Today I got Ian Anderson's first solo album Walk into the Light.
Its a bit like Jethro Tull in it's lyrics and structure except its all synthesizers and just a bit of token flute playing. Its all very 80s, like a highly skilled middle aged trying to keep up with the times.
I heard Depeche Mode and Human League in there and was probably others. Although it sounded like original Holly off red dwarf singing..was pretty neat. Like it,
I don’t like Dire Straits at all, and I think a lot of it stems from me not liking them, but people literally raging at me for being some kind of traitor. I got so sick of hearing you have to like Dire Straits because Mark Knofler is a Geordie!
But it’s ok to call Sting, and Jimmy Nail a knobhead? :))
Sorry zx1 didn’t mean to encroach upon your happy memories, but I had to get that out of my system. Even though I’ve probably posted it a million times before.
I actually own brothers in arms in vinyl but never play it, Dire straits are one of those bands ive never "got" lol, like U2, Level 42, Radiohead, Muse
Professional Mel-the-Bell Simulator................"So realistic, I found myself reaching for the Kleenex King-Size!" - Richard Darling
It's kinda sad, but I sorta dropped out of paying attention to music. I spend A LOT of time thinking about computers and video games, so I guess something had to give over the years.
I tend to be satisfied with Spotify and Pandora. While working on some projects this weekend, I ended up listening to the A Plus: Alternative Radio station on Pandora and really enjoyed it. It's a good mix of old and new that gives me some tastes of stuff I haven't heard while mixing in the stuff I do. Give it a listen. If you grew up listening to "alternative" music and you mix in a little old stuff like Fleetwood Mac then give it a listen and you will like it.
Finally, after two years and nine months, I've seen live music again - a day that I'd feared may never come during the darkest days of 2020. There were a few shows I'd briefly considered this year, but in the end I decided that this year's Warhorns festival - itself postponed for two consecutive years - would be the best possible return, not least because I've stayed on good terms with the organisers. The overall headliners were Skyclad - "the original folk metal band", the reason for the existence of an entire genre, and hence also the reason why any of us were there in the first place; they'd intended to celebrate 30 years together at the 2020 event, and so... two years late, they celebrated 32 years together instead.
They're a bunch of lefty trade unionists, which has a habit of grinding my gears, and they're very overtly pagan, which has also been known to put other people's noses out of joint... but, there's no denying it, they're superb entertainers. And, during Corona-chan's reign of terror when I could take some solace in the thought that the last band I'd ever see live was Bucovina - for which I'd have had few complaints given that I'd never expected to see them visit the UK - that is no longer the case and now, if I was run over by a bus tomorrow and had to sit in life's departure lounge contemplating Skyclad as the last band I'd ever seen live, I'd conclude "that was bloody brilliant" and then sod off to never-ending purgatory with some of their greatest hits worming their way through my head.
For those not up to speed, Martin Walkyier left Sabbat in 1990 - themselves a pagan-themed thrash band, one of the very few successful thrash bands from the UK but who had a very short lifespan. Martin wanted to make his band, with his sound - thrash metal welded to English folk music with whistles and fiddles that nobody had ever thought of before - and to use that as a vehicle to further his political and religious message (i.e. "help the poor and the working classes" rather than "bloody Tories, bloody Thatcher" that had been done to death, and "nature is lovely and we should preserve it, hail the Green Man and the old ways, also stick Christians on the bonfire" rather than Greta Thunberg-esque "how dare you" screeching). Skyclad made ten albums between 1991 and 2000, before Martin was forced to leave because he was so opposed to the idea of making money from music (i.e. "being a sell-out") that he'd put himself in the financial clarts. Unfortunately he also has a habit of falling out and burning his bridges with his former bandmates, and Skyclad were no exception. So they've been "The Band Without The Face", as TV Tropes would put it, for the last 22 years - with former producer and sometime guitarist Kevin Ridley taking the microphone - but they don't seem to mind. They've only made three albums and an EP in that time - Martin was, after all, a very proficient lyricist - but if there's something I've noticed about the Kevin Ridley version, it's how relaxed they all are with each other; five of the six of them have been there since 2001 at least, and when Dave Pugh rejoined circa 2012 he was a former member from the mid-1990s. And I can't say this would be the case if the Bard of Nottingham was still involved, because they'd most likely all be wondering if he was going to kick off about... something seemingly insignificant, or if he'd fall over drunk on stage.
