Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon

March marks the anniversary of one of the greatest albums in music history, ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon’, the eighth studio album by the legendary progressive rock band, Pink Floyd. 

Now 48 years old, The Dark Side Of The Moon is still as groundbreaking, bizarre, and iconic as it was when it was released, back on March 1st, 1973. 

Most of the album’s songs were based around former band member, Syd Barrett, and the mental health problems that he had suffered with before getting axed. Barrett had co-founded Pink Floyd but departed in 1968 and he was replaced by guitarist, David Gilmour. The group were deeply saddened that they had to let Syd go and they missed him greatly.

The hit album was recorded at the iconic, Abbey road studios, in London. Pink Floyd’s 1973 line-up consisted of David Gilmour (vocals and guitar), Roger waters (bass guitar) Nick mason (drums), and Richard Wright (Keyboard and vocals). Vocals from Clare Torry, a session singer and songwriter, are also featured, whilst Alan Parsons recorded the album and Chris Thomas mixed it. 

Pink Floyd created the album’s iconic sounds by using multi-track recording and experimenting with electronic sounds which were produced by synthesizers. 

This record ultimately would prove to be the one that would transform the band and give Pink Floyd its first taste of mainstream success. 

Tracks on the record such as, ‘Us and them’, ‘Money’, and ‘Time’, are all over 6 minutes long.

 All the songs on the vinyl, however, are all truly beautiful. When you listen to the album from beginning to end you embark on a rollercoaster ride of different sounds and emotions, 

Sounds of cashiers opening and coins jingling are present on Money and Time features sounds of clocks ticking and alarms ringing. Money represents greed, whilst Time is about the concept of time slipping by, without one realising it. 

My personal favourites include ‘Breathe (In The Air)’, ‘Brain damage’, and ‘Eclipse’, because I find them mesmerising. They certainly have a strong psychedelic feel to them, similar to earlier work from the Beatles, with the likes of ‘Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds’ and ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’. 

The cover art is also legendary, the spectrums of light coming out of the prism, is  truly iconic and is easily one of the most recognisable album covers to this day. 

The Dark Side Of The Moon went on to sell 45 million copies worldwide and spent over 200 weeks on the Billboard top 200. 

Joe Strong

Retro Album Review - 10cc The Original Soundtrack

Released 11 March 1975, “The Original Soundtrack,” the band’s third album showed a band at their very peak as musicians, showcasing their amazing creativity.

Since the self-titled debut 10cc and its follow up, the brilliant Sheet Music the band, benefiting from their own Strawberry Studios, meant the band could indulge themselves without the worry of clock-watching and bean counting record company execs.

The album was the first to be released by Mercury Records after signing the band for $1 million in February 1975, on the strength of hearing the band’s “I’m Not In Love,“ splitting from Jonathan King’s UK record label in a contract buy out.

The album’s opening track, "Une Nuit a Paris" is a real tour de force, a nine minute epic in three parts that tells the story of a Parisian prostitute and people frequenting her part of the red-light-district. Typical of band members Lol Creme and Kevin Godley’s cinematic approach to their music.

If that start didn’t grab you by the collar, up next is the album’s blockbuster of a tune “I’m Not In Love” a collaboration between the band’s two other members, Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman.

With its distinctive backing of multi- tracked vocals, it quickly became a classic and the group’s second number One in the UK and a breakthrough single worldwide for the band.

Third track is “Blackmail,” another Stewart and Gouldman composition. a sordid tabloid tale with the table’s eventually turned on the dirt-digging newspaper.

Side two opens with one of the album’s stand out tracks, the slightly controversial “Second Sitting For The Last Supper”, written by all four band members.

At this time in the Seventies anything remotely blasphemous would still incur the wrath of the Mary Whitehouse brigade and the song’s content certainly raised eyebrows and not just for being a stellar rock tune.

“Brand New Day” features the silky vocals of Kevin Godley. Written in partnership with Creme, the vocal soars whilst the backing features the pair’s Gizmo, their homemade guitar effect, that complements the song perfectly.

Another Stewart/Gouldman tune follows with “Flying Junk” a medium paced song with a strong anti-drug theme “He’s a devil, and the devil’s gonna bring you down” sings Stewart and you can’t argue with his sentiments.

