History Lesson: Dandy Warhols

The Dandy Warhols

Original video located here. Accessed 29th March 2014

Another example of my brother playing something to me on the insistence that it was ace. Upon hearing Come Down, I thought there were, well, weird (little did I know what was going to happen in the years to come). Yet there were some gems there: Not if You Were the Last Junkie and Everyday Should Be a Holiday were pop songs par excellence. Orange and Good Morning were wonderful exercises on sinister atmospherics. These came across as being the two key strengths of the Dandys and represented an acumination of the musical knowledge I had been building up over the years. In the years that followed, it may have became a challenge finding gems in amongst the weirdness but when the Dandy’s hit the bullseye, it certainly hits. Their humour doesn’t hurt either.

Key Album: Thirteen Tales of Urban Bohemia (2000) Again, this is an album that, for me, represents a particular time and place. This came out when on my first year at University and pretty much became a frequented listen. This is my music for that Sandy bay campus, Art School, watching anime, making new friends, and for the first time feeling I was accomplishing something. Sure Bohemian Like You is the most recognisable song on it but I prefer the atmospherics (like Mohammed and Asleep) as being far more vindictive of the Dandy’’s strengths.

History Lesson: Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin

Original video located here. Accessed 24th March 2022

I can’t exactly pinpoint where I got into the mighty Led Zeppelin but I’m glad I did. Intrigued by the Tea Party and their use of exotic instruments and pummelling guitar riffs, it was therefore a logical step to go to what inspired them. When first coming to Led Zeppelin was knowledge that they were the fore-runner to many a metal band. What I wasn’t expecting though was to find an interesting degree of depth that I had never found in metal in the form of blues influences, an understanding of folk and the incorporation of Middle Eastern experimentation. I had always had an interest in metal but the more I heard it, the more it became clear that many of the acts sound the same. Thankfully, Led Zeppelin taught me the genre can try anything and still call itself metal. Besides, how can you say no to Jimmy Page’s musical prowess?

Key Album: IV (1971) Undoubtedly the toughest album in my collection. It still has bite after all these years and still charges ahead of many of the metal bands around. But the most satisfying thing of all about IV was this was finally an album myself and my father could both enjoy with unbridled glee./p>

History Lesson: Sex Pistols

Sex Pistols

Original video located here. Accessed 22nd March 2013

Considering my interest in punk music, it was somewhat inevitable that I would come across the genre’s roots. And it indeed unfortunate that no punk band since has really replicated the sense of mayhem, attitude, chaos, end of the world sensation, disgust, outrage, attitude, rage, defiance and oh I did I mention attitude? Like many teens before, this was a perfect representation of my teenage disgruntlement.

Key Album: Never Mind the Bollocks (1977) No contest really. Although my teens are well behind me, I can still listen to this and it works wonders. It provides a demented sense of glee in hearing the music rulebook torn up and well established conventions being left in the dust. This is the sound of the world coming to an end. The fact that it irritated my father was an added bonus.

History Lesson: Doves

Doves

Original video located here. Accessed 19th March 2015

2000 was one of the best years of my life (insofar). I had started University, my interest in anime was growing legs and I had found some long awaited romance. I had been given a fresh start and I was keen on facing the new millennium with eagerness and a smile. But in spite what has happened in the world since, I remember those halcyon days whenever I hear the Doves. It is indeed a testament to music when it can transport you to places and places you can still recall fondly. So what is it about the trio who once called Sub Sub? I’m not entirely sure. Maybe it’s the textured layers in their songs. Maybe it’s the musicianship. Maybe it’s because they gave up commercial success for alt-rock integrity (Sell –ins like this need to happen more often). But what matter is hearing something you can pick up straight away. And that’s what important for me.

Key Album: Lost Souls (2000) One of my favourite albums in my entire CD collection. And considering the size of it, that's saying something. This is one of those rare albums, where there are no dud songs and every one of them is a winner. But props must go to the monumental The Cedar Room, which has so many magic moments encapsulated in it's seven minute plus running time. The pounding percussion, hearing the guitar chords, for the first time, drifting in like a postcard from a dream, the second guitar bursting into life at the end of the second chorus, the backing vocals throughout the song.....

Choon of the Month: Revolution

Original video located here. Accessed 28th April 2010

Song Title: Revolution

Artist: John Butler Trio

Year: 2010

Why I like this song:

I've never been a big fan of John Butler. Sure he's a great guitarist and his band do the jamming well, but i always felt that John isn't the best lyricist with some of them ranging from clumsy to coming across as a first draft.

Not so with this one: As a call to arms, it is indeed effective. John sounds indeed passionate and sings with the utmost conviction, adding to the strengths of the trio with their instrumentation. Particular note must go to the build and eventual climax ("Take back...."), Sure the lyrics are still clumsy in places but here, John delivers the goods

History Lesson: Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd

Original video located here. Accessed 16th April 2010

Funny story on how I got into the Pink Floyd: When I was in college, I’d go into the library and see these books on the band in question. I read them, absorbed the band’s history and pretty much picked everything I would need to know – without even hearing the band’s music.

It may seem strange that I should pick up on the Pink Floyd during a strong interest in punk but that’s how it happened. And Pink Floyd taught me a vital lesson in atmospherics. I first became aware of them with Icehouse, but if Icehouse were the foundations then Pink Floyd is the mansion with the five car garage. I recall hearing One of These Days for the first time and being blown away by the throbbing bass, the strikes of guitar/keyboard and the build up to an eventual blistering guitar solo. Such was the impression of this (almost) instrumental that I wondered who this was - imagine my delight when I found out! That and the fact that Dave Gilmour's a fantastic guitarist.

Key Album: Dark Side of the Moon (1973) It may seem predictable that I should reference this but it did teach me a vital lesson. You see, when I heard this for the first time I wasn’t expecting each song to melt into each other. So I may have initially thought: ‘Gee this is a long song’ but it was only later that I realized something: Music can sometimes demand full attention. Later listens to Dark Side of the Moon revealed many textures and layers I didn’t pick up on the first time around. Since then I have added a new perspective in my tastes in music: By giving full attention, one can see the big picture. Sure pop music can work at times but that won’t keep working in the long run.

History Lesson: Manic Street Preachers

Manic Street Preachers

Original video located here. Accessed 15th March 2012

And so in 1998, I left High School and made the step up into college. Music in this period of time was pretty much defined by the Tea Party, the Cure and these guys, the Manic Street Preachers. At the time, everyone listened to the Living End or Grinspoon. In fact I, along with my pal Josh, were the only people I knew who listened to them! Once again, it proved my belief that sometimes the minority may be onto something that the majority may not know.

I got into the Manics through This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours, which was during their Britpop phase. Yet looking back, it seemed like a natural progression from the punk-influenced years in High School. Here was vitriol in the guitars and venom in the message but at the same time it was smart and a rage contained. That may sound like a flaw in punk music but here it worked. It was a silent revolution: here was band that knew their stuff but were taking their message with the subtlety of a sniper bullet (as opposed to the bluster of a battle tank). I liked this way of thinking and have applied to my way of thinking ever since. After all, messages can be drowned so easily in a torrent of swearing.

Key Album: The Holy Bible (1994). Nasty, uncomfortable, bleak, uncompromising. Oh and awesome. Their best album and a textbook example on how to talk about the grotesque aspects of humanity. Often overlooked by the metal crowd I feel that this has a lot more venom and brutality that could teach a thing or too to the many metal bands doing rounds at the moment.