crackle and drag ( a hagiographic tribute)

i first heard paul westerberg on the "singles" soundtrack. shitty film.

(cameron crowe is not and nor will he ever be cool. why does he persist in trying to make cool films or films about cool things? although bless him for putting lester bangs in almost famous AND getting philip seympour hoffman to play him. that was genius. and his films do have good soundtracks and he recognized the genius of bob dylan way before i did (Last week) and to be perfectly honest i didnt mind "almost famous", but "singles" is a snoozer, whoa.)

anyway, back to westerberg.then i heard "all shook down", the mats last album. stinson was already dead, and basically the mats were just westerberg at this stage of the game. i loved his hair. he had cool hair. i wanted only one thing: to have hair like his at his age. his songs werent bad either.

the two singles he had on the "singles" soundtrack were pure pop mastery. they were moving, they were catchy, they were cool. he was shambolic, a drunk and gave off an air of hoplessness, like a real troubadour, or a vagabond, or something like that.

then i heard "sorry ma, forgot to take out the trash." pair that gem up with "let it be" and you've got vintage americana at its best. its like apple pie, or harley davidson motorcycles.

minneapolis is responsible for polar opposite genius' s, but both giants of their craft: Prince and paul westerberg.

i tip my cap to both.

i cant stop listening to "crackle and drag"