Culture Wars: Trivial Tunes with Mary Heilmann

Culture Wars: Trivial Tunes with Mary Heilmann

Left: Mary Heilmann. Art in the Twenty-First Century, production still, 2009. Season 5, Episode: Fantasy. © Art21, Inc. 2009. Right: Sleevefacin’ the Art21 Culture Wars soldier.

What better way to soundtrack an art and pop culture event than to invite an in-tune-with-pop-culture artist to curate a selection of their favorite music?

Mary Heilmann was a natural fit for our inaugural Culture Wars trivia event, and we were thrilled when she accepted our invitation to create a soundtrack for the evening. We really could not have asked for a better pairing. Culture Wars participants were treated to selections from Mary’s music collection—hand picked by Mary herself—as they entered the main stage at the 92YTribeca, and they were treated to more between scoring sessions during the halftime intermission and after the second half.

With Mary on hand at the trivia event, it seemed only fitting to create an entire music-themed “audio” round. Titled Personnel Changes, the round was inspired by the announcement of Jeffrey Deitch’s upcoming appointment as the director of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles. The questions involved 10 bands or musicians where a personnel change affected their musical output. Each question included a snippet of a song, and we asked the players to name the band or musician in question (for 1 point) and to briefly state the personnel change (for another point).

A video of the audio round from the January 28 event, along with Mary Heilmann’s playlist, is included below. Play along at home and let us know how you did!

Mark your calendars: The next Culture Wars night is on Wednesday, March 24, at the 92YTribeca.

[spoiler show=”Show me the trivia answers!”]

  1. Bob Dylan, “On the Road Again”; Dylan adds an entire band, goes electric
  2. Prince, “Gett Off”; First album with new band, New Power Generation
  3. The Byrds, “One Hundred Years from Now”; Gram Parsons joins the band, Byrds go “alt-country”
  4. Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Aeroplane”; Dave Navarro replaces John Frusciante, guitar no longer relevant in RCHP’s music
  5. Genesis, “A Trick of the Tail”; First album after Peter Gabriel’s departure, first album with Phil Collins on lead vocals
  6. Janet Jackson, “What Have You Done for Me Lately”; Began long-standing collaboration with producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
  7. Brand Nubian, “Punks Jump Up to Get Beat Down”; Grand Puba leaves the group
  8. Talking Heads, “Found A Job”; Brian Eno begins producing and collaborating with the band
  9. Roxy Music, “A Song For Europe”; Brian Eno leaves the band
  10. Wilco, “Handshake Drugs” [live]; Nels Cline joins the band

[/spoiler]

Mary’s Playlist

Neil Young, “After the Garden” [from Living with War, 2006]
New Order, “Age of Consent” [from Power, Corruption & Lies, 1983]
Einstürzende Neubauten, “Alles Wieder Offen” [from Alles Wieder Offen, 2007]
Pink Floyd, “Arnold Layne” [from Relics, 1971]
Warron Zevon, “Back in the High Life Again” [from Life’ll Kill Ya, 2000]
Marianne Faithfull, “The Ballad of Lucy Jordan” [from Broken English, 1979]
Del tha Funkee Homosapien, “Mistadobalina” [from I Wish My Brother George Was Here, 1991]
Pulp, “Common People” [from Different Class, 1996]
Country Joe McDonald, “The ‘Fish’ Cheer I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin-To-Die-Rag” [from Woodstock, original soundtrack, 1970]
Chaka Demus and Pliers, “Don’t Be Cruel” [from Help them Lord, 2001]
The Doors, “The End” [from The Doors, 1967]
Brian Eno, “Here He Comes” [from Before and After Science: Ten Pictures, 1977]
Bernthøler, “My Suitor” [from Merry Lines in the Sky, 2004]
Jane Siberry, “Calling All Angels” [from the Until the End of the World, original soundtrack, 1991]
John Cale, “Emily” [from Fear, 1974]
Shoukichi Kina, “Flowers for Your Heart” [from Bloodlines, 1980]
Jefferson Airplane, “White Rabbit” [from Surrealistic Pillow, 1967]
Stevie Wonder, “Happy Birthday” [from Hotter than July, 1980]
House of Pain, “Jump Around” [from House of Pain, 1992]
Desmond Dekker, “Israelites” [from The Original Reggae Hitsound of Desmond Dekker and the Aces, 1985]
Joan Baez, “Jesse” [from Diamonds and Rust, 1975]
Joan Weber, “Let Me Go Lover” [from The Complete Recordings, 2004]
Miriam Makeba and the Belafonte Singers, “The Click Song” [from Belafonte Returns to Carnegie Hall, 1960]
The Raincoats, “Lola” [from The Raincoats, 1980]
Donovan, “Mellow Yellow” [from Mellow Yellow, 1967]
Coumba Gawlo, “Miniyamba” [from Coumba Gawlo, 1996]
Musical Youth, “Pass the Dutchie” [from The Youth of Today, 1982]
William Orbit, “Harry Flowers” [from Strange Cargo III, 1993]
Townes Van Zandt, “Poncho and Lefty” [from The Late Great Townes Van Zandt, 1972]
Kraftwerk, “Radioactivity” [from Radio-Aktivität, 1975]
The Rolling Stones, “I Am Waiting” [from Aftermath, 1966]
Desmond Dekker, “Rudy Got Soul” [from This is Desmond Dekker, 1969]
Amadou and Miriam, “Sabali” [from Welcome to Mali, 2008]
Leonard Cohen, “Suzanne” [from The Songs of Leonard Cohen, 1968]
Amy LaVere, “Take ’em or Leave ’em” [from This World Is Not My Home, 2006]
The Who, “Baba O’Riley” [from Who’s Next, 1971]
David Grisman, “Tennessee Waltz” [from Life of Sorrow, 2003]
Echo and the Bunnymen, “It’s All Over” [from Crystal Days: 1979–1999, 2001]
Daft Punk, “One More Time” [from Discovery, 2001]
Noel Gallagher, “To Be Someone (Didn’t We Have a Nice Time)” [from Fire & Skill: The Songs of the Jam, 2000]
Jimi Hendrix, “Wind Cries Mary” [from Are You Experienced?, 1967]
Flaming Lips, “Yoshimi Vs. The Pink Robots” [from Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, 2002]
Annie Lennox, “A Whiter Shade of Pale” [from Medusa, 1995]
Randy Newman, “Louisiana 1927” [from Good Old Boys, 1974]
Jimi Hendrix, “The Star Spangled Banner” [from Jimi Hendrix: Woodstock, 1994]
Funkadelic, “Maggot Brain” [from Maggot Brain, 1971]
Jeff Buckley, “Lilac Wine” [from Grace, 1994]
Bryan Ferry, “It’s All Over Now Baby Blue” [from Frantic, 2002]
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, “The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth” [from Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, 2005]