The 500 - #176 - Rocks - Aerosmith

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

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Album: #176
Album Title: Rocks
Artist: Aerosmith

Genre: Hard Rock, Heavy Metal

Recorded: Wherehouse, Waltham, Mass. and Record Plant (New York City, N.Y.)

Released: May, 1976

My age at release: 10
How familiar was I with it before this week: Very

Is it on the 2020 list? Yes, at #366, dropping 190 spots
Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: Back In The Saddle

Rocks was the second record from Boston-based, hard rock band Aerosmith to appear on The 500 list. In January, 2024, my appreciation for the group was made evident in a post about their third record, Toys In The Attic, which also made the list. Most of my high school chums were devotees of the quintet, which comprised Steven Tyler (vocals), Tom Hamilton (bass), Joey Kramer (drums), and guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford.

Aerosmith (1978) (l-r) Tyler, Hamilton, Perry, Whitford and Kramer

Both records were in regular rotation at house parties I attended, as was their Greatest Hits collection, released in 1980. Enjoying critical and commercial success while selling out arenas across North America, it seemed that "The Bad Boys of Boston" were riding high on a wave of good fortune that would carry them comfortably through the eighties. However, behind the scenes, things were falling apart. Guitarist Perry summed it up well in his 2014 autobiography and in many interviews, saying;  "Originally, we were musicians who dabbled in drugs. By the early ‘80s, we were drug addicts who dabbled in music".

In early 1982, stories began circulating among my friends about the group's disastrous decline -- failed marriages, drug busts and even riots at concerts when the group was too drunk or high to play. There were even rumours that Hamilton was so drunk at a show in Cleveland that he fell off the stage and knocked himself out cold. By the time the group released their seventh record, Rock In A Hard Place, in August, 1982, Perry and Whitford had quit the band. The group that had often been called, "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band" became a joke to me and many friends.

Rock In A Hard Place album cover (1982).

In retrospect, we could have been kinder and understood that the five musicians were struggling with addiction. However, we were, like many teenagers, more interested in making each other laugh than concerning ourselves with the personal problems of other people. My buddy, Paul Dawson, and I would try to outdo each other by singing parodies of their lyrics and creating satirical titles for classic Aerosmith songs whenever they entered our purview.

• Back In The Saddle became "Back On The Bottle", 
• Draw The Line was modified to "Draw The Line, So I Can Snort It",
• Walk This Way featured us pantomiming a member stumbling drunk and falling flat on his face. 

Paul was far better at these ridiculous bits of satirical improv than I, often reducing me to tears with his comedy chops. His clever word play on our shared digital messenger thread still makes me chuckle.

My favourite photo of Paul from the
early 80s. He always found (and still finds)
the comedy in everything.

Fortunately, there was a glorious third act waiting for Aerosmith when they became sober in the mid-eighties. They released an impressive string of multi-platinum-selling albums and chart-topping hit singles that began with Permanent Vacation in 1987. Perry and Whitford had returned to the line-up and the band employed songwriters with "pop music" sensibilities. It was the right decision for them, as they amassed a new generation of fans. Their pop-metal and syrupy ballad sound was not for me, though.

Album cover for Permanent Vacation (1987).

Even Saturday Night Live took the mickey out of the band when the comedy ensemble satirized Aerosmith’s mid-’90s hits in a sketch featuring Adam Sandler as Steven Tyler and Jay Mohr as Joe Perry. In the skit, presented as a faux-commercial for a 1990-1994 Greatest Hits Record, Sandler poked fun at the familiar and formulaic sound of the songs Cryin', Crazy and Amazing -- eventually, pitching "new" songs including the ridiculously titled, Crazy Amazing Cryin-Amazacrazy. The video can be seen here.

Sandler as Tyler and Mohr as Perry in the 1994 SNL sketch.

In May, 2023, the group announced a Farewell Tour. However, after 74-year-old Tyler suffered vocal chord damage in September, the shows were postponed for a year. In August, 2024, it was announced that all shows would be cancelled and the band retired. It seems that Father Time had caught up with the leather-lunged Tyler (aka The Demon of Screamin'), and he was unable to recover from his throat injury.

Steven Tyler in 2023.

I regret not seeing Aerosmith perform live despite many opportunities. In 1990, a group of friends invited me to join them at a concert at Toronto's Skydome and support the band’s tenth record, Pump. Looking back, I am surprised I declined because I didn't mind the album and had it on CD for years. Still, it never measured up to those early records, including this week's album, Rocks.

