My 100 Essential Albums – 10, The Velvet Underground and Nico

Posted on December 11th, 2014
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vun My 100 Essential Albums – 10, The Velvet Underground and Nico

 

In my last post about my 100 essential albums I explained that I had removed Exile on Main Street from the list because when I thought about it I did not think that it was one of those essential albums that I could not live without.

However, its replacement, The Velvet Undergound and Nico certainly is an essential album.  The only surprise to me is that it comes so low down the list.  Released in 1967 this is the banana album.  Designed by Andy Warhol the early covers featured a peel able banana skin which revealed a peeled banana underneath.  At the time some saw this as more to do with Warhol than the music.  How wrong they were!  Brian Eno was wrong when he said that although the album only sold 30,000 copies in its first few years “everyone who bought one of those 30,000 copies started a band”.  His point about the influence that the 4 members (I do not count Nico) had has echoed down time.

For a young lad living in Bristol this album was a revelation!  No Moon and June, this was about drugs, prostitution, S&M, hurt, pain and loss.  It was the real music, real rock!  It was not a commercial success at the time, in fact it was almost totally ignored by the music press of the time.  I first heard tracks from the album while listening to John Peel’s radio show.  (I have so many things to thank JP for).  From the time I bought my first copy, this has been one of my essential albums.

The track listing is;

1.         Sunday Morning

2.         I’m Waiting for the Man

3.         Femme Fatale

4.         Venus in Furs

5.         Run Run Run

6.         All Tomorrow’s Parties

7          Heroin

8          There She Goes Again

9          I’ll Be Your Mirror

10        The Black Angel’s death Song

11        European Son

From raw noise to drones, from simplistic words to complex lyrics this album has it all.  Rolling Stone published a list of the 500 essential albums and this was the thirteenth.  It is a marvelous record, it launched Lou Reed and John Cale, it was the precursor to Punk, it made writing about real issues possible. The number of people who quote VU as being an influence is beyond counting.  This was, truly, a seminal album.  It really is one of my essential albums.

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My 100 Essential Albums – The Difficult 10th.

Posted on December 9th, 2014
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The plot so far is I am listing my 100 essential  albums so when they come to put me in an old people’s home they know which ones to take with me! Hopefully, not for a few years yet but planning is always good. The 10th on my list of 100 essential albums was to be Exile on Main Street by The Rolling Stones. I had begun writing the blog to say what is so good about this album. The thing is the more I wrote about Exile on Main Street the more I realised that it did not belong in a list of my essential 100 albums. Nice to have, yes but an essential album? No.

The really odd thing is that I find that I am feeling vaguely guilty about taking this out of my essential albums list. Yes, really. How weird is that? By the time I get down to the bottom half of the list of essential albums perhaps it will reappear. But if it is not an essential album and makes it at number 90 or whatever then I do not have 100 essential albums. In the meantime I will be reviewing my essential album list, are there any more that need to be dropped? Time will tell.

Until then Here is the updated list of my essential albums;

1 Strictly Personal                                                                                Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band

2 Gone Ant Gone                                                                                  Tim Fite

3 Horses                                                                                                 Patti Smith

4 Music From a Dolls House                                                              Family

5 Trout Mask Replica                                                                           Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band

