This will be an attempt at writing a blog about music, primarily. Either about stuff going on in the music world, about whatever I've got playing at the moment, new "discoveries" I'd like to share, or whatever else happens to come to mind. Not that my opinion is all that important, but what the heck -- it seems like everyone else has a blog now, so why not join in?
Anyway...
Tonight we went and had dinner up in Fayetteville, TN. On our way back home my brother put on Pink Floyd's album The Wall in the car and started up with the track Is There Anybody Out There? This was followed by the powerful one-two (-three?) punch of Nobody Home, Vera, and Bring the Boys Back Home, and then Comfortably Numb. By the time we had gotten to In The Flesh, with the epic and sinister "wall of sound" opening and the late Rick Wright's shimmering Hammond B3 chords, it reminded me of how big of an impact this music had on me all those years ago when I'd first heard it start to finish (well, maybe six years isn't all that long, but it sure feels like it right now).
The Wall has to be one of the most interesting rock concept albums ever; probably one of the best rock albums, period. The diversity of the songs on both discs (or vinyl LPs, depending on which medium you prefer) is pretty amazing. And the way the album starts out is fairly inoffensive and digestible -- but by the time you've made it to disc two, it has gotten progressively more and more bizarre. Waiting for the Worms and The Trial perhaps being my favorite examples of how "out there" Pink Floyd got on this recording. The trip this album takes you on is pretty incredible, and very weird.
Now it's true that "weirdness" is not uncommon for a prog band. But Pink Floyd were one of the most successful and well-known prog bands ever, and for an album such as this to have done so well on the charts, and to be so widely recognized even now, is pretty mind-boggling to think about. But the music industry was a lot different back then than it is now, of course.
Maybe if Nickelback decided to release a two-disc rock opera they could shake things up. I even have the perfect storyline for it: A once-cool rock band that had labored in obscurity for years, writing interesting original music, suddenly has a breakthrough hit. Then they begin to lose their soul as they start on a downward spiral of dwindling creativity, releasing increasingly vapid, formulaic pop/rock songs, ultimately becoming a parody of themselves...
Oh wait... I think they've already written and starred in that one.
(No offense to Nickelback fans intended, of course.)
Sorry about that. Where was I? Oh yeah, Pink Floyd... Well, when it comes to PF, Animals has always been my favorite album -- Sheep has to be my favorite single song of theirs. It has one of the most triumphant, uplifting sounding endings that I've ever heard in a rock song (right up there with Genesis' sidelong epic Supper's Ready from the album Foxtrot released in '72). I mean c'mon! The album is inspired in part by George Orwell's book "Animal Farm" -- how can it not be awesome? Plus, it has one of the coolest album covers ever!
(Cover artwork by Storm Thorgerson.)
Seriously, how is a photograph of a pig flying above a power plant anything but brilliant? I can think of nothing better, except for more flying pigs. But that's probably not the most original idea now.
So while Animals holds a special place for me, The Wall is not far behind anymore. If anyone has not explored these two albums, please, please give them a listen. Or several listens, for that matter. They are like an oasis in the musical wasteland of modern day.
Okay, that last part may have been a bit extreme. But seriously, do check them out if you haven't already. And if you have, then you already know how awesome they are and don't need me to tell you.
That's all I've got for now. Just wanted to rant a little bit about "the Floyd", and get the ball rolling with this whole "Interblag" thing.
Goodnight!
No comments:
Post a Comment