low_delta

I don't usually get too upset about celebrities dying, even the ones I'm a fan of.

Charlie Watts died a couple of weeks ago. He was the drummer of The Rolling Stones for over 50 years. Fifty! There was quite a to-do after he died. It was much like it was when David Bowie died. Though he was "just" the drummer for the band, Keith Richards said that the core of the band was himself, Mick and Charlie. Without all three of them, it would never be The Stones. They will go on without him, of course (they're on tour right now), but I'll be a little surprised if they make new music without him. I was glad to hear the stories about Watts, showing that he was, in fact, a decent fellow.

There is a video going around right now, of Dan Rather's interview with Geddy Lee, bassist and singer of Rush. We lost his bandmate, drummer Neil Peart to brain cancer, a year and a half ago. We have Permanent Waves" in the player now, and I was listening to Peart's words and beats, and feeling a little sad about his loss.

.

Crossposts: https://low-delta.livejournal.com/1803026.html

Dusty Hill, the bassist and sometimes singer of ZZ Top died. Have you seen that documentary about the band on Netflix or wherever? It's pretty good. I was starting to think I should actually see the band.

I don't usually mark celebrity deaths, but ZZ Top was around for a long time - without a lineup change. In fact, they never changed members.

ZZ Top: 1970 - 2021 (51 years), from when Dusty Hill joined, to his death
U2: 1977 - present (44y), from formation
Rush: 1974 - 2018 (44y), from when Neil Peart joined, to their dissolution
Aerosmith: 1984 - present (37y), since the band reverted to the original lineup
Queen: 1970 - 1991 (21y), from formation to Freddie Mercury's death

Sometimes it is tricky to count. U2 had that lineup in 1977, but didn't record until 1980. Genesis has had only the same three members since 1977, but there were two long periods they were not active, including 2007 to 2020.

I've been tracking this for many years. A lot of new bands have joined the list after I started paying attention. Actually, they haven't made the list because I haven't actually noticed. There were so many nineties bands, I can't be complete about which ones are still around.

Radiohead: 1991 - present (30y), from formation (extra credit for no lineup changes)
Tool: 1995 - present (26y), Carey and Chancellor joined
Pearl Jam: 1998 - present (23y), James Cameron joined

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Crossposts: https://low-delta.livejournal.com/1794408.html

Excerpt of interview with Robert Fripp, guitarist of King Crimson

Q: You are the only Englishman in the band.

...

RF: No, it’s Anglo-American. Anglo-American is a very, very good relationship.

There is a sensibility that England has that is simply explained by saying, well actually, it’s English. For a wider approach to that I recommend anyone who’s interested might look at Peter Ackroyd’s new book The Origins of Albion: The Origins Of The English Imagination. This is a very well-informed, non-academic but persuasive and informative view of what it means to be English over a 2000-odd year period.

So part of King Crimson is English, but it can’t be wholly English because there are limitations to being in England, like... well you might as well give up because nothing is possible. Or, you’ve got a really good idea? It’ll fail. Or you’re successful? How dare you! So there are limitations on being English and Englishmen, young Englishmen and maybe even young Englishwomen. But I speak of my generation of musicians, which were totally male. When they went to America, instead of having to defend what they did, they actually met people who rather liked it and encouraged them in it. And this was such a novelty in their lives they decided they might stay there.

However, you then run into the other thing. Americans are very good at getting the show on the road. The content of the show, however, is not always their speciality. You have situations in England, therefore, where England is shambolic, amateurish, unprofessional, with eccentrics and oddballs who come up with strange ideas. They take these strange ideas to America, Americans say that’s a great strange idea, and they put the show on the road. So there’s a very good combination. If you spend too long in America you become, in my view, too concerned with putting the show on the road. If you stay in England for too long you realize it’s hopeless, and anyway the little success you had was a crime.

* * * * *

Maybe that's why I love British rock so much.

Crossposts: https://low-delta.livejournal.com/1747329.html

For my notes...

https://www.reddit.com/r/Bass/comments/7u2ny6/i_am_violent_femmes_bassist_brian_ritchie_ama/

Crossposts: https://low-delta.livejournal.com/1696016.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XFYMjkFYPg

1969 Stoner humor if you have a spare 13-1/2 minutes.

I remember this from back in the day, but whenever I looked for it, I couldn't find it. I knew that it was the "USS Titanic" and that it was by someone named Jamie. Though it was Jaime, I remember much of it.

