As we head into 2012 I wanted to take a minute to say a thank you to the regular readers of ‘Music is My Life’. Your comments have added a great deal to each article and I have enjoyed reading them immensely.
It is with this in mind that I thought I would use today’s blog post to ask if there is anything you wish to see more of in the New Year?
Would you like to see more reviews of books or CD’s? This could be of new music coming out or existing music I own. Would you like more reminiscences of concerts I have seen and performances that have especially moved me? I could try to include more interviews if you enjoyed these or include more polls for you to vote on. Tell me what you’d like to see and I will do my best to include it for you. The blog wouldn’t be anything without the readers and your views and opinions are valued.
I hope you have all had a relaxing Christmas break and wish you all a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year.
There is something about a good Christmas song that gets you instantly in the festive spirit. Whether it be a traditional carol or a classic pop song, when you first hear it you will be transported back to your childhood and exciting nights waiting for Santa.
I’m unsure if other countries place as much importance on the Christmas Number 1, but in the UK the Christmas Number 1 is a coveted spot and it is hotly fought over every year. You can get novelty tracks which are short lived, more classic tracks that you play year on year, the soulless fare from X-factor that has dominated the Christmas charts in recent years or even the odd Protest song to fight back against the X-Factor drivel.
I took great delight when the Rage Against the Machine song ‘Killing in the Name’ song beat the X-factor song to Christmas number one a couple of years ago and I happily bought many versions of it to help it along the way, encouraged others to do the same and I was an ardent supporter of the campaign. Not only is the band and song awesome, but it was worth buying, even though I already owned it, to stop Simon Cowell controlling the chart again. It isn’t especially festive, but I happily play this song every Christmas and will continue to do so for a long time to come.
Other songs instantly make you think of Christmas and you will get strange looks if you play them at other times of the year. The Pogues song ‘Fairytale of New York’ is one of these and I can’t help but feel festive when I hear it. Bandaid’s charity single ‘Do they Know it’s Christmas?’, Wham’s ‘Last Christmas’, Wizzard’s ‘I Wish it Could be Christmas Everyday’ and Slade’s ‘Merry Christmas Everybody’ are Christmas pop standards and if I don’t hear each one at least once during December then my holiday season isn’t complete.
There is also something about the crooner and rat pack singers that makes you feel all Christmas-y and Bing Crosby singing ‘White Christmas’ makes me feel warm and nostalgic every time. Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra have the same effect.
Of course there have been some dire Christmas songs over the years, like Mr Blobby and most X-factor singles, but thankfully these don’t stand the test of time and they don’t get repeated year on year. I guess they are OK for marking a particular year though.
The list is almost endless and I could go on and mention loads more, but the point I am making is that music is as a big a part of Christmas as the mince pies, Christmas tree, Festive films and Turkey dinner. And whilst some shopping centres will play these songs on an endless loop from October onwards, if you manage to avoid this saturation, the songs will still have a resonance and fill you with festive cheer. I have my own Christmas compilation playing in the background as I write this and it’s making me want to spread my buoyant Christmas spirit to those around me and what more can you ask at this time of year?
I wish you all a warm and happy Christmas and I hope you get lots of new music to share and delight you in the coming year.
Occasionally I will come across a song that I love so much it almost becomes an addiction and I have to play it over and over until I’m saturated it in. I’ve had this before with the song ‘Hide and Seek’ by Imogen Heap and I played this song numerous times each day for many months. But I’ve experienced this again recently with another song that had me hooked so badly I could barely go an hour without playing it and when I did, I would play it two or three times in a row.
The song in question is ‘Somebody That I Used to Know’ by Gotye.
I heard of it first via a magazine recommendation and I checked it out on YouTube. I must’ve played it ten times that first night and I was mesmerised by the video, the music and the lyrics. Then I did the unthinkable (for me) and I bought that single track from itunes, my first ever itunes purchase. The complete album the song features on was only available on import and was very expensive, but the song had caught me so badly that I had to have it with me the next day at work. So, one trip to itunes and a few clicks later and I had the song on my ipod.
The thing with an ipod and itunes as I’ve mentioned in a previous article (‘Where’s the nearest iPod anonymous meeting?’) is that it counts how many times you’ve played a track and I could soon see that within two days I had played the song over 50 times. By the end of the week it had slowed a little, but I was over 100 listens and still going strong. It had become the most listened to track on my ipod in the space of a week.
One friend warned me not to ‘kill’ the song by overplaying it, but I couldn’t help myself and by the middle of the week I had decided if I wore the song out then so be it, I had to keep playing it.
I played the song to my assistant and she also loved it. I’m sure some of the music I’ve played for her has hit very wide of the mark and when this song came along to captivate her she was as addicted as I was. If we played it and when it ended I was still working, her hand would sneakily reach out and press play one more time until we were bobbing our heads along to the intro and then singing with gusto at the chorus.
She, like me, adored the chorus and the powerful lyrics. We would sing them out loud and laugh and smile as we both accentuated certain parts. We both adore the part when Kimbra joins the song and the way she adds impact to the songs crescendo and balances out the male point of view at the start of the song.
I’m guessing the addiction with this song isn’t just a problem I suffer with, as when I first played the song on YouTube a few weeks ago it had 13 million views and when I went back again recently this figure is rapidly climbing to 18 million.
I’m gradually playing the song less now, but still about 5 or 6 times a day and I have loved every play of it so far. I haven’t ‘killed’ the song yet and I guess like ‘Hide and Seek’ after a few months away from it I will come back to ‘Somebody That I Used to Know’ and love it all over again with renewed vigour.
Music is my passion and this song is a particularly addictive morsel, but I’m so glad I found it and have it in my life. Now I just need to buy the album it came from (after already buying Gotye’s other albums) and I have to see him live. These things are all just ways I feed my habit.
When I heard of a method of learning a language all based around music I thought “that’s the very thing for me”! I enjoy learning new languages and you may have an inkling what my thoughts on music are.
Earworms produce various language learning CD’s where the lessons are put to various types of music and all you have to do is relax and listen to each song to gradually pick up new vocabulary and grammatical rules.
The theory is that in the same way as a catchy song or lyric will stick in your head, so too will the new language you hear. This idea goes back many years and before the invention of books or the internet many societies remembered and passed down stories via song. It has even been shown that Australian Aborigines were able to navigate across vast distances using the lyrics in traditional songs as descriptions of the route.
According to the literature with the CD’s the Earworms technique has produced average test results over 90% compared with the average 50% with more traditional methods. It also cites studies showing how we only use a portion of our brain and linking learning to music accesses another area of the brain to accelerate learning. With claims like this I thought it was well worth a go.
As I have a huge personal interest in Japan I thought I would start with the Japanese Earworms course and as soon as it dropped through my letterbox I loaded it onto my ipod and slipped on my headphones to surround myself in the music. I did as the course suggested and didn’t actively try to memorise anything and I just listened to the CD as a piece of music in it’s own right.
