Category Archives: Music

Music of 2014

I’ve done similar posts to these before, but this year I thought I would do it slightly differently. Once again the list comes from one of my iTunes playlists which looks at the Top 100 tracks I’ve been playing in the last 12 months.

1. Peg – Steely Dan – The video how this complex track was ‘assembled’ by the best musicians in the business for the Aja album (in my opinion)

2. Genesis – After the Ordeal – This track comes from another favourite album of mine ‘Selling England by the Pound’ from the early 1970’s.

3. Bill Withers – Ain’t No Sunshine – This track was used in a clever scene in the film Notting Hill starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant

4. Mason Williams – Classical Gas – No sure why I love this track so much, but it dates back to my early awareness of music and I tend to like guitar instrumentals a lot!

5. Bruce Hornsby & the Range – The Way It Is – A 1980’s classic, the track that started my love of Bruce Hornsby and his magic piano playing.

6. Gerry Rafferty – Night Owl  – Gerry has a different way of singing, but I can listen to his albums often late at night without tiring of them.

7. Pink Floyd – Sorrow  taken from the live album Pulse. I’m not always a fan of Live albums but Pink Floyd are an exception to this rule.

8. Robert Palmer – Simply Irresistible

9. Steelers Wheel – Stuck in the Middle – Gerry Rafferty again, Love the line ‘Clowns to the left of me Jokers to the right‘ it reminds me of trying to mediating in disputes at times!

10. Phil Collins – In The Air Tonight – I listen to a lot of Phil Collins tracks, love the drums on this track, especially once it gets going at about 3:15 in to the track!

Well that’s my Top 10 for 2014, but I listened to many many hours of music in 2014 and I suspect 2015 will be no different!

My favourite new track of 2014 was Pharrell Williams – Happy

Enjoy and Happy New Year.

My Top 100 music tracks of 2013

Once again here’s the Top 100 music tracks I have listened to in 2013, this is an output from iTunes so it includes music I listen to in the car, whilst at my desk or wandering around. I listen to many hours of music in any week, but these tracks are the ones I’ve listened to most. In the year I listened to over 3000 different music tracks!

What do you enjoy listening to?