It used Lead Belly's "The Titanic" as a starting point, including the (untrue) story that Jack Johnson was denied passage on the Titanic.

Here's Lead Belly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNlnl8nbfSE

Crossposts: https://low-delta.livejournal.com/1677912.html

I just discovered this artist yesterday. This is an amazing song.

Watch on YouTube

She, she
She, she

She caught a hole in the fence and she ran
She left her troublesome prison behind
She didn't wanna fuel the fire
She didn't wanna lose her desire

She, she
She, she

She looked out out to the horizon
She didn't have much left to see
Greed had taken the trees away
She had taken the bees away

She, she
She, she

She don't know where she gonna go now
She looked up to and it should've been stars
She said I wanna go to Mars
This this planet, it ain't ours

She said I wanna go to Mars
And this this planet ain't ours

Crossposts: https://low-delta.livejournal.com/1674241.html

I've been thinking of this t-shirt I used to wear. It's a Rush tour shirt, among the few tour shirts I've ever bought. I liked it a lot, and when the printing started to show some damage, I boxed it up. I should have gotten it out and worn it to their last tour.

This was from the Roll the Bones album and tour, 1991. The theme of that album was...

"No matter what kind of song you choose to play, you’re betting your life on it, for good or ill, and what you believe is what you are ... No one can ever be sure, in this best of all possible random universes.

That's why the essence of these songs is: if there's a chance, you might as well take it. So what if some parts of life are a crap shoot? Get out there and shoot the crap. A random universe doesn't have to be futile; we can change the odds, load the dice, and roll again... - Neil Peart

And lyrics...

Why are we here?
Because we’re here.
Roll the bones
Why does it happen?
Because it happens.
Roll the bones

We come into the world and take our chances
Fate is just the weight of circumstances
That’s the way that lady luck dances
Roll the bones..

Wheel goes round, landing on a leap of fate
Life redirected in ways unexpected
Sometimes the odd number wins
The way the big wheel spins

I walked into class one evening, and the teacher said something about how her son wore shirts like that. "with dead things." Metallica and such. I started to explain that it wasn't about death, but about "rolling the bones" and taking a gamble on life. She replied, "yeah right."

Final entry!

61. Peter Gabriel - Come Talk to Me
I have lots of Gabriel songs among my top favorites. Odd, because I don't really consider him to be one of my top favorite artists. Hmm. I may have to reconsider that.

"Red Rain" is normally in my top favorites, but I mention it here only as a runner up. You won't really hear it unless you fill a room with the sound.

62. Mark Knopfler is an underrated songwriter. "Romeo and Juliet" was released on Dire Straits's 1980 album, Making Movies. Amy Ray recorded a solo version for Indigo Girls's 1992 album, Rites of Passage. Here is that version...

63. Pearl Jam - Jeremy

64. R.E.M. - Me In Honey.
I love the riff. It swings around, just about falling off the edge, and then it catches itself and goes around again.

65. Nick Drake - Pink Moon
I like the acoustic version of "Fly" better, but this one is still beautiful.

66. U2 - Hawkmoon 269
Thundering drums and dive-bombing guitar. I can never play this song loud enough.

Those of you who are familiar with the song may enjoy this version. It starts out with a slow, bluesy slide guitar.

67. Allman Brothers - Whipping Post
I must note that the video is a bit odd. Feel free to put the music on in a different window and hide it while you listen.

68. U2 - Even Better Than the Real Thing
I love the looping guitar riffs. And the whole thing. I love the album, Achtung Baby. It was a real departure for them. U2 went through a lot of phases in their career.

69. Jimi Hendrix - All Along the Watchtower
Though the song was written by Bob Dylan, this is no mere cover. It's a complete remake. It's got the same chord structure and lyrics, but... much more. The guitar is beautiful. Lots of solos. Hendrix was pretty obsessive in his recording, and this one was maybe moreso than usual. He kept rerecording and overdubbing and erasing and overdubbing. But it worked.

70. Bruce Springsteen - Jungleland
It's technical perfection and a heartfelt story of grandeur in the streets.

71. Since no one is listening anymore, I can play the Femmes...
Violent Femmes - Never Tell
From their second album, Hallowed Ground. A very dark album, despite the sincere religious content. My favorite of theirs, and one of my top favorite albums.
"Never Tell" is a chilling song. Harrowing. "I stood right up in the heart of hell / I'll never tell!" ... "I will find you out / And I will cut you up"
I love the rich bass chords balanced with the spare, edgy guitar.

