FEATURE: Heads We’re Singing: Kate Bush and the Modern Artists Who Could Contribute to a New Album or Remixes, Reworkings and Covers

FEATURE:

 

 

Heads We’re Singing

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in a Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) single outtake in 1985/PHOTO CREDIT: John Carder Bush

Kate Bush and the Modern Artists Who Could Contribute to a New Album or Remixes, Reworkings and Covers

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WHILST it is great to see…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Artist and producer The Anchoress (Catherine Anne Davies)

so many young Pop artists come through that are innovative and have huge potential, I kind of think about the established artists and legends that are, in part, responsible for their sound and success. Bigger artists today like Phoebe Bridgers and St. Vincent, whilst not new, definitely have an element of Kate Bush. I kind of think, in a way, Pop acts like Dua Lipa and Rina Sawayama have elements of Kate Bush. The Anchoress (Catherine Anne Davies) would be another artist who could collaborate with Bush – and she is a big fan of the icon’s work. I have said before how a cover’s album would be long-overdue. We have not really had a covers or tribute album with huge artists and newcomers alongside one another, marking the work of Kate Bush and giving it plenty of love. In terms of duets and collaborations, Bush has been particular in the past. She has worked with Peter Gabriel, Elton John, Mica Paris, The Trio Bulgarka and others, but most are older artists and ones that have been going for a while. I do not think that she has too much of an ear on her successors and those young and popular artists who have been compared to her. I still think it would be wonderful to hear the voices of tremendous artists such as Rufus Wainright, Guy Garvey, Neil Hannon, Anna Calvi, The Anchoress, Solange and many others blended with Kate Bush.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Guy Garvey (of Elbow)/PHOTO CREDIT: Paul Husband Photography

Maybe the best compromise and solution would be to have a remix album. Maybe Kate Bush would refuse permission but, maybe as I have said before, adding a new touch to her songs would be great! Maybe artists need not sing on the tracks. They could remix a song and give it their own angle. Others could sing on the track alongside the original vocals from Bush. This would be amazing. It would shine new light on her classic tracks, though it would also give attention and weight to songs that many have not heard and those that are not really played and widely considered. You do get Kate Bush remixes here and there, but I have not really heard any recently. Not from bigger artists. There are so many artists around today that are indebted to Kate Bush. From Georgia to Florence Welch all the way to Big Boi, Fiona Apple and Little Boots, it would be a really interesting project. I am seeing new acts like Fable moved by Kate Bush and her music. Whilst any artist can cover her songs, many fans would be intrigued hearing their voices blended with Bush’s. Maybe an artist would deconstruct a track and re-record it. They could all be approached and then decide what they want to do with each song. It would be their choice but, naturally, Kate Bush would have to give her blessing. There has been so much talk about Kate Bush appearing on a Big Boi track…and I am not if that will happen and if it will be released.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Florence Welch (Florence + The Machine)/PHOTO CREDIT: Autumn de Wilde for Vogue

The more I look out to music now and see artists who have Kate Bush D.N.A. within them, the more I wonder whether a project can come about. Maybe a covers album could occur, though I feel like giving artists free reign regarding what they do with a song would be a lot easier and more varied. I do not know what the album would be called. It could be tied to an anniversary. Next year, Bush turns sixty-five. It would only be fitting for a range of projects to come about that marks this important birthday. There will be articles and books out I am sure, but you could have albums and podcasts to go alongside them. I cannot see any more ambitious album where there are loads of artists new and older that take a song each and add their stamp to it. Covering her catalogue, B-sides and rarer cuts, I do not know where you’d have to draw the line in terms of tracklisting. Maybe up to twenty-five tracks? Perhaps some fresh activity and love towards Kate Bush would show her how popular and influential she is. Not that it would tip her to record an eleventh studio album, but I see no reason why she would object to an album or refuse permission. With such an amazing catalogue and legacy, it would be fascinating hearing these interpretations of Kate Bush songs. Many would want to hear this in 2022, though 2023 is when Kate Bush turns sixty-five. It would help cement Bush’s reputation as a genius and pioneer; it would also bring her fantastic music…

TO a whole new audience.

FEATURE: Revisiting… St. Vincent – Daddy’s Home

FEATURE:

 

 

Revisiting…

St. Vincent – Daddy’s Home

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AN album that turned one…

quite recently, I wanted to include St. Vincent’s (Annie Clark) Daddy’s Home in this Revisiting… Her incredible sixth studio album was co-produced with Jack Antonoff. Although it got some positive reviews, some did not give it as positive a take as they should. There was love around for St. Vincent’s amazing album, although it is not as shared and discussed now as it should be. I am going to come to a couple of reviews for Daddy’s Home soon. There are also a couple of good interviews with St. Vincent – one from this month; the other from 2021. I am going to start with The Forty-Five’s chat with her (they refer to her by her real name). I have selected a few passages that caught my eye:

“On ‘Daddy’s Home’, Clark writes about a past derelict New York; a place Los Angeles would suffocate in. “The idea of New York, the art that came out of it, and my living there,” she says. “I’ve not given up my card. I don’t feel in any way ready to renounce my New York citizenship. I bought an apartment so I didn’t have to.” Her down-and-out New York is one a true masochist would love, and it’s sleazy in excess. Sleaze is usually the thing men flaunt at a woman’s expense. In 2021, the proverbial Daddy in the title is Clark. But there’s also a literal Daddy. He came home in the winter of 2019. 

On the title track, Clark sings about “inmate 502”: her father. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison for his involvement in a $43m stock fraud scheme. He went away in May 2010. Clark reacted by writing her third breakthrough album ‘Strange Mercy’ in 2011; inspired not just by her father’s imprisonment but the effects it had on her life.“I mean it was rough stuff,” she says. “It was a fuck show. Absolutely terrible. Gut-wrenching. Like so many times in life, music saved me from all kinds of personal peril. I was angry. I was devastated. There’s a sort of dullness to incarceration where you don’t have any control. It’s like a thud at the basement of your being. So I wrote all about it,” she says.

Back then, she was aloof about meaning. In an interview we did that year, she called from a hotel rooftop in Phoenix and was fried from analytical questions. She excused her lack of desire to talk about ‘Strange Mercy’ as a means of protecting fans who could interpret it at will. Really she was protecting an audience closer to home. It’s clear now that the title track is about her father’s imprisonment (“Our father in exile/ For God only knows how many years”). Clark’s parents divorced when she was a child, and they have eight children in their mixed family, some of whom were very young when ‘Strange Mercy’ came out. She explains this discretion now as her method of sheltering them.

“I am protective of my family,” she says. “It didn’t feel safe to me. I disliked the fact that it was taken as malicious obfuscations. No.” Clark wanted to deal with the family drama in art but not in press. She managed to remain tight-lipped until she became the subject of a different intrusion. As St. Vincent’s star continued to rocket, Clark found herself in a relationship with British model Cara Delevingne from 2014 to 2016, and attracted celebrity tabloid attention. Details of her family’s past were exposed. The Daily Mail came knocking on her sister’s door in Texas, where Clark is from.

“Luckily I’m super tight with my family and the Daily Mail didn’t find anybody who was gonna sell me out,” she says. “They were looking for it. Clark girls are a fucking impenetrable force. We will cut a bitch.”

Luckily I’m super tight with my family and the Daily Mail didn’t find anybody who was gonna sell me out. Clark girls are a fucking impenetrable force. We will cut a bitch.

Four years later, Clark gets to own the narrative herself in the medium that’s most apt: music. “The story has evolved. I’ve evolved. People have grown up. I would rather be the one to tell my story,” she says, ruminating on the misfortune that this was robbed from her: a story that writes itself. “My father’s release from prison is a great starting point, right?” Between tours and whenever she could manage, Clark would go and visit him in prison and would be signing autographs in the visitation room for the inmates, who all followed her success with every album release, press clipping and late night TV spot. She joked to her sisters that she’d become the belle of the ball there. “I don’t have to make that up,” she says.

There’s an ease to Clark’s interview manner that hasn’t existed before. She seems ready not just to discuss her father’s story, but to own certain elements of herself. “Hell where can you run when the outlaw’s inside you,” she sings on the title track, alluding to her common traits with her father. “I’ve always had a relationship with my dad and a good one. We’re very similar,” she says. “The movies we like, the books, he liked fashion. He’s really funny, he’s a good time.” Her father’s release gave Clark and her brothers and sisters permission to joke. “The title, ‘Daddy’s Home’ makes me laugh. It sounds fucking pervy as hell. But it’s about a real father ten years later. I’m Daddy now!”

The question of who’s fathering who is a serious one, but it’s also not serious. Clark wears the idea of Daddy as a costume. She likes to play. She joins today’s Zoom in a pair of sunglasses wider than her face and a silk scarf framing her head. The sunglasses come off, and the scarf is a tool for distraction. She ties it above her forehead, attempts a neckerchief, eventually tosses it aside. Clark can only be earnest for so long before she seeks some mischief. She doesn’t like to stay in reality for extensive periods. “I like to create a world and then I get to live in it and be somebody new every two or three years,” she says. “Who wants to be themselves all the time?”

‘Daddy’s Home‘ began in New York at Electric Lady studios before COVID hit and was finished in her studio in LA. She worked on it with “my friend Jack” [Jack Antonoff, producer for Lana Del Rey, Lorde, Taylor Swift]. Antonoff and Clark worked on ‘Masseduction’ and found a winning formula, pushing Clark’s guitar-orientated electronic universe to its poppiest maximum, without compromising her idiosyncrasies. “We’re simpatico. He’s a dream,” she says. “He played the hell outta instruments on this record. He’s crushing it on drums, crushing it on Wurlitzer.” The pair let loose. They began with ‘The Holiday Party’, one of the warmest tracks Clark’s ever written. It’s as inviting as a winter fireplace, stoked by soulful horns, acoustic guitar and backing singers. “Every time they sang something I’d say, ‘Yeah but can you do it sleazier? Make your voice sound like you’ve been up for three days.” Clark speaks of an unspoken understanding with Antonoff as regards the vibe: “Familiar sounds. The opposite of my hands coming out of the speaker to choke you till you like it. This is not submission. Just inviting. I can tell a story in a different way”.

One of the very best albums of 2021, Daddy’s Home sounds even stronger and richer than it did last year! People need to revisit it and give it another spin. Featuring some of the best songwriting from St. Vincent, it is awash with incredible compositions. One immerses themselves in the album! This is what The Guardian wrote in their review:

“Only the title track concerns her father’s imprisonment and release, although his presence lurks over the album in more subtle ways. Its sound was apparently inspired by his record collection, which evidently majored in the early 70s. The whole album is liberally dressed with a synthesised sitar sound that cropped up on dozens of the era’s soul singles, from Freda Payne’s Band of Gold to the Stylistics’ You Are Everything. There are dabblings in the fingerpicked acoustic style of the era’s confessional singer-songwriters, the mock-showtune stylings of Harry Nilsson and Randy Newman and the electric piano-driven funk of Donny Hathaway or Stevie Wonder. Anyone with a passing acquaintance with Pink Floyd’s most successful album can’t fail to notice the influence of its more languid moments on Live in the Dream, which comes complete with the none-more-Floydian lyric, “Welcome child, you’re free of the cage / Trying to seem sane makes you seem so strange”.

But these don’t sound like lovingly crafted homages to the past. They seem more like parodies, of varying degrees of knowing grotesqueness. So Live in the Dream starts off not unlike Pink Floyd’s Us and Them, but gradually becomes more discordant and ramshackle: the squeak of fingers on guitar strings is louder than the actual guitar, the massed backing vocals clash with Clark’s voice and the sound of the track surges in a way that doesn’t sound stirring so much as sickly. The acoustic guitar figure of Somebody Like Me is pushed along a little too urgently by the tempo of the drums – it feels discomfiting, rather than warm and earthy – synthesiser tones wail, strings weave in and out of the mix. And, on the title track, the electric piano and syncopated drums sound gloopy and disconnected – funk you couldn’t possibly dance to – while the song’s theatrical affectations feel wilfully overblown and cartoonish: cooing the track’s title, the backing vocals have an eerie, mocking tone to them.

 It’s all hugely impressive and striking, the familiar made subtly unfamiliar, Clark’s famously incendiary guitar playing spinning off at unexpected and occasionally atonal tangents, its effect simultaneously heady and disturbing. The implication seems to be that if Clark has been rifling through her father’s albums, they don’t sound the same to her as they once did: for whatever reason, the contents of his collection have taken on a warped, twisted quality.

The lyrics sound similarly unsettled, about everything from the prospect of parenthood – My Baby Wants a Baby wittily reworks the chorus of 9 to 5, Sheena Easton’s unironic 1980 paean to the pleasures of housewifery, slowing it to an agonised crawl in order to wrestle with the proverbial pram in the hall – to the very business of being St Vincent. For a decade now, Clark has invented a persona to inhabit on each new album: the “near-future cult leader” seated on a throne on the cover of 2014’s St Vincent, a latex-clad “dominatrix at a mental institution” for 2017’s Masseduction. There’s another on the cover of Daddy’s Home, in a blonde wig and stockings, the “benzo beauty queen” mentioned in the lyrics, who exudes such sleazy energy that, on opener Pay Your Way in Pain, parents feel impelled to shield their children from her (“the mothers saw my heels and they said I wasn’t welcome”).

But elsewhere, Clark seems conflicted about the whole business of playing with identity, flipping between songs projecting a character and songs that are clearly personal: not just the title track, but The Laughing Man’s eulogy for a late friend. On The Melting of the Sun, she lists a succession of soul-baring singer-songwriters and some of their most personal work – Tori Amos’s harrowing depiction of her rape, Me and a Gun; Nina Simone’s livid Mississippi Goddam; Joni Mitchell’s self-baiting exploration of musical “authenticity” Furry Sings the Blues – and finds herself wanting in their company: “Who am I trying to be? … I never cried / To tell the truth, I lied”.

It makes me wonder where St. Vincent will go next with her seventh studio album. Having mined a particular sound and sonic palette on Daddy’s Home, it will be fascinating hearing what she comes up with next. Daddy’s Home ranks alongside St. Vincent’s greatest albums. This is AllMusic’s take on as masterful work:

“Starting with St. Vincent's self-titled 2014 album, Annie Clark's artistic progression could be best described as a sharpening: Her sounds grew crisper and more angular, her lyrics ever more pointed. This approach peaked on MASSEDUCTION, which reflected a white-knuckle grip on image and identity in its high-definition pop. Control, or lack of it, is also a vital element on Daddy's Home. Using her father's return from jail for white-collar crime as a jumping-off point, Clark explores moral grey areas on songs that are as diffuse as her past few albums were taut. Her musical world-building remains as impressive as ever: Drawing on early-'70s sounds introduced to her by her father, she pays homage to a more permissive time as she traces the best and worst things carried through the generations. Clark's version of the '70s is filled with so many allusions it should have footnotes; alongside the bubbling Wurlitzers and Mellotrons, she name-drops John Cassavetes and Candy Darling. While the swaggering single "Pay Your Way in Pain" pays homage to David Bowie's "Fame" and "Live in the Dream" is a swirling tribute to Pink Floyd, not all the references are cooler than cool. On "My Baby Wants a Baby," which finds the song's protagonist admitting they want creative accomplishment more than a child, Clark borrows the melody from Sheena Easton's "9 to 5 (Morning Train)" (another song about the obligations of relationships) and a spangly sitar-mimicking guitar last heard on a B.J. Thomas single.

Hearing Clark try on the album's bell bottoms and leather vest vibe is entertaining, but though the musical lineage of Daddy's Home may be clearer than on any of her previous work, the same can't be said of its lyrics. With the notable exception of "Somebody Like Me"'s vulnerability, Clark's songwriting remains emotion-adjacent instead of directly confessional. She delivers the album's tenderest songs in the second person ("...At the Holiday Party'') or to long-gone icons ("Candy Darling"). On the wry title track, she brings a little levity to the situation while pondering its deeper ramifications ("Where can you run when the outlaw's inside you?"), continuing the concealing and revealing at which she's always excelled. Clark also revisits her own artistic past as well as her musical and familial influences. She's not mellowing with age -- "Down"'s brittle revenge-funk proves otherwise -- but the album is defined by its introspective tracks like "The Melting of the Sun"'s slow-motion tribute to female truth-tellers like Joan Didion, Marilyn Monroe, Nina Simone, and Tori Amos that also features some of Clark's most inspired guitar playing, and "The Laughing Man," a sardonic ballad that recalls Actor's Disneyfied dystopian reveries. Like the albums of the era it was inspired by, Daddy's Home takes time to unfold in listeners' imaginations. It's much more of a mood than anything else in her body of work, but its hazy reconciliation of the good and bad of the past makes it as an uncompromising statement from her as ever”.

