Pop On Trial

Anyone been watching the excellent BBC4 series on pop music? Using a motley collection of pop stars old and new and music journalists, they voted that the 1970s were the most influential decade in pop music. Quite interesting, but I would say that it's very difficult to burden one decade with the responsibility! Every decade provides something new and influential, although it's hard to make a case for anything from the 90s and beyond as by this time there wasn't much new that could be invented. What we do need today is something akin to another punk revival - the scene at the moment is too predictable and we getting like the early 60s when the music scene was run by pop impresarios moulding unknowns into pop stars for 5 minutes of fame - Simon Cowell is just today's Larry Parnes. I know that the internet is now providing much of the best new independent music but it's very fragmented, it's a shame there's not a good up and coming independent label out there promoting the best new stuff in the manner of Stiff or Two-Tone. If only I was 30 years younger.....yes! I'd be 20!

Some things you don't know about me (although you may do if you know me well enough)

1) I have an IQ of 152
2) One of my ancestors fought in the Napoleonic Wars (For the British, I think...sacre bleu!)
3) I have a strange affinity with animals
4) I used to work with a Bootleg Beatle
5) I can play the balalaika (Russian stringed instrument)

All true, but not necessarily interesting.

Sad Songs Say So Much

The current Mrs Hughes said to me the other night, put some music on, something romantic. So I went to my vast library of CDs and my hand alighted on the Best Of Bread, just the answer I thought. Sadly not, that choice was about as welcome as a fart in a spacesuit. Bread as a group and David Gates who was their lead singer and songwriter in their 70s golden period had some great songs, ok they weren't big rockers or very leading edge but they had in their catalogue some the the most romantic and saddest songs ever. Take the song Diary for example, has there ever been a better song written about unrequited love and loss? To start - 'I found her diary underneath a tree, and started reading about me, The words she's written took me by surpise you'd never read them in her eyes, They said that she had found the love she waited for, Wouldn't you know it, she wouldn't show it.' and then 'I found her diary underneath a tree.and started reading about me, The words began stick and tears to flow,Her meaning now was clear to see, The love she'd waited for was someone else not me, Wouldn't you know it, she wouldn't show it. '
You really need to hear it beacuase the tune is a killer too.
there have been some great sad songs written, though not many lately. Here are some of my favourites

1. Diary - Bread
2. Alone Again (Naturally) - Gilbert O'Sullivan
3. Lost Without Your Love - Bread
4. Without You - Nilsson
5. The Way We Were - Gladys Knight and the Pips
6. If You Leave Me Now - Chicago

There are probably loads more, but I can't think of any at the moment. Strangely all of the above are from the 70s. We always liked a good wallow in sadness then, as if there wasn't enough sad stuff going on in real life!

The Ghosts Of Christmas Past

Apologies for the late Xmas post, but I did one some days ago but I must have accidentally deleted it!
Here are my seven ages of Christmas;

1)Being a kid, there is nothing like the anticipation and the actual thrill of Christmas morning, is there? New pressys, good home cooking and then we would always walk round to my Aunty's for a big family get together, Beatles music playing and one year on Boxing Day all watching the Magical Mystery Tour (1967 for you completists). It was always my latest night of the year to stay up.
2) Early teens, difficult age but pretty much the same as above but I did work one Christmas Eve until 3 in the morning washing up in the Bedford Hotel. a nice little earner.
3) Teens - And I had discovered alcohol, so pretty much drinking from Xmas eve morning through to New Year's day. Can't remember much else about (must be the alcohol).
4) Early 20s much the same as 3), except now we had the famous (or infamous) New Years Eve's parties courtesy of DC Smart whose birthday fell upon that day. It was round the pubs of Brighton and then back to the Smarts, always in fancy dress - themes were Stockings and Suspenders (worn by both sexes, but strangely popular with both), Hawaiian night, Roman, Heroes and the Arts.
5) Mid to late 20s, now beginning to become more adult (sadly, I'm still not all the way there) so no clubbing but pubs and then a traditional Xmas eve curry, although the fancy dress parties did carry on for a few years in this 'age'.
6) Aah, the kids. Almost full circle now, except it was now my kids with the high expectations and presents to open. I spent most of Xmas day, which started far too early for my liking, putting things things together and putting batteries in things (no, not those things). Not much socialising though due to lack of babysitters.
7) And here we are, up to date. Kids now don't get up at 5:00am as they have been out on the razz until some ungodly hour. We can do what we like but we're usually too old to bother although New Year's Eve is still fun, especially when you are with people that you spent much of ages 3, 4, and 5 with. Bad hangover on 1st Jan though, but doubt that I was alone in that given the amount drunk.

Happy new year to all of my readers, yes both of you.