Oasis - Be Here Now - the Mustique Demos - 1997

These recordings were released with the 20th Anniversary Edition of Be Here Now.  I thought they deserved their own disc.  Although Noel has a pretty good voice for some of the tracks, I still prefer Liam's vocals over his any day.  Yes, Noel was (is?) a great song writer, Liam had the voice and swagger that made Oasis the monster that it was. 

These tracks are still great.

Mother-In-Law is in town this weekend, so I may or may not be posting.  We will see how much time I get to fuck around.

Oasis - Be Here Now - the Mustique Demos - 1997

Covering the Beatles - Volume One

My Dad is the one who introduced me to the Beatles.  I grew up listening to the Beatles Red and Blue compilations from my earliest memories.  My favorite tracks were the ones released between 1965 and 1969.  I strongly preferred the "psychedelic" side to their music, I found it more creative than the rest.  I never got into the early 60s stuff, even though it was good, simply because it sounded a lot like all the rest of the bands from that era, and to me it got repetitive.  And, the stuff from the White Album on seemed a little too stoner hippy type music, a more Classic Rock/Prog Rock sound of sorts.  Just didn't dig it.

In the late 90s I really got into their work, purchasing all of their albums as they were remastered and released, memorizing every track.  Every time I listen to them, I am constantly reminded at what master songwriters they were, and I marvel at their creativity.  Their body of work can be matched by no other, in my opinion.  Not the Stones, not Floyd, not Led Zepplin, not U2, NOBODY.  There are bands and songs that I like better, but from an educated and learned position on music, I thoroughly respect and admire all that they did while they were together.

I've read that neither Paul or John were satisfied with the end results on their songs.  They both felt (especially John) that a lot of their most well-recognized hits were never fully realized.  Never finished as they should have been in their eyes.  Sometimes, they've even admitted that other artists were able to perform the songs better than them (hard to believe, really).  I have to admit, that over the years, I have heard versions of their songs that I find breathtaking.  Sometimes there are artists who can really reach into the song and pull out the inner beauty in ways like no other.  Sometimes, there are artists that play a perfect homage to the Beatles, giving heartfelt versions that honor the work the Fab Four did together.

After I got the "Across the Universe" soundtrack, which is magnificent in itself, I began a long an arduous search to find as many covers and the best covers of Beatles tunes.  With 300-400 different cover versions of their songs that I find acceptable, I have barely scratched the surface (but there's a lot of shit out there, too)  I've been able to pull together some of my favorites into one set.  This "Covering the Beatles" though, is only Volume One.  I will eventually be compiling Volume Two and Volume Three, for sure, and maybe more as I find more versions out there.

All of these songs represent my favorites at this point in time.  Some more than others, obviously, but all of them positively permanent renditions in my eyes (ears?) Some of my favorite highlights on this specific set...

-  The opening stanza of Cheap Trick's MMT.
-  Cornershop and the Vickers are both covering the same song on this comp, but the versions are so dramatically different, I had to put them both on, if anything, to compare to one another.  They both kick ass.
-  U2's version of LItSWD from Across the Universe.  Not the best film, but an excellent soundtrack version.
-  The Ladders' Paperback Writer, an Italian cover band who have done a spot-on version with their own little flare.  I'll be posting more of these guys in February.
-  Julie Fowlis' version of Blackbird sung mostly in Gaelic.
-  Paul Moody's version of WMGGW.  A youngster who played and recorded this version with his computer in his bedroom.  YOU WILL BE ASTONISHED.  (Find his videos on Youtube)
-  And Sean Connery's version of In My Life.  This version will be played at my funeral when I die.  I've insisted, and my wife and children have promised.


Of all the comps I'm doing this week, this one is probably my favorite.  It was also the most fun AND the most difficult to assemble.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Covering the Beatles V1

Oasis - Standing On the Shoulders Of Giants - the Demos - 2000

So, it only took me a couple days to resolve my situation.  Nothing huge, guys, just personal.  I'm sorry if I worried any of you, based on your wonderful comments.  I really appreciate it.

