General Musings on Music

[Wolfie]

Not a massive Bowie fan by any means but just how deranged was Bowie in 1976??????????


"The extent to which drug addiction was now affecting Bowie was made public when Russell Harty interviewed the singer for his London Weekend Television talk show in anticipation of the album's supporting tour. Shortly before the satellite-linked interview was scheduled to commence, the death of the Spanish dictator General Franco was announced. Bowie was asked to relinquish the satellite booking, to allow the Spanish Government to put out a live newsfeed. This he refused to do, and his interview went ahead.

In the ensuing conversation with Harty, as described by biographer David Buckley, "the singer made hardly any sense at all throughout what was quite an extensive interview.Bowie looked completely disconnected and was hardly able to utter a coherent sentence." His sanity—by his own later admission—became twisted from cocaine; he overdosed several times during the year, and was withering physically to an alarming degree.

The tour was highly successful but mired in political controversy. Bowie was quoted in Stockholm as saying that "Britain could benefit from a Fascist leader", and detained by customs on the Russian/Polish border for possessing Nazi paraphernalia.

Matters came to a head in London in May in what became known as the "Victoria Station incident". Arriving in an open-top Mercedes convertible, the singer waved to the crowd in a gesture that some alleged was a Nazi salute, which was captured on camera and published in NME.

Bowie said the photographer simply caught him in mid-wave.He later blamed his pro-Fascism comments and his behaviour during the period on his addictions and the character of the Thin White Duke.

"I was out of my mind, totally crazed. The main thing I was functioning on was mythology ... that whole thing about Hitler and Rightism ... I'd discovered King Arthur ...". According to playwright Alan Franks, writing later in The Times, "he was indeed 'deranged'. He had some very bad experiences with hard drugs."

[Bluebeard]

Yep, Bowie in the real world lost it majorly around then. It's comical that he had only a year before finished Young Americans, with some strong blues influences - and Luther Vandross on backing vocals! - and then turned to the dark side. The mythical thing that the fascists hooked into has an appeal, and I can only speculate that someone who is hanging on by a thread to reality, if even that, would easily be swayed. By all accounts his spell in Germany really tapped him on the head of both the fascism, and - more curatively - the drug addiction that permitted what should be a hypothetical thought to become some kind of ideology.

[Wolfie]

Check this below - the recording of Captain Beefhearts "Trout Mask Replica". Nuts.



"The group rehearsed Van Vliet's difficult compositions for eight months, living communally in a small rented house in the Woodland Hills suburb of Los Angeles. Van Vliet implemented his vision by asserting complete artistic and emotional domination of his musicians.

At various times one or another of the group members was put "in the barrel," with Van Vliet berating him continually, sometimes for days, until the musician collapsed in tears or in total submission to Van Vliet. Drummer John French described the situation as "cultlike" and a visiting friend said "the environment in that house was positively Manson-esque."

Their material circumstances also were dire. With no income other than welfare and contributions from relatives, the group survived on a bare subsistence diet, and were even arrested for shoplifting food (with Zappa bailing them out). French recounted of living on no more than a small cup of beans a day for a month. A visitor described their appearance as "cadaverous" and said that "they all looked in poor health." Band members were restricted from leaving the house and practiced for 14 or more hours a day.

Physical assaults were encouraged at times, along with verbal degradation. Beefheart spoke of studying texts on brainwashing at a public library at about this time, and appeared to be applying brainwashing techniques to his bandmembers: sleep deprivation, food deprivation, constant negative reinforcement, and rewarding bandmembers when they attacked each other or competed with each other.

At one point Cotton ran from the house and escaped for a few weeks, during which time Alex Snouffer filled in for him and helped to work up "Ant Man Bee". French, who had thrown a metal cymbal at Cotton, ran after him yelling that he too wanted to come. Cotton later returned to the house with French's mother, who took him away for a few weeks, however he later felt compelled to return as did Cotton. Mark Boston at one point hid clothes in a field across the street, planning his own getaway.

