Showing posts with label Paul simon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paul simon. Show all posts

Tuesday, 31 July 2018

Paul Simon Hydro July 2018



Magical and spiritual music which lifts the heart and soul. 

As we dance, have our hearts broken, enjoy nostalgia and our dreams can fly too, Simon began contemplatively with America And Fifty Ways, before taking up the energy with his full band for his wonderful Boy in the Bubble.  


Simon later reclaimed his fond child Bridge Over Troubled Water. He said this song simply passed through him.  He talked about his musical journeys and songwriting. 

Simon writes some of the best and most poignant lyrics. 
He sang more Surrealist songs -
If you and I were an accident 
Then the road offers no resistance,
I’m beneath the stars,
Dazzling blue


His set was interspersed with his hit songs, while he left the best for last. So many highlights! – Mother and Child ReunionSlip Sliding Away, along with his fun dance tune such as Me and  Jolio Down by the Schoolyard. As well as his outstanding lyrics, Simon songs have those well known riffs 
What a joyful encore when Simon treated us to his best loved songs – Homeward Bound. Sounds of Silence….
There was lots of love in the room and all those spiritual voices.
Simon's Song Odysseys.  

Wednesday, 21 November 2012

Kris Drever and Lau on Jools Holland

Kris Drever, Aidan O'Rourke and Lau on Jools Holland this week - it is good to see folk and indie music is alive and well! Folk/Blues Chart  - Mumford No 1. - plus Kate Rusby, Bellowhead, Paul Simon, Laura Marling, Chieftains, Neil Young. Good chart! : ))   http://www.bbc.co.uk/lau/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/joolsholland

Lau - http://pkimage.co.uk/Lau
Kris Drever PHOTOS - http://pkimage.co.uk/krisdrever 

Friday, 15 June 2012

Would Dylan Get a Record Deal Today?


Today the Industry would put Bob Dylan, Sandy Denny, Rab Noakes, Paul Simon – all the great legends and outstanding talents of the 60s and have them in ‘backrooms’ studios to write for singers such as – Frankie this, or Johnny that, or Elvis shake your hips – so they can sing ( as Dick Gaughan put it) about what it is like at summer camp – I despair! 

Fortunately in the 60s there was more creative freedom, and artists were able to stand up for what they believed in. There were several reasons for this –

There was a lot more money in the music industry; bands played at club nights and social venues; solo artists played residencies at bars and clubs. 
I know there still are wonderful venues in places like London (the Troubadour, Bedford, RegalRoom, ) and Glasgow (Oran Mor, King Tuts, Nice n Sleazys ) and there are still many promoters who care about independent music. 

My son’s band played recently at a ‘Grease the movie’ party and had so much fun covering those classic songs of the 70s. They also played some Motown and such great bass lines for him to play. They played an 8 song set and everyone was dancing and having a great time. After the DJ set came back on and it was so dull by comparison to the ‘live’ band. They could easily have played for longer. I told my son that’s what it was like at the clubs back when. There would be a DJ in one room and a live band in another room. The live band was so much better ( well usually) than the DJ.

It’s all about a fast profit today though and DJs are so much cheaper - and all the cheap club nights now.

The sad thing is now bands feel its’ a performance with the audience standing to listen. When I saw Aloe Blacc here last year – he attempted to make a path in the audience for those who wished to dance. Folk singers used to simply play in bars while ‘audiences or rather customers simply sat and chatted. It was all less rigid and formal – it’s all so formal now.  I’m talking here about learning the craft of live music. Once a band or artist is established and people pay to hear them, that’s a different ball game. It seems that developing artists now spend much less of their time playing live.   

It is just as well there were guys like John Hammond who was willing to take a risk with Dylan - after all he didn't look or sound quite right but he had charisma.Now the music industry simply can't afford to take any risks, its too expensive. That's why it is important that we support independent music.   

 I listen to young artists today and many lack any substance behind their songs. 

 John Hammond was an American record producer, Civil Rights activist, non-musician and music critic from the 1930s to the early 1980s. In his service as a Talent scout, Hammond became one of the most influential figures in 20th century popular music. Hammond was instrumental in sparking or furthering numerous musical careers, including those of  Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, Count Bassie, Pete Seeger, Aretha Franklin,  George Benson, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Bruce Springsteen,
He was largely responsible for the revival of delta blues artist Robert Johnson's music (who was a big influence on Dylan) .  He also strived for racial integration, not only in the musical frontier but in the United States in general.
Where are the free thinkers today.......? 

Thursday, 21 July 2011

*Paul Simon Clyde Auditorium Glasgow 24th June 2011

Slip Sliding Away .....
Simon gave us an unforgettable evening filled with his heavenly tunes and powerful lyrics. He performed songs from his new album 'So Beautiful So What' as well as songs from his extensive back catalogue.  

There was no support and Simon played for around a full 2 hours.  I was glad that I had arrived on time as the announcer said that Simon would be on in five minutes! 

Simon's set included the songs: The Boy in the Bubble, Dialling home, Sliding Away, So Beautiful So What, Hearts and Bone, Mystery Train, Blind, Only Living Boy in New York, Diamonds on the Souls of her Feet, Questions for the Angels, Sounds of Silence, Born at Last, Here Comes the Sun (George Harrison cover), Crazy Love.  And for his encore 'Still Crazy After All These Years.' 

The two standout moments for me were firstly the opening number ' The Boy in the Bubble' with his full band on top form, and secondly simply Simon and his guitar in the spotlight as he sang 'Sound of Silence'.  Perfect really. While Simon is now seventy his voice sounded wonderful and his band expressed high musicianship as they backed his songs.  On a few songs he was minus guitar when he enjoyed to play and beat time with his arms and hands!  Unusually the set veered from upbeat songs to quieter songs and then upbeat songs again. 

His music displays African gospel, Cajun and Folk influences. His lyrics feel many things - ambiguous and sometimes unsettling; life-affirming, cautious yet hopeful; light and joyful; as well as poignant and introspective.  Simon's lyrics address the deeper concerns of life while there is always a joyousness around them. 

It is not so often we can see an 'icon' perform in the flesh and you could feel the love from the audience. At the finale Simon shook hands with those at the front.
My 'Paul Simon Songbook' was always one of my favourites to play and sing. Many of us remember the song 'Sound of Silence' playing over the opening credits for the film the 'Graduate' film with Dustin Hoffman. After seeing Simon live I now admit to preferring his songs sung by him alone rather than the slightly overdone vocal duets of the 60s by Simon and Garfunkle.

A lovely concert that brought smiles to faces. What a wonderful job to bring joy to peoples hearts....

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