[Search for users] [Overall Top Noters] [List of all Conferences] [Download this site]

Conference mr1pst::music

Title:MUSIC V4
Notice:New Noters please read Note 1.*, Mod = someone else
Moderator:KDX200::COOPER
Created:Wed Oct 09 1991
Last Modified:Tue Mar 12 1996
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:762
Total number of notes:18706

733.0. "Alanis Morissette " by STAR::ROBIE (Excitable boy, they all said.) Mon Sep 25 1995 18:03

    
    	Anyone had a chance to pick up the Alanis Morissette LP,
    	Jagged Little Pills? I bought it last Wednesday and can't 
    	stop listening. This is one kick-ass, take no prisoners singer. 
    	She really has a lot of anger toward men, religion, society. Which 
    	in my opinion is what makes this album great.
    	 
    	The two cuts getting air play "You oughta Know" and "Hand in my pocket"
    	are okay and they got me to part with 10 bucks. But the its the other 
    	10 songs that keep me coming back. Her range, not only vocal but emotional
    	is top notch. 
    
    	Any other comments?
    
    					Michael   
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
733.1SPSEG::COVINGTONand the situation is excellent.Mon Sep 25 1995 18:363
    ditto. Anyone know when she'll be touring New England again?
    
    (she was here about a month or so ago.)
733.2Alanis MorrissetteDREGS::BLICKSTEINGeneral MIDIMon Oct 23 1995 17:3940
    I was surprised to see that no one else had created a note for
    Alanis Morrissette.
    
    Sure... no doubt many people are getting sick of hearing those
    two particular tunes on the radio but...
    
    I once had about 30 minutes to kill at the Pheasant Lane Mall so I
    stopped in at a record store and tried one of those "play stations"
    where you can listen to albums.
    
    I picked the Alanis Morrisette play station almost by total chance.
    I happened to be near it, and I was intrigued by the name and
    remembered some people whose opinion I respect saying good things about
    it.
    
    I was immediately intrigued by her rather unique vocal style.  A great
    example of a singer who is not technically brilliant by any means (like
    a Mariah Carey or a Whitney Houston) but whose singing has so much
    emotion in it that at times it almost seems like talking rather than
    singing.
    
    I was immediately hooked by those painful breaths she takes in the
    very first song "All I Want" (I think that's the title).  And I've
    always liked the production in the second song which I had heard
    on the radio "You Oughta Know" and was astonished to find out that
    that's the core of the Red Hot Chili Peppers playing behind her.
    Some great bass playing if you listen carefully.
    
    And perhaps more than anything is that she can write (lyrically)
    both love songs and "Somebody done me wrong" love songs without
    being even remotely cliche.    Her lyrics are always intriguing and the
    music is inventive.
    
    It's about the very first time in about 10 years that I had any
    interest (let alone "rave") about a #1 album.
    
    She's going to be on Saturday Night Live next week and I'm definitely
    going to have my VCR standing by for that.
    
    	db
733.3SPSEG::COVINGTONserpent deflectorMon Oct 30 1995 12:272
    Since she was on SNL, does anyone know if she's coming into New
    England?
733.4SNLDREGS::BLICKSTEINGeneral MIDIMon Oct 30 1995 14:4613
    For everyone's information she did "One Hand in My Pocket" and
    (to my delight) "All I Really Want".    
    
    Guess SNL just couldn't handle the "F-word" part of "You Oughta Know".
    They just muted the "chickens___t" word in "Pocket".  
    
    Regarding coming around here... I think her web page said that she's
    now off to Europe for awhile and then will come back to the States
    for another tour.  She was in Boston this summer, not sure if we'll
    see her again but if we do... I am THERE.
    
    	db - who thinks "Pill" is the best and most original pop album
    	     to come out in a long while.
733.5and the band was only o.k. - all imoTRACTR::SCHROEDERfrom the Moon we're comedyMon Oct 30 1995 17:206
    
     if her SNL performance is indicative of her live shows then
     I will NOT be there. GAWD!!! SHE WAS TERRIBLE!
    
