Okay, bottom line. I didn’t think Hellboy 2: The Garden Army brought anything new to the table in terms of action or story. Frankly, it felt like a bit of rehash from time to time. And the first 10 minutes were painful. Not bad. Not “not my thing”. No. it was painful–as in I was ready to leave the theater. It just did not do it for me…at all.

But the rest of the movie was pretty good. Like I said, it’s a rehash, but rehashing a good thing is okay, right? And rehash a good thing, while making it bigger and better–well that is certainly okay. I mean, Hellboy 2: The Golden Army feels very much like the first one, in terms of the environment, the characters, and the creatures–but it also offers some very cool additional creatures, some seemingly new environs, and larger action sequences. And in the wasteland that was Summer 2007, it probably would have stood out as an unbelievable triumph; but in the company of this summer’s Iron Man, Incredible Hulk, and The Dark Knight… Hellboy 2: The Golden Army just can’t stand. Sure, it’s 400 times more enjoyable than Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, but that’s not accomplishing much (Going to Subway is a more entertaining experience than Indy turned out to be).

I know it’s unfair for me to judge Hellboy 2: The Golden Army against the other similar films this summer, but I saw it in the midst of them, and I cannot divorce my outlook of this film next to its contemporaries. In its defense, I do have to say that for the money spent, Hellboy looks every bit as excellent as at least Hulk and Iron Man. Del Toro has learned how to stretch a buck. While the hand-to-hand combat feels like a mis targeted attempt at Asian Kung-Fu and the environs look like leftovers from The Golden Compass or a similar fantasy project, the creatures in this flic look outstanding, the art design is fantastic, and the overall story possesses a certain timeless quality. Oh, and I should add that while I was tough on the choreography and set design in the previous sentence, they are still plenty of fun during the picture. They didn’t blow my mind, but they sure were entertaining regardless.

All that taken into account, I am giving Hellboy 2: The Golden Army a solid 4. It’s my least favorite of the comic adaptations this summer…but that’s not to say it’s bad. It’s not bad. It’s entertaining…and, hey, can’t that be enough on a summer afternoon?

You know, a whole lot of people dislike Waterworld; and for many years–many, many years–I was one of them. That is, of course, until my most recent viewing of the film, which was sensational. I had gone to Universal Studios Hollywood a few weeks before and seen the “Waterworld: Stunt Show Spectacular” (see story HERE), and I was totally geared up to see the flic in all its ridiculousness. And it was fun, lots of fun.

Sure, it’s a B-Movie; and an overblown B-Movie at that. But that doesn’t mean it’s not fun. I mean, c’mon, the villains are called “Smokers”, and their base is an oil tanker. Plus, the hero is a nomadic, mutant warrior. Sure, there’s a little girl who’s annoying, but she’s supposed to be, so I’m down with it. As far as I am concerned, Waterworld is a fun way to spend two hours. At least, it was for me!

Nothing more needs be said, not for this movie. Not today. I enjoy it; I look forward to my next viewing of it; I look forward to someday playing a Waterworld-esque adventure with G.I. Joes. Waterworld is getting a 4, friends. Yep, a 4.

For much of my life, I listened to what I felt would gain the approval of others–only to have someone else tell me it was bad…but I’ve gotten to the point that I couldn’t care less about others’ opinions of my taste, I dig what I dig; and right now I dig The Who.

For info on the group, Check out the Wikipedia Page.

I don’t know much about The Who. In fact, the best factoid I know of them is that one of their members, drummer Keith Moon, perished prematurely; and that one of the band’s leads–either vocalist Roger Daultrey or guitarist Pete Townshend–wanted The Who to be the U.K.’s third largest musical sensation by bridging the music of Britain’s two already-legendary acts, the Rolling Stones (who I actually like MUCH less than the Who) and the Beatles (who I like as much if not more than The Who [but I haven’t decided] ). Knowing this little piece of info informs one’s engaging The Who in an interesting way, as the attempted fusion leads to an imbalance between soft pop and hard rock for the better part of the career-spanning album I picked up, The Who:The Ultimate Collection. It’s odd in a way, to pick up an album from the group best known for “My Generation”, then hear “The Kids Are Alright” and “Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere”. It just goes to further confirm the above information about the band’s apparent early goals, and unfortunately, makes disc one feel almost like an miscalculated mix tape. The lite sounds of “I Can’t Explain” feel as though they don’t belong to the same group that offers “I Can See For Miles”; and yet it is.

