Enjoy Yourself

G’day my friends, sorry I haven’t been around the blog much. My personal life has been extremely stressful the last few weeks and Matters To Be Attended very time consuming so just had to knuckle down in the material world; my creative self has taken a back seat. Quite resentful actually but need to let it go. LOL

On that very subject I have begun a piece on vocal screaming inspired by Tool’s Maynard James Keenan. In the song “The Grudge” he unleashes an 18 second scream live (in the studio he sustains it for 24 seconds but the live version is cool to watch.) It powerfully expresses letting go of the negative energy of resentment and demonstrates a potent chest voice and massive breath support as sources of MJK’s vocal mastery. It’s a great piece to focus on, though time is still limited and I have got a way to go – it’s a complex project. I’m making a video to go with it, all going well with the technical learning I need to apply. As well as MJK, I will focus on vocals by Chris Cornell, Mike Patton, Robert Plant, Jack White, and Lisa Fischer. I’ve noticed while wading through mountains of research is that there is nothing written about women’s vocal screams. Lisa is a force of nature, compelling in performance, sometimes overshadowing even the most talented of men around her. I sense that women’s power is once again being ignored, undervalued, disapproved of, and most of all, feared. These are slap-downs the Sagittarian woman in me strongly rebels against. So some of Lisa’s amazing vocals are in there; MJK himself would approve – having agitated for more female inclusion:

“That’s the hugest thing missing (from this Lollapalooza): feminine energy, and it’s disappointing. But it’s not for lack of trying. I had my wish list: Meshell Ndegeocello, Ani DiFranco, Tori Amos, PJ Harvey, Luscious Jackson.” — Maynard; L.A. Times, Aug 3, 1997

On that mutinous note, I’m doing this quick post because I came across the Tool song, “Hush”. MJK screams defiance and the mood feels right for today. It can’t only be me who sometimes thinks everything has gotten way too serious, and who wants to say things I probably should not. Just to get people to wake up and notice what awesome forces are out there if we stay open to them and let go of our fears. This tune is fun, funky, and definitely does not take itself seriously. Also I do respect a healthy dose of honesty. The world is often messy, inconvenient and cruel. Take time out and enjoy yourselves:

Tool – “Hush”:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF_WKwbueG8

Led Zeppelin – Babe I’m Gonna Leave You Studio/live Danish TV

Robert Plant has a non-classical tenor voice, range E2 – C#6, 2 octave, 5 and a ½ note range. One of the truly remarkable vocalists of our time, as well as front man to the ultimate rock band of all time, Led Zeppelin, formed in 1968. Plant is assured of immortality. He ranks number 15 on Rolling Stones list of 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. From their entry: “”When I saw Sleepy John Estes and heard that voice — part pain, part otherworldly — I went, ‘I want that voice,’ ” Plant told Rolling Stone in 2006. Somehow, he got that voice, and more: The unearthly howl he unleashed with Led Zeppelin was a bluesman crossed with a Viking deity.”

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-singers-of-all-time-19691231/robert-plant-20101202#ixzz39BAVva58
Follow us: @rollingstone on Twitter | RollingStone on Facebook

The accolades are too numerous to list here and I have written elsewhere about his vocal qualities and some standout performances, and have more in the pipeline LOL.  The first link is the studio version of the song “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You”, from their 1969 album, Led Zeppelin. It’s a killer track – acknowledged by many of his most committed fans as one of his very best. The second link is one of Plant’s early live vocals; a 1969 Danish TV version. It’s not a perfect gig but he traverses a lot of his range with his trademark intense passion-laden wails and screams. The significant notes are high E5 to low C3:

Babe I’m Gonna Leave You studio version 1969

Babe I’m Gonna Leave You Danish TV 1969

Led Zeppelin live at Madison Square Gardens 1973 – Since I’ve Been Loving You

Led Zeppelin at Madison Square Gardens 1973

During this 1973 concert rendition of Since I’ve Been Loving You, Jimmy Page’s guitar virtuosity, especially the solos, and Robert Plant’s vocal expression, right from the opening sustained howl, are so insane the audience is awestruck. Page and JPJ each throw Plant admiring glances during his emotionally-charged performance; that legendary Led Zeppelin alchemy is electrifying. The song positively defines that revolutionary era of 12-bar blues-based hard rock. One Youtube comment reads along the lines of “I’d do terrible things to time-travel and have been there” lol. More on Led Zeppelin in future posts.

