Music

Brah · Post by **Brah** » Fri, 25 Jan 2013 10:06 am

JR8 wrote:Curious: there are some really top-bands I've loved for donkeys, that I've had far more 'up close and personal' experiences with in SG than anywhere else.

SG is a small place... small venues, small crowds. But it is a stopping off place for big-bands on regional tours.

... it's an opportunity to see the big-beasts up close and personal.

If they come here, then yes.

But a lot don't come here, and Singapore is passed over by a lot of acts. For example, when the Japan Summer Sonic and Fuji Rock festivals happen, few if any of those bands make it to Singapore.

Another example is Spirogyra (30+ year Fusion act and friends of mine) come repeatedly to BKK and JKT but not to Singapore.

Seems like we get more of the retreads (I posted this before) on their last legs like Toto, INXS, etc. But one act I missed that I'm still kicking myself about is Level 42 last year.

JR8 · Post by **JR8** » Fri, 25 Jan 2013 12:08 pm

Sprirogyra..... oooh yeah funky... !

Level 42. Oh yah, saw them at uni. £3 entrance fee at our tiny hall bar.

Folk, and string-slapping.... nice way to start a Friday. Rock on!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xf1IqA9GEVw
Level 42 - Lessons In Love (live) - 1989 - Prince's Trust

JR8 · Post by **JR8** » Sun, 27 Jan 2013 3:38 am

Sub-topic.

'Songs and their cover-versions - which is better?'

MOTORHEAD - God Save The Queen [The Sex Pistols Cover] - 2000
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IbFk6yd ... ture=share

vs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8z2M_hpoPwk
Sex Pistols - God Save the Queen

This a curious one, as I love both bands. But I also acknowledge that M-head were the 'real deal', whereas the Pistols were ultimately a bunch of gobby kids thrown together in a fake set up, created by Malcolm McClaren to exploit record lables.

But the irony to me is I think the Pistols version is better. It carries a genuine sounding anger, which was how a lot of people felt in the late 70s. Whereas Motorhead (forgive me Lemmy for I am about to sin) sound like a millionaire complaining about having to leave a 10% tip at a cafe.

p.s. Is Lemmy wearing eye-liner!?

JR8 · Post by **JR8** » Sun, 27 Jan 2013 4:12 am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmVAWKfJ ... =endscreen
Johnny Cash - Hurt

vs

Nine Inch Nails - Hurt (Live Reading Festival 2007)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PP2Dgftin6M
[Gets going around 2:00]

Tough one this. This is Trent Reznor singing about [his] heroine addiction, and it really is visceral, aka from the heart. This is actually one of the more emotionally low-key versions that I've heard.

On the flipside, Jonny Cash is singing as an 'old man reflecting on his life'. I'd have laughed you out of the room if you'd have suggested I might have liked something from Jonny Cash, but some years down the line, I find this terribly poignant and moving. Why would a man of his stature and musical style choose to cover this, of all songs? Beats me, but the result is pure magic.

I've got to score a draw on this one. They are both incredibly powerful in their own way.

p.s.

Nine Inch Nails - That's What I Get
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk5Ki3qv ... CZpiEurHLK

The permanent state of unresolved compositional tension is mesmerising.

JR8 · Post by **JR8** » Sun, 27 Jan 2013 4:51 am

Sevendust - Praise
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hy17DWrjNT0

I like Sevendust, they've got some genuine passion about them.

['Old punks never die...' (etc)].

JR8 · Post by **JR8** » Sun, 27 Jan 2013 5:43 am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk5Ki3qv ... CZpiEurHLK
Nine Inch Nails - That's What I Get

Industrial/grunge.

Bloody stormin'. Music to switch to 11, and annoy your neighbours!

JR8 · Post by **JR8** » Sun, 27 Jan 2013 5:48 am

Nine Inch Nails- Something I Can Never Have
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zy5gXC2A ... CZpiEurHLK

I tend to think there is some parallel between being a genius and being perceived of as 'mad'. The artistic savant.

JR8 · Post by **JR8** » Sun, 27 Jan 2013 6:06 am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsjO7WbofAA
Face to Face- Sevendust

'Four chord grunge-pop' ?

['Parental' etc: Includes some pretty heavy-duty profanity]

JR8 · Post by **JR8** » Sun, 27 Jan 2013 6:13 am

Swayzak - make up your mind (HQ)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8Auj8zdDxA

The recording quality of this is top-notch. If you're into hi-fi etc this CD is worth it... it really does come out in 3D...

Mi Amigo · Post by **Mi Amigo** » Sun, 27 Jan 2013 2:18 pm

JR8 wrote:Sprirogyra..... oooh yeah funky... !

