#588: In progress

Currently reading Rob Young's ELECTRIC EDEN (2008), a massive 600-page history of British folk, focusing mainly on '50s/'60s/'70s music but going All The Way Back to outline a history of a "lost Britain" thru folksongs.
I admit I'm skimming a lot of the historical stuff, but the long sections on Pentangle, Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span, Sandy Denny, Nick Drake, John Martyn, the Incredible String Band, Richard & Linda Thompson and many others R really marvelous, vivid writing -- Xcellently detailed histories with album reviews woven in. It'll probly take me forever 2 get all the way thru this book, but it looks worth the trip.
Also learned that tho I think the Incredible String Band's HANGMAN'S BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER (1968) is a comedy classic (at least Side 1 is, among other things), musically-speaking I've barely heard them, which shouldn't B a suprise. LOTS more 2 Xplore there....
Have also peeked at but not started reading Jeanette Leech's SEASONS THEY CHANGE (2010), a history of British psychedelic-folk which looks at summa the same music + some newer stuff. Will report back on this later.
Have also bn looking at Jon Savage's TIME TRAVEL essay collection (1997), which includes good stuff on the Sex Pistols' early appearances, Nirvana & the death of Kurt Cobain, & an Xcellent long review of the Beatles' outtakes which functions as a sorta pre-review of their '90s ANTHOLOGY CD-series. There will B more good stuff here too, I'm sure. & if you haven't read Savage's Xcellent Punk Rock history ENGLAND'S DREAMING, what's wrong with you...?

Lately I've had music practically raining down on me & have had little time 2 play any of it. A departing co-worker left me a big box of old vinyl that included some music I didn't actually have in the house -- RUMOURS, THE WALL, Aerosmith's ROCKS, like that -- + a ton of late-'50s/early-'60s 45's in fairly bad shape: "Peggy Sue," "The Wanderer," "It's My Party," "Rock and Roll Music," like that. I've started trying 2 clean this stuff up, & we'll see how it works out.
There's also a dozen or so singles by artists I've never heard of, mostly late '50s country & R&B. I think. I have a feeling I'm the wrong person 4 this stuff. Crabby, are you out there? Would you like a list...?
Another co-worker cleaned out her closet & tossed me 3 briefcases full of '80s cassettes, mostly metal. Ozzy, AC/DC, Guns 'N' Roses, Lita Ford, etc. Also some Foreigner, Journey, Fleetwood Mac, Pat Benatar, Billy Idol, Phil Collins.... Some of this I might actually listen 2 eventually. But I haven't even played the cheap vinyl I picked-up over my vacation yet....
Another co-worker claimed that with her smartphone she could locate NE music I was ever unable 2 find cheaply thru Amazon.com. She issued this as a challenge, so I thot about it 4 1/2anhour & gave her a 2-page list of stuff I've been unable 2 find anywhere -- maybe 100 songs. As of a couple days ago she said she's about 1/3rd of the way thru the list & hasn't given up yet. She has yet 2 find NE of the songs I haven't heard since 1972 (Heaven Bound's "500 Miles," Billy Lee Riley's "I've Got a Thing About You Baby," Johnathan King's "A Tall Order for a Short Guy"), but I like a challenge & we'll see how THIS turns out....
She also thot my musical taste was pretty strange.

This week's playlist at work included:
Outkast -- Hey Ya.
Joe Jackson -- Is She Really Going Out With Him?
Heart -- Love Alive.
Elvis -- Promised Land.
Blondie -- Sunday Girl, Just Go Away.
Grateful Dead -- Uncle John's Band.
Aretha Franklin -- Day Dreaming.
Steely Dan -- Dirty Work, Don't Take Me Alive, My Old School.
Elton John -- Empty Garden.
Proclaimers -- 500 Miles (I'm Gonna Be).
Dionne Farris -- I Know.
Manfred Mann's Earth Band -- Living Without You.
Motorhead -- Killed By Death.
Howard Jones -- No One is to Blame.
Des'ree -- You Gotta Be.
Deep Purple -- Highway Star.
Sinead O'Connor -- Nothing Compares 2 U

More soon....