On a Facebook forum, I recently responded to the question, “What top rock bands do you think are overrated?” My answer was ‘Emerson, Lake and Palmer’ who I've never really 'got'. Well did I get some stick! The number of people who couldn’t comprehend why I don’t like ELP was amazing.
Now, firstly I do need to say I’m not a prog’ hater. Indeed I freely admit to being no stranger to prog’ rock. Pink Floyd, Genesis, Rush and early Marillion are all favourites of mine, so on paper, Emerson, Lake and Palmer were a band I should at least like, if not love. So why don’t I? Well it’s not that I don’t think their music is as good as their fans make out, or that those same fans are somehow wrong in their judgement. This isn’t the case, Emerson, Lake and Palmer were a band that I did totally understand why fans would go crazy over (and they certainly still do!!) - it’s just that I’m not one of them! They’re usually regarded as one of those quintessential progressive rock bands and they were good at what they did. If prog’ is all about experimenting with instrumental virtuosity, new forms and structures, captivating the listener’s attention and keeping them studying forever, then Emerson, Lake and Palmer have definitely earned their place among the genre’s most successful bands. But !!!
To put it bluntly, Emerson, Lake and Palmer didn’t connect with me at all. It was all so pretentious. They always seemed so distant and at times even alien to me. They were always so preoccupied with playing their instruments that they forgot to engage with their audience who happened to be sat there. It always seemed that there’s no emotion in their work, no genuine passion. There was nothing in Greg Lake’s vocals; nor in Keith Emerson’s often, (admittedly) innovative playing that connected me on a personal level; that grabbed out and held me. Then there was the whole opulence the band projected, Greg Lake’s £6,000.00 Persian Rug that he used to have to stand on to perform! Really??? I mean the rug even had its own ‘rug-roadie’!! Not entirely adhering themselves to the man on the street there!
Maybe it is just me. As I’ve said, Emerson, Lake and Palmer still have a dedicated group of followers who must either experience their music differently to me, or just don’t care about connecting with it as long as it’s interesting musically. Either way, I'm no putting them down in any way. Quite the contrary really, I’d like to read some comments defending the band. For me, you really have to have some emotional connection to music to enjoy it fully. This comes in many forms for me and ranges from The Clash to Beyoncé, from Otis Redding to Motorhead. It’s just that Emerson, Lake and Palmer are always somewhere in-between. I appreciate what they’ve done for the prog’ genre, I just don’t feel it enough to call myself a fan. I’ve always adhered to the ‘Big House’ theory of rock music where they all live in a large mansion. I suspect that in this house you’d find groups like Emerson, Lake and Palmer occupying the drawing room while others like Chicago would be in the bedroom. Then bands like The Who, Sex Pistols and The Happy Mondays take over the garage etc. They all have their place in the grand scheme of rock music. – And you don’t have to like all of them.
Always being on the lookout for decent new music and bands, I recently came across a couple of new(ish) Manchester bands who I was quite impressed with. One is from a mix of Manchester and Lancashire, the other was formed at the Manchester music university, BIMM. Both have that ‘Manchester’ vibe and both deserve to be going places. Dantevilles First up are Dantevilles who hail from both Manchester and Darwen in Lancashire. They’re a four-piece who comprise Jamie Gallagher (guitar, vocals), Connor McNicholas (bass, vocals), Paul Tanton (guitar) and Cory Devine (drums). One of their most notable features being the twin lead vocals of Jamie and Connor. They have been touring around the north for the past few years and their first release was a self-titled EP that came out at the start of the summer. It includes the track, ‘Blackjack’ as well as recent singles ‘It Might Be Tomorrow’ and ‘Daydreamer’. The EP was produced by Courteeners bassist and producer. Joe Cross and is an attempt to bottle the band’s energetic live performances which it achieves in droves. I do like Daydreamer, it's an upbeat indie track that maintains their trademark dual lead vocals whilst adding a psychedelic feel to the sound.
