Have been thinking about this for a few days as a potential post and how best to frame it. The idea came too me when I thought of artists that have endured in my record collection, those I no longer listen to and those who showed promise and then burnt out. So, if artists were relationships:-
Deep Purple – A fantastic one night stand when I saw them in 1971 – strobe lights, smashed guitars, thunderous jamming between Jon Lord’s keyboards and Blackmore’s fluid guitar solos. I tried many times to re-live that night of passion. There were some moments that were memorable but nothing compared to that one night.
Nancy Griffith – My first wife. Loved for a long time, this faded gradually over time.Still occasionally think back with fondness but largely forgotten.
Elvis Costello – My most enduring relationship. A long marriage, mostly happy but sometimes gets on my nerves and I find myself needing some solitude away from the nagging.
Father John Misty – there was an attraction or so I thought. Didn’t really get past first base -in hindsight what was I thinking?
Paul Simon – my bit on the side when Elvis Costello gets on my nerves. Has it all – why did I choose Costello over Simon?
Edgar Broughton Band – that flirty piece that gave you the come on at school. Its more than 40 years ago but still think longingly of what might have been.
Kraftwerk – that foreign exotic maiden you meet on holiday. Instantly attracted – you have a great time and the moment stays with you for a long time.
There’s no getting away from it. I’m a polyamorous tart. 🙂
… and you need six goes before you’re sure.
Wishbone Ash – the passionate first love. All consuming at 15 and 16, followed them everywhere like a love-sick dog. But Ted left, they set sail for far off shores, and broke my heart. Years later, we met again and, whilst the burning passion had gone, there was still a spark. We now meet up every year for a quickie.
Paul Brady – Turned my head at a vulnerable time and I dived in, both feet. Passionate, lyrical, an echo from the land of my father. We’d meet up at every opportunity and I’d be reborn. Over the years, the quality has waned, but I still love that he exists at all.
Bruce Springsteen – The 2nd marriage that has you yelling, “She’s The One.” And do you know what? 43 years later, he still is.
Big Big Train – the late middle-aged passionate affair. They came into my life in my late fifties, when I thought that those teenage feelings of discovery and passion would never reappear. But they did. 5 years on, the flame still burns.
Bob Dylan – the girl that all your mates drooled over, but you could never see what they were on about. Several tries, over many years but, no. Still don’t get what all the fuss was/is about.
1970s – Genesis – It looked so exciting from the outside when you didn’t know what it was all about, but they quickly moved on and lost what was interesting about them, turning out to be really rather conservative and dull, and becoming explicitly so in the 1980s. When you broke up, it was mutually liberating.
1980s – Siouxie and the Banshees – arty, not growing up, sometimes stretching, the decadence is fun, but where does it ultimately go? YOU become more dull and conservative. Ageing is like that.
1990s – Sting – solidly competent, capable, smart, hard-working and attractive, with a conventional side that is not too dull and conservative.
2000s – Kula Shaker (bear with me) – the saucy young cookie for you to relive your more wicked past with, which has a lot of the right looks and sounds, but no real bottom. It quickly fizzles out.
2010s – Better stick with Sting; reliable and knows their way around. But whats with them chumming up with Shaggy? Worrying.