What vinyl are you listening to?

[Jim-W]

Yes I saw your post re JJ. Well, it's a brilliant record and has great sidemen like Richard Davis who is a brilliant bass player. i think it's Elvin Jones on drums. It's modal, moody and a lovely listen. Buy with confidence, BBB. This is the 10th attempt at posting as the spam filter is blocking everything I send. Hope this one gets through.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Thanks for making so many efforts to post, Jim, but unfortunately the auction was this morning, so didn't win the records. The JJ Johnson one was the only decent record in there, so I'm not too upset by missing out. *smile*

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

Thanks BBB, Jim and all for your kind words. I wasn't dramatising or fishing for approbation but thanks.

Hopefully my plea to JD will work.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Thanks BBB, Jim and all for your kind words. I wasn't dramatising or fishing for approbation but thanks.

Hopefully my plea to JD will work.

Did you get my email?

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

Hi Jim,

Version 1:

I'm very taken by the new Bob album. It initially comes across as a midnight-bottle-of-wistful-regrets album and is that, at least in part. Yet, I can listen to it on the morning drive, homeward bounds or most other occasions, to be honest. There's some alchemy going on in there. The voice, the unadorned instrumentation, the tone of it all marks it as a special companion piece to most of his recent-ish studio LPs, but perhaps surpasses them in one respect: this feels and sounds like a definitive, dignified statement from the ultimate protean pop poet. And he didn't "write" any of them. of course but this doesnt' sound like a barrel scraping, no ideas of one's own covers LP. Quite the contrary. The creative spark burns brightly.

Version 2:

It's good.

Other LPs of recent days:

Orange Blossom Special - Johnny Cash

Two Against Nature - Steely Dan

Gaucho - Steely Dan

(is there a more literate, funny and bathetic distillation of resignation and ennui as album closer Third World Man?)

Green Mind - Dinosaur Jr

Exile - The Stones

I'm very partial to Scott 4 too. The Old Man's Back In Town was my introduction to Scott back in Sixth form days, when a "History Man" teacher hero of mine played it to us whilst we discussed the events of Prague 1968. Well actually we didnt't "discuss" we just soaked up his Hobsbawm-influenced lecture and tried to envisage oursleves strolling around some campus or other carrying placards and dropping by the Theatre Studies department to work on key moments in Grass' The Plebieans Rehearse The Uprising. Reader, I lived that dream!

Have you manged to de-frost the gears and get out to seek out some vinyl??

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

Thanks BBB, Jim and all for your kind words. I wasn't dramatising or fishing for approbation but thanks.

Hopefully my plea to JD will work.

Did you get my email?

Yes thanks, BBB.

Looks like I'm up and running again.

Cue a deluge of posts and rants!

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

Last night I drank too much, over-critiqued Fortitude (TV show) and then played a stack of discs. Some of them I even have vague recollections of hearing:

It's Great When You're Straight, Yeah - Black Grape

Wherein Sean rivals Bob Dylan for documenting the passing of a cultural trend with verve, panache and great swearing. Pity the contemporaneous 'rap' of Kermit (the rapper) is splattered too liberally, it merely gets in the way of Mr.Ryder's erudite lubricious poetry.

To Each - A Certain Ratio

(One day I will tell my offpsring that this album was what happened when Level 42 asked Ian Curtis to guest on a few tracks. . . )

Force - A Certain Ratio

Let It Bleed - The Stones

The Memphis Record - Elvis Presley

Honey Lingers - Voice Of The Beehive

Intro - Pulp

and various Dub LPs . . . to fade. . . .to sleep . . . perchance to dream of trouts, masks and replicas.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

It's good to have you back, Charlie (not that you'd gone away).

I forgot about Fortitude. I'm taking it that you weren't overly impressed with it?

I can't remember watching anything of interest last night, but I picked up a few cheap CDs at some Charity Shops, and a 7 disc box set of the original series of The Prisoner yesterday, so I've just finished watching the first episode.

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

Hi BBB,

Fortitude suffers from being too much in thrall to it's influences and pretences (The Killing and Twin Peaks, namely). A great cast just about rescues some poor dialogue and weak directing (attention of a goldfish directing style where every scene is two minutes long), plus the scenery is brooding and beautiful.

