Well Mike started a thread about Movies, and very good it is too, so I thought to myself, (as I am wont to do) let's find out more about music. And what better way to achieve that end, by sharing our favourite musicians, composers etc; with each other. A bit like Desert Island Discs, only with no-one famous. We all might pick up some new listening pleasure if nothing else. If I had to choose only ten different artistes and their complete bodies of work, from the three main genres, Classic, Jazz, Pop/Rock, they would be as follows. Pop/Rock Yello. Cocteau Twins. B52's. (before Love shack) High Llamas. Stereolab. Pizzicato Five. Blancmange. Kraftwerk. Ultravox. (John Foxx era) Deee-lite. Jazz. Herbie Hancock. James Taylor Quartet. Les Hommes. (Only one album, but what an album) Joao Gilberto. Jorge Ben. The Karminskys. Nicola Conte. Antonio Carlos Jobim. The Bobby Hughes Experience. Corduroy. Classical. Bax. Sibelius. Ravel. Debussy. Wagner. Elgar. Delius. Puccini. Fauré. Vaughan Williams. How about it guys and gals?
I do like some good oldies (The Who, The Kinks, The Beatles) but you can't whack the 80s (Madness, Spandau Ballet, The Jam, Thompson Twins, Human League) to name but a few. As you can imagine, I'm a great fan of Steve Wright in the afternoon on Radio Two (blimey I can remember when that show was on Radio One!)
Steve Wright in the afternoon. He must have had some of the highest "viewing" figures of any radio show ever. Mick and Keef was a joy to listen to. I have noted that the 80's features the most in my Pop/Rock picks, the 90's for the Jazz and for some reason, Wagner aside, all of my classical favourites occupy more or less the same period of time. Late 19c to mid 20c. I never noticed that until now.
Rock/Pop It Bites Genesis George Benson Sting/Police Crowded House Anita Baker Earth Wind and Fire John Mayer George Michael Tears for Fears Jazz George Shearing Max Collie Oscar Peterson Tim Minchin Dave Grusin Bob James Classical Prokofiev Mozart Debussy Ravel Elgar Bach Vaughan-Williams Finzi Hey, I have realised that Mrs Fodder is out at the moment so I am not listening to my fab HiFi at the appropriate volume, i.e. Very loud indeed. South West Passage, from the Migration album. Ace.
Just listened to a bit of that on Amazon, CF! Do you like Azymuth, Spyro Gyra, Eumir Deodato. I reckon they are right up your avenue.
So many bands, so little time! As I am sure that you are a good judge of music, I will have to check them out, although didn't Spyro Gyra have a hit during my childhood, Morning Dance(?). I do like Jazz, jazz influenced classical stuff such as Gershwin and anything with that vibe. Mind you, my Brennan jb 7 jukebox has now gone on to Prokofiev 3rd Symphony! Nothing remotely easy listening about that!
Hi channon, how do you find the brennan? I still listen to my vinyl - Linn deck & speakers, and A&R Cambridge amp - all old but soooooooooperb! but like the look of the brennan as it makes everything so accessible, just a bit worried about sound quality. Do you play it through separate amp/speakers or as a stand alone?? My tastes, are motown, david Bowie, led zeppelin, who,etc, well everything up to 1990 really, although love singers like adele!
Hi olddellboy. I love the Brennan. Personally I have retired all my vinyl, and bought the cd if there was anything I really needed to hear again. No worries about the quality, I record the CDs at no compression so I get the same quality as the original. It's playing through a Harman Kardon amp and Ruark Solus speakers and it's brilliant. All my CDs are upstairs out of the way, I have rediscovered some gems by just leaving it on random and I can search for tracks or albums quickly from my sofa with the remote. Simple, but really good. I have the 320GB version which will hold about 400+ albums at no compression. They do a 500GB as well. No internet or fancy stuff, but if you are an audiophile, i can recommend it without hesitation.
My taste is so eclectic that I have gone from The Who to Elbow to Parry altready this morning. Now listening to Thomas Tallis's Spem in Alium, a 40-part Motet from tudor times. Not for the low-brow but have a listen. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtJvtk6EHZE
Well, as a child of the very early seventies, my first loves were Bolan and Bowie but then some bright spark introduced me to Genesis and Yes, closely followed by The Groundhogs, Camel etc with a bit of Jethro Tull thrown in. My favourite then were definately Hawkwind. Assault and Battery from Warriors at the edge of time, is still possibly my favourite track. Now in my early fifties I still like it hard and loud with a bit of melody thrown in. Check out Alice in Chains 'Your Decision' or Metallica 'Nothing else matters' or even 'Locked in the trunk of a car by canadians The Tragically Hyp. Like a bit of grunge -Pearl Jam or Puddle of Mudd- Blurry hmmmm! George Gershwin was a genius- has anybody written anything as symbolic of a time and place as Rhapsody in blue? It's 1930s New York's theme tune. Paul Simon- another modern day genius. The only living boy in New York- what a song. Art Garfunkel- possibly the best ballad singer alive today. Check out his rendition of 'I only have eyes for you' sheer bliss. His holding of a note and breathing is a lesson to all budding young singers. The stuff that brings tears to your eyes for me would be Elgars Nimrod or Vaughan Williams Fantasia on a theme from Thomas Tallis -beautiful. How about a bit of Adaggio for strings? Music is wonderful stuff. When you're young you tend to be a little blinkered down one road or another. I think David Bowie changed my perceptions somewhat with his changes in direction ie Diamond Dogs to Young Americans for instance. So I've got a wide eclectic taste now. How about some Roadrunner by Jnr Walker and the allstars or Nathan Jones by The Supremes? Long live Planet Rock also. Threre's not enough air time for OUR life music. Sermon over....phew.
Hi LFinH. All the chaps are going down to The Limes in Catisfield Fareham for their weekend beer fest and BBQ followed by some Euro cup final later. Should be a cracking day.
Genesis were my favourite band in the early seventies but they were just one of many great bands at that time. The college scene was huge back then. Even Farnborough Tech had some great bands, such Genesis, Man, Osibissa, Lindisarne and Barclay James Harvest on regularly. They even managed to get Pink Floyd there in 1972 - for £70p! I also saw the Who Live at Leeds - which became what is probably the greatest live rock album of all time. Great memories.
Tempting FFD but I have to drive home and have to get up reasonably early tomorrow. Can you just turn up?
Ah, now we have so many good live albums to choose from..and some not so good! I have to say that after thinking about it for a while, my nomination would be- 'Rock and roll animal' by Lou Reed. From starting with a fantastic intro to Sweet Jane right thru to the last track 'Rock and roll' it never lapses. Wonderful stuff. First heard it in our college rest room back in the mid seventies and it still sounds great.
Yeah, no problem. It's a shame you're 40 miles away....but if the fancy takes you, you know where we are!
Ah, Lou Reed - never saw him live and it took me long time to really appreciate him. Do you remember a band called Moutain? Their basist was Felix Papalardi who produced Cream. The guitarist was a guy called Leslie West - a massive man that made his Les Paul look like a eukalele but boy could he play.
