Music is the strangest of the arts.
In this modern age, far too many people dismiss books out of hand - "they're boring, I don't like reading". As many don't like films. But was there ever a man born who doesn't like music?
More than this: above any other art, music appeals to something intangible. We can say "Jane Austen writes great books, but they don't appeal to me"; we can appreciate the talent of Da Vinci even if looking at a blue Madonna isn't your idea of art. Why do you like music? I've only ever found one band which has replicated this experience of appreciating critically that it is great music, while not really enjoying it much either. I won't say who it is, only that the answer is somewhat embarrassing.
I have a confession to make: I love lists. True, I'm scatty, disorganised, catastrophic. But when it comes to my hobbies, I like nothing better than neat names in columns. My first stab at cinema involved printing out and carefully highlighting a copy of the imdb top 250. This was followed by an account at several websites, which allowed me to track lists online, and the purchase of two "top 100" books which I have also carefully highlighted. Doctor Who got the same treatment - I have a much loved episode list, covered in an arcane system of highlighters, lines and symbols, half of which I can no longer remember. And that's before you count the several versions of my Doctor Who merchandise list. I suppose it's my obsessive temperament, but what I lack in general organisation, I make up for in this area.
So where best to start my toying with new music than the formidable "1001 albums to hear before you die"? Yes, a lovely long list. People always point out when I tell them I'm following a list that "lists are inaccurate" - which is true. But starting with someone else's map of good music does make sense, surely. Even if you hate it, you've learnt something.
To start with, which of the albums are in the house? Bold indicated I haven't really listend to it.
o King Crimson – In the Court of the Crimson King
o Barrett, Syd – Madcap Laughs
o McLean, Don – American Pie
o Led Zeppelin – IV [aka Untitled / aka Four Symbols]
o Yes – Close to the Edge
o Genesis – Selling England by the Pound
o Oldfield, Mike – Tubular Bells
o Pink Floyd – Dark Side of the Moon
o Genesis – Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
o Kraftwerk – Autobahn
o Springsteen, Bruce – Born to Run
o Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here
o Electric Light Orchestra – Out of the Blue
o Fleetwood Mac – Rumours
o Gabriel, Peter – Peter Gabriel (I)
o Blondie – Parallel Lines
o Dire Straits – Dire Straits (1st Album)
o Pink Floyd – Wall, the
o Gabriel, Peter – Peter Gabriel (III)
o Springsteen, Bruce – Born in the USA
o Dire Straits – Brothers in Arms
o Gabriel, Peter – So
o Suede – Suede (1st Album)
o Suede – Dog Man Star
o Oasis – (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?
o Morissette, Alanis – Jagged Little Pill
o Radiohead – OK Computer
o Spears, Britney – Baby One More Time
o Scissor Sisters – Scissor Sisters (1st Album)
o Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand (1st Album)
30. Hmmm. The first thing that is obvious: my parents buy a lot of best ofs. I'm familiar with many more of the artists, but none of the albums. You can also tell there's a prog rock fanbase in Spaceport 7 - I guess, like all kids, I assumed that every house was like my house, and that all record collections consisted of men who should know better solemnly intoning about sea snakes and firewitches.
What are my favourite albums? Favourite album of all time is WARRIORS AT THE END OF TIME by Hawkwind. I'm not sure why - I don't like any other Hawkwind that I've heard. I guess the prog-rocker in me loves the coherency within the album, the solos are fantastic, the use of weird sounds atmospheric and daft as it is, I always find them declaiming "we are the warrriors at the end of tiiiiiiime!" and "we are the betraaaaaaayed!!!" sinister and moving.
Other contenders are Kate Bush' AERIAL, Scissor Sisters TA-DAH and Genesis - well, whatever I feel like at the time, but that tends to be TRESPASS more often than not. The art of good album is different from just a great collection of music. In this iPod world, people like to define themselves by how they listen to their music - by genre? artist? on shuffle or personal playlist? For me, it's usually albums or my meticulously arranged genres.
I think this is also the time to state none of those four albums are in the book. Tut, tut.
Oh well. Coming up first, when I can be bothered, is OK Computer by Radiohead, because Friend 4 gifted me a spare copy before coming to uni on the basis that liking Radiohead was an important part of my education, or something. I took it with me too, thoroughly intending to listen to it... but you know what time is like...
