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Miles Davis – A Tribute to Jack Johnson

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What does it sound like?:

I’m slowly working my way through Miles Davis’ recording career in a haphazard fashion, jumping back and forth and just following my nose.

This LP dates from 1970, and is the result of Davis’ usual working practice by that time, jamming for hours in the studio and allowing producer Macero Parker free reign to edit down the results to two sides of vinyl.

It’s much, MUCH looser and rawer than the lush sound of the preceding, more well known LPs, In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew. Probably due to the fact that he’s ditched the triple Fender Rhodes piano attack and the principle sound is just guitar, bass and drums, with the occasional trumpet skronk over the top. There’s a little Herbie Hancock organ solo in there, but apparently that was just the result of Herbie wandering into the studio halfway through a jam and having a little noodle.

The drums are rock drums, Billy Cobham I believe. The guitar by John McLaughlin is shockingly raw – the hoary old anecdote goes that Davis asked him to play guitar as if he’d never played before, so he sounds like Pete Townsend.

If you » Continue Reading.

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What’s Going On?

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There’s been some fabulous writing on here recently but mainly based on reviewing stuff that hasn’t been released yet (I’m looking at you, the lion what pretends he is a tiger). But I can’t help feeling a trifle uncomfortable with it all – is the blog now a repository where record companies and artists can get their stuff publicised, perhaps gain the acclaim (or otherwise) of The Mighty Massive and thus be guaranteed chart success, fame and all because of Us??

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Das Blaue Palais ‘Welt Am Draht’

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What does it sound like?:

From Dusseldorf (naturally) and channelling the usual Neu!, Harmonia, Kraftwerk (of course) and basically side 1 of ‘Low’ and ‘Heroes’, if you like your beats Motorik and your synths bleeping you’ll like this. Found from the review section of the excellent ‘Electronic Sound’ magazine – I get mine from the amazing Readly site that has been spoken about many times before on AW (it’s like Spotify for magazines – have no idea how it makes any money, if you don’t know it check it out).

What does it all *mean*?

’70s were funky in Germany – who’d have guessed?

Goes well with…

Rain……well that’s what it’s going well with in Suffolk

Might suit people who like…

The above…

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Star Pets

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I don’t know why this suddenly came to mind as I was standing in my kitchen making myself some toast, but many years ago my friends Rick and Liz got a pet hamster for their kids. He was named Orby, because he had large black circles around his eyes, reminiscent of Roy Orbison’s dark glasses. Roy’s somewhat hamsterish face probably assisted in Orby’s naming.

Another friend, West, had a scruffy who-knows-what/collie cross mongrel called Elvis who was completely daft. He loved travelling in cars and created a very embarrassing incident one day during the great hetwave of 1976. We were walking to the village shop along a rural lane and Elvis, presumably to cool his feet, jumped into the ditch along the side of the road, which had a few inches of water in it. Shortly after, we approached a crossroads, where a car passed us and stopped so the driver could look before continuing. The car windows were all open. Elvis, assuming the car had stopped for him, dived in the driver’s window onto the guy’s lap, realised he was not in fact welcome in the car and jumped onto the guy’s wife’s lap and out of the opposite » Continue Reading.

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Graham Parker

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Tiggerlion on These Dreams Will Never Sleep: Best Of 1976-2015

Graham Parker has enjoyed a forty year career that can be broadly divided into five parts: establishing his reputation in the seventies, earning a shilling in America during the eighties, domesticity in the nineties, creative resurgence of the noughties and The Rumour reunion in the teenies.

I first encountered him supporting Thin Lizzy on their Jailbreak tour in 1976. He cut a scrawny figure in The Stadium’s lights, wearing T-shirt, suit, trainers and his trademark shades. Even then, he sang with passion, the effort straining his sinews and beading his large forehead with sweat. I thought I could see his brain pulsing. He sang with the same commitment as Otis Redding or early seventies Van Morrison. The band played tight soulful rock. The horn section rocked soul. I’d seen Dr. Feelgood the year before and felt Graham Parker and The Rumour were just as good.

During that year, he released two albums, Howlin’ Wind and Heat Treatment. His manager was Dave Robinson, who later founded Stiff Records. Robinson gathered together the finest pub rock musicians he knew, including Brinsley Schwarz, to form The Rumour. Nick Lowe produced the debut and » Continue Reading.

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Joanne Shaw Taylor – Wild

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What does it sound like?:

The British blues rock guitarist returns with a follow up to 2014’s The Dirty Truth. Having the album produced by Kevin Shirley, perhaps best known for his work over the years with Iron Maiden, might seem an odd choice, but he has added a zest to Shaw Taylor’s music, giving it a more rich and earthy feel. Her overall sound has also been filled out by the inclusion of several members of Joe Bonamassa’s band in the studio line up. Additionally, much work has been done on the lyrical side of her work, which has perhaps been a slight weak point on earlier albums. Certainly these songs overall are much stronger and more polished than some have been in the past.

