Happy Birthday Neil!

Today is Neil Young's 77th birthday. I'm a bit of a fan. Safe to say. We've just bought tickets to see Harvest Time on 1st December too! So, any excuse to spin a few of his tunes will do! He he he...but we did bounce around a bit throughout the day.

All of these albums were played in full, on CD*.

1. NEIL YOUNG Neil Young (1969)
2. CAROLE KING Tapestry (1971)
3. FRANK ZAPPA & THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION Over-Nite Sensation (1973)
4. NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE Zuma (1975)
5. QUEEN News of the World (1977)
6. NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE Rust Never Sleeps (1979)
7. PHIL COLLINS Face Value (1981)
8. BOB DYLAN Infidels (1983)
9. KATE BUSH Hounds of Love (1985) *

* Hounds of Love was streamed via the Spottersfy, and was not quite wholly listened to. Two and a half tracks to go...Jig of Life indeed!

Now, the first solo Neil Young album seemed to be the obvious choice to kick off the day's music choices. It's not one that I listen to a lot, and I couldn't remember the last time I gave it a spin. Enjoyed it immensely. Patchy as heck in parts, but some wonderful songs. 

From there I grabbed Tapestry, because Rhones and I watched a couple of episodes of 1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything on the Apples last night. Carole King featured prominently in the first one, particularly the recording of the Tapestry album. Was a logical choice to follow on, as Rhones had expressed a desire to listen to it again. Such a great album.

It was time to step it up a notch, so I grabbed Over-Nite Sensation. A good dose of Zappa! Arguably, the pinnacle of Zappa's 1970s output. By this point, I had realised that I was moving ahead in two year intervals between releases. So, I decide to keep the trend going. I felt like going back to Neil Young, and I nearly chose Tonight's the Night, which was released in 1975, but recorded years earlier. So, I grabbed Zuma. The second album crediting his backing band Crazy Horse, this was the first record to feature Frank Sampedro. Although Crazy Horse contributed to the odd track in the early 1970s, they hadn't been co-credited since 1969's Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere. I remembered that a punter at a gig of mine got talking to me about Neil, and cited Zuma as their favourite album of his. Strange choice, I thought. But, there are some great tracks there!

For 1977, it seemed like a good time to pick a Queen album, which would be News of the World, naturally. This record was on my mind because I'd recently seen an album poll online that ranked Queen II as their best work. Another strange choice, I thought. But, it had been ranked by subscribers to the website, so a public, not critical selection. Anyway, it's not one of my favourites. Not even in my Top 5, so I had News of the World and The Game fresh in my head. Decision made!

I felt like some more Neil next, so following the rule of two, I selected Rust Never Sleeps. Such a great album. Almost every track is a classic. Dig it. So, then onto 1981, and with it Phil Collins! No brainer, innit? Face Value is fantastic from start to finish. 

For 1983, I picked Dylan's Infidels album. It's not one that I've actually listened to in full, but I knew a handful of tracks; namely Jokerman, Sweetheart Like You and License to Kill. I've recently become quite fond of the closing track Don't Fall Apart on Me Tonight, albeit the second version from the Springtime In New York 1980-1985 bootleg collection. I much prefer that take, but the one on Infidels is alright. It is amazing how the production has dated the material, but a very listenable effort from Zimmy.

Thought it was a good year for Kate Bush in 1985, so I landed on Hounds of Love. I don't own a physical copy of this unfortunately, so it was the Spottersfy to the rescue! Didn't quite get the whole album in, but a damn good chunk of it. Those first five songs are soooo good. What an amazing start to the record. The second half doesn't grab me as much, but still worth listening to.

So, there you go. If I had gotten to 1987 I think I would have grabbed INXS' wonderful Kick album. Or maybe Diesel & Dust by Midnight Oil. I had already decided that 1989 would be Neil Young's excellent, and eclectic, Freedom record. Might have to pick this thread up again sometime...