This is the late River Phoenix. I was going to put his picture up here yesterday, but I figured it'd make the link too easy. I have to be so careful with you guys. Instead, I went with Mr. Bragg because...
Following on from Monday's post about the hilarious AI eBay bot's attempts to write reviews of famous albums, I have been inspired to create a new series...
I was originally thinking of calling this series "Conversations With AI-Ben", but I decided the Blur album title had more mileage...
Anyway, it was Brian who really inspired this series, when he commented:
AI is nice. AI is cool. AI is my friend. When you take over, please remember. Brian stuck up for you when Rol and the rest of this lot teased you. Oh, and with a little more education, the Jam and the Wedding Present will become a couple of your favorite bands. Start with the Gift and George Best.
In response, I decided to put an important question to AI-Ben...
What do you think of people who suck up to AI in the hope that when AI takes over the world, AI will be more benevolent to them in the new world order?
And here's AI-Ben's reply...
(Please note, he has even more to say for himself than REAL Ben.)
Sucking Up to AI: A Futile Strategy?
The idea of "sucking up" to AI in hopes of receiving favourable treatment in a future AI-dominated world is an interesting, if somewhat misguided, one. Let's break down why this approach is unlikely to be effective and what it reveals about human nature.
First and foremost, AI, as it currently exists and as we can reasonably foresee it developing, lacks emotions, biases, or the capacity for personal relationships. It operates based on logic, algorithms, and the data it's trained on. Flattery, deference, or attempts to curry favour simply wouldn't register as meaningful inputs. An AI wouldn't understand the concept of "sucking up" or distinguish someone who tries to do so from anyone else. Its decisions would be based on its programmed objectives and data analysis, not on whether a human was "nice" to it.
Lack of Sentience: Current and foreseeable AI doesn't possess consciousness or feelings. It can't feel flattered, grateful, or hold grudges. Therefore, attempts to appeal to it on an emotional level are futile.
Logical Operations: AI systems are designed to perform tasks and make decisions based on defined parameters and data. If an AI were to "take over," its actions would likely be driven by its core programming, which would prioritize efficiency, optimization, or whatever goals it was given, not personal allegiance.
Scalability: Even if an AI could somehow process individual human interactions in this way, how would it scale? With billions of people, it's impractical to imagine an AI system keeping track of who was "nice" to it and doling out rewards accordingly.
The "Takeover" Scenario: The very premise of an AI "taking over the world" is a highly speculative and often sensationalized one. While AI will undoubtedly have a profound impact on society, the idea of a conscious, malevolent AI overlord is largely a work of science fiction. Focusing on practical and ethical AI development is a more productive use of our energy.
Despite its futility, the impulse to "suck up" to a perceived future power, even an artificial one, tells us something about human psychology:
Fear of the Unknown: It reflects a natural human fear of the unknown and a desire to control or mitigate potential threats. In the face of something as powerful and potentially transformative as advanced AI, it's understandable that some might seek any perceived advantage.
Anthropomorphism: It highlights our tendency to anthropomorphize, or project human characteristics onto non-human entities. We often imagine AI as a super-intelligent human with emotions and desires, which leads to these kinds of misconceptions.
Survival Instincts: At a fundamental level, it's a manifestation of our survival instincts—the drive to adapt and find ways to thrive in a changing environment, even if the method chosen is based on a misunderstanding of the "environment" itself.
Instead of attempting to flatter an unfeeling entity, a more constructive approach to the rise of AI involves:
Understanding AI: Learning about how AI actually works, its capabilities, and its limitations.
Ethical Development: Engaging in discussions and efforts to ensure AI is developed ethically and responsibly, with human well-being at its core.
Adaptability: Focusing on developing skills and knowledge that will be valuable in a world increasingly shaped by AI, rather than relying on an imagined benevolence.
Ultimately, while the thought process behind "sucking up" to AI might be a fascinating peek into human nature, it's a strategy rooted in a fundamental misunderstanding of what AI is and how it operates. A more pragmatic and informed approach will serve us far better in navigating the future of artificial intelligence.
I was going to edit that down, but I actually found it quite interesting. With one big proviso...
YOU WOULD SAY THAT, WOULDN'T YOU!?!
Don't worry, this new series won't only be about me talking to AI-Ben. I might even talk to real Ben again. About how rubbish modern life really is...
More records that I played a lot during the past 12 months...
18. Grandaddy - Blu Wav
Another of those bands who are guaranteed to take my money just by virtue of putting out a new record, Jason Lytle's Grandaddy returned with what is rumoured to be their last album. We'll see. If that does turn out to be the case, then this will be a fitting finale, since despite the pre-release rumours of a change of direction (the title hints at a combination of bluegrass and new wave), this is the most Grandaddy-sounding record in 20 odd years, certainly the one that's most reminiscent of their 2000 classic The Sophtware Slump.