Japanese Earworms
There are two speakers on the course, a male and female and they talk along with the music, sometimes in time with it and sometimes across it, but they never clash with the music playing.
The music here is meant to be catchy and the first track certainly is. I found myself repeating words and phrases even after I stopped playing the CD. But, some songs are better than others and whilst the course does play a variety of styles, some music sounds a touch twee or not especially catchy. I found these tracks the hardest to remember. This is a flaw in the course, if the music doesn’t engage you, or you don’t find it catchy, the you are virtually missing a whole lesson from your memory.
But this is a minor niggle and all in all I found myself remembering most of the language taught.
The funny thing is, if I find myself unable to remember a phrase or word then all I have to do is start ‘singing’ the part of the song that it relates to and pretty soon the word has come to me. Proof if ever it was needed that the concept works, although I’m unsure if I’d get away with that in a shop when on holiday or in a business meeting!!!
Overall I found the course a good way to acquire new vocabulary and grammar and whilst it isn’t perfect, if you use it in consort with other methods then I think this is a very useful tool to learning a new language. You may not enjoy every song on offer, but if you are a music lover like myself, then it is certainly worth a try.
On the 18th September my wife and I climbed aboard a train and headed into London and the Southbank for this years Japan Matsuri. This is a large festival where all of your senses are delighted with hot and cold food, craft stalls, martial arts demonstrations, musical performances, ikebana demonstrations, art exhibitions and much more besides and as you may have guessed, all from or about Japan.
Lanterns hanging in trees on the Southbank.
After wandering about to get our bearings and savouring the sights and some of the food on offer we headed over to the main stage to see a Taiko drummer group perform. As we stepped into the stage area the first thing we noticed were the lanterns and origami cranes that decorated the sides of the floor space. Large ikebana displays were sat at the side of the stage looking stunning in their complexity and composition and large drums were being set up ready for the performance. The occasional woman in Kimono only added to the atmosphere and before long I was eagerly looking forward to what was about to come.
Lanterns and Origami cranes hanging in main stage.
Two wonderful people (an English man and a Japanese woman) were introducing the various acts and performers throughout the day and at this point the petite Japanese lady stepped on stage and said a flurry of words in Japanese, only to be followed by the gentleman saying similar introductory comments in English. Then a group of girls of various ages (from The Japanese school, London) stepped onto stage and prepared themselves to perform.
The Taiko performance.
They held up their drum sticks high and then launched into their performance spinning around one another as they took it in turns to hit the deep, bassy drums. It was a visual as well as an aural treat. The first piece gave them a chance to settle into their performance and then the music became more powerful as their set progressed.
You could tell the older girls had been playing for longer as their technique and strength allowed for a deeper, richer sound to come from the drums and there was something elemental about the deep drum notes and the cries that the girls let out to punctuate each particular piece.
You could feel the drumming through your feet and against your chest as they played and the music quickly became hypnotic and powerful. The drums are played with such skill and the combination of higher and lower pitch drums, along with the occasional handheld bell-like-objects builds into a forceful and resonant wall of sound that vibrates deep into your core. Despite the alluring smells of hot food wafting up to me from the riverfront below and the bustle of the crowd mingling about me, I completely focused on the music and performance and, as in past experiences when I have seen Taiko drummers, I felt deeply moved by the time the performance had ended.
This was just one of the musical performance my wife and I experienced throughout the course of the day, but I have to admit it was one of my favourites. I knew what to expect from visiting past Matsuri’s, but it didn’t take away from the power or my enjoyment one iota.
The perfect blend of British and Japanese.
I can’t wait for next years Matsuri to experience the delightful aspects of Japanese culture and to see some incredible Japanese music again and of course to fill my stomach with the amazing food on offer. I always come away with my belly and bags full of food, but it is the fullness the music gives me that lingers the longest.
One of my first blog articles was about the effect of music on my emotions (‘Changing my Mood with Music’) and I always think about the truth of this fact at this time of year, as I struggle with the diminishing daylight and the onset of winter.
As the amount of light gradually reduces I have to be more and more careful about the music I play, as the wrong album at the wrong time can tip me into a deep brooding place that it is hard to extricate myself from. I know this is related to S.A.D and is perfectly normal at this time of year and I have to manage my musical choices almost as carefully as my exposure to light.
What’s worse is that I adore that melancholy, introspective, brooding feeling and when I start to feel it, it is hard to resist it’s allure. There is something about being curled up indoors when it is cold and gloomy outside with a good book and some of your favourite music playing in the background. You can look past you reflection in the window at the misty autumn/winter light and feel all cosy and nostalgic.
There is a particular feel about this time of year for sure. Halloween has just passed and Guy Fawkes night, with it’s smell of bonfires and leaves in the air, is upon us and soon it will be Christmas and New Year and the time for celebration. In fact up until the New Year I am usually fine with my music and emotions, but once everything dies down and it’s back to the grind of work with nothing to look forward to, it can become harder to keep my emotions in check.
One favourite album for me at this time of year has to be 'The Division Bell’ by Pink Floyd. I love this album with a passion and it can make my insides ache more than most other albums I own. It’s searing guitars, thoughtful lyrics and emotive music hits me full force every time I play it. Yet, I know that if I play it too much and feel it too deeply when I am also struggling with S.A.D it can be a slippery slope to sadness and gloom.
Pink Floyd - The Division Bell
Another powerful album that is ‘dangerous’ for me is ‘The Prayer Cycle’ by Jonathan Elias. This incredible album is based upon a selection of his poems and has the most emotional compositions behind them. Elias wrote the score and poems and asks a variety of musicians to interpret and sing his poems over the top. Alanis Morrissette sings in Hungarian, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan adds his unique and wonderful vocals and James Taylor sings one of my favourite tracks on the album in his distinctive vocal style. There are sublime strings and choral work that make the hairs on my neck stand up and it is a profoundly moving piece of music. It is even more powerful if you read the poems at the same time as listening to the album. It can also make me feel things too deeply and I know to steer clear of it during the winter months.
There are other artists and albums that have a similar effect upon me, but you get the gist of what I am describing here. I have learnt to ‘self medicate’ with music and over the years I have found that when I start to notice that introspective, brooding feeling I can stop or slow it in it’s tracks by putting on some upbeat music and singing along full force.
Stamping my feet (when at work) or dancing along also helps and soon those more troublesome emotions have been banished and I am back on top and able to get going again.
Of course I have music that plays well at other particular times of the year and as spring starts to break out, so too do I break out my spring and summer albums and get in sync with the feeling of that time of year. These albums are often rock albums from my youth and maybe I’ll mention these in another article at some point. I am just thankful that I have music in my life that can affect me and also save me as profoundly as it does.