72. Jethro Tull - Life's A Long Song
There are probably another dozen Tull songs I could have included in this list, but I had to narrow it down somehow. This was always a standout tune for me.

It's funny, though. While there are Tull songs I like better than others, they don't have as many standout songs. It's just their whole catalog that appeals. Or whole albums. While I could put most of Aqualung on this list, it sounds best played all together. Even moreso for Stand Up. That one's been in my top three favorite albums since I first heard it.

They've had so many different sounds over the years. I feel I need to pick a few other representative songs.

Bouree
A New Day Yesterday
My God
Wind Up
Cold Wind to Valhalla
Crazed Institution

Top 73, day 73! This is it!
Rush - The Spirit of Radio
Rush's 1980 trip through the radio dial. Thirty-five years old and it still sounds fresh. A common complaint of Rush is that their music is cold. Not this one. It rocks, it's lively and upbeat. It's varied and keeps you on your toes, even if it's not danceable. And it has great riffage! And these days, Geddy can still almost hit the high notes.

Thanks to everyone who listened along on this journey, and hopefully learned something!

I'm really not sure how many songs are going to be in this "top-75." I made a list of nearly 80 when I started, but I've been adding and subtracting as I go along.

51. The Who - The Real Me
This song is amazing. It's not put together quite like any other song. The vocals and the bass are competing melodies, the guitar is just strumming power chords, backed up by the horns, and the drums are propelling everything at ninety miles an hour. But that bass, my god! It's just one long bass solo, lasting for three minutes and fifteen seconds!

For those who are interested, here's the isolated bass track.

And here's a slightly different version of the song. This is from the Quadrophenia soundtrack (rather than the studio album). I don't like the bass as much. it doesn't have the low-end oomph, since he's playing his 12-string bass, but I like the vocals better. They're looser - a little more rock-and-roll.

52. Eddie Vedder - Hard Sun
I don't have a whole lot to say about this song. I just love it. The tune and ringing guitar are uplifting.

You may have noticed I don't usually post an interesting video. I do that on purpose. I want you to listen to the music, and not be distracted by the pictures. People can be distracted by either "ooh, shiny!" or their own hangups about what they're watching. I like to stick to the message.

In the comments, Dave pointed out that the original was done by Indio.

53. Here's Rush again. "YYZ" (pronounced "why-why-zed," because they're Canadian). It's a fun little ditty, with some phenomenal playing.

54. It's kind of hard to pick standout U2 songs. There are so many I love, but they usually sound better in the context of an album. Here's one. "Bad"
The lyrics aren't special. Just listen.

55. Janis Joplin, "Try (Just A Little Bit Harder)"
Janis is generally known as a bust-a-gut blues singer. "Try" is more of an R&B number. Picture her in a girl group, with a sequined dress. I think I would have preferred some girl-group backing singers, though. Anyway, listen to her belt it out...

56. Patti Smith - Gone Again
Powerful, visceral, thunderous.

57. U2 - Exit
You may have noticed that most of the songs appearing in my list are not the most conventional arrangements. You haven't heard a lot of verse, chorus, verse, solo chorus verse songs here. I like music that pushes boundaries and challenges convention. I think everyone craves both originality and familiarity. I like the sound of the new, which then becomes the familiar.

Check out Edge's guitar - it's crazy. Nobody played like that back in the eighties. Now, you find that kind of thing all over. But nobody else sounds like him.

58. Nick Cave - Red Right Hand
I can't say I'm a huge Nick Cave fan, but this one... is fascinating.

He'll wrap you in his arms
And tell you that you've been a good boy
He'll rekindle all of those dreams
It took you a lifetime to destroy

He'll reach deep into the hole
Heal your shrinking soul
And there won't be a single thing
That you can do

59. Black Crowes - She Talks to Angels
Here's the acoustic, piano version.

60. This one features Joe Jackson, William Shatner and Ben Folds. The song is called "Common People," and it was originally done by Pulp, back in the mid-nineties. It's a story about class tourism. A clueless rich art student expresses her desire to live like common people and do whatever common people do.

But almost ten years after its release, Ben Folds met Shatner and decided to do an album. So, yes, The Shat. You know him from his overacted TV roles. And possibly from his overacted vocal recordings. You may recall his bizarre take on "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds." And I won't give you a link to his version of "Bohemian Rhapsody" - you'll have to Google that horror for yourself. But this song isn't like that. He's speaking, but he's not really overdoing it, and the song lends itself well to the spoken-word style.

