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[kylenz]

Just thought I'd start a topic of various music I've been getting into, feel free to post up anything you like and how you found it.

A workmate was recommending REO Speedwagon and had the first two albums they did (back in 1970/71 and 1972) and they are completely different to the sterile radio-rock they did much later. I had no idea they were actually going at that time! There's actually a demo on YouTube that dates from 1969, but the first two records are really great - very uptempo, very hard-rocking, some are almost Led Zeppelin-like, very much rooted in hard rock like the early ZZ Top albums. Some tracks have a psychedelic/progressive rock feel to them. But here's one that gets down to the nitty-gritty - here's 'Anti-Establishment Man' from their debut self-titled album released in 1971 but recorded in 1970!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPOYS22UPuE

and there's even a live video of it captured IN COLOUR in 1971! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvsVcAiOEWw

Here's a question - how come all these sprawling middle-of-the-road FM Radio easy listening bands of the seventies and eighties started out so rip-roaringly hard-out? I'm thinking of Supertramp, Genesis etc - when you listen to their early stuff they seem like a completely different band!

[kylenz]

And going from the past.. now heading into the present.. in fact this hasn't even officially released as a single yet - it is THAT NEW!!

This is my favourite song at the moment, by CuckooLander - she's the former bassist with Charli XCX now doing her own solo career, and she's brilliant. This song will remind you of the Tom Tom Club, Talking Heads, great 80s vibe - so very catchy!! My favourite song of the year released in 2015 so far. I feel this is a ready-made classic!

The song is called 'Mother Nature' - enjoy! 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKBKup0-2P8

[2 of 3]

Here's a question - how come all these sprawling middle-of-the-road FM Radio easy listening bands of the seventies and eighties started out so rip-roaringly hard-out? I'm thinking of Supertramp, Genesis etc - when you listen to their early stuff they seem like a completely different band!

A lot of bands changed like that didn't they. I guess if you're around long enough, all those years of slogging on the road suddenly pays off with a hit record. Next thing you know..the record company wants more of the same. Or..maybe even the band member do. Chicago and the Doobie Brothers really changed too. Sometimes just a new band member will do that. Supertramp didn't change that much did they?
Jefferson Starship is another that changed. Funny enough, April Wine went in the opposite direction...from pop tunes and ballads to stadium rock. 

Merv, you saw REO on a cruise or something didn't you?

[2 of 3]

That really does have an 80's vibe eh? Especially the video. I really like that Dumb Dee Diddy Dumb song too. Pretty cool that it works so well acoustically too. Sign of a good song isn't it.   To me it has a Feist like quality. Thanks for the heads up Kyle

[Mervap]

I did see them, although there is only one member in the group that's been there the whole time (keys), name of which escapes me. REO Speedwagon changed primarily changed when Kevin Cronin joined in the early seventies. He was a sort of James Taylor-ish singer/songwriter before joining and REO wasn't gaining much radio airplay before him, so I guess it was a marriage of convenience. Cronin brought a bit of pop sensibility to the band and initially this paid off without changing the band too much until Cronin brought in "Keep On Loving You", which blew open the doors on the charts. After that, pressure was on from outside the band, as well as inside, to keep those kinds of songs coming.

[Greg]

I remember REO as kickin butt in the 70's until punk came around.  Then they didn't seem so good to me.  But I thought they were great for years.  That Tuna Fish album wasn't bad.  The Live album was enjoyable. 

[kylenz]

I remember REO as kickin butt in the 70's until punk came around.  Then they didn't seem so good to me.  But I thought they were great for years.  That Tuna Fish album wasn't bad.  The Live album was enjoyable.

Yes!! My workmate also has the Tuna Fish album and actually brought the LP cover in to show me!

Good points by everyone. It's certainly the pressure for a hit record, and then to keep that going, along with the change in singer (Peter Gabriel's Genesis was certainly more off-the-wall than the commercial sensibilities of Phil Collins on lead vocals, same can be said for Kevin Cronin's tenure in REO Speedwagon).

In Supertramp's case, I was thinking of that song 'It's A Long Road' off the 1970 debut (no YouTube link unfortunately) but it was quite heavy-rocking compared to say the Breakfast In America stuff later on. But the song 'Surely' off that same album is quite wistful and so I guess it all balances itself out.

Good to see you've checked out CuckooLander, 2 of 3! Yes that acoustic version of Dumb De Diddy Dumb was quite neat just watching her play it on piano. I read an interview with her and she's quite fond of jazz bands - she mentions a band called The Bad Plus - very strange and complex music - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skOxnxIROkY

[Mervap]

I rather liked that "Mother Nature" tune.....spot on with the 80's vibe.

[Greg]

Getting into lately?
I average, per year, buying a new record every two weeks or so.

Last week these two albums came in the mail.  They are two of the best albums I've bought in months:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZTUaZ4kkxY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IMh65y3xqQ

I don't know if we've ever discussed religion much.   I bought the gospel album for the music.
As far a religion goes...I hope to high heaven that we are meant to discover whatever concept that we think of in terms of "god".  Please let this world not be our only purpose for existence.  I would like to think that each one of us is a unique spirit that carries on in ways that we cannot imagine.  But it doesn't matter what I hope....or what a teacher in Baghdad hopes...or a remote island in the South Pacific...whatever there is...there is.

[2 of 3]

Heard these guys on the radio this morning live acoustic. Fun song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAyU_Fbr77Y

[kylenz]

Heard these guys on the radio this morning live acoustic. Fun song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAyU_Fbr77Y

Very good! Upbeat stuff.

[Mervap]

Cake.....I just love Cake. Oddly, after I loaded this one onto my Ipod, I discovered I already had the Doris Day version of this same song. I like them both!

Cake

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWgUBFOCxB0

Doris Day

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUVT1NZtZPo

[2 of 3]

Ha! Nice! 

[Greg]

From my living room tonight.  Here she is.  http://imgur.com/HIVHVCx 

I used to watch The Doris Day Show.

[kylenz]

Cake! Man I used to dig those guys! This is my favourite song of theirs - 'Sheep Go To Heaven' - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xau1ZQUtW5c