Music Labyrinth Episode 060
Movin’ On Up / Primal Scream
Hello Listener, and welcome to episode 60 of The Music Labyrinth. Now, traditionally, 60 is about limits: seconds in a minute; seconds in a degree; minutes in an hour; motor vehicle speeds; and so on. 60 even limits achievement in World of Warcraft, being the highest level attainable. Well, here at The Music Labyrinth, we’re having none of that. In mathematics 60 is a unitary perfect number, and unitary perfection is (I’m sure) what we strive for here. So, lets get on with delivery of more unitary perfection in episode 60. We commenced this episode where we left off the last, and that is with Primal Scream’s 1991 hit Movin’ On Up. The song comes from Primal Scream’s album Screamadelica. The cover art for the Screamadelica album was painted by Paul Cannell and was inspired by a damp water spot he had seen on the ceiling of the offices of Creation Records in the course of an LSD trip. In 2010, England’s Royal Mail Service commissioned a set of classic British album cover postage stamps, and Cannell’s cover for Screamadelica was selected for that series. Also part of that series of postage stamps was the cover art of the 1983 New Order album Power, Corruption & Lies (which is a lovely still-life image of some roses in a basket. Its worth a trip to Googleland…). Here is New Order, with the opening track of that album. This is Age Of Consent.
Age Of Consent / New Order
Welcome back to The Music Labyrinth where we last heard, from 1983, New Order with Age Of Consent. We arrived at that song by way of the album art work, which has an additional unusual feature about it. It contains a coloured chequered pattern at the top right of the image, which is a colour code designed by the graphic artist Peter Saville, and it represents the album catalogue number “FACT75”. Any fans of the output of Real World Records will recognise the colour code which is - effectively - the Real World logo. Which is probably how and why Peter Saville came to be heavily involved in the cover art for the album from which this next track originates. Say Hi to a VERY good friend of The Music Labyrinth!
Big Time / Peter Gabriel
Of course that was Peter Gabriel on The Music Labyrinth with Big Time, from his 1986 album So. Backing vocals on that song were performed by PP Arnold, who has an interesting and tragic life story. PP Arnold began her career as a member of Ike and Tina Turner’s Ikette’s. She then embarked on a successful solo career and moved to London. In the mid 1970s her daughter was killed in a motor vehicle crash, and PP Arnold withdrew from public life. In 1983 she commenced a return to work in the music industry, only to be involved in a vehicle crash herself and badly injure her legs. PP Arnold was surviving by doing sessions for advertising jingles until she was engaged by Peter Gabriel for the recording sessions which led to the So album, and her singing career resumed track. In 1997 she was engaged by the British band Ocean Colour Scene, and she can be heard singing on this track. This is Travellers Tune.
Travellers Tune / Ocean Colour Scheme
From their 1997 album Marchin’ Already, that was Ocean Colour Scene with Travellers Tune. When Marchin’ Already knocked the Oasis album Be Here Now off the top spot in the UK album charts, Noel Gallagher allegedly sent the band a plaque calling them the second best band in Britain. Steve Craddock of Ocean Colour Scene famously retorted that it was an honour to be described as Britain’s second bast band, ahead of Oasis but behind The Beatles. Several years earlier, Simon Fowler and Steve Craddock of OCS played on Paul Weller’s Wild Wood, on which this track appears.
The Weaver / Paul Weller
You are back in The Music Labyrinth where we find ourselves in Act III of this particular episode. When the synopsis of this episode is written, this will be known as the Workers’ Battle Against Oppression Section - for reasons that will become obvious. From his 1993 album Wild Wood, we last listened to Good Friend Of The Music Labyrinth, Paul Welller with The Weaver. In an earlier incarnation, Paul Weller had been one of the two driving forces behind The Style Council, which just gives me an opportunity to crank out a favourite tune. Here is The Big Boss Groove.
The Big Boss Groove / Style Council
Originally released as the B side to their 1984 single You’re the Best Thing, that was The Style Council with the stylish and slightly bolshi Big Boss Groove. As you no doubt gathered, that song concerns itself with workers collectives standing up to capitalist corporate clout. Sixteen years later, it appears that similar sentiments persisted in good old England (and elsewhere for that matter) as is evidenced by this track from Placebo. This is Slave To The Wage.
