Album of the Week - Vol. 16

Thank You DURAN DURAN (1995)
Week: Sat 6th to Fri 12th February 
Format: CD/iPod
Producer(s): Duran Duran and John Jones
Track listing:
1. White Lines *
2. I Wanna Take You Higher *
3. Perfect Day *

4. Watching the Detectives *
5. Lay Lady Lay
6. 911 Is a Joke
7. Success

8. The Crystal Ship

9. Ball of Confusion

10. Thank You

11. Drive By *

12. I Wanna Take You Higher Again
TOTAL RUNNING TIME: 54:26

This month marks the 40th anniversary of the release of Duran Duran's debut single, Planet Earth. As I was only five years old when that came out, it's hard for me to remember a world without them. Being one of many bands to arrive on the New Romantic music scene, they felt it pertinent to include "Like some new romantic looking for the TV sound..." in the song's lyrics. It certainly locked the turn into its era, if nothing else.

Formed by bassist John Taylor and keyboardist Nick Rhodes in Birmingham in 1978, Duran Duran would eventually include drummer Roger Taylor (no relation to John), lead singer Simon Le Bon and guitarist Andy Taylor (no relation to John or Roger). This 'classic' line-up would be behind the band's biggest hit singles and chart success. Andy and Roger left the group before work started on 1986's Notorious album. 

Essentially moving forward as a trio, and whoever they wanted to work with, Taylor (John), Rhodes and Le Bon continued to release albums. This line-up's biggest hit was 1993's self-titled record, which would become known as The Wedding Album. Ordinary World and Come Undone are arguably their best known singles from their nineties period. 

Which brings us to this album, Thank You, a record consisting of cover versions of artist the band admire. Duran Duran in 1995 was made up of the core of Le Bon, Rhodes, Taylor (John) and guitarist Warren Cuccurullo; who had previously played with Missing Persons and most notably, Frank Zappa. The group's old drummer Roger Taylor (no relation to John, and not the guy from Queen either) returned to perform on two of the album's tracks, Perfect Day and Watching the Detectives. He also played on a recording of Jeepster by T. Rex, but it never surfaced. 

Now, while this isn't a brilliant record, I don't think it deserves the derision heaped upon it. When I heard their version of White Lines, I wasn't familiar with the original, but I dug it in a foul way. Upon hearing Melle Mel's White Lines (Don't Do It), I was a little disappointed. The crunchy guitar is one of my favourite parts of the song, and the original barely has any. It's very synth-y by comparison. I do love the fact that Duran Duran got Melle Mel (AKA Grandmaster Melle Mel AKA Melvin Glover) to share the rapping section though. Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five contribute backing vocals on the track as well. Oh, and that's the excellent Steve Ferrone on the drums; future permanent Heartbreaker and AWB alumni. I think it's a killer version, and better than the original. So there. One of my favourite songs to come out of 1995 and I still love it now. 

A big highlight of the album for me comes from drummer Tony Thompson, session musician and former member of Chic. His monster sound kicks off the band's go at Sly & The Family Stone's classic I Wanna Take You Higher. Now, it's not a song you're ever going to better, but they give it a damn good try. Thompson had played with John Taylor in Power Station, whose self-titled debut album was released in 1985, while Duran Duran went on hiatus allowing members to pursue side projects. Taylor (John) and Thompson were joined by Andy Taylor (yes, from Duran Duran!) and Robert Palmer (yes, THAT Robert Palmer) and enjoyed a minor hit with Some Like It Hot. Interestingly, it reached No.4 on the Aussie singles charts. Meanwhile, Le Bon, Rhodes and Taylor (Roger) formed the band Arcadia, and released their debut So Red the Rose the same year as Power Station and had hits such as Election Day and The Promise (which featured Sting). Thompson passed away in November 2003, sadly.

But I digress!

Back to I Wanna Take You Higher, which, in my opinion, is a mighty fine cover.  The late Kenyan/English singer/songwriter Lamya contributes some great vocals amongst the Furious Five infused 'boom-shaka-laka's, and the vibe of the original is lovingly recreated. Harmonica is provided by Lee Oskar as well (yes, THAT Lee Oskar). There is a bit of a naff vocal exchange towards the end of the track, but once it ends Thompson starts hitting the ride cymbal and all is forgiven. The following track on the album is a great rendition of Lou Reed's Perfect Day. Again, my first time hearing the song was this version. I would later become familiar with Reed's original thanks to the movie Trainspotting and its ensuing soundtrack. A little slick, production-wise maybe, but I think they do a good job of this as well. The band's cover of Watching the Detectives is also very enjoyable (to me) and I like the way they changed the verses to be sung in a lower register, with the chorus then sung higher. I knew Costello's original, but I thought they changed the feel of it nicely.

