Monday, April 14, 2008
Interviewing Chris Difford
I'm meant to be blogging over at the squeeze reader much more than I am. I made it a resolution for crying out loud.
Despite my sloth, my very kind co-bloggers included me on a very interesting and rare opportunity that has come our way. I have the chance to submit some questions to one Mr. Christopher Difford.
I get four questions. Here goes:
1. What does "pulling mussels from a shell" mean? Sometimes I want to know the answer, sometimes I don't. At the moment, I want to know. Mega-Squeeze-fan Mitzi wants to know, and she's earned it, so there you go. Why is Maid Marion on her tip-toed feet?
2. One page 81 of Squeeze: Song by Song, Jim Drury asks this question about the song Tempted:
3. When you give advice to upcoming songwriters, do you ever deal with songwriting duos? If you do, what advice do you give them about working with someone on songs? If you don't, what advice would you give to upcoming songwriting duos?
4. How are you managing with the fear of flying on your recent trips to America?
Backup questions:
5. Have you ever asked Kelly Willis about covering Cowboys Are My Weakness? She covered a Kirsty MacColl song very well.
Despite my sloth, my very kind co-bloggers included me on a very interesting and rare opportunity that has come our way. I have the chance to submit some questions to one Mr. Christopher Difford.
I get four questions. Here goes:
1. What does "pulling mussels from a shell" mean? Sometimes I want to know the answer, sometimes I don't. At the moment, I want to know. Mega-Squeeze-fan Mitzi wants to know, and she's earned it, so there you go. Why is Maid Marion on her tip-toed feet?
2. One page 81 of Squeeze: Song by Song, Jim Drury asks this question about the song Tempted:
Is the lyric autobiographical?to which you respond:
I think so. I was married by the but going on the road...That part of the answer ("I thinks so") jumped out at me when I first read it. Do you not remember precisely whether the lyric was autobiographical or are you being hesitant to answer the question?
3. When you give advice to upcoming songwriters, do you ever deal with songwriting duos? If you do, what advice do you give them about working with someone on songs? If you don't, what advice would you give to upcoming songwriting duos?
4. How are you managing with the fear of flying on your recent trips to America?
Backup questions:
5. Have you ever asked Kelly Willis about covering Cowboys Are My Weakness? She covered a Kirsty MacColl song very well.
Labels: Chris Difford, Kelly Willis, Kirsty MacColl, Squeeze
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Some Squeeze fans are a little odd
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Plow my corn with a double shovel
1. Still oh so busy. Wow, is what the 40s is going to be?
2. Yahoo Music is adding Squeeze and Elvis.
3. I've cycled through a couple of Russian groups, great folks. I like it when they are open to the experience of America.
4. I've got a Chinese group I'm working with. One guy is into country music now, Johnny Cash and Hank 3.
My work here is done.
2. Yahoo Music is adding Squeeze and Elvis.
3. I've cycled through a couple of Russian groups, great folks. I like it when they are open to the experience of America.
4. I've got a Chinese group I'm working with. One guy is into country music now, Johnny Cash and Hank 3.
My work here is done.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
My name is Rob, I got a real funky concept
Jimmay! turned 40 this past weekend. I went to Austin for the drinking marathon festivities. He invited us to bring our MP3 players and let loose the hounds of nostalgia. Here's the playlist I made:
#1. Happy Birthday -- Altered Images - Listening to Altered Images is like eating a pixie stick.
#2. My Own Way -- Duran Duran - The most underrated Duran Duran song.
#3. Shakin' -- Eddie Money - Jimmy and I shared our secret shame one night while watching MTV. We both like Eddie Money. A big American car on a Friday night, the promise of the first sip of beer...
#4. Hold It Now, Hit It -- Beastie Boys - When they could sample anything. I miss those days.
#5. Shake Your Rump -- Beastie Boys - We must have listened to Paul's Boutique a million times.
#6. I Touch Roses -- Book of Love - A song you would have heard in The World in Austin in 1988.
#7. Black Celebration -- Depeche Mode - Best thing, it's actaully about Guinness.
#8. Panic -- The Smiths - I can remember screaming "hang the deejay" too late one night.
#9. Genius Of Love -- Tom Tom Club - Genius of a song.
#10. Blue Monday -- New Order - Substance was the first CD I owned.
#11. Bizarre Love Triangle -- New Order - I remember dancing with the missus to this song about a million times.
#12. It Takes Two -- Rob Base - The "whoo" and the "yea" from this song mash up with just about any song in the world.
#13. Beats To The Rhyme -- Run-D.M.C. - The missus, Jimmy, and I are close friends of DMC.
#14. Run's House -- Run-D.M.C.
#15. Perfect Way -- Scritti Politti - This should be a throw-away song, but it's still one of my favorites.
#16. How Soon Is Now? -- The Smiths - Every club played this song once a night in the 80s.
