Everyone has one or two musicians in their library who they like beyond reason; their albums may be spotty, their careers dogged, but you can’t stop listening. You like them for reasons you find hard to explain and few can fully understand. You rarely recommend their works; still, you can’t help but innocently squeeze them between the hits on compilation CDs.
Here are a few of my strange loves…
Prefab Sprout
Fronted by Paddy McAloon, these Brits have one classic album, Two Wheels Good (titled Steve McQueen in the UK). After researching them on the internet I’ve found that though they may be much loved in their homeland, they’re virtually ignored in North America. Paddy McAloon is a lyrical genious. I haven’t been able to stomach any album other than Two Wheels Good all the way through, but their “best of” is excellent summary of their career – if not a bit overlong and embarrassing near the end. Check them out for yourself on youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nes4L_jvY00&search=prefab%20sprout
and my fav… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjXS3A3ctUk&search=prefab%20sprout
Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy and Phil Lynott are often credited as one of the founders of hard rock, but it took me a while to find them. Their work is certainly spotty… I myself can only wholeheartedly stand behind the stuff from the middle of their career, and their albums are rarely good all the way through (Jailbreak and Bad Reputation are exceptions). I don’t know much Lynott’s life and times, but I get the feeling from listening to him that he’s been through a lot. He’s been called the Irish Bruce Springsteen, but in all honesty I like him much more than Springsteen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmIzB4WkOO4&search=thin%20lizzy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDMEVg-Sar4&search=thin%20lizzy
and of course… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lt7H-vHbWsM&search=thin%20lizzy
Bobby Womack
A close personal friend of the Stones (he wrote the one of their first hits, if not their first hit, It’s All over Now), Wilson Pickett, Sam Cooke, and a session player for Aretha Franklin, among others, Womack has been a round the block. And he’s still alive! (It’s my big hope to see him in a live setting before he passes). His repetoire is spotty indeed. The album Communication is a good place to start. In keeping with youtube, here’s a nice little tribute to Bobby featuring some of his crappy newer stuff (new at the time – late 90′s?) but some excellent old clips and some great impromptu acoustic work for an audience of James Brown.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nv2Dm0oflA&search=bobby%20womack
Al Tuck
Al Tuck comes from another time. It’s the only way to explain why he seems so out of place on our current musical landscape. Here’s a great youtube sample of on of his many unrecorded songs. I’m guessing there are about 5 people in the audience… seems about right.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj7zeuOHdJc&search=al%20tuck
