Old school music is cool!

[AndyD]

Andy, needless to say, you are a well traveled man. All your travels clearly made lots of priceless memories for you.
Nothing like a song to bring a place you once visited back to life. Music is a time machine of sorts. This is the ultimate exercise of this thread.

This thread has really given me the opportunity to revisit the days of my youth, places that I’ve been to and relationships that I had.

Many of the songs that I have posted here, featured in my life between 1992 and 1997. These were phenomenal years for me. That said, even as a kid, I loved the old school tunes and made a habit of playing my favourite vinyl lp whenever I needed some quality escapism...

I think that travelling certainly had a big effect on the actual music I was exposed to and came to appreciate, it probably went a long way in my developing a very catholic (adjective with a small 'c') taste in music but I don't think it made a difference to how big a part of my life it was and how defining and personal it's always been to me.

From a very early age I loved music, I have very early memories of wanting to visit a particular Auntie because she had a record player and a large box of records which would keep me occupied on my own for hours at a time.

Spending a good portion of my youth in the UK, when I was at primary school I would go to bed with my radio hidden and listen avidly to shows like John Peel and I was lucky to learn to listen and appreciate music I wasn't familiar with and music I didn't know the tune or the lyrics to. As I got older I watched TV shows like the Old Grey Whistle Test and The Tube and I started buying at least a record every month. Every weekend a group of us would randomly pick a live music venue and we'd just go watch whatever band was playing. These venues were very personal, there would be a crowd of 1 or 2 hundred people and we'd usually drink with the performers and actually talk to them before and after the show.

I do wonder if music will ever or could ever mean the same to todays youth. Music consumption in all forms was an event, even buying a record had at least three days planning and probably a week or two saving money and deciding which record it would be. It was a bus ride to town with a few friends who'd just come along to spectate and share in the moment, a whole morning in numerous seedy basement record shops and lengthy last minute discussions with the gurus that worked there and finally an hour on the bus home again to spend the afternoon playing it, listening to it, discussing the various tracks and lyrics and guitar riffs. Nowadays it's a WI-FI connection and a visit to youtube or MP3skull and in less than a minute there's an untangible, disposable file on a memory stick. For me it was about seeing a band progress from the pub scene through larger live venues and onto the organised tours and sometimes finally go and see the same guys that you knew personally after talking and drinking with them play to a crowd of 80 thousand at Wembly or Nebworth or Glastonbury. Some of the artists I've seen live to start with as crowd of under 200 people and finally with a crowd of over 50K would include Lenny Kravitz, New Order, U2, The Smiths, The Cult, The Clash, ZZ-Top the list is long and the memories are many.

I just read the post and got a reality check, I'm sounding old. I'm bemoaning progress and getting into 'kids of today' rants which isn't good so here's my old school cool nomination.

1987 (I think) on a random Friday evening in a Manchester venue called 'The International 2" there were 2 American acts playing which was quite unusual. The first was a very Rubinesque black lady who's name I cannot remember, she had a great Blues/Gospel voice and sung her heart out to a mixed but very quiet and appreciative crowd of about 100 people. The next act was an equally unknown American rock singer/guitarist who was a kinda rasta looking dude with a half unbuttoned shirt and some kind of Bee Gee's looking gold thing that swung across his exposed chest. He incidentally released an album later the same year called 'Let Love Rule'. He played about an hour or so and the place went wild, 3 encores later we spent the rest of the night buying him and the Blues Singer Lady drinks.

Here's one of the songs he played in the main set and again as an encore. It's an uncomplicated protest song, sweet and to the point.

Lenny Kravitz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lq6rEPBN7aA

"Mr. Cab Driver"

Mr Cab Driver won't you stop to let me in
Mr Cab Driver don't like my kind of skin
Mr Cab Driver you're never gonna win
Mr Cab Driver won't you stop to pick me up
Mr Cab Driver I might need some help
Mr Cab Driver only thinks about himself
Here we go

Mr Cab Driver, Mr Cab Driver
Mr Cab Driver, Mr Cab Driver

Mr Cab Driver don't like the way I look
He don't like dreads he thinks we're all crooks
Mr Cab Driver reads too many story books
Mr Cab Driver pass me up with eyes of fire
Mr Cab Driver thinks we're all one sixty five'ers
Mr Cab Driver fuck you I'm a survivor
Oh yeah, one more time, ahah

Let me in

Mr Cab Driver, Mr Cab Driver
Mr Cab Driver, Mr Cab Driver

[Dave A]

Music consumption in all forms was an event, even buying a record had at least three days planning and probably a week or two saving money and deciding which record it would be. It was a bus ride to town with a few friends who'd just come along to spectate and share in the moment, a whole morning in numerous seedy basement record shops and lengthy last minute discussions with the gurus that worked there and finally an hour on the bus home again to spend the afternoon playing it, listening to it, discussing the various tracks and lyrics and guitar riffs.