This actually made me really love this album, because I do feel as though I am on a bit of a musical journey–as though early entries like “A Legal Matter” and “Substitute” are songs by a group attempting to be someone else while “The Seeker” showcases their evolved, owned sound. Anyway, I probably have no idea what I am talking about as I am sure someone will correct this outlook in the comments section–which i gladly invite, by the way, as I am trying to learn more–but below I offer my track-by-track reaction to this first disc…song to song, I am pretty hard on it; BUT overall, I do feel like the track order takes one on a musical journey, wherein you see a band attempting emulation and misplaced fusion, coming into their own and developing a great sound–which I think is realized by “I Can See for Miles”. Also, just a quick disclaimer: As always, my disliking something is not meant to disparage it or those who like it. Frankly, if a song hits you right, then it hits you right; and it’s not my place to tell you whether or not YOU should like it. I am only giving my reactions; and if you disagree, I’d love to know why and learn from you.

DISC 1

1. “I Can’t Explain” - I don’t know, I found this to be a disposable 60s rock tune–but again, that’s just my opinion; and if this song touches you the right way…in your pants…that’s excellent. More power to you. To me, it’s just kind of a been there-done-that type of jam.
2. “Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere” - I didn’t know that The Who and the Beach Boys came from the same School of Rock. That’s really all I could think when I heard this…It sounds like very, very subdued–like “it could have been good but it was completely and totally castrated to banality by record-label execs” (if that makes sense). There are some interesting bits, like the bridge/solo, but then it just goes weak again. It picks up again toward the end, but that “I can go anywhere [falsetto response: “want to”] kinda grates my skin.
3. “My Generation” - Yeah, what can I say about this one. It’s a strong, classic jam. Now, I’m probably just saying that because I know I am supposed to, but honestly, it is a solid, catchy song that I dig.
4. “The Kids Are Alright” - I feel like I’m getting a Beatles B-side (you know, like one of those songs George wrote) or a toned-down, flat Beach Boys Jam. Meh.
5. “A Legal Matter” - We start off as well as we have thus far, but those vocals by Wesley Willis or his ancestor are just not working for me. The tune and tempo are fine, though–it’s only those vocals that induce a cringe…or seven.
6. “Substitute” - Here we go again with the B-Side Beach Boys stuff. Of course, the song is not a terrible song in and of itself; and had it heard it independently, on its own, I would have thought, “This is alright, who is this?” But it still just comes across as a by-the-numbers pop-rock jam; and by the end, I was really ready for it to be done.
7. “I’m A Boy” - What is up with this one? I don’t really know where to begin, The “I’m a boy, I’m a boy” chorus is pretty much not working for me, but those measures leading up to it is working well–so do I like it, hate it, I don’t know. In fact, the guitar alone, and the later harmonizing are outstanding, but that danged chorus just hurts me. So I guess I kinda don’t like it.
8. “Boris The Spider” - Don’t know if I can defend this at all, but I do enjoy this song. It sounds like one of those unappreciated Beatles songs, and it just works to the nines for me. It really hints at the same musical tone and feel of ” My Generation”, and the death metal voice announcing the song’s namesake is pretty much one of the most terrifying things I’ve heard in old school rock–”Boris the Spider” is not just a Spider, he is a spider that is crawling down your throat while you sleep, laying eggs in your belly, and birthing a thousand babies inside of you. He is a deadly spiderrapist (pronounced, Spi-dera-pist); and the “creepy crawly” repeats are fantastic. This is a winner.
9. “Happy Jack” - Yes, we’re starting pretty well again…but then we hit a weak chorus. Maybe I just do not dig the early vocal stylings of Roger Daltrey, but this song is not doing it for me. While I dig the music for the most part, those vocals just kill it.
10. “Pictures Of Lily” - Then, after my dissent above, Daltrey brings me back. How this song isn’t a classic is beyond me? It’s a killer tune, and the vocals come together so well that it’s shocking to think that this is the same band that made my eyes bleed bile (in a bad way) during “Legal Matters”. Here we have another very solid entry from the band, and I dig it. And oddly again, this is the type of song I haven’t loved so far on this disc, and here it is working for me–that should serve as a testament of its power.
