411 Music Fact Or Fiction 04.17.08: Week 54

Posted by Dan Haggerty on 04.17.2008

Rob Samuels and Blake Lauderback join forces this week to dish out the old school views! Is Bob Dylan overrated? Is Alan Freed the father of Rock & Roll? Should George Harrison be in the Hall of Fame? Plus we see if train wreck Britney is hotter than pop princess Britney and The Who are your video of the week!

Greetings and salutations 411Maniacs, sit back and grab a cold one because we're going old school this week as half the questions have been served up to the specialty of today's guests; classic rock and roll baby. We'll throw them a few curves along the way as well, just top keep them on their toes. First man in is no stranger to a good old fashion Fact or Fiction rant, he's The Classic Record Review , Rob Samuels! In the other corner we have new recruit who's making waves around the studio, he's got the answer to your questions in Ask 411Music , Blake Lauderback! As always, I'm the master of ceremonies (but not necessarily my own domain), the guy who asks the questions and keeps score… Even though the score's job is obsolete and silly… Kind of like the keytar.

Trust me, if you missed the 80's – You don't want to know.

Hey – It's Music, its news, and we're 411 so you're getting real views. This is week Fifty-Four of Fact or Fiction Music, and it starts…


Now!


Round 1!

"I'll take a piece of strung out
Amy Winehouse too..."

1. Moby is right; train wreck Britney is hotter than pop singer Britney.

Blake Lauderback: Fiction - Do you ever get the impression that Moby just likes to say the opposite of what everyone else thinks because he thinks it is cool? I suppose there are people out there that think her trashiness is attractive on some level, and I am sure there are some people out there that think Britney with a couple extra pounds is sexier too. That is cool, I am not here to judge. However, while it seems that she is everywhere now, this is nothing compared to her exposure (no pun intended... okay... maybe a little) at the peak of her career, and that exposure at least translated into ratings and record sales. All she is good for now is making everyone else feel a little better about themselves. Oh, and she was WAY more attractive before the K-Fed years.

Rob Samuels: Fiction - I think Moby enjoys talking shit for the hell of it. Well he's good at it, so why not. Perhaps Moby likes a project – because after he gives her a new wardrobe and cures her apparent insanity, she'd be quite the catch. I have to say, girl next-door pop singer Britney was boring, where as crazy train wreck Britney is just a bit too much for me. Frankly I'm a bit bored of Britney Spears now, call me unforgiving but I wish she'd just fuck off.

Score : 1 for 1


2. Radiohead, by launching their own social network continue to prove they are on the cutting edge of the industry.

Blake Lauderback: Fact - I am really on the line with this one because I think it is way to early to tell just how revolutionary this endeavor is or isn't. On the negative side, it wreaks of self importance. You are not cool unless you are on OUR fake friend network! However, if they are able to create a new arena for underground musicians to plug in and be heard, more power to them. On top of that, you have to appreciate the business mindset behind the move, and I think it is great when any band is making wise, forward thinking decisions.

Rob Samuels: Fiction - Meh, I think this move is a little bit pretentious and self-involved. It seems like a desperate attempt to garner extra publicity and for their management to say "Hey look at us – we're down with the kids". I appreciate the business behind the idea, because social network sites are where people go to look at music (Well, that and Wikipedia for some reason) plus it allows them to advertise their live endeavors for free - which is how the band will make their money. But frankly anything that encourages more emo-myspacers is definitely a bad thing in my book.

Score : 1 for 2


3. Bob Dylan is overrated.

Blake Lauderback: Fiction - A million times fiction!!! I truly believe that Bob Dylan is extremely under appreciated by our generation. I will be the first to admit that he is not the greatest vocalist of all time, nor is he a brilliant instrumentalist. What he is however, is one of the best songwriters in the history of popular music. His lyrics, even forty years later, ring truer than ever, and I believe that he has earned his spot to be considered one of the world's greatest poets. Songs like "Subterranean Homesick Blues" and "Like a Rolling Stone" deserve to be studied alongside the works of Byron, Keats, and Shakespeare, and every artist out there that wishes to make a change in the world need only follow his blueprint.

He is also the perfect example of an artist that refused to become commercialized. Every time he began to feel constricted by the way he was classified by the media and the public he would throw the world for a loop and change everything. Whether he was jumping between acoustic folk music and electrified rock or experimenting in gospel, jazz, or country, Bob Dylan has always done things his own way and always been successful.

Rob Samuels: Fiction - I agree 100% with Blake here, in fact I think he has summed it up perfectly. Okay vocalist, good musician, and world-class songwriter. I really can't add anything without being repetitive. Well played Blake – you've silenced me!


Intermission Score : 2 for 3


OK everyone… You know the lyrics!

Once upon a time you dressed so fine
You threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn't you ?
People'd call, say, "Beware doll, you're bound to fall"
You thought they were all kiddin' you
You used to laugh about
Everybody that was hangin' out
Now you don't talk so loud
Now you don't seem so proud
About having to be scrounging for your next meal.

How does it feel
How does it feel
To be without a home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone ?

You've gone to the finest school all right, Miss Lonely
But you know you only used to get juiced in it
And nobody has ever taught you how to live on the street
And now you find out you're gonna have to get used to it
You said you'd never compromise
With the mystery tramp, but know you realize
He's not selling any alibis
As you stare into the vacuum of his eyes
And say do you want to make a deal?

How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone ?
You never turned around to see the frowns on the jugglers and the clowns
When they all come down and did tricks for you
You never understood that it ain't no good
You shouldn't let other people get your kicks for you
You used to ride on the chrome horse with your diplomat
Who carried on his shoulder a Siamese cat
Ain't it hard when you discover that
He really wasn't where it's at
After he took from you everything he could steal.

