Inspired by a few comments in the latest blogger takeover, and some homethoughts here on how to get through Lockdown II: the confused one, can we have your mammoth quests. To kick you off here are two of mine: get through every Prince studio album that I’ve not listened to – at least 27, possibly as many as 33. So far have done the four he did prior to 1999. By album two you could absolutely hear what a star he was going to be. Ahead lies Graffiti Bridge, Crystal Ball, Batman…
The second I started before, but am steaming ahead and on track to finish. The Guardian’s classical music critic of a decade ago, Tom Service, wrote a guide to the 50 Essential Symphonies. While Mahler, Beethoven and Sibelius aren’t new on these ears I have made some fabulous discoveries including Nielsen, Bruckner John Adams and William Walton. Some turkeys: Elliot Carter is a step to far for me, and Rachmaninov and Tchiakovsky I am prepared to leave for another time.
So, your grand listening projects please.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/series/50-greatest-symphonies?page=3
Rigid Digit says
Last month I did the Deep Purple Mark II and Mark II albums – not much of a quest as it’s only 7 albums.
This month I am intending on listening to all the Elvis Costello albums – however, I need to buy a copy of The Juliet Letters for completeness
(“Buy? Why not just Spotify?” Yes, but then I can say I own it, and explain my reasonings when people ask why).
I’m also toying with the idea to (re) watch all The Sweeney episodes (and the films) in order.
Other watching things (to ward off insomnia): Carry On and Comic Strip Presents – box sets ready to go …
moseleymoles says
Elvis Costello is an excellent project – need a big baggy catalogue with lots of stuff that you would only listen to (‘Juliet Letters’) as part of a complete survey.
James Taylor says
Im watching all of the Sweeney as we speak. Up to Series 3 ep 2 so far. My takeaways;
Acting is awful
Everyone looks much older than they were – John Thaw was about 35 when the Sweeney started
British actors never worried about their teeth back then
Its a throwback to the non PC days when women and their tits were the subjects of conversation.
Having said all of that, I’m really enjoying it.
Rigid Digit says
I own the box set and have been through it before.
But do I really need the DVDs as it’s on ITV4 nearly every day.
See also Minder and The Professionals – my DVDs are effectively redundant
Moose the Mooche says
I think the repeats are edited for some of the strippers and heritage epithets.
James Taylor says
I love the term “heritage epithets” . Good work!
fortuneight says
Marvellous term – but I think the edits are for day time viewing.
Gatz says
As I mentioned in another thread recently it’s astonishing that Thaw was only in his mid 40s when he first played Morse. He was far to young when he died at only 60, but he had looked 60 for half his life.
Junior Wells says
Whenever Morse comes up I flashback to an interview John Thaw did for a tonight show down here at the height of Morse popularity.
“So you like crosswords ?” says host Steve Vizard reading from the sheet.
“I don’t like crosswords, Morse does!” exclaimed Thaw.
If looks could kill – Thaw to Vizard and Vizard to the invisible researcher.
Moose the Mooche says
“Shat it, you slaaaag!”
… sorry, wrong character.
GCU Grey Area says
Seem to remember D.I Burnside in ‘The Bill’ once saying ‘Shut it, you nonce’, which must be peak tough-guy copper.
Jim Broadbent did Thaw as ‘Shouting George From The Weeny’; ‘Shut up! Listen, guv. I’m a ten guv a day copper. Always have been, always will be. If you want me to work on this case I’m going to be calling you guv all day long. It’s all I know and it’s all you need to know, guv!’
Rigid Digit says
Detectives On The Edge Of A Nervous Breakdown.
It’s in the Comic Strip Box ready to go
GCU Grey Area says
I shall watch it, followed by ‘The Strike’.
James Taylor says
Just watched it courtesy of You Tube. Chortles and “guvs” aplenty
Freddy Steady says
I loved the Bill.
Moose the Mooche says
The thing about The Sweeney is that every episode without fail had a reference to “strides” – meaning trousers. No idea why, it must have been a bet between the writers.
