Proper Music Friday

THE BEATLES

Those amongst you daft enough to read Fishawks blog will notice that he is going through one of those music less periods.  The time when all musical taste flies out the window and a surfeit of cowboy movies that he was reared on begin to bear fruit with the softening of his brain.  Therefore I decided to fill my head with proper music for a change and via YouTube I have brightened and enlightened the world by listening to the worlds greatest rock band - The Beatles!  Only a sad wretch would be unable to comprehend the talent shown by these men.  Only a tone deaf individual could fail to be stimulated by such marvels.  Note that no cowboy hats were worn during the making of this music!

Isn't that just fabulous?

Eric Clapton on guitar here.

Now who could fail to enjoy these great musical moments?

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Sunday Evening

            

Friday Night is Music Night, well this Friday night is anyway.

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Is this the greatest music ever written?

                                


                                 

             


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Summer Afternoon Sky

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I noticed these interesting rib like shapes in the clouds as I tramped back from the market with my shop soiled, reduced price bananas this afternoon.  I am not sure if the warmth in the air was because the clouds keep the heat trapped in or because the sun is attempting to break through them and impersonate summer!
I neither knew nor cared. I was really just looking for some sort of picture, for without one snap there is something missing in my life these days. A PC and a digital camera, How did we live before these things were discovered?  Cyrus may have built a large empire, however he could never photograph anything as he did not have the technology, and he was called 'Great!'  Many powerful men have lived on this earth, but we can take pictures and manipulate them on the PC, they couldn't!  Pah!  Who needs an empire anyway?


And now for some dodgy theology but lovely music. 


                           



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For Leazewell

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The Saturday Night Rock 'N' Roll Show

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Thursday

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As I crossed the bleak expanse that is Sainsburys car park I discovered yet more music in my head. This was another extension to the sounds that fill the mind as I wake, and that it appears is a phenomenon that we all endure at some time. Maybe we only just notice it in early mornings? I realised that what our friend Dan on his excellent blog has discovered is now called 'Earworm,' is also reflected in the pace at which we live our lives. I realised that rushing through the streets, as I was at lunchtime today, the music that appears in my head is also of quick pace. Sadly today was once again some banal music that probably rose to fame during one of those Eurovision Song Contests, an event I always attempt to avoid. When I saunter along slowly the music corresponds to my snails pace also, although at that speed I can recognise this and attempt to do something about it. Quite who the DJ supplying the music is or where in my massive brain the size of a planet he resides I cannot say. I am reminded by some that Pluto is a planet, what can they mean? 

There is a space in our minds that constantly requires to be filled. If we are concentrating on a subject we do not notice this.  For instance as I write the BBC is playing behind me yet when concentrating on this I do not notice what is being said. However if there was complete silence each time I stopped typing I reckon something, probably a tune, would make itself known soon enough. Usually I have classical music in the background, and I only notice some of it, if voices are heard I miss what is being said until I stop concentrating, if what I do can be called 'concentrating.'  You will have noticed that painters and decorators, builders and other 'artisans' always have a radio to listen to. More than this you will note they always listen to the worst music station on the dial, and naturally the volume is turned up to the highest level, yet they will probably not notice what has just been played if asked!

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Waking up to a Song in the Head