My wife was/is a fan of VOTB and when we listened to it there was plenty to enjoy. It's got that B-52s retro chic but mostly without the surf-beat-pop thing.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Honey Lingers - Voice Of The Beehive

I've only ever heard 'Let It Bee', and I'm not sure how it'd stand up these days. I did hear a song a little while ago on 6 Music, which sounded just like VOTB, so maybe that sound is coming back.

 

[Jim-W]

Hi Charlie.

Well, the new Bob sounds interesting at the very least. I keep seeing the cd but I'll wait for a vinyl copy. I'm actually playing a lot of Bob Dylan ; 'John Wesley Harding', 'Bob Dyan Greatest Hits', 'Masterpieces' and some of the bootleg series issues have all had an airing recently.

I have no idea what any Steely Dan song is about; they could be Zen koans for all I know, but I love 'Gaucho' and 'Two Against Nature' despite that. I have ideas of what they're about and then I decide that I'm wrong: they're tricky and slippery beasts and that's a fact. Incidentally, the morality tale, 'Charlie Freak' is probably my favourite Steely Dan song and I do know what that's about!

Eric Hobsbawm! 'The Age Of Revolution'; I've written many an essay cribbing from that book!

Went out on my bike today, but to see my old mum who's just had a new knee and is feeling a bit sorry for herself in hospital; unfortunately, it was just there and back and it was freezing! No opportunities to spend any money on the black stuff, I'm afraid; I'm looking to go record hunting next Saturday and, hopefully, my bloke will have a stack of new stuff...well, preferably, old stuff!

Nice to see you typing again, Charlie. Oh and I love 'Let It Bleed' by the way...and 'Exile'. Sorry if this is less than erudite, but I'm still thawing out. Roll on the summer.

 

[DIB]

Hi BBB,

Fortitude suffers from being too much in thrall to it's influences and pretences (The Killing and Twin Peaks, namely). A great cast just about rescues some poor dialogue and weak directing (attention of a goldfish directing style where every scene is two minutes long), plus the scenery is brooding and beautiful.

Glad it's not just me that thinks it's a bit rubbish really. I will probably watch it to the end but it's not gripping me in any shape or form. I notice that it had the obligatory gratuitous nudity in episode 1 ( much like Game of Thrones) to try and entice a certain audience to keep watching.

.

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

Fortitude.

Yep, it's cobblers. High budget, well-shot, judiciously cast, terribly written cobblers.

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

Hi Jim,

Yes, the Bob is interesting indeed. Let me know your thoughts when it's entered your zone, man!

I'm having a mini-Stones fest at the moment. Exile started the ball, er rolling, and I've really enjoyed Beggars and Let It Bleed too, more so perhaps. I love these little crazes into paths well-trodden. Yet there's always something new to take in. The music remains, we're ever changing, then the music mutates too or rather our interaction with it. Inelegabtly put, but I hope you catch my drift. Sunday night at the base camp of half-term has rendered me boozed out and tired.

Stagefright - The Band

Not their finest moment but enjoyable enough.

Tug Of War - Paul McCartney

Even amongst the saccharine there's plenty to like.

New York - Lou Reed

It's been ages since I listened to this. Great stuff.

Side Tracks - Bob Dylan

Love & Theft - Bob Dylan

Where You Been - Dinosaur Jr

It's Great When You're Straight, Yeah - Black Grape

Is Bob's Masterpieces a triple compilation? I don't own that one.

 

[Jim-W]

Hi Jim,

Yes, the Bob is interesting indeed. Let me know your thoughts when it's entered your zone, man!

I'm having a mini-Stones fest at the moment. Exile started the ball, er rolling, and I've really enjoyed Beggars and Let It Bleed too, more so perhaps. I love these little crazes into paths well-trodden. Yet there's always something new to take in. The music remains, we're ever changing, then the music mutates too or rather our interaction with it. Inelegabtly put, but I hope you catch my drift. Sunday night at the base camp of half-term has rendered me boozed out and tired.

