This is true. When I was in 2nd or 3rd grade I had an 8-track of Bob Welch’s French Kiss. In my little world, BW and that 12-string, or whatever, the high creepy fake-tender singing, were equal with the Beatles and Elvis Costello, the other reigning lords of my musical universe. Is there a better first line than "You are here and warm," from "Sentimental Lady"? As I understand it, BW has gone on to become a producer in Nashville. As you know, BW was a member of Fleetwood Mac before Stevie and Lindsey brought the Wicca and the wacko to the group. BW was also in a band called Paris, which I’ve never heard, but hold out unrealistic hope for.
I’ve got this whole system of soft-rock equivalencies for contemporary indie acts. It works like this Cat Stevens = Devendra Banhart (just watch the Cat Stevens DVD [complete with mime shit] and you can see the unhinged core beneath the quasi-mystic ecstatic action). James Tayor = Iron and Wine (Lefty pointed that one out). As mentioned, Stealers Wheel = Teenage Fanclub. Bread = either Wilco or Ween (you pick). You get the idea. Well, the flow chart with Bob Welch is pretty bifurcated and complex. I can hear real traces of BW in the too-high vocals and dystopianism of Grandaddy. There’s also a touch of him in the Flaming Lips. And I swear that, maybe by some accident of constitutional robotic stiffness and a general lack of emotion, BW beat Neil Young to the classic-rock android Kraftwerkian rip-off of Trans. But here’s the real imaginary decoder’s delight: Bob was an early exponent of the Chronic style, with the ultra low bass and the synth squiggles. The Ghost of Flight 401 has got it all. Give a listen. A transportation distaster ghost story.
In my zeal to convert new fans to the Bob I was once gratified when an old friend special ordered a then Japanese-only import of French Kiss because he was so filled with the spirit.
Beware. Once you get past Two Hearts things get really difficult to justify.
1 comment:
Thank you, Mr. Poncho. I wasn't kidding about my BW thing. My secretary caught me staring at the French Kiss cover during my lunch break. How embarassing! I couldn't come clean and tell her that I was transfixed by HIM (white pants, shades), rather than her.
I'm very impressed by the Japanese import story. You've had more luck than I in bringing people to Bob. I congratulate you.
Do chain stores still have those special imports sections for mainstream records? ("Imports") I'll check the FYE down the street.
Thinking hard about the BW family tree. I heard something by Broken Social Scene that, vocally, reminded me of Thin Lizzy. Not to mix apples and oranges, but if one listened closely I think he might find traces of Bob in there too. As for the instrumental/compositional/ethical BW family tree: I'm stumped, at the moment.
On a related point, I had the unpleasant realization that some of the stylings of the Animal Collective -- the dopey, plummy, sing, sing, singy bits mostly -- reminded me of XTC. Gawd! I can hardly listen to them now, and I was ready to make a list just to put them on it.
I need to digest the America track. Read: run out to the megastore and buy the whole damn catalog. I may have to trade in some of my rare Italian improv records to finance additions to the Soft Collection -- or not: most of that stuff should be the Nice Price.
Yours, check you later, thanks again, stay gold,
Nettie
Post a Comment