Life On Mars? #DavidBowie

Life on Mars?  ( don’t forget the question-mark!  )  by the inimitable Mr David Bowie has always been one of my favourite songs.    Although recorded in the early 70s its timeless,  ageless and some would say meaningless.

I’d say enigmatic, as what most people don’t get is that Bowie is painting a picture of a world gone mad, the girl with the mousy hair escaping her dull existence to see the same dull movie 10 times, people fighting for no reason, police beating up the wrong guy.

It really is the freakish show and he asks the question .. Is there life on Mars?

Is there any chance of escaping for this dull and chaotic existence?

Personally,  I like it because it just sounds and feels good.

Although Bowie wrote the song,  the piano was played by the classically trained Rick Wakeman,  two musical geniuses in my opinion who I could only ever dream to emulate.

On paper the song is written in the Key of F,   but thats only notional as it promptly forgets that and goes in and out of key at multiple locations.

Its probably the most complex song that I’ve learned and the below tab I’ve based it on doesn’t do the complexity of the song justice.   So I used this for guidance and filled the rest in from the Bowie songbook that I received for my birthday last week.

https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/david_bowie/life_on_mars_chords_570195

I’m off work for a week and catching up with bits and bobs,  including getting a chance to mess around with the recording features of the Roland FP-90 Digital Piano that I bought last year.

Finally had the change to record this and convert it to mp3,  a fairly painless process.

In my version,  its a quick round of an 8 bar intro in a more classical style and then the song in more accompaniment style so that my mate can sing along with it without guessing where the lyrics sync with the music.

Hope I’ve did it justice. 🙂

 

 

Light My Fire? @TheDoorsAlive

I’ve always been a big fan of The Doors,   I’m also a fan of tribute bands who often work harder than the real deal playing the songs you’d love to hear rather than punting the new album.

It’s true that nothing is better than the real thing and a tribute will always be a tribute.

But in the case of The Doors Alive,  who I try and see every time they play Glasgow,  I don’t think you can get a better tribute in terms of authenticity and accuracy with the music and style of the original band.

The song Light My Fire in particular,  its hypnotic,  trippy,  trance music,  with the keyboard playing both organ melody and bass beat over the rolling guitar solo.

It takes me somewhere else.   A couple of beers and I’m floating.

The time to hesitate is through ..   Can’t wait!

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Previous and more detailed review

https://dancingbhoy.wordpress.com/2016/05/13/the-doors-alive/

 

 

Who’ll love Aladdin Sane? .. #DavidBowie #MikeGarson

Who’ll love Aladdin Sane?

Mike Garson does as did a few thousand souls including myself at last night’s homage to David Bowie’s finest album ( in my humble opinion ).

The reason that I think it is Bowie’s finest work and superior to the rest including Ziggy Stardust is largely down to the piano dexterity of one Mike Garson.

Garson is ( was ) Bowie’s longest serving band member, playing in over 1000 concerts together including Bowie’s first and last concerts in the states. See wiki for more details.

Personally, I just love the way he plays his avant-garde crazy piano music, both in and out of key over a rock rhythm. The cacophony of sounds happening in different layers stimulates something in my mind which I don’t really understand, but love all the more.

As a wannabe-piano-player, self-taught over 15 years and playing every day, this is a whole different level, something that I both aspire to but know that I’ll never achieve. My own poor-man’s version of Lady Grinning Soul hits all the right notes at all the right time, its recognisable but Garsons’ piano skills have so much depth, flawlessly rolling up to the higher octaves and back seamlessly.

His band were particularly tight compared with most bands I’ve seen ( and I see a lot), recently played on the Iggy Pop tour. Special mention to saxophonist and the lead guitarist who had the difficult job of covering the Mick Ronson’s part.

Last but not least, lead vocalist Gaby Moreno, dressed in an emerald green jump suit with her cork-screw hair, both prowled and commanded the stage.

I had been concerned before the gig that no-one would be able to carry Bowie’s vocal, particularly against such classic songs, but she did and is probably a better singer than Bowie. Most noticeably on the quieter bonus song Wild Is The Wind.

It was mesmerising.

