------------------------------------------
VOLUME 71, sent April 30, 1997
Topics in this issue:
1. Re: Artists or cultural phenomena?
2. Steve Winwood article
3. Youthful intro to Steve
4. Re: The Stones
5. Need Your Help!
6. Classic rock artists
7. Re: VH1
8. Birthday Greetings, and Mailbombing threat
9. CD singles
10. Review of last night's London show
------------------------------------------
1*1*1*1*1*1*1*1*1*1*1*1*1
From: "Elena Iglio"
Subject: Re: Artists or cultural phenomena?
Date: Sun, 20 Apr 1997 17:11:47 +0200
Never want to fight a Mason fan, but.....
NO need to remind me who the Stones are. There are also mass cultural
phenomena, like Madonna or Take That, not that I want to compare them to
the Stones artistically, but I think they fall into this category to some extent. If
you believe that selling more concert tickets or records made them better
musicians than Winwood or Traffic.... well, what about the great jazzmen who,
compared to rock musicians, didn't make any money? Certainly Charlie Parker
didn't sell 100,000 concert tickets, but isn't he remembered and respected more
than Julio Iglesias will ever be? The Stones wrote some great numbers,
concede, but they didn't change the conception and history of popular music
like Elvis or the Beatles. The blues was there before the Stones, and most blues
singers sang, and sing, far better than Jagger.... To remain in 60's England,
have you ever heard Eric Burdon? But some are lucky and some aren't......
I think their success was first due to their identification with a part of that
"deviant" juvenile behaviour that defied conservative adults in the sixties in
England their abuse and outrageous behavior, at least till they MEANT
something, till Black and Blue, to me. Afterwards, they ended up sounding -
and looking PATHETIC - especially onstage. They have already said all what
they had to say after Black and Blue - with maybe the exception of
EMOTIONAL RESCUE (The song, not the whole record.) I have never seen
them live, apart from the R'n'R circus, but have live bootlegs and records and
they play really badly. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE REASON FOR
THEM TO GO ON IF NOT MONEY?
I won't even answer about the Beatles. History speaks, and will keep on
speaking itself. Or do you seriously think that they couldn't play and especially
sing live?
Traffic preoccupation was NEVER money - they were the only band to tour
before releasing a record, like in 1974, and I think Far From Home was much
more of a tribute than anything else. If Winwood wanted to make money, well,
he just had to release another "Higher Love".... I have the suspicion that you
want to bite back on Traffic as musicians for obvious reasons... Ah, what
different would it have been with old Dave in.....
Sincerely,
Ellie
2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2
Date: Sun, 27 Apr 1997 13:12:09 -0400 (EDT)
From: MikeW
Subject: Steve Winwood article
Hi! The new Mojo ( May issue) has a seven page article on Steve. Gives
childhood background up to professional career. Some nice pictures, references
new LP, but doesn't focus on it. Mojo is a British R&R magazine. The best
one out there for my money!
3*3*3*3*3*3*3*3*3*3*3*3*3
Date: Sun, 27 Apr 1997 13:17:35 -0500
From: Yui-chan
Subject: Youthful intro to Steve
Well, first I would like to note that I may end up being one of the youngest
people on the list. I am only 19 now and joined back when I was 17 around SP
12 or so. I'm currently a sophomore in college.
My real intro to music came in 5th grade when two things happened. I moved
from Chicago to Fort Wayne, Indiana; and I also got my first stereo alarm
clock. This was 1986-87, right around the time a certain Winwood album
came out, oh, what was that one called, High something or other, I can't quite
recall =)
I had listened to music before that, but it was always what other people were
listening to, not what I choose. When I got to FtW there was a station there,
97.3 WMEE. For some reason, in addition to all the other Winwood songs, at
4 and 7 pm they would play, every day, "Valerie". In fact, when I bought _The
Finer Things_ I was shocked to see that "Valerie" had come out years before all
the _High Life_ things because it was played like a current single.
So a nice little station introduced me to Winwood. In fact, when I think of the
groups I like, they all had something up aright around '86-'87. Prince had
_Sign 'O the Times_ out with "The Look" and such on it. Mellencamp (I was
in Indiana, after all) had _Lonesome Jubilee_ with "Cherry Bomb" and such.