6 Transformer                                                                                       Lou Reed

7 The Original                                                                                       Ray Charles

8 Disraeli Gears                                                                                    Cream

9 George Thorogood and the Destroyers                                        George Thorogood and the Destroyers

10 Velvet Underground with Nico                                                     Velvet Underground with Nico

11 The Great 28                                                                                    Chuckles Berry

12 The Complete Recordings                                                            Robert Johnson

13 Led Zeppelin                                                                                   Led Zeppelin

14 Bitches Brew                                                                                  Miles Davis

15 It’s A Beautiful Day                                                                      It’s A Beautiful Day

16 Punk Single Collection                                                               The Adverts

17 Berlin                                                                                             Lou Reed

18 We’re only in it for The Money                                                Mothers of Invention

19 Howlin’ Wolf                                                                               Howlin’ Wolf

20 Go                                                                                                 Bo Diddley

21 Songs for Swinging Lovers                                                      Frank Sinatra

22 The Heart of Saturday Night                                                  Tom waits

23 Bringing it All Back Home                                                      Bob Dylan

24 Let It Bleed                                                                                 Rolling Stones

25 Revolver                                                                                     The Beatles

26 The Rise & fall of Ziggy Stardust etc.                                   David Bowie

27 The Anthology                                                                          Muddy Waters

28 Live at the Regal                                                                     BB King

29 Marquee Moon                                                                      Television

30 Back in Black                                                                         AC/DC

31 Raw Power                                                                              Iggy and the Stooges

32 Freak Out                                                                              The Mothers of Invention

33 American Beauty                                                                 Grateful Dead

34 Closing Time                                                                         Tom Waits

35 Stripped                                                                                 Rolling Stones

36 With Eric Clapton                                                               John Mayall Blues Breakers

37 Nick of Time                                                                         Bonny Raitt

38 Ramones                                                                              Ramones

39 Saucerful of Secrets                                                           Pink Floyd

40 In the Court of the Crimson King                                  King Crimson

41 Those About to Die                                                           Coliseum

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My 100 Essential Albums – 8 Disraeli Gears by Cream

Posted on November 9th, 2014
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My 100 Essential Albums – 8 Disraeli Gears by Cream

cream My 100 Essential Albums – 8 Disraeli Gears by Cream

Released in November 1967 this was Cream’s second album and regularly features in lists of the top 100 essential albums.

After the blues influenced, softer Fresh Cream, their first album, Cream embarked on a different, heavier, path.  This is, perhaps, the prototype for later heavy groups while Cream retained their blues feeling on tracks like “Outside Woman Blues”, “Take it Back” and “Strange Brew”.  This last owes a lot to “Lawdy Mama” using an Albert King type solo to such good effect.

The stand-out moments on the album come thick and fast. Not just the guitar work of Clapton, but also the innovative bass work by the recently departed Bruce.  Add to them the mesmeric playing of the wonderful Ginger Baker and here is a band that changed rock.  Even the strange “Mother’s Lament” has a quality and charm that endeared itself to young lads (me included) everywhere.  It was not only the musicians who were of the first order.  It was produced by Felix Pappalardi who went on to play bass in Mountain (taking Cream’s sound with him, some say).  The engineer was Tom Dowd who worked on “Layla and Other Love Songs”.  Mind you Dowd did have his off days, he also worked on the excruciatingly bad “461 Ocean Boulevard”

The album was their break through album in the USA, they were already popular and well known in the UK.  This is in spite of the album taking a mere 4 days to record, which is just as well as the band’s visa to the USA ran out on the last day of recording.

As I was compiling my list of 100 essential albums the actual rank for each one became problematic.  Is this really better than the George. Thorogood album at number 9?  It all depends on my mood, of course, but what I do know is that this is a great album and “Strange Brew” is a fine, fine rock track.

As essential albums go this is so automatic it should be illegal

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My Essential 100 Albums – 7 The Original by Ray Charles

Posted on November 5th, 2014
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This just has to be in my list of 100 essential albums because it is the first record I ever bought!

 At 13 I had a Saturday job working in a hardware shop in Stokes Croft in Bristol.  At the time Stokes Croft was not the best area in Bristol and the customers seemed to consist of drunken men and shoplifters.  My job was to be the odd job boy and to serve the various down at heel customers who actually wanted to pay for things.  One of my other duties, as I remember, was to spend my time in the cellar unwrapping bamboo canes from their covering.  They came in large bundles done up with matting made from bamboo leaves.  I believe that they were imported from China, although that might be my memory playing tricks.  What is certain is that the bundles sometimes held things other than bamboo, exotic looking spiders.  As someone who is not keen on spiders you can imagine my delight at finding large, hairy spiders looking at me from the bundles.

 Anyway, the second week I got paid.  The first week I was told had been a trial (unpaid) day.  With my £1 in my pocket I wondered off to spend it.  That was probably as much money as I had ever owned and I never was one for saving.  Just down the road was a second hand shop with a stack of records outside.  Looking through I came across this record.  I knew nothing of Ray Charles but felt drawn to it. 

