THAT 70s BAND

Every Thursday night for about half of each of the last three years I have recorded Lost. Yes, despite some dodgy episodes over the journey I'm still watching Lost and, in fact, despite it wallowing for the majority of 2007, with some episodes being outright slop, the last quarter of this season was superb. But this post is not about Lost, it's about the show that precedes it, That 70s Show. Well, it's not actually about That 70s Show, it's about the end credits. Actually, it's about the opening credits, too. Clear? Good.

Anyhoo, whenever I record a show, I start the tape around five to ten minutes early. This gets the tape clear of the snags that mostly tend to happen early in the recording process. It also gives me a little latitude in case the program I'm recording starts early. Not that that's likely, what with program schedules being out by some five minutes the other way, but you never know, my clock could be stuffed. And that doesn't worry me, anyway; I mean, I know programs are going to air late. Only a cretin expects them to start on time. Used to be I could record three programs on three channels on a three hour tape and time them all perfectly. It's a bit like real-estate quoting. You know the bastards are going to quote low, so what's the problem, just add ten to twenty percent. Nor did it matter when I was recording Cheers and Kerry Packer pulled Dog Mulray's World's Dirtiest Animals, or whatever that disaster was called. That Cheers started so early (around half an hour) I would have missed by ages, anyway. Still, those kinds of things only happen once in a blue cheese.

Where was I? That's right, That 70s Show.

I've never seen That 70s Show. Not entirely. Because I start recording early, I've seen the last five to ten minutes on fast forward many, many times, and it was in that last few minutes that I recently spotted something that grabbed my attention. No, it wasn't the redhead. Sure, she goes alright, but on fast forward, and with no more than a speeded-up passing interest, I never stopped for a slowed-down perv. No, what grabbed me was a name in the credits - Alex Chilton. "What's he doing there?" I wondered, so I stopped the tape, rewound and discovered the title song for That 70s Show is a re-worked cover of Big Star's In The Street done by Cheap Trick.

It's about now you wonder: "That 70s Band? Which 70s band? Big Star or Cheap Trick?"

(If you can't see the embedded clip in IE, try this direct link.)

It's about Big Star. I won't say "naturally", or "of course" or "obviously, you fat head" because I happen to like Cheap Trick, I just like Big Star more; specifically, #1 Record.

Now, most of the readers here would know Big Star, I just felt like boosting #1 Record. It's not perfect, but it rocks. Get a load of these tracks: Feel, In The Street, Don't Lie To Me and When My Baby's Beside Me. Surely, those are four of the best-ever power pop guitar tracks. Even a couple of the lighter, more whimsical tracks rock out: The Ballad of El Goodo and My Life Is Right. Don't get me wrong, either, I quite like the Cheap Trick cover above. The kid doing air guitar - that's me. Well, not me, but like me. However, the cover lacks IT. You just know what IT is, don't you. IT is the cow bell. That ding-a-lingin' inspiration takes In The Street from Great to Really Great. Tell me you don't waggle your hand every time you hear IT. Nor is that the only bit of genius on the album. The other zinger lives in Don't Lie To Me. That's right, coming out of the second verse and into the third it's the penny whistle that accompanies the guitar crescendo. I think it's a penny whistle.

It's a pity Big Star couldn't keep it going. The second album, Radio City, funks it up and has it's moments, not the least September Gurls but it's ultimately less than the sum of its parts; while the third album, Third, is pretty relentless going. By the end you need herbal tea, a cold compress and an appointment with an analyst. Still, I mention them merely in passing. It's #1 that does it for me.

Oh, and it's a fuck sight better than Bat Out Of Hell, too, and most everything else released in the dreadful 1977.

