rtbuck
Senior Member
It was 1979 & I was at Cavages Record Store at the Thruway Mall like any other Friday night in my life back then & as I was cashing out whatever records I was buying. I noticed there was a stack of papers setting on the counter & as I took a closer look I realized it was some kind of contest. There were about 25 questions & at the top of the page it read "I Do the Rock". I didn't understand the questions as they were strange but I took the paper home anyway:
"Who's Farming Beef?"
"Who's Making Beer?"
"Who's Giving Champagne Parties?"
"Who feels exposed?"
I had no idea what this was all about until a few days later when I was listening to QFM-97 FM & all of a sudden this strange song was played. It was kind of a heavy rock rhythm with a rock & roll style & even a hint of reggae. I was hearing all of these celebrity names mentioned in the lyrics which was tough to keep up with...& then the chorus..."I DO THE ROCK...!"
That was it... I now understood that strange contest. The song really grew on me & I had found out it was by Tim Curry(whoever he was!). I bought the album which was called 'Fearless' shortly after. The album was totally different than anything I was listening to at the time but there was something about it's style I liked. As I had side one cranking out of my 25 watt JC Penney stereo reciever & turntable I layed back on my bed & studied the album front & back covers. Just as a short guitar solo ripped on "Hide This Face" I noticed that Dick Wagner co-wrote basically the whole record & was the guitarist. Knowing this I was hooked as you know the story with me & "The Alice Cooper Show". "No Love on the Street" is an awesome tune with great vocals & guitars.This is probably my favorite Tim Curry track & I would think that everyone else would think it's cool as hell.
That whole album was great & I wanted more. I then found out he was the cross dresser from the Rocky Horror Picture show which at the time it came out I had no desire to see the movie after seeing the commercials (By the early 80's I was having a riot seeing it at the midnight showings!). I picked up his previous release "Read My Lips" & enjoyed that album as well especially the tune "Sloe Gin" which is one song everyone must hear. Wagner's guitars are phenominal throughout the song. There was one song called "Brontosaurus" which was kind of strange but I kept thinking the riff reminded me of part of Cheap Trick's "California Man" (Years later I realized I was right when I picked up a Roy Wood anthology & I found out one of his band's called the Move actually wrote "California Man" & they also originally did "Brontosaurus".
I also have his 1981 album 'Simplicity' which was a pretty decent album but not as good as the other two I had. Like 'Read My Lips' 'Simplicity' was mostly cover songs including a strange version of "She's Not There".
It kind of sucks that his music career is virtually unknown thanks to his movie career but hell as long as I know his music & enjoy it that's all that matters to me!
Albums:
1978 Read My Lips
1979 Fearless
1981 Simplicity
Tim Curry on Wikipedia
I Will (Reggae cover of Beatles song
I Do The Rock
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