:: archive

May 07 - issue 2

Dearly Bewlidered

Parishioner Jacqueline, responding to our recent correspondence on Rock Virgins, claims she has never attended a gig wearing the tee shirt of the band on the stage. This seems to open up the whole question of etiquette and practicality in gig-going clothing, which is more alive than ever when one has reached a certain age and one is often going straight from work:

Here in the Vicarage we have had an animated discussion around the following questions:

* Is it ever acceptable for a person over the age of forty to go to a gig wearing jeans and white trainers?

* Is the wearing of a tee shirt purchased in the foyer moments earlier the sign of a rather desperate arriviste?

* Is the wearing of an over-laundered tee shirt from a legendary tour many years earlier the sign of a rock snob trying that bit too hard?

* Has anyone ever been to a rock and roll show wearing the uniform of their profession?

* Can women ever 'rock out' convincingly with their purses slung bandolero- fashion across their front?

* Has anyone ever attended an indoor show and wished they'd brought an extra sweater?

* What is in the well-dressed gig goerswardrobe? Shorts? Sandals? PVC skirt? Skinny tie with piano key design? Wellington boots? Gilet from Hackett equipped with lots of pockets for the secretion of camera phone and recording equipment? We want your observations and suggestions. Meanwhile...

BANDS WE WOULDN'T CROSS THE STREET FOR

Parishioner Rob responds to last week's post from the Jeremy Clarkson wing of the parish:

Parishioner Matthew Morris had me rolling around on my pew with his comments about Glastonbury (Glasters?), Porton Down, Greenpeace and the French Secret Service, even though we are obviously politically at odds. The image that was presented was of a parishioner who was not afraid to wear a tweed jacket/stonewashed jeans/open-necked white shirt combo a la Jeremy Clarkson, possibly with some Tommy Saxondale endorsed Dunlop Green Flash. In fact, the sort of punter that would not look out of place at a Genesis "gig". Which, with no rhyme or reason, led me to think of the bands I would not cross the street to see if they were playing for free in a neighbour's garden. My top five, not including manufactured girl/boy bands or Pop Idol winners, would have to be:

1. Genesis (post Peter Gabriel)

2. The Stereophonics

3. Coldplay

4. Guns N Roses

5. the present day version of The Rolling Stones

Now that I've poked the proverbial hornets nest with a big stick, do fellow parishioners have any similar feelings about so-called "serious" beat combos? Come on, I haven't even mentioned Razorlight.

LET IT B

Magnus, the Parish handyman:

So, it seems there's some strong voodoo at work when it comes to the 'which letter of the alphabet would you choose if you could only listen to artists to match?'. My straw poll matched the choice of the parish. The most popular letter by a country mile is 'B'. Try it on your friends.

Parishioner Matthew:

Your surname stipulation complicates matters as it takes out a couple of top

Marks, but it still has to be 'M' you get:

Microdisney

Minutemen

Magnetic Fields

McLusky

Mission of Burma

Mekons

My Bloody Valentine

MC5

Malcolm Middleton

Mudhoney

Misty's Big Adventure

Ministry

Modest Mouse

Mogwai

Monkees

Monkey Swallows the Universe (the British Rilo Kiley - you should be loving

them)

PARISH NOTICES

* Congratulation to parishioner Martin Colyer who deiphered the Vicar's v.hard Name That Tune competition. He worked out that this picture (http://tinyurl.com/yry4te) was referring to Bob Dylan's Mr. Tambourine Man - 'to dance beneath the diamond sky with one hand waving free silhouetted by the sea'. Anyway, because this was so hard we've replaced it with another competition. It's called MENTIONED IN SONG. Go to www.rockingvicar.com where you'll find a gallery of actual people who have been celebrated in song. See if you can identify them and the songs. Exchange your ideas with other parishioners on the message board.

* Our friends at The Word are offering parishioners a subscription to that fine magazine for just £35. That's 12 issues plus 12 CDs delivered to your door for a 35% discount. Just call 0870 442 0912 and quote code RV35

* Become a friend of the Vicar at www.myspace.com/rockingvicar

COME GATHER ROUND, CHILDREN

Parishioner Ric Latham arrives with the news that Bob Dylan has been frightening the kids at his grandchild's school:

http://tinyurl.com/2ppgdb

DELIBERATE MISPRONOUNCIATION

Parishioner Hepman Johnny:

Can we have some un-fun with unfunny, perverse and vexatious mispronunciations and the like? The connection is that someone round here used to say the name Ginger [Spice] as if the first G was as in gizzard and the rest of the word like singer. And my own dear father, long gone to his grave, lives on in our hearts for the way he pepped up that difficult pre-1962 era by never calling the Everly Brothers any other name than The Emily Sisters. There must be far worse examples needing to be brought to the parish confessional.

The Vicar writes: Oh, yes, indeed. When I was but a pup I used to think that The Times They Are A Changin was written by a man called Bob Die-lon, as in the colour-changing ingredient. Thirty years ago I remember old heads who, taking a cue from Morecambe and Wise, would refer to Dory Previn as Doreen Preview. Twenty years ago I worked in a parish where Simon Le Bon and friends were sardonically referred to as Durren Durren. Have you ever taken a name in vain in this fashion?

ROCKN VIRGINS AMNESTY

Parishioner Graham Johns: 

Despite being a card-carrying music obsessive these 40 years since, I've never been to a festival proper. I attended the Cardiff Castle 'festival' in 1976 that Parishioner Jonh mentioned (featuring, as I recall, Andy Fairweather Low, Frankie Miller, Manfred Mann's Eathband & Queen), but that only lasted a day. Despite its brevity, a day-long downpour saw to it that everyone came away with their platform shoes, Lee baggies & trenchcoats suitably inundated.

Parishioner Alex Baxter:

I bought a copy of 'Silver Machine' in my youth and loved it, but I have never listened to the B side (Seven by Seven?), or, indeed, anything else by Hawkwind. and... a friend of mine gave me a cassette copy of Yes 'Going for the One' which I never listened to either. Did I miss anything good?

 

PLUGGING LOCAL BUSINESSES

Parishioner Andrew:

I have started a website / bloggy thing called I Am Not The Beatles. It is all about the flop records that most people have never heard of, but I bought for 8 pence each in the mid to late eighties..... whether they are any good, whether they are worth more than the 8 pence I paid, where are they now, and people can hear the songs too, and update the site with any details they may know that I don't. There are just three songs there at the moment - by Steve Carlton, Sonya Grier and Georgio - , but it is being regularly updated, and it's worth visiting to see Georgio's fabulous hair.

http://iamnotthebeatles.iloveblog.com/

The Vicar writes: Have any other parishioners got blogs they wish to plug?

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

Jude Rogers provides a modern women's perspective on the Hairy Rock Stars who were hot:

http://http://tinyurl.com/3dfkx9

Fairport Convention doing their hoedown at Glastonbury in 1971 when the idiots had plenty of room to dance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEWhckphYeo

The Diary Of Ann Frank done as a teen flick

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfsGu7d_jtc

Remember, the Vicar's newsletter relies on your contribs. Keep them coming to mail@rockingvicar.com

Pip pip!!

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