I am going to finish with a recent interview between St. Vincent and CLASH . In addition to talking about politics and dealing with criticism, she nodded back to her sensational 2021 album:

“That journey has led her up to 2021’s ‘Daddy’s Home’, an album that once again found the artist embracing serious subject matter – namely, the release from prison of her father the previous year, following a nine-year stretch as part of a stock manipulation scheme – alongside “black humour,” apparently without fear of contradiction. Alongside all that, there was a shiny new St. Vincent persona inspired by Candy Darling, Cassavetes heroines, and a general love of early ’70s New York chic. But that wasn’t necessarily what drew critics’ fascination.

When I speak to Clark, it’s the day before the album’s first birthday. I wonder if she’s still bothered by how the world – and particularly the music press – received it. “The only thing in the reaction to it that I found quizzical, shall we say, was this idea that all art needs to be educational, and appropriate, and non-fiction,” she says. “Like, it either needs to be a blood-letting, or you need to be solving the prison industrial complex. It’s just some music!”

It's another issue that Clark sees as a representative of a more general malaise in society, a perceived ideology that refuses to allow art to exist in shades of grey. “Everything in the world is being viewed through that prism right now. But you know, that’ll pass. I think if there was anything in the criticism of it that had me scratching my head, it was just this idea that it needed to solve something.”

A slight pause. “It’s a record, my love.”

As an artist, she’s made mistakes, apologised to journalists for being a “royal dick”, grappled with the best use of her platform to leave the world a little better than she found it. But she’s not necessarily looking for validation from any of it. To paraphrase the narcotic lyricism of one of the more grandiose tracks on ‘Daddy’s Home’, Clark doesn’t live in the dream the world has painted around her; the dream lives in her.

“I guess what matters to me more is actually still mystery: going through the entire process of deconstructing everything, and still not having the answer. And I think it’s fine to not have the answer. Some days I think I have the answer, and other days I’m completely in the wilderness. And that’s okay. That’s okay with me, it really is,” she insists. “One thing that makes me feel good about what I do is that, at the end of the day, it’s music. It’s not exploitative. My highest aspiration is that it’s Beautiful with a capital B. But the rest is, like, shoulder shrug.

“And at the end of the day, it maybe makes some people’s lives better. So that’s great,” she says softly, almost to herself. “That’s great”.

If you have not heard St. Vincent’s Daddy’s Home, then I would advise you to do so. It is such a stunning album from an artist who keeps evolving and changing. A supreme producer, songwriter and musician, we are going to hear even more amazing albums from the incomparable St. Vincent. There is so much to enjoy through Daddy’s Home! If you are not aware of the album or have not heard it for a while, I would say that it worth…

SPENDING some time with.  

FEATURE: Now That the iPod Is Gone… Is This the End of Physical Music-Playing Devices?

FEATURE:

 

 

Now That the iPod Is Gone…

 Is This the End of Physical Music-Playing Devices?

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A subject I have written about before…

 ILLUSTRATION CREDIT: Jack Royle

I have been provoked to look again at physical devices because the iPod is coming to an end. Launched in 2001, it was revolutionary at the time! Able to store so many tracks without the need to carry around CDs and cassettes, it grew through the years and, in a way, was the precursor to streaming. Even if the medium it helped spawned has led to its death, it is a very sad time! It seems that, despite physical music having a place and purpose, devices are dying out. Everything seems to be listened to on a laptop or phone – unless it is vinyl or CD, then people can play on record players and in cars. The days of listening to music on the move and having actual albums you can carry with you are bygone. The Guardian reacted to the end of the iPod in a feature from last week. I have selected a couple of segments:

“Yet the iPod still has advantages over streaming, and not just the fact that it won’t pay a podcaster millions of dollars to talk nonsense about vaccines. Everybody has their own Spotify experience but we’re all drawing from the same pool of music, which is vast but limited. My iPod contains many songs that streaming does not acknowledge: forgotten B-sides culled from old CD singles, bootleg remixes plucked from filesharing platforms, sundry rarities downloaded from now defunct websites, albums snarled up in copyright issues, the catalogues of Spotify exiles Neil Young and Joni Mitchell. It is a unique collection of music, curated over many years, in which each song represents an active choice. It’s mine alone.

Still, I’m well aware that I’m not the typical music consumer, and it would be hard to argue that the world’s most valuable company should continue to cater for collectors who simply must own the Chemical Brothers remix of Spiritualized or MIA’s debut mixtape. Like the turntable decades earlier, the iPod has gone from being a mass-market device for anyone who loves music to a niche product for the hardcore. Apple is not in the niche business.

Now that the agile upstart has become a knackered warhorse, laden with nostalgia, it’s worth remembering that the iPod was contentious when it was launched back in October 2001, holding a then-remarkable 1,000 songs. What the author Stephen Witt calls “the most ubiquitous gadget in the history of stuff” did more for Apple – paving the way for the iPhone and iPad – than it did for the music industry. While the arrival of the iTunes store 18 months later helped to stem illegal filesharing, the iPod still allowed users to unbundle individual tracks from albums; download sales never came close to making up for collapsing CD revenue during the music business’s lost decade. I was initially grumpy about the iPod, complaining that it devalued music and drove a bulldozer through the concept of the album. A shuffle function? Barbarians! Eventually, of course, I bought one and loved it.

As we now know, the album survived as an artistic entity. Whenever I read an article declaring the death of something, I’m pretty sure that it’s not really dead: vinyl made a comeback, and even clunky, fallible cassettes are enjoying a modest revival for reasons that I don’t entirely understand. Yet the iPod, as opposed to the broader concept of the digital music player, relies on one company, so it is as dead as something can be, devoured by the very revolution it launched”.

 IN THIS PHOTO: A vintage Sony Walkman, FM-AM stereo cassette player, model WM-F77, made In Japan, circa 1986

I can understand the appeal of streamlining things so you can listen to music digitally. Also, even though CDs and cassettes are still a thing and being bought, maybe the production of new devices would rely on a bigger boom in terms of numbers. The iPod was a way for people to listen to music without physical accessory or inconvenience, so we do have phones that do the same job. I like the fact that the iPod was a device separate from anything just for your music. Look at the market now and what is there dedicated to music playing? It is a disappearing field, and one that marks an end of as glorious period. Not all devices were great, but they allowed for accessibility and ease. In an ultra-convenient age, maybe a Walkman, Discman or iPod seems cumbersome or an annoyance. For me and millions, they were our way into music. There will be a day when music – apart from vinyl – is played on phones or laptops. That idea of taking out an iPod as you walk so you can listen to music might seem a relic, but it means you are not distracted by your phone and get to have a library of music with you! A Walkman or Discman was a social tool, where you could share music and swap CDs and cassettes. It seems sad that there is not really a market for devices only for music. I guess, if one were to include video so that you could watch YouTube, Disney + and Netflix etc., then that would have greater utility and purpose. Even then, people will argue that we have that option already. I will miss the iPod, as it is the end of an era! An end to music devices designed to allow us to listen on the go. I do not like the idea that everything now will be funnelled and channelled into digital avenues and phones. Maybe that is why the vinyl revival remains strong: people rebelling against digitisation and the lack of warmth and physicality from digital music. Even if some are pleased to see the back of music-playing devices, I and many other people around the world will…

LOOK back fondly.

FEATURE: Spotlight: FLO

FEATURE:

 

 

Spotlight

FLO

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IN August…

Sugarbabes’ brilliant second studio album, Angels with Dirty Faces, turns twenty. Their finest album I feel, it contains hits like Freak Like Me and Round Round. A new group that reminds me of them, FLO are primed for bigger things. We are in a period where there are not many established and long-lasting girl groups. Though the terms has fallen out of favour and seems to be a little archaic and old-fashioned, it does represent a style of music and identity that we can link with legends like Spice Girls, TLC, Destiny’s Child and All Saints. Reminding me of a blend of the classic British girl groups and some of the U.S. best, it will be interesting to see how FLO move. Their debut single, Cardboard Box, is one of intent and huge memorability. I wonder whether we will ever recapture the glory days of girl groups in the 1990s and early-’00s. I want to bring in a couple of pieces about FLO, that should give you a better guide and bigger picture of a very promising young group. The Line of Best Fit introduced us to them through their incredible debut single:

“Made up of 19-and-20-year-olds Renée, Stella, and Jorja, FLO’s story began when Stella and Renée met in school and bonded over their shared love of music and singing. Renée and Stella, the latter who spent her early years in Mozambique before moving to the UK aged five, first recognised Jorja from social media, but it wasn’t until the three met by chance at an audition that they realised they were onto something special. “I saw the girls and we screamed across the room,” Jorja recalls of the time. “I knew from that moment we were about to start something big.”

For the past two years, the trio has been hard at work perfecting their sound with the likes of producers such as LOXE (NAO), KABBA, Aston Rudi (Mahalia), newcomer Jamal Woon, Hannah Yadi, and female producer Lauren Faith. “Cardboard Box” was one of the first tracks the band ever worked on and was produced by one of their production heroes MNEK (Little Mix, Dua Lipa, Mabel). Blending luscious R&B vocals with dazzling pop melodies and chorus, it’s a demonstration in creating punchy pop perfection and a reminder of the legacy of girl bands that came before.

With lyrics inspired by cheating partners, FLO comments, “Cardboard Box is one of the first songs we wrote as a group and during the process we opened up about relationship struggles and experiences of moving on from an ex,” the band explained of the track. “It was a special bonding moment and feels fitting that it’s our debut single! We are over the moon about our first child entering the world and we want people to feel refreshed and empowered - like it’s okay to close a bad chapter of your life!”

The buzz for FLO is growing daily via a growing community of fans on TikTok and more music on the way. Determined to tell the story of life as 21st-century women - the ups and the downs and the hardships along the way - FLO are ready to make you cry on the dancefloor. Stella, Renée and Jorja are building something beautiful with FLO and “Cardboard Box”, released on Island Records (fittingly the home of the Sugababes), is the perfect evolution of the modern girl band”.

I want to also bring in NME’s interview with the amazing FLO. They asked about the real lack of strong girl groups in the current scene. Maybe a nervous time for FLO to start put and gain traction. They talked about their upcoming E.P. too:

“NME: There’s a lack of major girl groups at the moment, particularly as Little Mix are currently on their farewell tour. How does it feel to be starting out without many peers?

Renée: “We kind of stay in our lane, we wouldn’t say there’s competition because that’s not for us to look at. We want to focus on bettering ourselves and being the best we can be.”

Stella: “I’m glad we’ve had each other and not been on our own. It’s a relief to see the single doing so well, especially since it’s our breakout song. We’re so happy with the reception it’s had.”

Jorja: “There’s a lack of girl groups I guess because it’s hard putting girls together as the chemistry is not easy to find. We haven’t had to sell our friendship or force it to come across authentically, as for us it comes so naturally.”

You worked with MNEK on ‘Cardboard Box’, who has previously teamed up with huge pop stars such as Dua Lipa. What was that experience like?

Stella: “It was more about watching him do his craft and taking it in. He wanted us to be our best, melody and writing wise. He’s Jorja’s biggest inspiration as well!”

Jorja: “I look up to him as he’s so talented and humble. Some writers have taken control of sessions and taken things in their direction, but he doesn’t. He gives us creative reign over the music. He’ll ask us what we think of something and we’re like, ‘Duh! It’s great’”.

The EP notably pulls inspiration from the sounds of ‘90s and early 2000s R&B. What connects you to that era?

Renée: “My mum would play really good music in the car or when cleaning on Sundays, you know, the sounds of that era were all around us when we were young. I’ve grown up around [that music], it was one of my first loves. My uncle is also a producer and rapper, and he motivates me as someone who’s been in this industry for the long run.”

What was the writing process for your forthcoming EP like?

Renée: “This was our first time away, writing and working with people we love on a whole catalogue of songs and just making really good music. We loved it – we want to do a writing camp at least twice a year.”

Jorja: “It’s nice to be away from everyday life and be in the zone of making feel good music. You get into the rhythm of it, it’s amazing.”

Stella: “Each song is like a moment in our lives, each song represents something different. Some are on par with each other but none are the same.”

Navigating the music industry both as newcomers and an all-Black girl group must be daunting. How have you developed the confidence to stick to your vision?

Renée: “As three young Black women, one thing that’s important when you get signed to a label and have to do what people say, is to remember to be strong. We’re not going to be pushed over or go with someone else’s decision without believing in it ourselves. Know that you can say no and do what you genuinely believe in – and it will be successful. That’s something I really believe in with my whole heart.”

Stella: “There were some decisions that we really had to push for with the EP and it paid off – the reception so far has been great. It’s all about trusting your instinct, and [making music] is an experience, and we’re learning a lot.”

@flolikethis

Who wants new music?😁

♬ Adjust (Tic Tok) - Marzville

 How important is it for you to promote female empowerment through your music?

Stella: “We all grew up with strong women in our lives, and were surrounded by music with that sense of female empowerment, so we want to bring that to a new generation of young women. It’s important to bring it back.”

Jorja: “We also pull inspiration from each other. Since working with each other more, I think, ‘What would Renée do? What would Stella do?’ We’re always writing songs for ourselves, so it’s important for it to come from each of our experiences.”

How do you deal with rising tensions in the group? What keeps you all grounded?

Jorja: “We’ve had no big arguments; we’re mature, and we understand people’s emotions and how to communicate even when our views are different. We talk about it if something comes up but if it does, it’s normally a creative difference. We are gentle with each other since most issues can be out of our hands. We might have discrepancies but it’s never towards each other.”

What can we expect from FLO in the future?

Renée: “Since girl groups are basically non-existent right now, we have a chance to really make music that people can feel and relate to and bring back that sound. We want to sell out arenas and just completely take over!”.

Go and follow FLO on social media. They are going to establish themselves as one of the premier girl groups in the U.K. As Little Mix have sort of stepped back and we are not sure whether they will continue, there is an absence and gulf right now! Even though they are taking their first steps at the moment, they will be a big name…

IN a year or two.

____________

Follow FLO

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/flolikethis

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/flolikethis/

TikTok:

https://www.tiktok.com/@flolikethis

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0s4kXsjYeH0S1xRyVGN4NO?si=FqcCqqsNQoqd96WEqXXdBQ

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCncZTnZmk67PuIZowdGe5zw

FEATURE: Celebrating One of the Ultimate Songwriters: Kate Bush and the Ivor Novello Awards

FEATURE:

 

 

Celebrating One of the Ultimate Songwriters

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush with her Ivor Novello award in 2002 

Kate Bush and the Ivor Novello Awards

__________

SHE has been honoured twice…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush with broadcaster Paul Gambicini at the 2002 Ivors

by the Ivor Novello Awards/Ivors Academy. This year’s ceremony took place on Thursday (19th May). Winners on then night included Laura Mvula and Shakira. The awards are among the most prestigious and important when it comes to recognising great songwriting:

“For 66 years The Ivors Academy has celebrated excellence in songwriting and composing. Our awards shine a light on the creative talent of music creators, raising their profile and celebrating their craft.

Recognised as a pinnacle of achievement since they were first presented in 1956, The Ivors Academy presents Ivor Novello Awards for exceptional songwriting and composing. Each Ivor is unique as it represents peer recognition with categories judged by award-winning songwriters and composers from across the Academy’s membership. Ivor Novello Awards are presented twice a year to honour and celebrate exceptional songwriting and composing.

The Ivors with Apple Music is when Ivor Novello Awards are presented to celebrate creative excellence in British and Irish songwriting and screen composition.

The Ivors Composer Awards is when Ivor Novello Awards are presented to celebrate creative excellence in UK classical, jazz and sound arts”.

Kate Bush has been honoured twice, as I started by saying. With a double nod of glory and salute from the Ivors Academy, there are few that deserve it more. I will come to her 2020 honour very soon. Not only is it the righty time to talk about the Ivor Novello Awards and what they mean; it is almost twenty years to the day since Kate Bush won. On 23rd May, 2002, as Kate Bush News wrote, she was recognised as being such an important and inspirational songwriter - winning an Ivor for her Outstanding Contribution to British Music:

“The BBC have just reported that Kate is among the musicians honoured at today’s prestigious Ivor Novello Awards ceremony in London. The awards, now in its 47th year,  honour the contribution of songwriters, composers and music publishers to the industry in 2001, selected by the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters.

