100 Asia...Heat of the crossover

And so our journey begins.

Number 100.... Asia (S/T) (listening on original vinyl)



Asia - Asia, Spotify Album
Asia - Asia, iTunes Album USA
Asia - Asia iTunes Album UK

There is a huge irony that the first Album on our list could have quite happily had it's own entry in my previous "music that shaped me" blog style.

Asia really are a strange clash of cultures band....4 genuine prog rock legends, and a producer with stellar pop/rock credentials.... a true supergroup of their day with a "Yes" style Roger Dean album cover. Of course you might expect a noodling, head scratching flight of indulgence.

What resulted was a true AOR / Yacht Rock classic. There are key and time signature changes aplenty but, with the influence of former Buggles keyboard player Geoffrey Downes, the result, is an album with true pop credentials. Soaring choruses, catchy riffs, and the silky vocals from John Wetton.

The instantly recognisable "Heat of The Moment" is a superb opener, "Only Time Will Tell" will have many reaching for their air drums, and "Wildest Dreams" genuinely sounds like ELP, Toto and the Buggles got in a fight 😊 (in a good way).



But this genuinely hods a special place in my heart...as it was the constant (and I mean CONSTANT) soundtrack to my time spent in Wilmslow High School sound and lighting team! This motley band of us.... Me, Bill, Gareth, Robert, Martin, Nick (remind me if I've missed anyone Bill) would while away rainy lunch breaks "frigging about with amplifiers" (if the words of one grumpy Physics teacher). It was a great get out of jail card. School assembly...we have to run the mics and play and required music, rainy break or lunchtime...it's time to prep for the PTA meeting sound. Our light / sound room at the back of the school auditorium was entered through the library and was quite often just a retreat to chat and drink tea.

A lot that was great came out of my time spent in the team. I learned the basics of stage lighting (which in turn led to Amateur Dramatics, Wilmslow Guild Players and me meeting my wife!). Team members were first pick to run the film society, which was a 2 year passion project for the last stretch of my time at high school. I helped rig and light 4 brilliant school productions, including a truly superb version of Romeo and Juliet .... and it also inspired a love of lighting & sound equipment and technology in general that persists to this day (and informs my current career) and lifelong friends and connections were made.

All of the time, Asia, and it's follow up "Alpha", "Blackout" and "Love at First Sting" (both by Scorpions) were the soundtrack to everything we did, on constant rotation as we went about our work.
Time has not been too kind to Asia...it sounds a little stuck in the 70s (despite it's 82 release date), but as a slice of Pop / Prog there are few better albums.

As suggested - any thoughts on the album, any love or hate out there...any lighting / sound crew memories of your own?

More later.

100 Best Selling Albums of the 80s - The Project

So lets not waste too much time talking about why I’m back blogging, I am...
So what's the idea? 

Peter Dodd and others have written this fantastic series of books... each of the 100 entries has full page album art, a succinct summary and some excellent key facts.

The rankings are based on the number of RIAA and BPA platinum and multi-platinum sales awards each album has achieved. Net result is a very fair measure of albums success right up to the time the book was written, but also spanning both US and UK sales.

I’ve previously shied away from album reviews, there are plenty resources out there on the interwebs that cover such things far better than me...and I’m not a music journalist. So I plan to comment on the album, but try to put my thoughts in a personal context....what I was doing, the friends I was with, have my thoughts on the album changed over time, that sort of thing.

I’ll rigorously stick to a listening media preference. Original vinyl if it have it, modern vinyl repressing if i don't, CD as the next choice and streaming as a last resort.

If you want to pick up the book....it’s easily available at Amazon 
UK Amazon UK - 100 Best Selling Albums of the 80s
US Amazon US - 100 Best Selling Albums of the 80s

I’ll tell you how i’m listening and link to streaming sources so you can all “play along”.....and that really is the point, please do play along...share your thoughts, your memories, your love for (or hate of / indifference to) the music.

If this works I’ll be following up with the 90s and 70s (possibly even alongside the 80s, rather than wait until i’m done with all 100).

Most posts will be short enough to skim during a coffee break.

So have fun, enjoy the music and the posts .... see you tomorrow for post number 1

The First Album!

Before you fall over in amazement! A return to writing and blogging was a New Year’s Resolution, and as the second half of the year has been reached….well I think the time has come.

I do write lengthy missives on Facebook, but I do prefer the idea of my own space, that is not messed around with by the Silicon Valley mob.

