:: archive

September 07 - issue 2

Dearly Bewildered

PARISH NOTICES

Following their altercation at the recent VMAs a promoter is trying to persuade Kid Rock and Tommy Lee, past and present paramours of Pamela Anderson, to box each other for money at the Hard Rock in Las Vegas. This set the curate, who is always looking for ways to boost the parish coffers, to wondering which other great rock feuds could be settled by resort to the noble art? Which weight class would they be fought at and what special conditions might be imposed on the pugilism? He awaits your suggestions with bated breath.

MAKING CONTACT

Parishioner Jason Lee: I recently read that the late Max Wall wouldn't have a phone in his house. However, he was possible to contact because every day at 1 pm he would attend at the same phone box to receive incoming calls. This set me to thinking, are there any other celebrities who have had particularly interesting schemes for seeking or avoiding contact with the rest of the world?

IN THE DAYS BEFORE HEALTH AND SAFETY

Parishioner Maze:

I felt I ought to pass on this link (http://tinyurl.com/yrty6u) to a clip of Greg Lake talking about a stadium show ELP played in Italy in the 70s. They turned up on the day to discover there was no stage and no lights because the promoter had got the date wrong. The same promoter had arranged a firework display featuring a huge rocket. This was supposed to go up at the rear of the stage at the climax of the show. Unfortunately it fell over and therefore blazed directly across the stage and into the audience. I wondered whether some of the older members of the parish could recall particularly hair raising experiences of gig-going in the days before health and safety.

COMMERCIAL BREAK - THE NEW EDITION OF WORD IS OUT NOW FEATURING DAVE GILMOUR, SLY STONE, BEIRUT, TONY WILSON, EDWYN COLLINS AND SEBASTIAN FAULKS. PLUS BELTING FREE CD - DETAILS AT http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk

STRANGE CREDITS

Parishioner Tim Footman

I do recall that on The Seekers' 'Seen In Green' album (the one where they tried to get ever so slightly flowery and psychedelic, but in a polite, responsible and neatly turned out manner, of course), on a track where one of the guitar-toting chaps takes the lead, regular chantoose Judith Durham is credited as "making a cup of tea". I'm not sure whether they could get away with that now.

THE VICAR ADDS: That leads us seamlessly on to one subject we've never done before. It's this. MOST ACTS HAVE MADE ONE CONCEPT ALBUM AND THEY THINK WE'VE FORGOTTEN - BUT WE HAVEN'T.

Let's be having your suggestions - with full lurid details - at mail@rockingvicar.com

IS RINGO THE JAMMIEST MAN IN THE HISTORY OF POP?

Parishioner George Laxman:

I recently came across a copy of Ringo Starr's Greatest Hits and was shocked to discover that after he left the Beatles he had more solo success than the other three. Of course, it didn't last, but then he landed the sweetest gig in history as the voice of Thomas The Tank Engine. While I yield to no one in my affection for the nebby one and his criminally under rated drumming, I can't help but wonder, is he the jammiest man in the history of rock and roll? Joined up when they already had a record deal, didn't have to write the songs, never came in for any character assassination, always got baled out by one of his many friends when he was on his uppers, tooled about in films, saw one of his kids join a very successful group and is still with us. I would certainly be interested in hearing the parish's thoughts on others who have had an armchair ride through a lifetime in pop.

LIVE REVIEW

The Vicar was very impressed by Richard Hawley's recent concerts (though some of the patter wouldn't bear repetition at the W.I.). He particularly liked the way Sheffield's answer to Roy Orbison opened up with the exhortation "OK, let's ballad!"

To subscribe to the Word podcast go to http://tinyurl.com/o7nwb.

"It's like waiting for your copy of Beano to hit the doormat every Saturday." says one satisfied customer.

We need your feedback on these and other issues to mail@rockingvicar.com

Pip pip!!

Your Rocking Vicar

please scroll using buttons above

From time to time The Vicar's likes to communicate with the parish via email. If you'd like to be added to his address book, just click below.

:: click here to join the parish >