By the way, did you watch the telecast of last year's Melbourne Cup? I hate horse racing: the wannabes, the pissed up slappers, the boofheads in multi coloured dress gear, fashions on the field, the blanket media coverage, the instant experts, the car park, the bird cage (Is there even a bird cage at Flemington?), the whole lot, but ... err ... naturally, the telly was on in the background. You could have knocked me down with plumage when the half time entertainment was provided by Chris Isaak - and it rocked! The only track I caught, and perhaps the only track he played, was a cover of Cheap Trick's I Want You To Want Me. If ever the AFL want to fire up the grand final "entertainment" they ought to take a leaf out of the VCA's book. Get a reasonably well known entertainer to cover a reasonably well known song and tell him to let it rip.

Comments

[Russ]

Did you have a blockage in your word pipe Tony?

It's all come gushing out at once.

Good post though.

[Gareth]

AS a dedicated TV watcher and Foxteller Tone, have you ever looked into IQ?

[Francis Xavier Holden]

Get a reasonably well known entertainer to cover a reasonably well known song and tell him to let it rip.

no no no no - those boofheads will see it as an opportunity to get Barnsey. Again. And he'll most likely murder a soul classic. Again.

See there is a need for user manuals - even a simple concept like that - which naturally I understand - can and will be ruined by idiots.

[Francis Xavier Holden]

Better still get Cheap Fuckin Trick out to perform. Now you're talking.

[Francis Xavier Holden]

hey and Alex Chilton. How about that. Gimme a Ticket for an Airplane....

[Francis Xavier Holden]

And another thing. What the hell has happened to good quality "power pop"?

No one does it at all now.

[Tony T.]

Thanks, Russ. As it happens, I've been pretty busy lately hence the high number of short posts, but oddly enough today I was still a bit busy but as you say, it all came gushing out. It only took me a little while to write the post, but I had to spend ages tarting it up as it was all over the place.

Gaz: I first heard about IQ about a year ago, my matey the Green Man swears by it and I've been meaning to sign up but keep forgetting. Or at any rate, keep telling myself I'll do that later. "You know you are getting old when it's too much effort to procrastinate." Dunno who said that; I'll look it up later. Boom. Tish.

FX: In the first draft I had "accomplished" in front of "entertainer". Dunno why I left it out, because I certainly meant to indicate that a good entertainer was what was needed and definitely not bastard Barnsey. Or, in fact, any of the Aussie music industry duds.

Just this evening Boynton asked me where I'd first heard of Big Star. I told her that I'd probably read about them in a magazine or heard of him via some other artist as is often the way of it. Then I said that it was probably because I'd heard he had a big hit with The Letter. (I thought he wrote it, but he's not cited here on Cocker Happy where it says it was written by a "Thompson".) Anyway, it was probably following on from that that I came across Big Star.

Right now I'm gonna put on my white vinyl copy of Like Flies On Sherbet.

[via collins]

One of the best, and most unique uses of Big Star as a blog post prompt evah! Very neat work Teach.

LX wound up in New Orleans living with a gal who was drumming for a swamp rock outfit whose name eascapes me. Oddly enough, he was the first person that came to mind when Katrina hit, and he turned up, a-okay in TX some days later.

Saw a reconstituted Big Star in Austin 5 years back, and there wasn't a thread that LX was wearing that my dad wouldn't have happily worn too. Good for my dad, but when the band are churning out the hits - as listed above - you'd rather he reminded you of someone else.

I had an absolute fucking ball too - reviews were a little mixed on the show, but I know exactly where I stood.

Joy.

[Francis Xavier Holden]

via collins - was it Tav Falco and Panther Burns?

[pat]

Hey hey hey, whoah whoah whoah, slow down there with "the dreadful 1977" knock. Bat Out of Hell is the working man's symphony and only an elitist wanna be cognoscenti cockhead would beg to differ if not demur.

Radio City's Big Star made #78 in Paul Gambaccini's 1987 Top 100 Albums with probably the most uninspired review of the lot. But then Trout Mask Replica got rave reviews so the reference is indifferent.