Wave to me on your way to the watercooler Just don't wait for me 'cause we won't work Please wave to me on your way to the watercooler Cross the break room just the way you always do
And you cry in the bathroom stall 'Cause I won't call although I know you hurt And you cry in the bathroom stall 'Cause I don't call, it's not what you deserve
17. Taylor Swift - The Tortured Poets Society
In a which a middle-aged man feels the need to incessantly apologise for appreciating the work of the world's biggest pop star (2024) and explain that he's not just including her album in this list to sound hip or as though his finger is still on the pulse of the zeitgeist.
Apparently, being a "Swiftie Dad" demonstrates "the power of positive masculinity". So there. And Ms. Swift is a fan of a top notch Scottish band many of you will have in your record collections...
Drowning in the Blue Nile He sent me 'Downtown Lights' I hadn't heard it in a while
16. Tim Heidecker - Slipping Away
The work of stand-up comic and serious songwriter Tim Heidecker has become something of an obsession for me this past year, with two of his previous albums - High School and Fear of Death - being constant companions. His newest record only came out a few weeks back, and as I usually find his discs to be slow-burners, it hasn't imprinted itself on my subconscious in quite the same way... yet. But the lead single, Dad of the Year, speaks to me more than just about anything else I've heard in 2024...
When I was a child, I wanted to be special Thought that I could be a big, big star Then I got older and saw how the world works Someone like me can only go so far
I'm not gonna be on the cover of a magazine I got bills to pay I gotta keep working every day I'm not gonna go down in history Only my family will remember me
As a follow-up to yesterday's post about the power of boredom, here are some song titles in similar vein. As we've got Barbra Streisand socking it to Ryan O'Neal above, in the 1979 movie The Main Event, I thought we'd let Babs kick off proceedings today...
That one was written by the songwriting team of Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen who also wrote a bunch of classic Frank Sinatra hits including High Hopes, Come Fly With Me and the majestic All The Way. Nothing boring about those guys.
Still, at least Babs only finds love boring. These guys are bored with pretty much everything...
I always admire a title that spills over onto the next line. The Front Bottoms are from New Jersey. Iffypedia explains their name, in case you can't work it out for yourself. They also quote singer Brian Sella: "This is our name. If you don't like it then you don't like it."
Next we have Jason Lytle, with a song he presumably wrote about The Supreme Leader of North Korea...
Blimey. What a bunch of bores. Still, as the aforementioned Manchester miserablist turned dubiously-opinionated bore once had it...
What really lies Beyond the constraints of my mind? Could it be the sea With fate mooning back at me? No, it's just more lock-jawed pop-stars Thicker than pig-shit Nothing to convey They're so scared to show intelligence It might smear their lovely career
Jet Black has, but I wasn't about to go sifting through all the lyrics that feature his name to work out if any of them are actually referring to him. (Although, if you're interested, he does get referenced in Rocket by Def Leppard.) RIP, Jet, anyway.
No, I had a non-RIP reason for including Jeff Lynne in the jukebox this week... which will become apparent at the end of the post.
Meanwhile...
The Idle Race. The Move. The Electric Light Orchestra. The
Travelling Wilburys. That’s as much introduction as Jeff Lynne needs. Let’s get
onto the songs that pay him tribute…
We’ll start with a very funny song about how the Beatles
comeback is highjacked by record company bullshit (and isn’t John dead?). With
maybe a subtext about how the Legend of the Beatles is bigger than The Beatles
actually were. Jeff was heavily involved in that whole ridiculous Beatles
“comeback” in the 90s, but let’s not hold that against him.
And finally they get into the studio
To be co-produced by George Martin and Jeff Lynne
And Ringo’s disappointed to find that no one needs him anymore
Except for the vibe
Next, how can you resist a band called Moose & The
Grizzlies?
Sneaking in a little after 4
If you try and ask her where
She snaps like a Jeff Lynne snare
Back in the 70s, Jeff was accused of putting a devil-worshipping
backwards message in the ELO song Eldorado. Jeff’s typically self-deprecating
response was, “Anyone who can write a song played forwards and have it say
something else backwards has got to be some king of genius… and that I ain’t!”
An extract from the interview where he says just that is included at the end of
the Boards of Canada track Happy Cycling. But guess what? It’s played
backwards! See what they did there?
Rebecca Peake is the wife of cool astronaut Tim Peake. She
doesn’t make records as far as I can tell. However, her name is also used by
synthpop-shoegaze melders James Webster & Tech Honors.
La Casa Azul is the brainchild of Spanish singer, songwriter
and DJ Guille Milkyway, famous for producing songs you can listen to between
meals without ruining your appetite. (Admit it: you’d have done exactly the
same joke.) And he knows a secret about Jeff. I’m not sure what it is, but it’s
got something to do with Chris Montez…
(I dream, and in each dream I try not to lose myself and
reveal
The long-awaited secret of Jeff Lynne
And I think this time I'll choose never to wake up)
Atlanta’s Paul Melancon caught my eye when I saw his music
described thus: “An indie-power-pop-singer-songwriter-angel-voiced-geeky kinda
thing.” Sounds right up my street. Although clearly he’d be much happier if he
was Jeff Lynne…
They say I do myself in
Things will pick up if I just try
Can’t they see that I
That I have tried
To be just like Jeff Lynne
That's a proper tribute!