So that's fine. But Folds's arrangement of the catchy tune is... catchy. It's enjoyable pop-rock. But the real star of the show is Joe Jackson. He can really belt it out.

I'm not going to pretend that this is one of the best songs ever, but I really enjoy this one, and usually hit repeat when it ends.

Here is William Shatner - Common People

Part 7

41. For those of you wondering when the Beatles would show, on my list... Here's one of the greatest songs ever written. "Here Comes the Sun".

42. The Doors - Break On Through
Another great debut album side-one, track-one.

This song is quite like no other. Densmore comes in with that Bossa Nova drumming (you know, the Brazilian elevator jazz?), then Manzarek with the keyboard bass. Krieger doubles it for a bit. He says he stole the riff from "Shake Your Money Maker," he just switched the beat around a little. Manzarek says he took his keyboard riffs from Ray Charles. And Morrison, singing right over the top of it. He sings clearly and forcefully. Then he lets it go a little, on the verge of screaming. The song never slows down, but it rests a bit in places before returning to its driving force. It rocks!

43. The Ramones - I Wanna Be Sedated
Fun! Ba baa baa ba baa, Ba baa baa ba baa...

Q: Why this particular Ramones song?
A: Because it's the funnest! I think it's peppier than most of their songs. The tune appeals to me.

44. The Temptations - I Can't Get Next to You
Classic Motown. Get with the funk!

Bonus track: Papa Was A Rollin' Stone

45. Here's a last minute addition. This one came up in the rotation tonight, and it just struck me. The Bodeans, "Say About Love". It just chugs along at a fast tempo. I love the guitar drone and the vocal melody. It wants to take off!

Bonus track for you Bodeans fans... here's another great song, in a killer performance:
Feed The Fire

46. Pink Floyd - Astronomy Domine
One of the best moments at a Pink Floyd concert was when they opened with this song. I was just grinning all through it (in the rain). It's an early tune from the art rock band, and a bit of a bash.

Here's an early film of the song, with its composer, Syd Barrett.

47. I'm a fan of songs that were remade in a style of music different from the original. So here's a bunch of alternametal tunes done as... polka! Weird Al Yankovic's "Angry White Boy Polka". Aside from the obvious humor in switching this stuff to some upbeat polka, the music is, well - fabulous! It's just so gosh darned happy! It really does have a lot of energy. "Upbeat" doesn't quite cover it.

Edited to clarify: My point for including Weird Al was that the music is surprisingly intense. You expect the humor of turning rock songs into polka. And you know that polka is upbeat and happy. But it takes a while to sink in, that it's really over the top. But not in a bad way. It's awesome!

48. What no love for Weird Al? Okay, so you don't care for intense music... how about something nice an mellow? Oops, I don't have any of that left. Wait... Ah, Van Morrison. Into the Mystic. According to Wikipedia, "the song has a soothing, calm, medium-paced tempo."

Van said: "That song is kind of funny because when it came time to send the lyrics into WB Music, I couldn't figure out what to send them. Because really, the song has two sets of lyrics. For example, there's 'I was born before the wind' and 'I was borne before the wind', and also 'Also younger than the son, Ere the bonny boat was one' and 'All so younger than the son, Ere the bonny boat was won' ... I guess the song is just about being part of the universe."

49. The house lights were up, and everyone was just standing around talking or whatever. Packed in, in the middle of the Arena floor. There's a certain energy, though people seem somewhat relaxed. And then... do I hear... a series of rising tones? Yes. Other people start to hear it. The energy turns to tension. The sound gets louder, more intense. The lights go out, the crowd is on the edge. The drums start - this is the first day, of my last days - The guitar attacks and the crowd explodes! A couple thousand people in one giant mass of mosh.
Nine Inch Nails - "Pinion" and "Wish"
Their second album, Broken (though technically and EP). It's rough, raw and it rocks hard. It's almost totally undanceable, like Pretty Hate machine, and much of their later work. And it doesn't approach the classic Downward Spiral, but I love it.
(This video is most of the album, but the two songs I'm talking about are the first two.)

