31/10/2021
Picking up what should have been 29th March 2020.
Abbey Road, Let It Bleed and something else from 1969 (suggestions please) played from remastered vinyl on a top-flight hi-fi in the Courtyard Café, Papworth Everard.
Home-roasted coffee, loose-leaf tea, locally-sourced cakes, full bar including microbrewery ales.
2:30-4:30pm, free entry. Well-behaved kids and dogs welcome.
Hot Buttered Soul!
In A Silent Way or Bitches Brew….
I suppose if you have a theme of mega British bands, then Led Zep II or, maybe, The Kinks Arthur
Arthur is definitely in the running.
I’m not so sure the others are civilian-friendly.
First CSN album? Civilian friendly, but you’ll force them to listen to Crosby’s jazz tunings.
Did that at the very first National Album Day back in… what seems like 1995, but was probably 2018.
1969 offerings:
King Crimson – In The Court Of The Crimson King
Led Zeppelin I & II
Johnny Cash – At San Quentin
The Who – Tommy
MC5 – Kick Out The Jams
The Stooges
Civilian Friendly?
That knocks out Trout Mask Replica then …
Wot no Uncle Meat?
Ummagumma! Go on, you know you want to…
John and Yoko – The Wedding Album!
Could be useful to clear people out at the end …
My favourite album is Marva Whitney’s “It’s My Thing” from 69, but as comparing and/or contrasting that with the other two is a bridge too far… I’d go for “Free” by… erm… Free… also throws in Island as a major player alongside EMI and Decca.
Two albums by absolute Golden Agers (all nine – apart from Bill Wyman – missed National Service and were teenagers for Rock ‘n’ Roll… the definition) with an album, their best, by the very last of the 60s acts.
Something civilian-friendly but by a female artist.
“Dusty In Memphis” would fit the bill.
Scott 3
What We Did on Our Holidays
Unhalfbricking
Liege and Leif
On the Threshold of a Dream
Tadpoles
Then Play On
The Band
Love Chronicles
Basket of Light
An Old Raincoat Won’t Ever Let You Down
Go for the double and do Scott 4 too
Two American classics from 1969:
Townes van Zandt – Our Mother the Mountain
Tim Buckley – Blue Afternoon
Can just imagine Steve’s Civilians saying “Ages since I heard a bit of Townes or Tim”
But would it ever be “civilians” thinking listening to records in a hushed group would ever be the likely demographic? It’ll be wall to wall nerds and weirdos, a bit like here.
Think of the difficulty of getting this bunch of AW nerds and weirdos to agree on what’s worth listening to. We all fall victim to the fallacy that because we “know music” and like something, it must be good. Then consider that this is a charitable enterprise too and there will be a few “civilians” present because they wish to support that.
The music has to be something that’s somewhat populist.
I only listen to weird shit and jazz nowadays. It stops me worrying if it’s any good or heaven forbid popular.
Some people labour under the impression that jazz IS weird shit.
“Only some of it”. is my reply to that.
As usual, the AW’s idea of what constitutes civilian is .. interesting.
I’d say it is 80% the great unwashed, enjoying the Cafe being open on a Sunday afternoon, 15% my music-loving pals (none nerdy enough to be AWers) and 5% music nerds I didn’t already know, crawling out of the woodwork.
Surely it’s got to be “In The Court Of The Crimson King” if you are playing on top-flight Hi-Fi – complete with shiny new Steven Wilson mix.
Even most civilians know “Cats Foot, Iron Claw……”
That bit, yes. “These jokers have sampled Kanye West!”
What about the Beach Boys’ 20/20? Unfamiliar to most civilians, but with one or two tracks even those who have never served in the Music Holy Wars can relate to.
You’ve got Do It Again, Carl’s take on I Can Hear Music – which is a thing of rare beauty – a couple of Smile out-takes and, as a special bonus, a Charlie Manson song.
That ought to keep the civvies groovin’.
Very short too
Just in case anyone was planning on going, this is cancelled due to illness (mine).
It might be moved to Nov 28th, depending.
There will not be one in Dec or Jan due to the builder (finally!) soundproofing my garage.
Get well soon Brer Fenton.
Cheers, Moosey.
I had a long (made twice as long by multiple loo stops) and uncomfortable journey to Lincoln on Sat, followed by four hours holed up in Offspring The Elder’s digs, and an uncomfortable journey home. Neither of Lincoln’s finest vinyl emporia were visited. Crohn’s really is a pain in the arse.
Luckily I have the week off for Half Term and can put my feet up a bit (more than when I’m WFH). I’m not taking any chances, though.