After the firestorm of discussion about another Rob Reiner film, I’m returning to his catalog for the next installment in my ‘Great Scenes’ series.
Pound for pound, This is Spinal Tap is probably the funniest movie I have ever seen. The laughs are constant, and they come in all different forms — one-liners, sight gags, absurb situations and simply the hilarious behavior of the airheaded metal-rock has-beens in their natural habitat. I can quote this movie line-for-line, start to finish.
I’m a Bruce Springsteen fan, but not a fanatic. I like his albums, but I’m not too keen on the idea of spending three sweaty hours watching The Boss blow the roof off of an arena.
I’m much more drawn to his quieter music than the anthemy stuff. My favorite Springsteen albums before the millennium were Nebraska and Tunnel of Love.
In the past 6 years, though, he’s put out some of his very best material. Starting with Devils & Dust, moving on to the covers album We Shall Overcome and finally delivering last year’s Magic, he’s been on a run that should make him the envy of musicians half his age.
I believe this is only the second rap song I’ve featured out of 62 Songs of the Day.
It’s not that I don’t like rap. I do, sometimes. I like Eminem, Outkast and Kanye West. A little Public Enemy. I think the main barrier to me being more of a rap fan is the subject matter. I know it’s a cliche, but so much of what I hear deals almost exclusively with bitches, thugs and the gangsta life.
Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is one of those albums that is known more for the circumstances of its release than its actual music. Initially the suits at the label refused to release it because they found it too arty and inaccessible, so Wilco offered it up for free on its Web site. After thunderous critical acclaim, the same parent company bought the album back and gave it an official release.
A win for The Artists vs. The Man. And a hell of a great album to boot.
Christ, that was bad!
I hate to pin all the blame on the five reality show hosts, but boy, I haven’t seen an awards show land with that big a thud so quickly since Rob Lowe danced with Snow White on the Oscars. There was really no saving the show after the first ten minutes. They should have just listed the winners in a scroll and been done with it.
Every time Howie Mandel spoke I felt sorry for him, his co-presenters, the audience and the world. How can it be that this man is on a popular TV show?