11. “I Can See For Miles” - oh, hells yes. This is the type of song that makes me long for the Dwarves of Rock to come back and destroy Knickleback (Nickelback?) with an Uru hammer (though, I’ll admit, that doesn’t take much). This is great classic rock to me. The repetitious “I can see for miles and miles and miles” chorus is the definition of infectious, toe-tapping composition, and the stuff in between is attention-holding and well put together. Oh, and did I mention that the bridge will destroy worlds with its power. Good stuff here.
12. “Call Me Lightning” - Now, I feel like I’m taking a step backward…What is this and why? Sure, I got some good guitar work, but The infectiousness of “Miles” is traded up for “dial, dial, dial direct” or something like it. Huh.
13. “Magic Bus” - This is solid, and I hope it’s about drugs, cause it feels like flying through the clouds on a magical bus, while being served cheese and crackers by a gaggle of leprechauns. This is one mess of a song that some comes together into a good listen, one that is probably half on purpose and half on accident–or perhaps it’s all intentional and therein lies the songs genius. Either way, it works.
14. “Pinball Wizard” - Yeah, this starts out fantastically…and guess what? it runs with a working formula. Here we have a good, if not silly and needless, song about a man who is an epic magician of the game of Pinball…it is being literal, right? (that’s not me being sarcastic. It’s an honest question.) [and I am sensing a hint of Steely Dan or the Doobie Brothers in there?]
15. “I’m Free” - It took 45 seconds to even realize I wasn’t listening to the backend of “Pinball Wizard”. I’m being harsh. This actually got better as I listened, and it closed really well. A fine additional entry.
16. “See Me, Feel Me” - This is the type of odd and bizarre song that makes you stop in the middle of an album and go, “Oh wait, I’m listening to a person’s work, here–this is their heart.” The opening is an important piece of the song in that way, and frankly, the listener is rewarded with the song’s latter 2/3, which are pretty solid. This is actually a fairly dynamic piece from this first half of the collection, and I dig it alot as a result.
17. “The Seeker” - If I was doing a “best of” mix tape from Guitar Hero III for Wii, this would be on it; and hearing it here on album form, away from the game, it maintain its power. I think I hear a horn in there somewhere, and it is an interesting bit in the song. This is some good stuff.
18. “Summertime Blues (Live)” - Yes, we start off very strong here, and the momentum continues. Once again, we have another solid entry that I dig.
19. “My Wife” - I don’t why, but this song just didn’t work for me. I hear those horns again, and I like them, but this just isn’t clicking with me for some reason. I don’t know. Maybe I am as ignorant and tasteless as everyone says. I’m just kinda, bleh on this one.
20. “Baba O’Riley” - So, yeah. Yep. Yes. That’s all that needs be said here. If you don’t know this song, please go treat yourself to it on iTunes. You will not regret it. I love the vocals, that infectious keyboard, the tempo, and the synergy of all these elements over a righteous 5 minutes. Like I said, check it out, son; and if nothing else, you will love the last 15 seconds.
21. “Bargain” - We continue to go strong here, particularly with chorus closer, “I call that a Bargain, THE BEST I EVER HAD! THE BEST I EVER HAD!” This song is a bargain, not the best I ever had, but at least a solid deal, like getting a season of The Simpsons for $15. $20 is fair, $12 is a steal…$15 is still a bargain… but like I said, not the best I ever had.

A response to disc 2 is coming…

Oh, man. If you liked the last SNL Celebrity Jeopardy I posted here, then this one will have you rollin on the floor like a man set aflame…with comedy!

An Unreasonable Man is a fine documentary about American patriot and hero, Ralph Nader. The film is obviously a disguised promotional video for Nader’s work, with his supporters looking like ideal do-gooders and his detractors appearing as bitter ninnies; however, the information was still interesting and seemingly accurate–even if it is only one side of the story. If nothing else, the film presents lots of great info on Nader’s history and makes him a figure worth further study.

