It’s been a while (sorry about that) but I’ve dusted off the cobwebs to bring you another Listening Theme. This time it’s the turn of BRITISH HEAVY METAL. As usual, I’d like your recommendations. I’d really [...]]]>

Listening Theme 68 – British Heavy Metal

Hi all,

It’s been a while (sorry about that) but I’ve dusted off the cobwebs to bring you another Listening Theme. This time it’s the turn of BRITISH HEAVY METAL. As usual, I’d like your recommendations. I’d really like specific albums not just band names, that way I can really focus in on the very best of British metal.

Looking forward to your suggestions, but remember they must be A) BRITISH and B) LOUD!!!.

Cheers, Paul

Hi all,

It’s been a while since we last had a Guest Theme Setter and so I thought I’d ask one of my favourite crime writers (and regular Listening Theme participant) Quintin Jardine if he would take [...]]]>

Hi all,

It’s been a while since we last had a Guest Theme Setter and so I thought I’d ask one of my favourite crime writers (and regular Listening Theme participant) Quintin Jardine if he would take up the challenge. To my delight he agreed and suggested artistes from Canada.

So let’s have some recommendations to some great albums by Canadian acts, especially those I may not have heard before (any genre, past or present).

Looking forward to your suggestions.

Cheers, Paul

http://www.quintinjardine.com/

Listening Theme 66: Drummers by Paul Adams on Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 5:58am Hi, and a belated Happy New Year to you all.

I thought I’d start a new Listening Theme year with a bang and have a theme celebrating some of our great drummers, past and present, any genre – rock, jazz, you name it.

Just recommend [...]]]>

Listening Theme 66: Drummers
by Paul Adams on Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 5:58am
Hi, and a belated Happy New Year to you all.

I thought I’d start a new Listening Theme year with a bang and have a theme celebrating some of our great drummers, past and present, any genre – rock, jazz, you name it.

Just recommend your favourite drummers and some examples of their best work and I’ll add them to my playlist and listen to an album or two.

Looking forward to your suggestions.
Cheers, Paul

Seasons greetings one and all,

Well folks, it’s December so it’s that time of the year when sheer stupidity takes over and I undertake my annual Christmas Music Marathon.

It started 2 years ago when I set myself the daunting challenge of [...]]]>
Listening Theme – Christmas Music Marathon 2011
by Paul Adams on Friday, December 2, 2011 at 1:41pm

Seasons greetings one and all,

Well folks, it’s December so it’s that time of the year when sheer stupidity takes over and I undertake my annual Christmas Music Marathon.

It started 2 years ago when I set myself the daunting challenge of listening to 100 different recordings of Irving Berlin’s Holiday classic “White Christmas” (don’t ask why, it seemed a good idea at the time) and I did it – http://bit.ly/svJwPR Last year I chose “Winter Wonderland” and managed 60 versions – http://bit.ly/rpN5Uj

This years choice is Mel Torme’s “The Christmas Song” (Chestnuts roasting on an open fire… etc.). If you know of any notable recordings please let me know and I’ll listen to as many as I can between now and Christmas Day. I’m looking for established, well known artists, not just someone sitting at home in their bedroom with a guitar on YouTube.

Having said that, if YOU want to sit at home in your bedroom (or recording studio) with a guitar and record a version just for me, I’d be most grateful and I’ll include you amongst the likes of Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Justin Beiber (damn!, I may have just put you off the idea). For the past two years Chris LeRoy has recorded special versions for us – will he take up the challenge this year? we’ll have to wait and see

Looking forward to hearing your recommendations.

Cheers, Paul

The next few Listening Themes will concentrate on some of our greatest songwriters – first off is Leonard Cohen. I’ll be listening to his recordings and covers of his songs by other artists. As usual, I’d be grateful of any recommendations you [...]]]>

Hi all,

The next few Listening Themes will concentrate on some of our greatest songwriters – first off is Leonard Cohen. I’ll be listening to his recordings and covers of his songs by other artists. As usual, I’d be grateful of any recommendations you can give.

