Spike's Sounds Off (and on)

Modern Technology...

2009-01-17T21:26:00.003Z

Ain't it brilliant?

I'm sat here at my computer with 49.5 days worth of music on my hard drive. And it's still not complete - there are still more CDs to rip.
And do you know what the best thing about this is? I can kick the thing into random and I can sit here and listen to a bewilderingly wide range of genres at any time I like.

Well, I can, just as long as my darling wife doesn't do something to the computer that makes it think that all my music is now stored in a different drive. And meantime, my media player is looking for 18,590 tracks that have just upped and disappeared from the drive I told it to find everything.

So, instead of sitting here and listening to my music while typing out a nice blog, I've spent the last couple of hours waiting while all the old, defunct track links were deleted and then had strong words with both it and my wife as to where and when and how to find my music.
And then checking through it manually to make sure none of the data was corrupted in any way. I'll tell ye what though... some interesting album artwork cross-overs going on...

Apologies and a recommendation

2009-01-14T20:46:00.004Z

Yeah - sorry about the delay. Just got caught up in a few things.

Anyway - here's a little bit of music I want to point your way. I like a lot of music; a sentence that rings true on so many levels. However, one of the genres that particularly floats my boat is the Blues. Specifically, Delta Blues and slide guitar - although Chicago Blues comes pretty close.
The thing is, living in Eastbourne (UK) means that I am blessed with a certain outfit that occasionally takes a turn in the town centre. This band, a three-piece by the name of Red Jackson, never fail to make me stop and enjoy their skill as I'm passing.

They have just released their second album on CD (just £10 including postal delivery, folks!), and it's another wonderful slice of covers and original tracks. If you're into Blues at all, then you're going to love these guys (and yes, that IS an upright bass in the picture.)

For the official Red Jackson website click here.

Record Breakers (part 1)

2008-11-27T19:33:00.002Z

This is the first in an occasional series in which I induct various acts, tracks (or whatever) into a nonsensical 'Guinness' Book of Records.

HEAVIEST PERIOD
Leona Lewis - Bleeding love for most of the year and still going strong.

LONGEST GAME OF 'HIDE AND SEEK'
Bono - he still hasn't found what he's looking for, after two decades of trying.

LARGEST LUNGS IN THE WORLD (AND POSSIBLY THE UNIVERSE)
Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown - considering there's apparently no air, they don't half on, don't hey?

That's it for now. More when I think of them

Advertising Space (Robbie Williams)

2008-11-08T22:50:00.006Z

There's a single out this at the moment, and it's right in at number one. And if anybody plays it in my presence or asks me my opinion, then there may well be physical violence.

First up, I hate Mariah Carey. She represents, IMHO, the very worst that is vapid, style-over-content drivel that is wheeled out in the name of music. There is nothing original in her songs (none of which have been written by her), the themes are always the same whiney trash and, while I freely admit she can sing, the trouble is trying to get her to bloody stop.
It's a common malaise in so-called R 'n' B these days; we know you can sing, yes we can tell you took lessons, but for gods' sakes, when will you realise that scales are supposed to be a practice exercise, not an integral part of the song? Or is it that you simply cannot hold a note?

Then there are reality shows. If it wasn't too late, I would demand that Simon Cowell be hung, drawn, quartered and then fed to the ravens at the Tower Of London for the damage he's done to the accurate perception of the music business.
Needless to say, I don't watch X Factor.
Apart from Will Young and Girls Aloud, there have been no long-lasting survivors from reality music shows (although Liberty X looked like they were going to rub ~~Heresy~~ sorry, Hearsay's nose in it for a while). This is generally because they come from nowhere and suddenly find that being a recording star is - oddly enough - bloody hard work. The latest darling from this world is Leona Lewis who has doubly earned my wrath for the twin crimes of being a reality show winner who has opted to sound like Mariah Carey.

And finally, there are charity singles. Now, once upon a time, these didn't use to be too bad. Comic Relief, especially, could be relied upon to provide us with something that strayed satisfyingly from the norm. Naff it may have been, but at least Hale and Pace's 'The Stonk' was a bit of fun in the name of a good cause.
Then it changed. First, there was a dodgy cover of Alice Cooper's 'Elected' with an embarrassing Mr Bean in the video. Then, it was just Westlife fooling around for the benefit of Claudia Schiffer while they murdered Billy Joel's 'Uptown Girl'.
From that point on, it's been cheesy covers all the way, all because a familiar song seems to get more money for less effort than a new song.