It was a fantastic gig,  well worth seeing and with the additional benefit of an appearance by the legendary Steve Harley for a rendition of Space Oddity and his own song Sebastian.

This was a real Bowie fan gig, most of the audience around me were singing every word of music which obviously is a part of their life.

At one point during Wild Is The Wing,  I wished the guy beside me would just shut up, but an accidentally on purpose dig in the ribs seemed to do the trick!

If you get the chance to see Mike and the band .. don’t think,  go.

—

More info including a similar set-list from the recent Birmingham gig.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aladdin_Sane

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Garson

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/mike-garson/2017/o2-institute-birmingham-england-73e02e25.html

 

 

Fuck U .. #U2

 

U2 are a colossal band,  humoungously large and presumably wealthy.

I went to see them last year with my bro and had a fantastic time,  they put on am amazing show.

https://dancingbhoy.wordpress.com/2015/11/10/never-ever-choose-the-seats-best-available-u2-glasgow/

https://dancingbhoy.wordpress.com/2015/12/01/u2-new-order-or-simple-minds-glasgow/

Earlier this year,   they toured with the 30^th anniversary of The Joshua Tree album,   probably my favourite album of theirs with its hits of Where The Streets Have No Name,  With Or Without You Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For and my personal favourites of Bullet The Blue Sky and the haunting Running To Standstill.

But here’s the rub ..

On their tour,  the band only played Dublin and London,  other arenas in the more provincial cities like Glasgow were omitted from their tour.

For me that implies that they are happy to take our hard-earned dosh when it suits them,  but only when it suits them.

Tonight,   a U2 tribute band play St Lukes in Glasgow,  a smallish venue of a 3-400 hundred souls, playing The Joshua Tree album in its entirety.

That will do for me.

So fuck you Bono .. you talk shit most of the time anyway.

There .. I feel better now!

http://www.stlukesglasgow.com/events/u2-2-joshua-tree-tour-w-the-noel-gallagher-experience/

 

 

 

Free Fallin’. #TomPetty

He’s gonna free fall

Out into nothing

Gonna leave this world

For a while

Now he’s free, free fallin’

Sad to hear of the sudden death of Tom Petty today. I can’t honestly say I was his biggest fan as he was a little before my time.

But good music lives forever, it’s melody and message touches people in ways they never expected.

Take me and the boys playing Free Fallin’, such a simple tune to play, repetitive but mesmerising.

It’s the kind of song that you get lost in and when you find your groove you never want to end and we’d play on well past any reasonable duration just because it feels good, looking at each other and knowing we’ve overdone it but don’t want to stop.

To create that magic so simply takes a special kind of talent.

Free, free fallin’.

Alone With #ThePretenders?

Chrissie Hynde surveyed the room before her,  a sell-out of 3000 souls all seated expectantly in the Glasgow Royal Concert hall.

“It’s not the Barralands,  is it?”   She quipped before bursting into her first song Alone,  the title track from her new album.

My brother Duncan and I smiled at each other and with a quick look at the mostly grey heads in front and all around us,  we had to agree.

A Prayer For The Living? #Oasis

 

I’m sure like me,  you have many songs that take you back to people and places in your life,  happy times,  sad times,  the best and worst of times.   Moments that we treasure and wish that we could live again and moments that we wish we could forget.

Sometimes,  years after the event,  we are getting on with our day,  the radio on in the background and a song comes on that reminds us of happy times,  it makes us feel good and we smile at the memories that come flooding back.

Sometimes,  it’s the opposite,  a song that reminds us of sad times.  That takes our breath away and puts a tear in our eyes.

Flashbacks Of A Fool?

I would do anything for you
I would climb mountains
I would swim all the oceans blue

I would plant roses at your door
Reveal my secrets
More than enough for me to share

Nah you’re alright Bryan,  I’m just having a good time and enjoying life.

Secrets are for keeping and should never be told.

Well unless you have a blog and can write about them anonymously.

So how’s your weekend looking?

Should I tell you about mine?

As it happens,  two of my favourite bands are playing Glasgow this weekend.