That being said, the issues are not 100% resolved, but I didn't want to fall too far behind in posting.  I've got plenty of albums ready to go, I just keep pushing them further and further out.  We will still get our compilation week on Monday the 23rd, but the albums around that are being scattered throughout February.

In March I want to do a Live Album Week, and another themed week in April (yet to be decided.)  If you have any requests for the Live Week, let me know.

As for tonight, I wanted to post something I didn't have to take to long to explain, just a post and run scenario.  So, here's the Oasis demos to Standing On the Shoulders of Giants.

Have a great evening.

Oasis - Standing On the Shoulders Of Giants Demos - 2000

Oasis - (What's The Story) Morning Glory - B-Sides - 1995

After yesterday's Godfather of British Rock, I follow it with the two princes of British Rock, the Gallagher brothers.  Their best album, ever.

The first time I heard Oasis was Live Forever on a random music magazine's sampler disc.  I really couldn't stand it, as it was a very whiny annoying song.  I wrote them off as just another band, and went on my way.

After a while, I started hearing a lot about them.  People were talking.  I continued to resist because now I just thought they were trendy.  Oh, the trendy thing to do, let's all like Oasis.  Whatever.  I mean, who the hell names their band Oasis?  What a dumbass name.

Then, Morning Glory came out, and I have to admit I was interested.  I still hadn't heard any music by them, but there was definite hype surrounding them.  The little rivalry between them and Blur had popped up, and I was still, personally more interested in Blur (even though they had also gone that nasally whiny Britrock style, too)  When the little competition between their singles happened, and Oasis won, I finally broke down and bought their album.

Mind you, all this time, the only thing I had heard by Oasis was that one song, Live Forever.  That was it.  So, when I bought the album, and played it through, by the end of it I was dumbstruck, shellshocked, bowled-over by the absolute magnificence of this album.  It is TRULY LEGENDARY, and will be for a very long time.  If they don't get inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame for this album alone, I would be absolutely shocked.

The best part about the release of this album was the singles and all of their b-sides.  That is what I've compiled here, as Disc Two of the (WTS)MG? album.  All the b-sides in one spot as not just a companion to the original release, but equally part of the album.  I feel that a lot of the tracks on the b-sides were better than album tracks.

My wife and I, before we got married, took a little vacation in Chicago for 3-4 days one autumn, shortly after the release of this album.  To cruise through the streets of such a magnificent city, listening to Morning Glory and Champagne Supernova back-to-back, is quite exhilarating.  Music rocking, one hand on the wheel, the other holding her hand.  Love Love Love.

I still think Oasis is a stupid band name.

Oasis - (What's The Story) Morning Glory - B-Sides - 1995

and here's the album, too, for good measure...

Oasis - Be Here Now - 1997

In the nineties, these bastards could do no wrong.  Yeah, Whatever was good, but once Morning Glory smacked me square in the face, I was hooked.  Every song, every chorus, every title, every note, seemed to be written from my own soul.  It's as if these scruffy British chaps had a magnifying glass into my own heart, and could read the lines of my life.

Every song an anthem, every song an arena shaker, every song a little golden nugget that I will hide in my heart for a very long time.

Yes, Morning Glory, to me, was their best, but Be Here Now is definitely their second best.  I love the fact that there was more material in the b-sides than there was in the actual album.  And every b-side was good enough to BE on the album as well.  I love their two cover songs, it's as if they were written expressly to be performed by them.  The singles are great, as always.  But, the best songs on the actual album were My Big Mouth (what a monster) and All Around the World.

After the live Familiar To Millions album, I felt as if the band started to lose it's touch.  The songs weren't so shiny, the melodies forgettable, and their image less impressive.

But this one was a beauty.

Oasis - Be Here Now - 1997 - Disc 1

Oasis - Be Here Now - 1997 - Disc 2