Many years ago, when I was 17, I went to New York with a large group of friends. We went in February and it was freezing cold and I can remember walking around the city feeling as if I was walking in a movie set. The skyscrapers loomed over me. Steam rose from manhole covers. Taxi drivers yelled out belligerent abuse if you dared to try to cross the road when they were driving past. The Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, World Trade Centre, Central Park and Times Square all felt familiar as I toured around to view them. The city felt vibrant and alive and it was perfect for a trip away with my friends.
Our flight out was early in the morning and I remember not sleeping well the night before. We arrived during the day in New York and hit the streets rights away. I had already been awake for over 24 hours by this point, but didn’t feel too tired. We had a meal out and then a few us went to a Jazz bar in Greenwich Village called the Zinc Bar. We were going to see a guitarist called Ron Affif who I had heard great things about and I was looking forward to the night. It was late when we arrived, around 10pm, but the music was yet to start so we had a drink and waited.
I remember sitting in a booth watching all the cool cats of New York talking and having a drink and I soaked up the atmosphere. The ceilings were low and it was dark in there, but it didn’t feel seedy in anyway, just cosy and undeniably cool. I was starting to flag by this point, but hung on for the music. I had been awake for a long time by now and I fell jet lagged, tired from all the walking, tired from lack of sleep and exhilarated from the excitement of being in New York and anticipation of the music on offer. A heady and disorientating combination.
The door to the bar swung open and the musicians entered, along with a blast of cold Manhattan air. Everyone looked up and the bar chattered and then quietened down again. I sat up and thought the night was about to get started, but instead the band headed towards the bar, sat down and had a few drinks.
After a while Ron and his band mates headed towards the tiny stage area, which was more like the corner of the bar. I was sat right next to this area and watched avidly as they set up. They double bass player tuned up, as did Ron and the drummer hit a few testing beats and tightened a few knobs on his drum kit. Then without so much as a ‘hello’ the band started playing and everyone was transfixed.
The music was raw and compelling from the word go. The drumming was intense and the guitar riffs Ron pulled of soared up and down the fretboard. I was still absolutely shattered by this time, but it was amazing to watch such skill at such close quarters. That is where things got a bit weird for me.
The drummer was a big intense black guy who sat at his kit like it was a child’s toy. He stared around the audience with laser like focus and his look was hypnotic and electric. I was feeling fuzzy from lack of sleep and the music washing over me and when the drummer turned his gaze upon me it felt very powerful. He just stared into my eyes as he frantically played some sublime jazz and the experience was full-on and formidable. I couldn’t look away and it honestly felt as though he was hypnotising me. When he finally looked away I felt wrung out and exhausted, but managed to stay until the end of their first set and part of the way into their second.
We finally staggered out of the bar after 2 in the morning and hailed a cab to take us back to our hotel. I recall looking out of the window up at the skyscrapers and feeling shell shocked and yet strangely exhilarated. It had certainly been a unique evening and a powerful introduction to this fast flowing and addictive city that has stayed with me ever since. I have yet to return to New York, but when I do I will be making a bee line for the Zinc Bar. The experience may not be quite the same, but I can always go along and hope.
After coming back from holiday recently I thought how the one thing that made the long haul flight so much more bearable was having my music with me. If it wasn’t for my Ipod and headphones to drown out the incessant drone of the engines I think I would’ve arrived at the destination a gibbering wreck.
I was delighted when the stewardess came round with the flimsy, cheap and crackly airline headphones that I could pull out my Bose and slip them over my ears. The sound isolation from them is pretty great and I immediately noticed the volume of the engines diminish to a bearable level. That’s before I used them to watch a film or play some music.
One immediate benefit was that I could have the volume set lower on my ipod or on the film as the sound isolation was so good. I could hear more details and not struggle to hear dialogue in the in-flight film and it was much less harmful to my hearing in the process.
As the flight wore on I was able to retreat into my music and go into my own space. I chose my favourite albums and played these and then put on a playlist and let the music drift over me. Sometimes the only time I was aware I was on a flight was when I was offered a hot towel or drink!
It was nice to look out over the cloud tops as some particularly stirring music played and I was able to think about various thinks and plan my holiday before I arrived.
Having my music also helped me to get some sleep. I can never normally sleep on a flight due to the small seats and excessive noise, but having my music to focus on really helped me to drift off and get a few hours sleep. I also deliberately added some natures sounds CD’s onto my ipod to see if these would help with sleep and I am glad to report that they did. I had a rain and thunderstorm CD and after I got over the initial urge to urinate it worked really well to mask the sound of the flight and relax me enough to get some sleep. The sounds of Humpback Whales was less effective!
I also enjoyed plugging into the in-flight entertainment list and listening to an album that had just been released or from an artist I didn’t know that well. It was a good way to try out some new music before I bought it and helped stave off the boredom.
Music has the ability to transport us to another time or place and you’ll never need this more than on a long flight. I was able to tune out the noise and disruption of the flight and enjoy my music and before I knew it we were coming into land and I had reached my destination.
I have another short flight coming up soon for business purposes and I can guarantee I will have my ipod and headphones with me again to keep me entertained for the duration. If you have to fly I can think of nothing better than playing some of your favourite songs to get you though to your destination in one piece and feeling more refreshed than if you had had to contend with the noise and bustle of the flight without them. When music blocks out engine noise and screaming children I can certainly think of worse ways to spend a flight!
A friend recently gave me a Soul music compilation that she found in a charity shop and which she thought I may like. It had a selection of artists music across three CD’s and although I had many of the tracks on specific albums, it was good having them in one place as an easily accessible compilation.
It got me thinking about these compilation albums and how they can be a good introduction to various genres of music. It is a good way to dip your toes into the waters of music that may be new to you and if you find a track that especially moves you, you can go off and find more music by that artist.
They are also good for people like me, who already have many of the tracks, but who sometimes only wants a quick burst of a particular genre and doesn’t want to be limited to just one artist. I guess we can make up our own playlists these days, which I do, but it is also nice to have the choice taken out of my hands and it’s also great finding the odd new gem hidden amongst the tracks I already know.
Of course there are also some terrible compilations out there, where a cheap label has cobbled together some music from some obscure artists to make a quick buck. If you start off with one of these, not only will you not find much to further explore, but you may also be turned off of a genre of music completely. It’s worth paying that little bit more for a compilation that has access to a wide range of labels and respected artists so that you get a good cross section of music and which gives you a fair representation of what the genre has to offer.
I love the odd Power Ballad compilation here, or an Eighties collection there and the next day I will quite happily press play on a Blues selection, followed up by some Soul that gets my fingers clicking in one moment and my insides aching the next. It’s like having your own radio station, without the DJ. Which leads me on to my next point. With Internet radio now you can easily find a station that specialises in one style of music and which plays some of the well known hits to whet your appetite. You don’t necessarily need to buy a CD compilation to achieve the same goal anymore, although I personally still like to. But, this way you can find some new music without the cost and then you can go off and buy some specific tracks or albums based on your recent musical finds.
