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Welcome back, my friends, to the "Battle" that never ends.
We're so glad you could attend. Come inside! Come inside!
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This is 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS' ('BOTB') where you listen to different recordings and vote for the one you like best. A new Battle gets posted on the 1st of each month and on the 7th, I place my own vote, tally 'em all up and announce the winner.
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Friend? Foe? Stranger? No matter, ALL are welcome. So pull up a chair, pour yourself 24 oz. of DOG BITE High Gravity Lager (or the poison of your choice) and turn it up to Eleven!
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[NOTE: Links to the first year of 'BOTB' (#1 - #24) can be found at the very bottom of this page.]

Saturday, August 1, 2020

BATTLE OF THE BANDS: 2020, AUG. 1 (Or, RYAN ADAMS VS. KENNY CHESNEY & PINK)

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BATTLE OF THE BANDS (BOTB)
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Shoop-Shooby -
Shooby-Duh-Dooby-Doop-Dooby-Dooby-Doo-Wah -
Buh-Doo-Wah!
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Yes, it's time once again for Battle Of The Bands (BOTB).
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It's been a doggone long time since I've done a BOTB 'Battle For Los Angeles' installment, so...
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Alright, let's get on it. Let's get ON this thing!...
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La Cienega Boulevard, West Hollywood, Calif.
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Wackypedia sez: 
La Cienega Boulevard is a major north–south arterial road that runs between El Segundo Boulevard in Hawthorne, California on the south and the Sunset Strip/Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood to the north.
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La Cienega Boulevard is a regular surface street and one of Hollywood's major thoroughfares. Offices for A&E Network, The History Channel and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are located on La Cienega as are the studios of Citadel Broadcasting flagships KABC and KLOS, two of Los Angeles' biggest radio stations.
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What does La Cienega Boulevard mean to me, personally? Well... I lost my virginity on La Cienega Boulevard. And, although I looked and looked, I never found it again. 
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Wackypedia sez: 
'Gold' is the second studio album by Ryan Adams, released September 25, 2001 on Lost Highway Records. The album remains Adams' best-selling album, certifying Gold in the UK and going on to sell 364,000 copies in the U.S. and 812,000 worldwide. Adams noted that "with Gold, I was trying to prove something to myself. I wanted to invent a modern classic."
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Included on the album was the song 'La Cienega Just Smiled'.
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(Because, for the 666th time, Google has fixed what wasn't broken, I no longer know how to embed a video, so you will need to "click the link" in order to be transported to the YouTube video)
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LA CIENEGA JUST SMILED - Ryan Adams
[link> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbrUhHdd62Y
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Wackypedia sez: 
'Setting the World on Fire' is a song written by Ross Copperman, Matt Jenkins, and Josh Osborne and recorded by American country music artist Kenny Chesney as a duet with American singer Pink. It was released to Country radio on July 28, 2016 and to digital retailers the following day as the second single from Chesney's 2016 album Cosmic Hallelujah. ... The song was nominated for the Best Country Duo/Group Performance at the 2017 Grammy Awards.
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Was the photographer "Drunk On La Cienega Boulevard"?
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(Because, for the 666th time, Google has fixed what wasn't broken, I no longer know how to embed a video, so you will need to "click the link" in order to be transported to the YouTube video)
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SETTING THE WORLD ON FIRE - Kenny Chesney with Pink
[link> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ECz0BBt8IY
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Alright now, “you know the gig”... I welcome you (whether I know "you" or not) to vote for your favorite of these songs in the comment section below. And feel free to tell us WHY you chose one song over the other.
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After voting here, I suggest - actually I insist - you pop over to the blogs of the other 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS' participants to see which songs they have chosen and vote there alsoVote your vice...   Vice your voice... 
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Voice Your Vote...
TOSSING IT OUT by clicking HERE
MIKE'S RAMBLINGS by clicking HERE
THE SOUND OF ONE HAND TYPING by clicking HERE
@ JINGLE JANGLE JUNGLE by clicking HERE
@ CHERDO ON THE FLIPSIDE by clicking HERE
@ CURIOUS AS A CATHY by clicking HERE
@ AI LOVE MUSIC by clicking HERE
@ STORMS & STARDUST by clicking HERE
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As I've done in the past, I will continue to return to my 'BOTB' blog bits on the 7th of each month to post my own votes and announce the winner.
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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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40 comments:

  1. First, Willow, one of my readers, said she had trouble commenting (apparently she kept getting an old profile), so she asked me to cast a vote for Kenny Chesney and P!nk.

