The 500 - #425 - Gram Parsons - Grievous Angel

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

The 500 - #433 - George Harrison - All Things Must Pass

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

Album # 433

Album Title: All Things Must Pass
Artist: George Harrison
Genre: Rock, Folk Rock
Recorded: May to October, 1970
Released: October, 1970
My age at release: 5
How familiar was I with it before this week: Fairly Well
Song I am putting on my Spotify Mix: What is Life?
Selected by my wife Angela, who tells me that the lyrics always make her think of me. (How lucky am I?)

"What I feel, I can't say
But my love is there for you, any time of day
But if it's not love that you need
Then I'll try my best to make everything succeed
Tell me, what is my life without your love
Tell me, who am I without you, by my side?"

George Harrison has always been my favourite Beatle. I'm not sure if it started when I learned he was the youngest or that the fans called him The Quiet One. It might have been because he garnered the least attention. Paul and John were the principal songwriters and the frontmen. Ringo...well, he was called Ringo...and was The Funny One.  

I know that my affinity for George was galvanized in the late 70s when I learned that he was helping to finance the Monty Python film The Life of Brian. I was a massive Monty Python fan in my youth. I still am, but between the ages of 12 and 16 I found the comedy troupe intoxicatingly funny.

Left to Right: Terry Jones, Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam & Michael Palin

In 1978, when Life of Brian was set to go into production, a sizeable chunk of the budget disappeared. It seems that Lord Delfont, chairman of the film's distribution firm EMI, had finally read the script and was appalled by the content. He immediately pulled the plug and the Pythons were short two million pounds. Cast member Eric Idle reached out to his wealthiest friend, George Harrison, with whom he had worked on the parody mockumentary The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash the previous year. 

Harrison agreed to help but went a step further by establishing his own production and distribution company: HandMade Films. Life of Brian was saved and, as Idle put it, became "the most anyone's paid for a cinema ticket in history." Twenty-six more films followed over the next decade, including cult classics Time Bandits, Withnail and I, and How to Get Ahead in Advertising. All of this is chronicled in the 2019 documentary An Accidental Studio.

The most memorable connection I have with All Things Must Pass is melancholy. George died from lung cancer on November 29, 2001. The next evening, I was in the studio at CHRW - Radio Western where I hosted a bi-weekly radio program. I opened the show with this album. I wasn't sure which track to play so, I put the needle down on side one and let it run to the end. As I sat in the broadcasting booth, headphones on, eyes fixed on the album cover, each song seemed to take on a deeper and more meaningful significance. I reflected on George - - again, my favourite Beatle - - who, after rescuing the Pythons, may actually have been The Funny One. 

The 500 - #435 - Nirvana - In Utero

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

Album # 435

Album Title: In Utero
Artist: Nirvana
Genre: Grunge, Alternative Rock
Recorded: February, 1993
Released: September, 1993
My age at release: 28
How familiar was I with it before this week: Fairly
Song I am putting on my Spotify Mix: All Apologies 
(Suggested by my friend Michelle Ryan, honourable mention to Brent Kelders who pitched some awesome "deep track" choices.)

The grunge movement of the early 90s wasn't intended to be a movement. Before 1990, the burgeoning Seattle music scene was an underground collection of bands who began fusing elements of punk rock and heavy metal into their own sound. It was a reaction to the heavily commercialized "over-the-top" glam-rock of the MTV 80s. However, these musicians did not call themselves "grunge" nor did they seek to revolutionize the sound of the day. They just wanted to make authentic music without worrying about style. If this was a restaurant, they sold the steak, not the sizzle.

Four Seattle Bands - Pearl Jam (Top Left) , Nirvana (Top Right),
 Soundgarden (Bottom Left), Alice in Chains (Bottom Right)

The so-called "grunge" sound varied from band to band. Some played fast, angry and loud -- replicating the raw energy of punk and garage rock bands of the previous two decades (Black Flag, The Misfits, The MC5 or The Stooges). Other Seattle rockers were influenced by 70s heavy metal acts (Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and UFO). They used distortion to create brooding anthems that were low and slow. Both of these styles provided a canvas for lyrics that were dark, angst-filled and deeply introspective, seeking to capture the isolation and alienation of upstate Washington's dismal climate.

By the time In Utero was released in September 1993, the Seattle scene had exploded. An art form which began with earnest intention was now a commercial juggernaut. The 1992 film Singles had thrust the movement into mainstream culture. 