Stagefright - The Band

Not their finest moment but enjoyable enough.

Tug Of War - Paul McCartney

Even amongst the saccharine there's plenty to like.

New York - Lou Reed

It's been ages since I listened to this. Great stuff.

Side Tracks - Bob Dylan

Love & Theft - Bob Dylan

Where You Been - Dinosaur Jr

It's Great When You're Straight, Yeah - Black Grape

Is Bob's Masterpieces a triple compilation? I don't own that one.

Hi Charlie

Yes, I understand what you mean: we bring our ever-evolving selves to the music and, as a consequence, we hear the music differently. At least I think that's what you meant!

I'd forgotten that it was half-term...you teachers eh? Always on holiday! Hope you have a relaxing break; I know the next part of the academic year is full of major league exam stress. I've just had a phone call asking me if I could help with aspects of the Media Studies exam; I think this time they want it for free, though: 'Could you just pop by and have a look at.....?' I may do. I reckon this situation is being replicated in schools all over the country from what I'm reading; I think some subjects are being taught by people with little expertise and then they have to be supported with a few weeks to go before coursework/exam deadlines. I expect a phone call re Drama in the next few weeks!

Well, 'Stagefright' is an interesting one; I think it's a great record and probably my favourite Band lp. I know the first two are more critically acclaimed and probably have songs of greater depth, but 'Stagefright' is the one that I most enjoy listening to: any record that kicks off with 'Strawberry Wine' is a winner in my book. I love that song! While we're on the subject, I'm a fan of 'Cahoots' too although that often gets a bit of a critical mauling.

Must dig 'New York' out; I listened to it all the time when it was released, but I haven't played it for ages. Great songs.

'Masterpieces' was released in Australia and New Zealand, I think; mine's from Australia. Yes, it's a triple lp career-overview with singles, 'B' sides, live stuff and album tracks. Pretty good actually. I'm getting 'Biograph' out later today; haven't played that in ages. I'm in a Bob phase and I'd like to take this opportunity to reaffirm my belief that 'The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan' is the apex of pop culture: funny, witty, sly, deadly serious, politically engaged and enraged, hurt, intelligent oh the list goes on. As Tom Waits remarked, put that record on and it's like going back to 1963. His best singing voice too in my opinion.

Have a great holiday and don't do any work!

 

[Lost Angeles]

Santana - Abraxas and the third album.

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

Hi Jim,

Feb half-term is, as you know, a bit of calm before the storm. We had our GCSE moderation Thursday and Friday. but after the break it's three lessons a week of prep for the written exam. Non-stop, no deviation from "theory lessons" (Line manager's term) and not a scintilla of studio time. Aaaaarrrhhhh. Good luck in your advisory Media/Drama role - yes, you're right about the lack of specialists in key areas. It's trickle down idealogy from the Free School/Academy mindest of Gove and Morgan.

I liked reading your paean to Freewheelin'. Perfectly put. I have an early, crackly mono copy that renders the stereo CD I first heard utterly redundant. From the cover picture, to the sleeve notes and all the music and ideas in between, it's a transformative experience. For both the artist and us.

re: Stones. How great is Monkey Man? Do you know if the mono of that album is worth seeking out? The stereo sounds great, but I'm curious.

 

[Marvindodgers]

I walked into my local second hand record shop at the weekend to find the sad news that they are having to close due to the landlord upping the rent. Whilst getting over this devastating news (I've been buying records from these guys for 30+ years) I felt it my duty to try and reduce their load when removals day arrives and bought a small pile of vinyl. Been working my way through them this evening.

Ultravox - Rage In Eden

Ultravox - Lament

Kate Bush - The Dreaming

Suzanne Vega - Solitude Standing

Adam & The Ants - Kings Of The Wild Frontier

The Wonderstuff - Hup

Van Halen - 5150

A slightly eclectic playlist but a fitting tribute to Scorpion Records/Counter Culture. Fingers crossed that they'll find new premises someday soon.

 

[jamesrfisher]

I walked into my local second hand record shop at the weekend to find the sad news that they are having to close due to the landlord upping the rent. Whilst getting over this devastating news (I've been buying records from these guys for 30+ years) I felt it my duty to try and reduce their load when removals day arrives and bought a small pile of vinyl. Been working my way through them this evening.

