The last few weeks have seen more than their fair share of musical passings of particular importance to me. Mark Beaumont-Thomas will share some thoughts on David Crosby’s If I Could Only Remember My Name by way of tribute later in the week, which leaves me with 3 names to ponder…
Jeff Beck
I first came across Jeff Beck at the primary school end of term disco where Hi Ho Silver Lining was a particular favourite seeing as how it was back in the charts in 1972. The high energy guitar solo was the main appeal even to a bunch of 8 year olds. Looking it up just now I discovered who the band backing Beck on guitar and vocals were; John Paul Jones – bass guitar, Clem Cattini – drums, Rod Stewart – backing vocals. Anyway, fast forward to 1981 and Guitar World magazine had come into my life. The cover had Beck on it and an article about Allan Holdsworth who I had just discovered through his work with Bruford and U.K. Reading the piece on Beck’s There and Back along with a playlist of his 3 Jazz Rock albums led me to buy ‘Wired’ when it appeared on the cheap shelf a few weeks later. Led Boots and Blue Wind were the ooh! moments for a budding 17 year old hard rock fan. But, oddly his version of Goodbye Pork Pie Hat recorded as a tribute to Mingus who had recently passed was the long-term standout tune. The song itself was originally Mingus tribute to Lester Young when the Kansas City tenor player and hat wearer has died in 1959. So, Beck settled into the list of great guitarists. He’s also responsible for my biggest regret in non-attendance at gigs. A friend suggested going to his shows at Ronnie Scott’s in 2007. I couldn’t be doing with the drive to London. The night we would have gone was the night Clapton joined him for the encore…
Guitar Shop ruthlessly takes the p*** out of the guitar tweaky’s. And yes I am one
Yukihiro Takahashi
I found Yellow Magic Orchestra when a video of them playing on Soul Train in the USA appeared on Whistle Test. Along with the compere, I had no idea what was going on, but I soon found out. Having been listening to Akiko Yano, Takahashi’s solo albums along with pretty much anything else related to the YMO universe since then he has been responsible for some of my most pleasurable listening. There is a sense of humour to all Takahashi’s music contrasting with some of Sakamoto’s more poe faced moments. The 3 key early 80s solo albums Murdered by the Music, Neuromantic and What, Me Worry? had been given makeovers by Yoshinori Sunahara who worked with Takahashi and Towa Tei in Metafive whose mix of YMO, Talking Heads and Dee-Lite should be on your playlist today. Steve Jansen’s twitter alerted me to a new live album from 82 and 83 It’s Gonna Work Out, which sent me back to standing in revolver Records hunting out the latest import album and agonising over the £10 they wanted for it. I always gave in. This is the loss that hits me most personally…. That Soul Train performance is worth 11 minutes of your life
An early pop gem from YMO…
Metafive – Takahashi with the young folks, still ahead of his time…
Tom Verlaine
And as I was getting ready to post the piece above news arrived of the passing of Tom Verlaine… I drove my family mad learning the introduction to Marquee Moon trying to play both guitar parts. It was some time before I heard it in its full 10-minute glory without the break to flip the 7” single over. Like many I was mildly disappointed by the second album Adventure at the time, now however the more song oriented material feels like the obvious place to go after Marquee Moon. Verlaine’s solo work never got the notice it deserved. I only came across Words From The Front by accident in 1982. But Postcard From Waterloo remains a song I can go back to endlessly. So you’ll have to listen to it too.
