Choosing a favorite STUD is anything but Automatic. Will it be The Pointer Sisters? The Lumineers? Jessie Ware? Prince? Miranda Lambert? Or perhaps lesser known artists Roosevelt or Spiritual Cramp?
I’m really enjoying Jessie Ware’s new album and that’s a good song. I’m also a casual fan of Roosevelt, having been introduced to him, like you, by the one and only Mr Kyle. But it just had to be The Pointer Sisters for me. As soon as I saw the title of this installment of STUDS, it was the very first song that came to mind.
I should have guessed that the Pointer Sisters would run away with it, but I thought maybe one of the others might challenge them. Perhaps if I left Prince in the contest. I’ll see if I can find something that will give an even ground next time. Thanks for voting!
Well, that was one of the big differences between Europe and the US. We had far fewer automatic cars in Europe, so almost everyone learned to drive manual. And once you grow used to something, you tend to defend it when given a real choice.
So when I started choosing my company cars, I always went for manual stick shifts… partly because leasing was cheaper, which left more room in the budget for nice options 😁
I wouldn’t have been seen dead in an automatic until our trip to Canada and a rental car. That’s when I realised how silly my point of view had been. Driving an automatic, which most of us on this side of the Atlantic do now as well, is simply far more relaxing.
Anyway, I loved your story about driving in your youth. And I’m going with what seems to be the majority choice. It’s the only song within my writing range and interests, so it wasn’t such a difficult decision 😁
Yeah, there was definitely a cost difference in auto v. manual cars, which was why many friends chose manual (and the cool factor). Not sure if that was the reasoning in Europe -- perhaps European car makers weren't transitioning to automatic as fast as US and the Japanese.
I definitely remember parties where the person who drove had a manual and feeling bad not being able to be the designated driver at the end of the night. Now it seems like finding a manual transmission is near impossible. How things have changed.
I knew you'd pick The Pointer Sisters, and why the heck not? Though in terms of your writing range and interests, if I included Prince in the poll, would you have chosen him?
Glad you liked the Lumineers, Greg. It's hard to write a simple song with few instruments and chord changes, and make it memorable. They pulled it off. Thanks for reading!
I voted for Jessie Ware, but I'm sure I'm not alone in saying I would've voted for Prince if he were on that poll. I'm still getting to know 'Superbloom,' but I know '1999' front and bac, and its "Automatic" is a highlight, though then again, every song on it is (the first two tracks being the best, of course). Also, lots of heavy hitters this week! Though this comment should in no way be misconstrued as an endorsement of The Lumineers.
P.S. Brad included Roosevelt in my Tune Tag with him. I guess Roosevelt is one of Brad's handful of 21st-century artists? Brad, if you see this, chime in!
More or less......My thrill with Ro, though, is that I was on him BEFORE Nile Rodgers got to him....and, by that, I declared that Marius had such a natural songwriting feel and ethos for '70s-era pop songwriting. So I dug a couple of his 2017 and '18-ish records (but, "late," in about 2021 or so), and considered him "all my own" (you know how we do when we discover somebody we love, and think no one else knows about him....yet!).....
And, then, it turns out Nile Rodgers caught wind of Marius and his music, and ended up producing several sides with him! For exactly the same reasons I had for digging him....that '70s vibe that Rodgers heard, too!
Some links, my incredulous friend!😂This is the one that likely was my first "love-letter" to and about Marius....the first video you get to in the piece is the first thing I ever heard by him.....my jaw fell! All four songs (a KEXP/Seattle in-studio show), one more stunningly melodic and easily transported from the '70s! I couldn't play that video enough, for days!!
It's like he was personally slappin' back at my inherent assertion that "no one today has a heart, feel, or ear" for the classic pop songwriting of the '70s. "It's all just noodling synths, two chords, and a thumping bass, all of it auto-tuned and processed into oblivion! Marius schooled me good! All 4 of those songs I'd love to hear in a classic rock band arrangement!
Most of Brad's 21st-century music fandom, I would bet, comes from his Tune Tag partners and through researching his own responses to their song choices. It's a great way to expand one's musical vocabulary -- just like creating STUDS from scratch!:)
What a great STUDS episode. Going with Jesse Were because it just had such great groove. Lyrics award goes to Miranda Lambert though. Wanted to vote Pointer Sisters for nostalgia factor but couldn't do it. Lumineers track seemed to be trying too hard. As for the great purple one...well - still he reigns but not his best work.