John French's 2010 book Through the Eyes of Magic describes some of the "talks" which were initiated by his actions such as being heard playing a Frank Zappa drum part ("The Blimp") in his drumming shed, and not having finished drum parts as quickly as Beefheart would have liked. French writes of being punched by band members, thrown into walls, kicked, punched in the face by Beefheart hard enough to draw blood, being attacked with a sharp broomstick, and eventually of Beefheart threatening to throw him out of an upper-floor window. He admits complicity in similarly attacking his bandmates during "talks" aimed at them. In the end, after the album's recording, French was ejected from the band by Beefheart throwing him down a set of stairs with violence, telling him to "Take a walk, man" after not responding in a desired manner to a request to "play a strawberry" on the drums. Beefheart installed a hanger-on, Jeff Bruschelle, as the new Drumbo (playing on French's drumset) and did not include French's name anywhere on the album credits as a player or arranger.

[Jofspring]

I must say i never listen to reviews of bands or songs. If i hear a song by a band or artist i like i will probably give them a try and decide on my own if there music does anything for me. As mentioned before so many bands get hyped up for no reason. One good song and they are the best thing to happen to music in years. Mumford and Sons sounded good at first listen but got very tiresome quick and i thought their second song out sounded like the first one. Put me totally off buying their album as i was expecting a whole album that just sounded the same.

I know i'm discussing music hear but it is probably the most frustrating thing to hear people talk about. Most people think their opinion is the right one and their taste in music is the best. Same goes for music critics. Slating albums for certain reasons when those reasons may be why other people might like a particular album.

[SwanVsDalton]

I heard once that Captain Beefheart calimed he stayed awake for a year. Think it was Eric Drew Feldman, former band member and now producer, said it. If anyone could do it, you'd believe it's Beefheart.

Jofspring - I actually think music criticism is generally quite sophisticated. The problem with the medium is that everyone engages with it in some level. Don't think I've ever heard of anyone claim to have to have no taste in music. So when so many people engage, contribute and discourse on a subject it's going to lead to varying different levels of criticism. So Q or NME or whoever will big up Mumford And Sons when the blogosphere or other sources will just ignore them and respond by coaxing people into Bonnie 'Prince' Billy or Sun Kil Moon or Jeffrey Lewis.

Ignoring the hype is a big problem but critics have always existed - good news is, as you point out, these days you don't HAVE to follow critics. You can just hear whatever you want. Pick what you want and ignore the rest - a good time to be a music lover.

[ken foree]

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy or Sun Kil Moon or Jeffrey Lewis.

check alisdair roberts if you like will oldham swansvsdalton - they've collaborated. roberts is scottish, and utterly fantastic. sort've... comsic and whimsical. joyous and profound. only guy i've heard recently to hold a candle to early oldham in the lyrics/delivery stakes. his 'spoils' is an excellent record. skm are a little monotone for me (on the one record i have) but when you're in a certain mood they definitely hit the spot like few others. i think f. foxes/mumford would likely trace their roots more directly to The Band, a young "rock" group that got into soulful folk when it was sort've passe at the time (dylan's "old weird america" phrase springs to mind), especially in light of all the hip psychedelia of the 60s going on. i only make this point to attempt to differentiate these folk-rock acts from say, jack rose or ben chasny who would probably come to folk via acoustic guitar players like john fahey or leo kottke. p.s. i believe the bowie interview spoken about above is here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbCVy...ext=1&index=19

ah the wonders of youtube...

[SwanVsDalton]

Nice one, I've heard some of his stuff but haven't had a chance to really get my teeth into him. But will get stuck in as soon as I can. Sun Kil Moon I'm not a huge fan of myself, just used them as an example of a kind of folky sound which is a hell of a lot more interesting than Mumford And Sons.

[CraftyToePoke]

I remember a "shoegazing" scene in the early 90's that involved the excellent Ride and a further series of no mark bands, "Baggy" involved the Mondays and threw chancers such as Northside and the Farm a lifeline. The list goes on.

Ride were superb, maybe an album too many, but certainly had the knack for a bit there.

Have you listened to Spotlight Kid or Eat Lights Become Lights at all? a couple of bands Ive come across lately with a nod of the head to that old shoegazing scene - (its unnerving and best not to dwell to long on the fact that that scene is now old and past tense enough to spawn such bands ........ the hole in the ground will be here soon)

http://www.myspace.com/spotlightkidsound

+

http://www.myspace.com/eatlightsbecomelights

[bennocelt]

This is quite interesting. 15 musicians that went broke. Imagine MC Hammer bought a 30 million home spending half a million a month on maids/upkeep - jesus!!!!
http://www.cnbc.com/id/39852571?slide=1

[Bluebeard]

The composer Arnold Bax was hugely interested in Ireland, and Irish Mythology, and used to holiday in Donegal. It all came about through his interest in the works of Yeats, particularly The Wanderings of Oisin and other Poems. He became a friend of Yeats and even used to write and publish poetry as "Dermot O'Byrne". He got involved in the Rathgar Circle to boot, and even met with Padraig Pearce on one occasion, where they apparently (according to Bax) got along famously. Though his music was more and more seldom heard in Britain, it was Ireland that took up his cause just after World War II and his music found an audience at last.

