...here's that astounding version of "I Want You Bad" I couldn't find on Wednesday.
First time I heard that my jaw dropped, and I still find it amazing; initially, it sounds like a sloppy shambolic mess, but if you listen carefully you realize it's actually tight as a drum. Which suggests a question -- how the hell do four human beings with instruments manage to sound so loose without actually being loose? Incredible.
Have a great weekend, everybody.
10 comments:
I have a old copy of Musician magazine from the 80's and in it, was a short piece about NRBQ. This paragraph nails it:
"At once steeped in tradition and resolutely organic, their aura reflects a romantic 60s idealism without the sentimental posturing of that era or the equally cynical posturing of this one. NRBQ is funny but never camp, tight but not slick, loose but only rarely sloppy, ridiculous and sublime. And it is that intangible essence which ultimately provides the communal link between the band and their intensely loyal following and each song to the next."
Yeah. For some reason I couldn't play the clip you posted. It's a gray rectangle with an unhappy file emoji in it.
I fruitlessly searched YouTube, and found this instead, which perfectly illustrates the quote above:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_925hajPgw
On their first appearance on the weekly television show, NIGHT MUSIC (hosted by Jools Holland and David Sanborn and curated by famed producer, Hal Willner), NRBQ performed Want You To Feel Good Too. This episode was aired in 1988.
I remember watching that at the time. Fabulous.
That show was consistently great, actually
So my single experience seeing NRBQ live was a strange one. Must have been around late 1994. And Johnny Spampinato had just taken over on guitar. And it was the first show that featured the Sun Ra brass section. You could tell that that the old, comfortable tightness they had become used to was all shook up by the line up changes. I had come to the show expecting to see one of the best live acts ever. Instead the warm up band (a great local band named Banana Blender Surprise - who really admired NRBQ) ended up stealing the show and upstaging the headliner.
I spoke to the lead singer of the Banana Blender about it about a year later. He agreed. But he also said by about the 5 show, they had it all worked out and blew the top of joints again.
But to your point. "Loose tight" is a very elusive feel that many bands shoot for, but few attain.
oh Funny, I see that the drummer from Banana Blender Surprise, Conrad Choucroun was the drummer for NRBQ from 2011 to 2013. That makes sense.
I remember an interview with Joey Spampinato from back then where he said (not an exact quote), "The thing to remember is we're composers first." Nobody post-Beatles did melodic rock better.
Notice how Terry's clavinet sometimes takes on the sonority of an electric 12-string?
And may I recommend "Designated Driver" and "Spampinato" from their great 1992 album Message For The Mess Age, the last from the longterm foursome (I think) and a great album through and through. The horns on "Spampinato" will definitely make you see God. Over and out....
"Notice how Terry's clavinet sometimes takes on the sonority of an electric 12-string?"
Oh yeah. And he's been doing it since day one, which blows my mind.
FROM FRIEND OF POWER POP PETER FROM AUSTRALIA:
BuzzbabyJesus: The MP3 no-show is apparently because of the browser add-on AdBlock.
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