Island Life by David Slack

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Island Life: Bye, bye, you peculiar guy.

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  • Danielle,

    And managed to avoid disco and the Carpenters.

    <quiet voice> But disco won. </quiet voice>

    Karen Carpenter's voice was something else, though. She sounds so pure and warm.

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Karen Carpenter's voice was something else, though. She sounds so pure and warm.

    And a funky drummer to boot.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • LegBreak,

    Carpenters’ music was just made to be covered by goth bands.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Debating with you usually seems pointless, Craig, but I can't ignore your 'sneer'. He's a friend, I value his opinion and I think it's a pretty weak argument in the face of the evidence to describe his work as either small minded or smug.

    David: I've met MacDonald all of once (for about ninety seconds) so have nothing meaningful to say about his personal qualities. I'm sure he's a frightfully nice person, a good husband and father and it would be churlish to begrudge him a living. But anyone who shares a op-ed stable with the routinely vile Michael Laws might want to be cautious about pointing the bone of "small-minded smugness" at others. I'm sure Finlay has a keen sense of irony; whoever edits the Sunday Star-Times -- which routinely resembles a tabloid in all but format --, I'm not so sure of.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    Never Mind the Buzzcocks. Recommended.

    Double recommended. Also Rockwiz - Australian variation shot at the Espy in St Kilda, Melbourne with the gloriously talented Julia Zemiro. Great version of the Church's Under the Milky Way avail on website. Spicks and Specks too (starring expat Hawera boy, Alan Brough)

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Litterick,

    I miss albums, double albums with gatefold sleeves, booklets and Artwork. I also miss having to take care of things: vinyl records and stylus cartridges. And I miss listening to music, in a chair, with speakers separated and angled for perfect sound forever; listening to entire albums rather than hearing random downloaded tracks on somebody's iPod.

    Music used to be really impotant because it was expensive and difficult and rare. Now it is just another digital commodity.

    And I am getting older.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report Reply

  • Tim Michie,

    I've a longstanding theory, based on witnessing other Yes listeners, that their attachment to the band was because it was their first encounter with prog and were never able to acknowledge their first love may not have been their best. Harsh I know but it's a common theme of those with much more than Yello under Y in their collections.

    But in the interests of fairness, as you've shared, I'll take this opportunity to admit: The Wombles.

    Auckward • Since Nov 2006 • 614 posts Report Reply

  • James Butler,

    But anyone who shares a op-ed stable with the routinely vile Michael Laws might want to be cautious about pointing the bone of "small-minded smugness" at others

    Finlay MacDonald is a diamond in the rough, but I thought anyone who shares a web forum stable with this routinely liberal, thoughtful and well-educated bunch would know that.

    Fact is, there are only a handful of large-circulation print publications in this country, and they all suck more-or-less - thems the breaks.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark,

    And managed to avoid disco and the Carpenters.

    Disco will be forever one of my truest loves. Until recently, at my gym, they were playing techno dross. Not very motivational when you're slogging on the crosstrainer. So I took in some disco stuff (I say some, I mean 5 hours worth) and man, it's good to work out to. A lot of smiles all round makes a nice change when everyone's taking themselves a little too seriously.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    But anyone who shares a op-ed stable with the routinely vile Michael Laws might want to be cautious about pointing the bone of "small-minded smugness" at others.

    Craig, don't you contribute a piece to Radio Live, which also stables Michael Laws?

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    Fact is, there are only a handful of large-circulation print publications in this country, and they all suck more-or-less - thems the breaks.

    And it's not as if Craig doesn't "share an op-ed stable with the routinely vile Michael Laws" himself.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Rich Lock,

    ... and then my general feeling of wellbeing will end when some sort of fucking *whimsy* will occur.

    There is a sure-fire cure for that. Turn this one up to 11 and sing along:

    In ancient times...
    Hundreds of years before the dawn of history
    Lived a strange race of people... the Druids

    No one knows who they were or what they were doing
    But their legacy remains
    Hewn into the living rock... Of Stonehenge

    Stonehenge! Where the demons dwell
    Where the banshees live and they do live well
    Stonehenge! Where a man's a man
    And the children dance to the Pipes of Pan

    Hey!

    Stonehenge! 'Tis a magic place
    Where the moon doth rise with a dragon's face
    Stonehenge! Where the virgins lie
    And the prayers of devils fill the midnight sky

    And you my love, won't you take my hand?
    We'll go back in time to that mystic land
    Where the dew drops cry and the cats meow
    I will take you there, I will show you how

    Oh!

    And oh how they danced
    The little children of Stonehenge
    Beneath the haunted moon
    For fear that daybreak might come too soon

    And where are they now?
    The little people of Stonehenge
    And what would they say to us?
    If we were here... tonight

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report Reply

  • Kerry Weston,

    the routinely vile Michael Laws" himself

    believes that "to love and be loved" is what it's all about - life, that is. Now, ain't that sweet? As heard on Radio Live the other day ....

    maybe he's turning into a mallowpuff.