 

Faith No More: The Best Evidence

This is one of the sublime Mike Patton’s best vocal performances. Since he is Vintage Vinyl News’ nominated greatest singer of all time, due to his extraordinary and unique 6 and a ½ note vocal range, and his extreme versatility, see post “Mike Patton – Extreme Vocals”, for me it’s a song really worth adding to the playlist. The lyrics have the symbolism and edginess Patton brings to all his work with FNM co-writers. It would mean different things to different listeners, but I think it refers to emotional isolation finding it’s expression in some kind of infidelity. (In the video he and the band are separated from their audience by a plate glass window.) It’s rocky terrain, which makes it a heroic place to go. And the silky sexiness of Patton’s timbre and delivery means you are quite happy to go there with him. I just love it!

If you’re interested, here is the Range Place’s list of best Patton performances:

‘The Best’ Vocal Performances
1. Il Cupo Dolore
2. Mayday
3. Infinito
4. Litany IV
5. Delìrivm Còrdia
6. Der Golem
7. Evidence
8. Vanity Fair
9. 9 X 9
10. Just a Man

Live:
1. Moonchild (Milan ’06)
2. Air-Conditioned Nightmare (Mr. Bungle live at Bizarrofest)
3. Happy Birthday (Live ’06)
4. Just a Man (Soundwave, Brisbane 2010)
5. Deep, Deep Down (Live in Amsterdam)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lvMNLhJrb0

Faith No More’s Mike Patton: Extreme Vocals

Mike’s onstage acrobatics

Ultimate Guitar (Music News @ Ultimate-Guitar.com, 12/06/14) has reported on Vintage Vinyl News’ update of the recent greatest singers of all time list. The original list was confined to Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Singers of All Time, and, as expected, named Axl Rose number one. VVN’s list has now been expanded to include the Range Place findings and Billboard awards. Based on their collective research, it’s not Rose. It’s Mike Patton with a staggering…wait for it…6 octaves and a 1/2 note vocal range. Until now Patton has been seriously underrated. A further 5 singers, including the Gunners front man, have more than 5, but alt-metal band Faith No More’s Patton is forever unique in this accomplishment in rock music (the world record holder, Christian singer Tim Storms, has spanned 10 octaves and according to Wikipedia also holds the record for the lowest sound produced by a human G(−7), or 0.189 Hz, eight octaves below the lowest G on the piano, or just over seven octaves below the piano – LOL, freaky!). Here’s the Range Place’s assessment of Mike Patton:

Baritone (Eb1 to E7) – 6 octaves, 1/2 note

This clip, “Midlife Crisis”, traverses 3 octaves. I’ve added a live concert clip from the ’97 Phoenix Festival to the studio version; both are extraordinary. The low notes are especially masterful; these are the most difficult to realize in a rock music context. Soundgarden’s multi-octave front man Chris Cornell does them very well too, but Patton’s vocal is effortless and powerful. He hits those notes assuredly and he’s barely out of his comfort zone, spanning from a significant low note B1 to high note B4. His technical prowess is impressive, crazy smooth register transitions, and his voice has a fine timbre. He infuses his soul into everything he sings, and is one of the most versatile singers on the planet. Wikipedia notes Patton is across: “crooning, falsetto, screaming, opera, death growls, rapping, mouth music, beat-boxing, and scatting” among others. All round, a darn cool front man, and a vocal genius.

I’ll be posting some more about Patton and FNM at some stage; there’s gold there.

