RAQs

An entirely personal run through music questions I rarely get asked…

What’s the best Can album to get?
Well, I’d have to start with the record I’m named after, Ege Bamyasi. If this fires your imagination then proceed to work through the rest of my ranking here.

Incidentally how do you pronounce your name?
I can’t say I’ve heard it said out loud that often but I use Bam-yay-zee, not Bam-yass-ee which I’ve heard some people call me. I don’t know what’s right. My parents just called me Jon. The actual translation of Ege Bamyasi is a Turkish vegetable okra soup, which is quite a good description of the contents of the album.

What’s the greatest Krautrock album of all time?
My favourite evs is Tago Mago by Can. The answer to the above question still holds as I think Ege Bamyasi is an easier listen to start with.

What is your actual favourite album of all time?
Usually a difficult question to answer as there are obviously 100s and tastes change over time and new discoveries continue, but nevertheless my favourite for many many years now has been Astral Weeks by Van Morrison.

Where would you start with Black Sabbath?
Many people say Paranoid (the album) but personally I think their best album, and the one most characteristic of their unique sound, is Master of Reality.

I can guess, but Ozzy or Ronnie?
Definitely Ozzy.

Who would you most like to see live but haven’t had the chance to date?
I have a bucket list and have ticked off a few significant ones recently including Kraftwerk, The Who, Robert Plant, Roger Waters and Nick Cave but top of the list now is Tom Waits. Unfortunately he rarely tours and I imagine the tickets would be near impossible to secure. I’ve never seen The Rolling Stones, that would be fun too. On a more realistic level I’m waiting for Bonnie Prince Billy to come to town.

What was the first gig you remember going to?
I saw lots of small local gigs, local bands etc of course, but the first major proper concert I remember going to was The Scorpions at Portsmouth Guildhall. It was their Animal Magnetism tour so I guess around 1980.

And the most exciting concert you’ve seen?
Well, the Scorpions was amazing. I’d never experienced anything like it so everything after that didn’t quite have the same impact. Neil Young at Hop Farm was pretty good and The Flaming Lips live are brilliant fun with all their theatrics. Nowadays I’m not so into the big spectacular stadium shows and prefer an intimate pub setting with someone relatively unknown or as yet undiscovered, or an old timer less popular than yesteryear.

What do you think of the Cocteau Twins?
I really like them. They had a unique sound and produced a run of fine albums in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

…And Ed Sheeran?
That’s a bit random but anyway, I don’t get him. I understand he is really popular across all ages (from the kids to the grannies) but personally does nothing for me.

So no Ed Sheeran’s forthcoming in the blog?
The blog selection is taken from my own collection so is nearly all stuff I personally like. Occasionally I will take a chance on something, or will purchase a knock off at a charity shop, or receive a gift, or promotional copy album.

What’s the best Led Zep album?
I think to be fair, and at the risk of over familiarity, it is actually IV although most of them are pretty excellent.

But if you could only get 3?
Gosh, that’s tough. The best albums aren’t always the ones I end up playing the most. For example I play Houses Of The Holy more often than I but wouldn’t necessarily say it’s the better album. With a push becoming a shove I’d go for II, IV and then sneak in the double Physical Graffiti.

Ones to avoid?
Presence is ok, as is In Through The Out Door although they had changed their style by then. Coda isn’t really a proper Zep album so avoid that one.

Top 3 tracks from Led Zep?
Rain Song, When The Levee Breaks, and Black Dog.

What’s your favourite Pink Floyd album?
It varies a bit. I like everything they did in the ’70s. I only heard Atom Heart Mother recently which is a fine album and Meddle of course has possibly their greatest ever track Echoes. For many years Wish You Were Here was my favourite but now I’d probably say it is Animals.

How about The Wall?
A great album too, very powerful. But I don’t actually play it very much now. It’s a little disjointed and not all the experimental elements work. Great stage show though.

Jimmy Page or David Gilmour?
Ooh, that’s tough too. They are both different with their own unique sound. Technically Gilmour but for feel and swing probably Page (when he was on song — his swing could be on the verge of sloppy though, certainly live).

But generally, your favourite guitarist?
Well if you are talking electric I’m partial to Rory Gallagher, Robert Fripp, Tony Iommi, Andy Latimer, Jerry Garcia, Uli Roth, Alex Lifeson, John McLaughlin, and Neil Young of course. For acoustic Tommy Emmanuel is out of this world and trumps all of the above.

Most overrated guitarist?
I’ve never got Eric Clapton for some reason.

Any generally overrated artists for you?
Yes, there are a few who are critically acclaimed and/or mega popular but I’ve never got them. Eg. Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Phil Collins, Arcade Fire, Styx, Foo Fighters etc.

Dylan or Young?
Love them both but would just go for Young marginally.

You’re a big Neil Young fan. Which album first got you into him?
The first one I ever heard was Reactor closely followed by Live Rust and then After The Goldrush, and, perhaps oddly, Hawks and Doves. But Reactor hooked me. The basic riffing just sounded so heavy and unusual.

