friday five - 03.04.09 - name-dropping

Name-dropping is fun. Admit it. Say that you went to a rock show and, I dunno, hugged the keyboardist of Voxtrot. In the next conversation you have that pertains to Voxtrot and/or keyboards and/or rock shows in general, you might be inclined to say, "Hey, yeah, I got a hug from Jared Van Fleet." Cue the 'ooh's and 'aah's. Unless, of course, the person you're talking to has no idea what a Voxtrot is, and therefore merely stares at you with the confusion of a thousand amnesiacs.

This week's Friday Five is based on name-dropping. These songs have celebrities or well-known figures as a common theme, and unfortunately I haven't met all of them yet.

Yet.

I will tell you, though, as a conscious deviation and relative aside: I plan on seriously partying with Elvis in the afterlife. I mean, for a conservative sonovabitch, he sure knew how to do it. Seriously. What's a few inches on your colon diameter between friends?



Alternative Champs - "Shaquille" (mp3|4.69MB): Nothing like a flashback to the 90s to keep you on your metaphorical toes. Everyone remembers Shaq. Even the people who don't want to remember Shaq remember Shaq. He had this candy bar that was made of delicious chocolate and caramel and rice crisps. How could you forget someone with a scrumptious candy bar namesake? Anyway, this song is all about Shaq, and - being of the repertoire of the Alternative Champs - is delightfully cheery and sardonic at the same time. Free throw? Say what?
(from the 2005 album Welcome to Fort Awesome)

Brand New - "Jesus" (mp3|7.28MB): Yeah, I had to do it. I mean, the Big Guy is pretty much the most famous figure in history (besides, of course, Prince). Besides, I had to work in a Brand New song somewhere, so this might as well be it. (THANKS A LOT, CHRIS.) A song about life, and spirituality - and dealing with life and spirituality. A must-have for any introspective music nerd's collection.
(from the 2006 album The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me)

John Vanderslice - "Bill Gates Must Die" (mp3|5.11MB): You know John Vanderslice, right? "Kookaburra," "White Dove"? Wrong. I want to say that this is John Vanderslice before he got all John-Van-der-slice-y, but somehow that doesn't feel right. No, I think I'm just going to call it out for what it is: awesome. Who hasn't felt that pull of homicidal rage when confronted with what might pass for a monkey at the other end of the world-wide-wubs? I know I have. So admit it, and play this while plotting your revenge at the collective dweeb-mind.
(from the 2000 album Mass Suicide Occult Figurines)

Okkervil River - "Bruce Wayne Campbell Interviewed on the Roof of the Chelsea Hotel, 1979" (mp3|8.30MB): First of all, this song gets immediate points for having a ridiculously long name. This is something I've figured out about myself. I will systematically favour music with the longest names before I even listen to the album in question just because of the tendency toward absurdity. (By the way, Okkervil River's The Stand-Ins is an awesome album through-and-through, and you should listen to it right now.) Secondly, the story of Jobriath (or Bruce Wayne Campbell, as he was born) is one of the saddest stories in glam that I've ever heard. Seriously, it's like seeing a clown with stars painted over their eyes cry. His act was overpublicised, his agent spent too much money, and he ended up doing cabaret (which, to be honest, I would have liked to be around to see). It's another story about stardom and demise, but it's one that I've found to be more fascinating with time.
(from the 2008 album The Stand-Ins)

Rasputina - "Howard Hughes" (mp3|4.44MB): Despite their employment of a cello for one of their lead instruments (and still I remain a loyal string-whore to heart), Rasputina has never really grabbed me with an album. They've always seemed a little atonal for my taste - a little too "witches' orchestra." Sure, they've got the creepy factor down. Which is why I promote this one track - "Howard Hughes" - for the public's consumption. It's Rasputina doing what they do best, but it's at least moderately in line with actual events, and they do wonderfully with the exploitation of human fault. It's a little gritty, but it's worth getting used to. "Howard Hughes" is an exemplary piece of music.
(from the 1996 album Thanks for the Ether)

And here, friends, again I bid farewell. If my name be in lights by the next time we meet, please take it down as I'm liable to burn and blister, nasty things, must keep away from the light -


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