Until now, the utter nadir of these elements combined had been Elton John butchering what had previously been a beautiful song in a nationally mawkish display of poor taste over an adulterous woman most people barely knew.

And now, vying with that, the X factor finalists have dropped our sights even further by releasing a cover version of Mariah Carey's 'Hero'. It's a charity single, in aid of Remembrance Day.

Actually, and it makes me feel a little ill to say this, it's more correctly an advertising ploy by the people behind X Factor to get folks to take notice of what they're doing. Is it really that much of an honour to get a bunch of talentless unknowns together and cobble together a halfway acceptable tune? Maybe if it was a bunch of mates from the Dog And Duck, but there's far too much going on for this to be innocent in any way.
Yes, I know that the proceeds are going entirely to charity, but look at the exposure these people are getting: Going by current practices, there'll be a few of them hoping to have recording careers in the future - despite not winning the competition - and being involved in this is going to make them look good. The company itself (Simon Cowell, in other words), also benefits in exactly the same way. Even more so, in fact.

Am I being too cynical? I'd like to think so, but I have a sneaking suspicion I'm spot on.

CURRENTLY LISTENING TO (for a touch of realism)

When I'm cooking burgers (George Formby - honest!)

2008-11-03T22:42:00.002Z

I had to share this with you - a little clip from Youtube that manages to rip the piss out of George Formby AND George Foreman in one fell swoop.

History Repeating (Propellorheads ft. Miss Shirley Bassey)

2008-10-21T20:44:00.003+01:00

For your delight and entertainment, I present to you my new album. However, I suggest you don't bother rushing out to buy it, because I'm going to reissue it in a few months' time with and extra tune or two and call it a 'Deluxe Edition'.

Wouldn't it save so much of the average punter's money if recording artists and/or companies came out with something like that right at the start? But no. We'll get hooked on a new act and grab ourselves the album either as soon as we can or when we get around to it. And then find we should have held out for that all-inclusive, bells-and-whistles version that gets put out later.

Case in point: Amy MacDonald came along last year as the latest female singer-songwriter with a folksy touch. For me, certainly, all the right buttons were pushed and I decided to put her album a little higher up my 'must get' list than some other outstanding albums. Today, I found out there's going to be a 'Deluxe Edition' of This Is The Life.

Normally, I wouldn't worry too much for one or two new tunes, but it seems it comes with a whole second disc. Now, that really really hacks me off. I want to know what the new songs and live tunes sound like, but I don't want and can't afford to buy an album, 50% of which I already own. It's clearly not going to be up to scratch for a full album in itself, but I don't see what's wrong with simply pushing out an interim disc, even if it's just an e.p.

Now, there's a format that died with the advent of CDs. Considering singles got stacked with remixes and demo or live versions, the whole idea of 'b' sides tunes and the e.p. has gone out of the window.

Ranting over, I just want to point out that I don't necessarily mind the idea of an upgraded version of an album - it's just the timing that stinks. What is the point of reminding people of something they haven't yet forgotten?
Hand in hand with this, I also would like to say that I'm actually all in favour of deluxe editions when the original release was nearly ten years or more previous. Vinyl albums are especially benefiting from this kind of treatment; Lee Perry's 'Super Ape' albums have been remastered and perched nicely together, side-by-side on one CD album. 'This Year's Model' by Elvis Costello has has the Deluxe treatment, and deservedly so; it was one of the best albums of the 1980s. Certainly, not all the tracks bear up to close scrutiny, but it's like a behind the scenes documentary of the original classic.

Amy MacDonald would have done better to have born this in mind. Either bring out two versions there and then or wait until you really do need to remind people what you sounded like back in the day.

TODAY, I AM MOSTLY LISTENING TO:

The rhythm thief (Sparks)

2008-10-18T11:46:00.005+01:00

Don't you hate it when you lend a CD to someone and it never gets returned?

Three months and counting, I've been waiting for a lad by the name of Dean to bring back my Madness box set. Every day at work, I've been giving him stick about the discs' continued absence. I've even taken to calling him The Amnesia Kid.