That sent shivers down my spine - exactly the way it was

[Citizen X]

Nostalgia?Definitely!



When it comes to technology, everyone simply has to get with the program, as we live in a technologically driven world.



Technology, however, does take the interaction aspect of a person and a device away. For instance, with the ‘turntable,’ or vinyl player, one had to first select the LP from a range of Lp’s. The album covers of that day, are works of art.

It was hardly surprising that music could be presented in such an exquisite manner. This was due to the fact that exquisite presentation of a LP to the fan was a world-wide norm. I certainly expected nothing less. I deeply regret having lost boxes of lp’s whilst moving home in 1997.

I can vividly recall playing the LP ‘Confrontation,’ though there was only one Lp, this album had a double cover. Upon opening the cover, just as one would do a book, there appears further art with an actual historical event depicted. This was absolutely mesmerizing!

The interaction is still not complete. The lp had to be carefully removed from it’s sleeve, I can almost hear and feel that sensation of removing a lp from it’s inner plastic cover. The lp would be cleaned, the ‘turntable,’ switched on, the needle inspected and then you got your music high.

I've come to realize that many youngsters, of this generation, just don't seem to appreciate the actual lyrics of a song. It appears that many are just into the sound of loud bass, not even knowing where the concept of bass originated.

[Citizen X]

Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrel: Ain’t no mountain high enough:1970:Album-Marvin Gaye and Tammi Tarrel’s greatest hits: Lyrics and Video

“Listen, baby,
ain't no mountain high
Ain't no valley low,
ain't no river wide enough, baby
If you need me, call me,
no matter where you are
No matter how far,
don't worry, baby
Just call my name, I'll be there in a hurry
You don't have to worry
'Cause baby, there ain't no mountain high enough
Ain't no valley low enough,
ain't no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you, baby
Remember the day I set you free
I told you, you could always count on me, darling
And from that day on I made a vow
I'll be there when you want me some way, some how
'Cause baby, there ain't no mountain high enough
Ain't no valley low enough,
ain't no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you, baby
Oh no darling,
no wind, no rain
No winters cold can stop me baby
No, no baby,
'cause you are my love
If you ever in trouble, I'll be there on the double
Just send for me, oh baby
My love is alive
way down in my heart
Although we are miles apart
If you ever need a helping hand
I'll be there on the double just as fast as I can
Don't you know that there ain't no mountain high enough
Ain't no valley low enough,
ain't no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you, baby
Don't you know that there
ain't no mountain high enough
Ain't no valley low enough,
ain't no river wide enough
Ain't no mountain high enough,
ain't no valley low enough.”
Album cover[1]
Video source[2]

---

[1]Wikipedia:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_..._Greatest_Hits. Accessed 20 January 2015



[2]Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xz-UvQYAmbg. Accessed 20 January 2015

[KCS]

Nostalgia?Definitely!



When it comes to technology, everyone simply has to get with the program, as we live in a technologically driven world.



Technology, however, does take the interaction aspect of a person and a device away. For instance, with the ‘turntable,’ or vinyl player, one had to first select the LP from a range of Lp’s. The album covers of that day, are works of art.

It was hardly surprising that music could be presented in such an exquisite manner. This was due to the fact that exquisite presentation of a LP to the fan was a world-wide norm. I certainly expected nothing less. I deeply regret having lost boxes of lp’s whilst moving home in 1997.

I can vividly recall playing the LP ‘Confrontation,’ though there was only one Lp, this album had a double cover. Upon opening the cover, just as one would do a book, there appears further art with an actual historical event depicted. This was absolutely mesmerizing!

The interaction is still not complete. The lp had to be carefully removed from it’s sleeve, I can almost hear and feel that sensation of removing a lp from it’s inner plastic cover. The lp would be cleaned, the ‘turntable,’ switched on, the needle inspected and then you got your music high.

