Top 4

...not that it needs changing but what the heck---

for whatever reason, Ira decides to put up 4 different images for the TP home page header.

but which?

i could see Clash, Radiohead, Cheap Trick, & Beck (with They Might Be Giants as an alternate american entry).

takers?

This is an interesting question. I think the four images currently there are a pretty good representation of what Trouser Press is - start with the Ramones as the originators of punk (or as close as anyone could be by general concensus), EC representing the people who took the energy of punk into the more varied territories of New Wave & PostPunk, Nirvana as the point where punk ethos finally took over the (American) mainstream, with Moby as the face of the post-grunge version of post-punk and an artist who is currently still somewhat forward looking and innovative (although arguably his best years may be behind him now, also). From that perspective, it's hard to quibble with the current choices.

From a purely iconic standpoint, it's impossible to argue against the Ramones, EC and Nirvana as artists or their particular album covers as iconic images - RAMONES, THIS YEAR'S MODEL and NEVERMIND are some of the most recognizable and beloved album covers out there. From this perspective, the weak link would be Moby - I love me some Moby, but as an artist I don't think he's reached the stature of the other three nor is the cover of EVERYTHING IS WRONG particularly well loved. So I could see that image being replaced by maybe THE BENDS, ELEPHANT, ODELAY, or THE SOFT BULLETIN, I suppose. (Although Moby's album does share the same advantage as the Ramones & EC albums do, in that it's both the cover of an important album and a portrait of an important artist, so it gives double the bang for the buck, which only the White Stripes album would do of the four I just named.)

But anyhow, if Ira were to decide he just wanted to change up the site and put up four completely different pix, the four I would suggest would be:

THE VELVET UNDERGROUND AND NICO
The Clash - LONDON CALLING (alternate: Blondie PARALLEL LINES)
The Replacements - LET IT BE
The White Stripes - ELEPHANT (alternate: Radiohead THE BENDS)

That would bring in the grandaddies of the whole thing, a beloved icon of the original punk era, the kings of the 80s underground, and current icons in the making.



Post Edited (05-19-06 00:56)

Ramones (obvious; 70s)
EC (lest we forget; 70s-80s)
Nirvana (dubious but probably a draw to new TP users; 1990-91)
Moby (?; Nor great cover art)
::MBV, Clash, Radiohead or Pavement

Nobody said we weren't a buncha trainspotters!



Post Edited (05-19-06 20:44)

ok

the 4 decades, 3 countries, great covers, and some "symbolic" indie pop titles

sorry ladies--next time


Gang of Four Entertainment
meat puppets Forbidden Places
Wilco Being There
Sigur Ros Von

the last one coz of (cover art) spookiness value

Drums & Wires
Ian Hunter 1st solo
Michael Jackson Music & Me
definitely agree with Gof4 Entertainment

i love this thread. don't think i won't consider it.

Unusual. It seems that criticism around here counts.

Well, Im a born suckass who knows a good thing when he sees it. So Im gonna speak for all the others like me when I say, "Get yer own fackin web site."

Who would you color reproduce fancy pants?



Post Edited (05-20-06 15:17)

As long as Satch is redirecting this thread to the Minutemen, here's a link to pre-order the "We Jam Econo" double DVD at a 20% discount. Ordered mine already.

[www.plexifilm.com]

[allmusic.com]

We could, of course, accommodate everyone and just rotate the images ...

I seem to remember the statement in the early daze of the mag that the staff condidered The Who to be the best of everything ever, so there really ought to be a Who image in there somewhere.

re: the who

the site, which grew out of the books, is less connected to the early days of the magazine than a more specific musical realm, so the who are not even covered here (or the yardbirds, peter frampton, etc.)