"All Back to My Place" - Damen Ave. Edition (via Burning Wood)

 I'm quite a fan of Sal Nunziato and his blog, Burning Wood. It's a great stop for anyone who's into music. Sal's signifigantly older than myself, but I still find myself really enjoying his tastes and interests.

Anyway, today's post was a "Burning Wood Edition" of MOJO magazine's "All Back to My Place" feature. I couldn't help but post my responses, and I thought it might be interesting enought to share as a blog post of my own.

WHAT MUSIC ARE YOU CURRENTLY GROOVING TO?

I'm also on a Who kick right now, hard. I'm a guitarist, and I suddenly came to a realization in the last month or so about how fucking cool Townshend's guitar approach is. Also how a lot of his style compliments what I do, naturally. Really into any live tracks I can find, especially.

WHAT, IF PUSH COMES TO SHOVE, IS YOUR ALL-TIME FAVORITE ALBUM?

*sigh* Hard one. I'll just fall back and punt with The Wild, the Innocent and the E-Street Shuffle. It feels, to me like Bruce on the cusp of figuring out exactly who he wants to be, as an artist, while still embracing that spastic seaside kid he was on the first album. Plus, fucking "Incident"...gets me every time.

WHAT WAS THE FIRST RECORD YOU BOUGHT AND WHERE DID YOU BUY IT?

My recollection is a copy of Lou Reed's New York on cassette during an unending family road trip. Mainly because I thought the cover was cool. That said, I have a shameful feeling it was Buckner & Garcia's Pac-Man Fever.






WHAT MUSICIAN HAVE YOU EVER WANTED TO BE?

Springsteen is the big one. I want to sing like that, play like that, and have a band that amazing. It's changed over the years, however, as I, and my tastes, have. John Lennon, Keith Richards, James Hetfield.

WHAT DO YOU SING IN THE SHOWER?

That is kind of a ridiculous question. Does ANYBODY sing the same song in the shower all the time. Usually, it's whatever is stuck in my head at the moment, even one of my own tracks I'm working on. That said, "Baba O'Riley" comes up a lot.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SATURDAY NIGHT RECORD?

Zeppelin II. In my book, their best. That said, this is another place where I would answer differently in many situations. For example, I almost put in The Sword's Warp Riders, which I just fell in love with. It certainly feeds the metalhead that is still a big part of me, while also capturing a classic rock vibe (It reminds me of Thin Lizzy a lot, at moments) that I'm just loving now.

AND YOUR FAVORITE SUNDAY MORNING RECORD?

Zakk Wylde's Book of Shadows, which I think is one of the most under-appreciated albums ever. Great songs, great vocals, great playing, free of his usual bombast. You may write this off as "Ozzy's Guitarist," but give a couple of tracks a listen. It's great stuff. Runner up: Rodrigo Y Gabriela's self-titled debut. The Latin vibe mixed with rock and metal influences just works for me when I'm in a "relax" mood.

Slow Out of the Gate This Week

Didya hear Radiohead put out a new album?

It's funny, I follow a lovely blog called Burning Wood, and Sal, it's proprietor, didn't overly enjoy the new Radiohead, and boy, the interwebs did not like that.

It always strikes me as really, really funny when someone gets SO upset because someone didn't like something that they did. Or, conversely, if someone did like something they didn't. I got a lot of that when I thought the Star Wars Prequels weren't an abomination. Weaker than the originals? Oh, sure...but I still got enjoyment from them.

So what? What does it matter to you?

I shouldn't be so dismissive. It's fun to discuss and debate and match wits, so if that's why it matters to you, great! If you just want to tell me how stupid I am for that opinion...why are you wasting your time? I mean, I wrote a review of a Frames show a few months back that wasn't glowing, but it certainly wasn't a write-off, either. I suddenly started getting a ton of hits on that entry, because people didn't like what I had to say.

Now, I understand discussing the merits of a review. Everyone does that, and, for a lot of those people, my opinion is moot because I'm not a huge fan. Fair enough. Of course, I'd also say that being a huge fan can blind you to weaknesses that are there.

But whatever.

You're a fan, you love, love, LOVE Radiohead...great. I'm happy for you that they put out a new album. I can see why you're excited, and that's cool.

I am not. Sal liked their early stuff, and they lost him after OK Computer. That opinion is just as valid as yours, and, honestly, has nothing to do with you.

Why take it as a personal affront? Why not, y'know, go listen to the album and be happy that it's in your hot little hands? Enjoy that something you're so enamored with is available for you to listen to.

See, because I don't trust people who seem too concerned with other people's reactions. I can't help feeling like you're overcompensating. Like maybe you're a little scared to not have everyone in lockstep with your opinion.

Sounds like the US as a whole, right now, actually.