What is the most inovative rock LP of all time?
- Thread starter bobspets
- Start date
For a guy who was in absolute obscurity months before Are You Experienced, Jimi certainly didn't knock on the door hoping to have stardom. He blew the whole wall down.
I however will choose Electric Ladyland as my selection and 1983 A Merman Should I Turn To Be as the most innovative 'song' in R&R's infancy.
Everyone else was to some degree performing a variation or meld of what had been done before. There were little flourishes or techniques that were unique but not an entire approach to what the music was.
1983 doesn't 'fit' as Blues influenced. Nor could one call it R&B or Rock. The nearest analogy is the first orbit of the planet. The only thing that might be nominated as a precedent is Hendrix's prior albums and no songs of them went as far as 1983.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9To2ZhnOdE
Now examine the lyrics:
HURRAY I AWAKE FROM YESTERDAY
ALIVE BUT THE WAR IS HERE TO STAY
SO MY LOVE CATHERINA AND ME
DECIDE TO TAKE OUR LAST WALK THRU THE NOISE TO THE SEA
NOT TO DIE BUT TO BE REBORN
AWAY FROM THE LANDS SO BATTRED AND TORN
FOREVER FOREVER
OH SAY CAN YOU SEE IT'S REALLY SUCH A MESS
EVERY INCH OF EARTH IS A FIGHTING NEST
GIANT PENCIL AND LIPSTICK-TUBE SHAPED THINGS
CONTINUE TO RAIN AND CAUSE SCREAMIN' PAIN
AND THE ARCTIC STAINS FROM SILVER BLUE TO BLOODY RED
AS OUR FEET FIND THE SAND
AND THE SEA IS STRAIGHT AHAD
STRAIGHT UP AHEAD
WELL IT'S TOO BAD THAT OUR FRIENDS CAN'T BE WITH US TODAY
WELL IT'S TOO BAD
THE MACHINE THAT WE BUILT
WOULD NEVER SAVE US THAT'S WHAT THEY SAY
THAT'S WHY THEY AIN'T COMIN' WITH US TODAY
AND THEY ALSO SAID IT'S IMPOSSIBLE
FOR A MAN TO LIVE AND BREATHE UNDRERWATER
FOREVER WAS A MAIN COMPLAINT
YEAH AND THEY ALSO THREW THIS IN MY FACE THEY SAID
ANYWAY YOU KNOW GOOD AND WELL
IT WOULD BE BEYOND THE WILL OF GOD
AND THE GRACE OF THE KING
GRACE OF THE KING
YEAH
OOO
SO MY DARLING AND I MAKE LOVE IN THE SAND
TO SALUTE THE LAST MOMENT EVER ON DRY LAND
OUR MACHINE IT HAS DONE ITS WORK PLAYED ITS PART WELL
WITHOUT A SCRATCH ON OUR BODY WHEN WE BID IT FAREWELL
STARFISH AND GIANT FOAMS GREET US WITH A SMILE
BEFORE OUR HEADS GO UNDER WE TAKE OUR LAST LOOK AT THE KILLING NOISE
OF THE OUT OF STYLE
THE OUT OF STYLE OUT OF STYLE OH YEAH
OOOO
SO DOWN AND DOWN AND DOWN AND DOWN WE GO
HURRY MY DARLIN' WE MUSTN'T BE LATE
FOR THE SHOW
NEPTUNE CHAMPION GAMES TO AN AQUA WORLD IS SO MY DEAR
RIGHT THIS WAY SMILES A MERMAID
I CAN HEAR ATLANTIS FULL OF CHEER
ATLANTIS FULL OF CHEER
I CAN HEAR ATLANTIS FULL OF CHEER
OH YEAH
Try telling me that there is a precedent for that.
Puts me in mind of Inna Gada Da Vida.
crouse
Poorly known member
I don't recall, was that before "Blows Against the Empire"?
No "Blows Against the Empire was out long before Rush hit the scene.
Agreed about "1983" - I love that song to bits - when I pull out Hendrix, its often my go-to track, much to my wife's chagrin ...
But if you ever read A.E. van Vogt's The Silkie ...
there are hints of the concept there
and that is based on Celtic mythology ..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selkie
But if you ever read A.E. van Vogt's The Silkie ...
there are hints of the concept there
and that is based on Celtic mythology ..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selkie
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The longest song on "Blows" is only 10 minutes long.
The Surfaris/Wipeout
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkGZsPDvFkI
"you'll never hear surf music again"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkGZsPDvFkI
"you'll never hear surf music again"
yes, but its not about the length of the song, its the whole CONCEPT of "Blows" that makes it amazing ... the whole SciFi song cycle of taking over a starship and leaving the madness behind - its goes into generation-ship stuff straight out of Heinlein ... love it or hate it, it was an amazing leap forward in 1970 music ... a vision ... just like Hendrix and "1983" was, back in 1968 ...
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Silverman
Active Member
Very true but a album( 2112)that went gold in one year, with the main song that never played on the radio due to its length was pretty impressive.
I agree with a lot of what Tom Brennan has said.
The Floyd-centrism (here and throughout AK) leaves me out in the cold.
I don't know about most innovative, but maybe some Bowie records belong in the conversation. How about Low (or the other "Berlin" records Heroes, Lodger)?
To me, a lot of the best rock music isn't particularly innovative (not to say it's conservative). Iggy screaming, Jerry Lee pounding his piano, Eddie Cochran saying "Who cares?"--rebellious, yes, maybe even a little anarchic, but innovative? Not really.
The Floyd-centrism (here and throughout AK) leaves me out in the cold.
I don't know about most innovative, but maybe some Bowie records belong in the conversation. How about Low (or the other "Berlin" records Heroes, Lodger)?
To me, a lot of the best rock music isn't particularly innovative (not to say it's conservative). Iggy screaming, Jerry Lee pounding his piano, Eddie Cochran saying "Who cares?"--rebellious, yes, maybe even a little anarchic, but innovative? Not really.
I love Low but it never would have assumed the style that it did without the influence of Eno.
I was referring to precedent in music specifically.
I thought the poster was refering to which LP was first released.
Of course. Being a collaboration doesn't make it any less innovative though.
The Beatles stripped of George Martin--that's an interesting thought.
Like a hand without the thumb.
