What was the last album you bought?

[Harriet]

The last album I bought (well actually I was given it for my birthday) was the new Elton John album - Peachtree Road. I went to see him at the Hammersmith Apollo last night and he was incredibly brilliantly good :D

[Lady Lazarus]

Hmm well I am one of those naughty people who doesn't BUY albums anymore, thanks to the advent of the internet... but the last album I 'acquired' online was the new Manic Street Preachers album, "Lifeblood". And it's pretty good. Starts off a bit slow (not too keen on the first couple of songs) but after that it's a great listen.

[Opal]

Hmm well I am one of those naughty people who doesn't BUY albums anymore, thanks to the advent of the internet...

Same here! :p

The last album I 'acquired' was This Christmas Time by Lonestar. I went hunting on the internet for Christmas music and that came up. For someone who mostly listens to rock music (think Muse/REM/Reef/other Glastonbury-type stuff!) I really liked it!

[Royal Rother]

I can't remember the last album I bought (not that it was ages ago, just bad memory!).

However, most recent DVD was Fleetwood Mac Live at Boston which is superb. A real class act.

V. good price from Amazon as well for what must be a 2 1/2 hr concert.

[My Friend Jack]

Brian Wilson's "Smile."

Before that, a load of 50s / 60s compilations of obscure stuff - The Rubble Collection boxed sets of UK psych-pop, with a total of 20 CDs, and 3 boxed sets of jamican singles from the 60s, and some doo-wop sets from the 50s.

[Nats]

U2 How to dismantle an atomic bomb

It's so good I want to curl up and die.

[Harriet]

I've just 'aquired', as you say, Green Day's new album American Idiot. I haven't had a chance to really listen to it properly yet, but it looks pretty good :D

[My Friend Jack]

It looks good! Reckon I will have to get a copy then. :rolleyes:

[Lei-Lei Jayenne]

The last I bought was by a new band called Amusement Parks on Fire (self-titled debut album), and 'tis very good indeed. Kind of 'shoe-gazery' , sonic-cathedral, My Bloody Valentine type stuff. The next I will purchase is the new And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, 'Worlds Apart', out in Jan/Feb.

[Royal Rother]

Too mainstream for me Lei Lei.

[Lei-Lei Jayenne]

:D my last music (kind of) dvd was the little-known Purple Rain (20th anniversary thingy).

[Royal Rother]

Interested in music as I am, and not averse to new music of merit and with tune, I looked up the 2 bands you refer to, and read some interesting stuff.

I even listened to a track by the "Trail of Dead". Got interrupted so didn't really focus on it, but it didn't sound too bad. Will try again soon.

Now take my recommendation if you will - Neutral Milk Hotel are awesome. Try anything from "In The Aeroplane Over The Sea" and you won't be disappointed!

[Sideshow Meg]

I got the thrills, the bridget jones 2 soundtrack and scissor sisters albums

[Lei-Lei Jayenne]

re; Neutral Milk Hotel, RR I have had a look on Amazon and I like the sound of the album you recommended. I'm a sucker for a bit of Lo-Fi indie/folk. Are they a bit Sebadoh-like?

[Royal Rother]

re; Neutral Milk Hotel, Are they a bit Sebadoh-like?

I wouldn't know I'm afraid!

Describing them is very very difficult. Their sound really is an amalgam of so many styles, with the kitchen sink thrown in, that they are quite unique in my experience.

Their leader, Jeff Mangum, sounds a very interesting bloke, almost total recluse these days with no intention of releasing anything more, although his friends think otherwise. Still, the album I've recommended is absolutely magnificent so he's left something of value.

Look him up on the Internet if you're interested, there's plenty to read and I seriously don't think I've read a bad review anywhere of the album, or the man. He's just a bit odd.

BTW I know of at least 2 BGO members to have given them a try and both have been mightily impressed, so it's not just me anymore!

[Lei-Lei Jayenne]

Thanks, I shall investigate further as i'm very intrigued now. :)

[Deinonychus]

Lei-Lei - I saw ...Trail of Dead at ATP last month and they were one of the best acts of the entire weekend. (Second only to The Liars.) As for Neutral Milk Hotel, I've not heard much but always liked Olivia Tremor Control, who are obviously connected...

Last album? My delightful sister bought me 'Uh Huh Her' by P J Harvey for Xmas, which is growing on me and 'The Tipping Point' by The Roots, which I've only played once so far, but rate highly.

[Royal Rother]

Hmm, OTC are on my list... The Elephant 6 are an intriguing lot.

[Lei-Lei Jayenne]

Deinonychus; I'm glad you enjoyed ..Trail of Dead, they are really something else live.
I love The Roots too, though I haven't got that album yet. Saw them at Glastonbury a couple years back and they were brilliant.

Also, if NMO have some kind of connection to Olivia Tremor Control, well, that's edged it for me, I will definately take a chance on the album you recommended RR.

[Mad Dog and Glory]

BTW I know of at least 2 BGO members to have given them a try and both have been mightily impressed, so it's not just me anymore!

I don't know if you're including me in that, RR, but if not, then I am another. There was a thread on the Reading FC board a few months back in which you thanked others for recommendations of bands you had liked, so I wrote them down and tried them myself. So I can thank you in turn for Neutral Milk Hotel, Dashboard Confessional, and especially Explosions In The Sky - and thanks but no thanks for Flogging Molly!

I had a great Christmas for new musical experiences - I was given the following albums: The Rotters' Club - Hatfield & The North, Brian Eno's Another Green World, Abattoir Blues/The Lyre Of Orpheus by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, the first two Tom Waits albums Closing Time and The Heart Of A Saturday Night, Elliott Smith's posthumous From A Basement On A Hill, The Incredible String Band's The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter, and finally the brilliant and undervalued Handsome Family's album In The Air. So I'm well happy with my haul.

Another impromptu quiz question: of which long-running TV show is the title track of Brian Eno's Another Green World? (I didn't realise this until I heard the track.)

[Royal Rother]

Actually you weren't one of them MD&G. So the number is growing all the time!

Explosions In The Sky wasn't one of mine BTW. I'll have to go and take a look now.

[Lei-Lei Jayenne]

Explosions in the Sky are excellent.

[Royal Rother]

Just downloaded an EITSky track from the fansite but my Windows doesn't recognise it.

[Mad Dog and Glory]

Probably because it's never heard it before.

(You set em up RR, I'll knock em in.)

[My Friend Jack]

Blimey, it's like being in the middle of a Morecambe and Wise show with you two!

I'm pretty sure I'm one of the Neutral Milk Hotel converts that RR refers to, so I'll add my thanks as well.

Back to topic - CDs I got for Christmas...

The UK Sue Records Story
Fats Domino Singles A-sides and B-sides 1950 to 1952
Chartbusters USA volumes 2 and 3

And yesterday I bought the Platinum Collection - a 3-CD collection of the best of Genesis. Contains tracks from all of their studio albums apart from the Jonathan King-produced "From Genesis to Revelation."

[Deinonychus]

Explosions in the Sky are indeed top dolly. (And I'd like to think one of our Elton John fans on here might now give 'em a try...)

[Harriet]

I got the new U2 album for Christmas, How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. Odd really, it doesn't actually tell you hwo to dismantle an atomic bomb, or any bomb on that matter.

[Royal Rother]

Have you played it backwards?

[Harriet]

No......now that's an idea. I'll let you know how it goes. :D

[My Friend Jack]

RR, I really think that was an irresponsible suggestion. If you play it backwards, it becomes "How to BUILD an atomic bomb." How do we know that Harriet is responsible enough to handle such information properly? :eek:

[Mad Dog and Glory]

How DO you play a CD backwards?

[Royal Rother]

You've just paused the thread for a few hours while we all go away to think of a clever reply...

[Harriet]

RR, I really think that was an irresponsible suggestion. If you play it backwards, it becomes "How to BUILD an atomic bomb." How do we know that Harriet is responsible enough to handle such information properly? :eek:

I resent that. I am ever so responsible and totally capable of building *cough* erm....I mean dismantling....an atomic bomb....

[Opal]

How DO you play a CD backwards?

I'm not too sure if its too geeky to answer this properly, but since I actually know how to do this I feel the need to share my wisdom...

Windows has a helpful little program called "Sound Recorder", usually found under accessories. It is capable of reversing a recorded sound so it plays backwards. All you have to do is record your music to your computer in .wav format (I use a program called CDEx).

Now tell me I'm a geek. :o

[My Friend Jack]

Wow! Thank you, Fiona, that was actually quite impressive. ;)

Back to topic...

On my journey into work and back home each day this week I've neen listening to the Platinum Collection by Genesis (mentioned earlier in this thread). I'm actually quite surprised at how much I am enjoying it! Also surprised at how consistent their overall "sound" was over the years. In particular, the tracks from Trick of the Tail (the first post-Peter Gabriel album) were way ahead of their time.

[Royal Rother]

How long is it since you bought "I Know What I Like"?

You're catching up at last!

There's a LOT of back catalogue waiting for you and I'd be pleased to introduce you to it!

On the topic of latest acquisitions I feel I ought to say that I was given a DVD for Xmas from the Classic Rock collection reviewing Genesis' material from 1970 - 80, so that's my most recent Genesis addition. It's probably only for the real fan, but as it features some very old footage (some live, some not-so-live) I found it very interesting.

[Mad Dog and Glory]

Golly, RR, a fellow Genesis fan! It's many many years since I found anyone to agree with me that they were the greatest band in the history of the world. People just look at me as if I'm mad (I'm not denying it).

The Peter Gabriel era of course, plus the two superb and underrated albums of 1976. After that, it got a bit patchy but with a few great moments.

Supper's Ready - best one side of an album ever? (For younger viewers, this is a reference to long-playing records.) Mind you, Side 2 of The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway runs it close.

[My Friend Jack]

RR - I bought "I Know What I Like" in April 1974 - oh good grief - that's almost 31 years ago! I also have "Counting Out Time" on 7" vinyl.

"Supper's Ready" is on disc 3 of the compilation I'm listening to - I haven't got that far yet as the M25 has been pretty good this week. I'll probably reach "Supper's Ready" on Saturday on my way to or from the swansea game.

I should mention that I do have "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" on CD, so I'm not a complete novice. ;)

[Royal Rother]

Lamb Lies Down is a masterpeice. (Cliche alert!)

I think you'll find "Suppers Ready" a little "difficult" at first. It's a grower, like a lot of early Genesis I suppose.

MD&G, yes, I have everything they produced, prior to Phil Collins' departure that is, so another real fan indeed. Trouble is (why people look at us like we're mad!) many people are somehow put off by the fact that were not "real" rock musicians were they? - they were always good, clean cut boys, who didn't leap about on stage like drug crazed weirdos (well Phil Collins did a bit, but you knew it was only an act!) and their music was always fairly technical and intricate, none of which appeals to your more traditional rock fan.

WE know, though don't we?!

