The Afterword

Musings on the byways of popular culture

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What was the last 7″ vinyl single you bought?

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Mine was Bowie’s “This Is Not America”, in 1985. I heard it on the radio in the morning and went out and bought it later that day. It was a relief to hear a good new Bowie song! I loved the chord progression, Bowie’s vocal of course and just the whole atmosphere if it. It was from a film “The Falcon and the Snowman” which I’ve never seen.

The collaboration with Pat Metheney seemed, and still seems incongruous, but it was one of those one-off collaborations that just worked. (See also “Under Pressure” and probably a million others I can’t think of immediately)

This from Wikipedia – “Despite Metheny being known as a jazz musician, the song was described by Bowie biographer Chris O’Leary as “hardly a jazz piece”, as Metheny plays a simple rhythm guitar throughout the song, with no solos or improvisations.[5] Metheny later noted that Bowie’s lyrics were “profound and meaningful—and absolutely perfect for the film.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYkPtYw82f8

2025 by the numbers

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Here’s some interesting mathematical stuff for those of us who are so inclined.

This was published yesterday in the Sydney Morning Herald’s “Column 8” which is a kind of repository for Believe-It-Or-Not type trivia

Our next calendar year 2025 is a mathematical wonder

1) 2025, itself is a square, 45 x 45 = 2025.

2) it is also a product of two squares, 9² x 5² = 2025.

3) it is also the sum of three squares, 40²+ 20²+5²= 2025.

4) and remarkably it is also the sum of the cubes, of all the single digits, from 1 to 9, 1³ + 2³ + 3³ + 4³ + 5³ + 6³ + 7³ + 8³ + 9³= 2025.”

Hit songs with incorrect pronunciation

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The other day Cat Stevens’ “Morning Has Broken” came on the car radio. What a lovely song! Rick W’s exquisite baroque piano, Cat’s warm vocal, his and Alun Davies’ beautifully recorded acoustic guitars. But then –

SHOCK HORROR! THE THIRD VERSE!

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning Born of the one light, Eden saw play Praise with elation, praise every morning God’s recreation of the new day

“God’s recreation”. No Cat, it’s not God’s pastime, (ie “recreation” with a short e) it’s God’s “re-creation” ie he’s doing it again.

Bugs me every time. I wonder if anyone ever told him? Does he sing it that way in concert (sorry, can’t be bothered to do the YT search)

I can forgive him because it’s such a nice song.

No such forgiveness however for our Rod’s execrable “You’re In My Heart”

My love for you is immeasurable My respect for you immense You’re ageless, timeless, lace and fineness You’re beauty and elegance

Rhyming “immense” with “elegance”. Nah

Your internet tips tricks and hacks

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A friend showed me this one – archive dot ph – which enables you to read an article that’s behind a paywall. So for example I saw this headline in Rolling Stone “The Democrats Are Winning The Record Store Battle”, copied the URL, bunged it into that webpage and lo and behold was able to read it.

Of course there is the issue, no pun intended, of supporting print journalism, especially what remains of the music press. (Although RS these days is about much more than just music). I think if I wanted to read large chunks of Rolling Stone every day I’d subscribe, but that’s not the case. Between us Mrs M and I subscribe to a bunch of mags/papers we like to read regularly.

http://archive.ph

R.I.P. Zoot Money

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Classic British 60s R’nB

Saw him in 2013 with Alan Price at the Half Moon in Putney. Shook his hand. Of course i didn’t get a photo.

What I did today

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Today I played piano at a funeral. I didn’t know the family, I was asked to do it by a friend of a friend.

Before the service they requested Beethoven’s “Für Elise”, “Men Of Harlech” (the school song of the chap that died), Liszt’s “Liebestraum 3” and Chopin’s Nocturne in Eb Op9 No 2. I could play all those except the Liszt, I had to find a simplified version.

The Hymn was “Morning Has Broken”. I channelled Rick.

After the service they asked for “Song For Guy” (lovely), and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and “What A Wonderful World”. Nice.