Duran Duran's version of Dylan's Lay Lady Lay is quite serviceable as well, featuring Abe Laboriel Jr. (Paul McCartney's band) on the drums. Now the wheels start to fall off a bit at this point. Their acoustic/funk take on Public Enemy's 911 Is a Joke seems to lose the anger of the original, in favour of the stoner rock/slacker feel. Iggy Pop's Success is an interesting choice to cover, particularly when his other songs Lust For Life and The Passenger exist. Despite Zappa powerhouse drummer Terry Bozzio whacking the skins, and former Mothers Flo & Eddie contributing backing vocals, it never really takes off.  Another weird choice is The Doors' The Crystal Ship, which again begs the question...why this one?

The Temptations' Ball of Confusion doesn't really work either, despite the band injecting RATM's Killing in the Name riff into it. Their take on Led Zeppelin's Thank You doesn't quite land either. For whatever reason, the band decide to end the album with an unnecessary reprise of I Wanna Take You Higher, which is another baffling decision. 

That leaves us with the only original song here, Drive By, which is a strange choice to include on a covers album. I'm not sure why it was released on this record, but I'm glad it was. It's an unusual track beginning with a droning cello and some ethereal new-age type sounds. Le Bon starts delivering a speak-sing kinda monologue about a courier being stuck in traffic under the LA sun. He ends the passage by announcing "this is the story of his dream", and Lamya sings "sing blue silver", a phrase that was lost on me when I first heard this song. The band kick in and the mood lifts as a haunting ocarina line plays. It's a bizarre one, but I really like the track. 

Anyway, fast forward to 2015, and I hear the Duran Duran album Rio for the first time. The last track on the record is The Chauffeur which features the lyric "sing blue silver" AND the exact same ocarina line that was used in Drive By! What?!? Does that mean that Drive By is some kind of sequel, or a bit of a tip of the hat to themselves? While not providing any real answer to the question of its inclusion on Thank You, it did make its appearance even stranger. He he he...

While I don't think this album is a masterpiece or worthy of four or five star reviews, it's certainly not as woeful as some think. Maybe that's because I wasn't familiar with some of the original versions of the songs they covered, but I feel that it's a solid effort from a band wanting to play tunes by artists they admire. It's also the first Duran Duran album I ever bought, so there's some sentimentality attached to it for me too, I guess. Just don't write it off without listening to it first!

EART HL I NG

Wait, Bowie likes NIN? He's dabbling in industrial rock? I can remember the fervour which surrounded the release of Earthling, which saw Bowie reinvent himself, and his sound, yet again. The album celebrates its 24th anniversary today, so I'm going to delve back into it. 

Recorded shortly after the end of his 1.Outside tour, Bowie co-produced the record with fellow Tin Machine member, guitarist Reeves Gabrels, and NY musician Tony Plati. Gabrels and Bowie had been working together since 1987, during which period the two Tin Machine albums were released and the aforementioned 1. Outside record. He only contributed a guitar solo to 1993's underrated Black Tie White Noise, but would go on to appear on 1999's Hours before the two parted ways.

Joining the trio in the studio(s) would be bassist Gail Ann Dorsey and drummer Zack Alford (who were both recruited for the 1. Outside tour), and longtime Bowie band member Mike Garson on keyboards. Any saxophone you hear is courtesy of Bowie as well. 

This was also the first Bowie album to be wholly digital recorded, allowing Bowie and Gabrels to write songs quickly and also experiment with loops and electronic sounds. The whole thing was recorded in three weeks, apparently. 

Now, while this is an album that I'm very fond of, I don't think that it's very cohesive. I feel that there are four excellent songs here, one half-decent track and the rest are either just curious or not quite realised. The cover would almost imply this as being some sort of concept record, but it isn't. However cool that jacket is, it doesn't mark the arrival of a new Bowie persona.

So, let me start with the good. The opening track, Little Wonder, was the first song I heard off the album, and I think it could have been from back in the days I still listened to Triple J. I'd only moved back to Perth about six months earlier, and it was either via the radio or TV (or maybe Max on Foxtel - before it sucked) that I was exposed to the new Bowie single. I remember thinking that it was quite a different direction for him (I know, right?) but I liked it. I liked it a lot. I've grown to really dig it over the years. That jarring keyboard intro, those loud guitar sounds, that repetitive 'so far away' reprise, it's all good. Apparently part of Dorsey's bassline on the track came about while she was messing with her pedal board, unaware she was being recorded. 

The next song that came along was the third single, Dead Man Walking. Again, this is a fantastic track with some amazing drumming from Alford, squealy guitar lines from Gabrels and an excellent piano outro from Garson. I think on the strength of those two tracks, I sought out the album. After a few spins, other favourites revealed themselves, particularly the wall of guitar noise that greeted me in the opening few moments of Battle for Britain (The Letter). Now revered as a classic, I'm Afraid of Americans was another highlight for me. The arrangement of that song has changed somewhat between this recording and the 2003/04 Reality tour. Not sure which one I like better. Bizarrely, the first appearance of the song was on the Showgirls soundtrack in 1995??! A rough version, which eventually got worked into the song we know and love today. 