I actually have no preference for Gabriel or Collins era, both superb. I guess there were patchy moments in both, but very few. There has not been a single album that I have thought disappointing, just the odd track that didn't work for me. "We All Know" being best example, at least I think that's what it was called.

[Harriet]

My dad's always been a fan of Genesis, but I've never really gotten into them. I like the odd song, like Invisible Touch and Follow You, Follow Me, because they're songs I've grown up listening to - the same with R.E.M, except I got into R.E.M a few months ago because one of my friends was really crazy about them so I thought I'd see what I actually thought of them. When I listened to an album I recognised laods of songs that I'd heard when I was small, and not realised that they were R.E.M, and I'd probably find the same if I listened to a Genesis album.

[Royal Rother]

Interesting Harriet, but the 2 Genesis tacks you mention, would both sit near the bottom of the pile of my track preferences over all their albums.

That may be because they were both singles, with that extra commercial / mainstream feel that chart success required, which made them more lightweight /throwaway songs than their norm. Not very representative of their output I'd say.

Ok, you liked the singles. Don't let me put you off Genesis; honestly, most of their output was much better than that!

[Royal Rother]

When I listened to an album I recognised laods of songs that I'd heard when I was small, and not realised that they were R.E.M,

Did you HAVE to say that!?

[Harriet]

Interesting Harriet, but the 2 Genesis tacks you mention, would both sit near the bottom of the pile of my track preferences over all their albums.

That may be because they were both singles, with that extra commercial / mainstream feel that chart success required, which made them more lightweight /throwaway songs than their norm. Not very representative of their output I'd say.

Ok, you liked the singles. Don't let me put you off Genesis; honestly, most of their output was much better than that!

They're just the songs I can remember off the top of my head - if I listened to an album, especially the Archive ones, I'm sure I'd recognise loads, having had it played in my house for years.

[My Friend Jack]

Well, it's Friday morning and I'm up to track 4 on disc 3 - Firth of Fifth, I think. I must say, I'm quite surprised to find that I recognise all of the songs I've heard so far, even though I dodn't know all of the song titles. Should get I Know What I Like on the way home tonight - somewhere around the M25 / M23 interchange, I should think...

[Harriet]

Well this isn't an album I've recently bought, but I found it in my parent's CD rack and 'borrowed' it - Led Zeppelin - Remasters. Stairway to Heaven was #1 on the Virgin Fm Top 500 so I though I'd listen to it, and it's pretty damn good :D I love Since I Been Loving You and Stairway To Heaven (but of course)

[Royal Rother]

Good for you! That warms the cockles of me heart!

I didn't buy, but just copied, the Kasabian album, onto iPod, that so many have been talking about (if not on here). Listened to 4 tracks and it sounds up my street. So that is my latest addition as it were...

[Harriet]

Huh, I've never heard of them.......I just looked them up on the Virgin Radio website, but it isn't that informative. I'll see if I can 'aquire' a song somehow....What type of music do they do?

[Royal Rother]

That surprises me Harriet, I know I'm somewhat out of touch with the current music scene, well, what is considered chartworthy etc., but I thought Kasabian were one of the new bands that all youngsters knew about. Lots of people seem to be talking about them, but I guess they're not as big as I was presuming.

(Just re-read that, and it might appear like I'm being patronising, and suggesting that, being only 15, you would only know about chart music, which is clearly not the case! Apologies if it comes across like that. Not intended.)

As for their style, I find it terribly difficult to label a style of music, but I suppose they might be classed as Indie rock. (Franz Ferdinand style?) :o

[Harriet]

I asked my friend, she said she's heard of them, so it's probably just me being ignorant and not listening to the DJs on radios when they say what song it is. Alot of my friends're into stuff like Franz Ferdinand and Biffy Clyro, I just think they're OK - I prefer older stuff like Led Zeppelin and Green Day's older stuff, along with R.E.M and Elton John.

[Opal]

Royal Rother - Kasabian are a veeeeeeery well known band among uni students! I actually saw them at Glastonbury earlier this year, and they had a pretty good audience. The first time I heard them was on my uni radio stations "up-and-coming-bands" show, but since then they've become much more well known. And yes, I'd say they were indie/rock (all the best music is :p)

Harriet - I think you might Kasabian (guessing by the other stuff you like anyway). And who is Biffy Clyro? I've never even heard of him... :confused:

[Harriet]

And who is Biffy Clyro? I've never even heard of him... :confused:

They're a band......kinda like Nirvana....they're from Scotland.

[Nats]

They're not that great... ish. Meh.

I bought "All that you can't leave behind" by U2 ;)

[My Friend Jack]

Slightly off topic, but there's been tons of publicity this week for the fact that Elvis Presley's "Jailhouse Rock" is the 999th UK Number 1. This has completely overshadowed the appearance at Number 3 of Iron Maiden's "Number of the Beast" which is some 20 years old. Good to see some proper rock'n'roll back in the charts. ;)

Kasabian are also in the Top 10, I believe.

[Royal Rother]

What has prompted the Iron Maiden re-release?

[My Friend Jack]

It was released on the back of a DVD of some of their early material, I believe. They also had a sizeable hit last year with another of their classics (Run To The Hills possibly - not sure).

I didn't really appreciate them when they were at their peak (like a lot of 80s rock which I considered at the time to be stuck in the past) but nowadays I'm just glad to hear something that I like! :)

[Harriet]

Wow my friend lent me her entire CD collection......about 20 CDs...all I need to do is upload them now! Now let's see....there's 3 Red Hot Chilli Peppers, 2 Kings Of Leon, No Doubt, 2 The Strokes, 2 The Libertines, White Stripes, Sex Pistols, Bomb the Rocks, The Zutons, 2 The Clash, Blur, Fat Boy Slim and Bjork

[Deinonychus]

Elvis also looks odds-on to nab the 1,000th number one - perhaps this very weekend. RCA (or whomsoever oversees RCA these days) have, in their wisdom, decided to reissue all 'The King''s UK number ones successively (ie over 17 weeks - it doesn't include 'A Little Less Conversation' from 2002), so he should add to his tally of nineteen thus far.

Kasabian are set to appear on TOTP this week with their surprisingly okay single 'Cutt Off' - assuming the show isn't axed once and for all. I'm not sure I'd really describe them as 'indie', though. They seem to appeal to followers of 'new prog', and I'm told they cut it quite well live.

However, I'm still struggling with the notion that Iron Maiden constitute 'proper rock 'n' roll'!

[My Friend Jack]

RCA is now Sony-BMG, I understand. Aah, globalisation...

Whoever they are, they seem to be making it up as they go along. At the end of 2004, they said they would re-issue all 18 of Elvis's Number 1s in chronological order - which meant starting with All Shook Up. As they started with Jailhouse Rock, and this week's release is One Night, they have clearly had second and third thoughts. And now they seem to be going with 17 instead of 18?

Not sure about Elvis being Number 1 this week. As sales figures are not made publicly available, and as I have no idea what's hot and what's not on this week's new release schedule, I don't have any way of forming an accurate opinion. However, James Masterson (who does the chart commentary on the Official UK Chart web site) seems to think it's unlikely. I hope he's wrong!

As for Iron Maiden being "proper rock'n'roll," I was trying to find a phrase that covered Elvis and IM. I was vaguely aware as I wrote it that it wasn't quite right - with hindsight, I feel the word "music" would have sufficed. ;)

Whilst we are on the subject of the charts, the UK singles and (legal)download charts are soon to be combined - and about time, too. As well as meaning that album tracks will be eligible for the UK charts without being released as singles, it will also open the possibility of much longer chart runs and even - gulp - records (or whatever we should call them now) climbing the UK charts! Over the course of the last few weeks, Christmas oldies by Slade, Wham!, Mariah Carey and the Darkness have been in the download Top 40 - and so has Cat Stevens' original recording of Father And Son. Aerosmith's 1998 hit, I Don't Want To Miss a Thing, is a new entry at 36 on the latest download chart (was Armageddon on TV over Christmas by any chance?). And U2's Vertigo has returned to the Number 1 spot on the download chart, despite being at 30 on the singles chart.

An interesting time is ahead for UK chartwatchers...

[Pirate Kate]

I last bought 'Who Killed the Zutons' by the Zutons.

[Harriet]

I last bought 'Who Killed the Zutons' by the Zutons.
That was one fo the CDs that I was lent, I like how they've bought the saxaphone into rock. I might be going to see them at Hammersmith in March.

[Deinonychus]

MFJ - are you sure the combined download/singles chart is what we want? It sounds to me like we're going to end up with the same kind of stagnant mess that constitutes the US singles chart. ("As opposed to the stagnant mess we have already?" I hear you cry, perhaps not unreasonably!) The concept of records actually climbing the charts for the first time in twelve years would be a welcome one, though, I agree...

Oh and Elvis is, indeed, 'odds on' to top the chart with 'One Night' this evening: it's sold at least 5,000 more than the new Manics single and The Killers at midweek #s 2 and 3. (The reason 18th #1 'ALLC' hasn't been reissued is that the powers that be don't see it as an 'Elvis' record, which is fair enough, since it isn't really - it's a JXL record...)

Okay, now I have to get to grips with Iron Maiden constituting 'music'...

[My Friend Jack]

Deinonychus - thanks for the reply, which I've only just spotted.

I think the industry has to do something with the charts. They certainly are a mess at the moment, partly because of the way that music (singles) have been promoted in the last couple of decades. Nowadays, everything reaches radio 2 or 3 months before it's in the shops. When I was a boy, records were usually in the shops by the time they got picked up by radio. The result is that, nowadays, anyone who's going to buy a single does so the week it hits the shops. What's interesting is that this is rarely the case outside the UK.

Also, worth picking up on another Elvis point. The re-issues in 2005 are limited editions of 27,000 each. Jailhouse Rock sold just over 21,000 in its first week, getting to Number 1. By definition, last week's sales were less than 6,000, but it still managed a Number 10 placing yesterday. Iron Maiden's Bring Your Daughter singles from the early 1990s was notorious for being the lowest selling Number 1 ever - with sales totalling around 100,000. Clearly, the bottom has fallen out of the singles market... or has it? In the last week of 2004, there were more legal downloads than singles sold. Combining the two charts seems the obvious move.

Perhaps I ought to mention that the charts exist as a source of information for the music industry. The fact that many of us find them fascinating is a fortunate side-issue. Ultimately, though, they serve to tell the music industry what is popular. The singles charts have become less and less relevant in recent years because they have been telling the industry what it already knows. Therefore, airplay charts and pre-release charts have become more important to the industry, although these are not readily available to us mere mortals.

Combining the legal download and singles sales charts seems to me to be the only way of a proper UK chart surviving the next couple of years. The alternative (God help us) is a US-style chart determined largely by airplay. That's really why I favour the combined chart. It's that or goodnight!

[Harriet]

What actually made it Number One yesterday?

[Bill]

One Night by Elvis Presley became the 1000th number one.

[Harriet]

Should I be very ashamed that to my knowledge I've never heard it?