During the service, as I was listening to this family tell stories about people I didn’t know, I of course thought about funerals in my family – my sister (34 years ago now), my Mum and Dad (in the last decade), and what my own funeral might be like, assuming I go before my wife. That got a bit upsetting I have to say.

Anyway, what was just a gig for me turned into a major think piece about all sorts of stuff.

How was your day??

Ryuichi Sakamoto – Opus

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Venue:

Playhouse – Sydney Opera House

Date: 04/05/2024

This is a special, beautiful film. Directed by Sakamoto’s son, it was made a few months before his death from cancer in November 2023.

Over an hour and a half he plays a selection of his music on piano, a 9′ Yamaha grand in a huge studio that looks like a sound stage. Umpteen microphones, some the size of thermos flasks. It’s beautifully lit, and the camera is intimate but unobtrusive.

Most of the music he plays is slow-medium tempo, the left hand playing chords and the right hand playing melodies, but that’s such a superficial description, and I’m a bloody piano player! Just go and see it. It’s mesmerising, beautiful, and there are so many unexpected turns, harmonically and melodically.

He has a very graceful way of lifting his hands from the piano at the end of a piece.

There are a couple of moments where he stops and starts again, and and at one point he says something like “I’m pushing myself”. Not surprisng. He looks gaunt and fragile, but there are lovely moments when he smiles and is obviously really delighted with what he’s played.

Like I » Continue Reading.

N.I.R R.I.P

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There hadn’t been any proper new episodes for several months. And while I was pondering that the other day, I did wonder what the lads could possibly do next.

So while I’m sad I won’t hear their friendly Irish brogue any more talking in such entertaining fashion about the BEETLES (their pronunciation), I respect their decision, for whatever reason…

Lads, if you’re still around these parts, we’d love to hear from you

Debbie Harry – Face It

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Author:Debbie Harry

I was never a huge fan of Blondie, although I liked them. Along with Talking Heads, Elvis Costello and XTC they were for me the best of the late 70s “new wave” bands. I listen to the audio book version of this, which Debbie reads in a very appealing way, kind of detached, a bit like her singing, but also very honest, straightforward and informative. She’s upfront about the fact that her God-given looks have played a part in her success (hence the title) and she paints a vivid picture of 70s NYC – the grunge, drugs, crime but also the punk spirit and the weird and wonderful charcaters she encountered along the way. She also talks a lot about her love/friendship with Chris Stein, looking after him and their separation.

Length of Read:Long

Might appeal to people who enjoyed…

Blondie, 70s NY punk and new wave

One thing you’ve learned

It’s OK to like dressing up

New Martha Marlow song

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There was quite a bit of appreciation for Martha Marlow on here when her “Medicine Man” album was released a few years ago. Here’s a new video that’s just been released, from a live concert last year. The song is “Throw It All To The Wind” from an upcoming album “Queen Of The Night”, which she wrote with Chris Abrahams, pianist in The Necks.

Nepotism alert – Martha is my niece – that’s her Dad, my brother-in-law Jonathan Zwartz behind her on double bass.

I’ll also add that even though she doesn’t look it in the video, she’s really unwell with a variety of disorders including Ehlers–Danlos Syndrome which affects her joints and connective tissue, which is why she’s not playing the guitar. All of which is neither here nor there really but just thought I’d mention it. Anyway, enjoy the song and looking forward to the album (they played it all in that concert and it’s great).

Steely Dan thoughts #1 – Linda Hoover

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I have only just heard of Linda Hoover. She made an album in the early 70s produced by Gary Katz and featuring a bunch of songs by Becker and Fagen, who also played on the record, along with Jeff Baxter.

You can read the story in the link below (under the YT link).