Gotta go with the Pointer Sisters here, though the Miranda Lambert track was better than I was expecting. Also, growing up, I never realized how horny their lyrics were. No one ever talk about that!
FWIW, there was a street in our neighborhood with an absurdly steep grade. My mom parked my (new to me) car halfway up and said “if you can get going from here, you can drive this thing anywhere. See ya at home.” That was my one and only lesson on learning to drive a stick. lol.
Do you mean two separate posts with the same song title? Or like I did last time with two polls in the same post? I don’t think it worked very well as there’s no way to control the amount of votes people make that way. And I only had three votes on the second poll and 15 on the first. So it’s clearly going to benefit the first poll.
I mean the former: STUDS Automatic, Round 1; and then at some later point, STUDS Automatic, Round 2. I agree that multiple polls in one essay isn't a good solution, and I hate to see interesting music get shunted to the side because one poll is already filled up.
Oh, one more thing, which I forgot to mention in my first comment: I am firmly Team Standard. A clutch isn't that difficult to learn how to use, and it offers some advantages over automatic transmissions. I know I'm in the minority here, but being left-handed, I'm used to it!
Thanks so much, Steve, for your acknowledging my blatant Roosevelt love, and of course, a tip o' the cap for recognizing me flailing my arms wildly coupla years ago...."Hey! Looky here...listen to this!" I do have some recent Ro to catch up on. His "Automatic" is lacking, to my ears, that catchy pop sense that grabbed me (and Nile Rodgers) with his output of about a decade ago (which I only discovered those coupla years ago.
BUT, I do love his instantly recognizable voice, and even his dance-ready tracks (like this one) are easy to ingest, and he's one of those artists whom I just love following (pop allegiance....it's automatic!), 'cause that earlier work of his that I loved so much....I know his new stuff comes from that same place, so musically, I know he'll never be without THAT! Plus, his results are so smooth. I know he'll never be that loud, obnoxious synth-y thumper that many of his contemporaries insist on putting out!
So, generally, what comes first, Steve, with these STUDS....the title or the theme? I love your ingenious move to things automatic, in general, but more relatably, your kick-off car story and learning to drive....did THAT come first, or your landing on a title first? And, does that process change from one STUD to another (I realize this is only your 3rd!)?
All great questions, Brad! Which is why I couldn't answer with a quick voice-to-text while on dog walks! Now I'm home and can type like an adult. I agree that the Roosevelt track is less poppy than his Nile Rodgers album, but it's got a killer groove, and that's often more than enough for me!
Honestly, I don't recall how Automatic came to mind. I think I was streaming Pointer Sisters, and this song came on, and then I remembered the Prince version, and it occurred to me that there must be other songs titled "Automatic." I probably should start making some drafts for future STUDS, but I tend to come up with them the week I post.
I do like to try to incorporate personal story into whatever I write, but since these tend to run long, it's a challenge to include a story and all the songs, too. But that will be my MO going forward. Start with the results of the last contest, then a short essay, then the songs, followed by the poll. I think it's a good strategy.
It is easier to find STUDS entries with 1-word song titles, to be sure. However, my very first one was a 4-word title: King For a Day. Let's see if I can find a good 5 or 6-word song title that can best this one!
The personal story always comes from the song title. Doing it the other way around would be quite challenging, I imagine.
Thanks for all this, Steve! I see your points about finding title first; also, having looked up many covers of famous hits, I can imagine the challenge of finding STUDS with multiple-word titles.....the shorter the better being the byword here!
As much as I like Ware and was impressed by Roosevelt, I opted for my beloved Pointers and would have done so even if Prince was in the mix. Let's say I read too much of his history this week...
Indeed. They were always fashionable. This was a fun STUD, Steve. BTW, Neil Sedaka gets a mention in my 54F with something obscure and fun he did way back in the day...
I love choosing studs but can't I have them all? 😁 Roosevelt wins this one for me, very closely followed by Prince and then by the Pointer Sisters.
I enjoyed the variety of genres here.