The 500 - #177 - One Nation Under A Groove - Funkadelic

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

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Album: #177
Album Title: One Nation Under A Groove
Artist: Funkadelic

Genre: R&B, Funk, Rock

Recorded: United Sound, (Detroit, Michigan)

Released: September, 1978

My age at release: 13
How familiar was I with it before this week: Not at all

Is it on the 2020 list? Yes, at #360, dropping 183 spots
Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: One Nation Under A Groove

Researching Funkadelic's tenth studio record, One Nation Under A Groove, reminded me of a humourous anecdote from my first year in university. I was taking a psychology course with a charming, witty and engaging professor named Dr. Skinner (no relation to the famous Behavioral psychologist B.F. Skinner, although I did learn about him as well.)

B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) The Father
of Behavioural Analysis.

Impressing my interesting and erudite professor was on my agenda, eager to secure an excellent grade on my first paper and set myself up for honours B.A. Armed with Roget's Thesaurus and a dictionary, never more than a few inches from my keyboard on my first P.C., I hunted for the longest (and most obscure) words. Every bland sentence was infused with a poetic flourish, supercharged with every figure of speech in my literary quiver.

King's College - Silverwood Hall (Now Dante Lenardon Hall), 
My class was in the attached annex, not pictured, at rear.

Two weeks went by excruciatingly slowly as the class of nearly 100 students waited for their papers to be returned by the august professor. My expectations were atmospheric on the day they were delivered to our desks. However, much like nine-year-old Ralphie in the film A Christmas Story receiving a C+ on his Grade 4 essay, my dreams were dashed when I flipped to the front cover to see a grade of 70%, followed by two words..."Consider parsimony".

Ralphie, from A Christmas Story, realizing that his teacher
did not share the same enthusiasm for his essay, What 
I Want For Christmas.

It was good lesson advice; taking it to heart, my next paper received a more complimentary grade. In fact, Dr. Skinner was my professor for two more courses in second year and his feedback enhanced my writing significantly. His suggestions helped me understand the philosophical notion of Occam's Razor (sometimes called the Principle of Parsimony), which posits that "the simplest, most elegant explanation is usually the one closest to the truth.”

Parsimony and Occam's Razor did not seem to be considerations during the recording of One Nation Under A Groove. Band leader George Clinton and his multi-member collective seemed to be on a mission to create a collection of progressive, funky songs that clock in at an average of seven minutes in length, infused with the group's absurd sense of humour. In fact, the opening track on side two runs for 11 minutes and carries the ridiculous and weighty title Promentalshitbackwashpsychosis Enema Squad (The Doo Doo Chasers).

Back cover for Funkadelic's One Nation Under A Groove album.

Even the details on the musicians are a fascinating exercise in gibberish.

• One of the guitarists is listed as the Throbbasonic Funkgeetarist: Mike 'Kidd Funkadelic' Hampton. 
• The members of the rhythm section (bass and drums) are called the Rotofunkie Drum & Percussionatin' Thumpdans and the Bass Thumpasaurians. 
• Clinton and the twelve additional vocalists land under the banner The Funkadelic Blamgusta Vocaloids (Voices For Da Nation!)

Despite the ludicrous titles and goofy epithets, the record is a tour de force, straddling multiple genres and highlighting exceptional musicianship. It became the group's best-selling record, being certified platinum (one million units sold) in the United States and landing on multiple "best album" lists.

Certainly, there is a time and place for parsimony but, every once in a while maybe there should be room for a little indulgent, ridiculous linguistic and musical mischief -- especially when it's funky.

The 500 - #178 - The Anthology (1961 - 1977) - Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

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Album: #178
Album Title: The Anthology (1961 - 1977)
Artist: Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions

Genre: Soul, Funk

Recorded: 1967 - 1977

Released: December, 1992

My age at release: 27
How familiar was I with it before this week: A few songs

Is it on the 2020 list? No, but two other Mayfield albums are on that list.
Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: People Get Ready

Ranked at #24 on Rolling Stone's list of The Greatest Songs of All Time, People Get Ready is, at first blush, a simple and beautiful gospel song rich with harmonies. However, the 1965 single from The Impressions, the vocal doo-wop and Chicago soul quintet, had a massive impact on the Civil Rights Movement that decade. In fact, political activist Gordon Sellers told Rolling Stone Magazine: "It was warrior music. It was the music you listened to before going into battle."