Name Artist Album Year Plays Last Played
1 Peg Steely Dan Aja 1977 38 22/12/2013
2 Night Owl Gerry Rafferty Night Owl 1979 30 17/12/2013
3 Anything For Your Love Eric Clapton Journeyman 1997 29 24/12/2013
4 Classical Gas (Acoustic Version) Bernd Schoenhart Classical Gas (EP) 2004 29 05/12/2013
5 The Way It Is Bruce Hornsby & The Range The Way It Is 1986 28 27/12/2013
6 Right Through You Alanis Morissette Jagged Little Pill 1995 27 05/12/2013
7 Piano Intro/Great Divide (Live) Bruce Hornsby Here Come The Noise Makers 2000 27 22/12/2013
8 Mary Shut The Garden Door Donald Fagen Morph The Cat 2006 27 05/12/2013
9 The Way That You Do It Gerry Rafferty Night Owl 1979 27 27/12/2013
10 You Always Want What You Have Lighthouse Family Whatever Gets You Through The 2002 27 27/12/2013
11 Get Down Tonight(Miami Club Mix) K.C. & The Sunshine Band The Very Best Of KC & Sunshine Band 26 02/12/2013
12 (Don’t Fear) The Reaper Blue Öyster Cult Agents of Fortune 1976 25 05/12/2013
13 Lovely Day Bill Withers Magic Summer Feeling 2003 24 05/12/2013
14 Everyone’s Gone To The Movies Steely Dan Katy Lied 1975 24 05/12/2013
15 Sorrow Pink Floyd Pulse 1995 23 18/12/2013
16 Run Like Hell Pink Floyd Pulse 1995 23 18/12/2013
17 Gimme Shelter The Rolling Stones Let It Bleed 1969 23 05/12/2013
18 (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman Carole King Tapestry 1971 22 27/12/2013
19 Hold Me Fleetwood Mac Mirage 1982 22 05/12/2013
20 Ordinary Morning Sheryl Crow Sheryl Crow 1996 22 05/12/2013
21 Where Would I Be Now Michael McDonald Blue Obsession 2000 21 27/12/2013
22 Don’t Worry Appleton Magic Summer Feeling 2003 20 05/12/2013
23 World Where You Live Crowded House Recurring Dream 1996 20 27/12/2013
24 Sad Songs (Say So Much) Elton John The Very Best Of Elton John 1984 20 22/12/2013
25 My Favorite Mistake Sheryl Crow The Globe Sessions 1999 20 05/12/2013
26 I Might Have Been Queen Tina Turner Private Dancer 1984 20 19/12/2013
27 Too High Michael McDonald Motown 2003 19 05/12/2013
28 High Hopes Pink Floyd Pulse 1995 19 18/12/2013
29 The Tide Will Rise Bruce Hornsby Harbor Lights 1993 18 22/12/2013
30 Hot House Ball Bruce Hornsby Hot House 1995 18 05/12/2013
31 Defenders Of The Flag Bruce Hornsby & The Range Scenes From The Southside 1988 18 05/12/2013
32 For One Day Dido Safe Trip Home – DeLuxe 2008 18 07/12/2013
33 Lions Dire Straits Dire Straits 1978 18 22/12/2013
34 For My Wedding Don Henley Inside Job 2000 18 07/12/2013
35 Everything Is Different Now Don Henley Inside Job 2000 18 05/12/2013
36 New Kid In Town The Eagles Hotel California 1976 18 05/12/2013
37 Last Good Time In Town The Eagles Long Road Out of Eden 2007 18 07/12/2013
38 Do You Know Fleetwood Mac Behind The Mask 1990 18 07/12/2013
39 Murrow Turning Over In His Grave Fleetwood Mac Say You Will 2003 18 07/12/2013
40 Learning To Fly Pink Floyd Pulse 1995 18 18/12/2013
41 Woman Tonight America History: America’s Greatest Hits 1975 17 27/12/2013
42 Big Rumble Bruce Hornsby Hot House 1995 17 24/12/2013
43 Jealous Guy Bryan Ferry The Ultimate Collection 1988 17 05/12/2013
44 Tomorrow’s Girls Donald Fagen Kamakiriad 1993 17 22/12/2013
45 Other Side of the World KT Tunstall Eye to the Telescope 2004 17 05/12/2013
46 Stay (I’ll Miss You) Lisa Loeb Magic Summer Feeling 2003 17 05/12/2013
47 Nobodys Perfect Mike + The Mechanics Hits 1996 17 22/12/2013
48 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover Paul Simon Negotiations And Love Songs 1971-1986 1988 17 27/12/2013
