Bonus Track

So there you have it. A whole year in music. Over 370 albums, in excess of 4,500 tracks and countless hours spent listening, thinking, recalling memories and writing. A real musical journey.

I've listened to songs whilst walking, travelling in the car, on train journeys, in aeroplanes, on mountain tops and valley bottoms, in hotel rooms, tents, camping pods, hostels and B&Bs.

I've plundered the depths of my memories, written and (probably) re-written history, talked nonsense and (hopefully) sense. Sometimes relevant but mostly probably not!

Just as there were some stories that I couldn't shoehorn into a blog about music, there were those that I just about, with a little 'artistic' licence, could. And there were some albums that I've had to leave out. Not because they weren't great but because I just didn't have a story to tell.

On occasion I've had to plan like a military general; ensuring that whilst away from home I've had enough music - the right music - to carry me through the trip. I've squirrelled away notes to make sure that when time was tight that I'd be able to keep up to the commitment; planning accommodation around wi-fi availability.

But it's always been enjoyable. Would I do it again? Probably not. I've got plenty of albums left but I think I've told enough stories for now and there are some that are best kept away from print!

So that's me. Thank you for reading this blog; part lies, part heart, part truth, part garbage.

Green - R.E.M.

"We'd circle and we'd circle and we'd circle to stop and consider and centered on the pavement stacked up all the trucks jacked up and our wheels in slush and orange crush in pocket and all this here county hell any county it's just like heaven here and I was remembering and I was just in a different county and all then this whirlybird that I headed for I had my goggles pulled off I knew it all I knew every back"

The first time I recall being conscious of this 'new' band from Athens, Georgia was sat in the bedroom of Mr Hughes and, having seen 'Orange Crush' on Top of the Pops, we were trying to work out what the spoken bridge bit was going on about. After seemingly hours of debate (minutes probably) Mr H declared;

"It appears to be instructions about how to change a car tyre"

It was a revelation. Not only could these mechanical instructions prove useful in the future but I was relieved to find out that this great single wasn't a release from They Might Be Giants. Oh god how I hated their oh-so-clever nasal intoned brand of guitar-indie-pop. You see up to this point I wondered how many R.E.M. singles I'd discounted in error. Could I really have confused these two bands. I rather suspect that I had, for at least a year anyway, had the two totally mixed up and thought they were the same. Oops and oops again! But at least we had solved the mystery of that wordy bit.

So that moment, at the time inconsequential in the grand scheme of things, was a pivotal point. A turning point. Never again would I mistake the two and ...AND... I'd found a new band to champion. I simply had to find out more. Little did I know that here was a band that I would champion for the rest of my life. Is that going too far? Maybe. Maybe not. Vinyl, CDs, books, videos, DVDs, posters, T-shirts, badges and concert tickets would soon start flowing into my collection.

It's fitting that the release of 'Orange Crush' was a pivotal moment for me as the release of 'Green', the album from which it came, was even more so for Buck, Berry, Mills and Stipe; their first on a major label, the start of a truly great run of albums and the start of world recognition.

There isn't a single duff moment on this album. Not one. It's pop. It's rock. It's folk. It's glorious. It's 'Pop Song '89', 'Turn You Inside Out', 'You Are The Everything', 'Get Up', 'Stand' and of course 'Orange Crush'. Chiming guitars, great vocals, wonderful rhythm, lush harmonies and the best songwriting since...well since their previous album.

I could've ended this blog with any number of their releases; each worthy of occupying the closing entry. Should it be their final album 'Collapse Into Now'? How about their hugely undervalued 'flop' (tssk how could anyone have applied this word to them?) 'New Adventures In Hi-Fi'. Equally, I could have easily included every album of theirs during the past year. But that would've been too easy, lazy. Obvious even.

But actually the final blog, just like the first, was reserved before I even typed the first character into my computer. There was no other. Yes the final entry, on my 42nd birthday, had to be the album that turned me inside out, awoke me to their presence and I've never looked back, never been disappointed, always been excited, thrilled and surprised. And isn't that what music is supposed to be all about?

The Smiths - The Smiths

"It's time the tale were told...."

Probably the most anticipated debut album of indie-land. Everyone was sure that the pride of Manchester were going to sign to their local Factory Records but that would've been far too obvious for a band that took pleasure in being less so.

So it was that 'The Smiths' was released on the den finitely southern based Rough Trade.

Why was it anticipated so? The Smiths carried on one of the great British traditions of releasing a slew of great singles before the release of their debut; singles that quietly changed the face of British music. 'Hand In Glove', 'This Charming Man' and 'What Difference Does It Make' we're like nothing heard before, matching an Oscar Wilde obsessed front man to one of the most original guitarists since ....well probably ever. On these shores at least.

So it was no surprise that the release of the debut in 1984 was a big deal. It's also no surprise that I, in my Howard Jones/Madonna phase, totally ignored it! If anyone were to ask me "Where were you when 'The Smiths' was released?" I'd simply shrug my shoulders and reply "Dunno. Listening to 'Human's Lib'?".

Ah well. I've made up for lost time. Unlike a lot of debuts, this one does match the fervour that preceded it. Full of jangling guitars, wry lyrics and great songs it didn't once fall short of expectations. So what if it contained two of the previous single releases. With tracks such as 'Reel Around The Fountain' and 'Still Ill' it would be churlish to complain. And so what if it passed me by the first time around. Isn't that what life is for? To learn from the error of your ways and to make sure they're not repeated?

Ahh, yes, ahem, I suppose there was also R.E.M........

John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band

Pretentious? Moi? I didn't even know the meaning of the phrase when I was a nipper, just nine years old. Can you really be accused of something when you don't know what it is? Probably, but let me explain....

By the time I got to the mature age of nine I was already a Beatle nut. Not that I recognised it as such, I just loved everything about them; the music, the films, their clothing and their attitude. Especially their attitude.

My favourite Beatle by a New York mile was John Lennon. He was the coolest, the funniest and by far the best lead singer. There was no competition in my book. Not that there were many pages in it by this tender age - my pop knowledge only extended to Adam and the Ants and Abba. Clearly I was working through the pop world in alphabetical order. Anyway I'd settled on the Beatles, courtesy of exposure to my Dad's collection, and despite their split earlier in the decade I was hooked. I had the records, T-Shirts, comics and books. Oh and then there were the films. Played to death on the fledgling VCR we rented from Radio Rentals.

When I heard the breaking news on the 8 December 1980 that my favourite had been shot I was devastated. I'd not had any dealings with death at this point so it was as if a family member had left. One of my school 'friends' had, rather too gleefully it has to be said, told me the news. Maybe it was a cruel joke? Could he have been mistaken? Surely he'd pull through......

The following year we were asked to write an essay on one of our heroes and why we'd chosen them. I think I was supposed to write about Neil Armstrong, Kenny Dalgleish or some such celebrity. Not me. So under the title 'Working Class Hero' I set out my thoughts on what John Winston Lennon meant to me. Whilst I don't for a minute think that this was a detailed treatise into my chosen subject, I imagine that I had enough knowledge to provide a reasonable argument as to why he was worthy of hero status. So what if it was a little one sided. Doesn't hero worship from a nine year deserve that? But like I said, pretentious? Moi?

