It is two weeks ago when I arrived in Sri Lanka. Since then I did
nothing more than sitting by the beachside and watching waves. I know it
sounds boring but I just wanted it in this way. I needed some time to get my regular business
out of minds and sort private life. Imade many minds about me, my life,
my planes and the future. Also wanted to see how C.'s business is
runninng. It is very hard to start a little business down there because
for everything you want to fix you need a straw man. And a dummy like
this is hard to find, in fact to find someone you can trust is very
hard. But finally we found a person we hope we can trust to. Right now
we plan to buy a house and start running a little guest house with a
little restaurant. We also looked some houses and finally found the ideal
place.
After all I had a real good time here, especially at Christmas eve. They
are not really into celebrating this day but for the western guests
they decorated the beach with lights and placed some trees on the beach.
In the evening they booked a DJ for party Normally they play some
Techno and House. Because I am very close to the owener of the beachbar
I got the chance to use the equipment for an hour and play some of my
tracks. I offered them a mix of reggae, dub, balearic and some of Drew's
dance tracks as well. Was funny to do this again.
May all of you have a good start into the new year and stay well.
Finished the renovation of our house, so that we could leave our small apartment. It was necessary than living with a little child and a dog there coast a lot of nerves. Anyway, we were glad to move on over to the house with much more space around. One of the first things I did there was to reserve a place only for me and my records. Now I had the time again, to listen to a lot of singers and bands that I wasn't able to in the past years. So time went on and Kerstin got pregnant again. Our son was born at the end of the year and I said: Now it is enough with family planning.
few records from this year that are worth to write a few words:
Blumfeld - L'Etat Et Moi: German Art Rock at high level
Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain: American college sound reload
The Sea And Cake - same: Indie rock with jazz
Beck - Mellow Gold: Everybody wanted to be a loser
Soundgarden - Superunknown: Heavy guitars bring back rock
Mark Lanegan - Whiskey For The Holy Ghost: Fragile songs
Oasis - Definitely Maybe: Best selling album I can agree to
Massive Attack - Protection: Fantastic club sounds
Tom Petty - Wildflowers: Keeping the hippie time alive
Nirvana - MTV Unplugged in NY: Curt Cobains legacy
Some songs I combine with this year:
Forrest Gump: I nearly cried when Jenny died
Four Weddings And A Funeral: Funny movie about love and friendship
Pulp Fiction: A movie that blew out my mind at the first time
Legends Of The Fall: Great drama
In The Year Of The Father: Another superb movie Mr. Day-Lewis
The Crow: Dark, dark, dark - only revenche
Natural Born Killers: Oliver Stone shows us the power of TV
Ed Wood: Wonderful movie about the worst director ever
All this happened in 1994:
The Zapatista Army of National Liberation begins their war in Chiapas, Mexico // A Bosnian Serb Army mortar shell kills 68 civilians and wounds about 200 in a Sarajevo market place // Silvio Berlusconi's right wing coalition wins the Italian general election // The Rwandan Genocide begins in Kigali // Curt Cobain killed himself // Nicole Simpson and Ronald Goldman are murdered outside the Simpson home in LA. O.J. Simpson is later acquitted of the killings, but is held liable in a civil suit // Colombian footballer Andrés Escobar is shot dead in Medellin. His murder is commonly attributed as a retaliation for the own goal Escobar scored in the 1994 FIFA World Cup against the United States // Brazil wins the FIFA World Cup against Italy // The Provisional Irish Republic Army announces a complete cessation of military operations // Michael Schumacher wins his first Formula One World Championship
Very few music addicted people can still remember the times beginning of the 1970s when German radio broadcasted popular music only for one or two hours daily. That's why I often joined the AFN, where you could hear all the good songs that the forces brings to the American soldiers. Of course the played real country music as well and this was the time, when I got the first contact to the man with the somber voice. Throughout the years I always loved to hear him but I was not successful to introduce him to my lads. Everything changed, with this record. Produced by Rick Rubin, who produced the first Beastie Boys album as well, he got the recognition he should have. Rubin reduced the songs just to Johnny Cash and his guitar and he picked out some songs from nowadays bands and let them sing by the man in black.
