Geeklust for 'The Wire'

I've written previously about how I think "The Wire" is the greatest show in TV history.

But I can control the urges to rave beyond that. Others, particularly those across the Pond who have taken to “The Wire” with unmatched passion, have taken their "Wire" fascination, OK obsession, to great lengths. 

Case in point is a post titled “When It’s Not Your Turn”: The Quintessentially Victorian Vision of Ogden’s “The Wire” in which authors Joy DeLyria and Sean Michael Robinson put on period costumes, so to speak, and take "The Wire" back into the mid 1800s for a literary smackdown with the likes of Charles Dickens. 

And talk smack they do, presenting a case for “The Wire” as classic literature, even packaging the story as period novel. Here's one passage: 

"Lastly, one might stand back from a pointillist work; whereas physically there is no other way to consume The Wire than piece by piece.  To experience the story in its entirety, without breaks between sections, would be exhausting; one would perhaps miss the essence of what makes it great: the slow build of detail, the gradual and yet inevitable churning of this massive beast of a world.

The genius of The Wire lies in its sheer size and scope, its slow layering of complexity which could not have been achieved in any other way but the serial format.  Dickens is often praised for his portrayal not merely of a set of characters and their lives, but of the setting as a character: the city itself an antagonist.  Yet in The Wire, Bodymore is a far more intricate and compelling character than London in Dickens’ hands; The Wire portrays society to such a degree of realism and intricacy that A Tale of Two Cities—or any other story—can hardly compare."

Halloa! 

It's all a bit much for me, but take it for what it’s worth: Over the top admiration that represents just one more layer of  the creativity that makes the “The Wire” so thought provoking years after its run on HBO came to an end. 

Before you dump on 'hair bands' ...

A friend with uppercrust musical tastes (he would say "pure") challenged me to find five great "hair band" songs, with an asterisk that they needed to have gotten some airplay.

I thought, no problem.

Then I started digging, and realized, hey, this is kinda hard. But I drew deep into my past and dug up what I think are a good half-dozen songs that stand the test of time.

Give me grief or give me thanks, but here are my five picks of "hair band" songs that I think are really good songs, regardless of the genre.

One common theme throughout that I think makes them stand out: solid bottom end, with drummers who swing and bass players who groove.

Cinderella, "Gypsy Road": This could have been a Stones rocker from the '70s. Tom Keifer's vocals are an acquired taste but he knows how to maximize it through effective use of dynamic range. The video itself is comical. Why Mexico, other than to burn through a record company travel budget?

Lynch Mob, "Wicked Sensation": Dokken guitarist George Lynch went solo and this was about the only good thing he did, at least what I can remember. Fantastic riff and groove that swings like a good jazz song. If Lynch Mob didn't make the cut, I'd have gone with a Dokken song.

Saraya, "Love Has Taken Its Toll": Hackneyed in so many ways: Acoustic guitar layered over meaty riffs, good looking female singer, bridge leading into tight guitar solo.

Tesla, "We're No Good Together": Power ballad that slowly buildings into a hard-driving rocker, driven by drummer Troy Luccketta and singer Jeff Keith. Tesla was one of the most underrated bands of this era, and Luccketta is a monster among drummers, always pushing without smothering the songs.

Van Halen, "Unchained": One of the great hard rock riffs and solos ever. Eddie Van Halen at his best. Sadly, I couldn't find a performance video showing the band at its energetic best, including Diamond Dave's vocal break.

Bonus choice, New England, "Don't Ever Wanna Lose Ya": Perhaps one of the lamest music videos ever (and that's a low bar). I remember hearing side one of New England's debut in a Wherehouse Records store in Fresno and distinctly remembering this classic riff. Their subsequent albums were more polished and complex, but this is good, stoopid rock.

OK, Tim and any other skeptics, give me your best shot, you music purists! Dare to tell me these aren't worthy of any stereo.

"Punk in England"

The early '80s documentary film "Punk in England" has been remastered and rereleased, and offers a nice flashback to one of the most invigorating times in rock history.

And don't be scared off by the punk reference in the title. Punk dominates, but mod and ska were in the mix at that time, and get a nice ride in this hourlong history lesson.

Live performances range from The Clash and The Jam to Madness and The Pretenders, powerful visual documents of a period when English punkers, mods and ska bands were slamming the music industry up against a wall. Like many punk documentaries of the day, the audio is sometimes muddy, but the historical value overcomes any annoyance.

Some of the performer interviews are comical in their projections of self-importance, but they capture an engaging innocence and energy to revolutionize music that's still being felt today.