Letter Rock! From A to Z on this Tune Tag, Matt and I cover the alphabet...Yabba Dabba ABBA Zappa, and then some! Ork to metal to prog giants, we leave no tern unstoned. Oops, now more letters: PETA!
Thanks, NickS (WA)! As you know, lots of TTRPGers know their music as well. I've been having a blast interviewing game designers about their musical influences in my Appendix LP podcast: https://criticalhitparader.substack.com/podcast
This was a lot of fun to read. Great job, guys! I liked how your respective skills and knowledge complemented each other so well. You both added a lot of substance to the mix. Great teamwork!
Thanks, Andy! Whatever "teamwork" comes out is there because of the music! As you know, because we're not "working together," literally, it's the music that provides the organic thread....as one of the guests said recently, "we started to work together better" as the TT progressed.
One wonders what kind of chemistry and symmetry might be gained from a '60s-style Monopoly game marathon....back then, if you worked it right, your Monopoly game could stretch for days! They've now dumbed it down, I've noticed, and have included a "short-game" rule sheet for completing a game within an hour. *sigh*
All of which reminds me of an early-'70s weekend-on-the-beach where me and over a dozen friends gathered for a 3-day Beach Boys weekend in Galveston (50 miles south of Houston). All Beach Boys records (and related....Jan & Dean, The Honeys, et al) all the time! I don't know why I recalled that, but you seem to inspire the "hidden" stories I've yet to disclose!😉👍🎵🎶🎼
Thanks, Michael! That seems to be the go-to TT highpoint....why someone chose what they did. And, like Kevin does, I hope you play along at home, taking a minute to think about what you might follow with before scrolling down to see "the answer"!
Readers: See if you can get some friends together for a Tune Tag party at your place (or ask somebody to host)! Use your phone or laptop to use for research in real time (maybe set a timer for 5 minutes or some agreed-upon time), use the host's record collection as your only source of available music, play the song you chose, and so on!
You know, Brad, you may have to trademark or copyright or patent (or whatever it’s called) Tune Tag, because it seems this awesome game could take off in a big way :)
Ha ha ha! It’s late and I’m tired so I am listening to the weird robot recording of this post!! The voice said that “Turn it on again” and the NIN song were both in “August 13th time signature!! (the robot used the European format day-month-year) She meant 13/8!!! She means DOLBY!!
🤖Robots......they just don't make 'em like they used to! I long for the days of The Jetsons' Rosie! I've even tried to get Alexa and Siri, both, to push a vacuum, and my Roomba only picks up Cleveland classical stations.🤷♂️
Genesis managed a few days earlier on August 9th! That should be an early Genesis national Holiday, but maybe only like five people would take the day off from work!
It was an honor to get to play Tune Tag with Brad! Thanks for mentioning the "Chester's go-rilla" lyrics in Florentine Pogen. On the inside cover of the Zappa album, Chester Thompson is credited with drums and gorilla victim. This allegedly refers to a groupie incident. I didn't think of the Adrian Belew connection between Bowie and NiN. If I had, I may have tagged to a song by The Bears. Thanks again for inviting me to play!
Absolutely my pleasure, Matt! You definitely stretched where future players can aspire to go...mehopes they're taking notes! Those Chester lyrics were certainly hard to miss. I'm sorry........what?! A "groupie incident" in the Zappa camp?! Color me incredulous!🤣As for the Belew find, it's about the only point I scored....you all but skunked me!
Speaking of Chester and a gorilla, Genesis, as you know has a song, "Wot Gorilla?" that I'm guessing Chester had to play along with a few times on the road!
In the late '60s and early '70s, I'd get all of Frank's albums (Warner Bros. promos from Dad), but while listening to each, he wasn't a fave. What I found fascinating about him (as I'd read in the rock mags o' the day), was that he ran thru musicians as fast as you or I go thru toilet paper!
He loved challenging them on the fly, and if someone couldn't cut it, he'd simply get another who could/would! Plus, starting on WB (before moving to Columbia around '74), I was aware of Flo & Eddie's connection to the Zappa camp (I think I went there as a kid...beautiful lake!). I loved their "solo" albums (especially after their move to CBS). My fave: "Let Me Make Love to You": https://open.spotify.com/track/1tgdSauXri5RNcpc3mkBSJ?si=0b1a60d116e149e1
In about 1983 or '84, my brother had written and was now "touring" the Southland with it...a one-man, two-act play, "An Evening With John Wilkes Booth." It was a special article for my paid subbies this past summer, but there's a preview portion before a break line: https://bradkyle.substack.com/p/2an-evening-with-john-wilkes-booth
I'm going somewhere with this, honest!
