The Archivist: Horslips - The Book of Invasions: A Celtic Symphony



During the 1970s, my main source of musical inspiration was the Alan Freeman Saturday Show. This used to be broadcast on a Saturday afternoon and was my essential listening of the week. I very rarely listened to the show with friends as I wanted to drink in the music alone. I heard many an exotic sound that has stayed with me since and they may well turn up in future Archivist features. But I remember vividly hearing a piece of music that would highlight a band who I had never heard of before and would stay with me to this day.



The nearest I had got to folk music was a compilation of the best of British folk of the time. Included were bands like Fairport Convention & Pentangle and solo artists like Bert Jansch. So, very little knowledge. However, Fluff played a track which was folk based, (I had definitely heard the tune before) but was a rock song. The tune I had heard was this. This is Kate Bush's version of My Lagan Love.

Kate Bush - My Lagan Love

 



 

 

I didn't manage to catch who the band was on this first hearing but I did catch the title of the album. The Book of Invasions: A Celtic Symphony. Now this caught my imagination straight away. Celtic Symphony. Wow! I was seduced immediately. The track that Fluff played was this.

 

 

Horslips - The Warm Sweet Breath Of Love

 



 

It may be the Irish ancestry coming out but it just entranced me from the first few notes. Now Alan Freeman, like John Peel, was a bit of a rebel music wise and sometimes he just played what he wanted. So, I wrote to Alan at the BBC address asking him to please play another track from the album. So, to my surprise, the following week he read my letter and played this next track. In those days, we would get the cassette recorder and put a microphone in it, put his next to the radio speaker and record the songs from the shows. Oh, how I wish I had recorded him mentioning my letter. He read another about a year later but I wouldn't make my one and only radio appearance until 1983! But in 1976, he played this second track from the album, this totally killed me and I went out and bought it on the first day of it's release.

 

Horslips - Sideways To The Sun

 



 

 

The title of the album comes from the fact that the songs are based on famous Irish Traditional songs intertwined with the original rock songs by the band.

 

T H E   B O O K   O F   I N V A S I O N S(Leabhar Gabhala Eireann)

The Book of Invasions is a twelfth century chronicle of the various pre-Christian  colonisations of Ireland.
The race who occupied the country before our Gaelic ancestors were the Tuatha De Danann
-the Peoples of the Goddess Danann.
While their origins are unclear we do know that the Tuatha were a mystical race,
handsome and learned, elegantly dressed, expert in every art and science and supreme masters of wizardry.

 

All the songs were linked to this theme. It is regarded as Horslips best album. The band are often called the best band ever to come out of Ireland. A great accolade seeing as they've also produced Thin Lizzy & U2. They never matched it's success and scope. They did have a crack at America with the album, The Man Who Made America, which saw them turn into a standard rock band with celtic instrumentation but to me they lost their Beauty. You decide.

 

 

Horslips - The Man Who Built America

 

 

Here is the album in full, if you want to hear it. But I recommend the CD, with headphones on, of course.

 

 

http://www.horslips.ie/celtric.html

 



 

 



 

The Archivist - Pat Metheny Group - Pat Metheny Group



Back in the 70s, music radio fell into three categories. Pop (Radio 1 & Commercial Radio), Rock/Indie/New Wave (John Peel), Classic Rock (Alan Freeman's Saturday Show). I listened to Peel, now and again but never missed Alan Freeman. But for the intelligentsia, there was a brilliant little programme tucked away on Radio 3 late on a Sunday evening called Sounds Interesting. It was  presented by music writer Derek Jewell and ran from 1972 - 79. On one of these programmes back in 1978, I heard a track from an album called Bright Size Life. It turned out to be by a young American guitar virtuoso called Pat Metheny.



 The music fans of the time used to vote in Polls in music magazines Sounds & Melody Maker, the best guitarist was always Jimmy Page/Steve Howe/Steve Hackett/Richie Blackmore.

From the first time I heard Pat Metheny, I always thought he blew these guys away. Now, I'm not a great lover of jazz but Pat was melodic, with superb musicians and absolutely pristine sound quality. So, I rushed out to get Bright Sized Life, only to find it was an import only. Pat had just released his second album, this time with a group, called simply Pat Metheny Group, which was available. So I bought this. What a revelation. I had always heard jazz as being improvised noise or the backing for some dodgy crooner. But this was brilliant. I immediately, being the saddo I am, worked out the record label was ECM, which stood for Edition of Contemporary Music, founded by Manfred Eicher. I immediately sent a letter off to Germany asking for more info. (No email or internet in those days). Fair play to them, they sent me a pile of information, with Biogs of their artists and some samplers. You don't get service that like these days.

http://www.ecmrecords.com/Startseite/startseite.php

The album is purely instrumental, glacial, joyous, uplifting, surprising, supremely executed and timeless.

So, this album started my lifelong love of Pat Metheny. He has released many albums over the years as a solo artist, with his group and in collaboration with other musicians. He is a real innovator and always pushes the boundaries of his music. Just for added authenticity, here are two videos of the Vinyl versions being played. Enjoy.

http://www.patmetheny.com/





Songs in the Key of MY Life: Billy Bragg - Sexuality

Sometimes, it isn't a whole album that reaffirms your faith in music or an artist. Sometimes, it's just a song that comes along and grabs you by the unmentionables.

