Alternate Music Finding System

[stratman]

Sometimes finding good music can be a drag, especially if you like a CD but, are not deeply familiar with the genre, to go and spend money shooting in the dark, and hoping for the best can be a waste of time and frustrating too.

Well I stumbled into this "system" of doing music research a while back in '78, it started with the album AJA, a thoroughly enjoyable masterpiece of recording engineering, musical talent, social commentary and just plain music enjoyment. Reading the liner notes I noticed that I had seen some of the guest musicians that contributed to the album, anyway I started doing research (this was before the internet) and finding out as much as I could about each musician that played, well one album (back then vinyl) led to the expansion of my collection by three, as I found more and more information on each musician it led to other musicians, artists, producers. Obviously now with the internet and computers this can be done in a matter of hours, it took me weeks and months thirty years ago. Back then I didn't know who Don Grolnick was nor Victor Feldman, looking them up led to some great music, which in turn expanded my collection.

This is something you guys might want to try, read the liner notes, see who plays additionally with the band, google, if they have any music out, it might be your style, now you've discovered someone new that can enrich your music collection and there's always the fun aspect of sleuthing for music, especially older hard to find gems like King Harvest, right Dave?

 

[dilznoofus]

You just might like this:

http://www.music-map.com/

 

[stratman]

You just might like this:

http://www.music-map.com/

Interesting!

 

[MDS]

I tried short-lived '80s hair bands like King Kobra, Baton Rouge, and Tangier and bupkiss.

There were relationships to Cinderella though...

 

[stratman]

The way it's set up it doesn't give you the fine details, personnel, etc. Liner notes are superior in the sense that the roster is complete, especially if it's not a band but a soloist, or in AJA's case, Steely Dan is not a band per se, but two individuals pulling the strings. The ridiculous amount of superb players that participated in that album gives you enough material for a whole collection, from funk, jazz, rock, pop to the blues.

 

[Davemcc]

I made a trip to Future Shop tonight (gift card) but they didn't have AJA. Rather poor selection over all, I thought, but it's your typical big box store. I think what you've got is a good system for finding music, as in the case of King Harvest, which leads to Orleans, etc.

P.S. I mentioned I didn't have any Blu-Rays for the PS3. I was wrong. I have the Dave Matthews/Tim Reynolds concert and now I just used the gift card to get Sunshine on Blu-Ray based on the review here.

 

[MDS]

I think what you've got is a good system for finding music, as in the case of King Harvest, which leads to Orleans, etc.

I've heard of King Harvest but can't say I know any of their songs. But what is this Orleans that you speak of?

Is it the band that sings 'Still the One', 'Love Takes Time', and 'Dance with Me'? I have those three songs by a band called Orleans in my collection. I'm pretty sure they came from one of my seventies compilation cds.

 

[MUDSHARK]

http://www.pandora.com/

Another site you may like.

 

[stratman]

I've heard of King Harvest but can't say I know any of their songs. But what is this Orleans that you speak of?

Is it the band that sings 'Still the One', 'Love Takes Time', and 'Dance with Me'? I have those three songs by a band called Orleans in my collection. I'm pretty sure they came from one of my seventies compilation cds.

Right on all counts! One of the guys from King Harvest went on to found Orleans of "You're Still The One Fame." King Harvest: Dancing In The Moonlight. Which they sound uncannily like "Looking Glass, which had a super hit called "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)", which were part of the Jersey Shore sound which included Bruce Springsteen, Frankie Valli, the genre was characterized by a broad streak of romanticism, personal struggles and life in general.

 

[Davemcc]

Right on all counts! One of the guys from King Harvest went on to found Orleans of "You're Still The One Fame." King Harvest: Dancing In The Moonlight. Which they sound uncannily like "Looking Glass, which had a super hit called "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)", which were part of the Jersey Shore sound which included Bruce Springsteen, Frankie Valli, the genre was characterized by a broad streak of romanticism, personal struggles and life in general.

Dancing in the Moonlight also sounds uncannily like a Van Morrison song, Moondance. If somebody had asked me last week who did Dancing in the Moonlight, I would certainly have said Van Morrison (and been wrong).

 

[stratman]

Dancing in the Moonlight also sounds uncannily like a Van Morrison song, Moondance. If somebody had asked me last week who did Dancing in the Moonlight, I would certainly have said Van Morrison (and been wrong).

That was the song that kept tripping me up, btw Van Morrison's music has that Jersey Shore flavor.

 

[Davemcc]

Jersey Shore flavor.

Oh great, another tangent to follow.

I'm having trouble keeping up as it is.

 

[stratman]

Oh great, another tangent to follow.

I'm having trouble keeping up as it is.