Continuing a thought from WAY back, when I talked about school and Tubular Bells, I’m going to continue to tell the story of my musical development. We are at about 1975/6 now.

I’ve got two older brothers. This is important, and it’s important because without them I really don’t think my music taste would be what it is now.

As I’ve mentioned, there was plenty great music in the house, and in particular my eldest brother John had some excellent albums on constant rotation. Tubular Bells, Pink Floyd’s Meddle and Dark Side, Focus II and Genesis Live stand out in my memory (as well as Floyds “Atom Heart Mother” which I still think is pants!)
Just for a taste – check out this absolutely nuts clip of Focus on “Midnight Special”



I’d migrated from my parents “radiogram” to the record player in my brother’s room. It still had the spindle mechanism to play more than one single (even if the motor gave up if there were more than 3 singles on there!) and just a couple of stereo speakers mounted on the front of the cabinet but I was obsessed – I loved the thing!

So while John and Dave were out I would sit in Dave’s room, listening to Gilmour’s solos, and Focus yodeling….yes I was about 6!
I loved Genesis Live, and when a “record voucher” landed in my lap as a birthday gift, off I trotted to “Tony Greenwood Music” in Wilmslow and purchased my first record. Not the Bay City Rollers or Top of the Pops compilation

...but Nursery Cryme by Genesis. I don’t want to dwell on the significance of this TOO much, really I was simply intrigued by Genesis Live (Musical Box in particular) and wanted more, and the nice man at Tony Greenwood recommended it, but as the world was about to go disco and punk, six year old Ian bought a 1973 progressive rock classic!

If you don’t know, or need reminding, this is the nuts (and possibly quite inappropriate) type of thing.

 

The fascination did not last too long …only about a year later I sold the album to one of my brother’s friends and bought a number of singles with the proceeds.

Where things went from there gets really interesting…more next time, but a footnote that bears telling.

When MY son Marcus sat as a young toddler in his car seat, he became absolutely obsessed with…..yes….Musical Box from Nursery Cryme by Genesis. I always tried to vary the music as much as possible, but the “now, now, now” climax (possibly pun intended) of the song caught his attention, and, as kids do, he asked for it to be played again and again – genetics? History repeating? Strange whichever way you look at it.

So lets hear from you as well....what was your first album, can you remember any background as to why you bought it?

More soon....(promise)

New, refreshed, and most of all….Back!!

Well then folks, I can’t use world cup football as an excuse this time…I was kindly reminded today that is is over a year since I last promised to update the blog….and that…..well that is not good enough to even be called a blog.

I’ve not been idle – far from it, I’ve been involved in the re-launch and rebranding of two companies (Illingworth Research and ResearchNurses.co) and many projects, long overdue, around the house have been completed.

But there are so many more stories to tell….

So I’ve spruced up the blog, got to grips with Windows Live Writer (to speed up / streamline the blogging process – and avoid the terrible spelling mistakes I’m so prone to) – fixed a couple of broken videos and well…I’m back.

I intend to fill in a few of the more obvious gaps in the “evolution of music taste” series – post some reviews of previous gigs, and those that are coming up – once I get round to buying a few tickets.

Happy to take subject suggestions – and let me know your thoughts as to how some of this content might work as a podcast.

For today – I’ll leave you with the love it / hate it hit of the summer – definitely the poolside memory from my recent trip to Greece…the cheesily excellent “On The Floor” by Jenifer Lopez…along with the original Lambada by Kaoma from which it’s derived – THIS is how to update a song!

More soon….(I promise"!)

Mad World at the House Of Blues

Hi again folks, another apology for blog hiatus while I’ve been in the UK but I should be back on the map again for a while.

Took a trip last night into town to see the wonderful Tears For Fears at the House of Blues in Boston with my friend Robert.

A blog entry would not be a blog entry unless I threw in a bit of context and back story, and in the case of TFF it’s easy to come by.

It’s easy to forget that back in 1983, when their first album came out, “the Hurting” and all of it’s associated singles really did stand out in the crowd. Despite loving pretty much every track, it has never entered my CD collection purely on the basis of quite how tough a listen it is! Not only do the lyrics positively drip with the pain and suffering of Roland Orzabal’s childhood but the musical tone matches it perfectly, with an eerie tone and minor keys dominating throughout – perhaps it’s time to visit the iTunes store after all!

When it was followed up by the global juggernaut that is “Songs From the Big Chair” people somehow forgot the far darker first album, yet “Big Chair” is far more unusual that perhaps we all remember, with extended instrumental sections, sax solos and an outro track that is just plain weird.