On receiving her award Kate said: “It’s so special to be thought of as a songwriter. This means so much to me, I’ll really treasure this.”

From the BBC News report: “Dido, Kate Bush and the team behind Kylie Minogue’s recent smash hit (incl Cathy Dennis) have won Ivor Novello songwriting awards, marking a success for women songwriters….veteran singer-songwriter Kate Bush completed the successes for women with her award for heroutstanding contribution to British music.” The ceremony this afternoon was at the Grosvenor House hotel in London’s Park Lane.

Update 24th May 2002: Ben on the guestbook writes: ”BBC Radio 2 gave excellent coverage to Kate last night. They played Kate’s very emotional acceptance speech. Stated that she is probably the most respected British female of the last 3 decades and for many her appearance was the highlight of the awards. They then played pieces of SIX of Kate’s songs including Moments and The Dreaming. She sounded amazingly touched by the accolade and it was a real delight to hear her..” (thanks Ben). The man pictured here who presented Kate with her award is broadcaster Paul Gambicini”.

Kate Bush’s award in 2002 came almost twenty-five years after her debut album, The Kick Inside (1978). Someone who was in a league of her own then, and has gone on to compel and influence countless overs in the twenty years since, it is a shame there is not another huge honour from the Ivors Academy that she can have bestowed upon her. It was a long-overdue recognition, as it was not the first time she was in contention for an Ivor. She had won one prior to 2002. Bush won the Ivor Novello award for Outstanding British Lyric for The Man With the Child In His Eyes in 1979. She was also nominated for Best Pop Song and Best Song Musically and Lyrically for Wuthering Heights, but lost out to Gerry Rafferty's 'Baker Street' in both categories. In 1981, her song Babooshka was nominated for Best Song Musically and Lyrically, but lost out to Woman in Love, written by Barry and Robin Gibb for Barbra Streisand. In 1983, The Dreaming was nominated for Outstanding British Lyric, but lost to the Dire Straits' Private Investigations. In 1986, Running Up That Hill was nominated for Best Contemporary Song, but lost to Tina Turner's We Don't Need Another Hero. In 2020 she was made a Fellow. This is an unbelievably high honour for someone who, without any doubt, is among the greatest and most original songwriters the music world will ever see:

“British songwriter Kate Bush has been made a Fellow of The Ivors Academy, in recognition of her peerless and enduring achievements in music. The announcement was made today, 23 September, and is the highest honour that The Ivors Academy bestows. The Academy exists to represent and champion music creators in the UK and Ireland.

Fellowship of the Academy recognises excellence and impact in the art and craft of music creation. This is only the twentieth Fellowship that the Academy has awarded in its 76-year history. Kate Bush joins a roster of songwriter greats including Annie Lennox OBE, Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Elton John. The most recent music creator to receive Fellowship before Kate Bush was Joan Armatrading MBE.

As well as life-time membership of the Academy, Kate Bush receives a dedicated Ivor Novello Award, depicting Euterpe, the ancient Greek Muse of lyric poetry.

Kate Bush said, “I feel really honoured to be given this fellowship by The Ivors Academy. It means so very much to me. Thank you to all my family and friends and to everyone who has been there for me over the years. I’ll treasure this statue of Euterpe always and ask her to sit on my shoulder while I work.”

Commenting on Kate’s honour, Annie Lennox, who was made a Fellow of the Academy in 2015, said, “I’m delighted beyond words that Kate Bush is being recognised and honoured with an Ivors Academy Fellowship. I cannot think of anyone more deserving than the uniquely innovative singer songwriter, performer, producer and remarkable artist that she is. She is visionary and iconic and has made her own magical stamp upon the zeitgeist of the British cultural landscape.”

Long-term Kate Bush fan Big Boi said, “Creative wise, she has been an influence on my life and my music. The depths of the production and lyricism of her music are unmatched, and I am very proud to be able to consider her to be my buddy. Love her!”

Joan Armatrading said, “Kate Bush is undoubtedly one of Britain’s best loved legendary singer/songwriters, an inspiration to many and deserving of the Fellowship. This is the highest award The Ivors Academy can bestow on any artist. I’m delighted that she takes her place of recognition and I send my hearty congratulations.”

Elton John, who became a Fellow of The Ivors Academy in 2004, described Kate Bush as “A truly inspirational, innovative British songwriter and artist. A legacy full of classic works.”

Fellow of the Academy David Arnold said, “I’ve not met an artist in the 30 years of working in music who doesn’t love Kate Bush. Since she emerged, seemingly fully formed as an artist in the 1970s, she immediately claimed a place in the arts as a true original with a raw, pure, visionary talent.

“A writer who pushed the boundaries of what songwriting could be, a producer showing us how exciting and challenging the sound of a record could be and a performer who mesmerised, enchanted and drew her audience in to the worlds she had so beautifully and fully created.

“The fact she is still such an influence on so many established and emerging artists tells you all you need to know about how very precious and appreciated she is.

“I am thankful for her work and her kindness and it’s very right and proper that she has been named as a Fellow of our Academy, we are lucky to have her.”

Crispin Hunt, Chair of The Ivors Academy, said, “As a music creator it is unnerving when you know that your words will fall short, but this is one of those times. Kate’s talent is incalculable, her achievements are peerless and artistry leaves you breathless. Countless songwriters and composers have referenced how Kate has informed their musical development. On behalf of all songwriters and composers, The Ivors Academy is giving Kate the highest honour we can bestow as a heartfelt expression of our love and admiration.”

Kate Bush’s extraordinary contribution to music is both impossible to pigeonhole and capture. Kate has created a truly unique career based around retaining creative autonomy and demonstrating mastery of the music production process, powerful vocals and captivating performances. She has forged her own path ever since her debut single Wuthering Heights was the first time a woman achieved a number one with a self-written song.

Kate Bush has influenced generations of music creators and has been nominated six times for an Ivor Novello Award. She won her first Ivor in 1979 for Outstanding British Lyric of The Man With The Child In His Eyes and she was awarded her second Ivor Novello in 2002 becoming the recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to British Music award”.

It was great seeing the winners of this year’s Ivor Novello Awards. Paul Heaton was honoured for his songwriting body. Having just turned sixty, he is a songwriter who has amassed so many classics and important tracks through his varied career. Even though there has not been original material from Kate Bush for over a decade, her incredible lyrics and compositions have stood the test of time, inspired generations and made a huge difference to so many people. Since the 1970s, she has been this phenomenal songwriting force that has no equals. The lyrics can be personal and cut deep, or they can be quite fantastical or impersonal. With every song, you get this impact and resonance that is so magical and moving! Her composing and production is staggering. Combine all of this with her remarkable voice, and there aren’t any songwriters who can really compete! Twenty years ago, Bush was honoured (quite rightly) for her contributions to music. The fact that she was so touched proved how much it meant and how much she valued songwriting. Reading about the Ivors this week and the great songwriters who won, it got me looking back at the two times Kate Bush has been recognised. To be made a Fellow in 2020 was almost like a musical damehood! Bush remains one the finest songwriters because of how successful and extraordinary her career has been, in addition to the way it has influenced so many songwriters. She can tap into emotions, open minds and move the soul…

LIKE no other human being.

FEATURE: Heaven Is Here: The Best of Florence + The Machine

FEATURE:

 

 

Heaven Is Here

PHOTO CREDIT: Autumn de Wilde for Vogue 

The Best of Florence + The Machine

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BECAUSE they have a new album out…

 ARTWORK CREDIT: Autumn de Wilde

which has scored some huge reviews and gone to number one, I wanted to collect together the best tracks from Florence + The Machine. Dance Fever, their fifth studio album, is one that you need to buy. Formed in London in 2007, Florence + The Machine consists  Florence Welch, keyboardist Isabella Summers, guitarist Rob Ackroyd, harpist Tom Monger, and a collaboration of other musicians. Before coming to a playlist, AllMusic provide biography about a group who are fifteen – and among the best in the world:

“South London's Florence + the Machine blend Baroque pop, pastoral folk, and artful alternative rock to create a rousing sound which they debuted on 2009's Lungs. Led by namesakes Florence Welch and Isabella "Machine" Summers, the group broke into the mainstream on the strength of their platinum singles "Dog Days Are Over," "You've Got the Love," and "Shake It Out," which were elevated by Welch's powerhouse vocals. As their first three releases topped U.K. charts, they made a steady climb in the U.S., hitting number six on the Billboard 200 with 2011's Ceremonials. In 2015, they secured their first Billboard number one with How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, which became a worldwide smash. That same year they headlined the Glastonbury Festival and returned to the top five of the global album charts with 2018's High as Hope. Following non-album singles like 2019's "Jenny of Oldstones" and 2020's "Light of Love," Welch heralded the band's fifth album with 2022's "King."

Formed in 2007 by vocalist Welch and keyboardist Summers, Florence + the Machine released their debut single, "Kiss with a Fist," on the Moshi Moshi label in June 2008. Once a full band was recruited, they signed with Island Records in November. Their critically acclaimed debut album, Lungs, followed in July 2009 and quickly became one of the year's most popular releases in the U.K., where Florence charted four Top 40 singles in less than 12 months. The songs gathered steam in other parts of the world, too, particularly in America, where the anthemic "Dog Days Are Over" peaked at number 21 and went platinum. Lungs was reissued the following year in a two-disc package entitled Between Two Lungs, adding a bonus 12-track disc that featured live versions, remixes by the Horrors and Yeasayer, and Twilight soundtrack inclusion "Heavy in Your Arms."

In 2010, Florence + the Machine returned to the studio with producer Paul Epworth (Bloc Party, Adele) to begin work on their second full-length outing. The resulting Ceremonials, which successfully expanded on the group's already huge sound, arrived on Halloween in 2011. In addition to the lead single "Shake It Out," the chart-topping set also included "No Light, No Light" and the Australian multi-platinum Top Three hit "Never Let Me Go."

The following year saw the release of CD and DVD versions of MTV Unplugged, an 11-track set filmed before a small studio audience that featured fan favorites along with a pair of covers, including "Try a Little Tenderness" and the Johnny Cash/June Carter classic "Jackson," the latter of which featured guest vocals by Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme. That same year, Welch announced an upcoming period of inactivity, during which time the band crafted its next record and Welch scored a chart-topping dance hit, "Sweet Nothing," with Scottish producer Calvin Harris.

Her third studio long-player, the Markus Dravs-produced How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, arrived in May 2015. Nominated for five Grammy Awards, it was the band's third consecutive number one U.K. album, topping charts in Australia, the U.S., and across Europe. A yearlong international tour and short film The Odyssey extended How Big's promotional cycle into 2016.

Their fourth effort, High as Hope, followed in 2018. Featuring production by Welch and Emile Haynie, the album included the singles "Sky Full of Song," "Big God," and "Hunger." Upon release, it entered the Top Three across the globe. While on the road promoting the effort, Welch issued the singles "Moderation" and "Jenny of Oldstones." The latter track appeared on the final season of television series Game of Thrones and became a modest chart hit.

Another single, "Light of Love," arrived in April 2020 as charity song released in response to the COVID-19 pandemic with proceeds going to Britain's Intensive Care Society. Welch also contributed the song "Call Me Cruella" to the soundtrack to Disney's live-action 2021 film Cruella. The Jack Antonoff co-produced "King" appeared in February 2022 as the first single released off the band's fifth studio album”.

Starting in September, the Dance Fever Tour will support the album and bring it around the world. One of the best albums from Florence + The Machine, it was a good time to unite some of their very best tracks. Led by the extraordinary Florence Welch, I would urge people to check out interviews with her in promotion of the album. The songs below prove that Florence + The Machine are…

A captivating force.

FEATURE: No Exit? What Is the Future of the Iconic Blondie?

FEATURE:

 

 

No Exit?

What Is the Future of the Iconic Blondie?

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IT is always sad…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Debbie Harry of Blondie in concert at the OVO Hydro, Glasgow/PHOTO CREDIT: Stuart Westwood/Shutterstock

when a legendary band calls time! A lot of them do so because they have been together for a while and have reached the end of the road. Blondie have been together for over forty-five years. Their most-recent album, Pollinator, was released in 2017. The band have been touring recently and proving just what a formidable force they are. Led by the sensational Debbie Harry, it has been a treat seeing the New York band reign and thrill the crowds. Before coming to my thoughts about their future, NME reviewed them earlier this month:  

“Before singing Blondie’s imperious 2010 single ‘Mother’, frontwoman Debbie Harry – whose band took home the NME Godlike Genius gong in 2014 – surveys the baying Manchester AO Arena crowd. “Well, it’s a holiday weekend – you can really destroy yourself tonight if you like!,” she jokes, before wistfully adding: “We were just saying, ‘Wow… it’s really been two years since I’ve done any singing.’ That’s really weird.’”

The deity’s latest tour is, with characteristic wry humour, called Against The Odds – and it’s increasingly lived up to its name. Announced during COVID, dates were rescheduled due to pandemic restrictions, with original support act Garbage replaced by hometown hero Johnny Marr. Then co-founder and guitarist Chris Stein announced he couldn’t tour because of health reasons, with Andee Blacksugar filling in for him. With the pleasing addition of former Sex Pistol Glen Matlock on bass, the group more than make up for lost time.

 Given that they share their name with a comic book character and are fronted by someone Iggy Pop once described as “Barbarella on speed”, it’s perhaps fitting the night begins with arresting graphic novel visuals of the band, as Harry delivers the impassive spoken-word opening of their 1976 bubblegum-punk debut single ‘X Offender’. At 76, she still looks (and sounds) every inch the exemplar of New York cool, like a living cartoon in a green leather outfit, shades and a halo of peroxide.

Marr expertly warms up the crowd with slam-dunk Smiths classics ‘Panic’, ‘This Charming Man’ and ‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’. And then Blondie arrive to pack in the future-nostalgic hits tighter than carbon molecules in a diamond: a hyper-aggressive ‘Hanging on the Telephone’, the irresistibly sweet ‘Sunday Girl’, the yearning ‘Picture This’ and a transcendent ‘Heart of Glass’ (the latter mixed in with a coda of Donna Summer’s disco touchstone ‘I Feel Love’). Having reformed in 1997, Blondie 2.0 have lasted longer than they did the first time around. Their more recent material duly shines: take 2017’s evocative ‘Long Time’ and the muscular ‘My Monster’, which featured on their last album ‘Pollinator’ and – fittingly – was written by Marr.

Clem Burke’s powerhouse drumming is always a thing of wonder, while guitarist Tommy Kessler is brought to the fore for showboating solos during ‘Atomic’. If the songs haven’t dated, neither has the band’s forward-thinking attitude. Introducing their 1999 comeback chart-topper ‘Maria’, Harry gives a subtle shout-out to trans rights: “I usually say that this is for the girls, but we’re living in a different world now, so anybody who feels like they want to be a girl – go right ahead.”

As the ominous organ music of Bach’s Toccata in D Minor kicks in, Blondie start the encore with the fan service curio ‘No Exit’, a one-woman version of their 1999 gangster-rap team-up with Coolio, Mobb Deep and Wu-Tang Clan. Then comes sprawling ‘Pollinator’ cut ‘Fragments’, before the classics ‘Call Me’ and ‘One Way Or Another’ elicit a predictably rowdy reaction. In 1979, Blondie’s first ever NME cover proclaimed “The revolution will be peroxide” – and tonight’s stellar performance showed a storied band unwilling to rest on their victory”.

I don’t think there has been any decision regarding Blondie’s future. I have been a fan since childhood, but I remember when they came back with 1999’s No Exit. Few would have expected the band to continue after 1982’s The Hunter (which is forty very soon). I have asked before whether we would get as Blondie biopic or one focused on Debbie Harry. Certainly, there is demand and a gap to fill. I realise there have been releases recently. A Sunday Girl E.P. came out, and I hear there are plans for a box-set soon enough. There are a lot of Blondie projects that could come about. In terms of books and documentaries, I think it is time to bring things up to date. I hope that there is another album. Maybe the band are thinking more in terms of gigs as opposed recording. Pollinator showed there is more than enough life left in the band. One of their very best, there is something evergreen and impressive about Blondie, as they surprise you. A big reason why I hope Blondie continue to make music is Debbie Harry. Although she is seventy-six, recent live performances show that she has this magnetism and vitality that has been there since the start! I am not sure whether Blondie have plans to slow down gigs, because the demand is there, and they have this amazing catalogue to get out there. Over forty-five years since they came onto the scene, the band are inspiring younger artists.