[Opal]

Should I be very ashamed that to my knowledge I've never heard it?
Nah - it happened long before you were born, and that makes it ancient history to us young-un's! :D

[Dream Weaver]

It happened before I was born and I know it. OK, so not long before I was born.

[My Friend Jack]

One Night was originally a Number 1 in 1959. After I was born. :(

I also notice that That's All Right (the single that was re-issed last year to celebrate 50 years of rock'n'roll) has re-entered at 54 this week.

[caldron]

(aka let's see how 'un-cool' caldron really is . . . )

The Sound of White ~ Missy Higgins
Peachtree Road ~ Elton John
ABC Airplay #7 ~ Various artists from ABC local radio (our BBC Radio)
High ~ The Blue Nile
Greatest Hits ~ Robbie Williams
Everyone is Here ~ The Finn Brothers
Riot on an Empty Street ~ The Kings of Convenience

[Jassie]

'Eveningland' by HEM was the last CD I bought. This album is their second one and their material just gets better. I find it quite difficult to describe the band and do them justice. They are a New York band but their wonderful lead singer hails from Texas, they tour with piano, double bass, violins, mandolins and guitars. This rich mix of instruments along with Sally Ellysons voice, thoughtful lyrics and beautiful arrangements creates gorgeous timeless songs that sweep you up and pull you along -lullabys for adults.

Rabbitsongs was their first album.

You can listen to samples on Amazon or their website here (http://www.eveningland.com)

I can't stop listening to it, I've seen them live a few times and they are touring in the UK in Feb/March hurrah! Bob Harris loves them!! They should be known everywhere. Have to hear it to believe it.

[My Friend Jack]

I was in London yesterday, so popped into HMV for a few minutes (as you do). They had one copy of The Essential Cheap Trick, a "best of" covering 1976 to 2002. The tracks I really wanted were both on there - Surrender and Scent of a Woman. This will be my pre-match entertainment on the way to see the mighty Royals play the Tractor Boys of Ipswich tomorrow.

[Mad Dog and Glory]

RR and I require an update on your Genesis listening, MFJ.

[My Friend Jack]

OK!

I must admit, I thoroughly enjoyed all 3 discs. Bit miffed to see that Tesco are now selling the set at under a tenner now!

I was surprised by a lot of things - I've always felt (based on Trick of the Tail, which I used to have on vinyl) that they didn't miss Gabriel as much as might have been expected. Phil Collins has a similar vocal range, and I think they just acquired a more commercial sound from 1976 - no bad thing, though. As I said earlier, I didn't realise how many of their songs I knew - the ones from Duke (esp. Misunderstanding). If I had to pick a favourite Genesis era, it would be 1976-78. A favourite track (for nostalgic reasons) would be I Know What I Like - I bought it without having heard it, and it immediately became one of my favourite sounds of 1974, and always reminds me of O-level revision.

I expect this to be one of my most-played CDs on 2005.

Any more you need to know? ;)

[Royal Rother]

Does it have "Afterglow", "Like It Or Not", "Duke's Travels", "Driving The Last Spike", "The Knife", or "In The Cage" on it?

If not you've got a lot of good times ahead discovering a matchless back catalogue!

[My Friend Jack]

As far as I can recall, it has Afterglow and The Knife but not the others.

[caldron]

This will be my pre-match entertainment on the way to see the mighty Royals play the Tractor Boys of Ipswich tomorrow.

I really hope you enjoy your pre-match entertainment MFJ, because the Town won't give your boys anything to sing about! :)

Blues, Blues, Blues!!!

[Bill]

According to MD& G, I'm not allowed to have any opinions, but here's one. Our boys are going whip you Tractor Boys' asses!

C'mon, URRRRZZZZ!!!

:eek: Sorry, where am I? What's going on?

[caldron]

According to MD& G, I'm not allowed to have any opinions, but here's one. Our boys are going whip you Tractor Boys' asses!

C'mon, URRRRZZZZ!!!

:eek: Sorry, where am I? What's going on?
So, an honourable draw . . .
although it looks as though we both left it a bit late ;)

(Gee, you can see such a long way from the top of the table . . . I'm getting dizzy*grin*)

[Bill]

Well, it went from being one of the highest quality goalless draws I've ever seen, to being one of the best finishes to a match I've ever seen. A credit to both teams.

We've gone seriously off-topic here. Isn't there anyone in charge here? ;) :eek:

[Harriet]

Moving swiftly back onto topic.....;) this weekend I bought Muse - Absolution and Nirvana - Nevermind. I've been listening to Nevermind obsessively since I bought it and neeeeeeeeeeeeeed more Nirvana albums.

[Mad Dog and Glory]

Harriet, I played you some Muse when we were both at Bigdogmonty's house back in August, and you were si ngularly unimpressed. What made you change your mind?

[Harriet]

Hearing that song repeatedly.......and becoming obsessed with bass.

[Deinonychus]

Harriet: I'd recommend Nirvana's 'difficult' follow-up album 'In Utero' (1993) for some of KC's most-gut/heart-wrenching stuff. It utterly flays 'Nevermind', in my opinion.

Just make sure you're in an okay mood before you listen to it, eh..?

[Harriet]

My friend bought it when I was with her this weekend, and she's lent it to me so I can make a copy *ahem* listen to it. I've been told by many a person that it's much better than Nevermind.

[Lei-Lei Jayenne]

In Utero is a great album, i'd say it's better than Nevermind too.
Anyway, last album bought was Bright Eyes' 'I'm Wide Awake It's Morning'. It's a lovely album from Conor Oberst with some great vocals from the wonderful Emmylou Harris.

[Deinonychus]

I like what I'm hearing of Oberst's stuff, so will check this out too. He was also an entertaining guest on 6Music last week: the guy is clearly going places.

Emmylou, obviously, is a legend...

[Lei-Lei Jayenne]

Yeh he's turning into a great character, and obviously anything touched by the voice of Emmylou is going to be special. He released two albums yesterday. I'm tempted by the more electronic of the 2; Digital Ash in a Digital Urn aswell.

[Royal Rother]

Can't remember whether I've already mentioned Conor Oberst on this forum but I too am a fan - "Lifted - keep your ear to the ground the story is in the soil" (did I get that right?) is refreshingly different.

Have you heard his Desaparecidos album "Read Music Speak Spanish"? I've only heard a few tracks but it sounds manically aggressive punk styled indie rock. (If there's such a thing).

[My Friend Jack]

Sounds like the sort of thing that Fiona_1984 would like.

[Lei-Lei Jayenne]

I've been meaning to check out the Desaparecidos stuff aswell. Supposed to be a bit At The Drive-In/The Mars Volta, which is a good thing as far as i'm concerned.

[Opal]

Sounds like the sort of thing that Fiona_1984 would like.
Who? Coner Oberst? Never heard of him, but I might have to go and check him out now.... :)

[My Friend Jack]

Yes, Fiona, it was the bit that said "manically aggressive punk styled indie rock" that made me think of you. ;)

[Deinonychus]

(...and he's certainly way better than Meat Loaf as well!)

Didn't know the guy had done revved-up stuff, either. (They all seem to at some point, Coughlan, Beck, Linkous etc) Will also check.

[Harriet]

Harriet: I'd recommend Nirvana's 'difficult' follow-up album 'In Utero' (1993) for some of KC's most-gut/heart-wrenching stuff. It utterly flays 'Nevermind', in my opinion.

Just make sure you're in an okay mood before you listen to it, eh..?

It's so depressing! And the lyrics are ALMOST as random as R.E.M......

I've been listening to Green Day for several hours since I got tickets to go see them at Milton Keynes......I'm really looking forward to it but I bet I'll get shoved into a mosh-pit and die instantly...

[Deinonychus]

Yeah, it's a tough listen. Go back to it another time, though.

(Green Day, hmmm. Not sure about that one. I'll give 'em 'Geek Stink Breath' and a couple of tracks from 'Dookie', but that's about it for me...)

[Royal Rother]

I'll get shoved into a mosh-pit...

What is one of those?

It's the generation gap I guess.... :confused:

[Opal]

I've been listening to Green Day for several hours since I got tickets to go see them at Milton Keynes......I'm really looking forward to it but I bet I'll get shoved into a mosh-pit and die instantly...

You lucky lucky thing! Even if you do die in a mosh pit it'll be worth it! :D

What is one of those?

It's the generation gap I guess....

It's the dangerous place at the front of the crowd where everyone's jumping around trying to squash all the people in front of them so they can have the best view.... Most fun place to be!

I've seen the Lost Prophets try to create a "Wall of Death" (same idea) by seperating the crowd near the front of the stage and getting them to run at each other as fast as they can! Sadly I was too far back to be in it.... but it looked fun! :p

[Royal Rother]

Fun???? :eek: Oh well, I'm going home to cocoa and slippers soon.

[Harriet]

It's the dangerous place at the front of the crowd where everyone's jumping around trying to squash all the people in front of them so they can have the best view


To put it lightly....! My friend got shoved into a mosh pit, and was punched in the head before he got pulled out again...I've been assured that people don't kill girls they're just like 'Yeah, go on past' but I'm not so sure. One of my friend's I'm going with has had lots of experience at proper gigs like this and has promised to protect me, but I bet he'll just crowd-surf away down to the front....then that's when I'll get pushed into the mosh pit and die instantly :(

[Deinonychus]

What is one of those?

It's the generation gap I guess....

No, RR - 'the generation gap' is the vast space between the moshpit and the slipper-wearers propping up the bar...

[Abbynormal92243]

I just got Maroon5's Songs about Jane.

*beaming*
I LOVE this CD.
My current favorite song is She Will Be Loved

[tinminer]

Genesis - Platinum Collection

Reliving fond memories of the early 70s by listening to disc three from this collection.

STILL prefer Peter Gabriel as the best Genesis singer, BUT Phil Collins does not deserve the bad press that he has had over the years, and relistening to this stuff again in digital re-enhanced quality just goes to prove what a truly superb drummer he is.

All the stuff on here (nearly 4 hours long so excellent value for £9.99!) is good, some is very good, and a few tracks are exceptional.

My personal 3 favourites are: Misunderstanding, Supper's Ready & I know what I like.

[Royal Rother]

I might be wrong but it has always seemed to me that Phil Collins is a genuinely nice bloke who has unfortunately had problems in his relationships that has generated bad publicity.

But, he does not go public with his story, does not court the media, and just lets people make up what they like about him without challenging it.

Therefore some of it sticks. I think he just decided he would never lower himself to get involved in all that shite.

I suspect he is one of the most together blokes the music industry has ever produced.

But I could be wrong.

And you're right, he is a magnificent drummer and was a damned good front man for Genesis Mk2. I like Peter Gabriel too, but whilst Phil Collins always lacked Gabriel's creativity, his music over the years has been far more pleasant on the ears, overall.

[Deinonychus]

Give me Peter Gabriel any day. I was never that keen on Genesis in t'first place, but Phil Collins turned them from a band that at least had musical ideas into a colourless MOR machine second-only to Dire Straits during the Eighties, IMO. (As for his solo stuff, well, it's all a matter of taste, I guess, but no thanks - I'll stick to Nytol...)

