Author:Stephen Lambe, Carl Ewens, Brian J Robb, Mark Marrington
90125 is still by far the biggest selling Yes album, but when it appeared in 1983 it came as something of a shock to fans of the band’s mighty prog back catalogue. With Trevor Rabin replacing Steve Howe and Trevor Horn producing, the sound was quite unlike anything they’d produced before, with the only recognisable constant being Jon Anderson’s familiar voice. It certainly gave them a new market in the US where Owner of a Lonely Heart was picked up by radio and introduced the band to a whole new audience. Some of the longer pieces such as Hearts and Changes were still recognisably Yes but others sounded like a totally different band, as indeed was the original intention. It’s an album that I still like a lot and it certainly gave the band a new lease of life after they entered the eighties in something of a state of turmoil This book does a fine job of charting the development and recording of the album, as well as looking at the aftermath and of course it examines each individual song in forensic detail too – I just wish it had been a whole lot longer!
There’s no shortage of books on Bowie of course, but this one is a welcome addition, giving a potted history of his best years. My own Bowie period runs from The Man Who Sold The World in 1970 through to 1980’s Scary Monsters, after which I rather lost touch with him until the last couple of albums. I think all would agree these years find him at the peak of his powers, producing one classic album after another, seemingly effortlessly changing his style at will as he went along. The book does a good job running through each song on every album, giving some background detail on their creation while the author adds his own views and interpretations into the mix. An interesting read for both fans and newcomers alike, although I didn’t really learn anything new as I already know these albums inside out really.
I used to quite enjoy a bit of Ultravox back in the day although I haven’t listened to them in years. I think the best of set ‘The Collection’ was the only record I actually owned, but there’s been plenty of interest out there in the recent deluxe reissue of Rage In Eden and the upcoming Lament box set. Between 1981 and 84 they chalked up no less than 17 top 40 singles alongside the big selling parent albums before calling it a day in 1986. After reconvening to tour in the 2000s they produced one final effort before disbanding, this time for good, although Midge Ure remains active on the nostalgia circuit. I certainly enjoyed reading this book, which neatly encapsulates their career from the early days as a hitless art rock outfit to the chart storming pop act who became one of the most successful acts of that era, culminating with an appearance at Live Aid.
I must confess I know little of Wendy Carlos and her music, other than being vaguely aware of the soundtracks to A Clockwork Orange and The Shining. Her reputation is as one of the most influential electronic musicians of the twentieth century, reimagining the work of classical composers as well as producing her own pioneering compositions, although dipping into her music while reading this book I have to say it didn’t really hold my attention to any great extent. Still, if this sort of music floats your boat or indeed you’re just curious about her career, there are far worse places to begin your exploration of her back catalogue than with this informative and well researched book which takes an in depth and well rounded look at all her releases.
Length of Read:Short
Might appeal to people who enjoyed…
The work of these artists in general and those wanting an introduction or just to find out more.
One thing you’ve learned
There’s always something new to discover.
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