10 links between music and science

Thursday, 17 November 2011 20:18

Scientific innovation and invention and scientists themselves are celebrated here in music. So grab your Bunsen burner, your flask of H2SO4, and let's see if we can produce some musical alchemy. Will it be gold, iron, or diamonds and rust (nod to Joan Baez)?

 

 

1. Einstein a-Go-Go; Landscape





Just how irritating is that high pitched synth hook and “catchy” chorus? Well, this was 1998. I’m sure Albert would be snapping his fingers to this one if he was still with us… or maybe he’d be splitting the atom over synthpoppy Landscape, to produce a mushroom cloud haircut.

 

 

2.  Jethro Tull 

 

Gentleman farmer, agrarian scientist, leader of the English Agricultural Revolution and inventor of the Seed Drill, little did Mr Tull know that his name would be taken in vain by a curious blues-folk-rock outfit, where the lead singer, Ian Anderson, plays flute on one leg while sporting a velvet codpiece. Must be something in the fertiliser… The video shows them playing up to the Gentleman Farmer Laird of the Land Image while singing about Heavy Horses- presumably his backing group.

 

 

3. Van der Graaf Generator

The long-lasting Prog Rock outfit named after the electrical device invented by Robert J van der Graaf that makes electrical sparks and waves in a see-through ball when you put your hand against it. Err…why?

 

 

 

4.  Enola Gay; OMD

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (pretentious? Moi??!) had a big hit in 1980  with this song, titled after the name of the US Plane that dropped Little Boy A-Bomb on Hiroshima in 1945. A Hit…

 

 

 

5. Radioactivity; Kraftwerk

Initially a homage to Madame Curie when first released, it was re-recorded in the 90’s to reflect the dodgier side of radioactivity (“radioactivity/it’s in the air for you and me…”). Gets even darker on this video…

 

 

 

6. Tesla

The Sacramento band named after inventor and electrical engineer Nikola Tesla.

 

 

 

 7.  She Blinded Me with Science; Thomas Dolby

 Innovative synth guru and songwriter/singer, Mr Dolby produced a number of tunes related to scientific progress or innovation, such as “Wind Power”, but the song and video here (from the album shown left) boasted a real-life eccentric boffin Magnus Pike, famous for making science groovy on kids’ TV in the UK in the 1980s. 

 

 

8.  Cloudbusting; Kate Bush

 

Yes, the one with Donald Sutherland in the video as an inventor who busts clouds, and Kate Bush wearing an appalling red wig! Then the Government intervene with an ultimatum- either the wig or the machine has to go, Kat.

 

 

9.  Silver Machine; Hawkwind

 

What do you mean it doesn’t exist? Why would they lie? This 1972 single reached number 3 in the UK charts. Just love that lovely jubbly bubbly beginning, like a cauldron bubbling up till the chords come in. The picture is of veteran Hawk Lord, Dave Brock, who sings on the tune. Groovy striped pants, Dave!

 

 

 

10. Combine Harvester; The Wurzels

Oooo Arrr. From the Seed Drill to the Combine Harvester, how we have applied science and innovation to this green and pleasant land!  I always get the Troggs and the Wurzels mixed up for some reason… This was a hit in 1976. In the 2006 film Evil Aliens the song was featured as the hero ran down some aliens in said agricultural vehicle. See here… 

 

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10 Rhyme Crimes

Thursday, 17 November 2011 19:14

Welcome to the world of tortured tautology, where lyrics have had to be twisted to fit, or the couplet is cringe-worthy. Yes, who are the guilty ones who have taken a bloomin’liberty and no mistake, Squire, with the good Queen’s English? In truth- strewth! Clever or what?  Or Not. Ink Blot.  You decide/deride/steer wide.

1. Take the Money and Run (Steve Miller Band)

 

 “Billy Mac is a Detective down in Texas/And he know exactly what the facts is”

 

 

2.  I got You (Split Enz)

 

“Look at you- you’re a pageant/you’re everything that I’ve imagined”

 

 

3. Classic (Adrian Gurvitz)

 “I’m gonna write a classic/Gonna write it in the attic”

 

 

4.  Never Let me Down Again (Depeche Mode)

  “Promises me we’re as safe as houses/As long as I remember whose wearing the trousers”

 

 

5 Desperate but not Serious (Adam Ant)

 “Would you find that a risk to your health?/ Would you put me up on the Bookshelf?''