 I have always been lucky when it comes to finding good records, CDs, and artists.  Luck is really how I found Beefheart, Tim Fite, George Thorogood, Daniel Johnson and so many more. 

 I parted with my hard earned cash and took my record home.  Naturally, my parents did not like Ray Charles, I later realised that if my parents disliked or did not approve of someone I was probably on a winner!

And so it proved.  This is a tremendous record.  Previously the only song that really excited me was Fever by Helen Shapiro.  This one soared past that instantly.  It also introduced me to one of my favourite songs ever, Sitting On The Top Of The World.  I love that song in its many reincarnations by various artists.  There was also; Jack, She´s On The Ball, You Always Miss The Water, and St. Pete Florida Blues.

 The record was scratched and the sleeve bent, but it all added to it in my mind.  However, I must say that years later I found a pristine copy, complete with the original receipt from 1959 that I have to this day.

 Wonderful

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My 100 Essential Albums – 6 – Transformer, Lou Reed

Posted on November 2nd, 2014
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transformer My 100 Essential Albums 6 Transformer, Lou Reed

My first experience of Lou Reed’s music was courtesy of John Peel’s radio show.  Late at night on an old Bakelite radio while reading in bed, typical teenager stuff.  The first Velvet Underground track I heard was (I think) Heroin, but it could have been White Light.  In any event, I was sold.

Following the death of VU Lou’s first solo album, Lou Reed, was OK but not earth shattering.  As with Transformer most of the tracks were old VU material.  The stand out tracks were “Lisa Says” and “Berlin”.  Transformer (November 1972) was where Lou really nailed it.

All the tracks stand up.  Many displaying the edge that Lou brings to all his writing.  For example, “Satellite of Love” is a love song that shows paranoia and jealousy in the middle section.   Walk on the Wild Side was the single from the album peaking at number 10 in the British charts.  There was even a dance sequence performed by Pan’s People on Top of the Pops, and very raunchy it was too, well, for the times…….

Perfect Day is a great song and is one of the few songs that has been covered by the original artist, and covered badly.  In fact, the cover made by Lou (and hundreds of other artists) for the BBC in 1997 is quite possibly the worst cover of all time!  As with a lot of Lou’s work the song is either simple and straight forward, or not.  Is it a pure little love song written out of love or does it reflect Lou’s relationship with heroin?  As it was used in the film “Trainspotting” the jury is still out and has not made a decision.

The album was co produced by Bowie and Mick Ronson.  There are rumours, never confirmed that Bowie wrote Wagon Wheel.

To conclude, this is the album that confirmed Lou Reed as a major rock artist.  In turn he became an icon of dissolute youth, he is often referred to as the grandfather of Punk.  It is one of the few truly indispensable albums.

 

Track listing;

Vicious

Andy’s Chest

Perfect Day

Hangin’ Round

Walk on the Wild Side

 

Make Up

Satellite of Love

Wagon Wheel

New York Conversation

I’m So Free

Goodnight Ladies

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My Essential 100 Albums – 5 Trout Mask Replica Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band

Posted on October 28th, 2014
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 tmr My Essential 100 Albums – 5 Trout Mask Replica Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band

Quite simply, this is the best rock album ever. 

Less simply, it is not really a rock album.  It is a bluesy, rocky, multi faceted, arty, album that is difficult to pigeon hole.  The only easy description is that it is clearly the work of a genius. 

 By now I think that I have nailed my colours to the mast.  I love this album, I have always loved this album.  I am one of those poor sad so and so’s who will quote lyrics from their favourite artists, Beefheart being one. 

 I bought this as soon as it came out.  I was so struck with it I played it to my mates the next time they all came round, they hated it.  It was quite some time before I met anyone else who admitted to liking it.  Throughout my life this album has been like a secret code known to only a few of us.  When out with an old girlfriend watching Wilko Johnson playing in a blues club in Blackpool – OK a room above a pub – we got chatting to a couple only to find that he was a secret Beefheartian.  The women rolled their eyes as we chatted about the albums, the sayings and the general wonderfulness of “The Captain”.