    Manawatu • Since Jan 2008 • 494 posts Report Reply

  • Kerry Weston,

    I miss albums, double albums with gatefold sleeves, booklets and Artwork. I also miss having to take care of things: vinyl records and stylus cartridges. And I miss listening to music, in a chair, with speakers separated and angled for perfect sound forever; listening to entire albums rather than hearing random downloaded tracks on somebody's iPod.

    Me too, but I shifted the stereo into my studio where I can be as loud as I like & play cds not LPs - though I've still got them all. I'd never downloaded music until I was inspired by the notorious copyright thread and rediscovered Jethro Tull, David Gilmour, Hunters & Collectors etc - now I can drive my sons insane on car journeys. Ha.

    Manawatu • Since Jan 2008 • 494 posts Report Reply

  • Andy Fraser,

    Long time reader, first time poster....

    Took the Tull and Yes mickey-takers to get me to register :-)

    Tull - one of the British great Bands. Waaayy ahead of Genesis, not in the same league.
    I confess - spent quite some nights in the 70's listening to Journey to the Centre of the Earth end to end.
    Mind you, I thought Easy Rider was a great and a well acted movie then as well....

    And as for the most underated song ever, 'Since I've been loving you' Led Zep from Zep III

    Invercargill • Since Jun 2009 • 33 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle,

    Tull - one of the British great Bands.

    I have seen Jethro Tull. Twice. (Ex-boyfriend, say no more.) I've heard every single album multiple times, too. I suppose if you can get past The Breathy One-Legged Rock Flute (and it does take a LOT of getting past), and you really like that sort of thing, yeah...

    Here they are on TOTP, whimsying the hell OUT.

    I tell you, every time he lifts his leg I die a little inside. :)

    I worked at a used record-shop owned by an awesome old burnout dude who really liked prog and all manner of subsets thereof. I remember listening a lot to the Pentangle album, Basket of Light ('Light Flight', that's a pretty song), and Fairport Convention, too. I suppose if you're going to be all hey-nonny-nonny, I prefer the retro-English-folk thing to the giant 3-album-long rock suites. Break out the maypole and the morris-dancing.

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • stephen walker,

    seeing Ian isn't around right now,
    can i just put a gong in for mr. hillage?
    this man could not be pinned down.
    he kept going and going until he became an electonica superhero.
    hillage/giraudy have pulverised more dance crowds than you've had hot dinners, lad!

    yrs,
    in seventh heaven of mirrors,
    system stephen

    nagano • Since Nov 2006 • 646 posts Report Reply

  • ScottY,

    I was a prog rock addict for a short time in the early '90s (as with fashion trends and Facebook, I always come to things after they've become passe).

    I still feel a guilty pleasure when I hear Jethro Tull's Aqualung, or anything by Genesis in their period before Peter Gabriel and Steve Hackett left.

    And I have far too many King Crimson albums. Although I maintain that 1980s albums like Beat, Discipline and Three of a Perfect Pair are still damn good. Some of their early lyrics though are unintentionally hilarious.

    The wall on which the prophets wrote
    Is cracking at the seams.
    Upon the instruments of death
    The sunlight brightly gleams.
    When every man is torn apart
    With nightmares and with dreams,
    Will no one lay the laurel wreath
    As silence drowns the screams.

    Gag...

    Yes, Asia, Sky, ELP, Wishbone Ash, Blue Oyster Cult - so many dodgy memories...

    West • Since Feb 2009 • 794 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Finlay McDonald? Compare the Listener now with when he was Editor. QED.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart,

    Dear Danielle,

    Here, have a prog-rock antidote:

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    I have seen Jethro Tull. Twice.

    Did they do the routine where they got on stage coming out of an ambulance, being helped by paramedics? That never failed to amuse. (And they did it both times I saw them. I cannot even blame an ex girlfriend, it was all my own doing.)

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    That never failed to fail to amuse, is what I meant to say.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Thanks, Emma. I feel better now.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • stephen walker,

    you should be a professional refurendum-question writer ;-)

    ("should never failing to not amuse be legitimate grounds for crminalising good progressive-rock behaviour?")

    maybe a side business somewhere there for David?

    nagano • Since Nov 2006 • 646 posts Report Reply

  • andrew llewellyn,

    I suppose if you can get past The Breathy One-Legged Rock Flute (and it does take a LOT of getting past), and you really like that sort of thing, yeah...

    ...I tell you, every time he lifts his leg I die a little inside. :)

    Don't sugar it up like that Danielle, tell us how you really feel about them :)

    Since Nov 2006 • 2075 posts Report Reply

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