 

 

6. My Strongest Suit (Spice Girls)

“I would rather wear a barrel/Than conservative apparel”

 

 

7.  I talk to the Wind (King Crimson)

 

“Said the straight man/To the late man/Where have you been?/

I’ve been here and/I’ve been there and/I’ve been in between”

 

 

8.  Impressive Instant (Madonna)

“I like to singy singy singy/Like a bird on a wingy wingy wingy’’

 

 

9.  Bermuda triangle (Barry Manilow)

“So Bermuda Triangle/Try to see it from my angle”

 

10. Thing Called Love (Bonnie Raitt)

 “Baby you know I ain’t no Queen of Sheba/You know we ain’t no amoeba”

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Witches & Wizards

Tuesday, 15 November 2011 15:01

With Halloween safely out of the way for another year, we can now look at references to Witches, Warlocks and Wizards in music without fear of summoning up something unpleasant. So it's on with the pointy hat, the pentagram cloak, and the pointy Mephistopheles beard and go queue at Gate 666 to board the Boeing Broomstick!
 

1. Demons & Wizards- Uriah Heep

One of England's finest bands, but always in the shadow of Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, Uriah Heep's widely acknowledge keynote album was their May 1972 Demons & Wizards. With a striking Roger Dean album cover paining, and fantastical songs like The Wizard and Rainbow Demon, this was the apogee of their commercial success. But they have an army of loyal fans and in July 2010 played the album live in its entirety at Classic Rock's High Voltage festival in East London to rapturous applause!

Here's rare footage of ex-band keyboardist and main songwriter, Ken Hensley, playing The Wizard live recently

2. The Witch- The Rattles

Written in 1968 by this German beat then rock  band, as a re-recorded single in 1970, it hit the UK top 10, and the US Billboard top 20. The single featured a witchy-looking female vocalist  and err… wizard wah-wah guitar

3. Teenage Witch- The Eels

 

From their 2001 album Souljacker.

4. Paul Hardcastle- The Wizard

Following Paul's N-N-19 Number one hit in 1985, we have this single, The Wizard, which became the UK music show "Top of the Pops" theme tune. Sadly all the conjuring in the world couldn't get him or his synthesiser another hit of the magnitude of the single 19, which was about post traumatic stress syndrome in ex 'Nam US soldiers. N-N-nasty!

5. Season of the Witch- Julie Driscoll

More recently famed for the Ab-Fab comedy sitcom theme tune, This Wheel's on Fire", Julie Driscoll and Brian Auger (he of the famous Hammond organ sound) covered this Donovan slice of psychedelia in 1968. Julie was a wild looking 1960's Swinging' London lady with short cropped hair, masses of mascara, and a hippy-dippy dancing style

But boy could she sing!

6. The Wizard- Black Sabbath

From the Sabbs' first album, this tune begins with our Ozzie playing harmonica before the trademark guitars of Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler herald in the beginning of heavy metal (discuss/dispute as you will).

As the lyrics say, this particular Wizard had "funny clothes" and Tinkling bell"- probably not an A list Master-Caster! 

7. Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead- Ella Fitzgerald

Recorded by Ella Fitzgerald in 1961, the song was originally written for, and can be heard in, The Wizard of Oz, the infamous 1939 film starring Judy Garland.

8. Pickettywitch

From the same sonic stable as Edison Lighthouse, The Archies and the Tremeloes, this 1960s-70s band didn't have any big hit single to secure them a place in the bubblegum pop annals of history. But this song, same old feeling, was a top 5 hit in 1970. Cringe-inducing some would say…

9. The Witch's Promise- Jethro Tull

Ian Anderson was at his tramp-dressing, face-gurneying, eye-crossing height of fame at this time: See here to be very afraid..

A 1970's hit for the the Tull, still occasionally performed live. Ian was the band's founder and leader and the only person who has been in the band for their entire career (although guitarist, Martin Lancelot Barre comes close).

10. Angel Witch

We land from our broomstick journey through wizards and witches with a metal band Angel Witch  here performing the song Angel Witch. What synergy! Snacks, light refreshments, Belladonna, mandrake root and hemlock are available for purchase and consumption at the terminal café.

