NWB - Community Blog

Quite agree Rob

Elbow - Grounds for Divorce

Take That - The Garden

Alishas Attic - The little things

The Who - Baba O'Riley

The Waterboys - Fishermans Blues

The BeeGees - Sprits Having Flown

All About Eve - Martha's Harbour

Where would we be without variety?

PS ( Kieren sez you were awesome last weekend!)

AYP

hugely important. don't miss out just because it's pop or r'n'b or anything. My main thing is punk and a lot of metal. I also listen to pop, R'n'B, rap, rap metal, rock, jazz, classical, you name it. There is some awesome music out there and there are people in all genres who are in it for their love of music and it shows through. Currently lovin; Lady Ga Ga, LostProphets, Cancer Bats and Pete Doherty, while still listening to stuff by Led Zep, Rush, Stranglers, Crass and the Subhumans. You can miss out on something great by ignoring other genres. And as a musician I think it's even more important, some top music has come out of one type taking influences from various others.

Couldn't agree more Rob. You have just absolutely nailed what is absolutely brilliant, beautiful and essential about music - finding a nugget of brilliance in any genre.

Far too many highlights to mention but, a very quick flick through my hard drive (as a prompt), hones in on the following high points for me, covering many genres:

Aaron Neville's amazing, almost angelic vocal on The Neville Brother's 'With God On Our Side'
The infectious pop brilliance of Alphabeat's '10,000 Nights'
The amazing Celtic-influenced guitar work on Big Country's 'In A Big Country'
The spine-tingling crowd interaction on the live versions of Queen's 'Love Of My Life'. I don't mind telling you - that brings a lump to my throat every time I hear it (especially the versions with Freddie)
Zaak Wylde's amazing solo on 'No More Tears'. How the hell did he get that sound?
The sheer, single-minded intent in Ella Fitzgerald's voice on 'I Just Wanna Make Love To You'. Forget The Divnyls, Madonna's 'Justify My Love' and all the rest - this is undoubtedly the sexiest song of all time.
Fleetwood Mac's 'The Chain' - how can a song start so gentle and build to a climax of such ferocity? Amazing.
Steve Earle's raw brilliance on 'My Old Friend The Blues'. Will always be one of my top 3 tunes and always moves me.
The Beatles 'Let It Be'. Does it get any simpler? Does it get any better? I don't think so.
Paolo Nutini's 'Pencil Full Of Lead'. Thank-you Paolo for bringing something that sounds so traditional yet so fresh to the modern charts. One of the best singles in years.
Steve Vai's guitar work (not just 'Eugene's Trickbag', but all of it) at the end of the movie 'Crossroads'. Made my jaw drop over 20 years ago. Still makes my jaw drop today.
And, to finish, the first musical memories I have (thanks to my Mum and Dad), namely Pussycat's 'Mississippi', Quo's live version of 'Roll Over Lay Down' (live from the NEC with Rossi incorporating 'The Mexican Hat Dance' into the solo - brilliant), Cliff Richard's 'Devil Woman' and Queen's 'Another One Bites The Dust'. Love it all.

Brilliant post Rob, and a fine sentiment.

Cheers,

Mick

I will listen to ANYTHING that hits my ear in a pleasing way to me. That can be anything from the Carpenters to Schoenberg to Slayer to Duran Duran.

There are a huge amount of musical offerings I cannot listen to because they don't sound pleasant to me. It doesn't mean that they are in any way diminished by my ear not liking them.

I know what you are saying, one day I'm listening to God Hates Us All by Slayer and the next The Best of Cream...I think diversity and exposure to all music styles will make you more creative and perhaps a better all round musician as you can create more ideas....Then there's the extreme..Fieldy from Korn only listens to rap music yet plays in a new metal band...

Agreed, I love stuff like Meshuggah and Fear Factory for the rhythmic stuff, odd time signatures etc. I listen to Crowded House for vocal harmonies and melodies. It's all good.