I have a bit of love/hate thing with the final track, Law (Earthlings on Fire), as it can be sometimes hypnotic, and at other times annoying. I do dig the repeated, distorted vocal 'I don't want knowledge/I want certainty!' though. Looking For Satellites has a cool gimmick of repeated words sung in almost monotone ('Nowhere/Shampoo/TV/Combat/Boyzone/Slim tie/Showdown/Can't stop...'), but it doesn't really go anywhere. It just seems to give Gabrels another chance to unleash some squealy guitar riffing. Telling Lies is a noisy slice of ominous atmospherics and The Last Thing You Should Do employs a relentless loop that doesn't let up for the whole track. It gets a little much after a few minutes. Now, Seven Years in Tibet has its moments. I really like the saxophone lines and the way the band kicks in for the mood shift. One of the few songs where you can hear Dorsey's backing vocals as well, with Dead Man Walking being another. 

I recently discovered that there were plans for Bowie to re-record some older songs to fill up the album, but the prolific sessions bore more new material. A couple of Tin Machine tracks were actually in line to be included in the album's final tracklisting; I Can't Read from their debut album and Baby Universal from their follow-up. The recordings were officially released on last year's Is It Any Wonder? EP. Bowie did another version of I Can't Read the same year for The Ice Storm soundtrack. Maybe he felt he never found the right arrangement for the song, or just began to enjoy it more, as it found its way into setlists during the late 90s on several occasions. 

So, in my mind, this record is a flawed effort, but the good outweighs the bad. 3/5, would listen again. 

NEXT UP: Young Americans - 7th March

Maybe It's All a Game..?

I've always enjoyed playing video games, and I think this era is producing some amazing ones too. I never had an Atari or a Commodore 64 or anything like that growing up. Other kids I knew did, so I got to experience those consoles occasionally. I loved playing Pac-Man or 1941 while waiting for our order at the local fish and chip shop. I have memories of playing those handheld Nintendo games, and I'm pretty sure we owned a copy of Parachute. Loved getting my hands on Donkey Kong when I could...really dug the double screen action! When my dad remarried I inherited four younger stepbrothers, and I was able to play on their NES and Gameboys, which was very awesome. I have memories of the early Batman game inspired by the 1989 movie, Mega Man, Tetris, Rock and Roll Racing and countless others. Back when video rental stores were still a thing, you could rent games too. That was pretty cool. Trying out a game, and if you liked it, endeavouring to complete the thing before it was due back!

As consoles came and went over the years, it wasn't until 2000 when I actually had one call my own. It was actually a wedding present from my brother-in-law Paul, and it was a PlayStation. The first one. He'd gotten us a bunch of games to go with them as well. I spent some considerable time with Crash Bandicoot (still my PSN avatar), explored Silent Hill, got to know Nemesis (Resident Evil 3) and watched Abe on his Oddysee. Not the biggest gamer in the world, Rhona hung out with Spyro the Dragon now and again as well. 

Gaming went by the wayside for a spell as our kids came along and so did other responsibilities with them. I would play the odd game on the PC, but never found the same sense of fun I got one the old PS1. I did enjoy the Max Payne games, Enter the Matrix, Soldier of Fortune and my first Grand Theft Auto experience came when a friend lent me their copy of GTAIII. 

PS3-ing it up like it's 2008

It wasn't until we visited our family in Albany in either the late 00s that we entertained the idea of getting a PS3 (we didn't get a PS2). We played Guitar Hero with my brother and had a fair bit of fun with it. Realising that the PS3 also played Blu-ray discs, we then had another motivation to buy one. 

Those early PS3 days were filled with the various Lego adventures (particularly Batman), Heavy Rain, Guitar Hero III, GTAIV, Prince of Persia, Arkham Asylum (and Arkham City), Assassin's Creed II (my first Platinum trophy!) and Max Payne 3. My biggest loves were The Last of Us and the Uncharted series, with Uncharted 2 being my absolute favourite. The kids got older and started to play as well, and I have fond memories of playing with them on such games as The Simpsons, The Adventures of Tintin, Little Big Planet and the Buzz series, particularly Buzz Quiz. One of the most wonderful experience we had playing as a family was Ni No Kuni: The Wrath of the White Witch. Co-developed by Studio Ghibli, producers of some our favourite family films, we all became entranced by the story, taking turns in playing the battles and strength building exercises. 

Good times, good times

Anyway, as time moved on we resisted the idea of getting a PS4 for as long as we could. We had plenty of games and there wasn't that much coming out that I was interested in. Except for maybe Uncharted 4, that was a little tempting, but we sailed on without being swayed. Until Ni No Kuni II was announced as having the definite release date of 23rd March 2018. It was supposed to come out late 2016, then 2017, then it shifted from a PS3 release to a PS4 one. He he he...so we ended up getting a PS4. Finally.

Games have come and gone since then. Ni No Kuni II didn't quite live up to the hype, or was as immersive as the first one, but we still enjoyed playing it. Alyssa has become a big fan of anything Lego-related and most recently clocked up all the trophies for Lego The Incredibles game. Lachlan has been mainly enamoured with quizzes and (age-appropriate) games from the Jackbox range and they've both spent time on Minecraft, of course. Team Bolgies have also enjoyed many bouts of Uno, Monopoly, Knowledge is Power, It's Quiz Time and the occasional go at Trivial Pursuit. Rhona and I had a bit of a running rivalry on Wheel of Fortune and Boggle too, he he he.

