danajohnhill.org | Hard Times Come Again No More

Gainesville is in the grips of Pop Mayhem this week, and in spite of my general avoidance of all things social/nocturnal, I actually got out twice to see shows and old friends. My oldest friend Steve (file photo) had quite a bit of success in a band called Brittle Stars with mutual friends Josh and Dan and a singer named Estelle. I attended their very first show in the summer of 1998, but moved away soon thereafter, missing every other performance until their last, on New Year’s Eve 2000 (i.e., going into 2001) at The Wayward Council on University Avenue. So, I sadly missed the heyday of the Brittle Stars, and to this day have never even heard their album (released on the Shelflife label). So, what nice news to hear that the Brittle Stars would reunite for two shows in Gainesville, going so far as to fly Estelle in from her current home in Tel-Aviv.

On Wednesday evening Brittle Stars played at The Wayward Council (photo gallery), and in spite of that store’s tiny size and poor climate control, it’s really a pleasant place to see music, because there is no separation between the band and the audience. In spite of several years’ hiatus, they sounded much like I remember them, and the show, though only a half hour in length, was charming. In fact, that’s the best word I can think of to describe Brittle Stars. They aren’t a band of sophisticated musicians (though Steve is undoubtedly the most naturally talented guitarist I know), but the music doesn’t demand virtuosity. In fact, on the contrary, it demands subtlety and a kind of endearing simplicity. As though to emphasize the notion that you’re listening to the songs and the feelings they evoke, and not hollow showmanship or pompous affectations, the songs are almost all under three minutes. They start, give you a pretty melody and finish quickly, barely giving you enough time to absorb what you’ve heard before another tune begins. It’s a refreshing contrast to the haughtily ostentatious bands that offer all manner of pomp and pageantry, but little reward, and certainly nothing approaching a genuine song. The Avant-garde is all well in good for a momentary diversion, but in the end I think it demonstrates a certain contempt for the audience.

The Brittle Stars’ second show this week was on Thursday night at Common Grounds, and it was very well attended, even at a vulgar $11 per ticket. The audience was affectionate and the band sounded well. There was even a massive rock-out at the end with the band augmented by a tambourine and Josh’s lovely wife Tanya played bass so Dan could get his guitar on. We saw lots of friends new and old, which was confusing for me, since I recognized faces, but found it hard to recall the context of my memories. Jeff and Sandi deserve credit for driving an unreasonable 12 hours round trip to watch Thursday’s show. I headed home earlier than Miriam, but she stayed and had a marvelous time, which I think boosted her spirits.

Alas, on Monday it’s all back to normal.

Filed under: Friends, Gainesville, General, Nostalgia, Popular Music on May 10th, 2008 | No Comments »

I used to really, really hate Motown.

That’s an odd thing to hate, you may be saying to yourself. Indeed, it is, but I had good reasons, the greatest of which was that the oldies station to which I regularly listened as a kid played a Motown song approximately every three minutes. To this day I hate “Respect” by Aretha Franklin more than almost any other song.

Don’t get me wrong, I acknowledge that many Motown songs are pop masterpieces. Smokey Robinson is a certified songwriting genius. But allow me to demonstrate how Motown could go seriously wrong, and maybe you’ll begin to understand what else about it I might not like. Take for example a great 1960s song called “Walk Away Renee”, performed originally by The Left Banke. The arrangement is a beautiful one, with a small string section and a harpsichord joining the other band forces.

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Really, The Left Banke sound like a British band, and this song seems like it could have fit well on Rubber Soul. But it’s a great song, and there’s a great but sad story behind it.

So, what’s this have to do with Motown? Well, The Four Tops figured out a way to ruin the song completely in 1968. I caution you, this sucks really bad:

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Everything subtle and good about the original version has been gaudily made-over in this abominable recording and replaced by ugliness. Honestly, the singer sounds like he’s doing a Tom Jones parody.

The good news is that that’s about as bad as it gets. The better news is that I am finding more and more Motown songs that I genuinely love, and that had not been so overplayed by U92 FM during my childhood that I now instantly reach for the dial when I hear the first notes.

