In which Clare actually deigns to buy Rolling Stone...

[apolla]

I don't like Marilyn Manson. I don't like his music and I think there are better ways of grabbing the world's attention than looking like a total twonk. But I have always had respect for him in a way I've never had for people like Robbie/Kylie/Justin/Britney/Phil Collins. I get that he's a clever guy who looks like he does and sounds like he does because he knows how to get the kind of attention he wants. More than that, I think he's making a personal statement that isn't ever going to be a really popular one, and he deserves respect for that. I loved what he said to Michael Moore in Bowling for Columbine.

So yesterday when I bought Rolling Stone's 'The Immortals' issue (April 15 2004) and found he was the one writing the piece about the Doors (of course they're on the list, people!) I was caught between thinking 'God I have the Doors in common with Marilyn Fucking Manson? and 'let's see what the dude has to say'.

Some Marilyn on Jim moments:

I think the Doors still fit in because they never fit in in the first place. Someone has clearly read Chapter One of my dissertation ;)

Morrison's voice was a beautiful pond for anything to drown in. Can I get an 'amen' from the audience? Have you ever heard Hyacinth House, man?

but most importantly of all:

If you want to be like Jim Morrison, you can't be anything like Jim Morrison. It's about finding your own place in world.

FINALLY someone who agrees with me! Say what you like about Marilyn Manson. It's nothing to do with Alexander hair or leather fucking trousers or being drunk. Marilyn has it about as spot on as ever I've seen. Call him a freak if you have to, but remember they used to say that about Jim Morrison too. It's what they say about me too. Fuck me, if that's what a freak really is, can I be more of one please?

Other gems about my darlings:

Eddie Vedder on The Who:

Roger Daltrey's delivery allowed vulnerability without weakness: doubt and confusion but no plea for sympathy.

Pete Townshend allowed that there be spiritual value in music.

Dave 'I'll castrate myself if I can play drums for Zep' Grohl on Led Zeppelin:

Heavy metal would not exist without Led Zeppelin and if it did, it would suck.

Actually, I happen to think that almost all heavy metal that isn't LZ sucks anyway.

I was going to Catholic school and questioning God, but I believed in Led Zeppelin. I wasn't really buying into this Christianity thing, but I had faith in Led Zeppelin as a spiritual entity.

I believe Zeppelin will come back and prove themselves to once again be the greatest rock band of all time. It will happen. They'll find someone to play the drums and I'll be right there, front row at every goddman show.
Only if I don't get there first, pallie. And the illustration of the band in the magazine does not do Blond Zep justice. It's like the 1973 body with the 1979 face and it's weird. Bonzo looks a bit weird too, but the flaming zeppelin behind them is cool.

John Mellencamp on Buddy Holly:

Holly's songs never really left my consciousness.

I know that feeling well.

Steven Van Zandt on The Rolling Stones:

It's amazing Keith is still alive. There are a few people who have this constitution of invulerability, although you shouldn't learn that. Let's be honest: Excessive drug use hurts songwriting.

Finally someone else has had the guts to say that Keith's a lucky bastard and that being like Keith is never a good career move for anyone but Keith, and more than that: drugs fuck the music up and rarely enhance it. Don't believe the hype, kiddies.

Also kudos to Elvis Costello for this:

Lennon, McCartney and Harrison had stunningly high standards as writers. I fucking knew it would take George dying to have him taken fucking seriously.


PS. Britney Spears wrote the piece about Madonna. Vacuous tripe that was very little to do with the actual music and more to do with, well, style and Britney herself. Do us all a favour and piss off back to Louisiana would you please?
Chris Martin's piece on (IMO the overrated) U2 was as boring as he is.
Kudos to Little Richard for writing a piece about... Little Richard. God love the arrogant aul' fool. :D

PPS. Probably passed my 100wpm shorthand exam today. I say probably because although we had a chance to look it over and I counted 3 or 4 mistakes, knowing my luck, the examiners will find another bunch to take it up to eleven and fail me.

PPPS. Reading the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2004 article- Sean Lennon and Leelee Sobieski? How did I not know this... Dhani Harrison looking v. pretty and less like his dad than he sometimes does... Robert Plant and Lenny Kravitz make an odd looking pair... Theodora Richards (child of Keef) much prettier than Lizzie Jagger even with Jerry's genes... According to the article Dhani Harrison is also the same height as Prince. Must be a right titch.

