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paul-clarkson · 7 years ago

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Music - Nick Lowe: Lowe Constellation

Nick Lowe is an English songwriter, producer, bassist, and vocalist. His musical career started in the late 60s and in the first half of the 70s he saw some success as a member of the beloved pub rock band Brinsley Schwarz. Over the years, Lowe has evolved into a silver haired introspective crooner. He has a devoted fan base and continues to tour and record (he is, in fact, on tour as I write this). In this essay and its accompanying music mix, I am focusing specifically on the decade between 1976 and 1985, an astonishingly productive and artistically vibrant period in Lowe’s career. I will also bring attention to the array of talent that Lowe tapped into consistently, a constellation of talent that made possible his accomplishments during this decade.

I am not exaggerating when I say that Nick Lowe was astonishingly productive during this decade. Between 1976 and 1985, Lowe released six albums under his own name, contributed significantly to three Dave Edmunds albums and the Rockpile album, produced two albums for Carlene Carter, one for Paul Carrack, as well as five Elvis Costello albums. He also produced recordings (singles or albums) for 12 other artists during this decade.

As a producer, Lowe has what I think is an undeserved reputation for just bashing recordings out quickly (“Basher” is his nickname). To my ears, his production is often keenly tuned to the specifics of the song and the artist. Listen to Elvis Costello & The Attractions’ “Radio Radio”, where Lowe pushes the guitar back in the mix and brings a surgical focus to the extraordinary performances of keyboardist Steve Nieve, bassist Bruce Thomas, and drummer Pete Thomas. Contrast that with a song like Dr. Feelgood’s “That’s It, I Quit”, where Lowe brings you into the bar with the band (I can smell the spilled beer), or Lowe’s own “Cruel to Be Kind”, a glowing example of pristine guitar pop (“pure pop for now people”). Another example of focused production is The Pretenders’ “Stop Your Sobbing”, which puts the spotlight on Chrissie Hynde’s distinctive voice. Far from being a “basher”, Nick Lowe’s production work showed careful attention to the artists and material he was working with.

Lowe’s own recordings during this decade were made with three different bands. The first, Rockpile, worked together between 1976 and 1981. Rockpile were Dave Edmunds (guitar, vocals), Nick Lowe (bass, vocals), Billy Bremner (guitar, vocals), and Terry Williams (drums). Edmunds is, like Lowe, a multi-talented musician; guitarist, singer, songwriter, and producer. As a member of the band Love Sculpture, he had a #5 single in the UK (“Sabre Dance”). In 1970 his solo recording of “I Hear You Knocking” was a #1 single in the UK and a #4 single in the US. As a successful artist in his own right, Edmunds had very much a co-equal role in Rockpile. Like Lowe, Edmunds has a deep affinity with American rock, R&B, and rockabilly. This is reflected in the work they did together.

Rockpile released only one album under their own name (Seconds of Pleasure, 1980) because until 1980 Lowe and Edmunds had contracts with different record labels. However, the Dave Edmunds albums Tracks on Wax 4 and Repeat When Necessary, and Nick Lowe’s album Labour of Lust were all essentially Rockpile albums. Repeat When Necessary and Labour of Lust were even recorded and released concurrently. Rockpile were also the band on Mickey Jupp’s album Juppanese and Carlene Carter’s album Musical Shapes. Reportedly, tensions between Lowe and Edmunds were responsible for Rockpile’s break-up in 1981. In the liner notes for a Seconds of Pleasure reissue, Lowe stated "We got together for fun and when the fun had all been had we packed it in.” Billy Bremner and Terry Williams both appear on Nick Lowe records through the 80s, but Lowe and Edmunds wouldn’t work together again until 1988.

Paul Carrack is a keyboardist and vocalist, best known for his “blue-eyed soul” singing voice. He saw early success in his career as a member of Ace, whose 1975 single “How Long” hit #20 in the UK and #3 in the US. In 1981 he joined Squeeze where he sang one of the band’s most enduring hits, “Tempted”. Carrack left Squeeze in 1982, having joined Nick Lowe’s band Noise to Go. Like Dave Edmunds, Carrack was a peer and partner to Lowe. The other members of Noise to Go were Martin Belmont (guitar), James Eller (bass) and Bobby Irwin (drums). Like Rockpile, Noise to Go served as the “house band” for a number of Nick Lowe-produced recordings: Carlene Carter’s Blue Nun, Carrack’s Suburban Voodoo, and Lowe’s Nick the Knife and The Abominable Showman.

“Tempted” is the one song I’ve included in my mix that has no direct involvement from Nick Lowe. However, Elvis Costello’s production and Paul Carrack’s vocals bring it firmly into my Lowe Constellation. Squeeze’s Glenn Tilbrook also sang on Costello’s “From a Whisper To a Scream”. Interestingly, the original plan for Squeeze’s East Side Story was to make it a double album, with sides produced by Dave Edmunds, Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello, and (supposedly) Paul McCartney. In reality, Dave Edmunds produced one track on the album, with Elvis Costello (with Roger Bechirian) producing most of the rest of the record. The 1997 reissue of East Side Story includes “Lookin’ For a Love”, an outtake produced by Nick Lowe.

Nick Lowe was married to Carlene Carter in 1979. They partnered in songwriting and recording. Lowe produced two Carlene Carter albums, and Carter added vocals to several Lowe solo recordings. Their union also brought Nick Lowe into the Royal Family of American music, the Cash Carter family. Johnny Cash recorded Lowe’s “Without Love” in 1980 with Lowe producing and members of Rockpile and The Attractions playing on the recording. In 1994 Cash would record a powerful song that Lowe wrote specifically for him, “The Beast in Me”.

Late in 1982 James Eller left Noise to Go. Nick Lowe picked up the bass and the group continued as a four-piece band with a new name: Cowboy Outfit. In English slang, a “cowboy outfit” is an organization that does shoddy work and exhibits dubious business practices. Cowboy Outfit, active until 1985, would record two albums, Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit and The Rose of England. They also played on the tracks Lowe produced for John Hiatt’s album Riding With the King. Hiatt and Lowe would work together again as members of the “supergroup” Little Village in the early 90s.