Jon

Completely agree with you, Rob! In fact, I'd like to make a confession right here right now:

The other day in the gym, I listened to the Divine Comedy's Best Of throughout my session!

Judge me all you want, you all know that 'National Express' is cheesey brilliance! :-) Ann x

Yeah good blog Rob ... i always have me mp3 player on shuffle - always - I don't think I've listened to an album from start to end for ages ... anyhoo after the weekends exertions I had an early night so I made a list of what was playing as i lay awaiting the sleep fairy (sad eh?) :
cream - sunshine of your love
deacon blue - i'll never fall in love again
john hiatt - one for me
kelly joe phelps - flash cards
br5-49 - bettie bettie
steve earle - the other kind
jim bianco - tennessee wedding
delays - there's water here
chumbawamba - i get knocked down
monsters of folk - say please
elvis costello - the delivery man
springsteen - straight time
dubliners - the fields of athenry
costello (again) - all this useless b
soul asylum - runaway train
booker t and the mgs - time is tight
little feat - join the band
darrell scott - nobody eats at linebaughs anymore
sounds of africa (future) - sally nyolo - oya
bobmarley - buffalo soldier
the felice brothers - chicken wire

fell asleep then

woke up a bit later to

gorillaz - last living soul
acdc - hells bells
bowie - modern love

then turned off and went to bobos

in't music ace!!!

Willow

I Listen to a lot of Celtic music, (not Claanad thats exacly what celtic music isnt)
a lot of bluegrass and "Yee ha!" country music is based on Celtic music exported to the states by the Scots during the Clearances and Irish during the blight, it was also a way of recording events as stories/song etc as most people were semi litirate at best during those days. aincient Piobaireachd is played freetime and is the celtic equivelant to classical music.

H’mmm-let’s see now-
Bach-prelude-cello suite-depth and feeling.
Most tunes of the “baroque” era-full of life and complexity , yet with easy to follow composition.
Beethoven-“ode to joy”- I defy one to hear this piece and not be uplifted by it-pure genius.
Aaron Copeland-“these simple gifts” (lord of the dance)-music that gets inside your heart.
“Folk- rock”-ranging from steeleye span to pentangle-lively, foot tapping stuff with hints of the traditions on which they are based.
Delta blues-deep, soulful music that tells of life in another world, as performed by the likes of Arthur “big boy” crudup, john lee hooker, elmore james, robert Johnson to name but a few.
Chicago blues-muddy waters, howlin’ wolf(awesome!), buddy guy, elmore james-could listen to them all day.

For a change and for the feel good factor, I love listening to my Soul collection. I've just looked through all the stuff I've got and there's Stax of it (see what I did there )
Too many to mention but Al Green is a legend.

Also Folk Music - all forms, again I loads of albums and compilations of bands and solo artists,

Rick.

Soul - Al Wilson's 'The Snake'. Quite simply one of the finest songs of all time. Absolutely-bloody-brilliant.

Blimy - I do listen to a variety of music.

Feelings I get from the songs?

Bizarre Love Triangle by New Order - makes me choke it's so good

No Holly for Miss Quinn by Enya - superb piece of simple music I never tire of

Caruso sung by Pavarotti - possibly the most amazing piece of music ever recorded.

My Last Serenade by Killswitch Engage - monster guitars and a superbly written song

Cleaning out my closet by Eminem - Amazing lyrics!

Father and Son by Cat Stevens - again superb lyrics (even like the Boyzone version!!!)

Who Knew by Pink - amazing song from an amazing singer

Annie's Song by John Denver - real heart-wrencher

Everyday by Buddy Holly - say no more!

Suspicious Minds by Elvis - monster song!!

I love to hate you by Erasure.....

Six by All that Remains - superb guitar riffs!

agree with some of the above as well. Barbers Adagio for Strings is amazing, You Shook me All Night Long by Ac/Dc is class. Great blog (again!)

Mick

Classically I always go for Ma Vlast by Smetana for a full composition - or Donna e Mobile from Rigoletto for a quick blast!
Willow
in fact i'm off for a bath with Mr Smetana right now!