My friend and, at that time, neighbour Steff would sit transfixed with her headphones almost welded to her ears with “I Believe” on repeat play (a neat trick when listening to Vinyl). The tempo of this song is so slow you can almost feel your heart rate decrease!! Even “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” has unusual 12/8 time signature (4/4 with the each 3rd bar punctuated with a frill) which seems the propel the song along in a barrelling feel.....Yet this album was HUGE – pretty much everywhere in the world. It’s really reminds me of quite how much more open to unusual music we were for much of the 80s.

And then along came the masterwork that is “Seeds of Love” – perhaps a controversial choice for some but to my mind one of the best albums of all time without a single duff track. You can hear the care and attention that has gone into the recording process but most of all the songs stand up so well. “Woman in Chains” should have been a massive hit but barely registered at the time :-( - “Badman’s Song” is an epic Jazz / Pop collision and “Year Of The Knife” sounds at once like a huge band improv that’s note perfect at the same time! (and yes I know how daft that sounds)

Solo Orzabal albums followed (a couple of them under the TFF name but still essentially just solo albums) before a real return to form (and the return of Curt Smith) with “Everybody Loves a Happy Ending” – Beatles-esque and brilliant.

And so to the gig....


House of Blues is a revamped venue that used to be called “Avalon” – which got plenty visits when I first lived out here. All standing downstairs (though with plenty elevated sections to nab a decent view) and seating and balcony sections surrounding on 2 further levels. It seems to lend itself well to a decent atmosphere whatever the gig.

I previously saw TFF at the Orpheum theatre in Boston – one of the oldest theatres in the USA (and the original home of Boston Symphony before they moved to the world famous Symphony Hall). At this time the Orpheum was a wreck, no AC (not good in a Boston Summer in a theatre filled with hot lights and people) vary cramped seats and terrible sound – a band had to work very hard to put on a good show. TFF pulled it off pretty well, but there seemed to me to be a little tentativeness as the band had only recently got back together and seemed to still be getting back into the grove.

How much a packed, enthusiastic crowd and a great venue can help cannot be understated but last night the band really seemed very happy in each other’s company from the outset and were obviously ready to enjoy themselves.

Michael Wainwright opened for the band – and put on a good show but it became clear why he was given his space on the tour when he contributed backing vocals – in particular taking on Oleta Adams’ vocal parts for Woman In Chains where he did a stellar job.

Highlights included “Mad World” (performed without any modern day updating - just as haunting as ever) “Head Over Heals” (which turns out to be a real singalong crowd pleaser) and the aforementioned “Woman in Chains” – not just for Michael Wainwright’s contribution but also a wonderful rendition of the intricate intro and powerful middle section.

Orzabal clearly has the better vocals, but in all honesty, the band were at their best when Curt Smith chips in with backing vocals / harmony or when the two trade lyrics between them.

New songs from “Happy Ending” came over well, with an enthusiastic response from the crowd, but it was pleasing to see how enthusiasm in the crowd was not reserved for just the big US hits, but also many of the tracks from “The Hurting” and “Seeds of Love”.

I’ve put together a video with some highlights – songs chosen more for the opportunity to hold up the camera than an attempt to capture a particular moment. I've embedded it as standard def - but try out the 720p option and let me know what you think (making use of the new HD iPhone video).




Far from an 80’s retro tour, they did come over as a current vibrant, and happy band – I’m optimistic that there is still more to come from TFF and as the band finished off the encores with “Shout” – along with obligatory audience participation – it certainly felt like the audience WANTED more – everybody loves a happy ending ;-)!


More Later

Home taping is...an art form!!! ;-)

Sorry I’ve been away for a while – the World Cup does terrible things to your blog writing schedule!!!

It’s September of 1983 and I’ve just moved High school (not town, just school – it’s a long and DEEPLY dull tale of catchment areas and school administrators!!).

So as I deal with the general hell of settling in, finding my way round, and starting all my school relationships from scratch.... we are joined in our form room by an ex student – I’m completely oblivious as to why, but he’s clearly a cult hero to many of my new classmates. Sporting the sort of cool swagger, and easy outgoing demeanour that impresses a 13 year old (even If they are not prepared to admit it) and sporting a well worn denim jacket....something stuck in my mind.