Anyway, the reason I started writing this blog is to acknowledge how important gaming has become to me in the last couple of years. It used to be something I did fairly occasionally, but it is now a pretty regular thing. A full-blow hobby, rather than a little dalliance here and there. It has become a way for me to de-stress and, as Rhona and our therapist say, 'fill up the jellybean jar'. 

If you imagine each social interaction costs you a jellybean, and depending on the stress or anxiety levels of that interaction, the jellybeans can increase. The last thing you want before entering into a potential stressful situation is an empty jellybean jar. This was very pertinent during a few low patches I had over the last couple of years. I had several big bouts of anxiety that made it difficult to do anything.

I had days were I struggled just getting out of bed. I would put myself in a horrible state of mind, telling myself to get up, and then rationalising that there was nothing wrong with having a lie-in, but getting stressed upon having not gotten up yet. Horrible vicious circle. These mornings would stem from having a restless night's sleep with dreams stuck in a repetitive loop. I would relive the same, or similar, dream over and over again. They usually required me to achieve or procure something. I would get a small sense of relief as I woke up, knowing that the dream's task or goal wasn't something that had to be done. But then the reality of the day would sink in and the thought of having to get through another one would almost reduce me to tears.

This was a very hard period for me to get through, as I'm usually one to almost leap out of bed once it's time to get up. There were days when Rhona pretty much had to pull me up and walk me to the kitchen. I honestly don't know what I would have done without her. It was so frustrating to not be able to function like I usually did. Just checking my email was a massive event. I would only do it once a day, but it would feel like such an achievement, and a relief. 

Anyway, one of the strategies we would use to help get ourselves out of an anxious funk was to try and do some fun activities. Whether it was watching TV or reading a book or playing a game, we'd just look for something that would make us feel happier, and try to fill up the jellybean jar. Gaming on the PS4 became my go-to activity. I'd prefer to game than just sit and watch TV, and reading a book was a struggle, as I'd need to read and re-read several times to get the text to sink in. Gaming would occupy my mind a little and exercise the old grey matter at the same time.

Up until very recently, I was very much a 'one game at a time' fellow. It would take me a while to finish a game as well, because I wouldn't devote that much time to it. I became something of a savourer and would almost make a game last as long as I could. Sometimes I would get stuck on a particular boss battle or level, and just leave it for a while, possibly weeks or months. Finally biting the bullet and joining PS Plus at the end of last year has given me access to lots of games. In addition to two free monthly games, I still get the odd physical game, either as a present or sought out by myself, he he he.

Right now, I currently have these games in progress:

Middle-earth: Shadow of War
Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues
Vampyr

Sleeping Dogs (just the bonus games)
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Assassin's Creed: Odyssey
Batman: Arkham Knight (replaying it)
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (remastered PS4 version, *sigh* it's not the same)
Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy (still on the first game, he he he...I'm not as good as I used to be on that one)
Hollow Knight

Prince of Persia (on the old PS3)

Selections of the collection

I enjoy the odd round of Fall Guys as well. Actually as much as I enjoy it, I'm yet to win a round. Meanwhile, my skillful son has managed about 20 wins now. I also have Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time ready to go, when I am. He he he...might wait until I make a bit more headway on the first three. I can occasionally be found playing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the Nintendo Switch as well.

Anyway, the main reason behind me writing this post, is just to express my enjoyment of the medium. Perhaps a generation or two ago it would have been quite unusual for a fortysomething to be wrestling with a joystick plugged into an Atari. Particularly on their own. Only young children and teenagers played video games! Little would those kids dream of how advanced gaming would become. How realistic the graphics would be, and how much playing a game can almost be like watching a movie. I am thankful to have a bit an escape and a reset from time to time. And, as with anything, enjoy in moderation. So far playing violent video games hasn't turned me into a psychopath...yet. He he he...

Station to Station

One of my favourite Bowie albums turns the same age as me today! Well, kind of. It was actually released a week before I was born. So, I've never known a world without it! He he he...but I also didn't listen to it until the early 2000s. More fool me. It's in my Bowie Top 5 for sure now! 

Except for the possibly overlong train noise at the beginning of the title track, there's not an ounce of fat on this album. Reflecting Bowie's nearly skeletal figure at the time of recording, no doubt, when he was famously surviving on a diet of red peppers, milk and copious quantities of cocaine. He has been quoted in later interviews as saying that he remembered very little of the recording sessions. 

Recorded at LA's Cherokee Studio at the end of 1975, this record would be the link between the blue-eyed soul of Young Americans and the art rock of the brilliant Low album. Interestingly, like Low, the cover of this album is also a still from The Man Who Fell to Earth film. Bowie's band included the rhythm section of drummer Dennis Davis and bassist George Murray, along with Carlos Alomar and Earl Slick on guitar. The organ and piano duties were handled by the legendary Roy Bittan, who some will know as 'The Professor'. Rounding out the combo were Warren Pearce on background vocals with the album's co-producer Harry Maslin contributing some synth, melodica and vibraphone. Bowie would also add saxophone, Mellotron and Minimoog, and some guitar work. 

