I was never really into music though my late Mum insisted I loved Lee Marvin’s rendition of Wandering Star when I was about three.

I didn’t really start getting interested in music until I started work at 19 in the mid-80’s when all the others thought it was a bit odd that I didn’t like music.  Saying that Joan Jett’s version of ‘I love Rocking Roll’ threatened briefly to change that.

At 19 I was coerced into buying a record and lumped for Simple Minds New Gold Dream, I hadn’t heard of them though liked the album cover design. On listening found I liked the harmonies and that got me curious.

The work friends I was seeing liked music and we used to play tapes in the cars and then in the pubs we played the video questionnaire games. Between us we used to win a fair amount as I was good on general knowledge and sport and the others on sport and music. Often we won about £20 on those machines that used to pay for our drinks.

Through the friends I started going to concerts and went to the following:

OMD, Peter Gabriel, Prince, Simple Minds, U2, Big Country, The Pogues.

 I stopped pretty early as I found that the live music for me just didn’t match the quality of the studio music. The other thing was I was finding the singing at football matches and bars to be much more entertaining.

Regrets

Looking back I wish I had made the effort to go and see, The Eurythmics, Queen and Depeche Mode (Violator album).

As a parent

I never wanted kids yet had a daughter in a New Zealand. I left after 3 years as I was getting angina and couldn’t work out why. I fixed the angina  several years later.

Returning over the years I noticed there was a lot of gangster rap in her environment so had the idea of playing music she could sing-along to. The other point was she was just starting to read so I needed a decent song material she could also read.

I settled on the Greatest hits of the Beautiful South, she loved it and still does to this day twelve years later. She also liked Queen, Abba and Florence and the Machine.

These days

Listening to the car radio and forum threads like Musical Connections helps me stay connected, broaden musical interests and rediscover older gems I missed growing up.

I suppose the genres I most enjoy fall into:

Indie Pop, Brit Pop, Noise Rock and Grunge (got these categories from the web not necessarily my description)

I also find myself also checking the music scores on some films and like Lisa Gerrard and the composer John Barry.

I've copied the regulars on Moi's musical connections as thought it would be good to know our musical influences and if you also have regrets and any other items of musical interest you fancy sharing:

@Boyne

@moi

@fitz

@Soulo

@goose

@yorkleyblue

Apologies if I've missed anyone.

 

Because of my dad that was a classical guitar player, very early on I started to like the guitar as a whole instrument no matter how or where it was used.

But as a teen I started to love older artists and my favorite type of music that I can always go back to has been Blues.

I was fascinated by Steve Ray Vaughan which was my favorite guitar player but I always respected a lot people like Jimi Hendrix, Gary Moore and I could go towards more rock and listen to Alvin Lee...but then I also discovered the "new guys" like Steve Vai for example.

In the last 10 years or so I have been convinced that the best player is Joe Bonamassa and I saw him live once just to confirm that and I got blown away.

When it comes to acoustic guitar I have been admiring Paco De Lucia a lot and some other good player that he played with.

I have listened to many bands too.

I also have had some rap music in my life growing up; Eminem, Wutang Clan and similar I like the most and also techno, till this day I respect for example Carl Cox as an artist and DJ and my favorite concert that I watched on youtube when it comes to Dj stuff is Fatboy Slim live at Brighton beach.

My regret would be never seeing live Chris Cornell or Audioslave.

Edited October 11, 20187 yr by Gol15

Interesting difference that you had the musical influence from a young age. My family intro was probably Dad whistling tunes as he was doing DIY which with hindsight seem like musicals. Mum was just easy listening.

We cross over slightly with the Blues as not my normal preference yet can't help but admire some of the melodies and craft behind some of their tracks. Here on the Musical Connections thread is where I have first really encountered it.

You would probably have got on with my friends at school that liked artists such as, Hendrix, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Meatloaf, Gary Moore and I can remember the only mutual artist I liked at that time was Dire Straits.

