The 500 - #213 - Tattoo You - Rolling Stones

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: #213
Album Title: Tattoo You
Artist: Rolling Stones
Genre: Rock, Blues Rock
Recorded: At various studios, from1972 - 1981

Released: August, 1981
My age at release: 16
How familiar was I with it before this week: Quite

Is it on the 2020 list? No
Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: Slave

One of my favourite things about teaching students in the "Transition Years" (Grades 7-8, Ages 12-14) is that they are (to nick a line from a well-known Green Day song) "walking contradictions". They are also a "work in progress" and regularly subject to change. A teacher can witness a student who begins Grade 7 decked out in a Pokémon shirt and eager to share their obsession with Minecraft or their favourite basketball team. By the time that same lad walks across the stage at graduation, he is a skateboarding goth-kid who loves Japanese animation and is now an outspoken vegetarian.

Sometimes, their changing and contradictory nature can be frustrating for adults. The once co-operative, up-tempo, responsible kid who always finished their work and volunteered in class can seemingly overnight, transform into a sullen, poorly-regulated teen who refuses to complete assignments. It's at times like this when I find it helpful to think back on my contrary teen-age years. After taking a reflective pause, I try to extend the same grace to my students that I would have wanted as a contumacious adolescent – unnecessarily obstinate and headstrong.

Me vs. Life in my teenage years - blissfully unaware that I was the jackass.

My "love them/hate them" relationship with the Rolling Stones is a cogent example on which I can reflect when it comes to dealing with newly-minted teens. I discussed my misguided and tribal-based decision to dislike 'The Stones" in my August, 2021, post about their record Between The Buttons (#357 on The 500).

Between The Buttons record cover from Rolling Stones

My staunch animosity toward the already legendary British rock group was further fueled when a high-school classmate, whose name escapes me, committed the unforgivable error of criticizing my favourite band -- Rush. I distinctly remember him, decked out in his Rolling Stones' concert shirt -- a wildly popular bit of merchandise at my high school that year because The Stones had performed in nearby Buffalo (Orchard Park Stadium) and Detroit (Pontiac Silverdome). 

Promotional poster for Rolling Stones 1981 American Tour.

The skinny-kid, long hair in his face leaned over in French class, looked at my Rush regalia (likely my Moving Pictures concert tee or the many pins I had collected) and flatly said: "Rush sucks."

What other choice did I have but to respond with the less than clever retort: "The Stones suck". What followed was a terse exchange of insults about each other's taste in music, punctuated by erroneous condemnation of the talent possessed by the members of Rush and The Stones.

Images of vintage Rolling Stones and Rush Concert Shirts that 
match the ones we wore. (Found online).

It's my personal example of misplaced anger and one that I still witness with the students today. Several months ago, two boys were in a heated debate about the superiority of basketball stars Michael Jordan and LeBron James. Rather than engaging in a statistical comparison or accepting that both players were generational talents, the agitated teens looked for ways to disparage each other for their "misguided" choice. The goal is winning -- not engaging in reasonable discussion.

If I could go back in time, not only would I have let the "Rush sucks" comment slide. I would also have suggested that my classmate put his Stones T-shirt away for safekeeping. That shirt currently sells on EBay for $275.

Back of The Stones 1981 Tour shirt.

Despite my hostility toward the band, it was tough not to like the tracks I heard on Tattoo You when it was released in the summer of 1981. The lead single, Start Me Up, with its undeniably catchy opening guitar riff, was a huge hit on local radio -- reaching #2 on the Canadian charts. Privately, I liked it a lot.

Cover and label for Start Me Up single from The Rolling Stones

Then, when I heard their second single release, Waiting On A Friend, I was riveted by the soulful saxophone jam. I later learned that it was played by legendary saxophonist Sonny Rollins. Rollins also contributed to two other tracks on the record – Slave and Neighbours. As a hobby saxophonist, I envy Rollins’ seemingly effortless playing and rich tone.

Sonny Rollins.