Teens and twenty-somethings across the world were decked out in the same loose-fitting, androgynous, disheveled clothing that were trademarks of bands who had now become household names (Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains). However, these clothes were no longer inexpensive, thrift-store discoveries. "Granddad's old lumber jacket" was on sale at mainstream outlets and designers (including Marc Jacobs and Perry Ellis) capitalized on the trend, incorporating elements into their 1993 spring collections.

There are three Nirvana records on The 500 List, including Nevermind which cracks the top 20. In Utero appears first at #435.

Beyond the fashion, I really liked the music and, in the fall of 1993, I was excited about the release of this record. However, after my first listen, I wasn't as impressed as I'd hoped. I had the feeling that might best be captured by the well known expression "You can never go home again." It seemed as if the band was trying to recapture something that had been swept away by this commercial whirlwind.

The "lightning in a bottle" sound captured in those early days was now a "genie out of the bottle" -- and she was wearing Doc Martens' combat boots and baggy flannel from The Gap. 

Some of these thoughts were confirmed this week as I listened to The 500 Podcast episode dedicated to the In Utero record. In it, host Josh and guest, Jeff Dye. a comedian, actor and Nirvana fan, discussed the band's intention to create a more unpolished, raw and authentic record. To help capture the abrasive sound, the band hired outspoken and controversial engineer Steve Albini, who abhorred any effort to homogenize a band's sound. Nirvana also committed themselves to a rigid two-week recording session at the remote Pachyderm Studio in Cannon Falls, Minnesota. According to a Rolling Stone article at the time:

"The music was quickly recorded within that time with few studio embellishments. The song lyrics and album packaging largely incorporated medical imagery that conveyed front-man Kurt Cobain's outlook on his publicized personal life and his band's newfound fame."

Cobain had actually wanted the record to be titled, I Hate Myself And I Want To Die, which was the response he gave to anyone who asked how he was doing. The title was rejected but the words would become a terrible harbinger. 

Overwhelmed by his mental illness and heroin addiction, Cobain would take his life seven months after the record's release on April 8, 1994. The suicide note he left echoed the sentiments he'd made clear in multiple interviews. He simply could not find joy in the music he was creating or from the energy of fans he entertained. 

After his passing I, like many, revisited the Nirvana catalog.  Over time, I gained a deeper appreciation for the cathartic, almost corrosive energy of In Utero. Certainly, it is coloured by Cobain's suicide, but I also understand the record a little better now. Perhaps, I was right. "You can't go home again"...and that can be devastatingly painful.

The 500 - #451 - Amy Winehouse - Back to Black

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

My plan (amended). 

• 1 record per week & at least 2 complete listens.
• A quick blog post for each, highlighting the important details and a quick background story.
• No rating scale - just an effort to expand my appreciation of diverse forms of music.

Album # 451

Album Title: Back to Black
Artist: Amy Winehouse
Released: October, 2006
My age at release: 41
How familiar was I with it before this week: Very
Song I am putting on my Spotify Mix: Back to Black (Suggested by James Spangenberg)
Great Lyric:
"This face in my dreams seizes my guts
He floods me with dread
Soaked in soul
He swims in my eyes by the bed
Pour myself over him 
Moon spilling in
And I wake up alone" (Wake Up Alone)

Even before she died in July, 2011 at the age of 27, it always felt as if the extraordinary talent of Amy Winehouse was a temporary phenomenon. She just seemed to have accidentally landed among us from another time or place and, soon enough, the universe would correct its mistake. Everything about her was undeniable. Her vocal talent and gift for songwriting were impossible to ignore and her style was both a classic fashion throwback and uniquely her own.  

In the early 2000s, I was working part-time as a bartender in a bistro restaurant called Garlic's in London, Ontario. A server named Aaron was responsible for providing dinner music. Regularly, he would arrive with new compact discs on which he had mixed a collection of jazz, blues, soul and world music. These discs would be shuffled throughout the evening on the restaurant's 4 CD carousel player. Aaron's taste, like mine, was eclectic and the diverse sounds he blended for the diners, and the staff, were a constant, refreshing surprise. Often, in the middle of a frantic shift, while shaking cosmopolitans, brewing espressos and pouring glasses of red wine, a melody would hook me. The song In My Bed from the 2003 debut album Frank by Winehouse was one of those tracks.

That night, as we were winding down, the song replayed. 

"Who is this?" I asked Aaron, "it sounds like Shirley Bassey"

"It's Amy Winehouse", he replied with a smile, clearly thrilled that I had noticed the song. "She's current...20 year's old...from England. You've got to check out the whole album. It's incredible." 