Rumble on the Beach was a German rockabilly band from the early 1980s. Their first record was released on the Weser label which was well know for their punk history. Rumble Rat is a pretty good record in this genre and Rumble on the Beach reached a higher name recognition with their rockabilly-version of Prince's Purple Rain.
Todays song is the first single from the British hip-hop duo dan le sac VS scroobius pip released in 2007. They combine electric beats with spoken, sung and rapped lyrics. They ought to be famous in Great Britain because the appeared several time on Glastonbury Festival. I have discovered this song only this year and it does not go out of my head any more. In addition, it contains superior lyrics.
Business work is over for this year my friends. During the last months I was working so hard on some projects ans special duties that I almost lost my power. In fact that I didn't had a chance throughout the last months to get some days off I take my unused holidays until the first week of the next year. Not knowing what to do I booked a flight down to Sri Lanka again. Also to see how C.'s business is running or not. I think it might be fine to stay over Christmas time and New Year Day somewhere where it is not as cold and rainy as in Germany. I finished packing my bags and will go out for a beer later this afternoon - and tomorrow I'll fly.
So don't be too disappointed when you miss my daily blog. I try to keep it alive down there. Todays song is from Adriano Celentano from his superb album Quel Punto. Have a nice week
In the review I must confess that in 1993 another year has been with many stamping changes. The slightest one was that we have bought ourselves a domestic animal. A small West-Highland terrier. Never had a pet before but I loved him from the first day we got him - not knowing that he will accompany me for 16 years. The really drastic event was the birth of our daughter. She was planned and we and we have brought the months of the pregnancy like millions more different behind ourselves. What I will never forget, nevertheless, in my life is the birth of my daughter. The most moving moment in my present life was when I might hold her for the first time in my hands. At this moment I was indescribably happy and tears of the joy are running down my cheeks. I was so happy that I could take the world in my arms. Of course, you are not able to sleep after this emotional birth so I went to my mates to celebrate the birth of my daughter. My god, was I hammered. A few month later we finished the renovation in our house so we could move into it before the winter comes.
Another thing I remember this year was the World Championship in Athletics that was held in Stuttgart. I'm into football but me and my mates have decided to watch the games at one day. I can remember that Thursday when we arrived at the competition site. It was warm and a clear sky and full of visitors. We had good seats to watch the pole vault and the men and women short sprint as well. It was also the first day of the men's decathlon. I've never been to a crowded place where thousands of people are happy and peaceful watching the competitions. Simply said, it was fantastic.
Didn't found much new music this year and when I look back I remember this ones:
Cypress Hill - Black Sunday: Dope reggae
Iggy Pop - American Caesar: The old man is back as good as ever
Penelope Houston - The Whole World: Hit me with a flower - San Fransisco calling
Grant Lee Buffalo - Fuzzi: Laid back songs from the American underground
Jamiroquai - Emergency On Planet Earth: Brought us back to dancefloor
Guru - Guru's Jazzmatazz Vol. I: Fantastic sounds with this crossover
Donald Fagen- Kamakiriad: Another great record from the former Steely Dan member
V.A. - Judgement Nights: If it should be loud - it should be in this way
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - Live Seeds: Great document of his tour I was able to see him
Here are just a few songs from this year:
Yes, we had the time to watch some movies as well:
The Fugitive: Great parts by Tommy Lee Jones and Harrison Ford
Schindler's List: Excellent drama about a true story
Sleepless In Seattle: If you were engaged at this time you had to watch it
Philadelphia: Very good drama about to be HIV positive
In The Line Of Fire: Clint Eastwood gets even better the older he gets
Sommersby: Fine story / great actors
The Piano: Excellent movie with fantastic pictures
Groundhog Day: Every day is the same
Falling Down: It could happen if everything gets too much
True Romance: Excellent road movie, written by Quentin Tarantino
Grumpy Old Men: Just funny to watch real actors