50. Remember when alternative rock was still college rock? Back in the mid eighties, R.E.M. was starting to have mainstream success. "Begin the Begin" opened Lifes Rich Pageant. They hit hard and fast with this one. Thundering drums and guitars slashing through the layers of distortion, counterbalanced with Stipe's measured vocals. I love that little guitar riff that winds up between verses, and then the tension carries the song for a while. Midway through, the keyboards step down and the vocals step up, keeping up the tension.

Part 6

31. PJ Harvey, "The Wind". PJ Harvey's albums alternate between listenable and, well, challenging. 'Is This Desire?' is one of my favorite albums, and the songs run the gamut. "The Wind" is dominated by a hypnotic bass beat, and vocals both whispering and soft alto. The lyrics are inspired by St. Catherine.

A place where she could wassh
Ssssssshh
And listen to the wind blow
listen to the wind...

Bonus track, for those who like challenging: PJ Harvey and Bjork doing "Satisfaction." Hint: it starts slow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kK02kW1mKkk

32. The Rolling Stones, "Gimme Shelter".

'Nuff said...

Naked voice from Merry Clayton in gimme shelter

33. Seems like people are getting bored with my selections. Well this should wake you up - "Toccata" by Emerson Lake & Palmer. It's another of their adaptations of symphonic works. The original composer of this piece, Alberto Ginastera, called it "frightening." He loved it! I like it for the same reason - the mood. Dark, intense... frightening!

The original, by Ginastera.

34. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Long as I Can See the Light
I love this laid back tune. A bit of gospel, a touch of blues, a smoky sax solo...

Though I'm gone, gone
You don't have to worry
Long as I can see the light

35. Pomplamoose covers The Chordettes' version of "Mister Sandman."

36. Rush - The Analog Kid
Perfect song for a sunny Saturday afternoon. This song is from Signal, as they were getting into their synth era, but it still has an analog feel. I love the quick, tight bass and guitar. The slower rhythm of the vocals is a nice counterpoint.

37. Traffic - Low Spark of High Heeled Boys
A long and laid back jam, by an underrated band.

38. Pink Floyd, Mother
A simple but effective composition. It starts out with just acoustic guitar and then builds. Keyboards come in, and continue to build. Waters sings the part of the fearful boy, Gilmour the overprotective, titular mother. Then drums and a beautiful guitar solo, at the peak. Piano joins after the solo, and then the instruments drop out at the end, leaving only the acoustic guitar and Waters's question, "Mother did it need to be so high?"

39. Ted Nugent - Stranglehold
I love the old hard rock. Relaxing after a rough day's work, with Ted Nugent's debut album, and "Stranglehold." Perfect vocals from Derek St.Holmes, who also plays rhythm guitar. Chugging bass and drums by Rob Grange and Cliff Davies. And guitar that goes on forever. About eight and a half minutes, actually. The guitar is actually fairly restrained for most of the song. The tune is kind of a slow burn. The solo was reportedly recorded in one take.

40. Peter Gabriel - Solsbury Hill
A song about letting go... in 7/4 time.

Part 5

21. I've always been a huge fan of Jethro Tull, so it's hard to pick out a favorite, but this one stands out. "Skating Away on the Thin Ice of a New Day." I love the tune Ian sings, and his ringing guitar. It moves along at a nice, quick pace. The instrumentation is a little different, at least at first. Accordion, glockenspiel, various percussion and flute, of course. I love how it builds, as more instruments join in, including the more standard rock instruments.

22. Crosby Stills & Nash, "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes"
Generally, I like lush, complex arrangements. Despite the fact that it's pretty much just acoustic guitar and vocals, this one is no exception. Three-part harmony, heartfelt soul vocals, and driven by acoustic guitars. Fast parts and slow parts, and the soaring harmonies.

23. Here's the opposite of yesterday's lush arrangement of guitars and three-part harmonies. A spare composition by the same writer and singer. Stephen Stills singing about a dark place in his life. "4+20" from CSNY's Déjà Vu.

24. "Starseed" by Our Lady Peace
I've loved this song since I first heard it. Hard-edged and intense, with a certain... grandeur.

25. Bruce Springsteen tells such evocative stories. His Born To Run album is a materpiece, but here's "Lost in the Flood" from his debut, Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ.

And he said "Hey kid, you think that's oil? Man, that ain't oil that's blood"
I wonder what he was thinking when he hit that storm
Or was he just lost in the flood?

26. If I were to put my favorite songs in order, this would be near the top of the list. I like the guitar and the tune, but they lift the lyrics. It's a love story... a little atypical, but still seems archetypal. A timeless classic.

