Frederick's Roundtable: Volume 1

[Frederick]

Joining me at this table I am thrilled to have Baby, The Baron of Fratton and Michael.

[Baby]

ahah, we could talk about the groupies!

do you know the book Let's Spend the Night Together ? yes, like the beatles' song

[Frederick]

I've never actually read the book though I'm more than familiar with the colourful characters involved. Baby, have you actually sat down and watched Cocksucker Blues? What a tedious disappointment, no wonder it spent all those years hidden in someone's basement, it turns out to be more about two rubbish filmmakers and less about the Stones being naughty boys! Boo, hiss.

Here's an essay by Rivers Cuomo about his encounters with groupies and his subsequent decision to become fully celibate for two years.

[TheBaronOfFratton]

^That's sad to hear - I'd long held Cocksucker Blues as a kind of holy grail. Even got stiffed trying to buy a copy on eBay once (when you could still buy naughty bootlegs, before that 'new puritanism' kicked in!)... But then both Symapthy for the Devil and Gimme Shelter (the films, not songs) are a little self-indulgent on the part of the directors too, so I guess I should've suspected as much.

But groupies - oh yes! Have you read Pamela Des Barres book, I'm With The Band? She's kind of a self-appointed queen - and consequently rather pleased with herself (something I'd know nothing about! ), but it is an interesting read nonetheless. The late 60's/early 70's heyday just seemed that much more glamorous and debauched in such things. Post-Slash, rock stars just don't sound seem half as much fun do they? I mean, read this:

When I answered the knock on Ronnie’s door, a blonde with straggly hair announced, “I’ve got a pound of butter in my purse. Where’s Mick?” She was the Dallas Butter Queen. Groupies had titles then.

The Butter Queen, real name Barbara Cope, was an industrious groupie based in Dallas, Texas, linked with countless ’70s rock stars from Joe Cocker to Donovan to Mick Jagger. "I got on with her famously," Elton John said. David Cassidy has described her showing up at his hotel suite in the early ’70s with two apprentices, ready to orally service his entire band and crew. She called room service and ordered her trademark: a pound of butter. She used the Land O’ Lakes as a lubricant, but of course, once it warmed up, it smelled like hot popcorn–which meant that a blowjob from the Butter Queen had the distinctly unerotic aroma of a movie theater lobby.

(source: rulefortytwo.com)

She even gets a mention on the Stone's song Rip This Joint. But then, I suppose, if you even get a 'rise' out of Elton then you must be something pretty special...

[Frederick]

Yeah Guns probably represent the last of that genuinely debauched heyday. By the time you get to the Since I Don't Have You music video (probably one of the most funny ever!) you can tell Axl is far too well versed in bedding models, more so than big haired strippers.

Obviously of all the Stones, Bill was the accumulator. Like a hardened pro, he just got on with the business of sleeping with thousands of women, while the self-promoters (Mick, Gene Simmons, et al) made a big fuss about it. Not that I'm complaining, no one would write a sleazy classic like Some Girls if they'd been happily married for twenty years!

[TheBaronOfFratton]

Joining me at this table I am thrilled to have Baby and The Baron of Fratton.

And I must say - it's a pleasure to be here, Frederick.

Old Bill was a sly old dog, wasn't he? Stoic, taciturn - and cleaning up left, right and centre! Small hands too, had to have his Bass specially adapted. Hope for us all...

Now if only he didn't go and marry that 15-year old!

[Frederick]

I never actually went to his now defunct restaurant (called Sticky Fingers, naturally) and have never felt the urge to see The Rhythm Kings but Bill's a bonafied East Anglian landmark. About once every four months he shows up on the local news to talk about metal detecting or pigeons or something else delightfully genial. If Ronnie wants to learn how to bounce back from a dodgy relationship with a very young lady, he could do worse than see how Bill rolls (geddit? Rolls!).

[TheBaronOfFratton]

^I believe he has his own branded detector, right?

