I realized that I was mostly listening to music from 1969 during today's workday.
I've been reading a bunch of Trouser Press magazines from their delightful and invaluable archive, and that sent me down a rabbit hole that eventually ended up in me listening to my dad's old copy of the Who's Tommy. Things I noted:
- I have strong memories of being terrified of the album cover as a youth
- There is some schmutz in the grooves that I strongly suspect is related to some sort of decades-hardened childhood spit-up of mine
- I have fond memories of my dad singing "It's a Boy"
- I have fond memories of Eric Matchett being inspired by the bass line in "Go to the mirror!" and turning it into "Elevator Mirror" - maximum Activity Universal A E S T H A E T I C K as the kids say, recorded live on old eMac built-in microphone in my garage
- That said, the album itself is kind of an overwrought mess. Basically unlistenable in spots, plus depictions of child abuse are a big turn-off if not done with maximum restraint and delicacy. I guess I'll hang onto it and listen to it again in another thirty years.
Great album from 1969: Gilberto Gil's self-titled album from 1969, the one with "Cérebro Eletrônico" on it. I could listen to this one over and over again. So many crazy sounds, and some tape squeaks that I wholeheartedly approve of on the last song. I need to check out more of his stuff.