PS: If it's any consolation, I can't drive at all (not even automatic), but if I drove, I'd choose automatic without even thinking. Gear box? Engaging the clutch? Fuck that shit 😂
Growing up in Los Angeles it was essential to learn how to drive if you wanted to get anywhere. I’m not sure how it was in Argentina where you were, but I’m pretty sure in London you can get by without having to drive fairly easily. In fact, I imagine most neighborhoods having a car is a serious pain in the ass.
Oh yes, in LA it’s a no-brainer. In Central London, you can get around very easily without a car. In Buenos Aires, where I grew up, driving is fairly common (not as essential as in LA, but more so than in London). The reason I never learned is my temperament. Doctor’s orders. Don’t forget that the wildness you see on here is just the surface. I contain a multitude of batshit-crazy bitches within me.
While I enjoyed all the entries this week (going to have to check out Jessie Ware and Spiritual Cramp more!), I had to go with the nostalgia of the Pointer Sisters!
Yes, definitely check out more of Jessie Ware, her last three or four albums are fairly similar, but if you ever throw a dance party, you could just do a mix of all four albums and keep the party grooving. And Spiritual Cramp is punk-rock mimicry in the best sort of way.
Wow. Thanks for intro'ing Roosevelt...love them!
I’m really enjoying Jessie Ware’s new album and that’s a good song. I’m also a casual fan of Roosevelt, having been introduced to him, like you, by the one and only Mr Kyle. But it just had to be The Pointer Sisters for me. As soon as I saw the title of this installment of STUDS, it was the very first song that came to mind.
I should have guessed that the Pointer Sisters would run away with it, but I thought maybe one of the others might challenge them. Perhaps if I left Prince in the contest. I’ll see if I can find something that will give an even ground next time. Thanks for voting!
Well, that was one of the big differences between Europe and the US. We had far fewer automatic cars in Europe, so almost everyone learned to drive manual. And once you grow used to something, you tend to defend it when given a real choice.
So when I started choosing my company cars, I always went for manual stick shifts… partly because leasing was cheaper, which left more room in the budget for nice options 😁
I wouldn’t have been seen dead in an automatic until our trip to Canada and a rental car. That’s when I realised how silly my point of view had been. Driving an automatic, which most of us on this side of the Atlantic do now as well, is simply far more relaxing.
Anyway, I loved your story about driving in your youth. And I’m going with what seems to be the majority choice. It’s the only song within my writing range and interests, so it wasn’t such a difficult decision 😁
Yeah, there was definitely a cost difference in auto v. manual cars, which was why many friends chose manual (and the cool factor). Not sure if that was the reasoning in Europe -- perhaps European car makers weren't transitioning to automatic as fast as US and the Japanese.
I definitely remember parties where the person who drove had a manual and feeling bad not being able to be the designated driver at the end of the night. Now it seems like finding a manual transmission is near impossible. How things have changed.
I knew you'd pick The Pointer Sisters, and why the heck not? Though in terms of your writing range and interests, if I included Prince in the poll, would you have chosen him?
Hahaha… no, not really. You know by now that my list of favourite Prince tracks is somewhat shorter than the number of songs he released 😁
Well, you have some good music here, but I really was move more by the Lumineers. The pointer sisters are always great, but just a little bit dated.
Glad you liked the Lumineers, Greg. It's hard to write a simple song with few instruments and chord changes, and make it memorable. They pulled it off. Thanks for reading!
I voted for Jessie Ware, but I'm sure I'm not alone in saying I would've voted for Prince if he were on that poll. I'm still getting to know 'Superbloom,' but I know '1999' front and bac, and its "Automatic" is a highlight, though then again, every song on it is (the first two tracks being the best, of course). Also, lots of heavy hitters this week! Though this comment should in no way be misconstrued as an endorsement of The Lumineers.
P.S. Brad included Roosevelt in my Tune Tag with him. I guess Roosevelt is one of Brad's handful of 21st-century artists? Brad, if you see this, chime in!
More or less......My thrill with Ro, though, is that I was on him BEFORE Nile Rodgers got to him....and, by that, I declared that Marius had such a natural songwriting feel and ethos for '70s-era pop songwriting. So I dug a couple of his 2017 and '18-ish records (but, "late," in about 2021 or so), and considered him "all my own" (you know how we do when we discover somebody we love, and think no one else knows about him....yet!).....
