Saturday, August 1, 2015

Song of the Week #359

Hi everyone, welcome into the inner sanctum of HQ Woozle. We'll spin some virtual vinyl for you and with any luck your toes will tap, heads will nod and you'll smile even if it's just a little.


A quick gig report from Friday night though. We played, it was loud, the audience jumped around a lot, H was a sweaty mess and it was a lot of fun. Thanks to DJ RichRev and the Dirrum crew for inviting us back this year. Hats off to DJ Four-n-20 who made the trip all the way from Bundarra; he's an inspiration and one day we'll get him on stage to sing along. Here's a track we had a go at...it certainly got a good crowd reaction!

Rage Against The Machine - Killing In The Name Of - https://youtu.be/bWXazVhlyxQ

In other rather cool band news, the Vanuatu Benefit Show we've been planning now has a date and a venue. Special thanks to DJ Al-ee-Sunshine for spotting a great place to play and for hanging out with me whilst we tried to get a meeting with the owner. On Sunday September 6th we're on at Two Before Ten Coffee Shop and Cafe in Aranda here in Canberra. It will be a laid back Sunday session probably from about 11:30am until 2pm. Put the date in your diary and come along for some tasty tunes and drink. Can I point out that we're not trying to raise tons of money for schools in Vanuatu; so many listeners have already been more than generous. But a gold coin donation and a chance for us to support my families at Atavtabanga and Level is something very important. On a side note....who'd want to manage a band? So many venue owners have a complete inability to answer email or return phone calls.

Mia Dyson - When The Moment Comes - https://youtu.be/PKFNx6go0SE

Fans of Ronnie James Dio should know that Live Evil are playing a tribute show on September 4th at the ANU. These guys always impress and this is sure to be a real treat for fans of classic metal.

Dio - Stand Up And Shout (live 1984) - https://youtu.be/GO53tkuvtpg

After a few listens to the new, free and fabulous Wilco album I found myself back with one of my favourite tunes of theirs. It's a track that always has me singing along and a definite future track for the band I hope! Wilco do quiet and moody really well so it's fun to hear them rocking out.

Wilco - Monday - https://youtu.be/B24la7sQsCw

Slowly but surely the music of Warren Zevon is getting under my skin. His voice was distinctive, his lyrics just the right kind of quirky and he also did a rather good cover version on occasion. This is an Allen Touisaant song but Warren does a great job....great beat and a rather distinctive Fender guitar sound.

Warren Zevon - A Certain Girl - https://youtu.be/aRk8znla4H0

British Gloom-Pop outfit, She Makes War have a new album in the can and it should be available before too long. Having bought some of her CDs previously I got a link to a preview listen this week and what I've heard is absolutely great! If you go here: https://shemakeswar.bandcamp.com/ then you can have a listen and purchase some music. Here's something a bit older...

She Makes War - In This Boat - https://youtu.be/p1gfG_eDjEA

DJ HealthyNotFatRollins suggested a jazzy track this week. It wasn't really my bag but it got me thinking about a few other artists that I do like to listen to from time to time. If I'm in the mood then Miles Davis' Sketches of Spain is a firm favourite. I only discovered that album when I saw an old vinyl copy in my Brother's holiday house. Modern free form jazz, even when played by Spinal Tap, makes no sense to me I'm afraid. I need a more solid rhythm and less mucking around aimlessly! Try these next couple of tracks and tell me what you think...

Grover Washington Jr. - Knucklehead - https://youtu.be/NaeEEqA3pPs

Wynton Marsalis - The Very Thought Of You - https://youtu.be/qXo6bs-LWK8

To finish off this week let's talk about audio quality and if it matters so much. In the last week Neil Young has removed all of his work from online streaming services. This is because he doesn't want you to hear his music at low bit rates or without the full range of sound. Fair enough I guess. No-one needs Welfare Mothers blasting out and sounding like it was recorded in a tin can full of flies. But let's back up a moment...you can still listen on your old cassettes, an 8-track if your lucky enough to have one, scratched up LPs and of course on AM radio. None of those are high quality! And then there's the fact that one of Neil's most recent albums was recorded in an old record making booth...scratchy as hell - very cool, but again not high quality. It's his choice, but given that young people listen online via services like Spotify he's cutting out new listeners and depriving himself of income (even the small amount that streaming services pay). Come on Neil, have a Heart of Gold and put your music back online for us to rock to!

Neil Young - Old Man - https://youtu.be/An2a1_Do_fc

A rather amusing side note, well I thought it was funny, is that Slayer are releasing 500 copies of their new album, "Repentless", on cassette!

Have a great weekend,

Rob

"I just wanna know, which way do I go, to get to your America?", Which Way To America, Living Colour, 1988

1 comment:

  1. Love it and you guys. Professional doesn't come close.
    -Four and twenty lol

    ReplyDelete