Along with the rest of the decorations on his jacket, embroidered logos from the likes of Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and AC/DC was a patch taking pride of place across the back of his shoulders. If I was familiar with the other bands – classic heavy rock bands, all of whom I liked or was at least familiar, then this was a band I should know all about. I don’t know why, but I distinctly remember thinking that they must be “heavier” than all the rest of them – heavy rock, and liked by the cool kids – I had to find out more.

The band was Rush and I quickly established that I had heard them – albeit without ever knowing – “Closer to the Heart”, “The Spirit of Radio” and “Tom Sawyer” were all songs I heard on the radio and despite the fact that I liked them, they had passed me by to a certain extent.

So I did what any self respecting and law abiding 13 year old does – found a friend with a Rush album and made a taped copy! In those days this was a very detailed process – the best bands deserved the best tapes, with favourite bands earning the right to be immortalised on the hallowed TDK-SA, many others on the more ordinary TDK-AD and the cheep and cheerful TDK-D being reserved for recordings from the radio or bands I was simply giving a try out.

The whole process was completely ritualised. First the cassette was wound back and forth a couple of times to pre-tension the spools of tape. TDK were good enough to mark the leader tape with lines indicating each second of tape and so you would remove the tape from the cassette deck and wind the spool forward with your finger until the recording tape was visible, and then wind it back a couple of seconds before replacing in the deck and pressing pause / record buttons at the same time. The record was then carefully cleaned (in some cases even being washed), the record then laid on the anti-static turntable mat and the dusting arm and roller placed in the grooves for a while. You would then carefully place the arm in the groove, in the middle of the loudest track and the VU meters on the cassette deck were watched as you carefully adjusted the recording level until the needle peeked just into the “red zone”. Levels adjusted and all ready to go, the arm was then lifted into the run in groove and then, in a carefully timed precision operation the pause button was released just a couple of seconds before the music kicked in. As the side of the record drew to a close, you would closely supervise and as the music finished, the recording level was faded down to avoid the harsh jump from crackle to silence on the recording.

This ritual was not reserved just for your favourite bands, it was a matter of personal pride that you never heard the needle touching down, you never heard the needle lifting off the turntable and the music was always loud enough (though not so loud as to distort). People with the skill and equipment to record LPs well were in high demand, friends would bring round LPs to have them recorded to use with their walkmans. It was never a “geek” thing either (not that we’d have used that word then) – music spanned boundaries of the cool and uncool kids and the ability to do a good recording was a prized skill – whatever social group you were part of. I think I could probably pinpoint this as the start of people asking me for any sort of technical help (which continues to this day – I’m happy to say)

I’m sure I’ll have plenty to say in due course about the whole issue of music piracy – but to pass brief comment at this point that home taping for US did the exact opposite of killing music – it was one of two things. The way to get your LP purchases on to tape to use in your cheap Matsui Walkman rip-off or the best way to let your direct friends hear the music you were into. The bands you liked – you bought the next LP! I recently helped my friend go through his huge tape collection and more than 95% of what was there, he’d bought on CD since that point (the remaining 5% was music he listened to at the time, but had no desire to listen to again)




And so Rush’s “Moving Pictures” were immortalised on TDK-D – a fate seemingly inconceivable given my opinion of it now It should have been honoured with the ultimate accolade of the TDK-MA-X.

My friend Andy solidified my love of Rush at the time of the release of Signals and Grace Under Pressure, albums that rarely seemed to be off the record deck of his Bush music centre! I worked my way back through the older recordings and every listen confirmed my thought that here were a band of geniuses.



That said...

Rush really are something of a love or hate band – for one very good reason. Geddy Lee’s falsetto voice really just is not for everyone. I’ve introduced many people to Rush’s music but once I’ve given them the opportunity to hear the band, know there is nothing more to be done other than to let them draw their own conclusions.

That said, I can think of no better example of a band who have carved their own musical niche. Musicianship is at the core of what they do – every member of the band (especially Neil Peart and Geddy Lee – as bassist) can be considered as amongst the very best in their fields. That said, the band clearly work their craft in song writing terms, playing with structure and form, melody and rhythm in ways that many others don’t even attempt. And lyrically there are only a few (John Lennon, Fish, Steve Hogarth) that can quite equal Neil Peart. “Time Stand Still”, “Losing It” and “Afterimage” stand as some of the most incredible lyrics in rock music, they resonate with me at a tangible almost painful level. Far less successful are the tales of mythical gods doing battle and other such nonsense that plagued their early albums, but we were all young once!