Some people suggest the internet will be the death of music and it certainly is throwing up some challenges for the music industry. But for those, like me, who still like to buy their music, it is a wonderful way to find new bands and music before you go out and buy some more from them to round out your collection.
Next time you see an inexpensive music collection of a genre you’re not especially familiar or comfortable with, give it a try. You never know you may find something to further explore and some music that moves you as deeply as the music you already own. The best way to enjoy your music is the constantly stretch yourself and try new things. You’ll add some new music into your life, but you’ll also enjoy your existing collection more as you hear it from a fresh perspective.
21.10.11 Stone Roses sell out reunion tour in 14 minutes.
The Stone Roses sold out their recently announced reunion tour in 14 minutes today. Two outdoor shows with 150,000 available tickets sold out as fans swamped ticket websites. An extra date has been added due to the unprecedented demand.
13.10.11 Gibson Guitars have 'rainforest' wood impounded.
Gibson, one of the worlds foremost Guitar builders, has had a shipment of Rosewood seized under the Lacey Act with an estimated value of $500,000. This is the second time in three years that US government investigators have been to the guitar manufacturer to question them about their wood sources as most Rosewood is from restricted rainforests. The company denies any wrongdoing and claims it is a misunderstanding.
http://www.nme.com/news/various-artists/59785
06.10.11 Music world mourns the loss of Steve Jobs.
Sadly Apple founder Steve Jobs has passed away after his long fight with cancer. He is credited with reviving the computer companies fortunes and revolutionising the way we listen to and access music. The ipod and ituneswere his major music related achievements, but he is also well know for the iphone and ipad, both of which have changed the way we communicate and access our media. Numerous artists have commented on his death and impact on their creativity and Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails said "Thanks for the tools, the inspiration, the possibilities... Miss you already Steve."
05.10.11 Gorillaz to release compilation album in November.
It was announced today that Gorillaz will release a 15 track Singles Collection on November 28th. Gorillaz, which is comprised of Damon Albarn, the artist Jamie Hewlett and a variety of collaborative musicians has been going for ten years and this collection will celebrate that. The track listing will be:-
'Tomorrow Comes Today'
'Clint Eastwood'
'19-2000'
'Rock The House'
'Feel Good Inc'
'DARE'
'Dirty Harry'
'Kids With Guns'
'El Manana'
'Stylo'
'Superfast Jellyfish'
'On Melancholy Hill'
'Doncamatic'
'Clint Eastwood' (Ed Case & Sweetie Irie Refix)
'19-2000' (Soulchild Remix)
http://www.nme.com/news/gorillaz/59618
05.10.11 Adele cancels US tour.
Adele has announced she will be cancelling her US tour due to a haemorrhage on her vocal cords.She was due to perform for 10 dates starting this friday. These cancellations come after a string of cancellations on her UK with ill health and exhaustion. The singer said she was "heartbroken" and "I apologise from the bottom of my heart, sincerely I do."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/15179395
05.10.11 System of a Down drummer says new album will happen at some point.
John Dolmayan, the drummer from metal band System of a Down, has said the band will record a new album when the time is right and when they can beat any album they have made previously. Expectations have been high since the band came off hiatus to play some festivals this summer. Serj Tankian, the lead singer, has a solo project to finish and promote next year and then the band may be able to move forwards with a new band project.
http://www.nme.com/news/system-of-a-down/59621
04.10.11 Second posthumous Michael Jackason due for release.
It has been announced that a second posthumous album will be released by Michael Jackson on November 21st. The album to be titled 'Immortal' will feature demos, outtakes and reworkings of old favourites.
03.10.11 Pete Townshend to launch inaugural John Peel Lecture.
Pete Townshend is due to give the inaugural John Peel lecture at an event to be held on 31st October and hosted by BBC 6 Music.The lecture will assess the state of the music industry in the internet age. The aim is to have a different artist give a lecture each year and the series is named in honour of the Radio 1 DJ who passed away in 2004.
Travelling to and from a concert on public transport recently I was struck by the differences in atmosphere between the two journey’s.
On the way to the stadium everyone was relatively quiet. There was a gentle murmur of conversation and most people seemed to be in an expectant good mood as they made their way to the venue. If you spotted another fan on the way a smile, nod of acknowledgement or brief pleasantries were exchanged and a sense of camaraderie hung over us. There was the smell of sunscreen, the band T-shirts people wore were unruffled and the glow sticks and flags were as yet unwaved. It was a peaceful, good natured way to travel to a gig.
So, we got to the venue, the band came on and the party got started. Everyone waved their hands in the air and sung along with full gusto. Flags, banners, glow sticks, T-Shirts and assorted inflatable toys were waved to and fro. Whistles were blown and feet were stamped and everyone spirits were raised to heights you don’t often see in your day-to-day life. It was a good evening and when the house lights came up at the end people made their way to the exits with beaming smiles on their faces and tired bodies from their exertions.
We all begun the long slow shuffle out of the venue and to the underground station, but things felt markedly different to the atmosphere on the way in.
First of all my feet and legs ached from the hours of standing and dancing, but the tiredness was tempered by the euphoria of the concert and the good cheer around me. As we walked along pockets of singing broke out that rippled up and down the crowd until we were all singing along without musical accompaniment. It would gradually taper off only to start up again elsewhere.
As we passed policemen on their horses or the officers stood to one side, the crowd would interact with them in a friendly way. The horses would be patted and the mounted officers would wave their arms as if conducting us as we sang. The standing policemen would smile and acknowledge our good wishes, whilst of course keeping a beady eye out for any trouble. Thankfully there was none that night.
At one point we were asked to stop and wait as the train platform emptied out and again singing broke out all around me. One member of the station staff joined in through his megaphone and encouraged singing and banter. Someone in the crowd had a birthday that day and told the man with the megaphone. He asked us to sing happy birthday and within seconds we all were bellowing out the song and best wishes to the lucky person. What a way to celebrate your special day!!
Wembley Stadium
We finally got to the station and squeezed our way onto the waiting train. Unlike getting on a train during the commuting rush hour no-one minded squeezing in and there was laughing and friendly comments as we moved further into the carriage and made way for the other passengers. Someone had their ipad with them and put on some music from the band we had just seen and as the train clattered away we were all reliving the concert and smiling amongst ourselves.
There was much more chat between us, than on the journey in, as we made our way through the dark tunnels. Unlike on the way there we all knew we had just come from the same concert, so we had a shared bond. There were many mildly drunken conversations, but nothing intimidating or offensive and the alcohol had only lowered inhibitions, not encouraged the odd flare up as I have seen in the past. It was funny to watch one woman, who had obviously had a few, move around and talk to people. Sometime she would alight upon someone who hadn’t been at the gig and she was just as good natured and friendly. It was very funny to see and added to the humour of our homeward journey.
