Comments on: 70′s Rock Arbitrage

By: but not yes

but not yes — Mon, 24 Apr 2006 17:30:23 +0000

Van der graff Generator, King Crimson

By: nota bene

nota bene — Mon, 24 Apr 2006 06:37:36 +0000

Music that gets internationally famous has less to do with the caliber of music and more to do with the caliber of promotion, marketing, and other non-musical factors.

Not that I’m saying anything that acheives international fame is unworthy, merely that just about every city with a scene has acts that would knock your socks off. It’s what the large media corporations decide to push that achieves near-instant worldwide fame. They can only push so many acts at once.

By: Chris Bertram

Chris Bertram — Sun, 23 Apr 2006 08:24:20 +0000

Bob, England has more than twice the population of Texas, and the UK has three times. But in any case the capacity of a culture at a particular time and place to generate success of this kind seems pretty weakly related to population size.

By: Tom Gillis

Tom Gillis — Sun, 23 Apr 2006 05:35:29 +0000

“or worse, those mid-70s Rick Wakeman albums like 6 Wives”—Chris, “6 wives” was from 1972. I’ve always thought it was a fabulous album. The ones that followed (Journey to the Center of the Earth; King Arthur) were pretty wretched—I even gave my copy of one away, back when an LP purchase was a big deal for me. I recommend you try “6 Wives” again—you might be surprised (oh, yeah, try those 72-74 Yes albums (Fragile, Close to the Edge, Tales…, Relayer) again, too).

Another example of how taste is, well, taste. I too remember when the rock scene changed in 1977 or so (although the old rock scene was disappearing already in 75-76)—however, I think of it as the decline of popular rock music. The music critics swooned over the the rise of the “garage band” sound, bringing back “roots” rock. As a member of a “garage band,” I couldn’t understand the attraction of music that required so little talent (like mine).

Now thirty years(!) down the road, I have kids who are the same age I was when I played at local music joints in the early-mid 1970s. I’m struck by how little popular rock music has changed since then—in contrast, compare early 1970s music to early 1940’s music, where you will see a huge difference. Perhaps this is due to the conservative reaction of the late 1970s (bringing back the simplistic “garage” sound, and eschewing prog rock)? I dunno, just thinking aloud.

By: bob mcmanus

bob mcmanus — Sun, 23 Apr 2006 02:25:56 +0000

Incidentally, as an American who is pretty obsessed with English rock, I don’t understand how such a small country can generate so much variant beauty. Ian Anderson, arguing for copyright extension, said that 50% of all rock music sold worldwide comes from England. I believe it. I try to understand a scene that can support Roy Harper, Gryphon, Savoy Brown, Groundhogs and 1000 others in an area smaller in size and population than Texas but can’t.

By: bob mcmanus

bob mcmanus — Sun, 23 Apr 2006 02:04:52 +0000

I probably shouldn’t comment here, having no taste whatsoever. Strawbs, Clash, Belly, Death Cab for Cutie are all major parts of my playlist.
I recognized everything on the Strangely Strange compilation, and considered it strangely lacking in actual Dr Strangely Strange…though just a little eclectic.

Anthems in Eden is a good introduction to English Pastoral, Disks 3 & 4 a quality selection of what we like to call “psych-folk”

Heard a Oscar Wilde line last night:”You don’t really see a thing until you see that it is beautiful.” Maybe if you like everything you really don’t like anything. Or maybe not.

By: Prudence Goodwife

Prudence Goodwife — Sat, 22 Apr 2006 15:00:41 +0000

First concert, Queen circa The Game and a week later I saw Tull at the Garden. Actually those are my first rock concerts, my mother had taken me to see Leo Sayer and Melissa Manchester when I was twelve. All I remember from that show was all the funny smelling smoke and that my mom refused to explain to me the meaning of the word nookie. By the time I got to the Queen concert both mysteries had been solved.

By: harry b

harry b — Sat, 22 Apr 2006 14:47:58 +0000

That was bad. Wogan used to run me into the hedge in his Rolls almost daily as I cycled home from school (down a narrow country lane). Adding injury to insult, I felt. Worht another post, maybe.

By: Tim Worstall

Tim Worstall — Sat, 22 Apr 2006 14:41:42 +0000

Or, (sorry, I know this is bad) “Caught in a Rastrick” by the Boomtown….

By: Tim Worstall

Tim Worstall — Sat, 22 Apr 2006 14:28:47 +0000

Wogan, pursuing you through your nightmares?

By: harry b

harry b — Sat, 22 Apr 2006 14:23:10 +0000

Tim—no offence taken, people do it all the time, but it usually works to my advantage. With my surname, I was haunted by The Floral Dance, as you can imagine.

By: Tim Worstall

Tim Worstall — Sat, 22 Apr 2006 14:07:51 +0000

Sorry, Harry/Henry, apologies to both.

Given my surname I spent years of my teenagerdom being known as “Wurzel”. It was Feelgood that led me back into the blues catalogues….where I now spend much of my musical listening time.

By: JRoth

JRoth — Sat, 22 Apr 2006 14:01:39 +0000

Here’s the amazing thing: at the very moment this thread started, XM40 was playing a (frankly interminable) BBC Live recording of the Strawbs. Harry must get US satellite radio in his fillings.

By: Harry

Harry — Sat, 22 Apr 2006 13:40:22 +0000

Tim—its Harry, not Henry! (who is unnervingly younger). Yes, I share the feelings about the Wurzels. What about the Barron Knights?

I listened to a combination of folk and punk when I finally woke up to music as it were. I bought the first album in large part for the punky stuff, which was not new to me, but nostalgic (if that’s not too wierd). The other stuff took me over. That Feelgood track, Milk and Alcohol, is fantastic.

By: Tim Worstall

Tim Worstall — Sat, 22 Apr 2006 13:16:49 +0000

Exactly the same age as Henry and I pretty much missed it all first time round as I was playing and listening to Trad Jazz (Yeah, I know, 30 years too late for the skiffle boom…gave some relevance to Sultans of Swing though).
Prog rock isn’t what I’d listen to now though of the music back then. Looking at that first album set mentioned, more the punk stuff. The Ruts, Members, Buzzcocks, Dr. Feelgood (pub rock really, heavily blues influenced). CCS’ version of Whole Lotta Love…well, can’t forget that one, TOTP theme tune for years. Flute replacing Jimmy Page’s lead guitar line.

Then again, for obvious reasons (no, not just being a West Country boy) I’ve always had a soft spot for The Wurzels.