This is interesting. Lots of things on this list I need to delve into. Have you seen the latest TikTok legend? (https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGe66gdoN/) - this is a life goal!
There are a few very interesting Piano versions of Bowie's songs by Rick Wakeman. Rick played keyboards on early Bowie albums as a session musician. Usually I find piano versions of famous songs very boring, but Space Oddity and Life on Mars work really well. It helps that both have amazing melodies and Rick played on the original songs.
I have recently been worried that I'm turning into a west coast 17yr old girl, what with the way my music seems to be leaning! I am very taken with Olivia Rodrigo and my first song of hers was Driving License. I think Spotify recommended it after I downloaded a couple of songs by an Australian singer/songwriter called Amy Shark. The song that drew me to her is called Adore and I heard it at a touching moment in the comedy Schitts Creek.
My brother sent me an awesome song a few days ago that cheered me up whilst working in -4° hammering stone. It's called Bang by Melenas and a really recommend it, the whole album is really interesting!
Glad you had a good holiday but remember that your substack followers are what count so don't leave it so long next time😆
"I post when I have something to say, and not otherwise, and hope that’s okay with you guys."
That's just one of the many reasons I enjoy your substack. Thank you for sparing us from inbox clutter and resisting the pressure to adhere to some arbitrary social expectations about post frequency!
WHAT A FUN COLUMN!!! The Bowie cover by his bassist is unassailable, and will totally watch the doc. As art heroes go, he's at my tippity-top. But mostly, I dropped by to concur that Olivia Rodrigo is SUCH a super-fine songwriter. Anyone who can make me laugh AND weep -- often in the VERY SAME SONG -- is deserving of every ounce of my respect. THANKS, MICHAEL!!!
If you like Gail’s version of life on mars, you should check her out on her duet with David on under pressure. Bowie is a wonderful artist to try and cover. You can learn a lot by taking on one of his songs. https://on.soundcloud.com/1rLEgxfVs4iWLmBW8
A very Happy New Year to you and yours. I’ve been busy with my brother visiting from Germany (haven’t seen him for 18 yrs). He too is banned at least for another 18 yrs due to his 3 hour long breakfasts ( dude hasn’t heard of a bowl of cereal) and eating fish and chips with knife and fork 🙄🙄. It was great seeing him though and I kind of miss him.
We could have done with some of your playlist on my 60th birthday.
Interesting times ahead in the USA as well as the rest of the world regarding politics and the economy. What irks me the most is that all these people have university degrees but are dumber than a piece of wood. Ffs!
Did you drive your son all the way to Colorado again?
Happy belated birthday! Three hours does seem a LONG time for breakfast... And yes, this is going o be quite a year in the US and around the world. No, we didn't drive our son back again, thankfully... it's -20° in Boulder right now!
I already finished to wrote my post with belated new-year greetings, when your "So this is 2024" arrived. In this post proposing a small retrospective of the most seen and known US films in Italy. Here's a little piece...
“The holidays are over. January 7th in Italy is the last celebration -day of the Christmas holidays "EPIPHANY". After which we return to work and resume our daily commitments. For this very last holiday the television networks prepare the programming of films, comedies, Christmas concerts with pop, classical and other more popular music. Like every year, the program was very rich. Kevin, “Viktor/Viktoria”; “Pretty woman”, “The blues brothers”, “Thoroughly Modern Milly”, “The sound of music”……( impossible to list them all here…)They are very well known and loved in Italy. It's not just about comedies. All the most famous series "ER", General hospital", "Doctor Haus". “Friends”, “Good wife” etc…after the Americans premiers invariably reappear here. We have seen all of the most beautiful, famous and important films... (impossible to list them all here). And my husband and I we are incurable spectators.
The period and the productions, which I mention are perhaps a little behind the times compared to the new, latest series (EMMY winners, for example). Young people, surely, will laugh... They never go out of fashion.”…
I was already preparing my post, when the latest “So this is 2024” came out and I focus on what you wrote.