Waiting On A Friend was originally recorded by The Stones in 1973 while they were completing sessions in Kingston, Jamaica, for their 11th studio release, Goat's Head Soup. It did not make it on that album but, with the addition of Rollins' smooth, tenor saxophone melody the song was a wonderful choice to end Tattoo You. In a 2009 interview, Stones' singer Mick Jagger said:

"I had a lot of trepidation about working with Sonny Rollins. This guy's a giant of the saxophone. (When he arrived to play) Sonny said, 'You tell me where you want me to play and DANCE the part out.' So I did that. You don't have to do a whole ballet, but sometimes that movement of the shoulder tells the guy to kick in on the beat."

The music video for Waiting On A Friend was also omnipresent in the early ‘80s,  airing regularly on television. Shot in New York City, the video’s narrative matches the song's lyrics, with Jagger waiting on a door stoop for his friend, guitarist Keith Richards, who is ambling through the busy Manhattan streets.

The building where Jagger waits, and sings, still stands at 96-98 St. Mark's Place near the East and Ukrainian Village regions of Manhattan. It has become an iconic location for music fans because it is also the same building featured on the cover of Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti album.

Album cover for Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti - St. Mark's Place
Waiting For a Friend was shot on the steps to the left.

My wife and I have visited New York City many times (in fact, we married--  at the Big Apple’s City Hall in 2006.) I try to make my way to St. Mark's Street on every visit and, in 2018, I snapped a couple pictures of the building and the "Stones steps" for posterity.

My wife, white shirt, can be seen walking toward
me with the building and steps behind her.

The iconic steps from the Waiting For a Friend video
easily identified by the garbage can stencil.

As you may have guessed, I am now a huge fan of The Rolling Stones and, with seven more records on The 500, I look forward to revisiting a catalogue of music that I foolishly resisted in my youth.

It seems being a strong-willed, pigheaded teen is a rite of passage. If there’s one in your life, think back to your youth and maybe go easy on them.

Addendum

As an aside, Rush and The Rolling Stones didn’t share the animosity that my high-school classmate and I did. In fact, the members of Rush cite The Stones as a defining influence.

On July 30, 2002, a benefit event was held in Toronto to help revive the local economy following an outbreak of S.A.R.S. (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). Initially called Molson Canadian Rocks For Toronto, it was soon referenced by the clever nickname, SARStock.

The Stones were the SARStock headliner, with AC/DC, Rush, The Guess Who, Justin Timberlake and 9 additional (mainly Canadian) bands as the warm-up acts. Rush even performed a brief instrumental version of the Stones classic Paint It Black during their set, as a tribute to their rock heroes.

Rush performing at SARStock.

Rush drummer Neil Peart once shared the story of meeting Stones' drummer Charlie Watts backstage at the event – immediately before the Canadian percussionist walked out to perform in front of an estimated 500,000 people:

“He (Watts) asked if we were going on soon, and I said yes, any minute, and he said, with a twinkle, 'I'm going to watch you!'

"I suppose if I could have felt more pressured, that might have done it, but I was already at maximum intensity - there was no time to think of Charlie Watts and the Rolling Stones. I had watched them on The T.A.M.I Show or Ed Sullivan when I was twelve-and-a-half. I remember hearing Satisfaction snarling down the midway at Lakeside Park, seeing Gimme Shelter at the cinema in London, (England), listening to Charlie's beautiful solo album, Warm and Tender, so many times late at night in Quebec. I couldn’t be distracted by the other million times Charlie Watts and his band had been part of my life.”

 A short video of that encounter can be seen here.

We said goodbye to both of these drumming legends recently. Peart passed in January, 2020 and Watts in August, 2021. Rest In Peace.

The 500 - #323 - Ghost In The Machine - The Police

 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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Once again, at the start of 2022, I offered the students in my class the opportunity to guest post on my 500 blog. To my delight, Austin took up the challenge and when we looked over the upcoming records he was quick to pick #323, Ghost In The Machine by The Police. I was happy with his choice. I have already written about the other three records by The Police on The 500, so I was fresh out of stories about my experiences with the band. So, it's nice to get a fresh perspective on this influential post-punk trio.