One of his tour stops (he'd book the show at mostly college campuses for history/poly sci classes to attend, etc) was The Harvard School in Studio City, the oh-so-high-falutin' private school where Dweezil attended high school. I travelled with Clint to his shows, running his lights and sound, and somehow (sans internet), I knew Dweezil attended. So, from the time we got there, did the show, and packed up and left, I was looking for him, but never spotted him!
I had somehow picked up from someone the "tip" of not only that that was The Dweez's school, but even what he looked like (although, just picturing a smaller Frank woulda done it!). A "Brady Bunch" producer, Lloyd Schwartz (son of "Gilligan's Island" and "BB" creator, Sherwood Schwartz), co-wrote and produced Clint's play, so it's highly likely this well-connected cat gave me the tip! If you like the article (there are about 4 I sent out this summer to paid subbies), and would like to read more (below the page break), let me know.
Thanks, Kevin.....As I told Matt, he definitely stretched the horizons of where TT can go from song to song! I'm glad you mentioned that....I'm hoping that "play along" element is something others are doing, too!
Matt was both very good at the game (matching on time signature!) and an engaging writer about music. The two of you did a good job making it feel dramatic.
I'm glad that I had a chance to play before reading that -- it sets a very high standard, but it did prompt some additional thoughts, and I might write an additional note and see if you think it would be reasonable to append it to our back-and-forth.
Great one! And to introduce you to another Swedish pop band, here is "Bang Your Head" from Lolita Pop, which I first heard on the soundtrack to the movie "Hiding Out" https://youtu.be/VdriWv41tCc?si=aUgIz_JbLfG2yLrs
Thanks, Rick! I'd never heard of Lolita Pop, but on first listen, they sound like ABBA might sound if our "Dancing Queens" were a self-contained rock band, and not an essentially studio aggregate, hiring musicians (and strings) on a whim (and presumably, a salary)!
I noticed that album (with "Hang Your Bed"....hey, I live for spoonerisms!) was released in the states (on Virgin). I have my excuse for a personal pop culture black-out in '87. I had just graduated college (as a non-trad student at 32!), and was beginning that new second career, so my attention was elsewhere, now that I was outta the biz!
I wonder how our '80s-scouring friends, here, did with Lolita Pop. On 'em? Dig 'em? Also weren't aware, etc.? That movie, I notice, was released in late '87, so LPop landed on that S/T pretty quick!
Seems the streak of having a Genesis or Genesis adjacent song in every TuneTag is continuing along swimmingly! As a Rush fan-atic I was thrilled to see it end with a duel-ette!
And, I'm thrilled to see your comment end with the beginning to my favorite Chiffons hit: 🎶"Duel-ette, duel-ette, duel-ette, He's so fine, wish he were mine......"!🎶Wheeee! It's fun being retired!🤪
Oh wow, this TT was absolutely fantastic! Some of those connections were just breathtakingly brilliant, well done Matt!!
Brad, one of my favorite Swedish bands, and one I think you’d really enjoy, is First Aid Kit. Their harmonies are brilliant, particularly on Fireworks, which has managed to find its way on to my favorite songs of all time playlist. Rarified air indeed.
I know.....Matt was bordering on spooky on this one! Great voices and harmonies for FAK, whom I'd never heard or heard of, before! Three bands, now, from Sweden, and they're all mixed gender, and have trademark crystal-clear voices! What's in those Alpine waters?!
Stay tuned for Friday's article drop, Mark! I'll be introducing a new, recurring series, "Yacht Pop Anchors," where I'll spotlight three songs and artists from my newly-dubbed genre!
Wow, what an impressive round (and fun to see a TTRPG fan do so well. Represent! :)
Edit: Listening to "Pilgrim" and thinking about gaming connections, I get a definite Warhammer 40K vibe.
Thanks, NickS (WA)! As you know, lots of TTRPGers know their music as well. I've been having a blast interviewing game designers about their musical influences in my Appendix LP podcast: https://criticalhitparader.substack.com/podcast
This was a lot of fun to read. Great job, guys! I liked how your respective skills and knowledge complemented each other so well. You both added a lot of substance to the mix. Great teamwork!
Thanks, Andy! Whatever "teamwork" comes out is there because of the music! As you know, because we're not "working together," literally, it's the music that provides the organic thread....as one of the guests said recently, "we started to work together better" as the TT progressed.