I've come to realize that many youngsters, of this generation, just don't seem to appreciate the actual lyrics of a song. It appears that many are just into the sound of loud bass, not even knowing where the concept of bass originated.

I agree with you. It is good to see that LP's are making a massive comeback. Most of the local music stores around here have started selling LP's again.

I collect live concert DVD's. Seeing the performances adds another dimension for me, and the surround sound is pretty good.

[Citizen X]

Babara Mandrell:I was country when country wasn’t cool:1981:Album-Babara Mandrel Live:Lyrics and Video





I was reggae when reggae wasn’t cool



Country music is about telling a story in a very poetic manner. I loved country music as a kid. I derived my love for ‘Levi,’ jeans and cowboy hats from country music.
Being different can be demonstrated by the music that one listens to. I have fond memories of the ‘drive in.’


“I was Country, when Country wasn’t cool
I was Country, from my hat down to my boots
I still act, and look the same what you see ain't nothing' new
I was Country, when Country wasn't cool.”

“I remember wearing' straight leg Levis and flannel shirts, even when they weren't in style
I remember singing' with Roy Rogers at the movies, when the West was really wild
And I was listening' to the Opry when all of my friends were digging'
Rock 'n Roll and Rhythm & Blues
I was Country, when Country wasn't cool"

I remember circling' the drive-in pulling' up and turning' down George Jones
I remember when no one was looking' I was putting' peanuts in my Coke
I took a lot of kidding', 'cause I never did fit in now look at everybody trying' to be what I was then
I was Country, when Country wasn't cool


I was Country, when Country wasn’t cool
I was Country, from my hat down to my boots
I still act, and look the same what you see ain't nothing' new
I was Country, when Country wasn't cool


They call us "country bumpkins", for sticking' to our roots
I'm just glad we're in a country, where we're all free to choose
I was Country, when Country wasn't cool


I was Country, when Country wasn’t cool
I was Country, from my hat down to my boots
I still act, and look the same what you see ain't nothing' new
I was Country, when Country wasn't cool

Yeah, I was Country when Country wasn't cool.”

Album cover[1]
Video source[2]

---

[1] Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Mandrell_Live. Accessed 21 January 2015

[2] Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN50ZU6jVwM. Accessed 21 January 2015

[Citizen X]

The Highway Men:Highway man:1985:Album-Highwayman:Lyrics and Video

[Nelson:]
I was a highwayman. Along the coach roads I did ride.
With sword and pistol by my side.
Many a young maid lost her baubles to my trade.
Many a soldier shed his lifeblood on my blade.
The bastards hung me in the spring of twenty-five.
But I am still alive.

[Kristofferson:]
I was a sailor. I was born upon the tide.
And with the sea I did abide.
I sailed a schooner round the Horn to Mexico.
I went aloft and furled the mainsail in a blow.
And when the yards broke off they said that I got killed.
But I am living still.

[Cash:]
I was a dam builder across the river deep and wide.
Where steel and water did collide.
A place called Boulder on the wild Colorado.
I slipped and fell into the wet concrete below.
They buried me in that great tomb that knows no sound.
But I am still around.
I'll always be around, and around, and around, and around, and around.

[Jennings:]
I fly a starship across the Universe divide.
And when I reach the other side,
I'll find a place to rest my spirit if I can.
Perhaps I may become a highwayman again.
Or I may simply be a single drop of rain.
But I will remain.
And I'll be back again, and again, and again, and again, and again.



Album cover[1]
Video source[2]

---

[1] Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highway...um%29.Accessed 21 January 2015

[2] Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFkcAH-m9W0. Accessed 21 January 2015

[Blurock]

The original Fleetwood Mac nurtured my love for Blues music. Peter Green was a master of the guitar (listen to Gary Moore's Blues for Greeny) and numbers like this one, Man of the World and Black magic woman became all time classics. Sit back, enjoy with a cold one.

[Blurock]

Guys, you are giving me cold shivers. Andy, you could have been a poet!

I was most fortunate to have grown up in the Swinging Sixties and the Stupid Seventies when music turned to disco and bands were, um, banned. Sort of.
I guess that makes me a toppie, but that's just my body. I am still 16 after all those years!