This is the first in the series of songs that have grabbed me and have stayed with me since I first heard them. Often, these can be attached to a particular person, a particular event or just a time somewhere in your life. Or, it can be just a great song.



The 90s were not kind to me musically. It has been the most fallow decade in my 50+ years on the planet as far as music is concerned. But there was one brilliant song that reignited my love of music at the start of the 90s. This song was released in September 1991. It brought together 3 great musical talents to create a single of such joy and optimism.

So we have the songwriting ability and delivery of one Billy Bragg, together with the guitar genius that is Johnny Marr and the backing vocals of Kirtsy MacColl.

It is a song with a message - sex is a beautiful and wonderful thing and that homophobia is not a road to travel. The video is also a thing of beauty. And it made me laugh out loud when I first saw it. I was lucky enough to see Billy perform it live with Kirsty on backing vocals at the Tower Colliery Benefit Concert in Neath in 1993,  before Kirsty was tragically killed in 2000. I give you Sexuality by Billy Bragg and defy you not to smile :)



The Archivist: The Carpenters 1969-73

 

Picture if you will,  it's 1974 & there is a 13 year old skinny kid with hair down to his shoulders, wearing flared jeans and a cotton white cotton Kurta, walking up the road. He has an album under his arm, as most kids/adolescents did in those days. It was like wearing a badge of honour. 3 older boys are walking towards him. Under one of the boys arms is THE album of 1974, Sheer Heart Attack by Queen. As they pass each other they both eye up each others albums, as they did in those days. The three boys turned to the younger skinny kid and shouted, 'Oi Baker, you poof', what's that, A Carpenters album? Poofter!'

 

As the older, cooler kids were rocking to the sound of Queen and the other big albums up to 1974, the younger skinny kid had fallen in love. Not to the girl next door, or the unattainable girl with breasts in the 3rd form. No, he had fallen in love with the voice of Karen Carpenter. A love that has lasted a lifetime. Unlike Miss 3rd Form, who turned out to be not a very nice person after all.

 

The Carpenters - Ticket To Ride

 

 

Up until 1973, The Carpenters had had a string of successful singles. Their albums up until that point, 69-Ticket To Ride, 70-Close To You, 71-Carpenters, 72-A Song For You, 73-Now & Then, had barely scratched the surface of the charts here in the UK. However, this first Greatest Hits album went mega.

 

Not only did  I love the voice of Karen but the arrangements and production of Richard were of quietly epic proportions. How did he make the voices sound like a celestial choir? I have always loved harmonies and Richard certainly knew how to use his and Karen's voices to create that special Carpenters sound.

 

 

The Carpenters - Close To You

 



 

 

The Carpenters continued to have tremendous success right up to Karen's death on February 4th 1983. But nobody has ever come close to duplicating those glorious harmonies. Maybe it was a sibling thing - as in the Everley Brothers or Neil & Tim Finn. Even sadder was the fact the Richard who had tremendous production and arrangement skills never got to share his skills with others. He did release a solo album called Time in 1989, in which he worked with Dusty Springfield & Dionne Warwick but to no great success. So a spectacular career was cut short. I don't think Richard ever got over the death of Karen and working with anyone else was just not the same. But they did leave us with song brilliant songs.

 

 

Something In Your Eyes - Claire Dela Fuente & Richard Carpenter

 

 

 

But, The Carpenters did give us one of the best guitar solos of all time. Just listen to the end solo of Goodbye To Love.

 



 

http://www.richardandkarencarpenter.com/

 



Albums of 2013 - Prefab Sprout - Crimson/Red

The rumours had been rife all year. There was even a leaked bootleg - The Devil Came A Callin'. But the cries of the enlightened could be heard across the land when the imminent arrival of Crimson/Red was announced.
Could it be true? Could Paddy be finally coming out of his slumber for a new release? Would it be a Paddy McAloon or a Prefab Sprout release. Did Paddy still look like God? So many questions to be answered.
Well, the rumours proved to be true. Crimson/Red - named after Mark Rothko paintings, has arrived in all it's blazing glory. Recorded over an 18 month period, it draws on the Paddy McAloon song archive and delivers Paddy's best album for years. I say Paddy's album because it is a solo album, with all instruments played by Paddy. It has the comfortable feel of all the previous Prefab Sprout albums, the Guitars, Keyboards, Synths, Fake Harmonica etc. And of course, Paddy's fabulous voice.
There is no better songwriter in the UK than Paddy McAloon. And he has chosen some gems to record for this album. So do yourself a favour and just go and buy it.

 

Oh, and does Paddy still look like God? Judge for yourself :)

 

 

Prefab Sprout - The Best Jewel Thief In The World

 

 

Prefab Sprout - Billy

 

 

hear Paddy talk about the new album here :)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZN3IW45-lk

 

 

 

The Archivist: Dennis Wilson - Pacific Ocean Blue

This will be the first in a series of  albums that have brought me great joy over the years.

