Queens, NY - It's 1988. I am 13 years old and absolutely giddy. I've spent an eternity waiting for cable service to come to neighborhood and finally it arrives. No more bad reception. No more PBS. I go straight to the crown jewel - MTV - and my world changes forever.
Each night I sit transfixed, watching Adam Curry deliver the top 20 countdown, either oblivious or indifferent to the fact that the charts rarely change from day to day. Hair bands, one after another, fill my head with images of rockers in bare chested unitards, explosive stage shows, and mid air splits. Cinderella, Jovi, Skid Row, Ratt, Poison, Gwar, Warrant, Great White, Whitesnake, White Lion, Mr. Big. The list goes on forever.
But on this particular day I have the stage set. Two pillows meticulously placed before me. They are the drums. In each hand, lincoln logs. The drumsticks. I am waiting for Guns n' Roses "Paradise City." Waiting for the chance to take the stage and play along with Steven Adler.
Guns n' Roses was different. Even as a 13 year old, I could tell that Warrant was cheesy. Granted, I loved "Cherry Pie" just as much as the next kid, but I knew it was pretty generic rock. By the time “Paradise City” was released, Gn’R already had two videos in the can and both sent a totally different message. There was their intro to mainstream, “Welcome to the Jungle,” a song which scared and excited me. Who is this androgynous lead singer with the tightest leather pants I have ever seen? Who is this mysterious guitarist with no face and a top hat? Axl toned his look down for “Sweet Child O’ Mine” and revealed a tender side, yet the band still rocked. It was almost too good to be true.
So here we have this week’s recommendation: “Paradise City,” an excellent song to ring in the start of summer. It’s got everything. The pretty guitar intro, the arena rock drum beat, the catchy chorus, that summer good feeling sound, and of course the whistle at 1:19 leading into a pretty heavy verse. In the video, Axl spits out his lyrics in white leather jacket and matching pants. Does it get any better than that?
This is a great song to jump and go crazy to. And it’s a fairly long song so it requires some stamina. Just about the time when you’ve run out of steam, Axl hits a seemingly endless note at 4:35, which lasts until about 4:48. This is a crucial time for rest, because the song is about to go from 10 to 11. By now the band is drenched in sweat, the crowd is completely out of their minds, and your child should be going absolutely crazy. During this part of the song, Quinn and Callie are typically writhing around on the floor like radioactive worms. It’s a beautiful display of dance, movement without a trace of rhyme or reason.
Oh won’t you please take me home?
-Neal
No comments:
Post a Comment