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I do this often. The thing that bugs me is that I do not wake up to Barber's 'Adagio,' or Van Morrison, oh no I wake up to Buck's Fizz or some other meaningless bubblegum music. Why is this? I am sure that some neurologist or neuroscientist out there may have an idea but they appear not to have let me know about this.  As I was burning my porridge in the micro wave this morning I realised I had a tune, if you can call it that, in my head. Not only did I have a tune I had only one line of said work going around and around. Not only this but now I cannot remember what this line was, but it was an irritant at the time! This is one of life's mysteries that happens daily to me. My alarm plays Gregorian Chant to bring me into the world, although the brighter morning mean I am already awake and attempting to open my eyes. As I clear the nights fug by opening the window and letting the early morning mist chill my bones, I really ought to hide them better, I then realise a song, line, tune, is in my head. It is not I need not inform you Gregorian Chant, indeed it rarely is anything of any quality whatsoever, it is always something from the realms of 'pap' that in normal times I would ignore. On top of this it also originates way back in the past when the world was young and life was for living. You remember those days don't you? The time when everything was exciting and the deep desire was to go around the next corner, to follow that railway track into the far distance and to drink deeply of the joy that was in waiting out there! It seems a long time ago now doesn't it? It must have affected my mind as when I wander the streets looking for dropped coins and runaway vegetables I find the music that comes to my mid at that time also originates in times past. Cream often sing 'Sunshine of your love' as I walk past Tesco's. On other occasions Deep Purple have accompanied my perambulation, frightening children and old ladies as I inadvertently head bang as I totter along. Never does the music of later years interfere. I suspect that this is because what is broadcast on music stations means little to me now, my era was the 60's and now the music I listen too dates from that time or is more classical in nature. The reason my waking mind can recall appropriate music is because I am almost awake as I stroll, but that does not explain why my dulled early morning mind digs deep into my head to produce 'Buck's Fizz!' 




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'Pine Top' Perkins

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'Pine Top' Perkins the Blues magician has died aged 97. You may be surprised at this as you had never heard of him until now, well neither had I, however this is my type of music so he needs to be listened to! The States must have been awash with black musicians for many years before the young British bands like the Beatles and Rolling Stones gave them the publicity they so richly deserved. I think it was when questioned on the Johnny Carson show about their musical influences that the racist attitudes of America really showed up. John and Paul mentioned the likes of Howling Wolf, John Lee Hooker and so on yet Johnny had no idea who they were. Black music was not considered acceptable then. However white guys like Bob Zimmerman up in Duluth was using the magic of radio to bring about a radical transformation in both the United States and the western world in general. Taking the name Dylan, after Dylan Thomas the famous Welsh drunk, his music joined with others in transforming society for the better. How interesting that a music ignored by so many, indeed considered dangerous in many ways because of who performed it, was to influence so much change in the USA. Certainly they had been warned in the fifties of this music. Rock and Roll also grew from black influence and gave Elvis his fame, and at first abuse from those who knew best. But it was the men of the sixties who really brought such music to the worlds attention. How glad I am about that. Men like 'Pinetop' supported many famous names over the years, most much more famous than their backing bands, and even today there are men like him still playing their music in their nineties. Good luck to them!






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Red Hot Chilli Pipers

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I've just discovered the 'Red Hot Chilli Pipers.' How slow am I?

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Monday

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Once again I have my fingers itching to write. And here I am, cold, tired, and brain dead. Last night, as I lay my head down on my bedbug covered pillow I had thousands of words running through my mind. Hundreds of points were raised and many of the problems of the world were sorted, and then I dreamt of being employed in an office with a pretty young boss. I awoke just as she fired me and have spent the day with "You mindless, incompetent lout," running through my heart. That dream was quite realistic I thought. Anyway the dullness removed all the words from last night and nothing is lined up tonight.


I could have written about music but I won't. It appeared to me you see, or it did last night, that we could not live without music. I like something tinkling from Radio 3 in the background when I write or read, sometimes piano jazz is used, but at all times there is some musical sound nearby. Builders and decorators like most tradesmen require Radio 1, or something similar, blasting out the noxious pandemonium they call music and always at a volume capable of drowning our Harrier Jump Jets! Celebrations lead to song, football fans automatically sing when they are winning (although Dumbarton fans have not been singing much this season I am told), worshippers sing, lovers sing to their beloved (unless they get a slap), and toddlers dance to music and attempt to sing along, music is part of the human existence, how could we cope without it?


Neanderthal man, (no I don't mean Hibernian fans), must have made some kind of music. The early form of man, called Adam in the good book, must have found himself singing when the occasion called for it, but what instruments did he use? Some say the Canaanite's in ancient Israel were famed for their music going back centuries. They were said to travel to Egypt and Hittite land in Turkey to use their talents. Singers, dancers, flute players, drummers, and the most awful instrument until the organ - the tambourine - were in use, along with others no doubt. Ancient Greeks had women playing 'Nose Flutes' at there symposiums before they were found playing the pink flutes.