I believe that the first time I became aware of Nick Lowe was when I noticed that he had written “(What’s So Funny About) Peace, Love and Understanding?”, the last song on the US version of Elvis Costello’s Armed Forces album. Soon after I figured out that Lowe had not only written this song, but he had produced Armed Forces… and all the other (at that time) Elvis Costello records I loved. It is difficult for me to imagine how Elvis Costello’s career would have evolved without Nick Lowe’s involvement.

Even though they had been working together since 1976, Costello and Lowe did not record a song together until 1984’s “Baby It’s You.” In his liner notes for the Rykodisc reissue of Goodbye Cruel World, Costello provided some background for this recording. “As Nick and his Cowboy Outfit were to join us on the US leg of our ‘Goodbye Cruel World’ tour Columbia Records suggested that we cut something ‘extra’ for a joint twelve-inch promo record featuring each of our latest single releases. Despite all our studio work together this was our first duet on record. Unfortunately the record company deemed the track ‘too good’, fearing that it would draw airplay from the ‘real’ singles.” Because of the label’s reservations, this track would remain obscure until it was released on a Costello compilation in 1987.

In 1985 the professional relationship between Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe would come full circle when Costello produced the track “L.A.F.S.” on Lowe’s album Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit.

Looking back on this remarkable decade in Nick Lowe’s career, what stands out to me, besides the number and quality of the records he was involved in, is just how successful he was at developing (often enduring) relationships with top-tier artists, many of them legends: Dave Edmunds, Elvis Costello, Paul Carrack, Carlene Carter, Billy Bremner, Terry Williams, Martin Belmont, James Eller, and Bobby Irwin. A truly amazing constellation of talent.

You can listen to music mixes here:

Part 1 - https://www.mixcloud.com/clrksn/lowe-constellation-part-1-1976-1979/

Part 2 - https://www.mixcloud.com/clrksn/lowe-constellation-part-2-1980-1985/

Part 1: 1976-1979

01 “So It Goes” - Nick Lowe

Nick Lowe’s first single as a solo artist, released in 1976.

The first single released by Stiff Records, catalog number BUY 1.

Musicians: Steve Goulding (drums), Nick Lowe (vocals, bass, guitar).

Written and produced by Nick Lowe.

02 “New Rose” - The Damned

The Damned’s first single, released in 1976 (Stiff Records BUY 6).

The first single by a British punk rock group.

Musicians: Dave Vanian (vocals), Brian James (guitar), Captain Sensible (bass), Rat Scabies (drums).

Written by Brian James.

Produced by Nick Lowe.

03 “Don’t Ask Me Questions” - Graham Parker & The Rumour

Released on the album Howlin’ Wind in 1976.

The debut album by Graham Parker & The Rumour.

Musicians: Graham Parker (guitar, vocals), Bob Andrews (keyboards), Brinsley Schwarz (guitar), Martin Belmont (guitar), Andrew Bodnar (bass), Steve Goulding (drums).

Written by Graham Parker.

Produced by Nick Lowe.

04 “Less Than Zero” - Elvis Costello

Elvis Costello’s first single, released in 1977 (Stiff Records BUY 11).

Musicians: Elvis Costello (guitar, vocals), John McFee (guitar), Johnny Ciambotti (bass), Mickey Shine (drums), Stan Shaw (organ)

Written by Elvis Costello.

Produced by Nick Lowe.

05 “Whole Wide World” - Wreckless Eric

Wreckless Eric’s first single, released in 1977 (Stiff Records BUY 16).

Musicians: Wreckless Eric (guitar, vocals), Nick Lowe (guitar, bass), Steve Goulding (drums).

Written by Wreckless Eric.

Produced by Nick Lowe.

06 “That’s It, I Quit” - Dr. Feelgood

Released in 1977 on the album Be Seeing You (United Artists Records UAS 30123).

Musicians: John B. Sparks (bass, vocals), The Big Figure (drums, vocals), John Mayo (guitar), Lee Brilleaux (vocals, guitar)

Written and produced by Nick Lowe.

07 “I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass” - Nick Lowe

Released in 1978 (Radar Records ADA 1).

Reached number 7 on the UK singles chart.

Musicians: Uncredited.

Written by Andrew Bodnar, Nick Lowe, and Steve Goulding.

Produced by Nick Lowe.

08 “You’ll Never Get Me Up in One of Those” - Mickey Jupp

Released in 1978 on the album Juppanese (Stiff Records SEEZ 10).

Musicians: Mickey Jupp (vocals, piano), Rockpile.

Written by Mickey Jupp.

Produced by Nick Lowe.

09 “Radio Radio” - Elvis Costello & The Attractions

Released in 1978 (Radar Records ADA 24).

Musicians: Elvis Costello (guitar, vocals) and The Attractions (Steve Nieve (keyboards), Bruce Thomas (bass), Pete Thomas(drums)).

Written by Elvis Costello.

Produced by Nick Lowe.

10 “Television” - Dave Edmunds

Released in 1978 on the album Tracks on Wax 4 (Swan Song SSK 59407).

Musicians: Rockpile.

Written by Nick Lowe.

Produced by Dave Edmunds.

11 “Cruel to be Kind” - Nick Lowe

Released in 1978 (Radar Records ADA 43).

Reached number 12 on the UK and US singles charts.

Musicians: Rockpile.

Written by Ian Gomm and Nick Lowe.

Produced by Nick Lowe.

12 “Girls Talk” - Dave Edmunds

Released in 1979 on the album Repeat When Necessary (Swan Song SSK 59409).

Musicians: Rockpile.

Written by Elvis Costello.

Produced by Dave Edmunds.

13 “Stop Your Sobbing” - The Pretenders

The Pretenders’ first single (Real Records ARE 6).

Musicians: Crissie Hunde (guitar, vocals), James Honeyman-Scott (guitar), Pete Farndon (bass), Martin Chambers (drums).