I see angels on aerials, in leather and chrome
swooping down from heaven to carry me home

Richard Thompson - 1952 Vincent Black Lightning

27. Most people with a passing familiarity with the Indigo Girls know them as a duo of singer-songwriters who do a lot of acoustic guitar and harmonies. This one, while technically (mostly) acoustic, has a very full arrangement. Strings, strong African drums (by Jerry Marotta), bells, piano, and horns combined with the intense vocals put this one over the top for me. It's one of those songs that can never be turned up loud enough.

Fugitive - Indigo Girls

28. Nick Drake, "Fly". Just a guitar and a tune.

I mus say that this is the acoustic demo version. The fully orchestrated, "finished" version is crap.

Incidentally, the song was written by Paul Wall, Jasiel Robinson, Antwan Thompson, Alonzo Mathis and Lewis Kinoshi.

29. "Who Are You?" by The Who.

Feel the power!

Bonus version

bonus bonus version (song starts at 1:15)
Check out Entwistle's powerful bass sound in this live concert. Also, that's Zak Starkey on drums. Looks kinda like Ringo sometimes.

30. So... metal. I'm not a huge fan of metal. I like old school seventies-style heavy metal. In the eighties there was hair metal, which was, and still is crap. But the eighties is when a more interesting, and much heavier undercurrent was happening. Finally it broke through to the surface, and music was better for it. But I was only watching from the sidelines. Little of it really did anything for me. It was only the odd tune that jumped out at me.

Tool was one band that really grabbed me. They're definitely on the prog side of things. The lead singer actually sings in a clear voice - no screamer or growler here. The drumming is quite elaborate and thundering. Despite their progressive leanings and the cerebral lyrics - and sometimes cerebral composition - their music is very visceral.

Here is "Ænima," the title track to their second album. If you're interested, I recommend downloading a version, since the YouTube version doesn't have great sound. This is one of those songs I can never turn up loud enough.

Part 4

11. Pink Floyd's "Sheep." I love the mood as the song starts. It starts out with an idyllic scene of sheep grazing, with some pleasant keyboards. "Harmlessly passing your time in the grassland away." But then some sinister bass creeps in. "Only dimly aware of a certain unease in the air." And then it takes off. And of course it's an allegory. Spoiler: The sheep are us.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want
He makes me down to lie
Through pastures green He leadeth me the silent waters by
With bright knives He releaseth my soul

I'm a big fan of the Animals album. It's where the Floyd briefly became a rock band.

12. My sister got me into the Violent Femmes and their classic debut album. My favorites are their longer, more powerful songs, like "Add It Up." Punk. DIY, low budget. Sexual frustration. Nothing quite like you've ever heard before, or since. "Groundbreaking." "Influential." Honest. Dark. Driving.

There are several fast songs on the album, but none quite so driven as this one.

13. Best track 1, side 1, album 1: Led Zeppelin, "Good Times, Bad Times."

Zeppelin comes out swinging!

14. This song wins for Saddest Song Ever. "Without You," by Harry Nilsson. I enjoy his quirky songs like "Coconut" and "Jump into the Fire," but wow, just listen to this voice. He won a Grammy for it - Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male, in 1973.

First runner up for saddest song is Patti Smith's "Farewell Reel."

Comment: James - Adding to the song's sadness is that it was written by poor Pete Ham of Badfinger.

15. Pearl Jam, "Given to Fly".

One of the highlights of their concert in October.

"...a soaring epic that goes a long way in conveying Yield's majestic splendor. Frontman Eddie Vedder narrates the tale of a misunderstood, near-Messianic youth in front of hushed verses that explode into stratospheric choruses."

16. Peter Gabriel, "Digging in the Dirt"
I love the dark, sinister feel, and the heavy bass. This song can never quite get loud enough. It's too bad the sound on the video and/or my little computer speakers isn't very good. Find the real version with good sound, and crank it.

17. Patti Smith, "Gloria"
Back in the late nineties, I heard a lot about this Patti Smith person, and had to check her out. I started with her latest album, Gone Again, which I loved. Then I went back to the beginning, and Horses. I listened to it a couple of times, and couldn't quite decide what I thought of it. "Redondo Beach" had started to grow on me, but on the third listen, "Gloria" hit me - blew me away, really.

