Welcome back, music lovers. After an extended three week sampler of Brian Eno’s work as a composer, collaborator, and producer, it is time to turn my attentions elsewhere. In many respects I am a product of the 1970s and more specifically the end of the 1970s, which always struck me as an era in which vast swaths of humanity stared into the abyss, not unlike our current moment. Some of the best of the experimental music among “pop” performers really captured the paranoia and oppressiveness of that time. After all, this was an era which saw the rise of Ronnie the Raygun and Maggie Thatcher, in which fringe extremists left and right were throwing bombs, and The Summer of Love had long ago been abandoned and replaced with the Summer of Sam (a movie reference some might get). A lot of artist caught that moment well, among them Cabaret Voltaire:
Still on a tight schedule. Will throw a few more vids at you all as time permits. This time, think, industrial music and minimal techno.
Suicide performing their signature classic, Ghost Rider:
Since today is Valentines Day, I’m pouring Red Hot Valentine Shots.
A Valentine’s song, of sorts seems appropriate:
Another Valentine’s song (or songs) of sorts:
I have a double holiday drink special today, as I skipped posting yesterday, which was National Gumdrop Day.
The first holiday drink I’m pouring is Bubble Gum-Drop Martini.
“There you have [it]” — that’s Tipsy Bartender’s catch phrase, but this video is older than the Tipsy Bartender channel by seven months. Huh.
That leads to today’s national day and accompanying drink, which is for National Almond Day. Tipsy Bartender has the drink, Almond Joy.
Today is National Random Acts of Kindness Day. Apparently it is also National Cabbage Day (not sure what sort of beverage one would ever want to make with cabbage though). What do you have for us? š
Since you mentioned National Cabbage Day and challenged me to find a recipe, how about cabbage soup?
Hope this makes people feel better in a different way than my cocktails do!
Random act of kindness plus cabbage. Well done!
Much to my pleasant surprise, this diary has returned to the rec list. As today is Presidents Day, which used to be Washington’s Birthday, I’m going to serve Drunken Cherries in honor of the country’s first president.
I just assumed it would stay rolled off for good. So, to the people kind enough to rec this diary, thanks!!!
This entry is still on the rec list, so the readers deserve another round of drinks. Because today’s food holiday is National Chocolate Mint Day, I am serving Mint Chocolate Chip Shots from Tipsy Bartender.
Perfection.
And I am amazed that this is still on the rec list, and grateful.
Anyhoo, will have to come up with a little something for the upcoming midweek post.
Wire’s early work was fun.
They’d reform in the mid 1980s, stay active for a few years, then quit. Then got together again at the start of this century. Probably biased, but they are one of those rare combos who can keep coming up with something new worth hearing, rather than rehashing their early glory days – even if those early days produced some wonderful tunes. Seriously, as much as I love their 1970s output, I’d recommend checking into what they’ve been up to this decade. They are on fire. One of the few bands from back in the day I’d travel significant distances and pay some hefty bucks to see live.
First something recycled from a couple weeks back:
Now a couple more keeping in with a similar theme:
The fascination with the Red Army Faction (also known as the Baader-Meinhof Group or gang, depending on one’s ideological leanings) were an object of fascination for a number of recording artists. Their actions were not defensible, but they sure made headlines. On some level, artists of various sorts were trying to make sense of this bunch, and other organizations like them.
Early Gang of Four:
Something a bit more mainstream:
Since somehow this is still on the rec list (thanks!), a few more:
Tubeway Army:
Just a couple years removed from their breakout hit:
Those who split from Human League formed Heaven 17. Their first single:
To commemorate Presidents Day, I am recycling a video I have posted before:
Change a few names and the story is about the same. I like the opening for this video as it shows what a typical scene outside the White House might look like.
As for the artist, Gil Scott-Heron, he’d been a notable presence in R&B circles for the entirety of the 1970s. His last hits were dropped right around the turn of the decade. He (along with Last Poets) was rap before there was rap. Just check out his very first album if you don’t believe me.
Thanks to those of you who keep supporting this series of diaries in whatever form you do. It means a lot. A shout out to Frank Schnittger for kindly sharing how to continue to post videos here after Succuri made it impossible to embed videos in the more standard way. This series would have withered on the vine otherwise. As a jazzer (Albert Ayler) once put it, “music is the healing force of the universe.” Seems needed now more than ever.