SOUNDTRACK: see below.
[READ: August 2021] Rock Stars On The Record
I saw this book at work and rolled my eyes. I thought well, here’s another book about musicians talking about music.
Really, most musicians aren’t very interesting and it was probably just the same old same olds talking about albums that have been praised to high heaven already.
But then I saw a few names that intrigued me. So I read it. And it was fantastic because Eric Spitznagel did a magnificent job with this task.
Not only because he chose diverse people (some hardly even rock stars, really) who had interesting things to say, but because of the way he followed up his questions with better questions–questions that the musicians seemed excited to answer.
And also because the list of people turned out to be really interesting. I didn’t recognize a number of names, but that’s because they might have been the guitarist for a famous lead singer). And this made it really interesting.
I don’t know if it’s worth stating the why’s of each person here (each interview is basically four pages) but I will state each person’s favorite record (with a few extra comments here and there).
Angelo Moore [Fishbone]–Bad Brains-The Yellow Tape (1982)
Moore has some fascinating insight into being young and black in the mid 80s living in white neighborhood and how Bad Brains saved his life from racists.
Alice Bag–David Bowie-Hunky Dory (1971)
She was originally slated to open for the Bikini Kill show that was postponed. After reading this I wish she was still opening.
Donny Osmond-Stevie Wonder-My Cherie Amour (1969)
This interview was outstanding. Never in my life did I think that I would be interested in Donny Osmond and yet he revealed a side of himself that I never knew. And his relationship to Stevie Wonder is pretty amazing.
James Alex [Beach Slang]–The Who-Tommy (1969)
I was fascinated that the book had Beach Slang in here.
Suzi Quatro–Bob Dylan-Blonde on Blonde (1966)
I always forget that Leather Tuscadero had a real career and I feel like I need to check out her music.
Cherie Currie [The Runaways]–David Bowie-Diamond Dogs (1974) and Suzi Quatro-Your Mamma Won’t Like Me (1975)
This is one of the first cool transitions–with Suzi connected like that. At the end Cherie says how much she loved “American Pie” and Spitzangel says he talked to McLean for the book and he promises to put their interviews back to back like they were holding hands.
Don McLean–Buddy Holly-The Buddy Holly Story (1959)
This is pretty interesting reading about how this album influenced him although he turns into crotchety old man at the end: “most of what’s out there now is more like Liberace…it’s all for show.”
Mojo Nixon–George Thoroughgood and the Destroyers-Move It On Over (1978)
Okay first I was really surprised to see Mojo Nixon in here. But I was not surprised to read that he is as dopey as his lyrics make him seem. And the fact that he likes George Thoroughgood–good giref. Although his reaction to Thoroughgood is hilarious “if this guy can get on the radio, maybe I could get on the radio…if this guy is a singer then I’m a fucking singer.”
Kristin Hersh–The Left Banke-Walk Away Renee/Pretty Ballerina (1967)
Very sweet that her parents had this record and she has passed it on to her son.
Perry Farrell–The Concert for Bangladesh (1972)
First off, Perry Farrell’s brother played in The Left Bank (see Kristin Hersh). Farrell says he loved that all the musicians got together to jam and record for a good cause. He daydreamed of putting on a concert to help people (which is not what Lollapalooza became, but still).
Frank Turner–Iron Maiden-Killers (1982)
This whole thing was great–how Killers totally took over his life and he became a die hard Iron Maiden fan and no doubt his dad regretted buying him the album. He also comments that he can’t believe how much everyone loves Oasis in the States because Oasis is like the British Nickelback.
Mark Mothersbaugh–The Buggs-The Beetle Beat: The Original Liverpool Sound (1964)
Mark couldn’t afford a Beatles album and he saw this for 99 cents. He as 12 and didn’t realize it was a rip off until he got home. But then, he went back and appreciated the weirdness of it.
Alison Mosshart [The Kills]–Captain Beefheart-Safe as Milk (1970)
Damon Johnson (lead guitarist Alice Cooper)–Van Halen-Van Halen (1978)
How he heard of this album is pretty great as is the way it blew his mind. The guitar in “Running with the Devil” is like a punch in the face. And then “Eruption”! But the best is the end when he says his wife told him to say “Don’t forget to tell him that whenever you cut the grass the only thing you listen to on the headphones is Van Halen.” He says, “I can almost see my daughter’s face grimacing Dad’s listening to Van Halen, he must be cutting the grass.”
David Pirner [Soul Asylum]–The Velvet Underground-Loaded (1970)
Patterson Hood [Drive-By Truckers] Todd Rundgren-Something/Anything (1972)
Says he used to listen to records based on how cool the album cover looked so he never picked this album because the cover is lame. But his friend told him to satrt with side four nd it changed his life.