In this modern age, far too many people dismiss books out of hand - "they're boring, I don't like reading". As many don't like films. But was there ever a man born who doesn't like music?
More than this: above any other art, music appeals to something intangible. We can say "Jane Austen writes great books, but they don't appeal to me"; we can appreciate the talent of Da Vinci even if looking at a blue Madonna isn't your idea of art. Why do you like music? I've only ever found one band which has replicated this experience of appreciating critically that it is great music, while not really enjoying it much either. I won't say who it is, only that the answer is somewhat embarrassing.
I have a confession to make: I love lists. True, I'm scatty, disorganised, catastrophic. But when it comes to my hobbies, I like nothing better than neat names in columns. My first stab at cinema involved printing out and carefully highlighting a copy of the imdb top 250. This was followed by an account at several websites, which allowed me to track lists online, and the purchase of two "top 100" books which I have also carefully highlighted. Doctor Who got the same treatment - I have a much loved episode list, covered in an arcane system of highlighters, lines and symbols, half of which I can no longer remember. And that's before you count the several versions of my Doctor Who merchandise list. I suppose it's my obsessive temperament, but what I lack in general organisation, I make up for in this area.
So where best to start my toying with new music than the formidable "1001 albums to hear before you die"? Yes, a lovely long list. People always point out when I tell them I'm following a list that "lists are inaccurate" - which is true. But starting with someone else's map of good music does make sense, surely. Even if you hate it, you've learnt something.
To start with, which of the albums are in the house? Bold indicated I haven't really listend to it.
o King Crimson – In the Court of the Crimson King
o Barrett, Syd – Madcap Laughs
o McLean, Don – American Pie
o Led Zeppelin – IV [aka Untitled / aka Four Symbols]
o Yes – Close to the Edge
o Genesis – Selling England by the Pound
o Oldfield, Mike – Tubular Bells
o Pink Floyd – Dark Side of the Moon
o Genesis – Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
o Kraftwerk – Autobahn
o Springsteen, Bruce – Born to Run
o Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here
o Electric Light Orchestra – Out of the Blue
o Fleetwood Mac – Rumours
o Gabriel, Peter – Peter Gabriel (I)
o Blondie – Parallel Lines
o Dire Straits – Dire Straits (1st Album)
o Pink Floyd – Wall, the
o Gabriel, Peter – Peter Gabriel (III)
o Springsteen, Bruce – Born in the USA
o Dire Straits – Brothers in Arms
o Gabriel, Peter – So
o Suede – Suede (1st Album)
o Suede – Dog Man Star
o Oasis – (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?
o Morissette, Alanis – Jagged Little Pill
o Radiohead – OK Computer
o Spears, Britney – Baby One More Time
o Scissor Sisters – Scissor Sisters (1st Album)
o Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand (1st Album)
30. Hmmm. The first thing that is obvious: my parents buy a lot of best ofs. I'm familiar with many more of the artists, but none of the albums. You can also tell there's a prog rock fanbase in Spaceport 7 - I guess, like all kids, I assumed that every house was like my house, and that all record collections consisted of men who should know better solemnly intoning about sea snakes and firewitches.
What are my favourite albums? Favourite album of all time is WARRIORS AT THE END OF TIME by Hawkwind. I'm not sure why - I don't like any other Hawkwind that I've heard. I guess the prog-rocker in me loves the coherency within the album, the solos are fantastic, the use of weird sounds atmospheric and daft as it is, I always find them declaiming "we are the warrriors at the end of tiiiiiiime!" and "we are the betraaaaaaayed!!!" sinister and moving.
Other contenders are Kate Bush' AERIAL, Scissor Sisters TA-DAH and Genesis - well, whatever I feel like at the time, but that tends to be TRESPASS more often than not. The art of good album is different from just a great collection of music. In this iPod world, people like to define themselves by how they listen to their music - by genre? artist? on shuffle or personal playlist? For me, it's usually albums or my meticulously arranged genres.
I think this is also the time to state none of those four albums are in the book. Tut, tut.
Oh well. Coming up first, when I can be bothered, is OK Computer by Radiohead, because Friend 4 gifted me a spare copy before coming to uni on the basis that liking Radiohead was an important part of my education, or something. I took it with me too, thoroughly intending to listen to it... but you know what time is like...
Comments (0)