How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone ?

Princess on the steeple and all the pretty people
They're drinkin', thinkin' that they got it made
Exchanging all precious gifts
But you'd better take your diamond ring, you'd better pawn it babe
You used to be so amused
At Napoleon in rags and the language that he used
Go to him now, he calls you, you can't refuse
When you got nothing, you got nothing to lose
You're invisible now, you got no secrets to conceal.

How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone ?

SWITCH!


Don't forget to check out this months music round table as well!




Round 2!


4. Alan Freed is the father of Rock & Roll, and we wouldn't be here discussing music without him.

Rob Samuels: Fiction - I'm not for a second suggesting that Alan Freed wasn't a trailblazer for ‘Rock n Roll', he was instrumental in breaking down America's perception of Black music, and indeed introducing it to the mainstream. His lack of racial bias helped artists like Little Richard hit the big time – their music being available to a wider audience. He even coined the term ‘Rock n Roll'. However if Freed had not been born would that mean Rock n Roll wouldn't exist today? I doubt it – I'm sure the genre would have found some other way to hit the mainstream and we would be dubbing someone else the ‘Father of Rock n Roll'.

Blake Lauderback: Fiction - I cannot in good faith accept someone as "the father of rock and roll" that was not in any way a performer. The true title can't even be placed on the shoulders of any one musician, much less on the shoulders of someone that never played a note. That said, there is still the possibility that rock music never happens without Freed. He did accomplish a great deal for the genre, not only by simply naming the sensation, but tearing down some major racial barriers. If Alan the roots of rock and roll are made up of white country music and black r&b. If the world didn't have Alan Freed to play his integral role, who knows if the combination would have ever happened? While I can't go along with the title of "father of rock and roll," I do believe the man deserves our love and respect for what he did for the art form.


Score : 3 for 4


5. George Harrison should be inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for his individual accomplishments.

Rob Samuels: Fact - Not only was Harrison instrumental
(get it?) to the Beatles success, he was a major part of the Music Industry in the sixties and seventies. Although his solo career is often overlooked he did produce a strong body of work that is highly underrated. Plus Lennon and McCartney are both in there as individuals so I think it's only right that George should join them. Ringo – well that's a different story…

I've got a quick irrelevant Ringo story actually – recently the statue of The Beatles outside Liverpool's John Lennon Airport was found to be vandalized. In fact Ringo had been decapitated. It probably has nothing to do with Mr. Starkey expressing his hatred of his hometown. Scousers never forget… Moving on…

Blake Lauderback: Fact - What, like anyone thought I wasn't going to side with one of my beloved Beatles? That being said, George Harrison is already in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was inducted in 2004 and presented by two of his closest friends and Traveling Wilburys mates, Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne.

Rob is 100% correct when he states that Harrison's solo work has long gone unnoticed by many. The album "All Things Must Pass" is, in my opinion, one of the greatest albums of all time. Even his contributions to The Beatles are oft overlooked. "Here Comes the Sun," "Something," "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," "The Inner Light," "Taxman..." these are only a few of the amazing songs that Harrison contributed to the Beatles' catalog. On top of that, he deserves a great deal more credit than he gets for his outstanding ability on the guitar.

My only gripe with Rob's answer is that he seems to believe that Ringo isn't worth to be next. While he is most certainly entitled to his opinion, I greatly disagree. While Ringo has not found the same level of success that the other three did as solo artists, he has still had a remarkable post-Beatles career. In fact, should the pattern hold, next year should be his year. Lennon was inducted in 1994, McCartney in 1999, Harrison in 2004, with five years between each induction. Here is hoping that the Hall wants a complete set.

Score : 4 for 5


Time for another video Fact or Fiction!

6. There is something immortal and timeless about The Who…




Rob Samuels: Fact - I'm somewhat biased as a huge fan of The Who, however its hard to deny that for sheer energy and insanity The Who are the greatest live act of all time (Pink Floyd put on the greatest spectacle though). The Who had it all: Townshend's infamous windmill, which I notice one commenter pointed out as the ‘greatest moment in Rock n Roll history' on that YouTube clip, Keith Moon's lunacy, Roger Daltrey's sheer presence (and his request that a pot of Haagen-Dazs ice cream be placed on stage) and finally John Entwistle anchoring all of this madness down with his deadpan demeanor. Timeless is the right term.

Blake Lauderback: Fact - Once again Mr. Samuels has hit the nail smack on the head. The Who are a timeless act in rock music because of sheer talent, brilliant songwriting, and their outlandish stage shows. I once read somewhere that what makes The Who so unique is that, as a band, they are completely backwards. In 99 out of a 100 bands out there, the bass and drums supply the backbone of the music, allowing the guitar the shine. With The Who, Townsend holds down the rhythm, allowing Entwistle (An absolute beast on the bass) and Moon (Pretty damn good himself) to go ballistic. This is not to say that Pete doesn't get his moment to shine too though, because in many ways Townsend defined what a lead guitar player should aspire to be for decades to come. Add in Roger Daltrey's classic delivery and you have one of the tightest, timeless acts in history.


Final Score : 5 for 6


And that will wrap up another exciting edition of Fact or Fiction Music, I'd like to thank Rob and Blake for stepping in to help along this weeks theme and for delivering great answers again. I'd also like to thank all of the pretentious and self involved underappreciated train wrecks who make everyone else feel better about themselves, you make this column possible each week. But so do people like George Harrison, Alan Freed, Bob Dylan, and the Who. Without them this great industry would not be what it is today.

Yes, I'm going to end that on a positive note – That list deserves it.

As for me, I'm out of here. I'll see you this Friday in the The Mosh Pit and we'll see you back here is seven.

"Has anyone seen Moby…"