Being a bassist myself, I've always had a soft spot for old Bill - I don't believe he gets anywhere near enough credit for the Stones sound... Although I'm with you on the Rhythm Kings stuff (just hoary blues noodling), I think he's actually not a bad song-writer himself. I own his first two solo albums, and they're both solid affairs.

Check this out for some 70's "skirt":

[Frederick]

Excellent video!

Baron, did you ever see Shine a Light? Every clip I've seen suggests it was a rather regrettable enterprise, much in the same way that it was regrettable that Mick's Goddess in the Doorway album got a five star review in Rolling Stone. The only reason I remember that, incidentally, is because I was clearing up the garage a few months ago and came across a whole batch of old music magazines that I want my children to pointlessly inherit. GOD GIVE ME EVIRFIN I WANT WELL COME ON

[Baby]

Fred, no, i never see Cocksucker Blue. i even didn't know this movie.

i really need to watch it!

Barron, no, unfortunately. i always try to find the book but impossible to find it in the bookstores <_<

and i can't make me deliver the book because A : where i live in paris, there aren't boxletters and the building's gardian recive the letters... and sometimes, i think she steal the parcels...

and i move all the time. these 2 last months i just spend two weeks (or less) in my appartment, so i can't command the book too. every week i rent until the second week of june.

there were so many songs about the groupies. they were the rock bands' muses

the blowjobs remember me the Plaster Caster. these girls were crazy and so funny! i love them.

no time to read the rest. i wil watch the video later. need to go

[Frederick]

Mick should never collaborate outside of the Stones, be it Lenny Kravitz, Dave Stewart or Rob BLOODY Thomas. Still, She's the Boss has a cover sleeve that I enjoy for 'ironic' reasons, so at least there's that.

Baby, who do you consider the sexiest of the rock stars of the '70s? I must know!

[TheBaronOfFratton]

Shine A Light was OK - but it's just NOT the Stones. There's something about Mick prancing around in a embroidered purple frock-coat in front of synchronised backing singers doing that whole 'Ooooh aaaah click fingers and spin' routine, and Daryl Jones's 'slap' bass, that hardly smacks of Altamont... It's saving grace was all the extensive interspersed footage from the previous 40 years that showed exactly what this band was capable of.

WELLALRIGHTYEAHCOMEON was pretty much the sum of Goddess. As far as I'm aware, Lenny Kravitz ceased to be culturally relevant (or credible) in about 1992. That said, I'm not surprised by Mick's choice of collaborator: Goddess sold loads in Argentina where Kravitz is still a big star...

Indeed, outside of the twin behemoths of the Stones, and AC/DC (the biggest draws) - Kravitz is held in the same lofty esteem at home as other second tier "rock gods" like Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, and Metallica. I think South America is where many dinosaurs go to graze.

there were so many songs about the groupies. they were the rock bands' muses

the blowjobs remember me the Plaster Caster. these girls were crazy and so funny! i love them.

^I'm with you Baby - I just don't think girls these days use their imagination. I mean outside of shady 'two girls, one cup' enterprises anyway... :yuckky:

[Frederick]

Are the Stones 2009 remasters any good? I gave Some Girls a Saturday night spin and noticed no differences at all.

I'm always surprised when Lenny Kravitz plays the not-lavish-but-still-mildly-significant mountain of dirt that is Wembley Arena, presumably to promote an album that hasn't got a chance of getting in the top 40. Are there that many people nostalgic for that car advert? Enough ex-pats?

Isn't Alanis Morisette still huge in South America? I fear for anyone for gave her a chance post-Supposed Infatuated Former Wankiedoodle (sic).

[TheBaronOfFratton]

^I think you need to be bloody Clark Kent to pick up all these supposed 'improvements' in CDs these days... <_< That or possess some real swanky Bang & Olufsen unit, which is sadly out of my price range!

Yes, Alanis still sells (in Buenos Aires at least). She was in town about a year ago playing an arena-size venue. You tell 'em sister! Needless to say I didn't go.

[Frederick]

I might do a cover of Thank U by Alanis Morisette but change the "issues" she raises to people's names.

"THANK U GRAHAM

THANK U HULIO

THANK U THANK U BRIIIIIIAN"

Any takers?

