A music meme

   This came from Cin, although I've seen it around quite a bit elsewhere since I first saw it at her place.

Name your top 10 most played bands on your iPod or stereo or whatever. You know, lately...like this past week.

1. Triumph
2. Ozzy Osbourne
3. Big Sugar
4. Stevie Ray Vaughan
5. Pink Floyd
6. David Bowie
7. The Trews
8. Joss Stone
9. Led Zeppelin
10. Genesis

What was the first song you ever heard by #6 (David Bowie)?

   Hmm, tough call. Probably Space Oddity, as that would have been the big hit of his during the time I was first getting into music.

What is your favorite album of #2 (Ozzy Osborne)?

   Diary of a Madman.

What is your favorite lyric that #5 have sung (Pink Floyd)?

as the windshield melts
and my tears evaporate
leaving only charcoal to defend
finally I understand
the feelings of the few
ashes and diamonds
foe and friend
we were all equal in the end

How many times have you seen #4 live (Stevie Ray Vaughan)?

   I was lucky enough to see Stevie live once. The show was held in what was then called the Skydome (now the Rogers Center) here in Toronto, so the sound quality was mediocre, but what a show! Local guitar legend Jeff Healy opened up, and was followed by Jeff Beck, before Vaughan finally took the stage. During the encore, we got to see - and hear - all three of them play together. Truly a great concert for a guitar fan.

What is your favorite song by #7 (The Trews)?

   Poor Ol' Broken Hearted Me. When I was looking for the album, based solely upon hearing this track on the radio, and didn't know who the band were, I described it to the girl in the record store as sounding kinda like The Black Crowes...you know, before they sucked.

What is a good memory you have involving the music of #10 (Genesis)?

   Went to see them live in good old Maple Leaf Gardens back in high school, and took a really cute girl I liked. She didn't really like me. She just wanted to see Genesis. Oh, well. Still had a great time seeing a great band perform a great concert with a bunch of great friends.

Is there a song of #3 that makes you sad (Big Sugar)?

   Every Big Sugar song makes me sad, because it reminds me that this absolutely fabulous band broke up, leaving us fans high and dry, and yearning for more. But I guess you're looking for a song title, aren't you?

100 Cigarettes

Lord I smoked 100 cigarettes
Waiting on your call but it ain't come yet
I'm waiting for your footsteps in my hall
And I'm watching for this ash to fall

And while I'm counting my regrets
I'm gonna smoke 100 cigarettes

What is your favorite lyric that #6 has sung (David Bowie)?

Time takes a cigarette, puts it in your mouth
You pull on your finger, then another finger, then your cigarette
The wall-to-wall is calling, it lingers, then you forget
Ohhh how how how, you're a rock n roll suicide

How did you get into #3 (Big Sugar)?

  A former coworker introduced me to their music. I believe the song he played me was Butterball:

Baby, baby, beauty queen
I can see by your size
You're much too lean

Baby, baby, beauty queen
I'm a man who needs more woman
Than you've ever been

'Cause my baby, she's got
A butterball, she's got, she's got it
Well, my baby, she's got (it)
A butterball, she's got she's got it

What was the first song you heard by #1 (Triumph)?

   These first song questions are hard. I really don't know what the answer to this one is. Hold On, or Lay It On The Line were the big singles at about the right time, so one of those might be the one. Although if I was first introduced to them by my friend Arun, it was probably 24 Hours a Day, or Blinding Light Show (one of my favourite songs to this day).

What is your favorite song by #4 (Stevie Ray Vaughan)?

   So many great songs, so difficult to choose. Let's say Cold Shot.

How many times have you seen #9 live (Led Zeppelin)?

   Never did. John Bonham died, and they disbanded just as I was coming of age musically, and I didn't really get into their music until a few years after that.

What is a good memory you have involving #2 (Ozzy Osbourne)?

   The Blizzard of Ozz album came out during my first year of high school, and was pretty much my soundtrack for that year.

Is there a song of #8 that makes you sad (Joss Stone)?

   Not really. The two albums of hers that I have are mostly old Soul standards. She's got an awesome voice, and the albums are quite well recorded. I love listening to them.

What is your favorite album of #5 (Pink Floyd)?

   Again, so many albums, so hard to choose just one. I'll have to go with The Final Cut.

What is your favorite lyric that #3 has sung (Big Sugar)?

   Nicotina (She's all that)

light it up

we've been a little more than just friends
and in most cases that's just where it ends
but i took the time to stoke up your flame
can i get a witness to back up my claim

now i'm standin' so close to your fire
if i say that i quit ya, you can call me a liar

now we've been a little more than just friends
and where we go now, i guess that depends
if i get myself caught up in your scene
black hair, black coffee, and hard nicotine

i can't sleep, i can't eat
need you to hold my hand so i can cross the street

oh yeah, she's all that
oh yeah, she's all that
sugar in my coffee
oh yeah, makes me mean

oh yeah, she's all that
oh yeah, she's all that
i'm her silver dollar,
she's my slot machine

oh yeah, she's all that
oh yeah, she's all that
oh yeah, why I call her
tina, my nicotine

What is your favorite song of #1 (Triumph)?

   I think I mentioned this one earlier. Blinding Light Show.

What is your favorite song of #10 (Genesis)?

   The whole Trick of the Tail album is really great. I'll say Entangled.

How many times have you seen #8 live (Joss Stone)?

   Not.

What is your favorite album of #1 (Triumph)?

   Allied Forces was far and away their best selling album, but my personal favourite is Just a Game.

What is a great memory you have considering #9 (Led Zeppelin)?

   We went to see a bunch of buddies play in their band at the local high school one night. They were pretty much a Led Zeppelin cover band. That night they were introducing their new drummer, so the drum solo, Moby Dick, was on the set list.
   They wanted to introduce the song the same way it is introduced on the live album, The Song Remains The Same, where Robert Plant yells out, "John Bonham, Moby Dick, dick, dick..." using an echo machine. They had an echo machine, but it had been stolen the week before, and the best they could come up with was an analogue repeat guitar effect pedal. They ran the microphone through it, and the singer yelled, "Clint Stroud, Moby Dick, di-, blih..." Not quite the effect they were looking for.
   Clint launched into the solo with gusto, and made it a good portion of the way through before he got tired. There was no way he was going to be able to make the full twelve minutes of the live version of the solo, so he gave the band the familiar cue that he was wrapping it up: rat-a-tat tat tat, rat-a-tat! He looked around, but his band mates had left the stage, and were nowhere to be seen. A short pause ensued. Suddenly, the panicked face of the lead guitarist popped up from behind the amp stack, where they had been smoking a joint, and the rest of the band scrambled to put their instruments back on, and rejoin Clinton stage. Gamely, he went on with the drum solo for another twenty seconds, or so, until the boys were ready, and they finished the song.
   We all laughed long and hard about that at the after party. Well, until the band all passed out from too much Alcool and OJ, that is. 

What was the first song you heard by #8 (Joss Stone)?

Chokin' Kind. Great vocal track. Listen to it loud.

What is your favorite cover by #2 (Ozzy Osbourne)?

   Ozzy doesn't cover a lot of songs. Mostly other people cover his music. He did recently release an album of covers, though, as part of his four disc box set. Can't say as I"m all that familiar with them, though. Oh, I know I've heard one or two of them on the radio, but I don't think I'm familiar enough with them to pick a favourite.

Tags: memes, top ten bands