While I don’t know if I’ve bought into the whole idea that he’s is the working-classes best friend and a savior of millions, the film sure did a great job of making a case for it. Ralph Nader has accomplished many important things in his life, and he has affected the cultural landscape of America far more than most people will ever admit. He is unreasonable from a certain perspective, and the film makes a point to show that for all of his hard work and successes, Nader is an obsessive and maniacal terror from time-to-time. Of course, as far as the film is concerned, this is a good thing, for it takes a certain amount of mania for a person like Nader to win his battles, many of which are fought against foes far greater than a “reasonable” man would attack. Here he’s painted as the messiah himself, whereas I feel the better Biblical analogy is to show him as the constant David versus a line of Goliaths.

Another noteworthy aspect of the doc is that this is no partisan picnic, either. While at first glance it would appear that one is being subjected to a Democrat cheering session, nothing could be further from the truth. This film unabashedly attacks both the Dem’s and the Republicans, making Nader a sort of odd-man-out because he is pure and both parties are corrupt. The filmmakers did a wonderful job of contrasting the pro-nader and anti-nader camps, particularly during the 2000 election–a sequence which easily made up the VERY BEST part of the documentary.

So, I gonna be nice and give An Unreasonable Man a generous 5. It’s evident bias in painting Nader as savior could have knocked it down to a 4, but I felt that overall the film had enough interesting information and analysis to warrant a more generous rating. It’s no perfect doc, but it’s a solid one I recommend.

First, I am very sorry that I did not get up my Meviews for Hellboy II or The Dark Knight this week. I am making them priority BUT I am still mulling over my feelings on TDK, so it may be another week or so. Hellboy II is coming.

Second, right now, I am at San Diego Comic Con. Right now, life rules.

Third, watching Ebay auctions is fun. Getting money is fun. Packaging and sending over 100 packages…is the opposite of fun.

Movie Moment of the week: The flipping of the 18-wheeler in The Dark Knight.

Quote-of-week. “I like Beat-ings. I’ll beat ya all day.” - Master Shake, Aqua Teen Hunger Force.

REASONs-MY-WIFE-IS-AWESOME-OF-THE-WEEK: She helped me with getting my packages prepped on Wednesday! It was awesome, and I was thankful for our time doing Ebay together.

Song of the Post: “Something in the Air” by David Bowie from the Memento Soundtrack.

Weekend at Bernies is one of those incredibly dated 80s/early 90s movies that is so legendarily bad that it has completely and totally become liked by pretty much every casual viewer that sees it; and having seen it for the first time recently, I understand why. It’s just one of those awful movies with a tasteless premise that just seems to work as a stupid, brain-dead comedy. And make no mistake, Weekend at Bernies is brainless, tasteless, and stupid–which in some ways its part of its charm. It’s not taking itself seriously; and it certainly is asking you too, either. It’s that flic where the boss invites two corporate-ladder-climbers to his house, then dies before they arrive–forcing said employees into a charade to make everyone believe the boss is alive, lest they be blamed for his murder.

I will revert to my sinful youth for a moment to make one observation that I think is noteworthy–in fact, this will be the bulk of the meview. ha ha. Weekend at Bernies is an incredibly odd bird of-a-movie in that it arrived at a time when sexploitation comedies were all over the place. Channels like Cinemax (a.k.a “Skinemax”) and films like the Revenge of the Nerds series had already begun to build notoriety through their gratuitous showing of breasts and butts, and Weekend at Bernies seems to fit the mold of that genre of the crass “boob comedies” perfectly; and yet, there is not one fully-viewable femme to be seen. Sure it has sex jokes–even one which is downright horrific–but the overt nudity is never shown, despite the movie’s dozen set-ups for it; and trust me, this film sets the stage for nude-antics aplenty.

As odd as it sounds, I am actually going to applaud the production staff for this stand. Frankly, Weekend at Bernies actually attempts to rely on its writing and gimmick-of-a-story-device in order to get viewers, not gratuity; and for that simple fact, it kind of sets itself apart as, at the very least, a valiant attempt at comedy. It’s not a great execution, less a few fantastic pratfalls; but it’s still an admirable attempt at a 90 minute joke, even if it only works for part of the time.