49 Start Me Up The Rolling Stones Forty Licks 1981 17 05/12/2013
50 Gasoline Sheryl Crow Detours 2008 17 05/12/2013
51 Pearl Of The Quarter Steely Dan Countdown To Ecstasy 1973 17 05/12/2013
52 Stop Loving You Toto Past To Present 1977-1990 1988 17 05/12/2013
53 Walk In The Sun Bruce Hornsby Hot House 1995 16 26/12/2013
54 Till The Dreaming’s Done Bruce Hornsby & The Range Scenes From The Southside 1988 16 22/12/2013
55 Crying In The Night Buckingham Nicks Buckingham Nicks 1973 16 06/12/2013
56 When You Come Crowded House Recurring Dream 1996 16 27/12/2013
57 Sara Smile Daryl Hall & John Oates Hall and Oates: Greatest Hits Rock ‘n Soul, Pt 1 16 22/12/2013
58 Silence Delerium The Chillout Sessions 2 [Disc 2] 2002 16 05/12/2013
59 Expresso Love Dire Straits Making Movies 1980 16 05/12/2013
60 Workin’ It Don Henley Inside Job 2000 16 27/12/2013
61 Los Endos Genesis A Trick Of The Tail 1976 16 19/12/2013
62 Do It Again The Juju Orchestra Bossa Nova Is Not a Crime 2007 16 05/12/2013
63 Aja Steely Dan Aja 1977 16 28/11/2013
64 Never Be The Same Christopher Cross Christopher Cross 1979 15 05/12/2013
65 Time After Time Cyndi Lauper 20 Number Ones 1983 15 22/12/2013
66 Damn It, Rose Don Henley Inside Job 2000 15 05/12/2013
67 Try And Love Again The Eagles Hotel California 1976 15 05/12/2013
68 Dreams Fleetwood Mac Rumours 1977 15 05/12/2013
69 Way Of The World Genesis We Can’t Dance 1991 15 27/12/2013
70 Lifeline Spandau Ballet TRUE 1983 15 05/12/2013
71 Building The Perfect Beast Don Henley Building The Perfect Beast 1984 14 05/12/2013
72 Hotel California The Eagles Hotel California 1976 14 22/12/2013
73 Sara Fleetwood Mac Tusk 1979 14 03/12/2013
74 I Want To Know What Love Is Foreigner The Definitive 1984 14 22/12/2013
75 Any Colour You Like Pink Floyd Pulse 1995 14 24/12/2013
76 The Longest Night Bruce Hornsby Hot House 1995 13 07/12/2013
77 Son Of A Preacher Man Dusty Springfield Magic Summer Feeling 2003 13 22/12/2013
78 Bleed To Love Her Fleetwood Mac Say You Will 2003 13 03/12/2013
79 Black Friday Steely Dan Katy Lied 1975 13 01/12/2013
80 Mandolin Rain/Black Muddy River Bruce Hornsby Here Come The Noise Makers 2000 12 30/12/2013
81 Air Born Camel Moonmadness 1976 12 07/11/2013
82 Let’s Go Together Change The Final Collection 1989 12 07/12/2013
83 Into Temptation Crowded House Recurring Dream 1996 12 18/12/2013
84 The Boys Of Summer Don Henley Building The Perfect Beast 1984 12 20/10/2013
85 Ripples Genesis A Trick Of The Tail 1976 12 19/12/2013
86 Surrender the Rain Lindsey Buckingham Out of the Cradle 1992 12 21/09/2013
87 Street Life Roxy Music The Best Of Roxy Music 2001 12 03/12/2013
88 Deacon Blues Steely Dan Aja 1977 12 07/12/2013
89 Magical Mystery Tour The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour 1967 11 20/10/2013
90 The Changes Bruce Hornsby Hot House 1995 11 21/09/2013
91 Italian Plastic Crowded House Woodface 1991 11 08/11/2013
92 Northern Skies (remix) Dido Safe Trip Home – DeLuxe 2008 11 16/09/2013
93 Little Tin God Don Henley The End Of The Innocence 1989 11 25/11/2013
94 American Pie Don McLean American Pie 2003 11 24/12/2013
95 Brite Nitegown Donald Fagen Morph The Cat 2006 11 20/10/2013
96 Out Of Reach Gabrielle Magic Summer Feeling 2003 11 25/11/2013
97 Stealin’ Time Gerry Rafferty City To City 1978 11 02/12/2013
98 Tinsel Town Seal Seal IV 2003 11 02/12/2013
99 In The Cage Medely Genesis Three Sides Live 1982 10 19/12/2013
100 Another Day Paul McCartney All The Best! 1987 10 24/12/2013