The British conductor Vernon Handley championed his work (and that of several other British composers) for years. When asked to compare the writing style of Bax with his much more popular contemporary Vaughn Williams, Handley began by giving a long a descriptive response focussing on how Vaughn Williams would go into depth and investigate popular folk tunes, and combine the tunes of the common people and other bits and pieces, elaborating at length the arranging he would go into, and concluded archly "in in Bax's case, he simply composed".

Here's to Arnold Bax, Honorary Irish Composer!

In later years, owing to the

[Wolfie]

Which band would you most like see reform?

I'd go for:

The Stone Roses
The Smiths
Supergrass

[gustavo]

What are peoples thoughts on Wings (only the band the Beatles could have been ) Didn't know much of their stuff but I heard McCartney play tracks from Band on the Run on Jools Holland and I really liked them - especially Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five

[Wolfie]

What are peoples thoughts on Wings (only the band the Beatles could have been ) Didn't know much of their stuff but I heard McCartney play tracks from Band on the Run on Jools Holland and I really liked them - especially Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five

I've never heard a full continuous play of the album but I've heard different songs off the album over the years - Band on the Run, Jet and Let me Roll it.

The concensus is that its considered McCartney's best collection of songs outside of the Beatles lifespan.

[BonnieShels]

Which band would you most like see reform?

I'd go for:

The Stone Roses
The Smiths
Supergrass

I always have my mythical list of Nirvana, The Kinks and My Bloody Valentine, wholly on the premise that none would ever happen. But now that I got my MBV wish would have to say The Smiths would be no 3.

Every so often I've go through a rock phase and I've been listening to Foo Fighter-Foo Fighters non-stop since last week. Ah the joys of youth. The intro riff in Good Grief is probably one of my most favourite things in the world.



Also lads went to see Midlake last week and they were stunning but I have to say a special mention has to go out to John Grant who supported. Stunning.

[Wolfie]

Finally got around to emersing myself in Frank Blacks first two solo albums - "Frank Black" and "Teenager of the Year".

As his sound has been highly influential and copied, the albums still sound quite fresh.

The first album is not far off a lost Pixies album - "I head Ramona Sing" is genius.

"Teenager of the Year" is possibly over-long (22 tracks) but there is no shortage of great moments on there. Its a branching out of styles, a few tunes suffer from dated keyboard lines but overall still a great album.

I love some of the twists he uses in songs structures - ie, a song can start out quite mellow and reserved and suddenly segue into a different time signature and altered melody.

Lyrically, the themes are always certainly original, off kilter and never dull. His willingness to adopt different vocal delivery helps distinguish one song from the next also.

In summary - both well worth a listen.

[Wolfie]

John Lennon is 30 years dead tomorrow.

[the 12 th man]

John Lennon is 30 years dead tomorrow.

I heard an ad on the radio for that Newbridge Cutlery place have some of his original clothes and bit & pieces belonging to him in their showrooms.

[Pauro 76]

I always have my mythical list of Nirvana, The Kinks and My Bloody Valentine, wholly on the premise that none would ever happen. But now that I got my MBV wish would have to say The Smiths would be no 3.

Every so often I've go through a rock phase and I've been listening to Foo Fighter-Foo Fighters non-stop since last week. Ah the joys of youth. The intro riff in Good Grief is probably one of my most favourite things in the world.



Also lads went to see Midlake last week and they were stunning but I have to say a special mention has to go out to John Grant who supported. Stunning.

The Foo Fighters debut is pure class. Really like 'Colour and the Shape' as well but they've gone horrendously MOR since then.

[BonnieShels]

Indeed they have. Usually 1 song on each album since There is nothing left to lose which was their last album of any noteworthy consistency. I do have a bit of a fondness for the track Pretender off Echoes Silence... etc.
Krist Novoselic and Butch Vig involved in the next album though... maybe?
The first 2 albums are in my all-time top ten. With everlong in my all-time top 10 songs.

[Wolfie]

Anyone heard the "Beady Eye" single??????