Entertainment For Lively Minds
Playing my record collection from A to Z
Two years ago I digitised my record collection (and then copied it on to CD - duh!) - just cassettes to go now. Anyway, in the last year I've most days listened to a CD a day in the car on the way to and from work - starting from A. I've had to be selective though - only one album per artist; which caused me major problems when I got to Tim Buckley, Kate Bush and Dylan, but hey-ho!
But apart from being exceedingly anal it's let me rediscover some great albums (see my earlier Elton John post) that I'd never have normally thought of playing. Such as:
Allman Brothers - At Fillmore East
Bhundu Boys - Shabini
Eels - Daisies of the Galaxy
John Fogerty's first solo album
Hindu Love Gods - a great album for driving
Hooters - One Way Home
On the down side I've also re-encountered Focus, Jean-Michelle Jarre, Eurythmics and the worst song about 9/11 ever - Bert Jansch's 'Bright Sunny Morning'.
I'm at J now - just over a year to go I reckon. And what I'll do when I get to REM I've no idea (they're experiencing a 'return to form' you know!)
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Hooters!
Great album.
Never heard anyone else mention them.
Bought it on cassette and only recently got a CD copy from Amazon. Karla with a K and Washington's Day were teenage favourites.
Cheers Robbly, off to listen whilst making brekkie!
After reading...
...an article recently about The Allman Brothers Band, I was reminded of the album "Enlightened Rogues". I had this about 20 years ago(I might even still have it in the loft)on pre-recorded cassette. Off to Amazon and it was delivered for about a fiver. Wonderful album and great to hear something that I hadn't heard for such a long time.
A different approach
I've spent the last couple of years trying to get through all my albums in alphabetical order, by album title though (precisely to avoid the loads-of-LPs-by-the-same-artist problem you mentioned in the OP).
The only snag (I thought) would be when it came the "Complete Peel Sessions" by the Fall - 6 consecutive albums of Man Shouting At Bus Station. Actually it was OK, and allowed me to come to the following conclusions:
- pre-1984 or so there really wasn't much to go on (can't see what Peel saw in them at the start, to be honest)
- by contrast, in the 90s they were on cracking form.
Couldn`t agree more.
Can`t stand a lot of the Falls early stuff. Only got into them when they went (relatively) poppy. Extricate onwards for me. Probably means i`m not a real fan though.
September 11th songs
I'd never heard Bright Sunny Morning, so I've just got it playing on Spotify. Lyrically very clumsy, but it sounds like a pretty decent tune.
However your comment that it's the worst Sept 11th song got me thinking that I can't think of any songs about that atrocity at all. Springsteen's The Rising album is largely inspired by it, but that aside it would seem Bert stands alone. But I'm sure there must be more.
Loudon Wainwright III...
...does a post 9/11 song on his "Here Come The Choppers" album. It's called "No Sure Way To Go" or something similar.
It's not about the act though. It's more about trying to travel across the city on the subway if I remember correctly.
See also
Neil Young - Let's Roll
Of course
I should have recalled that one, but in my defence I never bought that album.
Worst 9/11 song?
I give you 'Freedom' by James Paul McCartney - allegedly written with assistance from noted charity worker Heather Mills.
A close second? Toby Keith's 'Angry American'
if your collection is like mine
you may be some time getting through "M"