First, though I haven’t posted here in two weeks, that doesn’t mean I haven’t been heard from on the net. No! Perish the thought! Actually, a reasonably lengthy interview with me has been posted in the interim at Rocksellout.com and can still be read at
http://rocksellout.blogspot.com/search/label/Interviews?updated-max=2006-12-29T17%3A35%3A00-06%3A00&max-results=20
if you do want to read what all I had to say.
(Note: scroll down about a third of the way and you will see part five, originally posted on December 21, marked “Interviews: The Big Takeover’s Jack Rabid (Finale).” This is the fourth and final part of the interview, so keep scrolling down until you find part one and read that first, then scroll back up for part two, and so on.)
Other than the fact that I went on way too long (my apologies) in an answer in the final part four (whew!), bringing on some small reader fatigue, the conversation should prove illuminating on what all we do here. And there are some old photos of me (two with my bandmates from EVEN WORSE in 1981—yep, I’m the one in the 999 shirt!—standing and then lying/sitting on my old two mattresses in my bedroom of my old apartment on Eldridge Street, and another of me sitting in that same room on the floor in 1986, which was also seen in last year’s issue 58). There’s also one more recent shot of me at that apartment in the middle, office room just before we moved out last year, if you are tired of this headshot of me on our home page! Ha ha!
And my favorite question is the one where I was allowed to pick a topic and thus get away from myself, and music, for a moment. The question is: “You choose the topic: Give me a ‘Jack Rabid’s Top 10’ that hasn’t appeared anywhere else.” To whet your appetite for what I thought was a simultaneously funny/serious/thoughtful/tragicomic Top 10 that I chose to answer his open-ended question, here are the first few of what I answered:
“Woah, that’s an odd one. How about this. I will just list the ten and you can pick what the topic is:
1) I’m a uniter, not a divider
2) We’re gonna get ‘im. We’ll smoke ‘im out.
3) They will greet us with flowers
4) Mission accomplished”
Anyway, the rest is all about music as usual, and our publication, so feel free to ignore that one answer if this one subject holds no interest for you!
And my thanks to KIP GASPARICK for the kind interview on his fine web site. There is also an interview with (and a song to be heard by) long time Big Takeover favorites THE BLACK WATCH there so check that out too! Rocksellout is an interesting site and there’s some good music in general to listen to there, so check it out beyond my humble (and regrettably verbose—again my apologies) contribution!
I should have more in this space, but for now I wanted to print another recent live review from our regular contributor JEFF ELBEL, of last month’s Pete Townshend concert in Chicago with RACHEL FULLER and friends. Here’s Jeff:
In the Attic
featuring Pete Townshend, Rachel Fuller and friends
Martyrs, Chicago, IL
Saturday, December 9, 2006
By Jeff Elbel
The contemporary formation of the Who has toured North America since early September 2006 in support of its new Endless Wire LP. Along the road, Pete Townshend’s partner Rachel Fuller has served as emcee for Sirius satellite radio’s WHO channel, performed at various Barnes & Nobles supporting her EP Shine, and promoted her webcast program “In the Attic.” Tonight’s “Attic Jam” at Martyrs pub was the fifth in a series stretching from Joe’s Pub in New York City to Hotel Café in Hollywood.
Each Attic Jam has featured segments by the webcast’s regulars. At Martyrs, presenter Fuller performed her confessional “Cigarettes and Housework” alone, and then joined others throughout the evening. Co-host MICKEY CUTHBERT gave credence to comparisons with late FACES bassist RONNIE LANE during “Misery,” and touched on RADIOHEAD’s “Street Spirit” with his acoustic “Tourist.” Younger brother SIMON TOWNSHEND engaged the crowd with classic pop melodies and rock swagger, though limited to the acoustic guitar. “On the Scaffolding” from 1984’s Sweet Sound delivered his biggest hook with its “meltaway and driftaway heart” chorus, though an answered request for the subversive “Sexchange” drew the strongest reaction.
The evening’s special guests were troubadours JOE PURDY and ALEXEI MURDOCH. The bohemian Purdy sang winsome folk numbers torn from his diary, giving the impression of a more romantic, early BOB DYLAN. “I bought you that old guitar just hopin’ you might sing. You took that old guitar, but you left your diamond ring,” he mourned during “Days of Old.” Next was a freshly written tune of love gone wrong.
Pete Townshend joined a clearly thrilled Purdy for a rousing version of THE EVERLY BROTHERS’ “Bye Bye Love.” While on stage, Townshend remarked about Purdy’s new material, “We have a saying in England—’You’ve been at sea too long.’ When buildings remind you of love affairs …” Purdy engaged in the banter, agreeing that he should probably stop traveling—and drinking.
The evening’s highlight was Townshend’s brief set, marred though it was by efforts to recover from a nasty cold. At other Attic Jams (particularly at Hotel Café, featuring guest E of EELS), Townshend performed a full-length set of his material through the evening’s course. Tonight, Townshend limited himself to three songs, but gave fans a treat by dusting off Quadrophenia’s “Drowned,” during which he alluded to the song being written when he’d been at sea too long himself. Townshend’s suffering throat didn’t allow him to perform Endless Wire’s “In the Ether” (accompanied by Fuller’s piano) in his EARL HINES/TOM WAITS character voice.
Townshend compensated for his vocal shortcomings with superb stories, revealing details behind “God Speaks of MARTY ROBBINS,” and describing an influential meeting with Dylan. “What is a folk singer?” Townshend remembered asking Dylan. “He’s a man with a good memory,” came the answer, as Townshend winked and reached for his lyric binder.