There is also a distinct London vibe you get travelling on the underground late at night after a concert. The tube is distinctive in itself and there is such a wide variety of people in London that the mix is fascinating. You’ll see people in suits and skirts coming out late from work, people in tuxedos and dresses on the way home from the opera, merry concert goers like ourselves and at one point on our journey some people from a Hyde Park ‘festival’ joined the fray. The clash of dresses, glow sticks, suits and DKNY wellies from the chic day festival crowd made for an unusual, but happy mix.
There was a sense of camaraderie amongst all of us, as we had all been to our respective venues and enjoyed ourselves. We all had that post-gig glow regardless of where we had been and with good spirits we happily chatted and mixed. You’d never see that during the day on the tube where staid, grey faces glare out disapprovingly from behind broadsheets at the slightest murmur or laugh from a fellow travelling companion. It made for a pleasant change.
We finally reached our station and stepped out of the train and clambered up the stairs, leaving the remaining people to make their weary, but happy way down the line. The crowd thinned out as we made our way to the exit and by the time we had reached the car you could only see the odd dying glow stick wave it’s way through the carpark.
The difference between the freshly pressed expectant crowd at the start and the dishevelled, tired, but euphoric crowd at the end was really noticeable and it just goes to show what a unique experience a concert is. Music can bond people in a way not normally seen in everyday life and is just one of the many reasons I love it so much. The music aside, you’ll go home covered in sweat and mud, aching from limb to limb, jostled on a train whilst being bombarded by music, you’ll happily mix with drunks and you’ll think it was totally worth it. In fact, it even added to your enjoyment! It’s not often that you’ll say that whilst travelling around London and I’m even looking forward to the next time it will happen.
As I sit here listening to the new album from Jill Scott, ‘The Light of the Sun’, and loving every second of it, I am reminded of the first time I heard her music and how she was introduced to me.
I wrote recently about listening to music at work (‘Music helps me get through the working day’) and I am fortunate to be able to listen to music out loud as I work. But many years ago I worked for a different company in the centre of London and I used to share a workspace with about 15 other people. We used to all sit quietly and plug into our assorted music devices and go about our individual work. It made for a very peaceful and productive work environment.
It was great to sit with colleagues on lunch and tea breaks and discuss our latest musical finds and share our CD’s with one another. There’d be passionate debate as we agreed or disagreed with each others opinions, but the shared bond we had was our love of music. One day one of my closest friends tapped me on the shoulder as I worked and handed me a CD. He didn’t say too much about it, just something along the lines of “see what you think of this” and walked away.
I held the CD case in my hand and saw a beautiful black woman’s face lit by red stage lighting and the title ‘Experience Jill Scott’ on the cover. I slipped the disc into my CD player and pushed play.
From the ‘Show Intro’ and the crowd noise, band countdown and lead into ‘A Long Walk’ I knew this was something special. The groove was immediately infectious and when Jill’s powerful, soulful voice kicked in goosebumps broke out on my arms. As the album progressed her interactions with the audience felt like she was talking directly to me and my own emotions became as heightened as the audience on the recording. As one song ended and I was still reeling from the emotion and the musical impact, the next would begin and I’d be knocked back a further step or two. It was an immediate and deep reaction to her music.
I looked over my shoulder at my friend and he nodded at me in a knowing way and smiled.
By the time the last track, ‘He Loves Me’, started I was already a Jill Scott convert, but I didn’t realise I hadn’t heard anything yet. This track starts slowly with Jill’s voice soothing it’s way into your heart and mind. The audience sing along and were obviously feeling the music as deeply, if not more deeply, as I was beginning to. Jill’s voice soared as she vocalised and as the intro gives way to the main body of the song and the tempo gradually picked up, my feet were quickly tapping along in unison. This song starts off smoothly, jazzy and soulfully and by the end it is a full-on romp that is hard to fully describe. As Jill and the backing singers sing ‘you incite me to chorus’ over and over you feel the emotional ache in your stomach grow until you believe it can’t get any bigger. I honestly felt nothing would beat this and for a long time that was the case, until I heard another live version of this song on her ‘Live in Paris’ album, but that’s another story.
The album ended and I was left stunned. I didn’t press play again, or put in another album. I just sat quietly and felt the feelings running through my body. I took the disc out and handed the album back to my friend and simply said “Thank you”. He remarked how it was “powerful stuff”, but I don’t think he realised just how much it had affected me.
(It’s worth mentioning that there is also a second disc of rare tracks, poetry reading and other live tracks, but it is that first live disc that hit me hardest and I only played the second disc at a later time.)
I went home via the record store and bought a copy of the album, as well as her debut and listened to them both non-stop for weeks. Over the years I have looked out for Jill’s latest albums avidly and I have always bought them the week they were released. I have read her poetry and watched the DVD, the only thing I have yet to do is see her live and I am on the lookout for the next tour dates and venues.
I have always been struck by Jill’s integrity to her art and music and I know that when I hear her music it comes from the heart and it has a deeper connection with me because of it. She is a proud, soulful, creative artist and when she can create music of this calibre you are thankful that she is.
Sometimes, with music, the timing is just right and when you hear an album or artist under the right circumstances it has a greater impact than if you’d only heard them in passing. I am fortunate that the first time I heard Jill I was able to feel her music deeply and keenly and I am glad this has remained the case when I’ve played her music over the years.
If you have yet to try any of her albums I can heartily recommend the album I talk about here. It has a special place in my heart and I may be a little bit biased, but I truly believe it is high class music at it’s best.
After a recent holiday in California, that included long stretches driving around, I realised, on the whole, how good American radio stations are. Apart from the excessive adverts on some stations, the quality of music on offer is unparalleled to some stations in the UK.
The bulk of the stations played a mix of rock music from over the decades and I heard some bands I haven’t played in a long time. I was surprised how they’d play up-to-date music mixed in with old standards and it would go from Cream playing ‘White Room’ to Muse, then from Journey to Prince, to Kasabian followed by The Beatles, to a bit of Springsteen, followed up by Alice in Chains. It was eclectic, but the music was nearly always uniformly great.
I know that major Corporations own a great deal of American radio and the playlists are tightly controlled, but it is difficult to find so many stations playing comparable music in the UK. Don’t get me wrong, they do exist, but not in the vast amounts I found in just one state in America. I think local radio is thriving much more in America.
Which leads to one of the problems I experienced whilst on my road trip. As I moved from area to area I had to constantly retune the radio as I moved from one signal area to the next. I’d hear one DJ strongly promote the local Clam restaurant between music tracks, only to fade off and get crackly, before retuning and finding the next local DJ promoting the nearest snow chain garage! This would happen every ten miles or so at some points on my trip. The exception to this was San Francisco’s KFOG station, which not only lasted us for much of our journey from Carmel to San Francisco, but it also played some of the best music we heard on our holiday. It is one station I will be tuning into via their website back here in the UK.