Wendy Melvoin & Lisa Coleman [Wendy & Lisa] Stevie Wonder-Talking Book (1972) & Dionne Warwick-Here I Am (1965)
This was a sweet look at the two singers–it covers their younger days together.
Chris Stein [Blondie] Performance soundtrack (1970)
He enjoyed musical soundtracks
Tommy Row [olde pop singer] Jerry Lee Lewis-“Whole Lotta Shaking Goin On” single (1957)
Mac Demarco–John Lennon-John Lennon Plastic Ono Band (1970)
I feel like a lot of people don’t like Mac Demarco and I don’t know enough about him to know why. But this interview made me like him–he was very funny. Although i find it odd that he’s never heard of primal scream therapy.
Mia Berrin [Pom Pom Squad] Hole-Live Through This (1994)
I had just heard of Pom Pom Squad because they are going to open for Nada Surf. I knew nothing about them and I’m thrilled that he got her for this book. Although this tells me that Mia is the daughter of MC Serch which is pretty fascinating. I was pleased to have a newer album like this make the list.
Mike Bishop [Blothar the Berserker from Gwar]–The Sex pistols–Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols (1977)
This seemed a little too obvious, but it’s interesting to hear him talk about why this album was so important to him. He came from a Christian household. But I really enjoyed that his Christian grandma had a copy of Kiss Rock and Roll Over and he never found out why.
Geoff Downes [Asia, The Buggles]–Procol Harum-A Whiter Shade of Pale (1967)
This album was important to him because of the prominence of the organ which was unheard of in popular music at the time.
Mitski Miyawaki–Bjork-Vespertine (2001) & M.I.A. Arular (2005)
A brief glimpse into Mistki’s life and how Bjork freaked her out when she first heard the album.
“Weird Al” Yankovic–Elton John-Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)
He learned how to play this album on accordion, which almost made him cool
Caithlin de Marrais [Rainer Maria]–Depeche Mode-Black Celebration (1986)
She loved OMD who opened for Depeche Mode and when Depeche Mode came on, her life as she knew it changed. One of her sisters was unimpressed and called Depeche Mode “the music of dark armies marching.”
Amanda Shires–Leonard Cohen-Songs of Love and Hate (1971)
Shire has Cohen lyrics tattooed on her body which is all I need to know.
Ian Mackaye [Fugazi, Minor Threat, etc] Woodstock Original soundtrack (1970)
This may be the most surprising revelation. But when Ian was a kid he used to stare at this gatefold album and listen to it all the time. Best line in the interview. Ian MacKaye and Henry Rollins saw Ted Nugent a bunch when they were younger, it “is so hard to imagine Ted Nugent today is, you know…kind of a tool”
Marisa Dabice [Mannequin Pussy]–Yeah Yeah Yeahs-Fever to Tell (2003)
I was so excited that Marisa Dabice made it in here. Is Spiznagel from Philly? How did he find this fairly obscure band? I have never gotten in to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs but Marisa’s story makes me want to try them out again. She even stole Karen O’s microphone when Mannequin Pussy opened or them. She apologized for that, but she still has it. Also, Marisa had cancer when she was fifteen.
James Petralli [White Denim]–Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention-Freak Out (1966)
I don’t really know White Denim but I think I’d like them. His father was a Major League Baseball player, but he didn’t want is son doing music because it wasn’t a secure career [!].
Laura Ballance [Superchunk]–Adam and the Ants-Kings of the Wild Frontier (1980)
This is a funny interview. She says she loved horses so she listened to the Black Beauty soundtrack every day; “I did not gain access to a horse by listening to it.” She loved the androgyny of Adam and the Ants and also loved Ted Turner for giving Atlanta free cable so she could see a free Adam and the Ants concert on TV.
Verdine White [Earth Wind and Fire]–a stack of 45s
He was playing music from a very young age and even had a song of his own on the radio when he was in high school.
Craig Finn–The Replacements-Let It Be (1984)
He grew up in Minnesota and it was amazing that the ‘Mats lived nearby. He spent years looking for the Let It Be house.
Laura Jane Grace [Against Me!]–Crass-The Feeding of the 5,000 (1978)
I’ve never really gotten into Crass and this interview makes me really want to.
Wayne Kramer [MC5]–John Coletrane-Ascencion (1966) & The Who Sings My Generation (1966)
Coltrane introduced him to free jazz and Pete Townshend smashing a guitar at the end of My Generation blew his mind.
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