Band Could be Your Life. Pronto.

And your increasingly desperate attempts to shoehorn the Replacements into Rocktober - where they clearly don't belong - are beginning to depress me. They just make me feel bad for you.

I don't want The Replacements' as part of your lame Rocktober stunt. I am just laying out the facts. If you knew anything about the history of rock and roll, I would not have to spend my time educating you.

It is false. Anybody that might cite the Replacements as an influence usually just ends up citing the Replacements' influences, usually Big Star. Reading some fanzine by one Minnesotan who mistakenly believes the Replacement to be an important band for the dozen other Minnesotans who mistakenly believe the Replacements to be an important band isn't going to change that.

Nobody is saying the Replacements weren't good. They were. But they weren't important. That's totally fine. Lots of good bands aren't important. Like Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, the Shins, the Band, the Old 97's....

Your willful ignorance on this topic cracks me up.

Lame stunt, huh? I can have fun with quotes too. And I can use them in the proper context.

And your blind homerism makes me sad for you.

I did enjoy Rocktober, and I do think you did a good job. Still a lame stunt. Sheesh.

That comment makes no sense.

Clearly, you can't hold two contradictory opinions at once. I can.

The first thing I thought when I saw this video was "gee, that sounds an awful lot like those Rembrandts guys Jodi is always prattling on about."

Oh and a note on influences. Bands never fess up to their actual influences, because they don't want people to draw the rather obvious conclusions about just how derivative they are.

The biggest offender in this space is Trent Reznor, who, when asked about his influences, used to list everyone from Kraftwerk to Mother Theresa, without ever once acknowledging Minstry, who he blatantly copied for as long as he remained relevant.

Now if it weren't for the lame (and obvious) Rembrandt crack, I would be proclaiming your intelligence from the top of the mountain.

Dabysan also thinks Pavement and Wilco sound the same. Obviously his opinion can be disregarded. The fact remains: the Replacements were more good than influential. There are worse fates.

Did I say Rembrandts? I meant Remy Zero of course.

I would actually agree with you here Hotrod if you were right. But really, you're not and your desire to ignore the facts just irritates me.

I am right. You're irritated because you know I'm right. Your favorite band doesn't have to be important, too. It's really okay. You can still like them.

I like and love tons of bands that have had no influence on anything ever. But, like I said, if you had read anything about the history of rock and roll at all, you would know that The Replacements are actually quite influential.

They really aren't. Big Star was influential. Writing a song about the singer of Big Star doesn't make on influential by proxy.

You know, I am curious how you manage to hold so steadfastly to ideas that are so wrong. How do you do it?

Well, I start by not being wrong. From there, I improvise.

Rocktober is OVER people. Move on.

Sure, we appreciated the encore. But tomorrow there will be no more music, right? Double encores are tacky, pathetic, and stupid. And the incessant chattering about each lame band's influence is well...lame.

Can't we just talk about pie and brownies?

Oh, you're just going to LOVE what I have in store for tomorrow....

Great. Keep in mind, it could be a deal-breaker. I might have remove myself from your neighborhood. I'm not sure you could overcome that significant a loss.

And the incessant chattering about each lame band's influence is well...lame.

IS NOT! Talking about the vitality and importance of rock and roll is one of the most important things we can do with our time.

I think I'd get by.

I beg to differ. I may have already tipped my hand, but I'm not that into music. Don't tell anyone, okay?

And HR, who wants a vox-life where you just "get by"?

I beg to differ. I may have already tipped my hand, but I'm not that into music. Don't tell anyone, okay?

You have mentioned that, and I think our acceptance of you despite this obvious lack shows what kind and considerate human beings we are.

That is awfully gracious of you! So no more music talk then, right? Thanks. That would be awesome.

Umm, no. Sadly, while we accept you, we are not willing to cater to your special needs.

That's just not right. My handicap is being musically-deficient. Therefore you should cater to my special needs. What kind of person are you?

I don't think lack of taste is covered by the ADA. Is it?

"Lack of taste" is a very broad term which I don't think is appropriate here. I have impeccable taste in many, many things. Just not in music, apparently. I want a song you can sing to. So sue me. But keep those generalizations outta here!

Well, to be fair, sweeping generalizations and unfounded personal attacks are kind of what we do here in the Voxosphere. A day without maligning Hotrod or Jodi's taste is like a day without sunshine, and I want no part of it.

Well, I guess when you put it that way...

He's (oh god this is killing me) right. If you want to play you have to put on the big kid pants and expect everything you love and hold dear to be fodder for the jackals.

Fun!

He's (oh god this is killing me) right.

I think I found my new tag-line.

That's fine, just make sure to add the ™ and a caveat that all ™s are property of Supergenius, Inc.

Um...yeah...I'll be sure to get right on that.

Every time someone says "Daby is right" an angel dies.

Dabysan wrote:
Nov 1, 2007