Slave To The Wage / Placebo
From the millennium year, that was Placebo with Slave To The Wage. Now, I know you were listening closely, Attentive Listener, and that you will not have missed the reference to Bob Dylan’s Maggie’s Farm in the lyrics of that last song. Hooray! Well done! We’re going to listen to Maggie’s Farm right now, but not Mr Dylan’s version. Also in the year 2000, this next band took the sardonic, angst-ridden lyrics of Maggie’s Farm, and - through arrangement and performance - added a whole new level of scorn to the song. I think this is my favourite version of Maggie’s Farm. This is Rage Against The Machine.
Maggie’s Farm / Rage Against The Machine
Here we all are in The Music Labyrinth where we last listened to Maggie’s Farm by Rage Against The Machine. Tom Morello’s terrific guitar riff which just features throughout that song has become an addendum to the end of this next track whenever it is performed live. To demonstrate that fact, I have selected a 2008 live version of Map Of The Problematique by Muse.
Map Of The Problematique (live) / Muse
Did you catch that nod to Rage Against The Machine at the end of Muse’s Map Of The Problematique? Guitar on that live track was played by Muse’s musical genius Matt Bellamy, who’s father George Bellamy was a guitarist in the 60s instrumental group The Tornadoes. They had a hit in 1962 with this tune, Telstar.
Telstar / The Tornadoes
That was The Tornadoes with Telstar, featuring George Bellamy on guitar. Telstar was written and produced by Joe Meek, who is one of music’s fascinating and tragic figures, so much so that his life has been the subject of two documentary films, a radio play, a stage play and a feature film. Meek is regarded as one of the greatest music producers and sound engineers of all time, pioneering overdubbing, sampling and the use of reverberation. He was so influential that he became recognised for his individual identity as a musical artist, even though his contributions to music were always in the application of technology. He did not play or sing on any of the tracks with which he is credited. I think his capacity as a producer shines through in this next track which was recorded and released in 1966, but sounds like it came out last week. This is The Riot Squad with I Take It That We’re Through.
I Take It That We’re Through / The Riot Squad
From 1966, and produced by Joe Meek, that was The Riot Squad with I Take It That We’re Through. An early member of The Riot Squad was a 20 year old David Jones who was yet to change his name to David Bowie and release his first solo album. And so, here we are back in the David Bowie Super-room of The Music Labyrinth, and I can throw a dart at a long list of my favourite Bowie tunes. Oh! Look where its landed!
Modern Love / David Bowie
Welcome back to episode 60 of The Music Labyrinth as we commence Act V which, when the synopsis is written, be known as the Reeves Gabrels section. More on that shortly. In 1989 David Bowie could not be famouser, so what does he do? He joines a band! He joined up with Reeves Gabrels, and the brothers Tony and Hunt Sales, to form Tin Machine. Here they are with Under The God.
Under The God / Tin Machine
From 1989, that was Tin Machine with Under The God. As mentioned earlier, Tin Machine’s guitarist was Reeves Gabrels, who has had a lengthy career as a musician, both as a member of bands and as a solo artist in his own right. Here he is from 2005 with Sign From God.
Sign From God / Reeves Gabrels
From his 2005 album Rockonica, that was Reeves Gabrels with Sign From God. Late in his career, Gabrels became a full time member of The Cure, and the genesis of that relationship can be traced back to 1997 when he guested on one track on The Cure album Galore. You’ll hear Gabrels guitar quite prominently, which is unusual for a Cure track, on this next tune. This is The Cure with Wrong Number.
Wrong Number / The Cure
Thanks for coming back to The Music Labyrinth where we last listened to The Cure with Wrong Number. Long time guitarist for The Cure (1983-1994 / 2006-2010) was the English musician and visual artist, Porl, or Pearl, Thompson. However, Thompson also participated in plenty of other projects and acts. In 2002, he teamed up with Robert Plant for his album Dreamland. From that album, this is Darkness Darkness.
Darkness, Darkness / Robert Plant
From the 2002 album Dreamland, that was Robert Plant with Darkness Darkness. That song was written by Jesse Colin Young of The Youngbloods. Now, you may not recognise those names, but I suspect you have heard this massive hit for The Youngbloods from 1967.
Get Together / The Youngbloods
This is the penultimate Act of this production of The Music Labyrinth, and we arrived here after listening to Get Together by The Youngbloods. That song was covered by The Indigo Girls for a 1989 compilation album called “The Wonder Years: Music From the Emmy Award Winning Show And Its Era”. Also featured on that compilation album was this song by The Escape Club.
