Musings on the byways of popular culture
Yes I have been tempted to post this for a few weeks now but fear the ridicule that may subsequently shower down on me but here goes…….
Old Sock by Eric Clapton! Okay it isn’t exactly ‘Layla’ or ‘Slow Hand’ It has some pleasant songs on it. The playing seems fine. Okay it is, perhaps, a bit “lazy” but, in the end, I enjoy listening to it!
Over to you lot……..tell me off if you must but also let me know if you have a similar (album) skeleton in your cupboard.
I have no interest in spending my heard earned pension and savings on these, to me, stupid multi-box sets that everyone seems to be issuing these days. I am, generally, happy that a single album I bought years ago is enough. I don’t want re-mixes, demos, live versions etc etc. I am, however, happy to accept that lots of people really like the idea though.
Call me suspicious but I think it is just a case of artists and companies fleecing the fans. Interesting therefore to see the way the Hey Jude hit maker reacted when someone dared to suggest that, for his Flowers in the Dirt reissue, he wasn’t being very considerate to his fans:-
Despite trying to fight it I am getting the urge to buy a turntable to play my old records on but I have no idea what to get!
Any sensible advice would he most welcome but, as a ‘filter,’ I am talking about a simple basic one. In reality, once the novelty has worn off, I will probably only play one or two LPs per month and so I am thinking sub-£100. There are lots on the Tax Dodgers site and some with good reviews…….I wish to use it with my good old Technics amp which has the old-style phono(?) input for a turntable
Thanks!
I meant to ask this before Christmas but got side-tracked…….
Can someone please tell me why, amongst all the other charts (albums, compilations, dance, rock, albums not by David Bowie, etc ) the pre-order chart exists? Also why would you want to use it and pre-order a download anyway?
I can see that if you are absolutely dying to get your hands on the newest physical platter by your favourite artist then there could be some justification but otherwise….WHY?
Seeing another thread on here got me thinking…..why do so many people, once a musician dies, they feel the need to obtain everything released by that artist?!?!
Everyone to their own of course but if it was that essential why didn’t they purchase them originally?
There! I have said it and, I believe, it may well be the same for many others on this site (in the UK at least.) Is anyone else prepared to ‘come out’ and admit to it?
When I was about 13 I really liked the Beach Boys Party LP This was just prior to Pet Sounds of course…..at the time I, of course, assumed that it was recorded at genuine party!
Over the years it slipped from memory but I did play it once again about 5 years ago.
Needless to say a new revamped package has been released featuring alternative versions of songs , studio chat and the original ‘Party’ songs without the party overdubs! It’s quite a revelation but not always in a good way! Some songs stand up qute well particularly the Dylan songs sung by, I think, Al Jardine. Likewise the ‘Unplugged’ feel to their versions of some Beatles songs are okay. What really gets me though is the ‘chat’ that has been made available – completely cringe-worthy and banal! I could only bear to listen to it through once via Google Play and am glad Mrs Daff was out when I did! Lots of very very childish stuff which reminded me of my 7 & 10 year old grandchildren. Also things about Carl (Wilson) eating loads of pnutbutter ‘ getting his bass guitar in from the car’ Endless sub-teen drivel! » Continue Reading.
Despite me originally sneering at the thought of once more buying Beatle songs I already have two or three times over I am tempted to get the “1” dvd. The problem is I can’t find out exactly what is on it……yes I know it has the 27 songs that are on the cd but looking at the outer sleeve it says it has a running time of 200+ minutes. Are there alternative videos maybe? Perhaps someone could kindly let me know? I have looked elsewhere but all I can seem to find are glowing reviews for the 1+ blue ray grubbins…..
Its easy to miss new releases these days so, for those of you who might be interested, I thought I would mention that Steve Forbert has a new album out called ‘Compromised’ and very good it is too.
I often use YouTube to view British Pathe films, old clips of cities/towns, Tourist information films etc etc but rarely bother with ‘music’. Today however I thought I would listen to Taylor Swift’s 1989 but, when I press ‘play’ the slider along the bottom it starts to move (from 00.00 to 48.46) but at no point can I actually hear anything!
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Just started my 3 months free trial and, already, I am disappointed!
I had expected it to offer more than Spotify or Deezer but it doesn’t seem to. A quick look at Van Morrison reveals much the same same selection as Spotify and Deezer therefore no Avolon Sunset, His Band and Steet Choir etc. No Hey Jude Hit Makers of course. Dylan’s newest isn’t here…….hmmm……think I will stick with Spotify which, at least links to my Sonos system.
Don’t especially like the interface either!
Of course I may be wrong – it’s possibly unfair to judge something after only 35 minutes!
Van Morrison has been knighted!
I see that the Apple Music streaming service should be unleashed on us at the end of this month and was wondering if anyone here is looking forward to it? Yes I know there are lots anti-Applers here but imagine there are some, like me, who are looking forward to trying the servive. If they have got it right, with price and availability of songs, albums and artists then I’d imagine some of the ‘lesser’ streaming services will cease fairly quickly. Maybe even Spotify and Deezer may struggle………anyway time will tell.
Being a big Buddy Holly fan I was surprised I had missed the fact that Cricket’s bass player Joe B Mauldin died in February. Just in case others here were unaware I thought I’d drop this post …..
I met him some years ago – a very pleasant and unassuming man. Jerry Alison is the only original Cricket still with us now.
I feel very old!
I see that Simply Red has (have?) a new album out in a few months……hmm that’s odd because I seem to recall that Mick Hucknel ended the band a few years ago. Surely it couldn’t be a case of the band name being far bigger than that of the vocalist?!?
What an old sceptic I am!
I just looked at the top 40 albums update and saw that the latest Paul Simon ‘best of’ compilation has gone straight in at number 1!
I will sort of repeat that – there have, over the years, been several Paul Simon Best of Compilations and ANOTHER was issued last week. It is now number one. I am not querying the quality of the album but who on earth is buying it?
The BBC is presently showing selections from The Best of Terry Wogan”s thrice weekly early evening chat shows (Wait! Come Back!) They are available on the iPlayer Machine and well worth viewing. If you don’t like someone just fast forward till you find someone you are interested in……..so far I have watched Rock Hudson chatting just a year before he died, James Stewart in tears reading a poem about his much missed dog and Audrey Hepburn recounting Roman Holiday and My Fair Lady. Even if you don’t like Wogan they are worth viewing Generally the excerpts are from the 80’s and in many ways from a different era. Maybe it’s an age thing but I wish chat shows were still like that instead of the horrible self promoting adverts for the (so called) stars they have now become.
For anyone who might be interested there is a new album in April – it’s called Southland.
I have been thinning my CD collection out over the past year or so trying to keep just my ‘essential’ discs and, normally, I drop a few off at a local charity shop.
The time has come to thin out my Van Morrison selection but, after looking at availability and prices on Amazon, I am tempted to try and sell them off (for a fair but not greedy price) rather than just give them away. I can then put the money towards a new phone. if I go to a nearby ‘market stall’ I expect I’d be offered 50p or so in which case I would rather give them to the charity shop so can anyone suggest any site(s) that I could contact please? Obviously there is EBay but, again, I’d probably get next to nothing for them!
Thanks for any (polite!) suggestions
The album is Down to Believing It came out this week.
Strong songs with great melodies. Songs that refer to her ex husband, their autistic child and life in general.
I never thought it could be so Good!!!
Just seen on BBC News breaking headlines that ‘….Sir Cliff Richard inquiry “expanded”
Susanne Sundfor – Ten Love Songs
Have you heard it? Isn’t it great?
