"Odes" to the Industry
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Forum Name: Prog Music Lounge
Forum Description: General progressive music discussions
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1626
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Topic: "Odes" to the Industry
Posted By: maani
Subject: "Odes" to the Industry
Date Posted: September 13 2004 at 13:01
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It occurs to me that quite a few bands have written songs about the music industry (management, labels, general). And - surprise! - few of them are "positive." Here is a short list of those I can think of off the top of my head. I'd love to hear of others... Caravan - Revenge Gentle Giant - Interview Pink Floyd - Have a Cigar Queen - Death of Two Legs XTC - Funk Pop a Roll |
Replies:
Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: September 13 2004 at 13:14
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And more specifically about being a rock star too, e.g. Byrds (So You Want To Be A Rock'n'Roll Star), Joe Walsh (and course he did Life's Been Good again with the Eagles), Bad Company (Shooting Star) - does Ace's How Long (Has This Been Going On) count , when the tune is actually about another rock group trying to poach their bass player? And so on. |
Posted By: arcer
Date Posted: September 13 2004 at 13:34
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If we're going with Have a Cigar, let's include all of The Wall! and more songs about rock stardom Elton John's Holiday Inn David Bowie/John Lennon - Fame and there's a Robbie Williams song about his former manager which is pretty savage but I can't remember the name |
Posted By: James Lee
Date Posted: September 13 2004 at 14:14
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Sex Pistols' "EMI" comes to mind.
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/sollipsist/?chartstyle=kaonashi"> 
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Posted By: James Lee
Date Posted: September 13 2004 at 14:15
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ugh, what about "Jukebox Hero"? ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/sollipsist/?chartstyle=kaonashi">
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Posted By: arcer
Date Posted: September 13 2004 at 14:36
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It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock n Roll) and Ain't No Fun (Waitin' Round to be a Millionaire) by the mighty and parenthetically -minded (is that a word?) AC/DC!! |
Posted By: Certif1ed
Date Posted: September 13 2004 at 14:51
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AC/DC produced another great about the biz, entitled "Showbusiness" - but that's only on the Australian version of "High Voltage", and "Let There Be Rock" pays homage to all of Rock and Roll. Motorhead's "We Are The Road Crew" talks about an oft-forgotten but all-important gang of thugs (there's a positive one for you!!!), and Marillion's "Assassing" covers the intrigues and sniping that goes on when a band member is sacked.
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Posted By: gdub411
Date Posted: September 13 2004 at 14:56
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If you're going to mention Have a Cigar you have to mention Welcome to the Machine |
Posted By: arcer
Date Posted: September 13 2004 at 16:08
| Tea for One - Led Zeppelin - great song about loneliness of being on the road |
Posted By: James Lee
Date Posted: September 13 2004 at 16:11
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Nobody captures the weirdness of road life like Zappa- he's even dedicated entire albums to depicting the antics of the travelling life... ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/sollipsist/?chartstyle=kaonashi">
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Posted By: emdiar
Date Posted: September 13 2004 at 16:23
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Queen: "Sleepin' On The Sidewalk". Hawkwind: "Days Of The Underground". Rush: "Spirit Of Radio". Roy Harper: "One Man Rock And Roll Band". Dire Straits: "Money For Nothing". (utter yawn!) ------------- Perception is truth, ergo opinion is fact. |
Posted By: Peter
Date Posted: September 13 2004 at 16:30
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Neil Young - Payola Blues (corruption, Alan Freed: fun!) Bad Company - Shooting Star (the fearsome toll of the R&R lifestyle: powerful, & Paul Rodgers is a strong singer!) Mott the Hoople - All the Way from Memphis (Just a great song -- love the piano!) Bowie - Star (The lust for fame -- a great song from a great album!) Stones - Starf**ker (self-explanatory!) Byrds - So You Want to be a Rock and Roll Star (one of the all-time cynical classics!) oh, and King Crimson - Ladies of the Road ------------- "And, has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' He chortled in his joy. |
Posted By: arcer
Date Posted: September 13 2004 at 16:36