REO Speedwagon had a single, "In My Dreams" out. The Moody Blues had
_The Other Side of Life_ with "Your Wildest Dreams". And then, of course,
the Dean for a percussion player was _Hysteria_ by Def Leppard with it's one-
armed drummer. the summer of 1986 through 1987 was the time I was brought
into the fandom of music and it was just a good time to be brought in.
I feel sorry for the kids who started listening after I did. I mean, imagine
becoming aware of music when the "best" thing out there was Nirvana or
something like that.
Oh, yes, and allow me to clarify what I meant by the word "angst" in previous
letters. Yes, many artists have expressed a lot of different emotions, sorrow,
love, joy, hate, and so on. However, I wouldn't say that Winwood has done
anything angst because he does other stuff. "Angst" occurs when a person
categorically denies the existence of any other emotions besides self-loathing
and hate. I hear too much of that today.
And for Ellie, listen to "Gimme Shelter" by the Stones, hear Keith on Guitar,
hear Mick go, and you will realize that the Stone are no musical footnote to be
forgotten. Footnotes don't do music like that.
Eric
4*4*4*4*4*4*4*4*4*4*4*4*4
From: "Stephen MacDougall"
Subject: Re: The Stones
Date: Sun, 27 Apr 1997 15:27:15 -0400
> I always thought, and sign my opinion, that the Stones will be
> forgotten or only remembered as a cultural phenomenon as opposed
> to the Beatles. The Beatles and Traffic will still be remembered
> in the future as True Musicians.
I think that the Stones will be remembered as musicians, and as one of the
more important bands in rock history. Some people want to give Clapton or the
Beatles credit for introducing Americans to the blues, but I think the Stones
were the first British band to not only play the blues, but they actually sounded
like the blues. As a band, they may have a formula, but individually they're all
quite talented musicians. Keith Richards made the rhythm guitar a respectable
instrument. He also opened up countless possibilities with alternate tunings and
recording techniques for many other guitarists. Charlie Watts plays jazz as a
solo artist. Mick, as a solo artist, has always been on the artsy side. Mick
Taylor and his successor Ron Wood are both highly respected guitarists. Ron
was a member of the Jeff Beck group, and Mr. Beck is about as diverse as you
can get. However, as a band, people want the Stones to sound...well, like the
Stones. Also, the Stones were always more of a live band than Traffic or the
Beatles. They're at their best on stage, not in the studio. Besides, what would
you expect from a band named after a Muddy Waters song??
Also, not to cause a huge fight or anything, but the Stones have consistently
sold out shows for the better part of 35 years. I'd say that's more than a cultural
phenomenon. But Traffic didn't do too well when they played by themselves in
terms of sales back in 94, and everyone knows who SW is. To me, the Stones
are as much of an artistic group as Traffic and the Beatles, just in a very
different way. Their art was in simulating African American music onstage.
Steve MacDougall
5*5*5*5*5*5*5*5*5*5*5*5*5
From: "Angie C "
(with help from BobbieG.)
Subject: Need Your Help!
Date: Sun, 27 Apr 1997 20:35:24 -0400
We are trying to get Traffic into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. I have
collected over 194 signatures which I am going to send in around June. Most
of the Traffic fans out here do not have the Internet so I had to resort to a
petition-like document with signatures. Here is where I thought Smiling
Phases could help. Since we have already established that Steve is not eligible,
perhaps they will work with Traffic. Eric Clapton is already in there twice.
(Yardbirds & Cream) Steve could be in there twice, as well. Everyone said
Traffic does not have a chance but are going along with me anyway. What is
the harm in trying, I say. At least they'll know they have a lot of fans out here.
I found an easy way to do it on the Internet.
1. Go to http://www.rockhall.com/
2. Click on Speak Your Mind.
3. Click on Inductee Forum. The URL to get there directly is
http://www.rockhall.com/HyperNews/get/forums/inductees.html
4. Click on message # 239. The URL to get there directly is
http://www.rockhall.com/HyperNews/get/forums/inductees/239.html
5. Read it, and then click on Add Message at the bottom to add your comment.
Thanxs and Take Care,
Angie
[You can also start your own message thread if you don't like mine. After step
3, just click on Add Message and follow the directions. -BG]
6*6*6*6*6*6*6*6*6*6*6*6*6
From: Winwoodie@aol.com
Date: Mon, 28 Apr 1997 03:30:07 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Classic rock artists
I've noticed a trend that we sometimes put down other great classic rock
musicians like Capaldi, Mason, Clapton, The Artist, The Rolling Stones etc. I
am pretty sure we would all agree the above are great musicians but we, the
subscribers to SP, just think SW is so much better. Let's remember that most of
the above artists had a profound effect on SW. The web sites for some of the
other artists put down our SW as well. We all think our guy is best
respectively. But someone recently (sorry I don't remember who) said that the
Beatles & Traffic's music will endure the test of time. I totally agree and think
that most of the Beatles & most of SW's music will be the classics of the future:
kind of like the way Beethoven & Stravinsky are today.
