Posts Tagged R.I.P.
Archive
August 8, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
R.I.P. David Berman
Awful news. Just awful. David Berman has died. The songwriter behind the Silver Jews and the brand-spanking new “comeback” Purple Mountains was 52. Silver Jews became known as a Pavement-side-project. Given it was started with two musicians that would go on to create one of the best-nown slacker-indie bands of the 90s. Silver Jews rolled on. Bob Nastonovich and Stephen Malkmus weren’t the […]Archive
July 24, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
R.I.P. Rutger Hauer
Rutger Hauer has died. Sad news to wake up to – he was one of my heroes. Everyone talks about Blade Runner and fair enough – but the role that really blew me away was The Hitcher. I could watch that movie every day I think. The coldness, the surface-calm of a true maniac. I reckon that’s Hauer’s masterpiece. But […]Archive
March 12, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
R.I.P. Hal Blaine
Hal Blaine has died. The session drumming legend was 90. What a life. What a legacy. If he wasn’t the most prolific sessioneer skinsman he was certainly the most successful of the busy-schedule players. A part of one of the greatest groups of all time – The Wrecking Crew (not a band as such, a collective […]Archive
February 16, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
The 1001 Albums Challenge # 125: Gang Starr – “Step In The Arena”
This is the sort of straight-up banger that makes me pleased I signed up for and carried on this ridiculous ‘Challenge’. Here I am going through old albums I missed at the time. Mostly finding gems. A few duds. A few ‘who really cares’, a few ‘you had to be theres/time/place’ but mostly finding gems…then there’s something like this. You’d […]Archive
January 27, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
R.I.P. Michel Legrand
I was sad to hear of the passing of Michel Legrand. He lived a long life I guess – he was a month shy of his 87th birthday I believe. I thought, straight away on hearing the news of his amazing recording, Legrand Jazz. We bought that 1959 album on a whim – I say we – the family used to […]Archive
December 7, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The Ghost of Electricity: War Stories by Jon McLeary # 208 Pete Shelley
Late 2009. The Spines at that time were Les Knight on bass, Riki Gooch on drums and me. We had just recorded the Bloodmonster album and I was about 50 and drinking a lot at Bodega – a period of renaissance for the band. I’d always been a fan of the Buzzcocks in the early […]Archive
August 22, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
R.I.P. Spencer P. Jones
Spencer P. Jones has died. I loved so much of the music Spencer P. Jones created and assisted. For he was behind so many bands and various guises, sometimes a sideman, often out front – his songs…someone else’s songs…killer player! The Australian guitarist – best known for his involvement in The Johnnys and Beasts of […]Archive
April 25, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
R.I.P. Bob Dorough
I was sad to hear of the passing of Bob Dorough – I mean, amazing life: richly rewarding, a quiet achiever and he made it to 94, that’s never to be sniffed at – but I wanted to mark the passing in at least some small way because Bob Dorough was kinda a big deal […]Archive
April 6, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
R.I.P. Cecil Taylor
Cecil Taylor has died. The legendary pianist recently celebrated his 89th birthday. What a legend. What a legacy. He took what Art Tatum started and freed it. That’s a simple description – but it’s how I’ve always heard him. Taylor – along with Ornette Coleman, Albert Ayler and John Coltrane was one of the towering […]Archive
March 18, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The 1001 Albums Challenge # 45: Hugh Masekela– “Home Is Where The Music Is”
Somewhat (sadly) timely to get to this album at this point. Just last month I was on an Australian radio station paying tribute to the great Hugh Masekela. I had a couple of his albums – but not this one. And had never heard this. It’s a terrific album – utterly joyous – just great […]Archive
February 11, 2018 by Simon Sweetman