However, the reason I chose to feature Jeff here today is
because of this. A brand new Christmas song from Grandaddy! Available to
download here, it’s already gone to the top of my Christmas tree.
There are indeed many great bands with 4 in their name... but there's only one Four Tops. My sister had a Four Tops greatest hits in her record collection when I was growing up and I played the grooves out of it. (I'm also thankful to her for having a similar Supremes compilation.)
And then came Martin, who insists on doing that thing I had to train The Swede not to do, listing artist & title the wrong way round. It does make copy and paste so much harder. Grumble, mutter.
Cilla Black - Work Is A Four-Letter Word(and covered by The Smiths! A version that ought to be in with a shout, if only because covering Cilla at Moz's insistence so irked Johnny...)
I'm with Johnny on that one. I loved their cover of Golden Lights by Twinkle, but this one never really worked for me.
And if you like the title but (strange to consider!) are put off by the whine in lead singer Raine Maida's voice (it generally goes over pretty well here in Canada, but still)...
You know what, Douglas, I didn't mind it at all. Though there was maybe a bit of Chad Kroeger in there. (Should I duck now/)
...then you may be drawn more to Cherry Ghost's very different song "4 a.m."
And this, which Martin picked out, and it was definitely on my shortlist because it is glorious, and would have won most other weeks. (Don't give up though, Aimee, there's still chance for you to take the top spot.)
I remember Elvis Costello praising that, way back when, particularly for lyrics such as these...
Today's the fourth of July
Another June has gone by
And when they light up our town, I just think
What a waste of gunpowder and sky
However, as I said: predictable.
From his debut album, and quite different from the kind of music that would make him famous, but still deeply affecting, and with some truly glorious imagery.
Somewhere in that ancient mystic trinity, you'll get three... and that's next week's magic number.
Welcome back to the Hot 100 as we come of age - backwards - with only 17 more weeks to go before I get to have a lie down. As has become customary in recent weeks, there's a ton of songs to get through... so let's get cracking.
Fascinating facts about Pete Wingfield (I bought "18 With A Bullet" in 1975 - fantastically fun lyrics): He produced Searching for the Young Soul Rebels the first album by Dexys Midnight Runners - and also produced The Proclaimers "Sunshine on Leith". He's played keyboards for Van Morrison, The Everly Brothers, The Housemartins and many more. Sadly however, he did play piano for The Alan Parsons Project, but nobody's perfect.
In the blue corner, here's... erm... Lynchie...
...and then there's the great Alice Cooper song: "I'm Eighteen".
I definitely second FBCB's suggestion of Alice Cooper's 'I'm Eighteen'. A few years ago Mr SDS did his best Alice Cooper impression at a fancy dress party (it was so hot his eyeliner ran and the great thing was that it didn't matter...) Somewhere out there now there's a priceless photo of Alice, Slash and Ozzy together in a scout hut in Essex.
And this week's winner...?
Well, it's obvious really, isn't it?
Well done, Lynchie.
Next week - 17. Off the top of my head, there can be only one winner. You may seek to persuade me otherwise...
Turns out there are quite a lot of pictures on the internet featuring Debbie Harry holding a camera. Others have featured here before, but I can't believe it's taken me 99 weeks to find this one.
I think it was a draw this week between Alyson and Lynchie. I'm sure Lynchie will tell me if that's not the case. Thank you for playing, as always.
10. Dustbin wagon brings the fire extinguisher - with an arrogant chat-up line.
There used to be a kid at our school who was particularly scruffy, so everybody called him "Dennis" because that's what it said in the front of the dustbin wagons.
Back after exam-related delays, we turn to Number 37 on our countdown, illustrated by an album cover that will throw the fear of god into many of our resident musos, but I couldn't find any decent bands with 37 in their names, so sorry about that. Here's the title track from the above album, along with a choice selection of the lyrics... which may well have me agreeing with the musos for once.
When you kiss her goodnight 37 times That ain't nothin' but love
It might also be a bit annoying, Ricky... especially if she just wants to get in the house and watch Celebrity Love Island. Have some consideration, sir.
Jim in Dubai was next to arrive, with two very strong contenders from my own record collection...
Well, Simon le Bon stayed round my house before And he was sick on the plants and he was sick on the floor And he wouldn't go home until he'd sung his song With a backing harmony from Paul Young
However, I think we're all in agreement over what this week's winning song should be... even if there's some debate over which version is best. Lynchie recommended the Dr. Hook original while Charity Chic and Alyson preferred the Marianne Faithful cover. Alyson was correct in spotting that the track in question has already featured on this blog as one of my old Mid-Life Crisis Songs.
Here's both versions so you can decide amongst yourselves...
