tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921382.post2899483683044989931..comments2024-03-28T10:37:48.564-04:00Comments on PowerPop: Literary Notes From All Over (An Occasional Series)NYMaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10863355110457910935noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921382.post-10593917610968129422011-04-27T13:14:07.648-04:002011-04-27T13:14:07.648-04:00Faze,
I like your style. And thanks for the head...Faze,<br /><br />I like your style. And thanks for the heads up, Steve.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03743825684303825072noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921382.post-84525345786897188372011-04-26T10:12:19.108-04:002011-04-26T10:12:19.108-04:00The emdash beats the semicolon all hollow.The emdash beats the semicolon all hollow.fmcgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921382.post-11683723092227130502011-04-26T08:53:50.362-04:002011-04-26T08:53:50.362-04:00One of the previously unpublished pieces in the bo...One of the previously unpublished pieces in the book -- and one of the best -- is Paul interviewing himself about his years at Mercury (this was written in 1995). There are stories in there that will curl your hair about the music business, and for what its worth, Faze, I suspect he was simply having a difficult day when he listened to your tape.steve simelshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13247393763004076992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921382.post-50725324330196826622011-04-26T08:32:21.463-04:002011-04-26T08:32:21.463-04:00Nobody admired Paul Nelson more than I did, which ...Nobody admired Paul Nelson more than I did, which made it utterly devastating when, as an A&R man at Mercury in about 1973, he listened to my ultra-poppy band's demo with a distracted air, then waved it away saying, "Who do you think's going to like this? You heard the Dolls? That's what people want. Go listen to the Dolls. Do something like that."<br />It was as bad as if I'd gotten an audience with a more conventional A&R man, and he'd said, "You know Tony Orlando and Dawn? That's what people want. Do something like 'Yellow Ribbon.'" (Our originals were a <i>million</i> times better than Dolls', by the way.) As I made my way out of the building where Mercury had its offices, I was thinking, "Paul Nelson. Phooey. And what's with the stupid hat?"<br /><br />I went on to take some satisfaction in the fact the Dolls bombed commercially. Yeah, Blue Ash was great. But there were a lot of other good pop bands out there he could have signed (including my band, the only non-crappy band I was ever in). Instead, he put all his eggs into the Dolls garish basket, and wasted his opportunity to turn Mercury into what Sire became a few years later.<br /><br />With that off my chest (whew, I waited years for that), let me say that I am inspired by your review to immediately pick up "Everything is an Afterthought", and I forgive Nelson all. He was a great writer, stubborn individualist, and important personage in the heroic age of rock criticism.Fazenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921382.post-30908780649400604262011-04-26T08:30:08.592-04:002011-04-26T08:30:08.592-04:00When I was reading the jacket copy posted here, I ...When I was reading the jacket copy posted here, I was wondering where the mention of Blue Ash was. Thanks for letting people know about that, Steve.<br /><br />Fun Fact: I grew up across the street from a public swimming pool. Blue Ash performed at one of what were called "Splash Hops" at that pool. Too young to get in, I stood at the fence and watched them play.I think my brother and I were the only people in town who owned their classic first album.<br /><br />Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't his signing of The Dolls and Blue Ash what got him sacked from Mercury? If that's true, then he was truly a martyr for the cause.<br /><br />Definitely going to check this book out.Blue Ash Fannoreply@blogger.com