Comments

[annearchy.livejournal.com]

Whoa. thanks for writing about this. I'll make sure to pick up this issue of Rolling Stone :)

[apolla.livejournal.com]

*laughs*

Didn't I just type practically the whole thing out?

I thought some of the F-list would like to know about it. Plus I get to write about Jim for a reason for once. :D

[annearchy.livejournal.com]

OH... well if it's that short I guess I won't spend th big buckaroos for it ;)

[apolla.livejournal.com]

NO! It's much longer. There's a list of FIFTY plus the articles about them. For RS it's really very good. I was more making reference to my unnecessarily long post.

Also: got Empire magazine yesterday too, and it had the full size Dan pic in it that you have on your icon- it's their 15th birthday, so they got him in to do it too cos it's his soon too or something. Personally I feel that if you have to write 'rock and roll' on your wall, you're not that rock and roll, but whatever. ;)

[annearchy.livejournal.com]

Or maybe they got him to do it because he's in a biggish movie that will be released soon. Or perhaps just because he's Pretty :D *points to icon*

[apolla.livejournal.com]

A combination of all the above. Although I don't see the Pretty so much.

[windtear.livejournal.com]

PS. Britney Spears wrote the piece about Madonna. Vacuous tripe that was very little to do with the actual music and more to do with, well, style and Britney herself. Do us all a favour and piss off back to Louisiana would you please?

Did Madonna ever do anything that was truly groundbreaking in music? Apart, that is, from having herself photographed making out with various sex toys of assorted shapes, sizes and genders.

I'd say Britney's hit the nail on the head if she only wrote about Madonna's style and effect on herself. That is, in my opinion, the only thing Madonna has contributed to music: the use of imagery in music videos and the fact that women can be just as tasteless and tawdry as any man.

Sean Lennon and Leelee Sobieski? How did I not know this...

a) Who on earth is Leelee Sobieski?
b) Apart from Sean Lennon, does anybody care about the answer to a)?

Robert Plant and Lenny Kravitz make an odd looking pair...

You do not want to know where my mind went when I read that. ::shrugs:: What can I say? If it weren't for the gutter, my mind would be homeless.

And congratulations on passing the shorthand exam!

[annearchy.livejournal.com]

You do not want to know where my mind went when I read that. ::shrugs:: What can I say? If it weren't for the gutter, my mind would be homeless.

ROTFLMAO... yes I know whereof you speak. My mind didn't always reside in the gutter, but lately it seems to be falling in there with regular frequency not that my icon would suggest that, mind you. Hmmmmmm...

[apolla.livejournal.com]

A few years ago I might've agreed with you about Madonna. I do think her style changes are more about fads than say, Bowie's were, but I do also think she's crafted genuinely good pop music. There's the difference between her and Britney. I do think that thanks to Madonna, more girls think that they can be part of the industry and there's been a few songs of hers that have caused a real stir- and that's always been a Good Thing in popular music.

Leelee Sobieski is an actress. She's been in a bunch of stuff (she was the geeky girl in Never Been Kissed) and is very striking looking (in a good way). I just find the idea of the two of them amusing.

As for Percy and Lenny, I spent a couple of minutes trying to formulate that sentence to remove some of the potential innuendo. Didn't work. Ah well.

And thanks about the shorthand!

[no-remorse.livejournal.com]

Dave Grohl played a v.v. funny accoustic version of Stairway to Heaven on a tv show once, so I am not surprised at his outing here. But this:

I believe Zeppelin will come back and prove themselves to once again be the greatest rock band of all time. It will happen. They'll find someone to play the drums....

so belongs in the classified ads section and should read: I played the drums in Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age and Probot. Some people believe that I am the greatest drummer of my generation. Jimmy, Robert, if you are interested in a Led Zeppelin reunion, give me chant.

[apolla.livejournal.com]

It was on Craig Kilborn's show. I've heard it- my brother found it on Kazaa for me or something once. I loved it SO much, not least when he decided to HUM the solo. I was like "I DO THAT!"

Considering he's offered publicly to castrate himself if he could play with the guys, I did suspect a little self-advertisement in it, but considering I don't like grunge much, I do have a soft spot for mad Mr Grohl.

It's like a fic waiting to happen in the classifieds:

WANTED: Drummer for near-elderly but virile rock giants. Must be highly qualified and have own drums. Castration optional. GSOH required. Phil Collins need not apply.

SEEKING: Former longhaired grunge merchant seeks Golden Gods for stadium fun. Have played in Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age and Probot. Has own drums. Will castrate self. GSOH.