#17. Stigmata -- Ministry - This song separates the men from the boys. In Austin, there would be these mainstream kids who would go out for a "New Wave" night and hit the alternative clubs where Jimmy and I lived. When this song came on, you could see that they were thinking that things had gone too far and they were over their heads.
#18. Up The Junction -- Squeeze - There's a Squeeze song for every occasion. This is Jimmy's favorite Squeeze song, in particular the line "begging's not my business."
#19. Up The Creek -- Glenn Tilbrook - It's a song about getting older and yet staying funky. And being stupid. I get it now.
#1. Happy Birthday -- Altered Images - Listening to Altered Images is like eating a pixie stick.
#2. My Own Way -- Duran Duran - The most underrated Duran Duran song.
#3. Shakin' -- Eddie Money - Jimmy and I shared our secret shame one night while watching MTV. We both like Eddie Money. A big American car on a Friday night, the promise of the first sip of beer...
#4. Hold It Now, Hit It -- Beastie Boys - When they could sample anything. I miss those days.
#5. Shake Your Rump -- Beastie Boys - We must have listened to Paul's Boutique a million times.
#6. I Touch Roses -- Book of Love - A song you would have heard in The World in Austin in 1988.
#7. Black Celebration -- Depeche Mode - Best thing, it's actaully about Guinness.
#8. Panic -- The Smiths - I can remember screaming "hang the deejay" too late one night.
#9. Genius Of Love -- Tom Tom Club - Genius of a song.
#10. Blue Monday -- New Order - Substance was the first CD I owned.
#11. Bizarre Love Triangle -- New Order - I remember dancing with the missus to this song about a million times.
#12. It Takes Two -- Rob Base - The "whoo" and the "yea" from this song mash up with just about any song in the world.
#13. Beats To The Rhyme -- Run-D.M.C. - The missus, Jimmy, and I are close friends of DMC.
#14. Run's House -- Run-D.M.C.
#15. Perfect Way -- Scritti Politti - This should be a throw-away song, but it's still one of my favorites.
#16. How Soon Is Now? -- The Smiths - Every club played this song once a night in the 80s.
#17. Stigmata -- Ministry - This song separates the men from the boys. In Austin, there would be these mainstream kids who would go out for a "New Wave" night and hit the alternative clubs where Jimmy and I lived. When this song came on, you could see that they were thinking that things had gone too far and they were over their heads.
#18. Up The Junction -- Squeeze - There's a Squeeze song for every occasion. This is Jimmy's favorite Squeeze song, in particular the line "begging's not my business."
#19. Up The Creek -- Glenn Tilbrook - It's a song about getting older and yet staying funky. And being stupid. I get it now.
Labels: Jimmay, music, Squeeze, The Missus, Weirdness
Monday, April 30, 2007
A kind of slapstick tragedy
Glenn Tilbrook has a wonderful little song, By the Light of the Cash Machine, up on his myspace. It's free to take a listen, give it a whirl!
Labels: Glenn Tilbrook, music, Squeeze
Sunday, April 22, 2007
I break my silence...
...to write a Squeeze post. Back to work.
Labels: Chris Difford, Glenn Tilbrook, Squeeze
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
A few conversations you could have overheard
1. Matty B.: So, you all don't celebrate St. Patrick's Day?
Me: No, not really.
Matty B.: Because you're a Kven?
2. Me: I'm telling you, trailer in the country, lots of cats, and I'll sit on the front porch with a shotgun and keep the world at bay.
The missus: That's starting to sound good.
3. Me (an internal monologue): We could fly to London, take the train to Chester or Wolverhampton, catch an EPL match, then see the reunited Squeeze, all in one weekend. How much could that be?
[Mouse clicks, keyboard clicks, several "hmms" later]
$3,000 is a little steep for an adolescent obsession and a weekend. They better come to the States.
4. Pete: I tell people I'm 40 and they act surprised. Then I tell them I'm immature for my age and they agree.
5. The missus, upon Spencer appearing on the screen: I think I just threw up a little in the back of my mouth.
Me: No, not really.
Matty B.: Because you're a Kven?
2. Me: I'm telling you, trailer in the country, lots of cats, and I'll sit on the front porch with a shotgun and keep the world at bay.
The missus: That's starting to sound good.
3. Me (an internal monologue): We could fly to London, take the train to Chester or Wolverhampton, catch an EPL match, then see the reunited Squeeze, all in one weekend. How much could that be?
[Mouse clicks, keyboard clicks, several "hmms" later]
$3,000 is a little steep for an adolescent obsession and a weekend. They better come to the States.
4. Pete: I tell people I'm 40 and they act surprised. Then I tell them I'm immature for my age and they agree.
5. The missus, upon Spencer appearing on the screen: I think I just threw up a little in the back of my mouth.
Labels: family, humor, Laguna Beach, LC, MTV, Shows I don't watch, Squeeze, Team Heidi, The Hills, travel, Weirdness