“Life is a Minestrone” is the album’s other single. Written by Creme and Stewart in a day after mishearing a radio presenter say something which Creme thought was too good a song title to ignore. It reached no 7 in the UK charts and referred to by a critic as “truly joyous slice of pop nonsense”.

Godley and Creme bring the album to a cheerful end with another of their film inspired tunes, “The Film of My Love”.

Gouldman takes the lead vocal in the rather show tune like finale and brings to an end one of the truly great albums of the Seventies.

If you have to recommend one album that best describes this talented bunch, then “The Original Soundtrack” is it.

A classic from a quite unique band.

TW

Retro Album Review - Rumours

February marks the anniversary of one the greatest pop-rock albums of all time, Rumours, the

eleventh studio album by Fleetwood Mac. The record hit the shelves 44 years ago, on February 4 th ,

1977 and it was a smash hit upon its release.

Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks were drafted into the band by Mick Fleetwood 2 years before

the release of Rumours in 1975, Solidifying the band’s most famous line-up, that consisted of Mick

Fleetwood (Drums), Lindsey Buckingham (Vocals/Guitar), Stevie Nicks (vocals/tambourine), Christine

McVie (vocals/keyboard) and John McVie (Bass).

Shortly after the arrival of Nicks and Buckingham, the group released the record, ‘Fleetwood Mac’,

in July 1975. Despite being self-titled, this was the British-American band’s 10th studio album.

The biggest single, Rhiannon, was a massive success at the time and it gave the group some much

needed radio exposure.

However, Rumours, would prove to be the record that would write Fleetwood Mac in the history

book as one of the most famous rock bands of all time.

Lindsey Buckingham wanted to make a “pop-album” with Rumours, whilst incorporating the band’s

traditional blues-rock style into the record

From the record’s leading track, “Second Hand News”, to its final song, “Gold Dust Woman”,

Rumours doesn’t miss a beat.

“Go Your Own way”, “Dreams” and “Don’t stop”, were all released as singles during 1976 and 1977,

and they would prove to be, possibly, Fleetwood mac’s most iconic songs.

Every song on the record seems fresh, the songwriting is as good as it gets on a pop/soft rock record.

“I Don’t Wanna Know” is my personal favorite, written by Stevie Nicks, before she and Buckingham

had joined the band.

Rumours was recorded at the record plant studio, in Sausalito, California, for the most part. The

album went on to win a Grammy award for album of the year in 1978 and would go onto sell over 40

million copies.

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about Rumours was the fact that Fleetwood Mac managed to

record the album whilst two break-ups were taking place within the band. John and Christine

McVie’s marriage was coming to an end, whilst Buckingham and Nick’s relationship was also

breaking down.

Fights between Nicks and Buckingham were commonplace, whilst John and Christine would not look

at each other during the recording sessions.

But the emotions from the break-ups that would prove to fuel the albums songs, and the heavy use of drugs

during the recording sessions also played an important role in the record’s creation.

The band would go on to record their twelfth studio album, Tusk, two years later in 1979. In the

years that followed Fleetwood Mac disbanded only to get back together again shortly after.

Joe Strong

All Photos Subject To Copyright

Remembering Gary Moore

Images Subject to Copyright

Ten years ago today Gary Moore sadly passed away. As a small tribute we recall a review from one of his Performances at St Davids Hall Cardiff in 2009.

Below are links to some live performances.

I was fortunate to see the show at The Point in Dublin. His solo on ’Still in Love With You’ was memorable and encapsulated so much of his playing.

The famous Gibson Les Paul Gary used on many recordings and Performances was bought from Peter Green the Legendary Guitarist and Songwriter of the original Fleetwood Mac.

‘Greeny’ as it was called became an iconic guitar, it was reported Moore bought the Guitar for £100 here is the story told by Moore from Guitarist Magazine.

“I had an SG at the time and so I took it into town and I sold it for £160 or something and he came up to my flat for the money and gave me 40 or 50 quid back! He said, ‘I’ll tell you what, I’ll just take what I paid for it, which was 120 quid.’

