It was 20 years ago today..

It recently came to my attention that Primal Scream’s ‘Screamadelica’ album was celebrating it’s 20th birthday (I know, 20 YEARS!!). This got me thinking, and after some investigation I found that 1991 was in fact a vintage year for music, with a few all-time classics released in that year.

But every silver lining has a cloud – this was also the year that gave us THAT Bryan Adams number one single!

Anyhoo – here’s a few of my highlights from 1991, enjoy!

Primal Scream – Screamadelica

 

REM – Out Of Time

Massive Attack – Blue Lines

Blur – Leisure

Nirvana – Nevermind

Red Hot Chili Peppers – Blood Sugar Sex Magic

There’s a whole lot more here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1991_in_music#Albums_released

I know I’ve missed loads – feel free to tell me your favourites of ’91.

26×26 – G is For Graham Coxon

Today’s album is Happiness In Magazines by Graham Coxon

The fifth solo album from Blur guitarist Graham Coxon – to date Coxon has made as many solo albums as he did Blur albums, as Michael Caine probably wouldn’t say, “not a lot of people know that”

The earlier albums, made on the side while still working with Blur,  were pretty hard going at times, dark and hard to listen to, obviously the product of a frustrated genius, struggling to tow the line with his pop star day job.

Things finally reached a head during the recording of Blur’s Think Tank album, and Coxon left the band.

This is where the solo material really took off. Happiness In Magazines is, IMHO, as good as any Blur album. The first single from the album, Bittersweet Bundle Of Misery, has all the lovable English charm of  Blur’s more tender moments, but somehow Coxon’s geeky demeanour and teenage vocal style makes you just instantly love this track. Other tracks which follow this geek-rock formula include ‘Bottom Bunk’ and ‘Hopeless Friend’.

There are a few kick-ass moments on the album, notably ‘Freakin’ Out’, ‘Spectacular’ and ‘People Of The Earth’. There’s a couple of ‘slowies’ for the ladies too; ‘All Over Me’ and ‘Ribbons and Leaves’.

If you like clever, well played, very British (but not Britpop!) guitar driven pop-rock, this album’s well worth a listen.

I should also add that the follow-up album ‘Love Travels At Illegal Speeds’, is equally as good.

Standout track: Freakin’ Out

As a guitar player and songwriter, Graham Coxon is a hero of mine – those who have heard me play electric guitar will spot that influence immediately I think

Other ‘G’s who didn’t quite make it: Gomez, Goldfrapp, Gil Scott-Heron, Glasvegas, Guillemots, Get Cape Wear Cape Fly, Gorillaz.

G was a strong category!

Blur, Hyde Park 2nd July 09

The first of the long-awaited Blur Hyde Park shows took place last night. After a blistering hot day in London, we got into the park at around 7.30, queued for the loo etc, and before we knew it, the boys were on stage (8.15). The place erupted as they ripped into the opening number, She’s So High.

Here’s a full setlist:

She’s So High

Girls & Boys

Tracy Jacks

There’s No Other Way

Jubilee

Badhead

Beetlebum

Out Of Time

Trimm Trabb

Coffee & TV

Tender

Country House

Oily Water

Chemical World

Sunday Sunday

Parklife

End Of A Century

To The End

This Is A Low

Popscene

Advert

Song 2

Death Of A Party

For Tomorrow

The Universal 

You’ll notice that the golden era of Blur was very well represented, with a lot of tracks from Modern Life Is Rubbish and Parklife.

Being a Blur fan from the beginning, and having seen them live I think around 10 times over the years (and also on TV at Glastonbury at the weekend), I can’t say the show delivered any surprises for me. This is a good thing, I really wanted the old Blur back, and that’s what we got. From the high-octane explosions of Popscene\Song 2, to the tear-jerking To The End\Badhead, via the knees-up of Parklife\Sunday Sunday, we got the full range of Blur’s back-catalogue. 25 songs in just over 2 hours.  I was  taken back to the heady days of Ally Pally and Mile End. Made an old man very happy!

Nice to see Phil Daniels take the stage for Parklife!

The band seemed genuinely happy to be there, and Damon seemed genuinely overwhelmed at times. Thanks guys, I was also very happy to be there, and also a little overwhelmed at times!

Hope to see you again soon boys, don’t leave it so long next time!

WOO-HOO! I’m starting to feel slightly ‘Heavy Metal’

Never mind Hay Fever, it’s all about Blur Fever!!
The boys have played their first few ‘comeback’ shows, to amazing reviews. Seem like the old magic is still there.
Several months ago I was online at 9am on the day the tickets for the Hyde Park shows went on sale, and I was gutted when it was all sold out after about 5 minutes. Luckily, I went back online about 20 minutes later, and they had announced an extra show for the 2nd July.
I ordered 3 tickets (for me, Mark and JT). The tickets finally arrived in the post a couple of weeks ago.

Great album title!

So I’m getting moist with anticipation, haven’t been this excited about a gig in a very long time.
Shame about the support bands though, I was expecting some big names. We have Foals, Crystal Castles, Friendly Fires and the Hypnotic Brass Enesmble. The only one I’ve heard of is Foals. You never know, they might all be great, and I’ll discover some new bands!

I’ll try to write a full review of the gig.

Laters, Girls and Boys