    I liked the guitar work in Ryan Adams's "La Cienega Boulevard," especially the 12-string solo in the middle, and in general liked the song better, so I'm going to vote for it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. JOHN & WILLOW ~

      I thank you both for your BOTB botes!!

      I really don't know what the problem was regarding Willow's profile issue, but please let her know that I greatly appreciate her input here!

      Truthfully, both of these songs are new-ish to me, but something (my inner BOTB voice) told me that they would make for a good match-up, and so far... TRUTH!!

      Bote: Kenny & Pink

      Bote: Ryan Adams

      ~ D-FensDogG
      STMcC Presents BATTLE OF THE BANDS

      Delete
  2. I'm not often in the side of town where La Cienega runs--at least not for extended periods. Seems I'm always "just passing through" which is the story of my life in a great many ways. If I'm traveling north/south in Los Angeles it's most often on the eastern side of L.A.

    Last year or so they built a Randy's Donuts location complete with the iconic giant donut sign about 3 miles from our house. We went there a few months ago to try the donuts. I was not impressed. I'll probably go back again eventually, but I'm not sure their donuts are better than some other shops. But we've got the sign and the opportunity for the donuts if we want them easily accessible as they are now.

    These songs were totally new to me. The Chesney/Pink song was okay though it sounds like a lot of other songs that have come out in recent years. It's well produced, but it doesn't grab me. However, I did like the peaceful laid back sound of the Adams tune and the more contemplative lyrics. The song title is nice too.

    Give my vote to Ryan Adams's "La Cienega Just Smiled".

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LEE ~

      In 1984, I was working as a designer of commercial advertising signs (those big, internally lit plexiglass signs), and every morning on the way to work, I would get off the 405 freeway right there where the original Randy's Donuts is located. But, truth be told, I don't think I ever once bought one of Randy's donuts in my 33 years of Angeleno life.

      The sign was iconic as all get-out but, unlike Homer Simpson, I just wasn't much of a donut-eater.

      BOTB Bote: Ryan Adams

      ~ D-FensDogG
      STMcC Presents BATTLE OF THE BANDS

      Delete
  3. Hey Stephen,

    Normally, I'm MIA in Blogosphere on the weekend but I have a little time on my hand and I thought I'd make a few BoTB rounds. I don't use Blogger but I do have an old inactive account so I took a quick look to see how to add a YT video. In the editor you should see an 'insert video' icon. Click on it and there you can do a search to plug it right in where you want or you can select the drop down menu to the far left. It looks like a pencil and you should see the option to switch to the html side where you can then embed your YT video. Does that all make sense?

    Alrighty now to your battle at hand. I'm going with hometown boy, Kenny Chesney & P!nk. The song was peppier and the whole vibe of the tune seemed to work for me today.

    I don't have a battle up today but I will on the 15th. Have a good weekend, my friend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. HiYa, CAThy! ~

      Nice to see ya here in these parts on a Saturday!

      I think I've got what you're saying about the way to embed YT videos, now that things have changed. Thanks so much, my friend! I will definitely give that a try and see if I can do better next time! I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to 'splain it to me. (Hopefully my two brain cells can follow the instructions!! :-)

      Thanks for stopping by, and I will see ya at yer place on the 15th (if not sooner).

      BOTB Bote: Kenny & Pink

      ~ D-FensDogG
      STMcC Presents BATTLE OF THE BANDS

      Delete
    2. Stephen,

      You're so funny! I'm sure you'll get it. Change throws us all. :)

      Delete
    3. CAThy ~

      I'll be glad when "change" is no more. ...Which, according to my bank and The Dollar Store, will be sooner than later.

      ~ D-FensDogG
      'STEPHEN T. McCARTHY REVIEWS...'

      Delete
  4. And Stephen,

    Good battle agin!

