World Wide Woozle episode #556

Hi everyone,

This episode comes to you from me in home quarantine so get ready to rock and don't be scared to turn the volume up. Your neighbours will love it.

Here's the Spotify playlist for this episode. Click here.

Bryan Adams - House Arrest (live) - https://youtu.be/g7wgPdn6HZQ

Let's start with Lorde. The singer from New Zealand has a new album available called Solar Power. The cover art, which I find a bit unnecessary, could easily be labelled "gas power". And then there's the fact that you can buy the album packaging at your local music shop but the CD version comes without a disc. You just get the booklet and some photos. No thanks. Musically it's a pretty good listen but the whole packaging thing just feels like we've been cheated.

Lorde - Solar Power - https://youtu.be/wvsP_lzh2-8

I went back to listen to the first Fleetwood Mac album last week. It's from 1968. For most of their more modern output I've found the band just a little bit too commercial and/or middle of the road for my taste. If you like Blues though then early Mac is for you. I've been thoroughly enjoying this record.

Fleetwood Mac - Merry Go Round - https://youtu.be/7Khxpvq1-O4

And speaking of the middle of the road...popular songs are hits for a reason and this track is no exception. This one was a huge hit when I was at high school and playing the intro riff on my acoustic guitar made me dream of playing to large audiences. Cool song and check out the mullets in the video!

Lou Gramm - Midnight Blue - https://youtu.be/v4G_0A8Cdkw

Canberra doom rockers Witchskull have contributed a track to an AC/DC tribute record. After a few listens I was wondering why they'd bothered. It just sounded like pretty much any other hard rock band playing an AC/DC track. After a few more listens the track seeped into my brain and I heard more and more Witchskull in there as well as AC/DC. The drums and bass pound hard, the guitar wails in pain and the vocals take their cue from Bon Scott but it's Marcus all the way.

Witchskull - Sin City - https://youtu.be/ttjeB7qyXIg

Windham Hill Records put out a whole lot of music back in the day. I remember getting one of their guitar sampler albums on cassette and being mesmerised by the playing. The cassette is here and I dug it out yesterday for a listen and it's still sublime. Plenty of the artists are online and you can search them out easily if you feel the urge. I've got a CD copy of the cassette coming soon; yay! This is the first track on the cassette and it hooked me instantly.

David Cullen - On The Way - https://youtu.be/KzJu51PloQc

Ozzy Osbourne released No More Tears back in 1991. It just had the 30th anniversary treatment. For me, this is a great album for a few reasons. The songwriting is high quality, Ozzy sounds good and his relatively new (at the time) guitarist, Zakk Wylde, just hits it out of the park. Other than Blizzard of Ozz (1980), this is my favourite Ozzy album. Following on from my comments about Lorde though, I'm a bit disappointed. You can get the remastered version on vinyl or via streaming service but not on CD. There's a pattern appearing here and it worries me personally as a music consumer. Also, there are a whole lot of bonus tracks available only online. Sure, I have a Spotify account and I've already played the new version of the album far too many times, but I'd really like the opportunity to own the physical CD of it or at least to be able to purchase lossless files. Oh well, it still rocks!

Ozzy Osbourne - I Don't Want To Change The World - https://youtu.be/chqF4viMPY8

My very good friend, and former bandmate, George is playing his second online gig tomorrow night (Weds 29 Sep 2021). The first show was a real treat and you shouldn't miss the upcoming thirty minutes of Bing doing his thing. I was very excited to be asked to appear as a guest on one of the songs and getting all of that recorded and ready to go was tons of fun. You can view the gig anytime between 8pm and midnight AEDST. For details on how to watch please go to this link and ask George for the details. https://www.georgehuitker.com.au/contact

One of the good things about quarantine is that I've been checking out a few albums that I haven't listened to for a while. It may be good or bad that I've also identified a few gaps in the collection! As a result I've got a vinyl copy of a rather cool Steeleye Span album from 1973 coming in the post. This band really helped me link my enjoyment of more traditional music from my homeland with rock and roll.

Steeleye Span - Cam Ye O'er Frae France - https://youtu.be/xLBGqJAdY8k

Good grief, I've got a lot more music to play for you but maybe I'll wait until next time. After 556 episodes I don't want to peak too early!

On a quick personal note...I get out of quarantine at midnight on Saturday. I was unlucky enough to be in hospital a week ago for a day (gotta love kidney stones) and someone there must've tested positive for Covid-19. I'm very grateful that my first test came back negative (next test is Thursday). It's only when something like this happens that you realise that even in lockdown, we still have the potential to infect quite a number of people. So, please get vaccinated if you can and even though the health orders might feel onerous, stick with it just a bit longer.

Rock on,

The Woozle.

" 'Cause I'm just a teenage dirtbag, baby

Yeah, I'm just a teenage dirtbag, baby
Listen to Iron Maiden, baby, with me, ooh.." Wheatus, Teenage Dirtbag, 2000. (that's a cool live version, watch it!)

World Wide Woozle episode #555

Hello enormous listening world. Fortunately, my Covid test came back negative and I was released from quarantine the next morning. 

