Take Our Test

Got one of those chain letter rock tests via email today. I don't usually take the time but, hey, it's Sunday night, nothing's on.

1. What was the last CD you bought?

The Chills, Soft Bomb (planning a Chills mix, and had a hole in my collection).

2.If you had the choice of only downloading songs or only buying CDs:

Buying, absolutely. I’m old fashioned that way.

3. What artist do you have the most CDs?

If you count live discs, the Grateful Dead, by a mile (with Phish running right behind). If proper studio releases only, probably Guided by Voices, but I'd have to check.

4. Your Favorite CD.

The Clash, London Calling.

5. What do you consider the greatest Album of all time?

Not sure I get the difference between this & the previous question – I assume the test’s author is distinguishing between what’s viewed through the critical eye as great, and what you just happen to like more than anything else. I think London Calling is my favorite albumbecause it’s the best album ever recorded, but, if push came to shove, I might have to give a slight edge to the Beatles’ Abbey Road, or maybe the Stones’ Exile on Main St., or possibly Who’s Next, or maybe Dylan's Blonde On Blonde.

6. What's the most you ever paid for a CD?

I don’t think of any cd’s I own as particularly expensive. But one standout purchase I remember is a Genesis bootleg, Gabacabriel, a 3-lp vinyl bootleg capturing the lone “reunion” show with Peter Gabriel and Genesis in 1985. I paid around $50 for it at the time, which was a lot for a kid (I was probably around 17 or 18 at the time). It sounded like crap (I’ve since replaced it with a cd version, and the sound isn’t much better), but damn was it cool.

7. What was the last concert you saw?

Drive-By Truckers this summer, I think. Been a very slow fall for me.

8. Have you ever sold a ticket for more than face value?

Nope. Had some big offers for Dead cover band Dark Star Orchestra a few months back (couldn’t make it), but still sold ‘em at face. Just a matter of general principles for me.

9. Have you ever traveled to a different time zone or country to see a concert?

Nope.

10. Best live band ever.

Tough one. I think a toss-up between the Who (’68-’73) and the Stones (’69-’73), though I never saw any of those shows in person. Of the bands I’ve actually seen live (not counting the Who, who I only saw well past their prime), I’ll go with Yo La Tengo.

11.What's the most you ever paid for a concert?

Don’t remember. Probably one of those all day festivals like Fleadh or the Bridge show.

12. Who had the greatest impact on popular culture, Elvis or The Beatles?

The Beatles. Elvis may have gotten the ball rolling, but the Beatles had more lasting impact. I’m pretty confident that rock & roll as we know it today would still be here without Elvis, but I don’t think I could say that about the Beatles.

13. Can you breakdance?

You must be kidding. I'm still struggling with the two disco moves I learned in junior high.

14. Favorite song you don't have.

I’m pretty sure I own all my favorites.

15. Favorite album cover.

King Crimson, In The Court Of The Crimson King, or maybe Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures.

16. You find the person of your dreams, everything you ever wanted in a person and their favorite band of all time is Poison, what do you do?

I married her. (Not Poison, but she likes primarily music that I hate far more than Poison. Love is blind, or at least deaf.)

17. If you could reunite one band with all its original members who are still alive, which band would you reunite?

Once Joe Strummer died, this became far less interesting for me. I suppose I’d like to see the Stones play a show with Mick Taylor.

18. If you could bring back one musician who died prematurely, which musician would you bring back?

John Lennon. Because then the previous question would have an obvious answer.

19. Where have all the cowboys gone?

Even they are voting for Barack Obama these days.

20. Favorite Lyrics.

Neutral Milk Hotel, “Holland 1945.”

21. Which band with a terrible name would you rename?

Dunno.

22. Who's the most overrated band of all time?

Radiohead.

23. Favorite Soundtrack.

Valley Girl.

24. What's the deal with indie rock boys wearing thick-frame glasses and indie rock girls wearing librarian glasses?

Hey, we all need to belong.

25. If you could hang out with any musician, who would it be ?

Ira Kaplan (Yo La Tengo). He just seems totally cool.

The version I received has another 25 questions, but they're all of the "Beatles or Stones" and "Bono or Sting" variety, which I don't find terribly interesting or illuminating, for the most part. (Uh, Beatles and Bono, for what it's worth.)