BOC: an observation from a rookie

[John A. Swartz]

> >         4. Buck plays the same way since 1976.... which the more i think about
> >            it, the worse it sounds.
>
> Hate to argue with the usually inspired Jason, but here, you're dead
> wrong.  Buck's playing is currently at an all-time high, esp. in the
> live shows.  In the old days, BD could be pretty hit-or-miss at
> concerts.  He might fluff certain parts of a song only to redeem
> [sic] himself with a great solo.  Judging by what I've seen at
> concerts the last few years, BD is positively inspired in his playing
> throughout the shows.  Only criticism I can muster being that
> sometimes his stage volume is too low, so that you can actually hear
> him better if you're further back in the crowd...


I absolutely KNEW that Theo would chime in on this comment - and I agree
with him as well.

>
> >         5. Every time something NEW attempts to exist in their discography that's
> > not a Best of, it gets buired through some sad mechanism.
>
> Can't agree with this either.  I'm under the impression that HF has
> sold decently well--better than expected.  I think they're on a label
> that's good for them, and I suspect that the relative inactivity of
> the band of late might suggest that they're spending some time in the
> studio.  I do know they have the green light from CMC to make another
> album...

I think the point here was that things are promised, and not delivered,
not that what is delivered is bad.  Since about '92, we've been promised
a new album (which took about 6 years to materialize), a box set (which
became *Workshop of the Telescopes* - a decent product, but not what the
die-hard fans were looking for), a King Biscuit compilation with some
cool live cuts (which may or may not ever materialize), new material
from Buck Dharma (which presumably a CD from the Ricky Browning benefit
concert is still in the works, but I haven't heard anything for awhile -
you still out there Chuck?), something about a new BOC tune in the Heavy
Metal 2 soundtrack (status unknown), and a 2nd CMC BOC album.  As for
the last, rumor has it that the band's touring schedule lately has been
diminished to facillitate working on this album.  Any mention of new
tunes has been kept under wraps - I think the band want to have a few
surprises this time around.  Still, as far as anyone knows, a release in
early 2000 is still planned, but there hasn't been a lot of hype yet.

> > Can you tell I'm miffed? Thank god for the Brain Surgeons.  At least with
> > them you know that theres new work afoot in between appearances in the
> > light of stage and CD stores.
> >
> Hmm...When was the last tBS gig?

Yes, BOC and tBS provide somewhat opposite functions - BOC allows more
opportunities for live shows, while tBS put out more albums.  The
reasons are many and varied, but here are a few:

1.  tBS have more prolific song-writers, and an independent label, so
there are little restrictions when putting out music on CD

2.  BOC have more established contacts on the large club circuit across
the country, and have an established name that will guarantee some
ticket sales.

3.  BOC does this as a job.  All members of tBS have other jobs
(although I imagine that if Piece of Work got picked up in the
mainstream and went platinum, they might consider quitting those jobs).


> >>         11. UNlike the hawkwind webpage, the BOCFanClub page is
> painfully slow in
> >> putting new poop up there to  appease appetites.
> >
> >Have you been there lately?  Miss Melne has done some incredible things
> >over the past 4 or so months.
> Yeah, I've frequented the page  at least bimonthly... still when you look
> at the BOC news and see last new thing was in August, kinda sad.

Ah, you're talking about the fact that there is little BOC news to
report, and not that the page is slow to be updated.

>
>         As someone who's defended Danny lots, I have to say here that I've
> never done it to suggest he's better than Joe!

It's o.k. - I'm not accusing anybody.  Sometimes there is a mentality
that says, "Hey, the Bouchards are gone - why don't you take notice to
who's there, 'cuz they are damn good!".  I agree with this sentiment.  I
only disagree when folks take it so far as to say the Danny/Bobby are
BETTER than Joe/Al.  They may be more suited to the current line-up, and
their chops are undeniable, but comparisons of "better/worse" with
others are futile and irrelevant.  You want to compare styles?  Fine.
But saying someone is a "better" bassplayer is like saying that
chocolate cake is better than apple pie.

> But I used to see a post that said, "ah, it's not the
> same as when Joe was on bass, and the songs aren't as good either,"

Well, of course, the songs are mostly the same... ;-)
But, I agree that it is also unfair to Danny to make such statements.

> I wished the band would let him get
> a song or two in as until he does there's this nasty feeling that he's
> just a session man and not really part of "BOC". It's not that he doesn't
> write, he said to us in '95 that he had some songs for other bands of his.
> Perhaps they weren't very good but how bad does it have to be given the
> paucity of material?

Don't know, but I've also heard Danny writes - maybe the next BOC album
will have a song or 2 by him.  Heaven Forbid was mostly written when
Danny joined BOC.


>
> Speaking of which, Rich, Helen says that her boobs say "Hello" ('scuse the
> bad poetry...)

?!?!

Tell us more - what can I say, when boobs speak, I like to listen in... ;-)

John

PS:  See?  Some BOC discussion has been started!