     I'll stick with the cd....though after SNL I can only wonder how 
     many takes it took to get the vocal track down. 
733.6SPSEG::COVINGTONserpent deflectorMon Oct 30 1995 17:553
    I agree that those performances were bad. I really liked her on
    Letterman a month ago, tho, and I'd be willing to risk $10-12 on the
    chance that I'd catch her on a good night if she came to town.
733.7RICKS::CALCAGNIsalsa sharkMon Oct 30 1995 18:336
    I've read in several places that she previously had a very successful
    career as a "bubble gum queen" up in Canada, sorta their version of Tiffany
    or Debbie Gibson.  The new image seems to be working well too, though.
    
    Has anyone seen/heard any of the earlier Alanis?
    
733.8you TOO, can play a harmonicaTRACTR::SCHROEDERfrom the Moon we're comedyTue Oct 31 1995 11:0410
    
    
     I didn't catch the Letterman show and I was really looking forward
    to seeing her on SNL. Probably why I was so disappointed. Also, I
    thought she should learn how to _play_ a harmonica before going
    "public" with it.
    
    
    
    /Schroed's
733.9HOZHED::FENNELLA cowboy's life is not for meTue Oct 31 1995 12:242
db had a web site pointer he posted earlier about You Can't Do that on
Television...
733.10"terrible" is what they needREFDV1::MURPHYSymbolic stack dump follows...Tue Oct 31 1995 12:428
>>>     if her SNL performance is indicative of her live shows then
>>>     I will NOT be there. GAWD!!! SHE WAS TERRIBLE!
    
    a prereq to being on SNL these days is that you must be terrible.
    They need all the help they can get making the cast look good.
    
    Steve
    
733.11SPSEG::COVINGTONserpent deflectorTue Oct 31 1995 17:016
    .9
    
    I found that site by following
    Yahoo->entertainment->music->artists->etc...
    
    I don't remember her on YCDTOTV...
733.12Oh well... my philistine tastes again...DREGS::BLICKSTEINGeneral MIDITue Oct 31 1995 17:481
    Gee, I really liked her SNL performance.   You mean it gets better???
733.13I never knew my cat had good taste in musicTRACTR::SCHROEDERfrom the Moon we're comedyTue Oct 31 1995 18:006
    
     I know they say that animals don't watch tv but when Alanis was
    on my cat actually stopped, looked at the tv, cocked his head...the
    hair went up on his back and he kind of snarled. Smart cat.
    
     /schroed's
733.14STAR::ROBIEI'm frustrated by your apathyTue Oct 31 1995 19:084
    
    	Can someone post her URL?
    
    				MWR 
733.15SPSEG::COVINGTONserpent deflectorWed Nov 01 1995 13:298
    
    A pointer to her official page, as well as other unofficial pages:
    
    http://www.yahoo.com/Entertainment/Music/Artists/Morissette__Alanis/
    
    
    (You can use that generic format to go directly to pages on almost
    anyone.)
733.16road trip...?CAREER::MULHOLLENthis behaviors not uniqueThu Nov 02 1995 12:4814
>    Since she was on SNL, does anyone know if she's coming into New
>    England?


	  don't know about new england, but i just talked to my sister
	  the other night and alanis is playing at alfred university
	  in western ny on december 2nd...  it's about seven hours
	  from worcester... and i think tix go on sale today or
	  tomorrow for $15.  i'll be home the weekend before that
	  too for thanksgiving... damn!