Midlife Crisis – studio version with concert footage:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzXtxqMRd8g

Midlife Crisis – live at the Phoenix Festival ’97

Weather Report: “Third Stone from the Sun” – Jaco Pastorius’ alien reveries

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Cross post:

http://notesonbeing.com/2014/04/27/20-epic-photos-of-earth-from-space-taken-from-the-iss/

Jaco and Jimi – a meeting of minds

On the topic of cover songs (Seether – “Careless Whisper”), Weather Report’s “Third Stone from the Sun”, imaginatively re-interprets the original, though it’s still jazz rock fusion. Hendrix’ mainly instrumental piece (it has some dialogue in place of lyrics) has often been cited as an early example of fusion. The song was released in 1967 on the album “Are You Experienced?” It’s a trippy perspective on Earth from an extra-terrestrial spaceship, with spacy reverberations. Virtuoso fretless bass player Jaco Pastorius, as always, dominates Weather Report’s version, soloing Hendrix’ lead on bass, employing improvisation, effects, slap percussion and inventively utilised harmonics. These were alien applications of the instrument in the day. The result is a uniquely creative expression of Hendrix’ most enigmatic recorded composition. Jaco does it his way and the audience is left in awe.

Third Stone from the Sun chorus

Weather Report, co-led by the Austrian-born keyboard player Joe Zawinul and the American saxophonist Wayne Shorter were extraordinary musicians, leading artists of the jazz fusion genre in the day. Joni Mitchell often hired the entire group (excluding Zawinul) for her studio albums, drummer Don Alias and Pastorius featuring on the 1980 double live album “Shadows and Light”, alongside lead guitarist Pat Metheny, keyboardist Lyle Mays and saxophonist Michael Brecker – a dream line-up. (Mitchell’s collaboration with Pastorius was dazzlingly inspired. Give the album a listen; unlike “Hejira” and “Mingus” Jaco performs on every track and it’s a striking auditory experience.)

Joni Mitchell and Jaco Pastorius – an inspired musical collaboration

Jaco Pastorius was exceptional among even these luminaries, hugely influential as he revolutionised the role of the bass guitar in the late 1970s and the 1980s. He notably used a floating thumb technique on the right hand, anchoring on the bridge pickup while playing on the E and A strings and muting the E string with his thumb while playing on higher strings, accomplishing distinctive syncopated ghost notes (a more rhythmic than melodic or harmonic musical value, thereby adding momentum and drive to a bass line). According to Wikipedia, (Jaco was known for) “highly technical, Latin-influenced 16th-note funk, lyrical soloing on fretless bass and innovative use of harmonics. He was inducted into the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame in 1988, one of only seven bassists so honoured (and the only electric bass guitarist)”.

Jaco Pastorius onstage

There have been extraordinary bassists in non-classical music – Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Flea, Pete Entwhistle, and the prodigy Cliff Burton come easily to mind as top of their field. Yet to this day, no-one has played bass harmonics to greater effect, nor been as significant in the progression of these techniques than Jaco. He was murdered in 1987, at the age of 35, by a nightclub bouncer. It was a tragic end for a man who, while battling bi-polar disorder, lived for playing that instrument and expanding its possibilities. Robert Trujillo, Metallica’s bass player since 2000, cites Pastorius as an influence. Robert is custodian of the Bass of Doom, Jaco’s defretted 1962 Fender jazz bass. It’s been restored and Robert has been spotted playing it with Metallica.

Along with the YouTube link to Weather Report’s “Third Stone from the Sun” clip (#1); #2 is a compilation from 10 major rock magazines of the thirty best bass players in history; #3 is Rolling Stone magazine’s list, narrowed down to the top 10, with the addition by the poster of Iron Maiden’s Steve Ferris. These lists are always contentious of course, but I find them compelling anyway. Are you a fan of the bass guitar? Do you agree with either of these lists? Disagree? Who is your favourite bass player?

1. Weather Report – Third Stone from the Sun, with Jaco Pastorius.

2. 30 Best Bass Players in History (compilation from 10 major rock magazines)

3. Top 10 Best Bass Players (Rolling Stone list + 1)

 

Wedding Cake Island – Midnight Oil (Instrumental) 1980, Sydney surf music

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Midnight Oil: “Wedding Cake Island” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3FQwovIJw0

Soundtrack cross post: http://notesonbeing.com/2014/05/13/the-art-of-circular-quay/

Wedding Cake Island is a small rocky outcrop a few hundred metres off the coast of Coogee Beach. Island is an optimistic term; it’s wet and rocky – not a place to visit for recreation. The surf break around there is excellent when the swell is right, like most Sydney beaches.

Surfing Wedding Cake Island

Surfer Stephen Sharpe backdooring a big barrel at Coogee – “the Southie” just offshore.

