He likes old-fashioned Nashville country and western. He likes power-pop, the 70s genre that melded Beatles melodies, Byrds harmonies and punky sonic punch. He likes a certain kind of literate singer-songwriter whose critical acclaim frequently outweighs their commercial standing. He has a sneaking regard for Americana, the catch-all genre that encompasses anything faintly leftfield that bears the influence of US roots music. He doesn't seem to have much time for hip hop, or r'n'b, or manufactured pop, or techstep drum'n'bass. Judging by his taste in music alone, George W Bush seems like the kind of bloke who spends his evenings writing angry letters to Uncut magazine, decrying their decision to review Girls Aloud's new album and demanding more features on Townes Van Zandt and Iron And Wine. "He's certainly the first president who could be an Uncut reader," says the magazine's deputy editor Paul Lester, who doesn't sound thrilled by the idea. "I'm a bit disturbed by it myself, but nevertheless he is the most powerful man in the world."
But (and like this isn't a surprise):
he opts for reviled commercial power-poppers the Knack over the hipper, more acclaimed Big Star or the Shoes
'Nuff said. Sneer over substance, that's our prez.
Thanks for the tip, Prior Aelred!
Have more fun with Bush's iPod here and here and here and... oh, hell, click around. Lots to see on this topic..
9 comments:
"He's certainly the first president who could be an Uncut reader,"
See, I thought his preferences ran in the opposite direction...
Yes, that's 8" cut....
My fave comment on the topic was from ABC's Charlie Gibson who, after the intense analysis of what liking the song "My Sharona" means to the presidency in light of his being in bed with the religious right, said (and I paraphrase because I was busy wiping up the soda that came out of my nose because that's how hiliarious the story is):
My Sharona... who'd a thunk it.... I pegged him for a bluegrass man..
Ok.. I added the bluegrass part, but I could tell from the expression on Charlie's face that he wanted to say that....
Judging by his taste in music alone, George W Bush seems like the kind of bloke who spends his evenings writing angry letters to Uncut magazine
funny, I didn't think they took submissions in crayon.
decrying their decision to review Girls Aloud's new album and demanding more features on Townes Van Zandt....
funny, the only time I could see him being interested in TvZ is if he were trying to answer the question " the question is not 'is the glass half empty or half full?' the question is, is it water or vodka?"
Although it rather rankles,
I'm reconciled, to wit:
A shit who likes good music
Is still a very shit.
If George W. Bu$h even knows who Townes Van Zandt is I'll eat a copy of Uncut Magazine (whatever that is).
*
he opts for reviled commercial power-poppers the Knack over the hipper, more acclaimed Big Star or the Shoes
erm...is it just SLIGHTLY possible the guy doesn't have a clue who Big Star or the Shoes are? I know I don't except for seeing them brought up on this blog and/or Atrios' comments section.
I hate GW with a white hot burning passion, but there are a million things to fault him on, and his personal taste in music isn't one a liberal should be using.
just sayin'
pseudolus
Well, pseudolus, I have plenty to fault GWB on; as you point out, there's no shortage of issues. But this is a power pop blog, and as such culturally rather than politically based. In that sense, the fact that the only power pop to penetrate our prez's coke-addled brain happened to be The (pretty hard to avoid) Knack, as opposed to smaller, better, subtler bands like Shoes (my lifelong band crush) and Big Star is, in point of fact, relevant. There are lots of places to trash his policies; this is about taste.
Which is not to say that I did not have a pretty intense Knack phase: I did, in fact. But that's how I come to see where they fit in the continuum, rather than just perseverating on the single "My Sharona." (Personally, I always though "Good Girls Don't" was a much better tune.)
Worth noting: Bush, of course, could not possibly prefer "Good Girls Don't," as it's one of the few pop songs to directly reference cunnilingus --> sodomy --> winger no-no.
"And it's the teenage madness everyone has got to face
An in-between age sadness tht you know you can't erase
'Til she's sitting on your face.
(It hurts!)"
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