Album cover for People Get Ready by The Impressions (196).

My first recollection of the song was in the early ‘80s. At the time, I was going through an obsessive phase, listening to and collecting records from the band Genesis as well as from the members’ solo projects. The group's drummer and vocalist, Phil Collins, released a concert film on video cassette in June, 1983, that was recorded in Pasadena, California, entitled Live At Perkins Palace. The video cassette took up residency in our family Video Cassette Recorder (VCR) for much of the next year. In fact, it was one of the videos I chose to watch on the evening prior to my 20th birthday. Melancholy and pensive, I sat up well past midnight to bid farewell to my teens.

Video Cassette cover for  Live At Perkins Palace.

The final song on that Collins tour was his rendition of People Get Ready, performed along with his nine-piece band. Most performers like to end their concerts with a bang, typically playing one of their biggest hits or an up-tempo number that will keep people bopping as they leave. Collins opted to end the show with this slow, quiet, soulful gospel selection -- which, he has said, was one of his favourites as a teen.

Collns, left, on stage with his band in 1982.

It is a powerful piece, despite its simplicity and melodic beauty. Comprising four verses and no chorus, it is an allegory that leverages the metaphor of a train travelling the world to find people of faith and provide them passage to heaven.

"People get ready, there's a train a-comin'
You don't need no baggage, you just get on board
All you need is faith to hear the diesels hummin'
Don't need no ticket, you just thank the Lord."

More agnostic than religious, there is a lot to appreciate about the Christian faith my mother enjoys. Over the Christmas holidays, we attended a service at St. Paul's Anglican Cathedral in London, Ontario together. It was easy to respect the community she shares with her congregation and the choir is exceptional. The Gothic Revival architecture of the 150-year old building is stunning and I love to belt out a song, especially those familiar Christmas bangers. Plus, there is usually coffee, cookies and kind conversation at the end.

The chancel, at the front of St. Paul's Cathedral (London, Ontario).

People Get Ready was written by Curtis Mayfield, often dubbed the Gentle Genius, who was the lead tenor and guitarist for The Impressions from 1958 until departing for a solo career in 1970. Shortly after the song's release, it was included in hymn books in Chicago. Ironically, church renditions made the lyrics seem less Christian and more socially conscious, changing Mayfield's "You don't need no ticket/You just thank the Lord" to "Everybody wants freedom/This I know."

Single for People Get Ready, The Impressions

A few years after hearing Phil Collins’ rendition, another version hit the airwaves. In 1985, guitarist Jeff Beck released his rendition with Rod Stewart taking vocals on his fifth studio record Flash. Their version hit the Top 40 on the U.S. Billboard chart and got plenty of play on local radio. Beck's soulful guitar work and Stewart's raspy vocals cemented my love for the song, even though I still hadn't heard the original.

Album cover for Flash, Jeff Beck

After leaving The Impressions in 1970, Mayfield went on to a fascinating and successful solo career. His sound moved from soul toward funk, but his passion for social justice and positive change for the black community shone throughout. Prior to hearing this anthology in preparation for this post, I was only familiar with two tracks, Superfly and Pusherman, both from the 1972 blaxploitation film Superfly.

Album cover for the soundtrack to Superfly.

Both songs and, to some extent the film, addressed the prevalence and pitfalls of drugs, violence and poverty in African American urban communities. Mayfield brilliantly walked a fine social line with his lyrics. He captured the essence of life in these impoverished neighbourhoods, while criticizing the tendency for people (especially black youths) to glamourize the lifestyles of drug dealers and pimps. Truly a Gentle Genius.

On August 13, 1990, tragedy struck when Mayfield was hit by a falling metal truss that was holding up stage lighting equipment at a concert in Flatbush, New York. He was paralyzed from the neck down. Despite his paralysis, Mayfield continued to compose and sing for another nine years, before succumbing to complications from diabetes. He was 57. I like to think his faith helped him "board that train".