I had a somewhat eclectic mix during my formative years that has stayed with me to this day.  My first love and record collection was Reggae imports from Jamaica that I bought in a couple of shops in Bath and at a club in Bristol, initially reggae covers of UK and US top 20 songs.  But I also loved Rock, Prog-rock, Motown, Soul and Funk.

Rock is less important now, and I'm not really keen on much new from later than the 70's/Early 80's except Prince before he went gaga.  Quite like Brand New Heavies and Fun Loving Criminals (going to see them in the spring)  Don't dislike Nickelback, though they are a bit samey.  Not sure about much other newer music though.

Music is everything though.  In my 30's I just had to play in a band, wasn't negotiable, had to be done, so initially got together with some mates and started a Blues band, because that was the only genre we could all play without too much ability.  I still have a soft spot for a specific slice of Chicago Blues, Buddy Guy, Luther Allison, Otis Rush, Charlie Musselwhite, that sort.  I had great hopes for Joe Bonamassa after his first album, but he turned out to have just one good album in him, and now just rehashes that time and again.

The very first public performance just buzzed me so much I knew I had to do more and more.  Eventually, the other lads only wanted to play live every few weeks or months, nowhere near often enough for me, so I got together with some other musicians and started a different band,  whored myself around as a stand-in for any band that needed somebody, started gigging with some women from a band that my wife sang with, and then played two or three times a week, pubs, clubs, festivals, weddings, parties, whatever we could get.

Eventually I got too old for the stress of getting home from work at 7pm and having to be set up, sound-checked and ready to play 40 miles away by 9pm, so I gave it up.

Now it's just listening and going to see some bands, mainly Reggae, Funk and Soul bands, though I'm quite taken by some tribute bands, as they sometimes play the music more accurately live than the original artists do. 

Mostly, it's Ipod on shuffle, some internet radio station or other on the alexa thing, or a pleasant evening with a glass or two playing singles on my jukebox.

Regrets

I never got to see Curtis Mayfield, Otis, Marvin, Aretha, James Brown or very many other legends live.  I've seen most of the people  I ever wanted to see, though.

Interesting and impressed that you had a go at performing.

Like your point about some tribute bands as never heard that before yet see logically how that could be the case. 

I liked Prince's Sign of Times album yet saw him on the Love Sexy tour and lost interest in him from around that time.

 

Cheers.  I thought the Lovesexy tour was excellent, we saw that at Wembley Arena.  Was planning to go to Sign O the Times at Wembley but that got cancelled.  We also had tickets for a gig at Blenheim Palace that got cancelled and we were offered tickets at Maine Road stadium as a replacement which was also quite good.

After the Nude tour was when he went a bit silly, I think

On 19/03/2018 at 12:16, Strider6003 said:

I've copied the regulars on Moi's musical connections as thought it would be good to know our musical influences and if you also have regrets and any other items of musical interest you fancy sharing:

@Boyne

@moi

@fitz

@Soulo

@goose

@yorkleyblue

 

 

Apology excepted 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 15, 20187 yr by Scott

NNO, NO, NO @Scott Do not ACCept his apology so easily. Make him do a good grovel! 

 

There is also @osgoodisgood

@Scott Liked your last two clips, in fact the only Blur track I still rate. Now older also appreciate the Cure.

As for James Brown when visiting my 7yr old daughter took her to the movies and let her choose a film. It was Garfield and there's a great series of movements when Garfield and the dog dance to James Brown , we both laughed heartily.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'll start with regrets if I may. I would have loved to have seen Joni Mitchell and Muddy Waters. Joni stopped touring and recording many years ago and due to her illness I doubt if she'll record and tour again. Sadly Muddy passed away in 1983 before I had a chance to see him. A superb blues musician. His album Hard Again is one of my favourites. I do wish I had gone to see Cream in 2005 for their reunion concert at the Royal Albert Hall but the tickets were being sold for silly money and with Jack Bruce passing away a few years ago another reunion won't take place.

