The Strokes, Last Nite

Posted in The Strokes, Youtube Favs on September 6th, 2011 by Willie

I had a fun Labor Day weekend.  I crossed the Williamsburg Bridge on foot for the first time, explored Greenpoint, went to a great BBQ in Sheepshead Bay, got free tickets to the Museum of Natural History, hung out in Chinatown eating at the legendary Wo-Hop, and had a Belgium Chocolate milkshake at Haagen Dazs.  Basically, I was all over New York City, taking in the city I love before I depart for South Korea and Australia next month.  One great thing about this city is its history of rock and roll music, and no band in recent memory has blazed the torch for New York cool more than the Strokes.  At once both declared the saviors of rock and roll, and everything wrong with it, the Strokes have persisted for ten years now.  Coming out right after 9/11, the Strokes rock harder than ever, at least they do live, and it all started with their debut single, “Last Nite.”  When this single came out, I was 17 years old, starving for a new rock band to break into the pop scene and change the awful commercial images that dominated the depleted American cultural landscape at the time.  A lot of people would argue that the Strokes were depleted themselves, merely presenting a retread of the early 80s post punk rock movement, but I didn’t subscribe to that theory.  I saw them for what they were, rock stars writing catchy, exciting, and tasteful songs.  They were cool, and they still are.  Stroke on Strokes, and remember to vote me as CBS’s Best Local NYC Blogger by clicking here!

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Joy Division, Love Will Tear Us Apart

Posted in Joy Division, Youtube Favs on June 16th, 2011 by Willie

The final countdown is underway with part 91!  It’s the immortal Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” one of the greatest singles of all time.  Joy Division were pioneers of the flashy dark kind of rock and roll known as post punk, a genre known for its angular introverted style.  The band was fronted by clinically epileptic and depressed crooner Ian Curtis, who tragically hung himself in 1980.  Right around the time of his death, his band and his single took off and cemented his rock legend status.  The rest of the blokes in the band went on to form the successful New Order.  “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” is an iconic early 80s pop song.  It’s completely sad and morose, but very danceable as the bright snyth counteracts Curtis’s dark delivery.  It’s also one of the catchiest songs you’ve ever heard.  I can’t embed the original video on my site, so I found a remixed video performance which is just as good, enjoy!

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