This is a superb instrumental track from Midnight Oil; you don’t need to be a fan to appreciate it. There is a kind of vocal on the track. If you listen carefully, at 2:23 you can hear the words “north swell ‘round the Byron Pass mate”. The story goes that the studio recording ran overtime and a member of Cold Chisel opened the door and interrupted the session with this remark. “Bird Noises”, the album on which this track features, was recorded at the Music Farm Studios in the hills behind Byron Bay, pictured below. All the top bands stayed there and recorded albums in the 70s and 80s (I stayed there for a while around 1980 – I was well-connected in those days).

The new owner, Eric Roberts, has now refurbished the control room and expanded the console to it’s full 42 input capacity. He has added new effects units and Pro Tools and the whole studio is up and going again under the direction of Greg Courtney.

Byron Bay, also legendary for its beaches, is on the Far North Coast of New South Wales. (Waves refracting around Cape Byron tend to run almost at right angles along The Pass. These produce the surf for which it is internationally famous.) Keen Sydney surfers regularly take the pilgrimage – approximately 770 kilometres, about a 9 hour drive or 1 hour by plane – northward to Byron to experience these spectacular conditions.

I’ll create a post on Sydney’s beaches at a later date, but this is a nice piece of music to accompany the post on Circular Quay; Sydney is all about the Harbour and beaches. Surf music from a much-loved local band seems right. The Oils played and recorded alt rock and hard rock from 1976 to 2002, initially establishing a fan base solely in Sydney.

The tune was written by guitarists Martin Rotsey and Jim Moginie and features them on guitars. Rob Hirst plays drums and Peter Gifford adds bass. Charismatic front man Peter Garret (recently serving as Federal Minister for Education) is not included on the track. This was one of the rare Midnight Oil tracks played on local radio; their huge popularity was built almost entirely on their live shows.

Midnight Oil: Martin Rotsey, Peter Garret, Rob Hirst, Jim Moginie and Peter Gifford.

Seether – Careless Whisper

Seether – “Careless Whisper”

Is this the best cover song ever?

                                    I feel so unsure                                      As I take your hand and lead you to the dance floor….

I do love a really great cover song. A track re-interpreted in a fresh and interesting way intrigues me. If you are a muso or band intending to perform a cover, you don’t want to just equal the original, especially when it’s George Michael, who’s a little, well, naff. There are many interpretations of original songs that stand as significant pieces in their own right and these are worthy endeavors. The Deftones’ hypnotic underwater metal rendition of “No Ordinary Love”, elevated by Chino’s breathy vocals, is an outstanding example, bringing the song into the 21st century. Yet Sade’s original is extraordinary also. Ideally you want to jam the song in a way the original failed to do.

With that in mind, Elvis’ intense 1969 hit “Suspicious Minds” is a contender for hottest cover ever (the original, released by the songwriter, Mark James flopped) and definitely has the edge in the popularity stakes. The song ranked #91 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list and Elvis’ definitive version broke cross-Atlantic chart records.

“Careless Whisper” by post-grunge South African band Seether, for my money, tops both of these. The song grabs you in the guts with raw and powerful emotions due to some first rate musicianship and an impassioned vocal from Shaun Morgan. Its alt metal feel is innovative and progressive. In my humble opinion, this version of George Michael’s 1984 blue-eyed soul smash hit, from Seether’s 2007 album “Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces”, really, really nails the song. In doing so it transforms a slightly cheesy pop tune into a cool, edgy classic. The best cover song ever? Decide for yourselves.

 

Chris Cornell: A New Immortal

Chris Cornell, best known for his lead vocals with Soundgarden and Audioslave, is widely considered to be one of the greatest rock singers ever. There’s no question his vocal accomplishment is considerable and his song writing and musicianship also pack a lot of cred.

Moreover he is a high baritone also capable of delivering spectacular high notes, making him part of a select group of singers. His 4 octave range voice is described as having a bright, husky timbre (distinctive sound) and the tessitura (the range – generally pitch – in which a given type of voice presents its best-sounding texture or timbre) equal to other outstanding baritones in rock such as Deep Purple’s Ian Gillan. It is distinctiveness, one of the most important determinants in ranking the quality of a voice (many equally accomplished singers lack this quality, or possess it in a limited way) that Cornell has to a high degree, most notably when heard in an acoustic setting.