Music reflects our age and our mood. Young folks tend to like loud crashing music because for them the world is young and full of interest and excitement. Today I spent my time listening to the 'Death March,' I wonder why? Cheery music was used during the war to keep the factories working. Some songs were banned because they slowed production and others encouraged as the workers worked faster under their tune. I think it was the 'Yellow rose of Texas' that was banned at one point as at the chorus people tapped out the tune on their machines and so many were damaged war production was seriously it! The BBC were advised to drop it quietly! David famously played his Lyre to King Saul when he was in a downer and this cheered him. Divers require music to aid them while using their satnavs or they end up in Basingstoke instead of Barnsley. Music is always with us and we appreciate this unless it is sound which clashes with our mood.


In the early seventies I worked for slave wages in a Leith Cash & Carry. The boss had decided we needed music and tapes were played, over and over and over again. Whoever it was that done the cheap cover version of Donny Osmond and 'Puppy Love' I do not know, however if they were to have fallen into a pit with ten hungry Rottweillers they will be happy to know some folks in Leith were rejoicing at their accident. Worse however occurred at Christmas. There was only one tape! We had at least two, and later three, tapes of 'music' to play, but only one Christmas one. 'Dashing through the snow' may be fun on a sleigh in some American state however singing about this while slush lies several inches deep outside the door and we have heard the song a thousand times is NOT FUN!


I canny get that song out of my head now.....


Right, I'm off to listen to 'Canned Heat' until my head calms down. I may be back by Thursday. In the meantime ask yourself if you can live without music, I can't.

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Steamhammer - 'Passing Through.'

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Proper music, none of today's rubbish!

SKIN ALLEY - 'Living in Sin.'



Proper music!

Music, More or Less...

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This morning I awoke just before the alarm and mused at the blue sky outside the window. (Well it would be 'outside' the window, it is hardly likely to be 'inside' is it?) As I pondered the day ahead and asked the questions life throws at us, 'What is it all about?' 'Why me? and 'Why is there always a teaspoon at the bottom of the washing up bowl?' I realised 'Please Release Me' by Tom Jones* was running through my head. I was not pleased. My cogitation changed direction and I once more asked 'Why does a song come to mind soon after waking? and 'Why is it always one I don't want?' Yesterday I was greeted by military band music, the type of stuff played at army displays and ceremonials. In itself this is not bad, but where did it come from? I have not played such music, nor indeed heard it, for a long while, so why is it found in my head at 6:17 in the morning? On occasions I have been assaulted by 'Bucks Fizz,' and before seven O' clock at that! It is a disgrace I say.  It is rarely, if ever, music I wish to hear, so why does it happen like this?


If I could wake to a Beatles tune, Van Morrison or Elgar then it would not be so bad. However I find 'Love Affair' with 'Everlasting Love' a  song detested in 1967, bellowing in my mind unasked and unwanted. Why? How come such obscure and dreadful songs appear in my head when I wake, even if I leave Radio 3 on all night? Where do they come from, and why don't they stay there I ask?


Something in the brain responds to the pace you move at, and I find when wandering through the town music arrives in the cavernous space between my ears according to my pace.  This is how John Lee Hooker made his music, he tapped his feet and from the beat found a song!  This music is linked to the pace I walk at, and the urgency, or lack of it, in my plans, mostly non urgent I can tell you. Now that I can understand, but why when I wake am I confronted with 'Puppy Love' sung by Donny Osmand? Have I been sleeping too slowly perhaps?


Now the thing is my music taste is wide and open, I would happily accept something from the sixties that was worth listening to, classic music of many types could find a home in my head, so why do I get  Abba with 'Waterloo?' Was I dreaming of a railway? That is the song that signified the end of the sixties music movement. From then on all music ended and all that counted was glitz and sham. It has never ceased since. I realise there have been attempts at music, surely 'Punk' does not count, 'Rap' certainly doesn't! But in truth nothing matches the revolutionary aspect of the 'Baby Boomers' generation.  So, with all the music in all the world available to my brain, why is the bland junk thrown at me?