One wonders what kind of chemistry and symmetry might be gained from a '60s-style Monopoly game marathon....back then, if you worked it right, your Monopoly game could stretch for days! They've now dumbed it down, I've noticed, and have included a "short-game" rule sheet for completing a game within an hour. *sigh*
All of which reminds me of an early-'70s weekend-on-the-beach where me and over a dozen friends gathered for a 3-day Beach Boys weekend in Galveston (50 miles south of Houston). All Beach Boys records (and related....Jan & Dean, The Honeys, et al) all the time! I don't know why I recalled that, but you seem to inspire the "hidden" stories I've yet to disclose!😉👍🎵🎶🎼
That’s beautiful, Brad! Thanks for sharing. Indeed music, and memories, and music-related memories have that power!
Another great game! It’s always so interesting to read each players rationale.
Thanks Brad and Matt
Thanks, Michael! That seems to be the go-to TT highpoint....why someone chose what they did. And, like Kevin does, I hope you play along at home, taking a minute to think about what you might follow with before scrolling down to see "the answer"!
Readers: See if you can get some friends together for a Tune Tag party at your place (or ask somebody to host)! Use your phone or laptop to use for research in real time (maybe set a timer for 5 minutes or some agreed-upon time), use the host's record collection as your only source of available music, play the song you chose, and so on!
That’s such a good idea!
You know, Brad, you may have to trademark or copyright or patent (or whatever it’s called) Tune Tag, because it seems this awesome game could take off in a big way :)
You're right, Michael.....but, all that sounds so exhausting!😉
Ha ha ha! It’s late and I’m tired so I am listening to the weird robot recording of this post!! The voice said that “Turn it on again” and the NIN song were both in “August 13th time signature!! (the robot used the European format day-month-year) She meant 13/8!!! She means DOLBY!!
🤖Robots......they just don't make 'em like they used to! I long for the days of The Jetsons' Rosie! I've even tried to get Alexa and Siri, both, to push a vacuum, and my Roomba only picks up Cleveland classical stations.🤷♂️
Ah yes, many drummers struggle with the August 13th time signature. Personally, I can only play drums on April 4th.
Genesis managed a few days earlier on August 9th! That should be an early Genesis national Holiday, but maybe only like five people would take the day off from work!
It was an honor to get to play Tune Tag with Brad! Thanks for mentioning the "Chester's go-rilla" lyrics in Florentine Pogen. On the inside cover of the Zappa album, Chester Thompson is credited with drums and gorilla victim. This allegedly refers to a groupie incident. I didn't think of the Adrian Belew connection between Bowie and NiN. If I had, I may have tagged to a song by The Bears. Thanks again for inviting me to play!
Absolutely my pleasure, Matt! You definitely stretched where future players can aspire to go...mehopes they're taking notes! Those Chester lyrics were certainly hard to miss. I'm sorry........what?! A "groupie incident" in the Zappa camp?! Color me incredulous!🤣As for the Belew find, it's about the only point I scored....you all but skunked me!
Speaking of Chester and a gorilla, Genesis, as you know has a song, "Wot Gorilla?" that I'm guessing Chester had to play along with a few times on the road!
In the late '60s and early '70s, I'd get all of Frank's albums (Warner Bros. promos from Dad), but while listening to each, he wasn't a fave. What I found fascinating about him (as I'd read in the rock mags o' the day), was that he ran thru musicians as fast as you or I go thru toilet paper!
He loved challenging them on the fly, and if someone couldn't cut it, he'd simply get another who could/would! Plus, starting on WB (before moving to Columbia around '74), I was aware of Flo & Eddie's connection to the Zappa camp (I think I went there as a kid...beautiful lake!). I loved their "solo" albums (especially after their move to CBS). My fave: "Let Me Make Love to You": https://open.spotify.com/track/1tgdSauXri5RNcpc3mkBSJ?si=0b1a60d116e149e1
In about 1983 or '84, my brother had written and was now "touring" the Southland with it...a one-man, two-act play, "An Evening With John Wilkes Booth." It was a special article for my paid subbies this past summer, but there's a preview portion before a break line: https://bradkyle.substack.com/p/2an-evening-with-john-wilkes-booth
I'm going somewhere with this, honest!
One of his tour stops (he'd book the show at mostly college campuses for history/poly sci classes to attend, etc) was The Harvard School in Studio City, the oh-so-high-falutin' private school where Dweezil attended high school. I travelled with Clint to his shows, running his lights and sound, and somehow (sans internet), I knew Dweezil attended. So, from the time we got there, did the show, and packed up and left, I was looking for him, but never spotted him!
