The Rock Side of the Story!

The Rock Side Of the Story!

Although loving Classical music and other eclectic music forms, I actually started out in pop and rock, and I do have quite a few from this genre in my collection and maybe it's a sign of getting old that I'm starting to collect so called Top 40 pop compilations from my youth (the 1970's). These 1970's compilations serve a very useful archival value, but having said that some of these albums represent the epitome of 'get as many tracks as possible onto the vinyl' to the detriment of any kind of sonic quality! Yes I have a couple of those albums, with not so subtle edits and terribly third rate audio quality, yet thankfully most of my 1970's pop compilations are sonically anyway, quite meritorious.

Listening to the material one realises that the 'one hit wonder' phenomenon is not all that rare, a trend that continues to this day. The really sad thing is that 'the charts' can be a really destructive thing. I recall Jimi Hendrix making a similar observation in one of his interviews. It is a fact though, that chart success means commercial success and with that 'money', and sadly that motivates a great many people, including the performers...which is probably an understandable reality! The Yardbirds commercial success with 'For Your Love' prompted Eric Clapton to go elsewhere. Apart from his superb music, I've also greatly admired his adherence to 'principle'. A most admirable attitude, in my opinion!

I was heavily involved in Community FM radio as a presenter back during the late 1980's to 2000 (a very 'interesting' time actually) and a lot of my personal vinyl got played....and 'warped', thanks to storage in hot cars in this hot North Queensland climate but thankfully many of the records are still playable thanks to my rubber 'door stop' record clamps and my dynamic stabiliser equipped M97xE's. One of my favourite Beatles compilations The Beatles 1962 - 1966 and 1967 - 1970 feature a couple of badly warped records but thankfully one of my all time Beatles favourites 'Strawberry Fields Forever' is still playable!

From general listening I get the feeling that a lot of pop/ rock records of the past weren't actually recorded that well to start with for various reasons....perhaps a general lack of expertise or perhaps there was the perception the pop/ rock performers didn't warrant it! Maybe. Although with careful remastering, the CD releases of Led Zeppelins early albums sound generally excellent the vinyl versions I have only sound 'ordinary'. I believe even Jimmy Page has expressed reservations about the sonic quality of the original Led Zeppelin vinyl releases and has been instrumental in the improved sound quality through remastering on the CD releases. Yes I do listen to CD's too! Speaking of Led Zeppelin, why doesn't anybody make that sort of great if occasionally eclectic kind of 'rock n roll' any more?! They maintained a consistently high standard right to the end, in my opinion. 'Whole Lotta Love' and 'All of My Love' are two personal favourites from opposite ends of their career! 'No Quarter' is another favourite featuring Robert Plant's agonising (and slightly slowed down vocals) and Jimmy Page's exquisite and searing electric guitar work.

I went and saw 'The Boat that Rocked' recently and it was nice to see at the end of the movie a visual collage of all the great Rock albums released since the Days of Pirate Radio. So much great music.....so little time to listen! More to come! Felix.