This, his debut solo album, is an unguarded and honest account of his state of mind at that time. It's not a pop record by any stretch of the imagination, leaving his Beatle roots well behind. But it is an emotional and inspirational album. I guess with titles such as 'Mother', 'Isolation' and 'God' this will have been obvious. For me the highlight is still that title to my essay. 'Working Class Hero' still speaks volumes. And loudly, Despite the track only consisting of a guitar and raw voice.

'John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band' opened a new chapter in his recording career; one that would, over the next ten years, bring mixed results. But anyone in doubt of his solo position, perhaps clinging to the hope that The Beatles split was a temporary hiatus, would've taken little solace from the closing verse of 'God';

"I don't believe in Beatles, I just believe in me. Yoko and me.....the dream is over".

It was fun whilst it lasted but it was oh too short. He would've been seventy two today. Happy birthday John.

Band on the Run - Wings

There aren't many songs that lend themselves to dramatisation but that is exactly what 'Band on the Run' does, or at least it did to a Beatles obsessed ten year old.

For some reason dancing never seemed natural to me - somehow my legs interpreted my mindful intentions in a contradictory way. It could be that my ambition far outmatched my ability but I rather suspect that it was that I was just no good at it no matter what level I aimed for. This is obviously not the case now!

Anyway, 'Band On The Run' did not lend itself to high NRG disco accompaniment. No it was, or so I thought, much more suited to interpretation through mime. I forget the grizzly details but to simulate a band on the run one would imagine that more than one participant was needed. So, much to her horror, I enrolled my younger sister into the troupe. The stage was set, the record queued and light dimmed. We were off! Like I said, I have forgotten the exact details of the routine - probably expunged from my memory to limit future damage. Thank goodness we didn't have YouTube in 1979 as I'm sure I would have felt proud enough of my creation to film and upload it for all to see.

As for the album? Well it was something of an early post-Beatles high point for Macca. Not only is the title track a mini-epic, there are also great singles in 'Jet' and 'Mrs Vandebilt'.

Funnily, or thankfully, I've never felt the urge to dramatise any other songs, but if anyone from the BBC reads this and fancies a new form of reality TV shown just drop me a line. I may just be persuaded out of retirement!

Tom Robinson 1977 - '87

I learned from an early age that it was perfectly acceptable to take music seriously, or too seriously some might say. Or more to the point, to wear which music you like on your sleeve, or in some cases on the garage wall.

Our garage in Hartlepool was a depository for all sorts; bikes, lawn mowers, ladders, bits of wood, paint tins (full and part empty), garden chairs, boxes of screws.... oh and a car. Occasionally. I was always amazed that it managed to fit into the space as the other contents slowly crept toward the centre.

The garage was also, again occasionally, my refuge from the rain after school. As well as my sister and I both bring pupils, both my Mam and Dad were teachers; we all had timetables to follow I suppose! This was great because it meant that we all knew exactly when we would arrive home and this allowed everything to run like clock work. Usually. Every now and again it would come undone and I would find myself being the first one home - I forget the reasons but probably due to one of my parents being held up at school. Either not having keys, or forgetting them, resulted in me having to break into the garage and sit on one of the garden chairs until someone else got home. Breaking into the garage was child's play - it was just a case of bending the flimsy bolts until they became free of their housing. I wasn't about to become a safe cracker or anything.

I thought it was great sitting it out in the garage; sort of like a mini adventure. Which is ironic because we had a mini at the time. In amongst the various wall decorations and the like was a piece of graffiti. Or art? Nah, definitely graffiti. You see my Dad, being a music nut, had recently bought the debut album by the Tom Robinson Band (TRB) and it came with a stencil so you could recreate the album art. Now most people would chuckle at this and put it back in the sleeve. But instead we had a silver spray painted stencil of the album emblazoned on the wall - just above the ladder.

I had no idea who TRB was but the image of a clenched fist always pops into my mind when I think about garages. And Grey Cortinas, which we didn't have.

Let It Be... Naked - The Beatles

When I was younger, so much younger than today (see what I did there!) I had my own theory as to why The Beatles split up. Nothing to do with musical or personal differences. Nope. Too obvious. No, the real reason was hair. Or to be precise too much of it, both facial and up top. The Fab Four would've been fab for longer if their hair had not been.

They were all to blame - they'd all become fond of fuzziness since the recording of Sgt Pepper in 1966- but I put most of the blame at Mr Lennon's feet, or should that be head? Sure the common accepted reason was the influence of Yoko, who had to be said was no stranger to excess in the hair department, but surely mine made more sense?

Maybe they couldn't communicate properly due to the sheer volume of material in the way? Or was it that they spent far too much time grooming when they should've been talking things through? Who knows but it's a theory.

'Let It Be' was always a disappointing final album - far too much tinkering from the master of the 'Wall Of Sound' Phil Spector. He was no George Martin. Instead of a stripped back and much more personal recording, as was allegedly intended prior to the recording sessions, the original incarnation is an overblown and bombastic affair. So I was quite pleased when I heard that the much rumoured stripped back release was in the offing.

'Let It Be... Naked' takes away all of the frills and it's much better for it. The songs are allowed to breathe - without the heavy orchestration of the original there's much more space for the band. This is The Beatles after all, a band who crafted their art by playing as a four piece in bars of Liverpool and Hamburg.

One of the biggest revelations is just how much of a blues record this is. Simple but stunning. The track that gains the most from thus approach is 'The Long and Winding Road'. On the early release it's a full blown orchestrated ballad. Yes it's nice but lacks the emotional punch of the naked version; just McCartney and a piano. It's the same for 'Across The Universe'; without Lennon's favoured reverbed vocals and the unnecessary orchestration the beauty of the song is allowed to shine.

And isn't it ironic that 'Let It Be... Naked' finally gave credence to my 'hair' theory; a good hair cut and trim to the songs was all that was needed. If only they'd taken the same approach.....

Oxygène - Jean-Michel Jarre

It was really good of Jean-Michel Jarre to take time to write the theme tune to 'Tomorrow's World' for the BBC.

For anyone growing up in the late 70s and early 80s one quick blast of Oxygène IV and your immediate transported to an age when anything seemed possible. Including mobile phones and jet packs. I've got a mobile phone so where's my jet pack eh? Imagine that - an Apple iFly.

Lifes Rich Pageant - R.E.M.

The world has become obsessed by lists. They're everywhere. Here there and everywhere. Want to know the nation's favourite cereals? No problem there is a list for that. Have you ever wondered which towns have the most number of roundabouts? Of course you have. Don't worry I'm sure Google can furnish you with a list for that. I've not checked obviously. Hey quiet at the back! Nowhere is this more prevalent than in the music press.

I used to enjoy reading Q Magazine, for example, when it was cool to do so but it became increasingly obsessed with lists. Top 100 this. Top 100 that. Month after month of lists. Lazy journalism but here's the thing - I became really engrossed. Absorbed. Fascinated. But like a kid on a sugary diet I realised that, in the long run, it was doing me no good. So what if I knew what the top 100 album covers were. Of all time. Was it moving my knowledge of music forward? Would it help develop my appreciation of the finer points of pop? Was world peace going to be guaranteed? No, no and definitely no.