Unfortunately the powers that be in Rush’s record company have blocked embedding most of their You-Tube videos – seriously guys... just grow up – embed a link to the official site on the video and let people like me encourage people to take a listen – so the the videos here (most latter period will have to do....give em a try, and see which side of the divide you fall, and remember to treasure your TDK-Ds!!!

More soon....

Idol - the American kind!

Just a brief post to comment on tonight's finale of American Idol.

I've had a so-so relationship with this show for years - predominantly my reservations are because the show's format favours "show off" singers - people with big voices who try their best to put out note perfect performances as opposed to singers of real character.

Now I know this is by no means a hard and fast "fact" - Kelly Clarkson, Adam Lambert, Carrie Underwood and many others all cut a more individual path but I maintain that the format encourages,.... not mediocrity, but ....the mundane . My son and I often discuss all the singers we love who would not make it past the initial auditions - you could go on for hours...

But year after year, we still tune in. Like many others, I like the fact we share this as a family (an experience shared by very few other TV shows) and I have to admit that slagging off a terrible show is almost as much fun as enjoying a great one!

As for tonight....the finale was OK - but there were far too many oldies as guest stars. Chicago plain and simply have lost it (and I'm fairly convinced they never had much of "it" anyway) Janet Jackson rolled out the same tired routines she's been using for the last 15 years and sounded like a subpar Michael J. Last year's winner Kris Allen was poor, out of tune and lacklustre and Alice Cooper added nothing to the party.

On the plus side, it was good seeing all the previous winners together on stage for a Cowell tribute, Alanis Morisette was pretty good - and although Barry Gibb looked like he'd eaten the pounds that Robin had shed (and a few pies to boot) - it was fantastic to see the two remaining Bee Gees up singing on stage again and in great voice! It was even better to see Brett Michaels - winning celebrity apprentice and appearing on the Idol final in one week - I don't know if it show great bravery of stupidity to be up there so soon, but I admire his guts tremendously!

FIRM prediction - after a crap season and with Simon Cowell leaving for the American X-Factor, we have seen the last season of Idol anybody bothers to watch. One more season and it will be cancelled! Not that I anticipate that X-Factor will be a great gift to music, just something a little different for American music TV viewers.

More soon.....

Dark Days and Missed Opportunities

It’s late autumn 1990 and the world is a funny place. My Dad at this time lived and worked in Brussels, often accompanied for extended periods of time by my Mum, leaving the family home in my hands – rent free! If this seems a bit generous on the part of my parents, it should be said that it was all in a good cause.

I had taken a “sandwich” university placement at the Patterson Institute for Cancer Research (part of the world renowned Christie Hospital) – for effectively no money (just a basic living allowances grant). I was a very idealistic and wanted a) no part in corporate UK b) a boss who would push me, and teach me new things c) to save the world – or at least to cure cancer!

On all three counts this plan worked (even point c – my research played a REALLY TINY part in contributing to the research knowledge which led to the development of the HPV vaccine used by teenage girls to help prevent cervical cancer, quite possibly my most significant career achievement).

But, I was suffering just a little....

Money was more than tight – with no spare time from the long working hours to take a second job, but finances were carefully managed to allow enough for a couple of trips to the pub each week and the odd cheap concert (no more trips to the Manchester Apollo – The International 1& 2 were the best I could manage).

I hated my boss – though I also owe him a huge debt of gratitude for teaching me more than he could have ever realised but I was under relentless pressure at work.

My friends had all either graduated by this point, or were already settled into blossoming careers – I still had a year back at University to look forward to!

And little cheer came from the music world....

The UK charts were dominated by a string of one hit wonders (Partners In Kryme with “Turtle Power” - .....anyone.....anyone.....???), re-releases such as “Unchained Melody” and “The Joker” and some terrible hip-hop / pop crossover stuff (Vanilla Ice – take a bow!!!). So the majority of my music entertainment came from listening to bands or artists I’d followed for a long time.

Three albums, from memory at least, stand out. In keeping with the spirit of this blog – I make no apologies....(I’ll continue to try to explain the eclectic taste as time goes on).

George Michael released Listen Without Prejudice Vol 1. Like many teenage boys, I could not possibly admit to liking Wham (well outside of the company of my closest friends at least!!!) – but in my rather perverse way I started to pay more attention as soon as my friend Daja (at the time the ultimate 80’s teenybopper) decided that she was not sure she liked George or his songs as much. LWPv1 was very much George making a conscious (perhaps even too self conscious) attempt to be considered a serious adult artist and in many ways I think he succeeds. The songs where George is singing about himself are direct, and effective, but the “socially conscious” lyrics are blunt and simplistic. Musically it’s a gem though with styles moving between lounge jazz, soul, and good ol’ acoustic pop and George’s voice continues to effortlessly soar, or be intimate and tender in equal measure. The whole thing is rather spoiled by many songs drowning in giant hall reverb and the ever present “sibilance reverb” where every “S” that ends a word trails into a ringing hiss that rather sounds like a hi-hat! (thanks to my friend Andy for pointing that out years ago, I now can’t listen to George in the same way!!)



