Music to die for.

Apparently the world was due to end last Saturday (21.5.11) and as I waited for the inevitable, it got me thinking if I would be ascending to heaven accompanied by a heavenly choir or something else.  Would a golden light shine down on me and my feet gently lift off the ground as the voices of a million angels serenade me on my journey to heaven?

I imagined St Peter meeting me at the heavenly gates and as they swung open saying to me in a mellow drawl, heavy with years of marijuana and tequila ‘Hey man, welcome, head over to the blues cloud tonight, we’ve got Hendrix on harp’.  Then me trotting off happily as I hear Pink Floyd start up a gig that I want to watch and reading a program for the musical entertainment on offer. 

Or would it be that all the fundamentalist Christians were right and the ‘good' rock music would be in hell and I’d be missing out on some of the best afterlife jam sessions imaginable?  Would I have to make a quick decision and kick a kitten or pinch a small child as I started to ascend to heaven, so instead I could go where all the fun was being had?

I prefer to think it’s more likely that there would be a special circle of hell reserved for all the music that has tainted our collective consciousness over the years and all the twee, manufactured, soulless music is being played on an endless loop for all the truly evil amongst us.  I mean honestly, I know it has been said in the past that hell is where they‘d end up, but can you really not imagine Iron Maiden in heaven playing another encore and rocking out on the metal cloud?  Thousands of screaming fans, tiny angel wing nubs just starting to grow, bouncing along in wild abandon and not one bottle of urine flying over the audience to soak the unwary below.  Sounds great huh?

Of course it couldn’t be party time all the time in heaven.  Why do you think St Peter sounded so wasted?  He didn’t know when to stop and take a breather.  I think after a few energetic days in Heaven getting acclimatised, taking in the odd ‘Settling into the afterlife’ seminar between gigs and joining in with the party, I’d ease off a bit and head over to the jazz bar.  I’d open the door and clouds of smoke would waft out along with the plaintive notes of Miles Davis.  As I step into the bar I’d be handed a whiskey and shown to my table and then I’d close my eyes and soak up the music as I recuperate from my initiation into the limitless rounds of the heavenly gig circuit.  I’d have an after-lifetime to enjoy it all, I’d have to learn to pace myself.

So as I waited for judgement day I compiled my playlist and chose what tracks I would want as I floated up to heaven and then I worked out my dream concert set so I could start my first day in the Heavenly paradise in style.  Needless to say the first song I would choose as I drifted on up would be a cliché, but boy would it be apt, I mean who could resist Led Zeppelin playing ‘Stairway to Heaven’?

Musical Influences: Nathaniel Rateliff

After buying and being captivated by Nathaniel Rateliff’s album ‘In Memory of Loss’ I requested an interview with him to ask about his musical influences and happily he readily agreed and supplied his answers for inclusion here on my blog.

Nathaniel grew up in Missouri, and after learning drums at 7 and finding a collection of Led Zeppelin albums in the barn as a teenager, his interest was piqued and he was set firmly on the path of music.  After his father’s death, when Nathaniel was 13, he picked up the guitar and quickly acquired an appreciation of the sounds he could create both acoustically and via assorted effects pedals electrically. 

After moving to Denver and a brief stint as a truck driver Nathaniel started to learn piano and like the other instruments he has learnt in his life he is largely self taught.  The first song he taught himself was Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’ and it is here his love of Cohen’s music developed from.

It was around this time that he started experimenting with an 8 track and he worked on ‘In Memory of Loss’. This album has a pared back, honesty that cuts straight to the heart of things and has the ability to connect with something deep inside of you very quickly.  Some tracks are gentle and meandering, others are slightly faster, most have wonderful backing harmonies and all of them have a impact and power that makes them resonate long after the album has finished.

Nathaniel is currently on tour and has some dates with Mumford and Sons coming up in June, as well as an upcoming performance on the acclaimed TV show ‘Later with Jools Holland‘. 

If you have yet to check out the album I can heartily recommend it and whilst I may be biased, when music is this good it’s hard not to be!



Did you grow up around much music at home?

My parents both played music and they always had something on in the house.

What’s the first album you bought?

I’m not sure what my first record was but I’m sure it was some bad Christian rock band.

What’s the first concert you went to?

Phil Drisco or Carmen, something not too great.

What music especially moves you?

Any music with great melody and words.

What album guarantees to get you dancing or you always put on at a party?

Sam Cooke or James Brown Live at the Apollo Theatre

What’s your ideal dinner party music/background music?

Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto

What album do you always suggest to your friends?

Songs of Leonard Cohen, The Basement Tapes by Bob Dylan

What’s your favourite recorded music format? Vinyl, CD or download?