Sorry Dave! Hopefully one day when I make a trek to that part of Canada, we'll be able to discuss music lists in a saner way! Of all the "Joisy" shores bands, my favorite was and is Looking Glass, I was never a Springsteen fan, maybe two songs at most, Cadillac Ranch and I forget now.....see not a big fan.

 

[stratman]

I'm sorry Dave! There's also the famous Mussel Shoals Sound, from the legendary recording studio in a remote Northwest corner of Alabama, the studio is closed now but it was legendary in it's heyday, artists from The Allman Brothers to Aretha to Bob Seeger.

 

[Tomorrow]

Oh great, another tangent to follow.

I'm having trouble keeping up as it is.

Dave,

Seek out Southside Johnny for some interesting Jersey tendrils.

Also this is a great site for following bands, band members, music trends, etc.
http://www.allmusic.com/

 

[stratman]

That's right RJ, Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes!

 

[MDS]

Well now that you say 'Dancing in the Moonlight' I'm on the same page...and it just so happens that I have that too! Ah..that King Harvest.

When I hear it I also think of Van Morrison.

By the way the other good Looking Glass song besides Brandy (i'm sure there are others but I only really know of two) is 'Jimmy Loves Maryanne'.

"Brandy, you're a fine girl ,what a good wife you would be, but my life, my love, and my lady is the Sea." Love it.

 

[stratman]

Well now that you say 'Dancing in the Moonlight' I'm on the same page...and it just so happens that I have that too! Ah..that King Harvest.

When I hear it I also think of Van Morrison.

By the way the other good Looking Glass song besides Brandy (i'm sure there are others but I only really know of two) is 'Jimmy Loves Maryanne'.

"Brandy, you're a fine girl ,what a good wife you would be, but my life, my love, and my lady is the Sea." Love it.

Man! Wasn't music much better then?! I mean songs were a story or it moved your soul, it was an enjoyable experience. Unlike today and what they try to sell as music. Brandy brings back so many memories, just like Tin Man from America, I love to play that song, also Seals and Crofts' Summerbreeze (makes me feel fine.)

 

[MDS]

MY alternate music finding system

To keep with the theme of the thread...

I have some bands that I actually had never heard of when they were active and now like them very much. Here is how I discovered them:

- King Kobra: My brother in law picked up a tape at a used store for $2. They looked like a 'hair band' and he'll buy anything like that (it was King Kobra III). Turns out I had a song called 'Tough Guys Don't Cry' on one of my old tapes from when I was a teenager. Spent some time trying to find them after that (all albums are out of print). I now have the first four on CD.

- Baton Rouge: Another hair band my brother in law picked up at a used CD store. I liked the song Walks Like A Woman. I found the same CD on secondspin.com and bought it. There are at least 6 songs on the CD that I think are great.

- Tangier: Never heard of them. I was up late at night and saw a video for On the Line and wrote down the song name. Secondspin.com to the rescue again. It's not as good as Baton Rouge, but I saved 4 songs from the CD.

Old movie soundtracks are another potential goldmine for obscure bands that never hit it big. When I see one and hear a song that sounds interesting I try to watch the credits for the band/song name and write it down. That's how I got Bonfire - Sword and Stone and The Dudes of Wrath - Shocker.

 

[stratman]

To keep with the theme of the thread...

I have some bands that I actually had never heard of when they were active and now like them very much. Here is how I discovered them:

- King Kobra: My brother in law picked up a tape at a used store for $2. They looked like a 'hair band' and he'll buy anything like that (it was King Kobra III). Turns out I had a song called 'Tough Guys Don't Cry' on one of my old tapes from when I was a teenager. Spent some time trying to find them after that (all albums are out of print). I now have the first four on CD.

- Baton Rouge: Another hair band my brother in law picked up at a used CD store. I liked the song Walks Like A Woman. I found the same CD on secondspin.com and bought it. There are at least 6 songs on the CD that I think are great.

- Tangier: Never heard of them. I was up late at night and saw a video for On the Line and wrote down the song name. Secondspin.com to the rescue again. It's not as good as Baton Rouge, but I saved 4 songs from the CD.

Old movie soundtracks are another potential goldmine for obscure bands that never hit it big. When I see one and hear a song that sounds interesting I try to watch the credits for the band/song name and write it down. That's how I got Bonfire - Sword and Stone and The Dudes of Wrath - Shocker.

Probably not your taste, but speaking of soundtracks, James Bond 30th Anniversary CD had the title songs for the older Bonds, which happen to be stellar pieces on their own, you've got Shirley Bassey, Rita Coolidge, Carly Simon and Nancy Sinatra whose rendition of "You only Live Twice" is unbelievable.