Sorry folks. I have a deadline to meet for a doll I am making so really have no time to blog this week. I've found something for you to read though from today's Observer - number 29 in the 50 key events in rock history.
And along with something to read is something to look at and listen to.
Breaking news - I've managed to ween myself off listening to Bruce ALL the time. I've found out there is stuff on my iPod that I don't even know!! The Gaga album is ace.
And finally here's a picture of the last doll I made
It's Claudio Sanchez from a band called Coheed and Cambria.
So someone has copied Lady Gaga Born This Way for me. I know I know - it's not strictly above board - well not at all above board, but as I probably wouldn't have bought the CD myself, I'm not actually doing any body out of any royalties.
I'd like to say I really enjoy today's chart music but apart from one or two tracks I don't care for it. I try to listen though from time to time just to keep my ear in. I have a fear of getting behind the times. I come across people, many who are a good few years younger than me, who don't have a mobile phone or don't use the internet and even one or two people who don't use a credit card and I can't believe they admit to this. Why would you want to live in the middle ages?
I have wrinkles, aches, pains and my hair is going grey but I try to keep my brain up to date. It's getting increasingly difficult. Nowadays my head is so full when one bit of info goes in another has to leave to make way.
Anyway I do computers, smart phones, MP3 players etc so I think I'm keeping up quite well but... Lady Gaga? I don't have any track listings - any info at all - so just put the CD in and off we went. Well I'd like to be able to tell you that I love the album but I'm not sure if I really do. It's OK but I wonder if I am forcing myself to listen because I don't want to feel old.
I knew Clarence was playing on one of the tracks - didn't know which one. There is one song though I have played a good few times - yep really love this one. Surprise surprise it has saxophone on it and yes there's the Big Man. Here it is from The American Idol finale
Back to more usual stuff. On Friday we, along with a few hundred other middle aged music lovers, went to see Nils Logfren in Bradford. It was more or less that same show we saw last year, and although I enjoyed it more this time, I don't think we would have gone if we had realised we had seen it before. I recognised more of the songs this time but as I have mentioned before I'm not so keen on long guitar solos. This is a problem when you go to see Nils because most of the audience are waiting for ... the long guitar solos!
Of course he did Because The Night but I'm a bit bored with this at the moment. A request for If I Should Fall Behind was a surprise. This is one of the songs that Mike would like to hear live. Well he's heard it now but I expect this isn't exactly what he meant.
Next up for us John Mellencamp in July then Bryan Adams later in the year. Well gotta do something when Bruce isn't touring.
Had we not booked for Nils we may have mortgaged the house and bought two tickets for Rod Stewart at Elland Road. I understand they were expensive seats, but as we could have walked there, we'd have saved on transport costs. I've seen Rod before and have a soft spot for him because he was my first credible music hero back in the early seventies. By credible I mean he wasn't a teen idol. He was a well respected musician until he 'sold out' and moved to America.
Mentioning Rod reminds me that I was going to talk about Bob Dylan the other week. Rod does some great covers of Dylan songs on his early albums. I'm not a huge Dylan fan - I like a lot of his well known songs but don't know any of the more obscure stuff. I hear he's very charismatic on stage but I can't imagine it myself.
Anyway Bob was 60 the other week and Radio 2 did a series of programmes about him. I'm sure I've seen pieces in the past suggesting Bob doesn't like Bruce. Perhaps some of it stems from this Travelling Wilburys' song which Dylan wrote and is obviously a piss take of Bruce.
It makes me smile, actually, and I can imagine Bruce having a little chuckle when he heard it.
Bruce has done many a Dylan cover and there is a great blog here with some links to some of them.
Chimes of Freedom is a favourite of mine. I heard the Bruce version first - didn't even know it was a Dylan song at the time.
And finally this week a blog from a non Bruce fanatic. I found it an interesting read - somebody who admires our man but not necessarily for his music.
Although the writer doesn't realise it I think there are many many of us who admire Bruce for his integrity, his work ethic and his power to inspire us in a way that isn't necessarily just about the music.
So I am on the bus Monday morning and Thunder Road comes on the trusty iPod. Now I love Thunder Road. Is it the only Bruce song that everyone agrees on? I mean some fans aren't keen on Born To Run or Badlands or Rosalita or... I could go on and on - but is there any one who doesn't like Thunder Road?
Anyway despite my love for the song it did make me realise that I had heard it a lot lately and actually I haven't listened to anything but Bruce on my iPod for weeks - maybe even months. I gave myself a sharp talking to - this just won't do. I know nobody can match up to our man but I must widen my horizons.
I resolved to upload some other music this weekend and not allow myself to listen to Bruce for at least a week. Don't know if I can do it though. Just after my decision was made Livin' In The Future came on - I hadn't heard this for a while and it's one of my favourites. Then When You Need Me - so long since I'd heard this that I had almost forgotten about it. I really like this track although I know it might be a bit too much like a love song for some people's taste. For me it is romantic but not lovey dovey - typically Bruce. There's a favourite line of mine in this song - 'And when those mean days come along we'll stand together and we'll take 'em on'. I'd like to think that's me and Mike - do I hear you go ahhhhhh? So I'm thinking now that this stuff is too good to give up for even a day let alone a week but I will give it a go.
I do like lots of other music. I was reminded of this when three songs which I would probably put in my top 100 came on the radio one after the other last week :-
1. Free Electric Band by Albert Hammond just because I love the idea of giving up a comfortable life to go and play in a band. Mike and I often wish we were a bit more adventurous - like the couple in Lonestar's What About Now (dare I admit I quite liked Lonestar?) - or of course Born To Run
2. Be Young Be Foolish Be Happy by The Tams. Well the title speaks for itself here except at my age I can only aspire to being young at heart, as do The Tams themselves judging by this!
3. The Wonder Of You just because it's a beautiful song.
My brother - who is 64 this year - rang Monday night to say he had seen Lady Gaga on the Beeb doing The Radio 1Big Weekend gig and he thought she was great. He has always been a music buff and has influenced my music choices throughout my life. Being a musician himself he appreciates the technical ability of the performer. So if he likes Gaga she must be good. Whatever you think of her, and of course now we know she loves Bruce I have to give her some respect, she's a star without a doubt. She fascinates me although I'm not entirely sure about her music.
Now Gaga might be influenced by Bruce but it seems his influence elsewhere has declined somewhat. Lady Gaga is apparently now the world's most powerful celebrity whilst Bruce - well see for yourself. Get yourself out on tour man!
The Springsteen bust I mentioned the other week is causing a stir in New Jersey. I've found a couple of articles about it this week and there is some heated debate about the merits of the sculpture and whether or not you are being disloyal if you don't like it.
If you are interested there's an article here and here.
This picture gives you an idea of the likeness.
If you are not into sculpture maybe you will be inspired to write a poem about Bruce which you can submit to this website. Actually I think it's a scam but I'm not sure what the scammers are getting out of it. I see on another forum that many people have been told they are runners up but I can't find anyone who has won any money.
And last of all this week the Express has a nice little article about Bruce the family man. It's always good to see something in the UK press. Shows we still think about him this side of the pond.
Whilst you are reading that I'm off to find something new to put on the iPod.