"But then he said he wouldn’t even do that and so I think I ended up giving him £100 or £110. I said to him if he ever wanted it back I’d give it to him,he said he would never ask for it back..

The current owner of the Guitar is Metallica Guitarist Kirk Hammett.

Hammett paid a reported 2 Million Dollars for the Instrument, but reports of this vary.

St Davids Hall Review

 With a brace of guitars, little conversation and absolutely no ceremony, Gary Moore demonstrated to a capacity St David’s Hall audience, just why he is a guitar legend.

His fans nudge to the front, not to whoop, whistle or wave but to witness close-up and in admiration a talent that has endured for almost forty years.

Having graced the line-up of several bands including Skid Row and of course Thin Lizzy, his solo career has uncovered his progression from heavy rock through the blues.

Probably the fastest guitarist in the world – his hand is certainly quicker than the eye – Moore nowadays fronts a simple four-piece consisiting of drums, bass and keyboard.

Other than to introduce each number, his rapport comes through the mastery of his craft and from the opening introduction of Bad For You Baby, also the title of his current album, the crowd are his.

Nowadays, rather than indulging himself, he indulges his fans and whilst predictably yet tantalisingly keeping Parisienne Walkways as his final encore, he takes us on a tour of both his own and cover blues material including Mojo Boogie, the soulful More Than You’ll Ever Know and of course Still Got The Blues.

Technically perfect, but, no longer with any need for technique his sound remains unique.

Frankly if you weren’t moved…you

By Jackie Davies - South Wales Argus

The LA's

Released October 1990, The LA’s one and only album initially crept under my radar.
The Liverpool band, signed to the Go! Discs in 1987, had released two unsuccessful singles and recorded with a number of producers before Steve Lillywhite and Mark Wallis picked up the reins to complete the album with re-mixes and re-recordings.
The band and in particular Lee Mavers hated the finished recording yet it went on to be highly acclaimed getting excellent reviews and decent sales.
By the time I caught up with the them Lillywhite’s remix of their second single “There She Goes” had finally broken into the UK charts. A terrific song with a wonderful hook of a chorus that was very reminiscent for me of The Move and the heady, hippy days of the late Sixties.
Lee Mavers reputation for perfection was legend with a story that he turned down using an authentic Sixties mixing desk because of the lack of any Sixties dust on the consule.
Despite his and the bands reservations about the album it’s quite rightly regarded as a classic and to my mind, one of my favourite debut albums ever.
Opening with “Son Of A Gun” a perfect opener if ever there was one. Jangly acoustic guitars and Maver’s distinctive almost growling vocals topped of with some really neat backing vocals, a feature of most of the album.
Any song on this album could be a single most evident in the songs “I Can’t Sleep”, the folksy “Doledrum” and “Way Out” it’s a perfect album of songs, most of whom rarely reach the 3 minute mark and a tribute to the band’s obvious pop sensibilities.
Elements of The Doors, XTC, and a host of Sixties bands could be used to liken the band to, but in my mind they’re quite unique and this, their debut, a must- have album for anyone’s collection.
Luckily enough to catch them live at the Cardiff Students Union, they proved to be a powerful unit and just as good live. Confident and with a bit of a swagger they were excellent.
It does seem a shame that their moment in the limelight was a short one, but the beauty is, a truly remarkable album in many ways.

Tony Woolway

The Doors Debut Album

54 years on and the Doors still light my fire

This week marks 54 years since the Doors released their self-titled debut album.

The Doors were formed in Los Angeles, California in 1965 and were an essential piece in the 1960s counterculture puzzle. The band’s lineup consisted of Jim Morrison (vocals), Robby Kriger (Guitar), Ray Manzarek (Keyboard) and John Densmore (Drums).

American audiences had not seen a front man quite like Jim Morrison before, and in truth, many people were not ready for him. Morrison’s on-stage performances sparked controversy and the Doors were the first and only group, to be banned from playing on the iconic Ed Sullivan show, after just one appearance.

The psychedelic rock album, ‘the Doors’, was released by the band on January 4th 1967 and it received very positive reviews upon its release. One such review described the record as a crossover between the Beach boys and the Rolling stones.

