Live Music On German TV

 

Another post in a long living series of live music in German Television. Back then in the early 80's the airplay in radio stations for modern music for young people were a desert. I can remember when we were lucky that local radio station played rock music for just one or two hours each day. Me and my friends switched to AFN, the local radio station for American soldiers close to my town. It got better in the beginnings of the 80's when also local TV stations made formats for young people. Beside Beat-Club which were featured at this place for several times, Bavarian TV produced a format for twens where political and social themes were discussed by young people. I remember the first discussions about HIV and new right wing fascists in Germany that impressed me much and built the tenor of the thoughts and meanings I have right now. It was usual that after the discussions a band played a short live concert that was featured on TV. Searching for clips from Live From Alabama, an old concert hall in Munich, I found a lot of live performances that are worth to be featured now and during the next weeks. One of those was a concert by Everything But The Girl from May 1985 and it shows the abilities of Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt playing songs from their first albums. They were great at this time and never lost anything of their attraction during the last decades. A footage that is superb for me.

2021 - Long 1/2

 

The year is almost over and it is time to have a look back to the releases from 2021. I have to say that there were many albums released that are worth to be mentioned in a retrospective. Not all albums that impressed me or made fun got it on the year and list. What doesn't mean that they are no good at all but I decided to list 21 albums from this year without scoring in the order. 

Dry Cleaning - New Long Leg

Sault - Nine

Ben Watt - Storm Shelter

The Orb - Abolition of the Royal Familia (Guillotine mixes)

International Music - Ententraum

Mogwai - As The Love Continues

Nashville Ambient Ensemble - Cerulean

Curtis Harding - If Words Were Flowers

Dot Allison - Heart Shaped Scars

Parquet Courts - Sympathy For Life

Alan Vega - After Dark

Ball-Hog Or Tugboat

After yesterday's post I come direct to another album that impressed me very much. In 1994 former Minutemen and fIREHOSE bassist, songwriter and vocalist Ben Watt released his first solo album and it was an outstanding record for me. For this album he recruited a lot of followers that followed his musical career for a long time. It is a who is who by American independent music. Henry Rollins, Eddie Vedder and members of Meat Puppets, RHCP, Nirvana and Sonic Youth and others made this record so very unique because on this record were so many influences of every kind of American alternative music in like never before and never after. Still a classic that and seldom listened to it from the start to the end. A very fine torture if you will allow.

Mike Watt - Drove Up From Pedro
Mike Watt - Against The 70's
Mike Watt - Piss-Bottle Man

Spring

Yesterday my youngest brother living in Mannheim visited me on his way back from Munich. I was really happy to see and talk to him. Because he's also addicted in music we talked about what was new and impressive during the last year. Then he played an artist that I really forgot over the years. Ben Watt is known as a part of Everything But The Girl with his wife Tracey Thorn. After working with EBTG Watts immersed himself in the world of underground electronic music both as a DJ and a recording artist/producer. Searching for his musical output I found this House track that was played in some clubs I used to got:

Another project was releasing some so called Deep Folk mixtapes. Mostly based on acoustic instruments he made compilations that lasted about 30 minutes and it is a more than relaxing music.

In 2014 he returned to his jazz-folk roots and released his first solo record since 1983 Hendra together with Bernard Butler formerly of the band Suede. I don't know why almost no one named this record last year although is is full of dark, relaxed and inspired folk music played on a very high level.

Thank you, Martin.