Album: # 323

Album Title: Ghost In The Machine

Artist: The Police

Genre: New Wave

Recorded: AIR, Montserrat, Le Studio, Quebec

Released: October, 1981

My age at release: Mr. Hodgkinson was 16, I wasn't born

How familiar was I with it before this week: Not at all

Is it on the 2020 list? No

Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: Invisible Sun

Here’s what Austin chose to write:

Hi, my name is Austin, I am twelve years old and I am in Mr. Hodgkinson's Grade 7 class at Sir Arthur Currie Public School in London, Ontario. 

Austin C. (Age 12)

The first time I heard the title Ghost in the Machine I instantly knew this was going to be a great album. Well, I also literally thought about a ghost inside of a machine. To be exact, I thought about an arcade machine like Pacman and the little ghosts that chase around our yellow hero. Anyway, no more jokes, the title really interested me.

Ghosts in a Pac Man Machine

At first, I thought the title meant a glitch in a system or a loophole in a program. I wasn’t entirely wrong. The title is based on a book of the same name by writer Arthur Koestler. He was trying to explain human violence in psychological terms.

The Ghost In The Machine - Arthur Koestler

I think the “Ghost in the Machine” is also when your brain is on autopilot. For example, when you are dreaming and something important creeps in, such as a date, a time, a place or anything that can actually help you with your future decisions and choices. Let me explain with an example. Two days before I was going to have surgery, I dreamed that everything went perfectly and my dad bought me a new Playstation 5 video game system. When I went to get the surgery, I wasn’t scared. I just knew that everything was going to be alright. I guess I was deciding to trust the Ghost in my Machine. Sadly, I didn’t get the Playstation 5, because it was not available at the time. I did get some money to buy games for my Playstation 4.

Playstation 4 gaming system

The song on the record that I was most drawn to was Invisible Sun. Invisible Sun is a work of art that, for me, is a mix of a simple happy melody (sort of like songs I love from The Beatles) with a dark grittiness. It is unlike any song I have ever heard. When I was researching it on Wikipedia, I saw this amazing quote from songwriter, singer and bassist Sting:

“I wanted to show some light at the end of the tunnel. I do think there has to be an 'invisible sun'. You can't always see it, but there has to be something radiating light into our lives."

— Revolver Magazine, 2000

Wow, that is one deep quote. But, I kind of understand what he is saying. Amazing people come into and leave your life and you need to cherish those good moments. The song's message is a sad and happy one. It was written about how war torn countries move on and try to rebuild, even as they’re getting bombed. 

Album cover for the single, Invisible Sun

They have to live with death and destruction, but there has to be an “Invisible Sun” to light their way. It is a metaphor for hope. I hope the people of Ukraine are finding an invisible sun to help them get through the war that is happening there.

Lyrics for the chorus of Invisible Sun

To conclude my post, I knew my dad saw The Police in concert when he was younger so I wanted to ask his thoughts on this album.

Are you a fan of The Police?

A: Yes, I was always a fan. But my best friend in school was an ardent fan and taught me a lot about the band.

Do you ever listen to this album?

A: Not always. I tend to listen to songs by The Police instead of the albums.

What’s your favorite song?

A: Definitely Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic. I saw The Police when I was 30 at Madison Square Garden. That song was the best part of the performance.

Do you like the song Invisible Sun?

It’s one of the best on the album. I think that it’s a thoughtful meditation on socio-political events at the time Sting was writing this. But sonically it is a bit too cumbersome and heavy.

In conclusion, this was a highly rated album among fans and it hit number one on the US Billboard 200 and was in the Top Ten Records that year (1981).  It has also been ranked #76 on the Greatest British Albums of all Time. I think it deserves these rankings and the fact that it is album #323 on Rolling Stone Magazine’s 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time is an honour it deserves.

Thanks for reading,

Austin

The 500 - #333 - Wild Gift - X

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: # 333

Album Title: Wild Gift

Artist: X

Genre: Punk

Recorded: Clover & Golden Sound Recording Studio, Los Angeles, CA

Released: May, 1981

My age at release: 15

How familiar was I with it before this week: Not at all

Is it on the 2020 list? No

Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: White Girl selected by my friend Albie Jasinski, a long-time fan of X.

