My A to Z in musical taste: A.

It has been said that my musical taste is "odd", my musical taste is "different", my musical taste "resides in my nether regions", my musical taste is, basically, "crap".

I disagree (at least with the last description)

I have yet to come across anyone who does not like music in some form or other. It unites us at some deep level. Music exists separate to language; we all hum, whistle, tap our fingers and feet to a rhythm. Music gets to us whatever languages we may speak. So whether you get all teary-eyed to "Ode an die Freude" or a "She Done Me Wrong" blues number, I am sure this multipart bit of the blog will not cause you too much grief. Just do not blame me.

The following items aim to show that my musical taste is, indeed, varied. I would not lower myself to call any of it crap as I do not think it is - given that someone, somewhere, has put their heart and soul into producing the piece, that description also rubbishes them.

I have limited myself to only a few items that are associated with each of the letters of the alphabet. No doubt someone will read this and say, WTF! Why is so-and-so not there? How could you miss out what's-their-name? The answer is easy - they did not pop into my head quickly enough.

Also, I am a bit long in the tooth. I heard some of this stuff on the wireless (the what?), have heard it on reel-to-reel, on vinyl, on cassette, on 8-track......I will not buy it on whatever new-fangled format comes along. So if I have not yet got it onto my mp3 library it may not be listed here.

Do not despair though. If ABBA is missing from the A group, they might turn up under F - that is where Agnetha would be.

Anyway, to get started:

A is, indeed, for ABBA - first met in Eurovision 1974 (Hint. Hint. That is under E). The track I have chosen is not the Eurovision winner though. The track I have picked gets the hairs on the back of my neck tingling and has Agnetha on lead vocals, powerful lead vocals at that.

Hank B (probably listed somewhere in an upcoming blog) also covers this track.

Have you heard Waterloo in Swedish?

Or how about German?

No, I thought not, but if you click on the links.......There, isn't that better?

I'd like to point out now that I don't own any copyright on this stuff and if asked to remove it, I will.

In total contrast to ABBA is this fine track from the southern hemisphere:

 

You did turn the volume up for that AC/DC number? I do like a good old 12-bar guitar and, like many things on here, I could have picked out loads from crackly recordings from the days of slate in schools, to the "turn it up to 11" metal offerings.

I blame my Catholic upbringing for the next one, or maybe my dear old mum who was quite taken with the old tenors. It's Ave Maria. I admit I prefer the two ladies singing. The artists here are Mirusia Louwerse, Andrea Bocelli and Helene Fischer:

Again, in total contrast to these wonderful songs is a song in a less sombre vein. A bit of 12-bar punk/new wave. Fusion has a lot to answer for.

The band is Alberto y Los Trios Paranoias, and the song has an equally long title - Heads Down, No Nonsense, Mindless Boogie. A tilt of the head to Quo (see later in the series).

Also in the A's would be some damn fine accordion music that I was bottlefed. This also crossed over to the Tirol/Bavaria, but more of that later. As I am already taking up your own internet time (Good grief, where did that 5 minute browse go....) I won't give you any links for this category but believe me, you just might come across them later on.

I should end this section here and allow you to get your breath back. because, believe me, you'll need it for this final offering. My followers on Facebook and the old Status Quo message board will be familiar with this. It falls into the once seen-never unseen category.

You may be unfamiliar with this fine European outfit. They go by the name Atomik Harmonik and this is one of their best. Another fine song that ticks many of my boxes - you can decide which boxes. I'll let you track down the Nightcore/Extended mixes......

As is usual, feel free to add any comments to this or ask any questions. And a request - if you find any 12-bar, guitar heavy, yodels then please point me in the direction. Ta.

Status Quo.

Well, you may have read the yodel blog, now comes one other musical love of my life: The Mighty Quo.

I probably heard their psychedelic stuff as a bit of background music but it really took off with my regular visits to an older relative. There, I would spin the odd LP and try to see what all the fuss was about.

I had probably just started secondary school and the peer pressure was already forcing others to follow Sabbath, Zep and Purple. They were OK, I suppose, but even back then I was on the lookout for a nice tune, a foot tapper as it were. If my memory serves me correctly, foottapper became headbanger; I was being drawn to either Nazareth or Quo, Razamanaz or Piledriver. Well, if you have heard either album you will know what a tight contest it was. Quo won though.

I have never looked back, although there has been the odd occasion when I have listened to a Quo album and thought (in family-friendly terms) Hmm?! I mean, trumpets and backing singers?

Now, like loads of Quo fans, I have had to put up with the "3 chord" jibe since then but, hey, what the heck? It might have bugged me when I was a teen, now I just shake my head. Quo have been on the go for yonks, and, to my ears, nothing quite hits the spot like a good old 3 chord 12 bar. It was around long before Quo and it will be around after they have long gone.

Quo have gone through some changes since the early days but the chugga chugga chugga, heads down no-nonsense mindless boogie is still there.

The Quo site to visit is the official one at www.statusquo.co.uk. but better would be to get your readies out and get along pronto to see them - I guarantee you will not be disappointed. From the classic Caroline, which could open anything, to the best version of Bye Bye Johnny you will ever hear, they are the bee's knees, the dog's bollocks, the whole kit'n'caboodle.

In essence - they cannot be beaten.

As always, feel free to throw your hat in the ring with your comments.