As everyone knows, "Nevermind" was released in August 1991.
Exactly 20 years ago.
Is there still something to add about this album?
Yes, I do think so. And I'm sure you're pining to know what it meant and still means to me, its role in my... musical education, and... and sooner or later your curiosity will be fulfilled. I'll write a post about it someday.
(omg, 1991... I was 16, my hair was longer than Eddie Vedder's, I weighed almost 20 kilos less than now, and... man, the 90s had just begun!)
Anyway...
in that very same month other milestones of (indie / pop / alt) music saw the light of day.
From my beloved brit bishops Blur and their first album "Leisure", to riot grrrl goddesses Hole ("Pretty on the inside"), from trip-hop fathers Massive Attack (monumental "Blue lines") to seminal "Ten" by Pearl Jam, not forgetting Metallica's "Black album", Cypress Hill, and... er... Spin Doctors.
Talking about singles that colored record shop shelves in that fiery August 1991, here are some.
Even some multi-million selling artists, for once.
Enjoy.
Smashing Pumpkins - Siva* (August 1991)
*: those colors, those blurred images, Billy Corgan's not bald head...
I think my heart stopped for some seconds
PJ Harvey - Dress** (August 1991)
**: Polly's first ever single.
Metallica - Enter sandman (August 1991)
R.E.M. - Near wild heaven*** (August 1991)
***: admit it, you do love "Out of time", as everbody else.
Pop at its best.
Hole - Teenage whore (August 1991)
Showing posts with label Blur. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blur. Show all posts
Monday, August 29, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
The "if I were an astronaut about to launch etc..." list
Nick Hornby, in "High fidelity", showed us the delightful art of compiling lists.
It's more satisfying than what you may think, unless your mind can't go further than a dull "my favourite 10 albums" list.
Along the years I happened to come across intriguing lists like "songs to be heard at my funeral", classics like "songs to shag to" (or "ALBUMS to shag to", in case you were that type) or weird inventories like "most useless member of a band" (uh... if I don't get wrong, I read it on the Melody Maker, and the "winner" was awkward skinny allucinated-eyed Bez of the Happy Mondays. Actually, his role was to play maracas and dance. Although maracas were not hearable and he danced like "a man who needs the bathroom trying to start a fight at a bus stop"*).
Anyway, talking about oddness, here's my "songs I'd listen to if I were an astronaut in the Space Shuttle two minutes before countdown starts" list.
Imagine yourself, sitting stiff and tensed in a Space Shuttle about to lunch, alone in your spacesuit, breathing like Darth Vader, halfway between the warm confidence of your beloved ones, the noise and confusion of your earthly life, and the cold, astonishing silence of the great beyond.
What would it be your soundtrack?
That's my choice:
#5
Foo Fighters - Next year (1999**)
Widely predictable.
#4
Blur - Far out (1994)
Ground control for the Major Damon...
#3
R. Kelly - I believe I ca... no, joking.
#3
Nine Inch Nails - A warm place (1994)
Because I'll need an instrumental
#1
Spiritualized - Ladies and gentlemen, we are floating in space (1997)
Anything to add?
*: by David Pollock in independent.co.uk. Full excellent review here.
**: ok, the single was released in 2000; but I received the album as a Christmas present, in 1999.
It's more satisfying than what you may think, unless your mind can't go further than a dull "my favourite 10 albums" list.
Along the years I happened to come across intriguing lists like "songs to be heard at my funeral", classics like "songs to shag to" (or "ALBUMS to shag to", in case you were that type) or weird inventories like "most useless member of a band" (uh... if I don't get wrong, I read it on the Melody Maker, and the "winner" was awkward skinny allucinated-eyed Bez of the Happy Mondays. Actually, his role was to play maracas and dance. Although maracas were not hearable and he danced like "a man who needs the bathroom trying to start a fight at a bus stop"*).
Anyway, talking about oddness, here's my "songs I'd listen to if I were an astronaut in the Space Shuttle two minutes before countdown starts" list.
Imagine yourself, sitting stiff and tensed in a Space Shuttle about to lunch, alone in your spacesuit, breathing like Darth Vader, halfway between the warm confidence of your beloved ones, the noise and confusion of your earthly life, and the cold, astonishing silence of the great beyond.
What would it be your soundtrack?
That's my choice:
#5
Foo Fighters - Next year (1999**)
Widely predictable.
#4
Blur - Far out (1994)
Ground control for the Major Damon...
#3
R. Kelly - I believe I ca... no, joking.
#3
Nine Inch Nails - A warm place (1994)
Because I'll need an instrumental
#1
Spiritualized - Ladies and gentlemen, we are floating in space (1997)
Anything to add?
*: by David Pollock in independent.co.uk. Full excellent review here.
**: ok, the single was released in 2000; but I received the album as a Christmas present, in 1999.
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