Roxy Music and David Bowie,  my favourite artists as a boy growing up in the mid-70s grey slums of Glasgow.

These guys provided images of glamour and decadence to the unrequited lust of my youth.

The clip above asks … how could you choose between Bryan Ferry and David Bowie?

Personally Ud choose Bowie any day of the week.    But maybe she meant in a fldifferent context.  

Of course this weekend bands are both tribute acts,    they aren’t the same as the real thing,  but both are pretty good,  particularly the Bowie tribute and if you close your eyes or have just enough drink to let your mind wander,  you can imagine being in a club in the 70s listening to these guys raw and passionate before they got famous.

Or is that just another flashback of a fool?

Have fun!

Old Gold Dream? … #SimpleMinds

New Gold Dream
She is the one in front of me, 
the siren and the ecstasy
New Gold Dream
81 82 83 84

Simple Minds played the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall last night,  a relatively small venue for them as they are normally sssiciated with stadiums or arena venues. 

The gig was a stripped down acoustic set,  no synths,  three guitars, percussion,  Jim on lead vocal and the gorgeous foxy Sarah Brown on backing and occasional lead vocals. 

The band have just released an album Simple Minds Avoustic and the tour is obviously to generate sales. 

But what came first?   The music or the marketing?

The music obviously.  But it’s a business,  no one gets to keep producing new music unless it sells.   

Jim mentioned last night that the band had recently had a few tough years.   

I expect that their new material doesn’t sell as it’s just not as popular as it was except with those rare die-hard fans. 

Their tour a few years ago at Glasgow Barrowlands was pushing their 5 from 5 allbum with 5 tracks taken from each of their first 5 albums. 

Their last tour which took in the Glasgow Hydro was mainly a greatest hits tour with a few recent tracks thrown in for toilet breaks. 

But they were still better than U2 or New Ordervwjo were both touring within weeks of each other. 

https://dancingbhoy.wordpress.com/tag/simple-minds/

Last night,  they rocked the place. 

In all my times at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall,  which is quite a sedate venue for a rock band as it’s all seated.   This was the only time that everyone was on their feet from the start. 

The hits came one after an other at a blistering pace.   But what made this for me was Jim chatting and joking with the audience.    

As a guy he’s mellowed and I’m sure he appreciates what he has now more than ever.     His dad was in the audience and Jim played tribute to him and a few other family members of the band for giving them the money to get started 40 years ago. 

There were a few surprises along the way, a tribute to Bowie playing his song Andy Warhol from Hunky Dory was for me a bizarre choice when there are so many more well known Bowie songs to choose from which would be more accessible to the audience. 

The final encore was a nice touch were Steve Harley of Cockney Rebel joined the band for a rousing rendition of Come Up and See Me ( Make Me Smile)

You certainly did that. 

My brother and I went home .. or back to the pub as high as a kite and wishing we could do it all again today. 

The Minds are part of the soundtrack of our youth,   A time when we had our full life’s ahead of us and everything was possible. 

Now call me an Old Gold Dreamer,  but I like to think it still is. 

—

What a weekend I have ahead?

The Minds last night,  my bestie for a curry tonight, a Bowie tribute band at Oran Mor tomorrow night and going to see the Celtic finish the league unbeaten and pick up the title again. 

Life is good. 

Because we make it that way. 

Wild Is The Wind?

You touch me … with your kiss my life begins
You’re spring to me
All things to me ..
Don’t you know you’re life itself?

Undoubtedly one of my favourite Bowie songs,   originally recorded by Johnny Mathis but made popular by Nina Simone.

Bowie recorded it for his Station To Station album after he met her after one of her shows in Los Angeles in 1975.

Something about that song,  the minor key,  the lyrics,  the passion and desperation of Bowies voice just grabs me,  gives me chills and a longing deep in my chest.

Isn’t it wonderful that music can have that effect?

Tonight Joanne Shaw Taylor the British Blues/Rock Guitarist/ Vocalist  plays the ABC, Glasgow.

Can’t say I was aware of Joanne til fairly recently,  but her sixth album Wild is a winner and well worth a listen.

Guess my favourite track?

Can’t wait to see this later.