The sixties was the pioneering years of pop and rock with new fads trends and fashions almost every week. The invention of the mini skirt and bikini. Free sex and Woodstock.
Live bands was my scene and I dreamt of being a rock star. When I passed an audition and joined my first band at 15 I was over the moon. I must have been the worst drummer ever, but eventually learnt to play the guitar after doing my National Service, playing the clarinet in a military band. After that I again formed a rock band, but then as a guitarist and lead singer.

I was a regular at the record shops and was fortunate to have a girlfriend who worked part-time at one. She always kept me up to date with the latest, including imported albums. Crammed into the cubicles with all ten of your friends to listen to the latest hit was cool. At school we talked music and memorised the words of the songs. Have you heard this...? Have you seen that band? etc etc.
Vinyl was special. You had to treat it with care and never loaned it to anyone for fear of scratches. The album covers were works of art and many became collector's items. I still have my vinyl collection and some of them have only been played once or twice. I used to immediately tape the best numbers on the record and then put it away. Some of those classic albums are still in mint condition. A while back I sold Astra by the South African band Freedom's Children for $150. (yes dollars!) Freedom's could have been more famous than the Rolling Stones had it not been for apartheid. You can listen to the album in some of the earlier posts.

The one in the middle... Manfred Mann was an ex South African.

[Blurock]

Some of the best lead guitar you'll ever hear. Unfortunately the Peter Green story is a sad one. Check it out on Youtube. DON'T do drugs!

[Citizen X]

Fleetwoodmac: Don’t stop:1977:Album-Rumours:Lyrics and Video

If you wake up and don't want to smile,
If it takes just a little while,
Open your eyes and look at the day,
You'll see things in a different way.
Don't stop, thinking about tomorrow,
Don't stop, it'll soon be here,
It'll be, better than before,
Yesterday's gone, yesterday's gone.
Why not think about times to come,
And not about the things that you've done,
If your life was bad to you,
Just think what tomorrow will do.
Don't stop, thinking about tomorrow,
Don't stop, it'll soon be here,
It'll be, better than before,
Yesterday's gone, yesterday's gone.
All I want is to see you smile,
If it takes just a little while,
I know you don't believe that it's true,
I never meant any harm to you.
Don't stop, thinking about tomorrow,
Don't stop, it'll soon be here,
It'll be, better than before,
Yesterday's gone, yesterday's gone.
Don't you look back,
Don't you look back.

Album cover[1]
Video source[2]

---

[1] Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don%27t...od_Mac_song%29. Accessed 21 January 2015


[2][2] Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8arvEzHsA8. Accessed 21 January 2015

[AndyD]

I remember buying a Fleetwood Mac single on the first weekend of its release. I was primarily in the record shops to buy another LP and because it was hot off the press they were constantly playing fleetwood mac in the background. With some leftover money after acquiring the primary target I fell hook line and sinker for the upsell sales technique and left with one.

I was originally going to give the single to my sister who is 2 1/2 years younger than me because it was more her genre of music and I had in mind that a decoy might help keep her grubby fingers off my real records....and believe me, her fingers were grubby, I know because I'd have to spend hours cleaning the snot and sugar ridden smudges off my prized vinyl.

The single lay around in my bedroom unplayed for several days and I remember one weekday evening when it was lashing down with thunder, lightning and rain outside I put the Fleetwood Mac single on my turntable, played it a few times. I then flipped it over to listen to the 'B-Side' and what I heard just immediately blew me away. It was a ballad type song with obvious, or so I thought, drug connotations but there was something deeply emotional about it that still gives me a knot in my stomach today when I hear it and I never figured out to this day how anyone in their right mind could have assigned it to a B-Side.

The link below is to the original album version, all the live performances I've seen never seemed to convey the same emotion.

Fleetwood Mac (Written by Stevie Nicks)

Gold Dust Woman

Rock on gold dust woman
Take your silver spoon
Dig your grave

Heartless challenge
Pick your path and I'll pray

Wake up in the morning
See your sunrise loves to go down
Lousy lovers pick their prey
But they never cry out loud
Cry out

Did she make you cry
Make you break down
Shatter your illusions of love
And is it over now do you know how
Pick up the pieces and go home.

Rock on ancient queen
Follow those who pale
In your shadow

Rulers make bad lovers
You better put your kingdom up for sale
Up for sale

Well did she make you cry
Make you break down
Shatter your illusions of love
And is it over now, do you know how
Pickup the pieces and go home.