All in all, the album works well as a whole, and the closing cover of Gershwin’s Summertime is a pleasant and unexpected treat.

If you like your blues rock with a bit of a twist, this is well worth your time.

What does it all *mean*?

Currently Shaw Taylor seems to enjoy a far higher profile in the USA, but this album should certainly gain her more well deserved attention in her » Continue Reading.

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Marilyn – back out of the dumper and riding the giddy pop carousel!

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Whenever I hear of Marilyn, my mind takes me back to the excruciating appearance with Mark Ellen (“Mr. Smash Hits”) on Jim’ll Fix it. There’s an episode of the Word podcast where Mark talks about the experience at length – hilarious!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1swSz7axuo

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/sep/27/marilyn-peter-robinson-sat-in-room-20-years-taking-crack-watching-alien-films

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Heavyweight (New podcast)

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20 years ago, Gregor lent some CDs to a musician friend. The CDs helped make him a famous rockstar. Now, Gregor would like some recognition. But mostly, he wants his CDs back.

Heavyweight is Jonathan Goldstein’s (This American Life, CBC’s Wiretap) new podcast from Gimlet Media. It’s about journeying back to the moment when everything went wrong. The first episode was featured on This American Life this week. Listened to the second episode on my walk this evening, and thought the Afterworders might like it.

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Kraftwerk live

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Kraftwerk have just announced some UK dates next June on their “3D” tour, and I turn to the Massive to ask, did anyone see these shows when they were last here? Is it worth it? Does it matter that Ralf Hutter’s the only original member left, or are Kraftwerk beyond petty concerns such as who’s actually on stage?

http://www.nme.com/news/kraftwerk/96667

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Van der Graaf Generator – Do Not Disturb

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What does it sound like?:

Robert Fripp used to say that, with some of his bands, he could feel an indefinable presence hovering over them – and he knew that this band could be called King Crimson. Arguably something similar happens with Van der Graaf Generator (VdGG) – something which makes the band more than the sum of its parts; and also provides a clear delineation between solo Hammill material (much of which had Banton, Evans and Jackson playing on it, particularly in the 1970s) and the full-blown VdGG experience. Primus inter pares in a band…..or the total control of a solo artist? Something makes Peter Hammill return again to the VdGG fire, and forge something different from his solo material. The contributions of Hugh Banton & Guy Evans are clearly huge factors….but so is the mysterious ‘I’ which is Van der Graaf.

And so, to the album in hand – Do Not Disturb – VdGG’s thirteenth album, we are told….

I note that some of the published reviews so far have concentrated on the “looking back” aspect – I believe Banton commented that some of the songs reminded him of “Least we can do….” – and the press » Continue Reading.

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It’s Immaterial’s House for Sale

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Not wishing to do down the Dylan box set frenzy but here’s an event that has me genuinely excited.

It’s Immaterial’s lost follow-up to their brilliant Song album – House for Sale – is set for release. It was recorded in 1992 and there’s some interesting back story on the website below.

They’re using the pledge music model, so production will depend on enough people signing up for it. I have. I know I’m not the only one here with some love for Itsy and for Song in particular. I’ll post one of the songs in the comments.

http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/itsimmaterial?

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Emerson,Lake & Palmer – Trilogy (2cd)

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What does it sound like?:

The eagle eyed among you may recall that this album was reissued about a year or so back as a 2cd plus dvd set, including some surround sound mixes.

This is a slimmed down version, the dvd having been dispensed with. So you have the original album in remastered form, plus an alternate version of the album with a 2015 stereo mix prepared by Jakko Jakszyk of King Crimson fame, augmented by a couple of extra tracks.

Depending on your point of view, this is either the last great ELP album or the first one. Certainly the album is very impressive in terms of musical performance by the band, see Abaddon’s Bolero for example. It also has a live staple in Hoedown, and a nice ballad showing off Greg Lake’s vocal and compositional skills in From The Beginning.

The alternate album on the second cd has two interesting extras – a live take of Hoedown and an alternate version of From The Beginning.

I’m pleased to say there is a new booklet featuring interviews from this year with the band and eliminating the numerous typos from last year’s edition.

What does it all » Continue Reading.

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Words Arise Unbidden

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Standing in my kitchen, waiting for the microwave to ping, a couple of interesting words entered my rather numb skull.

Loggerheads. Recusant.

I have no idea why these words should occur to me while contemplating a snack of Bombay Potato on unbuttered bread. I do like words, though. There are certain ones that just seem to resonate with me and give me pleasure.

