Uninteresting fact of the day, My uncle was roadie for iron maiden at the time of the unity gig and coincidentally years later he was John entwhistles window cleaner in oxfordshire. My mum tells so.e good tales about unity hall as she worked there as a cleaner and bar staff, she walked in on Bob geldof in the dressing room in his Urine stained Keck's and little else, still has nightmares about it now.

I'm with you all the way regarding the Beatles, I can appreciate their talent and they undoubtedly change the face of music but I can't listen to them all, they actually leave me empty. Regarding voices Springsteen does it to me, all my mates love him but I can 't listen to him at all, never played a track by him.

The Stones I've only seen once, that was at Glastonbury 2013 I think.
I'd never got off my to see them before, they played for an hour and I thought it was all a bit meh, it was then that it seemed that someone decided they were gonna play, the sound seemed better, clearer, louder and they just played a "best of" set. That second hour was incredible, I've watched it back since and the earlier part of the concert was stuff I didn't know or particularly like.
Got a say though, what a voice Jagger's got for an old man.

Glastonbury was the Stones out of their depth in a way. I couldn't agree more as regards the best of which is what they should have done all along. The Stones like U2 and a select group of bands can fill statdiums, hence they don't do festivels, the last time they did was in the very early 1970's I think plus a few charity things maybe. They are used to audiences who know and adore ALL or MOST of there 170+ songs. I don't think they realised at first what a diverse an audience they were in front of and got it a bit wrong.

When on tour they get it all their own way and are far better than Glastonbury though as you say they did eventually save the day. Just how it is I suppose when you've been insulated from real life for 50 years then this is what happens, think Jagger who's super bright always shy'd away from Glastonbury for this very reason. Richards is the romantic but despite what he says the Stones are not a band of the people and never were, there the ultimate headonists and that's how I like my rock'n'roll and they would be the last people on earth I'd seek moral gudence from - Glastonbury is not there natural arena.

If you ever read Richards autobiography and frankly it would be the same for most of he 60'/70's rock royalty he states - the last purchace everyday purchase he ever made with his own money when he still knew the real value of the product was a bottle of milk and that was in 1964! That really stuck with me, reminds me a lot of Belly



On a similar note Springstiens voice is a bit jarring but not as jarring as his man of the people act - I don't doubt he was once but there comes a point where you have to step aside. Never really been a fan of messages in rock music but if you are looking for some then the early stuff is usually the best whilst they still have problems and at least one foot still in the real world.

That said they still offered far more than the vacuous rubbish people like Jay-Z and Beyonce pump out, if anyone can explain that to me I'd be obliged - I'd rather listen to Billy Bragg JUST

Best `Gig` experience i have had was the Electric Light Orchestra back in 82 in Munich, tried to replicate the experience a few years back when i went to see `Jeff Lynne`s ELO` at the new Leeds Arena a few years back, sadly it wasn't a patch on the original experience for me.

If there is one musician i wish I would of made the effort to go and see it would of had to have been Johnny Cash.

A bit of trivia here.

Jinger, on an earlier post, you mentioned Bill Nelson of Be Bop Deluxe.

I have just recently read the Stuart Adamson biography (Skids and Big Country), quite a good read.

Bill Nelson was a big influence on Stuart Adamson's career

Another underrated guy is Red noise album sound on sound was great

Anyone with an interest in electronic music would be wise to invest an hour in a BBC4 documentary called "Synth Brittania" - I watched it again last week, and it's a brilliant story of the origin and emergence of electronica in the UK - dating right back to Kraftwerk and the Sheffield scene that emerged in the late 70's. Well worth a watch if you have even a passing interest in the genre.

Yeah it a good documentary about the rise of synthesisers from the post Punk scene.It's quite a few years since I've seen it mind. ago

Ah no, Blur over Oasis, I can get the Stones but come on Vastyicon_smile.gif,

I honestly haven't liked much from Blur maybe apart from the Parklife album and The Great Escape where there was the odd catchy song. Must of heard them on te radio loads since then and nothing has really caught my attention. Tbh Best thing Damon Albarn has done is Gorillaz.

For as much as the brothers are tosspots, Oasis have made some absolute classics, that are still brilliant and relevant today imo. I mean just about every song on there first 3 Albums is a standout tune and even their last Album that I didn't have much hope for really surprised me. Each to their own isn't, music really is one of the most subjective things in the world.

Although I was a bit too young at the time, I agree on Spandau over Duran, just on Hadley's Voice alone they trumped them.

Nope big fan of Blur, always was, witty, imaginative and way more original. I don't dislike the music of Oasis but to me it's pretty formulaic, just my opinion. Also Damon Albarn is just as big a tosspot as the the Gallager brothers just prefer the music.

Been hooked on Oasis ever since the first time I heard Definitely Maybe, one of the best debut albums IMO. Seen em live three times and the first was at Wembley in 2000 with the later lineup- phenomenal.