 

The 500 - #179 - The Definitive Collection - ABBA

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

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Album: #179
Album Title: The Definitive Collection
Artist: ABBA

Genre: Euro-Pop

Recorded: 1972 - 1982

Released: November, 2021

My age at release: 37
How familiar was I with it before this week: Quite

Is it on the 2020 list? Yes, at #303, dropping 124 spots
Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: Dancing Queen

Recently, my mother, a retired senior citizen, commented that time was moving too rapidly for her liking. She looked at me earnestly and said, "The weeks go by like days for me now." It was easy to sympathize. Time does not move quite so quickly for me, but the years certainly seem to be flying by. Heck, we are already a quarter century into the 2000s. It sometimes feels like the 1990s were just a few years ago.

Experts agree that our perception of time is flexible and subjective. Time seems to speed up as we age because we have fewer new experiences and our perception of them becomes less vivid. In a September, 2024, article promoting his book Time Expansion Experiences,  Psychologist Steve Taylor "There is a strong link between time perception and information processing. The more information our minds process, the slower time seems to pass."

It is a phenomenon I often recognize with the students with whom I work. Indeed, I am envious of their excitement at events in their lives -- birthdays, holidays, sleepovers and sports. Even an upcoming trip to the mall assumes a level of significance beyond what the occasion calls for. Their unfiltered and intense perception of the world is marvelous to witness. Meanwhile, I have progressively become more desensitized to experiences which, sadly, speeds up time.

Oh, to recapture  the exhilaration of hearing a new song, especially one released by a  favourite artist. Yet, while the anticipation, joy and pleasure of a new record remains, the intensity and passion I experienced in my youth has faded. Which brings me to the first time I heard Dancing Queen from the Swedish pop group ABBA. I was in the backseat of a car driven by a hockey teammate's mom, clipping toward the ice rink in Kingsville, Ontario. I was 11 when it played on the car radio in the fall of 1976.

 I had never heard anything like it. The song's clever construction, opening with a glissando on the piano keys followed by a 14-bar chorus, rather than the first verse, washed over me like a rainbow. The groovy disco beat, the mesmerizing synthesizer blending sublimely with the female vocal harmonies, and incredibly catchy piano stabs had me riveted to the car’s upholstery. Later, I learned that the chorus resolves on a sustained A chord, the key the song was written in – so satisfying.  

 ABBA comprised the  unique confluence of talents of brilliant songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, and the extraordinarily talented vocalists Agnetha Fältskog  and Anni-Frid "Frida" Lyngstad. The group takes their name from the first initials of their first names, arranged into a palindrome -- a word or phrase that reads the same backwards and forwards.

A Book of palindromes, including my favourite 
"Go Hang A Salami, I'm A Lasagna Hog".

The quartet were Sweden's first winner of the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 with the song Waterloo. Eurovision is an international song competition organized annually by the European Broadcasters Union. It has been held every year since 1956, with the exception of 2020 when it was cancelled due to the Covid pandemic. In 2005, during Eurovision's 50th Anniversary Celebration, Waterloo was declared the best song in the competition's history.

ABBA in 1974; (l-r) Benny Andersson, Anni-Frid "Frida" Lyngstad, 
Agnetha Fältskog, and Björn Ulvaeus

The Definitive Collection is a compilation record released in 2001. It contains all the singles performed by the group between 1972 and 1979, including Waterloo and Dancing Queen. Taking another listen this week for this blog was a delightful trip down memory lane, reminding me how much I adored ABBA as a kid, memorizing almost every song. However, when hearing Dancing Queen, the emotional thrill that I felt 48 years ago was somehow subdued. The song still gets the feet tapping but the euphoric sensation was evasive. 

Then I reflected on the lyrics. It is a song about a 17-year-old girl who gets lost in the music when she dances at a club on a Friday night. It is told from the perspective of an observer who watches her "feel the beat" and "have the time of her life" as she "dances and jives". She, like the young people in my world (and 11 year old me), is caught up in the liberation and excitement of this experience.

What about 59-year old me? 

Is that liberation and excitement gone forever? 

Will my weeks turn into days as they have for my mom?

Steve Taylor concludes his article with the following advice:

"There are certain things we can do to resist the process of time speeding up. The most obvious is to keep introducing newness into our lives – for example, by travelling to new places, learning new hobbies, and meeting new people. Alternately -- and perhaps more effectively – we can also slow down time by living mindfully, paying conscious attention to our day-to-day experiences of seeing, hearing and feeling."

That's a perfect goal for this new year. Maybe I'll even hit the dancefloor at the club.