"Morning Dean - I see the world hasn't ended today. I take it that means you don't have my CDs?"
"Hey, Dean - have you heard 'One Step Beyond' today? No, neither have I..."
"Guess what's going to happen tomorrow, Dean? That's right - I'm not going to get my Madness box set back then either."
"Morning, you thieving bastard."
"Dean's not in? What's up with him? Bad case of amnesia?" (this to his brother-in-law)
"Coughthief!"
"Not got the CDs? That's alright, I've got something else for you. It might sting a bit, mind you..."

It's just a shame I don't charge like the library does for overdue items. I'd be well minted by now...

Short Term (Goldie Looking Chain)

2008-10-14T22:28:00.002+01:00

Just a quickie afore I go to bed (stop sniggering at the back there).

Don't you just hate it when you're listening to the radio and you've had to put up with Gods alone know how much mindless, repeated pap. Then, finally, something decent is played.

Except the bastards cut it short half way through because they got a little too close to the news or an ad break.

I've had a warning for my language at work for this very reason.

CURRENTLY LISTENING TO

Weird Al Yankovitch - 'Ebay' from the Album 'Poodle Hat'

The Perfect Crime (Apollo 440)

2008-10-13T20:03:00.004+01:00

What's a man supposed to do? I have literally thousands of CDs and hundreds of vinyl LPs, singles and EPs. My tastes range from the sublime to the ridiculous and I like to be surprised by what gets played next - a fairly major point for disliking commercial radio stations.
Compilation albums are fine, as far as they go, but I find that you recognise the playlist after a few times around and the thrill of the unknown is once again lost. That's why I started making my own discs.... which I started becoming bored with...

Enter the digital age.
I'm now sat at the PC, listening to Amateur Transplants, who were preceded by Baaba Maal and now followed (in the course of typing this sentence), by Clannad. The PC's music player is switched to random, of course.
The thing is, it's taking time, but I'm gradually tranferring all my music from discs (plural) to disc (singular). It's all going onto an external hard drive that has 1,107 hours of music on it. That's over 46 days of continuous listening - and I haven't finished, either.

Yeah? So?
Well, that technically makes me a criminal. Under current law, nobody, unless they have the copyright, is allowed to make copies in any form of any piece of music. So what if I forked out my hard-earned to buy a nice shiny disc, encased in a frustratingly brittle plastic container? All that means is that I have essentially purchased a limited licence to play that format alone, for my pleasure, and maybe that of a few friends or family. But not too many, otherwise that's breaking the law too.

Hang on - but what about all those spindles of blank discs you can buy everywhere? what are they for then, if not making a backup copy of a favourite album ? (oh yes, that's naughty too. Scratched that disc? Sorry, but tell you what, you can spend some more money)
We had this back in the 1980s too with audio cassettes. The recording industry wanted them banned because of the damage to beloved profits. Recordable CDs have had the same problem. And now, we have mp3 files and the internet. The big boys are still not happy with the state of affairs. Napster may have lost its battle and had to go legal, but there's still plenty out there that'll get you the latest for nothing.

One of the most interesting things to come out of the brou-ha-ha has been Sony's attempt to prevent home recording of CDs onto computers by installing a little programme onto the albums that then embedded themselves into your PC. And, occasionally, screwed them up. Because what they had used was essentially a viral worm - spyware. Thankfully, they got told to stop doing this as it violated customer codes worldwide (now that was a good trick - pissing everyone off in one go).

Personally, I don't care. I'm going to carry on ripping my albums and singles onto the computer and enjoy The Biggest Compilation Album In The World......EVER!

CURRENTLY LISTENING TO:

By the way, if you liked the cartoon, go to http://xkcd.com/ for more.

Thin Line Between Love & Hate (Persuaders)

2008-10-12T19:21:00.004+01:00

I'm seriously nuts. People will agree to that sentiment very quickly, which is rather disconcerting. The thing is, most of them will have begun to nod their heads vigourously after those three words, without allowing me to finish the sentence with the crucially qualifying two words, "about music."

People soon realise their mistake (having got me onto the subject of music in the first place), when I start reeling off a list of genres in which I have least a passing interest. To be perfectly honest, I often forgo the glazed look and instead shoot for the rather challenging, "pick a letter." If someone is then unwise enough to fulfil that request, I will then furnish them with a list of music acts, spanning as many genres as I possibly can.
Yes, I do get a lot of confused people.