Here's the link for a playlist of all the songs in this episode: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/43uR7WtiPTFEyuk8mJoUhu?si=2c3b10cd83034997

And so now, onto some music. I hope that the selection this time moves, grooves and soothes you!

When I turned 50 some good friends gave me a new vinyl copy of Carole King's album, Tapestry. You might remember me writing about it at the time. In the last week or so I've been revisiting it and for any number of reasons it has really spoken to me in a way I certainly didn't expect. The physical act of playing a record (rather than streaming or CD) has special meaning to me as well. The feel of the record, the sleeve and sleeve notes as well as cleaning the LP before playing somehow make the music more special. Anyway, before I get too carried away, here's the first track from the album...truly magnificent. Thanks to all my friends old and new.

Carole King - You've Got A Friend - https://youtu.be/VbMI4imWFzY

Pink Floyd are about to release the remixed and updated version of their 1987 album, A Momentary Lapse of Reason. Whilst this was included in the massive Later Years box set from 2019, this is a separate release of this album. Not everyone loves this album, in fact many Floyd fans really dislike it. 1987 was about the time that I got interested in Pink Floyd and as a result this record is one I quite like. "...There's no sensation to compare with this, suspended animation, a state of bliss...", is a great lyric I think. There's also some new Sony 360 degree surround sound technology going on here but I'll get some input from the expert on all things audio, DJ Guz, and will get back to you on that!

Pink Floyd - Learning To Fly - https://youtu.be/OVn7o1q2g3Y

ABBA are back. Yep, I realise that it has been all over the news but I'm a fan so I thought I'd mention it. The new album, Voyage, is due for release on November 5th and two singles are already available. ABBA haven't spent all the years since they broke up trying to make every penny possible by tarnishing their legacy as many bands have. And look, if these new tunes are anything to go by then the album should be cool. The digital touring version of the band could be interesting. Oh, to be young and airbrushed!

ABBA - Don't Shut Me Down - https://youtu.be/hWGWFa3jznI

Fans of the legendary English band, The Smiths, know that they will never re-form. And given the recent debacle from the Sex Pistols it's probably not a bad thing. Fortunately both Morrissey and Johnny Marr have extensive and continuing solo releases to sink your teeth into. You may or may not avoid Morrissey these days given some of his political views but there's no denying that he's a great songwriter and performer. Johnny Marr is cool though and he gets cooler. I was exposed to Johnny not because of The Smiths, but because of his work with Billy Bragg. He's got a new single (Billy does too - more about that in another episode) and it's got a thumping beat, tasty guitars and an almost entrancing vocal feel. I like it.

Johnny Marr - Spirit Power and Soul - https://youtu.be/qeqBn3BAMag

"Morrissey", I hear you shout, "give us some Morrissey!" Oh, ok then. Here's a tune that I've liked for years. What a wordsmith, what a voice!

Morrissey - Come Back To Camden - https://youtu.be/5XWJyO3Zj0s

Recently I signed up for a 30 day trial of the Amazon Prime streaming service. DJ BlackBeltHenry had told me that it had a ton of music films, documentaries and concerts and, as a result, it sounded like a winner to me. Well so far it's been awesome. Last night I happened upon a John Denver concert recorded in Japan in the late seventies. The video quality is average at best but the audio was great. There's a load of other stuff that I'll watch as well including the biopic about W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes as well as Creedence, Alice Cooper, Johnny Cash, The Bee Gees and the history of the Bay Area thrash metal scene. Rock on indeed! Here's a song we used to sing in class at primary school. Again, a magnificent set of lyrics.

John Denver - Annie's Song (live in Tokyo) - https://youtu.be/GqViYyDIAdI

I was going to write now about the new Iron Maiden album, Senjutsu. After thinking about this for a little while I'm going to hit pause on the review and wait a little while. Let's just say that I think it is quite boring and I'm hoping that it grows on me. I am a HUGE Maiden fan so I'll give them due respect and spend more time listening. One from the past...check out that crowd!

Iron Maiden - Fear Of The Dark (live in Santiago) - https://youtu.be/6PDMtqejNfs

I was in the car today (legally) and listened to an album recorded by Sheryl Crow in 1998. It's called The Globe Sessions and is named for the studio they worked in. I've had the album for years and haven't listened to it much. Well, today was the day and I really enjoyed the backbeats, the almost grungy guitar, Hammond organ sounds and of course Sheryl's voice. I think I'll listen to it again shortly.

Sheryl Crow - My Favourite Mistake - https://youtu.be/AmIlUKo4dQc

Let's finish with a song I've played a lot for y'all over the years. And I'll keep playing it into the future. This one came to me via The Proclaimers who have a brilliant version. It's a song I've turned to for years now when things aren't going so well. I really should work it up and record it properly myself before too long. I've got a version I did on the 4-track machine over fifteen years ago but maybe it needs revisiting. If you only listened to one song this week then make it this one. It's the blues that helps chase the black dog away.

Steve Earle - My Old Friend The Blues - https://youtu.be/VGkHnMtp_MU

Rock on Brothers and Sisters! And please come back next time,

The Woozle

"...All I want and all I need,

All I crave is a good pub feed..."

The Chats, Pub Feed, 2019.