Tag Archive for 1970’s

7th October

The Doors – Riders on the storm (DT guest post)

OK – My name is David. I’ve known Rob-James as a neighbour, friend, taxi driver, quiz partner since he was 3 and have proudly watched him develop into the overweight, badly dressed young man he is today…

Feel I have to go with Rob-James’ initial theme for LiM and choose something old and bluesy even though The Doors are more associated with rock. They were one of the last big groups to emerge from a period of musical change that began with the Beatles and their distinctive sound suited the late 60’s – early 70’s.

Riders on the Storm, from the album LA Woman, still makes me imagine wistfully what it would be like to hear them playing it at a big festival even though it was not one of the iconic Jim Morrison’s favourites – he described it as cocktail jazz.

Unfortunately, they didn’t get the chance to make a video for this before JM’s demise but the above is not a bad effort after the fact.

4th October

Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers – Morning of Our Lives (Brian Reddy guest post)

I’m Brian, I live in Sheffield and I’m doing a PhD here. Musically I’ve noticed an increasing bias for the stuff just either side of punk. I have no doubt this intro will haunt me some day. In the meantime it’s a pleasure to meet you.

Jonathan Richman has been the revelation of 2011 to me and by some distance. This doesn’t make huge sense, really on paper it just shouldn’t work – his music is naive to the point of being saccharine, and often so catchy it sounds like children’s TV. But there’s also something so adolescent – just a surging, euphoric melancholia- to his work; something nostalgic and truthful and hysterical that almost makes me want to be a teenager again. [This is despite the fact I was effectively a walking, dripping pritt stick of nervous grease.] I do my best to avoid flowery language and I’m effectively gushing here. For some reason I just get this, on a level that I haven’t with music for quite a while. It’s verging on a mancrush.

So if I’d the chance to effectively spread the message of one act (even regardless of not repeating Rob’s fine choices), it had to be Jonathan. The Modern Lovers are my Wyld Stallyns; I half expect societies of the future to be based around this music. There are any number of songs to choose – this is probably the finest pop song under two minutes I have ever heard, this is the most enthusiastic song I’ve ever seen on TOTP2. But people simply should know about the song above, they should have it their back pockets for the next time they need it. We’re young now, right now’s when we can enjoy it. Make the most of it.

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Bill Withers – Use Me

It feels like too longs since I posted some classic soul and this popped into my head today. It is smooth as silk. Enjoy

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George McCrae – Rock your baby

I have posted quite a lot of modern stuff of late so I thought I would go back to the 70’s for this little number. Something smooth and mellow for a quiet Friday after a long week.

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Mcfadden and Whitehead – Ain’t no stopping us now

A classic disco is a good way to get in the mood for a night on the tiles. It seems I have posted quite a few disco tunes recently, maybe I have caught Saturday Night Fever. It is quite infectious.

Ain’t no stopping us now. We’re in the groove…

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Jean Carne – We’ve got some catching up to do

I seem to be a real Disco mood of late. This is a Philadelphia International classic. It’s a feel good anthem and I thought it a good way to kick September off.

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Chic – Good Times

Classic disco. I can’t think of anything that sums the genre up better than this. The reason for posting it now is that I heard a DJ play this on Saturday night, he mixed it into Rapper’s Delight by the Sugarhill Gang. It was basic but effective, almost like being there the first time around.

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Roxy Music – Virginia Plain

 

Classic Roxy Music. Classic 1970’s. Full of pomp and swagger. I am going to try and take the essence of this song out on the town with me tonight.

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Joni Mitchell – The last time I saw Richard

There is something relentlessly gray about London in the rain.

This is taken from Blue, an album that I found to be captivating the first time I heard it and is typical of the album – full of clever and poignant lyrics delivered with a startling purity. It is a tale of heartbreak and love lost. Seldom have I heard those raw emotions captured in such a real and vivid way.