BOC: X-Brothers, Heaven Forbid, Brain Surgeons

[John A. Swartz]

> > Yes, no BOC fan would complain about seeing the original 5 together
> > again for a few shows - but very few would probably want them to be back
> > together permanently - the musical output is greater for the most part
> > now with the various entities putting out their own stuff.
>
> Are you guys kidding???  I'd trade everything after
> Imaginos for one really heartfelt, kick-ass new studio
> by the original five members!  ON the other hand, I
> don't really think I'd care all that much to see them
> just rehashing the old stuff. I'd still pay to see it,
> mind you. . . but I'd much rather see a full-on studio
> collaboration.

When you say "everything after Imaginos", are you referring only to BOC,
or BOC/tBS/X-Brothers?  If you just mean BOC, I'd agree - that only
leaves out HF, Bad Channels, and lost of compilations.  My point was
more that there would be too much "politics" involved - Al and Joe would
probably only get a few songs on the album, and much of the volume of
material they've released since Imaginos would go unreleased.  Also, I'm
assuming that just getting the lineup back together wouldn't recreate
the kind of vibe and chemistry they had back in the 70s.

>
> > Kind of like the way BOC fans hear K.C. and the
> Sunshine Band when
> > listening to "Damaged" of HF (I'm Damaged - uh huh,
> uh huh - and Like It
> > - uh huh, uh huh...)  ;-)
>
> Thanks alot, John.  I used to like that song!!!

Well, I still do - then again, someone else is at fault for pointing
this out to me...

> I actually like the cover art on HF.  The only thing I
> found cheezy about it is that the dude's face is a
> little too explicit.  Otherwise, I think it's a pretty
> cool, PHantom of the Opera-ish concept.

I've heard various comments as to the "quality" of the artwork, but I
agree - I like it.


> I'd have to say I'm somewhere in the middle.  I like
> her on some songs, don't on others.  I have to say,
> though, that she  really ruins one of my favorite TBS
> tunes, "A Kiss Is A Promise", with that ungodly
> wailing.  That high-pitched, throat-rava ging scream
> just doesn't fit if you ask me.  Otherwise I think it's
> a great tune.

What, Deb just ain't "sensitive" enough for ya?  ;-)
But, that "ungodly wailing" may not seem to fit the song, but it fits
the overall vibe of *Trepanation*, IMHO.


>
> Are you nuts? Greater in qty. maybe but greater in quality? I've
> wanted them
> back together since they split. Jeez, for me, it'd be like a Beatles
> reunion! (with Lennon!) Of course, I would only want it if they could
> truely
> do it right and be succesful, which, frankly, I doubt.

Yes, and there's the rub - that's why I say I don't think BOC fans would
really want it - it's like my fantasy of wishing that Imaginos was
recorded after Some Enchanted Evening (instead of Mirrors) - it's fun
for speculation, but when you hold it up to the realities of life, it
just wouldn't have worked.

And again, I'm not saying we wouldn't like to see a "reunion", I just
don't think a continued long-term partnership would be in the best
interests of the bandmembers or the fans.

> I have been listening to Imaginos lately. That CD is so good its
> almost mind
> boggling. I'd like to see them do something in that vein... Listen to
> the
> vibe on that album and go from there.

Yeah, but you are assuming the band WOULD go from there.  The main
reason those songs exist is because of Albert - most of BOC didn't want
to do it.  All post-release bitterness aside, what do you think the
chance is that the original 5 would all agree to go in that direction if
they were to get together?


> Its a step in the right direction.. who knows what may result in the
> aftermath?

I see it more as a step in the direction of friendships that transcend
music - I don't see it as necessarily a step toward future musical
collaboration.  That isn't why they got together.  From a fan's
standpoint it's very cool to think that we will hear music in the future
from Buck/Al/Joe playing together.  But from THEIR perspectives, I
expect the much more cool thing was that they were able to get together
and pay tribute to a mutual friend - and maybe share some personal
moments with eachother.  If it ultimately leads to future musical
collaboration, that's great - but that would really be a by-product of
why they got back together in the first place (and it would be unfair
for fans to place any sort of expectation in this).

>
> No, my dislike is not because of her style, talent or delivery. I just
> can't
> get used to a female voice in my rock n' roll. Like I said, its my own
> little hang up.

Paul Stanley once said, "How can you understand rock and roll if you
don't have balls?"
Of course, he made a living out of wearing makeup... ;-)


> >
> > *Piece of Work*, is their most recent, slickest, and most
> > varied CD.  A
> > little something for everyone, and very well-done -- the "layers" of
> > instrumentation are many, and the sound is great.
>
> Now that made my pointy little ears stand up! The "layered" effect is
> to me
> what makes Imaginos so great.

Hmm... never thought to compare *Imaginos* to *Piece of Work* - both
have lots of "layers", but very different stylisticly for the most part.

>
> > Uh, guess what?  Jon Shirley didn't write the lyrics to "Harvest Moon".

>
> I'm assuming that BD did? Its always been hard for me not to like any
> BD song.

Yes, I believe he did.


>
> I never bought the Sabbath Reunion disc.  How is it?  Doesn't it have
> a couple of new tunes?  Do they compare to the old stuff?

The Sabbath Reunion disc is cool because 1) it has the reunion and 2)
the original line-up never did a proper live album together.  It's not
bad, but Ozzy's voice can't hit the high notes on some of the songs like
he used to.  Instrumentation is good and production is slick.  The new
songs are fairly forgettable - not bad, but not exactly the second
coming (or is this the third, fourth, or fifth) of Black Sabbath.


>  But as an Album, Trepanation never had the
> feelin' of internal cohesion that Epon. or the other 3 had...

I feel the opposite - Trepanation was much more "cohesive" than
Eponymous.  Box of Hammers is also very cohesive.  The other albums less
so - which really is to say that there are more stylistic variations on
them.    But, to each his/her own...


John


PS:  Gee, weren't we just complaining recently about the lack of BOC
content?  ;-)