R. Stevie Moore is a legend and a pioneer of D.I.Y., anything-goes home recordings, who influenced Ween like no other. "Dr. Rock," from Ween's second full-length The Pod, has every touchstone of being a tribute to Moore, both stylistically and lyrically. Moore, who has lived around New Jersey and New York since the '80s, and regularly appeared on local cable and public access television programs, was just a stones throw from Dean and Gene in New Hope, PA. It's not hard to imagine teenage Dean and Gene getting high in their bedrooms, watching Moore on TV, and being inspired to follow his lead. "Dr. Rock" is to Ween what "Cool Daddio" was to Moore - in-your-face noise pop with a serrated punk edge, capable of giving you "everything you need." And the message, "see what you can make of it," rings particularly true for both Moore and Ween, who have done it themselves, defied conventional music styles, never had a chart-topping record or single, and yet have amassed dedicated cult followings that will keep them going til death tells them to stop.
↧