Category c) Eighties [1980 – 1989]
ALBUM COVERS | PG+
Peter Gabriel. PG. Left Genesis after The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, telling his bandmates of his decision during the extensive tour for that album. Spent a couple of years largely out of the spotlight, before releasing his first solo album, Peter Gabriel, in 1977. The album cover was created by Hipgnosis. Just over a […]
LISTENING ROOM
I’ve been dabbling in Bluesky (as mentioned previously). Thought it would be fun to share a selection of recent posts as they give an insight into what my ears have been seduced by in the listening room. As always, love to hear responses to any of these. * When some Matthew Sweet vinyl re-issues appeared […]
MOMENTARY PINK
After The Final Cut (1983), Pink Floyd were no more. So decreed Roger Waters, key lyricist and driving creative force in the band. But guitarist David Gilmour had other ideas and in 1986 he began working with drummer Nick Mason in the floating studio he had created on the magnificent houseboat Astoria, moored along the […]
ALBUM COVERS | ABACAB
The 1981 Genesis album abacab was released with four variants of the same basic cover design. GYMC – Grey/Yellow/Magenta/Cyan Cover CORG – Cyan/Orange/Red/Green Cover YRGG – Yellow/Red/Grey/Green Cover RBYG – Red/Blue/Yellow/Grey Cover Original design by Bill Smith. Feature image: 7″ single of “abacab”. abacab was a #1 album in the UK and France, top ten […]
ALBUM COVERS | AMBIENT 1—4
Influenced by minimalist composition and his own explorations of less-is-more on 1975’s Discreet Music, Eno produced the hypnotic and hugely influential Ambient 1: Music For Airports in 1978. It was the beginning of a series of four ‘ambient’ albums linked visually by their cover art, and musically by the reflective, spacious atmospheres evoked by their […]
BROUGHT THEIR ZZ GAME
Through the 1970s, Texan trio ZZ Top played music blending the boogie of Canned Heat with elements of Southern rock to produce an infectious style of blues rock. With hits like the irresistible “La Grange” they became a popular live attraction as well as selling plenty of albums. But that was nothing compared to the […]
ON A MISSION FROM GOD
When they first wrote and performed comedy sketches on the US television show Saturday Night Live, it is unlikely that John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd had any inkling their alter egos—“Juliet” Jake Blues and his brother Elwood—would take on a life of their own. With crumpled thrift-store suits, ever-present sunglasses and a briefcase of harmonicas […]
HIS DAY
For many years I had an ambivalent relationship with Tom Waits. Beat Generation revivalist or Carny huckster? Jazzbo pretender or theatrical joker? The moment of revelation—conversion, even—came from an unlikely source. In 1988 A&M Records released a fascinating compilation entitled Stay Awake: Various Interpretations of Music from Vintage Disney Films. Amongst left-field gems from Sun […]
AH, VIENNA
Vienna, the 1980 LP by UK synth-pop art rockers Ultravox, kicked off the second phase of their career. Original frontman John Foxx had departed in 1979 after three albums and an unsuccessful foray into the American market. But keyboard player Billie Currie—who had worked with Midge Ure in Visage—convinced Midge to join Ultravox and revitalise […]
DEPARTURES | SECOND QUARTER 2023
A late posting, in every respect 🖤 Barry Humphries 17 February 1934—22 April 2023 🖤 Broderick Smith 17 February 1948—30 April 2023 🖤 Andy Rourke (The Smiths) 17 January 1964—19 May 2023 🖤 Tina Turner 26 November 1939—24 May 2023 🖤 Gordon Lightfoot 17 November 1938—1 May 2023 George Winston 26 December 1949—4 June 2023 […]
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