Hard News: Those were different times ...
184 Responses
First ←Older Page 1 … 4 5 6 7 8 Newer→ Last
-
there goes the neighbourhood
-
Simon Grigg, in reply to
leave Babs aloooone!!!11!!!
I won't y'know.
I clicked the first link and Brigid said "Sounds like a drag show at Alfies - what is it?"
The unfortunate thing (for me) about that was that those sorts of tunes were conflated with genuine groundbreakers like:
(as an aside, the improvised electric piano solo - from Leon Huff - a couple of minutes in, is one of recorded music's greatest moments. Or so Herbie Hancock said and he's right)
And - for our host:
-
recordari, in reply to
"Sounds like a drag show at Alfies - what is it?"
These are amongst my favourite teenage memories, so your point is? ;-)
-
Ian Dalziel, in reply to
reality check...
That'll likely be your clock that's out, Ian
<doh> ooops, you are right! I've been a.m. when I shoulda been p.m. or vice versa.
ta for that... -
Sacha, in reply to
Brigid said "Sounds like a drag show at Alfies
high five
-
Simon Grigg, in reply to
These are amongst my favourite teenage memories
I'm telling yer bro!
Went to a police licensing meeting once at Central. All the clubs were there. The cops began berating Brett Shepherd who owned Alfies for - night after night - pouring 14 and 15 year olds back onto High Street legless. Shepherd launched into a tirade which went on for 45 minutes or more, accusing the cops of harassment, homophobia, gay bashing and very much more. The cops shrugged their shoulders and closed the meeting. Alfies continued on it's merry way, providing favourite teenage memories to many.
I guess that's how it worked. Yummy, yummy, yummy.
-
recordari, in reply to
14 and 15
I was older than that. Sweet (cough) mumble. It was the only place that we could get in. Well, I suppose I got into Zanzibar, Keeley's and Quay Street too.
In the end, I just loved to dance...
-
Dropping this in, simply because it's such an excellent tune from 79, which I've been thrashing the last few days.
The fact that it stands up to reworks is testament to the original.
-
The unfortunate thing (for me) about that was that those sorts of tunes were conflated with genuine groundbreakers
In the end, I just loved to dance
We ain't no suit-wearing businessmen like you, Simon...you know we're just dancers I s'pose, and we want our pop funk beats.
-
recordari, in reply to
We ain't no suit-wearing businessmen like you, Simon
FTR, today I'm wearing a suit. Sorry Rich. It's not white though, so there's that.
-
Oh, Disco. How I love you. I was about to accuse Simon of disco snobbery and then I recalled that a wee while ago, I bought 3 very cheap CDs of "disco songs" from the Warehouse, and when I ripped them onto my HD, I was appalled at myself. They were immediately relegated to the rubbish.
-
Even hard rockers got in on the act…
But at least they didn't sell out like a certain Rod Stewart song from 1978...
-
3410,
Warning: this video is not suitable for... well... anyone, really.
(1979)
-
Simon Grigg, in reply to
We ain't no suit-wearing businessmen like you, Simon....
My feelings are tainted by something like that I guess, however for me it's more to do with with the human and creative wreckage that the bandwagon jumpers created than anything else.
The early years of disco were those of groundbreaking and still hugely influential urban American record indie labels, many of them Black owned. Stigwood's RSO label was actually one of those although, like another, Neil Bogart's Casablanca, it spun out of control after Saturday Night Fever.
The rise of - post Saturday Night Fever - disco pap, and the racist reaction to it, destroyed large numbers of these and bankrupted companies like TK in Florida. Others - the likes of Philadelphia International, Salsoul and more - either just struggled through by dropping all their acts or were bought for zip by multi-nationals (the ones who license the tracks to those cheap comps now).
En-mass, musicians found no work and producers struggled badly.
The tail end of disco was a disaster for the music industry, and most especially the Black independent scene which didn't recover until the mid 1980s and the rise of hip-hop.
-
Simon Grigg, in reply to
Warning: this video is not suitable for... well... anyone, really
Maybe for Mike Love?
-
Kumara Republic, in reply to
The rise of – post Saturday Night Fever – disco pap, and the racist reaction to it, destroyed large numbers of these and bankrupted companies like TK in Florida. Others – the likes of Philadelphia International, Salsoul and more – either just struggled through by dropping all their acts or were bought for zip by multi-nationals (the ones who license the tracks to those cheap comps now).
Which provided an opportunity for the 2nd British Invasion to steal a march. And MTV – before it became bowdlerised – was a key player in that.
-
Sacha, in reply to
the human and creative wreckage that the bandwagon jumpers created
I blame Roger the alien's infernal time-travelling cassette
though there were consequences..
-
Jackie Clark, in reply to
Hey! I resemble that statement. In 1978, Rod Stewart was my second boyfriend (Elton was my first).
-
For Jackie
-
Danielle, in reply to
Maybe for Mike Love?
My favourite Twitter hashtag ever: #fuckMikeLove. Because seriously, fuck that guy. One of his many crimes: calling the other Beach Boys into the loo to marvel at the size of a shit he had just produced. Blurgh.
-
Simon Grigg, in reply to
My favourite Twitter hashtag ever: #fuckMikeLove
Used it often.
The worst thing he did (okay your story was pretty vile but...) was suing Brian Wilson for half the writer's copyright on Beach Boys songs he played no part in writing. Not only was it fairly universally agreed he had zip to do with many of them, but he was demonstrably not in even in the same country when some were penned.
Brian, at his lowest of his pretty low couple of decades, rolled over to make it go away and thus Love took half the credits and the money.
So yes: #fuckMikeLove
-
Simon Grigg, in reply to
For Jackie
Those first three Rod solo albums were fucking fantastic.
As was Rod & The Faces @ Western Springs Jan 27, '74. They came on to the theme from The Stripper, and finished with a rawkus Stay With Me and Rod's 'Thank you for your time.... and your money'. He snapped the mike stand they staggered off.
Which neatly leads into this:
and this I guess
-
3410,
The worst thing he did (okay your story was pretty vile but...) was suing Brian Wilson for half the writer's copyright on Beach Boys songs he played no part in writing.
Absolutely true, but "the worst thing he did?" That's a mighty big call.
#fuckMikeLove
Rod & The Faces @ Western Springs Jan 27, '74.
Jealous.
(Turn it up.)
Kenny Jones!! -
st ephen, in reply to
Those first three Rod solo albums were fucking fantastic.
Pffft, too easy Simon, just like the last time when you stood up for Elton. I'm still waiting for your spirited defense of Sailing, Do ya think I'm sexy? and especially Huey Lewis and the News... ;-)
-
bmk, in reply to
especially Huey Lewis and the News
I loved Patrick Bateman's raving spiel on Huey Lewis and the News.
Post your response…
This topic is closed.