Their music remains hugely popular, and I know that we will be talking about the band for decades more. Not that it needs to be tied to an anniversary, but there is case for new Blondie love, in the form of books and documentaries. That biopic definitely needs to happen – if it is not already in the works -, and everyone hopes that we do get music in the future. Although Jimmy Destri is no longer in the fold, Harry, Clem Burke and Chris Stein remain from that classic line-up. Still holding a lot of love for each other, maybe only time itself will determine when Blondie stop. With a span of generations in their fanbase, it will be a sad day for so many people when Blondie stop! This year and next, it will be interesting to see what happens with them and where they go. I can imagine some songs have been bubbling, and Debbie Harry herself has said in the past how she would be open to a biopic – whether that is about her or Blondie. So inspiring to see a band like Blondie, who have been around for decades, still play big gigs and have that connection with the fans! There could also be a collection of Blondie deeper cut, as most of the collections concern the hits. Whatever is planned, nobody wants the phenomenal Blondie to call it quits. It seems evident that the band have…

SO much more to say.

FEATURE: The Haçienda at Forty: The Days and Decline of the Legendary Club

FEATURE:

 

 

The Haçienda at Forty

IN THIS PHOTO: The Haçienda in 1988 (Happy Mondays’ Bez can be seen second from the left)/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

The Days and Decline of the Legendary Club

__________

I guess one of the reasons…

 IN THIS PHOTO: The Haçienda in 1988/PHOTO CREDIT: Peter J Walsh/PYMCA/Avalon/Univeral Images Group via Getty

why legendary clubs eventually have to end is a combination of changing musical scenes, controversy and bad publicity, and a lack of financial viability. We have not long marked Studio 54’s forty-fifth anniversary. The legendary New York Disco club was a non-judgemental and all-inclusive club where people could be together. The glamour, excess, excitement and energy of the place must have been intoxicating. We do not really have clubs as iconic and steeped in history now. A club that is, in ways similar just poles away from Studio 54 is The Haçienda. On Saturday (21st), an iconic and much-missed music venue in Manchester turns forty. In fact, next month is twenty-five years since it lost its license. Fifteen years is not too bad a run for a club. One cannot say that The Haçienda was all for good. When it opened in 1982, it unleashed the Manchester House and Rave scene. Originally conceived by Rob Gretton, it was largely financed by the record label Factory Records and the band New Order along with label boss Tony Wilson. I am going to come to an article from 2020 that looked at the history and legacy of the club. One cannot say it was either a massive success or failure. The controversy, bad press and troubles that occurred creates a black mark…and yet The Haçienda was a haven and space for so many people to express themselves. VICE spoke with a few key players and people in 2020 about their experiences, recollections and memories of The Haçienda. It is interesting reading about its start:

“THE FOUNDATIONS

Peter Saville (Factory Records partner/graphic designer): In 1978, all the venues for the punk groups had systematically been closed by the authorities. On behalf of the youth culture of the city and, to some extent, as an ambassador of punk and new wave, Tony Wilson [Factory records partner/TV presenter] took it upon himself to find a venue, which he did, at the Russell Club, to start the Factory nights, which then turned into the label. When [Joy Division singer] Ian Curtis died, there was this unprecedented and unexpectedly enormous influx of money. Tony thought it would be a good idea to give the money back to Manchester.

Martin Moscrop (trumpeter, guitarist, A Certain Ratio): ACR went to New York with Tony to record our album. We spent a lot of time going out to these amazing clubs, like The Ritz, Tier 3 and the Danceteria. New Order did the same when they were out there. We used to talk about the clubs all the time. The more we spoke about it, the more the idea became reality.

Peter Saville: I was invited to look at this former boat showroom. It was a phenomenal but daunting space. It’s important to know, in whatever occupation you have, when something is beyond you. I knew it was not something I was able to do. But I knew a man that could: Ben Kelly.

Ben Kelly (architect/designer of the Haçienda): We did a big tour of this huge, cavernous, empty, dirty, scruffy building, which was amazing. Tony looked at me and said, “Well, do you want the job?” I said, “Of course I want the fucking job.”

Peter Hook (bassist, New Order): Tony and Rob Gretton [New Order manager/Factory partner] started the Haçienda for people like us - punks who had nowhere to go. It wasn't about making money, it was about housing oddballs.

Ben Kelly: They had never commissioned a nightclub, and I'd never designed one before. There was an awful lot of naivety, but I see that as a very positive strength, as there were no strings attached and no preconceptions. I went about the design as a journey. You arrive at the building to a very minimal sign, then, in the entrance, you pass through doors that had 5 and 1 cut out of them [FAC51 was the catalogue number given to the club by the label], with glass set into those two numbers, then to the bar around the dance floor.

IN THIS PHOTO: Clubbers in 1989/PHOTO CREDIT: Peter J Walsh/PYMCA/Avalon/Univeral Images Group via Getty 

The dance floor was one step raised off the floor, which was possibly a trip hazard, so I came up with the idea of roadside bollards. I set cat’s eyes in the floor in line with the bollards, thinking the light would shine on them and it was like a road – a journey. There was a narrative integrated into my design.

Peter Saville: It’s probably his opus work. It’s the only nightclub space that I've ever been in that looked better in daylight. It was spectacularly beautiful in the daylight.

Jon DaSilva (resident DJ): It wasn't your greasy, beer-stained 1970s club, it was a slice of New York in Manchester.

Peter Hook: The initial budget was around £70,000, but it cost £344,000 to build in 1981. That's equivalent to about £3 million now. Joy Division/New Order put in £100,000. Somebody once asked me who I thought was responsible for the ultimate demise of the Haçienda. The answer at the time was Ben Kelly. These days, of course, I realise that none of us were blameless.

Ben Kelly: It caused all sorts of frictions with New Order, with them being like, “Fucking Ben Kelly, he spent all the fucking money.” I think it went up their noses, mostly”.

I suppose that drugs, for better or worse, seemed to define The Haçienda at a certain point. Although the club had a sad and, to be fair, inevitable end by 1997, its peak and explosion will go down in history. There is no doubting the fact The Haçienda was a Mecca for the masses. To think of a club like that existing today is both exciting and also far-fetched. VICE also looked at an era and period when the sound and vibe of The Haçienda turned:

“ACID HOUSE, ECSTASY AND THE SUMMER OF LOVE

Aniff Akinola: Acid house was being played as early as 1984, but just not all the time. The earliest footage of acid house in the UK is from the 8411 Centre, Moss Side Precinct [Manchester] in 1986. It’s a 40-minute acid house set, and those kids are having it large. This was a staple for Black kids before it took off.

Hewan Clarke: They borrowed my records for that set.

Dave Haslam: I saw a gradual shift. The music was an evolution, not a revolution. The revolution was when ecstasy arrived. The dance floor dynamics really changed with that. On New Year's Eve, 1987, I played “Disco Inferno” and it sounded fantastic. Within probably three months the music policies of most nights all shifted to Detroit and Chicago house, because the drug use had changed.

Martin Moscrop: I remember being offered my first E by Bez in there. There were about 20 of us on it. The next week, 40 of us, the following week, 80, and then within a few months the whole club was on it. The music was already happening before the drugs, but E just made it explode.

Graeme Park: Mike Pickering asked me to cover for him when he was on holiday, but said, “You have to come up and check out Friday night first – things have changed, they are completely different.” And oh my god, he was right. Everyone had this mad look in their eyes and they dressed differently. My crowd in Nottingham looked like they’d stepped out of the pages of i-D or The Face, very designer and cool. At the Haçienda, it was dungarees, baggy shirts, the smiley face everywhere, bandanas. Everyone was wild. Mike opened up the DJ box to let me in, and he had that wild look in his eyes too. I was like, ‘What the hell?’ Then about 30 minutes later I got it.

Peter Hook: As Tony Wilson once said, ecstasy made white men dance. It also stopped everybody drinking alcohol, so club owners were profiting from overpriced bottles of water. Rob thought bottled water was the work of the devil, he wouldn’t stock it, insisting we give everybody free water if they ask for it. It was Suzanne in the kitchen that cottoned on and started selling the bottles in direct competition with the bar. Rob knew but didn’t care.

Anton Razak: In 1988, I went away for six weeks and I came back and everything had changed. Everyone is going “aciiid”, there’s yellow smiley faces everywhere. It was really weird. I didn't have a clue how somewhere could transform so much in such a short period of time.

Martin Moscrop: It was like punk all over again. It was a whole new movement, which was a godsend. It was a massive period for me.

Graeme Park: The combination of acid house, ecstasy and the fact that Haçienda was owned by Factory and New Order. All these things aligned and it just went mental.

Jon DaSilva: I left the DJ box one night and I was literally terrified because it was so exhilarating. The change of atmosphere and the way people were just losing it. This was at like 10PM.

Rowetta (singer, Happy Mondays): It did feel like a really hippy, happy time. Walking in to tunes I was singing on was really special. I didn’t realise my voice had been sampled on other tracks, I used to think I was hallucinating.

Fiona Allen: It was a vibrant creative period of time that I’d never seen in that city before. It was the most exciting club in the country”.

On Saturday, when The Haçienda turns forty, there will be memories and mixed reactions. I am going to wrap up soon but, as such a detailed and informative article about The Haçienda is out there, I wanted to source one more section from it. We know about the history of the club, in addition to the way it developed. Inevitable that there would be drug and violence issues with such a club, I don’t think that should define The Haçienda. In fact, the music, magic and togetherness that was felt in that space for fifteen years cannot be discounted! I think the closure of The Haçienda in 1997 almost marked the end of iconic clubs and that scene. We have music venues and nightclubs now and, whilst some have the giddiness and atmosphere of The Haçienda, I don’t think any could truly exist in the same way today – which is good in some ways. The VICE article talked about the club’s legacy:

“THE CLUB’S LEGACY

Dave Haslam: I remember Tony saying that he was OK with it closing. I think he understood that it achieved what it needed to achieve, in the same way as Jimi Hendrix or James Dean dying. Sometimes the legend lives on.

Bez: The best thing that ever happened to the Haçienda was it closing down. Had it carried on to the death, it wouldn’t have the legendary status.

DJ Paulette: I think it's good that it went when it did, because it managed to retain this special atmosphere – that's a very rare thing. Plus, the myth persists because there’s hardly any films or clips on YouTube. You have all these great memories but no footage.

Graeme Park: It bugs me that people talk about Haçienda as if, when it closed in ‘97, that was it. We've done loads of club nights, along with the Haçienda Classical. It’s still a club, it just doesn’t have a building.

Peter Hook: The wonderful thing about the Haçienda Classical is that you're promoting what the Haçienda achieved, instead of its mistakes.

Martin Moscrop: Mancunians are the worst offenders for holding onto things and always talking about the Haçienda. The nostalgia goes a bit far at times. We'll be having the “Haçienda On Ice” next. It was great times, but some people need to move on, really. It's not only the Haçienda, it's all the fucking idiots who like Oasis, or The Smiths fans who defend Morrissey's racism.

Peter Saville: Unquestionably, Ben's work with the Haçienda is the foundation stone of the idea of the regeneration of the city – it is the first project. It’s a rather unfortunate and ironic oversight of the public sector that the Haçienda was allowed to go. Sadly, the city council didn't get it at the beginning, and they didn't get it at the end.

Ben Kelly: There isn't a bloody day that goes by where I don't get somebody bothering me about it. For years, it pissed me off. It was the monkey on my back, because it just wouldn't go away, and people thought that's all I ever did. But I don’t complain anymore. It's amazing. It goes on and on, and it's incredible. The Haçienda never dies – it's embedded into our cultural history.

Ang Matthews: I'm stunned that people are still interested in it. I’m so proud of that time.

Whether you were there are not, so many people can relate to The Haçienda and what it represented. Its history, legacy and reputation is clear. On Saturday, it will be forty years since the club opened. Even if it was blighted by problems for some of its life, it gave so much to so many people. People are still talking about the club. I think that will continue for decades more! Definitely a unique moment in history, when it comes to The Haçienda, I don’t think that we will…

EVER see its like again.

FEATURE: Expanding the Work of a Genius: Kate Bush and the Cassette Market

FEATURE:

 

 

Expanding the Work of a Genius:

Kate Bush and the Cassette Market

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MAYBE this is a little tenuous…

but I have been thinking about Kate Bush’s work and how it is great her albums are on vinyl. There was a time when one could not get everything from her on vinyl. Maybe because of lower demand or production, that was remedied in 2018. On her Fish People label, fans could enjoy the studio albums on their true form. I am not against digital at all, but the sound quality is definitely not as good on this form. Some may debate that claim, though there is a sensational and tangible excitement you get when listening to vinyl. Bush’s albums are on CD - but I think fewer people are buying them compared to vinyl. One of the great things about Bush’s music is how it can go wherever you do. There is this aspect and quality that gets her music into the blood. I think portability of music is an important thing, and Kate Bush’s music definitely takes on new relevance and resonance when you listen on the go. Again, streaming and the digital allows this, but I think that people tend to skip through tracks or do not investigate entire albums. Over the years, devices like the Sony Discman and Walkman have fallen out of favour somewhat. That said, the cassette is making a real comeback. So many new artists put out their albums on tape. Rathe than it being a nostalgic thing, this is the artist using the relevance of physical music to connect with fans. I keep saying how there needs to be a new Walkman to accommodate the rise of cassette sales and the fact so many artists are releasing them.

Maybe, if an artist like Bush released her catalogue on cassette, it might promote the invention of a portable device for cassettes. There is definitely a market for Bush’s albums on cassette. I have her albums on CD and vinyl. But CDs are for the car, and vinyl is for the home. I yearn to hear Bush’s music on the move and in a variety of locations, without having to stream her music. A slightly warmer sound comes from the physical. The fact, too, that you cannot skip tracks and have to listen to albums through means that there is something special about cassettes. One can buy some of her albums on cassette, yet they are not widely available. It makes me think about record shops in general. Whilst CDs and vinyl sit alongside one another, cassettes are not stocked at all. Maybe second-hand record shops have them in, although it is rare. Whereas artists now are selling cassettes mainly online, there should be a move to bring them to shops. Coming back to Kate Bush, and I would love to see her albums put onto cassette. Whereas she remastered and re-released her studio albums on vinyl in 2018, 2022 or next year would be a perfect time to consider it. Some may argue that, in general, the demand for cassette is much lower than vinyl, so that it would be a gamble to put albums out on cassette. I would disagree. It would not only be Kate Bush fans that would buy the cassettes.

Having all ten studios on cassette would be a treasure for fans, but it would also bring new ears in. I would especially love The Kick Inside on cassette; Hounds of Love would be awesome too! In fact, each album would. The compact nature of a cassette means that it is very handy and portable. There is something about them that makes the artwork shine. It is hard to explain, but it would complete the physical set. Aside from the ones you can get on sites like Discogs, having a range available on other websites and in chains like HMV would be great. In terms of retail price, they can be stocked for under £10 each - making them more affordable than CDs and vinyl. A couple drawbacks with cassettes relate to their fragility. They can become unspooled and they are a bit more delicate than vinyl. If they are treated well, they can be listened to and enjoyed decades from now! Kate Bush is one of the most treasured artists ever…and having each of her studio albums on cassette in a new series would seem like completion. It would, let’s hope, encourage the manufacturing on a modern-day Sony Walkman. Kate Bush still records to tape (in addition to digital), so it is only fitting that a music queen gets acknowledged this way! The new releases would definitely get her…

SEAL of approval.

