Tune Tag #24 with Andrew Smith ("Goatfury"), Pt. 2: The Specials, Harry Styles, Neurosis, Guns n' Roses, Rolling Stones

🎃Played near Halloween '23, Andrew and I plunder the vaults for Stones n' Roses, ska-tellites The Specials, and Harry's Style, as we try to make sense of our Neurosis.

“Give it your best shot, Goatfury! Tag, You’re It!”

Andrew Smith is a senior-dog whisperer, a writer, a 4th degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, a business owner, and a lifetime learner. He enjoys sharing his view of the world with you, mainly because he thinks he has things to say (and he does!), and because he feels a burning passion to create!

His infinitely fascinating Substack entry, Goatfury Writes, can be accessed and subscribed to by clicking here, and his first Tune Tag can be enjoyed by going here:

🎵🐐Tune Tag #4 with Andrew Smith (Goatfury): Ambrosia, Genesis, Beatles, Jennifer Holliday, Phil Collins, Stephen Stills

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Andrew’s Song #1 to Brad: Neurosis, “Blisters,” 1990

Andrew’s rationale: Have you ever put a song on and had it instantly change your mood? This is one of those rare songs for me. The mood is pretty dark! If I’m already feeling a little gloomy, I’ll go deeper into this emotion. Many folks would say that's unhealthy, but I think that’s just a surface level, knee-jerk response, and I think the science has my back on this one.

Feeling a negative emotion for a little while is one thing music is really good at, and Neurosis does despair as well as just about anyone. Why would anyone want to feel despair for an extended period of time? Because, not feeling that genuine emotion - burying the feeling- is much more unhealthy than just letting the emotion run its course.

Also, and maybe more to the point, this reminds me personally of a place and time in my life that I can revisit any time I need to. It was a time of deep uncertainty in my life, and while it seemed really bad at the time, when I look back today it was an important phase I needed to go through.

Brad’s Song #1 to Andrew: Snips, “Tight Shoes,” 1981

Andrew’s response: “Tight Shoes” by Snips has to be all about how tight shoes give you blisters!  Right, Brad? Right? Every time I think I understand how Brad’s Tune Tag brain works, he throws a little extra curve in there, so there’s probably more...but, I don’t know what it might be.

This song is pretty fun, though, and I kind of like it in the background while I’m writing this. I will note one additional similarity: both songs are very bass-heavy.

Brad’s rationale: I took Andrew’s “Blisters” song, and found a song that caused blisters! Hey, this ain’t rocket science (I’m hoping)! Apparently, Snips is a single guy, who’d like us to know his real name is Steve Parsons, he’s currently 72, and he’s from Yorkshire, puddin’.