That being said, this moronic, sophomoric and tasteless comedy is still a valiant effort at comedy, despite having the opportunity to dive into gratuitous exploitation. For that, I am giving Weekend at Bernies a gracious 4.

UPDATE: An apology up front is due, as the sound on this one did not come out as well. Sorry, everyone..

We couldn’t hold this one for a full fortnight! No, after the uncertain finale of Empire, Dean and I felt a need to dive directly into Return of the Jedi, the final film in the original trilogy and concluding story to the Star Wars Cannon.

Oh what fateful thoughts are raised by this film–this first film to bring major points of contention to Star Wars fans. Love Jabba? Hate the Ewoks? Dig the Speeder Bikes? Refuse to accept that they’re brother and sister? Fear the emperor? Need more Lando? All these thoughts and more are addressed in this episode, wherein Dean and I discuss Return of the Jedi with all the zeal and fervor of actual critics. Click the pic below to stream the podcast, or ‘right click’ to straight up download the discussion in all its insanity!

(Click to stream or right click and “save link as” [do not “save image as” as that will only save the picture.])

Also, don’t forget to check out our previous podcasts, HERE

UPDATE:Here is the Video Dean and I referenced near the end of the podcast.

Yeah, Guys, I don’t know what to say. I loved Speed Racer. I really, really Loved it. From the opening production logos through the end credits, Speed Racer is the very definition of on-screen kinetic energy. It’s a nice, family-friendly, for-the-kiddies, stylistic ride with all the heartfelt emotion of the beloved Berenstein Bears and the momentum of Nintnendo’s Mario Kart, all told through a wild lens akin to the worlds of Dr. Seuss himself. I know, it sounds like a nightmare. It sounds like a mess. For many, many viewers, I am sure that’s exactly what it is. For me, however, Speed Racer is a wonderful entertainment as well as a dynamic and fascinating exercise in film making.

I will say this right now. I was completely on the fence about this flic; and I went in with incredibly low expectations. Once the credits began, however, I simply surrendered to it–I surrendered to its CGI world, its campy acting, its video-game-esque style, and I was rewarded heavily for taking the trip. You see, Speed racer is just that type of film, a film that requires the audience to just accept the universe of the film on all foundations or completely dismiss it. For me, the acceptance took some getting used to; but once I was able to just say, “Okay, we have left planet earth, we are in some alternate reality”, I was able to enjoy the new world not unlike I did when watching Star Wars, Stardust, The Princess bride, or other fantasy films which ask us to believe the unbelievable–and enjoy it.

And frankly, within this construct of believing the world, there is nothing wrong in the movie. As I accepted the terms and conditions the filmmakers set forth through the film’s set-up, wherein they essentially pull-out all the stops and just lay down the rules–I saw nothing wrong, misguided, or ineffective in the entire film. Within the world of Speed Racer campy dialogue works, gravity CAN be defied, and old ideals–like family-first, fortunes-second–just plain work. It all just coalesces here, in a way that exemplifies the synergy of film’s various parts. Acting, editing, directing, storytelling, structure–all of these elements come together in this film so perfectly that, while any single element may be off-putting or too “out there”, the total package created is magnificent and breathtaking. Of course, this is all again based on buying into it–those who choose to, are rewarded with one of the most visually stunning and vibrantly directed family films of all time; those who do not have to sit through a car wreck of a motion picture that will induce headaches, groans, and utter disdain. Neither choice is right or wrong, it’s all preferential; but I cannot deny that I found Speed Racer, in all its bombast and exuberant over-execution, to be a flawless cinematic experience–at least for me.

I am not getting into the story or anything else because I want people who read this to still go into the movie with a fresh and unspoiled view of what is set before them. My wish is that those who see the movie just allow themselves to get lost–much as a child does when he watches a cartoon–and just believe. The plot and story will fall into place (though both are complicated); but first one must accept the universe in which those events and thematic elements occur. For me, this all started with the opening logos for the companies involved. They are revealed through brightly-colored kaleidoscopes that move in hypnotic fashion, as if serving as portal to bring the audience into the new world. I went through the gate and allowed myself to be hypnotized, and I was rewarded for having done so. All that being said, I am giving Speed Racer a resounding 7, and I cannot wait for the Special edition DVD to come out so I can escape to this film again and again! Go Speed Go!