The Range Place has detailed his vocal range:

Voice type: Baritone
Sung range: D2-A5
Total range: B1-C6

The link for a complete list of significant high and low notes.

http://therangeplace.forummotions.com/t168-chris-cornell

In the Soundgarden song “Rusty Cage” he hits the low note F#2 and the high note B4, and reveals his vocal punch:

During the acoustic version of “Fell on Black Days” he hits the high note E5, and demonstrates not only power but the vocal agility so admired by fans of this exceptionally talented singer:

According to Wikipedia “Cornell was ranked 4th in the list of “Heavy Metal’s All-Time Top 100 Vocalists” by Hit Parader,[2] 9th in the list of ‘Best Lead Singers Of All Time’ by Rolling Stone,[3] 12th in “MTV’s 22 Greatest Voices in Music” [4] and was voted “Rock’s Greatest Singer” by readers of Guitar World.[5]” The Rolling Stone’s readers’ poll ranks him just ahead of Kurt Cobain and behind John Lennon. Cornell has a greater vocal range and more power than either of these singers, though he has had problems with his voice over the years due to some grueling training he put it through in the early years with Audioslave and Soundgarden. He’s nevertheless overcome these and continues to be one of the truly great singers in rock music. He is assured of being included on the illustrious list of Immortals occupied by singers such as the hugely influential Robert Plant, who made #1 on RS’ readers’ list. Personally, though the Led Zeppelin front man is also a favourite singer of mine, I prefer Chris Cornell. Take a listen. Do you agree?

Audioslave – Killing in the Name Rage Against the Machine

*For more details see Wikipedia Chris Cornell entry

Cross post: Soundgarden – Fell on Black Days acoustic

Soundgarden – Fell on Black Days acoustic

Chris Cornell and Ben Shepherd of Soundgarden:

“Fell on Black Days” acoustic

“And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.” Friedrich Nietzsche

Cross post: Chris Cornell – A New Immortal. Music biz

Gnarls Barkley: Crazy – The Sound of the 2000s

Gnarls Barkley: Crazy 

Hi dear readers. Here is a nice little singalong for the shower or wherever…I give you, from 2006, Gnarls  Barkley – “Crazy”. The song was Rolling Stone magazine’s #1 song of the 2000s. How the hell did I miss it then? Musta been crazy or something.

Here’s the best version, with lyrics onscreen. We can lose ourselves in it or jive along to our little hearts’ content. It topped the charts in the United Kingdom, Denmark, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand and other countries on release that year, having already been leaked in 2005. Records for Songs Charting tumbled almost everywhere.

The only thing I don’t love about it is that it’s too short, and there is no more of that groove. It was a one-off musical collaboration, created by DJs CeeLo Green and Danger Mouse, who decided to write the best pop song ever, for the 5 times Grammy Award-nominated album St Elsewhere. And they’ve pretty much nailed it. Now I need to link the song to one of my non-music-related posts. Perhaps a post from the Abbottoir? Perfect. Just who is craziest anyway? The residents of Bedlam or the lunatics running the show?

“You are the best. You are the worst. You are average. Your love is a part of you. You try to give it away because you cannot bear its radiance, but you cannot separate it from yourself. To understand your fellow humans, you must understand why you give them your love. You must realize that hate is but a crime-ridden subdivision of love. You must reclaim what you never lost. You must take leave of your sanity, and yet be fully responsible for your actions.” -Gnarls Barkley, in a letter to the legendary rock critic Lester Bangs

What’s your favourite song for the 2000s? And is your government really out to get you, or are you just crazy? These are big questions. Take your time if you must but please feel free to comment when you are ready. Meantime, life is short so be sure to have fun. Love is free, so love freely. That’s my only advice.

AC/DC Live – Concert at Donington 91: Meta-rock over glass

For those about to rock….let’s go!

I love this concert at the Donington Music Festival in England in 1991, and can’t think of a better sound with which to launch my blog (see the About this blog post for further details about my site). The concert is part of
AC/DC’s Razor’s Edge tour. The band plays on a glass stage which provides some great film footage of Angus’ duck walking and other comic stage antics, showmanship which makes an AC/DC concert so high octane and compelling. That wiry body, capable of delivering such massive power, roves the stage relentlessly. Angus knows how to play to an audience and they love him for it.