Well did she make you cry
Make you break down
Shatter your illusions of love
And now tell me
Is it over now, do you know how
Pickup the pieces and go home
Go home
Go home

Pale
Shadow
Of a woman
Pale
Shadow
Of a dragon
Dust woman

Pale
Shadow
Of a woman
Black widow
Pale
Shadow
She's a dragon
Gold dust woman
Woman, woman

[AndyD]

Okay, here's one I heard on the radio this afternoon and it was like a breath of fresh air and was the cause of an almost subconcious but very notable volume increase. It's an uncomplicated rock song with a ballad undertone for the first half and an epic 2-guitar solo at the end (if there would be such a thing as a 2 guitar solo).

I've been nominating mostly music so far that I have a really strong connection to but I never saw this band live and although it's a track I've always enjoyed I only ended up with this single in my vinyl collection by accident when I bought a box of a few hundred 7" singles from a friend of mine who worked at a local radio station. All the 7" singles were radio promo releases.

The way it used to work was that bands with a big distribution company behind them used to press a run of a couple of thousand promo copies of an about to be released single or album. The track was often the bare bones of the finished product before final editing, it's what would be known in the movie industry as a 'workprint' and these singles were distributed as freebies to well known DJ's and big radio stations as a way of generating interest and familiarity for a song, a way of encouraging them to give it air time. They often came in paper sleeves with no artwork and some were even labelled by hand or with a manual ink-stamp with the artist and track name and a big 'Not For Sale' warning on them. These promo copies rarely made it onto the open market and they were rarely, if ever actually played on the radio.

The interest I had in these promo releases was that I percieved that the somewhat raw promo track was something closer to the way the actual artist wanted the song to sound before the marketing department and editors did their hatchet job on it to make it what they considered more appealing from a sales point of view. Obviously I never had proof that this was the case, it was just a romantic notion but I did spend many happy hours playing the official release and the promo release of the same songs back to back and carefully analyzing the differences. The promo release I have of this particular track had only a single guitar solo in the latter half which isn't as gripping as the dual guitars in the final retail release, the promo was also only about 5 minutes long and the final retail single was considerably longer.

Here's the '76 Knebworth live version on a rare sunny day in the UK. It's 14 minutes long so if you want to fast forward to the part where the goosebumps start then go to around the 6 minute mark.

Lynyrd Skynyrd

Free bird

If I leave here tomorrow
Would you still remember me?
For I must be traveling on, now
'Cause there's too many places
I've got to see

But, if I stayed here with you, girl
Things just couldn't be the same
'Cause I'm as free as a bird now
And this bird, you can not change
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

And the bird you cannot change
And this bird you cannot change
Lord knows, I cant change
Bye, bye, baby it's been a sweet love

Yeah, yeah
Though this feeling I can't change
But please don't take it so badly
'Cause the Lord knows
I'm to blame

But, if I stayed here with you girl
Things just couldn't be the same
'Cause I'm as free as a bird now
And this bird, you'll can not change
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

And this bird you cannot change
And this bird you cannot change
Lord knows, I can't change
Lord help me, I can't change
Lord I can't change

Won't you fly high, free bird, yeah?

[Martincost]

Cool collection, guys! Thanks for sharing. I like singing old school and so do my friends. Really appreciated.

[AndyD]

Instead of nominating another favorite track I'm going to sneak in a tribute to a guitarist and hope nobody notices.

I first encountered Johnny Marr in the early 80's when he was alongside Morrisey in The Smiths and later with The The. The thing I always liked about him was he was more that just talented, he was original. Most people remember The Smiths for Morrisey's style or voice or lyrics but the Smiths for me were just as much, if not more about Johnny Marr and his understated guitar style that ranged from downright jangley and plinky to big and bold. Throughout his musical career he has constantly redefined and pushed the boundaries of guitar playing whilst staying somewhere between lead and rythmn and whilst he's always had a fan following which has been been sufficient to allow him to ply his trade I think his biggest following is amongst fellow musicians who are possibly better placed in some regards to appreciate what he does and how well he does it.

Here's a 1983 Smiths track that epitomises his earlier signature sound as rawas it comes live at the Hacienda.

What difference does it make - The Smiths

Here's another Smiths track with another distinctive Marr sound to it.

How Soon Is Now - The Smiths

And just because it makes me smile when I see it here's why Johnny Marr became a guitarist and not a dancer.