On debut albums, can anyone name their favourites/ones they regard stand out?

Agree with Definitely Maybe, was at Uni at the time & it was played everywhere and I loved it.

The best debut albums are all about who you were into and I've got a right mixed bag, but I'll have a go who I think released some of the best debuts.
Led Zepplin 1. The Who- My Generation, Pink Floyd - Piper At the Gates of Dawn, The Doors - The Doors. Killers - hot Fuss, The Strokes -Is This It, De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising, Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures, Portishead - Dunny, Nas - Illmatic, Beastie Boys - Licensed to Ill, NWA - Straight out of Compton. Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang, Run DMC - Run DMC.

I'll of forgot some bands Albums that are classics I bet.

Oh aye, there was a group I discovered after watching a documentary called 'Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me', a really good documentary about them, their music and at times their sad story, but their first album is awesome. it's by a group called Big Star, Album is called #1 Record. It's inspired by the British band invasion at the time and American hard rock. If you like that sort of music it's well worth checking out & so is the documentary because chances are you won't have heard of them.

Debut albums
The Clash- The Clash

Sex pistols- Never mind the ball cocks.

The New York dolls- New York dolls.

Joy division- Unknown pleasures

Stiff little fingers- Inflamable material.

Boston- Boston.

Oasis- Definately maybe.

U2- Boy.

Missed The Clash's great debut off, still I listen to them today. Although it was before my time and got into them years later, but so much of what they had to say meant so much to me at the time.
Also if you're into rap you'll know Eric B & Rakim - Paid n full was a bit of a game changer and Eric B is IMO one of. if not the best MC alive. Of the newer breed Kendrick Lamar's - good kid, m.A.A.d city was the best rap/hip-hop Album I loved in well over a decade and a brilliant debut from the kid to boot.

Them on to a completely different genre and that's The Byrds -Mr. Tambourine Man.

Another one I should have thought of originally is the Stone Roses debut, Stone Roses. For me, it was so in influential to so many bands at that time around the country. i'd also stick The Libertines - Up the bracket in the category of a great first album.

Thank god for the internet in many cases, being able to discover and also remember so many awesome bands that were before my time, or too young to appreciate or they just didn't make it to Britain. Also, it's great nowadays I can literally have every one of these Albums in my Car ready to play, instead of all the old tapes then CD's scattered everywhere.

Stone Roses first album still sounds as good today as it ever did, my personal favourite debut would be the Bluetones, some brilliant songs, never get tired of it, the most recent album which completely bombed regarding sales is some of the best stuff they have ever done for me.

I used to watch this pretty much every time it was on and have to say it's one of the best music documentaries I've seen. It dispels the myth that electronic music is just some ponce pressing buttons to a beat for people to dance to. The highlight for me is Richard H Kirk of Cabaret Voltaire talking about recreating the sound of industrial Sheffield.

Although, I may be a bit biased here, and think all Deacon Blue albums are good, I will be honest and say some are better than others.

Although not my personal favourite, I think their first album, Raintown was their best, and could go into the classic album category. It stayed in the album chart for something like 2 years.

Not a debut album but I secretly love a bit of Donovan - especially The Hurdy Gurdy Man Album. That bloke definitely went in own way as far as music, experimenting with so many different types such as middle eastern, north African , Celtic, hard rock, folk and prose poetry

Too right,still play the Roses album at least once a week. Them the Mondays, North side, charlatans got me into music as a youth, the late 80s early 90s indie scene was class and a good time to grow up.

Up the Trin

Agree, I loved a lot of the bands that came out of that at the time, great time to be young.
I actually went to a gig in Manchester that had Happy Mondays headlining, along with 808 State, Northside and James, can't quite remember but I think The Farm was on as well, awesome night. That was the night I found out that Northside was one of the more underrated Manchester bands, there set was brilliant and really got me into them after that, pity they didn't do more after that. I remember all the to do about their track '"Shall We Take A Trip" and loads of people got bent out of shape. A bit like they did when the Rave scene came around especially the government lol.

Music for me nowadays I'm even in a Band (Searching for a Drummer if anyone knows one available), Mainly go to see local bands, beit covers or Originals, Sadly we're losing venues in this area, so the old adage of use 'em or lose 'em certainly applies!

Shifty, I'm sure I recall seeing Northside at Clarence a couple of years ago. I was sat quaffing and nattering with them before they went on. Excellent band.

Yeah mate, they're still doing gigs but I think they only have one original member Dermo the front man. Haven't seen them in years though.

My question is... Will there ever be another 'scene' which not only brings about a new style of music, but also influences the whole culture of its time; fashion, lifestyle, leisure, graphic design, drugs, etc? For me, rave and acid house was the last true scene of its kind. You could maybe fight Britpop's corner but it was really just a 1990s re-hash of what had already been; guitar bands, Harrington jackets, Mod haircuts etc.