One of my earliest memories is sitting on the landing at the top of the stairs and listening to my brother (who is 12 years my senior) playing records in his bedroom. As a rugrat, I was never allowed in to this inner sanctum but my mother used to laugh as she saw me sitting bopping at the top of the stairs to the music. Probably because my mother was a fabulous dancer and she hoped I would get those genes. Sadly I didn't. But the sounds that came out of that room have stayed with me forever. My brother was a huge Beach Boys & Beatles fan so all my formative years were spent listening to these fabulous harmonies and songs.

There was always music in our house as my parents used to run a pub and had amassed tons of 78s & 45s and were always playing them. When my brother left home to go to University at 18 - that left the 6 year old Macwood to 'inherit' the sounds. I was now in my element.

So, The Beach Boys were constantly on the record player. I have always preferred them over the Beatles. I think it must have been the harmonies that 'flicked the switch'. So I had access to everything up to 1968. I later returned all the albums to my brother by the way.

The love of the Beach Boys has always stayed with me. I have all the albums (obviously) - but also lots of bootlegs.

Back in 1977, at the beginning of punk, I remember going down to the local Woolworths and buying Pacific Ocean Blue. It was the first solo album of any Beach Boy, so it was important :)

I remember the response very well in the music press - nobody was expecting Dennis Wilson to produce the first Beach Boys solo album, let alone finding out it was so good. It had universal acclaim on release. The journos enjoyed the structure, the sound, the passion.



Dennis had been writing songs since the late 60s. His songs began appearing on Beach Boys albums.

Beginning with Little Bird & Be Still from the Friends album in 1968, it was becoming increasingly apparent that Dennis was now becoming a songwriter of class and distinction. See the brilliant Dan Addington's site for further info -  http://www.danaddington.com/denny/releasedmusic.html

It was also becoming apparent that Dennis’ contributions were becoming the more interesting material on the Beach Boys album releases. Here's Dennis' song, Forever from the Sunflower album.

The Beach Boys - Forever

and the sublime Cuddle Up

The Beach Boys - Cuddle Up

With no songs from Dennis on the Beach Boys Love You & MIU albums – we knew something was coming. News that Dennis was working on a solo album and the fact that he might be the first Beach Boy to record a solo album, was greeted with amazement in the music press.

So it was, in 1977, that I went down to our local Woolworths and purchased Pacific Ocean Blue. Not only was it the first solo Beach Boys Album, but it was also magnificent.

Totally out of step with the current music trends, Pacific Ocean Blue turned out to be a timeless masterpiece. It has since been described as California Gospel, and you can see why. Based around piano (because Dennis wrote on a piano), it is full of Passion, Musical Integrity & Sublime Sounds. It starts with the amazing River Song

Dennis Wilson River Song

And ends with the sublime End Of The Show.

Dennis Wilson - The End Of The Show

Nobody expected an album like this from any Beach Boy, including Brian.

It has since taken on Legendary Status. It's mythology was helped by its unavailability since it’s limited CD run in 1981, the original vinyl album ended up costing hundreds of Pounds and the original 1981 cd – called The Red Stripe by collectors, due to its original red jewel case, cost even more.

After many years of campaigning by Dennis & Beach Boys Fans, they released a Legacy Version, which includes tracks from his second proposed album Bambu, back in 2008. Although these tracks showed a definite move forward, many were left in demo state as Dennis’ health deteriorated due to substance & alcohol abuse.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Ocean_Blue

Although two tracks were worked up by the Beach Boys for their LA: Light Album – Baby Blue & Love Surrounds Me. These tracks, which were by far the best tracks on the album, indicate where Dennis might have taken us if it were not for his untimely death on December 28^th 1983.

Dennis Wilson - Baby Blue

Also included on the legacy Edition was the track Holy Man. The music track was complete but Dennis had never put down the vocal parts. So, POB producer Greg Jakobson asked the Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins to step in and provide the vocals, with astonishing effect.

Taylor Hawkins - Holy Man - written by Dennis Wilson - vocals were never recorded -

due to go on Dennis' second solo album Bambu

Holy Man with Taylor Hawkins on vocals

Many musicians have since sang its praises and stated its influence on their own music. The latest being Jonathan Wilson (no relation), whose new opus – Fanfare – shows how Pacific Ocean Blue still has the power to inspire.

Jonathan Wilson - Fanfare

Albums of 2013 - Jason Isbell - Southeastern

I'll be honest - I first heard of Jason Isbell as a member of the band Drive By Truckers but they never really floated my boat back then (maybe time for a reassessment). But Bob Harris has been playing tracks from this album on his show for what seems like all year but was actually a few months.

The first time I heard Travelling Alone I was hooked. The album is a good mixture of upbeat songs (video 8) and good old downbeat melancholia. Keeping it relatively simple in terms of instrumentation and delivery, Jason has delivered a mature album which should appeal to anyone who likes Americana, or the singer/songwriter genre. The highlight for me is Elephant. A tough song. Give it a listen, most of the songs are on Youtube.

 

 

 

http://www.jasonisbell.com/