In the 1970s, William Shatner took music to a new level when he stopped singing it and started just saying it. Then Leonard Nimoy came along and did sing it, but not very well. And the only reason people were listening is because these two fellows had been stars of a show with ratings so low that it was cancelled after 2 and a half seasons.
Shatner came back a few years ago with another spoken-word album, collaborating with the always-ironic Ben Folds, as well as all of Ben’s ironic friends. Bill talked us through his life – the comedy, the tragedy, and the inevitable, self-aggrandizing references to his most famous star-gazing counterpart.
Sure, I bought that album. I like Ben Folds and his brand of self-aggrandizing, and I’ll buy whatever shit he churns out so he can go right on singing about the delusional assholes who buy his churned-out shit. I bought it because, frankly, I think Shatner’s screaming, but still talking, version of “Common People” gives that British band a run for their money.
Better than spoken word on album is the other kind of talking I will tolerate – comedy. One of my favorites is the stand-up album I have featuring Woody Allen at his Catskill prime. If you haven’t heard it, at least listen to it for that bit about the moose. Now, this doesn’t mean I’m going to troll iTunes to stock up on Demetri Martin, Louis CK, Mitch Hedberg, or Oswald Patton. But you should. I’m not going to walk around with white buds in my ears chuckling at things that no one else can hear, but I am here to tell you that some of this stuff is funny. Really funny. And luckily, like all things worth listening to, there’s a blog for that. A few actually. And they are all part of the same music blog family. Why? Because we are not narrow-minded, uncultured people who only like our entertainment to come from one genre or medium. Yeah, someone who loves music also loves Dane Cook (it’s not me).
Even this magazine, as part of its radical changes, has incorporated the spectrum of talent peppering the comedy circuit. Some of these funny people are genius and, subsequently, friends of our humble publication. Why is comedy a natural connect to the music scene? Figure it out.
- Aaron Pompey
Music
Film & TV