(I recall Collins saying that if Labour ever got back in, he'd leave the country. Errm - why is he still here..?)

[Mad Dog and Glory]

Deinonychus, you are wrong on several counts, IMO. I certainly don't recall him saying that about Labour, but in any case, he isn't still here! He's lived in Switzerland since before the 1997 election.

As for Genesis becoming an MOR machine, they avoided that for well over a decade after Gabriel left, when they had settled into comfortable middle-age. I think it's was only from the We Can't Dance period - an ironic reference to middle-age in itself - that they lost it. The mistake a lot of people make is to mix up Phil Collins the solo singer with Phil Collins of Genesis. The musical direction of Genesis was much more influenced by Tony Banks, and Collins was prepared to take a secondary role.

If you want a "second only to Dire Straits" candidate, what about Rod Stewart?

[Just RY]

What is one of those?

It's the generation gap I guess....

No, RR - 'the generation gap' is the vast space between the moshpit and the slipper-wearers propping up the bar...

I went to see The Damned a couple of years ago, the 'generation gap' was so amazingly evident it was untrue. Upstairs in the balcony seats - the balding, beer bellied professionals, 35+ reminiscing their youth, and tapping their feet to the music. Downstairs, 18-22 year olds 'moshing' (didn't it used to be called 'pogo-ing'?), painted leather jackets, safety pins and fights, enjoying the energy and sounds coming from a real '70's English punk band.

The concert was brilliant, the view from upstairs was superb. ;)

[Harriet]

And you're right, he is a magnificent drummer

Is he the guy playing the drums in the original Band Aid video? I always wondered if it was him, but didn't know that he played the drums...

[Royal Rother]

(I recall Collins saying that if Labour ever got back in, he'd leave the country. Errm - why is he still here..?)

BANG! Ouch! My foot....!!

;) ;) Well, I enjoyed it anyway!

I can agree that Genesis were not ground-breaking after Gabriel left, but to me they consistently produced a superb quality of musicianship and songwriting that enabled them to remain at the top of their craft for decades.

If you think about it, for 20+ years they had NO image, NO attitude, NO bad boy act, NO drugs, NO sex appeal, all they had was their music. Pink Floyd are the only other band I can think of who fall into the same category, but their output was hugely less prolific in the same period. (I think?)

[Royal Rother]

Is he the guy playing the drums in the original Band Aid video? I always wondered if it was him, but didn't know that he played the drums...

Yes he was. he was a child actor then drummer before anything else. Singing only really came out when Peter Gabriel left Genesis and they needed a new front man. He "came out from behind the drums" and "the rest is history" to use a couple of cliches!

[Deinonychus]

M, D & G - not wrong, m' dear boy, we just disagree. Phil Collins a) did make that quote and b) still owns property in the UK, whether he stays here or not. (But I'll admit I didn't know he lived in neutral Switzerland, so fair enough.)

As for Genesis going MOR - it's perhaps debatable, but as far as I can work out it was on the 'Duke' album (title track and 'Misunderstanding' etc are songs the previous incarnation would never have gone with). I recall a lot of their previous fans (mostly friends of my older sister's) balking at that album, which was released when? 1980?

RR - on the subject of 'quotes', I don't recall saying "bang, ouch, my foot" at any stage! My problem isn't with their accepted 'technique', 'craft' or 'musicianship', attributes which are not top of my priorities list when it comes to checking out music, anyway. (Instinct, attitude and ideas feature much higher, IMO.) I also challenge this notion that Pink Floyd 'didn't use drugs' - that's given me my first chuckle of the day. That said, I like a lot of The Floyd's stuff - not just Syd Barrett era which was great, but even the overblown Seventies period.

RY - good to hear that young 'uns are checking out bands such as our favourite Xmas-light-illuminators, who I thought only attracted first generation punks these days!

[Royal Rother]

I meant no drugs in the last 20 years....

No band that has lasted 30 years could possibly keep changing and developing a new sound without it sounding, and being, contrived, and failing miserably.

Genesis stuck to their sound and their style for 20 years and it worked superbly. "Duke" is a marvelous album BTW, "Misunderstanding" being the most commercial, and IMHO weakest track on it - but as evidenced earlier, others who are less into Genesis, love it!

As you say it is all a matter of opinion and what floats our own boats, and long may civilised debate on the subject continue!!

[Mad Dog and Glory]

RR, I suggest we gang up on Deinonychus and have an almighty big ruck. :D Perhaps MFJ could join in on our side. Using only our wit as weapons of course.

If you think Duke is MOR, D, try listening to some Julio Iglesias or Jack Jones! As you know, the worst kind of diehard fans are the ones who try to protect the object of their affection's image, which usually means not wanting them to change.* Music moves on, bands move on, and I admit in this case not for the better. The music up to and including 1976 was peerless. From 1978 onwards, they were a good band not a great one. I wouldn't blame them for that.

No, Misunderstanding wouldn't have made the cut if Gabriel and Hackett were still around, but since they had chosen to leave, they could hardly complain, could they?

I'm currently listening to some Gentle Giant for the first time in my life. Very sub-early Genesis!

*So Simply Red's diehard fans must be in a constant state of ecstacy.

[Nats]

"International Superhits" - Green Day

I got American Idiot for Christmas and loved it, this albums v good too, but not AS good...

[Deinonychus]

Okay, Genesis guys, calm down - you guys know their work better than I do! I'm only going by what die-hards would say to me at the time - they (and especially Phil Collins - there are all kinds of reasons why he's not my favourite, but I'll resist all that here) never did much for me. I just happen to think that Gabriel was the real talent there - and the material put out by both camps since 1977 bears that out, IMO. (Hackett's a different matter entirely...)

If/when a progressive band starts making gentle, less-challenging rock music (ie comparatively MOR - or 'AOR' if we must) as Genesis II did, that's going to be an understandable reaction among its fans, really: they also have the right not to stick with the band if they don't like its direction. What did Collins care? He absolutely cleaned up in the Eighties mainstream market instead...

[Royal Rother]

Speaking of Genesis (again) I have it on extremely good authority that Genesis will be re-forming and back on the road within 2 years.

Phil Collins on drums, Peter Gabriel on vocals.

Seriously, I know this sort of thing has been rumoured for donkey's years but talks are in progress as we "speak".

Horse's mouth and all that!

[Opal]

Since reading about all of you lot talking about Genesis/Phil Collins, I've suddenly started to hear a lot of their stuff on the radio. This wouldn't be too weird, apart from the fact that I only listen in the mornings, and I think I've heard something of theirs 5/6 times in the last week... :confused:

[Deinonychus]

Fiona - change your station immediately!

[tinminer]

Anyone into Nick Drake on here?

Although I'm 42 (therefore 6 when 'Five Leaves Left' came out), I have only just started to listen to his music.

I have been 'aware' of him for a while (articles in Mojo & the like) but did not really take his talent on board...

UNTIL the Brad Pitt documentary on Radio 2 last summer (repeated again recently).
Every time I hear 'River Man', the shudders and tingles (surely the sign that music is moving you?) down my neck and spine keep on comin'! Cannot prize 'Five Leaves Left' out of my CD player.

Just ordered the other two albums, and I am currently reading Patrick Humphries' biography.

What I don't understand (perhaps someone can explain) is why his music was (is still?) such a commercial failure and still not much played or talked about (apart from die-hard fans).

Incidentally, I am making all sorts of connections that I was not previously aware of (e.g. Nick went to Marlborough School - I was born + brought up near there; Nick's sister, the actress Gabrielle Drake, starred in Crossroads(!) and Coronation Street as well as one of my all time favourite TV Progs, UFO. Gabrielle also knew Dee (Hepburn), a friend of our family. Dee, who is now a pharmecuticals salesperson, was an actress best known for Gregory's Girl (she also acted in Crossroads, where she met Gabrielle)).

I digress - after the three albums though, is there anything else of Nick's to listen to. Failing that, and I know Nick is a unique artist, but 'if you like that, you'll like this', what would you recommend?

[Royal Rother]

I started listening to Nick Drake a couple of years ago and like his output more for its uniqueness than having a real deep impact on me.

I would suggest you try Elliott Smith (took his own life a year ago) and Tim Buckley. Jeff Buckley is also well worth a listen, though with a very different style I feel.

[tinminer]

Thanks for that Royal Rother - I'll check those artists out on Amazon, etc. I 'm not familar with them (recognise the names, but know nothing of their music).

I think the connections for me are enhanced as I can relate to Nick (I suffer with depression too - though suicidal thoughts are, at the preset at least, under control). I can also identify with his personality, but, like the biography suggests, his depression would most certainly have been worsened by LSD and cannabis, which he imbibed freely from 1967 onwards.

[Dream Weaver]

I started listening to Nick Drake a couple of years ago and like his output more for its uniqueness than having a real deep impact on me.

I would suggest you try Elliott Smith (took his own life a year ago) and Tim Buckley. Jeff Buckley is also well worth a listen, though with a very different style I feel.

Can't help noticing that all your recommendations died young, three of them before they reached 30.

There are some doubts as to whether Smith killed himself, although he did suffer from severe bouts of depression. He stabbed himself in the heart, and several times.

As for Drake, there are some doubts too as to whether he meant to kill himself. I have tried to like his music, but find it a bit wimpy. Also, I think he was an idiot for killing himself. He desperately wanted to be recognised for his music, but he didn't really help himself. He refused to go on tour, and Island didn't really know how to market his records. I think he had something of a Van Gogh complex about him.

[My Friend Jack]

tinminer - you know Gabrielle Drake AND Dee Hepburn? Impressed!

[Royal Rother]

Thanks for that Royal Rother - I'll check those artists out on Amazon, etc. I 'm not familar with them (recognise the names, but know nothing of their music).

I think the connections for me are enhanced as I can relate to Nick (I suffer with depression too - though suicidal thoughts are, at the preset at least, under control). I can also identify with his personality, but, like the biography suggests, his depression would most certainly have been worsened by LSD and cannabis, which he imbibed freely from 1967 onwards.

Not making light of your susceptibility to depression, but it may be wise to stear clear of Elliott Smith tinminer!

[Deinonychus]

Tinminer, I've also been a Nick Drake fan for a couple of decades - 'Bryter Layter' was, IMO, his finest hour. There are all kinds of reasons why he never cracked it while he was alive: the main ones were probably that Drake suffered hugely from stage-fright and was not keen to go on the road to promote his work. He also emerged during the late Sixties/early Seventies, when one could argue the musical sea-change meant that singer/songwriters were less in demand than they had been a few years before. If you haven't bought it yet, get yourself 'Made to Love Magic', the compilation that was issued last year. (Since I'm writing about Drake at present, I'm also reading the autobiography...)