    While we were once known to burn brightly and uncontrolled "right down to the ashes" through those eternal hot summer nights of the early 80's Ryan Adams gets my vote. I thought the Chesney-Pink song was a little over produced and like the rawness of Ryan Adams. That and it happened to be a song that deeply spoke to me during the meltdown of my first marriage.

    Not that I'm getting soft or emotional about it. Because you taught me to show no emotion in a big way back in 1986. During this slower time I've been looking back a lot and have many, many fond memories of those magic years. And hey, we're still alive and I have a Mickey's bottle on my desk to take me back there for both good and bad memories any time I want it.

    I remember La Cienega and La Brea both which seemed sooooo far from the westside. It seemed like it took us forever to get to Antonio's or wherever we were heading, like to a party or a night of debauchery at the Hollywood Sign. I will leave you with a few lines of dogrel that I think capture those nights:

    A Blue Car Melancholy (circa 2000)

    Time is but the price of experience
    as we wait int eh inevitable queue
    and witness that car crash that punctuates
    all we've done and all we'll ever do

    Breathe deeper tonights air
    because it smells like summer and sixteen
    and the radio sounds like dad's new blue car
    But it's all different tonight
    there's an intensity in this darkness
    and memories of friendship and debauchery
    fanned by Santa Ana winds blow strange things
    over the soul like hot air on embers

    The soul glows, flickers, and fades
    when the winds subside or change direction
    the queue gets longer and longer
    as the blue car rusts in a distant junkyard

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ...AND, POOH, THAT'S NOT ALL!...

      Phunny thing is... I also have a (empty) bottle of Mickey's Big Mouth on a bookcase in my bedroom. It's there for the same reasons you have one on your desk!

      Somehow, a Mickey's Big Mouth bottle sums it all up all these years later. And, you know, "If you're only going to have ONE beer, you might as well make it six Mickey's". (That's Bay Street wisdom boiled down to a single six-pack.)

      That was an excellent poem. I could feel it... "intensely". The only thing missing was mention of Vin Scully's voice coming through a transistor radio placed on the front porch of the house. ...And, well, the mention of "six Mickey's". ;-)

      Thanks, as always, for your BOTB loyalty, my dear friend. (John Wayne! John Wayne!!)

      BOTB Bote: Ryan Adams

      ~ D-FensDogG
      STMcC Presents BATTLE OF THE BANDS

      Delete
  5. Sorry to disappoint you, but Armageddon averted again for now.

    I'm going to guess that you love the Ryan Adams song and that it is special to you.

    And I'm going to further guess that you dislike Chesney and ESPECIALLY dislike Pink, that you will think their song very average, and think those that vote for them are a bit on the mundane side.

    Count me in that group. I like Chesney pretty well and like Pink a lot. She's a typical numb brained lib, but almost all entertainers are. She has a GREAT voice.

    It is such a shame that LA went from perhaps the greatest city in the world in the 1930s-40s to the hell hole it is now. I know that some parts aren't too bad, but come on. There are VERY few places in the U.S. I'd consider worse to live in. Thanks for the memories, La Cienega. Or, in your case, "thanks for the mammaries."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. McBROTHER SIXGUN ~

      Armageddon averted again (A3)? Drat the damned bad luck!

      Actually, the Ryan Adams song is still new-ish to me, and its inclusion in this Battle is a nod to one of our former and earliest BOTBers, Robin, the "girl wonder". She loved that song and once asked me what the deal was with La Cienega Boulevard. She knew I was from L.A. and thought I might have some inside scoop on that street. But, actually, it's just another L.A. street, and I don't know why these two songs particularly focus on it.

      L.A. was perhaps the greatest city in the world in the 1930s-'40s? I would have guessed that the years were more like 1959-1992 (and 1994 through early 1995), when I was living there. But then again, maybe I'm not really the center of the universe after all(?)

      Oh, I agree that L.A. is now a hellhole. But I can still think of quite a few cities I consider worse today. 'Frisco, Oakland, Chicago, Portland, Seattle, New York... and that's just off the top of my head. Gimme another 3 minutes and I could probably come up with 6 more.

      Well... maybe 2 or 3 more, anyway.

