A blog and nothing but since 2003. Some tech, lots of music, and if rambling was money, drinks are on me.
There are brighter sides to life
Something happened when I started writing a very lame post about aging and how shocking and depressing it can be to see celebrities and feel as though they’ve aged pretty well, only to see them again when they’re young and see just how gorgeous they were then. I was going to use Morrissey as an example of someone who was truly beautiful and though he’s aged pretty well and looks fairly distinguished, he really underscores that feeling that the beauty of youth is something that you never get back. But first I found this article on ABC News that shows the contrast with a number of stars from the 80’s (though the guys in Duran Duran look pretty great) than is more than I could ever describe, but more importantly, I found this video:
It took me only until the first chorus to go from watching Morrissey and his youthful prettiness to being struck dumb by Johnny Marr’s effortless playing of a guitar part this is just sick. Watching him actually slide all over the frets like that, in a part that’s fractured but cohesive and how it and Andy Rourke’s bass part play off each other in a way that’s almost impossible to understand…genius like that is so rare. I feel a Smiths revival coming on.
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June 3rd, 2008 at 8:42 am
Funny, just yesterday I was thinking about Smiths stuff I should try to find on vinyl (hello, Louder than Bombs and Rank), and then I was reading an article about Bo Diddley this a.m., and it mentioned that he inspired “How Soon Is Now” - I guess the sliding part?
Anyway, the Smiths are everywhere.
June 3rd, 2008 at 9:56 am
One of the reasons I’m looking forward to the REM show next week is that there are some fantastic openers: the National and Modest Mouse. I’m not really a fan of Modest Mouse, but hey…chance to gape at Johnny Marr, right?
June 3rd, 2008 at 10:14 am
Doug, I’ll be Rank would sound fantastic on vinyl. It’s kind of a weird record, but it’s worth it if only for combining “Marie’s The Name of His Latest Flame” with “Rusholme Ruffians” and “Rubber Ring” with “What She Said”.
I can’t get over that video. I mean, I’ve known “Still Ill” for twenty years now (!) and I always liked it, but until I saw Marr’s hands flying all over the frets, I never realized what an amazing part it is. And the bass part is almost as incredible. The Smiths were truly a once-in-a-lifetime band.
Xtian, can I pre-request an REM review on RITH? I’ll be missing the show, which I’m kind of sorry about, but not too sorry, since the sound of the waves kind of makes up for missing the sound of Johnny Marr. Almost.
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:18 am
Yummy. This is why I fell in love with the Smiths.
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:23 am
RANK is the only Smiths album I actually own on vinyl. Don’t see too many used Smiths records around, and for good reason, I guess.