Not sure I agree with this notion that 'he was an idiot for killing himself' - there's no way anyone can put him or herself into the world of someone who suffers from clinical depression. In any case, there are doubts that he took his own life (he was learning French at the time, in order to work with singer Francoise Hardy in Paris) and ODd on Tryptizol, when domestic aspirin would have sufficed. Plus, he left no note, and indeed earlier denounced suicide as an action he could never take. (Gabrielle has been quoted as saying she 'hopes' that he did commit suicide, because a terrible accident would be too hard for her to bear.) One cannot be sure, though - he was, after all, deeply depressed beforehand...

Concur with the opinions on Buckley (both Tim and Jeff) and Smith. Add Ian Curtis, Kurt Cobain and Mark Sandman and ask the question, why do all the best writers go first? (Tempted to add a caustic comment here about Phil Collins, but, again, I'll desist...)

[Royal Rother]

That's desisting is it....? ;)

[tinminer]

tinminer - you know Gabrielle Drake AND Dee Hepburn? Impressed!

No, I don't know Gabrielle Drake, but have since found out that Dee worked with
Gabrielle when they were both on Crossroads. Dee and Gabrielle occasionally keep in touch.

I met Dee when she lived in Cheltenham Spa and married a local policeman. She's since divorced from him, and like me, moved away from the area. I speak with Dee now and again.

[tinminer]

Can't help noticing that all your recommendations died young, three of them before they reached 30.

There are some doubts as to whether Smith killed himself, although he did suffer from severe bouts of depression. He stabbed himself in the heart, and several times.

As for Drake, there are some doubts too as to whether he meant to kill himself. I have tried to like his music, but find it a bit wimpy. Also, I think he was an idiot for killing himself. He desperately wanted to be recognised for his music, but he didn't really help himself. He refused to go on tour, and Island didn't really know how to market his records. I think he had something of a Van Gogh complex about him.
From what I've read about Nick, it seems less like that he refused to go on tour, but was more like he could not go on tour because of his depression. When I go into a 'deep' faze, the last thing you feel like is being with people, let alone facing them on stage! Still, I take your point - it would not have helped his record sales.
As for 'being an idiot for killing himself', I take it you have never had suicidal thoughts? Believe me, when you are in that mindset, you do not think logically.

[purplebongowoman]

Have just joined Napster for a few months to listen to some new music. The Chemical Brothers latest album "Push the Button" is my favourite at the moment.

[Lei-Lei Jayenne]

World's Apart by And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead. I'm a huge fan of this band, and i love this album, though it did take a couple of listens to grab me this time around.

[tinminer]

Have just joined Napster for a few months to listen to some new music. The Chemical Brothers latest album "Push the Button" is my favourite at the moment.

Been playing that in our store - great album - sold more on back of playing it too!

[rebeccalyr]

I bought it off eBay though, I can't remember the last NEW CD I bought, probably a CD for my daughter! :D

Becky

[Grammath]

I enjoyed my first listen to Mercury Rev's new album "The Secret Migration" and eagerly awaiting the arrival of Bloc Party's debut - best new band I've heard so far in 2005, easily.

[Harriet]

I bought a single...does that count? Babyshambles - Killamanjiro, seeing as I'm going to see them at Brixton in a week I though I should actually hear their song. They don't have an album yet :( This is if a certain Pete Doherty shows up, pretty unlikely. The last concert he didn't show up and there was a riot....hopefully I won't die there and miss out on dying at Green Day :'(

[Lei-Lei Jayenne]

Bloc Party - Silent Alarm, it's brilliant and they are definately the best band around right now.

[Deinonychus]

Lei Lei: 'Helicopter' was one of last year's best singles IMO. Bloc Party not only sound good but look great on stage too. Amazed that the current single went Top Five - there is a God! (Really like the new Trail of Dead stuff too - v promising development from album one.)

Grammath: Will reserve judgement on 'Secret Migration' until I've heard it all: I like the five or six tracks I've heard so far, but the Rev sound/look these days like a band trying their hardest to get into the Champions' League...

Harriet - save your money for something else. There's no guarantee any of Babyshambles will show up to any more gigs, let alone la Doherty...

[Grammath]

Lei Lei: I'll second your vote for Helicopter being one of last year's best singles. Amazon still haven't delivered my copy of the album :( , will let you know.

Deinonychus, for me you will always have to measure the Rev's output against the mighty "Deserters Songs". There's no "Holes", "Opus 40" or "Goddess on a Hiway" on this as far as I can tell but it seems a pretty decent effort. Maybe it needs several listens.

However, I'm almost as bad with CDs as with books and I have a pile of other new purchases to listen to as well - new Chem Bros., new Lemon Jelly and old stuff from Lilac Time, Ian McNabb, Heidi Berry, Tindersticks and Rufus Wainwright - so it might be a while before it finds its way into my CD player again.

[Deinonychus]

Grammath: Where do you stand on pre-success Mercury Rev? Have you heard 'Yerself is Steam' (1991 album featuring David Baker on vocals)? At the risk of going down the 'I prefer their early stuff' road, I saw MR around that time, opening for Swervedriver and My Bloody Valentine, and they were great with Baker as frontman.

Oh, and 'twas I who voted for 'Helicopter'. I guess we all look the same on this forum...

[Lei-Lei Jayenne]

I'll add my vote for Helicopter now! ;)

Re; Mercury Rev, Boces and See You On The Other Side are also great. they are a very intriguing band. I do feel they are in danger of losing it though. They used to be quite experimental with instruments, but that seems to have tailed off a bit after Deserter's Songs (which is such a great album!)

That ...Trail Of Dead album just gets better with every listen.

[My Friend Jack]

My latest CD purchase is "The As and Bs of CCS." CCS were fronted by Alexis Korner, from around 1970 to 1974. They had a unique sound, combining a big-band style with rock / pop / soul. Nowadays, they are best remembered for their cover of Led Zep's "Whole Lotta Love" - it was their version that was the theme to Top of the Pops for many years.

Another of their hits, "Brother," was the theme at the start of the Top 20 on Sunday at 6, during the reign of Tom Browne - remember him? - from 1972 for several years. After the first few seconds of "Brother," he always came in with, "It's 6 o'clock on Radios 1 and 2, my name is Tom Browne and this is the Top 20 as compiled for the BBC by the British Market Research Bureau..." Burned into my memory for ever!

At the end of the show, before the Number 1 was played, the chart was read out with the instrumental version of Chairmen of the Board's "Finder's Keepers" playing, although this was probably not until around 1974.

[Mad Dog and Glory]

Another of their hits, "Brother," was the theme at the start of the Top 20 on Sunday at 6, during the reign of Tom Browne - remember him? - from 1972 for several years. After the first few seconds of "Brother," he always came in with, "It's 6 o'clock on Radios 1 and 2, my name is Tom Browne and this is the Top 20 as compiled for the BBC by the British Market Research Bureau..." Burned into my memory for ever!

Mine too, MFJ! It was one of my first ever impressions and the only one that wasn't really a copy of Mike Yarwood, and it's one I can perform still with some accuracy. I'd only question the 'It's' at the beginning - it was either swallowed or not there at all.

Another CCS song worthy of note is Tap Turns On The Water, which had some interesting lyrics, eg
"Peep through the bathroom wall
Did you ever, did you ever?
See your sister in the raw
Did you ever, did you ever?"
Er no, now you come to mention it.

Worth mentioning too perhaps that Alexis Korner had a weekly show on Radio 1 for many years - about the blues wasn't it?

[Grammath]

Grammath: Where do you stand on pre-success Mercury Rev? Have you heard 'Yerself is Steam' (1991 album featuring David Baker on vocals)? At the risk of going down the 'I prefer their early stuff' road, I saw MR around that time, opening for Swervedriver and My Bloody Valentine, and they were great with Baker as frontman.

Oh, and 'twas I who voted for 'Helicopter'. I guess we all look the same on this forum...

I also saw the Rev early on - I remember them being 1st on the bill at the 1991 Reading Festival. I did get "Yerself Is Steam" but sold it a few years ago. The early stuff was just a little too loose for me. I haven't checked the two albums Lei-Lei mentions.

I think I spent most of the early '90s at gigs by "shoegazing" bands (or was I looking at my footwear :confused: ) - I saw MBV, Ride, Chapterhouse, Slowdive, Swervedriver and Curve at various times. All that feedback could account for my tinnitus these days :D .

[Lei-Lei Jayenne]

I think I spent most of the early '90s at gigs by "shoegazing" bands (or was I looking at my footwear :confused: ) - I saw MBV, Ride, Chapterhouse, Slowdive, Swervedriver and Curve at various times. All that feedback could account for my tinnitus these days :D .

Jeez! That sounds EXACTLY like my early-90's experiences. I was a huge Ride fan. Feedback rules. :D

[Just RY]

Another of their hits, "Brother," was the theme at the start of the Top 20 on Sunday at 6, during the reign of Tom Browne - remember him? - from 1972 for several years. After the first few seconds of "Brother," he always came in with, "It's 6 o'clock on Radios 1 and 2, my name is Tom Browne and this is the Top 20 as compiled for the BBC by the British Market Research Bureau..." Burned into my memory for ever!

At the end of the show, before the Number 1 was played, the chart was read out with the instrumental version of Chairmen of the Board's "Finder's Keepers" playing, although this was probably not until around 1974.

You're triggering a memory there MFJ. Wasn't "Time is Tight" by Booker T and The MG's used for the countdown at one point? I wish I could remember "Brother" - it's probably one of those I would instantly recall upon hearing it.

My recall is stronger (sadly) for the theme to the programme that immediately followed the Top 20 show. Altogether now. . . . "Sing Something Simple" (A bit of Googling, and I find out that this particular theme was by "The Cliff Adams Singers")

[Deinonychus]

'Time Is Tight' was used on the Johnnie Walker Tuesday countdown, when the charts were first revealed. Crowded round David Marsh's illicit transistor radio on the playing field at lunchtime - man, that was exciting! (As for Tom Browne's Sunday rundown, who remembers the bloody annoying transmission signal that used to come in and interfere with the medium wave around 6.45 (ie about #4 in the chart), ruining your attempts to record same..? Now that is anal...)

And yeah, what was all that 'incestuous' stuff on 'Tap Turns On the Water' about? Bet it got a daytime ban on 247...

Lei-Lei J: I played the great 'Dreams Burn Down' by Ride the other day. Have you ever noticed how Coldplay's sappy 'In My Place' utterly, utterly rips off that great drum break/geetar intro? Bloody disgrace! As for Ride, they, uh, burned out pretty quickly, eh? Didn't really go for album #2 much...

Loved MBV though. Also Dr Phibes & the House of Wax Equations (bet LLJ recalls them) and Swervedriver were good: 'Son of Mustang Ford' (1991) remains one of my favourite tracks of, like, ever, maaaan...

[Grammath]

Lei-Lei J: I played the great 'Dreams Burn Down' by Ride the other day. Have you ever noticed how Coldplay's sappy 'In My Place' utterly, utterly rips off that great drum break/geetar intro? Bloody disgrace! As for Ride, they, uh, burned out pretty quickly, eh? Didn't really go for album #2 much...

