Music

So it's been a while since I last updated this blog.  I don't know why...I haven't been especially busy.  I guess I just didn't have anything to talk about.  I have found that, after leaving my job at Blockbuster, I don't watch a lot of movies, so I don't do any reviews anymore.  I have, though, renewed my love and fascination of music.  My last post was about some of the concerts I went to throughout my life.  This post is all about my music.  I recently downloaded and updated over 3700 songs on iTunes (because I lost all my songs when I updated to the last version...I suggest not doing that!!).  As I was working on my music, I came to realize a few things.  First, I have a very broad taste in music, everything from Barry Manilow to Metallica, but I don't like most of "today's" music.  The great majority of songs I have are from the 1970's, a decade that I long championed as my absolute favourite for not only music but movies and sports as well.  I found that I enjoy many more "Easy Listening" songs than I previously thought.  I LOVE Hall & Oates, Ace and The Carpenters, and I'm not ashamed to say it.  I also realized, and I'm not at all surprised at this, that I dislike "Country" music save for some Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline and Hank Williams.  I wanted to make a list (what, me, make a list?!) of the artists whose songs I have the most of, and as I was compiling the data, I was once again surprised at some of the results.  Let me share a few with you:
First, my Top Ten Artists based on number of songs downloaded....
The Beatles - 113 Songs
I was shocked, shocked I say, at the number of songs that I not only recognize but like in The Beatles' catalog.  I went through each of their albums, one by one, and downloaded every song I liked.  When I was done I had an incredible 113 songs.  I have always been a fan of the group (I always liked their later stuff rather than their 2-minute pop stuff from the mid-60's) but I had no idea of the number of songs I liked.  My favourites include "Dear Prudence", "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" and "I've Got A Feeling".







Van Halen - 107 Songs
Really, no surprise here.  I have said for about 30 years now that Van Halen is my favourite band ever.  I don't know if that still holds true, but I tell you this, whenever I hear their songs from the Diamond Dave era, I sing loud and I sing proud!  Most of the 107 songs are from albums that featured the vocal stylings of David Lee Roth, but I also have a good number from the Sammy Hagar era.  I was never a "got to like one or the other" kind of fan, I liked it all.  Favourites include "Unchained", "Panama" and "Beautiful Girls".

Jimi Hendrix - 99 Songs
Wow, a pretty good amount of songs from someone that released 3 albums!  Yes, I'm one of those "suckers" that buys every album that has come out posthumously that includes different variations of songs I've heard before.  I don't care, I love listening him.  I have a four-disc box set that contains many outtakes and concert versions of classics such as "Purple Haze", "Red House" and "Little Wing".  I especially like listening to Jimi's take on other people's songs like "Blue Suede Shoes" and "Like A Rolling Stone".  How many versions of "Voodoo Chile" can you stand???







Foo Fighters - 94 Songs
This is pretty much as contemporary as I get!  I loved Dave Grohl when he was the only member of Nirvana that seemed to smile.  I've read autobiographies on him, watched documentaries about him and the band, even watched his "love letter" to a recording studio "Sound City".  But the main reason I love him is because of the music he churns out.  Hard rockin', fist poundin' music that gets me going no matter how I feel.  The Foo Fighters, in my opinion, will be remembered more fondly than Nirvana.  And they fight foo, for Christ's sake!!

Beastie Boys - 54 Songs
One of the saddest days I've experienced in recent memory was the day I learned MCA (Adam Yauch) passed away at the age of 47.  The day marked an end to a band that was instrumental in my formative years.  The Beastie Boys could do no wrong in my eyes.  Every album they put out was better, more mature, funnier and with more technique than the last.  There was a time when it wasn't "cool" to like a "white rap group".  I didn't care one iota!  When I'm 68 years old, I will still sing along to songs such as "Hey Ladies", "Sabotage", "Shake Your Rump" and "Pass The Mic".








Led Zeppelin - 53 Songs
The "Mighty Zep" turned out 10 albums in their short existence, splitting up when they realized there would be no replacing John "Bonzo" Bonham after he died.  What they left was a legacy of some of the best rockin' blues songs every recorded.  There are very few Zeppelin songs I don't like, so I downloaded almost every one that I did like, resulting in 53.  "Whole Lotta Love", "Black Dog" and "Stairway To Heaven" will always be remembered as true classics!

The Tragically Hip - 52 Songs
Here's my Can-Con group.  Oh, but what about Rush?  Nope, I've always loved The Tragically Hip.  Their first five albums were absolute classics.  Subsequent albums have had some good songs, but lacked the cohesiveness of the earlier discs.  "Fully Completely" is arguably their best, most well rounded album.  "New Orleans Is Sinking", "Blow At High Dough" and the ever-haunting "38 Years Old" are my faves.




The Rolling Stones - 48 Songs
This was another shocker to me.  I've never been a huge Stones fan, but I liked and appreciated some of their contributions to Rock history.  I had no idea I enjoyed so many of their songs.  Now, in the general scheme of things, liking 48 of their literally hundreds of songs is probably not that big a deal to true fans, but I'll take them.  "Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)", "Can't You Hear Me Knockin'", and "Monkey Man" are among my faves.





Kiss - 47 Songs
In the late 1970's there was a band that scared me as much as thrilled me.  Kiss is that band.  Their songs and images are burned into my brain.  I have a five-disc box set that contains a lot of rare outtakes, demos and live cuts that make me smile every time I listen to them.  Yes, they started out as a gimmick, but almost 40 years later they're still touring and drawing huge crowds.  "I Love It Loud", "Detroit Rock City" and "Sure Know Something" are great songs!




Pearl Jam - 37 Songs
This one surprised me as well.  I LOVED Pearl Jam, about 20 years ago.  I haven't listened to anything they've put out in the last 15 years, but their first 5 albums rocked!  "Ten" is probably in the top 10 of greatest debut albums, ever.  Loved seeing them play live and I often listen to their earlier tunes.  "Black", "Even Flow" and "Do The Evolution" are great songs.



That's all for now...I actually have some fun facts about music, musicians and the like that I'm putting together for my next post.  I don't think it'll take another 7 months...but maybe....