The Jalopies and the Noise They Make
I was driving along yesterday, looking to rustle up some dinner, when I heard somebody on the radio mention in passing that Ike Turner died this week. I thought it was strange that was the first I'd heard of it. My morning news radio failed me. Come on, NPR, are you too busy talking to voters in Iowa to mention the passing of the man who wrote the first rock and roll song? Well, that's what Sam Phillips said about "Rocket 88," anyway. It seems like he would know.
Probably Not the Exact Model
Ike Turner was just ahead of his time in writing a song about a car. He was a trailblazer. But Ike isn't like Led Zeppelin--he didn't make any money from Olds. Ike sold out for the love of selling out, because that's how Ike rolls. All Ike needed was fast cars, fast women, and a little bit of blow. Was Ike a banker? Hell no. So what was he going to do with all that cash? He didn't have time to keep up with it all. After all, it's a full day's work just keeping Aunty Entity down. You let your guard down for one minute and she goes solo on your ass.
In other news, this week I found this old piece that Lester Bangs wrote about Brian Eno. It's easily the best Eno interview I've ever read. You should read it too.
It would seem that rock and roll was, in fact, born to sell out. Oh, sure, it went through a dark period where it thought it was too good to sell things. Rock and roll wouldn't be caught dead alongside the likes of Tony the Tiger and Mr. Whipple. It was too cool for all that Madison Avenue jive. Happily, things have changed. Today you can hear all your favorite songs right next to your favorite products. And better yet, your favorite artists make a substantial pile of cash. Everybody wins!
Probably Not the Exact ModelIke Turner was just ahead of his time in writing a song about a car. He was a trailblazer. But Ike isn't like Led Zeppelin--he didn't make any money from Olds. Ike sold out for the love of selling out, because that's how Ike rolls. All Ike needed was fast cars, fast women, and a little bit of blow. Was Ike a banker? Hell no. So what was he going to do with all that cash? He didn't have time to keep up with it all. After all, it's a full day's work just keeping Aunty Entity down. You let your guard down for one minute and she goes solo on your ass.
In other news, this week I found this old piece that Lester Bangs wrote about Brian Eno. It's easily the best Eno interview I've ever read. You should read it too.
7 Comments:
I will brother. Much Love. I hadn't heard about Ike and I was all over the internet this week. We live in a ridiculous age. That's a tiny crossbow.
Imagine what the tiny crossbow would do to some nutz.
in defense of npr, i heard about ike there first, along with a few other hundred thousand "adult contemporary" listeners. so maybe you were just out shaking out your rugs or something when that bit came on.
Thanks for bringing up the memory of the sequel that would sully one of my favorite film series of all time... why don't people ever just quit after ONE sequel, if any at all??
I heard about it on The Self Help Radio Hour. Which I think is ironic.
well justin if you lived in Houston (ahem), you'd have known about it soon. it was on every fucking blog on my rss feed. you have now made my rss list complete.
maybe houston has a higher percentage of ike lovers (in fact one regular commentator here has a tike named ike). the ultimate in ike-worship was the day after he died - a band i saw RETIRED the ike turner song they've played forever when other bitches be trying to learn the chords to "river deep mountain high".
Nice Eno interview! What a guy. I love the man, but more than that, I love his methodology and his attitude. Go Eno! Still doesn't wipe the memory of the damn Thunderdome movie from this post though. Grrr.
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