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What Are You Listening To Right Now?


Guest Black Lotus

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I would like to believe that in some Parallel Universe, Thin Lizzy got the glory they deserved and Phil Lynott is still with us.

 

I was listening to this. This is Dedication, a song mastered and released after Phil Lynott passed away. I didn't even discover them until after his death, beyond the Boys are Back In Town on the radio when I was younger. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCn8m99sTpc

 

 

Now, almost 30 years later I discovered this. It's a horrible recording of the song that became Dedication. It's called Guiding Light and it was demoed in 82 or 84.

The Lyrics are pretty simple but the actual music is about what became Dedication. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7pC-S6GACc

 

It's awesome...and in one of those universes, I have a HD copy of this demo after it's release. :)

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Where did that come from? It was amazing, and that "reign O'er Me" could not only survive but thrive in this semi-operatic arrangement is a tribute to the phenomenal songwriting talent of Pete Townshend. It's easy to make Beethoven comparisons with him (Townshend is now partially deaf owing to an infamous Keith Moon prank and decades of blisteringly-loud tour performances) -- he understands the value of scope.

 

This, of course, is potentially one of the most famous examples of how Townshend got a rich, complex sound out of the traditional rock setting, and his willingness to use daring lyrical ideas.

 

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Where did that come from? It was amazing, and that "reign O'er Me" could not only survive but thrive in this semi-operatic arrangement is a tribute to the phenomenal songwriting talent of Pete Townshend. It's easy to make Beethoven comparisons with him (Townshend is now partially deaf owing to an infamous Keith Moon prank and decades of blisteringly-loud tour performances) -- he understands the value of scope.

 

This, of course, is potentially one of the most famous examples of how Townshend got a rich, complex sound out of the traditional rock setting, and his willingness to use daring lyrical ideas.

 

new album to be released shorty (within a week?) called Classic Quadrophenia and that is a "promo". That singer is performing Daltery's parts, ie taken over from him.

 

And if you look near the end of the clip you see Phil Daniels as he is now ie a cameo. Same actor who played Jimmy in the film iirc in 1979.

 

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/jun/04/pete-townshends-classic-quadrophenia-with-alfie-boe-review-explores-the-majesty-of-the-melodies

http://m.huffpost.com/uk/entry/7452908

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new album to be released shorty (within a week?) called Classic Quadrophenia and that is a "promo". That singer is performing Daltery's parts, ie taken over from him.

 

And if you look near the end of the clip you see Phil Daniels as he is now ie a cameo. Same actor who played Jimmy in the film iirc in 1979.

 

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/jun/04/pete-townshends-classic-quadrophenia-with-alfie-boe-review-explores-the-majesty-of-the-melodies

http://m.huffpost.com/uk/entry/7452908

The film featured Sting in the cast, a year or so before the Police caught fire and became stars. IIRC, he was not asked to sing as the Who provided the entire score.

 

As for the singer in the video -- Alfie Boe is the UK's most popular operatic tenor, and has branched out into many other areas. He recently did a documentary called "Freddie Mercury Saved My Life" about the artistic and personal debt he owes to the legacy of the Queen frontman (the meaning of the title is quite literal), and exploring how Freddy could have become such a complete songwriter and performer while never having received formal musical training.

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The film featured Sting in the cast, a year or so before the Police caught fire and became stars. IIRC, he was not asked to sing as the Who provided the entire score.

 

As for the singer in the video -- Alfie Boe is the UK's most popular operatic tenor, and has branched out into many other areas. He recently did a documentary called "Freddie Mercury Saved My Life" about the artistic and personal debt he owes to the legacy of the Queen frontman (the meaning of the title is quite literal), and exploring how Freddy could have become such a complete songwriter and performer while never having received formal musical training.

 

It appears the album is being snubbed for the UK classical charts. 

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As for the singer in the video -- Alfie Boe is the UK's most popular operatic tenor, and has branched out into many other areas. He recently did a documentary called "Freddie Mercury Saved My Life" about the artistic and personal debt he owes to the legacy of the Queen frontman (the meaning of the title is quite literal), and exploring how Freddy could have become such a complete songwriter and performer while never having received formal musical training.

 

 

It appears the album is being snubbed for the UK classical charts. 

 

Sad but not surprising. Have the pop charts disqualified it too?

 

Although Classic Quadrophenia sounds like an impressive artistic accomplishment (much like bringing Tommy to the West End and Broadway), who the audience is is a question. But I pre-ordered a copy....

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Sad but not surprising. Have the pop charts disqualified it too?

 

Although Classic Quadrophenia sounds like an impressive artistic accomplishment (much like bringing Tommy to the West End and Broadway), who the audience is is a question. But I pre-ordered a copy....

 

I plan to get a copy when i can

 

Found an article:  TOWNSHEND’S FURY AT CLASSICAL CHART SNUB

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I plan to get a copy when i can

 

Found an article:  TOWNSHEND’S FURY AT CLASSICAL CHART SNUB

That's what you exp[ect from him. In his mind, at least, he's too old to care who he ticks off.

 

I have it now. If you are at all interested in the Who's catalog you needs this album. The first time I heard the orchestra and Alfie Boe blow down the doors with "The Real Me" I let out a huge "WHOA!". Not necessarily the wisest thing to do on the bus to work.... 

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That's what you exp[ect from him. In his mind, at least, he's too old to care who he ticks off.

 

I have it now. If you are at all interested in the Who's catalog you needs this album. The first time I heard the orchestra and Alfie Boe blow down the doors with "The Real Me" I let out a huge "WHOA!". Not necessarily the wisest thing to do on the bus to work.... 

 

Thanks for the recommendation on the album. I'm going to get it when i can. 

 

 

More articles:

Pete Townshend: 'I think 70 is more like 30'

 

Pete Townshend interview: The Who guitarist on Kanye West, flesh-eating bombs and how the abuse that led to his arrest ended up helping him

 

Comments: 

When Pete turned 30 he had a mid life crisis, as rock musicians had them 10 years before everyone else (I have articles/magazines which sort of back this up). You'll remember that during the is period resulted in The Who By Numbers album which has some dark yet hopeful songs. 

 

The second article is a hoot, very much the Pete you'd expect. I love this interlude in the article: "Bear with him; we’ll be at the Royal Albert Hall on a summer’s night in a second…"

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So you can have your Cake and listen to it too:

 

 

"Opera Singer" is a fairly deep cut on their album Comfort Eagle. It's about an artist who is globally admired but maintains a dark, probably criminal, and possibly murderous secret life. The moments where the character lets his mask slip ever so slightly are chilling. There's story potential there.

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