In January, 1980, the California-based punk band X went to a studio to record their first record, Los Angeles. It was a massive critical success and sits, waiting for us, at position #287 on The 500 list. However, the group had so many quality songs ready for that recording session that most of them had to be put on hold. Those shelved recordings make up the bulk of  the band's second release, Wild Gift, which has also earned a spot on The 500.

With the exception of The Beatles, I am hard pressed to think of a band on The 500 that had so much exceptional material ready to record that had enough for another album. Additionally, much like The Beatles releases, Wild Gift, was met with critical acclaim.

X is regarded by many critics, including journalist Robert Hilburn, as "one of the most influential bands of their era". Despite their musical prowess, the group had limited commercial success but became a cult favourite. Indeed, I knew little about them before discovering this record on The 500.

X was formed in 1977 when bassist, vocalist and songwriter John Doe (born John Duchac) met guitarist Billy Zoom (born Stuart Kindell) in Los Angeles. The pair had independently put ads in a local music magazine searching for like-minded musicians. When they met to discuss a collaboration, Doe took along his poetry-writing girlfriend, Exene (born Christina Cervenka). She planned on penning lyrics for the band, but soon became the vocalist.

X in 1980 (l-r) Exene, Zoom, Doe & Bonebreak

The final recruit was the only native Californian – drummer D.J. (Donald James) Bonebrake.  Perhaps you, like me, assumed Bonebrake was also a pseudonym. After all, punk rockers are known for adopting peculiar stage names -- Sid Vicious, Johnny Rotten, all The Ramones or the aforementioned Doe, Exene and Zoom. With a name like D.J. Bonebrake, the drummer fit into the group perfectly.

D.J. Bonebrake (1980s)

However, Bonebrake is  D.J.'s legitimate birth name, with roots dating back to 17th century Switzerland. Despite variations in spelling over the years  (Pinebrech and Bonbright), there are many examples of the Bonebrake name throughout American history, including soldiers from the Civil War.

The Wikipedia entry for the album Wild Gift categorizes the genre as punk. However, that is a woefully narrow definition of the sounds on this terrific disc. Sure, there are some punk rock bangers on the  album, but the songs Adult Books and In This House That I Call Home are reminiscent of the art-rock, New Wave sounds of Talking Heads. By contrast, Some Other Time and Beyond and Back clearly have their roots in 1950s rockabilly.

X in concert 2016

Despite a lengthy hiatus, several side projects and some temporary line-up changes, the original band still performs today. In 2020, they released their first new material in 27 years, the critically well-received Alphabetland. A  tour planned to support the record was delayed by the Covid pandemic, but the group played a few dates in 2021. Fans hope a full tour is launched this year.

Alphabetland Album by X (2020)

We'll revisit X in about 46 weeks with their debut record, Los Angeles, an album endowed with so much material that it required a Wild Gift to bring it to completion.

The 500 - #340 - Damaged - Black Flag

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: # 340

Album Title: Damaged

Artist: Black Flag

Genre: Hardcore Punk

Recorded: Unicorn Studios, West Hollywood, California

Released: December, 1981

My age at release: 16

How familiar was I with it before this week: One Song

Is it on the 2020 list? Yes, #487 - dropping 140 places

Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: TV Party

Punk rock was not my scene in high school, but I dipped a toe in the pool. There was a small contingent of "punk rockers'' among the student cohort and when we interacted in class, or out on the smoking patio, it became apparent they were bright and incredibly nice. 

Saunders Secondary School (London, Ontario)

One weekend a guy named Pete, affectionately known as Punker Pete, invited me to a party. In anticipation of the event, I tried to "dress the part" -- slicking back my longish mop of rocker hair along the sides while spiking it up in the middle. I think I was going for something in-between Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols and a Stray Cats style pompadour.

Johnny Rotten (Sex Pistols) and Brian Setzer (Stray Cats)

I donned my green army jacket bought from a military surplus store in downtown London, Ontario and adorned it with a sad collection of safety pins cobbled together from my mother's sewing drawer. Tight black jeans were de rigueur in 1983 -- and the one fashion statement punkers and rockers seemed to agree on was painfully tight pants.

