[net.music] Birdsongs of the Mesozoic and Shy Five Live

nessus@mit-eddie.UUCP (Doug Alan) (07/28/85)

[Will August 7th never come???]

I just got back from seeing *Shy Five* and *Birdsongs of The Mesozoic*.
Shy Five is a five person reggae-ish band: 2 guitarist/singers, 1 bass
guitarist, 1 drummer/singer (female), and 1 keyboardist/singer (female).
Lyrically they were pretty inane, but honest and correct.  I guess
reggae isn't really about intellectuality anyway.  Musically the were
very very good (and I'm not a huge fan of reggae) and very tight.
Definitely go see them if they come to your area.

I've told you about Birdsongs of The Mesozoic before, and as before they
were so awesome the mind boggles.  They did their seven minute version
of "The Rite of Spring"!  They did their version of the theme from
"Rocky and Bullwinkle"!  They did a great Brian Eno piece!  They did
loads and loads of their own perfect compositions!  They played for 1.5
hours of what was for me total and complete ecstacy!  What more could
one ask for for $5?  What more could one ask for of life?  I even got
them all to autograph my album!

How can you go on living your poor pathetic lives knowing you missed
this show?

			-Doug Alan
			  nessus@mit-eddie.UUCP (or ARPA)

jeffw@tekecs.UUCP (Jeff Winslow) (07/30/85)

> I've told you about Birdsongs of The Mesozoic before, and as before they
> were so awesome the mind boggles.  They did their seven minute version
> of "The Rite of Spring"!  etc.......
> 
> 
> How can you go on living your poor pathetic lives knowing you missed
> this show?

It'll be hard, but with the help of Stravinsky's forty-five minute version
(or thereabouts) of the Rite of Spring, I'll make it.

					Smile...
					  Jeff Winslow

rlr@pyuxd.UUCP (Rich Rosen) (08/01/85)

>>I've told you about Birdsongs of The Mesozoic before, and as before they
>>were so awesome the mind boggles.  They did their seven minute version
>>of "The Rite of Spring"!  etc.......
>>
>>
>>How can you go on living your poor pathetic lives knowing you missed
>>this show?

> It'll be hard, but with the help of Stravinsky's forty-five minute version
> (or thereabouts) of the Rite of Spring, I'll make it.
> 					  Jeff Winslow

That was Jeff Winslow, of the school of "older/bigger/pompouser is better".

A new version of Le Sacre performed on completely different instruments
couldn't POSSIBLY be interesting, could it, Jeff?  (It happens to be
one of the neatest things I'd heard in a long time.)
-- 
"iY AHORA, INFORMACION INTERESANTE ACERCA DE... LA LLAMA!"
	Rich Rosen    ihnp4!pyuxd!rlr

jeffw@tekecs.UUCP (Jeff Winslow) (08/08/85)

> >>I've told you about Birdsongs of The Mesozoic before, and as before they
> >>were so awesome the mind boggles.  They did their seven minute version
> >>of "The Rite of Spring"!  etc.......
> >>
> >>
> >>How can you go on living your poor pathetic lives knowing you missed
> >>this show?
> 
> > It'll be hard, but with the help of Stravinsky's forty-five minute version
> > (or thereabouts) of the Rite of Spring, I'll make it.
> > 					  Jeff Winslow
> 
> That was Jeff Winslow, of the school of "older/bigger/pompouser is better".
 
Sheesh! What'd I do now?

I guess that was Rich Rosen, of the school of "slander people with different
musical tastes". What's the matter, get up on the wrong side of a straw man
that morning?


> A new version of Le Sacre performed on completely different instruments
> couldn't POSSIBLY be interesting, could it, Jeff?  (It happens to be
> one of the neatest things I'd heard in a long time.)

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and take this as a serious question.

The best answer to your literal question is that I've heard Le Sacre performed,
live, on two pianos, and loved every minute of it.

However, since you seem to have gotten it in to your head that I've got
something against the Birdsongs of the Mesozoic version, let me answer this way:

It's probably very interesting. In fact, if I get a chance, I'd like to
hear it. Although I don't see how it can possibly be more interesting, or
satisfying, than the original, which in my opinion is one of the most
magnificent works in Western music (take that, JSB fans!). Just as the
two-piano version, while fascinating, can't match the richness of the
orchestral work.

I notice Doug didn't complain about my reply. Probably he had sense
enough to realize that I wasn't attempting any kind of serious putdown
of the 7-minute version, just as he couldn't have been seriously thinking
that everyone who missed the show couldn't go on with their "poor, pathetic"
lives because of it. (Could he? Oh, hi Doug, uh, er...) Maybe he even
*likes* the "old, big, and pompous" original (horrors!). Or am I reading
too much into what you say? Pardon me, it seems to be contagious.

                                   lover of unreal music,
					Jeff Winslow