| mmmm supertramp - gone hollywood? does that count or have i just shot myself in the foot by mention prog lite (even if do think they're great) |
Posted By: arcer
Date Posted: September 13 2004 at 16:40
| oh forgot neil young - this note's for you |
Posted By: AngelRat
Date Posted: September 13 2004 at 17:18
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Like '200 Motels'... He had a great tune about the positivities of road life called "Road Ladies". -------------  |
James Lee wrote:
Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: September 13 2004 at 19:45
Have to remember a former member of King Crimson formed that band ................... and were former member sof the Anglo-American band Spooky Tooth involved too 
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Posted By: Paco Fox
Date Posted: September 14 2004 at 03:22
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One more: Folk-rock-almost-prog gruop Decameron made one anti-industry song, but I can't remember the title. Anyone? |
Posted By: James Lee
Date Posted: September 14 2004 at 07:42
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Good point DH...Ian has touched so much greatness...he should write a book
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/sollipsist/?chartstyle=kaonashi">
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Posted By: Velvetclown
Date Posted: September 14 2004 at 12:37
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Zappa, the song " Tinseltown Rebellion " says it all. XTC, " I Bought Myself A Liarbird " ------------- Billy Connolly Dream Theater Terry Gilliam Hagen Quartet Jethro Tull Mike Keneally |
Posted By: maani
Date Posted: September 15 2004 at 00:21
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Velvetclown: Leave it to you to come up with XTC's (other) brilliant paean to the music industry! That is a great addition to my list! I'm actually thinking of burning a disc with only these songs. Got any ideas for an album title? Peace. |
Posted By: Peter
Date Posted: September 15 2004 at 00:35
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^ "In the Belly of the Beast" Wait, that's been done.... ------------- "And, has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' He chortled in his joy. |
Posted By: Velvetclown
Date Posted: September 15 2004 at 02:11
Well my friend, why not just call it " Home Taping Is Killing Music " 
------------- Billy Connolly Dream Theater Terry Gilliam Hagen Quartet Jethro Tull Mike Keneally |
Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: September 15 2004 at 05:15
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People still taping - wow how quaint, 8 track or reel to reel?
In fact, if you are making a recording from your own records, for your own use, it is legal in this part of the world - remember our glorious EU parliament have made sure there is a tax on recording mediums. In other words a levy which goes to the copyright people (in theory) for distribution to the musicians - my regret is that I'm not allowed to nominate who my tax goes to - there are 1000's of bands and "artistes" who would not benefit. I've also long held that the record industry are killing themselves through igreed (e.g. over-pricing) and music station play list manipulation - the musical comedy act, the Darkness (in truth their management) announced they were charging 99p (a quid in reality, with the electricity to power your PC) per track downloaded as an MP3 this week. Rip-off. |
Posted By: Velvetclown
Date Posted: September 15 2004 at 06:12
People: never use Irony in here, some people just donīt understand 
------------- Billy Connolly Dream Theater Terry Gilliam Hagen Quartet Jethro Tull Mike Keneally |
Posted By: James Lee
Date Posted: September 15 2004 at 06:31
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maani: how about "A Deer in the Works"? Fairly obscure, but totally relevant...and a little Vonnegut goes a long way. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/sollipsist/?chartstyle=kaonashi">
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Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: September 15 2004 at 10:55
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Sorry I keep forgetting, probably something that doyen and prog turncoat, John Peel said about what he needed but didn't have to understand prog........................ |
Posted By: Velvetclown
Date Posted: September 15 2004 at 12:51
Some people makes you yawn  Pojama People ------------- Billy Connolly Dream Theater Terry Gilliam Hagen Quartet Jethro Tull Mike Keneally |
Posted By: Carlos
Date Posted: September 15 2004 at 13:16
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I REALLY DON'T REMEMBER MUCH OF THEM SOME OTHERS HAD BEEN SAID BY SOME OF YOU, BUT NOBODY HAS MENTIONED WORKING ON THE ROAD BY TEN YEARS AFTER...IF I REMEMBER ANY OTHER SONG I'LL ANSWER SOON ------------- Democracy=A form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people... 
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