Scenery from Carmel to California
When in the mountains I would lose signal altogether and I would howl with anguish, as my wife rolled her eyes at my hysterical reaction, when we would lose signal just when the solo on a particular track would kick in and then pick it up again just as it ended. Frustrating stuff.
Scenery on the Drive from Lake Tahoe to Mammoth Lakes
There are also so many stations closely packed in across the spectrum, that as we moved around one station would get crossed with another and you would hear two bands vying for my attention, like a faint ghostly guitar duel. Strangely enough, sometimes it worked very well and the overlapping song created the ultimate ‘mash up’. Led Zeppelin meets David Bowie and having a zany, but beautifully formed love child.
I was also surprised at just how many Spanish and Christian radio stations there were. It would be funny to scan the airwaves and here some loud, energetic Spanish voice exhorting you to buy something, only to be followed by the zealous, enthusiastic tones of a preacher showing you the path to salvation. Needless to say, both types of station were rapidly skipped past.
But that damned Christian rock was confusing! I’d tune into a station, hear some great guitars and drums and although it sound slightly dated and cheesy, I quite like this at times and I would stay tuned in. Then the chorus would kick in and you’d hear a stream of ‘glories’ and ‘hallelujahs’ and you’d realised you’d been hoodwinked again. There’s nothing wrong with Christian rock per se, but lets just say I prefer my rock music to have a bit more grit and backbone. Give me rock about love, betrayal, driving in your car or any other topic, but eternal salvation just doesn’t cut the mustard. Go figure!
View in Yosemite National Park, plenty of Rock, Grit and Backbone!
So, all in all, I enjoyed the musical choices we made in the car. I had a small stash of CD’s on hand for when we lost signal altogether or when there were so few stations we liked, but we played these surprisingly less than I thought we would. American radio may be highly controlled and many artists have lamented its demise (I’m thinking of Tom Petty and his ‘Last DJ’ album), but when you only have the latest insipid chart music played on rotation in the UK, even this controlled rock music is a breath of fresh air. It certainly provided a welcome soundtrack to my holiday and I’ve come back to dig out some old favourites I have neglected over the years. What more can you ask for?
When I heard on the grapevine that the lead singer and guitarist from The Ruse were working on a side project under the name Winter Quarters and planned as a gentler affair to The Ruse’s normal uplifting rock, I eagerly began anticipating the result. I also began forming some questions just in case they’d be willing to do another interview for me after the in-depth and open interview I did with them earlier in the year (Musical Influences: The Ruse).
Jim Bilus sent me over a copy of the album, called ‘Stories and Lies’ and also graciously agreed to the interview, so it was with pen in hand that I initially listened to the album a few times. As you’d expect from an album with the lead singer on vocals it is reminiscent of The Ruse, but it has a gentler, introspective feel to it and the guitar playing is more subtle and intricate. I noticed this most on ‘The Hunted’ which has amazing finger picking and haunting lyrics.
For those fans of The Ruse you’ll be happy to know that the band is still firmly together and producing music together, but Winter Quarters is an exceptional side project that should please you as much as any existing The Ruse albums.
How long was this album in the making? Was it pieced together over many years or did it come out in one hit?
We had the idea for a side project from The Ruse in late 2010. John Dauer (vocals) and I came together with our friend Austin Hartley-Leonard to write some acoustic, melody driven songs. Austin is a great singer/songwriter in his own account, and the songs seemed to come very easily. We are big fans of Counting Crows,, A.A. Bondy, Wilco, Ryan Adams, Bon Iver, and stuff like that. We wanted to make some music that affected people in a similar way to those guys, but had its own sound.
The entire album was made in my bedroom on an old Macbook. It was a really cool experience to record everything on our own, with total control over the direction. Jorge Vivo (our favourite producer) ending up mixing and mastering the results,and that's an entirely different skill.
Why did you decide now was the time for this side project?
The Ruse is a wonderful band, and will always be our main project. But certain songs and sounds just don't work in the context of a traditional rock band. We need to strip it all down to the core (acoustic guitar and vocals) and start a new project to get at what we were hearing in our heads.
Was it difficult deciding what tracks to keep for WQ and which to offer for The Ruse?
Yes. For instance, there is a song coming out on the next Ruse EP called "Simple Grace" that started out as a Winter Quarters song. It ended up being a Ruse song because we think its going to be a big one for us, and we wanted to make sure that the most amount of people heard the tune.
Are the other Ruse band members happy to support this project or was there some trepidation about 'solo' projects?
Our drummer Jason has his own very cool sideproject called Heartour and has been putting out albums for years. Everyone is always supportive of each other- the more irons in the fire, the better!
What was their feedback about the album, did they like what you created?
They like it- Mark (our bass player) actually plays all the bass on the the WC album. So a big shout out to him for helping!
Where did the name Winter quarters come from?
We wanted to evoke an old west, civil war, frontier vibe for the project. The "Winter Quarters" is where the army used to march to and hole up for the winter. Just seemed like a cool idea, and felt right for the tunes.
My favourite track has to be 'The Hunted' where I especially enjoy the guitar work. Is there a story behind this song?
We like that one too :) The idea of that song was to outline someone who felt "boxed in" by life- both physically (being stuck in a weird mansion and not being able to leave) and symbolically in his mind. Our friend Loghan Call (a great director) put together a very cool video with some footage of the woods/ocean that really seems to fit the idea.
Are you planning to play some gigs in support of this album?
Not yet! We need to get our act together and rehearse for a while before playing out. Want to make sure its something really special when we do make an appearance somewhere.
Have you any plans for another WQ albums or are you refocused on The Ruse's music?
We are currently focusing on The Ruse, getting ready to release a 5 song EP and 2 new videos. Hopefully we will be able to re-visit Winter Quarters with some new tunes soon.
Do you have any forthcoming gigs or album release dates for The Ruse?
The Ruse EP will be out by November of this year. Hoping to do some shows in NYC and LA to support it.
I just want to thank Jim for his time and the frank answers he provided and if you want to check out more I suggest you head over to Winter Quarters Facebook page, The Ruse website and most importantly head over to itunes or Amazon and snap up a copy.
23.09.11 The Darkness and Taylor Hawkins to link up to form supergroup?
A UK tabloid (The Daily Star) reported today that Taylor Hawkins, the drummer from Foo Fighters, and Justin Hawkins from The Darkness could be linking up to form a supergroup.They will apparently be joined by Mads Langer and Sue Whitehouse on lead vocals. Whitehouse was the previous fiance of Justin and is the bands manager. She said "Justin's more musically varied than people give him credit for. We often talk about forming a band with me singing, Justin playing guitar and Taylor on drums."
http://www.nme.com/news/tabloid-hell/59392
22.09.11 Adele announces arena gigs.
Adele announced at her Hammersmith gig that she will be playing the London O2 venue next year to a less than impressed audience. The artist had previously said she would never play arena's, but that 'too many people want to see my shows'. The audience booed and jeered at her which she took in her stride saying 'Don't worry, I'll still get into the crowd and everything.'
