musical ramblings

..Sitting here debating on whether to write something else for this blog, and so not allow it to fall it into a state of, shall we say, disrepair, I realised that I've said nothing about music. Or, rather, the music I listen to.

Once upon a time I would have regarded my musical likes and dislikes as being somewhat wide ranging but on reflection, I now have to admit it's only wide ranging within one or two genres. The classics field, with a couple of exceptions within the much derided 'popular-classics' area is a closed book, which frankly, I'm not bothered about. I have precisely 4 classic albums. Two of Vaughn Williams on CD; Holsts "Planet Suite" and Dvoraks "From the New World" on cassette. That's it. And I'm not bothered about getting any more. Opera? No.

So we're down to 'popular music'. you know, the usual suspects. So.... jazz? err no. Swing, Be-bop, Big Band?... nein. Sinatra??? eurgh. Easy listening a'la James Last? again, eurgh.

OK then..... modern youff stuff, Rap, Hip Hop, House, Pop, Disco, Punk? ...... err no.


So what is it that I like?

I'll tell you, since you are all gagging to know! I like a leetle bit of this and that from world music, reggae, soul, blues, bluegrass, folk, rock, even AOR.

I reckon that's enough to be going on with. So what am I listening to as I write this.....
Beth Orton's retrospective 'Pass in Time' or more specifically her version of John Martyn's 'Dont want to know about evil' which is sublime and I hate to say it, even better than JM's album version, although I have heard him crank it out live where it made the hairs on the back of my head all stand up.

So what have I bought lately? Well apart from the aforementioned Beth Orton offering, John Martyn's latest 'on the cobbles' which I have'nt really got into yet; Natalie Merchants folksong covers 'Carpenters daughter', which I'm not wildly enthusiastic about, yet; Chris Isaaks 'Baja sessions', surf music at it's best IMO.

A word or two on the above artistes. Beth Orton. love her, love her, love her. a voice which can be tender, and hoarse and unmusical all at once, she reduces me to jelly when she's on form. did I tell you I love her? well I don't mind saying I'm in love with Miss Beth.
John Martyn. The guv'nor. irascible, unpredictable, a liability. and yet. and yet. woefully overlooked, he's the muso's muso. loved, revered and hated in equal measure.
Chris Isaak. Think of Roy Orbison with his own guitar band, and indy leanings. luvverly west coast rock. and a surfer to boot.
Natalie Merchant. something of an enigma. sometimes a little too earnest. but I did like her last album.

So who else? in no particular order- late Emmylou Harris, Nick Drake, Davey Spillane, Fairport, Afro Celt, Eva Cassidy, Robert Plant, JJ Cale, Ry Cooder, Gillian Welch etc etc........ mostly in a folky, rocky, celtic, way

Oh I absolutely hate: the Eagles, american power ballads [ala freebird / wind beneath my wings/ etc], MOR , C/W, "novelty" songs, boy/girl bands, europop, RAP [argh!!!]

Seems like I'm an old reactionary when it comes to music, but I know what I like, everything else can go $^&^&*(* itself. AND I listen to radio 2 [well don't all discerning music lovers?]

PS I don't posses a single album by either, The Stones, The Beatles, Elton John or Cliff Richard. Is this a record?


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