BOC...More Imaginos...Flip Sake!

[Chris Baker]

Jason wrote:

> Didn't Albert say in giving the list of tunes for the other 2 lps in the
>  Imaginos trilogy that he never plans on working w/ Sandy again? (or
>  something to that effect?)

I don't know about this quote (or about Albert's feelings), but I certainly
hope it is true.  I remain unconvinced of Pearlman's divinity, and feel that
anyone as touched by mystic fire as he clearly would like us to believe would
at least be blessed with the ability to communicate in sentences that could
be parsed.

Pearlman's later lyrics for BOC were bad enough that they caused me to
reevaluate my impressions of his earlier ones, as well.  I think there is
some very effective imagery, and also a lot of awkward, ill-structured lyrics
that sabotaged songs and were all but impossible to sing.  Anyone remember
the potshot about the first album to the effect of "why does Eric Bloom sound
like he's singing from cue cards?"?  Bloom's technical limitations as a
vocalist were not solely to blame; as has been noted, he was trying to get a
handle on songs without vocal hooks.

Hearing the "Rockline" show (with Buck, Eric and Pearlman) at the time of the
Imaginos release was a stunner -- the sheer condescension and contempt he
showed to practically every caller was stomach-churning.  Bad vibe, bad P.R.

It goes without saying that his career and that of BOC's were inextricably
linked.  He seems to have been a hell of a promoter, and that his motives
were self-aggrandizing goes with the impresario territory, and probably
worked in BOC's favor, as he had more at stake (i.e., the myth of himself
that he was creating).  His studio skills can be judged from the early LP's,
which remain my favorites in spite of their sonic qualities.  As far as his
philosophical pronouncements go -- well, Barnum was a philosopher of sorts
too, and that's the lineage I see him deriving from.  At least Barnum didn't
dress his avarice in a cloak of piss-elegant, ersatz profundity.

-Chris Baker