I'm off to find the headphones. Tonight I ensure I listen to a 'Gold' station playing my music, or something near to it. Wouldn't it be just my luck to find it is an 'Abba' anniversary tonight! Doh!!! 


*Yes I realised in time that it was in fact Engelbert Humperdink who sang 'Please Release Me,' and he can be assured that I would indeed have released him at 6:30 this morning if I could, tied to a large bunch of helium balloons!. 


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Proper Music

Rhythm and Blues

Earlier tonight I came across a programme on a video concerning the early years of the great sixties groups. This hour long programme specialised in those Rhythm and Blues influenced folk from that time, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Rolling Stones, Manfred Mann and so on, all great stuff to me. This was my music, the music of my youth. Not that I ever heard enough of this of course, it was not given nearly enough air time on the bubblegum dominated Radio 1, the BBC radio station that began in 1967 and was 'pop' orientated.

As an adolescent, and all through the following years, the screaming guitars and the steady rhythm of the blues was indeed the music that got to the heart! The main groups that made music to listen to, and rarely made money on sales generated by Radio 1, were blues and R & B based. At school, yes I did go to one but would rather have missed that experience thank you, we had a 'hop' at the end of the year.Always a local Rhythm & Blues band was brought in, although when the ginger lass pulled the singer of the stage we nearly lost that little pleasure! This music does speak in a way no other does today, it captures all sorts of moods yet the generation around us prefers bland inconsequential ballads, usually from all girls bands who look the same, on black lassies with high pitch voices who all sound the same! What does our music taste say about the generations?

Our music was more basic certainly, although the bands usually had a middle class background. As the decades since the sixties have passed the music tastes reflect the growing prosperity and becomes more sophisticated. (I discount Lieutenant Pigeon's 1971 offering here by the way) Are we just to wrapped up in ourselves to want to listen to anything other than bland pop? Girlies always did this, and it was mostly the male of the species who wanted Jimi Hendrix and the like, and this led radio stations to give them what they wanted as that was the core listener. Only John Peel in the sixties gave us what we wanted, progressive music to go with our Hippy ideals! 'Make love not war!' It usually became 'Make tea not war,' but we won't go into that. Oh those Hippy ideals, so good and caring, making a better world, and we would have done so if human nature had not got into the way! If it wasn't for sin we would have done OK!

Funny how so much was spoken about the caring, loving life, while the groups that gave us the music that we 'loved' to were arguing with one another while high on drink, drugs and conceit! How many preached the 'love' gospel while ripping others off? However the music was, and still is, good! A proper Rhythm and Blues band can really liven my little brain up. Possibly because we hear it so rarely these days. Even in Chicago and such places the 'Blues' is a dying art, the young find 'rap' more to their taste, though I use the word 'taste' lightly here.

Oh Eric Clapton why could I not play the guitar like you? How come you had the talent and I had the need? I saw him in Westbourne Grove on night. I had just bought a cassette, remember those, of one of his albums, and as I walked along playing air guitar to 'Pretending' in my head, I saw him! He stared at me, knowing I was dreaming I was he, and he realised I was staring at him, our eyes met, and in one sublimely fast movement he was off into the '7/11 shop. I wonder if he often thinks of me? That area, part of the Notting Hill of fame, contains many famous and now rich superstars. The house prices do not allow folk like me to live there. One bedroom flat for half a million? Not me! In fact I recall seeing the 'Third Ear Band' live in a church hall on Lancaster Road there around 1971/2 time. Fantastic evening! Light show and drugged up poetry readings also! wonder if they remember me?

I have always liked music that was a bit innovative. Nowadays I like classics, jazz and the old stuff. Anything that is not meaningless, bland 'pop' usually can be listened to for a while, unless there is a screeching soprano spoiling it of course. There are limits! Oh if only I had Hendrix talents, or Clapton's, or Jeff Becks or Keith Richards or Jimmy Page or .....