21.09.11 REM 'call it a day.'
The band, REM, have announced on their website today that they will be splitting up. They feel that the band has reached it's natural end and added in their statement "We walk away with a great sense of gratitude, of finality, and of astonishment at all we have accomplished." They have said they will remain friends and will still see one another in the future.
15.09.11 Michael Jackson executors request to set up trust fund.
The executors of Michael Jackson's estate have asked a judge if they can set up a trust fund for his children with an initial amount of £19 Million. The stars vast debts have been substantially reduced and the revenue from his albums and 'This Is It' DVD since his death have bolstered the value of the estate. Permission has also been sought for the executors to sell Jackson's long time family home in the suburb of Encino.
15.09.11 Slash announces Live album from his Homecoming concert.
Slash has announced he will release a live album this autumn of his one-off homecoming concert at Stoke-on-Trents Victoria Hall. The LP called 'Made in Stoke 24/7/11' will be released on November 14 as a double CD and a special edition CD/DVD version will also be released. The concert featured both GnR and Velvet Revolver covers and the DVD will feature 5 bonus tracks and an interview with the guitarist.
http://www.nme.com/news/slash/59238
14.09.11 Annie Lennox launches exhibition with exhibits from her career.
Annie Lennox launched an exhibition at the V&A today that covers the outfits and other various exhibits from her solo career and time with the Eurythmics. The display is part of a postmodernism exhibition and Lennox said "My display will be an overview and insight into the main archive of my work over the last few decades....I'm truly honoured that it will be 'housed' at the V&A." The exhibition will be open until February 23 2012.
10.09.11 Adele cancels a further 2 concert dates.
Adele has been forced to cancel a further 2 concert dates due to her ongoing cold and chest infection. She has cancelled 6 dates in total from her UK tour and has been told by her doctors she has to recover fully before undetraking the tour. Her website apologises for any inconvenience and states tickets will be valid for any rescheduled dates or they can be refunded.
10.09.11 Mitch Winehouse says Amy dies of Seizure related to alcohol detox.
Mith Winehouse, the father of Amy Winehouse, has said on American chat show Anderson that Amy died from a seizure caused by alcohol detoxification. He said 'Everything Amy did, she did to excess. She drank to excess and did detox to excess'. The toxicology results from her autopsy revealed that no drugs were in her system when she died, although there was some alcohol present.
http://www.nme.com/news/amy-winehouse/59134
07.09.11 PJ Harvey wins Mercury prize.
PJ Harvey has become the first person to win 2 Mercury Prize's after winning this years award for her album 'Let England Shake'. One of the judges, Corinne Bailey Rae, said the deciding panel agreed Harvey should win adding, 'it was a tough decision, but we were in agreement.' PJ harvey last won in 2001.
05.09.11 Red Hot Chili Peppers top UK album chart.
Red Hot Chili Peppers have topped the UK album chart with their latest offering 'I'm With You'. This is the bands first offering since 2006's 'Stadium Arcadium' and with their new guitarist Josh Klinghoffer.
03.09.11 Springsteen busks in Boston.
Whilst in Boston helping his son move into University Bruce Springsteen couldn't help himself when he saw a busker playing guitar. He sat on a wall and played the guitar for around 30 seconds, which thankfully was captured on video.
03.09.11 Adele drops hint she may beinging next Bond Theme.
Adele dropped a hint that she may be recording the next James Bond theme when she appeared on the new Joathon Ross show. She said that she is going back into the studio in November 'Although this is actually a theme, what I've got to do'. When Ross started humming the Bond theme Adele got embarassed and said 'Wow, thats really given something away.....No, it's a concept, it's one song'. Rumour has been rife that she will be recording the next theme and this only adds fuel to the fire.
03.09.11 Prince may have to pay $4 Million in perfume deal.
A judge has ruled that Prince will have to pay out almost $4 million over claims he failed to promote a perfume based upon his 2006 album '3121'. A second judge has yet to confirm the amount. It is claimed the artist didn't undertake agreed upon promotion which resulted in the perfume not reaching sales targets and the cancellation of the licensing agreement.The artists lawyers have said he will fight to not pay compensation.
http://www.nme.com/news/prince/59019
02.09.11 Elvis Presley estate to sue Arista.
The estate of Elvis Presley is suing Arista music in Germany for unpaid royalties totalling £9 Million dating back to 2002 for ringtones, downloads and apps. It is also claimed the label, then known as RCA, exploited Presley in a buyout of his back catalogue in 1973. Arista's owner Sony refused to comment.
02.09.11 Ban on Dire Straits song 'Money for Nothing' lifted.
The ban by the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council of the Dire Straits song 'Money for Nothing' has been lifted. It had previously been banned after a complaint over the line 'the little faggot with the earring and the make-up', but the council ruled that the 'gay slur' had been used satircally and not in a hateful manner.
02.09.11 Cover art for Lou Reed/Metallica project released.
The cover art for the Lou Reed/Metallica collaboration project has been released today. The album will be called Lulu and is due to be released on 1st November. Lou Reed has continued his high praise of the project, saying the 5 musicians 'pushed as far as we possibly could'.
01.09.11 Jessie J receives 5 Mobo nominations.
Jessie J has received 5 nominations for this years Mobo awards which will be held in Glasgow on the 5th October. Adele has received 4, as has Tinnie Tempah.Jessie J, real name Jessica Cornish, has been nominated for Best Song, Best Album, Best Newcomer, Best Video and Best UK Act.
There used to be a time when I would be extremely moved by listening to some music, that now when I play it doesn‘t have quite the same effect on me. I’m thinking specifically of a Phil Collins album I have, ’….But Seriously‘. I used to sneak this cassette into school on my walkman and when the tutor took register I’d furtively put one earphone in my ear and push play. The opening track would begin in my ear and my day would’ve started off in the best way I knew how.
I remember particularly loving ‘I Wish It Would Rain Down’ and the guitar on this song, played by Eric Clapton, would make my stomach ache with emotion and the intro alone was enough to make the hairs on my arm stand up on end.
I played this album again recently and despite enjoying it immensely, perhaps for the nostalgia more than anything else, I was surprised to not feel the music as deeply as before.
This got me thinking about the years that have passed since I first heard this album and how it started to lose some of it’s impact from overplaying even back then. With the passage of time, familiarity and my developing musical tastes, I guess it is inevitable that I won’t feel so moved by some music anymore.