-It's the first time I've heard from Olivia Rodriguez. Clear, young voice. A bit in the style of Coachella festival.
-The notes and lyrics of “Blue October” are perfectly suitable as a New Year's wish. "I hope you are well".
- Inseparable Preludes and Fugues of Bach performed by Evelyn Crochet. Brilliant Glenn Gould immediately comes to mind. Evelyn’s interpretation is very precise, clean and refined.
-Magic musical notes of LOVE HANGOVER reminds me of New Years celebrations a lifetime long. It reminds me of the disco of the 80s and the birth of the new musical genre "Disco-music”. And I assure you, in those disco, under the crystal ball, the whole world danced. What a beautiful surprise!! To those who think in a belittling way of Disco-music I would like to remind them of the soundtracks of those discos. Blondie(Dream,Heart of Glass)Eagles (Desperado, “Hotel California) ; Bee Gees, Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones….What music, guys. You Tube has expanded this list immeasurably - The Kinks, Mark Knopfler, Tom Waits, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Hellen Resdy, James Taylor, Captaine and Tennill, Jonny Mitchell, Dusty Springfield, Chicago, Carpenters, Dr. Hook, Cat Stevens, Leonard Cohen.((impossible to list them all here).
Happy New Year to you , your family and your subscriber. “ Hope you’re fine”. (Blue October.)
P.S:” I post when I have something to say, and not otherwise, and hope that’s okay with you guys”. Sure….
Thank you! There will be a novella coming out in March... and hopefully more stuff later in the year!
This is interesting. Lots of things on this list I need to delve into. Have you seen the latest TikTok legend? (https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGe66gdoN/) - this is a life goal!
LOL - thank's fantastic :-)
There are a few very interesting Piano versions of Bowie's songs by Rick Wakeman. Rick played keyboards on early Bowie albums as a session musician. Usually I find piano versions of famous songs very boring, but Space Oddity and Life on Mars work really well. It helps that both have amazing melodies and Rick played on the original songs.
https://youtu.be/ynWjkhVoI5s?si=_OcwHbq8oYpn5S8F
https://youtu.be/VS2HG3GkWu8?si=vJ2k1eGj0_hjsgZS
Excellent - thank you for the links!
Nice to have you back!
I have recently been worried that I'm turning into a west coast 17yr old girl, what with the way my music seems to be leaning! I am very taken with Olivia Rodrigo and my first song of hers was Driving License. I think Spotify recommended it after I downloaded a couple of songs by an Australian singer/songwriter called Amy Shark. The song that drew me to her is called Adore and I heard it at a touching moment in the comedy Schitts Creek.
My brother sent me an awesome song a few days ago that cheered me up whilst working in -4° hammering stone. It's called Bang by Melenas and a really recommend it, the whole album is really interesting!
Glad you had a good holiday but remember that your substack followers are what count so don't leave it so long next time😆
Ha — I won't ;-) And thank you for the recommend — I'll go have a listen!
"I post when I have something to say, and not otherwise, and hope that’s okay with you guys."
That's just one of the many reasons I enjoy your substack. Thank you for sparing us from inbox clutter and resisting the pressure to adhere to some arbitrary social expectations about post frequency!
I'm glad to hear that works... and thank you for letting me know! :-)
WHAT A FUN COLUMN!!! The Bowie cover by his bassist is unassailable, and will totally watch the doc. As art heroes go, he's at my tippity-top. But mostly, I dropped by to concur that Olivia Rodrigo is SUCH a super-fine songwriter. Anyone who can make me laugh AND weep -- often in the VERY SAME SONG -- is deserving of every ounce of my respect. THANKS, MICHAEL!!!
A pleasure, John — glad you enjoyed it, and enjoy the Bowie doc!
Love Olivia Rodrigo, obvs. But can we talk about the Diana Ross video? Are they Muppets???
