Velvets Fan

Tonight I listened to an NPR All Songs Considered podcast called Tunes That Got You Through Your Teens. I thought about the artists and songs that affected me in my teenage years. Prince's 'Purple Rain' was a memorable album, just as I hit my teens. 'When Doves Cry' was the standout track, with its sparse beat and beautiful, yet harsh, lyrics. 

I listened to bands like REM, INXS and Guns n' Roses throughout my mid-teens. 

The revelation for me came when I discovered The Velvet Underground. I think I was around 17 or 18 and I bought a Greatest Hits CD, the image of which adorns this post. It's also where I took the lead image for this site, my personal blog Velvets Fan. I remember browsing through a CD shop at the local mall and coming across this new band that I'd not heard of, or at least didn't know much about. The silver cover, even in the relatively small CD case, intrigued me and so did their story. Discovered by Andy Warhol, etc. So I bought it and proceeded to listen to it many many times over the years. It of course led me to get the rest of VU's CDs, which I devoured constantly through my late teens and early 20s. 

I still listen to the Velvets regularly, although not obsessively as in my teens.

Richard's Top 10 Songs/Concerts of 2010 (Jan - Jun)

This list, from last.fm, shows the top songs or podcast concerts I've listened to this year. Again, it's probably not entirely accurate - as Last.fm doesn't count everything. But as I scan the list, it captures my favorites.

There are 4 Jimi Hendrix songs on here, all from my favorite album of the year: Valleys of Neptune. This is a posthumous album that was only released in March this year. The title track is amazing and I'm sure I've listened to it more than the 35 times listed :)

I was really into Band of Skulls for a time, although I have to say I haven't listened to them lately.

There are two wonderful live shows listed here: #2, Smith Westerns live at SXSW; and #5, Joseph Arthur, recorded by KEXP this year. I have listened to both shows over and over. Alas I didn't catch Smith Westerns live when I was at SXSW, but the show was thankfully recorded by NPR. Simply put, it re-established my faith in romantically-charged garage-y rock n' roll. It's loose, energetic, harmonic, youthful guitar rock. And who can resist dreamy romantic lustful lyrics like this? (I can't)

Oh, yeah-- I wanna take you home
Oh don't you know, oh don't you know
You keep runnin' through my dreams
Just be my girl
Out there in this world
Be my girl
Out there in this world

Oh, damn-- I love the way you taste
Oh don't you know, oh don't you know
You keep runnin' through my dreams
Just be my girl
Out there in this world
Be my girl
Out there in this world

Joseph Arthur's live show was notable for employing loops to record various guitar and drum sounds live on stage. He also sung and painted at the same time. It was a wonderful solo performance, with lovely lyrics and hauntingly beautiful music.

Richard's Top 10 Music Artists for 2010 (Jan - Jun)

According to last.fm, these were the artists I listened to the most in the first half of this year. It's not completely accurate, as not all of what I listen to flows through Last.FM's Audioscrobbler. But it's good enough.

I have had big Miles Davis and Jimi Hendrix benders this year. Miles more so in the first few months and Jimi in the past few months (if you add together #2 and #10, then Jimi is only a bit behind Miles). Both were incredibly inventive musicians, each with a unique individuality that was and still is incomparable. Ironically though, both were very similar artists. I's aplenty.

Wilco is at number 3, a) because they are a great band and eclectically brilliant, and b) because I saw them play live in Wellington earlier this year. Band of Skulls (#6) is another band I saw live, in Austin at SXSW - I saw them twice.