My
first serious girlfriend and I were together for 3 bullshit years. I qualify
‘bullshit’ for sensational purposes, but, really, in retrospect, I’m sure she’d
agree that our being together 1997-2000, based on an affinity for rebellious
coitus in forbidden places, skateboarding (pooooorly), and listening to (even
wooooorse) chugga-chugga-chugga hardcore Xvegan-straightedgeX bands, could easily
be considered ‘bullshit’. So, I say it again, ‘bullshit’. Robert Pollard, of
Guided By Voices has a slew of bullshit soundcheck/diatribes collected and
pressed to vinyl that he has drunkenly spewed, on stage, not “unwittingly”,
with recording equipment pointed at him, in or near Ohio, where I was born and
raized. BBoL, from Charlottesville, NC have posted, in a bio, that they are “influenced
by GBV and Harry Nilsson”. We share that irreverent love for pop music and the
desire to throw Elephant 6 Collective - style wall - of - sound - instrumentation in
the buried background. My 1st-Ex- once told me she had had Mr.
Pollard as a teacher in highschool. Whenever the class’d get antsy, he’d have
them “jump up on their desks and play air guitar for a few minutes.” She went
to Col. White…and I’m faily certain BP didn’t. BBoL aren’t either fully honest
or cognizant that they, too, love Brian Wilson. Pop music remains.
The
former and 2nd’sider-Caroliners have a lot in common, both in past
and future members? I wonder, with Bill Doss’s passing, oh, who will take up
the pop/psych-baton, and I also more-hopefully-wonderhope that one of these
members will bring us into the 2020’s with wider eyes; not just to witness, but
appreciate how many harmonies and contrapuntal melodies can fit into a pop
song, whether it’s paying homage to New Order, Emitt Rhodes or ELO. Have a
listen yourself with the links down below…
and/or
-
- Jacob An Kittenplan
Posts
