Couples in Rock

Benatar & Giraldo

Whilst it may be true that behind every great man is a great woman, it seems that in some circumstances, behind every great band is a great couple.  I’ve been reacquainting myself with my 80s love, Pat Benatar via her ‘Ultimate Collection’ (a download snip at 40 tracks for £7) and can’t help but notice that the common theme running through her lengthy career is her relationship with guitarist, Neil Giraldo who ascends from band member and writing contributor to husband and lifelong collaborator.

There is something quite endearing about such relationships.  Unlike most couples with a shared life they are not to be found in front of the TV with their tea on a tray but are more likely to be seen on that same TV doing acoustic versions of songs from their glory days.  Sweet.  In fact couples can be found in many places.  One pairing is Debbie Harry and Chris Stein who have effectively carried Blondie through thick and thin despite their relationship floundering and Chris’s life threatening illness.  Without their tenacity despite no longer being ‘an item’ the later Blondie comeback would not have happened.  Whether or not this was a good thing is still open to discussion but you can’t help admiring them for trying.

Another long-lived couple is Martha Johnson and Mark Gane who are now the only survivors from the 80s phenomenon that was Martha and the Muffins.  Now married, they have forged a lifelong musical partnership and still record under their faintly ridiculous name as at today.

However, before we get too complacent about the warm glow around couples in rock, let us not forget that musical history is littered with failed attempts.  Those of you who have albums by Fleetwood Mac and Abba in particular will bear witness that not all paths run smoothly to musical dotage.  Amongst others who fell along the way are Siouxsie/Budgie, Annie Lennox/Dave Stewart, Sonja Kristina/Stewart Copeland and many others too tedious to list.  It is the failure rate that makes those that endure stand out amongst their peers.  Had she lived, I envisage that Linda McCartney would’ve been a member of the elderly musical couples club, too.

It is said that married persons generally live longer than singletons, so perhaps this translates to musical couples?  If so look forward to a whole string of albums from Blondie, M+M and Ms Benatar.  Hmm.

Keep on Drummin' (part 2)

There has been much chat about drummers and drumming following the anniversary of John Bonham’s death and if his passing has done anything at all, it has increased the stock of drummers everywhere. As a generality, most people tend to ignore drummers and talk about their favourite singer or guitarist. But now we have reason to pause and think about their skills and what they bring to the mix.

OK, let me state upfront that ‘Moby Dick’ and ‘The Mule’ are maybe not my favourite ways to spend 10+ minutes of my life, but two examples always spring to my mind and they are probably not the obvious ones. The first is the role of eighties heart-throbs A-ha. The eighties was a lean time for drummers as their position as timekeepers in bands was seriously under threat from the dreaded new chip on the block, the drum machine whose upkeep was minimal and whose timekeeping was relentlessly metronomic. Most of the electro-pop outfits of the day like Yazoo, Depeche Mode, Soft Cell and even megagoths, Sisters of Mercy dispensed with a live drummer in favour of the much cheaper and easier-to-control-on-a-night-out drum machine. But not A-ha. They deliberately employed a real live drummer (albeit playing an electronic drum kit) to back up their generally keyboard driven sound to inject some human excitement into proceedings and the result was awesome. Try imagining what ‘I’ve Been Losing You’ would sound like with a plodding drum machine instead of the existing exhilaratingly human drum track.

It is interesting to note that some of the biggest ‘technology’ bands of that period refrained from booting out their drummers (and guitarists come to that) and instead embraced them wholeheartedly. In particular I am thinking of New Order who rose from the ashes of Joy Division to create an epic synthesized dance/rock sound which embraced new technology like there was no tomorrow yet still found room for Stephen Morris’s pounding rhythm work. Again try ‘Sunrise’ from the album ‘Lowlife’ and imagine no Stephen in the mix.

The second example is Blondie, whose drummer; Clem Burke has always impressed me as one of rock’s finest skinsmen. Listen to most Blondie songs now and you are struck by the lack of emphasis on harmony playing from guitar and keyboards. The main thrust of much of their work is based around Debbie Harry’s vocals and Clem Burke’s drumming and on occasion, very little else, which propels their material along at break-neck speed. Perhaps drummers are the heart of rock ‘n’ roll and not guitarists?

Let's face it, all the best bands have a proper and talented drummer. In fact the more I think about it, there are many drummers I love to death. The list would include Terry Chambers (XTC), Keith Moon, Budgie (Siouxsie & The Banshees), Bill Bruford, Stewart Copeland, Ian Paice, Mick Fleetwood, Phil Collins and many more.

Drummers. I love ‘em.

Red Red Wine

Philosophers throughout the ages have generally concluded that a life of debauchery for most men (and presumably some women) can be reduced to the required elements of wine, women and song. And who am I to argue with such venerable thinkers? All three components seem to work very well together but to take just two is a little less satisfying. Wine and women still seems a reasonable proposition but women and song could be a bit dodgy. It depends on who does the singing, I suppose.

The effect of the final combination of wine and song is perhaps the most antisocial as can usually be seen at the end of most parties and pub closing times but I am indebted to my friend Alan, who has directed me to an article in the Telegraph which claims that scientific research has shown that there may be a more subtle connection. It is now claimed that music can affect the way wine tastes and can thus enhance its flavour by stimulating various parts of the brain. Therefore, by playing the correct music it is possible to increase your appreciation of any given wine. Sounds good to me.

The research goes further and actually suggests the following favourable combinations, viz:
Cabernet Sauvignon – ‘All Along the Watchtower’, Jimi Hendrix. I take it that this means something heavy and forthright. Presumably any sort of heavy rock would do.
Merlot – ‘Sitting on the Dock of the Bay’, Otis Redding. Clearly this is a more laid back wine which requires a more introspective frame of mind. Either that or it needs to be drunk near water.
Chardonnay – ‘Atomic’, Blondie. The classic example of bubbly feelgood pop so anything from the dance charts would probably be OK.

Thus wine and song have a subtle link which you ignore at your peril. I must admit that I’ve always thought that ‘Agadoo’ can sound quite acceptable after a bottle or two of Chianti, so perhaps there is something in it. I notice that there is no suggestion for my favourite grape, Sauvignon Blanc. Perhaps it’s more acidic character requires something like P J Harvey or even Billy Bragg.

The logical conclusions to be drawn are that a) branches of wine merchants like ‘Threshers’ or ‘Oddbins’ should open a CD department with recommendations posted on wine labels and b) wine tasters should expand their vocabulary to include band names in their flowery descriptions. For example:

‘A touch Tina Turner on the nose, with distinct overtones of the Stereophonics and a lasting James Taylor aftertaste’. Makes more sense than their usual indecipherable drivel.