FEATURE: So Much Things to Say: Bob Marley & The Wailers’ Exodus at Forty-Five

FEATURE:

 

 

So Much Things to Say

Bob Marley & The Wailers’ Exodus at Forty-Five

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NOT only one of the most influential…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Bob Marley and the Wailers at the Rainbow Rehearsals, Basing Street Studios, London in 1977

Reggae albums of all time, Bob Marley & The Wailers’ Exodus is considered to be one of the greatest albums ever. Released on 3rd June, 1977, I wanted to mark the forty-fifth anniversary of a classic. As it turns forty-five next month, I would encourage people to buy the album. On 3rd December, 1976, Bob Marley survived an assassination attempt in which his chest was grazed, and his arm was struck with a bullet, but he survived. After this harrowing incident, Marley left Jamaica and was exiled to London, where Exodus was recorded. Containing some of the group’s best work – including Waiting in Vain, Jamming, Exodus, and Three Little Birds – Exodus is an immaculate collection! Perhaps not as urgent and political as some of Bob Marley & The Wailers’ other work, Exodus is more accessible…though it is full of important songs and phenomenal performances. Before coming to a couple of glowing reviews for Exodus, there are articles that explain the story behind the album. The first feature, from udiscovermusic.com, looks back at Bob Marley’s role as a political and spiritual figure:

“A key figure of power and political influence”

Even before Exodus, Marley had become one of the best-known figures in the Third World. As Timothy White noted in Catch A Fire: The Life Of Bob Marley, the reggae star was “quoted as a poet, heralded as the West Indian Bob Dylan, even the Jamaican Jomo Kenyatta [Prime Minister and founding father of post-colonial Kenya].” This made Marley a key figure of power and political influence, whether he liked it or not. On returning to Jamaica after the Rastaman Vibration tour in 1976, he soon found himself caught up in events leading up to the general election of December 15.

The standing Prime Minister Michael Manley cajoled Marley into agreeing to perform at a free concert called Smile Jamaica, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, to be staged ten days before the election. Manley reasoned that this “Jamaican Woodstock” would help to defuse tensions on the street before the election, while no doubt hoping it would deliver him a significant propaganda coup into the bargain. Tensions, however, remained anything but defused when, just after sunset on December 3, two cars drove through the front gate of Marley’s home at 56 Hope Road and unloaded several armed men who attacked the house where the Wailers were rehearsing.

Marley was hit by a bullet that creased his breast below his heart and lodged in his left arm. His wife Rita’s skull was grazed by a bullet that left her miraculously unharmed, while Marley’s manager, Don Taylor, was hit by five bullets in his lower body, which also somehow failed to kill him. The Smile Jamaica Concert went ahead at the National Heroes Park, Kingston two days later on 5 December. With the bullet still lodged in his arm, Marley demonstrated exactly why his street name was Tuff Gong, as he and the Wailers courageously put on a 90-minute performance in front of an audience of 80,000 fans, which mercifully passed off without incident. The next morning, Marley flew out of Jamaica and would not return for more than a year.

Shared punk’s outsider perspective of society

While his music had little in common with the abrasive, adrenaline-rush sound of punk rock, Marley shared punk’s outsider perspective of society as part of an established order that needed to change. After the Clash included Junior Murvin’s “Police And Thieves” on their first album, Marley wrote “Punky Reggae Party,” a song with a guest list that made his own allegiances abundantly clear. “New wave, new craze/The Jam, the Damned, the Clash/Wailers still be there/Dr Feelgood too,” he sang. The number was released as the B-side to “Jamming,” which reached No.9 in the UK singles chart, confirming Marley as a key figure in forging the unlikely but enduring alliance between UK punk and reggae.

The brush with death in Jamaica and the ensuing change of scene seemed to galvanize Marley creatively. “After the shooting, me never want to just think about shooting,” Marley told Vivien Goldman of Sounds. “So me just ease up me mind and go in a different bag. What me stand for me always stand for. Jah [God] is my strength.” The “different bag” was, in truth, not so different from previous albums, but Marley was now tapping into the motherlode with new confidence and urgency. There were two distinct sides to Exodus – literally so in its original vinyl format.

On Side One, the fire and brimstone was brought from simmering to boiling point as Marley offered a fiercely religious and politicized prescription for solving the ills of the world in a series of songs – “Natural Mystic,” “So Much Things To Say,” “Guiltiness,” “The Heathen” – each more messianic than the last. The side closed with the title track, a rippling, surging, seven-minute call to arms for a nation of displaced souls on the march to a new spiritual homeland. “We know where we’re going/We know where we’re from/We’re leaving Babylon,” Marley sang against a cyclical riff that was turned, like clay on a potter’s wheel, to perfection.

Sermon over, the party kicked off on Side Two with “Jamming,” the song which would later inspire Stevie Wonder’s ode to Marley “Masterblaster.” “Waiting In Vain” was a yearning expression of unrequited love that emphasized Marley’s often-overlooked skill and sense of humor as a lyric writer: “It’s been three years since I’m knocking on your door/And I still can knock some more/Ooh girl, is it feasible?” he pleaded. After the simple expression of optimism encapsulated in “Three Little Birds” (“Every little thing gonna be all right”), the album ended with a reprise of the Wailers 1965 single “One Love” an inspirational message of faith, harmony, and solidarity now spliced to the Curtis Mayfield tune of “People Get Ready”.

Classic Album Sundays is a magnificent album that has influenced and inspired so many people since 1977. It is a record that will go down as one of the all-time greats. The mixture of beauty and power makes it such a broad and appealing album that appeals to Reggae diehards and those who are not huge fans of the genre:

“Released in the summer of 1977, Bob Marley and The Wailers’ ‘Exodus’ is considered one of the most important reggae albums of all time. It spawned five hit singles: ‘Exodus’, ‘Waiting In Vain’, ‘Jamming’, ‘Three Little Birds’ and ‘One Love / People Get Ready’, peaked at Number 20 on the Billboard Pop Chart and was coined ‘the best album of the 20th century’ by Time magazine in 1999. It propelled Bob Marley into international stardom and set the stage for his most memorable performance at the One Love Peace Concert where he joined the hands of opposing party members Michael Manley of the People’s National Party and Edward Seaga of the Jamaican Labor Party.

The album is Marley’s most political and religious work but it also features beautiful, vivacious and downright funky and sexy jams. As a committed Rastafarian, Marley would often quote from The Bible, so it was no surprise that he chose to name his album after The Old Testament’s second book which portrays the exodus of the Israelites. However, there is another reason for the title choice as ‘Exodus’ also portrays a man experiencing his own personal exodus.

Marley and his wife Rita were shot in 1976 during an invasion into their own home two days before they were to play at the Smile Jamaica concert which was primarily an election rally for Michael Manley who was Jamaican Prime Minister at the time. They were both seriously wounded but despite the assassination attempt, Marley played the show and afterward he and his crew promptly left for London.

London was not only the other home of Island boss Chris Blackwell, but also the home of thousands of Jamaicans who had their own distinct community within the city. ‘Exodus’ was recorded at Blackwell’s Basing Street Studios in London in West London which was one heart of the Jamaican community. There in the Ladbroke Grove area is where Notting Hill Carnival started and clubs like the Metro Youth Club featured sounds like Dennis Bovell’s Sufferer Hi-Fi who played dub plates from Marley’s work in progress”.

To properly mark the approaching forty-fifth anniversary of Exodus, it is worth uniting a couple of reviews. AllMusic gave their thoughts on a mighty and enormously important album;

“After the success of 1974's Natty Dread and 1976's Rastaman Vibration, Bob Marley was not only the most successful reggae musician in the world, he was one of the most powerful men in Jamaica. Powerful enough, in fact, that he was shot by gunmen who broke into his home in December 1976, days before he was to play a massive free concert intended to ease tensions days before a contentious election for Jamaican Prime Minister. In the wake of the assassination attempt, Marley and his band left Jamaica and settled in London for two years, where he recorded 1977's Exodus. Thematically, Exodus represented a subtle but significant shift for Marley; while he continued to speak out against political corruption and for freedom and equality for Third World people, his lyrics dealt less with specifics and more with generalities and the need for peace and love (though "So Much Things to Say," "Guiltiness," and "The Heathen" demonstrate the bullets had taken only so much sting out of Marley's lyrics).

And while songs like "Exodus" and "One Love/People Get Ready" were anthemic, they also had less to say than the more pointed material from Marley's earlier albums. However, if Marley had become more wary in his point of view (and not without good cause), his skill as a songwriter was as strong as ever, and Exodus boasted more than a few classics, including the title song, "Three Little Birds," "Waiting in Vain," and "Turn Your Lights Down Low," tunes that defined Marley's gift for sounding laid-back and incisive at once. His gifts as a vocalist were near their peak on these sessions, bringing a broad range of emotional color to his performances, and this lineup of the Wailers -- anchored by bassist Aston "Family Man" Barrett, drummer Carlton Barrett, and guitarist Julian "Junior" Murvin -- is superb, effortlessly in the pocket throughout. Exodus was recorded at a time when Bob Marley was learning about the unexpected costs of international stardom, but it hadn't yet sapped his creative strengths, and this is one of the finest albums in his stellar catalog”.

I am going to wrap things up with another review. This one comes from the BBC. They argued how Exodus should be ranked alongside the very best work from Bob Marley & The Wailers – maybe sitting at the top spot:  

“Widely considered to be his best work, no other album has as many tracks featured on Legend; the biggest selling reggae record of all time. Exodus was also recorded between two key events in the Marley story; the assassination attempt and the One Love Peace Concert, marking his transformation from rebel to superstar in the eyes of the world.

Fittingly, it’s an album of two halves; opening with the slow fade-up of ''Natural Mystic'', followed by the exuberant ''So Much Things To Say''; with Bob’s reggae-scat on the final verse mimicking the ‘nonsense talk’ all around him. ''Guiltiness'' and ''The Heathen'' explore darker territory, before the glorious primordial shuffle of the title track.

''Jamming'' signals the change in tone, followed by ''Waiting In Vain'' (how to write the perfect love song using a few deft strokes) and the Clapton-esque ''Turn Your Lights Down Low'' (how not to). The album closes with the uplifting ''Three Little Birds'', and Curtis Mayfield adaptation ''One Love''.

Exodus was book-ended by the less well-received Rastaman Vibration and Kaya, which, oddly, both possess the one thing Exodus doesn’t; a sense of unity across the tracks. While the earlier songs could easily have ended up on Kaya (the sessions overlapped) the later ones sound like they came from a different session altogether”.

I know people will talk about Exodus on the forty-fifth anniversary on 3rd June. During a glorious run of albums from Bob Marley & The Wailers, Exodus arrived in the world. It must have been amazing hearing it for the first time! Forty-five years later, the album still sounds glorious and really like nothing else that has been recorded! Split over two halves – the more political compared with songs that are slower in tempo -, the amazing Exodus is…

A world-class album.

FEATURE: Paul McCartney at Eighty Paul McCartney and Me: The Interviews: Robert Lane

FEATURE:

 

 

Paul McCartney at Eighty

IN THIS PHOTO: Paul McCartney in 1964/PHOTO CREDIT: RA/Lebrecht Music & Arts

Paul McCartney and Me: The Interviews: Robert Lane

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I am almost at the end...

 PHOTO CREDIT: Richard Shakespeare

of my forty-feature run ahead of Paul McCartney’s eightieth birthday next month. In fact, this is the thirty-seventh piece. I have a final one planned for the week before his birthday, so there might be a bit of a gap after the next feature before the final two! This is an interview with musician and Macca fan Robert Lane. An incredible musician that I have following for years, he has provided his experiences and words about what Paul McCartney’s music means to him. It has been fascinating discovery the impact McCartney’s music has made on Robert. It is clear that the icon is...

 PHOTO CREDIT: Alamy

A musician that the world adores. 

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Hi Robert. In the lead-up to Paul McCartney’s eightieth birthday on 18th June, I am interviewing different people about their love of his music and when they first discovered the work of a genius. When did you first discover Paul McCartney’s music? Was it a Beatles, Wings or solo album that lit that fuse?

When I was very small, I was cast as Sgt Pepper in the school Christmas show, The Christmas Postman. So my first exposure to McCartney was singing and marching along to the title track, with a moustache painted on my face, and some other less enthusiastic children behind me as ‘my band’.

In order to practice for the play, Mum bought the album on cassette, and I remember the first sound that came out of the tape deck was the weird backwards-party noise at the end of the album.

We also had some Beatles ‘learn keyboard’ books in the house, and I can remember looking at the titles and wondering what the songs like You Won’t See Me might be about…

“It confirmed my suspicions about Paul: amazing musician, songs pouring out of him, but also micromanaging to the extreme”.

Like me, you must have been engrossed by The Beatles: Get Back on Disney+. How did it change your impression of The Beatles at that time, and specifically Paul McCartney’s role and influence on the rest of the band? Did you have any favourite moments from the three-part documentary?

I absorbed it like it was air!

It was fascinating (and sort of reassuring) to see that, like most people trying to make creative things happen, they often just bashed away at a fragment until it went somewhere. It’s easy to imagine their songs just fell out fully-formed and everyone knew what they were going to do next; as if they were as familiar with the songs then as we are now.

It confirmed my suspicions about Paul: amazing musician, songs pouring out of him, but also micromanaging to the extreme. My biggest takeaway was why didn’t they just have some time off after The White Album (The Beatles, 1968) and hang out together for a bit, rather than decide to do a T.V. show featuring all new songs!

That’s the beauty of The Beatles of course - always pushing on to the next thing.

If you had to select your favourite Beatles, Wings and McCartney albums (one each), which would they be and why?

Revolver

Wonderful experimentation, great mix of styles. Most importantly, fantastic songs.

McCartney

A couple of the best solo Macca tunes. Love the homemade vibe.

Wings Over America

Mainly for the vocal on Call Me Back Again.

“What must that have felt like to an artist who, up until then, had been met with complete success in his recording career? His response: keep making music. Keep writing songs. Very inspiring”.

As a songwriter yourself, how important has Paul McCartney been? What is it about his talent and innovation that resonates with you?

This is a hard question to answer, because it would be like trying to explain how important cellular respiration has been in my life. I’ll try and give a less obvious example I was thinking about recently. After The Beatles split, the first several albums Paul put out were not massively successful, with one even being restructured after rejection by the record label. What must that have felt like to an artist who, up until then, had been met with complete success in his recording career? His response: keep making music. Keep writing songs. Very inspiring.

Have you covered one of McCartney’s songs before? Is there one from him, Wings or his Beatles cannon that you are keen to interpret?

I’ve played loads of Paul songs. Almost all of them have something about that them that makes them challenging to play or sing…but it’s always rewarding getting into the nitty-gritty of how they work. During lockdown, I was asked to cover a Beatles song for a project and I chose Things We Said Today. It was a lot of fun getting very obsessed about things, like when the vocal was a double-tracked melody or doing a harmony etc.

 I feel that McCartney is a celebrated songwriter, but he remains undervalued in ways. A few of his albums do not get proper acclaim. What do you feel about this?

With such a large and groundbreaking back catalogue, it would be impossible for everything to get equal attention. Take the song For No One on Revolver. If that was by anybody else it would be a their most famous song, but as a Beatles tune it’s ‘just’ an album track. Then there’s albums like Ram, which I understand was met with a bit of a whimper when it was released, but it has gone on to become a very influential record. 

Do you have a lyric or line of his that means more than the rest or is particularly personal?

Hundreds! Possibly She’s Leaving Home is the best.

There will be a lot of eyes on him when he headlines Saturday night at Glastonbury on 25th June. What do you think we might get from that set in terms of the energy and songs choices?

It’s not always easy being a McCartney fan, and familiarity breeds contempt. So I guess he’ll do Hey Jude and split the audience into boys and girls to sing “Na na na nananana”.

I’m sure there will be a lot of love flowing from the crowd to Paul and back again. And, whatever he plays, it’s a privilege to exist at the same time as him.

”... there’s a small group that go beyond music into something approaching a way of life…”

Maybe an impossible question, but what does Paul McCartney, as a human and songwriting icon, personally mean to you?

I like…no, love, a lot of music and musicians. Amongst that, there’s a small group that go beyond music into something approaching a way of life. And at the top of the pile is McCartney and his friends from Liverpool.

If you could get a single gift for McCartney for his eightieth birthday, what would you get him?

I’d give him the original Beatles bass: the Hofner that was stolen at some point in 1969. The one he still owns and plays on stage today is a Beatles bass: a ’63 model he ordered as a replacement for the original ’61 he bought in Hamburg. Both can be seen in the Get Back doc, but the older one went missing just after that.

The man can buy himself almost anything. But not that, because no-one knows where it is!

Were you to have the chance to interview Paul McCartney, what is the one question you would ask him?