GCU Grey Area says
Not a happy watch for old car fans, as lots of big Jaguars bite the dust, from what I remember.
Rigid Digit says
Euston Films could only afford so many vehicles, so it was often the same Jaguar (DWD 606C).
Although by Minder they’d got a bigger budget – Terry McCann had at least 4 different Capris (2 – a Mark 1 and a Mark 2 – with the registration SLE 71R)
Moose the Mooche says
Jag Reg Plate nerdery?
Blimey!
bang em in bingham says
In tribute to Geoffrey Palmer, i’m making my way through “As Time Goes By” with the great Jame Dudy Jench, undemanding gentle comedy perfect for these times.
retropath2 says
I wouldn’t mind the time to listen to the expanding cache of cds crammed into the car, patiently waiting a turn to be heard. New releases tend to be allowed some degree of queue barging, which means old Discogs discoveries and marketplace meanders can take a long while. And the fecking postie keeps bringing more…….
deramdaze says
Smaller pool, admittedly, but with a fearsome reputation – Beatles’ solo albums (no, come back, not those ones) from the 60s.
George’s “Wonderwall Music” and “Electronic Sound?”
Believe me, peeps, completely wonderful – and by not being anything like the Beatles, everything I want Beatles’ solo albums to be.
Paul’s “Family Way?”
Arguably, the most obscure. Not heard it yet, and it’s apparently 10% Paul / 90% George Martin (if that was a good thing, we’d all be listening to Radio 3), but we’ll see.
John’s “Two Virgins,” “Life with the Lions,” “Wedding Album” and “Live Peace in Toronto 1969?”
These are the tougher ones, certainly the first three.
John was throwing everything at the wall, George’s two seem more focused.
Quite like “John and Yoko,” but 22 minutes of “John and Yoko?” Not so sure.
Might throw in the Stones’ “Rock and Roll Circus,” but then the whole exercise becomes very John-centric.
The album I most wish had been made?
The mid-60s Paul album with the working (joke?) title “Paul McCartney Goes Too Far!”
There’s no way that wouldn’t have been brilliant.
Moose the Mooche says
Family Way is pretty good, in a slightly Oliver Postgatey manner. It’s a crucial stepping stone to the good Sergeant.
dai says
I saw the film for the first time recently
It is pretty good. Dealing with fairly unusual themes for the time like impotence. The theme song is rather lovely, but the rest of the music didn’t make much of an impression. As far as I am aware, Paul came up with a couple of themes and George M fleshed then out into a score.
Electronic Sounds is appalling, Wonderwall is very good (again George H may have taken more credit than he deserved on the Indian stuff). I have the Lennon/Ono albums but haven’t made my way through them (except Live Peace in Toronto)
deramdaze says
Electronic Sound sounds far closer to the Space Race than any other pop music I’ve ever heard … reminds me of the Mothers of Invention.
Cuddly George it ain’t, but then we have the Beatles for cuddly George, and the more it’s dismissed, the more I’ll lump on.
As for Wonderwall Music, there was a brilliant Radio 4 documentary on the album which gave a sense of how important the album was to the Indian record industry and how admired George (only in his mid-20s at the time) was by all the other Indian musicians.
Vulpes Vulpes says
@deramdaze Any idea what the docu was called? I’d like to hear that, and there’s a chance it’s still lurking on the Beeb website if I can figure out what to search for…
deramdaze says
It was a half-an-hour documentary called “Bombay’s Beatle” and was first broadcast in 2009.
Sanfraz Mansoor (the Springsteen book/film writer) went to India to talk to those musicians who remembered the sessions.
The remarkable thing was just how significant such a relatively minor entry in the Beatles’ canon seemed to be to them.
