Please may I momentarily tap your brilliant minds FOR FREE?

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This evening I am going to friend's 31st birthday party. This man is very interested in music, but his core knowledge is mainly restricted to the Austro-German classical tradition bit (Bach->Haydn->Mozart->Beethoven, you get the idea); he also = quite a canonicist in general. He's intrigued by pop music though, but since he hasn't a clue where to start, he never buys anything himself -- but encourages others to give him pop presents at occasions like tonight.

So, taking advantage of the sale at my Largish Record Store of choice, I've bought him three CDs, trying to acquire a reasonable span in both geography and time. Thing is, he would probably enjoy some comments/explanations what this stuff is, and how it fits into other stuff in the World of Pop, or something. I could of course give him some info, but I'm certain that you can do it SO MUCH BETTAH! So, those of you who feel like it, could you write a short comment (max, say, twenty words) on one or more of these three records or bands? I'll put no constraints on what kind of comment you choose -- their Place in the Canon, what you think of them, a description of how they sound, freer association, non-sequitur gibberish, whatever. If I get a reasonable number of replies, I'll choose a few of them and attach them to the respective CDs. You'll get credit by name, of course, but I'll remove the e-mail address. :-)

The records, with comments on the choices, are:

1. Wire: On Returning (1977-1979)
-- blah blah seminal blah blah.
2. Turbonegro: Ass Cobra
-- I suspect he may not really like the way this sounds as much as the other ones, but hey, they're a LOCAL BAND! who're also a WORLDWIDE PHENOMENON! without actually being heard much in the media. Also, my guess is the cover pictures will appeal to his sense of humour.
3. The Notwist: Neon Golden
-- wanted something pretty recent, also from a different country and somewhat easier on the ears than 1 and 2.

I'll be back in a couple of hours to see what's here; thanks to anyone who replies.

― OleM, Saturday, 11 January 2003 15:03 (twenty-three years ago)

Wire = geek rock where geek means severe musical discipline instead of They Might Be Giants -- and yet there is also humor.

Turbonegro = haven't heard that one.

Notwist = German metalheads continue evolving, now at the 'doing the country/electronic thing better than Wilco is' stage.

Yay.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 11 January 2003 15:18 (twenty-three years ago)

Wire: rigorously intellectual art-punk, and the most hypnotically exciting live punk band (in my experience).

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Saturday, 11 January 2003 15:39 (twenty-three years ago)

Thanks Ned and Martin -- guess I should have given more time if I were to expect more answers :-)

― OleM, Saturday, 11 January 2003 16:51 (twenty-three years ago)

And two of the acts are not major, and the one that is is probably more talked about than listened to.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Saturday, 11 January 2003 17:06 (twenty-three years ago)

Ned's Turbonegro comments are especially perfect.

"This next gift is a band so off the beaten path that the esteemed Ned Raggett hasn't even heard it."

― Paul in Santa Cruz (Paul in Santa Cruz), Saturday, 11 January 2003 17:41 (twenty-three years ago)

Heh. I mean, I know who they are and I've heard some of their songs, let me make that clear! ;-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 11 January 2003 17:42 (twenty-three years ago)

Yes, no offense intended...

― Paul in Santa Cruz (Paul in Santa Cruz), Saturday, 11 January 2003 18:09 (twenty-three years ago)

Fret not. :-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 11 January 2003 18:20 (twenty-three years ago)

I can't believe you've never heard Turbonegro, Ned! Well, now I know what to get you for the housewarming party. You'll probably hate it, though.

Oh, Turbonegro. Several people on this board consider them the greatest rock group in the world. And they're especially loveable because of their appropriation of butch gay Tom of Finland-style imagery and looks. I would have gone with Apocalypse Dudes, though, it's a bit more in the Austro-German classical tradition. But Ass Cobra has "I Got Erection" and "Hobbit Motherfuckers", it's nearly as good.

― Arthur (Arthur), Saturday, 11 January 2003 18:32 (twenty-three years ago)

I can't believe you've never heard Turbonegro, Ned!

Read my words! I've heard some of their songs! I'm not kidding! And I know the whole shtick, which I think rocks.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 11 January 2003 18:36 (twenty-three years ago)

Oh, I thought you meant "that one" out of the three bands.

― Arthur (Arthur), Saturday, 11 January 2003 18:50 (twenty-three years ago)

No worries. :-) Mind you, if you still want to get that for me as a housewarming gift, I won't complain!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 11 January 2003 18:53 (twenty-three years ago)

four months pass...

The real reason Ned's suggestions were never used, btw, was that they both compared/referred to other bands, which obviously was useless given the context :-)

Apocalypse Dudes, though, it's a bit more in the Austro-German classical tradition

I still love this comment.

― OleM (OleM), Monday, 12 May 2003 17:08 (twenty-three years ago)

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