Written by Ray Davies.

Produced by Nick Lowe.

14 “(What’s So Funny About) Peace, Love and Understanding” - Elvis Costello & The Attractions

Released in 1979 on the US version of Armed Forces (Columbia 35709).

Musicians: Elvis Costello & The Attractions

Written and produced by Nick Lowe.

15 “Without Love” - Nick Lowe

Released in 1979 on the album Labour of Lust (Radar Records RAD 21).

Musicians: Rockpile.

Written and produced by Nick Lowe.

Part 2: 1980-1985

01 “Without Love” - Johnny Cash

Released in 1980 on the album Rockabilly Blues (Columbia JC 36779).

Musicians: Pete Thomas (drums), Nick Lowe (bass), Bob Wootton (guitar), Dave Edmunds (guitar), Martin Belmont (guitar).

Written and produced by Nick Lowe.

02 “Too Bad About Sandy” - Carlene Carter

Released in 1980 on the album Musical Shapes (Warner Bros. Records BSK 3465).

Musicians: Carlene Carter (guitar, vocals), Rockpile.

Written by Carlene Carter.

Produced by Nick Lowe.

03 “Riot Act” - Elvis Costello & The Attractions

Released in 1980 on the album Get Happy!! (F-Beat XXLP 1).

Musicians: Elvis Costello & The Attractions.

Written by Elvis Costello.

Produced by Nick Lowe.

04 “When I Write the Book” - Rockpile

Released in 1980 on the album Seconds of Pleasure (F-Beat XXLP 7)

Musicians: Rockpile.

Written by Nick Lowe and Rockpile.

Produced by Nick Lowe and Rockpile.

05 “Crying In the Rain” - Nick Lowe & Dave Edmunds

Released in 1980 on the EP Nick Lowe & Dave Edmunds Sing The Everly Brothers.

The EP was included with US copies of Seconds of Pleasure.

Musicians: Nick Lowe (guitar, vocals), Dave Edmunds (guitar, vocals).

Written by Howard Greenfield and Carole King.

Produced by Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds.

06 “Do Me Lover” - Carlene Carter Released in 1981 on the album Blue Nun (F-Beat XXLP 12).

Musicians: Carlene Carter (vocals), Noise to Go, Billy Bremner (guitar), Huw Gower (guitar).

Written by Carlene Carter, James Eller, and Nick Lowe.

Produced by Nick Lowe.

07 “From a Whisper To a Scream” - Elvis Costello & The Attractions

Released in 1981 (F-Beat XX 14).

Musicians: Elvis Costello & The Attractions, Martin Belmont (guitar), Glenn Tilbrook (vocals).

Written by Elvis Costello.

Produced by Nick Lowe.

08 “Tempted” - Squeeze

Released in 1981 on the album East Side Story (A&M Records AMLH 64854).

Musicians: John Bentley (bass), Gilson Lavis (drums), Chris Difford (guitar, vocals), Glenn Tilbrook (guitar, vocals), Paul Carrack (keyboards, vocals), Elvis Costello (vocals).

Written by Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford.

Produced by Elvis Costello and Roger Bechirian.

09 “Raining Raining” - Nick Lowe

Released in 1982 on the album Nick The Knife (F-Beat XXLP 14).

Musicians: Noise to Go.

Written and produced by Nick Lowe.

10 “I’m In Love” - Paul Carrack

Released in 1982 on the album Suburban Voodoo (Epic ARE 38161).

Musicians: Noise to Go.

Written by Nick Lowe and Carlene Carter.

Produced by Nick Lowe.

11 “Ragin’ Eyes” - Nick Lowe

Released in 1983 on the album The Abominable Showman (F-Beat Records XXLP 18)

Musicians: Noise to Go.

Written by Nick Lowe.

Produced by Nick Lowe and Roger Bechirian.

12 “Time Wounds All Heels” - Nick Lowe

Released in 1983 on the album The Abominable Showman (F-Beat Records XXLP 18)

Musicians: Noise to Go, Carlene Carter (vocals), Simon Climie (vocals).

Written by Nick Lowe, Carlene Carter, and Simon Climie.

Produced by Nick Lowe and Roger Bechirian.

13 “Riding With The King” - John Hiatt

Released in 1983 on the album Riding With The King (Geffen Records GHS 4017).

Musicians: John Hiatt (guitar, vocals), Cowboy Outfit.

Written by John Hiatt.

Produced by Nick Lowe.

14 “Baby It’s You” - Elvis Costello & Nick Lowe

Released in 1984 on the single “The Only Flame in Town” (Columbia 44 05081).

Musicians: Elvis Costello (guitar, vocals), Nick Lowe (bass, vocals)

Written by Burt Bacharach, Mack David, and Barney Williams (Luther Dixon).

Produced by Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe.

15 “L.A.F.S.” - Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit

Released in 1985 on the album Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit (F-Beat ZL 70338)

Musicians: Cowboy Outfit, Jeff Blythe (saxophone), Paul Speare (saxophone), Jim Paterson (trombone), Dave Plews (trumpet).

Written by Nick Lowe.

Produced by Elvis Costello and Colin Fairley.

16 “The Rose of England” - Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit

Released in 1985 on the album The Rose of England (F-Beat ZL 70765).

Musicians: Cowboy Outfit.

Written by Nick Lowe.

Produced by Nick Lowe and Colin Fairley.

(Photo: Star from the Lizard Constellation, NASA)

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paul-clarkson · 7 years ago

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Music: 1984 Mix

I had the great fortune to be a music nerd living in Minneapolis in 1984. It was one of those times when you could tell, in real time, that great things were happening around you. The Replacements, a band up until then known as much for their shambling drunken live performances as for their music, released the album Let it Be, which was a huge leap forward in musical sophistication and ambition. Hardcore punk band Hüsker Dü released Zen Arcade, a double album with a narrative through-line (aka a “rock opera”) that explored themes and musical styles far from the band’s punk origins. I still have the copy of Zen Arcade I bought at Oar Folkjokeopus in Minneapolis on the day it was released. The release of these albums would have made 1984 a major year for music in the Twin Cities, but but they were not the biggest thing to come out of Minnesota music that year, not by a long shot.