I genuinely think I would be unable to speak. Trying to think of something interesting that he hasn’t heard a million times before would probably make me very stressed…

Should I try and tell you that I would ask something worthy and deep about the creative process, or be a fanboy and ask something silly about The Beatles?

“Paul, where can I get a woolly jumper like the ones you wear in the Magical Mystery Tour film and the video for Waterfalls?”

To end, I will round off the interview with a Macca song. It can be anything he has written or contributed to. Which song should I end with?

Every Night.

FEATURE: The Lockdown Playlist: The Incredible Women of the 1990s

FEATURE:

 

 

The Lockdown Playlist

IN THIS PHOTO: Tori Amos 

The Incredible Women of the 1990s

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I have been watching Top of the Pops…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Björk

on Saturday evenings, where they provide a rundown of a particular year and the biggest songs. At the moment, they are covering the 1990s. 1998 has just been covered and, thinking back, one of the things that defines the decade is the incredible women. Whether it is the bands led by amazing women or solo artists/duos that captivated us, one of the reasons music of the ‘90s struck me and has stayed with me is because of female artists (whether they started their careers in the ‘90s or helped make the decade stronger). Trailblazers and hugely influential artists defined a glorious decade that influences so many artists today. I could not include all the phenomenal women of the decade but, for this playlist, I have assembled a selection of tracks from some of the strongest and most important. This is a ‘90s playlist of sensational songs…

 IN THIS PHOTO: En Vogue

FROM powerful and brilliant women.

FEATURE: Revisiting… Dua Lipa – Dua Lipa

FEATURE:

 

 

Revisiting…

Dua Lipa – Dua Lipa

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BECAUSE it turns five on 2nd June…

I thought I would feature Dua Lipa’s eponymous in this Revisiting… An album that introduced us to one of the world’s greatest and most accomplished Pop artists, the past few years have seen her grow from a promising and hugely exciting artist to someone who is commanding respect like few of her peers! With recent gigs cementing her as a modern Pop artist who can rival the all-time great idols, it will be exciting watching Lipa thrill on her third album. 2020’s Future Nostalgia is one of the great Pop albums of the past decade. I will come to a couple of reviews for Dua Lipa. I think that Lipa’s debut album is underrated. It received a lot of positive reviews, but there were others more cautious and reserved. Maybe there will be reappraisal ahead of the fifth anniversary of Dua Lipa next month. Before coming to a couple of positive reviews, I will source an interview with Lipa from 2017. Born in London, Dua Lipa is the eldest child of Kosovo-Albanian parents Anesa and Dukagjin Lipa from Pristina, FR Yugoslavia (present-day Kosovo). The rising Pop artist spoke with NME shortly before the release of her debut album:

“When people used to ask what I wanted to be I’d always say a singer, but I never thought it was a real job. I thought it was as far-fetched as cartoon characters on TV,” she says. Born in London to Albanian parents who left Kosovo in the ’90s, Lipa can remember making up dance routines in the playground to Jamelia’s ‘Superstar’ and Ciara’s ‘1, 2 Step’. Her dream seemed even more unlikely after her family returned to Kosovo when she was 11, calling time on Saturday classes at Sylvia Young Theatre School, where Amy Winehouse and Rita Ora – herself an immigrant from Kosovo – also started out. “Music there was so different,” Lipa says. “It just didn’t compare to the pop stars I’d see on TV, like Britney Spears and Destiny’s Child.”

Because Kosovo felt so constraining, a 15-year-old Lipa persuaded her parents she should return to London alone, so she could study full-time at Sylvia Young. “There was an older girl from Kosovo moving to London at the same time and my parents knew her parents, so they said I could live with her. Like a kind of guardian.” The two girls ended up sharing a flat in Kilburn, but the guardian thing never happened – Lipa had to go at it alone. “She was super-busy with her boyfriend and stressed with her studies. So I’d have lots of friends over all the time and I’d always be on FaceTime with my parents.”

At 15, music was Lipa’s biggest focus, and she was already learning life skills most of us don’t think about until university. “The cooking and the cleaning… that was tough,” she says with a self-deprecating laugh. “I mean, the realisation that no one was going to clean up after me was tough! But stuff like that really made me grow up before my time. It helped me mature, I guess, and made me who I am today. I’m really grateful for it, but I do remember it being a struggle. My mum came to visit once, opened my wardrobe and said, ‘What are all these clothes?’ I was like, ‘Those are all the dirty clothes that I’ve never washed!’”

The hustle paid off and at 18 she signed a record deal. But that wasn’t the end goal. Since then, she’s stayed in firm control of how she’s portrayed, who she works with and how she manages her ascent to stardom. She’s scored big hits with Sean Paul (‘No Lie’) and EDM star Martin Garrix (‘Scared To Be Lonely’), but she’s rejected other features because they didn’t feel right. “I knew there was a possibility they could push me to a larger audience, but I think when features aren’t done correctly they don’t represent who you are as an artist and you get a bit lost.”

Lipa co-wrote most of her album, but breakthrough banger ‘Be The One’ was given to her by songwriters Lucy Taylor and Nicholas James Gale. “As much as I loved the song, at first I wasn’t sure I wanted to record it because I hadn’t written it,” she recalls. “It was a pride thing, but it was also like, ‘I can’t take a song I haven’t written because then no one will believe I write any of my own stuff.’ But I just had to get over it. And now that song has helped me to get the stuff that I did write out there.”

The hard work doesn’t stop with a hit-packed, chart-ready debut album. She’s now preparing for a massive Glastonbury performance of her own and a whole summer of festivals. Everything revolves around building brand Lipa. “It’s like when you hear a voice on the radio and think, ‘Well, that’s Ed Sheeran.’ I want people to hear my voice, or my name, and think, ‘That’s the girl who sings ‘Hotter Than Hell’. That’s the girl who sings ‘Be The One’”.

I will come to some positive feedback for an album that, looking back, is an outstanding debut. Even though Dua Lipa would reach wider and higher for 2020’s Future Nostalgia, she was twenty-one when her debut arrived. CLASH had their say when they sat down with her album:

“Dua Lipa — who doesn’t require a stage name because her birth one is so striking — has made it very clear in press releases and interviews that this album is, well, her. It’s not a performance but a set of songs that reflect her life and the fact we all “go through the same fucking shit”. The question is: do we believe her?

When artists write about themselves, they’re expected to really bare their souls. It’s probably time this idea was disregarded, thrown to the wayside. Good music doesn’t have to have the tortured soul of an artist lurking beneath it. On Dua Lipa’s self-titled debut the London-born, Kosovo-raised artist gets personal. But she does so without resorting to bombast — at least for the most part. Dua Lipa isn’t baring her tortured innermost self, she’s singing songs about her life, her ups and her downs. This balance is undoubtedly refreshing.

Lipa, who made her name via Youtube at the age of 16, is only 21 but her music belies the confidence of someone older. She mentions J. Cole, Nelly Furtado and Christina Aguilera as influences, no surprise there given her sound. More surprising, however, are her references to the Stereophonics and Robbie Williams.

On first listen, what’s most striking about the twelve-song album is how Lipa manages to keep things texturally interesting. Of course, throughout the album there are increases and decreases in intensity. But Dua Lipa never relies on these to keep the listener hooked — that’s where the detailed percussion and satisfyingly complex melodies come in.

Slowburner ‘Genesis’ kicks off the album but ‘Hotter Than Hell’ is the first track to up the ante. Although it’s well produced, ‘Hotter Than Hell’ lacks a little of the genuine energy of Lipa’s other singles. ‘Be The One’, which follows, sparkles with that missing zeal. It’s a track to rival the best efforts of Lipa’s big-name pop contemporaries: a slinking baseline and vibrant, layered melodies.

The amusingly named ‘IDGAF’ takes crisp, almost militaristic drums and combines them with some of Lipa’s most cutting lyrics. When she sings: “You say you're sorry / But it's too late now / So save it, get gone, shut up / 'Cause if you think I care about you now / Well, boy, I don't give a fuck”, it’s easy to believe she means it. The touch of MNEK on production is notable — ‘IDGAF’ is likely the best track off the album.

Dua Lipa does encounter some minor pitfalls. On ‘Garden’, she succumbs to overproduced drums and lacklustre lyrics. When she sings: “Are we leaving this garden of Eden? / Now I know what I know / But it’s hard to find the meaning,” the dramatism falls somewhat flat. ‘New Rules’ brings things back on track, with pattering drums leading into a scorching chorus as elements of bashment, tropical house and glitchy horn-laced pop vie for attention. Tracks like ‘New Rules’ demonstrate exactly why critics picked Lipa out as one to watch last year.

The final result is a debut album brimming with confidence, confidence not only in Lipa’s own voice and her eye for a chorus, but in the emotive quality of her lyrics. When Dua Lipa reaches for the personal, she sounds like she's doing so because that’s where her best music emerges from, not because she think that’s what authentic artists do”.

If you not heard Dua Lipa in a while or want to go back ahead of its fifth anniversary, now would be a good time. It still sounds pretty fresh. Not losing any of its momentum and personality, it bears repeated plays after five years. AllMusic had their say about the incredible Dua Lipa:

“With the confidence and determination of a seasoned vet, English-Albanian singer/songwriter Dua Lipa crafted a delightful collection of catchy pop gems where the songs only serve to highlight her vocal prowess. Lithe enough to avoid production overkill and containing just enough substance to nourish, Dua Lipa arrived after years of studio time and six big singles (three of which became U.K. Top 40 hits). The album is front-loaded with those highlights, creating a rush of dancefloor intensity with "Hotter Than Hell," "Be the One," "Blow Your Mind (Mwah)," and the duet with Miguel, "Lost in Your Light." The second half of the LP shines an extra spotlight on Lipa's voice, which, to some extent, can echo the control and power of Adele and Sia. "Garden" is a sweeping, soulful number that does just that, combining the dramatics of a slow-burning Sia ballad with Adele's delivery. "No Goodbyes" is another emotional journey, one of the handful of absolutely yearning and pained confessions from Lipa's broken heart. The acoustic R&B "Thinking 'Bout You" smolders, a lovelorn lament that finds Lipa exhausting her chemical outlets in an attempt to forget a past romance.

In a similar vein, "New Rules" is all house-inflected shine, a cautionary list that cleverly warns "if you're under him, you're not over him." In addition to Miguel, a pair of other guests contribute additional highlights. The MNEK-produced kiss-off "IDGAF" is a cheeky, Ed Sheeran-esque singalong that provides a perfect anthem for anyone who has ever been burned by love. "Homesick" -- written by Chris Martin -- could be a direct sequel to Coldplay's 2016 single "Everglow." The delicate ballad reveals Lipa's vulnerability and softness, the defenses of studio production stripped away, leaving only Lipa, Martin, and a twinkling piano. Such exposure isn't found elsewhere on the rest of the album, which is mostly concerned with self-empowerment and Lipa's refreshingly defiant attitude. It's moments like this one that strike such a satisfying balance on Dua Lipa, an excellent first effort from a budding pop star”.

This series is about looking back at albums from the past five years that are worth another spin. I have extended the parameter by a few weeks, as Dua Lipa is coming up for its fifth anniversary. Few, despite their faith, would have guest how she would have progressed and grown as an artist from 2017 to now! Still in her twenties, she will continue to evolve as an artist. With Pop pearls like New Rules, IDGAF and Hotter Than Hell, Dua Lipa is…

A mighty debut album.  

FEATURE: Paul McCartney at Eighty: Thirty-Six: His Best Basslines

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Paul McCartney at Eighty

PHOTO CREDIT: Express/Getty Images 

Thirty-Six: His Best Basslines

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THERE are so many different…

facets and sides to Paul McCartney. From his incredible and timeless songwriting gift to his amazing consistency and endurance, there is so much to admire about the former Beatle. Today, I am going to put out a playlist containing some of McCartney’s best basslines. We all associate McCartney with his musicianship and versatility. Even though he is a master of so many instruments, I feel bass is his true love and what people associate him with. Many might debate the playlist but, below, we have the finest bass work from the incredible Paul McCartney. Ahead of his eightieth birthday in June, I am putting out forty features to celebrate the milestone. I don’t think there are any bass players quite like Macca. He has a talented and range that is staggering! Here are great basslines from…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Ullstein Bild/Getty Images

THE virtuosic Paul McCartney.  

FEATURE: Hello Earth! When Will We Properly Celebrate Kate Bush’s Legacy and Importance?

FEATURE:

 

 

Hello Earth!

When Will We Properly Celebrate Kate Bush’s Legacy and Importance?

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THERE will always be…

articles written about Kate Bush. She is always relevant, so there is something to write about all of the time. That is great. I have mentioned it before, but there is far less out there when it comes to documentaries and podcasts. In terms of the podcast markets, aside from fan-led ones that are broadcast every few months or so, there is nothing bigger in terms of guest calibre and scope. I have been meaning to launch a podcast myself but, due to a lack of recording space, it is harder to get off of he ground. The documentary side of things is far quieter. There has been some discussion, as a new documentary on YouTube, Running Up That Hill: How Kate Bush Became Queen of Alt-Pop | New British Canon, explores the icon. You can watch it here, and it is described thus:

“The mid-80s was make-or-break time for Kate Bush. Since her breakthrough in 1978, she’d been gradually alienating her fans with successive ambitious but non-commercial left turns. As such, her label EMI was seriously concerned for her future as a pop artist.

However, that all changed in 1985. She returned after 18 months at her farmhouse recording studio with her weirdness intact and a song about Faustian-deals, body swapping and the power of love. And it saved her career. This is New British Canon and this is the story of “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)”.

Although the documentary is quite short, it does cover quite a lot and is definitely made with passion. It is made with plenty of affection, but at about half an hour, it is not going to go into too much depth. I think that it is the issue when it comes to documentaries and podcasts about Kate Bush. They come about so rarely, and when they are do, they are brief. Questions are always asked about these podcasts/documentaries, as to whether they do Bush full justice. The answer is almost always ‘no’. For forty-five years, Kate Bush has wowed the world and stood out as one of the most astonishing and individual artists ever. Maybe there will be more coverage and exploration as we get to the fortieth anniversary of The Dreaming in September. Perhaps there is not going to be anything as expensive as a multi-part documentary, but there might be a podcast or two and some articles. Recently, several artists were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, including Duran Duran. Kate Bush, nominated for a third time, was denied entry! I feel it is the American audience and market that is less familiar and adoring of her that means, even though she is worthy of being in such esteemed company, will never get there.

An alien in outer space looking down on Earth can see how important Kate Bush is and why she is so special. Every day, as I have explained, there are tweets and endless thoughts about her music and brilliance. More than almost every other artist, there is this passion and dedication that has remained and seems to increase. Looking back through the archives, there is not anything that has adequately and properly dug to the core of Kate Bush. Something that goes from childhood and the earliest days through to now, sure, would take a long time to cover, but it would be proper tribute to an iconic artist. Kate Bush turns sixty-five next year, so maybe that is the time to launch something like that. Not that we can complain too much. If there are documentaries, videos and podcasts, then that is a good thing. They add to the conversation about Kate Bush, and they provide opportunity for people to discover her music fresh, or think about it in a different way. There does need to be something that is more than a question answered or an album explored. Such a long and important career deserves sufficient length and coverage! There was a lot of negative reaction around the fact Bush was excluded from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It shows there is this justification that she is incredibly influential and worthy of the highest honours.

What is the solution going forward? I do think that there could be a website that collates all the documentaries and podcasts made about Kate Bush. Though there have been a few through the decades, it shows there is a gap for an all-conquering and definitive study of an artist who cannot be labelled or limited. From her influence on various communities to her production work, through to her varied catalogue and the way she has changed the face of music, so many people would like to have their say about Kate Bush. This is something that I keep bringing up but, more and more, there is this desire for something proper and lengthy! This is not to take away anything from people who have put out podcasts and documentaries. They are all great and need to be out there. I just feel these things skim the surface and do not go deep enough. Maybe there will be a solution and answer to that problem soon. It has been a fairly quiet last few years from Kate Bush in terms of news and releases. That has not dented the sense of excitement and buzz about her work. If anything, she has only grown in stature and importance! Recognising this impact and legacy is something that needs to happen sooner rather than later. A series of podcasts or an immersive and three/four-part documentary about the peerless Kate Bush would be more than earned. There is no doubt that she has changed the lives of…

MILLIONS of people.

FEATURE: No Need to Re-Make/Re-Model! The Extraordinary Roxy Music at Fifty

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No Need to Re-Make/Re-Model!