Vulpes Vulpes says
Thanks. Doesn’t show up in a brief search, sadly. There was a Stuart Maconie prog that covered the album too, but although that’s listed – and there is a programme ID for it – there’s no stream currently tagged to it. I’ll keep looking….
dai says
Not sure who cuddly George is, but I am sure that Electronic Sound is pretty much unlistenable, and that George’s actual creative input was close to zero (Bernie Krause played most of it as a demonstration of the synthesizer). You probably rate it higher than All Things Must Pass though for the ludicrous reason that it was released 1 year before it, and hence in a different decade.
deramdaze says
(answer) George Harrison.
I do. Listening to it now.
I hate All Things Must Pass … not the demos of it on Anthology 3 and Early Takes Volume 1 which are terrific, of course, but the coked up sludge of a production of the way way way too long triple L.P.
I got rid of my vinly copy 20 years ago, and the CD version ten years later.
Hell on earth must have been Abbey Road when that was recorded, but it was merely a foretaste(less) of everything that the lesser decade/s after the Golden Age were to represent.
In that, as a warning, it more than served its purpose.
I’ve saved a lot of time and money because of All Things Must Pass, and I salute it.
dai says
You are so weird
Moose the Mooche says
It’s a schtick, like deciding to only use words with O in them.
Twang says
Not as grand as yours Mosley but I’m working my way through Steven Wilson’s back catalogue, Porcupine Tree, NoMan etc. There 5a lot of it but the standard is very high and varied so it’s fun.
Vulpes Vulpes says
Have you heard “Signify” yet? That’s a belter.
Twang says
Not yet. Currently on The Sky Moves Sideways – Signify next. Up The Downstair/Staircase Infinities are excellent.
Paul Wad says
I did a similar thing a short while ago @twang after seeing someone on here recommending one of his albums and then loving it. It might have been you actually.
You’re not wrong about it being varied. It’s difficult to believe it’s all the work of the same man. There’s so much stuff under so many different names it all took a bit of tracking down. I particularly like the Blackfield albums. The Porcupine Tree albums are great too and the No-Man albums are quite good, but the more experimental albums are a bit hit and miss. The Bass Communium v Muslimgauze isn’t too bad, but the Continuum albums are a tough listen. The Incredible Expanding Mindfuck albums are much better. Of his solo work I really like the Unreleased Electric Music compilation and the 4½ EP.
But to have been responsible for all the music he’s made under umpteen different guises, whilst seemingly remastering an album every week for somebody or other, it makes you wonder whether he ever has a day off. He makes The Beatles and Dylan in the mid-60s look lazy.
Twang says
True, and maintaining the quality. It’s “not bish bosh have a demos EP”, they all sound fantastic.
Inevitably there’s a load more oddities on Bandcamp including the first PT gig at a pub in High Wycombe!
Paul Wad says
Clearly anticipating the lockdowns, I started my current listening project 4 or 5 years ago. I decided to rank all my albums for each year from 1950 onwards. I had been doing quite well, 5,756 albums done, and had got down to the last 1,150, but then I got into first reggae (thanks to many recommendations from the good folk on here) and then jazz. The good thing about those genres was that I was able to get hold of loads and loads of CDs for very little money, so after a few months of CD buying, including a ridiculous amount of cheap jazz boxed sets, along with a mad spree of downloading and I’m back up to 1,820 outstanding. But my record collection is all the better for it.
I had finished all the years up to and including 1971, but now I have 359 pre-1972 albums to catch up on. Some great music of course, so it’s very enjoyable. Relistening to the best albums from this year at the moment. Some very good albums this year, as usual, but I think overall it’s the weakest of the past 5 years. It’ll be a long time till we get another year as good as 2017 though, which has taken over from 1985 as my favourite year for albums.
I’m right enjoying the project though. Gives me something to do in my enforced early retirement. However, I’ve got so many different lists as well as the year lists on the go (every now and then I have another bright [read: stupid/pointless] idea for another list), so keeping on top of it all takes all of what’s left of my brain power. My favourite list is my 100 favourite albums that I only have downloaded copies of, because I treat that basically as a shopping list. Although, as I’ve been buying from this list the top 30 are now mainly made up of either albums that have never been released on CD (the highest one being at number 2 – Something Blue by Blocks & Escher), or ones that are crazily expensive to get hold of (at number 1 there’s Beautiful Raw by Qwel & Maker – I have saved searches on eBay and Discogs and a copy turned up the other day for £45, but that’s about three times what I’m willing to pay, so the search continues).