The expansive 2016 box set Who Can I Be Now? (1974-1976) features two versions of this album; the 2016 remaster and the 2010 Harry Maslin mix. I own the 1999 remastered CD, so I thought I'd give the latter a listen and compare it directly with the Maslin mix, track by track. 

1. STATION TO STATION

Starting with the aforementioned train sound effect, the band kicks off on this one with a bit of noodling and feedback before settling into a slow groove, anchored by Bittan's piano strikes. It's not until after the track hits the three-minute mark that Bowie begins crooning "The return of the Thin White Duke/Throwing darts in lover's eyes..." announcing the arrival of a new character, confirming Ziggy's death. A little over five minutes and the feel and tempo of the song change dramatically, and it becomes something almost disco-like. The repeated refrain of "It's too late" and the faux denial of the line "It's not the side effects of the cocaine/I'm thinking that it must be love" alludes to a brain that is constantly working and looking for reason. Although it starts with the train noise, the station Bowie is singing about aren't railway stations, rather stations of the cross. 

The main difference between the 1999 remaster and the Maslin mix on this one is that the latter is a little cleaner and shinier. The drums are punchiner, and the guitars are brighter. There's a line or two of Bowie's that have been electronically dabbled with for eerie effect, but yeah, no biggie. Think I prefer the former. 

2. GOLDEN YEARS
This is the first song I'd heard from this album, because it was on the Changesbowie compilation. My affection for this number has grown over the years, and I think it's one of Bowie's best 'dancey' tunes. Its usage in 2001's Heath Ledger vehicle A Knight's Tale probably adds to the want to dance to it. 

The Maslin mix features a boomier bass drum and a stronger bass feel, in general. The intro positively rumbles out of the speaker, as the kick thuds along to that fabulous guitar riff. It sounds like the vocals have been pushed further out front as well. Again, it has that sparkly, shiny sound, but it's not terrible. 

3. WORD ON A WING
Some of the finest piano playing of Bittan's career is right here, as is some of Bowie's finest vocal work. He goes everywhere, without over-singing or being pretentious. Every melodic turn serves a purpose and aids the song as he shows that he's "ready to shake the scheme of things". It's a track that has a deep yearning, almost feeling like a prayer at times, but it seems that Bowie is yearning to let another accept the help he is offering. It's a wonderful song that sweeps and seduces as it winds along.

Again, the Maslin mix features a louder and more present rhythm section. Earl Slick's lead guitar squawks are a little more piercing as well. The piano positively dances out of the speakers and Bowie's vocal appears to sound more anguished. It's quite strange to hear the same songs with slight differences. One wonders how they would sound compared to the original 1976 vinyl release.

4. TVC15

Now for a song about a TV eating your girlfriend! He he he...apparently it was inspired by Iggy Pop, who had experienced a drug-influenced episode where he believed that was what he had just witnessed. Kicking off with a jaunty piano intro and some playful "Oh uh-oh uh-oh"s from Bowie, this spacey, funky slice of disco art-pop is catchy as heck. This is a big favourite of mine and I love singing along to this one, especially the chorus: "Oh my TVC15, oh-oh, TVC15..." I do love the fact that he kicked off his Live Aid set with this number too, and he famously performed it on SNL in 1979 wearing a hideous grey skirt. 

Much bass abounds from the Maslin mix, and Murray's bass itself absolutely thuds along. The backing vocals have been polished up too, sounding very bright and more present. There's certainly an aural difference that can be easily detected between the two versions. Listening to them side by side only adds to that ease.

5. STAY
I was stoked to see that this song was on the Glastonbury 2000 DVD/CD when it was finally released in 2018. Earl Slick had returned to his band too, so he could recreate the guitar intro he'd recorded twenty five odd years earlier. If you added the wonderful backing singers from Young Americans (Ava Cherry, Robin Clark and Luther Vandross) onto this track, it could sound like an outtake from that album. Again, we are treated to some groovy space funk, and despite its six-minute plus running time, it doesn't wear out its welcome. Possibly due to the great interplay between Slick and Alomar at the end.

Once again, it's the boomy bass and shiny vocals that announce the arrival of another Maslin mix. I don't know if they add anything all that special really. Just sounds like the track has been run through a car wash with extra polish. Certainly not bad though. He hasn't ruined anything, and the kept the vibe of all the songs so far.

6. WILD IS THE WIND
The final track on the album is a cover of the title song from the 1957 film Wild Is The Wind, and was originally sung by Johnny Mathis. It was Nina Simone's version that moved Bowie to record his own rendition, having met her in LA in 1975. This, in my opinion, is one of the most astounding vocal performances Bowie ever laid down. As wonderful as the band is on this track, Bowie is the prettiest star and shines brighter than ever. The song was released as a single in 1981 to promote the release of the Changestwobowie compilation. Now, that's a bizarre collection of Bowie songs! He he he...but still very good.