Vinyl

What’s your favourite music venue to play and which is your favourite as a music fan?

I will always love The Hi Dive for both.

What song would you want played at your funeral?

‘A change is gonna come’ (aka It's been a long time coming) Sam Cooke

What album helped you get through your teenage years?

Fugazi ‘13 Songs’

What album can you always listen to regardless of time or mood?

Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto Live at Carnegie Hall

What album do you most wish you’d written?

Songs of Leonard Cohen

What album is your guilty pleasure?

Off the Wall by Michael Jackson

What album can you not live without?

Any of mine.

I would like to thank Nathaniel for the time he has taken in answering these questions and thank his manager Bart Dahl with his help in arranging this interview.

Foo Fighters at the BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend

Watching the Foo Fighters live at the Radio 1 Big Weekend on BBC 3 last night reminded me just how great a band they are live and how much their fans love them.

Grohl and the rest of the band came on stage and gave it their all for the whole set.  It was amazing to see the audience that included fans who have seen them before and others who came along to the Big Weekend to see some live music and ended up seeing one of the biggest global acts of the moment, sing and scream along with the best of them.

The simple stage in the large blue tent was all the band needed for their pared back rock and you could tell the atmosphere was electric.  When Grohl said they were going to play until they were told to stop he wasn’t kidding and they over-ran their allotted one hour slot with two unplanned encores.  Here is the full set list.

Bridge Burning
Rope
All My Life
My Hero
Learn to Fly
White Limo
Times Like These
The Pretender
Walk
Cold Day in the Sun (sung by Taylor Hawkins)
Best of You
Monkey Wrench
Everlong

This is a Call (Unplanned encore)
Tie Your Mother Down (Queen cover)

As you can see, a good mix of new and old songs.  ‘White Limo’ is a great track and it was added to by having the song’s video playing behind the band as they performed.  To see Lemmy run the band over and then drive them around in a white limo as they played on the stage beneath was a nice touch.



It is always a great moment in a Foo Fighters gig when they get the audience to sing along with ‘My Hero’ and this was no exception.  Grohl milked it for all it was worth and it made for great viewing.  ‘Everlong’ is always a crowd pleaser and there is something galvanising about this song that gets an audience, and in turn the band, pumped up.  Taylor Hawkins also sung a couple of tracks, ‘Cold Day in the Sun‘ and the unplanned encore track ‘Tie your Mother Down‘.

The BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend is quickly becoming a summer festival tradition and to offer up a selection of the best names in the music industry for free is a great way to give something back to loyal listeners and music fans.  I would have gladly paid to see the Foo Fighters play live and the people of Carlisle got it for free.  To watch it on BBC 3 was the next best thing and I can think of no better way to spend a Saturday evening at home.  I may have to scout around and see if any tickets for the Foo Fighters summer tour are still available though!

Running to music.

If I can be said to be a voracious reader, or obsessed with music, then similar things could be used to describe my dad and running.  After 100 marathons and numerous ultra races it could be said by some that he has earned his stripes.

I have noticed though, that I have never seen him listen to music whilst running, whereas I personally find it hard to maintain pace and motivation unless I am.  This is common nowadays and more often than not you will see runners plugged into some kind of audio device, be it a radio, MP3 player or mobile phone, as they zip past in a blur of sweat, sinew and lycra.

I have particular favourite albums or songs I play when running and the key one for me has to be System of a Down’s ‘Toxicity’.  The beat on each song seems to perfectly paced for me to run fast and yet not feel too winded.  Also the whole album is very upbeat and manages to help me maintain my pace for the 44 minute duration.  The fact that I love this band and always enjoy playing their music is a bonus.

It doesn’t have to be heavy or fast music that helps you keep your internal rhythm whilst you exercise or go about your business.  I find Jill Scott’s ‘He Loves Me’ manages to get my arms pumping and feet walking in time whenever I play it walking home from the train station.  The ‘Live in Paris' version is especially infectious and a particular favourite version of mine.

Of course I’m not the only one who uses music to motivate myself during exercise, as the pumping music from the spinning class at the gym will testify to, and for years now aerobics has been done to the soundtrack of assorted songs.  There are even dedicated compilation albums of songs to run to, which you can buy and play as you pound the streets and parks near you.

My brother does a body balance class ( a mix of yoga, pilates and stretching) and he talks about the music played during this as well.  He says it is often more sedate and reflective, but suit’s the slower pace of the exercise on offer. 

