Author: DOuG pRATt

On the Colbert of the Rolling Stone

Since the January inauguration, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert have shown they aren’t just about knocking Bush. Did they have a choice?

For the midterm elections a few years ago, Colbert shared the cover of Rolling Stone with Stewart. But now Colbert, who is in the second of three weeks away, has the cover all to himself. But what happens when there are no more print editions of magazines? There won’t be any covers of anything anymore. BTW, this blog turns three years old on Saturday, and this is post #1700.

A tip o’ the DogRat toupee to Denro for the tip.

Laura Ingraham’s wilder

I’d never heard Laura Ingraham before today. I didn’t even know who it was on the radio when I came across her program, until she went to a break and said her name. I’m a liberal, and I think Keith Olbermann goes overboard sometimes, but Laura Ingraham is very scary. I’ve seen clips of Glen Beck on The Colbert Report, and he’s even scarier. And that’s why I think Keith Olbermann has to go overboard. Because being willing to compromise is seen as a sign of weakness, and Olbermann knows it, so he doesn’t compromise.
Continue reading Laura Ingraham’s wilder

Stones cold case

Mick Jagger and Paul McCartney
Mick Jagger sitting at the feet of Paul McCartney — where he belonged. 😉

The 40-year-old case of Brian Jones’ death is being pried open.

http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2009/08/31/uk_police_to_review_rolling_stones_guitarist_death/

I’m somebody who thinks there’s nothing more to it than, “a coroner said Jones drowned while under the influence of alcohol and drugs,” but this gives me an excuse to say something about the Rolling Stones.

At some point in 1970, in my anguished early-mid adolescence, I realized I’d stopped caring, at a visceral level, about the Rolling Stones. It happened when I developed a deep, personal relationship with The Who. Later, I came to realize my waning interest in the Stones had also coincided with the disappearance of Brian Jones from the lineup.

Much of what I respond to in the Rolling Stones are the sounds and flourishes contributed by Brian Jones. Go back to my post at this link to hear an early example of what I’m talking about.

Some critics fault the Stones’ psychedelic period as being insincere and full of “us too” efforts, but these are some of my favorite recordings, thanks to Brian Jones. The delightful “Dandelion” wasn’t released until the Summer of Love in ’67, but it had been recorded in late ’66.

[audio:http://www.dograt.com/Audio/2009/SEP/Dandelion.mp3]

A favorite Stones psychedelic single is “She’s a Rainbow,” b/w “2000 Light Years From Home.” I’ve got to believe that Jones is all through both of these tracks.

2000 Light Years From Home

[audio:http://www.dograt.com/Audio/2009/SEP/Rainbow.mp3,http://www.dograt.com/Audio/2009/SEP/2000LightYears.mp3]

I’m not an expert on Rolling Stones studio recordings, but the last notable release that sounds like it bears the distinctive Brian Jones brand is “Child of the Moon.”

[audio:http://www.dograt.com/Audio/2009/SEP/ChildMoon.mp3]

Jones was undoubtedly played out and had nothing further to contribute, but once he was gone the Stones did only one more standout — “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” — and then, for me, it was downhill from there. What they were lacking without Brian was a feeling of creativity and musical expression. Oh, I thought “Sticky Fingers” was a great record — especially with the original zipper sleeve gimmick — but it didn’t take me over like “Who’s Next” would. And I enjoy “Exile on Mainstreet,” but I’ve never played it as more than background music.

STANd and deLEEver

A long time ago, my world would have been rocked by the news that Disney is buying Marvel. Today the news interests me greatly, but I can’t think of any way that the purchase will have an effect on me personally.

The picture above of Stan Lee is noteworthy, because he’s standing next to Steve Ditko’s unpublished cover for “Amazing Fantasy” #15, the 1962 comic book that introduced Spider-Man. A similar drawing by Jack Kirby was used instead. In my opinion, Jack’s style didn’t suit the character, and I assume Stan felt the same way, because after that first cover he rarely had Jack draw Spidey. Jack included Spider-Man in his 1969 Marvelmania self-portrait, and even at the time that seemed wrong to me.

One of the most reliable hit-getters for this site is the BBC documentary, “In Search of Steve Ditko.” At this link you will find Stan talking about Ditko’s insistence that he is the co-creator of Spider-Man.

Stan is always lavish in his praise of the artists who worked for him in the Marvel Bullpen, and that’s great. Stan absolutely deserves everything he has received in money and recognition, and he has received a lot of both:

Lee sued Marvel, claiming he was owed profits from the Marvel films that had started to take Hollywood by storm. The suit was eventually settled with Lee reportedly getting a settlement of more than $10 million.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32645353/ns/business-media_biz/

But if Stan deserves the money and credit he has received, Steve Ditko deserves some of the same. With the BILLIONS of dollars now on the table, Ditko should get a million bucks and co-creator status for Spider-Man. Without the latter, it seems he won’t accept the former.

Richard Egan’s right to die

Richard Egan, co-founder of data storage technology leader EMC2, was a Republican fundraiser and a friend of Dick Cheney. Diagnosed in May with advanced lung cancer, a couple of days ago Egan killed himself with a shotgun.

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/20608388/detail.html

Richard Egan, 73, was inside his Four Seasons condo on Boylston Street when he killed himself in a closet. His wife and visiting nurse were in the home at the time and heard the gunshot.

As a noted Republican, Richard Egan had a perfect opportunity to step forward and proclaim his right to die with dignity, and denounce the lies about the proposed health care legislation having a provision calling for “death panels.” He didn’t do that, but I think somebody should.