Music: Unclassical

[Under development: 21 May 2005]

Van Morrison

It would be counter-cultural to be British, male, middle-aged, middle-class, shaggily-groomed, bearded and vegan, and not be addicted to Van Morrison (as I type, I am listening to No Guru, No Method, No Teacher). I read several books by Carlos Castaneda while listening repeatedly to Common One. However Astral Weeks, which I stumbled over in the autumn of 1979, remains my first love, listening to "Madame George" being comparable with nibbling dark, vegan, Belgian-style chocolate truffles while sipping a robust malt whiskey.

Folk-Rock

I also listen to folk-rock, such as Simon and Garfunkel; John Denver; Bob Dylan (live at Blackbushe, UK 1977), Eric Clapton (live at Blackbushe, UK 1977; Fairport Convention (including with Sandy Denny) and The Strawbs (including with Sandy Denny). I have copies of almost all the albums released by The Strawbs. I regret that I never saw them live, although I did watch them live on television in concert one Saturday evening in the late 1970s. Much later, they made a music video with a small invited audience. The visuals are uninteresting, but the music is good to play over the hi-fi, especially when baking Saturday evening pizza. Dave Cousins (founder, inspiration and lead singer) came to the Big Jug Folk Club (as it was) in Durham once, but although Dave Cousins wrote all of their best songs, The Strawbs' music is not easily translated into a one-man acoustic presentation.

Steeleye Span & other Folk

I have long enjoyed the electric folk music of Steeleye Span (lead: Maddy Prior; live in Chester 1975, St Austell, 1983). Now We Are Six was the first LP (as they were called then) that I ever bought, and I listened to it until some tracks ("Thomas the Rhymer" in particular - which my late father really enjoyed when he heard it played live at St. Austell) were worn out. I have copies of almost every album they made, and at least one made live, but none of the later compilations. I waver about my preference: Below the Salt has some beautiful songs, as do Parcel of Rogues and Commoner's Crown. All Around My Hat, or All Around Mike Batt as it became known is rather too poppy, and Back in Line lacks the cohesion of the earlier, more folky, albums. I also have Summer Solstice, which is an excellent Tim Hart and Maddy Prior album, and some later, more mediochre, Maddy Prior.

I have attended several folk-club concerts given by Martin Carthy, and have some of his music on tape. At the political-cabaret end of the folk music spectrum, the songs of Roy Bailey and Leon Rosselson, of which I have a number of tapes, kind of fit into the modern folk song category, along with Ewan McColl and Peggy Seeger. Roy Bailey did a very good concert in Durham (Dunelm House) in the late 1980s. From Scotland, Dick Gaughan played at the Sixth Form Centre, also in the late 1980s, although as I recall he appeared quite tired. From Ireland, there's Planxty, Moving Hearts and Christy Moore. At a different end of the folk spectrum, my friend Martin Herbert has formed and dissolved a number of folk groups. Most recently Martin has made an album, featuring the native American cedar flute and shaman drum, called Spirit of the Wood, released on the Blue Crystal Music label. Some of this is hauntingly beautiful music, and there is a traditional Navajo rain chant. Formerly in High Wycombe, Martin now lives in Wales.

Mainstream and Progressive Rock

The following list is in no specific order, and most of the titles refer to vinyl

Genesis (Trick of the Tail, Wind & Wuthering, Supper's Ready, I Can’t Dance)

Phil Collins (formerly of Genesis, video: Live in Concert, CD: Love Songs, vinyl: But Seriously)

Steve Hackett (formerly of Genesis, Voyage of the Acolyte)

Bo Hanson (Lord of the Rings)

Gryphon (Red Queen to Gryphon Three)

Camel (The Snow Goose)

Yes (Tales from Topographic Oceans)

Jon Anderson (formerly of Yes: Olias of Sunhillow, Animation)

Pink Floyd (Dark Side of the Moon)

Mike Oldfield (Tubular Bells, Hergest Ridge, Five Miles Out)

Rick Wakeman (formerly of The Strawbs: The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table)

ELO (Out of the Blue)

Moody Blues (Days of Future Past)

The Beatles (double blue compilation, Revolver, Sergeant Pepper, Abbey Road)

George Harrison (All Things Must Pass, 33 1/3)

John Lennon (Imagine), Paul McCartney & Wings (Band on the Run)

Fleetwood Mac (Rumours)

The Eagles (Hotel California)

Manfred Mann’s Earth Band (The Roaring Silence)

Supertramp (Supertramp, Crime of the Century, Crisis – What Crisis? Even in the Quietest Moments)

Loud & bouncy

I sometimes enjoy listening to popular music of the early- to mid-1970s, such as that made popular again by the film The Full Monty, by such groups as Cockney Rebel and Hot Chocolate. This was the time when I watched/listened to Top of the Pops on BBC television. I enjoyed the glam rock bands T-Rex and Slade, and even went to see/listen to Rod Stewart in concert at Earl’s Court in London, UK. My only foray into heavy metal was Bachman Turner Overdrive (Not Fragile)

  p.g.h@btinternet.com