[net.music] Robyn Hitchcock, etc.

chrisb@haddock.UUCP (06/06/85)

A few weeks ago someone wrote something about Robyn Hitchcock and the Soft
Boys. I am heavy into this guy and his bands, and have several of his/their
albums:

1. Soft Boys-  "A Can Of Bees"   Their first and probably most twisted album.
		Raw production and lyrics that could send a nun into a bad
		trip make this a challenging record to listen to.

2. Soft Boys-  "Only The Stones Remain" The first side is studio stuff, the
		second is live. Features a version of the Syd Barrett
		classic "Astronomy Domine". Best cut: "Where are the Prawns?".

3. Soft Boys-  "Invisible Hits" This may be the best batch yet. Vicious
		lyrics. What can I say? He writes beautiful songs.

4. Soft Boys-  "Underwater Moonlight" Probably their most well-produced/
		commercial-sounding album, but has some killer numbers on it.

5. Robyn Hithcock-"Black Snake Diamond Roll" Good Solid Acidified pop.

6. Kimberley Rew-"The Bible of Bop" features songs by the dB's (with Mitch
		Easter), an early version of the Waves, and the Soft Boys.
		There's a great song by the dB's on there called "my baby
		does her hair-do long".

I know that he has a new band called The Egyptions with an album out. What
I've heard of it is good. They are supposed to be coming to play in Boston
on July 5. I hope they make it.

Why do great bands like this go unnoticed by the masses in this country?
Do Americans really have bad taste, or are they just brain-washed by the
evil business people in the music industry? It seems that most people only
get into tunes which are the musical equivalent of Wonder Bread. Lame, boring
and uninspired. I hate Madonna, Micheal Jackson, and most of the crappola
I see on MTV. Does anybody else? The only place where it is possible to hear
good new music is at the left end of the radio dial: college stations.
WMBR in Boston is the best one.

nessus@mit-eddie.UUCP (Doug Alan) (06/14/85)

[All aboard Brenda'a iron sledge. Please don't call me Reg--it's not my name!]

> [From chrisb@haddock.UUCP]

> A few weeks ago someone wrote something about Robyn Hitchcock and the
> Soft Boys. I am heavy into this guy and his bands, and have several of
> his/their albums:

A friend of mine just recently made me a tape of Robyn Hitchcock's
"Black Snake Diamond Role".  I had never heard of him before, but this
album is great!  The best psychelic pop I've ever heard (except perhaps
some of Pink Floyd's early pop stuff).

Too bad the other half of the Soft Boys decided to make money by
polluting the airwaves!

> I know that he has a new band called The Egyptions with an album out. What
> I've heard of it is good. They are supposed to be coming to play in Boston
> on July 5. I hope they make it.

Where???  I'll be there!

> Why do great bands like this go unnoticed by the masses in this country?

The masses are stupid!  50% of the population has an IQ of less than
100.  90% or so less than 120.  They even voted for Reagan!  Scary, huh?!

> Do Americans really have bad taste, or are they just brain-washed by the
> evil business people in the music industry?

Yes, yes.

> It seems that most people only get into tunes which are the musical
> equivalent of Wonder Bread. Lame, boring and uninspired. I hate
> Madonna, Micheal Jackson, and most of the crappola I see on MTV. Does
> anybody else?

Wonderbread at least is okay to put peanut butter and jelly on!  What
can you use a Madonna or Michael Jackson album for?  A compass that
draws only two sizes of circles?  A frizbee that hurts too much to
catch.  Kindling for a smelly fire?  A flimsy tray?  A place mat?  I
give up.

> The only place where it is possible to hear good new music is at the
> left end of the radio dial: college stations.  WMBR in Boston is the
> best one.

I wholeheartedly agree about radio and particularly about WMBR.  The
fact that I do a radio show on WMBR in no way biases my opinion!

			"You wear the lizard's shoes
			 And afterwords you get confused"

			 Doug Alan
			  nessus@mit-eddie.UUCP {or ARPA}


P.S.  It's on once or twice a month on Late Nite (12:30 am to 2:30 am),
usually on a Tuesday, and is called "Dreamtime".