Friday, February 22, 2008

Just Idoling

Noi and I enjoy watching American Idol, and have been regular viewers since the back end of Season 2, when Reuben won. I can't say I'm a massive fan of the programme in terms of the kind of mainstream music involved but I find it generally entertaining and it's good to hear live music on tv for a change. I know there's a specie of music puritan who condemns the show for its commercial nature and yucky showbiz factor, but as popular viewing goes it's generally engaging stuff and, if nothing else, you can always try to figure out what kind of medication Paula might be on. Sadly the vastly superior musically, but similarly cheesy, Rock Star seems to have lasted only for 2 seasons, but for now Idol will do for relaxation.

Anyway what I wanted to get on to was that this week a couple of contestants essayed Happy Together, a song that was a hit in the sixties for The Turtles. I couldn't help but play for Noi (in the middle of the progrmme, as part of her on-going musical education) the out and out best version ever of the song which appears in the unlikeliest of places. I imagine that all Zappa fans know of the extraordinary live version on Frank Zappa and the Mothers Live at the Filmore East, but, just in case they don't, they need to get to listen to it. It's the closing number of the night, constantly referred to earlier as the 'monster hit single with a bullet', in an appallingly salacious, and equally funny sprawling dialogue I think the band referred to as the 'groupie' routine for reasons that will be quickly apparent to any listener. When they finally perform said monster we get two minutes of soaring, ecstatic musical heaven, proof that on a good night The Mothers (any line-up) were the greatest band ever.

And this leads me to wonder: would Zappa have cut it on American Idol? I'm fairly sure that had he ever auditioned (and, of course, he wouldn't) he would have featured as one of the characters we are meant to laugh at in an audition show.

The world is a smaller place since he left us.

3 comments:

Trebuchet said...

Are you going to the Queen musical, Mr Connor? And yes, the projects that one might be forced to adopt are seldom as interesting as those one might find for oneself. Ahem.

Trebuchet said...

Oh yes, I dug this article up. The other two parts are here and here.

Brian Connor said...

Still undecided on the musical. I'm more of a Ben Elton than a Queen fan, but that alone might prove reason enough to go.

Thanks for the link to the always excellent Findings. I'm almost convinced of the virtues of giving holism its rightful consideration and may just bite. But then, I wouldn't be able to come up with anything so insightful.