Novack's - A London Landmark (1939-2012)

In retrospect, my choice of apparel was awful, but to my surprise no one said a thing. I was simply accepted as one of the partiers. I was further surprised to see many familiar faces from school not part of the punker scene. There were preppies and kids who played in the school band with me, plus several art-hall students and a bunch from drama class. I was expecting Rock and Roll High School and it ended up being The Breakfast Club.

The music was a mix of pop, punk and new wave (Talking Heads, The Pretenders, The Specials, The Jam). However, the crowd eventually gathered in a large room at the back of the house where Punker Pete and his friend Chester pulled out acoustic guitars.

They played about a dozen songs, most unfamiliar, but I did recognize a couple from The Clash. They even played the song Unchained, from rock band Van Halen. They laughed as they played and, at first, I thought they were mocking the rock and roll hit, but, no, they were playing earnestly and laughing at their own improvisations, good or bad.

Looking back, I hadn't attended a "punk rock party" that night. Rather it was a get-together with a collection of sociable people who enjoyed hanging out, drinking beer and hearing music -- only some of which was punk.

It was also around this time that I first heard the name Black Flag. Of course, I had seen the band's iconic logo long before I ever heard a track -- a simple design comprising four thick black vertical bars sandwiched between the word "Black" above and "Flag" below just slightly offset.. To me, there was something menacing about it. The logo's designer, Raymond Pettibon ( the brother of Black Flag's founder and guitarist, Greg Ginn) has said, "If a white flag means surrender, a black flag represents anarchy."

The iconic Black Flag logo by Raymond Pettibon

Coincidently, I began to hear the name Henry Rollins being associated with the band. Black Flag would only play a small part in my personal history, but Rollins has become, and continues to be, an important part of my pop-culture ethos.

Henry Rollins, 1981, singing for Black Flag

Black Flag’s debut album Damaged is notable for the arrival of Rollins as the lead singer. Before then, the hardcore punk band from Hermosa Beach, California, had been performing for five years and had released two Extended Play (EP) records (1979 and 1980). Rollins remained with Black Flag for five years before forming his own group, while touring as a spoken word performer.

Promotional poster for an early spoken word performance

It was around this time that Rollins began to appear more frequently on my radar. Indeed, Rollins’ songs were regularly played by kitchen staff, usually at closing time, in restaurants where I worked. Rollins also began to host television programs and had a small, but memorable role in the 1994 film, The Chase.

My friend Jeff introduced me to Rollins’ spoken word releases in the early 90s. I was hooked by his smarts and his long, free-form, storytelling sessions, which highlighted his wit, wisdom and, perhaps most importantly, compassion. Rollins was discussing racism, homophobia and justice reform long before these social issues entered mainstream conversation among the "woke" generation.

In 2008, Rollins brought his Recountdown Spoken Word Tour to London, Ontario, and I picked up tickets for my wife and I and pal Billy as a birthday gift. We had prime, third-row tickets, almost dead center. On the night of the performance, Rollins waxed and rambled for nearly two hours -- discussing his seven-day adventure aboard the Trans-Siberian Express from Moscow to the border of North Korea. It was a journey that included two days during which he struggled through a remorseless case of food poisoning as the train whisked through the Ural mountains.

My ticket stub for the Henry Rollins show

They say no favour goes unpunished. Jet-lagged after rushing to the show following a business trip to India, friend Bill fought a valiant battle with consciousness throughout. I am sure he would have preferred tickets in the shadowy recesses of the concert hall, not bathed in the spotlight that illuminated an animated and effusive Rollins who occasionally glanced curiously at our trio -- Billy's head bobbing like a punch-drunk fighter.

Postscript: Punk rock was not my scene in high school, but Henry Rollins has become part of my world over the past 35 years. I remained casual friends with Peter, who invited me to that party. He also became an educator, spending time in Japan (where he met his wife) and in Alberta. He currently works as a Principal with the Waterloo-District Region School Board, about 100 km west of me. He still plays music and he's still a really, nice guy.

Pete (foreground) playing in 2010