Musical meme

A fellow blogger, Miguel, threw me a virtual challenge to put an alphabetical list together of some my key musical groups that have resonated in my life.

It still has a few gaps (my music collection is largely in boxes in my brother's attic). But the list so far takes you from the indy days of my 6th form (Stone Roses), to the hippy flashbacks and Scottish folky moments of University (Joni and Old Blind Dogs), the jazzy brixton beats of London (Linton Kwesi Johnson and Daara J) to the latest Bolivian and Latin influences (Autenticos Decadentes and Papirri)

Autenticos Decadentes, Astor Piazolla

Old Blind Dogs, Buena Vista Social Club, Badly Drawn Boy, Barely Works

Willy Claure, Terry Callier

Nick Drake, Daara J

Eva Cassidy

Alistair Fraser

Gilberto Gil, Gil Scott Heron

Sweet Honey in the Rock

Joni Mitchell, Keith Jarrett, John Martyn, Jeff Buckley, Barb Jungr

Kate Rusby, Kathryn Williams

Linton Kwesi Jonson

Manu Chao, Massive Attack, Taj Mahal

Nitin Sawnhey, Nina Simone

Orishas

Papirri, Michel Pettruciani, Pogues

Regina Carter, Ruben Gonzalez

Stone Roses, Susheela Rahman, Steel Eye Span

Thelonius Monk, Tarras, Toumani Diabiate

U2

Pirai Vaca

Waterboys, Tom Waits

I throw the challenge onwards to Julian Jacobs, Lindsay Simmonds, and James Stewart.

Comments

[Miguel (MABB)]

What a coincidence, guess where my collection of music lies?

Yes, in bro's attick too.

Now that we are in the topic, can you tell us what are some good folk groups or single acts from where you come from?

I am avid listener of all kinds of music. The idea that I have about English folk music is either Scottish or Celtic. I never heard, for example Welsh. Thanks.

[salman]

nick

Please tell me that U2 slipped into that list out of an affinity for Bono and his support for world development as opposed to, well, how can I put this in a neutral and inoffensive way, a shameful and cataclysmic (sp?) decline in aural sensibilities that mocks the integrity of your existence.

Yeh, that's about right. Don't think I overstated my concerns.

salman

[salman]

p.s.

For U:
there was a somewhat decent band in the '60s called the velvet Underground, and then there is Ustad Ali Khan, the Undertones...

thought Christele and I would fill in some further gaps. Soon Louis' grasp of the alphabet will surpass yours...

[Louis is Nick's Faery son/godson]

E:
Ella Fitzgerald
Cesario Evora

I:
Ibrahim Ferrer

Q, Miles Davis Quintet (I know, I know....bit of a cheat)

X: Sorry - I'm stumped!
but then since you had U2, maybe I could have:

"the theme from Xena Warrior Princess" - it's about the same artistic level
p.s. Christele does not condone this statement

Y:
Neil Young

Z:
Aziza Mustafa Zadeh - saw her at Queen's Hall

Psycho Zydeco
[Bannerman's Edin Fest seven years ago - with washboard!]

[Nick]

I forgot that my site might be spotted by musical snobs. The truth is that I have had enough of Bono's attempts to snuggle up to Republicans. I am unashamed to claim that there are a few of U2's songs (like 'One' which captures memories of my first music festival and hanging out in school corridors when I was 16, and 'Walk on" which freezes my final days working at Jubilee 2000) which have resonated for various reasons.

Still I'd like to know what you liked when you were 16 - I wouldn't rule out the possibility that perhaps you even bought a single of Europe's "Final Countdown."

BTW despite your musical fascism I quite like the rest of your options for filling in my alphabet. I think I should put down more than one option down as I seem to have lots of Bs and Ds in my musical life.

[salman]

Hi Nick

seems that I hit a nerve that I was not aiming for. 'twas just in jest as any of these 'lists' tend to be.

I saw Psycho Zydeco but once and thus they, for intance, do not constitute a 'musical influence' -nor does Ustad Ali Khan as I don't have any of his music - but I was just filling in the blanks on the alphabetical list (as it was fun), being overtly OTT in my reference to U2 (as it was fun) and saying 'hi'.

lots of love
sal

[Sarah]

Sal, you are right, that 'Q' is a cheat. Why not have Queen'? According to the BBC, this is the 30th anniversary of Bohemian Rhapsody, which you have to admit is a great song.

I'm proud to say that I never liked U2, not even when I was a teenager. I would put Undertones instead.