Monday, January 07, 2008

more megastars

A chance discussion at Nicole and Julian's bbq yesterday gave me more cause for thought. J was playing Iggy Pop a bit on his ipod speaker whatdoyoucallit. I am not as nuts about IP as some people but like him better than, for instance, Dylan or Spears. We were talking a little about who his backing musicians were on various albums, New Values, Soldier, whatever. Somehow Julian opined, who wouldn't want to be in Iggy's band. I opined that I wouldn't as I didn't see myself as sufficiently musically able to bring anything to the scenario. I noticed there was no protest otherwise from the few assembled but that's OK. But then it gave me cause to think - what would my dream musical invitation be? Aside from the fact I have already had so many over the last 23 years. Well, I guess there are some obvious ones and some not so obvious ones, and I'm focusing here on things that I really think I could bring something to, though of course framed always in the pornographic fantasy of:

'Is that David? It's * * from * * here. Our drummer * * has just broken his/her wrists by sitting on his/her hands while wearing too heavy a hat. Can you fill in at two hours' notice? We'll pay you one million dollars and we start recording our new album the day after!!! Yeah we are recording at Todd Rundgren's new studio in, uh, Glenroy. Todd really likes your work and he recommended you!'

Of course, #1 would be
It's Mayo Thompson from The Red Krayola here. Our best living drummer George Hurley has just...

I think I could bring something to the RK although it wouldn't be that much better than George Hurley unfortunately, but you know, he's unavailable... I would like the band to be recording in the studio though, not faffing around with that back-and-forth ADAT-in-the-mail stuff that they are quite good at but which probably wouldn't work for me with my idiosyncratic (read: meagre) talents.

Jesse Chamberlain and Epic Soundtracks are I guess my two favourite dead drummers, so it would be daunting to fill their shoes. But everyone says Mayo is great to work with and I bet it would be great. Actually I'd just be happy to see the Red Krayola some time. I always seem to miss them.

#2 would probably be...

It's Mark Smith from The Fall here. Your granny on bongos has just...

Poor granny. The granny on bongos line gave me heart though. I could be kind of shit for a while and they'd, or he'd, put up with me for the time being, and we'd both really enjoy the tension/scrappy nature of it. And when I told him once or twice I didn't like the new songs much he'd find that amusant. The third time he'd sack me but that's a badge of honour as well. I could say I was too real, or he was, or whatever.

#3 might be...

It's Daniel Morphett once of the Craven Fops here. We are reforming to play at Clinton Walker's 35th birthday and Kit/Neil/Belinda whoever...

Do I know how to play 'Epic'? 'When a whisky buys a whisky'? 'Open my eyes'? Fuck probably! They were such a hot band when they did it properly, and of course, my rough and ready style would really drive the performance like a moke. I am very ready.

More later maybe I need to think some more.

5 comments:

dfv said...

You must be a masochist. Mark E. would have you wanting to punch him in about 20 minutes, and I don't know if Mayo is anything like Dave Thomas, but those guys are moody as hell. I suppose it's the perfect 1-gig-and-get-the-hell-out-of-there scenario.

On the other side, both would allow you a lot of liberties as a drummer.

Having said that, I'd play clunky brash keyboards for the Fall anyday. Lie Dream of a Casino Soul perhaps.

David Nichols said...

I don't think Mayo is anything like David Thomas - at all. Unless you subscribe to the theory that you are like someone you played in a band with in 1981, which I don't. Everyone says MT is a gentleman.

Ann ODyne said...

drum fantasy?
I had mine yesterday - I just put "Keith Moon" into guugle and then clicked over to Images.
Spent many happy hours just wading through page after page of great pix of a great drummer.

Mistress Bel said...

No fantasy to be in Just a drummer? Oh the frommagerie of it all and a cool stage name would have been like so guaranteed. But perhaps there can only be one Dave Baby...

David Nichols said...

I suppose I would have to be Not Even a Drummer. I know that's what you 're getting at.

the early 70s was all juxtaposition

October 1970, everyone had their arms out in the air, from Barbra to, um, whoever that is on the left, to Thumbelina. This is from the Sprin...