Craig
7*7*7*7*7*7*7*7*7*7*7*7*7
Date: Mon, 28 Apr 1997 09:01:32 -0400 (EDT)
From: Kathy Brooks
Subject: Re: VH1
This is in response to Scott:
>"What self-respecting band of today or in a 1960's scenario would
>actually appear on the unhip, out-of-touch, oldies hits channel
>VH1? VH1 isn't about music, it's about business and nostalgia,
>and (no offense to Steve) so was the Honors concert. The best
>bands out there today are probably the ones that aren't making
>any videos at all."
YIKES! I obviously missed that one, otherwise I would have been racing Sol to
get my comments in.
VH1...I SUFFER because I do not get VH1. I do get MTV - a channel that is
NEVER on in my house. Why, you ask? It may portray being "hip" and "in-
touch", however, I do not call their programming, which consists of 3 minutes
of pernicious gangsta-rap and 10 minutes of accostive commercials, hip. I call
it aggravating and condescending. I do not think that their programming is a
good influence on the young minds of the world.
Classic-style music, however, can be nurturing and breeds thought and
creativity. Unfortunately, we are becoming a purely visual society, and therefore
videos are needed to help to bring the musical ideas to the masses. Bands that
are not making videos are either too unknown or too ugly. Music is a business,
that can't be avoided. I'll stop WHINING now! :-)
BTW, I'm 33 NOT 70 too!
- Kat
8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8
From: "BobbieG."
Date: Mon, 28 Apr 1997 10:44:13 -0700
Subject: Birthday Greetings, and Mailbombing threat
Are you all thinking of your Birthday Greetings? I'd like some more! I've got
12 and I want AT LEAST 30. You have till May 5.
A person who is no longer a Subscriber has threatened to mailbomb me over
some supposed slights to Sheryl Crow in SP. I have of course informed the
postmaster at his ISP and at mine. If you get any 'nastygrams' over anything
you may have said, from a person whose email address starts with "ssf", please
forward them to me and I will handle it from here.
Thanks, and sorry,
Bobbie
(Like threatening to mailbomb me is going to make me think any
more highly of Crow or her fans ...... sheesh.)
9*9*9*9*9*9*9*9*9*9*9*9*9
Date: Wed, 30 Apr 1997 08:33:40 -0500
From: srseim@students.wisc.edu (Steven Robert Seim)
Subject: CD singles
Regarding the CD singles that have been mentioned a few issues ago:
The One and Only Man and Some Kinda Woman CD singles are available (at
$3 and $7 plus shipping, respectively) from FM Singles on the Web
(http://fmsingles.com/). The only downside is that they have to import them, so
it takes about 3 weeks.
I was also able to obtain the Here Comes a Man and Some Kinda Woman
singles (at $10 each plus shipping) from Intergalactic Garage (also on the
Web)--call 304-876-6818. This is a used CD store, so I might have gotten the
last copies, but I'm not sure. With this store, though, you get your CDs within
2-3 days.
The extra Traffic cuts on Here Comes... and Some Kinda... are definitely worth
the money. I just got One and Only Man so I haven't heard Always yet.
Has anyone else found any singles that are (or might be) still available?
Steve Seim
10*10*10*10*10*10*10*10*10
Date: Wed, 30 Apr 1997 15:01:13 +0000
From: Humphrey Keenlyside
Subject: Review of last night's London show
SW was on top form last night at his London show: the new songs came out
very well, especially one with a Latin/salsa beat. They were generally of a
much higher standard than those on his last album (mind you - that wouldn't be
difficult!) Of the old songs, Roll With It and Higher Love were excellent. The
band was top rate: brass, back-up singers, the works. Above all, his voice is
still in fantastic shape - and he looked very well, too. Let's hope tapes of his
club shows emerge in due course!
Best
Humphrey
------------------------------------------
END OF SMILING PHASES, VOL 71
