Who Are You? Or Mirror Man Part 2

No.179, aired August 1, 2012, including a reading of the remainder of Stephane Mallarme’s Herodiade.

This was the second part of a critical exercise that began July 18 (see below). In this episode, I expressed a clarified version of the critical concepts I have been grappling with, using examples by Butthole Surfers, Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band, and Frank Zappa. Of course, the correct approach to music criticism is an accurate reporting of what music does to you, how it makes you feel. If generic classification and technical analysis aid in that description, great, but the most important task is to locate the music that actually gratifies a bodily need. But that is only the beginning. Equally important is to attempt to understand what in you relates to the song, because we are not merely private individuals with possessions, but are composed of contradictory social forces. Music gratifies different things.

Part 1

1. March Of The Crabs – Anvil

2. Cherub – Butthole Surfers

3. Naval Aviation In Art? – Frank Zappa

4. Safe As Milk – Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band

5. Sectile – Metallic Taste Of Blood

6. Shove It Right In – Frank Zappa

Part 2

1. My American Partner – King Cobb Steelie

2. Mexican Caravan – Butthole Surfers

3. Beatle Bones ‘N’ Smokin’ Stones - Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band

4. Swing Theory – John Korsrud

5. Ain’t Got Time To Waste – Red Hot Lovers

6. VAP DIST, mvt.1 – John Korsrud

7. High After Death – Red Hot Lovers

8. Swing Thing – Anvil