      Thanks for your always welcome and anticipated two cents fur the kitty!

      No Armageddon? Really? Damn! Well, wait until November. Armageddon is certainly coming sooner than later! Come, November, come!!

      BOTB Bote: Kenny & Pink

      ~ D-FensDogG
      STMcC Presents BATTLE OF THE BANDS

      Delete
    2. It depends upon your definition of "very few." You've named some of those I would say were worse. Believe it or not I would rather be in Seattle than L.A. for some good reasons that I won't bother with here. I checked a list of the top 50 US cities by size, and to your list I would probably only add Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis, New Orleans, and Washington DC as places I would LESS rather live in. And I wouldn't live in ANY of them under any circumstances!

      The thing that is so sad is that LA fell so far. I mean, Washington DC was a mosquito infested swamp that nobody wanted when they first created the thing. LA was a paradise of sun, sand, and citrus blossoms. Movies, music, and Mexican food. All that is left is sun. You can't go to the beach unless it is on the way to burn down some public building. You can't go to concerts or Mexican restaurants. And if you could you would stumble over some homeless heroin addict. LA during your time there was still good, but it was a parabolic curve of fading fast after the 60s.

      BTW, there is still a good chance of Armageddon over at Lee's Tossing It Out. He may vote with us yet!

      Delete
    3. McSIXGUN ~

      To our ever-expanding list, Nappy has added Baltimore, St. Louis, and Camden, New Joisey. (I can't argue wid dat.)

      Truth be told, most American cities now suck. Just like America itself. (Known as "Babylon" in the New Testament.)

      I have never regretted growing up in Orange County, Calif. (Kindergarten - which I flunked out of - and 1st grade through 4th grade), and in Santa Monica / Greater metropolitan L.A. area in the 1970s.

      I always say that it was the year 1986 when I could really see and feel L.A. changing, and decidedly for the worse. Up until then, there's no other pLAce I'd have wanted to be.

      And you are RIGHT, sir! When L.A. fell, it fell far and fast!! "The Rodney King Riots" (Apr 29, 1992 – May 4, 1992) was the final straw for me. In October of '92, I moved to Prescott, Arizona ('Billy Jack' country!)

      Such a shame what has happened to L.A. (thanks to the influx of millions and millions of outsiders overwhelming us and causing "Trouble In Paradise" - to steal a line from Randy Newman).

      Everyone complains about Californians overrunning other states now, but "we" California natives were first overrun by people from New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Wisconsin, Oregon, Washington, Minnesota, Michigan, etc., etc., etc. Turnabout is fair play!

      There is zero chance of Armageddon occurring at Lee's 'Tossing It Out', as he will surely vote for The Illusion (the Magic 8-Ball tells me so!)

      ~ Stephen
      DogGtor of Alcohology &
      King of Inebriation Nation

      Delete
    4. POSTSCRIPT:

      McBrother Sixgun ~

      This just dawned on me:

      We're both yakking about we consider to be even worse places to live than Los Angeles. And yet, ironically, we will both probably wind up, in the not too distant future, living in a FEMA camp, which will be an even worse place to live than any city on our lists. (Well, except for San F*gCrisco, most likely. ;-)

      ~ D-FensDogG
      'STEPHEN T. McCARTHY REVIEWS...'

      Delete
    5. I can't believe I forgot Baltimore. Hell yeah. Camden I consider part of the New York metro, so I dismissed it out of hand. And St. Louis is indeed a s**t hole. But I'd still rather live there than LA... unless you tried to stick me in the Ferguson area. Then no. No, that wouldn't do atall.

      As for the camp: I'm not going. Nuff said.

      Delete
    6. McITCHYFINGER (and which finger might that be?)

      I haven't been to St. Louis in decades, but based on things I've encountered in the media, I'm pretty sure I'd still take L.A. over Saint Lou.

      Yeah, in all seriousness, it's doubtful you'd ever find me in a FEMA camp, also (unless God sent me there to preach Christ to the other inmates).

      At the point that Uncle Scam makes the covid-666 vaccine mandatory (and you can bet every sock in your sock drawer that this is coming sooner than later), I will "officially" become an outlaw in the eyes of the (so-called) law. My body is where I engrave the line in granite and... "none shall pass" (to quote 'You-Know-Who').