In the Sri Lankan Civil War 100 people were killed by the navy in Jaffna Lagoon // A Liberian-registered oil tanker runs aground off close to Shetland, causing a massive oil spill // 900 Muslims and Hindus die during the Bombay riots // Bill Clinton succeeds George Bush as the 42nd President of the United States // Vaclav Havel is elected President of the Czech Republik // WTC bombed by a van bomb // The enclave Srebrenica is declared as a UN-protected 'safe area' // Eritrea gains independence from Ethiopia // Large protests erupt against the regime of Slobodan Misosevic in Belgrade - opposition leader Vuk Draskovic and his wife Danica are arrestet // GSG 9 troopers arrest Birgit Hogefeld and kill Wolfgang Grams, two Red Army Faction terrorists, in a train station in Germany // Handshake between Arafat and Rabin in Washington after signing a peace accord // The Maastricht Treaty takes effect, formally establishing the European Union // Manchester United win the inaugural English Premier League title (their first league title in 26 years) and Bobby Moore dies // World Championship in Athletics held in Stuttgart
I followed Paul Weller from the start with The Jam over to The Style Council. With every band he wrote history in modern music. Starting with The Jam to reanimate the mod era he gave us a lot of songs that were monumental. With The Style Council he slipped into another sound. Now we could here more soul and jazz in his music. On their records are a lot of songs as well I played again and again all over the years. In the early 1990s he decided to start a career under his own name. His second record by his name is Wild Wood. Weller finds the on Wild Wood his own personal sound. In rock history only a few artists found their own sound - to me occur only Neil Young and partly Jimi Hendrix. Let me formulate it in this way: earthy, crashing guitar sounds, broken and aggressively. And over the sound his fantastic voice: smoky, furious and emotionally loaded. I can't imagine that someone else could sing this songs like he did. And finally his superb lyrics. I think this is his masterpiece.
The intention of this series was to tell the people out there about German music. To German music belongs also music to adjoining states. Last time I crossed the border I featured Steffan Eicher from Switzerland. Now I cross the border to Austria. Falco got famous as the so called first white Rapper who got a number one chart hit at Billboard in the US. He started his career as a bass player in the Austrian anarchy punk band Drahdiwaberl who had an underground hit in Austria which was banned in the airplay because it described the use and dealing of drugs in Vienna. After his work with Drahdiwaberl he forced a career with his own name. He signed a contract and produced his first record. The single Der Kommissar advanced to a often played club hit and was covered by Under The Fire. Under the influence of the Milos Foreman movie Amadeus and the hype about Mozart he wrote his well known song Amadeus. Also a milestone in white rapping. It was played these times in my place very often and never get boring at all. In the German-speaking space there was a violent controversy about his song Jeanny. After the title had been uncoupled after rock Me Amadeus and Vienna Calling as this next single and the matching video had run on television, a quarrel about the contents broke out. Many broadcasting stations refused passing the ball because Jeanny described in her opinion an act of violence not only, but even glorified. For me it was a great song and his voice sounded like a haunted pedestrian - awesome. After years of very big success and tours through the whole world he lost his physical and mental health and turned more and more into drugs. He died in 1998 in the Dominican Republic when his jeep collided with a public bus high leveled with alcohol, cocaine and THC. May he rest in peace.
I found the version of an old song that was famous in the 1980s a few days ago while I surfed the Internet. Jeanny is a song by an Austrian musician called Falco (more of him on the next edition by the Foreign Correspondent). The video and the song was banned on German airplays because in the song a pedophile describes his feeling about the fact how he brings a girl under age in his power and kills her. This version from the Swiss band Dub Spencer and Trance Hill is that kind of superb, that I nearly can't describe. A steady flowing groove with very fine dubs that can blow your mind.
The Concretes are a Swedish Band who recorded more than a fistful records all over the last 13 years. Mostly along on the Independent and New Wave walk they made some fine songs. I discovered their first record the recent days and it sounded still good after the years.
Leading trademark of The Concretes was the voice of Victoria Bergsman who left the band after their third record to start a career of her own with her new band Taken By Trees who released two records until now.
This track is from the legendary Ronnie Hawkins and it's based on a track originally from Chuck Berry. You can follow his career by clicking the link to Wikipedia. For me it's just another little masterpiece in Rockabilly. His cousin is Dale Hawkins, who gave us the wonderful Suzie Q.
Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks - 40 Days
A few days ago Drew over at the excellent Across The Kitchen Table published his annual list of his favorite songs of the year. A huge number of the listed songs were unknown to me because in the farthest sense they should be added to the genre dance floor. Knowing that he's a real good taste and distinction in this kind of music I looked after them songs in the Internet. And I was astonished how many good music I missed. Not that I'm a huge fan of dance floor but from time to time I need this groovy and catchy sound to make my mind free. So give yourself a chance to this music - and thank you Drew.
As many of you out there I spend a relaxed and comfortable Sunday. Also belongs to it to pick out the musical priming coat fitting to it to myself. Therefore I often grab out some jazzy tunes. This one is from the amazing Diana Krall, a Canadian jazz pianist and singer. I saw her live about ten years ago and it was wonderful. If you ever get the chance to see her live - go for it. She's married since ten years to one of my beloved artist ever - Elvis Costello (and I ask myself why does he always get the best girls).
Life is always in progress - and mine also. I have stood several years in the direct customer contact and sold bank products. In the course of the time it was heavy to do this from full conviction. Selling products that I didn't want to buy was not my business any more. That's why I have accessed when my employer has offered to me a place as an internal audit. This decision has stamped my future occupational way with lasting effect. Away from the counter I found the job that fitted to me like a perfect suit. Not only doing the same things day by day over the year I found out that the audit was varied and diverse. They also sent me continuing educations. Never thought that I will go to education at my age. Of course I have not known whether I can fulfil the expectations. But I tried it and I won. This new job made me more and more relaxed. Also in my private life changes stand out. Living with Kerstin in my now overfilled barchelor flat we decided to look for something bigger to live in. One evening she told me that she found the perfect one and urged me to look at it immediately. So we took a little walk and then I saw it: An old ramshackle house which must be entirely renovated. I told to her that she should be aware that absolutely my craft abilities themselves are limited to a minimum. She answered to me that this things doesn't matter and that she knows a lot of people helping the renovation. So we discussed for a several days and finally bought the house. From now on I spent a lot of time and weekends on the building site.
Although I was busy I took the time to listen to music. These records were published this year and are still worth listening to:
Beastie Boys - Check Your Head: The return to their punk rock roots
Lemonheads - It's A Shame About Ray: Great record to drive by
Arrested Development - 3 Years, 5 Month & 2 Days In The Life Of: The best alternative to gansta rap in these days
House of Pain - Fine Malt Lyrics: Not only black people can rap. Starting of the white attitude in rap
Sugar - Copper Blue: Bob Mould surprises me with his debut. Great songs, especially 'The Slim'
Annie Lennox - Diva: Maybe her best record after leaving the Eurythmics
Spiritualized - Lazer Guided Meldodies: Debut of the best British space rock band
Morrissey - Your Arsenal: Surprising debut with more influence of Rockabilly
Lucious Jackson - In search of Manny: Still nice alternative album
Pat Metheny - Secret story: Very fine combination of Jazz, Rock and World Music
This is what we watched in the movies - and some of them I would like to see again soon:
Basic Instinct: The whole world talked about one scene - but a good movie
A Few Good Men: Showed us how American justice works
Bram Stoker's Dracula: Fantastic - especially Gary Oldham
Wayne's World: Excellent, Baby
Unforgiven: My favorite western movie ever
Far And Away: Once again Tom Cruise - made fun to watch it
Scent Of AWoman: The great 'blind' Al Pacino
The Crying Game: Great British drama
Indochine: Epic movie of a time long gone by
Malcom X: Biopic about the muslim leader and human rights activist
Reservoir Dogs: This movie set a higher level to crime movies
Reading this list again, I think they made more remarkable movies these days than now.
