Hey babes, it’s been a while, but without getting into the boring details of my life, in short I’ve had my last school exams and am now no longer a student but a useless, sponging, lazy member of the ever-popular group ‘the unemployed’.
So on that note, a warning for all of you: expect a lot more blogging as I’ll be using it as a diversion in order to prevent me from the growing allures of Oprah and Dr Phil.
A little while ago now Eloise and I were discussing buying albums and how occasionally we need guidance as being poor students (and now unemployed bums) we cant go and buy every record we see willy-nilly (even though it seems that my haphazardly decided album purchases commonly turn out to be my faves) and downloading just doesn’t cut it for me. So as a result I have decided to make ‘The Lucy Guide to 9 albums she wouldn’t be the same without’. Below is a list of records, which I believe, are, in the words of Ferris Bueller: “so choice, if you have the means I highly recommend you picking [them] up ”.
This list is not ranked (e.g. 1=the best, 9=the 9th best), but I guess are in order of how I stacked them right here next to my computer, also I cant even say that it’s really a list of my ‘favourite albums’, nor is it a list of albums from my favourite artists (because both those lists change daily, as I am extremely fickle when it comes to making decisions). But all these albums I believe have either changed me, or changed my perceptions of what makes a great record and for that reason, I suppose I’ll do a little (hopefully not too boring and painful) rant about each.
Rage Against The Machine- ‘Live At The Grand Olympic Auditorium’ (2000)All right, really I’m not much of a metal-head, but this record is possibly the greatest live album of all-time. It was recorded back when RATM were just about to split and was one of their very last concerts (that is until last year when they re-formed, for questionable reasons *cough, money* and lost a lot of my music-purist respect). The reason I believe this album did change me is not because I wasted whatever little money I had buying all of RATM’s other records in the hope that they would replicate the greatness of this live performance (which they don’t) but also because I think it really opened my eyes to all the other great music that is out there which isn’t shown on Saturday morning video-shows and as a naïve, uncool 13 year old it really gave me something to search for and be interested in. I think this album was the first I ever bought with my own (definitely) hard-earned cash.
The Ramones- ‘End Of The Century’ (1980)Well, what can I say about the Ramones, apart from the fact that they are incredibly amazing and probably saved my sanity during my awkward mid-teenage years. I have to admit thus far I’m sounding like a retrospective emo reflecting on how uncool/ geeky/ nerdy/ awkward I was during the ages of 12-15, but don’t get me wrong, I had friends and I didn’t spend all my time in my bedroom or anything (in fact I probably spend more time being awkward and loner-y in my room now). Anyway for those who the feeling of awkwardness appears to be a life sentence, I suggest you not only listen to the Ramones, but also invest some time in a little study of this legendary band (either via
wikipedia, or check out the films ‘
End Of The Century’, ‘
Rock n Roll High School’, ‘
Ramones Raw’ or ‘
Punk: Attitude’- a Don Letts film, brilliant!). The reason I suggest this is that these guys were the strangest, most awkward group of misfits (and all they wanted was to have a hit record and fit in), however even though these guys never had the serious mainstream success they had always craved (in fact this record was meant to be their ‘big chance’, employing nutcase, but nonetheless genius producer Phil Spector) they have made such a huge mark in modern day music, many bands would not exist without them (including the Clash and Mr Joe (legend) Strummer). If you don’t believe me, drop me a line and I bet I can draw you up a kick-arse family-tree illustrating their musical influence. So yeah, the Ramones are great and I suggest you get as much Ramones ‘in ya’ as possible, if restricted to just one album? Get End Of The Century. You’ll thank me for it!
Sarah Blasko- ‘What The Sea Wants, The Sea Will Have’ (2006)I gotta keep it a little shorter, because I’m already pushing 820 words now and if people are still reading, I’m impressed! Anyway in short:
Sarah Blasko released this album which I loved (most beautiful voice I ever heard) =went and saw her play in my home town
=amazing show, inspired me to write something, anything
=I wrote something, sent it to local music paper
=editor dug it (a little) offered a gig to do gig reviews (yay free gigs)
=got an ego boost
=wanted to start my own blog
=talked to Summer and Ronan
=they said yes
= Arms Around The Stereo (and the reason you are putting yourself through the trauma of reading this post).
No What The Sea Wants, there would be no Arms Around The Stereo!
