Friday, June 8, 2007

K.I.S.S. and a Little KISS for Fashion Friday



David Gilmour, Rocking the T to a T


I love the saying "Keep It Simple Stupid". As much as I get a kick out of elaborate stage costumes and makeup, I much prefer the simple T-shirt and jeans look. This laissez-faire attitude is always a sure sign that a player will pull out complex, intricate, and well thought out licks that will surely devastate in that good way. K.I.S.S. stylers have more important things to do like invent new musical direction, experiment with new gear, redefine the term "production", and most importantly, continue to learn and evolve into exceptional musicians. I mean, how can one possibly contribute towards the creation of a great concept album if one is more concerned about matching their Hannibal Lecter mask to their Texas Chainsaw jumpsuit? How 'bout the next Thomas Harris installment be entitled "Silence of the Slipknot"? Yep, that works for me.

It's not like we are going to look back and rave, "Yes, the band Slipknot, and the whole Nu-Metal scene was perhaps the best thing ever to happen to music." If there is someone out there that would be comfortable saying this, I would suggest a self-imposed exile into a room with a turntable and every Pink Floyd and Who album within easy reach. Oh, and bringing in a monster truck size bag of Cheetos is acceptable since you are used to digesting fake, processed and poisonous crud, empty and devoid of anything slightly enriching.

Don't get me wrong. Theatrics and pyrotechnics, and suits of armour or chainmail can be very entertaining. But if a band relies only on these to sell records then this is the music that should be deposited immediately into the delete and garbage bins, like a spent down to the nub stick 'o greaspaint.

At least KISS had the chops and the killer riffs behind the Schtick. Like any good grunge girl, I carried a lunchbox in lieu of a purse, and yep, you guessed it, it was a KISS pail. Still have it too, although it now serves as a great storage bin for all my ticket stubs, laminates, passes and important guitar picks. The picks I don't wanna lose...I have 3 Dava picks that I am holding on to for dear life, as I don't think they sell them up here in the Toronto tundra.


Pete, Hip and Hot in the T-Zone

Just one more thang...please indulge me here, a girl has got to gush every so often. This is perhaps the most beautiful portrait in the history of the rock.


David Gilmour, 1975

This is damn near as beauteous.



HIWATT DG103 Head, The David Gilmour Signature Model, based on the original Custom 100W

Hella pricey. I could never afford something like this. Even when I worked in the gearshop, the staff discount wouldn't have made any dif. "I worked in a Gear Shop and all I got was this lousy t-shirt."

One more little T note:

In my T, I'll take Cream (Clapton and Co.), Sugar (Bob Mould and Co.) and a whole lotta Floyd.

currently listening to: The Sea and Cake, Everybody

7 comments:

Faerie said...

My T says .. "Doesn't play well with others." ...Does that work?
:D

Godwhacker said...

You would love Walter Becker from Steely Dan. I had the pleasure of seeing two of their concerts in the last year. Walter is a "no nonsense" performer. He walks out on to stage in jeans, a t-shirt and Bad Sneakers, an average joe you might see in a grocery store, who just happens to be standing there with a guitar, pumping out the smoothest, coolest riffs in modern rock.

Did I mention I'm a big fan? ;)

SamuraiFrog said...

Nu-metal sucks. Obviously the best thing ever to happen to music was rap-rock. Linkin Park, man, they...just...they...

Yeah.

I just couldn't be bothered to keep that going.

Allan said...

Silence of the Slipknot!

This should be required reading for young rockers.
Reminds me of a story...hmmm.

AC'63 said...

Found a copy of Lemmy doing "Enter Sandman" Awesome .. have you heard White Stripes Icky Thump yet?

bonjourtristesse said...

Hey gang...sorry it's been so long!

Hey Faerie!!! Of course that works, I think I have one of those T-shirts permanently tattooed on my bod! Hope all is well...talk soon!

Hey GW! Walter is da man...some of those old Steely photos of Walter are so super cool...so glad he still does a casual hang! Hey, are you a big fan or what???? LOL!!!

SF!! I hate Nu metal too...LOL!!!! I almost believed yer LInkin Park love fer a second there...NICE TRY!!! Well done!!

Allan...I couldn't agree more, Catcher in the Rye and Silence of the Slipknot, required grade nine reading!

Hey AC!I'm searching for mp3's for the Stripes...I hear it's great, love me some Jack White!! Enjoy the Lemmy, man, he would be the only other artist other than Metallica to do that song justice. AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, indeed! LOL!!!

harbinger said...

Memories, I had a HIWATT custom 100w amp and a single cabinet about 30 years ago, sold it about 6 years after that, DAMN! Lessons learned and not.