I saw the movie Purple Rain in a Minneapolis theater shortly after it was released. The audience was rapturous, delirious, totally captivated. In retrospect, it wasn’t a very good movie, except for the concert scenes. The soundtrack album was a sensation, in both an artistic and commercial sense. Purple Rain, the album, has sold more than 25 million copies and spun off two #1 singles. Prince was also a busy and successful producer in 1984. The Time’s “Jungle Love”, produced by Prince was a #20 single. Another song he produced, Seila E.’s “The Glamorous Life”, was a #7 single that also spent two weeks at the top of the dance chart. 1999 had been a successful album, but 1984 was the year that Prince vaulted to super-stardom.

By the way, the full name of the Prince song included in this mix is: “17 Days (the rain will come down, then U will have 2 choose, if U believe, look 2 the dawn and U shall never lose)”.

1984 was also the year that rap-rock was born. Rock bands had incorporated aspects of rap into their work for several years (“Ring ring, it’s seven A.M./Move yourself to go again”). Rap-rock involved rap artists incorporating rock sounds explicitly into their music and/or collaborating with rock artists. Run-D.M.C.’s “Rock Box” is generally acknowledged to be the first rap-rock track, incorporating a heavy rock guitar riff played by session musician Eddie Martinez. “World Destruction”, another pioneering rap-rock track, was a collaboration between Afrika Bambaataa and John Lydon, perhaps the oddest duo since David Bowie and Bing Crosby.

Note: The song “88 Lines About 44 Women” is delightfully filthy. I recommend you not play it for your Sunday school class.

The 1984 mix, as well as my other 80’s mixes, can be streamed or downloaded here.

Part 1: I What’s Going On Inside My Head?

01 Unsatisfied - The Replacements

02 Rock Box - Run-D.M.C.

03 Strut - Sheena Easton

04 88 Lines About 44 Women - The Nails

05 Why? - Bronski Beat

06 How Soon is Now? - The Smiths

07 Blasphemous Rumours - Depeche Mode

08 Fala - Robert Quine/Fred Maher

09 I Feel for You - Chaka Khan

10 Everything She Wants - Wham!

11 One Night in Bangkok - Murray Head

12 Dark Streets of London - The Pogues

13 Eighties - Killing Joke

14 The Kick Inside of Me - Simple Minds

15 What’s Going On - Hüsker Dü

Part 2: Our Band is Scientist Rock

01 17 Days - Prince & The Revolution

02 Jungle Love - The Time

03 The Glamorous Life - Sheila E.

04 World Destruction - Time Zone

05 Wire - U2

06 Bag Lady (I Wonder) - Ebn-Ozn

07 Talk to Me (I Can Hear You Now) - Iam Siam

08 You’re the Best Thing - The Style Council

09 Tenderness - General Public

10 Dress You Up - Madonna

11 All the Things She Gave Me - The Waterboys

12 So. Central Rain - R.E.M.

13 Sounds Great When You’re Dead - Robyn Hitchcock

14 Will the Wolf Survive? - Los Lobos

15 Such a Shame - Talk Talk

16 Sharkey’s Day - Laurie Anderson

17 History Lesson-Part II - Minutemen

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paul-clarkson · 7 years ago

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Music: 1983 Mix

Thirty-five years later, it is easy to forget that 1983 was an awful year. In the UK the far-right Thatcher government won re-election. Ronald Reagan called the Soviet Union an “evil empire” and then invaded Grenada seven months later. A suicide bomber in Beirut killed more than 300 people, including 241 US troops. Saddam Hussein deployed chemical weapons in Iraq's ongoing war with Iran. A Soviet fighter shot down a Korean Airlines jet, causing the death of all 269 passengers and crew. The possibility of nuclear war was a real concern; when ABC broadcast a TV film, The Day After, about the aftermath of Soviet nuclear strikes in Kansas and Missouri, more than 100 million people watched.

Given this atmosphere, it is no surprise that a lot of the music from 1983 reflects anger, tension, and dread. In a song like “My City Was Gone” or “Pills and Soap” the anger is unmistakable, but “Love on a Farmboy’s Wages” is just as angry, just more subtle and cloaked in pastoral music. “In a Big Country” sounds anthemic and gains energy from guitars manipulated to sound like bagpipes, but the lyrics portray a narrator looking desperately for something to hold onto in the face of disappointment and betrayal. “Making Flippy Floppy” has a goofy title, but the lyrics are about as dark and cynical as Talking Heads ever got: “Business and pleasure lie right to your face.” A cruel summer, for sure.

Even in a lousy year, bands continue to grow and evolve. Some performers seem to emerge fully formed from the beginning of their career. Examples of this include Ramones, Billy Bragg, and, to a degree, R.E.M. Others struggle early in their career to find their own voice, perhaps copying their heroes or experimenting with different styles until they find something that clicks for them. In retrospect, I see three important bands that fully came into their own in 1983. New Order had an amazing 1983, releasing their finest album, Power Corruption & Lies as well as two iconic singles, “Blue Monday” and “Confusion”. U2 released their third album, War (note the title!), which first exhibited the combination of political activism and stadium-ready sound that would make them superstars. Finally Hüsker Dü released the “Metal Circus” EP, which solidified their identity, both from a songwriting and sonic perspective.

The 1983 mix, as well as my other 80’s mixes, can be streamed or downloaded here.