A slightly eclectic playlist but a fitting tribute to Scorpion Records/Counter Culture. Fingers crossed that they'll find new premises someday soon.

Marvin, where are you? I ask as you mention Scorpion Records, I know there are probably a few shops of that name but I grew up in High Wycombe and used to spend a lot of time after school flicking through the second hand records there but I thought it had closed a few years ago to make way for a new development.

 

[Jim-W]

Hi Jim,

Feb half-term is, as you know, a bit of calm before the storm. We had our GCSE moderation Thursday and Friday. but after the break it's three lessons a week of prep for the written exam. Non-stop, no deviation from "theory lessons" (Line manager's term) and not a scintilla of studio time. Aaaaarrrhhhh. Good luck in your advisory Media/Drama role - yes, you're right about the lack of specialists in key areas. It's trickle down idealogy from the Free School/Academy mindest of Gove and Morgan.

I liked reading your paean to Freewheelin'. Perfectly put. I have an early, crackly mono copy that renders the stereo CD I first heard utterly redundant. From the cover picture, to the sleeve notes and all the music and ideas in between, it's a transformative experience. For both the artist and us.

re: Stones. How great is Monkey Man? Do you know if the mono of that album is worth seeking out? The stereo sounds great, but I'm curious.

Hi Charlie.

Yes, that iconic front cover photo is just wonderful.I always make sure it's in view as I play the record; as you say, it's all part of the whole, oh what is it, the whole approach to life he inspired. Not bad for somebody who was 'badly built and he walks on stilts'. I've got a reasonably good mono and a stereo, but the latter is plain wrong: you need the voice and the guitar emanating from the same place. Stereo is sometimes too distracting.

Oh Monkey Man! Along with all of the songs on that lp, an intelligent and insightful lyric. I love 'Live With Me' too: now that is thunderous in mono....the bass and drum groove is just astonishing. Yes, the mono is well-worth seeking out; I think it may well be a fold-down but, like all 60's mono's, it's powerful and, well, vicious! I guess direct is the word I'm looking for. 'Gimme Shelter' track may be better in stereo though...those beautiful guitars at the beginning are something else. I think mono copies in very good nick are going for a fortune now though, especially with the poster and be aware it also came with a booklet which is obscenely rare. Haggle way down for a copy without booklet or poster or for the sticker on the front of the sleeve for that matter. It's approaching £1,000 now for the whole package, but I reckon at least £500, maybe more, maybe less depending on condition, for just the record with the red inner sleeve. Hope you find one cheaper though.

I'm going to put mine on! I've got the poster, but no booklet, I'm afraid. Never seen one; having said that you can pick one up on ebay every now and again.

Best wishes with exam prep. Hope you can get through no studio time; I know kids I taught hated the written work; they just wanted to perform all the time. It was a real effort to get completed written coursework handed in on time or even late!

You're still on holiday...you deserve a few ( too many) drinks and some laid-back listening sessions.

All the best.

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

Hi Jim,

Thanks for the Let it Bleed lowdown. More hunting to do.

As said, I'm in a real Stones phase at the moment. Particularly those three LPs (Beggars, Bleed, Fingers) leading up to the dishevelled spawl of Exile. In the mire of my 80s students days where New Order and mostly The Smiths held sway I remember hammering Respectable and other singles of that era to death (on my Pioneer turntable gifted by my Dad) and thinking that was the Stones at their best. Follies of youth etc.

Currently playing alongside the above mentioned albums:

Crazy Moon - Crazy Horse

You're Dead - Flying Lotus

Regions Of Light And Sound of God - Jim James

and more enjoyably than expected,

First Circle - Pat Metheny Group

 

[Waxy]

Amplifier - Mystoria

Black Moth - Condemned To Hope

Jonathan Wilson - Gentle Spirit

 

[Jim-W]

Hi Jim,

Thanks for the Let it Bleed lowdown. More hunting to do.