From perusal of the OED, at loggerheads, as used in being in disagreement or dispute with someone, may have a connection to the various types of creature known as loggerheads due to them having large heads. Logger is an old dialect word meaning “a large wooden block used to hobble horses”. Thus adding the word head infers having a head like a large lump of wood, which fits both cases. OTOH the object a loggerhead (an iron instrument with a ball-shaped end, heated and used for melting pitch etc.) may be completely unconnected.

Recusant merely comes from the Latin Recusare: to refuse. No fancy etymology there.

I’m here all week. Have you tried the quinoa and kale salad?

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Fantasy Cabinet

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I hope that this thread can retain the sense of humour I intend for it. I was wondering if as in “Fantasy Football” where you can choose your best 11 from any team what would your “Fantasy Cabinet” be if you could select from all political party’s? Maybe you would install Corbyn as PM with Farage as Foreign Secretary? IDS as Chancellor? Boris in Transport? Maybe pick your “Fantasy Cabinet” from ex politicians Blair working for Maggie on education? I’ve attached a link of the current cabinet for your perusal…….. Remember it’s just a bit of fun…….

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabinet_of_the_United_Kingdom#Current_cabinet

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A BOX SET TO OUT-BOX ALL BOX SETS!?!?!?!

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“The 1966 Live Recordings” box set will contain 36 CDs presenting all of the available recordings from Bob Dylan’s momentous 1966 tour. You will have already read in ISIS magazine (issue 187) that all of the European shows (apart from the opening night in Copenhagen) were captured either whole or in part by Dylan’s soundman Richard Alderson on a Nagra reel-to-reel recorder. All of these ‘professionally recorded shows plus the available audience recordings from Down Under will be included in the upcoming box. Some of the audience recordings are said to be quite poor quality.”

I`d better get saving `cos my order is in! Am I mad? Maybe but I`ve been waiting for something like this forever. So jest at me, throw your insults, I don`t care `cos I`m certainly happier than you!

And a great price, click on the link.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/1966-Live-Recordings-Bob-Dylan/dp/B01LXC8X05/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1474971030&sr=8-9&keywords=bob+dylan

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Grimly squeamish?

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I work with a guy who is massive – built like a brick shithouse. Gruff, no-nonsense and is, what you might call a man’s man. However, I found his Achilles heel today, which is an extremely low tolerance for anything scary or medical in a movie or TV. I found it quite hilarious. His threshold for this kind of thing is ridiculously, comically low.

I am not so bad – I have long convinced myself that the severed anus spilling out pus and blood over the rotting corpse on the screen in front of me is “only pretend” and given it’s not real, I tend to be able to cope.

However, I am not immune. I see there’s a new version of The Exorcist coming out and due to some hysterical publicity back in “the day” I am not going to ever watch the original. I’m too scared. I daren’t. A vestigial terror of Satan and that thanks to a religious upbringing is also responsible. Bit nervous even writing about it.

Do you have a grimly squeamish blind spot?

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Autumn: Season of mists and mellow cinephilia

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I used to be very impressed by how up to speed my teenage son was about the new movies (and games) that were going to be released. He and his pals would be talking about a new blockbuster months before it arrived on our screens.

Kids his age spent a great deal of time watching YouTube clips and so the big film studios, by means of teasers and trailers, target their advertising very effectively. I too, spend a fair bit of time on YT (now there’s a surprise!) but I never get shown trailers for Japanese anime films or low-key Danish tragi-comedies. I just get ads for booze and dating agencies that want to introduce me Russian ladies in search of romance.

How do you find out about new movies?

Friends of course are invaluable (not least on the AW). DuCool has tipped me off about lots of fine cinematic delights. But he is definitely the Godfather of Glum. Do you want black and white photography, an avant-garde, 60s Polish jazz soundtrack, a slow-moving plot full of despair, suicide and sporadic, angstful bonking? He’s the man.

Looking for a frothy, frenetic, foolish, French farce with mild peril and » Continue Reading.

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Experientially Pre-Determined Musical Continuations

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or the belief that one song must follow another. As a result of listening to the same tapes on a Walkman and in the car for several years, my ears are now pre-programmed to expect certain songs to start once the dying notes of another finish.

As The Damned’s Love Song finishes, there should be no more than a second before the opening burst of Eloise As a result of several months continually listening to The Jam’s Snap, Man In The Cornershop MUST follow the closing refrain of Start Blue Oyster Cult – (Don’t Fear) The Reaper can only be followed by Uriah Heep – Easy Livin’, or the world might implode (maybe not, but it feels like it) The Byrds – Eight Miles High must always follow Focus – Hocus Pocus, and from the same album (a compilation called Back On The Road), Nirvana – Rainbow Chaser will be followed by The Nice – America (although The Byrds and Nirvana are next to each other on the compilation, there is lughole expectation on my part) And then there is the 3 song run of Sham 69 – Angels With Dirty Faces, UK Subs – Stranglehold and Cockney Rejects – » Continue Reading.