BOC: A "dizzying excursion into [3OC's] world"

[Ted Jackson]

>>> jswartz at MITRE.ORG 9/15/2004 11:19:40 AM >>>
BOC is definitely a band that has, for the most part IMHO, walked on the
wrong side of that line - relying too heavily on "The Big 5" (The "Big
3" plus Cities on Flame and ETI).  In the early 90s they stretched a bit
playing more material that would eventually wind up on Heaven Forbid,
and today have been known to break out a few less-heard songs, but too
much of BOC's history has been to play "The Big 5", plus about half the
stuff off Secret Treaties, and a few other songs - in the late 90s you
could guess the setlist almost song for song.

Seems like it now too.  The last few set lists are enough to keep me from
seeing them later this month.  It's to the point where it's not really worth a
2 hour trip one way to MAYBE hear Teen Archer or Astronomy or Telepaths.
You sure won't get all 3 in 1 show.  And you may not get any of them.
Don't get me wrong:  if they play anywhere close to me, I'm there, even
if they do play their set canon.  But if it's a long trip, I'll pass...


 I think now that the band
is playing primarily to the hard core fans, there is less of a need for
them to churn out the same stuff.

Good point!  You'd think they'd be secure in knowing that real fans
will appreciate a varied list more.  But I bet there are tons of 'old'
fans who would be bitterly disappointed in not hearing the canonical
tunes...


 Carl:
> And while I applaud their efforts to create new stuff as a band, I gotta
> confess that I haven't found either _HF_ or _CotHM_ to have better than
> "well, that's kind of OK" on them :/  I hear flashes of BOC, but not yet
> re-established BOC.  (Basically, when Buck has some good moments it
> sounds like a solid Buck song, but I'd kinda like a bit richer diet than
> that!)
>
True enough, though I'd rate CotHM much the higher of the 2.  HF really only has
3 or 4 truly good songs on it, whilst Curse only has 2 or 3 outright stinkers,
with the rest being really solid, if not Secret Treaties-type stuff.  OTOH, HF
has Harvest Moon, which is one of my fave BÖC songs all-time...


> Let's not delude ourselves -- old dude rockers are highly unlikely to
> ever burn up the charts.  But old dude rockers can (and sometimes do)
> make ass-whomping records anyway, and (this is just mah opinion heah!) I
> don't think BOC have quite reached the place where they've said "Let's
> just make an evil freaking record that will blow away anyone who listens
> to it, even if there are only three of them. Damn it."

I think, given the composition of the line-up, HF and CotHM were both
solid albums - no, they might not be tops in the fan poll (although they
certainly rank higher than the bottom for most fans).  There's enough of
the "classic" sound (not to mention some reworkings of some older
material - which I really like - tBS and the Sony Remasters has shown
that while not strictly "BOC Material", some of those old demos had some
creative stuff on them that deserved to be heard), and some infusion of
more current rock (esp. from Miranda/Rondinelli).  No, CotHM can not
possibly rival Secret Treaties, but what can?  I do look at those two
albums different though - simply because they are so far removed (in
time) from the rest of the catalog.

Yes, and HF has the disadvantage of being pieced together out of a bunch
of leftovers, compiled from tunes written over a long period of time.  True,
some of CotHM's tunes are old, but it has more of the feel of a record made
old style, i.e. new tunes brought in to make a new album...


> Jason follows with:
> Chart burning (with rock and roll) aside, it'll bever be
> re-established in the old mold even if Miranda and (insert new drummer's name
> here...or at least the name of a drummer who sticks around for more than tour
> obligation purposes)

Not sure I get your point.  Bobby was with the band for a long time, Danny too...


go "hi, don and eric. let's jam and find our sound."  One
> of the things that contributed to the "classic" sound is born out of the
> "bandhouse"/SFG jamming telepathy methinks.

And THAT's not likely to happen - that jamming occurred when music was
still more of a hobby to these guys, not a career.

But BÖC were never much for jamming anyway.  Their songs were pretty much
set pieces, apart from [TCt]LDoM...


 I doubt that
Bloom/Roeser/Lanier in particular are at a point in their lives where
they are searching for sounds and a musical future.  They are looking to
fund their retirement accounts, and (hopefully) enjoy what they are doing.

And there's nothing wrong with that either.  They've given us a bunch of great
albums and concerts.  If they can pad their bank acounts playing big outdoor
shows over the summer, more power to them.  That's what everyone else
their age does, and BÖC is a hell of a lot more vital than say, the Stones
with their blatant fan exploitation...


> Sadly, I don't get the sense that the weight of the band's past catalog will let
> them go far afield from what's comfortable, except for the inclusion of Allen's
> jamming in Last Days of May and the drum/bass solo in Godzilla.

Yeah, and the two examples you mention, are the two saddest moments when
I watch the "A Long Day's Night" DVD.  First off, while I think it is
GREAT to have Allen stretch out and provide a guitar solo or two, and
get some recognition for the talented musician that he is, it is nearly
criminal in my mind to have him soloing during Last Days of May - never
mind that his style seems all wrong for the song

Yet he's always played gtr on this tune.  I don't object to his sound or style,
but it just seems kind of silly to have him solo for 5 minutes knowing that Buck's
tsunami will blast the place apart right afterward, much the way it happens
on Harvest Moon.  But, FWIW, it seens to work better on Harvest...


 (or that the volume was
nowhere near loud enough on the DVD for Allen's solo) - that is simply
Buck's song, and his guitar should carry it.

There is nothing ANYONE could add to that tune, really.  It is a signature
tune for BD...


As for the drum/bass solo,
I've spoken my thoughts on this before, but one more time:  1) after
some 25 or more years, it is getting really old to hear this in the same
song, 2) the bass solo and drum solo should be in separate songs - not
back to back, where they seem even more monotonous, 3) whatever the hell
Danny was doing at the beginning of his solo on the LDN DVD, it doesn't
work - he looks like a buffoon playing a single note on his bass and
doing some sort of "wave" with the crowd - BORING

Total agreement on all points.  Esp. given that Bobby and Danny aren't
original members.  We're much more indulgent of Al doing a monster
solo because he's--AL!



theo