1001 Songs Challenge #933: Destroy Rock & Roll (2003)

On 11 February 2019 I set myself the challenge of reading 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die by Robert Dimery (ed.) and following the book’s advice to the letter. I’ve previously read 1001 Films… and started 1001 Albums… but felt 1001 Songs… would be a sensible place to start for what I have in mind here.

My challenge is to read about one song per day and listen to it (YouTube and Spotify, I need you tonight!) before sharing my own thoughts. Some songs I will love, others I’ll hate, and I’m sure there will be those that leave me perplexed but listen to them I shall.

I’ll also try, and most likely fail, to pinpoint the best song from the 1001 on offer but I’m nothing if not foolhardy. Instead of one song, I’m predicting I’ll have about 100 favourites by the end and may have to resort to a Top 10 so far to maintain any semblance of sanity.

So long as I post every day (including Christmas) then this challenge should come to an end on Wednesday 8 November 2021. Staying with the Barney Stinson theme I am hoping that the whole experience will prove to be… legendary!

 

Mylo – Destroy Rock & Roll (2003)

 

We’re leaving the US, dear reader, and returning to the UK. Once there we head north into Scotland and stay the night on the Isle of Skye. Myles MacInnes, known as Mylo, began his career at the start of this century and favoured electronica and house as his genres. We join him in 2003 where Mylo is working on his debut album, Destroy Rock & Roll, and from there 1001 Songs have gone with the title track. 

There are two key elements to this track. Mylo provides the music, while the lyrics are a sample taken from a 1984 address, “Invocation for Judgement Against and Destruction of Rock Music” which was delivered by Elizabeth Clare Prophet on behalf of Church Universal and Triumphant. Prophet sought to outline the corruption of rock music on one’s ears and how the key names that fall under this umbrella should be boycotted. After beginning the track with this address, Mylo spends the remainder of the song with additional samples as Prophet lists the many artists up for scrutiny, ranging from Prince and Tina Turner to Cyndi Lauper and Pink Floyd. There are some mispronunciations in there too with Cyndia Lauper becoming Cyndi Looper.

I have a nephew named Mylo but other than him the name has not resonated with me elsewhere. Destroy Rock & Roll is an interesting project and one tinged with irony as Prophet is able to condemn a plethora of rock & roll stars while Mylo pumps up the volume with his own music. You are pretty confident this particular church would not have approved of this melody either. Mylo’s debut album was well received and although he continues to this day, his musical output since this first album has been infrequent.

 

Favourite songs so far:

The Animals – House of the Rising Sun (1964)

Simon & Garfunkel – The Sounds of Silence (1965)

The Beatles – A Day in the Life (1967)

The Doors – The End (1967)

Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here (1975)

Meat Loaf – Bat Out of Hell (1977)

Tracy Chapman – Fast Car (1988)

U2 – One (1991)

Radiohead – Paranoid Android (1997)

Snow Patrol – Run