I had a lot more on my mind in 1986 than the usual teenage angst, and realising that it is now 40 years since that fateful year started comes with a bit of a shock, given that I am now on the upper edge of 56 rather than 16, with my 57th birthday less than …
Tag Archives: music
The Misuse Of ‘Fortunate Son’
I was watching Die Hard 4.0 yesterday, the one where Detective John McLane takes on cyber terrorists. He does not start getting really violent until after his first phone conversation with the chief villain. In that conversation, he is informed that his 401K account (ie his superannuation fund) has just been wiped out. Immediately after …
Suzanne Vega To Fly With Angels To Australia!
As anyone who knows me well would know, Suzanne Vega has been my favourite singer since I was 17. Kate Bush and Tori Amos come in closely behind her. Suzanne Vega has toured Australia five times – 1987, 1993, 2008, 2014, and 2018. I was not cashed up enough for concert tickets in 1987, and …
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Vale Ace Frehley
I’m actually not objective about the significance of Kiss as a part of rock history. I’m not sure whether their impact is that of a true super group, or whether they were just a niche band with a large and loyal fanbase. That’s because they have a large foothold on my childhood memories. Just like …
The Devil Take Your Stereo And Your Record Collection!
Frequently, when I talk about music, I am showing my age. The title to this blog is borrowed from Stand and Deliver, an early 80s song from English group Adam and the Ants. They were very big in 1981 – I recall Ant Music spending about 10 weeks on top of the Australian singles chart …
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Flying With Angels
I have written in this blog before about how Suzanne Vega has been my favourite singer for a very long time – since 1986, which was one of the most challenging years of my life. Her self titled debut album was released in May 1985, and the first single from that album started to get …
Not Everyone Likes Rock N Roll….
I just finished reading Land Of The Long Weekend, the late Ronald Conway’s 1978 critique of 1970s Australian society, culture and consumerism. It was heavy going. Whilst I am quite well read, Conway was even more read, in the way of an autodidact, and fond of quoting his interpretations of many famed authors and philosophers …
Do We All Become Grumpy Old Men? Reflections On the Feud Between Daryl Hall And John Oates….
My mother always, in the AM days, used to keep her radio tuned to 3KZ, a station known for its golden oldies. It is no surprise that now that FM has been in the ascendency for over three decades, that 3KZ’s successor station, GOLD FM is playing constantly in her kitchen. I’m Countdown Generation, so …
When Steampunk Collides With Jeeves and Oscar Wilde – A Brief Review of Forrest Leo’s ‘The Gentleman’
I usually think that certain novels or songs could only be created in the era that such genres thrived in. Jazz music is from the Jazz Age (ie the roaring 20s), and Disco is very 1970s. Regency novels are very, well, Regency. And can you imagine Dickens in any time and place but the Industrial …
Lost For Words! 