Part 1: I’m Not Expecting to Grow Flowers in a Desert

01 My City Was Gone - The Pretenders

02 In a Big Country - Big Country

03 Racist Friend - The Special AKA

04 Pills and Soap - The Imposter (Elvis Costello)

05 Love on a Farmboy’s Wages - XTC

06 This is Not a Love Song - Public Image Ltd.

07 25 Reasons - Red House

08 A New England - Billy Bragg

09 Time Wounds All Heels - Nick Lowe

10 Cruel Summer - Bananarama

11 Bedward the Flying Preacher - Prince Far I

12 Your Silent Face - New Order

13 Bob Dylan Wrote Propaganda Songs - Minutemen

14 Institutionalized - Suicidal Tendencies

15 Real World - Hüsker Dü

16 Color Me Impressed - The Replacements

17 She’s in Parties - Bauhaus

18 Talk About the Passion - R.E.M.

19 Genetic Engineering - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

20 Going Home - Mark Knopfler

Part 2: We Sing in the Darkness

01 Making Flippy Floppy - Talking Heads

02 Electric Avenue - Eddy Grant

03 Girls Just Want to Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper

04 (Keep Feeling) Fascination - The Human League

05 Borderline - Madonna

06 New York, New York - Nina Hagen

07 Tour De France - Kraftwerk

08 Two Hearts Beat as One - U2

09 Rockit - Herbie Hancock

10 Here Comes the Rain Again - Eurythmics

11 Moody (Spaced Out) - ESG

12 99 Luftballons - Nena

13 Living My Life - Grace Jones

14 An Ending (Ascent) - Brian Eno

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paul-clarkson · 7 years ago

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Music: 1982 Mix

MTV (Music Television, youngsters) first went on the air in August 1981. Hungry for “content”, MTV would show videos from bands that had no chance of getting play on mainstream radio. My impression is that beginning in 1982, MTV helped to begin the process of mainstreaming “underground” or “alternative” music.

1982 was also the year when several significant groups called it quits. The Jam, The Clash, Stiff Little Fingers, and Richard & Linda Thompson all released their final albums in 1982. Shoot Out the Lights, the final Richard & Linda Thompson album, is a stunning snapshot of a dissolving relationship and probably their best album. The Jam’s last album, The Gift, shows that the band was exiting at the top of their game, but also shows how far Paul Weller’s musical interests had drifted. Stiff Little Fingers’ last releases moved away from their punk sound, alienating many fans. The Clash’s Combat Rock seemed at first like a bit of a disappointment, but my appreciation for it has grown over the years.

At least we still had Bowie. And of course, new groups rose to prominence in 1982 even as old favorites were calling it quits. Culture Club had a huge hit with their first album. Groups like Bow Wow Wow and Missing Persons emerged from relative obscurity and scored big hits (both of these bands, by the way, were highly telegenic). The album 1999 helped Prince move from being a well regarded niche act to an international superstar. Go watch the video for “Little Red Corvette” and you’ll understand why.

Huang Chung were not yet a big name in 1982. In 1983 they would switch record labels, change the spelling of their name and re-record “Dance Hall Days”. The re-recorded version became a big hit, but I think I prefer this earlier, looser version.

Meanwhile, punk rock continued to thrive in its own world, and middle American rock acts (like Marshall Crenshaw, Tommy Keene, and most notably, R.E.M.) continued to make earnest guitar-focused music.

The Gang of Four song “To Hell with Poverty!” has always been a favorite. In my college years it became something of a personal anthem. That was when I was young and stupid enough to confuse actual poverty with not having a lot of cash (but always being just a phone call away from Mom and Dad’s help).

The 1982 mix, as well as my other 80’s mixes, can be streamed or downloaded here.

Part 1: I’m Probably Not the Kind of Girl You Think You Want

01 Always Unknowing - Roxy Music

02 Do You Really Want to Hurt Me - Culture Club

03 Hurt - New Order

04 Dance Hall Days - Huang Chung

05 Blue Hotel - Lene Lovich

06 Destination Unknown - Missing Persons

07 From the Air - Laurie Anderson

08 I Fell In Love - The Roches

09 I Melt With You - Modern English

10 Cat People (Putting Out Fire) - David Bowie

11 Major Tom (Völlig Losgelöst) - Peter Schilling

12 Delirious - Prince

13 Black Coffee in Bed - Squeeze

14 Go - The Replacements

15 I Have the Touch - Peter Gabriel

16 Did She Jump or Was She Pushed? - Richard & Linda Thompson

Part 2: You Tasted Mustard When She Painted Your Face

01 Know Your Rights - The Clash

02 I Want Candy - Bow Wow Wow

03 Talking to a Stranger - Hunters & Collectors

04 Read About It - Midnight Oil

05 Shabby Doll - Elvis Costello & The Attractions

06 Save It for Later - The English Beat

07 Back to Zero Now - Tommy Keene

08 You’re My Favorite Waste of Time - Marshall Crenshaw

09 Lesson in Love - Paul Carrack

10 The Hanging Garden - The Cure

11 1,000,000 - R.E.M.

12 Talkback - Stiff Little Fingers

13 Raining Raining - Nick Lowe

14 Tears in Rain - Vangelis

15 Ghosts - The Jam

16 Situation - Yazoo

17 T.V. Party - Black Flag

18 Reason for Existence - Subhumans

19 To Hell with Poverty! - Gang of Four

20 Mad World - Tears for Fears

21 True Romance at the World’s Fair - Algebra Suicide

22 Looking for the Next Best Thing - Warren Zevon

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paul-clarkson · 7 years ago

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Music: 1981 Mix

My self-indulgent tour of the music of the early 80s continues.

1981 saw “rock” fully embracing new technologies: synthesizers, sampling and rap. Check out, for instance, the rapping Austrian…

These new technologies played a role in many transformational and evolutionary changes. Pete Shelley, lead singer for pioneering punk band The Buzzcocks, surprised everyone with the synth-led, danceable, transcendent “Homosapien”. The Human League evolved from a quirky experimental synth band to a pop band prominently featuring female vocalists. Track down “Circus of Death” on YouTube sometime if you want to hear how much a band can change in two years. The evolution of The Human League also spun off Heaven 17. New Order arose from the ashes of Joy Division like a Phoenix brandishing a sequencer. Robert Fripp decided, for Robert Fripp reasons, to start a new version of King Crimson after almost seven years of dormancy.

