Everything you've hankered after - £10 - Journey to your university years.


How long have I waited to listen to these pieces of music?

So I'm in Tesco this evening and spotted another "8 billion songs which we can't sell unless it's on a compilation named Greatest Thingummies Ever" CD called "Greatest Rock". I didn't think much of it but before I pushed off around the other end of the supermarket I had a squiz. I was surprised that the three-cds-for-a-tenner had about ten really good songs which I don't have on CD on it (admittedly out of 3x18 songs!). All of them songs I would never have bought a full CD for but have wanted for ages. So now I am the proud owner of such cheezy specials as:

Hooters Satellite

I first heard this on "No Limits", a rotten Janet Street Greebling <cough> sorry Porter inspired teen YOOF show on BBC 2. It's a bugger to find though.

Toto Hold the Line

Oh come on - just sad cheesy rock.

Canned Heat On the Road Again

A standard - first enjoyed on some horrible metal compilation when I was going out with Caroline years ago!

Argent God Gave Rock and Roll To You

Oh yes he did. And he gave it to Bill and to Ted too.

Ram Jam Black Betty

Another metal compilation classic. I used to listen to this in the pub at the end of Grafton Street in Manchester before Pat left (what a brilliant lockin there was that night). This is the short version whereas that pub jukebox had the LONG version with the extended guitar break. That was even unlikely back then! I first heard this song in that pub. Buggered if I can remember the name of it though I remember that I used to drink Scrumpy Jack a lot. Ouch.

Spin Doctors Two Princes

I always liked this but never bothered to buy any of their CDs. I think it's something to do with that man in the unusual hat. He looks a bit crusty.

Talking Heads Psycho Killer (live)

I woke up one morning this year singing this song. Weird because I don't remember ever listening to it when it was originally out. Unfortunately this is the live version which tends to go on for what feels like 8 hours. Still, the life support will keep me going. Imagine my surprise when I found out it was Talking Heads!

Cheap Trick The Flame

Finding this on a CD is amazing. I first watched the video to this on The Chart Show or something (or maybe some rubbish late night rock show with Dante). I fell in love with the wonderful guitar the lead guitarist had - although I am listening to this song right now and it's blowing away the nostalgia cobwebs. No, I will stand by it - it is utter utter predictable 80s rock. You could hold a wall up with it, it's so bombproof. Right - move on. Ho ho, only joking, I love it really.

Marillion Garden Party

It's been a real Marillion revivalist Christmas. I bought Fugazi (not the original, oh no - but the super duper mega remixed and remastered and repackaged newer better and slightly more expensive version) for Jess while I was up home. Fugazi really is what Marillion were all about. But I digress, Garden Party is what Marillion are really all about. I doubt I'd buy the CD it's on, but it can't be denied that it was a breakthrough song for them.

Deep Purple Child In Time

Ok, this is a cheat because I have this about three times already, but it gets a special mention because it's

a) a live version
b) badly played
c) badly recorded

d) still excellent!

The true mark of a decent tune is that it could be played upside down on an out of tune mouth organ and still evoke whatever it is tunes evoke.

There is something special about Gillan wailing like a trampled rodent that somehow makes me wish it was the 70s, unbelievably. Pass the man a strepsil.

Bryan Ferry Let's Stick Together

Not one of my favourite songs ever - musically it's rotten - but you can't knock the guy on performance. Anyone with the chutzpah to carry off some awful music with conviction enough to turn it around is a winner in my book.

J Geils Band Centerfold

Mercy Me! It even has the groovy bit in the middle which stops everyone dancing because they think the song's finished. I bought a J Geils RECORD in my first year of university and loved it. Never got round to buying it on CD though... This song is brilliant.

The Gun Race With The Devil

OH MY GOD. Sometimes something special happens. On this super cheesy retrospective I really tuned into the selection of music and was reminded of a certain time when I used to go to the UMIST Saturday Rock Discos back in 1989 to 1992 (is that when they finished?). Cider and pinball downstairs in the union bar until the thrash hour finished at 11.30 then between 1hr and 2hrs of great music to throw yourself around to if you were lucky and they didn't feel like going to bed early.

Well, it happened - a song I haven't heard since then, a song which I really liked a lot and never knew the name of - is on this CD. And this is it. How cool.

Gary Moore and Phil Lynott Out In The Fields

Another song I haven't heard in a while. Undeniably 80s pop-inspired rock. I bet this has featured on a hundred films. Phil Lynott definitely died too young.

I have to give special mentions to some songs on the compilation which I already own but which are erm, classics.

Boston More Than A Feeling

Unknockably excellent. Anyone who doesn't like this is - er in the minority.

Kansas Carry On My Wayward Son

My god, why weren't Kansas better known - THIS IS SUPERB. They toned down their pretentiousness and just made a great great song.

Journey Don't Stop Believin'

This is the first song I learned to play on the piano and is responsible for many lunchtime and break time impromptu sessions on the piano during school and sixth form. Surely there isn't a single person on earth who doesn't like this?

Blondie Hangin' on the Telephone

Parallel Lines by Blondie is a superb album. Just buy it, you will not be sorry, not even for a minute. I should know - I've bought it about three times for various reasons.

Before I end this mammoth post (honestly, like buses...), I would just like to special-mention the Hawkwind song on the CD - whilst everyone else were making slightly thoughtful and interesting music Hawkwind were producing repetitive badly-produced and horribly recorded (and I thought it was the sound in the clubs I went to!) utter rubbish with a slightly spacey theme for people to get monged to. Well, good on you guys - you created your niche and you lived it. As I listen to Urban Guerilla I can't help but think that someday someone somewhere will think this is ace. I hope you don't take this as a slight - I have much admiration for the band, but they are definitely not for me.

Posted: Fri - January 9, 2004 at 09:42 PM      

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