Over time and by tuning my ear in, I have started to listen to rawer blues, more ‘out there’ jazz, heavier metal and more unusual musical genres that would have left me cold when I was a teenager. I think you grow accustomed to a style of music and have to go rawer or heavier etc to get that same spark of musical adrenaline or thrill. Kind of like becoming used to the effects of drugs and having to take more extreme doses to reach the same high state. Thinking of music as my drug, this analogy isn’t that far off.
I can still enjoy the music I used to listen to as I grew up, like Phil Collins, but it doesn’t make my insides clench anymore. But, the wonderful thing is, I am still able to get that feeling from other music that I discover, whilst still getting pleasure from the music I started out on. I suppose this way I will never get bored by music and as some albums become like familiar friends that comfort and support me, other albums are more like those people you find that are new, exciting and challenging. Having both types of people in your life is stimulating and rewarding for you and this also applies to the music I already have in my life and will gradually find as well.
Do you ever wake up humming a song and wonder where it came from? I think this happens to me more often than not and I will find myself getting dressed most mornings singing along to a song that is looped in my head and puzzle over when I last heard it.
Occasionally it will be a song I heard the day before and this is obviously my brain processing information in my sleep. Usually it is a song I know well and play regularly enough to know it off by heart and sometimes it will be a song I haven’t heard in many, many years and it seems to have come into my head unbidden.
I will then often be able to link this song back to events in my dream and I have come to realise that I have my own inner soundtrack to my dreams now, almost like a film score or film soundtrack. Music plays in my dreams on radios, or in cars as I move around, but more frequently it plays over the top of the action in my dreams, really like in a film.
I guess we have all had occasions when external noises have become integrated into our dreams. The phone rings and the same happens in your dream, or someone knocks at the door and someone knocks at the door in your dream. I have also had it that music from a neighbour has infiltrated my dream, but more usually it only serves to wake me up; almost as if my subconscious scorns their musical choice!
It is great to wake up singing and the music I hear in my head as I stumble around the bedroom putting on socks and brushing my hair sounds as full and rich in my head as if I was playing it on a CD. This gradually fades down and by the time I have come downstairs and put on the kettle I will still be singing the song, but its richness has diminished somewhat.
This happens to me more and more these days and the music I chose as I walk to the station or as I sit on the train will often be the song and album that I woke up with that day. It’s almost as if the first musical choice of the day is taken care of and what’s more, I know it will perfectly suited to my mood as my subconscious has chosen it.
I love it that this happens to me and those few days when I wake up to inner silence is almost a disappointment. I wonder if anyone else experiences this and I’d love to hear about if you do and how you find it. Personally, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
We all have favourite albums that hold a special place in our hearts and which have affected us more than others. Over the years I have come across many, but I thought I would start off with one of the first in my life to share with you
‘24 Nights’ by Eric Clapton is amongst the first albums I chose for myself when I started buying my own music and it is still one of the best live albums I own. I originally had it on cassette and promptly wore it out through over-playing and quickly replaced it on CD when I had the chance.
Recorded Live at the Royal Albert Hall during Clapton’s 1990-1991 residency and taken from the 42 concerts he performed during this time, this features him playing a selection of his music with various bands and an orchestra. Clapton initially played 18 nights in 1990 but, being unsatisfied with the recordings, he postponed the live album until after the 24 nights played in 1991. These concerts were performed around the time of Clapton’s ‘Journeyman’ album, so tracks from this feature heavily, but as this is also one of my favourite albums of his, that is no bad thing.
He starts off with a four piece band to play some classic Cream tracks (plus ‘Running on Faith’ from the ‘Journeyman’ album) and to hear him ripping into ‘Badge’ still gives me Goosebumps. The intro to ‘White Room’ is raw and powerful and those pounding drums set you up for the song to come. Clapton plays a spine tingling solo on this song that is one of his best. ‘Sunshine of you Love’ is the icing on the cake and the drum solo by Steve Ferrone is simply brilliant.
Clapton then plays four songs with a blues band. He is joined on stage by a legendary mix of musicians and to have Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, Johnnie Johnson and Clapton all on stage at the same time is an unbeatable combination. The version of ‘Have You Ever Loved a Woman’ is awe inspiring stuff and the deft touch on the guitar still puts a smile on my face even after many years of listening. This part of the album even sees Jimmie Vaughan join Clapton on stage for a version of ‘Hoodoo Man’ that will have you swaying along and singing from the first few bars onwards. The harmonica from Jerry Portnoy compliments this track perfectly.
We then move on to a nine piece band and a more fuller, rock orientated sound for the next four tracks. This is the part where Clapton showcases some of the music from ‘Journeyman’ and the distorted, elemental sound of Clapton’s guitar on ‘Pretending’ is exceptional stuff. Katie Kissoon and Tessa Niles join the band here on backing vocals and this really elevates the song. ‘Bad Love’ is amazing. I have always loved this track and despite Eric writing this after being told to ‘go away and write another Layla’, this song has always been very powerful and that is not diminished live in anyway. That main riff is outstanding and the solo on this song will take you to heights you never knew existed. The version of ‘Old Love’ is perfectly pitched, it starts off slow and almost mournful, with guitar from Clapton that makes you sigh into the track. It then builds, with another incredible solo before it’s big conclusion. Simply masterful. The last song from the nine piece is ‘Wonderful tonight’ and apart from it being a romantic standard, this version is quite simply the best one I’ve heard. The backing vocals at the end, that interact with the band, are incredible and when this song has been played and heard so often, to make it sound fresh and inspiring is impressive stuff.
Finally the album concludes with three tracks played with an Orchestra, conducted by Michael Kamen. ‘Bell Bottom blues’ is augmented to just the right level by the strings and orchestra in the background and the chorus, which was always uplifting, is made even more so. A bluesy feel is revisited with ‘Hard Times’, before we come to the brooding and atmospheric ‘Edge of Darkness’. The deep strings at the start, before Clapton plays guitar on top suit the moody feel to a tee. It then builds with the guitar becoming more powerful and the orchestra having a greater impact until you are carried along on a wall of sound and emotion. It builds in pace and volume and concludes the album with a rush of emotion and sublime musicianship.
24 Nights album cover
After the final concert Clapton was presented with the original key to Second Tier Box 77. This symbolic gesture forever linked Clapton to the Royal Albert Hall and it is a link he has revisited many times over the years with other residencies and numerous concerts in it’s hallowed hall.
For an album to have this much of an impact in your life, even after many years and repeated playing goes some way to showing just how good it is. Some artists are great when recorded, but fall a bit flat when performing live and I have to admit I have seen Clapton live when he’s not been at the top of his game. But this album shows the very best of the music he performed during those nights at the Albert hall and they offer up a selection of music that will never be beaten. He may do other versions of these songs that have their own unique charms and elements, but the songs here will never be played this way again and it is a sound that is seared into my musical soul. I played this album a lot as I grew up and it has now become a part of who I am. I am just fortunate that the music that has had this huge impact is of such a high standard.