As said, we lived in our own small world but it doesn't mean that we didn't watched what's happened in the world:
George H.W. Bush is falling violently ill at a state dinner in Japan, vomiting into the lap of Prime Minister Miyazawa and fainting // The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia begins to break up - war and slaughter ahead // Hugo Chavez tries the first time to get President of Venezuela - this time unsuccessful // The Maastricht Treaty was signed, founding the European Union // Mike Tyson is found guilty of raping a 18 year old girl // UN Security Council sends a peacekeeping force to former Yugoslavia // John Major gets Prime Minister // Los Angeles riots after the acquittal of the for police officers in the Rodney King beating trial for six days // Bosnia War and the UN peacekeepers withdraw from Sarajewo // Denmark wins the UEFA Championship against Germany 2:0 as a substitute team // Bill Clinten was elected to the President of the USA // Drug lord Pablo Escobar escapes from his luxury prison // Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona // mass rally in Rostock, Germany to protest neo-nazi attacks on refugees and immigrants
A Fellow Traveller is an American phrase from the 1940s/50s for a sympathizer of Communism or particular Communist States and no card-carrying member of a Communist Party. Jeb Loy Nichols has consciously decided to give this name to his band. I was barely alone listening to this record. Most of my mates couldn't agree to it. Some said there ain't no groove in it, others said it is too much country music in it or this reggae sucks. Maybe everyone is right but just these Ingredients makes this record so good. Grown up with C&W he came in touch with punk rock and moved to NYC and later to London. In London he lived together with Ari Up, Neneh Cherry and Adrian Sherwood. I fell in love to this sound: a mixture of sountrystyle music, accustic instruments, Jeb Loy's nasal voice and the combination of dubelements and a very good trombone. For me one of the best records ever (and one song from the Fellow Travellers inspired the name of the blog).
The last week I have gone by the presentation of German rock music very much far back in the past. This will not be also different this time. Now we are a few years later in the early 1970s. I have considered very long whether I should introduce a German band or a single artist. I take the chance to introduce to you a band that was very successful in this time and also their lead guitarist which played in several other bands that marked German rock music these days.
I saw Lake in one of my earliest concerts as a opening band for Wishbone Ash. With their ppearance they have stolen the show from the main attraction. They combined the best of the Westcoast rock, choral music for several voices and thick harmonies, as they stamped, e.g., Steely Dan in the time. The exceptionally good guitar player Alex Conti was like a cream bonnet on their perfect sound. Their first lead singer was the Dundee based singer-songwriter Ian Cussick. The band got famous with the following lead-singer James Hopkins-Harrison. Lake were very successful in the United States where their first record reached the Billboard 100 and they had the possibility to tour as opening acts for Lynyrd Skynyrd and Neil Young. The band disbanded a several time an reformed with different personal throughout the years. But always with Alex Conti on guitar.
Alex Conti started as professional musician at the age of 19 playing in several bands in England like Curly Curve. Back in Germany he joined to Atlantis also a famous German rock band in the early 1970s. for one year before he left to play with Lake. He went with Atlantis to tour the USA as an opening act for Aerosmith. The band was formed in 1972 by Inga Rumpf on vocal. Their music had a big influence from traditional Rhythm and Blues and was dominated by them female lead vocalist. Members of Atlantis like Jean-Jacques (keybords) and Curt Cress (drums) became famous as often hired session musicians. A lot of them played on records and tours by famous musicians in Germany. Nowadays he's playing Blues/Bluesrock with the so called Hamburg Blues Band mainly in little clubs and bars. I had the honor to see him and his band a few times all over the last years - and it was always an relaxed evening listen to them.
Kristy MacColl died in December, 2000 during a dive with her sons a power boat came cross and killed her. She was the daughter of the famous folk singer Ewan MacColl and during her lifetime she was very underrated because she had her biggest hits with cover versions of someone others songs or with collaborations with other bands. For me she had a very special voice at all and a very good distinction in songs that fit to her and her voice. Most of the listeners don't know that she tried in different styles like Cuban and Caribbean sounds. I noticed her from the start with They don't know over her collaborations with Billy Bragg and The Pogues till her last recordings. Her voice gave me always a feeling like being at home in my personal own rooms. Sadly she died too young.
