Oddity Archive: Episode 288.2 – Albums I Love (That I’m Supposed To Hate)
Added 2025-02-26 14:38:06 +0000 UTCWell, I haven't been on a music ramble in awhile. This time out, let's look at some albums that I'm unintentionally contrarian about (in a good way).
Also, I'm doing the Public Domain livestream thing this Friday night. Join me (and guest host Geno Cuddy) at 7:30 Central Time (main show at 8:00) for a look at what is generally considered the first great Western film, "Hell's Hinges" (from 1916).
Comments
Did an eBay search and most were $25 or more.
Jen Gibbons
2025-02-27 01:06:11 +0000 UTCI didn't realize it was now semi-valuable(?). Most of my Nilsson vinyl were only $2-4 bucks each--of course that was 20-25 years ago.
Oddity Archive
2025-02-27 00:56:47 +0000 UTCThis was, like all of your geeky rambles, quite interesting. I really enjoy when you discuss your music collection. As far as "worst albums" and "guilty pleasures" are concerned, I've got plenty of my own. As a music fan, I feel that everyone is entitled their preferences, and if you don't like something, fine. Just don't be a jerk about it, or dictate what "true fans" "should" like or dislike. If you enjoy a piece of music, or it's meaningful to you emotionally, who cares what anybody else thinks. So, today I learned that I'm supposed to hate "Pussy Cats!" Oh well. I agree with you that it's not that bad. I think overall it's a fun listen. I particularly like the cover of "Save the Last Dance For Me." It's my favorite version of that song. I think the slow tempo and Harry's raspy voice add a sense of longing and drama. I've had that Buddha CD for years, but I'd love to get a vinyl copy- if I ever find one "in the wild" that isn't stupidly expensive. I'm probably not going to find one for 99 cents.
Jen Gibbons
2025-02-26 23:50:24 +0000 UTCI'm not surprised he's not listed anywhere, and you're not to blame for believing that he didn't play on it. But, as I recall from the too-many John Lennon related things I've consumed over the years, he essentially just slapped his name as 'Producer' on it because he did lot's of little 'producer' things, including singing backups/harmonies, guitar parts and string arrangements (he surely wasn't doing things with the console / engineering as he was famously technically inept). Probably being a side-project, produced concurrently (more or less) with "Rock and Roll" and "Walls and Bridges", and concurrent with his immigration legal battle at the time (spring and summer of 1974), and also much in keeping with the credits on Beatles albums, he didn't feel the need to detail every note or instrument he played on each track. Perhaps his ego (or arguably, lack thereof, in this case) guided him that just 'Producer' would suffice. Numerous interviews and biographies with him and others (May Pang comes to mind, in"Loving John") confirm that he (and other uncredited musicians) play on the record, and you can also hear his voice clearly on the opening track, especially in the back third of the song. (EDIT: listen to the words 'sitting in limbo' - he's in there)
submodern
2025-02-26 19:48:26 +0000 UTCI stream WXYG periodically on my Denon mini-stereo (the one I did the Ben's Junk on a year or so ago). Not as much as I used to--not around as much to do so.
Oddity Archive
2025-02-26 19:29:10 +0000 UTCI'd have to check my copy (er, copies?) again, but I don't remember seeing John's name anywhere in the performance credits. John did write "Mucho Mungo" though. EDIT: Checked the wikipedia entry and I don't see John's name among the performance credits.
Oddity Archive
2025-02-26 19:26:45 +0000 UTCEnjoyable and entertaining ramble today, especially so since it comes out only a couple of days after Professor of Rock released a video of his Top 5 guilty pleasure pop singles/albums. Okay, I'm just gonna throw out some nonsensical thoughts here. 1. Your new band name (if you ever would do that): Ben Minnotte and the Witless Ramblers. 2. I totally agree that the Mardi Gras album has beautiful artwork. 3. How about an alternate name for the band on this album: John Fogerty & the Beaver Brown Band.😉 4. I guess technically, the masks on the cover of Byrdmaniax were life masks, but it’s a valid albeit tongue-in-cheek omen. 5. How using a rendition of “I Wanna Grow Up To Be A Politician” with the melody from another old Byrds classic—it goes a little something like this, “So You Wanna Be A Poli-tish-un”😊😒 6. Another grotesque tune about old Hollywood is “Marie Prevost” by Nick Lowe.🤢 7. Nice mention of your old hippie DJs from Denver. One of whom is of course WXYG’s own Al Neff. Do you ever listen to “The Goat” via streaming? 8. My Mondegreen brain always wants to change “Sweet Hitch-hiker” to “Swedish Hiker.”😊
Mark Hesse
2025-02-26 18:15:42 +0000 UTCI love this video concept. I also am drawn to the lesser loved albums, maybe because my own albums are lesser/not-at-all loved. WompWomp. Anyway, I hate to be that guy but a slight correction, John Lennon does indeed sing and play on Pussycats - it's not obvious, but he's doing the backup vocal on Many Rivers to Cross. I believe he also plays guitar at least one of the later ones (Rock Around the Clock), and wrote, and maybe played on, Mucho Mungo. It's one of my fav. records, too (can you tell?)
submodern
2025-02-26 17:38:14 +0000 UTC