I thought about turning it into a blog, but on occasion mates have asked me to forward them certain lists from it and I got fed up of them coming straight back with comments such as “seriously, you think Konnichiwa is better than Black Star???” So there’s not much point to it, except I like lists and I have listened to so much great new music because of it, as hearing one good album leads me to reading up about it and this leads on to me buying/downloading others. My CD collection is certainly way better and much more diverse than it was 5 years ago. My original estimate of having the project finished by the end of 2019 is proving to be miles off though.
Vulpes Vulpes says
I’d love a copy of that list of “100 favourite albums that I only have downloaded copies of”. There’s a (slim) chance that I might have duplicate copies of one or two of them – I have a small stack of ‘accidental doubles’ picked up along the way, usually obscure stuff I’ve spotted on Discogs or at market stalls for pennies, and have grabbed fast without checking to see if I already have a physical copy.
jazzjet says
Slightly different slant but I seem to have spent most of the time since the first lockdown attempting to organise (again) my record collection, particularly the tons of digital files that I’ve accumulated over the years, but also digitising the numerous box sets I have. The secondary objective has been to make it all accessible in one place, ie Sonos.
Occasionally in this process I’ve been sidetracked into actually listening to the stuff. The latest of these side projects has been the Charlie Parker ‘Bird’s Eyes’ albums on the Philology label, of which I have about 40. Some of the music is impossibly rare and often very dodgy audio quality but priceless nonetheless. I think the series is up to about 100 volumes so far!
There are very few artists where you feel you want to track down every single thing they recorded but Charlie Parker, a true genius, was one of them.
Moose the Mooche says
Load of old rubbish.
…er…
NigelT says
‘Occasionally in this process I’ve been sidetracked into actually listening to the stuff’ is a wonderful quote..!
I have been attempting a mass weed out of the crates of CDs by digitising and charity shopping stuff – mostly compilations, for the simple fact that I do not have a clue where tracks are and having them available to stream via my Bluesound is so much more convenient, as well as keeping Mrs. T convinced that I am honestly getting rid of stuff…honestly. Oh, and the Bluesound sounds fantastic too….if I actually listen to anything!!
Jorrox says
Every 7″ 45RPM single that ever charted in the UK from 1953 to 1980. Both sides. I have 99% of them and I’m working my way through the years.
Junior Wells says
@Jorrox – are you serious -you have nearly all of them. How many is that and how have you managed to accumulate them all?
dai says
Say we assume 5 (10?) new chart entries a week I guess we are looking at 250 to 500 a year, so between 7 and 14000?
Moose the Mooche says
There were 7″ 45rpm records in the UK charts in 1953? Genuine question. I assumed it was about five years later that they took off.
Mike_H says
November ’52 was when the first UK Hit Parade was published by the New Musical Express. Some of the early entries must have been on 78s as the first 45s weren’t released here until March ’53. A lot of records were still being sold on vinyl 78s as well as 45s over the next few years.
Jorrox says
On Usenet, it is called The Britburn Project and I’ve just found out that it has a website. (link attached)
You are right enough about formats. It’s chart placings that make the list, not formats.
I took a look on 45.cat (you all know that site, right?) and Columbia/EMI were issuing 45s from Jan 53. Decca UK was Oct 54.
http://www.britburn.co.uk/
Turns out the spreadsheet goes from 1952 to 1989. All the info is on the website.
JQW says
When EMI initially introduced the 45 in 1953 it was only for select releases. It wasn’t until early 1956 that the majority of singles were made available on both formats, and even then there were a few titles that were still on issued on 78. By the following year certain singles started to be issued on 45 only (mostly jazz titles). Even by the end of 1959 select titles in some genres were still being routinely issued on 78 – most notably releases from Jimmy Shand.