The concert includes what I believe to be the definitive live version of “For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)” with real cannon salutes as a finale: video #1. Standing in on drums for Simon Wright (the only constant members have been Angus and Malcolm Young) is capable and enthusiastic Welshman Chris Slade, who possesses an impressive resume of English bands joined over a long and distinguished career. There are huge inflatable dolls of Angus and Rosie (everything about an acka dacka concert is huge). I have posted the YouTube footage of the concert but the footage and sound are of average quality: video #2. The individual clips are way better; the 26 cameras present, including one in a circling helicopter, provide outstanding vision.

Meta-rock I call it – hard rock so hard and rock-y it need only reference itself. Aussie pub rock at it’s very finest. The Razor’s Edge tour was released as an album in 1992.

Set list:

1. “Thunderstruck“
2. “Shoot to Thrill“
3. “Back in Black“
4. “Hell Ain’t a Bad Place to Be“
5. “Heatseeker“
6. “Fire Your Guns“
7. “Jailbreak“
8. “The Jack“
9. “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap“
10. “Moneytalks“
11. “Hells Bells“
12. “High Voltage“
13. “Whole Lotta Rosie“
14. “You Shook Me All Night Long“
15. “T.N.T.“
16. “Let There Be Rock“
17. “Highway to Hell“
18. “For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)”

Video #1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGvO7T_aFtk

Video #2:

Are you an AC/DC fan? Do you like this show? What’s your favourite rock concert? What makes it stand out for you? Please comment below; your feedback is welcome.

 

About this blog

About this blog: Notes on Being, or how to become yourself with writing and music

Welcome to my blog. It is wide ranging in subject to, I hope, reflect life in the present, with its tempo and its reverberations – the song and dance of being. I’ve long been interested in the theme in the writing of Friederich Nietzsche that life has meaning if it is read as a text. In exploring it this way, we can write the narrative of our own true selves, and let go of the script received from others. Through the prism of art and culture is a great way to do this. What’s your passion?

In writing my own life, I present to you my authentic self, my passions and my perils. I’m a work in progress (like this blog) but happy with where I am today. An Arts graduate (BA Honours, UNSW) with English and Philosophy majors, and an antipodean progressive thinker, I step forward and a little to the left downunder. A teacher, writer, feminist, activist and lover of nature and beauty, and of all things literary, as well as visual and performing arts, I am also a recovering person on the 12-step program. I grew up in the era of the peace-loving hippie, the 60s and 70s. My great passions are music, and writing about music. I like to discover the stories behind the sounds – the histories and the creative process.

I direct a spotlight as well on politics; animal rights; the environment; spirituality; women and their space in the biosphere; and fashion, design and all things aesthetic. The future of the Earth and the human species concerns me, as I believe it does all of us on some level. I love to collect great ideas and to offer them in a simple lucid form, anticipating the world becoming a better place. I endeavour to paint colourful pictures with words, to illustrate and illuminate. My personal ethos involves caring and sharing; my inspiration is Nietzsche, and all those who have supported me.

Please join me on my trip through the zeitgeist towards becoming, set to music. It is my reading of the experience and understanding of what it means to be alive today, of what it is to be human, and intimately connected to our Mother, this stunning planet we call home. It is, hopefully, a roadmap for emerging as one’s true self – with images and a soundtrack. Feel free to jump in with your own views on any of the issues and experiences I explore. And the same goes for the soundtrack. Music to me is an essential part of life. Do you agree and if so, what music has moved and inspired you in your life?

Our greatest gift is today and our ultimate end is freedom. Caz

This song leapt out at me as the obvious choice to accompany my intro for the blog. The Beatles were the first band I fell in love with – they were the soundtrack of my childhood and adolescence. Their songs exemplified the peace and love of hippiedom I felt an affinity for in the 60s and 70s, along with their strong sense of social justice. Love the psychedelia too and this song is a case in point. I was heartbroken when they split; by the time I was fifteen Let It Be, their last album, had been released. An era ended and it was a wrench for me, a lesson in the impermanence of all things in life.

