The Afterword

Musings on the byways of popular culture

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“Saving Grace” … Robert Plant and friends

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I’ve been waiting for this debut “Saving Grace” album (ft Robert Plant) for getting on for 5 years now !! … having seen the band on most of their UK tours, its been pretty special to watch them grow and develop as a unit since their first outing in a small pub near the Welsh borders back in 2018, where they performed as a surprise support for Robert’s mate Dave Pegg.

Robert Plant says in his new Rolling Stone interview that they laugh a lot – I’ve certainly never known a band so at ease with each other – together they are a joy to watch. The album has been long awaited by everyone who has seen them live in UK & Europe over the last few years … N.America finally gets to see them in November and that will indeed be something special for band and audience.

I put my pre-order in yesterday and the first track has dropped on YT & streaming already – a version of “Everybody’s Song” (written by Low) … its a big sound … the live set has many such roars, calmed by many whispers … the album tracklist promises plenty of both.

Saving » Continue Reading.

Conflicted thoughts on Led Zeppelin’s Houses of the Holy

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I’ve recently been pondering Houses of the Holy, maybe because it’s 50 years old this year (same age as me!). What do we all think of it?

I definitely have conflicted thoughts about it.

On the negative side: – Even the most ardent Zep fan would admit it was a bit of a stumble after the increasingly perfect I, II, III and IV albums (the mighty IV perhaps being the Best Rock Album Of All Time, but that’s another argument) – The Crunge is catastrophically, hilariously poor. What were they thinking?? – That Jamaican pastiche (I can’t even bring myself to type the oh-so-funny joke title) is also hideous. What were they thinking?? – Other tracks like Dancing Days and The Ocean just sound like filler: Page on auto-riff, and Plant just wailing mystic bobbins. The Ocean in particular ends the album on a damp squib, which is always a big turn-off for me. I prefer a strong closer that leaves you on a high (hello, When The Levee Breaks). – The cover (although technically and compositionally excellent, the usual Hipgnosis quality) is a bit dodgy looking, and would’ve been rejected in these more sensitive days.

But then there are » Continue Reading.

I was there, but I don’t remember much about it

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I was talking with an old friend the other day and we recalled the time Talking Heads came to Wellington, New Zealand, in 1979. My ONLY memories of that show are firstly that the band seemed really nervous, and secondly that someone in the audience yelled out “TINAAAA!!!” and Tina Weymouth looked slightly embarrassed. However my friend also recalled that she broke a string on her bass, and continued playing her bass parts on a guitar. I would have thought I’d remember that, being a musician myself. And thinking about it now – what band would do an international tour without either spare instruments or at least bass strings? (Mind you, bass strings rarely break).

Anyway it made me think about what I remember from concerts/gigs/shows I’ve seen in the past, and – I’ve noticed this before – often I remember very little, if anything, about them.

For example, Little Feat came to Wellington NZ in 1976. The only 2 things I remember are the giant cactuses on the stage, and the roadie who gave them all a towel as they walked off stage, and Kenny Gradney threw his back at him. I have no memory of the songs they » Continue Reading.

Led Zep Question

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Of late I have been listening to a number of the albums of the above (IV, Physical Graffiti, Houses of the Holy. I am not very familiar with the albums at all but a fondness for Plant’s recent work has sent me back. I am aware of debates around Bonham’s drumming but it seems that the consensus is that he was great. But in the early reviews there wasn’t just a debate but outright scathing critiques of his drumming. As a disinterested listener (and a musician myself) , I find him plodding; indeed I am struck by how bad he actually seems to be on these recordings. I am wondering what the drummers and other musicians, listeners etc make of it?

Second question is about the fidelity of the sound. Again, I am struck by how ordinary the sound is on these albums. It sounds very boomy, reverb on drums and vocals that really impacts negatively.

For all of that, I quite like the albums though I vastly prefer Physical Graffiti to Houses of the Holy. So I’m a bit interested in what the aficionado’s think about these matters.

Led Zeppelin´s Presence revaluated

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Presence is rarely mentioned as more than one of their lesser albums, and perhaps it is, but Achilles Last Stand is one of their best songs – THE DRUMMING! All the guitars! The sheer gallop! Sometimes, for my money, it´s even better than Kash-feckin´-mir.

For Your Love and Nobody´s Fault But Mine are heavy, forceful rock, the playful strut of Hots On For Nowhere has lots of charm (not a word usually associated with Led Zeppelin) and Tea For One is a beautiful late night ballad, on par with, dare I say it, Since I´ve Been Loving You.

Due to being wheelchair bound following a car accident, Plant´s voice is more relaxed than usual. This is where he found his mature approach to singing.

The whole thing has a nice live in the studio feel, except perhaps all the guitars on Achilles. The Rolling Stones had booked the studio, and thus made sure Zeppelin had a deadline to meet – probably a good thing at that stage. It kept the sessions fresh.

Anyone else with a soft spot for Presence?

Guys shouting “hey”

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I was compiling the playlist for my radio show earlier today (link below, since you asked), which included this track from The Yardbirds, and it occurred to me that back then in the sixties lots of songs had “hey” or “hey hey” or in extreme cases “hey hey hey” as part of the song.

OTTOMH I can think of The Kink’s “Dead End Street” and The Spencer Davis Group’s “Gimme Some Lovin’”. And of course Zep’s “Black Dog”. I thought maybe I could compile a whole 90 minute show of songs with guys saying “hey”.

And, are there any songs with girls saying/singing “hey”? I can’t think of any myself, but I’d love to include them, maybe even do a whole show of girls singing “hey” if there’s enough suggestions.

http://eastsidefm.org/onesizefitsall/%20

If There’s A Bustle In Your Hedgerow, Don’t Be Alarmed Now – It’s Just Some Chords That Sound Familiar

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The Stairway to Heaven brouhaha has flared up again with new claims made that the opening chords are lifted from Spirit’s 1967 song Taurus .

This controversy has been kicking around for years of course and Led Zep are well-known for appropriating music from other sources. But it will be interesting to see if they are finally bang to rights on this one or if, 47 years after the event, they manage to walk away with an out-of-court settlement.

My money’s on the latter.

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/apr/12/stairway-to-heavens-opening-chords-may-have-been-stolen-judge-says?CMP=share_btn_fb

Led Zeppelin reissues

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The extras for these have been a mixed bag so far with many rough mixes sounding almost identical to the released takes to everyone but black dogs

However this last batch look more interesting if true

PRESENCE Two Ones Are Won For Your Life (Reference mix) 10 Ribs & All / Carrot Pod Pod (pod) Royal Orleans (reference mix) Hots On For Nowhere (reference mix)

IN THROUGH THE OUT DOOR In the Evening (rough mix) Southbound Piano (South Bound Saurez) Fool In the Rain (r mix) Hot Dog (r mix) The Epic (Carouselambra r mix) The Hook (All My Love r mix) Blot (I’m Gonna Crawl – r mix)

CODA We’re Gonna Groove (alt mix) If It Keeps On Raining (When The Levee Breaks rough mix) Bonzo’s Montreux (Mix Construction In Progress) Baby Come On Home Sugar Mama Poor Tom (instrumental) Travelling Riverside Blues (BBC Session) Hey Hey What Can I Do Four Hands (Four Sticks – Bombay Orchestra) Friends (Bombay Orchestra) St Tristan’s Sword (rough mix) Desire (The wanton Song – rough mix) Walter’s Walk (rough mix) Everybody Makes It Through (In the Light – rough mix)