 He had actually run into The Captain in a restaurant after a show.  The Captain came into the restaurant where John was eating.  Naturally John went over to The Captain and said how much he had enjoyed the show.  When The Captain left he came over to John and gave him his napkin.  On it was one of The Captain’s drawings, and although it would be valuable (The captain being a collectable artist) Joh obviously treasured it.

 One day while cleaning his partner found the napkin, and, without thinking, threw it away!  Amazingly their relationship survived, but John recounted the trauma with great passion in his voice.  THAT is what being a Beefheartian means to us.

 So, what is so great about TMR?

 Released in June ’69 it was released on Zappa’s Straight Records label.  Zappa, who was a long term friend of Beefheart’s was also the producer of this mystifying album.  It was a double album with 28 tracks.  It is said that all the instrumentals were recorded in under 6 hours.  Having said that the band spent 8 months learning, writing, and practicing the songs.

 To say that they spent 8 months rehearsing may give a benign gloss to what was a brutal process.  They practiced for up to 14 hours a day.  The band was in a house the suburb of Los Angeles, rarely going out except for buying and occasionally steeling food.  They had no money.  Captain Beefheart was a tyrant.  He would pick on a band member and taunt and bully him into submission.  All band members suffered at his hands.  There are some that said the bullying took on a physical edge.  The atmosphere within the house has been called cult like with Captain Beefheart at its head.

 The music shows many influences, it has an obvious blues element as well as elements of free jazz.  There are more subtle influences.  Is that a guitar line from a Gene Autrey song? Yup.  Someone highlighted a melody from Mile Davis to me that I had not noticed.  There is gospel in there as well.  Captain Beefheart was catholic in his tastes, just like his old mucker FZ.

 Since its release (it was nota commercial success in the USA initially but it did fair better in the UK) TMR is always mentioned in the lists of the most important and best albums released, show me a list and I will find you TMR.

 As John Peel said said of the album: “If there has been anything in the history of popular music which could be described as a work of art in a way that people who are involved in other areas of art would understand, then Trout Mask Replica is probably that work.”

 

The only mystery is why it is only at number 5 of my list.

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My Essential 100 Albums – 4 – Music in a Dolls House, Family.

Posted on October 24th, 2014
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music in a dolls house My Essential 100 Albums 4 Music in a Dolls House, Family.

The first album by Family “Music in a Doll’s House” (1968) is a strange and wonderful thing. Roger Chapman is blessed with a distinctive, warbling voice. The band were all talented musicians including Ric Grech on bass and Jim King on sax being the most recognised.

Family released this complexly orchestrated album in 1968 and it has been included in lists of great rock albums ever since its release. The band went on to have other well received releases but suffered over the years with in-fights, fist fights and constantly changing personnel. The result being that I do not think that the band reached its full potential.

Having said that this first album was breathtaking in its majesty. I was never a fan of progressive rock but I regard this as more a jazz rock fusion thing, whatever the genre it has remained a firm favourite over the years. I can not imagine a CD collection that did not give me the option to listen to the sound of British prog/jazz fusion at its best.

Standout tracks, for me, are “Old Songs, New Songs”, “Mellowing Grey”, and “Me, My Friend”.

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My Essential 100 Albums – number 3 – Horses by Patti Smith

Posted on October 20th, 2014
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HORSES My Essential 100 Albums – number 3 – Horses by Patti Smith

Horses – Patti Smith (1975)

This was The and Glorious (to use her official title) Patti Smith’s first album and was released in December 1975. This album rescued me from a life in which I thought that music was dying, if not dead. I was blown away by the power and majesty of what she was trying to do.

The first track that I heard was Gloria. It was one of those moments that stick in your mind. “Jesus died for somebody’s sins, but not mine”. A glorious opening, unexpected, haunting and thought provoking. Then it opens up to a song sung by Van Morrison while he was with Them. By half way through the track I had forgotten the original version. It is one of those rare things a cover that supersedes and improves on the original. She owns that song.

