Category: Music

The Mod Pop Punk Archives is a nice site documenting the late 70s music scene, and includes a large selection of MP3s from some mostly-forgotten bands. It’s a nice way to immerse yourself in another time. I felt like I was 14 again, that’s for sure.

The reason I’m linking it is that, in compiling my annual Compilation Champs CD for South by Southwest, it came to my attention that a whopping 40% of the music on it was made in the 1970s. I suppose that’s because the 1970s were when I was discovering music in the first place. The first LP I ever purchased was Led Zeppelin’s first album, from Halliday’s TV shop at the Parkway Plaza. My ten-year old impression was that the band could play, but man that singer had a crappy voice. But most of the music that means the most to me was released between 1976 and 1981. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that those years correspond to the years between 11 and 16 for me. Does this hold true for the rest of you as well?

Taking a cue from Tim, I’m posting a list of the last 10 MP3s that iTunes, set to Shuffle, played for me:

1. Playground Love – Air
2. Hateful – The Clash
3. You Gotta Walk (And Don’t Look Back) – Peter Tosh (with Mick Jagger)
4. Thank You Boys – Jane’s Addiction
5. Celebrity – Luxuria
6. Rocketman – William Shatner
7. Sheela Na Gig – PJ Harvey
8. Wig In A Box – Hedwig and the Angry Inch
9. This Is Not A Photograph – Mission of Burma
10. Arc Arsenal – At The Drive-In

Why don’t you join in the meme? Make a post to your blog, then let me know in the comments below.

And yes, I’m aware that you can already see what the last 10, in fact the last 50, songs I’ve played just by clicking here. Don’t rain on my parade.

Audioscrobbler looks cool. I’d like a way to keep track of what bands I’m listening to, and see how that compares to other people’s tastes, and get suggestions for new artists. Unfortunately, it’s only for Winamp users (ie. Windows only). With all the other cool stuff out there for music on OS X (Kung-Tunes, Synergy, iChatStatus), couldn’t somebody work on something like this, too? Please? Is this another one for Lazyweb?

Related to my last entry, how about songs where the cover version has become more famous than the original? Here are a few cases where I prefer the original, less well-known version:

• Blinded By The Light – Bruce Springsteen (covered by: Manfred Mann’s Earth Band)
• Video Killed The Radio Star – Bruce Woolley and the Camera Club (covered by: The Buggles)

I love cover versions of songs. Inspired by links found in Timo‘s sidebar, I’m compiling my own list of the 12 Best (and 1 Worst) Cover Songs Ever:

1. Children of the Revolution – Violent Femmes (original: T.Rex)
2. Satisfaction – Devo (original: The Rolling Stones)
3. Higher Ground – Red Hot Chili Peppers (original: Stevie Wonder)
4. The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald – Rheostatics (original: Gordon Lightfoot)
5. Ride Into The Sun – Luna (original: Velvet Underground)
6. Friday On My Mind – David Bowie (original: The Easybeats)
7. White Lines – Duran Duran (original: Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five)
8. Has He Got A Friend For Me? – Maria McKee (original: Richard and Linda Thompson)
9. Sweet Thing – The Waterboys (original: Van Morrison)
10. Ziggy Stardust – Bauhaus (original: David Bowie)
11. I Dream Of Wires – Robert Palmer (original: Gary Numan)
12. A New England – Kirsty MacColl (original: Billy Bragg)
13. Surfin’ Bird – The Ramones (original: The Trashmen)

Can you find the bad one? Now, let’s hear some of yours…

And though I’ve mentioned it before, check out The Covers Project, a collaborative database of cover versions.

Oh, and watch this space. I may try experimenting with posting MP3s of cover and original for each song, if there’s interest. Let me know…