      When they (Trump included) say, "Mandatory Vaccine", I will say, "Nyet!" (those commie bastards will understand that word). And then I will resist and prevail...

      ..."Not by power, nor by might, but by My Spirit", says The Lord.

      ~ D-FensDogG
      'STEPHEN T. McCARTHY REVIEWS...'

      Delete
  6. Great Battle!

    Oh, the virginity. I held onto mine quite a bit longer than most of my friends did, but I couldn't resist my first college boyfriend. He had an apartment, and that is where I left mine.

    Onto the battle...I'm not all that familiar with Ryan Adams other than he's mad popular and used to be married to Mandy Moore (whose music I haven't listened to, but do enjoy her in This Is Us), so his song was new to me. It was just so sad to me.

    I am a huge fan of Kenny AND Pink, so their duet did not disappoint me. And it seemed happier. So please give my vote to KENNY CHESNEY & PINK.

    Kim

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. KIM ~

      Thanks! I'm glad you really enjoyed this Battle! I had a feeling it might be a goot juan, and so far, it's close: 3-4.

      Phunny thing is... I've yet to find one person who ever found their virginity again after they lost it. Once virginitys (virginities?) get loose, they become exceedingly elusive.

      Who is Mandy Moore?
      What is 'This Is Us'?

      As you can protly tell, I'm not from this century.

      OK, your bote has been recorded for Kenny Chesney & Pink (whoever they are!) ;-D

      BOTB Bote: Kenny & Pink

      ~ D-FensDogG
      STMcC Presents BATTLE OF THE BANDS

      Delete
  7. Gosh, I wrote hear before you were a virgin:) You randy thing you:)) OK I like both but I am going for Chesney and Pink because I liked the beat better

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. BIRGIT ~

      Virginity is a very fragile thing, and it never seems to find its way home again, once it takes a wrong turn at the crossroads.

      Thanks for your...

      BOTB Bote: Kenny & Pink

      ~ D-FensDogG
      'FERRET-FACED FASCIST FRIENDS'

      Delete
  8. StMc-
    Thank you for looking out and sending me the extra special invite to this showdown.

    I may be one of the only (the only?) people who knew the Ryan Adams song going into this battle. It remains a favorite tune on my personal jukebox. Yeah, I know I like em kinda sad and depressing. What can I say? I’m special like that.

    I quit listening to country on the radio several years ago so the Kenny Chesney tube was new to me. And I think Pink has a stellar voice. I am a bit surprised that she went for this as it doesn’t seem (to me) like her style... but what do I know?

    It’s a foregone fact I am voting for Ryan Adams. We all know that it’s dang near impossible to beat a song that is beloved in one’s collection.

    Thanks again for inviting me to the show:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. GIRL WONDER ~

      Somehow, despite the snow on my roof, I remembered that 'La Cienega Just Smiled' was a favorite of yourn, so I figured you would want to have a two cent say in this outcome.

      I still don't quite understand what the fascination is with La Cienega. Maybe it's because the Alta-Cienega Motel, just a few blocks South of Sunset Boulevard, was a regular crash pad for Jim Morrison after his all-day and all-night binges? Nah. That can't be it.

      Well, whatever the reason, thanks for coming by to participate. It's nice to hear your voice... er-- to read your voice again. I hope you are doing well.

      ~ D-FensDogG
      'FERRET-FACED FASCIST FRIENDS'

      Delete
  9. Howdy, Stephen T!

    I hadn’t heard either of these songs before, yet this might be the toughest battle you’ve ever presented (for me, anyway) I really liked the Pink/Chesney pairing; “Strikin’ the matches right down to the ashes,” sizzles as much as their vocals together do. Who says you need chemistry? I must say the title “La Cienega just smiled,” gave me pause at first since around here it roughly translates to “the swamp just smiled” But then I listened to Ryan – who by the way, HATES to be confused with Bryan – Adams; his voice the sound and texture of Kentucky bourbon, singing lyrics that seem to have splashed like cloying tears from the same barrel, and thought: How perfectly haunting! However, it’s also slightly disturbing. So I’m voting for the duo most likely to burn down the house – Pink/Chesney!

