Glass Harp was an interesting band, Keaggy was a blazingly fast electric lead player for that time (not even counting he's missing a finger on his picking hand). It wasn't until maybe Al Dimeola later in the 70's that other players caught up with him. I saw a video clip on the net a while back, confirmed a rumor I had heard but didn't really believe myself...Jimi Hendrix was a guest on Johnny Carson and was asked something like "How does it feel to be the best guitar player" and Hendrix says like "Why don't you ask Phil Keaggy?". If you've ever heard any Glass Harp, you could appreciate the compliment based on technical ability even if Keaggy's career detour as an early "Christian Rock" player kind of capped his public exposure.
I could very happily eat organic food pellets to this music...they were great opening for Clapton, especially from the third row center (talk about hitting the LiveNation online lottery).
If Sam Phillips ever unleashed her voice completely, it'd generate enough power to light Australia for a year. I love how she chooses to restrain her vocals (unlike certain divas like Mariah, Celine, and Michael Bolton, who don't understand the "less is more" concept), which adds impact and depth to whatever she's singing. Love her music.
The perfect "bon mot" to this enchanting, haunting piece, God rest your soul Ms. C.
I remember the first time I heard "The Turning" and thought there was actually some hope for contemporary christian music to be, well, "art" if I may be so bold. But Leslie walked away from that, went deeper (I suspect) into the mystery of life rechristened (her idea? TBone's?) as Sam. Super clever given the name space collision with the previously noted early rock producer. I followed her lead eventually; so far it looks to me like her intuitions and courage about the bigger picture were spot on. Also had the privilege of seeing Sam open for Bruce Cockburn, I think it was on the "Burning Light" tour, very enjoyable performances.
After a quick glance at the more recent comments, I wonder if people are more into Elliott Smith as a tragic figure than an artist. I know I used to be when I first started listening to him, but I feel confident in saying that he was extraordinarily expressive for a pop musician. His life difficulties no doubt informed his expression enormously, but his ability to bring out human emotion in music was unique. From what I understand, he worked very hard at what he did. He wrote his accompaniment first, and then, from those chord progressions, chiseled his melodies free as if from stone, creating songs that organically emerged from his harmonies. He also played with our ears, able to make a song written in a major key sound like it was written in minor. Talk about expressive. He was able to take a sound that is strongly associated with happiness, joy, and triumph in our culture, and then turn it into something that sounded sad, anxious, and dark, as though it were in a minor key. No small feat. He then added lyrics that aptly complimented the emotions already presented perfectly in his music. He deeply thought about what he was doing and, it seems, went at it with a strong eye for purpose and deliberation. The man was a true artist, working in a medium he loved. Despite his many sad songs, I often experience joy when listening to him because I find his work so beautiful. Just wonderful stuff, in my thinking anyway.
Very well said, kudos for sharing your very interesting insights. I watched Good Will Hunting with my (grown) kids a few weeks ago and some of his soundtrack tunes were so compellingly emotional and appropriate for the complexities of the characters that I was a little awestruck.
Yes, I also find a lot of music here that I did not get to hear in the "dry 90's/oughts" when there didn't seem to be any radio stations without screaming, mindless DJs and equally mindless music. However I was lucky in the 60's, 70's and 80's to listen to excellent FM radio, yet Bill & Rebecca still play stuff from those time periods I've never even heard. What a treasure this station is!
Echoing your sentiments 100%. I owe my middle-aged musical re-education to Bill and Rebecca. It was like I returned from a 30 year space voyage at age 50 and someone handed me a digital thingie and said "all the best music made since you left, and before that, is on this--we were only allowed to transmit you crap voted in by TMZ fans from a corporate approved list while you were in transit". And they were right.
If I recall correctly, the original vinyl album came with a large booklet, maybe 16 or so pages, printed on this luxurious textured paper with beautiful photos of all the players and some comments from JM on their history, styles, and so on. I pawed through that little glimpse of "real musicians" avidly then stupidly cut it up and tacked the pictures to the walls of my bedroom. Hey I was like 13, cut me some slack, I didn't understand that 35 years later I'd wish I'd left it intact.
Rock-ribbed libertarian Society for Creative Anachronism salt of the earth shroomster "Big Bang Theory" fans if ever there were. Dr. Everett would be proud, depending perhaps on which world he was observing their creative output within.
Or as they once referred to it themselves in a late 70's Rolling Stone interview, "Happy Horseshit". Nothing wrong with some nice road apples to add character to the journey of life.
Nice ethereal, atmospheric arrangement, reminds me a bit of his (or his producers?) reverb master-class called "Be Here Now"...great tone on the guitar parts, kind of Neil Young crunchy but smoother.
sure, with a little help from his friend and co writer Jeff LYNNE ! A great man, to much under rated ...