The Extraordinary Roxy Music at Fifty

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THERE are a couple of articles and reviews…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Roxy Music in July 1972/PHOTO CREDIT: Brian Cooke/Redferns

that I want to bring in, as Roxy Music’s sensational eponymous debut album is fifty on 16th June. Produced by Peter Sinfield and featuring a collection of incredible tracks by the band’s lead, Bryan Ferry, the band – also featuring Phil Manzanera and Brian Eno -, delivered this remarkable debut. Although Ferry might say Roxy Music recorded better and more representative albums, there is something very special about their eponymous debut. There is a lot to love and discuss when it comes to Roxy Music. Bryan Ferry has just brought out a book of lyrics, as it is almost fifty years since this classic debut arrived. Why I love Roxy Music is because it is so different to anything that was around in 1972, expect for maybe David Bowie. Opening with Re-Make/Re-Model and Ladytron, Roxy Music kicks off supremely! The U.S. release of the album featured the classic Virginia Plain. Ahead of its fiftieth anniversary next month, I wanted to highlight the remarkable Roxy Music. First, this interesting June 2021 feature from udiscovermusic.com took a detailed look at Roxy’s introduction. There are a few parts of the feature that I wanted to include:

“Still astoundingly modern today, Roxy Music remains not only one of the finest debut albums in history, but rock music’s first true postmodern masterpiece. What follows is an attempt to trace the influences and pop culture references in an album that continues to go beyond all expectations – not only of what a rock group can do, but what a true work of art can accomplish.

 “Hollywood’s Golden Age

“I’ve always been star-struck, basically. Hollywood has always been Mecca,” Bryan Ferry told Rock Scene magazine in 1973. In the same interview, he also revealed the list of vintage cinema names he’d once considered for the band: Roxy, Ritz, Granada, Odeon, Regal, Astoria. Roxy Music the name, then, harks back to the glamour of the original movie theatres – most specifically New York’s Roxy Theatre, which opened on March 11, 1927, with the promise of offering cinemagoers a luxurious viewing experience.

Looking at it, “Chance Meeting” could almost have been titled “Brief Encounter,” after the 1945 Noël Coward-written film. Then there’s “Virginia Plain,” Roxy Music’s debut single, littered with references to movies from Hollywood’s Golden Age: the 1962 Bette Davis and Joan Crawford classic, Whatever Happened To Baby Jane? (“Baby Jane’s in Acapulco…”); Flying Down To Rio, the 1932 movie that first paired Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers on the silver screen (“… We are flying down to Rio”); the Oscar-winning The Last Picture Show, a 1971 film whose title recalls old Hollywood (“Last picture shows down the drive-in”); and Teenage Rebel (“… of the week”), a 1956 movie that not only also features Ginger Rogers, but whose title would, to listeners in 1972, have evoked the original teenage rebel, James Dean.

For Bryan Ferry, however, there was no Hollywood icon greater than…

Humphrey Bogart

Speaking today, guitarist Phil Manzanera recalls “sitting down with Bryan at the first audition and talking about Humphrey Bogart and all the films we loved.” For later solo albums and Roxy Music appearances, Ferry would adopt the image of Bogart as Rick Blaine in Casablanca, suave in a white dinner jacket. On Roxy Music, Bogart is homaged in “2HB,” the lyrics directly quoting his Casablanca catchphrase: “Here’s looking at you, kid.”

Former art student Ferry, however, could not have been unaware of the song title’s other connotations. Speaking to Michael Bracewell for the latter’s scholarly study of the group’s early years, Re-Make/Re-Model: Becoming Roxy Music, Ferry recalled telling fellow art student – and a future artist in his own right – Mark Lancaster about the song. “He said, ‘Oh that’s so great – writing a song about a pencil,’” Ferry recalled, adding, “Which is a very Pop Art concept, really – except that I was writing a song about Humphrey Bogart.”

Breaking Down Virginia Plain

Even while paying homage to their own heroes, Roxy Music ensured their own legend was being written. “We’ve been around a long time/Trying, just trying, just trying to make the big time,” Ferry declares in ‘Virginia Plain,’ a song originally released as a non-album A-side. Neatly, his allusion to the year-and-a-half that had passed since he started to form the group came in the very song – their debut single – that would take them into the big time when it hit No.4 in the UK charts.

Roxy Music themselves weren’t the only ones entering history with “Virginia Plain”: “Make me a deal and make it straight/All signed and sealed, I’ll take it/To Robert E Lee I’ll show it,” Ferry sings at the start, directly name-checking his lawyer. As with “2HB” – and almost everything Roxy Music did – the reference is doubled: Robert E Lee was also a Confederate Soldier in the American Civil War – fittingly, in command of the Army Of Northern Virginia.

The title “Virginia Plain” itself was a reference to an earlier work of Ferry’s: a painting that he made in 1964 as a first-year art student in the Fine Art department of Newcastle University. Influenced by British pop art pioneer Richard Hamilton – one of Ferry’s Newcastle tutors, and the man behind The Beatles’ “White Album” artwork – Ferry described the piece to Michael Bracewell as “a surreal drawing of a giant cigarette packet, with a pin-up girl on it, as a monument on this huge Dalíesque plain.”

But that wasn’t the only meaning behind the song’s title…

Tobacco

As alluded to in Ferry’s painting of the same name, “Virginia Plain” didn’t only conjure up a landscape, it was also a variety of cigarette tobacco, as well as being…

Fashion Models

… A fictional girl’s name. But while Ferry might not have known an actual Virginia Plain, the song nodded to the real-life model Jane Holzer, a Warhol girl (known also as Baby Jane Holzer – there’s that film reference again) who appeared in a number of the artist’s 60s movies, among them Couch and Camp.

Fashion models would be a recurring fascination for Ferry and the group, beginning with the album cover’s depiction of Kari-Ann Muller, a former Bond girl who had starred in the 1969 George Lazenby 007 flick On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Startling both in its simplicity and in the way it cut against the grain for rock and pop albums of the early 70s, the Roxy Music album cover came across more as a fashion shoot than a sleeve for a vinyl disc. Simultaneously glamorous (in the old Hollywood sense) and “glam” (in the dressed-up-for-the-70s sense), the image set the tone for all Roxy Music albums to follow, while also drawing on the group’s own connections with the fashion world.

A Car License Plate

Not content with throwing music’s past and near-future into its heady mix, “Re-Make/Re-Model” also, by way of its title, alludes to a 1962 painting, Re-Think/Re-Entry, by British Pop artist Derek Boshier, and a one-that-got-away romantic “what if?” for Bryan Ferry – albeit in a typically oblique fashion.

Chanted throughout by Eno and Mackay, CPL 593H is actually a car license plate. Ferry recalls attending Reading Festival on his own and seeing a girl he liked in the crowd. “When I was driving back to London there was a car in front of me and it had the same girl in it,” he says today. “I memorized the number. It was a Mini of some sort, and I think it was red. I know where she lived because I saw the car again a few times.”

Ferry had an eye for cars, and the mystery girl’s Mini is not the only automobile referenced in the album. In “Virginia Plain,” Ferry looks “Far beyond the pale horizon/Somewhere near the desert strand/Where my Studebaker takes me/That’s where I’ll make my stand,” referencing the classic American 1957 Studebaker Champion that he bought while a student – a decision made more on the strength of the car’s design than on its performance ability. “I blew my university grant on that one,” Ferry later admitted, adding, “It cost me £65 and it was amazing. It was very sleek and very restrained with beautiful lines”.

I am going to end with a review from Louder Sound. They listened to the Super Deluxe Edition of the album 2018. I do feel Roxy Music is an underrated album. Not as celebrated as other albums in their cannon, the 2018 release helped to recontextualise and reframe the album:

“The early 70s were a golden age for prog, pop, glam, proto-metal and art rock, and Roxy Music somehow fitted in all of those categories. Or rather they didn’t actually fit in any.

Considering their original guitarist, Davy O’List, was in The Nice, frontman Bryan Ferry had auditioned for King Crimson, they shared management and Crimson’s lyricist Pete Sinfield was their producer, you would imagine Roxy had most in common with the prog fraternity, and indeed there are examples of sectional songwriting – notably the six-part The Bob (Medley) – and far-out spacey noodling on their self-titled debut that are very prog indeed. Then again, their first single, Virginia Plain, was a succinct concoction that reached No.4 in the UK, placing them immediately in a pop context. They certainly dressed glam, but theirs was a cooler, more fashion-forward image than the bacofoil yobbery of The Sweet et al. They could do Sabbath-heavy bombast, yet they could contrive a memorable melody and were made for Top Of The Pops.

If anything they belonged with those other artful outfits that didn’t belong: 10cc and Sparks, who like Roxy were also busy in 1972 formulating a new kind of patchwork pop out of the remnants of not just rock’s recent past but almost all of 20th-century music.

There was obviously something in the air. David Bowie released Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars in June 1972, just two weeks before Roxy’s debut. Now here was a visitation from an unheralded future by another bunch of alien insect-humans in gaudy, shiny finery.

Roxy Music’s debut appearance on TOTP performing Virginia Plain was as abrasively, thrillingly strange as Bowie doing Starman. That was where the great British public got their first glimpse of the heavy-lidded Ferry, Brian Eno grinning impishly behind his synth, sax-mad Andy Mackay in sparkly yellow and green, louche, long-limbed bassist Rik Kenton, guitarist Phil Manzanera, all beard and outsize shades, and drummer Paul Thompson, his leopardskin off-the-shoulder number notwithstanding, the sole concession to normal blokedom. Individually odd, they just about cohered as a unit.

Their self-titled debut album was an equally gobsmacking clash of styles and sonics. Track one Re-Make/Re-Model – the greatest song ever to have a chorus based on a car number plate – opens with the hubbub of guests mingling at an art gallery, Roxy’s natural milieu. Thereafter it is barely controlled chaos, all sax squawks, honky-tonk piano, snarling guitar and Eno’s synth disturbance: where 50s rock’n’roll meets avant-garde sound collage. Or, considering its arch provocation, think punk five years ahead of schedule. ‘I can talk, talk, talk, talk, talk myself to death,’ Ferry sneers. Ladytron finds the singer revisiting pop-romance tropes (‘You’ve got me girl on the runaround, runaround’), but the sci-fi/tomorrow’s world title evinces the distance travelled since The Beatles’ Love Me Do”.

I think that Roxy Music sounds timeless. It is one you can play to someone who does not know about the band and they will take something from it. Maybe some of the Glam does date it a bit, but I actually feel the songwriting and performances are so incredible and unique that it elevates Roxy Music. There will be new discussion about the album as we close in on its anniversary on 16th June. The sublime Roxy Music is in no need of a remake or remodel: it is absolutely…

PERFECT as it is!

FEATURE: Kiss of Life: The Ultimate Sade Playlist

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Kiss of Life

The Ultimate Sade Playlist

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FOR no other reason…

 PHOTO CREDIT: Paul Natkin/Getty Images

than I thought it would be a good time to put together a collection of classics, I wanted to explore the amazing Sade’s catalogue. One of the finest voices there has ever been, she has released stunning albums like Diamond Life (1984) and Love Deluxe (1992). There are some gems that people will know, but I have also put in deeper cuts that people might not be aware of. Like I have done before, I am going to get to a biography of Sade from AllMusic:

“Since debuting with the Top Ten U.K. hit "Your Love Is King" (1984), Sade have remained, across four ensuing decades of intermittent activity, shrewd synthesists of classic jazz, cutting-edge R&B, and mature pop. Although they're known most for stylishly seductive ballads, including the international hits "Smooth Operator" (1984), "The Sweetest Taboo" (1985), "No Ordinary Love" (1992), and "By Your Side" (2000), they've also recorded poignant songs regarding slavery, immigration, parenthood out of wedlock, and everyday struggles, often through Sade Adu's third-person narratives. From Diamond Life (1984) through Soldier of Love (2010), breaks between Sade albums have increased in duration from a year-and-a-half to a decade, but each return has been warmly greeted. All six of Sade's albums have entered the U.K. Top 20, placed within the U.S. Top Ten, and in both countries have achieved platinum status. Additionally, Sade are four-time Grammy winners, having invalidated the Best New Artist curse with subsequent wins for "No Ordinary Love," Lovers Rock, and "Soldier of Love." Seven years after the latter took the award for Best R&B Performance, they returned with contributions to the soundtracks of A Wrinkle in Time and Widows.

Sade are named after singer and songwriter Helen Folasade Adu. Born in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, Adu moved with her mother and brother to southeast England outside Colchester at the age of four. A lover of early-'70s soul, Adu tentatively became involved with music after enrolling at Saint Martin's School of Art to study fashion, when friends asked her to help with their group's vocals. After she finished her course work in 1981, she joined the band Pride and into 1983 toured the U.K. with the act. Their gigs eventually featured a mini-set during which Adu was granted the spotlight, backed by some of her bandmates on intimate jazz-inspired material. These segments, specifically "Smooth Operator" -- composed by Adu and the band's Ray St. John -- drew attention from label representatives. Adu was pursued as a solo act, but she signed with Epic after demanding to bring along some of her partners in Pride: bassist Paul S. Denman, keyboardist Andrew Hale, and saxophonist and guitarist Stuart Matthewman.

The London-based quartet made their recorded debut in February 1984 with the controlled yet expressive ballad "Your Love Is King," which soon entered the U.K. singles chart and the following month peaked at number six. Another single, the down-but-not-out soul anthem "When Am I Going to Make a Living," preceded the July release of the full-length Diamond Life. Produced by Robin Millar, the album was written primarily by Adu and Matthewman in tandem, finished off with a cover of Timmy Thomas' 1972 hit "Why Can't We Live Together." Reinforced with the number 19 U.K. single "Smooth Operator," Diamond Life -- itself falling just short of the top spot on the U.K. albums chart -- became one of the biggest mid-'80s debuts. In the U.S., it was issued on Epic subsidiary Portrait in early 1985 and reached number five that June, with "Smooth Operator" doing most of the heavy lifting as a crossover smash that climbed to number five on the pop and R&B charts and topped the adult contemporary chart. Diamond Life eventually went quadruple platinum in the U.K. and U.S. and earned sales certifications in several other territories.

Sade continued to gradually refine and expand their cosmopolitan mix of jazz, R&B, and pop, and continuously decelerated their writing and recording process. Working again with Robin Millar, they started recording their second album around the time Diamond Life was distributed in the U.S., issuing it internationally that November as Promise. On its way to international multi-platinum success, Promise topped the U.K. and U.S. pop charts, led by "The Sweetest Taboo," which went Top 40 U.K. and peaked at number five in the U.S. the week after the band won Best New Artist at the 28th Annual Grammy Awards. Shortly thereafter, "Never as Good as the First Time" strengthened their hold on urban and adult contemporary radio.

Despite a gap of nearly two-and-a-half years between full-lengths, Sade remained a major commercial force with third album Stronger Than Pride. This time, production was handled by the band with help from Mike Pela and Ben Rogan, established Sade associates who played comparatively minor roles beforehand. Carrying some of the band's airiest arrangements and deepest rhythms -- exemplified respectively by the title song and "Paradise," two of its four singles -- the album climbed to the third spot on the U.K. and U.S. charts. A longer studio-release break ensued and was broken in October 1992 with Love Deluxe, produced by the band with Pela. More electronic and atmospheric than the band's previous albums, it entered the Top Ten in the U.K. and missed the top of the U.S. chart by two slots. "Feel No Pain," "Kiss of Life," and the pulsing trip-hop precursor "Cherish the Day" all charted, but the LP's biggest single was easily its first, "No Ordinary Love" -- it hit number 14 in the U.K. and U.S. and won another Grammy award, this time for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. The song had a lingering effect strong enough to keep the parent release on the Billboard 200 for almost two years.

The band responded in kind with their longest hiatus to that point. In 1996, Matthewman resurfaced as a co-writer and co-producer on Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite, thereby beginning a lasting close association with the album's maverick namesake. Later that year, Matthewman, Denman, and Hale released Sweetback, titled after the name of their new side project. Maxwell, Amel Larrieux, and Bahamadia were among the guests on the album, a stylistic successor to Love Deluxe that went a little farther out with no concern for hitmaking. Toward the end of the decade, Sade reconvened to record their fifth album, Lovers Rock. Distinguished by some dubwise rhythms and a greater emphasis on Matthewman's acoustic guitar, the LP cracked the U.K. Top 20 and was yet another number three U.S. hit upon its November 2000 arrival, supported with "By Your Side" (number 17 U.K. pop, number 75 U.S. pop). The Recording Academy awarded it Best Pop Vocal Album at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards. Following a customary album-promoting tour, the band appeased fans in February 2002 with Lovers Live. A second project from Sweetback, Stage [2], followed two years later.