‘It Might Be Tomorrow’ is a particular favourite though having almost a sixties sounding feel to it. What’s it about? Well the band themselves are quoted saying “It’s the contrast of something morbid and something beautiful and ultimately turning that into a positive message and living every day as if it’s your last.” Despite this quite downbeat theme it’s actually a very up-beat track, one that builds and builds to an irresistible chorus with those appealing duel vocals to the fore. From what I’ve heard so far, Dantevilles create fresh sounding memorable tracks. They have a modern take on the Manchester indie pop sound with melodic guitars and standout vocals and most of all – a bit of soul! Track them down. You won’t regret it. Corella Corella are a fresh indie-pop four piece made up of a bunch of BIMM Manchester students. Joel Smith (Vocals/Guitar), Ben Henderson (Vocals/Bass), James Fawcett (Drums), and Jack Taylor (Lead guitar). It’s hard to pigeonhole Corella’s music into any particular genre, they’re quite an interesting mix of jangly, funky indie pop similar to the likes of Blossoms or the ill-fated Viola Beach. Their influences appear to be a broad school of rock, pop and soul taking in acts as diverse as Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Stevie Wonder and the likes of The Maccabees and Bombay Bicycle Club. These influences really come across in some of their tracks. Despite being unsigned, Corella are slowly gaining a major following. Early releases Barcelona Girl and Waterfall have gained over a million streams on Spotify, some of their more recent singles have also featured on Spotify’s ‘The Indie List’, ‘Indie Road-trip’ & ‘Hot New Bands’ playlists. Their track, 'Caught Up' was used by BBC Sport during their coverage of the 2018 Commonwealth Games. They’ve even had the ultimate accolade of being featured on ‘This Morning’. Their most recent release, ‘Island’ came out earlier this month. With ‘Island’ Corella continue to develop their sound, it still has the trademark jangly guitar riffs and catchy chorus we come to expect but there’s a lot more than just that. It’s quite an incredible, mature song for a young band to write and should see them go places. The production was by Sugar House of Viola Beach fame and it shows.
Corella have all the makings of a band destined for big things. They seem to pride themselves on their song writing along with the tight harmonies and overall band performance - not one member stands out. Hopefully they’ll get signed up soon and find the success their talent deserves. Manchester Music – It’s Not Dead Manchester has a rich music history which it continues to develop. These bands continue the legacy left by the likes of the Stone Roses, New Order and Buzzcocks, going all the way back to the likes of 10CC and The Hollies. Like I say, Manchester’s still not short of some incredible bands but both Dantevilles and Corella are really beginning to rise head and shoulders above many of the others at the moment. Check them out I say!
I’ve loved Paul Weller’s music for decades now, going right back to the early days of The Jam (yes I’m that old!!). I’ve always particularly enjoyed the way he’s progressed and changed his style over the years. No two albums ever really sound the same. A few weeks after it’s release, I’ve finally obtained his latest album, ‘True Meanings’. Let me say on first listen as I was a bit “meh” but it’s a grower. Don’t park it after one listen is my advice.
True Meanings is a very mellow and likeable album. It’s one of those lazy Sunday morning albums, one to listen to whilst sipping decent coffee and reading the paper. This is a more acoustic and laid back album than his last few. You can tell he’s getting on a bit now, that an older person wrote these songs. They do take a few listens to really get under the skin until you realise it’s actually a very good album. Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t all acoustic, it isn’t just Paul Weller with a guitar and his voice, there's still the drums, the bass and the second guitar adding much more to the background. As I was saying, this is a very grown up album with some graceful orchestration and very contemplative songs. Admittedly, Paul's voice is a little weak generally but that doesn’t detract from its enjoyment. It’s lyrics are quite introspective and it’s performed as close to perfection as possible, demonstrating Weller’s ability to continue to produce music with purpose and soul. There are more guests than ever too with Rod Argent, Martin Carthy, Danny Thompson & Noel Gallagher all making an appearance. Some of the Tracks “Glide” is an acoustic daydream. It’s strings are so mellow and just sort of wash over you. Saying that, it’s also probably the weakest track on the album - which really is saying something. “Mayfly” is a more typical Weller vocal over some folky percussion backing. I like the deep, warm guitar intro that leads into some nice bluesy guitar. “What Would He Say?” Has a Burt Bacharach style relaxing brass solo that bubbles to the surface a couple of times with an “easy listening” melody and whispy lyrics. “Wishing Well” is quite a folky but pleasant, contemplative song. Overall, a very tender acoustic track. I like it! “Movin’ On” is for me one of the best tracks on the album. It’s an engaging song with some charming brass parts towards the end. Paul’s vocal is very soulful and articulate, more in the style we have come to expect from him. Overall it’s a splendidly orchestrated number, with some subtle percussion. “Movin’ On” harks back to what was probably his first foray into folk back in The Jam days - "English Rose". It’s the sound of a man comfortable in his skin, he acknowledges his past while making an appropriate pronouncement about the here and now. So Do I Recommend It? ‘True Meanings’ is a brave album for Paul Weller to release, yes he’s had songs like this on his albums before. There was the haunting, atmospheric "Wild Wood"; "Long Hot Summer" was a particularly chilled track and don’t forget the classics like "The Butterfly Collector" or the blistering "That’s Entertainment". There aren’t many musicians of his generation that are still making interesting new music they just resort to playing the hits. Their new stuff is often disappointing, for example Hugh Cornwell’s latest album, that’s only really worth it for the acoustic Strangler’s tracks on the second disc. That most of ‘True Meanings’ hits the mark is due to its cohesiveness. It is Weller’s singer-songwriter album, acoustic and reflective in tone, and carefully, delicately textured. It's a thoughtful record, well-crafted but not stifling so. Fair play to him for diversifying yet again. He’s an artist who remains current by still developing and evolving 40+ years on from ‘In The City’. You can’t argue with that! Yes, I know some tracks appear more than a little shallow and contrived, lacking the raw emotion he is known for but ‘True Meanings’ is still a very mellow album that improves with age – just like a fine wine. What impresses me is that there is now so much depth and character to Paul Weller these days. Is it the best Weller record ever? I don't know, probably not. Think I'll just enjoy it for what it is.