ADDENDUM - Upon giving an oral review to a coworker he asked what I would compare the movie to. At the time, I said Mario Kart, a game about racing which incorporates silliness, surreality, but still gentle heart and fun-loving spirit. However, I think another, fitting comparisons can be drawn. For example, Speed Racer may be most akin to films like 300 and Sin City, CGI heavy films that require a suspension of disbelief and acceptance of a new world in order to be watchable and not come across as schlocky, awful gimmick-pictures. However, unlike the latter “R Rated” films mentioned, Speed is a family-centric, kid-focused collage of vibrant, bright colors and goofy antics for all ages–and, frankly, I felt much more dynamic and visually ambitious project than either of the aforementioned ones.

Okay, before we start this game, let’s get a few things straight:

First, I have been told repeatedly that I have bad taste in music; and therefore, I have an invalid opinion about so-called “important” genres like Classic Rock, Punk, and Hip-hop.
Second, I have also been instructed time and time again that music written and performed by the same individual(s), dubbed “singer/songwriter(s)” or so forth, is the essence of musical purity, and those that perform or play another’s music are either (a) untalented, (b) record-company tools, (c) uncreative and therefore, ineffectual.
Third, it has been brought to my attention repeatedly that those who “know music” hold to the above opinion about music, and that people like me (those who don’t “know music”) and disagree have a less-valuable or reasoned opinion of music because we are ignorant of what is “good”.

Now, given that information, one would surmise that my outlook on tunes would be one of self-loathing frustration and angst. That summation is correct, and said self-loathing and insecurity has plagued me for some time–I would say the better part of the last 10 years. However, such an attitude has led me to a new stance, which I think is valid. For my purposes on this blog, I will refrain from using obscenity, but needless to say, I feel that ALL 3 of the above ideas are blatant and complete [Insert your favorite obscenity here].

First, EVERYONE’s opinion on music is valid and worth as much as anyone else’s, so long as their honest about it– because you know what, The used-record-store owner who is condescending to his young customers and refuses to listen to My Chemical Romance because it’s “corporate” and “stupid” is as ignorant as the 15 year-old who can’t name any members of Led Zepellin but has every album by My Chemical Romance. The very idea of music and its various interpretations/ implementations over the course of human history is far too big for any single person, or institution, or people group for-that-matter to have the corner on the market when it comes to knowledge of what is “best” or “better than” or even “Objectively good”. We all react to tunes differently, and everyone’s reaction is a valid one. That’s my opinion, and I could give a [insert any expletive you choose] of the condescending nonsense of anyone claiming “taste” in a field wherein they could not possibly be more learned than ignorant. Now, this does not mean I am opposed to declining music because you have no interest based on previous exposure, but rather it has to due with the arrogance of thinking some music is “below” them and their “taste”. Just because I can’t stand Blink 182 does not mean that I think those who do have a problem. Maybe I have the problem. I just can’t get into them, but you know what, that’s okay. Frankly, I don’t think it Says anything positive or negative about either of us based on our respective stances.

Second, “that the ‘best’ or only ‘pure’ music is written and performed by the same person/band” is a fine “opinion”, but I cannot grasp that as a “fact of objective musical criticism”. Frankly, it seems to me far too narrow a criteria to view music. Does this belief mean that composers are not “true musicians” because they do not play every instrument? Is Elvis not the “King of Rock” because he wrote little of his material? Does this belief suggest that because producers sample a tune rather than write it themselves, that they are less creative than acoustic guitarists? Is the only pure music Live music, because 9/10 albums go through heavy mixing before being released? This idea that a song’s objective merit is based on its being written and performed by the same individual is so narrow that one who firmly adheres to it is pretty much left with listening bootlegs of live performances. That’s what really happens if you are keeping in line with the stance. Again, this is a totally and completely valid “opinion”, and if you feel bootlegs are the only pure recordings, well then more power to you; but frankly, I can not see this as a way of objectively criticizing or weighing value in regards to songs. Would Aerosmith’s epic “Dream On” be less amazing were the song written by Robert Plant and Jimmy Page instead of Steven Tyler? I don’t think so…But again…that’s my opinion.

