The Art Of Noise – Who’se Afraid Of

It was 1984, and already the charts were filling up with New Romantics and quite bland melodies.  Then suddenly came a sound we had never heard before (and might never again).  The Art Of Noise was a British avante-garde synth heavy group, made up of an engineer, a computer programmer and only Anne Dudley with any real musical history, having been trained in classical piano.  From the first few seconds of opening track ‘A Time For Fear’ with that incredible bass-heavy doom marching drum, you knew this was special.  An almost completely instrumental album, with snatches of spoken words (Can I Say Something?) and rapid changes in tempo and melody it still blows my socks off.  Three superb singles – ‘Beat Box’, ‘Close To The Edit’ and the sublime ‘Moments In Love’ led the charge on the charts.  But the whole album just zips along; it sounds like they were having the greatest fun.

The group was pretty flexible with a few personnel changes along the way.  The only other album I have of theirs is ‘The Seduction Of Claude Debussy (1999), which I think is, apart from remixes was their last.  But that first album still makes me smile…and who wouldn’t be afraid of this impeccable sound of the future.

I first saw the band at Weeley Pop Festival in 1972; accompanied by a 54 piece orchestra, they played a perfect combination of Rock and Classical Music, which was their early unique style.  They had formed in 1966 in Oldham, combining 4 members of 2 local bands they were John Lees (guitar), Les Holroyd (bass), Wooly Wolstenholme (keyboards) and Mel Pritchard (drums).  They spent a couple of years looking for a record contract and quietly perfecting their sound.  Heavily influenced by The Beatles they had exquisite harmonies and with three songwriters, no shortage of ideas.  Their first eponymous album came out in 1970 and was mature and self-assured and filled with the best of their early years’ songs.  A couple of heavy numbers ‘Taking Some Time On’ and ‘Good Love Child’ interspersed with delicate slower numbers; the haunting ‘Mother Dear’ and ‘The Iron Maiden’ and culminating with the song which closed their early shows ‘Dark Now My Sky’ – a wonderful invocation of both doom and hopefulness.  They went on to a mixed career, never quite scaling the heights, but with a loyal following especially in Europe where their albums regularly topped the charts.  I have always loved them, my favourite album being ‘Once Again’ their follow-up.  But this has always remained a regular on my playlists; it instantly established their ‘sound’ and was a marker in a crowded field of their individuality.

Having exhausted my Cd collection I am revisiting a few artists who made brilliant debut albums; many of course went on to  even greater things.  This is, of course, a personal selection.  Hope you like it.

Joan Armatrading – Whatever’s For Us

Well, a complete unknown in 1972.  Joan had apparently written about a hundred songs with Pam Nestor, another singer songwriter.  Looking for fame – mostly as a writer than a performer, she was ‘discovered’ by Gus Dudgeon, a producer for Elton.  She was signed to Cube records, a small independent, who wanted to promote Joan as a singer.  Many of the songs initially recorded by Pam and Joan, with Pam singing were rejected in favour of those featuring Joan singing.  The pair had originally wanted to be a duo, with Joan writing the music and Pam the lyrics.  These other songs have never surfaced, and Pam seems to have disappeared from the picture.

The resulting album, featuring Davey Johnstone and Ray Cooper and Gerry Conway accompanying Joan, mostly on piano and acoustic guitar, is simply stunning.  The songs are subtle and complex and seem to have emerged fully formed as almost classics.  Joan’s voice is deep and sumptuous and soars above the melodies.  For whatever reason I bought the album – maybe the hand-painted cover design, as I had never heard of Joan before.  Possibly I read a review in Time Out or City Limits.

Hard to pick favourite tracks, from such a stunning album – but I love ‘My Family’, ‘It Could Have Been Better’ and best of all ‘Visionary Mountains’ – which was recorded years later by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band.

Joan apparently was quite dissatisfied with the album, and the dropping of Pam Nestor.  The record sold quite poorly and Cube records folded a year or so later.  However A. & M. picked up Joan and re-released this debut on their label in ’74.

Joan went on to a long, and still continuing solo career.  She is a unique talent, not only as a singer but as a writer and arranger, but also as and artist who has never been manipulated by Record companies.  As a black female singer this is a rarity; she has never relied on, and in fact has steadfastly refused to appear ‘sexy’.  Just recentl she has even written a classical symphony which was broadcast on Radio 3.  Needless to say, if she were a young artist today she would never get a recording contract, being far too independently minded. 

Zero 7 – Don’t know much about this group; another from my daughter.  This is gentle dancey music, quite instrumental – nice aural wall paper but not very memorable.  The album is Simple Things.

