Showing posts with label rolling stones. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rolling stones. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

A Time Machine Brings Beethoven to the 21st Century, and "Dance (pt 1)" by the Rolling Stones is Playing



"What is that -- Oh! I was about to say, 'What is that noise?!' and then, a couple of seconds later I realized it's meant to be music, and now a few seconds after that I'm starting to like it! Who are these musicians?! What is this music?!"

"This is a piece composed and performed by a group who call themselves the Rolling Stones, Herr Beethoven."


"Ha! A clever name! Their music is coming at us like stones in an avalanche! It's so loud that it's shaking my bones! It makes me want to dance and leap about! The feeling is overpowering."

"Please, Herr Beethoven, feel free -- dance!"

"But I don't know the steps!"

"Ah, yes. Well, you see, with this sort of music, often people dance without having any steps planned beforehand. They just move to the music in a fully improvised way. You're already swaying to and fro and moving your arms to the beat."

"As are you. Where are they, where are the Rollling Stones? I don't see them anywhere. Well done, Rolling Stones! This is such fun!"

"The Rolling Stones aren't here, Sir. We're listening to a recording. An electronic recording."

"Great God. Electricity! And I suppose some of those instruments are guitars, but with the sound manipulated electrically?"

"Exactly right, Herr Beethoven! Good ear!"

"And the voices and the drums and the brass are manipulated somewhat less, or not at all. Show me how you dance to this!"

"Alright... There's no need to copy me. Let the music move you. The main point is to enjoy yourself. Let go! ...There you go!"

"What glorious hedonism! I'm reminded of sex!"

"Sex is a major theme in many of the Rolling Stones' songs."

"I don't understand the lyrics. 'Get up, get out," that's plain enough, but what does he mean by 'get down'?"

"Oh, that's, uh, that's slang, it can be understood in various ways, which I think is intentional with many of their lyrics. Getting down can be having fun, so you're certainly doing it right. It can also mean to dance in an enthusiastic way, so, again... And it can also mean to have sex. So, I'd have to say that you understand this music very well indeed, even without knowing the slang in the lyrics."

"Oh, it's glorious!"

"You're definitely dancing correctly to this recording. Just dance as if no-one were watching."

"If someone's watching and they don't like the way I'm dancing, I don't give a damn!"

"That means you're doing it perfectly."

"Ha ha ha ha! What is the name of this glorious tune?"

"Well, coincidentally, it's called 'Dance, Part One.'"

"Is there a Part Two? Can we obtain it and listen to it as well some time?"

"We can hear it the moment Part One is Over."

"Ha! Oh, I see some people down the street have seen us dancing, and they're dancing along with us! Come over here and dance with us, my lovely dancing friends! 'Get down' with us! Oh dear!"

"It's alright, Herr Beethoven, it was a perfectly appropriate remark for the moment"

"Ha!"

Saturday, July 23, 2016

How About A Series Of Democratic Fundraising Concerts...

... featuring only musical acts whose music Donald Trump is using at his political events, even though they've asked him to stop?

Trump isn't breaking any US law by doing this, as far as I know. But traditionally, if a musical act asked a politician to stop using their music, they'd stop. One more way that Donald Trump is new and different. One more way he's an asshole.

Adele, the Rolling Stones, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, REM, Elton John, Luciano Pavorotii, Queen, Aerosmith... Those could be some really kick-ass concerts. In between sets they could play records by George Harrison, whose estate has asked Trump to stop using his music. (I'm not sure whether Twisted Sister would fit in in this line-up, or if they would be interested in participating: front sister Dee Snider asked Trump to stop using their music, and Trump actually stopped. Apparently Snider and Trump are old pals.) And the fact that every single one asked Trump to stop using their music, and he didn't... Those acts have a huge amount of fans. Concerts like these, with the musicians free to say political things between songs, might get a lot of people interested in politics who otherwise ignore it.


Admit it: this is not the kookiest political idea you've ever heard. It beats talking to an empty chair hands-down.