Loved MBV though. Also Dr Phibes & the House of Wax Equations (bet LLJ recalls them) and Swervedriver were good: 'Son of Mustang Ford' (1991) remains one of my favourite tracks of, like, ever, maaaan...

Yeah, shame about Ride, it all went a bit trad after the second album. It didn't come as much of a shock when Andy Bell joined the nowadays rather tedious Oasis.

Dr. Phibes, now there's a blast from the past!! I wonder if, by any chance, their singer and Kele from Bloc Party are related...unless my increasingly erratic memory is mistaken (and this period was pretty hazy for me at the time as it was), I saw them supporting Spiritualized at Manchester Poly in the early '90s on a bill propped up by some local band with a skinny loon called Richard for a lead singer. Verve, I think their name was....

Speaking of Bloc Party, my copy of "Silent Alarm" finally arrived over the weekend and, as expected, its ace. That, Lemon Jelly and LCD Soundsystem are the early front runners for my album of 2005.

[Lei-Lei Jayenne]

Deinon, (,may i call you Deinon? ;) ), i think Chris Martin owes Andy Bell and Mark Gardener a great debt....

Nowhere is a brilliant album, and i quite like Going Blank Again, though it's true they became very trad-rock after that album. Another good listen of theirs is their live album Waves. Mark Gardener should be releasing some solo stuff this year aswell....

There's some real blasts from the past in Deinonychus and Grammath's last few posts. Dr Phibes.....wow! their Hypnotwister album was a gem wasn't it!
I adore MBV!!! Loveless is one of the best albums ever, and Isn't Anything? doesn't come far behind....

I still regularly listens to all these bands, and also such joys as Chapterhouse, Slowdive, Cocteau Twins, early Boo Radleys, Curve, The Pale Saints, Galaxie 500 and especially Loop(anyone remember them?)

There's actually a bit of a new 'shoe-gazing' scene going on at the moment. Sonic Cathedral are putting on nights again, in London at least. New bands who like their feedback as much as i do are Amusement Parks on Fire, The Radio Dept. and Engineers.

Actually i've just remembered how, rather sadly, in a moment of abject boredom, i made a list on Amazon called So U Wanna Be A Shoegazer? and described myself as 'peers thru fringe'!!!(sad) I still have the fringe though.....

[Deinonychus]

Course you can..! ;) (And I promise I'll not call you 'LL Cool J' or anything crass like that...)

Dr Phibes' & HOWE album 'Whirlpool' is the one I remember best, with 'Sugar Blast', one of my favourite singles from 1990 (which was a great year for them). I was/am into pretty much all of the stuff you quote there - the Boos were at their best on 'Giant Steps' for my money, but 'Everything's All Right Forever' was a good opener too. I saw Loop a couple of times: their best were 'Collision' and 'Arclight'. I still have the 'Fade Out' album on vinyl - must whack that on sometime soon. (The Spacemen - especially Sonic - really hated them, didn't they?)

Heard about Sonic Cathedral earlier on NME.com. Will check it out...

[Grammath]

Yeah, I shook my locks to Loop a couple of times as well, sadly not something I'm able to do any more :( . Am at the other extreme these days as regards hirsuteness.

The Cocteaus are one of my favourite bands. NME.com claims they are reforming to play the Coachella festival in California this year. That festy seems to specialise in this field; it was they who persuaded Pixies to get back together too. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for UK gigs, saw them at the Albert Hall in the mid-90s and it was truly a sonic cathedral of sound.

I used to buy pretty much everything 4AD released, even just for the sleeves; most of their 80s and early 90s signings can be found in various corners of my collection in addition to the Cocteaus and the mighty Pixies (best gig of '04, no contest, and not just due to my increasing resemblance to Black Francis :D ).

All this nostalgia - I need a wistful smilie, whatever one of those looks like.

I've got the Radio Dept. record and especially liked Engineers CD. Not heard Amusement Parks on Fire, must investigate. Like the name.

[My Friend Jack]

I will forever associate the Cocteaus with the 5-vehicle smash I was involved in on the M27 about 5 years ago. Frou-Frou Foxes (is that right?) was on the CD player at the time.

[Harriet]

Harriet - save your money for something else. There's no guarantee any of Babyshambles will show up to any more gigs, let alone la Doherty...

All of them showed up :D IT WAS SO FUN!!!!!

[Mad Dog and Glory]

While in The USA, I bought all of The Handsome Family's albums, apart from the one I had already, plus The Delivery Man by Elvis Costello, Either/Or by Elliott Smith, The Creek Drank The Cradle by Iron And Wine, It Still Moves by My Morning Jacket and Bob Seger's Greatest Hits (Volume 1).

[Deinonychus]

I will forever associate the Cocteaus with the 5-vehicle smash I was involved in on the M27 about 5 years ago. Frou-Frou Foxes (is that right?) was on the CD player at the time.

MFJ: My indie rock/car smash was returning from a Screaming Blue Messiahs gig in February 1988. Only one car involved, which left the road - God knows how the three of us survived.

Harriet: Just as well you weren't at the gig the following night...:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/news/20050223_petescrap.shtml

[Grammath]

I will forever associate the Cocteaus with the 5-vehicle smash I was involved in on the M27 about 5 years ago. Frou-Frou Foxes (is that right?) was on the CD player at the time.

I think the full title is "Frou Frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires".

What a bummer for you, MFJ. I hope the incident didn't do too much damage and hasn't spoil your enjoymant of the Cocteaus too much.

I'm not sure they're a good choice for driving music, too easy to drift off into a dreamy reverie...um, don't want to suggest you caused the pile-up :o , but you know what I mean.

[Harriet]

[I]

Harriet: Just as well you weren't at the gig the following night...:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/news/20050223_petescrap.shtml

No, I was there, they got the date wrong, I was down in the front when everyone started crushing - it wasn't actually that bad. And about 5 people had to be dragged out, not 30. And after the fight they only went offstage for liek 5 minutes, then they just carried on playing like normal.

[Lei-Lei Jayenne]

Ambulance LTD by Ambulance LTD, best described as Lola-era Kinks meets My Bloody Valentine.

[Deinonychus]

Blimey - I'll be checking that out..!

Low's 'The Great Destroyer'. Just wonderful. They, like, rule.

[lizzie_odd]

My Chemical Romance: "Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge". Apparently, they are awful live, but i liked the videos and music i heard from Yahoo Launch (http://launch.yahoo.com/) and i found the album relatively cheaply, so went out and got it - have been listening ever since (bought it tuseday) though I'm playing Travis currently - my ears needed a bit of a rest. Annoying thing is my next door neighbour, who i've been sharing music interests with recently has it already and said he would have willingly copied it for me. :( Ah well.
Really like the last section of "Helena", the first part of "You Know What They Do To Guys Like Us In Prison" and good ol' "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)". Go have a look on HMV or Yahoo. I like it.
_______

Well, just had a look at the rest of the thread, just to see what others have been listening to, and it seems I'm in a like-minded crowd! I went to see Bloc Party in autumn - very good live, supported by a band called The Mystery Jets - who are amazing. They're being supported by nme, so i'm unlikely to see them in as small a venue as i saw them in a few weeks ago. Shame that about success - band gets bigger, fans see them less. I've quite liked Nick Drake - "Pink Moon" particularly. A new band to watch out for - and remember, you heard it from me first - The 5 O'Clock Heroes. Fantastic live. They supported a band called The Paddingtons, who i liked less than the heroes! Good old live music... Just don't stand at the front of a Bloc Party gig if you don't like being squished. Though front row *was* good...

[Harriet]

I saw the Paddingtons - they supported Babyshambles. What did you think of them? I thought they were ok, but I preferred the second support act - Cazals (but probably 'cos I've been in email contact with the bassist since...):D

[Lei-Lei Jayenne]

Deino, that Ambulance LTD album is great, all i've been listening to for 3 days now...and The Great Destroyer is just fantastic an' all.

[lizzie_odd]

I saw the Paddingtons - they supported Babyshambles. What did you think of them? I thought they were ok, but I preferred the second support act - Cazals (but probably 'cos I've been in email contact with the bassist since...):D

Well, bassists are always a good thing if you manage to get their email! I liked the paddingtons - they're local to where i'm studying at uni, so for once there was a large crowd at the normally emptyish venue. The lead singer looks a lot like a guy i knew last year - which was a bit odd. They're a bit more punky than i like - which is more of a rock/indie nature, but i thought they were pretty talented. Another band i saw was The Shivvers - formerly The Infidels, who were pretty good, though probably not punky sounding enough for you? I'll watch out for the Cazals...

[lizzie_odd]

Well, had a look at cazals website - found that they're playing near me in march, but the annoying thing is i've already made plans for that very day to go and see the rakes. how incredibly annoying. :mad: :mad: :mad:
Gig clashes are the bane of my life. That and trousers that don't fit.
:(

[Harriet]

Well now the bassist has offered to lend me a spare bass.......I've wanted a bass for like 6 months, but whenever I try and save up I always spend all my savings.......so I'm SO HAPPY!!!!!!!! I can't go see Cazals 'cos they're only playing in clubs and stuff at the moment, and being only 15 I wouldn't be allowed in :( If you see them, please agree with me in the fact that the lead singer looks like Shakespeare......

[lizzie_odd]

yay you for wanting to play bass! I'm trying to learn at the moment myself - www.basstabarchive.com is very useful once you've got the hang of guitar tablature. Shakespeare, eh? Hmm... not too sure about that one, but i think i can see what you mean from their website gallery. http://www.cazals.co.uk/gallery.htm At the age of only 15, you have plenty of time to get out and see people in clubs. From what i've experienced and been told, going to festivals are the best way of seeing people, though in a club, you can get closer to the band... Know what you mean about it being annoying, but you could spend the next three years getting fantastic at bass, being a member of a band, or a stand-in, so you don't have to perform, and come your eighteenth, not having to cram with the moshpit, but rather be up there on stage! Failing that, become a groupie. Know which option I'd prefer! Get strumming, girl! (Although to play bass, it is easier to pluck, rather than strum...)

[taff]

:) Hi Everyone, my first post in the forum and its not about books lol. However the last album(cd) i bought was O by damien rice along with the soundtrack to an autobiography by anse adams whidch i had to get from the states because as far as i know it has not been released in the uk yet.
Regards,
Nigel,

[Harriet]

yay you for wanting to play bass! I'm trying to learn at the moment myself - www.basstabarchive.com is very useful once you've got the hang of guitar tablature. Shakespeare, eh? Hmm... not too sure about that one, but i think i can see what you mean from their website gallery. http://www.cazals.co.uk/gallery.htm At the age of only 15, you have plenty of time to get out and see people in clubs. From what i've experienced and been told, going to festivals are the best way of seeing people, though in a club, you can get closer to the band... Know what you mean about it being annoying, but you could spend the next three years getting fantastic at bass, being a member of a band, or a stand-in, so you don't have to perform, and come your eighteenth, not having to cram with the moshpit, but rather be up there on stage! Failing that, become a groupie. Know which option I'd prefer! Get strumming, girl! (Although to play bass, it is easier to pluck, rather than strum...)