Having always been a bit of a Queen fan, especially the seventies stuff, I thought I’d better give this ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ film a coat of looking at. So a few nights ago the missus and I went off to the local cinema to watch it. Was I impressed? Well, ‘yes’ and ‘no’. As a film, to the average guy who likes Queen’s music and likes a good story it’s good. However if like me you know the history of the band and the dates involved with releases and some of the other surrounding events then it’s not so good.
To those who haven’t seen it, the film tells Farrokh Bulsara’s story of how he went from being a Heathrow airport baggage handler to become Freddie Mercury. Bohemian Rhapsody opens in 1985 with the band preparing to play Live-Aid. It then back-tracks back to 1970 and how the band formed before working its way through the trials and tribulations of the next 15 years. The film’s finale is then back in 1985 with their legendary Live-Aid performance. Rapid Paced The pace of the film at the start is break-neck often leading to information overload for the audience. In around twenty minutes we go from Brian and Roger being in Smile without a singer to a world tour that Queen went on after the massive success of Sheer Heart Attack. It all happens very quickly to a point where you aren't given a moments respite to reflect on what’s actually happening. This for me is where it starts to go wrong. Date Errors Whether they were errors or deliberate to make the film flow there are at least three ‘out-of-sequence’ dating errors.
The band are showed playing ‘Fat Bottomed Girls’ in America on the above mentioned ‘Sheer Heart Attack’ tour which was in 1975 however the track itself wasn’t written until three years later, appearing on 1978’s ‘Jazz’ album.
The famous 1980 party with the dwarfs and the magicians was featured depicting the start of Freddie’s downfall, however the disco track playing in the background was Rick James’ Super Freak, a track that wouldn’t be released for at least another year.
Following the 1980 party the band are depicted in the studio coming up with the ‘We Will Rock You’ track. A track that was written and released three years earlier in 1977 and already a live favourite.
There Are Some Good Bits I did enjoy some scenes I must admit. I particularly liked the sensitive way Freddie’s ultimately doomed relationship with Mary Austin developed. There was also humour in there too, the early scene where Roger comes on to Freddie’s younger sister for example. The scene with Mike Myers in the record company offices over the release of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and the “Not the coffee machine” line was also quite amusing. Another aspect that personally pleased me was that Freddie’s vocals were dubbed over Rami Malek's performances. I'm really glad they didn't try to have Malek do a bad impression of an iconic voice. So In Conclusion I don’t think ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ knows whether it is a Freddie Mercury biopic or a Queen biopic and I can't really decide which one I would have preferred more. There were some important events that contributed to Queen’s early 80s downturn that weren’t referred to at all such as their concert at Sun City in South Africa at the peak of apartheid which they were severely condemned for worldwide. This would be intrinsic to any Queen biopic but less so a Freddie one. For me, ultimately it felt like a movie that was actually fighting itself. There again, maybe it’s just me who went in there with too high expectations! I’d probably give it an overall score of 6 out of 10 as it is generally enjoyable. Don’t rely on my word though, go see it yourself. Many people I know who have seen it have truly enjoyed it and would give it a ten, so maybe it is just me!
