Albums / music that changed my life

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Johnnyo wrote:

Murmur (1983) by R.E.M.

I moved down to London from Birmingham in 1982 and was fortunate enough to fall in with a great bunch of people, some of whom are still friends over 40 years later.

Amongst those folks was a guy called Terry who is a couple of years older than the rest of us and who, even back then, had an awesome record collection. At the time of the release of this album he was living in a bed sit in Notting Hill. This was before the eponymous film came out and made the place trendy and priced out the locals but donโ€™t get me started on that.

Anyway, Terryโ€™s flat was literally a bed, a record player, speakers and his record collection.

At the time Notting Hill had more record shops than you could shake a stick at, top of the list then, as it still is today, was Rough Trade West. Always a great place to visit, chat, meet people and buy the occasional album.

Terry was a frequent visitor and one afternoon we ended up at his flat and he said that heโ€™d been recommended an album by a new US band. He put it on and wow, it was like nothing we had ever heard,

Incoherent vocals and a sound that grabbed you from the first listen. Little did we know that they would go on to become the biggest band in the world. They were our secret back then. Changed my music listening habits from that point on.

This album brought various artists into my world like, The Wipers, Dream Syndicate, Bob Mould (Sugar, Husker Du), Rain Parade and many others


Pretty easy choice from this album. One of my all time favourite R.E.M. tracks


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As a Brummie, what are your favourite Birmingham albums Johnny?
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2021 in full effect. Come drop me some recs. Y'all know what I like.
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@Skinny

Hey, man...good to see you here again! Howya been?
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Skinny wrote:
As a Brummie, what are your favourite Birmingham albums Johnny?


my word, where do i start. You obviously can't ignore Black Sabbath Parnoid, Black Sabbath and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath are essential albums

although they degenerated later in their career, the first two UB40 are not only great but also culturally and politically relevant albums

Then you have


Out Of The Blue (1977) by Electric Light Orchestra

which is a great album.

I could go on and on.

Have to make a mention for The Spencer Davis Group and Traffic


Shoot Out At The Fantasy Factory (1973) by Traffic


The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys (1971) by Traffic

&


John Barleycorn Must Die (1970) by Traffic

Are all wonderful albums.

I'm gonna stop now before I bore everyone to death but there are just the tip of the iceberg that is Birmingham music TBH
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Romanelli wrote:
@Skinny

Hey, man...good to see you here again! Howya been?


I'm good, Dino - I spent 18 months surveying the dive bars and honky-tonks of Austin, Texas, before upping sticks and heading for Brooklyn 15 months ago.

My wife and I are expecting our first (a boy) in October - though, thus far, she has steadfastly pushed back on my attempts to name him Ornette.

Life is good, although I have far less time to listen to new music than I once did. And even less time, sadly, to talk about it on the internet.

How are you? Keeping well?

Johnnyo wrote:
my word, where do i start.


Nice choices. Those first four Sabbath albums are unimpeachable.

However, I must say that I much prefer the first Steel Pulse record to anything UB40 ever did.

Thoughts on Felt? Broadcast? Pram? Au Pairs? The unfortunately forgotten Novak?

I'd also chuck Dexy's into the mix, especially those first two albums.

And, on the rap/hip-hop/grime/drill end, obviously The Streets - but, more importantly, I think Provisional License by M1llionz is the best Birmingham album in years and years and years.

And Surgeon is a hero, if you're into that sort of industrial techno.
_________________
2021 in full effect. Come drop me some recs. Y'all know what I like.
  • Quote
Skinny wrote:
Romanelli wrote:
@Skinny

Hey, man...good to see you here again! Howya been?


I'm good, Dino - I spent 18 months surveying the dive bars and honky-tonks of Austin, Texas, before upping sticks and heading for Brooklyn 15 months ago.

My wife and I are expecting our first (a boy) in October - though, thus far, she has steadfastly pushed back on my attempts to name him Ornette.

Life is good, although I have far less time to listen to new music than I once did. And even less time, sadly, to talk about it on the internet.

How are you? Keeping well?

Nice choices. Those first four Sabbath albums are unimpeachable.

However, I must say that I much prefer the first Steel Pulse record to anything UB40 ever did.

Thoughts on Felt? Broadcast? Pram? Au Pairs? The unfortunately forgotten Novak?

I'd also chuck Dexy's into the mix, especially those first two albums.

And, on the rap/hip-hop/grime/drill end, obviously The Streets - but, more importantly, I think Provisional License by M1llionz is the best Birmingham album in years and years and years.

And Surgeon is a hero, if you're into that sort of industrial techno.


So many to choose from. Joan Armatrading is a bit of a heroine of mine.

Agree on Steel Pulse being great. The UB40 albums resonated with me at the time.

Swell Maps and Malkit Singh are also great Brummie acts and don't forget The Beat. Oooh and Nick Drake (from Tanworth I know but went to school in Brum)

I feel a whole new thread coming up at some point.

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