Cheers, Paul

Listening Theme (Songbook Highway EXCLUSIVE!) – The Power Ballad

Here you go, a Listening Theme just for Songbook Highway visitors. My Listening Theme project usually appears on my Facebook page (and duplicated here) but this time my Facebook friends and regular Listening Theme participants will have to come over to here for a [...]]]>

Listening Theme (Songbook Highway EXCLUSIVE!) – The Power Ballad

Here you go, a Listening Theme just for Songbook Highway visitors. My Listening Theme project usually appears on my Facebook page (and duplicated here) but this time my Facebook friends and regular Listening Theme participants will have to come over to here for a change.

Anyway, here’s how it works (if you didn’t already know), I choose a random theme/music genre and ask my Facebook and Songbook Highway friends to recommend tracks or albums to me to listen to. I’ll listen to as many as I can for a week or two, hopefully discovering some new music I hadn’t heard before, then move on to another theme – simple.

This time it’s the turn of the ‘Power Ballad’. What I would like from you is your suggestions of some great Power Ballads, not just the usual ones (I wouldn’t be discovering much if you all said Foreigner ‘I Want To Know What Love Is’ – even though it is a great track).

Lets have some recommendations,
Cheers, Paul

To mark the passing of Jerry Leiber a couple of weeks ago, I’ll be dedicating my next Listening Theme to the music of Leiber & Stoller.

http://leiberstoller.com/Discography.html

Using this comprehensive discography as my guide (and with your suggestions [...]]]>

Listening Theme 62 – Leiber and Stoller

Hi all,

To mark the passing of Jerry Leiber a couple of weeks ago, I’ll be dedicating my next Listening Theme to the music of Leiber & Stoller.

http://leiberstoller.com/Discography.html

Using this comprehensive discography as my guide (and with your suggestions as usual) I’ll be listening to anything penned (or produced) by Leiber & Stoller – not just the well known recordings by Elvis, The Coasters, The Drifters etc. So lets have some recommendations.

And if that wasn’t enough, I think I’ll attempt one of my music marathons (haven’t had one for a while). I’ll try to listen to as many different recordings of Hound Dog as I can. According to the list there are pleanty of recordings of it around

Cheers, Paul

After a bit of a break it’s time to get back to my Listening Themes – I haven’t forgotten.

I’ve been thinking about Birmingham and the West Midlands a bit lately. Firstly I’ve been really busy producing some maps of [...]]]>

Listening Theme 59 – Brum

Hi all,

After a bit of a break it’s time to get back to my Listening Themes – I haven’t forgotten.

I’ve been thinking about Birmingham and the West Midlands a bit lately. Firstly I’ve been really busy producing some maps of the area and also because I’m heading up to Birmingham on Sunday for the big athletics meeting – for those who don’t know me, I’m not competing, just spectating I thought I should listen to some of the music that has come out of the Black Country. So, got any ideas of albums by bands/artistes from Birmingham* and the West Midlands?

Cheers, Paul

* that’s Birmingham in the UK not Alabama – so no Emmylou Harris!

The reason for the delay was that my main source of online music (we7.com) only [...]]]>

Listening Theme 58 – Bob Dylan

Okay, for all those of you that have been wondering why I haven’t had a Bob Dylan Listening Theme yet – relax, here it is!

The reason for the delay was that my main source of online music (we7.com) only had 30 second previews of Bob’s back catalogue, however now I’ve discovered mflow.com with it’s full length tracks there’s no stopping me. Besides, it’s Bob’s 70th birthday on Tuesday so now seems a good a time as any.

You know the deal by now, let’s have your favourite Bob Dylan albums (solo or collaborations) or any notable Dylan cover versions by other artists and I’ll try to listen to as much as I can over the next couple of weeks.

Cheers Paul

Time for another Listening Theme and seeing as I’ve covered British punk a year or two back I thought it’s about time I took a look at the US punk scene. Let’s have some suggestions as to [...]]]>

Listening Theme 57 – US Punk

Hi all,

Time for another Listening Theme and seeing as I’ve covered British punk a year or two back I thought it’s about time I took a look at the US punk scene. Let’s have some suggestions as to which albums I should check out.

Cheers,

Paul

PS – regarding my earlier teaser video of Camper Van Beethoven performing Wasted back in 1987, well here’s the original by Black Flag: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU7xIqB47vw