Ones to avoid from the Grungefather?
Goodness, many. Up until the early 2000s I committed to every album from Young which saw me through some testing times that really tried the fans’ patience. Despite trying to keep the faith I eventually had to admit that most of his ‘80s albums were poor including Life, Landing On Water, Old Ways and of course the universally derided Everybody’s Rockin’. We didn’t know it at the time but Trans was actually relatively decent in comparison to what followed. A lot of his later albums appear to have been put together carelessly with questionable production, jamming by numbers, and throwaway lyrics — the prolific Young does not worry about quality over quantity but there is always a gem round the corner and he never disappoints live.

What about his most underrated album?
I really like some of his ‘90s rock albums like Mirror Ball and Ragged Glory. The above mentioned Hawks and Doves is excellent too. From more recently I quite like Greendale too and Living With War has its moments. From the classic early ‘70s period Young was mistaken to delay the CD release of the superb Time Fades Away live album.

Most overrated?
Freedom is a bit disjointed but it signalled a return to form after the ‘80s doldrums. Similarly Sleeps With Angels is a bit all over the place and I don’t like that tinny piano.

Favourite Bob Dylan album?
Desire.

U2 or not?
Not for me. I don’t know why. They seem to be one of those marmite bands for whatever reason, like Coldplay. Why is that? I don’t know. I’m sure Joshua Tree objectively is a decent album.

Who were/are the greatest Prog Rock band?
I really like many. Yes and Genesis produced some fantastic albums in the ’70s, but would probably choose King Crimson overall.

What did you think of their change in direction in the ‘80s?
I didn’t like it at the time but looking back now they were ahead of their time and that Discipline trilogy is actually very good.

Vinyl, CDs or Spotify?
I use CDs. I used to have a vinyl collection but sold it sadly (I miss the covers). I occasionally use Spotify (or Youtube) for research but prefer the actual physical tangible albums (the ads too, if you don’t have a paid subscription, are unbearable).

Favourite singers?
I’m not so keen on the real metal screamers like Ian Gillan and Robert Plant (who got quite screamy at times). Geddy Lee had a very clear high voice which I preferred when he dropped a few octaves in Rush’s later years. I like singing voices that are a bit unusual or unique — Paul Rodgers of Free springs to mind and Jeff Buckley had an incredible voice. John Martyn had an effortless drawl which was like an instrument. New kid on the block Matthew E White is superb too. Probably the most emotional and soulful voice (and he’s still got it) belongs to Van Morrison.

And lyricists?
Bob Dylan is hard to beat. His songs are like novels! Van Morrison again — his lyrics purvey a sense of time and place few other writers can. I’m sure there are many others I’ve admired. A shout out for Renee Sparks of The Handsome Family who writes quirky bizarre short stories in her songs. Oh and Ian Felice of The Felice Brothers does deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as Dylan.

What about drummers?
I like Bill Bruford and Neil Peart was obviously very talented and John Bonham made all the difference to Led Zep, but my favourite drummer is Jaki Liebezeit of Can.

Do you still discover new music?
Yes, all the time. Every year I discover new stuff, and often I’m amazed I haven’t heard it before.

Do your tastes change over time?
I think my favourite artists are now firmly established as long term permanent favourites but my general tastes do change over the months and years. My listening comes and goes in phases. Generally I grow to like bands I hadn’t appreciated before, rather than the other way round.

Which festivals do you recommend?
There are so many (practically one every weekend these days in the summer). They also change over time. If you get in with a good one early on they often peak in the first two or three years (before word gets around and the masses start to turn up and ironically at the same time the lineups start to decline — I saw this happen at Larmer Tree and Camp Bestival). Current favourites include Black Deer Festival, Love Supreme, Green Man, Good Vibrations and Byline.

Do you listen to classical music?
Yes, sometimes. I tend to like solo works or small groups moreso than symphonic music. I very much like “modern” 20th Century music particularly minimalist composers like Tavener, Part, Gorecki, Reich, Glass and Adams.

Who is your favourite composer?
Debussy.

And jazz?
Yes, I don’t know much jazz music but like a lot of what I’ve heard especially Miles Davis — both the more traditional early stuff and his later jazz fusion music which inspired a whole crossover to rock in the early ‘70s. I enjoy jazz instrumentalists like Keith Jarrett and John McLaughlin and in fact a modern jazz trio (Tord Gustavsen) won my album of the year in 2019.

Any rock trivia you particularly enjoy?
Yes, lots. Let me think. Tony Iommi was in Jethro Tull. Crosby Stills and Nash went back a day later to reshoot the cover of their debut album as the order of the names differed to the photo, but the shack had been demolished. Nash still says today that he is mistaken for Crosby.

Any good rock jokes?
Too many, and most are too long, but I liked Ozzy Osbourne saying he left Black Sabbath for health reasons… Iommi was making him sick.