So I stopped taking notice. It at least I tried. Honestly I did. But I think I'm addicted. I love lists; creating them, finessing then discussing them with any unsuspecting person who happens to be within earshot. Whether they like it of not.

I'm afraid that I'm a hopeless case. So here's one for you. Which ten albums have the best opening two tracks? Don't ask my why two. It just is. That's the beauty of lists - you can define then any which way you like. So go on then. What should the list look like? No peeking until you've finished yours......but without further ado here's the answer;

1/. Lifes Rich Pageant - R.E.M.
2/. Revolver - The Beatles
3/. The Queen Is Dead - The Smiths
4/. Hounds of Love - Kate Bush
5/. The Joshua Tree - U2
6/. Graceland - Paul Simon
7/. Build A Rocket Boys - Elbow
8/. The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses
9/. Love - The Cult
10/. The Bends - Radiohead

Why 'Lifes Rich Pageant'? I'm surprised to had to ask. But as you did politely then it sims because 'Begin The Begin' and 'These Days' are two of R.EM.'s best tracks. No mean feat. But it's such a perfect album that if you were to ask me to compile a list of the albums with the best three, four, five, six opening tracks this would appear at the top each and every time. And whilst the list above could change over time this album would always top the chart. Each and every time. 'Superman', 'Fall On Me', 'I Believe' and the wonderful 'Flowers of Guatemala'

So there you go. Aren't lists great? Just be careful not to let them take over your life. Don't let a good list get in the way of the everyday. Ohhh here's a good one - top ten ways to waste your time.......

Shadowland - k.d. Lang

k.d. Lang had the perfect voice for country tinged tunes - deep, soulful and ever do slightly melancholy. So it is no surprise that this collection of country standards is a nearly perfect album. Heck it is perfect!

It's also the ideal album with which to end our American odyssey for tomorrow we are back to the cold, wet and dark days of a British winter. After two weeks of driving on the wrong side of the road, overly sweet bread, rubbish cereals, "how are you today" and feeling slightly out of place I'm liking forward to it!

True Stories - Talking Heads

"We live in the city of dreams. We drive on this highway of fire. Should we awake and find it gone remember this, our favourite town"

It's strange to finally visit a country properly when your assumptions about what to expect have been built up primarily from television and movies. And by properly I mean to interact with the local community; drink in their bars, talk to them over coffee (or tea!) shop in their stores and read their newspapers. Nowhere is this more revealing than in small-town America. This is not the white picketed fence of TV folklore but the real deal; off the beaten track, a single store/bakery, a garage, welcome centre, a hotel (closed) and all within a single main street. Here the wider economy is biting hard and issues as discussed in the local paper and across café tables. Forget the America that is portrayed on TV shows and in Hollywood movies. It's not real. This is where it's at. A proper community. After several weeks travelling around I have learnt a lot more about this strange yet fascinating place.

'True Stories' is the Talking Heads version of the soundtrack to the movie 'True Stories' - A David Byrne side project. The movie was based upon true yet strange stories from small town America; odd, off-beat, heartwarming yet true. Allegedly. Although the songs within the movie are performed by the actors David Byrne convinced his fellow Heads to record their version of the movies songs. It's far from a classic Heads album but it does contain two of their most popular tracks in 'Wild Wild Life' and 'Love For Sale'. We also get the wonderful 'Radio Head' and 'City of Dreams''.

Being a movie that has to, and does entertain, these stories are not a true reflection of a typical American small town..... I suspect that the truth is far stranger!

Time (The Revelator - Gillian Welch)

Monday 1 October 2012 Time (The Revelator) - Gillian Welch

"I've been thinking about Elvis - the day that he died"

Well no not really, but driving through the high desert plain from Durango to the mountain town of Leadville my thoughts were certainly drawn towards the dust bowl blues that dominate this album.

It is certainly something to see miles of straight highway in front of you as the desert plain stretches out as far as the eye can see..... well at least until it hits the mountain range that is. Then a wall of rock rises upwards and seems to surround the plain. Wide desert plain and mountains. CinemaScope in the real world.

Time (The Revelator) is not an album strewn with hit singles, or for that matter upbeat toe-tappers. But instead of short lived thrills you get slow atmospheric bluegrass-folk-blues. And it is wonderful stuff.

'My First Lover', 'Red Clay Halo' and 'Elvis Presley Blues' are fantastic tracks - slightly melancholy but expertly played. There is a moment of lightness, albeit fleeting, in 'I Want To Sing That Rock and Roll'. But the best is saved for last. 'I Dream A Highway' is a slow burning epic. At nearly fifteen minutes long it's not an easy listen but well worth the effort; and with each passing minute the CinemaScope picture is built up.

Pretty soon the high desert plain is going to be met by the foot of the mountains. In a few miles anyhow. Then the road will rise once again, the temperature will drop and the dusty open plain will give way to river valleys and mountain tops. Time perhaps for a change of pace?

Hot Rail - Calexico

The burrito must be one of the most understated breakfast foods. For those not familiar with this early morning culinary delight it consists of scrambled egg wrapped in a warm tortilla and then topped with hot bean chilli and a sprinkling of cheese. What is there not to like? So in celebration of the brilliant breakfast burrito I preset today's album blog from Calexico.

'Hot Rail' is, like the breakfast burrito, a strange affair; one moment resembling a mariachi band in full flow and the next moment quite languid - almost Doorsian.

The best moments are in fact the mariachi money's such as the opener 'El Picador' and 'Muleta'. In between there are short ambient pieces and a fair amount of old-skool shoe gazing. It's a little disorientating at first but stick with it and it'll make sense. Maybe.

Just like the breakfast burrito; eggs make sense at 7am but bean chilli? Not so much. But together they are a taste explosion. How come Mr Kellogs didn't see that coming?

A Far Cry From Dead - Townes Van Zandt

"Livin' on the road my friend
Was gonna keep you free and clean
Now you wear skin like iron
And your breath's as hard as kerosene"

Townes Van Zandt is one of those singer songwriters who did not receive the recognition that his talents deserved - a songwriter's songwriter if you like.

I first came across the Texas Troubador when I was listening to one of those free CDs that came with Mojo Magazine, courtesy of my Dad. In amongst other country-tinged tracks was 'Waiting Around To Die'. From the title you can guess that it's not a jolly song but it grabbed me. With Townes husky, whiskey-addled voice, a gently strummed guitar and sorrowful lyrics it's a deliciously downbeat song;

"I came of age and I met a girl
in a Tuscaloosa bar
She cleaned me out and hid it on the sly
I tried to kill the pain
I bought some wine and hopped a train
It was easier than just waiting around to die"

Magnetic in its misery. It continues on a similar vein until the last verse;

"Now I'm out of prison
I got me a friend at last
He don't drink, or cheat, or steal, or lie
His name's codeine
he's the finest thing I've seen
and together we're gonna wait around to die."

I can't see this one hitting the top 40 anytime soon - unless of course Adele decides to cover it. Now that would be worth hearing!

Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?

"Damn! We're in a tight spot!"

Before anyone starts whinging that this blog is becoming too movie orientated, or that I'm scraping the barrel by picking movie soundtracks let me just say that this is so much more than collection of songs from a movie. Well of course it is but this one is different. Honest.