I had already heard the Maslin mix of this one, as it was included on the 2014 collection Nothing Has Changed. I remember thinking when I listened to it back then that the drums seemed to be up higher in the mix. They appeared to creep in earlier than I remembered too. Bowie's vocal is cleaner, again, but it allows his voice to soar higher somehow. I think this is the only track where I prefer the Maslin mix over the 1999 remaster.

This is truly an excellent album, and I love it. To celebrate the 45th anniversary of its release, there is a reissue available in either red or white vinyl, with the original black and white cover artwork. The cover of my CD copy is coloured, and there is no white border, the still takes up the entire cover space.

I give this 5/5. Would definitely listen again.

NEXT UP: Earthling - 3rd February 

Progress!

Well, a bit has happened in the two odd weeks since 'Fingergate'. While Rhona and I struggled through the icky dressing changes, her moreso than I, we rode a few highs and lows together. One day my finger would look 'pretty good', and others a little blacker than it possible should. About five days after the incident we both decided that it wasn't looking so great, so after a phone call to HealthDirect, we returned to the Armadale ED around 4pm.

When I was seen by one of the nurses there, she asked if I had been contacted by the Royal Perth plastics clinic. I hadn't, but we had received a bizarre call the day after my accident (New Year's Day) from a registrar at RPH Plastics. They asked if I was the doctor who had attended to a patient with a cut finger. A bit of a mix-up with the referral, methinks. We didn't hear from them again.

Back to the nurse at Armadale, who had turned her attention to sorting out my RPH referral, which seemed to be in the system, but somehow not. She expressed concern that I hadn't been to seen by them yet, and rang RPH directly. After a little bit of phone tennis, she sent a surgeon there some photos of my middle finger and told me to report to RPH Plastics in the morning, which was Tuesday 5th Jan. 

The same surgeon told her to remove the stitches from my finger and get me to take my wedding ring off, in case of swelling. The tip of my middle finger had turned very black, leading to the conclusion that the reattachment hadn't gone so well, and that some of it had died. Quite a weird feeling to be told part of you has died. Reattaching a finger is always precarious, I was told, and the stitches could have hindered the blood flow to the area.

All was not lost though. The other nurse attending commented that it was 'nothing that can't be fixed', and he then suggested that one course of action might be a skin graft. The first nurse asked when I last had a tetanus shot (eep!) and I said it was about ten years ago, actually realising that it was well over fifteen. I was then informed that if it had been less than FIVE years, I needed to have a booster. Well, shit.

He he he...the other nurse prepared to give me a tetanus injection and take my stitches out. Thankfully, the injection happened quickly and fairly painlessly which I complimented him on (my arm did ache for a coupla days after though!). He dryly replied that he tries not to hurt his patients, and joked that done pretty well for his first attempt. The stitches came out without incident too; or pain, for that. So, after my finger was re-dressed, Rhona took me back home while it was still daylight.

                    *                *               *                *                *

The following morning Rhona and I approached the front counter at the Plastics Dept at Royal Perth to check in. We were told there was going to be a bit of a wait, and it seemed that my appointment hadn't been scheduled. Looking back, it might have been that I was only told by the Armadale nurse to go down there at 9:15am, but I didn't actually have a time booked. We initially thought that I wasn't even in the system, as my referral disappeared and reappeared depending on who looked into it.

After a three-hour wait I was seen by the very surgeon who had spoken to the nurse in Armadale the night before. She said the best way to move forward was to let the finger regenerate and remove the dead cells as they deteriorate. So, it was a just waiting game now. She got a nurse to dress my finger and show Rhona how to do it, so we could change the dressing at home every second day. I was told to make an appointment for the following week to check my progress.

Well, that appointment has come and gone, and after another lengthy wait, my finger was examined. The medical staff seemed happy with my progress and even said that I could wait two weeks until I saw them again. It would only be a nurse visit too, so that might mean less of a wait time, which is always a bonus. Because of the upcoming public holiday, they made my appointment for Friday 22nd Jan (which is five days away from the time of writing).

I'm thankful that I don't have much pain, and I am relieved to only have to change my dressing once every two days. I'm very grateful to Rhona for doing that every time. There are more things that I'm able to do now, which is also wonderful. I can cook, I can game, I can do laundry, I can pick things up. Just can't get it wet or play the guitar!  I'm curious to see how my finger will recover. It's obvious that it will be some time before I can touch a guitar string again, but I'm hopeful that I will be able to go back to how I used to play. I may need to experiment with open tunings and only use three fingers for a spell. Or, depending on the healing process, I may need to find a guitarist and do some duo work! We shall see what the future brings. At any rate, things seem to be moving in the right direction.

