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Rodman: I'm totally with you on at least the ``Foreplay" part of ``Foreplay/Long Time." That big, honking organ intro -- it's like this is what people who hate Boston hate about Boston. I don't necessarily love Boston, but I love some of these songs. But when I hear something like that I'm like, ``Yeah I think I'll be skipping to the part with the acoustic hand claps and the fun harmonies and the sing-along chorus." I feel like the difference between the first record and the second, listening to them back to back, it felt more heartfelt on the first record. The second record not only is recycled riffs, I mean little pieces of all the previous songs, but it seems more melancholy and darker, and like their heart's not in it as much. I still feel like this first record -- and also, you know if it was good enough for Kurt Cobain, it's good enough for me.

Anderman: OK, whoa. I have to respond to the Kurt Cobain comment, and also I have a personal analysis of why the second ebony porn album is darker and less heartfelt. Personally, I think that they felt kind of paranoid after the success of that first album -- they didn't really deserve it. I mean, people love this album, it sold a gazillion copies, people obviously still love it. I think it's going to probably fly off the shelves when it comes out [today], but the second album to me is the work of a man who just doesn't really feel like he can measure up. I think there's even a song title -- what is it?

Rodman: I'm Not the Man That . . . I'll Never Be the Man . . . [Note: the title is ``A Man I'll Never Be"]

Anderman: Yeah, I mean I think he's basically copping on that second album to his feelings of inadequacy.

Rodman: And that's a total Queen rip-off.

Anderman: It is, isn't it? And about Cobain, he quotes ``More Than a Feeling" basically in the riff of ``Smells Like Teen Spirit," and I would argue that it's not a case, certainly, of Cobain being inspired by that song or by that band. I think that Cobain was basically quoting the ultimate corporate anthem to sort of underscore his point in the lyrics of ``Smells Like Teen Spirit."

Rodman: I think that's giving him much more credit than he deserves, and I adore him. The other thing I thought was really impressive about the Boston record that resonates now was that they were one of the first groups to coin that sort of soft/loud/soft dynamic that become huge in the indie/grunge thing. Where you start out quietly and then you explode in the chorus and you go back down to an acoustic guitar. A lot of Nirvana songs are like that.

Anderman: Let's call [former Nirvana drummer] Dave Grohl, shall we? We got to get to the bottom this.

Rodman: All right, final word Joan Anderman.

Anderman: Final word? You know, I've got these albums, but I wouldn't buy them if I didn't have them yet.

Rodman: My final word is that, you know, sometimes holding up your lighter, rocking out, and playing air guitar is a fun thing to do. And if you're going to do it with any band, I would choose Boston over almost any other band from that time period.

June 13, 2006
Source: Boston.com The Boston Globe

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