silverfoxnik

RIP. Very sad news! He's one of the very few musicians and songwriters who's songs we all will have played at one time or another in our own musical careers. As such, his reach and influence can't be overstated.. As Jack said, only Sir Paul and Ringo left now.

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1489697436' post='3259101'] I assume you're talking about the album rather than the song, not that a lot of people have much time for either I think Tonight (the album) gets a bad rap, some of which is justified, but I do like to defend it. For a start, I think if Hugh Padgham hadn't been at the helm, it would have sounded very different. The whole album is almost drowned in a sea of 80's production. You would be forgiven for thinking parts of it were from a Phil Collins album and Padgham is part of the reason why. Also, Hugh allegedly didn't think Blue Jean was good enough for the album . Bowie himself said that Loving The Alien sounded completely different on the demo. I guess it was probably more in line with the version he later did live with Gerry Leonard, which is just beautiful IMHO. Here he is talking about it. [/quote] That's a beautiful version of Loving The Alien! Thanks.. Yep, the 'Tonight' album as a whole for that overblown 80s production and for being so patchy in terms of the quality of the songs. 'Never Let Me Down' wasn't much better to be honest, and the Glass Spider tour that accompanied it was probably Bowie's artistic low point for me. However, what came afterwards, e.g. Tin Machine, the 90s drum & bass exploration stuff like Earthling, at least had Bowie's artistic integrity back at it's core that was there throughout his great 70s albums, even it it wasn't his most commercial material. Like someone else has said above, I think 'Where Are We Now' is one of his best ever songs and IMHO, Blackstar has 2 or 3 absolutely incredible songs on it (Lazarus, I Can't Give Anything Away and the title track) so he was definitely on an upward curve as an artist before he died.

Interesting idea for a thread.. Highest: all albums from Hunky Dory through to Heroes, including Transformer and The Idiot which he produced for Lou Reed and Iggy Pop respectively Lowest: Tonight album I'm very biased of course, but that run of Bowie albums is as artistically and musically good as anything produced since the Beatles series of albums in the 1960s..

[quote name='EliasMooseblaster' timestamp='1489414646' post='3256691'] Read this opinion piece on The Grauniad this morning. As one of many people on this forum who's still releasing original material, I don't think I'm in any danger of bothering the UK Top 40 any time soon, but it made for interesting reading: https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2017/mar/10/ed-sheeran-has-16-songs-in-the-top-20-and-its-a-sign-of-how-sick-the-charts-are So...your thoughts? Do the charts still matter any more if a massively popular artist can now flood them with Spotify streaming figures? Do you agree with the author's premiss that this is actually leading to less diversity of music in the Top 40? Were you, like me, previously oblivious to the fact that these streaming figures contributed to this ranking of songs? (Alternative Q: anyone want to explain the appeal of Mr Sheeran to me? I remain mystified.) [/quote] Good question and I read the same article too.. I don't think the charts, or should I say, the UK Top 40, matters like it did in the period between the 1950s and say, the late 1990s. Since then the whole music business model has changed and because people can access music in so many ways now, the old monopoly of Radio 1/Top of the Pops/Top 40 just has no validity or meaning anymore. As for Ed Sheeran, good luck to him - he's talented enough IMO and deserves his success. It's not his fault that there's a dearth of talented peers around him which helps to cast him in a much better light. Plus, he at least writes his own songs and has control over his style and sound, which counts for a lot in my book. Not that I have any of his music mind, I'm far too old and conservative in my tastes for that ! 😁

Likewise Chris, and thanks again! Nik

[quote name='rogerstodge' timestamp='1489436062' post='3256939'] i was there as an 18 yr old, what band were you in? [/quote] I was in a three-piece post-punk band called The Soulboyz... I think Sector 27 (or something like that) were next on the bill and then it was Joy Division. Can't remember if there were any other support acts after that but The Stranglers set was amazing with some brilliant singers standing in for Hugh Cornwall...

Just sold an EBS Octabass to Chris; lovely bloke to deal with and a very smooth transaction! Highly recommended to one and all here on Basschat i have to say.. Many thanks Chris 😊 Nik

[quote name='taunton-hobbit' timestamp='1489315882' post='3255910'] Another one leaves us........RIP & Thank you for the music. [/quote] +1

[quote name='SteveK' timestamp='1489237251' post='3255370'] Also played there in 1981, and even rehearsed there for 2 days. [/quote] That's very cool!

I loved that venue, I've got to say and saw some great shows there. I even was lucky enough to play there in 1980, first on the bill of a special gig headlined by The Stranglers when Hugh Cornwall was in prison and they had loads of guest performers covering his vocal duties. Highlight of the evening though, apart from the after show party, was Joy Division who went on third.. It was something very special!

Cheers John, and likewise! Yep - pages and pages of feedback that serve to prove I have no 'GAS' control centre in my brain !

Just received a lovely old Washburn acoustic in the post from John. As many of you know, he's a real gent to deal with and the whole deal was perfect from start to finish! Got to say, the guitar was expertly packaged up and it plays and sounds brilliant! Thanks John - just hope I can do it justice. Nik

Just had the pleasure of dealing with Adrian for the first time - bought his Hercules stand - and I'm sure it won't be the last.. As said above, a really good bloke to deal with and his packaging skills are second to none! 😀 Thanks Adrian, Nik

Just bought a speaker cable from Mark who's always easy and pleasant to deal with. Really knows his stuff too... Thanks Mark! 😊

[quote name='ivansc' timestamp='1488820062' post='3252071'] Jealous? [/quote] No, it's a very genuine dislike of the whole Jamiroquai sound, their songs and JK's vocal stylings. It actually makes my skin crawl and toes curl up ( as the saying goes).. Lots of other artists I'd consider myself to be a little envious of though; either for their talent, success, seemingly wonderful life etc, but definitely not Jamiroquai.