Deep Cuts

[NauticalGent]

I took notice that a few of us on here have an appreciation for music so I figured I would share this.

When I was a kid I used to spend just about every dime I had on comic books and vinyl albums. I took pleasure in knowing what jewels laid buried inside the album cover that never saw the light of day in mainstream America air-play. It would really confuse me because some of these songs were just fantastic and if I could see it, surely everyone else could...right?

Guess not.

One of these was a song on Queen's Sheer Heart Attack LP; Brighton Rock. Never really cared much (at the time) for Freddie's soprano but Brian May's guitar skills are second to none and I just didn't understand why we didn't hear more about him. There was always Eddie Van Halen, Jeff Beck and Jimmie Hendrix conversations but when I would mention Brian May, I got blank stares.

At the tender age of 10, this was difficult to understand. At age 16 I learned that not only was Queen a British band, but the lead singer was gay and when you are growing up in rural Georgia in the 70's and 80's to like anything associated with homosexuality meant YOU in fact were homosexual and life just wasn't fun with all that...

And so, my conversations regarding Queen and Brian May came to a screeching halt even though "Another One Bites the Dust" was getting so much air-play it was disgusting. How could such simple song played by geniuses who were capable of so much more be doing so well?? Pop culture: WhatChoGonnaDo??

Those days have gone and life just kept right on going and here I am at the ripe old age of 52. I am still heterosexual but my black and white views on things have become shades of grey - also a deep cut by Billy Joel that never got it's due. What is WRONG with everyone?!?

Last night my lovely wife asked me on a date so we went to the Naval Base and watched a movie. The one she wanted to see was not playing so we settled on Baby Driver. The movie was not much to write home about but the soundtrack, mamma mia!

If my words on deep-cut appreciation or Brian May's skills piqued your interest then you add know where this is going. Check it out, you will NOT be sorry.

Thanks for your indulgence,
John

 

[AccessBlaster]

John, the other day you mentioned you took a magnifying glass to "Thick as a Brick" to read the news paper cover art lol. That's what we did as kids right? I grew up in Orange County, Ca. My bedroom was filled with Album Posters. You could buy an album like "Chicago" and inside would be a huge live poster.

We would spend hours reading liner covers to see if some guitar player had a session on your favorite band. On Stephen Stills album from 1970 somewhere in the liner you can read a guest appearance by Jimi Hendrix, I thought was cool to find as a teen.

One last tidbit, did you know that Maggie May was a B side single for Rod Stewart. That was a weird one for me.

The song was released as the B-side of the single "Reason to Believe", but soon radio stations began playing the B-side and "Maggie May" became the more popular side. The song was Stewart's first substantial hit as a solo performer and launched his solo career. It remains one of his best-known songs.

 

[NauticalGent]

AB,

I have whiled away a few afternoons reading and re-reading the inside of album covers. Mostly to get the lyrics right. With the internment and Dr Google being everyday terms it is no longer needed and with ITunes, who buys albums anymore?

No, I did not know that about Maggie May, interesting bit of trivia. Great song, one that I have butchered in the shower or karaoke. The only thing worse than my coding skills is my singing ability - it's a cruel joke the good lord played on me. I have the ability to store an insane amount of music in my head, but lack the ability to do it justice.

Such is life...

 

[constableparks]

Music is as subjective as humor is. I often find that I am on the minority side of what I find musically interesting (or what I think is funny).

I agree that Queen's "Another One Bites The Dust" is a simple song, but it was crafted brilliantly with a minimalist feel. As was "We Will Rock You". They certainly could have added more to the songs - more layers of guitars/vocals/drums/keys/whatever. But it wouldn't have the same gut feel.

I remember someone recommending a podcast to me. He was really excited about it and thought it was hilarious. I appreciated the recommendation and was interested to hear the podcast. I did not find it as humorous as my friend did. I "got" the humor, but it was just not the style of humor that I connect with. Still - I was glad to experience the podcast if for nothing else than to broaden my horizons.


One of my favorite albums is Dire Straits "Brothers In Arms". My favorite song is "Ride Across the River". As an amateur drummer, I love the minimalist drum pattern. So little played, but the feel of the song is amazing and it is actually much more difficult to play than it sounds.