Twentieth Century Fox / The Escape Club
That was Twentieth Century Fox by The Escape Club, a cover of the original song by The Doors which appeared on their famous eponymous album. The opening track of that album was this one.
Break On Through (To The Other Side) / The Doors
That was The Doors on The Music Labyrinth with Break On Through (To The Other Side). The opening bars of that song contain a sample of the opening bars of Ray Charles’ What’d I Say. However, rather than playing you the original version of What’d I Say by the great Ray Charles, I found this interesting version by the American jazz-rock guitarist John Scofield on a 2005 album called Thats What I Say: John Scofield Plays the Music of Ray Charles. On this track, John Scofield is assisted by a handful of well known artists. I’ll let you play guessing games and reveal who they are at the end of the track.
What’d I Say / John Scofield (feat. Warren Haynes, Dr John, John Mayer, Aaron Neville and Mavis Staples. *Please note - I could not locate this version on Spotify, so the Spotify playlist for this episode contains Mr Charles’ version. Sorry.
Welcome back. This is the final Act of the production that is episode 60 of The Music Labyrinth and, when the synopsis is written, this will be known forever more as The Twang Section. We last listened to What’d I Say by John Scofield - who was ably assisted in that version by Aaron Neville, Dr John, Mavis Staples, Warren Haynes and John Mayer. So, lets stay with John Mayer. From his 2012 album Born and Raised, this is the title track.
Born and Raised / John Mayer
From 2012, that was John Mayer with Born and Raised. John Mayer was assisted with vocals and guitar on that track by David Crosby who, despite a long and somewhat adventurous career in the public eye, is still making lots of new music. So lets stay with Mr Crosby as we end this episode of The Music Labyrinth. Thanks very much for your company tonight, and please bring some friends along when we do it again in a fortnight. I’ve managed to find what I think is a ripper to take us out tonight. In 2015 David Crosby guested on Shawn Calvin’s album Uncovered. Here they both are with a song you will recognise. Enjoy this - and I defy you not to sing along!
Baker Street / Shawn Colvin (feat. David Crosby)
Hello Listener, and welcome to episode 60 of The Music Labyrinth. Now, traditionally, 60 is about limits: seconds in a minute; seconds in a degree; minutes in an hour; motor vehicle speeds; and so on. 60 even limits achievement in World of Warcraft, being the highest level attainable. Well, here at The Music Labyrinth, we’re having none of that. In mathematics 60 is a unitary perfect number, and unitary perfection is (I’m sure) what we strive for here. So, lets get on with delivery of more unitary perfection in episode 60. We commenced this episode where we left off the last, and that is with Primal Scream’s 1991 hit Movin’ On Up. The song comes from Primal Scream’s album Screamadelica. The cover art for the Screamadelica album was painted by Paul Cannell and was inspired by a damp water spot he had seen on the ceiling of the offices of Creation Records in the course of an LSD trip. In 2010, England’s Royal Mail Service commissioned a set of classic British album cover postage stamps, and Cannell’s cover for Screamadelica was selected for that series. Also part of that series of postage stamps was the cover art of the 1983 New Order album Power, Corruption & Lies (which is a lovely still-life image of some roses in a basket. Its worth a trip to Googleland…). Here is New Order, with the opening track of that album. This is Age Of Consent.
Age Of Consent / New Order
Welcome back to The Music Labyrinth where we last heard, from 1983, New Order with Age Of Consent. We arrived at that song by way of the album art work, which has an additional unusual feature about it. It contains a coloured chequered pattern at the top right of the image, which is a colour code designed by the graphic artist Peter Saville, and it represents the album catalogue number “FACT75”. Any fans of the output of Real World Records will recognise the colour code which is - effectively - the Real World logo. Which is probably how and why Peter Saville came to be heavily involved in the cover art for the album from which this next track originates. Say Hi to a VERY good friend of The Music Labyrinth!