I moved on to The Moody Blues and discovered hard rock – Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, et al – and expanded my musical horizons with rock fusion in my teens, but the Fab Four have always held a special place in my heart. Today I love them as much as ever. “A Day in the Life”, the final song on Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, was ranked 28th greatest song of all time and greatest Beatles song by Rolling Stone magazine. I will be doing a post on The Beatles some time but it will be limited in scope; there is too much in their work for me to tackle in one essay. Even thinking about this endeavour I suddenly feel my confidence ebb. Oh dear reader, I am unworthy. Oh well, as in most things, I will just have to rise to the occasion. As I told myself before starting this blog, “be brave and do it!”

The Beatles – A Day in the Life:

Acknowledgement and thanks to my friend TJ who has, as usual, inspired and encouraged me through this process. C

The Cure – Pictures of You

Cross post: 20 Epic Photos of Earth From Space  http://notesonbeing.com/2014/04/27/20-epic-photos…n-from-the-iss/

 

 

Jim Morrison and The Doors: “The End” live version

Morrison is among the most quotable of rock stars.

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The Doors: “The End” live version

Despite tragically making the 27 club, Jim Morrison lives on – The Doors albums still sell today. Morrison is among the most quotable of rock stars. Along with that rich bass baritone voice, perfect for rock music, he was a thinker. The singer and songwriter wasn’t just ahead of his time, he is timeless. His influences included Nietzsche, Blake, Joyce, Freud, Rimbaud, Baudelaire and Sophocles. Morrison wrote “The End”, but it evolved through months of Doors’ performances into a nearly 12 minute track on their self-titled album released in January 1967.

The song was used by Coppola in the opening scenes of his 1979 masterpiece “Apocalypse Now”. It’s a genius choice, setting the tone of the movie, which often veers between dream-like states and nightmare scenarios. In this live version, Morrison performs at his best – he could be unpredictable – & Robby Krieger’s opening riff is hauntingly beautiful. It’s an innovative piece of music, the lyrics reference Oedipus, from Greek theatre & universal themes of life, death & pain. This quote about the song’s meaning is reprinted from Wikipedia:

“In John Densmore‘s autobiography Riders on the Storm, he recalls when Morrison explained the meaning:

‘At one point Jim said to me during the recording session, and he was tearful, and he shouted in the studio, ‘Does anybody understand me?’ And I said yes, I do, and right then and there we got into a long discussion and Jim just kept saying over and over kill the father, fuck the mother, and essentially boils down to this, kill all those things in yourself which are instilled in you and are not of yourself, they are alien concepts which are not yours, they must die. Fuck the mother is very basic, and it means get back to essence, what is reality, what is, fuck the mother is very basically mother, mother-birth, real, you can touch it, it’s nature, it can’t lie to you. So what Jim says at the end of the Oedipus section, which is essentially the same thing that the classic says, kill the alien concepts, get back reality, the end of alien concepts, the beginning of personal concepts.’”

It is a piece of pure theatre. The people watching him perform this in the 60s seemed either transfixed or swaying in some hypnotic state. The Lizard King, mr mojo risin (anagram), King of Orgasmic Rock, with the rest of the Doors it must be acknowledged, in spite of his obvious character flaws, had the power to blow your mind.

“The End” ranked number 336 on Rolling Stones list of The 500 Greatest songs of All Time (2010) and Robby Krieger’s guitar solo was ranked number 93 on Guitar World’s “100 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time”. I’ve reprinted the lyrics below.

This is the end

Beautiful friend
This is the end
My only friend, the end

Of our elaborate plans, the end
Of everything that stands, the end
No safety or surprise, the end
I’ll never look into your eyes…again

Can you picture what will be
So limitless and free
Desperately in need…of some…stranger’s hand
In a…desperate land

Lost in a Roman…wilderness of pain
And all the children are insane
All the children are insane
Waiting for the summer rain, yeah

There’s danger on the edge of town
Ride the King’s highway, baby
Weird scenes inside the gold mine
Ride the highway west, baby

Ride the snake, ride the snake
To the lake, the ancient lake, baby
The snake is long, seven miles
Ride the snake…he’s old, and his skin is cold