Something I didn't know until last night was that the most popular Skyclad song on Spotify is Anotherdrinkingsong - from the first Kevin-fronted album in 2004. That was really a turn up for the books.
Anyway, I could make a decent-length Skyclad compilation which wouldn't necessarily be what the band themselves would choose, but for noobs, here's a taste of what's available from some official channels. The Widdershins Jig (from the first album, The Wayward Sons Of Mother Earth) is considered "the first ever folk metal song", but by the time of the second album (A Burnt Offering For The Bone Idol) they'd ironed out a lot of the creases, and a fine example is Spinning Jenny.
From the third album, Jonah's Ark, this is last night's set opener - Earth Mother, The Sun And The Furious Host. I've never known if Kevin's much of a pagan himself and if he feels a bit silly delivering Martin's pentagram-waving lyrics, but he seems OK with it...
The sixth album, Irrational Anthems, was the first one they made after leaving Noise Records - who I think wanted to limit their use of all the maypole-dancing folk elements. Inequality Street is also more political (though still within my limits of tolerance - Martin's excellent wordplay helps on that front) - after this they went a bit over the top on the folk-isms, to the point where two of the late 1990s albums are ignored, but they kept it just about under restraint here...
And finally, something from the Kevin Ridley era. If last night, and the previous headline set I saw in 2015 is anything to go by, their eleventh album A Semblance Of Normality - the first new material they wrote without the Bard of Nottingham on board - had been accepted every bit as much as the old classics. The Song Of No-Involvement is described as "happy doom"... make of that what you will.
Finally, after two years and nine months, I've seen live music again - a day that I'd feared may never come during the darkest days of 2020. There were a few shows I'd briefly considered this year, but in the end I decided that this year's Warhorns festival - itself postponed for two consecutive years - would be the best possible return, not least because I've stayed on good terms with the organisers. The overall headliners were Skyclad - "the original folk metal band", the reason for the existence of an entire genre, and hence also the reason why any of us were there in the first place; they'd intended to celebrate 30 years together at the 2020 event, and so... two years late, they celebrated 32 years together instead.
They're a bunch of lefty trade unionists, which has a habit of grinding my gears, and they're very overtly pagan, which has also been known to put other people's noses out of joint... but, there's no denying it, they're superb entertainers. And, during Corona-chan's reign of terror when I could take some solace in the thought that the last band I'd ever see live was Bucovina - for which I'd have had few complaints given that I'd never expected to see them visit the UK - that is no longer the case and now, if I was run over by a bus tomorrow and had to sit in life's departure lounge contemplating Skyclad as the last band I'd ever seen live, I'd conclude "that was bloody brilliant" and then sod off to never-ending purgatory with some of their greatest hits worming their way through my head.
For those not up to speed, Martin Walkyier left Sabbat in 1990 - themselves a pagan-themed thrash band, one of the very few successful thrash bands from the UK but who had a very short lifespan. Martin wanted to make his band, with his sound - thrash metal welded to English folk music with whistles and fiddles that nobody had ever thought of before - and to use that as a vehicle to further his political and religious message (i.e. "help the poor and the working classes" rather than "bloody Tories, bloody Thatcher" that had been done to death, and "nature is lovely and we should preserve it, hail the Green Man and the old ways, also stick Christians on the bonfire" rather than Greta Thunberg-esque "how dare you" screeching). Skyclad made ten albums between 1991 and 2000, before Martin was forced to leave because he was so opposed to the idea of making money from music (i.e. "being a sell-out") that he'd put himself in the financial clarts. Unfortunately he also has a habit of falling out and burning his bridges with his former bandmates, and Skyclad were no exception. So they've been "The Band Without The Face", as TV Tropes would put it, for the last 22 years - with former producer and sometime guitarist Kevin Ridley taking the microphone - but they don't seem to mind. They've only made three albums and an EP in that time - Martin was, after all, a very proficient lyricist - but if there's something I've noticed about the Kevin Ridley version, it's how relaxed they all are with each other; five of the six of them have been there since 2001 at least, and when Dave Pugh rejoined circa 2012 he was a former member from the mid-1990s. And I can't say this would be the case if the Bard of Nottingham was still involved, because they'd most likely all be wondering if he was going to kick off about... something seemingly insignificant, or if he'd fall over drunk on stage.
Something I didn't know until last night was that the most popular Skyclad song on Spotify is Anotherdrinkingsong - from the first Kevin-fronted album in 2004. That was really a turn up for the books.