Third, I don’t know much about “people in the know” as a people group, but I do know this, all too often, these so-called “authorities” conflict not only with the taste of a great deal of people but with each other. So who “in the know” is the ultimate source of knowledge on “taste”? Rolling Stone? Spin? The New Yorker? Who knows…If 100 people are in the know and 90% of them say it’s good, but the other 10% say it isn’t…and both sides can defend their position…aren’t they both right…And let’s not forget that if we’re going to REALLY talk about music, that no band or musician should receive a “free pass”. If you loathe Clapton’s collaboration with Babyface on “Change the World”, don’t say, “but cause it’s Clapton, it’s alright.” Speak your peace if it ain’t alright. Let your voice be heard. But please, do not for a second think that your opinion of that song is “more valid” because you have Fresh Cream on vinyl, and the person who loves “Change your World” and disagrees with you has no idea who Cream is.

I know this post has been more akin to my ranting than a musing…and that’s why I included both the pictures; but something totally struck me the other day; and I have just gotten that “burr in my saddle” or “fire under my butt” or whatever phrase I’m supposed to use is.

What happened was this. I was at a party, and I mentioned that I loved “Black Magic Woman” by Santana, as heard on Guitar Hero III. A person next to me, who is notoriously opinionated, then put forth that he didn’t get it. He expressed that he does not know why Santana is so beloved; and I completely folded into, “Yeah, I suppose” thinking (a) because of what I like, I cannot have a serious opinion, (b) the person who disagrees me is a musician himself, and (c) he is “in the know” and I am not, so I had better not disagree, otherwise my proverbial ass will be handed to me. But, I paused and said, “No, something about the way he plays strikes me. It works.” I then explained that I fall more into the Santana camp that adores songs like the hauntingly beautiful “Bella” than the hits like “Smooth” or “Oye Como Va”, and the reason I like the songs I do is because his method of playing–whether or not it is as complex as say, Mark Knopfler–still creates a certain a tone and texture that I dig.

And then the oddest thing happened. This person, who is notorious for being opinionated, said, “Oh, I can see that; and if that’s what you dig then that’s cool. I -as a listener- just never got it.” And I couldn’t believe what I was hearing…a person who vehemently disagreed with me still reasonably discussing music. It was something I rarely experience, but coming from this person of all people (known for his opinion) really struck me. (SHOUT OUT here to reader David Weigel whose knowledge of music is expansive in many particular genres yet willingly listens to a great deal based on the recommendations of others and discusses music in a very open and nonjudgmental manor). I then went on to say I appreciated the person’s feedback, and I explained to him that most discussions around music revolve around, “Ugh, how can you like that crap…you need to listen to real musicians like such-and-such, who I just happen to listen to.” or “yeah, this coming from the person who doesn’t like AC/DC” or “Of course you like [insert “crappy” band], you like [insert other crappy band].” He said that he understood the phenom as well and didn’t get it, why people who like, Metallica, think they are better than those who like Journey, who think they are better than those who like Bon Jovi–when he didn’t like any of them. We both just agreed that it made no sense to think your “taste” is better than anyone else’s, if music affects us all so differently.

I don’t know why discussions of bands and songs get the way they do–and film can get this way too, but it seems to be the S.O.P when discussing music–but this elitist attitude is so tired. So, that being said, Welcome to “MUSICOLOGY” here on the stage, yet another feature/category that will yield 1-2 posts then never be touched on again. What I’ll be doing during musicology is essentially the same thing I do during the meviews, giving my opinion, NOT objective criticism, but just my thought about what I hear. I may say that I “don’t get” a song that if your all-time favorite; and if that’s the case, more power to YOU for liking what you like, and I invite you to come into the comments section and teach me. Tell me why you love the song, and let’s leave it at that.

I’ve already begun Musicology posts for the next two weeks, The first two will be the two-part look at The Who: Ultimate Collection, a two-disc greatest hit collection. Check back to catch some good.