Low

Today, David Bowie's 11th studio album Low turns 44! Far out. I was not even a year old when it was released. I don't think I listened to the whole thing until I was in my mid-twenties. Before that spin, the only song I had heard was Sound and Vision. Anyway...this album is now in my Top 5 Bowie Albums Ever. The first of the 'Berlin Trilogy', and in my humble opinion the best, this LP featured a whole side of (mostly) instrumental tracks. It even opened with the instrumental Speed of Life - almost unheard of for a popular artist back in its day. Coming after the blue-eyed soul of Young Americans and cocaine-fuelled space funk rock of Station to Station, this must have polarised his fans upon its release. However innovative it was, it's a far cry from the glam rock of Ziggy Stardust. Interestingly, the album's recording session began in France, at the residential Château d'Hérouville before Bowie and the band moved to Berlin.

I can't remember specifically when I spun Low for the first time, but it would have been a few months before Bowie's concert at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, February 2004. I was on a mission to listen to all of his albums by then, as his setlist was changing dramatically between cities. So, I'm going to blog about the album as I revisit it right now. 

1. SPEED OF LIFE
As I mentioned earlier, the opening track is instrumental, and right from the immediate sound of the squelchy keyboards, you can tell your in for something different. The heavily reverberated drums signal a change in direction as well, with multiple keyboard lines crisscrossing over the guitars. First listens may have anticipated an incoming beautiful Bowie vocal delivery, but of course, it doesn't arrive.

2. BREAKING GLASS
One of my favourite songs on this album, and quite possibly, one of my favourite Bowie songs in general. Co-written by drummer Dennis Davis and bassist George Murray, this track could almost be seen as a precursor to the punk movement. Minimal lyrics outlining glass breakage and carpet vandalism punctuated by that amazing rhythm section while Ricky Gardener's amazing guitar riffs tear through the speakers. Why did it fade out before the two minute mark? Crime against music, if you ask me. The live version from Stage is mercifully longer.

3. WHAT IN THE WORLD
This frenetic track sees the keyboard blips turned up to eleven. It's almost impossible to hear any other instrument. Some of that deep-voiced croon was seeping in Bowie here as well. Probably my least favourite song on the album, but still very listenable. If you like keyboards. He he he...

4. SOUND AND VISION
I first heard this track when I was about thirteen, while visiting Bali with my family. I had bought Changesbowie on cassette (1990 version) and was introducing myself to more of his work pre-Scary Monsters. At the time, I felt that it had an unusually long intro, but I still enjoyed it (not as much as other tracks, it should be said). I was particularly taken by the keyboard noise that sounds like a splash. It must have been produced by Brian Eno, but on what instrument? Of course now, the song feels like it should, with Bowie's wonderful sax lines coming in before his vocal starts. Who doesn't singalong to "Blue, blue, electric blue,..." when it comes on?  

5. ALWAYS CRASHING IN THE SAME CAR
Probably the most sombre of the songs that feature vocals. A downbeat tune meditating on the dangers of auto travel and recklessness. Apparently there was a third verse written that alluded to Bob Dylan's mysterious accident in 1966, but it didn't make it to the recorded version. Tony Visconti, who was co-producing the album with Bowie, found it too creepy. One wonders, doesn't one? 

6. BE MY WIFE
Another great track that kicks off with a positively rollicking piano line. Quite simplistic and repetitive lyrically, but hugely appealing from a melodic perspective. By this point in the album, you'd be forgiven for knowing where the rest of the songs were heading. The band are certainly gelling, and you've warmed to the arrangements and squelches. Bowie's voice gets a little rest from here on in.

7. A NEW CAREER IN A NEW TOWN
The second instrumental song, and the closing track on the first side of the LP, you could almost describe as having a jaunty feel. It’s quite easy to whistle along to, and it’s fairly upbeat in vibe. While the track is nothing exceptional, it has a nice melody.

8. WARSZAWA
This absolutely floored me the first time I heard it. I found it to be very similar to Angelo Badalamenti's work on Twin Peaks. It even shares structure with Love Theme From Twin Peaks, which starts off with the same ominous feel before moving to something more uplifting. Again, it was Eno who was responsible for those opening notes, which were created in one of his experimental sessions. I would be surprised if Angelo didn't spin this album as a fortysomething with headphones on, keeping some ideas for later compositions. 

What is quite unexpected about this track, is that after about four minutes, Bowie starts singing. It's not English though, and it's quite layered and eerie in places. Allegedly there are over a hundred voices, all performed by Bowie. Co-written with Brian Eno, this piece is inspired by Bowie's visit to the city of Warsaw, and the lyrics are based upon a Polish folk song called Helokanie. The words are sung phonetically, and not identifiable as a particular language or dialect. It's very emotive, and was infused with a sense of bleakness to reflect the feeling of Warsaw at the time, but there is some sense of hope in the music too. It makes me feel a sense of calm when the song shifts to those moments.

9. ART DECADE
Another stunning instrumental that feels like it could be on the soundtrack for Blade Runner. There's a sense of narrative here, that there's a story being played out. It's a great song to close your eyes to and imagine some sort of science fiction movie playing out in your brain. Again, influenced by what he saw, the title is a pun on 'art decayed', reflecting Bowie's impressions of post-war Berlin.