The Zombies – were a 60’s pop group, who had a huge hit with their debut single ‘She’s Not There’ – beautiful song sung with the sumptuous vocals of Colin Blunstone (see B), but the band also included Rod Argent – who went on to form the band Argent.  After mixed success the band were recording their last album before deciding to break up the band, as any real success seemed to elude them.  They recorded Odessey and Oracle (misspelt by the cover designer) in ’67 and released it in April ’68 – by which time the band had broken up.  But as it turned out the record was a slow burner and eventully reached 2 in America.  This is the only original album of theirs I have – but it is pretty damned good.  Best tracks are ‘Care Of Cell 44’, ‘Beechwoord Park’ and ‘Time of The Season’ – but mot of the songs are pretty good.   Anyway, I saw Colin live at The Roundhouse in ’72 and fell in love with his voice and songs and became a lifelong fan.  The band did reform in 1989 and again in 2000; they play occasional concerts and one or two album were credited to them, but were really Colin and Rod.  Next I have a compilation of their singles As and Bs.  Nothing remarkable but a nice drift back into late 60s music.  I also have Into The Afterlife – a strange little album of singles released by Neil McArthur (Colin) and Rod Argent and Chris White.  Nothing incredible but again a nice listen.  And to wrap things up for this series ZZ Top Greatest Hits.  Never an essential band for me, but pretty good Texan rockers who mde it big in the Eighties.   Best tracks – ‘Gimme ll nYou lovin’, ‘Sharp Dressed Man’ and ‘Legs’.  And that is it.   I could bore you even more with mu collection of CD singles, and cassettes – but maybe another time.      