Can't believe that is exactly 20 years ago Frank Zappa died. He was one of my heroes that guided me into another dimension of popular music. I don't know if he planed that the music he made should sound like this but for me it was some kind of music in this I could find more details the often I listened to. Another reason is that he opened my ears to jazz music, to much more complex kind of songs and made me understand that you can arrange songs in a way you never heard before. I remember the times when we DJ-ed in the early morning we grabbed out a longer song from Frank to listen to and to finish the day. His music wasn't easy to listen to and maybe he wanted to stand on the rebel side, but he gave us the chance to listen to music the other way. He was a legend and should never be forgotten.
The Pastels, a Glasgow based independent band released a few month ago their new album Slow Summit. It is not very spectacular but filled with a lot of good songs. I listened to it the recent month more and more. And every time I find a new piece in their songs that I didn't realized the times before. One of the best records this year - maybe only for me.
Impressed by the music of Gene Vincent and Elvis Presley Vince Taylor started to sing. With his brother in law he came to England for a business trip. He met there the other musicians to form the Playboys. His first single records Pledging my love and Brand New Cadillac weren't big successful. He was famous for his outfit dressed full in black leather and crazy wild live shows. Using drugs and his extrovert life-style ruined his career. He would be presumably forgotten, if The Clash did not have covered his song on London Calling. His legacy was his great influence to Glam Rock an Punk with his outfit and his wild shows (remember Gary Glitter and Alvin Stardust)
Another week in business with a lot of undone work ahead. For god's sake I only have to work two weeks this year and then I lay down my pen for this year. So let's start this week with a song by The Dropkick Murphys for the working people to join the union and stand against the bosses.
When the boss comes callin', they'll put us down When the boss comes callin', gotta stand your ground When the boss comes callin', don't believe their lies When the boss comes callin', he'll take his toll When the boss comes callin', don't sell your soul When the boss comes callin', we gotta organize
Let them know We gotta take the bastards down Let them know We gotta smash them to the ground Let them know We gotta take the bastards down
When the boss comes callin', you'll be on your own When the boss comes callin', will you stand alone? When the boss comes callin', will you let them in? When the boss comes callin', will you stand and fight? When the boss comes callin', we must unite When the boss comes callin', we can't let them win
Let them know We gotta take the bastards down Let them know We gotta smash 'em to the ground Let them know We gotta take the bastards down
When the boss comes callin', they'll put us down When the boss comes callin', gotta stand your ground When the boss comes callin', don't believe their lies When the boss comes callin', he'll take his toll When the boss comes callin', don't you sell your soul When the boss comes callin', we gotta organize
Let them know We gotta take the bastards down Let them know We gotta smash 'em to the ground Let em know We gotta take the bastards down
When I look back at this year I think that it was one of the best years in my life. Living together with a woman that really loves me, having good times together and also doing my personal things like hanging around with my mates and playing football with great fun. I also was introduced in the Cologne way of life that is very different to the one I knew since then. We often visited Kerstins family living close to Leverkusen for a few days. They showed me all the places a visitor has to go to with a touch of insider knowledge. It impressed me much how all these people welcomed me with open arms - also people you meet in pubs. It is simply normal to join them for a drink and start good conversations. Of course I had to go there when they had carnival season. Everybody has disguised itself and everybody sings drunk her carnival songs. For me it was never to be desirably part of that, why I have also pursued whole more from the distance. So therefore we decided to take the next step and found a family. In October we married with a big party. We had a fine wedding day - it has only disturbed me that we were dared by a priest who is known as a confessing right wing populist. All my efforts to avoid this were unsuccessful. For god's sake he was replaced a few month later from his job.