With the exception of a couple of songs, the tracks here were specially recorded for the movie; gathering together the great and the good from bluegrass, country, gospel, blues and folk to create an authentic modern period accompaniment to the movie.

So you get a duet between Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch, Dan Tyminski's 'Clooney' singing 'Man of Constant Sorrow', The White, The Cox Family and Emmylou Harris - each song helping to create a depression era atmosphere. You can almost taste the dust blowing off the fields and highway.

So yes it is a soundtrack but it's not your standard 'bung a few rock tracks together and hope for the best' kind of affair.

....but whilst I'm here - it is an absolutely fantastic movie and one that rewards repeated viewing. The Coen Brothers at their best and a contender for best movie ever made. Period. But you already knew that didn't you?

The Bluegrass Collection - Dolly Parton

"Find out who you are then do it on purpose"

When I was growing up Dolly Parton was a subject of great mirth. Actually it had nothing to do with her - it's fair to say that I didn't know anything about her or the music she made - it was to do with her... ahem... assets. Any girl at school who had even the slightest pronounced chest was immediately christened Dolly. It didn't matter who or whether they'd be upset by the moniker. It was attached with great humour. The only respite was if another girl displayed greater attributes - the name was passed on and do the whole thing started again. School days could be tough times.

It's a shame no one bothered to stop and wonder just who this person was whose name we were using to torment our fellow students. Far from a source of jest, Dolly Parton is a source of great inspiration; not just for her music but also for her humanitarian work. But this is a music blog so let's stay with that.

This collection of her songs concentrates upon her bluegrass roots; timeless songs such as 'Coat of Many Colours', 'My Tennessee Mountain Home' and 'The Bargain Store'. Songs of hardship, love and joy.

And as for her appearance? We certainly weren't right to use her name as a means of torment but as she said "To look this cheap costs a while lotta money".

A Friend of a Friend - Dave Rawlings Machine

It must be hard being the unsung hero of a duo, even more so when you don't even share top billing. But that's exactly how Dave Rawlings likes it. For those in the know, he his an essential part - one half even - of Gillian Welch. I know it's confusing, but Gillian Welch (the person) is also part of Gillian Welch (the recording artist). Huh? And Dave Rawlings is an essential part of anything that Gillian Welch (the recording artist) produces. In fact they are a duo in all but name. And a very good one at that.

'A Friend of a Friend' confuses things a little further - Gillian Welch (the person) also shares some of the writing credits and performs on the songs. Dave Rawlings had, in past interviews, joked that these songs weren't good enough for a Gillian Welch album so they thought they might as well see the light of day as a Dave Rawlings release.

With tracks such as 'Ruby', 'I Hear Them All' and the fun 'Monkey And The Engineer' I'm not sure he's right. Even if he was joking.

Darkness on the Edge of Town - Bruce Springsteen

"On a rattlesnake speedway in the Utah desert. I pick up my money and head back into town. Driving cross the Waynesboro county line. I got the radio on and I'm just killing time"

After years of loving Bruce Springsteen's music I though I'd reached an understanding of his lyrics. I now realise that I didn't - but today have gained a little insight.

We've spent the day travelling west along Colorado I-70 and watched, as the miles ran under our wheels, the landscape change; from mountains through canyons and into desert. Cruising along with very little traffic and no hold ups I really got the sense of the open road. With a full tank of gas anything seemed possible.

'Darkness on the Edge of Town' is another Christmas album - one that I got for Christmas rather than a collection of festive songs. As soon as I heard the opening track 'Badlands' I knew that I just had to pick up my guitar and learn the song. The rest soon followed; 'Racing in the Street', 'Promised Land' and the great title track.

Of all of his records, this one perhaps contains the most references to open highway; invoking images of open road and the part it plays in changing the direction of the lives of the characters in the songs.

We're taking to the open road again tomorrow. Who knows what it will bring or where it will lead us.... well actually we do because the trip has been planned down to the last detail but it was a nice thought!

Never Loved Elvis - The Wonder Stuff

"Never loved Elvis and never sung the blues"

Whilst the former may be true, I suspect the latter may not be;

There was a time when the highlight of our weekend was, on a Sunday, to cycle up the road to a local wood. Once there we would get out the cooking stove and heat up some beans and sausages. Looking back it was a ridiculous thing to do but, for a short while at least, we thought we were being particularly rugged and outdoorsy. Beans for Sunday lunch. Mmmm mmmm. So over the period of a few weeks the woods at the back of a lay-by near Trimdon became our primary destination.

After a while we decided that eating warned through beans was not enough and what we really should do was shoot a pop video in the woods. So a week or so later we trundled up there with cameras and a guitar to capture the next pop sensation. Or so we thought; we weren't going to let a lack of musical knowledge or primitive editing equipment get in the way of creating out masterpiece. I can't recall the exact tune that I butchered but I think it was some old blues song.... either that or 'Faith' by George Michael.

Whether it was eating beans or creating pop videos the time in the woods was well spent. At least it kept us off the streets.

Despite the anti-king sentiment 'Never Loved Elvis' finds The Wonder Stuff in fine pop form, although it was too poppy for some - they couldn't see past 'Size of a Cow'. Which is a shame because this album contains some of their finest songs; 'Sleep Alone', 'Here Comes Everyone' and 'Caught In My Shadow'. But the best song by Miles is the opening track 'Mission Drive'. It's a fantastic opener and arguably one of the best ever.

'Never Loved Elvis' accompanied my on my European Inter-rail holiday; it was one of the chosen tapes that I lugged around northern Europe. There are also several photos of me looking bedraggled on station platforms but proudly wearing my 'Never Loved Elvis' T-shirt. Being one of only three t-shirts for a three week holiday it never fully recovered and was soon consigned to the dustbin.

So have I never loved Elvis and never sung the blues? Well I don't own any records by Mr Presley soon guess I don't. And for singing the blues? Well that not for me to say.

GP - Gram Parsons

Gram Parsons injected a bit of rock attitude to country music, or in his words 'Cosmic American Music'; being a mix of country, folk,blues and pop.

And as befitting a rock star approach, Gram died in a hotel room at the age of 26. Not content with that, even in death there was further controversy involving a stolen body and an impromptu cremation in the dessert.

This, his solo album, is a prime example of country-rock Parsons style. All are wonderfully played and support Gram's soulful voice, ably abetted by Emmylou Harris.

For those raised an a diet of rock music Gram Parsons version of country gave an acceptable in road into this strange and often misunderstood genre.

The Big Lebowski OST

"A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski."

Now I know what you're thinkin'. Your thinkin' that The Dude's story was based in the City of Angels. You'd be darn correct in that thought. But there is a lot of Colorado in The Dude, or El Duderino if you're not into the whole brevity thing.

Take the laid back approach to life and the wide open spaces that pepper the story. Then there is the accompanying soundtrack; part native-American in feel, part dessert and a fair chunk of cool breeze.

And as movies go, this one is an integral part of my cultural upbringing. From the first time we saw it in the cinema to the numerous times we have watched it with friends after a session in the pub. Endlessly quotable and always enjoyable.

Aw shucks, listen to me I'm ramblin'. Well that's it for me - catch you later on down the trail.

