Showing posts with label Chicago. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chicago. Show all posts

Sunday 16 October 2016

Chicago Bound - #ALifeInNumbers #25


In Transit
When I first started this my mate Andy suggested I could kill three birds with one stone by using Chicago's "25 or 6 to 4" , well I always loved the song and though it could do for number 25 in the sequence. Before they became wimp rockers Chicago (originally Chicago Transit Authority) were purveyors of muscular jazz rock slabs and this was an absolutely prime example, heavy on the brass and sharing a descending riff ans heard in Led Zeppelin's "Heartbreaker". I don't know who ripped off who but we all know that Led Zeppelin were not averse to uncredited borrowing of other people's material.




I remember Chicago's albums were just numbered although they brought out a four disc live at Carnegie Hall album which will cost you £100 on CD or a tenner as a download here, when a double album as considered stretching it a bit. Also I believe guitarist Terry Kath lost his life playing Russian Roulette.

I was never a big fan of the band apart from this single and when they hit their wimp rock phase they were way past their sell by date for me.

I suggest you research what I've told because it has all just come from my head so maybe needs taking with a pinch of salt, but enjoy this and if you want to really check out Chicago check out their early stuff and expect some serious brass. I found an excellent live take from 1970, and yes I would have gone and seen they , plus you get a brilliant guitar solo from Terry Kath.

Enjoy your Sunday night my friends.

Saturday 16 June 2012

Some Bands Do .... Some Bands Don't


Thanks to Carol for reminding me I'd not posted for ages. This has been running around in my head for a couple of weeks. It is a post in response to John Scott and possibly Gavin Webster's detestation of Steely Dan. John's original gripe was that reruns of The Old Grey Whistle Test were marred when Souixsie and The Banshees were juxtaposed with the video below, and I fully support him on this however ......



 
 

Reelin' in the Years is a damned fine song . This video doubly marred by the performing seal / walrus hybrid jumping around on staging during his guitar solo. Not good.

In the seventies a friend of mine, Jon Ashurst,  described Steely Dan as the greatest most boring band in the world ,and listen to them and you can see why that description  fits so well.  The music papers used phrases like "educated rock" etc , which , lets face it rock is meant to blow you away  , if you want sedating listen to the charts.

Then at som point they released the lead track for the film "FM" . "No static at All" they promised and we know that was a lie. AOR (Adult Orientated Rock)  Boz Scaggs , Kenny Logins et al paving the way for poodle rock balladeers of the eighties like REO Speedwagon , the descent into syrup rock of Chicago and other musical disasters and cul-de-sacs.

Steely Dan are probably more detested fro what they caused than what they are.

The thing is Steely Dan have no place next to punk rock , but I have Steely Dan and The Ramones and Sex Pistols in my collection , and dont feel that's a problem . Below is a playlist of half a dozen listenable Steely Dan songs and you should try it , you might enjoy it. Incidentally both "Dallas" and "Sail The Waterway" , "B" sides from their first two singles have been disowned by the band and never officially appeard in digital format , but they are two of my favourite Steely Dan songs! Though my all time favourite is still "Barrytown".



Listenable Steely Dan by Mike Singleton on Grooveshark


Steely Dan arent for everyone , but they are and excellent band , well worth a listen.