10. WEEPING WALL
The production on this number is a little sparser, with no percussion or bass. The driving force behind it is a pulsing keyboard part, while permeated by an industrial-sounding guitar. Bowie's voice comes back again halfway through this song, but is simply ahhs and ooohs, created a kind of vocal melody part without words. Indeed the deep noises made by Bowie would return again on the title track to 2016's ★. Bowie played all of the instruments himself on this one, but apparently, Iggy Pop is featured on backing vocals. 

11. SUBTERRANEANS
Another fairly sombre sounding track, and the final one of the album. Again, we are treated to an unsettling sonic soundscape, mainly consisting of various synths, xylophones and vibraphones accompanied by Bowie's wordless and deep drawls. A saxophone kicks into gear adding to the unease before the eerie vocal refrain of "share bride failing star" starts. Bowie repeats the words 'care-line' over and over before building in pitch and volume to deliver "Driving me, Shirley, Shirley, Shirley, own...". What it all means is anyone's guess, but it's an unsettling five minutes, and a bizarre way to finish an extraordinary album. It was actually recorded in LA at the end of 1975, allegedly meant for the aborted soundtrack of The Man Who Fell to Earth. The cover of the album is actually a still from that film as well. 

Wow.

I certainly enjoyed that. 4.5/5 - would listen again.

NEXT UP: Station to Station - 23rd January 

Happy New Year!

Well, 2020 was a very strange year, wasn't it? It started off with large parts of Australia being on fire and had Trump nearly starting WWIII, then gave way to the COVID-19 pandemic. So many people have died from a disease, the likes of which this generation of the world's population has never experienced. Australia has been very lucky to not have had such high numbers of deaths as other countries, and I've been extremely grateful to have been a Perth dweller. Not only was our lockdown period shorter than other areas, we have been able to get back to semi-normal life relatively quickly too. While the coronavirus is still a threat, and still something that can cause lockdowns and possible deaths, it seems like we have reason to be a little more positive about life now. 

Many of us looked to 2021 as the solution, the beacon of hope, the bringer of light and killer of plague. There is a feel of optimism, but along with it, caution. 

I was not as cautious as I should have been on New Year's Eve.

At around 8pm, after a meal of homemade pizzas in front of an episode of US Wipeout with the family, I went into the kitchen to divvy up some of the leftover slices for our dog Zappa. I must have been a little blasé in my cutting, as the new Coles Master Chef utility knife I was wielding had cut two of my fingers on my left hand. I didn't even feel it. When I noticed the bleeding, I grabbed some Band-Aids to try and stop it. But it wouldn't stop.

Upon closer inspection, it became clear to me that this wasn't going to be fixed with just a Band-Aid. I had almost cut right through my middle finger, through the top third of my fingernail. My ring finger had a little chunk taken out of it as well. So, as my heart sank and my pulse raced, I called Rhona into the kitchen to help me. 

I have no idea what would have gone through Rhona's mind as she walked in. There was blood everywhere. The decision was made fairly quickly to get me to the emergency department at Armadale hospital. Rhona and her dad Eddie whisked me up there, and after a brief interview with the triage nurse and desk clerk, I went through the doors and was guided to a chair. 

As I sat there, with my fingers wrapped in hastily-placed Elastoplast and about six tea towels, I began to feel a bit miserable. I had ruined my family's plans for New Year's Eve. We'd made up a list of board games we were going to play as 2020 ticked to an end. It was going to be a lot of fun, and instead, my wife and father-in-law were spending the evening in the ED waiting room, while my kids and mother-in-law Pauline cleaned up the blood I'd shed in the kitchen at home. I didn't know how long I was going to be stuck in the hospital or what fate lay in store for my left hand.

After about an hour had uneventfully passed, a nurse came in with my mobile phone, which Rhona had put in her bag when we left the house. She said that Rhona and her dad had been told to leave the waiting room due to a possibly contagious gastro-ridden patient. They were going to wait in the van. That meant that I was now able to text Rhona with my good hand, which was a wonderful relief. I think we were both very happy to be able to communicate with each other.

Twenty or so minutes later I was attended to by a doctor who proceeded to glue my finger together. She tried to pull off the part of my fingernail that had been severed, but there was a little piece still hanging on. And it was quite painful. While she was fixing me up, another doctor stuck his head in and suggested that I might need stitches. My heart sank again, as I thought I had avoided that bit! He he he...

While I grimaced, two sutures were stitched into either side of my finger, next to the nail. The first doctor asked me afterwards when I last had a tetanus injection. I said it had been less than ten years, hoping that would be long enough to get me out of having one. Yes, I'm a wuss, I know. Big phobia of needles, me. I later realised that it had actually been closer to fifteen years since my last booster. More on that later.

Anyway, I emerged from the ED around 11:20pm, and was swiftly driven home by Rhona and Eddie. We wished Pauline and Eddie a happy new year and they returned to their house, while Rhona and I managed a quick shower. We made it to the lounge room at 11:57pm to ring in 2021 with the kids! We watched the delayed telecast of the Sydney NYE fireworks and played board games for a little while before we all went to bed.

That was how 2020 ended for us. Things can only get better, right?