Patti was one of the founders of the New York Punk scene, in the mid seventies. This is not what you might expect from punk - it's no two-minute crash of guitars. It's crafted, but rough and loose. High-energy and abandon. Sex. Piano. It's a reimagining of Them's classic blues track. It evolves and rises. It leaves you breathless.

Bonus track: an early, live version of "Gloria" by the original band. Total blues.

18. Tori Amos, "God". I love the rolling beat and the bass end of the piano. Plus, I'm a sucker for piano.

Honorable mention: "Spark".

19. R.E.M. - "Nightswimming".
Simplicity of composition. Also, did I mention I'm a sucker for piano?

20. Stevie Wonder, Superstition
Nobody can lay a groove down like Stevie.

Part 3

On Facebook, I've been posting my all-time favorite songs. I will collect them here, for posterity. These are in no particular order, and will likely be more or less than 75. The links are to videos.

These are the songs that make my heart sing...

1. "Hot Knife," Fiona Apple
(I love the simplicity of the music, and intricacy of the vocals. That's her sister singing harmonies with her, btw.)

2. I think "Hot Knife" is the newest song in my list. Here's the oldest. Bill Haley's "(We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock." The song was written in 1952 and recorded by Haley in 1954. He took R&B and jump blues and added a bit of rockabilly, and brought rock and roll to the masses.

I love the high energy, the drumming, the sax-amplified sound, and the classic guitar solo.

Here's the earliest recording of "Rock Around the Clock," by Sonny Dae and the Knights, if you want to hear what Bill Haley did for the song.

3. Yes! Old school progressive rock. Elaborate, intricate and sometimes overblown. These were some incredibly talented musicians. Chris Squire is an underrated bassist, and it's hard to beat Steve Howe on guitar. Bruford was a drumming pioneer, though I kinda like the way White smoothed out his lines when he took over.

Favorite Yes track: "Yours Is No Disgrace". Here's the studio version.

Here's a live version, from '72, I think. Howe just tears it up!

This one is live in a TV studio, and is from just after Howe joined the band, and before Bill Bruford and Tony Kaye left the band.

4. Bob Dylan's "Shelter from the Storm." Yes, I know you hate Dylan, but you only need to listen to the first minute.

5. "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" is a 1953 swing-style song, with lyrics by Jimmy Kennedy and music by Nat Simon. It was originally recorded by the Canadian group The Four Lads on August 12, 1953. Many artists have recorded it, but They Might be Giants's version is the most well-known. TMBG's version is a pretty straight cover of the Lads's, but up-tempo.

6. John, Paul and George picked up Ringo in 1962, and were playing a fresh kind of pop music. The Rolling Stones came together in 1962. They were a blues band. The Who came became the Who in 1964, and had an R&B sound. So... pop, blues, R&B. But where was the rock? The Kinks, in 1964. "You Really Got Me."

See also "All Day and All of the Night".

To sum up, first recordings:
Beatles, pop, 1963
Rolling Stones, blues, 1964
Kinks, rock, 1964
The Who, R&B, 1965

7. The first time I saw the video for "Smells Like Teen Spirit," I was like, *shrug*. The second time, I was like, huh. The third time was "ah... yyyeah!"

The song that broke the alternative wave. It almost single-handedly ushered in a new era of rock. Rock had been in a downward spiral since the seventies. College radio had been bubbling up, but it took Nirvana to bring Alternative to the masses.

The song is so well put together. Simple but effective. Fast-slow-fast. But the slow parts hold the promise of the rocking parts. The guitar and vocals are both loose, wobbling over the bass line, and then there's a quick build to the powerful attack. It really builds excitement between the choruses.

8. "Anything at All," by Firewater.

9. "La Villa Strangiato" by Rush. Many of you will be pleased to note the lack of vocals. Others will be distracted by Geddy's bare chest, and fail to notice the Rickenbacker. Best comment in the comments: Poll: Which is better, Neil`s drumming, or his mustache?

Of the music itself, Alex's guitar playing is stronger than ever, Geddy's bass playing is excellent, as always, and Neil's drumming is just stellar. What really makes the piece, for me, is the composition. It's a complex structure, and it stands on its own, as music. Some instrumentals can seem like they're missing something, but this one is fully formed.

10. While "You Really Got Me" was an early progenitor of garage rock, The Who's "My Generation" was punk. Frantic drumming, aggressive bass, angry bluesy vocal delivery, and those awesome "fuck you" lyrics!