A few records that impressed me much this year:
MC Solaar - Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo: French HipHop at it's best
Graham Parker - Struck By Lightning: Another great record from Mr. Parker
My BloodyValentine - Loveless: Excellent and a masterpiece in this genre
Teenage Fanclub - Bandwagonesque: Great songs by the Scottish band
Nirvana - Nevermind: A monument
Van Morisson - Hymns To The Silence: Van Morisson returns with a fantastic double pack
A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory: What count is the groove they gave us
Red Hot Chilli Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik: Simply perfect crossover
Primal Scream - Screamadelica: Also a monument but in another direction
Billy Bragg - Don't Try This At Home: His completest album
Lenny Kravitz - Mama Said: He never made a better record than this
Some songs from this year I really enjoyed:
The films we have seen this year and also will look at a second one sometimes:
Terminater II - Judgement Day: Hasta la vista, baby
The Silence of the Lambs: The blueprint for this genre
JFK: Fantastic - but not the finals answer who really killed JFK
Cape Fear: Great remake with an extraordinary De Niro
Fried Green Tomatoes: A smooth movie catches the atmosphere of these days
Point Break: Never saw any surf film like this one
The Commitments: Just two hours of fun added with great soul music
Thelma & Louise: One of the best road movies ever
My own private Idaho: Excellent drama
What happened in the world that should be remarkable:
Gulf War I begins with the operation Desert Storm // Beginning of the civil war in Somalia // Iraqi soldiers set fire to the Kuwait oil fields when the retreat // Massive demonstrations against Slobodan Milosevic in Belgrade - tanks on the streets and a few people are killed // Four Los Angeles police officers are indicted for the viedeotaped beating of Rodney King during an arrest // Boris Yelzin is elected President of Russia // From the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia there originate new states // General strike in South Africa lead by the ANC // Magic Johnson announces that he has HIV
Blue Lines by Massive Attack was a milestone for the forthcoming music of the next years. Without this record drum and bass would not happen (trip hop as well) and also Radiohead would have another influences. I bought this record because of the first track Safe from harm where they sampled Stratus by Billy Cobham - a genius track from the fusion sound. I was impressed how they combined breakbeat, samplings and rapping to unforgetable songs. It is still a record I can listen from start to the end without a break. I has a steady flow that makes you relax. Massive Attack introduced me to the fantastic voice of Shara Nelson, who gave them songs their remarkable identity. This record also marks the beginning of a new club era. Sampling was just a legal way to pimp up your sounds. This innovative record is surely on of the best records ever.
Let's get back to the days of Krautrock and Progressive Rock. Birth Control were formed in Berlin in 1968 according to the student revolution against traditions which based in the early decades of this century. Students tried to give them lifes a few more opportunities like free love or living in communes. In this era German musicians tried to figure out what' possible in music - not only to copy band from the United States or Great Britain. In this new culture the seed of progressive rock began to grow. Birth Control got real popular with this new kind of sound and played as a support act for Jimi Hendrix in Düsseldorf in 1970. One year later they were invited for several concert in England and they were the first German band played in The Marquee Club in London. Their sound was dominated by synthesizer added with a heavy guitar. Because their songs were long they had not the airplay for a hit. But their well known song Gamma Ray was remixed years later in various Techno versions.
PS: An additional information for the German readers. Forming member of the band was Hugo Egon Balder on drums. Yes exactly the one who got famous with Tutti Frutti
Another remarkable band from the pub rock era were the Kursaal Flyers formed in the early 1970s in Southend-On-Sea. They had some really good material and excellent cover versions but their records sold poorly by missing airplay. They had one hit-single with Little does she know and their member were found after their demise in bands like Eddie and the Hod Rods and The Records. It's a forgotten band but their legacy were a few good songs, always worth to hear again.
Last week I posted on Twanging Tuesday a song from Johnny Kidd and the Pirates and remembered that there exists a great cover version by The Who. So I grabbed out the record the first time after a few years. And I was astonished how clear and fresh the sound was on Live At Leeds. It's probably the best live recording ever. Unbelievable how Keith Moon beats out the drums and Pete Townshend never played a better guitar.
The Meteors are an English psychobilly band formed in the early 1980s. They were known as the ones who created this style of music which based on punk rock and rockabilly. What makes The Meteors incomparable, is that they explicitly integrated horror and Science Fiction in their lyrics. Over the years I've seen them normally in December when the came to their annual concert to Stuttgart. And on every time it was a great party. I love them short and powerful songs.
If I fancy what mountains of work is ahead this week, I could despair. However, lament doesn't get the work done. After a calm and quiet weekend I should have the power to manage it. I think I start this week with a song from Tommy Bolin. He was an American guitarist who became famous replacing other great guitarist in well known bands. So he replaced Joe Walsh at the James Gang and Ritchie Blackmoore at Deep Purple. This is the last song from his first record Teaser. He died in 1976 on an overdose heroin while he was on tour.
