Of all the mainstream, heartland rockers, why is Tom Petty the one I actually like? Is it the trippy Alice in Wonderland video? The fact that he collaborated with all-time favorite Joni Mitchell (on a track that also featured … Billy Idol?)? It certainly isn’t the hair.
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Todd Rundgren
It seems appropriate to kick off September with Todd Rundgren, given his famous reference to needing to stay after school for making the teacher want to dance to his hot drum licks. Todd is also quite the teacher. He taught us that if you record an album with “just” your voice and a voice synthesizer that can mimic the sound of pretty much any instrument, it’s basically cheating to call the album A Cappella. He also taught that, with very few exceptions, white guys shouldn’t try to rap.
Tina Turner
Tina Turner is a walking testimonial to the benefits of Buddhism and vegetarianism (also, marrying a billionaire and expatriating to Switzerland). You know how people say, “I hope I look that good when I’m her age?” Shoot: I wish I looked that good now. Also: Private Dancer, greatest comeback album of all time and one of the best ever, period. This one’s for Tim, RIP.
Tim Buckley
Tim Buckley: Critically acclaimed, cover-model looks, died young. Son Jeff: Critically acclaimed, cover-model looks, died young. There’s a story there.
They Might Be Giants
So one time Leigh put on some They Might Be Giants, and after about a half-hour she said, “Don’t you get kind of tired of their snarky cynicism?” Well, no, actually. Besides, “Every jumbled pile of person has a thinking part that wonders what the part that isn’t thinking isn’t thinking of” may be the greatest lyric of all time.
Thelonious Monk
In my real next life, I want to be Monk’s … you know, the guy who hangs around while Monk does his Monk thing. Miles might get the title, but to me, Monk will always be the coolest kid in school.
Terence Blanchard
So first, Cedric asked Ray and I to pick up some mannequins for him from this free mannequin giveaway, but the giveaway turned out to be a hoax. Then we were going to get dinner at his favorite pizza place, but they had gone out of business. And then he said he had two tickets to see Terence Blanchard that night and did I want to go—but the tickets were for the Thursday show. It was Friday.
So what I’m saying is, not the best day for Cedric.
Temptations
Of all the Temptations moments of awesomeness (basically, all of them), my personal favorite is “Ball of Confusion.” The song that not only parallels the “eve of destruction” with a “tax deduction” (because, huh?) but also says the safest place to live is on an Indian reservation. I’ll bet the remnants of the Native American population were relieved to hear that.
Television
There is a funny joke to be made about forming a music group and naming it “television.” And no, I don’t know what it is. Also: Many songs with one-word titles.
Techno Pop
When “Sweet Dreams” came out in 1983, it was my favorite song of the year by far. My sisters, who were more in the “rockin’ to REO Speedwagon” school, thought I was a weirdo. Thirty years later, not much has changed.
Playlist of the Day 