Red Dirt Girl - Emmylou Harris

"Up every rugged mountain and around every road that bends"

After only a few days in Colorado I've come to realise one thing - this is one diverse country. Even within this state the terrain changes dramatically; mountains, cities, lakes, dessert and endless plains. And as the scenery changes so does the music. Blues and rock in its cities to bluegrass and country in the south and everything in between.

But one constant in this musical kaleidoscope has been Emmylou Harris. After nearly thirty years in the music business this album marked a huge departure for Emmylou Harris; after years of recording other people's songs she decided to write an album of her own compositions.

And given the quality of the laid back country-pop songs on 'Red Dirt Girl' one does wonder why she waited so long.

New Favorite - Alison Krauss + Union Station

"Tell you little story and it won't take long"

I know I've mentioned this before but Alison Krauss really does have the voice of an angel. Not that I've heard an angel sing mind you, but if I were to then I'm sure it would sound something like this. It would be a bit of a rum deal if you ever were to end up in a place with angels if they all happened to sound like Mark E Smith. I've digressed. But if proof were needed just listen to 'The Lucky One'.

But Alison Krauss' voice is not the only reason to take a listen to this album. It may not be rock but Union Station in full flow is a thing to behold. It really is. Take the instrumental 'Choctaw Hayride' for example; double bass, dobro, banjo and violin working at full pelt. Amazing stuff.

'New Favorite' is a great collection of traditional songs, band originals and covers by other noteable bluegrass and country practitioners.

And whilst the subject matter of the songs might not speak directly to me; tales of crop failure being about a million miles from urban life in the UK, they do evoke images of wide open planes, dusty towns, screen doors and mountain ranges.

Who needs air travel when a quick blast of bluegrass can get the job done in a fraction of the time.

On Every Street - Dire Straits

"Calling Elvis, is anybody home?"

I wasn't supposed to like this album, at least according to the Indie-police. When it was released in 1991 I was in full grip of the acceptable face of British alternative music; Jesus Jones, Blur, Happy Mondays, James and the like. Plus of course R.E.M. Dire Straits on the other hand represented to old guard; earnest, solid and well crafted music. The two were not supposed to happily co-exist.

So the release of 'On Every Street', the band's first since the multi-million selling 'Brothers In Arms' presented me with a bit of a dilemma; should I ignore this or, in deference to my musical past, go out and purchase it immediately. Actually the decision was made for me - my dad bought it and sent me a copy to my new abode in Hull.

So I now had the CD but should like it? Now that is was different matter. I was conflicted. I thought I did, especially as the usual Knopfler hallmarks were there; good songwriting, beautiful guitar playing and excellent production. But merely thinking that I did was not enough. I had to be told that it was OK to like it. So I turned to the NME for guidance as usual. They were running a review of the album which was mightily odd for them, but a new Dire Straits album was big news. As expected it didn't get a glowing review but it wasn't mauled either. And the hacks at the NME could really maul something if they wanted to. But then, whilst commenting on the title track, the reviewer said that it had a guitar riff that would "make Johnny Marr green with envy". Or words to that effect. That was enough for me - the NME had, in comparing Knopfler to Marr, made it acceptable to like the album. A rubber stamp of approval.

And I still do like it. Always have. 'Calling Elvis' has some great guitar riffs, 'When It Comes To You' is a fun blues pop song, the lovely 'You And Your Friend', the sombre account of the Battle of Orgreave in 'Iron Hand' and the atmospheric 'Planet of New Orleans'.

And it taught me that, just as you can't re-write history, you can't re-invent your musical upbringing. No matter how much you'd like to!

Rattle and Hum - U2

"It's a musical journey."

That was how Larry Mullen Jr described the Rattle and Hum documentary or, as some would have it, Rockumentary. He might not have been far off the truth. It's a journey in which U2 fell in love with America whilst the rest of the world fell out of love with U2. Ironic that.

But before all that there was the excitement of new U2 material; the first since the ground breaking 'The Joshua Tree'. It had been announced that the new single 'Desire' would be previewed on The Annie Nightingale show. So there I sat in my bedroom, in 1988, cassette recorder paused ready to capture the new song. I waited patiently. For seemingly forever; my finger hovering over the button as cramp set in. And then it started - a Bo Diddley-esque riff blasted out of the speakers. In just over three minutes it was over - I had the new U2 song on tape.

As the release date of the new album AND ACCOMPANYING FILM approached the excitement built to fever pitch. Or at least it did in the minds of me and my mates. It was quite a journey to the MetroCentre to see the new movie but it was worth it as rock films just didn't get played at the cinema. Not in the north-east anyway. It was the nearest thing we were going to get to seeing the band as tickets for distant tours were prohibitively expensive.

In the wake of the hype, the film couldn't be anything but a disappointment. If it was intended as a of love letter to America it missed the point and came across more like a successful band using American culture to further their sales; Bob Dylan and B.B. King denoted to support musicians in the media circus that had become U2's life.

But amongst all of the nonsense there were some great songs; 'Angel of Harlem', 'Heartland', the wonderful 'All I Want Is You' and the industrial sounding 'God Part II'. This latter track being almost the blueprint for 'Achtung Baby'; an album which was later described by Bono as "four men chopping down the Joshua Tree". Not a moment too soon.

Dead Letter Office - R.E.M.

This is, by quite a margin, my least listened to of all if the official R.E.M. albums. I'm not even sure if you're 'supposed' to listen to it in one sitting, instead selecting songs like chocolates from a chocolate box as they take your fancy. A bit like Forest Gump. But less irritating. A less shrimps.

As with all chocolate boxes there will be some tracks you like, for example toffees, and those you don't. Bleearrgghh coffee creams! In the chocolate box of 'Dead Letter Office' the toffees are definitely 'Pale Blue Eyes', 'Crazy' and a wonderfully shambolic and drunken run through 'King of the Road'.

And as for the coffee creams? Well this being R.E.M. there aren't any truly awful offerings but perhaps a few squashed and slightly misshapen pieces at the bottom of the box.

Welcome To The Beautiful South - The Beautiful South

You can tell its been a great gig when you come away with a piece of your apparel missing. Anything less than a missing item of clothing and it wasn't riotous enough.

Admittedly we weren't expecting anything of the sort when we turned up to see The Beautiful South at the Mayfair in Newcastle. They'd just released their debut album and, although it contained well written and melodic pop tunes, it could not be described as an adrenaline rush. There were a few uptempo tunes on the album but these were by far outnumbered by thoughtful ballads. Yes this was going to be a fully clothed gig.

So it came as a bit of a shock when the band took to the stage and launched into 'You Keep It All In', one of the quicker songs on the album and a recent hit. The crowd went mental and the whole room started to pogo in unison. It was during this chaos that shoes were lost and I made the mistake of trying to pogo whilst under a set of stairs. My head clanged against a steel beam and the beam won.

Thankfully things calmed down after the opening number but the damage had already been done. Shoeless with a sore head.

It was a great gig and they rattled through the entire album, and then had to play it again as they didn't have enough songs to fill the set; Paul Heaton refusing to rely on his back catalogue with The Housemartins.

But as the songs are so good, it would be churlish to complain. Who would want to hear 'You Keep It All In' a second time? I still had a shoe to spare. The best track on the album by far is 'From Under The Covers'. A blast of a guitar pop song with a great lyric. Then there is the achingly beautiful ballad 'I'll Sail This Ship Alone'. It's a great debut.

