Top three dream gigs, A plus upgrades briefly considered, enjoyable (not remarkable) bluegrass, the joy of doc (Swamp Dogg edition), the joy of disc (compact edition), and the TV party that wasn't.
I was thinking about the A+ question, then killed the day doing some research. Bob has 128 A+ albums. I have 172, but that's a smaller percentage of rated albums, especially for music after 2000 (or, hell, 1980). But "Very" is an A+ in my book, and illustrates that for me at least, the grade has much to do with how much you play (or feel like playing) the album. I was working in the UK when it came out, and had very few CDs with me, so I wound up playing it literally every day for months. I've never done that since, especially since I started reviewing again, and very rarely even before, when I had less to choose from and was more impressionable ("Dark Side of the Moon" probably came closest, or maybe "Pet Sounds" or "Another Green World"). One reason I rarely play A+ records these days is that when I do, I can't get them out of my head. Last week I started a day off with "Welcome to the Beautiful South" and "It's Not Me, It's You," and they still resurface whenever whatever music I've been playing finishes and I have to face a bit of silence.
I do use your website as well Tom, and the proximity in your two "Very" ratings was maybe what prompted me to ask this question. The R.E.M.s were wishful thinking. Considered the Beautiful South too, but that seemed more of a leap. Even I find Paul Heaton occasionally too quaint, and I'm actually English which makes me an authority on quaint.
Off the top of my head, I'll take Count Basie & His Orchestra at the Savoy Ballroom around 1937-1938. Agree with the Beatles in 1963-1964 England. My West Coast roots demand Los Lobos in a small venue between about 1979-1984.
The Swamp Dogg doc is one of the best I’ve seen in a long while. Worthy of its subject in every way. Not to mention seeing Guitar Shorty on the big screen was something I thought I’d never get to witness. Talk about national treasures!
Vinyl all the way, forever and always (and I've been collecting for almost 50 years now). That said I own my fair share of CDs too and don't disdain them as much as some. The format is ideally suited for archival releases.
Curse of me being too young I'm afraid. Vinyl in my lifetime has only ever been the expensive version of any release, only for people as pretentious as I sometimes am who want a physically larger version of something to represent just how fond of it they are. CDs don't look as nice but they have plenty of advantages including nice booklets. I think I own more audio books on vinyl than I do music!
It's funny...they went from being an outrageously expensive luxury item to disposable landfill in less than thirty years...though collectors know there are some rare CDs worth a pretty penny!
My answer to the first question would be early Dead, like '68-'73 or theareabouts. Having listened to many many tapes, I can only imagine how fun it would be to have my face melted off by the boys (and, uh, Donna) IRL.
I was thinking about the A+ question, then killed the day doing some research. Bob has 128 A+ albums. I have 172, but that's a smaller percentage of rated albums, especially for music after 2000 (or, hell, 1980). But "Very" is an A+ in my book, and illustrates that for me at least, the grade has much to do with how much you play (or feel like playing) the album. I was working in the UK when it came out, and had very few CDs with me, so I wound up playing it literally every day for months. I've never done that since, especially since I started reviewing again, and very rarely even before, when I had less to choose from and was more impressionable ("Dark Side of the Moon" probably came closest, or maybe "Pet Sounds" or "Another Green World"). One reason I rarely play A+ records these days is that when I do, I can't get them out of my head. Last week I started a day off with "Welcome to the Beautiful South" and "It's Not Me, It's You," and they still resurface whenever whatever music I've been playing finishes and I have to face a bit of silence.
I do use your website as well Tom, and the proximity in your two "Very" ratings was maybe what prompted me to ask this question. The R.E.M.s were wishful thinking. Considered the Beautiful South too, but that seemed more of a leap. Even I find Paul Heaton occasionally too quaint, and I'm actually English which makes me an authority on quaint.
Off the top of my head, I'll take Count Basie & His Orchestra at the Savoy Ballroom around 1937-1938. Agree with the Beatles in 1963-1964 England. My West Coast roots demand Los Lobos in a small venue between about 1979-1984.
The Swamp Dogg doc is one of the best I’ve seen in a long while. Worthy of its subject in every way. Not to mention seeing Guitar Shorty on the big screen was something I thought I’d never get to witness. Talk about national treasures!
Vinyl all the way, forever and always (and I've been collecting for almost 50 years now). That said I own my fair share of CDs too and don't disdain them as much as some. The format is ideally suited for archival releases.
Being cheaper helps
Fair point! But once upon a time they were very expensive...
Curse of me being too young I'm afraid. Vinyl in my lifetime has only ever been the expensive version of any release, only for people as pretentious as I sometimes am who want a physically larger version of something to represent just how fond of it they are. CDs don't look as nice but they have plenty of advantages including nice booklets. I think I own more audio books on vinyl than I do music!
It's funny...they went from being an outrageously expensive luxury item to disposable landfill in less than thirty years...though collectors know there are some rare CDs worth a pretty penny!
My answer to the first question would be early Dead, like '68-'73 or theareabouts. Having listened to many many tapes, I can only imagine how fun it would be to have my face melted off by the boys (and, uh, Donna) IRL.