Frank Zappa – Possibly the most prolific artist of the 20^th Century, with 0ver 60 albums before his death in 1993.  And his afterlife keeps on turning up tons more stuff.  He performed constantly live and recorded almost every concert, as well as often releasing 3 or more studio albums a year.  He wrote prolifically and was a multi-instrumentalist, as well as a perfectionist, especially with live performances.  I have no idea how he found the time to create so much, and so varied a repertoire.  I first heard of him in the late 60s but didn’t get round to buying him until the 70s.  I had quite a few 60s albums on vinyl and then copied onto cassette but my CD collection starts with 2 live albums featuring most of the original Mothers of Invention plus Flo and Edddie (see F) who used to be vocalists in The Turtles.  Confused? You will be.  So we start with Live Filmore East, June 1971,    Now, as well as a brilliant guitarist, Frank liked to combine often outrageous humour with some of his music.  Flo and Eddie for a couple of years were in the band and provided both vocals and spoken stuff – this album has both.  Either absolute filth, or hilarious comedy – you choose.  A great live album though, best songs include ‘What Kind Of Girl Do You Think We Are’, ‘Tears Begin To Fall’ and ‘Peaches en Regalia’.  A riot – as is my second, the following year’s Just Another Band FromOne L.A, which features a side-long crazy musical tale of ‘Billy The Mountain’ (don’t ask) – but it is brilliant, absurd and if you know the song, irresistible – a complete mini-opera.  But my favourites are ‘Eddie Are You Kidding’ (A Flo and Eddie regular song) and ‘Magdalena’ – a tale of sexual debauchery and a great tune.  One Size Fits All came out in 1973, credited to FZ and The Mothers, it was a pretty good album; some great tunes and the playing was, as usual, exemplary.  Fave tracks are ‘Dynamo Hum’ and ‘Montana’  (a crazy story about dental floss and zircon encrusted tweezers – makes no sense but a great song nevertheless).  Roxy and Elsewhere , a live album of non-recorded songs released in ’74 was a mixed bag; some good stuff but not my favourite record at all.  Much better was One Size fits All (1975), a fairly complex album with a couple of instrumentals and some great songs.  Best are ‘Florentine Pogen’, ‘Andy’ and ‘San Berdino’ – a real quality recording.  ’76 saw the release of Zoot Allures, one of his best records.  Not a poor song on this, and the songs seemed to be evolving into more complete pieces – best are ‘Disco Boy’, Miss Pinky’ and ‘The Torture Never Stops’, which became a live favourite too.  Sheik Yerbouti came out in ’79 – and was an instant favourite.  By now Frank had lost The Mothers and was recording under his solo name, often with a changing but fairly regular group of Session players.  This was recorded mostly live, but with a lot of overdubs and studio effects.  In some ways this was the most complex album of Franks, and was a big seller, and remains a fan favourite.  The lyrics are pretty explicit and very funny too, the playing as usual is brilliant as well,  Best songs on a long album are ‘Bobby Brown Goes Down’, ‘City Of Tiny Lights’, ‘ Jewish Princess’, ‘Dancing Fool’ and ‘Yo Mama’.  It still sounds as fresh as when it was released.  But for my money his best was his next – 1979’s Joes Garage.  Frank was no stranger to controversy, and the cover of this is no exception, with Frank (badly) blacking up – apparently ‘Joe is black’.  This series of songs are connected as a ‘Rock Opera’, probably as an insult to serious prog rock albums, by a narrator (Frank himself) as ‘The Central Scrutiniser’ spoken through a vocoder.  The story is nonsensical, about a garage band, who fall foul of laws that haven’t been written yet – namely enjoying Music.  Joe gets Sex and Religion and eventually Prison as he destroys a robotic sex toy provided by the First Church of Appliantology.  (if you aren’t confused by now, just listen to the album).  The title song is a great melody and would have been a great single – other favourites are ‘Lucille’, ‘Catholic Girls’, ‘Green Rosetta’ and the absolutely sublime guitar solo ‘Watermelon In Easter Hay’.  This was released as a triple album and later as a very long double CD.  A lot to take in at one listen, and as usual with Frank far too long really – but he was uncompromising; he didn’t give a fuck for Sales or Fans or The Record Company either.  He would never get away with it now…. Tinseltown Rebellion followed in 1981 (along with 3 double albums of guitar music).  Another pretty good album, taking potshots at the music business, and combining some live recordings with studio work. Less brilliant then Joes Garage but I like the songs – ‘TinselTown Rebellion Band’, a live version of ‘Love Of My Life’ and ‘Fine Girl’.  Later that same year, as well as the three double live guitar albums Frank put out another classic You Are What You Is.  Continuing his themes of sexuality, stupidity and Religious Quacks the album is varied in style, from the countryesque ‘Harder Than Your Husband’ to the lovely soul ballad ‘Doreen’, the very naughty ‘Goblin Girl’ and the excellent closer ‘Drafted Again’  again a double with too many songs to really appreciate at one go, would have been better as a single album – but that’s Frank, over-indulgent but brilliant.   Next up is the brilliantly titled album Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch {1982} (you have to see the cover to understand).  Well another favourite from Frank; great songs and arrangements – fave tracks ‘Valley Girls’ (sung by his daughter Moon Unit), ‘No, Not Now’ and his truly operatic Teenage Prostitute’.  He followed this with The Man From Utopia (1983), a mostly live album again and some excellent songs too; several tracks are Franks singing what appears to be a somewhat ad-libbed monologue to his band playing along – ‘The Dangerous Kitchen’, ‘The Radio Is Broken’ and ‘The Jazz Party Discharge Hats’ but best is an instrumental ‘We Are Not Alone’.  Another winner.  Zappa then sold us a CD called Baby Snakes, which I was quite disappointed with.  It turns out that this was actually a soundtrack to another live film; only really decent song was a version of ‘Disco Boy’.  Next in my limited collection is Them Or Us (1984). A quite disappointing record really, a lot of long instrumental stuff, and even the ‘songs’ drift into instrumentals.  Still, I like ‘In France’, ‘Sharleena’ and ‘Baby Take Your Teeth Out’ – but then again, relistening – it’s not so bad really.  But then, disaster struck – or not. Frank released another triple album, a ‘rock opera’ based on a Broadway show.  It was absolutely over the top; even for me.  Thingfish – (1984) was outrageous and I rarely play it, even though the music is quite good.  It manages to offend blacks, gays, women and all sorts of liberals. Best move on quickly.   1991 and Make A Jazz Note Here appeared. A mostly live album, featuring a few classical pieces (done in Frank’s style).  Not a favourte, but I quite like ‘Star Wars Wont Work’ and ‘Strictly Genteel’.  My last Zappa album was Yellow Shark (1993).  By now Frank was seriously ill with terminal cancer of which he died shortly after this album’s release.  It is a 1992 recording by the ‘Ensemble Moderne’ where they played many of Frank’s compositions.  Frank was especially proud to be recognised as a serious composer of ‘Musique Concrete or Modern Classical.  Of course, as you know I am a sucker for Greatest Hits – even when I have almost all that is on them.  So, I have Greatest Hits, and Strictly Commercial (Greatest Hits) which are almost identical save for the latter having a handful of extra tracks.  These are both, more or less, the acceptable face of Frank; radio friendly and not too obscene.  Both are excellent – fave tracks are ‘Peaches En Regalia’.’Cozmik Debris’ and ‘Muffin Man’.  I also have a couple of live collections posthumously released (actually Frank’s releases post his death must almost exceed his lifetimes output, as new stuff keeps getting released {mostly live renditions of recorded tracks{ ). Cheap Thrills, Son Of Cheap Thrills, Freaks and Motherfuckers, Have I Offended Someone…..all are okay – but for enthusiasts only.  So, Frank – either a genius, years ahead of his time; a vulgar madman; a brilliant but misguided guitarist; a composer of great variety but ultimately a wasted talent….take your pick.  I just feel that his best stuff is up there with the greatest – just discerning that from the huge volume of music he released is a bit harder.  