Then there’s Talking Heads, which spawned three separate projects in 1981. What I hear in these records is that David Byrne wanted to be Brian Eno, Jerry Harrison wanted to be David Byrne, and Tina Weymouth is an under-appreciated genius.

Meanwhile, back in the USA, good old guitar/bass/drums rock ’n’ roll was alive and well. 1981 saw the first single from R.E.M. and first albums from Go-Go’s and The Replacements. In addition, Mission of Burma released the EP that would make them college radio station staples.

The 1981 mix, as well as my 1980 mix, is available here.

Part 1: Pull Up to the Bumper, Baby

01 You Can’t be Funky - Bush Tetras

02 Bustin’ Out - Material with Nona Hendryx

03 (We Don’t Need this) Fascist Groove Thang - Heaven 17

04 Der Mussolini - D.A.F.

05 Der Kommissar - Falco

06 The Jezebel Spirit - Brian Eno & David Byrne

07 Genius of Love - Tom Tom Club

08 Worlds in Collision - Jerry Harrison

09 This is Radio Clash - The Clash

10 Pull Up to the Bumper - Grace Jones

11 Don’t You Want Me - The Human League

12 Controversy - Prince

13 Everything’s Gone Green - New Order

14 Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go - Soft Cell

15 The Art of Parties - Japan

Part 2: We are on Our Own and the Only Thing Known is Our Love

01 Takin’ a Ride - The Replacements

02 Our Lips Are Sealed - Go-Go’s

03 That’s When I Reach for My Revolver - Mission of Burma

04 Absolute Beginners - The Jam

05 Message of Love - The Pretenders

06 Homosapien - Pete Shelley

07 Discipline - King Crimson

08 Radio Free Europe - R.E.M.

09 Afterimage - Afterimage

10 We’re Desperate - X

11 Cheeseburger - Gang of Four

12 The Punch Line - Minutemen

13 Raindance - The Past Seven Days

14 Tickets are Free - Norman Salant

15 Tempted - Squeeze

16 Do Me Lover - Carlene Carter with Paul Carrack

17 From a Whisper to a Scream - Elvis Costello & The Attractions

18 Torchlight - Ellen Foley

19 Respectable Street - XTC

20 Safe as Houses - Stiff Little Fingers

21 Re - Dif Juz

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paul-clarkson · 7 years ago

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Music: 1980 Mix

For me, the early 1980s was one of the greatest eras in popular “rock” music. It was as if the great tidal wave that was punk rock swept away all the rules about who could make music and what that music had to sound like. Once the flood waters receded a million flowers bloomed.

I write this with full awareness that everyone probably thinks the the music of their college-age era is the best. In spite of this obvious bias, I think I can make the case that the early 80s were pretty special. My intention is to create song mixes for each year of the early 80s to hopefully convince myself that the music was as good as I remember.

This first mix (in two parts) includes music released in 1980, which was by any measure an exceptional year. For example, this mix includes tracks from eight bands that released their debut albums in 1980: U2, The Suburbs, Rockpile, The English Beat, Bauhaus, The Pretenders, UB40, and X (as well as the debut singles from Hüsker Dü and Minutemen). Several veterans released music in 1980 that was as good as anything they ever put out, including David Bowie (Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)), Peter Gabriel (Peter Gabriel 3 aka “Melt”), Pete Townshend (Empty Glass), Joy Division (Closer), Rush (Permanent Waves), Tonio K (Amerika), and Talking Heads (Remain in Light).

And maybe best of all are the wonderful tracks from bands that never really hit it big, or lingered in obscurity for all of their (often short) careers. The Petticoats released one single. Manicured Noise released two singles. Stiff Little Fingers were a terrific band that never achieved anything like the prominence of their peers (especially in the US).

The 1980 mix is available here.

Part 1: All Them Tiny Insects Look Like You

01 Gotta Gettaway - Stiff Little Fingers

02 Fashion - David Bowie

03 Double Dare - Bauhaus

04 A Forest - The Cure

05 Delta Rain Dream - Jon Hassell & Brian Eno

06 Final Day - Young Marble Giants

07 When I Write the Book - Rockpile

08 If I Didn’t Love You - Squeeze

09 Kingdom of Love - The Soft Boys

10 High Fidelity - Elvis Costello

11 Girl Crazy - Tonio K.

12 Mirror in the Bathroom - The English Beat

13 Cig Machine - The Suburbs

14 Ace of Spades - Motörhead

15 The Wait - The Pretenders

16 Private Life - Grace Jones

17 King - UB40

18 Paranoid Chant - Minutemen

19 Wardance - Killing Joke

20 Komakino - Joy Division

21 Crosseyed and Painless - Talking Heads

Part 2: Someday You’ll Meet Your Rocking Chair

01 Are You Glad to be in America? - James “Blood” Ulmer

02 The Man in the Dark Sedan - Snakefinger

03 Lawnchairs - My Daughters Wedding

04 Statues - Hüsker Dü

05 Going Underground - The Jam

06 I Don’t Remember - Peter Gabriel

07 Rock ’n’ Roll High School - Ramones

08 Bad Reputation - Joan Jett

09 Johny Hit and Run Paulene - X

10 Interlude No. 2 / Bill Lee - Warren Zevon

11 It’s Her Factory - Gang of Four

12 Dub - Pylon

13 Bankrobber - The Clash

14 Towers of London - XTC

15 Another Day - U2

16 When You Were Mine - Prince

17 Power of Love - T-Bone Burnet

18 Faith - Manicured Noise

19 Dancing in the Street / My Enemy is a Bad Man - Fred Frith

20 Normal - The Petticoats

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paul-clarkson · 14 years ago

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Culture Consumption 2010

Ten favorites from 2010, in alphabetical order:

Bob Dylan, October 25 at Overture Hall, Madison, Wisconsin. I have to admit that when I bought my ticket for this concert I had low expectations. Basically I decided to go to this concert because, hey, it's Bob Fucking Dylan and he's 69 years old - how many more chances will I get to see this legendary figure? It turns out hero worship wasn't necessary to enjoy this performance. Dylan, backed by a terrific band, put on a memorable show. On a few songs Dylan played credible guitar. Most often he directed the band with hand gestures and glances while playing the organ. For a couple of songs, including an electrifying "Tangled Up in Blue", he stood at a microphone, delivering songs as if he were standing next to you at the bar telling a story. The band, featuring guitarist Charlie Sexton, was incredibly tight and could rock surprisingly hard when necessary.