Yes, yes I think they are.
If you like Gail’s version of life on mars, you should check her out on her duet with David on under pressure. Bowie is a wonderful artist to try and cover. You can learn a lot by taking on one of his songs. https://on.soundcloud.com/1rLEgxfVs4iWLmBW8
I have heard one version of that, but will go check this out... thank you!
A very Happy New Year to you and yours. I’ve been busy with my brother visiting from Germany (haven’t seen him for 18 yrs). He too is banned at least for another 18 yrs due to his 3 hour long breakfasts ( dude hasn’t heard of a bowl of cereal) and eating fish and chips with knife and fork 🙄🙄. It was great seeing him though and I kind of miss him.
We could have done with some of your playlist on my 60th birthday.
Interesting times ahead in the USA as well as the rest of the world regarding politics and the economy. What irks me the most is that all these people have university degrees but are dumber than a piece of wood. Ffs!
Did you drive your son all the way to Colorado again?
Happy belated birthday! Three hours does seem a LONG time for breakfast... And yes, this is going o be quite a year in the US and around the world. No, we didn't drive our son back again, thankfully... it's -20° in Boulder right now!
Thank you 😊
Hello!
I already finished to wrote my post with belated new-year greetings, when your "So this is 2024" arrived. In this post proposing a small retrospective of the most seen and known US films in Italy. Here's a little piece...
“The holidays are over. January 7th in Italy is the last celebration -day of the Christmas holidays "EPIPHANY". After which we return to work and resume our daily commitments. For this very last holiday the television networks prepare the programming of films, comedies, Christmas concerts with pop, classical and other more popular music. Like every year, the program was very rich. Kevin, “Viktor/Viktoria”; “Pretty woman”, “The blues brothers”, “Thoroughly Modern Milly”, “The sound of music”……( impossible to list them all here…)They are very well known and loved in Italy. It's not just about comedies. All the most famous series "ER", General hospital", "Doctor Haus". “Friends”, “Good wife” etc…after the Americans premiers invariably reappear here. We have seen all of the most beautiful, famous and important films... (impossible to list them all here). And my husband and I we are incurable spectators.
The period and the productions, which I mention are perhaps a little behind the times compared to the new, latest series (EMMY winners, for example). Young people, surely, will laugh... They never go out of fashion.”…
I was already preparing my post, when the latest “So this is 2024” came out and I focus on what you wrote.
-It's the first time I've heard from Olivia Rodriguez. Clear, young voice. A bit in the style of Coachella festival.
-The notes and lyrics of “Blue October” are perfectly suitable as a New Year's wish. "I hope you are well".
- Inseparable Preludes and Fugues of Bach performed by Evelyn Crochet. Brilliant Glenn Gould immediately comes to mind. Evelyn’s interpretation is very precise, clean and refined.
-Magic musical notes of LOVE HANGOVER reminds me of New Years celebrations a lifetime long. It reminds me of the disco of the 80s and the birth of the new musical genre "Disco-music”. And I assure you, in those disco, under the crystal ball, the whole world danced. What a beautiful surprise!! To those who think in a belittling way of Disco-music I would like to remind them of the soundtracks of those discos. Blondie(Dream,Heart of Glass)Eagles (Desperado, “Hotel California) ; Bee Gees, Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones….What music, guys. You Tube has expanded this list immeasurably - The Kinks, Mark Knopfler, Tom Waits, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Hellen Resdy, James Taylor, Captaine and Tennill, Jonny Mitchell, Dusty Springfield, Chicago, Carpenters, Dr. Hook, Cat Stevens, Leonard Cohen.((impossible to list them all here).
Happy New Year to you , your family and your subscriber. “ Hope you’re fine”. (Blue October.)
P.S:” I post when I have something to say, and not otherwise, and hope that’s okay with you guys”. Sure….
Thank you for the notes and the comments! Happy new year to you, we are all fine, and I "hope you're fine" too!