Music Labyrinth Episode 001
The Music Labyrinth is, quite simply, a journey without destination through music. Each waypoint on the journey will have some linkage, however tenuous, with the previous. Is there an exit? Probably not. Maybe we're just destined to roam here forever - but there are worse fates.
How do you get into a labyrinth? Well, often by accident. Sometimes without knowing. We're going to enter via the track that happened to be playing when this journey first occurred to me.
Come with me.
Track 1
"Godless" - Dandy Warhols
"Godless" is the opening track from the album Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia by the Dandy Warhols. The album was recorded in Portland, Oregon, between December 1998 and March 1999. Portland brings us immediately to a part of the Labyrinth with a huge range of choice about future direction. Its one of my favourite music cities, and I hope our journey gives us a chance to revisit.
Around the time that the Dandy Warhols were recording the song we just heard, our next band were finding their way from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to some early commercial success. One of their songs was licensed by an international hamburger franchise (the Scottish one) and used in a TV commercial. The royalties from that ad allowed James Mercer, the writer of that song, to purchase a home and relocate to Portland and become a key part of the music culture of that city. Here is that song. This is The Shins, and "New Slang".
Track 2
"New Slang" - The Shins
"New Slang" featured in the soundtrack of the 2004 movie, "Garden State". So too did this song.
Track 3
"Only Living Boy in New York" - Simon & Garfunkel
That was, of course, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel's "Only Living Boy in New York". Now, the Music Labyrinth is taking us from the sublime harmonies, to the ridiculous. Art Garfunkel has many acting credits to his name, one of which was a cameo as himself in "The Flight of the Conchords". Which opens the door for the next stop in our journey.
Track 4
"Bowie" - Flight of the Conchords
Occasionally, the Music Labyrinth will bring us to a super-room where thousands of opportunities for future direction compete for attention. We have arrived at the David Bowie super-room. I'm sure we will be back here again, and can head off in a quirky direction. But, for our first visit, lets go with the obvious, stand-out, which happens to be one of the great songs of all time.
Track 5
"Life on Mars?" - David Bowie
"Life on Mars?" was produced by Ken Scott and recorded at Trident Studios, London, in August 1971. We could do several episodes of the Music Labyrinth on Trident Studios. For example, during the same month of 1971, at the same studios, Genesis recorded the magnificent "Nursery Cryme" album - and I'm SO tempted to go there now - but there are other fascinating links to be explored. That beautiful piano on "Life on Mars?" was played by Rick Wakeman. It was played on the famous Trident studios Bechstein Grand Piano, No. 44064, which can also be heard on the Beatles' "White Album", Elton John's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", and on Carly Simon's "You're So Vain". Here it is in all its glory on another classic, also produced by Ken Scott at Trident.
Track 6
"Rudy" - Supertramp
Over the course of a long career, Supertramp's lineup has altered considerably. During the period 1986/87, and during the recording of the album, "Free As A Bird", Mark Hart was a member of the band. Four years later, Hart teamed up with Neil Finn and Nick Seymour for the Crowded House albums "Woodface" and "Together Alone". When Crowded House reformed in 2007, Hart was back and played and sang vocals on this slightly enigmatic track from "Time On Earth"
Track 7
"Transit Lounge" - Crowded House
Drums on that track were played by Matt Sherrod, who grew up in California and played music with this next artist. Sherrod is credited with playing drums on a track from a later album, but this track comes from the 1999 album, "Midnight Vultures".
Track 8
"Sexx Laws" - Beck
The British guitarist Johnny Marr contributed to "Midnight Vultures". Here he is some years earlier as a founding member of The Smiths.
Track 9
"There is a light that never goes out" - The Smiths
The Smiths were considered to be the definitive Manchester group of the 80s. The whole Manchester scene became its own genre, largely due to the successful 2002 film "24 Hour Party People". Around the time of that movie's release, another group of Manchester lads were cutting their teeth in the music scene of that city. They burst onto the international scene in 2007 with their album "The Seldom Scene Kid", but to finish this episode of the Music Labyrinth, here is my favourite track from the 2014 album "The Take Off and Landing of Everything". This is Elbow, and "Charge".
