The sterling Old Rope blog has recently been discussing great song intros, and WHTB couldn't resist the opportunity to nab the idea and post a personal favourite. Who could forget this timeless classic?
Squirrel Song - Shellac:
Squirrel Song - Shellac:
On occasion, rock'n'roll has been known to produce artists whose schtick is schlock - yer Alice Coopers, yer Marilyn Mansons, whatever. Invariably they have been lambasted by well-meaning (but ultimatey idiotic) pressure groups as evil, sinful or corruptive. Lord knows what these groups would make of Shellac's 1000 Hurts album, which opens with a prayer to the lord to kill his cheating wife and her partner. The cuckolded Steve Albini - not reknowned for the cheeriest of music at the best of times - positively spits abuse all over the record, but it's best summed up with the savage, disjointed riff that opens Squirrel Song, and his caustic, venomously ironic narration over the intro: "This is a saaaad fuppin' song... be lucky if i don't bust out cryin'...". Then Todd Trainer's monstrously loud drums tear into the speakers, and for one brief moment it sounds like rock'n'roll could actually be powerful enough to summon demons. It can't, of course, but that brief moment sure is exhilarating.