One such song I have recently discovered is called “I’ll Say Forever My Love” by Jimmy Ruffin, the same fellow who had a hit with “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted”. This song has everything good in pop music, like a switch from I-vi-ii-V to I-vi-IV-V, and an important lesson, namely, girls should ignore whatever bad stuff their friends have to say about their boyfriends and just trust the man when he says “I love you”. Sounds fair! And now, thanks to the lawless internet, you can hear “I’ll Say Forever My Love” in its entirety. Huzzah, YouTube!

Filed under: Popular Music, Rantings on May 7th, 2008 | 1 Comment »

I have been deriving a great deal of enjoyment from Miriam’s participation in the Gainesville Roller Rebels. Sure, it is exciting watching fast skating, but another pleasant result of her involvement in the team is that we now have an expanded pool of friends.

Making friends has never been particularly easy for me, since, in general, I hate leaving the house. I have maintained steady, long-lasting relationships with a small number of intimate friends, but several of them have moved away, and, though we communicate and see each other when we can, time with them is still scarce. So, to have access to a team of very nice people who enjoy having fun is a wonderful luxury, especially since I didn’t have to do any of the work of going out and meeting them on my own; they are Miriam’s teammates.

One such teammate came over last night with her beau and we watched a TV show I had never heard of called It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Ruby Typhoon is a fan of the program and has the DVDs, so we ordered pizza and watched five or six episodes in a row, and it was a hilarious delight. What amused me most was how no opportunity to be offensive was wasted. The program involves three buddies who own a dive bar and have assorted misadventures. It seems very low on budget, but rich in laughs.

Last week we had a visit from two other derby girls, Matriarch and Terror A. Part, who insisted that there be arm wrestling.

Meanwhile, I am continuing to take portraits of the GRR girls, and that is fun and I am endlessly impressed with their creativity. Demonomia came last Tuesday, and Ruby Typhoon did her makeup and hair. We use a simple black paper backdrop and I have the most basic flash and white umbrella, but the pictures always turn out very well. Demonomia didn’t have a ton of ideas for poses, but she’s good on skates and very flexible, and her pictures are great. Diamonds and Rust is next in line, and probably more to follow, leading up to the GRR’s first local bout some time in July.

Filed under: Friends, General, Photography, Sports, Television on May 5th, 2008 | No Comments »

As I have written about before, I received my first guitar on December 25, 1987: a 1973 Electra 2253w (a Japanese copy of a 1972 Fender Telecaster Custom) in natural ash with a maple fretboard. I played it constantly and still have a strong sentimental attachment to it. In fact, I will own it until I die. From it I developed a fondness for the Telecaster shape and sound. I absolutely love the Tele bridge pickup with its bright, biting tone. And the body shape, though not contoured for comfort, nevertheless feels substantial and durable.

By 1997, however, my beloved Electra was only 50% functional. The neck pickup (the 2253w, like the Fender Tele Custom, has a neck humbucker) had ceased operation, so only one position on the three-way toggle switch really did anything. Disappointed at my inability to repair the complex problem, and dismayed at the incredible scarcity of Electra instruments or used parts, I put the guitar away and didn’t play it for years. Then, in 2006 I decided I’d be better off just getting a new guitar. And soon thereafter I formulated my Six Guitar Plan. The first phase in my Plan would be to obtain some sort of Fender Telecaster.

I have always been especially fond of the 1955 Telecaster in White Blonde with a white pickguard and one-piece maple neck. It’s a classy looking guitar: elegant but understated. But the longer I thought about it, the more infatuated I became with the 1952 American Vintage Reissue Telecaster in Butterscotch Blonde with a black Bakelite pickguard. It is such a classic look, and when I played such a guitar at a store in Tampa around Christmas last year I was convinced that I needed that guitar. The sound of the instrument as I played it through a reissue Twin Reverb Amp was nothing short of perfect: bright, clear highs and rich, bassy lows. It was the epitome of that vintage country music sound. Alas, it is not an inexpensive instrument, costing well north of a thousand dollars.

But, at long last I can announce that I am the very proud owner of an exquisite American-made Fender Telecaster. It has some extra fancy features, including cloth covered wiring throughout, recessed ferrules which are flush with the back of the guitar body, a spring-loaded three-way switch, slotted screws, Bakelite pickguard and a special upgrade: a shiny chrome Electrosocket jack which prevents the dreaded jack jettison common in Telecasters.

It is the most beautiful thing I own.

Filed under: Musings, Nostalgia, Popular Music, Technology on May 4th, 2008 | 3 Comments »