Track 1o
"Charge" - Elbow
How do you get into a labyrinth? Well, often by accident. Sometimes without knowing. We're going to enter via the track that happened to be playing when this journey first occurred to me.
Come with me.
Track 1
"Godless" - Dandy Warhols
"Godless" is the opening track from the album Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia by the Dandy Warhols. The album was recorded in Portland, Oregon, between December 1998 and March 1999. Portland brings us immediately to a part of the Labyrinth with a huge range of choice about future direction. Its one of my favourite music cities, and I hope our journey gives us a chance to revisit.
Around the time that the Dandy Warhols were recording the song we just heard, our next band were finding their way from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to some early commercial success. One of their songs was licensed by an international hamburger franchise (the Scottish one) and used in a TV commercial. The royalties from that ad allowed James Mercer, the writer of that song, to purchase a home and relocate to Portland and become a key part of the music culture of that city. Here is that song. This is The Shins, and "New Slang".
Track 2
"New Slang" - The Shins
"New Slang" featured in the soundtrack of the 2004 movie, "Garden State". So too did this song.
Track 3
"Only Living Boy in New York" - Simon & Garfunkel
That was, of course, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel's "Only Living Boy in New York". Now, the Music Labyrinth is taking us from the sublime harmonies, to the ridiculous. Art Garfunkel has many acting credits to his name, one of which was a cameo as himself in "The Flight of the Conchords". Which opens the door for the next stop in our journey.
Track 4
"Bowie" - Flight of the Conchords
Occasionally, the Music Labyrinth will bring us to a super-room where thousands of opportunities for future direction compete for attention. We have arrived at the David Bowie super-room. I'm sure we will be back here again, and can head off in a quirky direction. But, for our first visit, lets go with the obvious, stand-out, which happens to be one of the great songs of all time.
Track 5
"Life on Mars?" - David Bowie
"Life on Mars?" was produced by Ken Scott and recorded at Trident Studios, London, in August 1971. We could do several episodes of the Music Labyrinth on Trident Studios. For example, during the same month of 1971, at the same studios, Genesis recorded the magnificent "Nursery Cryme" album - and I'm SO tempted to go there now - but there are other fascinating links to be explored. That beautiful piano on "Life on Mars?" was played by Rick Wakeman. It was played on the famous Trident studios Bechstein Grand Piano, No. 44064, which can also be heard on the Beatles' "White Album", Elton John's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", and on Carly Simon's "You're So Vain". Here it is in all its glory on another classic, also produced by Ken Scott at Trident.
Track 6
"Rudy" - Supertramp
Over the course of a long career, Supertramp's lineup has altered considerably. During the period 1986/87, and during the recording of the album, "Free As A Bird", Mark Hart was a member of the band. Four years later, Hart teamed up with Neil Finn and Nick Seymour for the Crowded House albums "Woodface" and "Together Alone". When Crowded House reformed in 2007, Hart was back and played and sang vocals on this slightly enigmatic track from "Time On Earth"
Track 7
"Transit Lounge" - Crowded House
Drums on that track were played by Matt Sherrod, who grew up in California and played music with this next artist. Sherrod is credited with playing drums on a track from a later album, but this track comes from the 1999 album, "Midnight Vultures".
Track 8
"Sexx Laws" - Beck
The British guitarist Johnny Marr contributed to "Midnight Vultures". Here he is some years earlier as a founding member of The Smiths.
Track 9
"There is a light that never goes out" - The Smiths
The Smiths were considered to be the definitive Manchester group of the 80s. The whole Manchester scene became its own genre, largely due to the successful 2002 film "24 Hour Party People". Around the time of that movie's release, another group of Manchester lads were cutting their teeth in the music scene of that city. They burst onto the international scene in 2007 with their album "The Seldom Scene Kid", but to finish this episode of the Music Labyrinth, here is my favourite track from the 2014 album "The Take Off and Landing of Everything". This is Elbow, and "Charge".
Track 1o
"Charge" - Elbow