For sure, I'll check out Brighton Rock. I love hearing what others think is a perfectly performed and recorded song. There is no right or wrong answer - just what they like. It's like getting a small glimpse into their personality. My personal taste range from jazz classics (Dave Brubeck's "Take 5") to recent stuff (P!nk's "Just Give Me a Reason") and everything in-between (like Toto's "Rosanna" - which is very difficult to play properly on the drums for this weekend hack).

 

[The_Doc_Man]

Growing up in New Orleans, I was exposed to some really great artists playing local gigs. In some of the Louisiana Jazz and Heritage Festivals (locally known as "Jazz Fests") we heard artists like the Meters, Aaron Neville, Irma Thomas, and Alphonse "Fats" Domino. We heard stuff that hadn't even been recorded yet, much less A/B sides. One of the greatest sides from the Meters was the "Cissy Strut" - which started out as a riff for "bumper music" (to be played when preparing to take a break) but it sort of grew in the playing. But then again, with Art Neville on the Hammond B-3 with a Leslie cabinet, ANYTHING would sound funky.

 

[constableparks]

"Cissy Strut" is an excellent example of funk. I love that song.

 

[The_Doc_Man]

Yep, Constable... look up "funk" in the dictionary and they've got a picture of Art Neville and his other band members.

 

[Lightwave]

I've got Alexa now and I am signed up to a basic Amazon music package - the ability to play virtually any song at short notice has had me going back through my record collection. It is easier to use Alexa than it is to search through my hundreds of CDs.

I played Turn it on again by Genesis the other day - really great.

 

[AccessBlaster]

Alexa sounds pretty cool, do you have to keep giving it suggestions? or does it figure out your preferences.

I use an iPod mini. It hooks to my home receiver / car stereo or ear buds. It holds maybe 200 songs. I subscribe to iTunes to purchase or make play lists.

 

[Minty]

Having sold Hi-fi for a living and purchased around 300 albums in about 18 months when I had nothing better to do with my hard earned and being a self confessed vinyl junkie, I too have now become a streaming "luddite".

We have 4 Sonos speakers around the house with a Spotify premium account and it's so convenient to use.

I still love my 70's and 80's albums though. Talk Talk's - The Colour of Spring, The The - Soul Mining both great listens.

 

[The_Doc_Man]

When it comes to recorded music (on CD) I had pretty wide-open tastes. Lots of classical but then I had Dixieland and Progressive Jazz; Pops and Movie Soundtracks; and lots of synthesizer stuff. The only things I wouldn't allow in the house were Angry Rap (to be contrasted with the stuff that Will Smith used to do earlier in his career), Extreme Heavy Metal (e.g. GWAR), and Howlin' Dawg Country Laments (i.e. play the song and your own dog suddenly has to sing along, akin to baying at the moon).

Oddly enough, some of the soundtracks for the games Quake and Doom were borderline on the Heavy Metal stuff. But Nine Inch Nails music in that context worked. Trent Reznor knew what he was doing.

 

[NauticalGent]

Growing up in New Orleans, I was exposed to some really great artists playing local gigs.

A hot bed of musical greats. One of my favorites is Dr John...when he gets going on that piano, I just want to grab a beer and and relax.

Good times!

 

[The_Doc_Man]

Dr. John, a.k.a. Mack Rebbanac, was around a long time before hitting it big. As the old saying goes, "he paid his dues." I've always liked his song that describes my early love life to a T. (Obviously before I met my dear wife, now approaching our 22nd anniversary). "Must have been the right place, must have been the wrong time..."

In a sad note, the OTHER power-house family in New Orleans is the Marsalis brood, with four musically talented children (including Wynton and Branford) and father Ellis. The matriarch of the Marsalis clan and mother of grammy-winning musicians passed away a couple of weeks ago.

Allen Toussaint also passed away while on tour. He was a New Orleanian who even had his own record label.

The new generation of New Orleans musicians is going strong, but we note the passing of the old guard with sadness and with thanks for what they did for us while they lived. Ave atque vale.