Happy MOGiversary to me...Christmas Is Coming!
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Artist:The Payolas
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Track:Christmas Is Coming
Whoa...this sneaked up on me. Nearly flew right past me, in fact. But it was a year ago today I joined MOG and created my first two posts. The time I've spent here has been a true pleasure. Man, does that ever sound lackluster and uninspired - but it's really true. I only wish I had more free time to devote to it; the few kindred spirits who read my posts know that I've not had much of a presence here lately. It's not due to any disenchantment with MOG; it's more the result of being substantially busier with my freelance day job, plus landing a music gig back in June that has me out playing three nights a week. Obviously that's good news for the most part - I'll take as much music in my life as I can get - but it has definitely kept me from posting much here. Maybe I'll make a New Year's resolution to carve out some quality MOG time in 2008.But in celebration of my MOGiversary today, I'm going to harken back to my second post, from 12/17/06, and share with you my absolute favorite Christmas song. One of the chief reasons that I look forward to this season, especially when sometimes it seems like there's not so much to look forward to, is the fact that I get to play this song again.
It's 1983's "Christmas Is Coming," by "The Payolas":http://wc08.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:39fpxq85ldfe (sometimes "Payola$"). I always knew they were Canadian, but only today did I learn that Bob Rock and Paul Hyde actually formed the band in Victoria, British Columbia - home of the illustrious (though quiet) "mezz":http://mog.com/mezz_. I already liked that city, but now I've got yet another reason.So why am I such a sucker for this song? I think that at least partly it takes me back to the long-distance relationship I was in when I first heard it - which continues to this day, happily, minus the long-distance part. On at least two occasions, Christmas brought a much-anticipated reunion for us. Aside from that, the song itself has a loose and genuine quality that drew me in then and still does today. Surprisingly for its '80s vintage, the arrangement features no poppy synths to date it; just a killer two-guitar hook and nice trashy-sounding drums. The stoptime break before the next-to-last chorus always gets me too.h2. Merry Christmas, MOG!(As to availability, I originally bought this gem as a special edition 12" vinyl release....but it's available on a 1995 compilation called The Edge Of Christmas - out of print of course, but available at Amazon and elsewhere. It's worth checking out - includes some cool, off-the-beaten-path selections.)
It's 1983's "Christmas Is Coming," by "The Payolas":http://wc08.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:39fpxq85ldfe (sometimes "Payola$"). I always knew they were Canadian, but only today did I learn that Bob Rock and Paul Hyde actually formed the band in Victoria, British Columbia - home of the illustrious (though quiet) "mezz":http://mog.com/mezz_. I already liked that city, but now I've got yet another reason.So why am I such a sucker for this song? I think that at least partly it takes me back to the long-distance relationship I was in when I first heard it - which continues to this day, happily, minus the long-distance part. On at least two occasions, Christmas brought a much-anticipated reunion for us. Aside from that, the song itself has a loose and genuine quality that drew me in then and still does today. Surprisingly for its '80s vintage, the arrangement features no poppy synths to date it; just a killer two-guitar hook and nice trashy-sounding drums. The stoptime break before the next-to-last chorus always gets me too.h2. Merry Christmas, MOG!(As to availability, I originally bought this gem as a special edition 12" vinyl release....but it's available on a 1995 compilation called The Edge Of Christmas - out of print of course, but available at Amazon and elsewhere. It's worth checking out - includes some cool, off-the-beaten-path selections.)
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