There are several very song tracks on this album. Although always credited as a leading light of punk the album includes “Birdland” that reflects her mother’s love of Jazz. The lyrics for that song is based “A Book of Dreams” by Wilhelm Reich. The album also references Arthur Rimbaud. This was just another punk album it was made by someone with a love of classic rock, of art, and the art of words. During the following years Patti fell in love, fell out of love with the music business, and returned to recording and performing.

Always Great and always Glorious Patti’s first album was a statement of intent that she followed up magnificently with some seminal works. Most people’s catalogues would be enhanced if they produced even one album half as good as Horses. For Patti this was just the first in a string of wonderful recordings.

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My Essential 100 Albums – 2 Gone Aint Gone Tim Fite (2006)

Posted on October 16th, 2014
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220px Tim fite gone aint gone My Essential 100 Albums 2 Gone Aint Gone Tim Fite (2006)

It is my quest here to establish those essential 100 CDs that I would save if the house is going up in flames. The first one to be saved is Strictly Personal by Captain Beefheart and His Magic band.

That was an easy, easy choice. The second was equally easy.

Gone Aint Gone by Tim Fite (2006)

This was a chance find in 2006. There was a guy on eBay in the UK whose cousin was The Edge in U2. The Edge used to pass him lots of promo CDs that had been sent to U2. Whether that was the truth or not I have no way of knowing. This guy was selling them off at ridiculously low prices. I used to buy job lots of 20 at a time. There was a load of rubbish and some real gems. I came across bands that were new to me including the excellent PK-14, Twinemen, and The Transplants. There was also a promo copy of Horses by the great and glorious Patti Smith.

Amongst the piles of CDs was a promo copy of Gone Aint Gone. This is a wonderful CD.

Tim Fite is an interesting individual. An American multi instrumentalist he is hard to pigeon hole. His past releases have run the gamut from alternative rock, hip hop, indie with a bit of country thrown in. In other words, you do not know what you are going to get, which can be off putting for some. He produced one album that was railing against consumerism. Instead of trying to make money out of it (like so many others) he released “Over the Counter Culture” free on the web. (Damn good bloke in my view).

Gone Aint Gone was his first album and it was released on his (?) Anti- label. Although there are a couple of musicians on it the album is mainly sampled from $1 CDs that he picked up in used record shops. The result is an oddly wonderful album. I have seen it classified as Rock, or Folk, or Hip Hop. I don’t care, it is just sublime.

As for stand out tracks, there are 18 of them. “I hope Yer There”, “No Good Here”, “If I had a Cop Show” are among the best, but. For me the best track is the one featuring Paul Robeson “I Kept Singing”.

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My Essential 100 Albums – The First One! Captain Beefheart

Posted on October 8th, 2014
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captain My Essential 100 Albums The First One! Captain Beefheart

The idea behind this list is for me to say which 100 albums I will take with me if I was marooned on a desert island or when I have to go to live in an old folks’ home (not that I am anticipating that in the near future). The prospect of paring my CDs down to just 100 essential albums is daunting. However, it is also quite intriguing, which albums would I just have to keep and which, however good, would have to stay behind?

The only self imposed rule is that most artists or bands would be restricted to just one CD. Obviously, that ‘rule’ will probably not apply to Zappa or Beefheart but will to most people.

Although later choices will be more difficult the first choice is easy.

Strictly Personal – Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band. (1968)

I have written an article about this album or rather How I Met Beefheart elsewhere on this site. This was the first Beefheart album I heard and is an automatic choice for the essential 100 albums list.

Released in October 1968 I first heard it in 1969 when a friend gave it to me as he had bought it and hated it. It had a profound affect on me. It seemed like grown up music. I had listened to blues, firstly, as part of the British Blues Boom and later I had begun listening to the original bluesmen. This was different. It was not like the straight blues copies of the BBB, Beefheart had taken a blues and changed it. Ah Feel Like Acid is the first track on the album and it mesmerised me.

From Strictly Personal I went to the wonderful Safe as Milk, the first album by Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band. I was a Beefheart believer, sometimes disappointed, often mystified, but always a devotee.

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