Stevie Nicks on Absolute Radio

I’ve been a Fleetwood Mac fan for longer than I can remember, certainly the early 1970’s possibly before then as a kid. I’ve also loved to hear about the background to some of my favourite songs no matter which band it is.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I came across this interview this evening, absolutely brilliant and a very enjoyable hour listening to the music from that golden era as well as hearing Stevie. Moments like this have to be captured and savoured.

Absolute Radio Icons: Stevie Nicks by Absolute Radio on Mixcloud

Music in 2012

Here is a list of the top 25 tracks I listened to in 2012… at my desk, in the car or just wandering around on my iPod. Quite a varied list…yes no?

Name Artist Album Year Plays Last Played
Sunlight Moon Bruce Hornsby Spirit Trail 1998 63 19/12/2012
Sorrow Pink Floyd Pulse 1995 60 18/12/2012
Hole in My Pocket Sheryl Crow C’mon, C’mon 2002 55 18/12/2012
Aja Steely Dan Aja 1977 55 22/10/2012
Lady With A Fan (Live) Bruce Hornsby Here Come The Noise Makers 2000 52 01/12/2012
Life Des’ree Supernatural 1998 52 17/12/2012
Heathaze Genesis Duke 1980 52 20/12/2012
Listen To The Music The Doobie Brothers Listen To The Music 2000 51 22/10/2012
Something In The Way She Moves James Taylor Greatest Hits 51 22/10/2012
Ramblin’ Man Lemon Jelly Lost Horizons 2002 51 29/12/2012
Addicted To Love Robert Palmer Addictions, Vol. 1 1989 51 22/10/2012
It’s Only Love Stevie Nicks Trouble In Shangri La 2001 51 21/12/2012
Rudy Supertramp Crime Of The Century 1974 51 22/10/2012
Highwire The Rolling Stones Flashpoint (Live) 1998 50 22/11/2012
Fire And Rain James Taylor Greatest Hits 49 06/10/2012
Children Say Level 42 The Ultimate Collection 2002 49 13/11/2012
Ventura Highway America History: America’s Greatest Hits 1973 48 03/11/2012
Across The River Bruce Hornsby A Night On The Town 1990 47 05/11/2012
Mexico James Taylor Greatest Hits 47 23/10/2012
Ain’t No Sunshine Lighthouse Family Notting Hill 1999 47 01/12/2012
Clocks Coldplay A Rush of Blood to the Head 2002 46 08/11/2012
Hotel California The Eagles Hotel California 1976 46 19/11/2012
Arose Thomas Newman American Beauty (Original Motion Picture Score) 2000 46 17/12/2012
You Gotta Be Des’ree Supernatural 1998 45 13/11/2012
It Comes And It Goes Dido Safe Trip Home 2008 45 21/12/2012

What are you listening to?

Music Makes My World Go Around

My love of modern pop music dates back to my childhood. I have a very vague recollection of going to see the film ‘Hard Day’s Night’ at the cinema, which would have been about 1964, I was only 5 then hence why I say vague. I was born ‘across the water’ in Bebington, which is the other side of the River Mersey from Liverpool, where the Beatles thing all sort of exploded during my childhood, although I don’t remember much about them apart from their appearances on TV.

The first album I can recall buying was by Simon and Garfunkel, although I’m not sure why I bought it, may be it was to impress a girl I knew at the time!  Anyway my musical interest sort of laid dormant for a couple of years or so. Then a friend of mine introduced me to the guitar, he was in a band and I went along to see them play a few times. I bought my own guitar and tried to learn how to play it, not very well I may add.

One of the first guitar pieces my friend Peter tried to teach me was the lead guitar from a Steely Dan track off of their album ‘Can’t Buy a Thrill’ called ‘Reelin’ in the Years’ which I feel I’m doing now! I literally tied up my fingers in knots learning that one track. I can just about remember how to play some of it still, but not at the speed required!

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iTunes Smart Play Lists

I’ve been using iTunes for several years and I think I got my first iPod in March 2004, a 20GB 3rd generation model. I have since got a bigger capacity one. But the topic of this post is how I have been using Smart Play Lists.

I have one play list which I use a lot, which I devised so that I don’t listen to the same song again once I have played it on my iPod or on iTunes. It uses the last played date which is recorded when ever you play a track either on the iPod or on iTunes. So this is what my Smart Play List looks like:

So if a track has not been played for more than 10 months and also if it is rated 5 stars it is included in the list.  So each time you listen to a track when you next sync with iTunes then that track will disappear off of the play list for at least 10 months in my case.

You can also restrict the size of the list depending on the capacity of your iPod, this adds a bit more variety to each sync.

I also normally turn on shuffle to further randomise the list otherwise you will quickly play all the artists at the beginning of the alphabet and never get to ZZ Top!!

You don’t have to set it to 10 months, you can vary the time span accordingly depending on how recent you want a repeat to be.

I have found this works for me quite well and I rarely get fed up with what iTunes feeds me.