Hmm, good remasters, good remasters: I've only given a few of The Beatles ones a go, though I've been told the new mono mix on Sgt. Pepper is tasty indeed. The Genesis ones are pretty beautiful, though again they're albums from years and years ago, so you'd expect some noticeable upgrades. Paul's Boutique by the Beastie Boys got a good job, I thought. Any others? I don't think so. Weezer's Blue Album got an utterly pointless one a while back. Ah let's be honest, people only buy them for the fancy booklets.

[Michael*]

I might do a cover of Thank U by Alanis Morisette but change the "issues" she raises to people's names.

"THANK U GRAHAM

THANK U HULIO

THANK U THANK U BRIIIIIIAN"

Any takers?

Sounds to me like you've hit on a perfect candidate for that elusive England World Cup anthem, Fred!

Thank u Fabio

Thank u Rio

Thank u Emile Heskey YEAH!

[TheBaronOfFratton]

Hmm, good remasters, good remasters: I've only given a few of The Beatles ones a go, though I've been told the new mono mix on Sgt. Pepper is tasty indeed. The Genesis ones are pretty beautiful, though again they're albums from years and years ago, so you'd expect some noticeable upgrades. Paul's Boutique by the Beastie Boys got a good job, I thought. Any others? I don't think so. Weezer's Blue Album got an utterly pointless one a while back. Ah let's be honest, people only buy them for the fancy booklets.

^Yeah, I've done that... Give it a book and some shiny postcards and I'm like a damn magpie!

I did buy the remastered Revolver, but that was in lieu of a lost CD in a bitter break-up fiasco. I guess it does sound good with headphones, if I can get past the emotional turmoil that certain songs will conjure up! I shall shortly be purchasing the Exile On Main Street one, but that's mainly for the whole extra album of out-takes (how I wish you could just buy that separately though) - I'll get back to you on if it sounds any different or not...

[TheBaronOfFratton]

Baby, who do you consider the sexiest of the rock stars of the '70s? I must know!

^Oh, and until Baby gets back to us, my choices are Gram Parsons, Marvin Gaye, Gene Clark and Bryan Ferry!

[Frederick]

Sounds to me like you've hit on a perfect candidate for that elusive England World Cup anthem, Fred!

Thank u Fabio

Thank u Rio

Thank u Emile Heskey YEAH!

Hahahahaha! But of course!

I did buy the remastered Revolver, but that was in lieu of a lost CD in a bitter break-up fiasco. I guess it does sound good with headphones, if I can get past the emotional turmoil that certain songs will conjure up! I shall shortly be purchasing the Exile On Main Street one, but that's mainly for the whole extra album of out-takes (how I wish you could just buy that separately though) - I'll get back to you on if it sounds any different or not...

I always tend to find women with abominable taste in music so thankfully I've not yet had to endure such an ordeal! Hmm, what will she take first, the Jimmy Nail records or the Starsailor? Wait, which one of us has the bad taste again?

^Oh, and until Baby gets back to us, my choices are Gram Parsons, Marvin Gaye, Gene Clark and Bryan Ferry!

What excellent choices. For all Eno's talents, he couldn't match the rugged yet smooth charms of Bryan!

[Baby]

David Gilmour is my favorite he looked great and he is an amazing musician!

if he was 40 years old younger, i certainly could be crazy in love with this guy.

unfortunately, time has changed.

it's like a run to the fame (for the musicians and people around them)

of course, in the 70's, sex tapes already existed but it really the "it" thing of the decade.

famous musicians are more and more narcissist, less and less good musicians and maybe more and more paranoiac because of the gossip magazines, internet, etc, an unknown person can have his minute of "glory" because he was seen with X celebrity.

of course, all the famous musicians aren't like this but now it's pretty rare to have a normal "relationship" with a musician... but fortunately, this is not impossible!

the next month i will date with Florence and the Machine's drummer and he is really cool.

of two girls, one cup... i'm listenning Scatology of the band Coil XD

i'm obessed by this album

Triple Sun (not from the album)