Well hell
To my immense surprise, I really like the most recent Kid Rock album Rock and Roll Jesus. When I realized this, I thought of Whisky's recent plug for Alice Cooper's latest, which I agree is another good set that you wouldn't think to pick up in the first place unless someone suggested it.
Two things influenced me to borrow it: 1) the title was provocative, and I'm always interested if an artist has any finesse in managing loaded religious terms, 2) it was getting some surprisingly good reviews.
Happy to report - even though I'm sure fundies would flip - the use of "Rock and Roll Jesus" is actually clever and not (that) inappropriate, though a bit egotistical (but of course, this is Kid Rock, that's part of his vibe).
The good reviews were right on, too. Though there is this review on the usually-dependable All Music Guide where something got stuck up the reviewer's posterior, and he inadvertently makes a good case for why it's a good rock and roll album. I kinda researched the guy, and I completely agree with most of his "desert island" stuff, so I wonder what went wrong...
Oddly, or not so oddly, I can't get folks to listen to it; and these are people who've given Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, or even the Mosquitos a try. Funny how an artist's image can influence people's open-mindedness. Oh well. Their loss.
TLD: The first time I got it from the library, the disc was missing. When I took it back and showed the librarian - kind of a humorous grouch in her 60s - she said: "That just pisses me off. Why can't they just copy it like everyone else, and bring the disc back?" Y'know, when even librarians have that take on things, you'd think the RIAA could get a clue.
3 comments:
Kid Rock is an interesting rock & roll phenom, not unlike Rob Zombie in some ways. In both cases the kids will listen without embarrassment, but I wonder if these guys aren't that much bigger because they're appealing rather directly to fogeys like us who still buy CDs. They build most of their songs on a basic blues structure, make a point of getting someone to deliver an extended guitar solo or two (one which actually requires a little skill), and stay the hell away from songs that can't break the 3:00 mark. They also have that, "Don't hate me because I'm living your fantasy" vibe.
I also wonder if kids aren't free of some of the biases we (well ... I) had in adolescence. That whole, "You won't catch me enjoying my parents' music," attitude doesn't seem to be an issue with them, for the most part. Curious times, these are.
Speaking of aging rock stars doing worthwhile things: have either of you (Yahm or whisky) caught any of the Family Jewels (Gene Simmons' reality show)? I gave it a whirl via netflix and was very pleasantly surprised: it's nothing like the Osbournes, simply because the Simmons clan is sane and well-adjusted and they mostly get along with eachother. Not at all what I expected. The Osbournes were fascinating like a car wreck, but the Simmons are actually fun.
I'd be interested in what either of you think of it . . . .
Joel
Yeah, I've caught a few episodes and have been pleasantly surprised. Even though Simmons can be an asshole - which he is more than aware of since he named one of his discs that - he does have a certain amount of charm and a great BS detector. His son is funny as hell.
True story: my first concert was Kiss in Rapid City SD. A bunch of my friends went, and one of them ended up staying at the same hotel as Kiss. There was a mix-up and they ended up on the same floor as the band who usually got an entire floor to themselves. So there they were, opening their room door when the whole band in full makeup comes walking down the hall. I don't know which band member said it, but they asked, "what are you doing here?" Once that was all worked out, Gene Simmons actually went down to their room after he took his makeup off (and this was back when no one was supposed to see them without it) and chatted with them for about an hour, without being asked. How cool is that?
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