My Motor's Running.

I am convinced more than ever that 'My Sharona' *IS* pop perfection.

Nobody, and I mean NOBODY can make two guitars, a bass, a drum set, and a couple of harmonizing vocalists work better than what The Knack has managed to do.

First the drums draw you in and keep you in. Then a simple bassline slides in, complementing the drums for that "holy shit, this is catchy! I can't keep my head from bopping!"effect. Then the guitars come in. First just one, then another. Then the vocals. They're not great or anything, but the playfulness and earnestness works really well. The lyrics are pure rock and/or roll, without a hint of pretension. The harmonized parts (the "MYYYY SHARONA"s for instance) come at only the times that they will prove interesting and they're too catchy for words.

Then the guitars start to take on more defined roles with one doing riffs and rhythm parts that follow the bass and the other one just sort of hangs around and does some amazing lead work at the only best possible times in the song. It and the other instruments only play parts when they are needed. The very fact that that this piece subtly uses the absence of certain parts and indeed, a few complete pauses underlines the sheer genius of the piece.

And the guitar leads. Almost a third of this song is made up up guitar solos. It's not easy to come up with good guitar leads. This song has two. Without these, The Knack could still have come up with a song that was no less catchy and no less immortal. I've heard two different radio edits with substantial cuts to the guitar solo that prove my point. But the song is a whole different thing compared to these sacreligious edits. It becomes truly perfect. It's long but it's done with taste and it's fun and listenable the entire way.

When was the last time you heard a guitar solo that was over minute that didn't bore you to tears? If you did come up with one ( I doubt it) I'll bet you had to think that one through. It's a fine combination of taste and technical virtuosity that is rarely found. You might find it thrice in Joe Satriani's entire catalog. It's easier to find records by ultra-fast shredders who can play extremely difficult technical pieces but you'd bore yourself to tears in less than an hour trying to find something as catchy as you would find in My Sharona.

The instruments, with the guitar solos being no exception, complement the lyrics. Hence everything has this one 'feel' to it. It's all geared towards just just this one concept:

A cool, yet very slightly obnoxious guy wants to make it with Sharona, presumably out of her pants.

Now THAT'S Rock and Fuckin' Roll.

If you're under 50 and you say you don't like this song, you're probably lying to maintain some stupid image. Unless you don't like it because you're deaf or brain damaged, in which case I'd be compelled to feel sorry for you. Otherwise, you should go drown yourself in a clogged urinal or something. We don't need you!

Maybe I'm Just Bitter I Don't Have a Digicam

I looked at some other blogs. Then I looked at my old one.

I have no pictures.

I have officially alienated everyone who reads at a primary school level.

Hello, My Name is Arthur Piccio. My Favorite Color is Blue. That's One Lie in Two. This is My New Blog.

Gak.

Just... Gak.

In case you're wondering, I'm not a fan of the word 'blog'. I will try to use it only when necessary this time around.

Someone suggested I should start posting on Blogspot. This is something that I've been meaning to do for quite some time. I maintained a blog on Friendster for a few years. Expect the next few posts there will be the last ones I make (as if anyone would really care).

The truth is, I'm not sure if this is the best time for me to be start writing things that could be seen and read in in public. The past few months have moved slowly for me but the things that have happened make my head spin. There is just too much pent up negativity in me because there are simply too many things to be negative about.

I had started to write something longer but now I backspaced through everything. The start should not be THAT much of a downer.

The truth is, I just want to get started. Thanks!