🎵 Music
An 'Unknown' Podcaster - He Sounds Boring - He Is Fascinating
🎵 Despite my initial resistance to the 500 song podcast narrated by 🔗 Andrew Hickey .. I am now moving into my third … first ‘The Monkees’, then ‘Love’, now ‘The Move’. The depth of information flying through the speakers is really quite incredible - thoroughly researched, packed with information - some of which I know - a lot I don’t.
A particular speciality of his is identifying groups that todays’ mega stars played with in the very early days. Examples like when Albert Lee played with Hendrix and Jim Morrison wishing he and The Doors were as good as Love. Or how Graeme Edge and John Bonham both played in the same band - sorry, cant recall who replaced who … and and and … fascinating - and NOT information that is on ‘the wiki’.
So - I did some prodding around to work out who Hickey is - assuming he must have been a music journalist at some point - but no. At least not that I could find. He seems to be a relatively ‘unknown’ creator who writes books and does podcasts.
Interesting that in the search, I came across this review of his podcast : Pismotality: A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs that has one comment - from Andrew Hickey. He spends a little time talking about his accent and deadpan delivery … something I referenced in my first post on him, and it turns out there is a reason.
Anyway - suffice to say - if you love rock and related music genre and want to learn more - particularly about the genesis of the ‘names’ - highly recommend.
During their two weeks in New Zealand, they caused so much outrage in the media that the New Zealand Parliament addressed the issue of granting entry permits to musicians such as the Pretty Things.
Who knew they were so ‘badass’?
I always had 🎵 BrandX as ‘Jazz/Fusion’ - but they are sometimes classified as ‘Progressive’. That’s why 🔗 ’genres’ are so hard - if not to say meaningless. Whichever they are - a great listen - delivered courtesy of The Old Grey Whistle Test.
🎵 Over on Scripting.com @dave mentioned that back in the day he was a fan of The Monkees. Unashamedly - so was I. He linked to this show. It’s long. The narrator (that’s what he sounds like) - has a boring voice - but still an interesting listen.
Never heard of the 🎙️podcast - so had a look at other episodes. Just as long - and I suspect that the voice will be just as boring - BUT - some really interesting deep dives into some good songs and bands. I will be listening to this one - the band ‘Love’.
🎵 Third of three … in the bucket of ‘well I never’ …
‘The Dukes of September’ .. who? Skaggs, McDonald. Fagen and needless to say, quite a few other great musicians around them.
🎵Running through some YouTube music last night - and well - seriously - what is not to love? Stunning. Two very different songs from the same album.
Steven Wilson - Luminol (Mexico City)
🎵 Jon Lord plays Dave Brubeck
As a kid, shall we say my musical taste did not jibe with my dad’s. Nor with my mum’s for that matter - although she did understand what I was listening to - and why. Probably because of that there are artists that she introduced me to that are still part of my listening cycle - like Dave Brubeck.
She passed a while ago, but would have loved Deep Purple’s Jon Lord covering ‘UnSquare Dance’.
🎵 Just added a few pages about music to my site that emerged from a conversation a few weeks ago with @hutaffe … enjoy.
I hope it also contributes to a better understanding of ‘why only three’ @SimonWoods 🥺
Elsewhere I referenced Tim Minchin’s ‘3 minute’ song. Very clever. Very funny. And guess what … it is only three minutes long!
🎵 The only public list I have at Album Whale that I am not tracking is this one - because it is finished! One album for each decade since I ‘discovered’ music.
These are the other three.
🎵 Over on AlbumWhale I now have three lists running, the first two are still growing.
🎵Great artists, in no particular order, that make up the genre I call ‘English Progressive’.
Steven Wilson - and if you want a great place to start exploring, look no further than Grace for Drowning.
🎵 Disappeared down the Cat Stevens / Yusuf rabbit hole this past weekend as I connected dots around Jeff Beck. It all goes back to the Yardbirds - famous for being ‘the start’ of three world class guitarists and Renaissance/Illusion and Paul Samwell Smith
🎵 It’s a work in process - and definitely more to come - but two personal music lists you might enjoy
Big Albums From Artists You Might Not Know
Thankyou AlbumWhale and @bjhess
🎵 Is The Eurovision Song Contest Designed To Be An 'Equal Opportunity' Employer?
That is the only thing I can think of that created the news that caused me to write this post!
This is nothing like a PiL track. It is also nothing like a John Lydon track. That said,
“Public Image Ltd. (PiL) have been selected for the 67th annual Eurovision Song Contest airing on February 3. The band will represent Ireland with their new single ‘Hawaii.’.”
The NME and American Songwriter are both ‘kind of saying’ that;
‘kind of’ because i THINK that there is an Irish ‘run off’ in February before the final decision to compete in May(?) This article is one of many providing a little back story to the song.
The song … is a love letter to Lydon’s wife. Nora Forster, Lydon’s wife of nearly 45 years (who) was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2018.
It goes on ..
“A deeply personal track for Lydon, ‘Hawaii’ is sobering reflection of the couple’s life together. The song is punctuated by one of their most special memories, a trip they once took together. Some begin again / We’re here / You and me … Remember me / I remember you / Hawaii. Written by Lydon, “Hawaii” professes the power of love through the good and the most traumatic of times.
All good. No problem. Sorry to read about his wife’s diagnosis. The song is nice enough - though to these untrained ears a little schmaltzy - if not to say ‘derivative’ - as in ever since Elvis went to Hawaii, songwriters have been picking up their instruments and writing yet another song about Hawaii. John is no different.
But here’s the thing
1] Lydon was born in London. Yes to Irish parents (and holds an Irish passport) but he also has American citizenship and is on record as saying “I view myself as British first and foremost.”
Let me take you back to Eurovision ’81. The winner? Buck’s Fizz, with a song called ‘Making Your Mind Up’ .. maybe John should acquaint himself with a little Eurovision history and decide who he is.
2] An entire song called Hawaii - whoever thought of doing that … oh wait - to represent IRELAND - the home of some of the greatest writers and musicians in the world. Is there really not a real Irish choice?
Fun fact - Ireland is the ONLY entry ever to win the competition twice with the same singer songwriter - not only that,he wrote a third song … that also won.
3] The chintzy Hawaiian sound does a massive disservice to the real music that emerges from those islands.
Just on Maui … there are superb professional musicians that I know, including;
🔸 Randall Rospond
🔸 Tom Conway
🔸 Gail Swanson
🔸 Jamie Gallo (sorry - Facebook link)
🔸 Vince Esquire
🔸 Kanekoa
Not to mention Alana Cini, Joel Katz, Peter Kater, Chris Sendrey, John Grover and so many others I know and love - and even that list doesn’t include even more famous musical residents like
🔸 Willie Nelson
🔸 Lukas Nelson
🔸 Alice Cooper
🔸 Mick Fleetwood
🔸 Lily Meola
🔸 Steven Tyler
🔸 Kris Kristoferson (I think - he certainly used to.)
None of them … NONE .. produce music that the world associates with that Hawaiian sound. Even a ‘Ukulele band like Kanekoa play their Ukuleles less like Tiny Tim and more like well - Led Zeppelin.
Kanekoa : Going to California
Led Zeppelin : Going to California -
I don’t dislike his song - but I really hope somebody Irish with Irish music wins the chance to represent their country and that yet another piece of misappropriated Hawaiiana is stopped from taking the world by storm.