Sucky CD Sunday

Oedipus Rod

I think one of our culture's modern tragedies, a 20th century Oedipus if you will, is the way an artist of some integrity can fall from grace. There are many examples, some of which are just stumbles, mere hiccups nearing the precipice of the yawning hole of mediocrity and sell out. Some are full fledged swan dives into the middle of it. This week's Sucky CD Sunday is dedicated to one such diver.

What the hell happened to Rod Stewart? He used to be cool. He used to make music with the likes of Ron Wood and Jeff Beck to name just a few. He used to be Rock and Roll. If March did a Best of the 70's FDF, Every Picture Tells a Story would have to be on it. It is a shockingly good album, the music is good, the lyrics are great, it is still one of my favorites. Ooh la la, penned by Ron Wood and Ronnie Lane, out of the Faces time period is such a classic - I don't know anyone who doesn't like this song who has heard it (we'll see in the comments to this blog). But this is only a few.

So with a mark of authenticity and a history that demanded respect, what made him release things like the 80's "Young Turks", "Baby Jane" or "Passion". You've got to be kidding Rod! I am not even going to go into the "Da ya think I'm sexy" on Blondes have more fun because that has become iconoclastic in and of itself so it redeems itself, just by being so '70s cheesy and campy ... you will find I feel that way about most of the disco era.

Fast forward a little to the 90's and his biggest hit is with Brian Adams and Sting (two others who may appear on this blog in the future). And it is for a soundtrack. I mean, that's sad. He does a cover of "Have I told you lately" which is a Van Morrison song and if you hear Van the Man's version of it, you will hear why it is actually a good ballad and not the sappy piece of rot gut that Stewart put out.

So what to do with a steady erosion of a career? I know, put out an album of Gershwin, Porter and Berlin songs that have been popular since the 40's and no one can really mess up no matter what they do with them. Its a cheap, manipulative ploy. I mean, how bad can you mess up "What a Wonderful World" although, a duet with Cher "Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered"??? - I'll pass.

My theory is that Rod Stewart's career in music is taking the exact opposite path as Tom Jones. Jones started out as a cheesy lounge singer who was more at home in Vegas than with the Rock and Roll elite and now, he is releasing albums with the latest and greatest. He never sounded better. Weird, huh? And Rod? I'll look for him doing 2 shows in the Mirage with a matinee on Sunday.

Rod Stewart was diagnosed with thyroid cancer so I will cut him a break for this crap he has been putting out for the last 10-20 years. And, as the tradition of SCDS continues, my confession is that not only do I have all his bad music, I still listen to it AND I have seen Stewart in concert during college. He was good.

I hope there is still something left in Rod. I hate to think that we offer our best up only in youth and are left to the downhill slide. I think I would rather be Tom then Rod at leave something left for my older years. The thought of it is tragic.

posted by pog mo thoin @ 9:07 AM