I have to say the songs don’t sound great to me – they were from the early days of W and D trying to be staff songwriters. They’re kind of in the Countdown/Katy style. Good, but not great, although I think if the Dan recorded them we might be celebrating them as great album tracks

https://www.lindahoovermusic.com/bio

Talk about a misleading headline “XTC…possible reunion”

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I’m a bit surprised that this has not been discussed here yet (unless I’ve missed it, in which case mods please delete this)

Somehow the local reporter managed to speak to Andy, Colin, Dave and Terry.

And of course Andy was the one with the killer response to talk of a reunion…

“Some of the saddest sights you will see, and hear, are old, fat, bald, hoarse pop groups, waddling around a stage, in front of people trying to relive their youth… …I’d leave XTC as it is, a perfectly flawed historical event that left much good music in our vapour trail.

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/23994929.xtc-talk-legacy-swindon-possible-reunion/

My Top 5 Piano Players

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I’m talking about musicians whose principal instrument is the piano – so not “keyboard” players who obviously also play piano brilliantly – e.g George Duke and Ian McLagan

Then there’s my favourite keyboard player of all – Garth Hudson, although I will post a video of him playing piano in the comments (once I’ve uploaded it)

THEN – there’s people like Rick Wakeman, whose piano on Life On Mars and Morning Has Broken is just so beautiful – pity about everything else. Funny guy though. Shame I don’t like his music more

And finally Mike Garson – love his playing on Bowie’s songs, haven’t heard much else of his that’s quite so inspiring

In compiling this list I found that they easily slipped into 5 categories. Read on…

1. THELONIOUS MONK Honourable mentions for other jazz pianists – Teddy Wilson, Abdullah Ibrahim, Duke Ellington, Jaki Byard

2. JAMES BOOKER Hon. mentions to other New Orleans musicians – Dr John, Jon Cleary, Allen Toussaint

3. RANDY NEWMAN Other singers and/or songwriters who play piano – Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Elton John, Donald Fagen

4. NICKY HOPKINS Other sidemen – Leon Russell, Billy Preston

5. KEITH EMERSON Others known for being in » Continue Reading.

I Don’t Need To Hear That Again

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This is my frequent response to music these days.

It doesn’t mean I don’t like it.

It doesn’t mean I don’t think it’s good.

It just means – I don’t need to hear it again.

I think I may have mentioned this in the Hackney Diamonds post – referring to David Hepworth’s comment about the new Stones album on the WIYE podcast. I realised I’ve been thinking that for a while about new music I listen to.

Anyone else?

Songs about bands

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Have we done this before?

Dog Trumpet have just released this lovely ode to Ray Davies and The Kinks

For those unfamiliar with Dog Trumpet. they are NZ born/Sydney resident brothers Chris and Peter O’Doherty – Chris is better known as artist Reg Mombassa, responsible for many iconic images for the Mambo clothing label in the 80s. They were both co-founders of the band Mental As Anything who had huge hits in Australia and possibly overseas in the 80s and 90s.

Dog trumpet’s latest album “Shadowland” continues in the spirit of its predecessors, great pop songs and some quirky anger from Reg. I’ll post one in the comments

But more to the point, any other songs about bands?I do have a niggling feeling we’ve done this before…

Graham Nash – trying to decide

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Graham Nash is on the road and coming to Australia and NZ next year. Wondering if I should go.

On the plus side – *I loved CSN and CSNY. *The Hollies made some of my favourite pop hits from my childhood *There will undoubtedly be well-told stories and I’m sure the music will be excellent *I won’t get the opportunity again, I suspect. (Mind you I thought that about Paul McCartney in 2017 and I’m going to see him again in a couple of weeks!)

On the no side – *Do I really need to hear him plonking away on a keyboard and singing Our House? Will it be a thrilling new rendition? I doubt it. Ditto for all his other songs. *I never really got into his solo stuff. *This is very judgemental – he doesn’t strike me as a particularly spontaneous person. All the interviews I’ve seen he speaks like he’s rehearsed all the stories. But I could be wrong.

Also on the no side – a few years ago Stevie Wonder came to Australia. i didn’t go, because I’d heard that he did a very slick show, throwing together all his 60s hits in a medley. » Continue Reading.