If we are indeed put on this planet to learn from our experiences, then that night in Newcastle I added three vital lessons; don't make assumptions, keep your laces tied and look up before pogo-ing

Horses - Patti Smith

Some albums are great whilst others have greatness bestowed upon them. For a long while I thought that this album was firmly in the latter category. If everyone was saying how good it was then surely it can't be that good? I'd assumed that it wasn't and kept well clear. Anyway I wouldn't like it because it was too punk, too difficult and

And then I read more and more about the album. Not actually listening to it but reading about it. Eventually I plucked up the courage and went out and bought it. What would happen if I actually liked it? Maybe the world would be knocked of its axis or maybe I'd just add another great record to my collection.

In places 'Horses' is not an easy listen but essential nonetheless. Part punk, part jazz it encapsulated the 1970s New York music scene within its 43 minute running time.  There is the reworking of Them's 'Gloria', the almost free form jazz of 'Birdland' and the new-wave 'Free Money'. The highlight on the album appears on what would've been side two. The suite of music called 'Land' is a blast from start to finish and despite its 9 minute running length it never outstays its welcome.

It's not difficult to hear within these songs just how influential the album was - strains of The Smiths, R.E.M., The Cure and Talking Heads fizz out from the speakers. So yes I like it and admit that I should have listened to it much sooner but better late than never I suppose. Yes I can be stubborn but I always admit it when I wrong.....well almost always!

Lloyd Cole - Lloyd Cole

Going to gigs requires a great deal of energy, commitment and enthusiasm for the person or persons you are going to see. It is not something that is done lightly. I'm sure that most performers really appreciate this but sometimes, just sometimes, they don't really help at all.

Like the time Lloyd Cole decided to tour in 1990, or more precisely the timing of the tour in 1990. Now most rational artists who embark upon a national tour to promote a new album would wait until the album was actually released before packing their suitcases and heading out on the road. It would seem like the sensible thing to do. Oh but not our Lloyd. Oh no. He decides that it would be a good idea to get a head start and start the tour before his debut solo album hits the high street. Not by much. Just a few days. But enough.

'Thankfully' by the time he got to the north-east the album had been released.....that very day. So I faced a choice; buy the album later on CD and hear all of the songs cold or rush to HMV at lunchtime, buy the inferior cassette and spend the rest of the afternoon trying to memorise the songs. Well those who know me will know already which option I took.

So, like cramming for an exam, I tried to force an album's worth of new songs into my head. It didn't work. Maybe I was trying too hard? Maybe the songs weren't 'catchy' enough? Even if concentrated really, really hard they wouldn't go in. It must've been the pressure of knowing that I wouldn't know many of the songs that he was going to play that night. I got a headache from the effort, and from having the music too loud on my walkman - I'd decided that maybe playing them louder might help them penetrate my obstinate aural pathways.

In the end, it didn't really matter I suppose as I was in the same boat as everyone else at the concert. He even made an apology (of sorts) for people not having the chance to have heard the songs before.

And so in the following weeks, the new songs slowly made their way into my consciousness; 'No Blue Skies', 'Don't Look Back' and the upbeat miserableness that is 'Undressed'.

I've since been to many gigs where I didn't know the songs and have realised that it doesn't really matter. Not really. If a band is good then a band is good. If they're not then knowing the songs won't make it any better so don't bother trying...it'll only give you a headache!

Bridge of Spies - T'Pau

Well as this strange project of mine enters its last month I think I have time for one more embarrassing admission. It's not, as you may think, that I own this CD; that in itself could be cause for concern, but that I actually bought a second copy when my cassette became unplayable. But before the jury reach the verdict on whether I've lost all credibility; and god knows that there is already enough damning evidence within these digital pages, please let me state my case...

Well it all stems from the reason I bought the cassette in the first place - way back when it was first released in 1987. Y'see Carol Decker was a hot topic in the corridors of our final days at comprehensive. Here was a full blooded, red haired pop songstress like we had never seen before. And as a bonus she could really belt out the tunes.

So songs were listened to repeatedly, music videos watched and photos studied. 'Heart and Soul', 'Valentine', 'China In Your Hand' and 'Sex Talk' were played and played and played. And played. But then as my first few weeks of Sixth Form started it got played less. Little did I know that there was an alternative to 80s slick pop just around the corner; Morrisey, Marr, Sumner, Hunt and Booth were waiting for me.

And since then I've given 'Bridge of Spies' a wide berth as it became almost synonymous with glossy, over produced 80s pop. I did pick it up from a charity shop a few years ago but it never made it to the CD player. Within moments of hearing the opening synth riff of 'Heart and Soul' I was swept back to '87 and reminded of snow washed jeans, pastel jumpers and Le Shark polos. Tasty.

But you know what, despite my reservations about the album the key tracks on here are actually darn good pop songs. Not subtle, pared back or remotely cool but definitely worthy of a replay. So just once more then?.....

"Something in the moonlight catches my eye
The shadow of a lover goes dancing by
Looking for a little bit of love to grow, so
Give me love, give me heart and soul"....

Everything Must Go - Manic Street Preachers

It can't be easy continuing a successful band when one if your members disappears. Literally.

There has been a fair share of fall outs, strops and deaths to deal with - in fact it's almost a badge if honour for a group to have at least one bust up and reconciliation. Actually one could argue that it's financially advantageous to do so; Simon & Garfunkel, Blur, Take That, The Sex Pistols and even Pink Floyd have all done the split/reunion thing. But how do you deal with a disappearance?

Of course it'll depend on who does the disappearing. I imagine that Happy Mondays could've managed quite well if Bez had vanished, I don't think Robert Smith would've been too disheartened had Lol Tolhurst not turned in for work and I bet there were days when Noel Gallagher wished Liam would F-off but lose your lyricist? How on earth do you get over that?

Well you just get on with it and release a cracking album that's how. It's been a while since I last played this and I'd forgotten just how great it is; 'Design For Life', 'Australia' and 'The Girl Who Wanted To Be God' are top tracks and proof that there was life after Richey Edwards withdrew from public life.

God's Own Medicine - The Mission / Choice of Weapon - The Cult

Of you only buy one Mission album make it this one. If you're thinking about getting a second then buy this again. Although their illustrious career has created songs such as 'Tower of Strength' and 'Butterfly On A Wheel', they have never come close to beating the majesty of this, their debut.

With their classic singles 'Wasteland', 'Serverina' and the poptastic 'Stay With Me' you couldn't ask for much more from this classic goth album. This is old school goth music, when goth music was proper goth music and not this silly kiddy rubbish that passes for the dark side of rock these days. Don't get me started.

Although I never went as far as buying a trench coat or rimmed hat, or for that matter dying my hair black (I would've looked ridiculous!) I had a soft spot for the leading lights of the dark arts.

'Choice of Weapon' proves that there is life in The Cult yet. In style standing somewhere between their two career peaks of 'Love' and 'Electric' Ian Astbury's voice has never sounded better wheras Billy Duffy's guitar work still drives the music forward as much as ever. This is old skool rock done new. 'Honey from a Knife' is a great opener and leads on to nine other tracks that whilst won't change the face of rock they'll certainly keep it ticking over nicely.

