A few good times in my life
This week's compilation takes us back to the early Rock 'n' Roll, give a little soul, some singer songwriter, former hits and early British rock from 60's. Just for your pleasure.
1958: Eddie Cochran
1972: J.J. Cale
1978: 10cc
1992: Lithium
1965: Lee Dorsay
1976: Blue Oyster Cult
1983: ZZ Top
1964: The Zombies
2006: Snow Patrol
1974: Barry White
1980: Peter Gabriel
1967: The Kinks
1969: Johnny Cash
1974: Kiki Dee
1979: The Clash
1957: Buddy Holly
1968: The Who
1979: AC/DC
This evening the sad news arrived that Ozzy Osbourne died at the age of 76. He was the head and voice of Black Sabbath maybe one of the first metal bands in history. For me their first album was epic, although their music is not my style but it was the sound of my youth. I loved their dark sound, their heavy guitars and their energy. Osbourne often named by his fans as the prince of darkness had a full live of rock and roll with all his hights and downs and later in a private novetly show. His legacy will be more than a few songs from this genre. A person who has left nothing out in his life.
RIP Ozzy
The majority of this week's songs take us back to the early eighties in England. We start with The Fixx, a new wave band from London. Not really new wave, as they had already integrated strange synthesisers into their sound for this time, with short guitar riffs and a pleasing rhythm section. This is the last song on their debut album from 1982.
The Fixx - Red Skies
In 1983 Paul Weller decided to disband The Jam, as he was leaning more towards soul and jazz at the time. Together with Mick Talbot they released an epic debut album that made the sound of this summer. Long Hot Summer was the leading track on their third single released as an EP. There are still less songs that sound better to summer than this.
The Style Council - Long Hot Summer
Let's go to the north. In 1996 Belle and Sebastian formed in Glasgow by Stuart Murdoch and Stuart David as part of a social project for the unemployed. With their jangle-pop and great melodies they got a lot of critical acclaim and they released one good album after another. This song from their seventh album The Life Pursuit shows once more why they are so great.
Belle and Sebastian - The Blues Is Still Blue
In 1988 Spacemen 3 released Performance, their first live album, recorded during a gig in Melkweg, Netherlands. It shows them at the climax of their musical work between their studio albums The Perfect Describtion and Playing With Fire when they gave as their great combination of distorted guitars and maybe the best psychedelic music since the Velvets.
The concert was more dedicated to the likes of Pete Kember and Jason Pierce than promoting their last album because they played cover versions of their likes. Songs by MC5 and Roky Erickson. Their version of Rollercoaster shows everything Spacemen 3 were famous for.
Spacemen 3 - Rollercoaster
This week came another song from Austria to my ears which I couldn't get out of my head after listening to it for the first time. Jo The Man The Music is the project of a mid twenty singer/songwriter whose real names I was unable to research. It doesn't really matter if the young woman's music is right.
A few days ago she released her first EP and Skinny Dipping is the leading song and takes listeners for a swim in the deep end with the sun-drenched indie pop rock track that takes listeners for a swim in the deep end with a sund-drenched indie pop rock track.
From time to time I need to listen to traditional rock music and mostly I come back to Ry Cooder. I like his kind of music that is deeply rooted in the songs and mood of Woody Guthrie. From his early days as a well known session musician over his first albums with eclectic song collections to his steps towards to world music and soundtracks he always made the songs he played on unique.
Almost 50 years ago he celebrated another kind of music with his Chicken Skin Revue a melange of classic folk songs and new ones played with Mexican and Hawaiian musicians and it shows all the abilities a guitar player could have. Listening to these songs again he is one of the most influential and underrated guitar player ever.
Ry Cooder - School Is Out
Ry Cooder - Viva Squin /Do Re Mi
Ry Cooder - How Can A Poor Man Stand This Times And Live
This week's look back mainly takes us back to the time before punk changed everything, but also includes a Bruce Springsteen track that is one of my favorites of his.
1972: The Hollies
1960: The Shadows
1971: Paul Revere and the Raiders
1973: Elton John
1973: Paul Simon
1978: Bruce Springsteen
1966: The Beach Boys
1975: David Bowie
1979: Talking Heads
1976: Todd Rundgren