What bass do you have? I can read tabs, a lot of my friends play guitar and I can already read music so I've been taught tabs etc...
Festivals are so expensive! I realllyyyyyyyyy want to go to Reading but I can't afford it :(

[Colinj]

Bought a job lot of heavy metal Lp's Ac DC Deep Purple Thin Lizzy etc

CD's Just bought the Wall & Animals by Pink Floyd.

Last Single Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel (Charity Shop)

[lizzie_odd]

What bass do you have? I can read tabs, a lot of my friends play guitar and I can already read music so I've been taught tabs etc...
Festivals are so expensive! I realllyyyyyyyyy want to go to Reading but I can't afford it :(
Well, my bass is borrowed from a friend, and I'm a complete novice, so i wouldn't know what to tell you about it! (Aside from the fact that it is very pretty and green!) Well done for knowing all the theory - according to my bass' real owner, knowing music theory makes it *much* easier to learn and get good quickly, at both bass and guitar. If you can't get to Reading, there's a london festival of new music - it has been advertised in NME. At this point, i can't helpfully remember its name, but there are lots of new bands performing in the Camden area. Not the nicest area in the world, but brilliant for music! Save those pennies. Literally - empty your purse of coppers and 5ps, and you'll find that you get a lot of money put to one side very soon! Also, i know someone who got an I.O.U. for a festival this summer, rather than a larger christmas present.

[Mad Dog and Glory]

I realllyyyyyyyyy want to go to Reading but I can't afford it :(

I'll take you to Reading, Harriet, AND pay for the tickets. How about the home game against Sheffield United on April 2nd? (Actually, thinking about it, I could take your brother instead, since it's so close to his birthday.)*

Surely you can't have forgotten the last time you went to Reading though. An unforgettable 1-1 draw with Wigan Athletic. All right, so it was only unforgettable because of how unbelievably cold it was. Strange that you haven't wanted to go back since.

[Lei-Lei Jayenne]

well, this post is a little cheeky, these are albums i will be buying when i'm less broke next month, though 2 of them came out this week, and i'm definately GOING to buy them, so;

Engineers by Engineers
Warnings/Promises by Idlewild
Lullabies in Paradise by Queens of the Stone Age

I'll let ya know if i like 'em... :cool:

[Royal Rother]

Surely you can't have forgotten the last time you went to Reading though. An unforgettable 1-1 draw with Wigan Athletic. All right, so it was only unforgettable because of how unbelievably cold it was. Strange that you haven't wanted to go back since..
Kid for a quid, 2 or 3 years ago? That wa the one and only game I took my daughter to as well! Bleedin' cold!

[Harriet]

I'll take you to Reading, Harriet, AND pay for the tickets. How about the home game against Sheffield United on April 2nd? (Actually, thinking about it, I could take your brother instead, since it's so close to his birthday.)*

Surely you can't have forgotten the last time you went to Reading though. An unforgettable 1-1 draw with Wigan Athletic. All right, so it was only unforgettable because of how unbelievably cold it was. Strange that you haven't wanted to go back since.

Ah hahahahaha I won't tell him that you got it wrong if you give me an endless supply of chocolate....his birthday's 3rd April ;-)

[Harriet]

well, this post is a little cheeky, these are albums i will be buying when i'm less broke next month, though 2 of them came out this week, and i'm definately GOING to buy them, so;

Engineers by Engineers
Warnings/Promises by Idlewild
Lullabies in Paradise by Queens of the Stone Age

I'll let ya know if i like 'em... :cool:

I'm DEFINATELY buying the Queens of the Stone Age one when I get money......after I've bought Futureheads....I want to get the album before I think about getting tickets for Astoria...

[Mad Dog and Glory]

Ah hahahahaha I won't tell him that you got it wrong if you give me an endless supply of chocolate....his birthday's 3rd April ;-)

When did I say it was?

(Abuse of admin powers? Never!)

[Mad Dog and Glory]

Kid for a quid, 2 or 3 years ago? That was the one and only game I took my daughter to as well! Bleedin' cold!

That was the one. Stuck in the south-east corner, where the wind-chill factor would have made Robert Falcon Scott retreat to the warmth of his hearth with his Union Jack unfurled.

To be fair to Harriet (as I wasn't just now), she did go to three or four Reading matches, but that was the last. She now renounces football completely, calling our national game "stupid" - the only good thing about that being that she no longer supports Man United.

[Harriet]

When did I say it was?

(Abuse of admin powers? Never!)

Be ashamed. Be very ashamed. I frown upon the abuse of admin powers ;)

[Deinonychus]

We'll have to start calling him 'Idi Admin'.

(Presumably, you'll see what I've done here...)

[Grammath]

I'm DEFINATELY buying the Queens of the Stone Age one when I get money......after I've bought Futureheads....I want to get the album before I think about getting tickets for Astoria...

Do it, Harriet, Futureheads are far more than novelty cover versions even if they are, basically, the Sunderland XTC (ask your uncle ;) ). Theirs was the best album of last year that wasn't made by Franz Ferdinand or The Zutons.

Never been completely convinced by QOTSA myself, but they score many points for getting more exposure for the brilliant Mark Lanegan.

As for myself, this week I am mostly listening to newies by Thievery Corporation, M83 and The Kills and oldies by Tindersticks, Ian McNabb and Buffalo Tom.

[Pirate Kate]

Kaiser Chiefs, though technically for my friend, I may steal it from her *heehee, sneak sneak...* *pounch* :D

[Top Cat]

Recently acquired 'Folk Is Not A Four Letter Word' - v nice comp of acid-tinged folk from the early Seventies. Also enjoying parts of the recent Brian Jonestown Massacre anthology: American band who sound half-like Spacemen 3, half-like the Rolling Stones, who bafflingly never made it big.

I like Olivia Tremor Control too. Amazed that there are people here who have heard of them. In a similar vein, Apples In Stereo did some good tunes.

[Opal]

I went on a little shopping spree this afternoon and bought (yes, actually went into a shop and bought!!!) two albums. They are The Album (various artists) and International Superhits by the amazing Green Day! I have a few of their albums already, but have never actually bought one! I'm assured that this is a good one though, and from the few songs I've heard off it so far I have to agree! :D

[Lei-Lei Jayenne]

Am quite tempted by that C, S & N greatest hits now too...

[Deinonychus]

Was listening to Apples in Stereo just the day before yesterday...

[Harriet]

Just got home from school and found out my mum bought me The Futureheads' album :D That was a nice coming-home thing.

[Purity]

My Chemical Romance

[Obskua]

Bought a handful Wednesday (to assuage my grief at the news my camera was STILL not repaired !) - two by Kevin Ayers (Bananamour & Joy Of A Toy), and the re-release of Babbacombe Lee by Fairport Convention. A grand total of £10.75 (all new).

Anyone going to the Norwich record fair next Saturday ?

[Harriet]

Just bought Dookie by Green Day. It was only £6.99.

*Bargain*

[Lei-Lei Jayenne]

QOTSA - Lullabies To Paralize; makes me want to steal a Harley from a Hell's Angel, sling my guitar across my back and drive at a rather daring speed through a desert. It's that good....

Whereas;

Engineers by Engineers makes me want to cycle to a forest with a fey indie boy and lie on the ground watching the clouds. It's also that good....

[Harriet]

QOTSA - Lullabies To Paralize; makes me want to steal a Harley from a Hell's Angel, sling my guitar across my back and drive at a rather daring speed through a desert. It's that good....



I need that album :( 'Little Sister's been in my head all day since I heard it on the radio when I woke up. I read a review in NME and there was a quote which made me laugh....

‘Lullabies To Paralyze’ will use its enigmatic mysticism to lull you into a blissful daze so you don’t at first notice that the riffs have broken your neck.

Hee hee.

[Harriet]

I bought Queens of the Stone Age - Rated R.......'twas only £9.99 and I couldn't afford Lullabies to Paralyse....oh well, next week! Rated R tis brilliant.

[Bill]

Harriet, Lullabies To Paralyze is £8.99 with play.com - one of my affiliates which can be found 24 times in this forum. For £9.99 you can buy the album with a free bonus DVD.

In fact, I'll buy it for you of you finish that poster by the end of the weekend. And get all your homework for the holidays finished.

[Harriet]

Now there's an offer I can't refuse. But, I'm going to be working constantly today, and very much doubt I'm going to have time...:(

*Kicks self for leaving all homework 'till the last day of the holidays*

[Bill]

OK, I'll extend it to next weekend. It has to be ready and shown to me by the time I bring your brother back from the football.

Strange, your mother told me you would be working all week long on your homework.

[Harriet]

Well, I intended to, and worked a bit on Monday on maths, but then I went away Thursday - Saturday so everything kind of fell apart....

[Grammath]

Ambulance LTD by Ambulance LTD, best described as Lola-era Kinks meets My Bloody Valentine.

Its been lurking in the back of my mind to check this out since LLJ put this description of it up at the end of Feb. Finally got around to buying it last week and it is on heavy rotation chez Grammath. Could be the best new American band I've heard so far this year. Thanks for the tip.

[Lei-Lei Jayenne]

Its been lurking in the back of my mind to check this out since LLJ put this description of it up at the end of Feb. Finally got around to buying it last week and it is on heavy rotation chez Grammath. Could be the best new American band I've heard so far this year. Thanks for the tip.

Glad you like them Gram, was listening to it on the tube to work yesterday, really is very good.

Oh, i haven't bought an album since QOTSA, nothings really caught my eye.

[happyfriday]

Match Box 20 - Mad Season it's years old but was always saying I had to buy it because it is excellent, best song on it is Bed of Lies although it is a little depressing, Great Album :D :D

[Deinonychus]

Perhaps I can recommend Emiliana Torrini's 'Fisherman's Woman'? 'Tis a very sparse, stirring listen. Like a female Nick Drake, perhaps...

[nospacesallowed]

Head Automatica, Decadence
10/10 fab

[Harriet]

I bought some Libertines export thing....it's called What Became of the Likely Lads and it#s got 7 tracks - two mixes of WBOTLL and then 5 live tracks.

[speareig]

Waifs: A brief History - absolutley brilliant live album! Fabulous, intelligent lyrics & great music

[Dr. Strangelove]

The rat pack a boys night out. Soooo good :)

[Harriet]

Up All Night by Razorlight. Well actually I borrwed a friend's copy and burned myself one. I added the single Somewhere Else as well, because she doesn't have the new version with that song on the end.

[Royal Rother]

Black Foliage - The Olivia Tremor Control

50% very promising on 1st listen, 50% pling plong tuneless experimental shite, if you'll pardon the expression.

[My Friend Jack]

Actually, I find the expression, "pling plong" mildly offensive. ;)

[Dr. Strangelove]

Louis Armstrong Ultimate Collection. Got it today woo

[jebbie74]

The Killers.....but it's in the car so I have no idea the title. Mr Brightside just keeps popping into my head for some unknown reason.