The west is the best
The west is the best
Get here, and we’ll do the rest

The blue bus is callin’ us
The blue bus is callin’ us
Driver, where you taken’ us

The killer awoke before dawn, he put his boots on
He took a face from the ancient gallery
And he walked on down the hall
He went into the room where his sister lived, and…then he
Paid a visit to his brother, and then he
He walked on down the hall, and
And he came to a door…and he looked inside
Father, yes son, I want to kill you
Mother…I want to…fuck you

C’mon baby, take a chance with us
C’mon baby, take a chance with us
C’mon baby, take a chance with us
And meet me at the back of the blue bus
Doin’ a blue rock
On a blue bus
Doin’ a blue rock
C’mon, yeah

Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill

This is the end
Beautiful friend
This is the end
My only friend, the end

It hurts to set you free
But you’ll never follow me
The end of laughter and soft lies
The end of nights we tried to die

This is the end

What do YOU think about Jim Morrison’s legacy and his influence on rock music? Do you believe it stands the test of time?

Cross post: https://carolneilands.wordpress.com/2014/04/26/what-do-you-think-of-when-you-think-about-climate-change/

Elvis Presley “Suspicious Minds” American studio 1969: A vocal masterpiece

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Elvis Presley “Suspicious Minds” 1969 https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=hdmIhCkp3p4

Like his work of the 1950s, Presley’s late 1960s recordings reworked pop and country songs in distinctly different arrangements. His vocal style and range now involved a more contemporary rock sound melded to soul and funk. A lot of Elvis in Memphis mirrored his fresh rock and soul fusion. One of these recordings became one of the most outstanding hits of Elvis’ career. Mark James wrote “Suspicious Minds”, a thoughtful pop song with themes of deep love, distrust and pain, containing drama and operatic power. The hyper-produced soul-influenced pop ballad had been covered by others but it was Elvis Presley’s 1969 recording that will always be remembered as the definitive version.

The producer was legendary Memphis soul producer Chips Moman at the funky American studio. It hit the charts alongside stiff competition, testament to its command. According to Piers Beagley on the Elvis Information Network “(t)he 1969 pop charts were one of the strongest in years with the political, “Bad Moon Rising” by Creedence Clearwater Revival, “Something in the Air” by Thunderclap Newman mixing with the innovative, David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” and the classics, The Rolling Stones “Honky Tonk Women” and The Beatles “Come Together”. ….Elvis’ musical strength had always been as a great interpretive singer and it would only be the absolute passion he injected into the song that would elevate it to the #1 slot on the US charts; #2 in the UK, amongst these other classics.” Elvis’ rendering of the song ranks in Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time at #91. This is a stunning vocal achievement.

The track established Elvis’ return to vocal form as well as a literal return to his home town. After many years of squandering his talent on B-movie soundtrack padding, a thundering, mature-voiced Presley lets loose his full power on this ballad, a defining moment in the history of popular song. “Suspicious Minds” starts with Reggie Young’s unrelenting guitar riff harmonised to Bobby Woods’s piano line, conveying an edgy mood for the listener. The vocal lines are delivered in two-part harmony. When Elvis enters with the astonishing first line for a pop love-song “We’re caught in a trap” the drama is instantly laid bare. The listener is confronted with an overwhelming intimacy; the refrain alternates between anger and smouldering despair, from an urging powered chorus to a seething, tentative tempo bridge that feels like a totally different song. During this soul section – after the aching frustration suggested in the verses – Presley begs his lover not to “let a good thing die,” as if down on one knee (in the live performances of the song Elvis indeed drops to his knees during this section). The fade out and return to the song feels exactly like the trap the lovers are caught up in. Raw emotion is sensed throughout, with Elvis’ vocal expressing both vulnerability and anguish as he declares to his sweetheart that he loves her too much.

This is one of the songs where he reaches the notable high register G4. The King’s passion turns the song into something utterly his own, while provoking the studio band to turn on several degrees of heat. The other musicians on the sessions included Reggie Young on guitar, Bobby Woods on piano and vocal, Mike Leech on bass, and Gene Chrisman on drums. The arrangement quickly builds to include horns, strings, layered backing vocals, and the throbbing rhythm section. Everyone in the studio that night knew that this was the song, how it was always meant to be sung and played.