As said, I'm in a real Stones phase at the moment. Particularly those three LPs (Beggars, Bleed, Fingers) leading up to the dishevelled spawl of Exile. In the mire of my 80s students days where New Order and mostly The Smiths held sway I remember hammering Respectable and other singles of that era to death (on my Pioneer turntable gifted by my Dad) and thinking that was the Stones at their best. Follies of youth etc.

Currently playing alongside the above mentioned albums:

Crazy Moon - Crazy Horse

You're Dead - Flying Lotus

Regions Of Light And Sound of God - Jim James

and more enjoyably than expected,

First Circle - Pat Metheny Group

The Stones albums you mention, including 'Exile' are arguably their best, but I'm a fan of 'Aftermath', 'Satanic Majesties', 'Between The Buttons' and 'Goat's Head Soup' too plus all the brilliant 60's singles too. 'Beggar's Banquet' is nice in mono by the way: big, heavy sound if that makes sense to you. 'Some Girls' is pretty good too.

'Crazy Moon'!! Haven't played that in years...I think Neil's on guitar on a few tracks isn't he? Must get it down and give it a spin.

'First Circle' is a good Pat Metheny record; I like the Pat Metheny group of this period, but my favourite Pat Metheny, which I urge you to Spotify or youtube is the brilliant 'Bright Size Life' which features Jaco Pastorius playing empathetically and injecting Metheny's lyrical and pretty compositions with much-needed soulfulness. Nice cymbals splashing all over the place too! It's a lovely sounding recording. Another recommended one is 'Watercolours' and Eberhard Weber's bass does the same job on this one too. Metheny can be a bit pretty, ethereal and er vacuuous but with a decent bassist his tunes seem to have more depth. I'm a fan of the ECM sound; it always makes my systems sound better than they probably should.

Regards.

 

[Marvindodgers]

I walked into my local second hand record shop at the weekend to find the sad news that they are having to close due to the landlord upping the rent. Whilst getting over this devastating news (I've been buying records from these guys for 30+ years) I felt it my duty to try and reduce their load when removals day arrives and bought a small pile of vinyl. Been working my way through them this evening.

A slightly eclectic playlist but a fitting tribute to Scorpion Records/Counter Culture. Fingers crossed that they'll find new premises someday soon.

Marvin, where are you? I ask as you mention Scorpion Records, I know there are probably a few shops of that name but I grew up in High Wycombe and used to spend a lot of time after school flicking through the second hand records there but I thought it had closed a few years ago to make way for a new development.

Hi, yes the Scorpion Records that I referred to is the one in High Wycombe. It did indeed close a number of years ago as the guy who ran it decided to retire to look after his ailing wife and the land is now under a giant Sainsburys. Steg (the guy with the big beard if you remember him?) and Cheryl relocated to Desborough Road and opened up as Counter Culture soon after Scorpion closed and they've been there for a number of years now. They only use half the shop unit they are in and unfortunately their landlord needs to maximise his income by leasing the whole unit and they just cannot see a way of making that pay and so they have had to take the sad decision to close up shop this saturday. They've tried to find a shop share with another business, but they've so far been unsuccesful. They sell a lot on eBay and will continue that for now and they are continueing to look for alternative premises, but sadly at present it's looking like the end for now. Very sad indeed as I've been buying from them since I was 12 years old (42 now!!) When I spoke to my sister about it, she did remark that they were probably responsible for over half my collection and she is probably not too wrong! Sad times in HW!!

 

[Jim-W]

Lee Morgan: 'In Search Of The New Land'.

Rory Gallagher: 'Rory Gallagher'.

Rory Gallagher: 'Blueprint'

Heartbreakers: 'Live At Max's Kansas City'.

'Red House Painters' (rollercoaster)

Red House Painters: 'Songs For A Blue Guitar'.

Duster Bennett: '12 db's'. Idiosyncratic, brilliant and funny...Duster was wonderful.

Grant Lee Buffalo: 'Fuzzy'.

Tomorrow: 'Tomorrow' mono.

Mike Cooper: 'Trout Steel'. No mask or replica, but a brilliant and underrated lp.

Brewer And Shipley: 'Weeds'

Famous Jug Band : 'Sunshine Possibilities'.