Moose the Mooche says
Crivvens.
fentonsteve says
Are you Popmaster’s very own Phil “The Collector” Swern?
Jorrox says
Not really – he has the actual records, I think. This is just digital. I found the lists when looking for mono mixes of 60s singles (the way they have to be heard, mono though 5.1s is amazing.)
dai says
Not particularly in lockdown but I have started to re-watch Mad Men. Now early in Season 3. Interestingly the episode I watched last night had one of the characters in blackface. It was preceded by a warning, that was not there when first broadcast 10 years ago.
Brilliant television, amazing they kept up such a high standard over such a large number of episodes.
Lemonhope says
Over the last 15 months we have re-watched The Sopranos, Mad Men and Breaking Bad, three of the greatest series of telly. My thoughts are that Breaking Bad is much duller than I remembered it and that Walter White is much more annoying than I remember and although The Sopranos is much better than Breaking Bad, it takes half a season to really hit it’s stride, and that Mad Men is the best of the three.
Matthew Weiner took everything he learned working on The Sopranos and created a masterpiece. The standard of writing, acting and production never dips throughout the 7 seasons and I loved the ending, although I think The Sopranos ending may take the prize for the best ever.
dai says
I think that a big part of Breaking Bad was the increasing tension about not knowing how certain scenarios will play out. Obviously in a re-watch that will be largely missing. Mad Men does not rely on such things, and in fact I may even be appreciating it more second time around. A lot of things are kind of hidden and hinted at in the script and open to interpretation.
Twang says
I think The Sopranos and Mad Men are brilliant but the Sops edge it because I never bought the stolen identity plot line. And the Betty gets fat season… Come on.
The Sops stories are rock solid and IMHO the season takes off like a rocket from 10 minutes in.
Moose the Mooche says
“I wish the Lord would take me!”
dai says
I have only seen one Sopranos episode. I think the stolen identity thing works, it is kind of a red herring in one way in that it doesn’t mean anything when it is revealed in the first season by (the weasel) Campbell, big boss Bert Cooper just says (spoiler alert) something like “we are all inventions” and doesn’t mention it again. I do find the flashback sequences the weakest part of the series though (in general).
His messed up childhood which resulted in him eventually stealing an identity is obviously a key factor in his addictive drinking and philandering though.
moseleymoles says
We haver recently finished BB. It provides gut-punch moments (the body in the bath, the air traffic controller, the spider-jar kid) like nothing else in TV, but essentially it as about just two things: death and money., and how the latter is no escape from the former. Minute-for-minute the Sopranos aces it as it has a sense of humour that BB lacks (‘Pine Barrens’ – need I say more). Also: Tony’s shirts vs Walter’s normcore. Just saying.
dai says
Should say I thought BB was completely magnificent. Watched it same time as MM, and at the time I couldn’t really say which was better. Have not re-watched it, but I enjoy Better Call Saul very much.
Diddley Farquar says
BB’s a bit of a black comedy surely. Witty and playful too. As is Better Call Saul. It’s about character, how a man can get drawn into crime by extraordinary circumstances, despite himself. Profound and unsettling. The veneer of civilisation and all that jazz. I disagree with your take in other words. Ozark has similarities but that’s the one without the light touches. As for great series, wither The Wire? Hard to beat.
Lemonhope says
Saul Goodman is by far the best thing about BB
dai says
Or Mike?
retropath2 says
Mike is great, and in Better Call Saul. The bodyguard trial/audition is epic.
moseleymoles says
One more sorry, to go with the Symphonies and Prince. Bill Brewster’s great chronicle of djing, Last Night A DJ Saved My Life, has a playlist section at the back. Currently I am on the list for Belgian 80s radio station Liasions Dangeureuses. Ahead: The Warehouse and Music Box, Chicago and Detroit here I come.
Moose the Mooche says
I knew Bill Brewster when he had nowt. A very funny man and an excellent chef.