How in the last chapter intimated I fell in love with a girl far away from my hometown. During the week we kept contact with telephone (the technical possibilities from today were not available to us) and writing letters. On most of the weekends we tried to see each other. Sometimes she took the train, sometimes I drove to Cologne by car. We have spent our first common vacation in the Dominican Republic. We have flown on the 30th of April with the Dutch airline KLM after Puerta Plata. I am able to do myself to the date, therefore, I remember so well, because in the air all passengers had to get up and we had to drink a lot to sweeten Dutch liqueur to the ten-year-old throne jubilee of the queen Beatrix. I have never been to the Greater Antilles or the Caribbean Sea before and therefore, I was quite excited to get to know country and people. After all it was fantastic to get to this country before it got popular to travel there with all this all-inclusive tourism. We met there very less European folks but a lot of from the United States. But people tell me that this island is still beautiful yet and covered with a lot of beautiful beaches. What made us both sad, was when we crossed the border to Haiti for a short visit seeing what Papa Doc and Baby Doc did to this country.
Back in Germany we had resolved to move together. Because Kerstin is a qualified nurse, she also had no problems to get a job in South Germany a job in the ambulant care.
Not much records that was released this year, that were remarkable for me. I don't know the reasons therefore:
Happy Mondays - Pills, Thrills and Bellyaches: Hedonism pure with psychedelic grooves and borrowed hooks
Neil Young - Ragged Glory: Together with Crazy Horse again - awesome
A Tribe Called Quest - People Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm: Fantastic grooves
Blue Aeroplanes - Swagger: That's how collage rock should sound like
Urban Dance Squad - Mental Floss For The Globe: Cross-Over and Funk-Metal from the Netherlands
Just a few songs that was worth to remember in 1990:
Dances With Wolves: Great entertainment and the return of Western movies
Pretty Woman: No chance to miss this classical love movie
The Godfather III: The final of a great trilogy
Edward Scissorhands: Beautiful fairy tale with wonderful pictures and a great Johnny Depp
Misery: Kathy Bates at her best
Wild At Heart: David Lynch tells the story of Lula and Sailor of unfinished dreams
Blue Steel: One of the best cop movies ever
If I look back at this year, remains to me following in recollection:
Rowan Atkinson appears as Mr. Bean on Television // Mass demonstrations in Lithuania for independence // Thousand storm the Stasi headquarter in East Berlin in an attempt to view their government records // Apartheid in South Africa: F.W. de Klerk announces the unbanning of the ANC and promises to release Nelson Mandela // Final agreement for a two-step plan to reunite Gerrmany // Mikhail Gorbachev is elected as the first ever President of the Soviet Union // Imelda Marcos goes on trial for bribery, embezzlement and racketeering // Massive anti-poll demonstration on Trafalgar Square turns into a riot // Food poisoning kills 450 guest at an engagement party in Uttar Pradesh // WHO removes homosexuality from the list of diseases // Bush/Gorbachev signs a treaty to end the production of chemical weapons and begin destroying their respective stocks // Germany wins the FIFA World Cup by defeating Argentine 1:0 with a penalty // Tamil Tigers kill 168 Muslims in Colombo, Sri Lanka and the start of a bloody civil war // Iraq invades Kuwait eventually leading to Gulf War I
At this time I listened a lot to bands from New York which are in narrow connection with the so-called No-Wave or Mutant disco scene to see like James Chance, Defunkt and Material. Over this connection I recognized that Don and David Was released a couple of records over the last years. The song I knew were always good stuff. Was (not Was) were famous for their collaboration with musicians from other genres. On this record they collaborated with Iggy Pop, Leonard Cohen and The Roches. They also tried to get Jade Jagger to the microphone to sing Papa was a Rolling Stone. But sadly it was only a great idea. This record is filled with a lot of great ideas and probably one of the best results combining jazz, disco, rock and cover versions to very own and special sound you could dance too.