Which is why, on a blustery day in 2012 I'm off to see these bands play in Newcastle. It'll be like old times with The Mission supporting The Cult. Like the 90s and 00s never happened. Hopefully!

Disc One All Their Greatest Hits - Barenaked Ladies

On the process of writing this blog I've often been surprised at the number of 'hits' some pages get, whereby others go largely ignored. Surely the number of people searching for U2 articles is significantly more than those looking for say Rilo Kiley? Or is it that there is less written about Sam Brown than Pink Floyd hence these pages stand out like the proverbial sore thumb? Who knows. Either way the fact that this little piece of the Internet is found at all is largely due to the power of search engines; routinely scanning the digital waves, cataloging and sorting its contents for everyone. Relentless. Twenty four hours a day. 7 days a week.

And then, as I thought about it some more, I chuckled to myself as I wrote today's band name into the blog title bar. Barenaked Ladies. What on earth would the all seeing Google eye make of this? How many people are searching for Barenaked Ladies? Quite a lot I imagine. Would the fact that I have now typed Barenaked Ladies into this blog three times.....correction four times....now have any bearing, or should that be baring, on the number of times the page is viewed? Maybe that was the plan behind the name Barenaked Ladies? Five.

Whatever the reason, Barenaked Ladies make some great music; steering a course between the dangerous rocks of pastiche and novelty with aplomb and creating a chest of treasures in the process. Take 'If I Had $1,000,000' for example. It's a fun take on wealth, love and monkeys. Haven't you always wanted a monkey? Then there is 'One Week' with its romp of a lyric - surely this has to have the biggest word count per minute of any song? Oh I could go on; 'Alternative Girlfriend', 'Be My Yoko Ono' (Don't blame it on Yokey), 'The Old Apartment'. As well as the upbeat fun stuff they are also capable more tender moments such as 'Call And Answer' or the cover of 'Lovers In A Dangerous Time'.

As befitting for a greatest hits collection most of the songs on here are.....well....great. No filler or experimental tracks. Just great songs. Yes Barenaked Ladies certainly know how to please the crowd or anyone who casually catches one of their songs.

And I've heard their songs in the most unusual of places. Most recently when we were hiking across the Cairngorm plateau in a cool February afternoon. It had been a long day, we'd dug snow holes, cramponed up sloped and belayed back down again. We were flagging as we climbed that last but biggest hill, Cairngorm itself and didn't appreciate the increase in gradient as the summit approached. Then, out of nowhere, our instructor burst into a verse of 'Be My Yoko Ono';

"You can be my Yoko Ono.
You can follow me wherever I go.
I know that when I say this, I may be stepping on pins and needles.
But I don't like all these people slagging her for breaking up the Beatles".

He was a fan and turns out had an encyclopedic knowledge of their back catalogue. A blast of the naked ladies put an extra spring in my step and so, as we finished the climb and arrived at the top, slightly out of breath and warm despite the raging wind, I raised a wry smile. It was the first time Barenaked Ladies had helped me up a mountain. I hope it won't be the last!

Ray of Light - Madonna

There are three reasons to listen to this album; 'Drowned World/Substitute For Love', 'Ray of Light' and 'Frozen'. Every single one of them is a classic. End of.

In my early teens, oh so long ago, I was a Madonna fan and then...well I grew up I suppose. It wasn't until
I heard 'Ray of Light' that I started to take notice again. For a little while anyway. Thankfully the squeaky voice of 'Like A Virgin' was gone and instead there was a deeper, slightly more resonant tone.

How much this album is Madonna and how much is producer William Orbit is a matter of debate. But so what? And so what it if tails off towards the end, it is worth it just for those three songs.

Smart - Sleeper

In the indie boom of the 1990s there were a slew of girl fronted bands; Elastica, Lush, Catatonia and of course Sleeper. Whilst we the names of the singers in these bands is probably within reach can you recall the chap who played drums in Elastica? Hey without using the internet! Nope, thought not. How about the bass player from Catatonia? Not so easy is it.

So I'm sure we all know that Louise Wener was the singer from Sleeper but what about the rest of the band? OK so most music journalists and photographers are going to concentrate on the singer in a band, that is almost a given. But when the singer was much more glamorous that the rhythm section that can only be amplified. A hundred-fold. So that was the case, and the unfortunate destiny of the blokes in Sleeper, or 'Sleeperblokes'. Well just for the record the rest of the band were;

Jon Stewart (Guitar)
Diid Osman (Bass)
Andy Maclure (Drums)

And let's face it, without them 'Smart' would've definitely not have been. It would've sounded pretty dull. There'd be no fantastic drumming, pounding bass or fuzzy guitars. I doubt hits such as 'Inbetweener' wouldn't have rolled in without the 'Sleeperblokes'.

But I suppose we've all been there; at some point in our lives we've all been a 'Sleeperbloke'. And I dare say that at some point in the future it'll happen again. Wedding receptions, at the supermarket, entering a party or just simply standing next to the women in our lives. And you know what? I wouldn't have it any other way.

Fleetwood Mac / Fleetwood Mac - Fleetwood Mac

These albums may share the same title but the similarities stop there...... or do they?

Fleetwood Mac and Fleetwood Mac (boy this is going to get confusing!) are separated by only eight years but on the face of it they are worlds apart. The former is a British blues-rock classic with the superlative guitar playing of Peter Green whilst the latter is a AOR dream of soft American styled rock. Surely the only thing they share is the eponymous titles?

Firstly they both have the same rhythm section of Mick Fleetwood and John McVie; solid as a rock and as regular as a heartbeat. With this as a foundation not much can go wrong. So far, so obvious.

The 1967 release may be steeped in blues but it also has pop moments. 'My Heart Beats Like A Hammer' may be a blues track but its riff has one eye on the pop charts. Similarly the blast through Elmore James' 'Shake Your Moneymaker' doffs its cap to the future Mac. Not that it knew that then. But if it did it would.....if indeed it had a hat to doff. Errr moving quickly on...

Once you get past the glossier production of the 1975 release other similarities reveal themselves. They is very much a blues tinge to some of the tracks. 'World Turning' has its roots firmly planted in a blues riff. Not dissimilar to an earlier Mac classic 'Oh Well'. And if the beautiful 'Landslide' isn't a blues song at heart then I don't know what is. OK that maybe stretching the point but I think I've made my case.

It does, however, start me wondering exactly at what point does a band stop being the band it started out as and become something else? Is it all in the name? Is only one original band member all it takes to keep on rockin' under the same banner? Pink Floyd, The Pretenders, R.E.M. and The Rolling Stones have continued beyond their original line up. Heck even Bananarama managed to soldier on without Siohban Fahey. Although they were never the same after she left. Allegedly. Ahem.

Fleetwood Mac, though, have taken line-up changes to new heights and changed band members more often than I change my socks. Which is a lot. Honestly. They've had, at the last count, sixteen band members. Add to that the fact that a number of them have left and re-joined several times and you have a recipe for confusion. It must've got confusing with some members wondering whether they were on their way in or way out of the band. Who knows. And does it really matter? Probably not. As long as the band continues to produce great music then they can call themselves whatever they like.