The ability of music to help us regulate our rhythm and move in time with a group, or just with our own body mechanics is a wonderful thing and one I don’t take for granted.  And, whilst my dad may be happy to run with just his thoughts and the sounds of nature as an accompaniment, I feel you can never beat the rush of running up some steps Rocky style and waving your arms about in triumph as you listen to Survivor‘s ‘Eye of the Tiger’.  Cheesy?  Certainly.  But wholly satisfying never the less.

Feel free to add your thoughts and comments.  Do you listen to music when you exercise or do you prefer peace and quiet?

Musical Influences: Steve Poltz

When writing a recent article ('Finding That Musical Sparkle') that mentioned Steve Poltz I began to wonder if he’d be willing to answer a few questions about his musical influences.  I hesitated at first, then fired off a brief email and within a few hours he had sent back a wonderful reply agreeing to my request.  Even better, when I awoke the next day, the answers to all my questions were waiting for me in my inbox.

Steve was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia and has lived most of his life in California.  Initially cutting his teeth playing in The Rugburns, Steve played punk-folk to a growing audience and the band quickly became known for their extensive touring and loyal fans.

Steve is a prolific songwriter with many tracks used in films, TV shows and the odd advert and he has co-written one of the longest running songs in the Billboard Top 100, “You Were Meant for Me” with Jewel.

An accomplished performer, Steve’s shows are always a mix of humour and spellbinding playing and like my previous article mentioned, to see him even once will be a night to remember.

Steve Poltz, Courtesy poltz.com

His back catalogue offers up a blend of ballads, rock and acoustic tracks and his albums reflect his eclectic style and wide influences.  These albums are “One Left Shoe”, “Chinese Vacation”, “Traveling” and “Unravelling”.  He has also written a children’s album (“The Barn”) and an album of 45 second long tracks called “Answering Machine” which has garnered praise from Neil Young, which I’m sure you’d agree is high praise indeed.

Steve’s latest project is a collaboration with Canadian musician Joel Plaskett and the album ‘Dreamhouse” is the result.

Always unique and with a surprise or entertaining story always around the next corner Steve has a varied and loyal fan base that he manages to maintain with his individual and captivating songs.  If you’ve yet to hear his music then hunt some albums out and if you’ve already been initiated into his quirky world, you’ll already be enjoying every minute.



Did you grow up around much music at home?

Yes. All the time. My Ma always sang me to sleep. And my Pa sang me awake. He'd yodel in the morning while making brekky. My Ma would sing very sentimental songs at night. Me and my Ma would play guitar together and also my sister Kath. She could really harmonize and would teach me about listening to harmonies. My uncle Louie taught her piano and taught me about singing from my diaphragm.

What’s the first album you bought?

It was a 45 by The Essex called 'Easier Said Than Done'. Still love it.



What’s the first concert you went to? 

Julian Bream classical guitar at the Hollywood Bowl. Uncle Louie took me.

What music especially moves you?

Songs of memories that are wisful like 'On Saturday Afternoons In 1963' by Rickie Lee Jones. It has an oboe solo in it! Makes me tear up. Lots of emotion.

What album guarantees to get you dancing or you always put on at a party?

Bee Gees- Stayin Alive -off Saturday Night Fever soundtrack.

What’s your ideal dinner party music/background music?

Pianist Glenn Glould - The Goldberg Variations- Bach.  He recorded this piece twice and they're both amazing. Once in 1959 and again in the early eighties. It's neat to hear the opening track because years later he plays it much slower.  It's almost as if you can hear all the world weariness in his years of living. He had Asperger's syndrome and was really interesting. You can hear him humming as he hovers above the piano keys.  He always wore sweaters and scarves even in the middle of summer.  

What album do you always suggest to your friends?

Jesus Christ Superstar

What’s your favourite recorded music format? Vinyl, CD or download?

I love vinyl if I'm somewhere that has it, I gravitate toward it. It's fun to put on a record and sit with friends.

What’s your favourite music venue to play and which is your favourite as a music fan?

I love playing at The Carelton in Halifax Nova Scotia. I love watching shows at The Blue Door in Oklahoma City.

What song would you want played at your funeral?

Independence Day by Elliott Smith.

What album helped you get through your teenage years?

Joni Mitchell 'Blue'

What album can you always listen to regardless of time or mood?

Miles Davis- Sketches Of Spain

What album do you most wish you’d written?

Beatles - Magical Mystery Tour

What album is your guilty pleasure?

I don't ever feel guilty about music. Just everything else.

What album can you not live without?

Tom Waits Raindogs

What are you listening to now?

The Replacements - Let It Be

I would just like to thank Steve for the time he has taken to answer my questions and for his willingness to share his musical influences.  Keep an eye out for some more artist interviews in the coming weeks.