Comments on: 3 Rock & Rollers that Should Stop Rocking

By: Mitch

Mitch — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:52:44 +0000

No apologies necessary. It’s just that you ASU guys already get 7 years to complete a bachelor’s, so it seems unecessary to talk about it anymore.

Randy Newman is awesome on Toy Story. Also, he wrote “I think it’s going to rain today” which Mark Karan just covered quite nicely. But he’s less of a rocker than JT. Just look at the glasses!

By: Tony Roni

Tony Roni — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:35:36 +0000

My apologies for stirring the pot. ASU stories aren’t relevant here. And yes, that tape did disappear after that fateful trip. The point I was trying to make is that anyone can be conditioned to blindly like/love a certain artist. Think of how many lost souls out there love Billy Joel because his music was used as the theme song for “Bosom Buddies.” Here’s another “rocker” to add to the list: Randy Newman.

By: Kenny B

Kenny B — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:04:25 +0000

There’s no reasonable Billy Joel music. I used to be able to tolerate the ballad-y stuff, which is why I owned that terrible Russia album in the first place, but now the sound of his voice just makes me angry.

By: Mitch

Mitch — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:55:53 +0000

First, any ‘live in russia’ album sucks – see McCartney for reference.

second, please keep your AZ reminiscing to the sun devils blog.

Third, yeah, I hate piano man and goodnight saigon, too, but I was trying to be reasonable.

By: Kenny B

Kenny B — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:52:45 +0000

And for the record, Mitch. Goodnight Saigon SUCKS! Billy Joel knows as much about serving in Vietnam as George W. Bush and Al Gore.

By: Kenny B

Kenny B — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:51:15 +0000

It wasn’t Billy Joel’s Greatest Hits, it was that awful live album he recorded in Russia (I mean The Soviet Union).

We actually gave the tape (correct me if I’m wrong Tony) to our lovely travelling companians under the condition that they cease playing for the remainder of the trip. Then we tuned in some Flagstaff, AZ radio station that was in the process of changing formats and they were playing Xmas music as the filler. And out of that, a long-running joke about our favorite Hogan’s Hero…Kinchloe, was born.

By: Mitch

Mitch — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:23:00 +0000

Tony,

Thank you for stopping by. Let’s take a look at William Joel’s greatest hits and do a quick good bad assessment from memory:

Side one
“Piano Man” GOOD
“Say Goodbye to Hollywood” GOOD
“New York State of Mind” GOOD
“The Stranger” GOOD
“Just the Way You Are” GOOD
Side two
“Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)” BAD
“Only the Good Die Young” BAD
“She’s Always a Woman” GOOD
“My Life” (1978) BAD
“Big Shot” (1978) BAD
“You May Be Right BAD
Side three
“It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” BAD
“Don’t Ask Me Why” GOOD
“Pressure” BAD
“Allentown” BAD
“Goodnight Saigon” GOOD
Side four
“Tell Her About It” BAD
“Uptown Girl” BAD
“The Longest Time” BAD
“You’re Only Human ???
“The Night Is Still Young” ???

That’s 8 good tunes, 11 bad tunes, and 2 mystery tunes (that obviously aren’t greatest hits outside of Long Island). That a +38% batting average.

In other words, I hope you tossed that tape in the bottom of the canyon.

By: Tony Roni

Tony Roni — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:07:55 +0000

Billy Joel?!? I see where you’re coming from, but one learns (or is conditioned) to appreciate Joel’s artistry when listening to his Greatest Hits cassette tape (yes, I said cassette tape) while driving to and from the Grand Canyon. Did I mention that this was the only tape in the car and that others in the car were singing along during the entire trip? What a magical day that was, right Kenny B?

By: Mitch

Mitch — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:59:11 +0000

I am a lover, not a fighter, so when the brawl at Mount Saint Anne broke out (to the sound of Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar On Me” I stayed inside the lodge.

By: Kenny B

Kenny B — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:09:46 +0000

Mitch,

Do you care to tell the rest of the class what happened AFTER you sold that Neil Young shirt on that fateful day in Canada back in 1989??? Hmmm, well, let’s hear it!

And for those of you guessing at what transpired, let’s just say that according to the last blog post, Mitch is a Francophobe, not a Francophile.

By: Mitch

Mitch — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 01:02:09 +0000

Bennie and the Jets is solid. I didn’t see Neil on CR but he’s got the lifetime pass in my house. Sure, he’s released more shitty albums than anyone (I own too many of them) but for every ‘Greendale’ there’s a ‘Silver & Gold’. Also, I was once able to sell a Neil tee shirt in Canada, literally off my back, for $15 US once.

Re; the videos – thank you. Great Grandma just turned 89 – she’s the only grandparent I have left – and she’s an amazing person. And the boy was breaking wood – still an impressive feat for a 9 year old!

By: (0v0)

(0v0) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:07:10 +0000

Oh my god, this woman with the birthday cake is adorable!

And your son can smash bricks with his bare hands!!!

Did you buy that camera yet?

By: (0v0)

(0v0) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:03:31 +0000

Did you see Neil on Charlie Rose last week? Not that I did (snore), but Rob freaked out.

These guys are all ok if they keep it soft. Admittedly, Billy Joel makes me twitch, but that’s me, not him.

I agree that Crocodile Rock is a sin, and that covering it is doubly sinful. But Bennie and the Jets? So good! For the most part, I love the Yellow Brick Road era.

By: Mitch

Mitch — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:42:30 +0000

Sonya,

After discussing the issue with work wife #2, I fear that I may have been imprecise in defining the issue. There are certain musicians that fall broadly into the “rock and roll” genre that are better on the soft side of the street. Elton, Billy & JT should never rock – not because of their age – but rather due to their inability to deliver quality rock.

Mr. Dylan, on the other hand, has and will always rock. He is hardcore just like Neil Young. Age cannot remove their past successful delivery of the rock.

Please pardon my lapse.

(But at least I took a few pot shots at LI on your behalf!)

By: LI Ashtangini

LI Ashtangini — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:55:15 +0000

Nooooo, not James Taylor!

What about Bob Dylan? Now THERE’S someone who needs to retire already!