Saturday, August 6, 2016

Coppock's Topics

Dear Kent;  

10 things I think I know ...

Over the past 25 years the Rolling Stones have taken the raw, pulsating, thunder out of "Gimme Shelter" and made it a very lazy, run of the mill rock song.  

I truly can't stand the playlists on Sirius-XM along with the laborious boredom of Cousin Brucie.  

If you like .38 Special, subscribe to Sirius. The group gets played about 13 times a day.  

The rock outlets I dig (besides you tube) are "Malt Shop Oldies" and "6o's Revolution" on Direct TV. Malt Shop feeds my need for Chuck Berry, Dion and early Beach Boys while the 60's will toss in nuggets like the Music Machine's unforgettable "Talk Talk." I doubt "Talk Talk" has been played on oldies radio in Chicago in 35 years - if ever.  

Is there any rock jock in Chicago right now who qualifies as appointment radio? I wish 25 year olds could hear a young Dick Biondi, Joel Sebastian, Jim Stagg or Ron Britain.  

No, I will not toss a bouquet to Larry Lujack. The guy's level of cruelty was overwhelming.  

CSN's most underrated song has got to be "Dark Star", followed closely by David Crosby's mournful vocal on "Long Time Gone." Meanwhile, I have never understood the fascination with "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes."  

Damn, I haven't heard Steve Miller in nearly five minutes.  

You want to know why the Beatles' "White" album is so remarkable. No group ... none ... not even the Brian Wilson led Beach Boys ... could have turned out a four sided tour de force with so much great material on the heels of Sgt. Pepper and Magic Mystery Tour. Poor Brian went nuts with "Pet Sounds."  

Rock 'n roll is mean to be Tom Petty doing "Running Down a Dream." It is not meant to be anything by Wham or Soft Cell. 

-- Chet Coppock