I had somehow picked up from someone the "tip" of not only that that was The Dweez's school, but even what he looked like (although, just picturing a smaller Frank woulda done it!). A "Brady Bunch" producer, Lloyd Schwartz (son of "Gilligan's Island" and "BB" creator, Sherwood Schwartz), co-wrote and produced Clint's play, so it's highly likely this well-connected cat gave me the tip! If you like the article (there are about 4 I sent out this summer to paid subbies), and would like to read more (below the page break), let me know.
Also, if you haven't seen this one, I'm thinking you might like it...my brief meeting with Randy Rhoads! It's free: https://bradkyle.substack.com/p/my-1980-meeting-with-guitarist-randy
Nicely done! Trying to figure out those connections w/o scrolling ahead wasn't easy.
Thanks, Kevin.....As I told Matt, he definitely stretched the horizons of where TT can go from song to song! I'm glad you mentioned that....I'm hoping that "play along" element is something others are doing, too!
Matt was both very good at the game (matching on time signature!) and an engaging writer about music. The two of you did a good job making it feel dramatic.
I'm glad that I had a chance to play before reading that -- it sets a very high standard, but it did prompt some additional thoughts, and I might write an additional note and see if you think it would be reasonable to append it to our back-and-forth.
I'm certainly game to look at 'em, Nick! If I add them, I think it'd be only fair to note that they're "after-the-fact" notes.
Sent. Of course you can exercise whatever editorial judgement makes sense.
Next level connecting going on here! And the perfect read as I have King Crimson's Fracture churning away in the background...
Musical serendipity.....nothin' like it!🎼🎶🎵😁👍
Nice, I'm liking TuneTagTuesday! Some obscurity here today, which is good. Nice to meet you, Matt!
Thanks, Paul - great to meet you as well!
Genesis might be a contender for the band that shows up the most here. Bowie is probably #1 for solo artists, right?
Those would both be my bets without looking!
It's gotta be close.
Great one! And to introduce you to another Swedish pop band, here is "Bang Your Head" from Lolita Pop, which I first heard on the soundtrack to the movie "Hiding Out" https://youtu.be/VdriWv41tCc?si=aUgIz_JbLfG2yLrs
Thanks, Rick! I'd never heard of Lolita Pop, but on first listen, they sound like ABBA might sound if our "Dancing Queens" were a self-contained rock band, and not an essentially studio aggregate, hiring musicians (and strings) on a whim (and presumably, a salary)!
I noticed that album (with "Hang Your Bed"....hey, I live for spoonerisms!) was released in the states (on Virgin). I have my excuse for a personal pop culture black-out in '87. I had just graduated college (as a non-trad student at 32!), and was beginning that new second career, so my attention was elsewhere, now that I was outta the biz!
I wonder how our '80s-scouring friends, here, did with Lolita Pop. On 'em? Dig 'em? Also weren't aware, etc.? That movie, I notice, was released in late '87, so LPop landed on that S/T pretty quick!
Seems the streak of having a Genesis or Genesis adjacent song in every TuneTag is continuing along swimmingly! As a Rush fan-atic I was thrilled to see it end with a duel-ette!
And, I'm thrilled to see your comment end with the beginning to my favorite Chiffons hit: 🎶"Duel-ette, duel-ette, duel-ette, He's so fine, wish he were mine......"!🎶Wheeee! It's fun being retired!🤪
If I wasn't intimidated before...
Love how we went from ABBA to Rush via Zappa and Bowie, as well as some music I hadn't heard before. Thanks gentlemen!
Cool, huh? That's what makes Tune Taggin' such a white-knuckle ride!
Oh wow, this TT was absolutely fantastic! Some of those connections were just breathtakingly brilliant, well done Matt!!
Brad, one of my favorite Swedish bands, and one I think you’d really enjoy, is First Aid Kit. Their harmonies are brilliant, particularly on Fireworks, which has managed to find its way on to my favorite songs of all time playlist. Rarified air indeed.
Here’s their live performance of the song on BBC Music and it’s absolutely sublime: https://youtu.be/iQC3vX-OLqw?si=VjXNXeOk9LiMD9sx
I know.....Matt was bordering on spooky on this one! Great voices and harmonies for FAK, whom I'd never heard or heard of, before! Three bands, now, from Sweden, and they're all mixed gender, and have trademark crystal-clear voices! What's in those Alpine waters?!
Stay tuned for Friday's article drop, Mark! I'll be introducing a new, recurring series, "Yacht Pop Anchors," where I'll spotlight three songs and artists from my newly-dubbed genre!
Ooh sounds exciting! I look forward to it!!
....FLY!BY!NIGHT Royal Philharmonic?!?! This version almost sounds like it could play behind the end credits to Donahue!!