Re: (TV) U-2 & Television a Stretch? / We Love You Detroit! / Hifalutin We bster Collegiate Dictonary Says Band Television Delivers the Goods

["esgregory" <esgregory@qwest.net>]

ya know, this issue opens up a big bag of my own reservations, hesitations
when it comes to the verlaine-dominated tv (& as far as this list goes, i
think it's safe to say there were (are?) 2 very distinct, perhaps even 3,
different versions of the band out there)....i've never seen television live
tho i've seen verlaine 2-3 times & i've always walked away happy &
enlightened.....but it always bothered me a bit that verlaine occasionally
appeared bored, withdrawn, whatever...his guitar did alotta the talking for
him, but rock & roll (& tv ARE most certainly rock & roll) has always been
about the performance as much as the playing, singing, writing, etc...in
fact, those elements blast in to fruition when they're informed/infused by
the performance...& i hope it's understood i ain't talkin bout bullshit
lowgrade theatre cliches here...i'm talking bout what i see & feel when i
look at the old photos of hell leaping in the air while lloyd leans &
grimaces & even verlaine strains toward whatever he imagines is up above
him....i can hear the music when i see it....& the fact that part of the
reason verlaine tossed hell outta the group was exactly cos of this troubles
me.....don't get me wrong here....i adore tv....MM changed my life....they
helped make me what i am...but i'm sitting here in portland oregon 2001 &
nearly every time i go out to see a live 'underground' show (& damn straight
it's a SHOW), i'm looking at a stage featuring a buncha dudes & dudettes,
standing still more oft than not, looking away, upwards, down....anywhere
but in to the eyes of the audience....& i'm almost disgusted...primarily
bored beyond belief.
& i can't help but think verlaine had a hand in setting this prototype
down....obviously i can't 'blame' the cat, but as much as i love television,
i'd rather see little richard (yep, even today) or somebody/anybody who
knows that passion is as much theatre as it is belief....
merely my 8 cents here....
----- Original Message -----
From: "Casey, Leo J" <CaseyL@VOLPE.DOT.GOV>
To: <tv@obbard.com>
Sent: Friday, August 24, 2001 5:08 AM
Subject: (TV) U-2 & Television a Stretch? / We Love You Detroit! / Hifalutin
We bster Collegiate Dictonary Says Band Television Delivers the Goods


> Keith, you're probably right.
>
> On a number of levels it's true that it might be a bit
> of a stretch that Television could appeal to or connect
> with U-2 audiences (or bands who are U-2's musical
> contemporaries and who also play the huge venues).
> Television's music and TV's lyrics----together with a
> deliberate lack of the usual banter with the audience
> and other show-biz antics such as a lot of jumping
> around on stage, derigeur for many young rock
> audiences of today-----could be problematical in
> getting a good reception to Television from this
> particular segment of rock audiences.  Although I
> must say that I salute and love Television for their
> choice of a mostly staid, sober stage presence, which
> lets the music itself do the talking and supply the
> drama and camaraderie, instead of resorting to the
>  usual bag of non musical tricks.
>
TV said in a 1979 interview:
> "In terms of asking an audience to clap their hands?  I'm
> not that style [but] I don't design to be a low-key,
> over-in-corner act ...."
>Television might be considered by some to be
> too intellectual, too cerebral, or "too clever"
> (for their own good) to be a support act for bands
> that play to very large audiences.
> (I don't mean that in a snobby way.)
> Others might consider Television and Verlaine
> pretentious (remember I'm just playing the devil's advocate
> here, and setting out possible theories held by a
> headliner band or its audience).  But then some people
> find U-2 pretentious and parts of their music to have an
> almost solemn piousness
>> Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 10th edition,
> defines "anthemic" as: "of or relating to a song or hymn
> of praise of gladness."  If that doesn't fit lots of Television's
> songs like "Glory" and "1880 Or So" then I'll eat my hat
> (and it's a powerful and a real fine hat).
>
> "pyrotechnical":  "characterized by a spectacular display
> (as of extreme virtuosity)". If that doesn't describe our boys
> playing then I don't know what does.
>
> Leo
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