Wisconsin Bans Steve Miller (OT)

In a move reminiscent of its sadly faded historical tradition of progressivism, the State Legislature of Wisconsin has banned the playing of any song from the album "Fly Like an Eagle" by former favorite son Stevie "Guitar" Miller. Wisconsinites have all agreed that the songs were very nice for the first thirty years, somewhat aggravating for the ensuing ten, and have become insufferable.

"But only because of repetition. It's not like we got anyt'ing against Steve. Wisconsin loves Steve," State Legislator Walt Staller stated, adding, with characteristic Wisconsin niceness (and a touch of confusion), "...all Steves, in fact."

Wisconsin radio stations playing songs from "Fly Like an Eagle" will be shut down and then burned to the ground. "It's created a climate of fear," said a radio station programmer, on condition of anonymity. "I mean, can you play 'The Joker' or 'Space Cowboy' or 'Livin' in the USA'? No, it's not safe, because everybody thinks those are from 'Fly Like an Eagle' too, even though they aren't. So one minute you're perfectly legally grooving to 'I'm a joker, I'm a smoker, I'm a midnight toker,' and the next thing you know your station's vinyl archive is a superheated mass of moving goo and you're out in the rain with a fireman's cape over your shoulders and a lady from Community Outreach is pressing a cup of chamomile tea into your hands. What kind of country is this when you can't listen to your favorite tunes on the radio eighty-seven thousand times if you want to?"

The President of the Steve Miller Fan Club in Milwaukee, Ferdinand "Ferdie" McGurk, was unperturbed. "It's not like we don't have all the albums," he said.

When asked if he indeed had all the albums, he said, "No, I just have 'Greatest Hits 1974–78.'"

Mike

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(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)
Featured Comments from:

Nathan Degargoyle: "Banning any part of the SMB canon would be a global error. This is what made Milwaukee famous! What? You thought that was the watery, gassy excuse for beer? You're so full of Schlitz!"

Bruce K: "No Satire Alert? :-) "

Mike replies: Implied.  :-)

Bob Burnett: "Ferdinand 'Ferdie' McGurk probably doesn't have all 16:26 of 'Macho City' from 1981's 'Circle of Love,' the pinnacle of the 'side 2 contract obligation' recording."

Mike replies: Hey, make the sign of the cross with your index fingers when you refer to that! (Note to those who don't know the cut: Do not go to iTunes to listen to the sample. You're welcome.)

Nicholas Condon: "There is similar legislation pending in Indiana regarding John Mellencamp. New Jersey's strict new 'Born in the USA' law is still under review by a federal court of appeals."

Mike replies: You laugh, but my end of the hallway in my freshman dorm nearly came to blows over Paul Nowosadko playing "Born to Run" ad nauseam, and at a later dorm, two girls ended their friendship over a terminal disagreement about how often "Blood on the Tracks" should be played. (One loved it and wanted to play it a lot, the other one loved it even more and thought it should be reserved for special occasions.)

Steve L.: "Nice, Mike, I love it. And I'm really glad Wisconsin loves 'all Steves.'

"The way I see it the problem isn't the music, it's the people who listen to the same thing over and over, year after year. There's great new music released daily, and it's been that way decade after decade. I've been an avid music listener since the mid-seventies, and I've never had a problem finding great new stuff. I even love hearing songs off 'Fly Like An Eagle' because I only hear them once every two or three years (or less) [that's because you don't live in Wisconsin —Mike], and they still sound fresh. Two pieces of advice to folks who get sick of stuff that's blasted at them—stop listening to commercial radio, and make a hobby of 'music finding.' There's more great stuff out there than ever."

Mike replies: Just a few recent favorite songs of mine: "River" by Ibeyi isn't standing up to repeated listens very well, but you owe it to yourself to see the simple but original video:

Next, for some reason I can't quite pinpoint I just love the album "You Had It Coming" by Jeff Beck, which I just discovered even though it came out in 2001. It's not at all the sort of thing I listen to—sort of electronica meets hip-hop with underpinnings of guitar-solo rock structure, and lots of synths and beats—but I love the whole thing and play it repeatedly. Sample "Earthquake" and "Nadia."

Another one I love is Mike Doughty's PledgeMusic-funded song from last summer, "Light Will Keep Your Heart Beating in the Future." (As I've mentioned I love songs with banjo parts used in weird ways.) I'm not a huge Soul Coughing fanatic but every now and then Doughty comes up with something I really like. There was a ghoul on the misty moor....

David Parsons: "Robert Plant donated $10,000 to an Oregon radio station to never play 'Stairway to Heaven' ever again."

Comments

[John Camp]

Finally, the politicians are earning their money, although it seems unlikely to me that anybody could be "grooving" to The Joker. Okay, *maybe* in Wisconsin but it seems unlikely even there.