Better still was “Jordan the Comeback” by Prefab Sprout (already getting name checked far too often) which has to be their best effort by far. For any of you who have never heard this album, it almost defies description – but having a go I’d suggest it’s somewhere between middle period Beatles and a West End musical! Themes include Paddy McAloon’s obsession with cowboys, mulling over fame and a wonderful undercurrent of religious imagery which I would not claim to understand but adds to the overall feeling of weight and importance. There are Brazilian rhythms, lush romantic orchestrations jangling acoustic guitars – it sounds like a mess when described, but hangs together like a well crafted musical and lyrical story.
This clip not only gives a taste, but also is a nostalgia trip in itself – filmed for late 80’s Saturday morning show on UK TV “Going Live” – with the vision mixer going mad on his Quantel machine!



Also check out the chat afterwards where the rarely interviewed McAloon comes across as a very likeable bloke!

Paddy McAloon interviewed on "Going Live"

Last but not least – and I’m not trying to throw a deliberate curveball here is “Vision Thing” by “Sisters of Mercy”. Often dismissed by fans as something of a “sell out” it’s far less goth rock and far more like a techno / dance / metal hybrid with a bit of pomp thrown in for good measure (courtesy of a couple of Jim Steinman penned tracks). The whole thing was VERY silly and to be honest fitted my mood at that time perfectly.



I say last – but perhaps part of the point in my introduction was to lead into A-Ha again (bear with me Morton haters). Their album “East of the Sun, West of the Moon” was released in this period – a fine effort it was too but the album was quickly followed by a tour, taking in the Manchester Apollo – the first time I would be able to see the band live and yet....there was no way that funds would stretch to the ticket prices (not excessive, just beyond my means at that moment in time) – I was gutted, but figured I’d catch them next time around. Little did I know that this would be 15 YEARS later. A-Ha took a break, and just as they started up again, I moved to the USA and missed two European tours!

For 15 years A-Ha were the band I most wanted to see, and this gig was the concert I regretted missing more than any other!

So let’s share some stories...Gigs you missed, gigs that got cancelled, bands you long to see to this day – and while you are at it, do you agree that 1990 was something of a musical black hole?

High Hair and High Notes.....

I’ll post my review of A-Ha in the next day or so, but thought before that point I should give a little background – and a trip once again down memory lane.....

The year, 1985....at this point, 80’s music had settled into a something of a rhythm. Though always dangerous to pin down timelines too precisely...”post punk” had kick started “new wave” which had gradually interwoven with “new romantic” along with it’s big hair and bigger shoulder pads. All of these changes carried on, with me essentially cherry picking the best of brightest of every genre whilst never ignoring the mainstays of prog rock and heavy metal that formed the backdrop to all my other tastes.

The importance of 1985, musically, for me, I don’t think can possibly overstated. I’ll devote a lot more time to it in a further blog entry – but if I just mention that this year gave us Prefab Sprout’s “Steve McQueen” (or “Two Wheels Good” for our American readers!), Scritti Politti’s “Cupid and Psyche 85”, Tears for Fears “Songs from the Big Chair”, Pet Shop Boys’ “Please” and, rather worthy of a special note are Kate Bush releasing “The Hounds Of Love” and Marillion hitting the big time with “Misplaced Childhood”. To cap it all – this was, of course, the year of Live Aid!

At this point my two best friends Bill and Steve were, by far and away the biggest outside influences on my music taste. Bill shared my passion for most bands involving leather / denim / long guitar or keyboard solos / intricate time changes and miniature models of Stonehenge being slowly lowered to the stage!!!! Steve – possibly the biggest Beatles fan on the planet constantly pushing me to think outside the box and stop letting my distaste for everything trendy or fashionable get in the way of listening to a good pop tune.

Into this mix comes a tune with possibly the most memorable synthesiser riff in history (fans of “Jump” please step aside, no amount of posturing, pouting and hair spray can conceal the fact that you have been well and truly beaten into 2nd place).