Architecture & Morality - Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark

It's easy to forget in this age, where music can be created on a phone at the touch of a button, just how ground-breaking the early pioneers of electronic music were. No such thing existed for them; no PC based sequencers, multi-track digital recording or hard disc space. Instead they relied upon ingenuity, creativity and a fair amount of experimentation, verging on Heath Robinson contraptions, to get the sound they craved.

It is still staggering to think that this album was released in 1981. I'd just turned eleven and the sound of OMD (for those who are into brevity), to my ears, was the equivalent of hearing a message from the depths of space. I'd heard nothing like it. And loved it. It was also a contributing factor in cementing my love of anything technological. Gadgets. Thingamyjigs. Wotimacallits. Stuff that I didn't even know I needed. Certainly to be a the bleeding edge has cost me an absolute fortune, relatively speaking, over the years but there is no greater buzz than trying something that is new, shiny and different. Laserdisc player? I bought one of those with my first overtime pay from site. How about a DVD player? My first one cost £750. Ouch! Sick of portable CDs? The only answer was Mini Disc. Well the only answer for a few years anyway. The iPod solved the problem of having to carry around discs. Kerrching! My this laptop is cumbersome. Ahh the iPad is the perfect answer. Oh look there's an iPad2. Why did I bother? Well I didn't want to be left in the dark ages obviously!

It's a sobering thought to think that the moon landings were achieved with technology that would fit into most modern smart phones. But I can't help but think that with each technological step we are losing little pieces of originality. Maybe it's far too easy? It certainly wasn't in 1981. It is a minor miracle then that anything as beautiful of 'Maid of Orleans' made into the world. Imagine a place without 'Souvenir' or 'Joan of Arc'? No me neither. Imagine a place without an iPhone. Yes I probably could......maybe.

Greatest Hits - Squeeze

In my book, and it's quite a lengthy tome, any band who has nearly as many 'best of' albums as they do studio albums are either not very discerning when it comes to picking songs or are milking it.

Squeeze are dangerously close to the latter. Admittedly they have written some great singles; 'Cool For Cats', 'Hourglass', 'Labelled With Love' and the fantastic 'Tempted'. But fourteen compilation albums? Seriously? Surely one is enough? Like this one.

With such a pop pedigree it was with some expectation that we went to see them in Leeds Town and Country Club in 1995. I was really looking forward to hearing some of those great 45s played live.....but they were, pardon my language, rubbish. Rather than entertaining the crowd with a string of hit singles they proceeded to play each track from their latest album. One-by-painful one with hardly any acknowledgement that there was an audience in front of them. Maybe they'd heard how hard us Northerners were and thought they'd better just get on with it? Maybe they weren't speaking? Or maybe they just couldn't be arsed? Well neither could we. We walked out and went to the pub. A much better alternative in this instant.

So I always approach any band with a penchant for Greatest Hits releases with some caution. Do they really have that much to brag about, are they just plain lazy or is it milking time?

Tellin' Stories - The Charlatans

...in which The Charlatans create one of the best British albums. If you think this is a little over the top then check out 'How High'. A cracker of a track and one of three hit singles from the album, along with 'North Country Boy' and 'With No Shoes'. Which incidentally, according to Wikipedia,  are their three best selling singles. And who am I to disagree?

For this reason, and along with the excellent title track, 'Tellin Stories' is an early career high and possibly their most complete album.

Ramones - Ramones

If any proof were needed that music shouldn't be measured by quantity but quality then the debut album by the Ramones is all you need.

At a minute shy of the half hour mark this is not going to tax anyone with attention deficit syndrome but with classic punk rock singles like 'Blitzkrieg Bop' it's short running length is not a concern. Ok so the three chord structure of the songs isn't going to impress any prog-rock aficionados but who cares?

It's a blast from start to finish. A blast that cunningly hides some of the darker subject matter. Take it at surface value or dive in deep. If you opt for the latter you'd better be quick - the longest song here is 2:35 long!

Prince Charming - Adam and the Ants

I bet there's not many people who listen to Jeff Buckley one day and then flip to Adam and the Ants the next? Well all I can say is that they're missing out!

Seriously though, I was expecting to hate every minute of this album. Why? Well some things left the 80s with their cool intact and others...... while others should've been left there. I had 'Prince Charming' firmly in the latter camp. But first some background, or back-story as some would have it.....

The release of this album in 1981 was a BIG deal. It was the talk of the playground and to an impressionable eleven year old this was my universe. Or at least it was for that week. Everyone seemed to be Adam and the Ants mad. We had not witnessed anything like it. A band with a huge stylistic statement; one where every angle has been considered and implements with meticulous care. It was also the first real band to have a television presence. Appearances, be it in the studio or their music video where a huge discussion point on the school yard the next day. If you didn't see it then you were a loser. On the outside looking in. Yes the parochial town of Hartlepool had the Ant bug. And I was not immune to it either. In fact I was in far too deep. I remember one particular day when Neil Alderson approached me and casually informed me that Adam Ant had a face cancer. What? But how? Well the rumour was that his trademark white stripe had reacted with his skin and was eating away his face. I know. I know. But to an eleven year old this was devastating news. The rest of the day was spent from within a worried haze. Couldn't the doctors save this genius? Would he be disfigured? What about the next album? Nice to see I had my priorities right back then!

'Prince Charming' was the most lavish album I had ever seen. From its glossy, heavy gatefold sleeve to the luxurious typeface and design. This was an even album. In fact it was my first event album. And one that occupied my time for a long while. The album was played, the sleeve poured over. There wasn't anything I didn't know about this magnificent piece of art. Yes art.

Some records from the early 80s are revered, even today; The Jam, Dexy's Midnight Runners, The Clash for example, whilst others have largely been forgotten. They lack that essential kudos. So yes I was expecting to really dislike this album. But you know what I don't. In fact I'll go as far as to say that it's actually rather good. It's inventive, off beat with some great songs. Everyone in their 40s will remember 'Prince Charming' and 'Stand and Deliver' . But what about the wild west influenced '5 Guns West' or the mysterious  'Picasso Visita El Planeta De Los Simios'. Forgotten these? Well what are you waiting for - it's time to reconnect with your antness!

Grace - Jeff Buckley

Rock music has had it's fair share of tragic deaths but there can't be many more as tragic as the death of Jeff Buckley; drowning from the passing wake of a boat whilst taking a spontaneous swim in a river. As if the manner of his passing wasn't enough, one does wonder what he would have gone on to create.

If his debut, and only, album 'Grace' is anything to go by then rock music lost one of its most promising future stars. Anyone who doubts this rather grand statement should take a listen to his version of Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah'. Skillfully avoiding the cloying and mawkish sentimentality that other versions have displayed (I'm looking at you X Factor!), in his hands it's a quietly powerful hymn backed by sparse electric guitar picking. Simply beautiful.

But as well as accomplished cover versions there are also strong rock tracks such as 'Last Goodbye' and the title track 'Grace'. This is no ordinary rock album though; it has more in common with PJ Harvey, Antony and the Johnsons and Radiohead (when they were good) than Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones.

In the history of rock there have been many foolish deaths; usually caused by the oh-so predictable substance abuse. It's difficult sometimes to feel full sympathy for those lost in this way. This is not the case here. A real tragedy and a genuine heartbreaking shame to have lost someone so talented.