The point behind this little meandering introduction is this: Are there any real boundaries in music these days? Once upon a time, Mods were Mods and Rockers were Rockers and Brighton trembled at their coming. These days, you'll have plenty of people wearing outfits that proclaim their musical heroes or faith, but you don't have to scratch the surface too hard to find some apparent surprises.

I never took the typical route through musical appreciation so I'm not a great example. However, my sister followed many of the expected paths for someone of her age sex and location in time: Starting off with the teeny-bop in the 80's it was stuff like Wham! and Spandau Ballet, before moving on to Queen. Before not too long, hormones set in, and she discovered the attraction of black clothes and Sisters of Mercy et al (bear in mind, this was in Birmingham, UK, a spiritual home of the Goth). Not long after that, in early adulthood, it was heavy metal. The heavier the better. Helloween, Slayer and the like were milder examples - if she'd come across the music in later years, her tastes would have been described as 'Death Metal'
So far, so normal (as such). The straight and narrow goes awry when you take into account she plays trumpet in a classical orchestra. And once had a small band of like minded souls that would busk swing classics in shopping centres. And likes The Beautiful South.

So, what could account for such irregularities?
Personally, I ~~blame~~ thank The Beatles.

Think about it; before the Fab four, came along, everyone was fairly content to have a certain set of absolutes for their music. Jazz was jazz, swing was swing and Elvis Presley was rock 'n' roll. To start with, the Beatles didn't do much to rock the musical boat and produced harmonies-style rock 'n' roll.
Then they decided to show a little individuality and go their own way. Normally, at this point in time, straying from the norm would have been the death of a band. However, 'Beatlemania' was in full flow and this basically meant that a lot of people were going to buy their records, no matter what was on them. To be perfectly blunt, if they'd released an LP of Ringo's farts, it would probably have had no trouble reaching the top ten.
All this wouldn't have meant much in the long run. Many artists have become tired of trotting out the same variations on a theme (Status Quo notwithstanding) and moved onto pastures new. The Beatles, however, didn't stay still at all. They couldn't. What with the newly prodigious drug intake, the eastern influences and George Martin's increasingly inspired arrangements, the group's music was bound to be amazingly diverse.

Forty years ago, this all came to a head with the release of the untitled double album that has come to be known as 'The White Album'. A sprawling mess for many, it was the boldest move in a career of bold moves. Half of the tracks sound like they were recovered from the bin - but are still brilliant for all that. For me, the album highlight is 'Helter-Skelter'. Incredibly ahead of its time, it foreshadowed punk by a good few years. Who would have thought that the irrepressable moptops of 'I Wanna Hold Your Hand' could have put out something as harsh, raw and, well... nasty as 'Helter-Skelter' a few years later?

Excuse me, I'm going to go play it now - just as soon as Norah Jones finishes. Oh, hang on, NWA's just started now. Ah well, I'll play it after Jimmy Somerville...

I HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO....

Hello, good evening and welcome. (Madness)

2008-10-11T20:32:00.001+01:00

This is the inaugural post of what I hope to be an almost daily post about musings, rants, recommendations and discussions about music matters. In addition to this, there will be a fair amount of trips down the musical equivalent of Memory Lane.

Since my tastes are far-ranging, this could be an interesting journey. Especially since I'm the kind of person that will argue with something that's being played on the radio. In a shop.

I know no bugger's going to be reading this particular blog entry, but I thought I'd have a sort of insurance document right at the beginning so nobody can say I didn't warn them.

So, what can you expect from me in the future? Well, I won't be limiting myself to music itself. I'll also be talking about artwork associated with music, promotional videos, concerts and all they involve and the business as a whole.
Oh yes, I'm going to aim high.

Hopefully, I will be fair minded and will back any statements with a decent reason or two. I'm also honest enough to know I can be wrong, have been wrong and probably will be again (most likely very soon).

Finally, something else I will try to do each post is a link or reference to whatever I happen to be listening to at the time. I'll tell you what, since this is the end of the post, here's my first little listening link:

TODAY, I HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO

DENNIS WILSON: PACIFIC OCEAN BLUE

ps - the blog titles will come from a song. This one is a cheat, however - it's not the title. "Hello, good evening and welcome" is the opening line from 'The Nutty Theme' by Madness