    Have a fantastic August!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. dIEDRE ~

      >>... I hadn’t heard either of these songs before, yet this might be the toughest battle you’ve ever presented (for me, anyway)

      Hokey-Smoke! That's surprising, especially since these were both new-to-you songs, but it's nice to know. In BOTB, tougher be better.

      Yes, I learned from Wackypedia a few days back that La Cienega means "the swamp". And even my Brother, who is fluent in Spanish, didn't know that. So, apparently, you are even fluenter in Spanish than my Bro is. ("Fluenter" tells ya just how fluent I is in English.)

      >>... his voice the sound and texture of Kentucky bourbon, singing lyrics that seem to have splashed like cloying tears from the same barrel

      I know I've told you this before, but it bears repeating: I dig your poetic way with words! (I also dig Kentucky bourbon, but that's a subject for another night.)

      I'm pleased as spiked punch that you stopped by again with two pennies for the kitty, and also that you found this match-up challenging. You just made my night. And I think that calls for a celebration...

      "Yoo-Hoo! Evan Williams, where are ya, buddy? Can ya come out and play tonight?"

      ~ D-FensDogG
      'STEPHEN T. McCARTHY REVIEWS...'

      Delete
  10. Kenny and Pink get my vote, I like Ryan. It's the polished pop against the songwriter. On this day the polished wins.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I thank you, MIKE.
    And Kenny and Pink thank you even more.

    BOTB Bote: Kenny & Pink

    ~ D-FensDogG
    'FERRET-FACED FASCIST FRIENDS'

    ReplyDelete
  12. Yo S-Man,

    Ryan Adams here has the sort of lite sound much of the world - a plurality if not majority - thought would be long ended with the 1, 2, 3 punches of disco, punk, new wave in the 70s. Or made irrelevant/crowded out by masters Eagles, Ronstadt, etc. What's the difference between their sound and the Adams' sound one may ask? Answer: Eagles, Ronstadt, etc generally sound good and this Adams' song doesn't sound good.

    I would likely have voted for Chesney and Pink by default, then, however I'm glad to give their song a huge thumbs up - Fantastic chorus/Hook.. which seems to transcend any genre to be great Pop. I don't know what "It" is - but they and their song have It. Fresh. A hook of the year sound, so I had to look it up. Setting the World on Fire hit #1 on the U.S. Country and Canadian Country charts. Just #29 on the Billboard Hot 100/Pop chart... sounds like a #1er though. (Kids today, with their electrodubsteppyfreestylecasiohippidyhoppidy).

    And... No matter how bad it gets ("You know where you are? You're in the jungle baby!")... I Still Love LA.

    Cheers,

    G-Dogg

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. G-DogG ~

      G-DogGone it! I wish you would quit pussy-footing around and tell us what you *REALLY* think! (No, I wasn't calling you the "P-word". John Wayne! John Wayne!!)

      Wow! I can't believe I actually introduced you to a new-to-you-song from 2016! Let's face it, when it comes to post-1985 songs, I don't know nuttin'. But you - BUT YOU! - you have that market cornered! (The only "corner market" I ever frequented was Royal - later Bob's - at the corner of 17th Street & Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa Monica, and the little wino market at the corner of Rose Avenue and the Pacific Ocean on Venice Beach.)

      I'm not sure I would be using the girls of Guns 'N' Roses to promote the idea that L.A. is "the jungle", but more power to ya, muh Bruhthuh.

      There definitely *ARE* some "jungle" areas in L.A., but I doubt the girls ever ventured there, ...like I have. They're still alive, so, in fact, I KNOW they never done did that. And the ONLY reason I got away with it, life intact, is because... well... as Torch always said: "ATTITUDE!!"

      As always, I am pleased as Wild Turkey 101 that you have paid me a visit in my little corner of the Devil's Triangle of the Blogosphere and that you have contributed to Old Man BOTB! Rock on!! (to coin an expression).

      ~ D-FensDogG
      'STEPHEN T. McCARTHY REVIEWS...'

