The Afterword

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Verdi – Requiem

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Mme. Stoke having gone out babysitting, I had control of the remote this evening – I’ve just spent the last hour & a half listening & watching Verdi’s Requiem performed at the Proms. This was the Last Night of the Proms as far as I’m concerned – no quantity of Union Jack hats & waistcoats is going to top that experience.

Verdi’s Requiem perhaps more of a concert piece – arguably more showy than something like Faure – but none the worse for that.

Any love for yer religious music here?

Little Feat – post Lowell?

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My only exposure to the post-Lowell Feat has been disc 3 of the “Hot Cakes & Out-Takes” comp. I know there’s some love for Little Feat on the site here ( hands up @Twang ) – but can anyone convince me that there’s any value in listening to any more than I’ve heard already?

…and here’s some Lowell era footage, to demonstrate the difference….

Antidepressant music

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I’ve been a bit glum today – doesn’t matter why – but I wanted to share my absolute 100% guaranteed music for getting me out of the dumps & grinning widely again….

…and it’s Jethro Tull – almost any toon will do the trick, today it was the Warchild album…

I listen to a wide variety of music: progressive, jazz, classical….nothing cheers me up quicker than Jethro Tull!

Anyone else have a sure fire musical Prozac, guaranteed to work for you?

https://youtube.com/watch?v=t0yUWd4Nnb8

“Progressive rock pioneers”

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I’ve been reading the Andy Powell / Colin H book lately – very interesting view of Wishbone Ash, if inevitably partisan. However, on the back cover, Wishbone Ash are described as progressive rock pioneers……

Progressive? As a Crimson/ Yes / VdGG follower, this seems rather odd….

Are ver Ash a progressive band?

Over to you…

https://youtube.com/watch?v=iHJQqrtRjXg

ATM: Windows 10 – peripherals???

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I’m sure some have tried Windows 10; and I’m sure there’s a thread on here somewhere discussing people’s initial reactions……however, what I want to know from these people is….did your peripherals continue to function (oo’err missus!)?

Or did your printers / DACs/ whatever just cease to function?

Many thanks, troops…..here’s a track for your trouble……

Proper chill-out

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…..I know there are a few fans of John Martyn’s music on the Afterword – here’s a clip from a live gig at Henry Afrikas club in Glasgow, broadcast on the world famous Radio Clyde. What a trio….Jeff Allen and Alan Thompson were an under- recognised team at the time….and what an end to a gig….

Trimmer & Jenkins….

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……I was reminded of them while trawling YouTube for a version of Quando Quando for the “Q” thread…..I saw them in Glasgow, performing the most bizarre version of “QQQQ” you might imagine….

Anyone else remember the Trimmer & Jenkins experience?

Pink Floyd – pastoral versus angry

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While discussing the Rolling Stone “magazine” prog debacle (below), a mini thread on the Floyd opened up, as these things are wont to do – nearly turned into a “best album” debate, so I thought I’d throwaway log on that particular fire.

Not much interest expressed in what I would call the “pastoral” Floyd, eg, the other side of Atom Heart Mother; big chunks of the “More” soundtrack; Granchester Meadows, etc – when I started listening to them, these were at least as important as big progressive pieces like Echoes – and I would still rate songs like Cirrus Minor and Fat Old Sun very highly.

“The big three”? DSOTM and WYWH – fair enough: but The Wall just turns me off these days (the live show was a whole different ballgame, I’ll admit). Final Cut – I almost approach it like a different band, although I appreciate it a lot more now than I did when it came out. Animals? As brilliant now as it was then and as angry as Anderson.

But, given the choice these days, I’d rather listen to Meddle – truly classic Floyd. Anyone got any love for Ummagumma?

Best versus Favourite?

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Think of a favourite band or artiste. Think of their “best” work…..is it also your “favourite” in every case, or can you separate objective best work from subjective favourite work? For example, if anyone asks what the best Roxy Music album is, I will always answer “For Your Pleasure” – but my favourite is “Country Life” (sorry, Tiggerlion).

Anyone got anything similar? Here’s a treat while you consider…

Left to one’s own devices……

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Madame Stoke is babysitting this evening…..house to oneself….so, naturally, I got the bass out & played some Jack Bruce lines and some Percy Jones lines and some JPJ….

Stopped for a break and a small sensation of the cratur…..anyone else having some musical fun tonight?

https://youtube.com/watch?v=_L5jb00Zax0