Albums of '77:

Billy Joel The Stranger
The Clash The Clash
Elvis Costllo My Aim is True
Fleetwood Mac Rumours
Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex Pistols Sex Pistols
Iggy Pop The Idiot
Iggy Pop Lust for Life
ELO New World Record (1976)
AC/DC Let there Be Rock
ABBA Arrival
Wings Wings Over America
Pink Floyd Animals (referenced in Lost)

and of course: Talking Heads 77

Just got Thin Lizzy's Live and Dangerous (1978) '76 and '77 tours, and I reckon it has to go on your list of top 100 of a while back. Brilliant, beautiful and unpretentiously bombastic from start to end. Cowboy Song is now in my top 10 songs of all time.

All in all just another great year from the 70s.

[pat]

Forgot to mention, good post. I like your wordier ones. The lack of artifice is refreshing. Makes me feel like I'm in one of those suavo Melbourne side-street bars we keep on being chastised for not having. Or have I got that the wrong way round? Makes me feel like I'm in a Sydney drinking shed having a genuine conversation.

Season 3 Lost was the best yet. Did you catch Isaac sitting in the chair with Ben and Locke?

[Bruce]

Power Pop is still being done FXH - but you gotta look for it.

Cheap Trick and Rick Springfield are still at it believe it or not.

http://www.popbang.com/ is one internet corner keeping the dream alive.

I've heard Tone's views on Fountains of Wayne - so I'm not sure whether he thinks there is any future to the genre.

[CB]

Not only out of my depth, I'm at the bottom, looking up at all the smart ducks arses above while I'm in the mud. Or I've wiped 77 from memory as I was only in early primary at the time. Either. Are.

[pat]

Brillant CB! I think I have worked out your enigmatic ode to '77. Your first sentence is a reference to Oscar Wilde's quote “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” which Chrissie Hynde sang on "Message of Love", the album produced by Chris Thomas who first rose to prominence after producing the Sex Pistols Never Mind the Bollocks in '77.

Your second sentence a reference to the song "Primary" from The Cure's album "Faith". The reference being completed by the fact that the band named themselves "The Easy Cure" and Robert Smith became singer in of course - 1977.

[via collins]

FOW are far too in love with their cleverness to be true power pop.

I reckon the genre demands a wide-eyed innocence that forgives, among other things, horrensous lyrics. See Dwight Twilley Band for all of the above.

BTW, I love FOW, but don't categorize them as power pop much. One band that goes closer is Nada Surf, especially the Let Go album. And another band who spin off the power pop plane in their own world of "I'm in love with west coast 70s sounds" is Phoenix. Their last album is a blinder just by the way.

And no FX, 'twasn't Tav Falco, twas The Gories.

[Tony T.]

The Stranger
Pox. We shall speak no more of Billy Joel on this blog, thank you.

The Clash
Grouse. Hooks. Rocks. Who needs remote control? Haven't played it in years.

My Aim Is True
Why does EVERY fucker rave about Elvis Costello? What is wrong with people? I suppose some of his gear goes alright. But bollox! (He rocked on The Larry Sanders show.)

Rumours
Huge. Massive. Hugely boring. The SBS Classic Album justify-o-fest can bite me. I DON'T CARE if they were all going through relationship problems - the album is still just highly polished MOR.

Never Mind the Bollocks
Influential. I played it once.

The Idiot
If his name wasn't Iggy Pop and was, say, James Osterberg, no one would pay this over-rated piece of tripe any mind. At All. Give me Tiny Dancer over Tiny Girls anytime.

Lust for Life
See The Idiot, but better.

How come in all the citing of 1977 albums here and at The Slug Prodeo no one mentions the infinitely superior guitar slash fest of Kill City? Get with the program, voters!

A New World Record
I loved this back then, but haven't played it since 1978. Gimme The Move and Roy Wood solo before Jeff Lynne and Bev Bevan. And, in fact, for the porpoises of research I just tried to play ANWR right now, but my turntable refuses to turn it. The Great Kenwood has thus spoken.