      Delete
  13. For all that I remember about LA and the Sunset Strip, I don't remember La Cienega. Maybe we passed through and it wasn't memorable to me, or maybe we didn't. Or maybe I got distracted by Angelyne's big pink Corvette and/or big saggy knockers. I'm not really sure.

    With that said, I liked Ryan Adams a lot more than I liked Kenny Chesney and Pink, but that was to be expected, because I'm not big on Kenny Chesney and I'm not big on Pink. They put together that typical poppy sound that I'm not a fan of (I'm surprised they didn't pepper a Millennial whoop in there for good measure), and having just heard it 5 minutes ago, I couldn't tell you a single thing about the song, or even hum the melody, because it was just plain forgettable to me.

    Give my bote to Ryan Adams.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mi Hermano, JULIO ~

      If you traveled any distance at all on the Sunset Strip, then you most definitely did cross La Cienega. La Cienega actually reaches it's Northern end at Sunset Boulevard. And right nearby there is the hotel where Spinal Tap held their "end of tour" party at the swimming pool on the roof. You protly drove right past it, not knowing how close you were to Spinal Tap history.

      Ha! I'll have more to say that relates to your comment in my BOTB Results post. So be here for that, or be... "Mad Dog" on a chain gang, amidst a bunch of fay fellas imitating prison inmates in a classic Hollywood musical.

      BOTB Bote: Ryan Adams

      ~ Stephen
      DogGtor of Alcohology &
      King of Inebriation Nation

      Delete
  14. I was a little concerned about the lost virginity comment followed by the giant donut...

    I liked Kenny Chesney/Pink collaboration best. That surprises me a little bit since the only thing I really liked about Kenny Chesney was his video for "I Go Back!" Why? Because Gonzo is in THAT video. He's the little kiddo in the white t-shirt. No joke!

    The STMcC bio bits are the best! Thanks, brudder!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. DOC CHERDO ~

    >>... I was a little concerned about the lost virginity comment followed by the giant donut...

    Guffaw-Out-Loud!
    I was wondering if anyone was gonna "git" that joke! (Mere coincidence that "Randy's" giant donut just happens to be on La Cienega.) Until you came along, din't no one say nuttin' 'bout it. I suspect some folks just scroll right past all the yakking and go straight to the songs. And others maybe just don't "git" my sense-o'-humor.

    But, being my Sister (from a nudder mudder and fadder), it figgers you would "git" what I was aimin' at with that word / image tandem.

    I will proceed directly to that Kenny Chesney video and check out Gonzo - tyke in the white T - and make sure Kenny wasn't tryin' to pull a Joe B. move. (Sorry, but I just don't trust skinny guys in straw hats that are two sizes too big for 'em. There's sumpin'... sumpin'... plain weird about that! ;-)

    ~ D-FensDogG
    'STEPHEN T. McCARTHY REVIEWS...'

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  16. Al Bondigas here. I liked Ryan Adams’ “La Cienega Just Smiled” as it put me in a strange, not sure how I feel mood. A little melancholy mixed with a little nostalgia. The Kenny Chesney and Pink song wasn’t bad, but, being one of the few honest judges left, I gots to make muh rulin’ fer Ryan Adams. That’s it!! That’s muh rulin’. I guess.

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    Replies
    1. JUDGE AL (not to be confused with Weird Al) ~

      >>... A little melancholy mixed with a little nostalgia.

      Nostalgia & Melancholy go together like chocolate & peanut butter, like Laurel & Hardy, like pizza & beer, like beer &... beer!!

      I disagree that you are "one of the few honest judges left". There are NO honest judges on the Left (and very few on the Right, too!)

      Thanks for your honest rulin', weird Judge Al.

      ~ D-FensDogG
      'STEPHEN T. McCARTHY REVIEWS...'

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  17. ATTENTION PEOPLES!

    If you are interested in seeing the final vote tally for this 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS' installment and my closing thoughts on it, you can put the following URL into your browser:

    https://stmccpresentsbattleofthebands.blogspot.com/2020/08/botb-results-2020-aug-1-or-ryan-adams.html

    ~ D-FensDogG
    'Loyal American Underground'

    ReplyDelete

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