And, then, it turns out Nile Rodgers caught wind of Marius and his music, and ended up producing several sides with him! For exactly the same reasons I had for digging him....that '70s vibe that Rodgers heard, too!
Some links, my incredulous friend!😂This is the one that likely was my first "love-letter" to and about Marius....the first video you get to in the piece is the first thing I ever heard by him.....my jaw fell! All four songs (a KEXP/Seattle in-studio show), one more stunningly melodic and easily transported from the '70s! I couldn't play that video enough, for days!!
It's like he was personally slappin' back at my inherent assertion that "no one today has a heart, feel, or ear" for the classic pop songwriting of the '70s. "It's all just noodling synths, two chords, and a thumping bass, all of it auto-tuned and processed into oblivion! Marius schooled me good! All 4 of those songs I'd love to hear in a classic rock band arrangement!
https://bradkyle.substack.com/p/audio-autopsy-2018-roosevelt-and?utm_source=publication-search
Niles enters the scene....a little more:
https://bradkyle.substack.com/p/roosevelt-drops-new-single-luna-another?utm_source=publication-search
The Midnight. Again, a clear and present pop sensibility on full display! https://bradkyle.substack.com/p/audio-autopsy-2022-the-midnight-and?utm_source=publication-search
and, SG Lewis: https://bradkyle.substack.com/p/singerproducer-sg-lewis-elton-john?utm_source=publication-search
More SG: https://bradkyle.substack.com/p/audiolust-and-higherlove-the-new?utm_source=publication-search
There! The 21st century! As Andy would say....."Sorted!"😉
Thank you, Steve, for the acreage rental!😎👍🎵💘💿
And I would never construe your comment to imply endorsement of The Lumineers. Even if they are your secret guilty pleasure...
They are not!!!! How dare you 🤣
Most of Brad's 21st-century music fandom, I would bet, comes from his Tune Tag partners and through researching his own responses to their song choices. It's a great way to expand one's musical vocabulary -- just like creating STUDS from scratch!:)
That was beautifully said, Steve....thanks!
What a great STUDS episode. Going with Jesse Were because it just had such great groove. Lyrics award goes to Miranda Lambert though. Wanted to vote Pointer Sisters for nostalgia factor but couldn't do it. Lumineers track seemed to be trying too hard. As for the great purple one...well - still he reigns but not his best work.
Yeah, the Lambert song really grew on me after multiple listens, especially the lyrics. And Jessie Ware can’t help but put you in a good mood.
Gotta go with the Pointer Sisters here, though the Miranda Lambert track was better than I was expecting. Also, growing up, I never realized how horny their lyrics were. No one ever talk about that!
FWIW, there was a street in our neighborhood with an absurdly steep grade. My mom parked my (new to me) car halfway up and said “if you can get going from here, you can drive this thing anywhere. See ya at home.” That was my one and only lesson on learning to drive a stick. lol.
Thanks, Kevin! I thought you were going to say at the end, “and that was the day I learned how to drive automatic!”🤣
lol. Dammit. It was right there!
Are you against having multiple STUDS rounds on the same title?
Do you mean two separate posts with the same song title? Or like I did last time with two polls in the same post? I don’t think it worked very well as there’s no way to control the amount of votes people make that way. And I only had three votes on the second poll and 15 on the first. So it’s clearly going to benefit the first poll.
I mean the former: STUDS Automatic, Round 1; and then at some later point, STUDS Automatic, Round 2. I agree that multiple polls in one essay isn't a good solution, and I hate to see interesting music get shunted to the side because one poll is already filled up.
Oh, one more thing, which I forgot to mention in my first comment: I am firmly Team Standard. A clutch isn't that difficult to learn how to use, and it offers some advantages over automatic transmissions. I know I'm in the minority here, but being left-handed, I'm used to it!
The Pointer Sisters will always be number one for me! Although I do like that Jessie Ware song.
Kind of hard to beat a classic like that.