“Saturday Superstore” in their regular round-up of the week’s new video releases introduce a song from new Norwegian synth-pop trio A-Ha called “Take on Me”. To call the video “eye catching” would be like describing Freddie Mercury as “a bit camp” – it’s got a story with actual drama and tension, huge energy in it’s visual style, an animation technique unlike anything I’d seen in my life and pretty good looking “leading lady” – what more could you want!




The song really did have a lot going on, a simple (but speedy) 4/4 synth drum background is powered along by a synth / bass line which in the space of just a couple of bars seems to push the song along in a barrelling gain in momentum. The synth (surely a Yamaha DX7 – everything else was that year!) pounds out that instantly memorable line before Morten Harket’s vocals kick in. More than two octaves of soaring, amazing vocal (and that’s not including the “In a day or two” falsetto) – the drums even back off a little to give the chorus vocal more space to fly – building the drama and expectation every time it comes round. People have accused many of “pop perfection” – Prefab Sprout, Scritti Politti, Simon and Garfunkel, The Beatles – but this really is up there.

I’ve met a lot of people who like a lot of different music and, so far, I have never met anyone who does not like this tune (though I’m sure writing this will bring plenty out of the woodwork). My first mobile phone had this for it’s ring-tone, and since that point every successive phone has had the same (the quality has got a lot better though!) and far from annoying the people who hear it in public, it never fails to raise a smile of recognition, occasional foot tapping and the odd positive comment.

Steve was the first to buy the debut album, “Hunting High and Low” and unlike many pop albums of the era, it really is an album with not a single moment of padding. Along with well known hits like “The Sun Always Shines On TV” album tracks such as “Living a Boys Adventure Tale” and “The Blue Sky” could have been hits in their own right and certainly never let interest wane. Often overlooked (even by fans) are the wonderful vocal harmonies – easily compared to the Everly Brothers.

But A-Ha had a problem – they were three good looking guys, who first came to attention with a string of hits accompanied by visually striking videos, and they had a fist single that was such a worldwide smash, it would likely never be equalled. Right through to 1993 – A-Ha would release albums that each contained great songs and hits most of us would instantly recognise, yet the “one hit wonder” tag would not be shaken off.

So, like so many others A-Ha were labelled a “pretty boy” band and consigned to the “where are they now” file. Worse still, for people who pay more attention to the music than the looks, many people failed to hear what A-Ha REALLY had to offer. For many years as the “Blue Nile” or “Prefab Sprout” were trotted out as examples of serious 80’s pop perfection yet only in recent years have bands such as Coldplay, Keane, U2, the Oasis lads and Robbie Williams all stuck their head above the parapet and claimed A-Ha as an influence.

It’s not hard to see why – the songs are carefully crafted thoughtful and distinctive.




I’ve often been quizzed about my “band loyalty” – and never more than in relation to A-Ha. To me, staying loyal to a band who continue to produce high quality music is not hard. I think I “pick up” on fashions, rather than follow them – allowing me to leave behind the chaff of the era and keep my carefully sifted bags of wheat!

And now +/- a handful of remaining dates A-Ha are done, moving on to new things. From what I could tell they never really seemed to enjoy each other’s company THAT much outside of the realm of the work they did together and I’m rather happy to say they wisely chose the release of perhaps their best ever album (and biggest commercial success for a while) as the point to call it quits. It’s genuinely the first time a band I felt were very much “my thing”, who I’ve followed from the start, have split up.




I’ll talk about a lot of bands here, but please – look up A-Ha on i-tunes (other monopolistic digital music providers are available) and buy an album or two (not just “Take on Me”) – you won’t regret it.

A-Ha – ending on a high note!!!!

The Bells.......

Two months ago, I went to see my Godson give a presentation at his “family assembly” in the same Junior School (2nd grade) assembly hall I sat in every school-day morning of my life over 34 years ago. Fifty years ago this may not have been a big deal, but for me, I’ve attended three other schools, moved away to University and eventually moved to the other side of the Atlantic Ocean since that time! It was a serious blast from the past.

My Godson (and his classmates) did an amazing job and despite the popular view that the younger generation have gone to hell in a handbag – if anything the school and class seemed even more orderly and well behaved than things seemed in my time.

I know you wonder what this has to do with music. Well outside of my home, this very hall was the location of many chapters in my book of musical development.

