The Afterword

Musings on the byways of popular culture

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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.

The Lost Age of The Intermission

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Further to my review of Nick Mason’s Saucerful Of secrets, where I mentioned there was an intermission (the proverbial “short break”) – I haven’t encountered this before in a concert situation. Is this a new thing or am I such a homebody who never goes to gigs that I’m missing the bleeding obvious?

I mentioned in the review that the break came at the perfect moment – after about an hour, when most of the sixty-something audience were feeling the need for a wee having downed a few cordials before the show. Or maybe it was for the band, at least two of whom were in that age bracket.

I must say I long for the old days of an intermission in the cinema. 3 hour epics like Oppenheimer mean you either have to take a break yourself and probably miss an essential plot moment, or sit in bladder-induced agony till it’s all over.

Nick Mason’s A Saucerful Of Secrets, Enmore Theatre, Sydney Thurs 21 Sep

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When it comes to the Floyd I’m definitely in the “I liked their earlier stuff” camp. So when tickets for this gig went on sale way back in March I was in there immediately, nabbing a seat 7 rows from the front.

It was a great night. As usual with “heritage” acts they played some songs I absolutely had to hear (“Bike”, saved for the encore), some I didn’t expect to hear (“Atom Heart Mother”) and left out some I would have loved to hear (“Julia Dream”). But really – yer mustn’t grumble…

Nick Mason is just wonderful. We’re getting used to sixties era musicians still performing in their eighties, and ol’ Nick is only a few months shy of his 80th. He looks fit and healthy, and for someone whose musicianship has been questioned, even by himself, he plays the drums rather well. He has several spots where he talks to the audience and is friendly and witty. (“Oh sorry that’s my phone – is that you Roger? How are you? Your gong – no sorry I don’t have your gong. Maybe give Dave a call”) Gary Kemp, a relatively spring chicken at 63, who looks like » Continue Reading.

Ed Reardon’s Week

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Anyone listen to this? I was reminded of it after my recent post about the vocabulary of those younger than most of us unleashed a magnificent torrent of grumpery.

The character Ed Reardon is a sixty-something writer, of no great fame or achievement apart from one episode in a TV series decades ago, which he still dines out on. His current writing work consists of ghostwriting books with titles like “Jane Seymour’s Household Hints”. He refers to anyone in their twenties or thirties as a 12 year old. His only permanent companion is his cat, Elgar, with whom he converses a lot. Other characters in the series include his agent, Ping (shortened from Pandora Ingleby-Thomas) who is a kind of posh Sloan Ranger type.

It’s brilliantly scripted and performed – highly recommended

Link to all episodes below

https://fourble.co.uk/podcast/readon

The vocabulary of those younger than most of us

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I recently had the pleasure (and it was a pleasure, don’t get me wrong) of working with a 22 year old guitar player.

He was wonderfully curious about my career, and asked lots of really sensible and apposite questions.

However, I did notice his use of what I have observed/heard are frequent expressions from those of his young vintage.

The main one being –

100%

That is “A Hundred Per Cent”

And the other one these twenty-somethings use is – PERFECT

Others?

(And if by any chance you are a twenty-something person reading this blog, PLEASE contribute. We do love you!)

Beatles tours etc in Liverpool

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I’ll be turning 70 next year and my family want to treat me to something special. Initially they suggested a trip to Japan, where I’ve never been, and had occasionally expressed an interested in visiting.

But then I thought what I’d really like to do is a Beatle nerd’s trip to Liverpool – you know, visit Penny Lane and S Fields etc. And the new Pete Best Beatles museum.

Has any done this recently? Are there guided tours worth doing or is it best to do your own research and do it by yourself? Has the whole place been taken over by tacky touristy stuff?

First cinematic tumescence

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My whole family went to “Help” at the cinema in Wellington New Zealand in 1965.

11 year old me, sitting there next to my Dad, and here’s Macca pretending to play guitar but it’s actually a girl in a white bikini.

Oh dear. SOOO embarrassed. So aroused. “Lucky Paul McCartney” I can remember thinking.

There were other moments of course, mainly in James Bond films, but this was the first.

Of course I can’t link to the actual clip from the film but this link (with no audio) has a few glimpses.

Music of the South Pacific

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If you’re interested in broadening your musical horizons, which is one of the the things we’re all interested in here (well, when we’re not wallowing in our nostalgic meanderings into the past) – then check out the link below. It’s an excellent and well researched piece about South Pacific music, on the always excellent Audio Culture website.

Growing up in NZ Polynesian music was all about Maori songs like Pokarekareana and Hoki Mai, and Howard Morrison doing his hokey act (all together now “I want to live in a Maori car, I want to live in a Maori car…”). In this clip he’s the handsome guy with the girl checking out the wonderful Maori Quin Tikis.

https://www.audioculture.co.nz/articles/pacific-romance-rhythm-of-the-islands-part-one?fbclid=IwAR1EB1t2QtbBaeehTtTYOQuZlmcdMH0LIEEyfDoJX_rXTsm6Wa8WJLTzbtA

Would John have called Pete? AKA How do you tell someone they’re not in the band any more?

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So there’s a bit of Pete Best activity around – with the current promo for the Liverpool Beatles Museum, and our NIR friends’ podcastings.

And yes, apparently neither Paul nor Ringo have spoken to PB in 60 years. Nor did George, even during the trawl-through of the Fabs’ past in Anthology.

Why?

And would John have made the call? I’d like to think he would have.

I’ll add a personal note in the comments

https://liverpoolbeatlesmuseum.com/

Songs of nostalgia

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Here’s a lovely one.

Dog Trumpet are basically Peter O’Doherty and his brother Chris (aka the visual artist Reg Mombassa) who were previously in one of the great Australian bands Mental As Anything

Their songs are often quite gentle, like this one, with lyrics about day-to-day minutiae.

Cape Town

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I’m going to be in Cape Town for 2 weeks at the beginning of January for my nephew’s wedding.

No doubt we will be whisked off to see a game park or two, but of course what I’d really like to do is hear some music. I’m hoping the next Abdullah Ibrahim will be lurking in some cosy jazz club.

Any advice, recommendations?

Albums you never listened to back in the day and now you find out they were wonderful after all

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Ladies (I know there’s not many here) and Gentlemen (there are some here) – I give you –

HENRY COW – Unrest

I bought the 1st album “The Henry Cow Legend” on the basis of seeing them supporting Principal Edwards Magic theatre in March 1973. I though they were extraordinary. What parts of this music are composed, what is improvised? An aesthetic that drives much of my musical appreciation to this day.

Anyway I missed the 2nd album, I’d left the UK to be a hippie traveler in Europe, and when I got back to NZ later that year the record stores weren’t exactly groaning with piles of HC albums.

Then recently I heard their second album, “Unrest”. It is truly fabulous. This track “Half Asleep Half Awake” exemplifies what I love about them. A peculiarly English piano intro, reminiscent of the piano intro to the Bonzos’ “Rawlinson End”, followed by a piece of chamber music which seems to have no precedent in terms of musical style or reference. Possibly an English version of Frank Zappa’s instrumentals such as Uncle Meat.