Now I'll admit that Dylan's voice is pretty much shot, and his habit of radically altering song arrangements (especially the "classics") can be frustrating. There were some songs I didn't recognize until the chorus. Nevertheless, this was a genuinely exciting and enjoyable concert, with at least two goose bump-inducing moments.

Dylan and his band performed two shows the night they were in Madison, at 7 and 10 pm. Each of the two shows had different set lists. I only hope I have that much energy and passion for what I'm doing when I'm 69!

Exit Through the Gift Shop. This movie, supposedly a documentary, succeeds on multiple levels. First, it is a fascinating behind the scenes look at the world of street art, featuring footage of several well-known artists, including Shepard Fairey and Banksy. Second, it is the incredible and hilarious story of Thierry Guetta, the eccentric owner of a used clothing store, would-be documentary film maker, and ultimately an art-world superstar. Third, the film is a sardonic indictment of the hype machine that drives the art world. But hanging over the entire movie is the tantalizing and plausible thought that the entire Guetta story is just an enormous and extended piece of Banksy-orchestrated performance art. This was probably the most enjoyable and thought-provoking movie I've seen in years.

Heaven is Whenever, The Hold Steady. The big question was: How will The Hold Steady sound after the departure of flamboyant keyboardist Franz Nicolay? The answer: Just fine. Keyboards still appear, but pushed farther back in the mix. Horns are deployed selectively to good effect ("Our Whole Lives"), and guitarist Tad Kubler steps up to fill any remaining gaps. Overall the new sound is more Stones and less Springsteen.

Lyrically, Craig Finn's two main areas of focus (Catholicism and substance abuse) continue to be very much in evidence. But another theme is the natural slowing down that occurs with aging (Finn is 39). From "The Smidge": "We used to want it all. Now we just want a little bit." I hear you, man.

Kraken, China Miéville. Missing giant squids, strange obscure cults, hidden London geography, the paranormal police, menacing alleys and warehouses, talking tattoos, a terrifying monster, the likely end of the world. Pretty much everything you'd expect from a China Miéville novel. The unexpected bonus is that in addition to being strange, scary and disconcerting this book is often very very funny. The extended exploration of the horrific implications of Star Trek transporter technology is hilarious.

The National, September 28 at Orpheum Theatre, Madison, Wisconsin. The National had always been a band that I respected more than I liked. While people who's opinion I valued raved about them, I found their recordings muted and rather fuzzy sounding. My opinion has changed after having the chance to see them live. In concert the dynamics of the music became clearer, as did the band's wry sense of humor. This concert was probably the best I've seen in a couple of years, and moved The National from my personal top 100 to somewhere in my top 20.

The Social Network. Putting aside the question of whether or not this movie is faithful to the actual facts, this was the most engaging cinematic experience I had all year. From the very opening of the movie, Aaron Sorkin's machine gun dialogue and David Fincher's freight train direction had me completely sucked into their constructed world of class envy and hyper nerdism. The soundtrack, composed by Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor, added the perfect mix of ambient anxiety mixed with video game music. And I loved the intensity of Jesse Eisenberg's performance in the lead, impenetrable and arrogant, focused to the point of near full-blown autism. Who knows if Zuckerberg is really like this? When a movie is this good, who cares?

Sound Affects (Deluxe Edition), The Jam. This is my re-issue of the year, based, surprisingly, on the liner notes. The notes describe what was influencing Paul Weller, what he was listening to, at the time The Jam put this record together. Understanding that Weller was consciously trying to get away from the band's signature sound and was listening to bands like Gang of Four, Wire and Joy Division really clarify the artist's intent and let me listen with new ears. And what more could you ask for a re-issue than a chance to get something new from a classic?

Sunflower Seeds, Ai Weiwei at Tate Modern, London. Chinese artist Ai Weiwei had more than 100 million sunflower seeds manufactured out of porcelain and then hand painted. 1,600 artisans were ultimately involved in the process. Displayed on the floor of the massive Turbine Hall in Tate Modern it makes for an impressive display, but what puts this on my list is the context provided at the exhibit. The background of where and how and by whom the sunflower seeds were produced adds multiple levels of meaning to this work of art and clarifies the messages the artist intends to convey. This exhibit prompted an interesting discussion with family members - should it be necessary to understand the context and artist's intention associated with a piece of art to fully appreciate it?

This is Happening, LCD Soundsystem. They say this may be the last LCD Soundsystem album. If true, you have to credit James Murphy and the band for quitting while they were on top of their game. Murphy's self-depreciating jaded aging hipster persona hasn't worn out its welcome, and the songs are never less than fun. But the best songs, like "All I Want" and "Home" become more than homages (to Bowie and Talking Heads, respectively) because of their thoughtful lyrics and Murphy's heartfelt singing.

True Grit. Every choice has consequences, usually adverse ones, in the Coen Brothers universe. Here The Brothers casually master the western genre. I'd love to see them do a science fiction movie. The real surprise is how Hailee Steinfeld holds her own with Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin and Barry Pepper.

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paul-clarkson · 16 years ago

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Movie: Control

Anton Corbijn's Control (2007) chronicles the last 10 years in the life of Joy Division front man Ian Curtis. Curtis has achieved legendary status for both his role in Joy Division and his suicide, at age 23, on the eve of the band's planned first tour of the United States. Control goes a long way toward demystifying Curtis as a legendary figure and bringing him down to earth with the rest of us.