PS He’d not thank you for forgetting co-author Frank Broughton.
moseleymoles says
Ah yes of course, still a very excellent book written by the both of them.
Moose the Mooche says
Bill drew the short straw and interviewed Jimmy Savile, allegedly the first UK DJ to use twin turntables.
Those playlists are pretty epic. An enjoyable labour though, I should think.
Mike_H says
I’m now close to up-to-date with playing every single one of my collection of digitised tracks. 138,300 of them. A few very recent acquisitions, quite a few unlistened podcasts and some recordings of radio shows still outstanding.
Next project is to losslessly re-digitise those discs in my collection of magazine coverdiscs and label samplers which I originally ripped as mp3s.
One day I might get around to digitising the 200 or so minidiscs of radio shows from 2002-2005. BBC Radio 3 Late Junction, Jazz On 3 and Andy Kershaw and Charlie Gillett on GLR, plus my few bootlegging discs.
thecheshirecat says
What is this ‘extra spare time’ of which people speak?
Tiggerlion says
I feel your pain, cheshire.
*bewildered face*
salwarpe says
I am dating all my digital album files – I’ve probably got far than most of you (only 39,000+ tracks) – but it is taking time – now at ‘L’. All the music I’ve collected over the years can now sit in the context of other music recorded or released in the same year. The emerging chronology is fascinating.
MC Escher says
What tool(s) are you using for the date?
salwarpe says
Discogs, mainly – I’m sure there are more efficient ways of tagging mp3s, but I don’t mind the steady drip drip of adding dates, correcting album covers, deleting unwanted tracks, consolidating orphan tracks.
salwarpe says
Update – now on ‘M’
Mask, Masters of Reality, Maverick A Strike through to Music Has The Right To Children, Mustt Mustt, Mystery Girl
I might even listen to these some day
craig42blue says
‘Occasionally in this process I’ve been sidetracked into actually listening to the stuff’ excellent!!
I have launched into the 2 CD boxes, each containing 25 “classic” Jazz albums in miniature LP sleeves…..
Weather Report and Jaco Pastorius, I was already familiar with but have now found out how good George Benson was in the late 60s and early 70s…brilliant! Today it’s time for Freddie Hubbard…. the jury is still out.on his “Straight Life”,,,,.
Paul Wad says
Funnily enough, I’d never heard of Jaco Pastorius until last week. I watched one of Rick Beato’s excellent YouTube videos about him and then downloaded his albums. He was yet another jazz musician to die a premature death. Being a jazz musician back in the day seems to have been riskier than being a gangsta rapper in the 90s. The Beato piece was interesting, despite much of what he said having gone completely over my head.
Gary says
That’s a bit weird – I’d never knowingly heard of him either till yesterday when I happened to listen to a radio programme about him while driving.
The same programme talked about Steve Gadd too (I think they collaborated) and I was interested to find out that Gadd played drums on Rickie Lee Jones’ Woody And Dutch On The Slow Train To Peking.
Moose the Mooche says
Yer man from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers made an excellent docco about JP a few years back.
It’s called, er, Jaco.
craig42blue says
Miniature LP sleeves for CDs are near impossible for me to read so thanks to Discogs, RYM and the tax-dodgers for “sleeve notes”.
Mike_H says
See also the “Prestige Rudy Van Gelder Remasters” (from Concord Jazz) and “Jazz On Disques Vogue” (from Sony) boxes. 20 CDs in each. Cheap when first released but rather pricey now.
“Jazz From America On Disques Vogue” (Sony again) also looks interesting but may be out of print. That one is French releases of vintage American jazz, with some Mahalia Jackson gospel and John Lee Hooker blues thrown in.
fentonsteve says
Prompted by the release of Body & Soul on SACD, I’ve been filling in the gaps in my Joe Jackson collection, which previously stopped (give or take) at 1986’s Big World.
There’s a lot to catch up on.
count jim moriarty says
And he’s consistently excellent. He’s very underrated and mysteriously ignored.