Thanks so much, Steve, for your acknowledging my blatant Roosevelt love, and of course, a tip o' the cap for recognizing me flailing my arms wildly coupla years ago...."Hey! Looky here...listen to this!" I do have some recent Ro to catch up on. His "Automatic" is lacking, to my ears, that catchy pop sense that grabbed me (and Nile Rodgers) with his output of about a decade ago (which I only discovered those coupla years ago.
BUT, I do love his instantly recognizable voice, and even his dance-ready tracks (like this one) are easy to ingest, and he's one of those artists whom I just love following (pop allegiance....it's automatic!), 'cause that earlier work of his that I loved so much....I know his new stuff comes from that same place, so musically, I know he'll never be without THAT! Plus, his results are so smooth. I know he'll never be that loud, obnoxious synth-y thumper that many of his contemporaries insist on putting out!
So, generally, what comes first, Steve, with these STUDS....the title or the theme? I love your ingenious move to things automatic, in general, but more relatably, your kick-off car story and learning to drive....did THAT come first, or your landing on a title first? And, does that process change from one STUD to another (I realize this is only your 3rd!)?
All great questions, Brad! Which is why I couldn't answer with a quick voice-to-text while on dog walks! Now I'm home and can type like an adult. I agree that the Roosevelt track is less poppy than his Nile Rodgers album, but it's got a killer groove, and that's often more than enough for me!
Honestly, I don't recall how Automatic came to mind. I think I was streaming Pointer Sisters, and this song came on, and then I remembered the Prince version, and it occurred to me that there must be other songs titled "Automatic." I probably should start making some drafts for future STUDS, but I tend to come up with them the week I post.
I do like to try to incorporate personal story into whatever I write, but since these tend to run long, it's a challenge to include a story and all the songs, too. But that will be my MO going forward. Start with the results of the last contest, then a short essay, then the songs, followed by the poll. I think it's a good strategy.
It is easier to find STUDS entries with 1-word song titles, to be sure. However, my very first one was a 4-word title: King For a Day. Let's see if I can find a good 5 or 6-word song title that can best this one!
The personal story always comes from the song title. Doing it the other way around would be quite challenging, I imagine.
Thanks for all this, Steve! I see your points about finding title first; also, having looked up many covers of famous hits, I can imagine the challenge of finding STUDS with multiple-word titles.....the shorter the better being the byword here!
As much as I like Ware and was impressed by Roosevelt, I opted for my beloved Pointers and would have done so even if Prince was in the mix. Let's say I read too much of his history this week...
And that Top of the Pops video is amazing if for the dresses alone!
Indeed. They were always fashionable. This was a fun STUD, Steve. BTW, Neil Sedaka gets a mention in my 54F with something obscure and fun he did way back in the day...
Looking forward to reading it!
I love choosing studs but can't I have them all? 😁 Roosevelt wins this one for me, very closely followed by Prince and then by the Pointer Sisters.
I enjoyed the variety of genres here.
PS: If it's any consolation, I can't drive at all (not even automatic), but if I drove, I'd choose automatic without even thinking. Gear box? Engaging the clutch? Fuck that shit 😂
And I would let you vote multiple times if I knew how to set that up for you!
Thank you, I know you would. By the way, what time are the men coming?
Did the STUD bus arrive yet?🚌💪🍆
Yes. I’ve been riding it for hours. Wanna hop on?
Growing up in Los Angeles it was essential to learn how to drive if you wanted to get anywhere. I’m not sure how it was in Argentina where you were, but I’m pretty sure in London you can get by without having to drive fairly easily. In fact, I imagine most neighborhoods having a car is a serious pain in the ass.
Oh yes, in LA it’s a no-brainer. In Central London, you can get around very easily without a car. In Buenos Aires, where I grew up, driving is fairly common (not as essential as in LA, but more so than in London). The reason I never learned is my temperament. Doctor’s orders. Don’t forget that the wildness you see on here is just the surface. I contain a multitude of batshit-crazy bitches within me.
While I enjoyed all the entries this week (going to have to check out Jessie Ware and Spiritual Cramp more!), I had to go with the nostalgia of the Pointer Sisters!
Yes, definitely check out more of Jessie Ware, her last three or four albums are fairly similar, but if you ever throw a dance party, you could just do a mix of all four albums and keep the party grooving. And Spiritual Cramp is punk-rock mimicry in the best sort of way.