AC/DC Let there Be Rock
Acca. Dacca. Not much more to say. Out of all the bands in all the world, THIS is the one that should play at our Grand Final of Football. (Or maybe get Chris Isaak to cover It's A Long Way To The Top wearing a gorilla suit.)

Arrival
Not here.

Wings Over America
Nice set: Venus And Mars/Rock Show/Medicine Jar/Maybe I'm Amazed/Magneto And Titanium Man. But a bit rude to exclude Nineteen Hundred & Eighty Five and Helen Wheels. And anyway, live albums are rarely better than the originals.

Animals
Pigs arse.

Talking Heads 77
Am I the ONLY person in Christendom and beyond that can't cop Talking Heads?

Live and Dangerous
Not shabby, but give me the Tom Robinson Band at the Old Grey Whistle Test.

Bat Out Of Hell
To paraphrase Basil Fawlty: Bat up yer nightdress, more like.

[Tony T.]

Oddly enough, I can't remember my views of Fountains of Wayne, but in the two and a half years since I told them to Bruce, I haven't once listened to FOW.

[Tony T.]

Oh, and speaking of gigs, VC, my brother reckons Calexico in S'Syddey was the best show he's seen in years. I curse my lazy bones for not bothering.

[pat]

The Idiot was hugely influential. Ian Curtis of Joy Division played it and then hung himself.

[pat]

Forgot to add: "Thus disproving the aphorism that you can't kill two birds with the one stone."

[via collins]

Your punishment for missing that show T shall be having to ensure my phone videos comprising highlights of the both Cornery gigs at the next Grog Blog.

"Guerro Canero"...mmmm.....boy

FOW have had a new album out recently. It's just more of the same. Good news for some!

[via collins]

doh.

"guero canelo"...cha cha cha....

[Tony T.]

Pat: I can't work out why The Idiot is influential. It just reminds me of David Bowie's worst eighties excesses.

VC: One of the worst things about being off the piss is that most live music loses an edge. Gigs become boring when you can't suck on a couple of stubbies. Even so, I still know the odd gig is going to be good. Calexico is one of the bands where I should have gotten off my arse and gotten along - just around the corner from home, what's more - knowing it wouldn't matter. Stupid, lazy me!

[pat]

Just between you me and the internet I agree with you on Iggy though I rate New Values. Maybe it's one of those you had to be there things.

As for Elvis Costello his fame flabbergasts me. There's only 3 songs I'd spend time downloading being, Pump it Up, Everyday I write the Book and Allison. All the rest is guff.

I'd suggest you get your Kenwood looked at though. Maybe you should try Discovery first and see if it takes to that and then go for ANWR. Just ease it gently in. You probably buggered it with some Nico.

[Ann O'Dyne]

I thought I'd clicked on The Wrong Blog!

... and I too love Cheap Trick (don't be Rock Snobs people).

Elvis Costello
1. played a magician in a black black brilliant movie titled No Surrender with Ray McAnnally as a nightclub manager on New Years Eve in Belfast.
2. played The Palais in St.Kilda, a very loud very brief set, said nothing at all to the audience, and had sex with a girl I knew from the punk scene of the time.

3. if you're out of luck or out of work
we can send you to Johannesburg .. wo ho!

"bat up ya nightdress more like"

[Tony T.]

P: I don't think I've ever had Nico vinyl on this particular turntable. It's been a while since I lsiened to her. In fact, it's been about 25 years; about the time I realised she sounded like a German chipmunk. Simon, Theodore, Alvin & Nico for bass.

A: While Elvis McManus is not one of th greats, No Surrender is pretty good. All the more so for having Ray McAnally. A Very British Coup is one of the greats with Jim Carter in it, too.

That St Kilda thing makes him sound like a cross between Bob Dylan & Van Morrison. (A little elaboration there, FX.)