Your Cheating Heart (1990) – was a BBC Scotland mini-series, about a Glasgow Country and Western band; it featured among others Tilda Swinton and Eddi Reader of Fairground Attraction fame, also Ken Stott.  The story was a bit complex, but it was studded with great interpretations of old 50’s songs by Elvis and Hank Williams and the like.  I loved it and bought the CD which has remained a favourite ever since; there is a joyfulness about the whole thing.  Best tracks are hard to choose, but ‘Deep Water’, ‘Quicksilver’ and ‘From A Distance’ stand out.

Frank Zappa – Possibly the most prolific artist of the 20^th Century, with 0ver 60 albums before his death in 1993.  And his afterlife keeps on turning up tons more stuff.  He performed constantly live and recorded almost every concert, as well as often releasing 3 or more studio albums a year.  He wrote prolifically and was a multi-instrumentalist, as well as a perfectionist, especially with live performances.  I have no idea how he found the time to create so much, and so varied a repertoire.  I first heard of him in the late 60s but didn’t get round to buying him until the 70s.  I had quite a few 60s albums on vinyl and then copied onto cassette but my CD collection starts with 2 live albums featuring most of the original Mothers of Invention plus Flo and Edddie (see F) who used to be vocalists in The Turtles.  Confused? You will be.  So we start with Live Filmore East, June 1971,    Now, as well as a brilliant guitarist, Frank liked to combine often outrageous humour with some of his music.  Flo and Eddie for a couple of years were in the band and provided both vocals and spoken stuff – this album has both.  Either absolute filth, or hilarious comedy – you choose.  A great live album though, best songs include ‘What Kind Of Girl Do You Think We Are’, ‘Tears Begin To Fall’ and ‘Peaches en Regalia’.  A riot – as is my second, the following year’s Just Another Band FromOne L.A, which features a side-long crazy musical tale of ‘Billy The Mountain’ (don’t ask) – but it is brilliant, absurd and if you know the song, irresistible – a complete mini-opera.  But my favourites are ‘Eddie Are You Kidding’ (A Flo and Eddie regular song) and ‘Magdalena’ – a tale of sexual debauchery and a great tune.  OneSize Fits All came out in 1973, credited to FZ and The Mothers, it was a pretty good album; some great tunes and the playing was, as usual, exemplary.  Fave tracks are ‘Dynamo Hum’ and ‘Montana’  (a crazy story about dental floss and zircon encrusted tweezers – makes no sense but a great song nevertheless).  Roxy and Elsewhere , a live album of non-recorded songs released in ’74 was a mixed bag; some good stuff but not my favourite record at all.  Much better was One Size fits All (1975), a fairly complex album with a couple of instrumentals and some great songs.  Best are ‘Florentine Pogen’, ‘Andy’ and ‘San Berdino’ – a real quality recording.  ’76 saw the release of Zoot Allures, one of his best records.  Not a poor song on this, and the songs seemed to be evolving into more complete pieces – best are ‘Disco Boy’, Miss Pinky’ and ‘The Torture Never Stops’, which became a live favourite too.  Sheik Yerbouti came out in ’79 – and was an instant favourite.  By now Frank had lost The Mothers and was recording under his solo name, often with a changing but fairly regular group of Session players.  This was recorded mostly live, but with a lot of overdubs and studio effects.  In some ways this was the most complex album of Franks, and was a big seller, and remains a fan favourite.  The lyrics are pretty explicit and very funny too, the playing as usual is brilliant as well,  Best songs on a long album are ‘Bobby Brown Goes Down’, ‘City Of Tiny Lights’, ‘ Jewish Princess’, ‘Dancing Fool’ and ‘Yo Mama’.  It still sounds as fresh as when it was released.  But for my money his best was his next – 1979’s Joes Garage.  Frank was no stranger to controversy, and the cover of this is no exception, with Frank (badly) blacking up – apparently ‘Joe is black’.  This series of songs are connected as a ‘Rock Opera’, probably as an insult to serious prog rock albums, by a narrator (Frank himself) as ‘The Central Scrutiniser’ spoken through a vocoder.  The story is nonsensical, about a garage band, who fall foul of laws that haven’t been written yet – namely enjoying Music.  Joe gets Sex and Religion and eventually Prison as he destroys a robotic sex toy provided by the First Church of Appliantology.  (if you aren’t confused by now, just listen to the album).  