Level 42. Oh yah, saw them at uni. £3 entrance fee at our tiny hall bar.

Folk, and string-slapping.... nice way to start a Friday. Rock on!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xf1IqA9GEVw
Level 42 - Lessons In Love (live) - 1989 - Prince's Trust

Nice. Mark King's bass playing (and ability to sing across the beats) still makes me go "wow". I saw them at the Hammy Odeon, cost a bit more that 3 quid by then I think.

Mi Amigo · Post by **Mi Amigo** » Sun, 27 Jan 2013 2:24 pm

Watched a great BBC documentary last night, all about the development of southern (USA) rock. Made me realise just what a pivotal role the Allman Brothers played in the whole thing. Here's a later incarnation of the band (so tragic that they lost Duane so early on):

Allman Brothers Band - Ramblin' Man live

Ah, sweet memories of highway 41...

JR8 · Post by **JR8** » Mon, 28 Jan 2013 1:14 am

Mi Amigo wrote: Mark King's bass playing (and ability to sing across the beats) still makes me go "wow". I saw them at the Hammy Odeon, cost a bit more that 3 quid by then I think

This is precisely why this topic is so interesting to me, I learn a lot! I know that Mark King has a distinctive vocal style, but I have never stopped to consider why. He does have a very 'free-flowing' style.

Ooh Hammy Odean. Last time I was there was to see Jethro Tull. A looooong time ago!

Mi Amigo wrote:Watched a great BBC documentary last night, all about the development of southern (USA) rock. Made me realise just what a pivotal role the Allman Brothers played in the whole thing. Here's a later incarnation of the band (so tragic that they lost Duane so early on):

Allman Brothers Band - Ramblin' Man live
Ah, sweet memories of highway 41...

Thanks for that. I will have to revisit the link tomorrow, the wife is streaming a film, and I'm left with almost nil bandwidth.

I'll revert on it, and thanks for suggesting it, it's appreciated.

Rock on!

alittlerisky · Post by **alittlerisky** » Mon, 28 Jan 2013 3:07 pm

right... four (or more bands) I listen to:

Eagles of Death Metal
Electric Wizard
White Stripes (is it possible to make more noise with a guitar/amp and drums?)
Led Zeppelin (cheese, I know)
The Melvins (fact: Kurt Cobain asked to join, they told him he was too wimpy...then he died. Lightweight)

toodles

mr risky

Are there any rock bars in Singapore?

Brah · Post by **Brah** » Tue, 29 Jan 2013 12:15 am

JR8 wrote:
Mi Amigo wrote: Mark King's bass playing (and ability to sing across the beats) still makes me go "wow". I saw them at the Hammy Odeon, cost a bit more that 3 quid by then I think
This is precisely why this topic is so interesting to me, I learn a lot! I know that Mark King has a distinctive vocal style, but I have never stopped to consider why. He does have a very 'free-flowing' style.

He has a remarkably good voice; that he plays was well as he does simultaneously, which is harder on bass than say keyboards or guitar, is even more remarkable. Re Mark Able.

I thought they had a few more albums in them before they disbanded. Where the ones before were seminal and groundbreaking, the last one I heard from them didn't do it for me though.

Brah · Post by **Brah** » Tue, 29 Jan 2013 12:22 am

Mi Amigo wrote:Watched a great BBC documentary last night, all about the development of southern (USA) rock. Made me realise just what a pivotal role the Allman Brothers played in the whole thing.

I would like to see that. The BBC have some great music documentaries. I download all of them!

The Allmans were Country Rock before Country Rock. Actually I'd have to think about the distinction between Country Rock and Southern Rock.

The Allmans bridged Country Blues with Country Rock. Where nowadays Country has a bad name to some (I don't care, I like it), back then, like Jazz in the 50s, New Wave in the 80s, Rap in the 90s, Country Rock was the pop of its day. Well, The Allmans and Marshall Tucker.

At one point everyone was country - The Eagles, Linda Rondstat, The Doobie Brothers, Grateful Dead, CSNY and Neil Young, Loggins & Messina, even Elton John on some songs, and about 50 more that don't come immediately to mind.

But before them there were proto-Country Rock bands like Buffalo Springfield and The Flying Burrito Brothers, the latter I never really got into but have only recently started checking out.

In the interim were seminal bands like Poco. It was an incestuous bunch, cross-pollinating each other.

Then later Country Rock came with The Outlaws, NRPS and the like, who were all great, then followed by a later wave with Lynrd Sknyrd, who I never really cared for except one song but a lot of other people liked them. As usual the better ones went relatively unnoticed for them.

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