Perfect musical moments

[fleetfootmike]

I was minded of this, listening to the radio this morning - something I've been meaning to LJ for a while.

Everyone has 'em, I'm sure - those moments on a record that just make you go "YES!".

Here's my 10, in no particular order.

Clive Murray's 'House On Gamut Street" off "earthman"

At around 3:47, after the quiet bit, he stamps on the distortion, and it's just... wow. And not just cause he's a mate. BUY THIS ALBUM.

Buggles' "Video Killed The Radio Star"

In the middle section, right at the very end: there's three little keyboard licks, punctuated by double Rototom hits, and then a six note screaming guitar lick... so cool

Dream Theater's "Another Day" off "Images And Words"

Around 0:14, John Petrucci comes in with a beautifully simple sustaining lead guitar melody, that is the nearest thing to perfection on an electric guitar on this planet.

Sky, "Carrilon", off "Sky 1"

2:17 - Kevin Peek comes in with that distinctive guitar tone, infinite sustain, restrained yet powerful. Sweet.

Slade, "Merry Xmas Everybody"

Just to prove I'm not guitar-obsessed, much. Right at the end, that exuberant *scream* of "It's Christmas!!!!" from Noddy Holder, which sums up the whole song for me.

The Who, "Won't Get Fooled Again"

Nine minutes of magic, and it drops back down to that wierd processed organ riff, Moon thrashes twice round the kit, you just KNOW Townshend is windmilling the living daylights out of that power chord, and then, to make it perfect, Daltrey reminds you he's there with THE best scream in rock. Bar none.

Vixen, "Only A Heartbeat Away", off "Rev It Up"

Fists-in-the-air drums and vocals chorus, then at around 3:45, Janet Gardner (who had one of the better female voices in rock) and the band take the whole song up a step with a really REALLY cool and ever-so-slightly unconventional key change

Dire Straits, "Tunnel Of Love", off "Making Movies"

7:40 or so, on the playout - Knopfler has been building up one of the more perfect solos, and evidently goes away for a quick lie down for 8 bars, and the piano kicks in with this DIVINE arpeggio figure... oh, and check the little quote from "I Only Wanna Be With You" Mark throws in when he comes back. If I remember rightly, the piano here is played by Roy Bittan of Springsteen's E Street Band.

Rainbow, "Catch The Rainbow", off "On Stage"

I don't have this on CD, so no timings. The Dio/Bain/Powell era Rainbow - Blackmore's off among the fairies, noodling away, and then the late, great, sadly missed Cozy Powell comes in with a drum fill for which the word cataclysmic was invented. If you've turned this up to catch the subtleties of Blackmore's playing, expect to jump out of your skin.

Fleetwood Mac's "Blue Letter" off the "white Fleetwood Mac album" as Christine calls it on stage.

Yeah, there had to be a Mac track. Bet you weren't expecting this one - it's not even a Mac original! Delightful slip and slide country solo from Lindsey, ending on a sweet double stop bend: the A major riff comes back in (check that propulsive bass line from John) and then Christine just adds the fairydust. It's nothing more than a held A chord on the organ, but halfway through she flicks the Leslie to fast, and it just shimmers. Subtle. Tasteful. (Christine) Perfect.

[Edit: poo, missed one. Here, have a bonus 11th]

Dire Straits, "Brothers In Arms" off "Brothers In Arms"

Just one chord. At 3:34. The E. Perfect. And the video for this picks out that moment to absolute perfection.

Comments

Thanks!

[the-magician.livejournal.com]

Those descriptions left me tingling and smiling, even though I can only bring 5 of the tracks to mind, and even then I'd have to listen to the track again in a few cases to identify precisely the bit you mean ...

... I'll have to keep track of the ones that get me (the one that springs to mind is the instrumental in the middle of Queen's "I want to break free, but there are others ...)

Oh, is it too late to get the Cosmic Trifle album completed before FilkContinental? As you will have seen, I have a lot more free time at the moment, but I don't know about the rest.

CT

[fleetfootmike.livejournal.com]

When's FC? :)

Re: CT

[the-magician.livejournal.com]

First weekend in October

My 10 (seeing as I am a saddo and don't have anywhere to put them)

[(Anonymous)]

I do have a journal - but not a live one! So here are my 10 in no particular order (I have missed loads - probably)

1. Queen - Ogre Battle - from Queen 2 - starts with a mess of noise with some very interesting backwards guitar and drums - then all of sudden the beat kicks in and some good ole fashioned rock n roll!

2. Martha & The Muffins - Echo Beach - I just love this track, the fade in on the synth - the guitar sound, everything.

3. Pink Floyd - Shine on You Crazy Diamond - yeah, you know the bit - Dave Gilmour - Red Strat - classic sound... altogether now - dah dahn dahn daahhh

4. Korn - Freak On A Leash - The break in the middle of this is just stunning, it builds and feels like its never gonna stop then BANG he shouts "Go" and much head thrashing follows :o)

5. U2 - Like A Song - War - Only recently rediscovered this - awesome kick drum sounds, distorred hammond, off beat snare and tom hits then this crashing riff... marvellous.

6. RHCP - Higher Ground - Mothers Milk - a truely unique Stevie Wonder cover or how bass should be played.

7. The Levellers - The Boatman - Levelling the Land (Instrumental bit)- first time I heard a digeridoo on record, and the sub bass just kicks bottom - turn it up LOUD!

8. The Cult - She Sells Sanctuary - nuff said, a most excellent rock riff - been overused of late, but stands the test of time well.

9. Apollo 440 - Lost In Space Theme - I have been knocked for my love of the 440 crew, but I think they are marvellous. Lost in Space was a Sunday morning favourite for a long time, and although the movie wasn't that great - the theme music ROCKED!

10. Portishead - Mysterons - Being a Bristol boy this has to be in really. It could be any track off the Dummy album but I chose the first. Dark, broody beats and a guitar sound unlike any heard before. Beth's haunting vocals and some tasteful wiccy wiccy! 10/10