I did and became a fan immediately. When I saw that her second, and final album, Back to Black, was on this list I was thrilled to explore her work further. 

My good friend James Spagenberg (who also used to be a bartender at Garlics) picked the song for "The 500" Playlist I've been creating on Spotify. He selected the title track Back to Black because "it simply gets better with every listen." I agree. He owns it on vinyl and when I visit I love hearing Side One on his high-end turntable. Back to Black is a song that captures perfectly the heartache that fueled the intense talent of Amy Winehouse and propelled her toward an early death. 

Amy Winehouse died of alcohol poisoning on July 23, 2011. The news was tragic, but not surprising. Her struggles with mental health and substance abuse were well documented. 

She became another unfortunate member of the 27 Club, a group of musicians, actors and performers who died at the age of 27. They include Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain and Jim Morrison. These were artists who revolutionized their genre and left an indelible legacy. Generational talents, such as Winehouse, that seemed to have magically wandered among us for a brief, beautiful moment - before the universe realizes its mistake.

Next: I reflect on the First 50 Posts

August 18th is a day

For the past four years, I have been using an App on my phone called Momento which bills itself as the "smart private journal for capturing your life story". It works like most social media apps (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc) however it is private. Consequently, it has the advantage of allowing the user to document anything without considering an audience -- other than one's future self.

A frequent criticism of social media is that users tend to create a "False Face" or "Ideal Self" as their online persona. I know this is true for me. My Twitter/Instagram feed is absolutely curated -- I tend only to show the best stuff going on around me. However, my Momento feed allows me to reflect on everything in my life -the banal, the somber, the pessimistic, the boastful, the tragic...the real.

The app also has a feature called "This Day" which highlights all the posts made on a calendar day. Now that I have been using it for several years, this is my favourite feature and I look forward to clicking my "This Day" button every morning over coffee. It is also interesting to see moments from your past strung together around the theme of a single calendar date. It's remarkable and often surprising how different Wednesday, June 10 in 2015 might be from Sunday, June 10 in 2018.

I have been fortunate, and most days I am delighted to see the pictures and text appear on my phone screen. Today was different.

Two years ago, on this date (August 18, 2016), I was standing on top of Mount Franny in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. A slightly challenging 2 kilometer trek puts the hiker at an elevation of 450 meters above sea level. Here, one is rewarded with a nearly 360 degree view of the Ingonish region of the Cabot Trail.  There is even a red, Muskoka/Adirondack chair intended to encourage a moment of mindful reflection.

It was about the time I snapped this picture of my wife that my phone rang. It was my good friend Bill and his typically buoyant voice sounded reserved and reed-thin. He let me know that our mutual friend Duncan had been diagnosed with an aggressive cancer. I paused and then immediately began to extol the achievements of the Canadian medical community. I recognize that this is my coping method -- I put faith into science and comfort myself with success stories I have experienced and the potential for healing that 21st Century medicine offers.

Last year, on this date (August 18, 2017), I was meeting my new fur-nephew at my cottage. An Irish Wolfhound with a wonderful disposition, he is a rescue dog from Texas who is featured in my avatar on multiple media platforms. He brought great joy to my sister one year after she said goodbye to "Merlot" a gentle and sweet dog who generously and effortlessly extolled warmth and elation to anyone he met.

Merlot in the Thames River, London, Ontario

This also marked the day I had returned to our cottage after spending time in London. I had gone to London to attend Duncan's celebration of life. An incredibly talented musician, composer and educator - he was well known and respected by many. The event was held in the outdoor music pavilion at Wonderland Gardens. His album of original jazz music Floating Point was played and his equally talented brother Cam, and Duncan's two daughters, performed. It was mournful -- but also beautifully uplifting.

Today, (August 18, 2018), I am drinking coffee and writing. I have yet to post a picture or text in my Momento App.  I suspect I will post a link to this blog. Tonight, my wife and I are going to meet good friends -- people who have chosen to travel to spend time with us. On Monday, we head for New York City -- to celebrate 32 years together and our 12th wedding anniversary (New York was the city in which we were married -- August 18, 2006).

We didn't go there for our 10th anniversary -- because of the exchange rate and the opportunity to go to Nova Scotia. I have been patiently waiting for the dollar to improve to make this trip more financially efficient. Secretly, my wife booked a flight, hotel and tickets to see Billy Joel at Madison Square Gardens. She surprised me on my birthday.

She was right.

She usually is.

Life is incredibly short and it can change quickly. Go out and make the most of every day -- including August 18th.