(This email thread from the 2 Walls Webzine editorial team was originally collected in November of 2003, but never posted.)
Biff: I was thinking we should do a list of "Guilty Pleasures" – albums you regularly listen to but may be ashamed to admit you like. Any thoughts?
Fitch: Great idea. Sign me up for Third Eye Blind. Jesus, I hate myself for listening to that.
Orcutt: I would totally be up for guilty pleasures. I mean I hate myself for it but I do like ABBA...
Fitch: I defy anybody to watch the movie "Muriel's Wedding" and not conclude that "Dancing Queen" is the greatest song ever written.
Another list we should do later is the opposite of the "Guilty Pleasures" list – the "We're Not Worthy" list. This would be albums that we love but don't feel we're actually cool enough for. Like right now, I'm listening to Rage Against the Machine. I've been listening to this album for three years and I still feel I'm not worthy. I'm 36, for chrissakes. Shouldn't I be listening to Pat Boone by now? Webb: Stephane – there is no album that I'm not cool enough to listen to. Orcutt – you're a real big pussy for listening to Abba. Orcutt: Ouch! This from the guy who thought Veruca Salt was the next big thing. Veruca who? Walls: Biff – I think the "list" idea is still alive and well. I personally enjoyed the "Obscurity" list and learned a lot. I just think we don't have the resources to do one every month. I think the "Guilty Pleasures" list is a great idea and judging from the response, is doable. I think you may need to set some perimeters or clearly define what you're looking for. Simple confessions? Paragraph explanations? Mini-reviews? What qualifies as a guilty pleasure? Artist, album or Song? Number of submissions per person? Fitch – Yeah, you're not cool enough to listen to Rage. Go back to listening to Dinosaur Jr. I like the "I'm not worthy" idea though. I definitely don't feel sophisticated enough to listen to that Gorecki CD you made me buy. I love it, but have only listened to it three times in three years. Spinney: Does the guilty pleasure have to be musical? I mean, say, hypothetically and in a completely fictitious sense, I really grooved on dressing in a peter pan outfit and prancing through the woods in my neighborhood singing the theme song to "Pixanne" while smearing myself with butterscotch pudding, would a highly detailed – and completely made-up, mind you – account of said escapades be acceptable fodder for a guilty pleasures piece? Biff: As much as I approve of the bodily application of dairy based dessert products, I think the idea was for it to be musical. Like you are a closet fan of Shakira and hide her CD in your Replacements jewel case so that all of your co-workers and friends won't think you've lost your ultra-hip edge. Spinney: Are you suggesting that the theme song to Pixanne is not music? Walls: Now we're treading on a completely different possible topic, of which Spinney should probably take the lead. Question: I'm ready to participate in this list but I'm wondering whether this is going to be so subjective that we're each going to be highly critical as to the qualification of each others picks. For example: During those quiet times along at home, when the family is out, I like to blast Duran Duran and dance around the living room in my underwear singing "Da-da, da-da, THE REFLEX! THE REFLEX! FLEX-FLEX-FLEX!" Which – I think may be very common amongst males in my age group. Right? I guess we'll have to choose the belief that – one man's guilty pleasure is another man's staple soundtrack.
Orcutt: I really wish I could give you a hard time about Duran Duran but I've already got Abba against me. HOWEVER, I never went to see Abba in concert. Hmm, Mike – ever seen Duran Duran live? Fitch: Okay, I'll do Third Eye Blind. But this is getting a little scary. I just pray to got we've got no closet Air Supply fans out there. Walls: See, this is what I'm talking about. I don't think there's anything shameful about Third Eye Blind. They have some catchy tunes, even though I don't know them by name. Unless, you've got the CD and have been to some concerts... But still, this isn't something I'd make fun of you for. ABBA is something I'd make fun of you for. That takes a lot of guts to tell the world. You've got to be a complete wanker to admit you like ABBA... Fitch: Cripes, now you're making me feel guilty about my guilty pleasure. Okay... since you've dragged it out of me... I've always had a soft spot for Bette Midler's "The Rose." Walls: You’re kidding, right? Fitch: "Some say love , it is a river that drowns the tender reed." I don't own the disc, but if it came on the radio, I'd probably turn it up a little. You know, "wind beneath my wings" isn't bad either. Joseph: The Counting Crows are my guilty pleasure...I consider them one of the finest bands of the last 15 years. Curtice: You didn't hear it from me, and if you say that you did, I shall deny any of the following: Music – Poison's Look What The Cat Dragged In, & Ratt's Dancing Undercover. Film – Ice Castles, Rudy, Gymkata, & Beautiful Girls. TV – Ed, Temptation Island, & Elimidate. Zow –I feel dirty…
Joseph: I love Ed – it's the Jersey in me. And who doesn't cry at the end of Rudy? The rest you should keep to yourself...
Pangonis: I willingly accepted a free copy of the Alan Jackson album A Lot About Livin' [And A Little 'Bout Love] just so I could have "Chatahoochee" in my collection for sentimental reasons, and I really like that "Can't Get You Out Of My Head" by Kylie Minogue. Walls: This week I received the latest release from The Romantics. The same 4 guys, with the same hair – just older. I spent a week with it, and it's actually not bad. There's a couple of very catchy tunes. The problem is, I'm just not feeling it enough to write about it. It's an advance copy, and the promoter is looking for some reviews for his big press package and record release coming up next month. I'm not looking to whore ourselves out or anything (if I was I would have made something up) – I'm just looking for someone who might enjoy it more then me. Pfeifer: I suppose it wouldn't be prudent to couple that review with a guilty pleasure story about "Talking in your sleep?"
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