M.I.A- ‘Kala’ (2007)M.I.A is originally an artist=cool cred
M.I.A has worked with Peaches=even cooler
M.I.A has aboriginal kids and Timbaland rapping on this album=too cool
M.I.A’s album artwork looks like an electronic acid-trip=is it possible to get any cooler? No.
I really don’t think there is anyone around at the moment who is pushing the boundaries in terms of art/fashion and music as far as M.I.A and the best thing is that she still sounds amazing, I know there are heaps of art-wankers out there who say they are ‘pushing the boundaries’ etc and all that jazz, but honestly, almost all avant-garde musicians sound shit. M.I.A on the other hand sounds better than sex-in-your ear and is pushing the sound, so BUY THIS ALBUM if your current collection is sounding a little dry or worn-out.
The Beatles- ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ (1967)Ok, I’ve cracked the 1000 word mark, keeping it A.B.A.P (as brief as possible). I really just love the song ‘Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds’, (ha talk about narcissism). But The Beatles are possibly the biggest band of all time and this album is what many regard to be their “best” album, so isn’t that enough really? I bought the album to look cool at first but I can see what all the hoo-ha is about.
Tegan and Sara- ‘The Con’ (2007)If I don’t mention that Mr Chris Walla is an astonishingly great producer, Summer may very have a brain implosion. I really only got into Tegan and Sara in around August last year, when I bought ‘The Con’ but I pretty much fell instantly in love and had all their albums (and the hard-to-get-in-Australia) DVD ‘It’s Not Fun Don’t Do It’ by before Christmas. I’m not one of those really crazy Tegan and Sara-obsessed fans, but I did miss my legal studies exam seminar to secure T&S tickets, so if I fail legal studies, it’s their fault.
Also it is Chris Walla’s fault that I have developed an OCD of HAVING to listen to a record ‘the way it was produced’ (i.e. not out of album track list order), because the way this record was put together is half of its magic.
Patti Smith- ‘Horses’ (1975)Ah, Patti, I don’t know what to say about Patti Smith except for the fact that in a documentary I heard her as being described as ‘the Queen of the universe’ and really if Patti was in fact the Queen of the universe, the world really be a better place. The track ‘Gloria’ is possibly the best, coolest cover your ears will ever bear witness to. I saw Patti in October this year and was going to review her for the blog, but I was rendered speechless and as wanky as it sounds, I didn’t feel qualified to do so. All I can say is that she has ruined all my future gigs, as they will never live up to the show she put on. Patti is pretty much the closest thing to my idol (without wanting to be her or meet her). This album is punk-rock and poetry at its most pure.
Peaches- ‘Impeach My Bush’ (2006)Peaches messed me up when I saw her live as innocent 15 year-old, who really shouldn’t be filming an almost 40 year old woman up on stage squirting fake-boob-milk onto the crowd while pretending to ‘shake her dick’ to show her younger siblings at home. But really Peaches is the essence of tongue-in-cheek cool. This album is perverted, sexy, funny and rocking all in one. The only problem is that I get nervous playing it too loud worried about the fact that the neighbours might hear me singing along to ‘Tent In Your Pants’ or ‘Slippery Dick’. I suggest you buy this album for your nanna. No really, I do.
Grease- The Soundtrack (1978)
This movie is just too perfect, I don’t care how daggy or lame that sounds but every time Sandy and Danny drive away in that flying car I get sad about the fact it's finished. I found the soundtrack on vinyl in a second-hand bookstore and was a little too excited; I think I got mum to buy it for me for about $5. I don’t really listen to it THAT much because my record player is shitty, I’m too lazy to buy a new record needle and flipping discs halfway through an album is a pain in the arse… but when I do play the soundtrack, ah ‘tis magical.
If you got to the end of this post without skipping paragraphs, getting distracted or dying; congratulations you just wasted a large portion of your life (which is now mine and you will never get it back mwah ha ha ha)
Lucy,
(who needs a J-O-B, before she ends up in the sex-trade)
*note- I honestly have to admit I was too keen to get a new post up and was too lazy to proofread this post, so if there are any grammatical/ spelling errors, feel free to let me know (or if you are Summer, Ronan or Eloise fix ‘em up would ya?). even I couldn’t read it all!
I don't have enough time to write a bullshit paragraph about how I love New Years because Criminal Minds is on. But I do have time to say that I hope you enjoy the mix and that you have a very, very, very safe new year and that when the ball drops, you make out with that super cute girl that works at the record store who listens to The Weakerthans...or you know, whoever you've been pursuing all year.