[Deinonychus]

'Hot Fuss'. (It's not 'all that', IMO!)

[Opal]

Rob Thomas' new album.... absolutely amazing, although I can't remember the name of it right now! Very Matchbox Twentyish without sounding too like them... I'm very proud of finding this - I had no idea he was even releasing a solo album til I came across a mention of it somewhere on the web a few days ago.

Also a friend gave me a copy of Balls to Picasso by Bruce Dickenson. Not the kind of music I would ever think to go and buy or even voluntarily listen to, to be honest, but I'm actually quite liking it! It's something to be played nice and loud which suits my mood right now! :D

[caldron]

I'm listening to "So Frenchy, So Chic" by Various Artists.
It's the unofficial soundtrack to the French Film Festival, (Aust) 2005

http://www.frenchfilmfestival.org/e...44/Default.aspx

My current fave is the haunting 'End of May' by Keren Ann

(Xpost from 'what song are you listening to now?')

[Harriet]

Elevator by Hot Hot Heat.....I've been listening to it basically constantly since I got it yesterday it's so incredibly good.

[belinda]

The Dear - No Cities Left.

Caught them on the end of Jonathan Ross and thought top fabby deeply moany, dark lyric lush loveliness. Anyone travelling by car with me will now leave seriously depressed as it joins the in car selection of Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen, The Libertines, Babyshambles etc

By the time I get to work the idea of having to work the day doesn't seem that bad

[Harriet]

The
Libertines, Babyshambles etc


Yipee! *dances*

[My Friend Jack]

The new Robert Plant and Bruce Springsteen CDs.

And (having seen someone recommend it on BGO's Best 5 Albums thread: Gram Parsons' Grievous Angel. And a Best of Jimmy Cliff.

Only listened to Plant so far - excellent.

[Sherman_McCoy]

So glad my Gram mention has been picked up on! Hope you like it.

[Harriet]

I got Maximo Parks' album the other day at an instore signing thing they played 5 of the songs then I got to meet them afterwards and they signed my tube ticket + my arm :D It's a really great album as well!

[Obskua]

'It's That Man Again !' - Tommy Handley

[Harriet]

<3 HMV sale.....The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead, The Clash - London Calling, The Doors - Best Of, Death From Above 1979 - You're A Woman, I'm a Machine + The Strokes - Is This It....all for £34 :D

[grace_a88]

Back to Bedlam by James Blunt

[My Friend Jack]

Harriet - that HMV sale is top-notch! The entire back-catalogue of Free at £4.99 each. Barclay James Harvest, Caravan, CSNY, John Holt (the first person, I believe, to record The Tide Is High, when he was singer with the Paragons)...

[Harriet]

It's AMAZING I just went again with £12 and came out with *3* albums!!! I got The La's (£2.99), Velvet Underground (£3.99) and The Doors....but I can't remember which one...(£4.99) :D

[megustaleer]

I've just bought

'Vera Lynne Remembers The Songs That Won WWII', - in readiness for this weekend!

[Royal Rother]

Harriet - that HMV sale is top-notch! The entire back-catalogue of Free at £4.99 each. Barclay James Harvest, Caravan, CSNY, John Holt (the first person, I believe, to record The Tide Is High, when he was singer with the Paragons)...

Excellent! I didn't know.....

John Holt wrote "The Tide is High" I believe.

[Bill]

It's AMAZING I just went again with £12 and came out with *3* albums!!! I got The La's (£2.99), Velvet Underground (£3.99) and The Doors....but I can't remember which one...(£4.99) :D

That could turn out to be the best £11.97 you ever spend (apart from the £4.99 you wasted on The Doors (instinctively covers head with hands and runs for cover)).

[Deinonychus]

I've just bought

'Vera Lynne Remembers The Songs That Won WWII', - in readiness for this weekend!


Why? Are we going to war again?

[Harriet]

That could turn out to be the best £11.97 you ever spend (apart from the £4.99 you wasted on The Doors (instinctively covers head with hands and runs for cover)).
*Beats with a stick*

[Obskua]

Soundtrack from The Grateful Dead Movie - five CDs for £19.99 (full price !). Thank you Rhino Records.

A slight change of direction (which can easily be corrected) - has anyone any idea why comedy & humour CDs, which are themselves re-issues of vinyl, are released at or near full price ? Don't record company accountants (any of you amongst us ?) realise that they'd sell far more by making these re-issues mid-price, or even (dare I say it ? I dare ! I dare !) cheap ? After all, they won't be listened to as frequently as music CDs. Just a thought.

[My Friend Jack]

Interesting thought, Obskua. As far as the accountants are concerned, the number of times you'll listen is irrelevant. All that matters is how much they can get away with charging. A fair bit of thought and research goes into pricing of re-issues, and one can only assume that they price in order to get the optimum sales / profit results. Greater sales at a lesser price doesn't necessarily yield the best result. I don't think the logic on comedy / humour is any different to music.

Another change of direction...

It's interesting to note the effect that the 50 year copyright rule is having on the re-issue market. In the early / mid 1990s, there was a glut of big band re-issues. In the late 1990s, there were suddenly a load of "roots of rock'n'roll" compilations available, as the late 40s recordings slipped out of copyright. More recently, early rock'n'roll and doo-wop compilations have started to appear, and in the next few years, there will be even more rock'n'roll at bargain prices. The other effect is that record companies, realising that some of their precious material is about to drop out of copyright, are making lots of late attempts to persuade us to part with our cash. Net result - for fans of rock'n'roll - is a huge variety of re-issues being available. Expect the trend to continue with the passage of time...

[Krey20]

I don't think anyone has found the other "Last Album" thread we used to have so I'll just carry on here.

I bought - Black Holes and Revelations - Muse, today and was very pleasantly surprised.

I hate comparing bands but the only way I can sum up the sound of this album is an up-tempo version of an experimental Radiohead album like "amnesiac".

It has some heavy electro undertones and a good solid rock core. For me, it sounds very different to anything else I've been listening to recently, so it's fresh and exciting.

So far it's just as good as "Absolution" but I'll be interested to see if it ages as well. Highly recommended.

[tagesmann]

I've just splashed out on...

More Adventurous by Rilo Kiley
The Abattoir Blues Tour by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Milkwhite Sheets by Isobel Campbell
In The Heart Of The Moon by Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté
The Guitar Trio by Paco De Lucia. Al Di Meola. John McLaughlin
The Life Pursuit by Belle & Sebastian
The Road To Nashville by Erasure
Client by Client
Ballad Of The Broken Seas by Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan
Amorino by Isobel Campbell
Rodrigo Y Gabriela by Rodrigo Y Gabriela
Half The Perfect World by Madeleine Peyroux
Careless Love by Madeleine Peyroux
Dear Frustrated Superstar by Nerina Pallot
Fires by Nerina Pallot
Mary Ann Meets The Garevdiggers by Regina Spektor
Begin To Hope by Regina Spektor
Rabbit Fur Coat by Jenny Lewis With The Watson Twins

Which is way too many.

[Flingo]

That is a very impressive list!

Dear Frustrated Superstar by Nerina Pallot
Fires by Nerina Pallot

Excellent choice! I'm a big fan and have seen her live twice in the last 6 months!

I buy maybe one CD every 4 months. After Nerina's album which I bought before Christmas, my most recent acquisition was the new Norah Jones album - Not too late. (also currently playing via the computer!).

Oh - I might improve with my cd playing as I have tonight bought an MP3 player so I'll need to fill it up!

[tagesmann]

my most recent acquisition was the new Norah Jones album - Not too late.I'm waiting for a copy of this and her earlier stuff from a colleague.

[katrina]

I can't remember who but someone in one of the lost threads commented on the new album by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah called Some Loud Thunder, I promptly downloaded it and its fab, and very different from their other album.

Hopefully you'll know who you are so thank-you :flowers:

[Royal Rother]

My pleasure Katrina! :)

[Stokos]

Finally managed to find a copy of

Six degrees of inner turbulence by Dreamtheater.

Damned if I am payed £22 for an album even if it is a double and rather good.

[Momo]

My husband just got me the third CD by Norah Jones. I love her songs.

[Elfstar]

Razorlight
Snow Patrol Eyes Open
Sandi Thom Smile It confuses People
The Feeling Twelve Stops and Home
Lily Allen Alright Still
Evanescence The Open Door

All bought in the last couple of weeks. Also borrowed Bowie 1969 -1974 and Elton John 1970 - 2002

[Krey20]

I've recently got into the lily Allen album, and love it. Which I didn't expect. It's a good mix of lots of genres. Plus I've never heard an artist with such a sweet voice swear so much, it sounds great and she gets away with it.

Alfie is a standout track that makes me laugh every time I hear it.

I'd be interested to hear what the Evanessence album is like. I enjoyed their first one, but sort of missed the latest effort.

[Elfstar]

Yes that's why I like Lily Allen.
Evanescence I bought because I kept hearing bits of Call me When you're Sober on Kerrang (I have grungy nearly teenagers) and wanted to hear the rest. I don't think I'm qualified to judge it as an album. I find it a bit samey but also very powerful in small doses.

[Stewart]

Just bought the new Patrick Wolf album, The Magic Position.

[Royal Rother]

New Magnetic Wonder - The Apples In Stereo

Just listening to it at the moment. Interesting use of the Sparky The Piano sound immortalised on ELO's Mr Blue Sky!!

Sounds catchy with a little less of the psychadelia and a bit more pop. I do like them!

[Royal Rother]

All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone - Explosions In The Sky (released last week-ish)

One for you Bill IIRC! Very good indeed too... you'll love it.

[Jen]

Out Of The Woods - Tracey Thorn
I've been a big fan of Everything But The Girl since my bedsit /student days all the way through their latter dancey period. I'm just glad she's back singing again. One listen through suggests that this will be a firm favourite. :D

[Stewart]

Grinderman, Grinderman
Make Another World, Idlewild
Neon Bible, Arcade Fire

[katrina]

Stewart,
What is the Arcade Fire album like? I'm itching to buy it but have a million other annoying things like a new sunroof and car tax i have to buy first!

[tagesmann]

Grinderman, Grinderman
Me too. Isn't it great?

[Hazel]

Me too. Isn't it great?

Hubby just downloaded it too. After discussing it with me for 30 mins over breakfast.

[brightphoebus]

The Hold Steady : Boys and Girls In America. Thrilling lyrics. I can't stop playing it.

[katrina]

A new band, Little Man Tate, good lyrics and tunes ****

[MarkC]

In this week's Amazon delivery was a copy of Hokey Pokey by Richard and Linda Thompson, as my original copy seems to have vanished.


What is the Arcade Fire album like? I'm itching to buy it but have a million other annoying things like a new sunroof and car tax i have to buy first!

I'd like to know too. I'm also intrigued by a car needing a new sunroof - do they wear out? :eek:

[katrina]

No they develop leaks, will have to wait till the Easter holidays!