Saturday night, my friend and I went to see The Linda Lindas and Be Your Own Pet at the Novo, at LA Live.
I haven’t been to the Novo before (I think maybe it was a bowling alley at one point? Part of it felt familiar, and the bowling alley is the only place I’ve been that would fit the memory), and I was thrilled to discover a new (to me) venue with fantastic sight lines and great sound.
I saw Linda Lindas open for Blondie1 at the Greek like two years ago, and they killed. I’ve been a fan since I heard Racist, Sexist Boy* about three years ago, and I am emotionally invested in their happiness and success. They are going to blow up before we know it, and take their place as the 21st century’s Go-Gos, or Runaways. I just love those kids!
Did I mention they are all kids? When I saw them at the Greek, I think Mila, the dummer, was 12? And Bela, one of their guitarists, was like 16? You’d never know it, based on their stage presence and technical chops.
Don’t sleep on them, is what I’m saying. In a year, they won’t be playing the Novo; they’ll be playing much larger venues, and the intimacy of these shows won’t be possible.
It was the first time I’ve seen Be Your Own Pet, though I’ve been listening to them for years, since I started a Spotify station with Rebel Girl and just let it go, so I could discover new music. (When Riot Grrl was at its peak, I was a really dumb boy, so I missed a lot of it. Better late than never, dumb boys.)
I came home from the show pretty late, and I was up even later while I waited for the energy and excitement of the show to fade so I could go to sleep. (A well-worn joke in my book is: I am 52 years-old. I’m tired all the time except between the hours of 10pm and 3 am.) I considered going into Fallout 76 to work on my camp, then remembered all the times I did that “real quick” for three or four hours that flew by without me noticing. So I was off to the YouTubes!
I went through my subscriptions, and ended up watching a short from this guy called Professor of Rock, who does the kind of deep dive explorations into music and its history that speak directly to my inner nerd in a form of high elvish that has mostly been forgotten. (Remember: being a nerd isn’t about what you love; it’s about the way you love it.)
I’ve learned lots of things from him over the years, but I know a lot about music myself (Willem Dafoe Meme) so it’s rare that I go “Holy shit I didn’t know that!”
Guess where I’m going with this? I learned something that not only did I not know, it reset what I thought I knew about it.
He has a video about long songs that broke the Billboard hot 100 at a time when it was exceedingly rare for anything longer than 4 minutes to get radio play. Olds like me who grew up in the 70s and 80s probably jumped way ahead of him: Stairway to Heaven, One of These Days, Side 2 of Abbey Road (called Golden Slumbers for the single version), etc.
Only none of those were on his list! Clever girl (Jurassic Park meme).
I don’t want to spoil the countdown, in case you’re going to watch it. But I do want to share one song he included, because until this weekend, I didn’t know that this version existed. This is the full album version of Inna-Gada-Davida, by Iron Butterfly:
AKA
I’ve known the story of Inna Gadda Da Vida for so long, I can’t remember when or where I learned about it. I’ve never been a particularly big fan of it, because it’s … well, it’s boring and repetitive.
Oh, but that’s the radio version that you’ve heard, Wil Wheaton, did you know there is a SEVENTEEN MINUTE VERSION THAT ROCKS YOUR FUCKING FACE RIGHT OFF?
Well, now I do, thanks to the Professor of Rock, and holy shit I’ve listened to it so many times since Saturday, I’m at risk of burning myself out. AND I’ve been listening to the whole album, which I never even gave a second look, because I didn’t like what I thought was the only version of the title song.
So thanks, Professor! It turns out that, even at 52 years-old, there are still wonderful and surprising opportunities to learn and discover new things. I appreciate the reminder.
Hey, check out my amazing segue:
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Rock on, friends.
*I love that Bella is wearing the same Kim Gordon shirt by Kathleen Hanna that I wear from time to time.
- May his memory be a blessing ↩︎
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I saw The Linda Lindas open for Green Day this last summer and I am now a huge fan. They really do kill it on stage.
I’m 53, and I too am always tired except for the hours between 10pm and 3am 😆
I’m seeing the Linda Linda’s in a few weeks. I started listening to them a few years ago after you posted about them on FB
Fun memory: when we first got a surround sound system (Dolby 5.1 Pro Logic baybeeee), In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida was what my dad asked me to play to test it out. That was the day my Xennial self learned 1) it was possible for a single track to take up an entire side of an LP, and 2) LPs could play on more than two channels. Or they can’t and my dad just wanted it super loud because awesome. Either way, good times.
TIL there was a radio version of In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida. I am 42, and my mom mostly listened to country radio in the car, so I must’ve missed the radio version. When we went on longer trips with my dad though, we’d listen to cassettes and I remember his favorite song was In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida. But we always listened to the full version on cassette, so I wasn’t aware there was a radio version.