In December 2009, "Soldier of Love" ended a period of silence during which Adu raised her daughter and was honored with an OBE (Order of the British Empire). The song's stark, swaggering theatricality made it feel like more of an event more than any other Sade re-entry. An album of the same title was released the following February, entering the U.K. chart at number four and the U.S. chart at the top. The song made the band Grammy winners for a fourth time, again taking the award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. A 2011 catalog release, The Ultimate Collection, summarized the band's discography and included a handful of previously unreleased songs. Seven years passed before Sade released new recordings, both of which were made for soundtracks: "Flower of the Universe" for Disney's A Wrinkle in Time, and "The Big Unknown" for Widows”.

One of the most mesmerising and remarkable artists that the music world has ever seen, I don’t know if there will be any more music from Sade. I have been thinking about her albums, as I feel she is an artist who still remains a bit underrated and under-explored. Hopefully the playlist below will give ammunition and inspiration to dive deeper and spend more time with the music of Sade. Her music and songwriting is phenomenal! She has inspired so many artists and provided the soundtrack to the lives of many fans. It is evident that…

HER love is queen.

FEATURE: Sympathy in Blue: Kate Bush and How Her Music Can Help People Through Grief

FEATURE:

 

 

Sympathy in Blue

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in a promotional image for 2011’s Director’s Cut

Kate Bush and How Her Music Can Help People Through Grief

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I may have mentioned this before…

but Kate Bush’s music has this enormously comforting and therapeutic quality. It can come in various forms. Whether a song of hers that is meaningful plays at a time when you need a lift, or there is this mood, lyric or essence in a track that makes you feel something, it is as rich, evocative and transformative as any music catalogue ever! I mention this, as journalist and author Jude Rogers recently wrote about how Kate Bush helped her at a low point in her life. Inspired and revived somewhat by Bush’s residency in Hammersmith in 2014, it is amazing how music in general can elevate and resuscitate! One can say that every artist, in some way, has the power and potential to lift someone and get them through grief. I think that the depth and beauty of Kate Bush’s music means it can dig deeper and prove much more medicinal and inspiring than her peers. The lyrics and story do not need to have a personal relevance. Jude Rogers has her experiences and reasons for finding Kate Bush’s music a vital lifeline. I have heard so many tales and tweets where people have said how they have literally been saved and kept alive by Kate Bush’s music. There is this sense that there is something in the music that does go into the heart and soul. I have not had the same experiences as others, where Bush’s music has pulled me back from the edge. I know Elton John – who she collaborated with on her 2011 album, 50 Words for Snow -, said how Bush’s music saved his life when he was addicted to drugs. Songs like Don’t Give Up (her 1986 duet with Peter Gabriel that appeared on his album, So), is one that literally beckons you to not throw in the towel!

In terms of her own songs, it is the sheer passion and beauty of her singing that can prove such comfort and resilience. For me, her music has kept me going and focused. There have been times when grief has struck – whether it is a particular tragedy or a general low period – and I have needed something from music that can keep me level. Even when things have been very black, I have managed to listen to Kate Bush’s music and get something from it that I have not before. Whether it is the entrancing gorgeousness of her debut album, The Kick Inside, or the suite on Hounds of Love, The Ninth Wave. That concept suite is about a woman adrift at sea who gets rescued when all looks lost and bleak. Bush herself puts messages in her songs and albums about keeping going and finding strength. I think listeners feel like they have a bond with her and she, in turn, is speaking directly to us. The warmth and sense of intimacy she can create – even in her most epic and widescreen songs – is a major reason why she is so useful and essential when you are feeing bad. Although a particular artist may not be able to pull someone out of grief and make them happy in an instance, they can spark something and provide a glimmer and glimpse of light that starts this recovery and transition to health and stability.

I will wrap up soon, but it was interesting reading what Jude Rogers said, and, during an especially tough spell, Kate Bush made a difference. It got me thinking about other people who have similarly been aided and given strength by Kate Bush. I don’t think there is one particular reason or element that means her music has that sort of pull and power that other musicians do not. Consciously or not, she creates these songs that can be personal to her, but I think they are designed to make people feel. To help them and provide a blend of comfort, wisdom and strength. Because of that, so many people around the world through the years have had Kate Bush to thank for being pulled out of a pit of despair; helped through grief or a very rough time. If that is her only legacy, then it is a mighty good one! Of course, Bush has so much more to her than that, though it is hugely impressive that she resonates with people and writes music that is so sympathetic, rousing and comforting! Like Jude Rogers, it might just be seeing her perform live or watching an interview she has given that gets through and connects. My experiences are very different to anyone else’s. For decades and generations to come, people everywhere will turn to Kate Bush’s music in times when they need healing and helped. This warm embrace that is so precious and important is one you can get from Kate Bush’s music. I am sure that there are many fans out there who will…

AGREE with me.

FEATURE: Radiohead’s OK Computer at Twenty-Five: Ranking the Twelve Tracks

FEATURE:

 

 

Radiohead’s OK Computer at Twenty-Five

Ranking the Twelve Tracks

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ONE of the greatest albums ever…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Radiohead in N.Y.C. in 1997/PHOTO CREDIT: Mike Diver

Radiohead’s OK Computer was released in Japan on 21st May, 1997 (it was released in the U.K. in June). To mark its twenty-fifth anniversary, I am going to rank the twelve tracks from the album. It is a hard job, as all of the tracks are superb. I definitely think there is a batch of superior songs that are slightly better than the others. I will end with a ‘reimagined’ OK Computer, ranking the tracks from best to the merely astonishing. Before getting to it, I want to quote a critical review for OK Computer. An album that was not as adored and acclaimed in 1997 as it is now, there will be a lot of celebration around the world to mark a quarter-century of Radiohead’s remarkable third studio album. This is what SLANT had to say about the mighty and incredible OK Computer:

“Each generation of rock fans invariably believe that everything that can be done in the genre has already been achieved, but Radiohead’s 1997 album OK Computer helped prove otherwise. The album took guitar rock (and make no mistake—despite its amalgam of analog and digital technologies, that’s what the album is) to places it had never gone before.

Infusing rock with electronic music was a trail blazed by other bands—most notably U2, whose Pop was released earlier that year but was tepidly received. But OK Computer was more in line with Achtung Baby, incorporating all sorts of textures and electronic elements without losing its “rock” sound. In other words, it’s the difference between synthesizers buzzing (see basically everything R.E.M. has done post-1997) and synthesizers rocking. Chilling choir voices are preprogrammed like synths on the acoustic ballad “Exit Music (For a Film)” (the titular film being William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juilet), but the electronics are constructed around the songs, not the other way around. OK Computer built on 1995’s stellar The Bends by focusing on songcraft and good old-fashioned rock music.

OK Computer is propelled by contrast, a point illustrated by its songs’ dueling guitars and synths, as well as the first few notes of the album: the sound of sleigh bells and an ominous electric chord progression. Even when the music is expansive, the lyrics are stifling: “Let Down,” which sparkles with the electro-pop sheen expected from an act like Erasure and features a climactic vocal arrangement that’s quite beautiful (not a word typically assigned to Thom Yorke’s voice—at least not in the traditional sense), likens those afflicted with the mass-transit doldrums of going monotonously to and from work to squashed bugs. The lullaby-ish quality of “No Surprises” is juxtaposed with lyrics about suicide (“A handshake, some carbon monoxide”) and background vocals that continually plead, “Get me outta here, get me outta here.” Conversely, the very next track, “Lucky,” features a darker milieu and lines such as “It’s gonna be a glorious day!”

Contrast between two dissimilar styles or tones, however, isn’t the only binary thread that strings OK Computer together. Yorke has always been interested in the human condition (and its deterioration), but this album finds the singer examining the duality of the material and nonmaterial worlds and the effects of technology—specifically that of the modern corporate workplace—on the human spirit. “Up above aliens hover, making home movies for the folks back home/Of all these weird creatures who lock up their spirits, drill holes in themselves and live for their secrets,” he sings atop spacey guitars on “Subterranean Homesick Alien.” References to office work, payrolls, corporate ladders, fast German cars, and the privileged jet set abound: “Ambition makes you look very ugly/Kicking, squealing Gucci little piggy,” Yorke sneers on “Paranoid Android,” the multipart anti-yuppie anthem whose ambition is anything but ugly.

A decade after its release, OK Computer’s influence can be heard in countless acts on both sides of pond. The album still packs a disturbing, electrifying wallop, and its subversive nihilism and paranoia are more relevant today than they were 10 years ago. The lack of obvious, conventional hooks doesn’t prevent songs like “Karma Police,” which is essentially a power ballad, from becoming engrained in your head as easily as “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” The songs are so well written they can withstand as many layers of electronic tomfoolery as the band, along with producer Nigel Godrich, felt like heaping on—which has not been the case with their subsequent output”.

To mark its twenty-fifth anniversary later this month, I have ranked the twelve tracks from OK Computer in order of their greatness and impact. Many others will have their own opinions as to the very best of the best from the Oxford band’s masterpiece, but this is my view as to…

WHICH tracks go where.

____________

12. Fitter Happier

Position on the album: 7

11. Electioneering

Position on the album: 8

10. Airbag

Position on the album: 1

9. Climbing Up the Walls

Position on the album: 9

8. Subterranean Homesick Alien

Position on the album: 3

7. Let Down

Position on the album: 5

6. Lucky

Position on the album: 11

5. Exit Music (For a Film)

Position on the album: 4

4. Karma Police

Position on the album: 6

3. No Surprises

Position on the album: 10

2. The Tourist

Position on the album: 12

1. Paranoid Android

Position on the album: 2

FEATURE: Groovelines: Kanye West - Stronger

FEATURE:

 

 

Groovelines

Kanye West - Stronger

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RELEASED on 31st July, 2007…

this iconic song by Kanye West turns fifteen soon. Taken from his third studio album, Graduation, Stronger is a masterpiece. Produced by Kanye West and Mike Dean, and written by Kanye West, Thomas Bangalter, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Edwin Birdsong, it is a song with an interesting history. I will come to the critical reception of Stronger soon. Genuinely one of the greatest tracks of the past couple of decades, it is a huge and emphatically confident anthem that you cannot help be inspired by. A standout from one of West’s defining albums, Stronger went to number one in several countries (including the U.S. and U.K.). Before coming to some critical feedback about Stronger, udiscovermusic provide some history about a titanic song:

“Stronger” is a motivating anthem, interpolating German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche’s famous dictum: “What does not kill me makes me stronger.” It took a small army to perfect the track: West gathered eight audio engineers, 11 mixing engineers, and producer Timbaland to reportedly mix over 75 versions in studios across New York, Los Angeles, and Tokyo.

What makes “Stronger” a standout record – aside from the video inspired by 1988’s anime film Akira – is the heart-racing production built around Daft Punk’s 2001 Grammy-winning “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” single.

“We had used a sample from Edwin Birdsong’s [1979] ‘Cola Bottle Baby,’ and [West] then sampled the a cappella we used,” the French dance duo’s Thomas Bangalter told Variety in 2007. “It’s quite symptomatic of this circle of sampling and being sampled and passing it along to the next producer … We’ve always been very open-minded and excited about unexpected connections.”

The single introduced Daft Punk to a new cadre of fans, later leading to a surprise appearance (their first televised performance at the time) with West to perform “Stronger” at the 2008 Grammy Awards.

Speaking of Grammys, West took home a gramophone for Best Rap Solo Performance that night. “Stronger” was also a chart favorite: it was West’s first No. 1 on the UK charts, as well as his third No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 following 2004’s “Slow Jamz” alongside Twista and Jamie Foxx and 2005’s “Gold Digger” with Foxx. “Stronger” also entered pop culture, soundtracking television series and films like Entourage, The Hangover Part II, and Girls.

As might be expected from the sampled vocals, it’s become a beloved anthem for sports teams around the world. It’s served as an introductory song for the Toronto Raptors and New York Giants and dominated gym playlists. Lastly, Kanye West’s “Stronger” joined the new wave of club-rap that came to prominence in the late 00s alongside Timbaland’s “The Way I Are” in 2007, Lil Wayne’s “Lollipop,” and Kid Cudi’s “Day ‘n’ Nite” in 2008, as well as the Black Eyed Peas’ EDM-driven The E.N.D. album.

Since its release, West has continued his reign as one of music’s most controversial and gifted figures. Following Graduation, he’s dropped ten chart-ruling solo and collaborative albums, became a father to four children, ran an independent presidential campaign, and expanded his brand to take over the fashion and sneaker industries with his Yeezy collections”.

There is no denying the quality and importance of Stronger! I am not the biggest Kanye West fan, though I can recognise how good Stronger is. Unsurprisingly, critics reacted warmly to the track. This Wikipedia collated some positive reaction to the huge Stronger:

“The track was well received by music critics. Ann Powers of the Los Angeles Times praised West's performance: "On 'Stronger,' he pushes himself like a runner on a treadmill, always on the verge of losing his breath." Although Louis Pattison of NME criticized what he viewed as "brazen theft" from Daft Punk, he called the song "a silicone-hearted vocoder serenade, beefed up with hoover-like synthesisers." Anna Pickard of The Guardian praised it for the Daft Punk sample, viewing the track as opening with "the immediate familiarity of a Daft Punk sample" and the sample as "working well over this thumping beat".

"Stronger" appeared in numerous year-end lists; Spin named "Stronger" the best song of 2007, The Village Voice ranked "Stronger" at number seven on their annual year-end critics' poll Pazz & Jop. Rockdelux named it the second best foreign song of 2007. Blitz listed it the ninth best song of 2007. MTV named "Stronger" the sixth best song of 2007. Thought Catalog listed the song as the eleventh best Pop song of 2007. Consequence of Sound named it the 17th best song of 2007. "Stronger" was placed 20th in Australia's annual Triple J Hottest 100. Rolling Stone named it the eleventh best song of 2007, elsewhere in the magazine's decade-end readers' poll the song was named the sixth best single of the 2000s. Furthermore, a 2013 Rolling Stone reader's poll ranked "Stronger" as West's eighth best song to that point”.

I am going to end with a feature NME put out in 2017 to mark ten years of Kanye West’s Stronger. It is a song that not only stood out as one of his very best tracks – it is also one that altered the sound and face of Rap and Hip-Hop:

“Not only did Kanye change the course of rap with ‘Stronger’, but the track also dictated the meandering road he has since taken. If the ‘Old Kanye’ was more true to the star’s personal roots and tastes, post-’Stronger’ has seen the rapper constantly shape-shifting. 2008’s ‘808s & Heartbreak’ made it acceptable for rappers to be open and vulnerable – without it, there would be no Drake. 2010’s ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’, widely considered as Kanye’s best, helped propel pop music into the realms of high art. Since, ‘Yeezus’ saw West purposely retreat from his own success, while ‘The Life Of Pablo’ has changed how we listen to albums in this modern age, with Kanye constantly drafting and tinkering with the release.

It could have all been so different though, as Kanye apparently hadn’t even heard of Daft Punk just 12 months prior to the release of ‘Stronger’. Producer A-Trak has explained how the sample came about: “It sort of happened because Swizz Beats sampled ‘Technologic’ for that Busta Rhymes record, ‘Touch It’. We were on tour in Europe in 2006, spending a lot of hours on the bus listening to the radio. Kanye heard ‘Touch It’ and thought that beat was cool. I said, ‘He just swooped up Daft Punk’. And Ye said, ‘Who?’. I just couldn’t believe that Kanye had never heard Daft Punk.”

A-Trak continued to say of Kanye: “When something falls in his lap, he knows if it’s dope, and knows when to make a beat out of it.” And good thing that he did, for Kanye’s output, and rap music overall, has been better (as well as faster and stronger) for it”.

I shall end up there. Surely one of the best songs of the first decade of this century, Stronger will stand the test of time and be regarded as one of the great Hip-Hop moments decades from now. A remarkable offering from a hugely innovative and influential artist, it has been great listening back to it! If you have not spun Stronger in a while, then go and make sure you…

DO so now.