The Tom Petty documentary I watched on Netflix several months ago was quite a time investment at four hours (!) but I enjoyed every minute of it and recommend it highly. Part two (2nd half) has some footage from the Wilburys period that gave me goosebumps.
Things are going to slide in all directions Won't be nothing Nothing you can measure anymore The blizzard of the world has crossed the threshold and it has overturned the order of the soul
Sweet tune, Mike B. must have been so proud of his son...how could you not be. Great band overall of course, I would not want to diminish their collective contributions.
Right now the little town I've lived in for 28 years and in which I'm deeply involved is undergoing one of those periodic spasms that seem to plague little towns in the Old South. This time the chosen hate targets are Hispanic immigrants. The meanspiritedness of the rhetoric makes even the ugliest of sentiments in these pages pale in comparison. It is during times like these that I treasure Bill's clear-eyed sense of music's magic, its gift for distilling the essence of what is best in all of us. This set is emblematic of that.
Very interesting personal observation, thanks for sharing that. I guess on that level, Bill's (and his lovely companion's) personal values and tastes are part of the beauty that draws us here. Wow, nice segue to Plant and Krause. Interesting that Joni M's arrangements and T-Bone Burnett's impeccable production flow that well together.
The perfect "bon mot" to this enchanting, haunting piece, God rest your soul Ms. C.
I remember the first time I heard "The Turning" and thought there was actually some hope for contemporary christian music to be, well, "art" if I may be so bold. But Leslie walked away from that, went deeper (I suspect) into the mystery of life rechristened (her idea? TBone's?) as Sam. Super clever given the name space collision with the previously noted early rock producer. I followed her lead eventually; so far it looks to me like her intuitions and courage about the bigger picture were spot on. Also had the privilege of seeing Sam open for Bruce Cockburn, I think it was on the "Burning Light" tour, very enjoyable performances.
Very well said, kudos for sharing your very interesting insights. I watched Good Will Hunting with my (grown) kids a few weeks ago and some of his soundtrack tunes were so compellingly emotional and appropriate for the complexities of the characters that I was a little awestruck.
Yes, I also find a lot of music here that I did not get to hear in the "dry 90's/oughts" when there didn't seem to be any radio stations without screaming, mindless DJs and equally mindless music. However I was lucky in the 60's, 70's and 80's to listen to excellent FM radio, yet Bill & Rebecca still play stuff from those time periods I've never even heard. What a treasure this station is!
Echoing your sentiments 100%. I owe my middle-aged musical re-education to Bill and Rebecca. It was like I returned from a 30 year space voyage at age 50 and someone handed me a digital thingie and said "all the best music made since you left, and before that, is on this--we were only allowed to transmit you crap voted in by TMZ fans from a corporate approved list while you were in transit". And they were right.
Rock-ribbed libertarian Society for Creative Anachronism salt of the earth shroomster "Big Bang Theory" fans if ever there were. Dr. Everett would be proud, depending perhaps on which world he was observing their creative output within.
Rest in peace C.
Shout out to Curtis B. in Arizona who just linked to this song and RP on his Facebook page...
Duly reported to Homeland Security just in case you ever might decide to use it for purposes of inflicting emotional harm on a TSA staffer.
sure, with a little help from his friend and co writer Jeff LYNNE ! A great man, to much under rated ...
The Tom Petty documentary I watched on Netflix several months ago was quite a time investment at four hours (!) but I enjoyed every minute of it and recommend it highly. Part two (2nd half) has some footage from the Wilburys period that gave me goosebumps.
Things are going to slide in all directions
Won't be nothing
Nothing you can measure anymore
The blizzard of the world has crossed the threshold
and it has overturned the order of the soul
RIP Mr. Cohen
Solomon Burke - None Of Us Are Free
Elvis Costello - Peace, Love and Understanding
Youngbloods - Get Together
Right now the little town I've lived in for 28 years and in which I'm deeply involved is undergoing one of those periodic spasms that seem to plague little towns in the Old South. This time the chosen hate targets are Hispanic immigrants. The meanspiritedness of the rhetoric makes even the ugliest of sentiments in these pages pale in comparison. It is during times like these that I treasure Bill's clear-eyed sense of music's magic, its gift for distilling the essence of what is best in all of us. This set is emblematic of that.
Very interesting personal observation, thanks for sharing that. I guess on that level, Bill's (and his lovely companion's) personal values and tastes are part of the beauty that draws us here. Wow, nice segue to Plant and Krause. Interesting that Joni M's arrangements and T-Bone Burnett's impeccable production flow that well together.