So happy you can finally enjoy Iron Butterfly. I have a vinyl of Inagaddadavida, original pressing, from my teen years, with the tears of my parents warping the cover. They were not fans.
OMG Wil, this song brings back such great memories! The radio station in my hometown, Paducah, KY, used to play this almost every night beginning at 10 pm. I absolutely knew every beat and every measure and would airplay all the instruments. Thank you for sharing this (new-to-you!) version! 🙂
This was in the early ’70s and they would play the full version.
Hey Wil, if you’re into The Linda Lindas / riot grrl – there’s a great band from Brighton, UK called Lambrini Girls… they have a lot of riot grrl, with a heap of UK punk attitude. Also from the same area is CLT DRP – electropunk, riot grrl and techno… they have a very Le Tigre/Peaches sound happening.
https://lambrinigirlsband.bandcamp.com/album/who-let-the-dogs-out
https://cltdrp.bandcamp.com/album/nothing-clever-just-feelings
Thanks! I’m always looking for new music.
Also Otoboke Beaver from Japan – If you haven’t heard them, I’d say you’d love ’em. Totally off the wall. https://otobokebeaver.bandcamp.com/
Oh WOW I love them! They feel like Suzi Moon meets Amyl and the Sniffers. Thank you!
Oh Wil the full version of In-a-gadda-da-vina is the only one I know. Played that side of the album so much that we wore it out. Glad some of you youngsters are finding it! Just light some instances and put that on the turntable and I’m back in the 60s. ✌️
I feel like Ric Romero in 1999, realizing that there is this thing called The Internet.
Wait….you’ve never gotten stoned and laid on the floor to listen to the entire Inna Gadda Da Vida album? I mean, the drum solo alone with the stereo imaging……
Oh, I have plans for this evening, believe me.
We just saw The Linda Lindas/Be Your Own Pet here in Seattle, and it was amazeballs! Both bands were fantastic, but can’t wait to see what The Linda Lindas do next, I hope they have an amazing and long career. That same week, we also saw Franz Ferdinand and Amyl and the Sniffers. As a 57 year old aging goth broad it was a lot, but worth it. We also watch Professor of Rock, he’s pretty great at getting into the weeds of the history of music.
Hi, Mr. 52; I’m Ms. 71. When I saw the subject line, I knew Reverend Lovejoy was speaking directly to me (not for the first time). LoveLoveLove the Simpons’ take on innagaddayaddayadda. In fact, I’m going to hop over to YT and watch it yet again. Count me as another fan of Professor of Rock. Amazing that I can still learn things, especially between 10pm and 1am. And between 2:00 and 4:00.
Professor of Rock, well, rocks! I’ve got about 25 years on you, so Iron Butterfly and Ia-a-Gadda-da-Vida hit at just the right time for me. SoCal, free love, my own house – and a little herbal relaxation. Thanks for the flashback! By the way, that 10 pm – 3 am thing? It doesn’t go away
46…exhausted but can’t sleep. Right between 12 AM and 3 AM my energy hits solar flare level,. 3:30 AM I finally crash then have to get up at 4:45 AM for work. 20 years ago I slept about the same but never felt tired like this.
Adulting is overrated.
Professor of Rock is amazing.
46…exhausted but can’t sleep. Right between 12 AM and 3 AM my energy hits solar flare level,. 3:30 AM I finally crash then have to get up at 4:45 AM for work. 20 years ago I slept about the same but never felt tired like this.
Adulting is overrated.
Professor of Rock is amazing.
With regard to the Iron Butterfly revelation.
I’m embarrassed to say (as it shows my age) I first heard “Inna gadda da vida” on an episode of Home Improvement. The episode revolved around Halloween, and as such I always associated the song with Halloween AND as it was the shortened repetitive version mostly disregarded it. However, your post prompted me to check out this longer version and I definitely dig it. Thank you!
The long version of Inna Gadda Da Vida was the Late Night Radio DJs friend – when you needed to go to the bathroom, you put on Inna Gadda Da Vida and you don’t have to worry about getting back in time for the next segue.
He mentions that. He also talked about how that precise impulse from a late night DJ made Nights in White Satin blow up for Moody Blues, years after it had been released to very little notice.
I also like Professor of Rock. Another channel I like is Rick Beato; he gives deep analysis of why songs work and often interviews amazing artists.
In “What Makes This Song Great? “Bohemian Rhapsody” QUEEN (Feat. Brian May)” Brian May explains how they recorded the iconic track.
For “What Makes This Song Great? “Kiss From A Rose” SEAL” Seal explains the origins of the song.
I get lost when he gets into deep music theory and structure, but I find lots of explanations that help me understand why I like certain songs.