The title song is a great melody and would have been a great single – other favourites are ‘Lucille’, ‘Catholic Girls’, ‘Green Rosetta’ and the absolutely sublime guitar solo ‘Watermelon In Easter Hay’.  This was released as a triple album and later as a very long double CD.  A lot to take in at one listen, and as usual with Frank far too long really – but he was uncompromising; he didn’t give a fuck for Sales or Fans or The Record Company either.  He would never get away with it now…. Tinseltown Rebellion followed in 1981 (along with 3 double albums of guitar music).  Another pretty good album, taking potshots at the music business, and combining some live recordings with studio work. Less brilliant then Joes Garage but I like the songs – ‘TinselTown Rebellion Band’, a live version of ‘Love Of My Life’ and ‘Fine Girl’.  Later that same year, as well as the three double live guitar albums Frank put out another classic You Are What You Is.  Continuing his themes of sexuality, stupidity and Religious Quacks the album is varied in style, from the countryesque ‘Harder Than Your Husband’ to the lovely soul ballad ‘Doreen’, the very naughty ‘Goblin Girl’ and the excellent closer ‘Drafted Again’  again a double with too many songs to really appreciate at one go, would have been better as a single album – but that’s Frank, over-indulgent but brilliant.   Next up is the brilliantly titled album Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch {1982} (you have to see the cover to understand).  Well another favourite from Frank; great songs and arrangements – fave tracks ‘Valley Girls’ (sung by his daughter Moon Unit), ‘No, Not Now’ and his truly operatic Teenage Prostitute’.  He followed this with The Man From Utopia (1983), a mostly live album again and some excellent songs too; several tracks are Franks singing what appears to be a somewhat ad-libbed monologue to his band playing along – ‘The Dangerous Kitchen’, ‘The Radio Is Broken’ and ‘The Jazz Party Discharge Hats’ but best is an instrumental ‘We Are Not Alone’.  Another winner.  Zappa then sold us a CD called Baby Snakes, which I was quite disappointed with.  It turns out that this was actually a soundtrack to another live film; only really decent song was a version of ‘Disco Boy’.  Next in my limited collection is Them Or Us (1984). A quite disappointing record really, a lot of long instrumental stuff, and even the ‘songs’ drift into instrumentals.  Still, I like ‘In France’, ‘Sharleena’ and ‘Baby Take Your Teeth Out’ – but then again, relistening – it’s not so bad really.  But then, disaster struck – or not. Frank released another triple album, a ‘rock opera’ based on a Broadway show.  It was absolutely over the top; even for me.  Thingfish – (1984) was outrageous and I rarely play it, even though the music is quite good.  It manages to offend blacks, gays, women and all sorts of liberals. Best move on quickly.   1991 and Make AJazz Note Here appeared. A mostly live album, featuring a few classical pieces (done in Frank’s style).  Not a favourte, but I quite like ‘Star Wars Wont Work’ and ‘Strictly Genteel’.  My last Zappa album was Yellow Shark (1993).  By now Frank was seriously ill with terminal cancer of which he died shortly after this album’s release.  It is a 1992 recording by the ‘Ensemble Moderne’ where they played many of Frank’s compositions.  Frank was especially proud to be recognised as a serious composer of ‘Musique Concrete or Modern Classical.  Of course, as you know I am a sucker for Greatest Hits – even when I have almost all that is on them.  So, I have Greatest Hits, and Strictly Commercial (Greatest Hits) which are almost identical save for the latter having a handful of extra tracks.  These are both, more or less, the acceptable face of Frank; radio friendly and not too obscene.  Both are excellent – fave tracks are ‘Peaches En Regalia’.’Cozmik Debris’ and ‘Muffin Man’.  I also have a couple of live collections posthumously released (actually Frank’s releases post his death must almost exceed his lifetimes output, as new stuff keeps getting released {mostly live renditions of recorded tracks{ ). Cheap Thrills, Son Of Cheap Thrills, Freaks and Motherfuckers, Have I Offended Someone…..all are okay – but for enthusiasts only.  So, Frank – either a genius, years ahead of his time; a vulgar madman; a brilliant but misguided guitarist; a composer of great variety but ultimately a wasted talent….take your pick.  I just feel that his best stuff is up there with the greatest – just discerning that from the huge volume of music he released is a bit harder.