"...Exile On Main Street."
"...Big Al left."
"...Ziggy Stardust."
"...Something/Anything?"
"...Muswell Hillbillies."
"...Paranoid."
"...Band On The Run."
I've heard all of these before. Music lovers and so-called fans of these artists, say things like this all the time. I don't get it and I never will.
I've also heard...
"Really? The Monkees?"
"Cheap Trick are still together. God, I hate Can't Stop Falling Into Love."
"Those Hall & Oates videos are hideous."
"Elvis Costello's last good record was Get Happy."
I agree with none of this, well, except the bit about those hideous Hall & Oates videos. It's true, I haven't loved a Stones record since "Steel Wheels," but that doesn't mean I will stop listening to anything they decide to release.
Here are 18 latter day gems from your favorite and not so favorite artists. Let me stop the cynics right now and say, I did NOT pull the one strong track from 18 weak records. As a matter of fact, 13 of the 18 records represented here are some of my very favorites by these artists. The other 5 are far from terrible. We all have bad days.
TRACKLIST
Keep This Love Goin'- NRBQ
Did Ya- The Kinks
Call Me Mellow- Tears For Fears
Past-Todd Rundgren
Slow Burn- David Bowie
Melting In The Sun- ELO
Human- The Pretenders
Everybody Knows- Cheap Trick
Damaged Soul- Black Sabbath
Hold On To Your Hat- Rolling Stones
Pardon Me Madam, My Name Is Eve- Elvis Costello
Getaway Car- Hall & Oates
Passing Through- Marshall Crenshaw
A Certain Softness- Paul McCartney
I Can't Keep This From You- Elton John
Terrifying- The Monkees
Lost It- Boz Scaggs
Ode To Joy- Joe Jackson
zip
23 comments:
Sal, looks like a great mix - thanks for putting it together.
Don't know if you've had the chance or will have the chance to see Todd on his Unpredictable tour - saw him the other night here in Springfield, MO - what a blast.
As he described it after following Melanie's Brand New Key with Red Rider's Lunatic Fringe - 'Musical Whiplash'
Randy
Randy,
I've seen Todd do the Unpredictable tour about a half dozen times now and have enjoyed each and every one, though it's not so unpredictable when you go more than once.
I'm sure (afraid? ashamed? ...) I've said stuff like that in the day.
One can't live in the past but if I had it to do over again I hope I'd keep a more open mind about music.
What I thought was "too cool for school" maybe was just a close minded wanker (hey -- I can insult myself!)
Well done Sal.
You had me at The Monkees!
Terrific idea for a mix. Consider making it an occasional feature?
(I might delete the Sabbath track, but in the spirit of this mix I will give it a try first...)
@Ken D
I intentionally made the Sabbath track the centerpiece. I don't expect anyone who was never a fan to become one now, but as a fan, it's a worthwhile song from an exceptional reunion/farewell record. So, I am glad you will give it a shot. Godspeed.
I love Human, a really great pop tune. It's a shame they don't play it live any more. It was only recently I realised it was a cover. I must try the original...
Honest Ed,
I didn't realize Human was a cover. Who did the original?
what an inspired post! great tracks all
Boz Scaggs is in one of the greatest runs of his career, but I certainly don't mind his inclusion. Are there people who really stopped listening with "Slow Dancer"? BTW do you ever watch "Crate Diggers" on Prime? More than one dj has a copy of Boz Scaggs & Band on display in the background. I should listen to it again to figure out what breaks they're sampling.
I see you have "Animals" in your listening-to list. Have you heard Floyd fans ever say "I stopped listening after..."?
Anon,
I agree with you 100% regarding Boz! Every record since Some Change has been stellar. But There are a few people in my life who think he hasn’t equalized his debut for Atlantic records. I bet one or two are reading right now.
Ode to Joy is a late career classic from Joe Jackson
This is the purest distillation of Sal Nunziato-ishness and your philosophy of open-minded love for the artists you care about that there is! That's a compliment. :)
Oh there is NO compliment there, Mister! But I’ll take it anyway!
I am so one of those people, that's why I so look forward to this. What a great idea!
Think it was the Divinyls.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X41tf3kCqok
Though listening to it, the Pretenders version is a huge upgrade!
I saw Cheap Trick last week and they were as great as always
I've always thought that people who dismiss artists after a certain point usually says more about the listener than the artist. A lot of people want artists to remind them of when they were young. They like the songs they liked when they were young. The artists are there to provide memories. Nothing else. So how dare the artists age! That reminds people of their own aging!
Anyway. Fuck that. "Steel Wheels" is pretty great. "Magic" is my most listened-to Springsteen album. I listen to "Love And Theft" more than any other Dylan. And the last year has taught me how much I've been missing by not listening to "Memory Almost Full" or "Chaos and Creation..."
This is a great mix
How did I not know The Divinyls were the original writers of "Human"? I learn something almost every week from Burning Wood...
I agree that the Pretenders version has a better sheen on it. But I also forgot how much I liked the Divinyls debut album, too, so it's time to pull that one out this weekend. "Boys In Town" indeed!
Good topic. There are so many artists that I've bailed on over the years only to find really glorious stuff on their latter albums.
Well, there's 2 or 3 in there that I've not even started listening to, never mind stopped. Perhaps that'll change after giving this mix a spin (So my work here is done - Ed). A good idea and some good selections, for which many thanks. Cheers!
Hear, Hear! - Stinky
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