I've over 700 albums in my collection and I've acquired those over 40 odd years. Looking through my album collection there are a few that make me think: why did I buy those but put that down to changes in tastes over the years. Blues is my first love and I've been privileged to have seen many blues performing over the years. There are some great young blues musicians coming through. List includes Joanne Shaw Taylor, Danny Bryant, Chantel McGregor. Am also a fan of Bob Dylan and have seen him a few times over the years. I have about 50 Dylan albums in my collection.

Over the years I've been to several concerts and too many to list. A few highlights:  The Everly Brothers reunion concert in 1983; Joan Baez in 1984; Thin Lizzy in 1983 as part of their farewell tour and Kate Bush a few years ago. As the years have gone by I prefer to go to small venues to watch bands. I find the atmosphere better at smaller venues and if you're lucky you might get to chat to the band members. I've been into a few pubs over the years and heard a performer and thought they're good and have bought an album.  There is a club near me which has blues performers on a Thursday night. Some great bands have performed there. Saw Nine Below Zero there a few years ago. What a great gig.

Finally, a list of some of my favourite female singers: Billie Holiday, Joan Baez, Judith Durham, Kate Bush, Kate Rusby, Maggie Bell, Joni Mitchell, Val Cowell and my good friend Laura. Laura has sung with a few bands in the Swanage, Dorset area.

6 hours ago, Boyne said:

 Looking through my album collection there are a few that make me think: why did I buy those but put that down to changes in tastes over the years. 

I certainly agree with the above, I have few like that.

I had heard of Dylan before joining the Shedend yet not listened to his music, you and Moi have changed that and Dylan is an artist I now appreciate. The same goes for Joan Baez though had never heard of her before.

Can't appreciate Joni Mitchell perhaps a generational thing for me.

Enjoyed reading your shared experiences.

I now have a burning ambition to change your mind about Joni Mitchell

 

 

 

@moi Some fine songs by Joni. Blue is one of my favourite albums. I love her voice: very calming. For me, listening to Joni and drinking a single malt whisky is paradise. Some fine lyrics as well.

16 hours ago, moi said:

I now have a burning ambition to change your mind about Joni Mitchell

Mission accomplished, not keen on the first though the others were pleasant.

How about telling us some more about your early influences and regrets, maybe not seeing concerts of favourites artists etc.

10 hours ago, Strider6003 said:

Mission accomplished, not keen on the first though the others were pleasant.

How about telling us some more about your early influences and regrets, maybe not seeing concerts of favourites artists etc.

Regrets?  I've had a few, but then again too few to mention...

 

Yes, I'd like to have gone to a Bruce Springsteen concert in his prime.  But what I like best is going to small intimate gatherings where you sing along, and talk to the singers afterwards.

 

Like this lovely man here, who went to school with me.  When I went to see him, I always got a kiss afterwards, to the envy of other women in the club!!

 

And here he is in his youth

 

 

 

Edited October 17, 20187 yr by moi

Never heard of Rab before yet appreciate his ability, good sounds and melodies.

Nice personal insight with your brief 1:1's with Rab and that you regretted not seeing Bruce Springsteen in his prime, suspect many others would agree on that last point.

During one short holiday with two work colleagues in the early 80's to the Highlands in the period when I still followed Simple Minds we attempted to climb Ben Nevis. The weather turned and half way there we decided against it and had cakes and teas and played cards instead. Come the evening the other chaps were going out yet I got a really bad migraine and stayed in at the B & B.

When the chaps got back close to midnight they told me they had met Charlie Burchill and Michael MacNeil, I was gutted!

 

On 15/10/2018 at 11:29, yorkleyblue said:

Mostly, it's Ipod on shuffle, some internet radio station or other on the alexa thing, or a pleasant evening with a glass or two playing singles on my jukebox.

 

Think you did post a pic of your jukebox a while back @yorkleyblue? So jealous - would love a jukebox. Still have all my vinyl but rarely get to play it now so rely on my ipod and spotify. Very handy and convenient but it just ain't the same.

