Monday, April 30, 2012

My pal, Music.

This morning I've already listened to Marvin Gaye's What's Going On?; the self-titled Crosby, Stills and Nash album; The Beatles' Let It Be, and Morrissey's Vauxhall and I.  This is the most music I've listened to in one shot in FOREVER.  When I was younger, single, and sans TV I spent most of my time when at home listening to music.  Now I seem to be lucky if I know where the CDs and records are kept.  Last night, funnily enough, while watching TV I was reminded of how much I love listening to music.  Elvis Costello, a man whose music has certainly punctuated the 'soundtrack of my life', hosts a show on which he features and plays with guests of his choosing.  The first episode I caught showcased the talents of his wife, Diana Krall.  I was blown away.  This is a show for music lovers put on by a music lover.

Last night's show was a group effort featuring Fiona Apple, Deathcab for Cutie, and Billy Joe Armstrong from Green Day.  Elvis collaborated with each act performing both his songs and their songs.  It was an amazing meld of inter-generational talent.  After seeing last night's performance I have a new-found respect for Green Day's Armstrong.  I've never been a fan of Green Day and that's partially because I have always felt that there was so much other music coming out of the Bay Area at that time that was equally good, if not better, so I just never bothered with them, really.  That and the drummer is a douche bag that we 86'ed from a bar I used to work in back in Oakland.  Seriously, though, Billy Joe and Elvis together were pure gold.  It tickled me to hear them sing each other's music.  As for Fiona Apple, man, I didn't remember how deep and powerful her voice was until hearing her again last night after so many years.  She's a potent force.  Deathcab was good, too, although I can't say I really know their music.  I've just never gotten into them.  So much music, so little time!  That and I tend to revisit the 'oldies, but goodies' quite a bit which doesn't always leave time for discovering new music.

Speaking of 'oldies', I'm listening to Carole King's Tapestry right now.  Brilliant.  I read somewhere somewhat recently that she'd picked a doozy of a partner who was an abusive a-hole that derailed her music career and broke her bones.  It's hard to imagine that the woman who wrote 'It's Too Late', among other gems, found herself in such a difficult and debilitating relationship.  I guess it just goes to show that no one is immune to toxic situations.

Before I leave London, I'd like to see one good rocking show.  The last time I saw a live music here was probably in 2006.  I can't even remember--no, wait--I think it was Dirty Pretty Things up somewhere around Finsbury Park.  -not sure if there's one, concentrated area in which folk play music (Camden Town?), or if venues, like most stuff I do here, are spread over the many miles that make up this town.  Brixton Academy, a mid-sized venue down in South London, seems to have a lot of good talent from around the globe play its stage.  (Although I just checked and Limp Bizkit is scheduled to play there, so maybe I should revise my last statement.)

4 comments:

  1. Have you ever heard the Carol King song, "He hit me, and it felt like a kiss"? I think it was performed by "The Crystals".

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  2. That's funny you should write about Elvis Castello. That was the theme of my paper writing today. I listen to music when writing paper's to drown out the loud people. My favorite song is God Give me Strength. For obvious reasons haha
    Trisha Messner

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  3. @Cori: don't know the song. Creepily fitting!

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  4. Hey, Trish! Keep up the good work! :)

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