Ronnie Wood and Alice Cooper on The Who 'My Generation'

And speaking of punk... Patti Smith "My Generation"

Part 2

Cindy and I went to Irishfest on Saturday.

This is one of the accordionists of Beoga. They were quite good. The percussionist did a pretty amazing solo on the bodhrán.

This is Sharon Shannon.

She was quite... excited. Her music was a lot of fun.

Then Carlos Núñez.( Read more... )

Carlos was funny. He was so filled with wonder! Everything was the greatest thing ever. He was all about the Celtic music. The Chieftains, Latin Celtic music, Brazilian Celtic music, Mexican Celtic music. He had a lot of local musicians and dancers onstage with him. Billy Mitchell Pipe Band, Trinity Irish Dancers, Caledonia (Scottish) Dancers. One of the Caledonia boys danced a Latin infused number with Stephanie. Then Carlos asked for volunteers to come up on stage. They danced with the Scottish dancers. Then they formed a line and danced around the stage in a loop for a while. Then everyone lined up and did the Macarena. A Spanish dance for the Latin-Celtic music. It did get a little old, watching the crowd do the Macarena for a several-minte jam. It seemed like the volunteers wanted to move on, but Carlos was emphatic about how wonderful it all was. But despite all that goofiness, it was still a good show, and I enjoyed it a lot.

Cyn said it was really snowing hard when she got up at 9:00. It was still snowing when I got up at ten, but it tapered off. The roads were getting cleared pretty well by noon, so I was disappointed that Derek called of gaming on account of the weather.

I probably spent about two hours shoveling. We got 8-1/2 inches, but it was light and fluffy. It still took me a couple of hours. There was a dusting of snow around supper time.

I hooked up the turntable. The one in the entertainment center has been sitting there for who knows how long, but I never plugged it in. It was a pain, which is why I never did it. I had to thread the power cord and RCA cords through the shelves. And there are so many cords in there that receiver can't pull all the way out, so I had to get a flashlight and mirror to see the back of the thing, to figure out where to plug them in. Finally got it hooked up, and there was no sound. I had the plugs in the wrong jacks. Got that fixed without too much trouble, but the sound was really distorted. And there were loud pops when it started and stopped. Hadn't had that trouble before. Rather than disconnect it and take it apart to wire in a ground wire, I disconnected it, and put in the other turntable. The one with the ground wire that I installed a few years ago. So I threaded the power cord and ground wire back through, disconnected a few cables, so I could pull out the receiver and screw on the ground wire. Got everything put back together (including a fancy cable where the receptacle was damaged) and pushed back in. I turned it on and there was still no sound. Forgot the RCA cords. Got that hooked up, and it sounds good. Finally.

Gonna listen to some LP's over the break.

Someone just pointed out that Nirvana's Nevermind came out 22 yeas ago. More time has elapsed between that album’s release and today than elapsed between the Beatles’ Let It Be and Nevermind.

Dave Brubeck died today. He was one day short of 92, and he died of sudden heart failure.

http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2019840425_brubeckobit06.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Brubeck

At lunchtime today, I read that

jackiejj died yesterday. It was odd that Cyn and I had both (unbeknownst to each other) had been thinking of her in the last day or two.

Not long after that, Cyn discovered that her cousin Wayne died suddenly, of a heart attack.

It a was a sad day.

And then on the way home from work, my car played Patti Smith's "Farewell Reel." It was written for her late husband, and one of the saddest (yet hopeful) songs I know.

I don't know why but when it rains it rains on me
The sky just opens and when it rains it pours
But I look up and a rainbow appears like a smile from heaven
And darling I can't help thinking that smile is yours

Click to hear it at YouTube.

As I mentioned, on Saturday, I joined a Flickr group for a photowalk. It was a couple hours, with some time at a bar beforehand, and a doughnut shop afterward.

This is Dean, at the Sherrif's Memorial, in front of the county courthouse.

( see more )

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Entries tagged with music

dead celebrities

RIP Dusty Hill

English ideas

Violent Femmes

Legend of the USS Titanic

Alice Phoebe Lou

t-shirt memories

Top 75 favorite songs, part 7

Top 75 favorite songs, part 6

Top 75 favorite songs, part 5

Top 75 favorite songs, part 4

Top 75 favorite songs, part 3

Top 75 favorite songs, part 2

Top 75 Songs, part 1

Irishfest

snowy sunday

time

Dave Brubeck

Farewell Reel

February photowalk