I think unless you come from a really musical family, most of us follow a similar pattern. You become aware of music at a young age and then things develop and evolve as you do.

So when I was a kid in the late 60’’s early 70’s what was popular that grabbed my attention? Obviously things like The Beatles, & Beach Boys anything like that where the songs and lyrics were catchy and easy to sing along to. Have to remember that back then there would have been just a handful of radio stations and so it’s not until you become a certain age and you started watching TOTP on a Thursday that you become aware of a bit more. So then it was the period of Slade, T-Rex, Bowie, Gary Glitter and the first 45 I ever bought with my own money would have been Hellraiser by The Sweet (loved a bit of Sweet back then!).

For me (probably like many) Punk changed everything. By then I was 13 / 14 and remember watching The Sex Pistols on the Bill Grundy programme open-mouthed at how it unravelled and all the outrage that followed. It’s all we talked about at School for the next few weeks and so I went straight out to buy their next few singles (God Save The Queen / Pretty Vacant). Punk ended almost as quickly as it began but being still fairly young, I preferred the more “pop-type” acts like Blondie, Elvis Costello, Boomtown Rats – all that “New Wave” stuff. Then the real game changer was November 1978. I had become aware of The Jam but at first thought their sound was too rough and aggressive. But I saw them do David Watts on TOTP and then saw them perform live on Revolver and where my musical tastes were evolving all the time I thought I would get their album All Mod Cons. It turned out to be one of those “life-changing moments”. From the first note on the opening track to the final note of the closing track I was mesmerized – completely blown away. I suddenly realised what music was all about. Not just a catchy song with “I love you” and “hold my hand” but lyrics that actually had some meaning, backed by unbelievable music played with such energy. Suddenly, someone (not a great deal older than me) was writing songs that were about my life and I could relate to and meant something to me. And to cap it all off they were cool too and just what I was looking for at that age. Punk was already pretty much dead but to be honest bondage trousers and safety pins and walking about like a tramp was never for me. The Jam had the sound AND the look and I was soon off to Carnaby Street to kit myself out and become a second generation Mod and one of the thousands of Paul Weller clones in The Jam Army!

Nothing will ever be able to match those days. I think with music, yes, it has to really grab you but a lot of it is about the age you are at the time. I can’t imagine many people discover their best music once they are over 30. I had to immerse myself in everything that was The Jam and you can only do that at a young age – pre-relationships, kids, mortgages / responsibilities etc.

My music tastes have broadened as I’ve got older but again a lot of that is down to Weller. Through him, I have discovered not just the obvious acts like The Small Faces and The Who, but the likes of Curtis Mayfield, Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, Eddie Floyd,Neil Young, Nick Drake, Dr Feelgood – the list goes on. And acts that I saw as too middle of the road and boring – now I’m older and mellowed, I quite enjoy listening too – stuff like ELO, 10cc, bit of early Rod Steward or Elton John.

But it will always come back to The Jam & Weller for me. Have seen him live countless times over the years and saw The Jam live 3 times – only regret being not more than that – especially some of the earlier gigs at The Marquee or the 100 club. Have to admit to not being as keen on his offerings these days but still respect what he stands for and how he keeps moving with the times. Can’t think of too many artists who can rival his back catalogue and still perform live as well as he continues to do. Of the artists who came out of the Punk / New Wave period, there are few who still have much in the way of credibility and can still sell out concerts on their own (poor old John Lydon looks a right state these days  - never mind the bollocks – where’s the nearest Greggs?!)

When I look back, if Chelsea FC and Paul Weller had never existed not sure what would have filled the massive void until the invention of internet porn!!!

 

 

 

Good point about TOTPs, I recall it offered a lot of different genres and though recently looking at it through the youtube posts gathered as suspected at the time that there was corruption in faking record sales. It worked by knowing what shops were going to be tested and then certain people would buy lots of your records from those outlets to artificially boost your record sales.

Re Weller/ The Jam never really a fan though loved Going Underground and a Town like Malice was a decent track too.