Thursday 13 September 2018

Random stuff about music

Just thoughts, memories ... / I'm not writing about finance today, dear reader(s), in the last post of the week. You could offer me all the tea in China and I still wouldn't write about finance. 'Ha! You're a rebel, boss!' Tell me about it, Voice!

Okay, okay. What am I listening to? Well, I'm in a Bob Marley mood, so I'm listening to Catch a Fire. 'Great!' Yes. Concrete Jungle, which starts the album, is my favourite Marley song. / By the way, reader(s), kook(s), I was listening to Marley before he died. [That's how cool I am/was. Believe it, baby!] 'When was this?!' Er, late Seventies, when I was nine or ten. Unless I'm remembering it wrong. 'Maybe you are.' No, I'm not. I had the Babylon by Bus live album on cassette. I was listening to The Specials when I was twelve, and that was way after Marley for me. 'When was that, The Specials?' 1981, man. The year of the riots. Actually, me and my mate Gerry hanged around outside a concert of theirs at Brunel University in that year (or maybe late 1980???). 'Why didn't you go in, boss?' I don't know! Not allowed, or not enough money, I suppose. 'Did you hear anything?' Well, we sort of got the vibrations through the walls, you dig? 'Yeah.' Oh, and I was a rude boy, and Gerry was a skinhead. 'Ha! What was the difference?' Er ... hair, mainly. I mean, the clothes were the same.

Okay, okay. I'm going to put More Specials on now. It's their second album, and I think it's much better than their first. (Do Nothing is the highlight.) I would still put this album in my top ten, and I've been listening to it, on and off, for thirty-seven years! (Or thirty-eight. My memory!) 'That's quite a run, Mikey!' Tell me about it, Voice!

Right. My music? Give me a break! I'm still rehearsing, man. 'Christ! When will you be done rehearsing?!' When my performing can do my songs justice. That's it. Leave me alone!

Oh, on my twitter account I've tweeted a long live version of Purple Rain. It's a pretty awesome performance from Prince, especially the guitar playing. 'Can you play as well as that yet, Mikey?' Ha! I should be able to, Voice, but I've been neglecting lead guitar lately in favour of rhythm - and singing. 'Oh.' Two years ago I made a great(!!!) recording of me improvising to a blues backing track. I haven't developed much since then. 'Shame.' It don't matter, son. My songs are the most important thing. I'll get back to lead guitar eventually.

Okay, okay. Uh. So, uh ... have a nice weekend, alligator(s)! 'Yes, bye, crocodiles(s)!' Laters!