Anyway, I could make a decent-length Skyclad compilation which wouldn't necessarily be what the band themselves would choose, but for noobs, here's a taste of what's available from some official channels. The Widdershins Jig (from the first album, The Wayward Sons Of Mother Earth) is considered "the first ever folk metal song", but by the time of the second album (A Burnt Offering For The Bone Idol) they'd ironed out a lot of the creases, and a fine example is Spinning Jenny.
From the third album, Jonah's Ark, this is last night's set opener - Earth Mother, The Sun And The Furious Host. I've never known if Kevin's much of a pagan himself and if he feels a bit silly delivering Martin's pentagram-waving lyrics, but he seems OK with it...
The sixth album, Irrational Anthems, was the first one they made after leaving Noise Records - who I think wanted to limit their use of all the maypole-dancing folk elements. Inequality Street is also more political (though still within my limits of tolerance - Martin's excellent wordplay helps on that front) - after this they went a bit over the top on the folk-isms, to the point where two of the late 1990s albums are ignored, but they kept it just about under restraint here...
And finally, something from the Kevin Ridley era. If last night, and the previous headline set I saw in 2015 is anything to go by, their eleventh album A Semblance Of Normality - the first new material they wrote without the Bard of Nottingham on board - had been accepted every bit as much as the old classics. The Song Of No-Involvement is described as "happy doom"... make of that what you will.
Like a nice bit of Skyclad but always prefered Sabbat tbh, if you havent already also check out Dawn Ray'd, a newer UK band with folky bits, Anarchist black metal
Is it wrong that the still image with the blue, and red butterflies for that inequality street made me think of the Ninja Turtles? I was scouring that image for an orange and purple one as well... :))
Der Kommisar, I dunno if I prefer the Falco version, but that one has a brilliant video. Also, every time I hear that title, makes me think of that daft dog cop series from the 90s. Kommisar Rex.
Two from 83 from me. hope you don't mind.
Kissing the Pink - Last film(I ever saw) ..very applicable to what's going on today. "and they're telling, telling me lies".
Also, bit of a weird one this. Sleeping Lions - Wonderful you are.
Der Kommisar, I dunno if I prefer the Falco version, but that one has a brilliant video. Also, every time I hear that title, makes me think of that daft dog cop series from the 90s. Kommisar Rex.
Two from 83 from me. hope you don't mind.
Kissing the Pink - Last film(I ever saw) ..very applicable to what's going on today. "and they're telling, telling me lies".
Also, bit of a weird one this. Sleeping Lions - Wonderful you are.
got that Kissing the pink on 7" vinyl, think i do prefer Falco to the After the fire version tbh, cant beat Falco
Professional Mel-the-Bell Simulator................"So realistic, I found myself reaching for the Kleenex King-Size!" - Richard Darling
Comments
Today I got Ian Anderson's first solo album Walk into the Light.
Its a bit like Jethro Tull in it's lyrics and structure except its all synthesizers and just a bit of token flute playing. Its all very 80s, like a highly skilled middle aged trying to keep up with the times.
I heard this one just recent..and it's pretty strange!
Visage - Love Glove.
It's fair to say, it's one of the greatest tunes of all time.
But it’s ok to call Sting, and Jimmy Nail a knobhead? :))
Sorry zx1 didn’t mean to encroach upon your happy memories, but I had to get that out of my system. Even though I’ve probably posted it a million times before.
I tend to be satisfied with Spotify and Pandora. While working on some projects this weekend, I ended up listening to the A Plus: Alternative Radio station on Pandora and really enjoyed it. It's a good mix of old and new that gives me some tastes of stuff I haven't heard while mixing in the stuff I do. Give it a listen. If you grew up listening to "alternative" music and you mix in a little old stuff like Fleetwood Mac then give it a listen and you will like it.
Well, I came across this earlier..and it made me laugh. Can't understand that much, but It were funny.
Tippa Irie - Complain Neighbour
Hendrix
Cream
Small faces
Kinks
The Stones
Chris Farlowe covering the Stones
Spencer davis group
One of mi dads (R.I.P) favourite songs, Fleetwood Mac
The Who
More Who
Rolling stones again
Animals
David Bowie
Some nice songs there. Surprisingly I know half of them. That Bowie one at the end was ace.
