what are you listening to at the moment?

Jim Martin · March 26, 2025, 04:45:48 PM

I'm trying to listen to at least one full album (as opposed to individual songs off a playlist) every day, while I'm at home recovering from an operation. Today it was Fear Of Music, by Talking Heads. I bought this when it came out, mainly on the strength of Life During Wartime, which I'd heard on the radio, but it's been a long time since I listened to it from end to end.

2025 verdict: pretty good. The mix of tribalish rhythms and very New York 1970s alienation still works, even if it's more as a historical document than anything else.

port perran · March 26, 2025, 07:38:16 PM

I don't know much about Talking Heads other than the well known tracks.

Hence, this evening I spent 45 minutes or so in the train room watching my two Westerns run round on lengthy trains and listening to Fear of Music.

Not really my thing although I quite liked Life During Wartime.
That 80s tribalistic, heavy rhythm based music rather passed me by but thanks for highlighting it.
Cheers
Martin

Newportnobby · March 28, 2025, 09:52:46 AM

Some of us have mentioned the Mellotron and I found this clip which explains a lot about it. I never knew the tapes only had a 7½ second capacity and that the sound was never constant. It must have been the very devil to 'play'. Some very recognisable toons played.

port perran · March 28, 2025, 07:12:25 PM

I too had no idea the tape sequences were so short and in essence had to be refreshed so frequently.
Thanks Mick, very interesting.

Newportnobby · March 30, 2025, 09:15:59 PM

Been listening to a lot of 'Free' today. It's amazing to think their bass player, Andy Fraser, was recommended to the band by Alexis Korner when Fraser was just 15 and playing with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. Hardly surprising when you listen to his bass on this seminal number....

Bealman · March 30, 2025, 10:29:36 PM

Excellent. I think Free might be my favourite band of all time. I bought that album when it came out, but God knows where it is now. I'm proud that they had a huge fanbase in the NE which helped in early days.

Newportnobby · March 31, 2025, 09:34:19 AM

With Paul Rodgers being a NE lad, they always went down well up there.
This is well worth a watch if you have time....... (language warning!)

Bealman · March 31, 2025, 10:19:59 AM

Thanks, Mick. Haven't seen this one. I've watched half before I turn in for the Aussie night, but will watch the rest tomorrow. Excellent stuff.

port perran · March 31, 2025, 04:02:12 PM

I thought Free were definitely one of the very best of the blues influenced rock groups.
They stood out largely, I think, because of Kossoff's admirable guitar work and, of course, Rodgers' vocals all held together by the very steady Andy Fraser on bass and Simon Kirke on the drums.

I particularly liked Tons of Sobs and Fire and Water.

Strangely, I never saw them live which is/was a great shame.
I have no idea as to why I never saw them as I did get to see most everyone else in the 69-73 period. Perhaps it was a case of never in the right place at the right time.

Newportnobby · March 31, 2025, 04:13:04 PM

I only saw them the once in 1970 at the Drill Hall, Northampton. Like Martin, I never seemed to catch up with them after that

port perran · March 31, 2025, 05:12:13 PM

Many will know of the late Chris Squire from his involvement with Yes at the height of their powers.
He did release some solo stuff though.
I rather like Lucky Seven from the 1975 Fish out of Water album :

Moonglum · March 31, 2025, 05:32:47 PM

Oddly enough, I didn't see Free live either (just a bit before my gigging days) but I did have the "Free Live" album on vinyl - no studio albums though. The track "Woman" was on the Island "Nice Enough to Eat" sampler so I would guess that was my introduction to them. Would it be fair to say that they were a bit underrated at the time? @Bealman might agree!

"All Right Now" was played a lot at pubs at the time but I particularly liked "Wishing Well".

Some of Bad Company's work was good as well.

Cheers,

Tim

Moonglum · March 31, 2025, 09:16:23 PM

That's rather pleasant Martin @port perran . I am not sure that I would have guessed who it was (despite the forward bass)!

I have been toying with posting this band from San Francisco for a few days now. During the mid 70's they become well known for their way over the top live shows - captured brilliantly on "What Do You Want From Live" recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon in 1977. Sadly, things went a bit down hill after that for them and were dropped by A&M. So here from their fourth studio album "Remote Control" is The Tubes with "Prime Time" featuring the late and lovely Re Styles on vocals...

The album was produced by Todd Rundgren and is a far cry from "White Punks on Dope". We had tickets to see The Tubes but on the tour Fee Waybill fell off the stage (complete with a chain saw) during a rendition of "I Saw Her Standing There" and broke his leg so that was that...

Tim

Bealman · April 01, 2025, 02:09:19 AM

Quote from: Moonglum on March 31, 2025, 05:32:47 PMOddly enough, I didn't see Free live either (just a bit before my gigging days) but I did have the "Free Live" album on vinyl - no studio albums though. The track "Woman" was on the Island "Nice Enough to Eat" sampler so I would guess that was my introduction to them. Would it be fair to say that they were a bit underrated at the time? @Bealman might agree!

"All Right Now" was played a lot at pubs at the time but I particularly liked "Wishing Well".

Some of Bad Company's work was good as well.

Cheers,

Tim

I always thought that Wishing Well was Bad Company? Could be wrong, though. Long time ago!

Paul Kossoff was, I believe, son of TV personality David Kossoff. But drugs took the Free guy out, which is a shame. I saw Free twice in Sunderland.

Moonglum · April 01, 2025, 08:01:35 AM

@Bealman , George - "Wishing Well" was by Free and taken from the their last album "Heartbreaker". Andy Fraser (b) had left Free and Paul K (g) was well under the influence of drugs so other musicians were drafted in to complete the album.

Indeed, Paul was the son of David Kossoff and went onto form Back Street Crawler prior to his untimely death.

Cheers,

Tim