Thursday, May 1, 2008

We are the Sultans...

We are the Sultans of Swing.
C'mon Corinne! How can you not know this song?
Check out Guitar George/
He knows/
all the chords...
I felt pretty vintage the other day. Positively antique. If any of you follow the Center for Improved Living, you know that Marc recently asked about the first band we ever saw in concert. I didn't comment, because I wasn't allowed to go to concerts. Except, like, Chuck Mangione with my dad.


Yeah, Chuck Mangione and his floogle horn. Remember him? Not cool. So I was talking to my young, hip co-worker Corinne, and I asked her about the first concert she had been to. A Ska band. I forget the name she told me, now. She said her ears rang for a week.

You know how it is: if we can't be cool, maybe we can cash in on our partner's coolness. Simon has seen some REALLY cool bands, I told her. Sometimes, in little clubs like the Top Rank Suite in Brighton. "Oh yeah?" Her eyebrows go up. She's interested. "Like who?"

"Well, Dire Straits for one."

"Who are they?"

OMG. As if from a great distance, I hear her ask, "Well, what did they sing?"

Uh...uh... I'm flabbergasted that she doesn't know Dire Straits.

"Don't worry. I'll Google them." she says.

OK, Corinne. Here is a quiz for you. These are bands that Simon heard in concert (some better known than others). Have you heard of ANY of them?

  • Rush
  • Dire Straits
  • The Clash
  • The Pretenders
  • Meatloaf
  • Simple Minds
  • Jethro Tull

(As an aside, when I first met Simon, we were talking about music we liked and I wasn't very well tuned into his accent, yet. When he said Jethro Tull, I thought he said, "Death Hotel". Wow. Cool name for a band.

  • U2 (in a dinky little bar, before they were known at all)
  • Flock of Seagulls (that is little embarrassing, Si...)
  • The Stranglers

Please tell me that you've at least heard of one or two of these band, Corinne; or I'll feel totally obsolete.

12 comments:

The World According To Me said...

I'd like to think she's heard of them?! Now I feel old too.

How about George Michael?! Ha, ha, surely she has heard of him?! (Even if it's bad stuff she's heard!)

Anonymous said...

How about seeing Head East sing their only top 70's hit "Ain't No Reason" at Madison's Brat Fest in Warner Park with my girlfriend in July 1990.

BTW: Ted Nugent and his homies are playing the Dodge Co. Fair here in Wisconsin this August.....

Remember REO Speedwagon? They do the summer county fair circuit too.

I also caught Richard Marx when I was in college at UW-Platteville, and .38-Special as well as and Phil Collins at Camp Randall Stadium here in the Mad City.

Oh yeah....
Rod Stewart, and Fleetwood Mac at SummerFest in Milwaukee. That was way-cool.

There sure has been lots of good music over the years.


Anonymously, John

Coco said...

First of all, I feel honored to have been part of the subject matter to a blog posting by you Kate.
My mom told me last night you were going to blog about me and I was trying to think about what you might write about and then this morning it hit me and I knew exactly what it was going to be! So, I told my dad that you were completely aghast when I told you I hadn't ever heard of Dire Straits and then he started saying "yes you have! I know you have!" and he started talking about a song where they say they want their MTV. Ok whatever dad, I haven't heard that song.
In Simon's list of bands he's seen, the only one I hadn't heard of was The Stranglers. I am completely envious that he has seen Meatloaf though. I love him.
Looks like I'm going to have to do some iTues research on Dire Straits. I will get back to you on that.
Oh, and The Aquabats is the ska band I saw for the first time :)

Anonymous said...

"I Want My MTV!"

That line from the Dire Straights' song came from the original roll-out broadcast when MTV went on cable back in....1981???

I remember the commercial featuring an astronaut planting a "MTV" flag on the moon.

(O.K. ...so I just turned 43 a couple days ago :)


Anonymously, John

Weber said...

You want to talk old. I can beat you all. I saw Eric Clapton when he was with Cream (before Blind Faith). So Corinne, I'm sure you know Eric Clapton, but you probably never heard of his previous bands.

Lillian said...

It has been way too long since I participated at TCFIL. Going to remedy that. Thank you for the reminder.

Here's my answer for today:

First EVER was The Lettermen. It was a sit-down dinner event. I think I was 10.

First concert that I chose to go to as a teen was Huey Lewis & the News. I am so embarrassed to admit that now.

Amrita said...

I used to listen to Dire Dtrais and I like U2

Unknown said...

chuck mangione. oh kate, what have you done, i feel so old now. i used to play Feels So Good (?) on my toy clarinet flawlessly. yikes.

and my first concert - Leif Garrett's Same Goes For You tour. i was eight - my sister was a big fan. we stayed in the same hotel, i got to touch his tight leather pants. ew.

Anonymous said...

i have heard of most of the ones in the middle LOL....meatloaf???didn't they do "i would do anything...." blah blah blah... well..we're ALL old...i guess....

Lulubelle B said...

Love, love, love Mark Knopfler! He's touring this summer in support of the latest CD Kill To Get Crimson.

I know the bands you mentioned except the Stranglers, but I'm an old fart (48).

cinnibonbon said...

A flock of seagulls???
I ask as i chuckle cuase I know these fellows all too well..LOL. Girl I know all these groups. I guess we round the same age group...shhhhh

Rebecca said...

Hilarious!! I know all but one of those bands...so I am ancient, too, and damned proud of it :) Better music, if nothing else. I, too, listened to Chuck Mangione. I can still hear that tune that was ALL over the radio back then.

BTW, I wasn't allowed to go to concerts either. I saw the Ramones when I was in college. When I met Brian, who has seen every-freaking-band, I saw the Stones at Yankee Stadium, very early 90s, and Pink Floyd at Shea. Todd Rundgren at the Ritz (blech). Oh, and Neil Diamond for my 39th or 40th birthday. SWOON.