My favourite Bowie song
They're a bunch of lefty trade unionists, which has a habit of grinding my gears, and they're very overtly pagan, which has also been known to put other people's noses out of joint... but, there's no denying it, they're superb entertainers. And, during Corona-chan's reign of terror when I could take some solace in the thought that the last band I'd ever see live was Bucovina - for which I'd have had few complaints given that I'd never expected to see them visit the UK - that is no longer the case and now, if I was run over by a bus tomorrow and had to sit in life's departure lounge contemplating Skyclad as the last band I'd ever seen live, I'd conclude "that was bloody brilliant" and then sod off to never-ending purgatory with some of their greatest hits worming their way through my head.
For those not up to speed, Martin Walkyier left Sabbat in 1990 - themselves a pagan-themed thrash band, one of the very few successful thrash bands from the UK but who had a very short lifespan. Martin wanted to make his band, with his sound - thrash metal welded to English folk music with whistles and fiddles that nobody had ever thought of before - and to use that as a vehicle to further his political and religious message (i.e. "help the poor and the working classes" rather than "bloody Tories, bloody Thatcher" that had been done to death, and "nature is lovely and we should preserve it, hail the Green Man and the old ways, also stick Christians on the bonfire" rather than Greta Thunberg-esque "how dare you" screeching). Skyclad made ten albums between 1991 and 2000, before Martin was forced to leave because he was so opposed to the idea of making money from music (i.e. "being a sell-out") that he'd put himself in the financial clarts. Unfortunately he also has a habit of falling out and burning his bridges with his former bandmates, and Skyclad were no exception. So they've been "The Band Without The Face", as TV Tropes would put it, for the last 22 years - with former producer and sometime guitarist Kevin Ridley taking the microphone - but they don't seem to mind. They've only made three albums and an EP in that time - Martin was, after all, a very proficient lyricist - but if there's something I've noticed about the Kevin Ridley version, it's how relaxed they all are with each other; five of the six of them have been there since 2001 at least, and when Dave Pugh rejoined circa 2012 he was a former member from the mid-1990s. And I can't say this would be the case if the Bard of Nottingham was still involved, because they'd most likely all be wondering if he was going to kick off about... something seemingly insignificant, or if he'd fall over drunk on stage.
Something I didn't know until last night was that the most popular Skyclad song on Spotify is Anotherdrinkingsong - from the first Kevin-fronted album in 2004. That was really a turn up for the books.
Anyway, I could make a decent-length Skyclad compilation which wouldn't necessarily be what the band themselves would choose, but for noobs, here's a taste of what's available from some official channels. The Widdershins Jig (from the first album, The Wayward Sons Of Mother Earth) is considered "the first ever folk metal song", but by the time of the second album (A Burnt Offering For The Bone Idol) they'd ironed out a lot of the creases, and a fine example is Spinning Jenny.
From the third album, Jonah's Ark, this is last night's set opener - Earth Mother, The Sun And The Furious Host. I've never known if Kevin's much of a pagan himself and if he feels a bit silly delivering Martin's pentagram-waving lyrics, but he seems OK with it...
The sixth album, Irrational Anthems, was the first one they made after leaving Noise Records - who I think wanted to limit their use of all the maypole-dancing folk elements. Inequality Street is also more political (though still within my limits of tolerance - Martin's excellent wordplay helps on that front) - after this they went a bit over the top on the folk-isms, to the point where two of the late 1990s albums are ignored, but they kept it just about under restraint here...
And finally, something from the Kevin Ridley era. If last night, and the previous headline set I saw in 2015 is anything to go by, their eleventh album A Semblance Of Normality - the first new material they wrote without the Bard of Nottingham on board - had been accepted every bit as much as the old classics. The Song Of No-Involvement is described as "happy doom"... make of that what you will.
got this album on 3 different colour lps, awesome album
https://dawnrayd.bandcamp.com/album/the-unlawful-assembly
and The Tubes
Animotion
After the fire
BAD
Human league
The Jam
https://mzylkypop.bandcamp.com/album/threnodies-and-ad-hocs
crazy weird jazzy punky electronica lol
Der Kommisar, I dunno if I prefer the Falco version, but that one has a brilliant video. Also, every time I hear that title, makes me think of that daft dog cop series from the 90s. Kommisar Rex.
Two from 83 from me. hope you don't mind.
Kissing the Pink - Last film(I ever saw) ..very applicable to what's going on today. "and they're telling, telling me lies".
Also, bit of a weird one this. Sleeping Lions - Wonderful you are.