TODAY'S RAMBLINGS
Happy weekend. Here are two things that might not seem related, yet are. In the first part, I virtue-signal my coolness, and then in the second part, explain why that's been so damaging to America. Try to follow me here.
First, my classic list of The Best Rock Albums of All Time:
Happy weekend. Here are two things that might not seem related, yet are. In the first part, I virtue-signal my coolness, and then in the second part, explain why that's been so damaging to America. Try to follow me here.
First, my classic list of The Best Rock Albums of All Time:
- The Beach Boys "Pet Sounds"
- The Beatles "Abbey Road"
- Stevie Wonder "Innervisions"
- Pink Floyd "Dark Side of The Moon"
- The Who "Tommy"
Next, my bobo list of The Best Rock Albums of All Time:
- Foo Fighters "There Is Nothing Left To Lose"
- Stone Temple Pilots "Tiny Music . . . From The Vatican Gift Shop"
- Doves "Lost Souls"
- Radiohead "OK Computer"
- Guided by Voices "Space Gun"
What the hell is a "bobo", or more fully, a "bourgeois bohemian"? I am so glad you asked.
It is a term coined by the columnist David Brooks in 2001, to describe me and people like me (and maybe even you) - people of a certain status, mindset, education, and aspiration. It's certainly not a compliment, but also not a pure pejorative, either. But the phrase and the article I'm sharing go a long way in explaining the cult of Donald Trump. It turns out people don't like to be made to feel inferior. Who knew?!?
Here, in an enjoyable long read and from the upcoming issue of The Atlantic, is Mr. Brooks, and "How The Bobos Broke America". If you hit their paywall, here is the article in PDF format. I hope you'll read it (and also perhaps listen to one or more of the incredible albums listed above).
I, for one, am complicit in being a "bobo who broke America". Are you?
FROM THE UNWASHED MASSES
It was with great pleasure I published a Special Edition of this blog late Wednesday, which featured a reply from the noted Minnesotan forager Raymond Michaels. If you haven't yet, I hope you'll take the time to read his excellent response to my trust-busting column.
In a rare moment of electronic communication, Ol' Purple Label checked in and is eagerly anticipating our take-over of a couple of these for 3 nights next weekend in Phoenix. OPL calls partying hard "going to the other side". I bet we go to the other side next weekend.
Thank you to any one that is reading this blog.
KLUF
This post was triggered first by my reading the "Bobo" article at The Atlantic website. But the connection to music was motivated by the re-release last week of one of my favorite albums, bobo or not. It starts with the brilliant original album, completely remastered. It also includes insanely great early, alternative versions of songs on the original album, and a complete live show of this band at their peak. There are 41 songs in total, and I don't know if there's a dud among them.
Here are Stone Temple Pilots with their 1996 Diamond Certified gem "Tiny Music . . . Songs From The Vatican Gift Shop", in high res, and with a heck of a lot of amazing bonus material. It's a big bang, baby, for sure.
This just in to KLUF and wow: I was perusing the STP discography, and I came across an album released just last year. It is completely acoustic, and it is clearly meant as therapy for a sad story with which I was not completely familiar, beyond the tragedy of Scott Weiland. Check out this album via Spotify, "Perdida" ("loss" in Spanish) - it is absolutely nothing like you expect.
KLUF
This post was triggered first by my reading the "Bobo" article at The Atlantic website. But the connection to music was motivated by the re-release last week of one of my favorite albums, bobo or not. It starts with the brilliant original album, completely remastered. It also includes insanely great early, alternative versions of songs on the original album, and a complete live show of this band at their peak. There are 41 songs in total, and I don't know if there's a dud among them.
Here are Stone Temple Pilots with their 1996 Diamond Certified gem "Tiny Music . . . Songs From The Vatican Gift Shop", in high res, and with a heck of a lot of amazing bonus material. It's a big bang, baby, for sure.
This just in to KLUF and wow: I was perusing the STP discography, and I came across an album released just last year. It is completely acoustic, and it is clearly meant as therapy for a sad story with which I was not completely familiar, beyond the tragedy of Scott Weiland. Check out this album via Spotify, "Perdida" ("loss" in Spanish) - it is absolutely nothing like you expect.