	  /brian

733.17SPSEG::COVINGTONserpent deflectorThu Nov 02 1995 16:2924
    
    Alanis Morisstette's Tour dates:
    
    
    >11/14 Santa Barbara
    >11/15 San Francisco
    >11/17 Seattle
    >11/18 Salem
    >11/20 Salt Lake
    >11/22 Denver
    >11/24 Omaha
    >11/25 Davenport
    >11/26 Indy
    >11/28 Toronto
    >11/29 Montreal
    >12/1   Dover
    >12/2   Alfred NY (College)
    >12/4   Penn State
    >12/5   Wilkes Barre (College)
    >12/6   Buffalo
    >12/8   TBA
    >12/9   Detroit
    
    
733.18 YEP!!POLAR::TESSIERThu Dec 28 1995 07:256
    
    	RE.733.7
    
    	Yep she's from Canada.  Alanis is from Ottawa and yes she was like
    Debbie Gibson and Tiffany.  Totally different style of music and
    fashion I'd say.  I like her better now than before her pop days. 
733.19BUSY::SLABOUNTYOn with the body countThu Dec 28 1995 12:245
    
    	I heard, ummm, that song there that she has a video for, and I
    	wasn't too impressed by it.  After all the good stuff I've heard
    	about her I expected more.
    
733.20SPSEG::COVINGTONserpent deflectorThu Dec 28 1995 13:227
    
    
    Alanis Morissette w/The Rentals
    
        	Sat., Feb. 10 at the Gosman Center
    
    
733.21A great review of an Alanis show... (sorry, couldn't resist)CONSLT::OWENStop Global WhiningThu Dec 28 1995 13:29120
    From Addicted to Noise -- an Alanis Morissette concert review.  The
    _best_ one I've seen so far...  8^)
    
    -Steve 


Jagged Little Sleeping Pill 

     

Still a goodie-goodie at heart? 



   ATN's Jennie Yabroff reports: "Alanis Morissette is so badass! I mean,
   she's like, a totally right-on sister.  It's just like I was saying to my 
   boyfriend, Chuck, the other day, I go, 'Alanis Morissette is just the 
   coolest 'cause she's like all feminist and shit, but she's also really 
   pretty and dresses cute.  But not too pretty, you know?'  And Chuck goes, 
   'Yeah, I'd do her.'  "So he totally agreed with me."

   OK, I didn't actually hear the above conversation at the Alanis Morissette
   show Wednesday at the Warfield, but I swear it took place.  It took place, 
   I am certain, between any number of the hundreds of late-teenage girls 
   roaming the floor, Wonderbras on full attack, shouting along with "You 
   Oughta Know" and pumping their delicate little fists in the air.  Wooo 
   Alanis!  You go, girl!

   Here's how the night went: The Rentals, Morissette's openers, took the 
   stage a little after eight.  Matt Sharp (of Weezer, but no, the Rentals are 
   not a side project, dammit!) positively radiated in a Big Bird yellow shirt,
   and was the picture of good breeding and nice manners.  The crowd was well 
   behaved as well, and the Rentals got through their show with a minimum of 
   fuss.  Sharp at one point sang a bit of Michael Jackson's "You Are Not 
   Alone," he thanked the audience politely for being so good, everyone sang 
   along to "Friends Of P."  A few audience members asserted loudly that they 
   either were friends of, or the actual P him/herself.  The evening looked 
   promising.

   The Rentals left the stage.  The lights went up, and I looked around. 
   Mostly youngish girls, graduated from the grunge-flannel shirt around the 
   waist look, but still too cool for the flowy dress hippie chick look.  A lot 
   of thirtysomethings dressed for the company picnic in the mandatory jeans,
   white t-shirt, and patterned vest.  A few leather ladies.  A whole gaggle of
   utterly nondescript boys, drinking Rolling Rocks and watching the girls.  At
   the end of my table were two of these lovely young creatures of the night,
   practically bristling with their manicures, cigarettes, and shiny Gap 
   shirts, trying to act oblivious to the three older guys standing on the 
   floor right below them.

   Patsy was brunette, Tabitha was blond.  Patsy had one of those stupid 
   rainbow fluorescent tube thingies they always sell at concerts (what fun!) 
   She waved it around, looking bored, then hopped off to get some nachos. 
   While she was gone, Tabitha struck up a conversation with the three guys in 
   front of her, Buddy, Putty, and Guy.  Patsy returned with nachos. 
   Introductions were made. Tabitha got cheese all over her cute little suede 
   purse.  Alanis Morissette took the stage.