Morning assembly was, for me, a dire rigmarole that got in the way of the far more interesting parts of the school day. A rotating schedule of teachers (including Head Teacher “Mr. Woodcock” – I kid you not!!!) would lead us in prayer, berate us for the latest disciplinary issues and deal with general school admin – all pretty standard (and dull) stuff. But then there was the “musical assembly”

Musical assembly usually consisted of everyone being coached in the art of singing a simple uptempo hymn such a “Sing Hosanna” (actually pretty fun – these were simpler and less cynical times!). The teacher of the day would also introduce us to a piece of music. For some teachers, this would clearly involve a quick scan of the limited selection of vinyl in the staff room and indifferently regurgitating some standard background to the piece and use the time playing the music to catch up on some marking!

Others actually LIKED music and would actually present their music with a little knowledge and enthusiasm. Some of the younger female teachers would enjoy their moment of fun presenting tunes by the Beatles and (if they were REALLY trendy) the Bay City Rollers. Yet there were two particular musical assemblies that stuck with me.

Both involved a male teacher from “upper juniors” (4th and 5th grade), I can’t for the life of me remember his name (you can see how my mind works by now – can’t remember his name but remember the music). A very trendy guy to our young eyes, short and skinny but a few inches taller owing to being perched on top of dangerous looking 3”platform shoes (de rigueur at that time) – he completed the look with his Benny Anderson beard and hugely flared trousers!

And in a very UN-trendy way, his first musical assembly introduced us to Edvard Grieg’s “Peer Gynt” – his favorite music from HIS childhood. Carefully he stepped us though the story of the play to which the music was originally an accompaniment. The sense of journey and mood I felt as we collectively listened was immense – I still draw the same “Fantasia” styled mental images as I listen to “Morning Mood” or “In the Hall of the Mountain King”. We will get to the big issue of prog rock in later entries but I am convinced that this piece, which deliberately illustrates the story in musical themes has a lot to do with why I love this particular genre. Here is a taste




Secondly (and for the first time we might stray into musical territory I share with a few of you) was the 2 part “Tubular Bells” musical assembly mini-series!

Our teacher introduced us to this with a lengthy preamble, where he explained that this was the record that finally shook away his exclusive liking of classical music, how we could expect to hear a quiet, and simple, start build into louder and more complicated bit and though various changes eventually end in a musical deconstruction that resembled a modern day “Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra.” As he removed the album from the sleeve, I immediately recognized the album as one my oldest brother had in his collection – at this point I’d rarely paid any attention to anything either of my brothers played – this would prove to be a big reason why I’d start to give their music the time of day!

If you have never heard the opening bars of Tubular Bells, I encourage you to seek it out as soon as you are done reading here. Literally within a little over ten notes I was completely hooked – a simple haunting piano refrain echoed by glockenspiel. A time signature of God knows what (not that I knew of time signatures at that point ) seemed to pull me in and drag me along – it was unlike anything I’d ever heard! Once the aggressive crunching electric guitars took hold, I was sold. At seven years old, some of this music was unsettling, some exciting and, as master of ceremonies Vivian Stanshall brings proceedings to a close by introducing the tubular bells, some was downright exhilarating!



I rushed home that evening and found my brother’s copy – with it’s almost magical “twisted bell” cover art and cover note reminding me that I could not play this album on old tin boxes (no matter what they are fitted with) you knew the contents were something out of the ordinary. I remember wondering what on earth the record label was all about (Virgin Records…..naked Gemini twins sat on top of a serpent – it’s not hard to hazard a guess now). After the vinyl was given the traditional “stack, thwack and smack” treatment by the gramophone, I was back in my other world – I did not need Dad to encourage me to close my eyes at this point – this was ALL MINE.

By the time musical assembly part 2 rolled around the following week, I did not need an introduction – I was so familiar with “part 2” by this point, I could have given the assembly.
Tubular bells is now more a brand than a piece of music – after 5 or more reworkings (the sequels, the weird millennium thing, the orchestral version, the update, the remix etc etc) it could be easy to forget the original. For me, I can go a couple of years without listening to it, but when I do….I can pre-empt every note, jangle, flaw, bit of fret noise…everything, in all it’s wonder. It’s my bridge from kids music and classical music to the music of the day, the music my brothers listened to and, most importantly, my own taste….

More next time….

A brief programming note – I’ve covered a lot of ancient history so far, but…. Off to NYC to see A-Ha on their final tour this weekend, so expect a review, pics (if the camera police let me) and thoughts on A-Ha (and if you can make the connection between Tubular Bells and A-Ha – one of my all time favorite bands, your taste is as twisted as mine because It’s a long journey between them and even I’m not sure how I got there!)