Wonder if they could do something about the "Turdy Point Buck" by the Bannanas:

well seven men got up and then one fell down
a big lump of blaze orange, shakin on the ground
at first i thought he was one of the boys
but it was a no-good brother in law man from illinois

only cheese-heads in here, right boys?
send him back on the next plane ya know

Did ya see the turdy pointer?
Did ya see the turdy pointer?
Did ya see the turdy pointer?
Did ya see the turdy pointer?

[Robert]

I could live with such a ban - so long as they also ban Jimmy Buffet and Dr Hook (with the exception of the inane cackle in "I was stoned and I missed it")

[Mark Matheny]

Some days just suck, and then something funny happens and the whole day gets better...

This was something funny.

Thanks,

[Tony Collins]

Ha ha, I may have one of his platters but hadn't listened for years. Then recently I had a mammoth Spotify listening session and came to the conclusion that he wasn't as good as I had remembered. (Neither was the original "Gangster", Johnny Guitar Watson :-( )

[Dave in NM]

I can't believe I read all the way through that and still missed the punchline.

[Shaun]

Can we add Heart, Charlie Daniels Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Eagles... to the list?

[Terry Letton]

Banned in Boston. Used to have quite a cachet, probably sold a lot of books etc. maybe Steve will get a similar boost to his 401K

[emptyspaces]

Would this mean that "Abracadabra" steps up to heavier rotation?

[Dennis]

TheOnionPhotographer ?

[MarkB]

"No, I just have 'Greatest Hits 1974-78.'" That's about all we need, right? ;)

Hilarious! Of course, that leaves out the awesome SMB album covers from The Joker and Book of Dreams, and there will be so many un-airbrushed conversion vans, too!

[Alex]

Wait, there's no satire alert... I'm not sure what to think.

[Bob Burnett]

Ferdinand "Ferdie" McGurk probably doesn't have all 16:26 of 'Macho City' from 1981's "Circle of Love", the pinnacle of the "side 2 contract obligation" recording.

[Mark]

The Gangster of Love approves of this post.

[Auntipode]

A ban long overdue. ... :)

[Huw Morgan]

Thanks a pantload Mike - I've now got a Fly Like an Eagle earworm that's going to be with me for the rest of the day!

[Michael Rainwater]

From everything that I have read about Wisconsin in recent years - especially its legislature - I found this story to be completely plausible.

[David Bostedo]

Mike Doughty is great... and had one of the first blogs I ever got into. It was (no joke) random thoughts about Beverly Hills 90210. I think you can still find it, or copies of it, with some Googling.

And if you want something else interesting to listen to, check out tUnE-yArDs. She plays with beats and looping in a way that Soul Coughing reminds me of - although seeing it live adds to the music.

[Globules]

I love songs with banjo parts used in weird ways

You mean like a raga-influenced Voodoo Chile/The Thrill is Gone medley played on the banjo?

[John McMillin]

OMG!- If Miller is banned, "Freebird" must be next. And if the Freebird isn't free, how are we?

[Richard]

Thanks for introducing me to Oya, very nice music and some great imagery to go with the music as well. I think this is a great image (if links are allowed) http://cfile10.uf.tistory.com/image/277F1F4A53E5013432FDD7

[Jesper]

Uh, not fair and quite unpractical; now I'm thinking Wisconsin might just be the right place for me to live

[Luke]

Bruce Springsteen. PLEASE.

[TBannor]

Hmm. Down here south of the border we have "Chicago" and "REO Speedwagon." I'm calling my state senator immediately.

[Phil J]

Love that Jeff Beck album-You Had It Coming." Discovered it 10 years after it came out by following links to Imogen Heap. They guest on each other's albums quite a bit. Check out her stuff if you haven't already.

[Mark Bridgers]

Billie Joe and Bobby Sue could not be reached for comment.

[Ian Loveday]

Radio stations are commercial, playlists bye and large are compiled by analysts who want to give their target audiences (teen, 30 something, 50s) what they like to hear so they dont channel hop, so they keep the advertisers happy. People still dig Steve Miller? thats fine. Not a personal favourite but I'm not going to take offence when he's played. Takes me back to my yoof. Banning favourite tracks by favourite artists (hey, what about 'Stairway to Heaven'?) is counterproductive. Its doesn't make people like new bands, unless of course they sound like old bands... I'm in my 50s, if you ask me what my favourite bands or tracks are then mostly you'll get the same answer as when I was 18.

[ctein]

Dear Mike,

In my college days (back when men were men and vinyl singles stalked the earth), a couple of dormmates decided to run an experiment and determine how many times in a row they could play Simon and Garfunkel's "I Am A Rock."

Twenty nine before someone finally came in and threatened to destroy their stereo system.

pax / Ctein