Brandon’s Reviews > The Uncool > Status Update

Music is a “ting,” a magic sound people hear together.

It’s interesting at this moment when Crowe talks about his apotheosis, he distinguishes his writing from discussing “victories” of the “happy/sad,” which is the real story (368). For example, the story about Bowie not remembering the 18 months in LA (310), nostalgia is uncool; survival is happy sad. Survival is standing on The Now side of a wall with your has-been self on the other.

After reading Sinatra‘s behind-the-back hand signals for a couple of weeks, the drummer asked the road manager if he could meet Sinatra. The road manager told the drummer, “no, Frank has met enough people” (367).

Henley compared songwriting to partners digging for “the stuff“: “Details and clues and images, invention, fresh ideas and melodies and intuitive understanding of people” (316).

Henley (“More matter of fact”) & Frey (“Watch it happen“), according to Crowe, “filled in each other’s creative potholes” (316),

Interesting how is Southern Californio like Crowe thinks of Henley and Frey as “carpet baggers” (315).

Crowe’s Led Zeppelin story hits a high-water mark and then keeps going with Jann Wenner’s criticism, which is surprisingly Lester Bangs-ish: “You wrote what they (the band and the fans) wanted you to write” (265). Crowe seems caught between being a fan and being a pro. In fact, he became a pro to gain access to the artist’s world.

Where “Sweet Home, Alabama” is concerned, I’m on Team Neal & “Werewolves of London.” At Cruisin’ Grand 8/10, Tommy Kind had a coughing fit mid “Simple Man” and and coughed out, “take it,” to me, so I did in the simplest way I could: “My grandma told me
Use simple words,
So I told her,
The trees are full of birds
And the rivers
Are full of fish
And to catch one’s
My simple wish.”

“We’re from fucking San Diego,” he said. “We’re uncool” (210).

“Shut up and deal” from The Apartment, Crowe’s “favorite movie”(208).