Samantha Morton's performance as Debbie Curtis was one of the highlights of the film for me. The warmth and openness of her portrayal makes her the most sympathetic character in the story (although the fact that the screenplay is based on Deborah Curtis's autobiography may have something to that). Many times throughout the movie I found myself looking to Morton's face to see how she was reacting to the situation. For instance, during the movie's portrayal of the legendary Sex Pistols concert in Manchester, the look on Morton's face perfectly conveys how the “straight” Debbie would react to the spectacle and din of a Pistols show. In a movie where the main character is so often aloof and withdrawn and other characters (the band, the manager) actively mask their feelings behind rock ‘n‘ roll machismo, Morton's Debbie Curtis acts as the films emotional anchor.

First time actor Sam Riley has earned a lot of praise for his portrayal of Ian Curtis, and he deserves it. Riley brings a sense of intensity to his acting that shines especially brightly in the musical performances in the film. Riley is spectacular in a a scene depicting Joy Division's volcanic appearance on Tony Wilson's TV show. However, Riley is sometimes less effective in quieter scenes intended to convey Curtis's internal dialog. The movie stumbles, as so many do, when it attempts to depict the song writing process or show us the supposed inspiration behind a well known song.

An aspect of the movie that struck me as unusual and worthy of note is its treatment of Ian Curtis's “day job”. Until his musical career began to earn enough to support his family, Curtis worked as a counselor at an unemployment center. What I found fascinating was that, as depicted in the movie, Ian Curtis seemed to be good at this job and he seemed to get some real satisfaction out of helping his clients. This is entirely different to any other rock movie I can think of, where any office job is inevitably depicted as a soul-crushing ordeal that the future rock star treats with disdain and contempt. At one point in Control, Curtis's supervisor finds him asleep at his desk. In most rock films (and yes, I'm thinking of Quadrophenia right now), this would have prompted an explosive confrontation between our hero and “The Man”. In this film, the supervisor gently wakes Curtis and tells him that he'll have to make a decision about which of his jobs he wants to keep. You get the feeling that had Ian Curtis chosen to turn his back on Joy Division, he could have lived a happier and longer life than he did.

One thing Control gets right is the musical performances. A brave choice by Corbijn that really pays off is his decision to let the actors actually play the music in the Joy Division performances depicted in the film. The original plan was to have the actors fake it and then dub in Joy Division recordings later. The realism and genuine excitement of the musical performances were enough all by themselves to make the movie worth seeing for me.

The music takes a back seat in the last section of the film, as alcohol, epilepsy, depression, poor decisions and the pressures of stardom combine to lead Ian Curtis to his sad end. This section of the film was tough to watch, and I was left wishing that less screen time was devoted to the last 48 hours of Curtis's life and more time spent on his experiences with Joy Division.

Corbijn, a noted photographer, does a good job overall with his first feature film. The black and white cinematography is gorgeous and the movie has many beautifully framed compositions.

I would recommend Control highly to anyone who has appreciated Joy Division's music. I'm not sure the film will be as compelling for someone who lacks that context.

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paul-clarkson · 16 years ago

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Concert: Art Brut and The Hold Steady, Nov. 6, 2007

I got to see two of my favorite bands, Art Brut and The Hold Steady at a club named Mezzanine in San Francisco on Tuesday, November 6.

Art Brut

Art Brut has come a long way since their amateurish sounding early singles. They have a slick post punk sound anchored by raspy bass and angular guitars now. The band's leader and singer, Eddie Argos, is a real charmer who sells the songs with wry self-depreciating humor and buckets of irony.

What worries me about Art Brut is that irony + slickness can easily turn into schtick. While I definitely enjoyed Art Brut's set, and any band that's recorded instant classics like “Modern Art”, “Emily Kane” and “Good Weekend” will always have a place in my heart, overall I was a bit disappointed with the live Art Brut experience. I was entertained but that was about it.

The Hold Steady

When lead singer Craig Finn walked on the stage Tuesday night, he looked out at the crowd with the most wonderful smile on his face, the smile of someone who was truly enjoying what he was doing, where he was, who he was with. At the end of the evening Finn talked about there being “so much joy in what we do up here”, and the whole band really projected that sense of joy through their entire performance. I thought this was a great show, one that left me more satisfied and, yes, happy, than any I can think of in the recent past.

On The Hold Steady's recordings, Finn tends to be the dominant personality. The lyrics are an important part of The Hold Steady's music, and Finn jams as many lyrics into a song as anyone I can think of. He has a distinctive persona that sits somewhere between Joe Strummer's charismatic every-man and Pete Townshend's clinical observer of the Teenage Wasteland. Finn also has a very distinctive voice (which not everyone necessarily appreciates). On stage, the other band members' personalities are more prominent and distinctive. Lead guitar player Tad Kubler has the physicality and guitar hero chops that bring the late, legendary Bob Stinson to mind. Franz Nicolay gets attention for his keyboard, harmonica and accordion skills, not to mention his sartorial flair and great mustache. Bassist Galen Polivka and drummer Bobby Drake, like most bassists and drummers, seem less interested in being centers of attention.

The set list drew heavily from the band's latest CD, Boys and Girls in America [2006], with several songs from Separation Sunday [2005] and a few from Almost Killed Me [2004] included. The band also played three unrecorded songs, including one titled “Lord, I'm Discouraged” that was particularly well received by the audience. Other set highlights for me included “Stuck Between Stations” (my favorite song of, oh, the last 10 years or so) and a great version of “Southtown Girls”.

There's nothing like experiencing a great band at the top of their game in a relatively small venue in front of an appreciative audience. The Hold Steady exceeded my (high) expectations Tuesday night, delivering what was for me a near transcendent experience.

Here's the unsolicited advice section of this post: You know that list of things you want to do before you die, the list you keep in that drawer? Pull that list out and get a pen. Whatever you have listed as #1 on the list—“climb Mt. Everest”, “eliminate world hunger”, “swim naked with the dolphins”, whatever, cross it out and replace it with this new #1: “See The Hold Steady live in a club.”

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