Big Time / Peter Gabriel
Of course that was Peter Gabriel on The Music Labyrinth with Big Time, from his 1986 album So. Backing vocals on that song were performed by PP Arnold, who has an interesting and tragic life story. PP Arnold began her career as a member of Ike and Tina Turner’s Ikette’s. She then embarked on a successful solo career and moved to London. In the mid 1970s her daughter was killed in a motor vehicle crash, and PP Arnold withdrew from public life. In 1983 she commenced a return to work in the music industry, only to be involved in a vehicle crash herself and badly injure her legs. PP Arnold was surviving by doing sessions for advertising jingles until she was engaged by Peter Gabriel for the recording sessions which led to the So album, and her singing career resumed track. In 1997 she was engaged by the British band Ocean Colour Scene, and she can be heard singing on this track. This is Travellers Tune.
Travellers Tune / Ocean Colour Scheme
From their 1997 album Marchin’ Already, that was Ocean Colour Scene with Travellers Tune. When Marchin’ Already knocked the Oasis album Be Here Now off the top spot in the UK album charts, Noel Gallagher allegedly sent the band a plaque calling them the second best band in Britain. Steve Craddock of Ocean Colour Scene famously retorted that it was an honour to be described as Britain’s second bast band, ahead of Oasis but behind The Beatles. Several years earlier, Simon Fowler and Steve Craddock of OCS played on Paul Weller’s Wild Wood, on which this track appears.
The Weaver / Paul Weller
You are back in The Music Labyrinth where we find ourselves in Act III of this particular episode. When the synopsis of this episode is written, this will be known as the Workers’ Battle Against Oppression Section - for reasons that will become obvious. From his 1993 album Wild Wood, we last listened to Good Friend Of The Music Labyrinth, Paul Welller with The Weaver. In an earlier incarnation, Paul Weller had been one of the two driving forces behind The Style Council, which just gives me an opportunity to crank out a favourite tune. Here is The Big Boss Groove.
The Big Boss Groove / Style Council
Originally released as the B side to their 1984 single You’re the Best Thing, that was The Style Council with the stylish and slightly bolshi Big Boss Groove. As you no doubt gathered, that song concerns itself with workers collectives standing up to capitalist corporate clout. Sixteen years later, it appears that similar sentiments persisted in good old England (and elsewhere for that matter) as is evidenced by this track from Placebo. This is Slave To The Wage.
Slave To The Wage / Placebo
From the millennium year, that was Placebo with Slave To The Wage. Now, I know you were listening closely, Attentive Listener, and that you will not have missed the reference to Bob Dylan’s Maggie’s Farm in the lyrics of that last song. Hooray! Well done! We’re going to listen to Maggie’s Farm right now, but not Mr Dylan’s version. Also in the year 2000, this next band took the sardonic, angst-ridden lyrics of Maggie’s Farm, and - through arrangement and performance - added a whole new level of scorn to the song. I think this is my favourite version of Maggie’s Farm. This is Rage Against The Machine.
Maggie’s Farm / Rage Against The Machine
Here we all are in The Music Labyrinth where we last listened to Maggie’s Farm by Rage Against The Machine. Tom Morello’s terrific guitar riff which just features throughout that song has become an addendum to the end of this next track whenever it is performed live. To demonstrate that fact, I have selected a 2008 live version of Map Of The Problematique by Muse.
Map Of The Problematique (live) / Muse
Did you catch that nod to Rage Against The Machine at the end of Muse’s Map Of The Problematique? Guitar on that live track was played by Muse’s musical genius Matt Bellamy, who’s father George Bellamy was a guitarist in the 60s instrumental group The Tornadoes. They had a hit in 1962 with this tune, Telstar.
Telstar / The Tornadoes
That was The Tornadoes with Telstar, featuring George Bellamy on guitar. Telstar was written and produced by Joe Meek, who is one of music’s fascinating and tragic figures, so much so that his life has been the subject of two documentary films, a radio play, a stage play and a feature film. Meek is regarded as one of the greatest music producers and sound engineers of all time, pioneering overdubbing, sampling and the use of reverberation. He was so influential that he became recognised for his individual identity as a musical artist, even though his contributions to music were always in the application of technology. He did not play or sing on any of the tracks with which he is credited. I think his capacity as a producer shines through in this next track which was recorded and released in 1966, but sounds like it came out last week. This is The Riot Squad with I Take It That We’re Through.
I Take It That We’re Through / The Riot Squad
From 1966, and produced by Joe Meek, that was The Riot Squad with I Take It That We’re Through. An early member of The Riot Squad was a 20 year old David Jones who was yet to change his name to David Bowie and release his first solo album. And so, here we are back in the David Bowie Super-room of The Music Labyrinth, and I can throw a dart at a long list of my favourite Bowie tunes. Oh! Look where its landed!