Despite the album’s overall positive reception, the album’s first single, ‘break on through (to the other side)’ was unsuccessful. In contrast the album’s second single, light my fire, was quite the opposite. The song climbed to No.1 on the US billboard hot 100 chart. However, the album was not as successful over the pond, as it was here in Britain.

When I first listened to this album, I must admit I thought it was a bit weird. But the more I listened, the more it grew on me. I had not listened to many songs like ‘Soul kitchen’ or ‘Twentieth Century Fox’ before I heard this album, and in truth, I have not heard many songs like them since.

The final song on the record, ‘The End’ can only be described as bizarre. Some reviews even describe it as scary and disturbing. With an almost 12-minute run time you almost feel like you have been on a journey when the song comes to an end.

In my opinion the album has its own unique psychedelic style. The keyboard instrumentals from Ray Manzarek set this record apart from other legendary 60s psychedelic bands, like Cream and the Jimi Hendrix experience.

The Doors followed up their debut album with Strange days in September of the same year.

Around four years after the release of the first album, Jim Morrison died, whilst living in a rented apartment in Paris. His death was mysterious, as the cause of death remains undetermined, because no autopsy was performed on his body.

Morrison was buried in the city of love, his grave (or the Tombe De Jim Morrison), can be found at the Père-Lachaise cemetery.

The band continued without Morrison and released two albums as a three piece but eventually called it a day in 1973. However, they did reunite briefly a few years later in the late 70s.

Joe Strong

The Doors has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame; "Light My Fire" was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. It has been reissued several times on CD, including a 1999 remaster in “96/24 bit advanced resolution”, a 2007 remixed ”40th Anniversary new mix” and a 2017 new remaster in stereo and mono – "50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition." In 2015 the Library of Congress selected The Doors for inclusion in the National Recording Registry based on its cultural, artistic or historical significance.

Looking Back: Van Halen in the Capital

In light of the sad news of Eddie Van Halen’s tragic passing, we at KCL pay our respects and look back at when the legendary guitarist and his band visited the capitol supporting Bon Jovi.

The Balance Tour was a concert tour by hard rock band Van Halen promoting their album Balance. It was dubbed the "Ambulance" Tour by Eddie Van Halen due to his hip injury caused by avascular necrosis, and his brother, drummer Alex Van Halen wearing a neck brace for most of the tour, due to rupturing three vertebrae in his neck. Consequently, Eddie was a lot more static on stage. This would be the group's last tour with Sammy Hagar on vocals until 2004, when he briefly rejoined the band for a tour. The opening night in Pensacola, and a combination of footage from the two Toronto shows were broadcast on Pay-Per-View.

The Filth & The Fury - The Sex Pistols (not) in Cardiff

14/12/1976 Top Rank, Cardiff – CANCELLED

It should have been at Cardiff's Top Rank Suite on 14 December 1976, but the month found the UK's most notorious band since the rabble rousing Rolling Stones, with the Sex Pistols British tour rapidly disintegrating around them.

There were councils in uproar following the band, plus hangers on, appeared on Bill Grundy's Tonight Show, a late replacement for Queen, turning the air blue, much of which prompted by a rather less-than-sober Grundy, causing a tabloid meltdown with newspapers calling for the venues to cancel following a tabloid storm unheralded since singer PJ Proby's black hipsters trousers split asunder and derailed his somewhat promising career.

Bizarrely the Pistols had already played three Welsh gigs earlier in the year mainly slipping in and out under the radar without any fuss but with the Anarchy tour almost in tatters and Cardiff a no go, The gig was moved to Caerphilly's Castle Cinema, Itself not without controversy as the local media pitched in to get it banned with angry readers firing off letters of protest. It even prompted a cartoon by great cartoonist Gren in the following morning's South Wales Echo.

But the gig went ahead and the locals prepared for hordes of violent punks to descend on the small valley town to cause mayhem, but nothing could be further from the truth. Band mates and a smallish crowd ran the gauntlet of carol singer protesters, the concert, that also featured The Clash and The Damned went ahead with hardly a word out of place and locals scratching their heads and wondering what all the fuss was about.

The video below goes some way to explaining what happened back in 1976.