   Wooo hoooo! (whistle whistle whistle)  It's Alanis Morissette!  She's so 
   cool!  She's like Edie Brickell in leather pants!  She's like Victoria 
   Williams with a dirty mouth!  She's like that chick from Four Non Blondes 
   but not as scary!  She's like every other Top 40 girl singer with long brown
   hair!  Yeah, but she's got glitter in her hair!  She's got glitter in her 
   hair and she knows guys are jerks but they still want to fuck her!  She's 
   so cool!

   And so forth.  Morissette launched into her numbers, patrolling the stage 
   and shaking her hair and asking the audience if she stressed us out.  Not 
   really.  Her set was utterly uninspired, and after jumping up from their 
   seats for "All I Really Want," the audience seemed uncertain of what to do, 
   and mostly sat back down abruptly, or just stood in one place, nodding 
   vaguely.  Wooo!  Alanis!  What a gal!  Why am I yawning?  Patsy and Tabitha 
   lit their Bics to see their nachos, apparently unaware of Morissette.  She 
   wasn't hard to ignore.  Picture perfect, song perfect, looking much the same
   as she does in her videos, Morissette live was less than the sum of her 
   parts.  The greatest risk she took all night was in introducing her band 
   ("and on harmonica, it's me."  Clever, Alanis!) -- it was also the most she 
   said.

   Bored beyond tears, I checked up on Buddy, Putty, and Guy's progress with
   Patsy and Tabitha.  Tabitha had thrown her rainbow thingie into the crowd.
   High fives all around.  Patsy was feeding Putty nachos.  Guy brought beers,
   which the girls sipped surreptitiously.  Emboldened, Patsy left the table 
   and waded into the crowd on the floor.  She stood for a moment, raised her 
   hand in the air, and waved one finger at Morissette.  Woooo!  Invigorated, 
   Patsy returned to the table, and soon departed for the bathrooms with 
   Tabitha.  Buddy, Putty, and Guy promptly took the girls' places at the 
   table, and ate the rest of their nachos.  Morissette introduced a song, 
   saying "I just wrote this three days ago, but just act like you've heard it 
   fifty times."  It wasn't hard.

   Patsy and Tabitha returned from the bathroom in time for "You Oughta Know," 
   the song that, perhaps errantly, made Alanis what she is.  It's a pretty
   good song, actually, filled with vitriol and spite.  The kind of song an 
   ugly girl would sing, a mean girl, a tough girl, a girl who'd put on a 
   really rocking show and not care if she got sweat rings under her arms.  And
   yet, Morissette is none of those things.  The disappointment is not that 
   she's pretty, or seems rather sweet and friendly, but that she just doesn't 
   do the work.  Her forehead may have shone, but it was with glitter, not 
   sweat.

   So she delivered what everyone had been waiting for, and all the girls 
   shouted along with "do you think of me when you FUCK her," and the balding 
   skinny guy who'd been hovering uncomfortably close to my chair all evening 
   leaned over to shout "every time I scratch my nails down someone else's back
   I hope you feel it" in my face, and I watched Patsy and Tabitha bouncing 
   their butts from the tabletop to the backs of their chairs, hoping one would
   land in the nachos, and then it was over and done.

   There has been some scuttlebutt recently (some of it scuttled by ATN, guilty
   as charged) about Alanis Morissette having had a brief career in her native
   Canada as a teen pop star (gasp!)  The implication being, she's come a long
   way, baby, sort of like Vanessa Williams having once posed for nudie
   magazines.  Morissette's dark secret, which she recently admitted to being
   embarrassed about, and hoping none of her fans listened to those old 
   records, is in truth nothing to be ashamed of.  Just as Williams in the Miss
   America swimsuit competition is actually not that far a stretch from her 
   Hustler days, Morissette as the hard rockin' voice of disgruntled teen 
   princesses everywhere can't be far off from her former days of pop glory.  
   Choke me in the shallow water before I get too deep.