Modern Love / David Bowie
Welcome back to episode 60 of The Music Labyrinth as we commence Act V which, when the synopsis is written, be known as the Reeves Gabrels section. More on that shortly. In 1989 David Bowie could not be famouser, so what does he do? He joines a band! He joined up with Reeves Gabrels, and the brothers Tony and Hunt Sales, to form Tin Machine. Here they are with Under The God.
Under The God / Tin Machine
From 1989, that was Tin Machine with Under The God. As mentioned earlier, Tin Machine’s guitarist was Reeves Gabrels, who has had a lengthy career as a musician, both as a member of bands and as a solo artist in his own right. Here he is from 2005 with Sign From God.
Sign From God / Reeves Gabrels
From his 2005 album Rockonica, that was Reeves Gabrels with Sign From God. Late in his career, Gabrels became a full time member of The Cure, and the genesis of that relationship can be traced back to 1997 when he guested on one track on The Cure album Galore. You’ll hear Gabrels guitar quite prominently, which is unusual for a Cure track, on this next tune. This is The Cure with Wrong Number.
Wrong Number / The Cure
Thanks for coming back to The Music Labyrinth where we last listened to The Cure with Wrong Number. Long time guitarist for The Cure (1983-1994 / 2006-2010) was the English musician and visual artist, Porl, or Pearl, Thompson. However, Thompson also participated in plenty of other projects and acts. In 2002, he teamed up with Robert Plant for his album Dreamland. From that album, this is Darkness Darkness.
Darkness, Darkness / Robert Plant
From the 2002 album Dreamland, that was Robert Plant with Darkness Darkness. That song was written by Jesse Colin Young of The Youngbloods. Now, you may not recognise those names, but I suspect you have heard this massive hit for The Youngbloods from 1967.
Get Together / The Youngbloods
This is the penultimate Act of this production of The Music Labyrinth, and we arrived here after listening to Get Together by The Youngbloods. That song was covered by The Indigo Girls for a 1989 compilation album called “The Wonder Years: Music From the Emmy Award Winning Show And Its Era”. Also featured on that compilation album was this song by The Escape Club.
Twentieth Century Fox / The Escape Club
That was Twentieth Century Fox by The Escape Club, a cover of the original song by The Doors which appeared on their famous eponymous album. The opening track of that album was this one.
Break On Through (To The Other Side) / The Doors
That was The Doors on The Music Labyrinth with Break On Through (To The Other Side). The opening bars of that song contain a sample of the opening bars of Ray Charles’ What’d I Say. However, rather than playing you the original version of What’d I Say by the great Ray Charles, I found this interesting version by the American jazz-rock guitarist John Scofield on a 2005 album called Thats What I Say: John Scofield Plays the Music of Ray Charles. On this track, John Scofield is assisted by a handful of well known artists. I’ll let you play guessing games and reveal who they are at the end of the track.
What’d I Say / John Scofield (feat. Warren Haynes, Dr John, John Mayer, Aaron Neville and Mavis Staples. *Please note - I could not locate this version on Spotify, so the Spotify playlist for this episode contains Mr Charles’ version. Sorry.
Welcome back. This is the final Act of the production that is episode 60 of The Music Labyrinth and, when the synopsis is written, this will be known forever more as The Twang Section. We last listened to What’d I Say by John Scofield - who was ably assisted in that version by Aaron Neville, Dr John, Mavis Staples, Warren Haynes and John Mayer. So, lets stay with John Mayer. From his 2012 album Born and Raised, this is the title track.
Born and Raised / John Mayer
From 2012, that was John Mayer with Born and Raised. John Mayer was assisted with vocals and guitar on that track by David Crosby who, despite a long and somewhat adventurous career in the public eye, is still making lots of new music. So lets stay with Mr Crosby as we end this episode of The Music Labyrinth. Thanks very much for your company tonight, and please bring some friends along when we do it again in a fortnight. I’ve managed to find what I think is a ripper to take us out tonight. In 2015 David Crosby guested on Shawn Calvin’s album Uncovered. Here they both are with a song you will recognise. Enjoy this - and I defy you not to sing along!
Baker Street / Shawn Colvin (feat. David Crosby)