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Battle of the Giant Axemen

Tuesday, 08 November 2011 15:24

Ok it's time for the heavyweights to take centre stage and do battle- the Axemen cometh! Here we have 10 great guitarists battling it out to see who will win their bout.  They will score points out of 10 in three categories;

Technical Ability (how proficient they are at all types of music- not just the pentatonic or blues scale!)
Excitement live  (can they wow a crowd and hack it live?)
Influence on other guitarists (errr… just what it says on the tin.  Not just other professional guitarists, but how many novices copy their licks? )
Guitar Gladiators ready! Seconds away, planks ready to be spanked, plug in, and let battle commence!

 

Round One- Jimmy Page versus Jeff Beck

Jeff Beck and Pagey actually played together in the Yardbirds for a little while- and can be seen on stage, briefly, in Antonioni's rather strange film starring very young David Hemmings and Vanessa Redgrave- "Blow Up". Jeff Beck tends to favour a Fender Strat, and has a very sharp staccato sound, while Jimmy Page likes Gibsons, and also has his trademark gritty sound.  Jeff is known as the Guitarist's guitarist, but Jimmy has probably had more commercial success. How many people's first riff they learnt was Whole Lotta Love and later, the opening to Stairway to Heaven? Me? I went with Jeff Beck's solo (that he hates now!) in Hi Ho Silver Lining. Maybe that's why I'm writing about music rather than playing stadiums!!

 

Guitarist	Technical Ability	Excitement live	Influence
Jimmy Page- 27	9	8	10
Jeff Back-26	9	7	10

Round Two- Jimi Hendrix versus Robin Trower


 
This is probably really unfair- a heavyweight from the 1960s versus a welterweight from the 1970s- but when playing the blues, you can see where Robin gets his trademark bendy Stratocaster licks from, and imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I think it's a foregone conclusion who wins this bout, but Robin (or Skeletor as he is sometimes unkindly called these days) has a subtle and distinct flavour of playing that one would dismiss at your peril. Still playing great live and a long  way from his starting career with Procol Harum. Hendrix, of course  is/was/is an axe god. End of. Out for the Count.

 

Guitarist	Technical Ability	Excitement live	Influence
Jimi Hendrix-26	9	Good day 10, bad 2=7	10
Robin Trower-22	8	7	7

Round Three- Brian May versus Joe Satriani


 
Brian May and his father built the distinctive  "Red Special" guitar that he still plays today. Combined with a classic Vox AC30 pre-amp type set up it gives that singing tone that marks May out from the crowd. Satch- Joe Satriani-  is a master of playing unusual scales and time signatures, and says his biggest influence has always been Hendrix. Now both too long in the tooth to be called wunderkinds, both can still rock out big time when called for!

 

Guitarist	Technical Ability	Excitement live	Influence
Brian May-26	8	9	9
Joe Satriani-27	9	9	9

Round Four- Ritchie Blackmore versus Hank B Marvin

What??  What kind of pairing is that? A bare-knuckle fighter with a double-gloved one handed opponent? Well… if you listen to Ritchie Blackmore's early work, especially with the Outlaws and Screaming Lord Sutch and the Savages, there's more than a passing similarity to Hank B Marvin of The Shadows. It was only as the man in black developed, that Blackmore began to jack up the volume, swap his Gibson EBO for a Stratocaster and take his anger out on the whammy bar. Hank, meanwhile, carries on with those clear mellow tones with just a sweet hint of vibrato from his tremolo arm. The Dire Straits guitarist, Mark Knopfler, considers Hank Marvin his biggest influence. Compare and contrast early Blackmore with Hank the Spank.

 

Guitarist	Technical Ability	Excitement live	Influence
Ritchie Blackmore-25	8	9	8
Hank B Marvin-23	7	6	10

Round Five- Eddie Van Halen versus Yngwie Malmsteen

Well, here we have two virtuosos, one from Sweden, one from the US, pairing off for a fingerboard fracas.  Eddie from Van Halen- inventor (or at least early user)  of the two handed guitar finger- tapping technique  and Yngwie , arguably the fastest guitarist around and much beloved of the swinging-guitar-by-strap-round-body showmanship, without missing a note.  His classically influenced Arpeggios are famous.

 

Guitarist	Technical Ability	Excitement live	Influence
Eddie Van Halen-28	9	9	10
Yngwie Malmsteen-28	9	10	9

 

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