Something strange has happened in the last year or so. It seems like all of a sudden, the whole world loves Phil Collins again after years of, well not liking him! Why and how did that happen? Did everyone secretly love him all along and are only now deciding its okay to hold their lighters in the air singing “Against All Odds”? Or do they just feel sorry for him now he’s a shell of his former sell? If you had suggested this to your typical trendy muso in the nineties at the height of Britpop they'd have spat out their Hooch it was that un-cool to like him. Yet recently he’s published a bestselling autobiography (Not Dead Yet); gone back out on the road; re-mastered and re-issued eight albums; put out a 4 disc album of his work with other people and even had a number of slightly apologetic newspaper profiles published. He even has current, on-trend celebrity fans like Kanye West, Lorde and Taylor Swift.
Not Dead Yet I suspect the major catalyst of this uprising was his autobiography. I’ve read it. It’s the story of a brilliant but flawed man who freely and bravely admits that he's made mistakes in his life. Phil Collins in 2018 now has the public profile of a tragic figure. He did play a major role in actually creating this persona himself, firstly with a 2011 Rolling Stone article, then with this autobiography both of which showed him through a series of personal and professional tragedies (his divorces, the injuries that prevent him from playing drums, his history of alcohol/substance abuse etc) to be a lonely, angry, and even suicidal little man. Am I Fan? I've been a big Genesis fan for most of my life having virtually all their albums and loving most of them, indeed I’ve also seen them live a few times back in the day. The period from 1976 to around 1983 counts as some of my favourite music ever. Some of the live material from around then shows off his undeniable talent as both a singer and especially as a drummer. But I’ve never really been that bothered about Phil's solo career - I had a couple of albums but that was it.
I must admit I've gone through phases, like most people, of veering between being totally against him and totally ambivalent towards him towards tolerating him. And that’s because he’s not just one thing. The one thing you might like about him might very well be cancelled out by something else you might dislike intensely. Why the Public Hatred? Back in the 80s if you were a Top 40 chart fan you really had no choice but to love Phil. He was inescapable in a way that seems almost modern by today’s standards. Yes the post-punk fans didn't like him - the hippy git with his paint pot on the piano! The knocking of him really seemed to start after '...But Seriously' was released and generally implied that it was music for plebs. At the same time, it did seem like he became irrevocably associated with that rolled-up-sleeves Miami Vice aesthetic, which was considered grotesquely unfashionable for a considerable period of time. Also he was so ubiquitous, he was everywhere! Phil said even he was sick of Phil Collins by the end of the eighties. I've never really understood the hatred though, apart from perhaps that generated by the ‘tax dodging tory’ lies that Piers Morgan printed. Similar things happened in the 80s and 90s with the likes of Abba, Queen and ELO all of which were deeply un-cool to like at the time but are now held up as musical gods. Phil also got a whole load of flak for ‘Another Day In Paradise’, with critics and other musicians criticising him for being hypocritical about a multi-millionaire creating the song. However, they completely ignore the fact the song has raised millions for homeless charities over the years and that Phil's allowed it to be used by them for free, as well as topping many of those same charities' coffers up with his own contributions. What did I say earlier about him not being just one thing? Talented? Phil Collins is a beast of a drummer and has a pretty good vocal range. To cap it all he can be a decent (if a little inconsistent) songwriter. I wasn’t the biggest fan of his solo material (apart from 'In The Air Tonight' which is an amazing track), but the Genesis stuff he played on and eventually sang on (from 'Nursery Cryme' through to the self –titled 'Genesis' album) is brilliant I think. His stuff with Brand X is pretty great too. Phil Collins is objectively great, but it still blows my mind that he enjoys a genuine, un-ironic fan base among the hip-hop and R&B community to the point that there is an entire compilation album made up of some pretty high-profile, respected urban acts covering his tracks. This album, ‘Urban Renewal’ was released a few years ago and featured artists such as Kelis and Lil' Kim rather than a load of unknowns. You don’t get that sort of accolade if you’re un-cool! Drumming wise, apart from being a very technically proficient drummer, he's also a very musical drummer. There's a lot of melody in his playing as well as rhythm. He's got amazing natural swing and groove, which I suspect is why he's been sampled so much and why a lot of those rappers like him. Alas, all that has gone now and he can't play at all. Time To Stop Hating? After reading his autobiography and buying a couple more of his albums I'm now rather fond of him and his music. His later stuff was very patchy but there’s some real quality in those first two albums he put out. Because he’s been out of the limelight for so long with ill-health I think people like myself are now re-evaluating him and coming to the conclusion that all that hatred they had was unjustified. To me, people who still hate Phil Collins in 2018 just seem to be very petty narrow-minded people. He may never be cool again but he’s no longer a figure of hatred.
