The G-Sphere Sounding Booth

reflections, ruminations, ramblings and rants on music, books, beer, politics, technology, media, family, etc, etc. from a retired old man, music collector, librarian, political observer, technology geek, veteran, history buff, beer enthusiast, sci-fi fan, obsessive mixtaper and former DJ. I've also gathered writings from the past several years posted in various social media platforms. This blog has become an editing tool for my writings and everything here is a work in progress.

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Alternative Fact - Photoshop

Alternative fact... but put this on certain sites and you'll have believers. Someone having fun with Photoshop and this is a cool transformation of an iconic photo but it goes to show how easy it is to create misinformation and there are people out there that will believe it because they want to believe it.

Friday, April 21, 2017

Everyday Things - Decade 3

Here is the 12th mix of the Decade 3 series of songs from albums in my collection released between approximately 1976 and 1985. Which is what I consider the third decade of the rock era.

This set is mostly late 70's and early 80's

The Plimsouls in the pic.

The Plimsouls - Everyday Things (The Plimsouls, 1981)
Dirty Looks - 12 O'Clock High (Dirty Looks, 1980)
Eddie & The Hot Rods - Teenage Depression (Teenage Depression, 1976)
The Ramones - Suzy Is A Headbanger (Leave Home, 1977)
Buzzcocks - Are Everything (A Differnt Kind Of Tension, 1980)
Elvis Costello - I'm Not Angry (My Aim Is True, 1977)
999 - Change (The Singles Album, 1981)
The Inmates - Mr. Unreliable (First Offense, 1979)
Joe Jackson - I Don't Wanna Be Like That (I'm The Man, 1979)
The Clash - Clash City Rockers (The Clash, 1977)
U2 - Out Of Control (Boy, 1980)
The Teardrop Explodes - Brave Boys Keep Their Promises (Kilimanjaro, 1980)
Magazine - The Light Pours Out Of Me (Real Life, 1978)
XTC - Radios In Motion (White Music, 1978)
Wire - Strange (Pink Flag, 1977)
The Cure - Plastic Passion (Boys Don't Cry, 1980)
The B-52's - Lava (The B-52's, 1979)
Devo - Planet Earth (Freedom Of Choice, 1980)
Ultravox - All Stood Still (Vienna, 1980)
Gang Of Four - To Hell With Poverty (Another Day Another Dollar, 1981)
Iggy Pop - Lust For Life (Lust For Life, 1977)

Thursday, April 20, 2017

Complete Control - Decade 3

Another mix of the Decade 3 series which includes the mid 70's to mid 80's. More punk and new wave from the late 70's and early 80's on this set. The 11th mix of the series.

The Clash - Complete Control (The Clash, 1977)
The Members - The Sounds Of The Suburbs (At The Chelsea Nightclub, 1979)
The Ramones - Rockaway Beach (Rocket To Russia, 1977)
The Saints - I'm Stranded (The Saints, 1977)
Sex Pistols - Anarchy In The U.K. (Never Mind The Bollocks, 1977)
The Ruts - Babylon's Burning (The Crack, 1979)
The Cure - Grinding Halt (Three Imaginary Boys, 1979)
Talking Heads - Air (Fear Of Music, 1979)
Dead Boys - Sonic Reducer (Young, Loud and Snotty, 1977)
Devo - Jocko Homo (Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo, 1978)
The Stranglers - Get A Grip On Yourself (Rattus Norvegicus, 1977)
The Jam - All Mod Cons (All Mod Cons, 1978)
The Adverts - Gary Gilmore's Eyes (Crossing The Red Sea With The Adverts, 1978)
999 - Homicide (Separates, 1978)
Dirty Looks - Let Go (Dirty Looks, 1980)
The Police - Voices Inside My Head (Zenyatta Mondatta, 1980)
The Diodes - Tired Of Waking Up Tired (Released, 1979)
The English Beat - Two Swords (I Just Can't Stop It, 1980)
Elvis Costello - I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down (Get Happy, 1980)
U2 - I Threw A Brick Through A Window (October, 1981)
Television - See No Evil (Marquee Moon, 1977)
The Specials - It's Up To You (The Specials, 1979)

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Love Crimes - Decade 3

Getting back to the Decade 3 mix series which includes the mid 70's to mid 80's. More punk and new wave from the late 70's and early 80's on this set and mostly love songs. Sort of. The 10th mix of the series.

Dirty Looks - Love Crimes (Dirty Looks, 1980)
Pretenders - Prescious (Pretenders, 1980)
Buzzcocks - What Do I Get? (Singles Going Steady, 1978)
Gang Of Four - Damaged Goods (Entertainment, 1979)
Richard Hell & The Voidoids - Love Comes In Spurts (Blank Generation, 1977)
Elvis Costello - No Action (This Year's Model, 1978)
The Psychedelic Furs - I Wanna Sleep With You (Talk Talk Talk, 1981)
The Undertones - Get Over You (The Undertones, 1980)
Fischer-Z - Pick Up Slip Up (Going Deaf For A Living, 1980)
The Police - The Bed's Too Big Without You (Reggatta De Blanc, 1979)
The Selecter - Missing Words (Too Much Pressure, 1980)
Joe Jackson - One More Time (Look Sharp, 1979)
Talking Heads - I'm Not In Love (More Songs About Buildings and Food, 1978)
The Ramones - Oh Oh I Love Her So (Leave Home, 1977)
Blondie - Accidents Never Happen (Eat To The Beat, 1979)
The Nerves - Hanging On The Telephone (The Nerves, 1976)
The Clash - Janie Jones (The Clash, 1977)
The Jam - But I'm Different Now (Sound Affects, 1979)
The Only Ones - Lovers Of Today (Special View, 1979)
Garland Jeffreys - Ghost Of A Chance (Escape Artist, 1981)
The Cars - It's All I Can Do (Candy-O, 1979)
The Human League - Love Action (Dare, 1981)
The Motors - Love and Loneliness (Tenement Steps, 1980)

Saturday, April 15, 2017

I Don't Need This Pressure On - Songs 1982

Mostly more new wave sounds from 1982.

Spandau Ballet - Chant No. 1 (I Don't Need This Pressure On) (Diamond)
The Jam - Precious (The Gift)
The Thompson Twins - In The Name Of Love (In The Name Of Love)
Yaz - Situation (Upstairs At Eric's)
The Clash - Rock The Casbah (Combat Rock)
Eddy Grant - Electric Avenue (Killer On The Rampage)
Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' (Thriller)
Prince - 1999 (1999)
Billy Idol - Dancing With Myself (Billy Idol)
Kid Creole & The Coconuts - Stool Pigion (Wise Guy)
Haircut 100 - Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl) (Pelican West)
Material - Take A Chance (One Down)
Grace Jones - Nipple To The Bottle (Living My Life)
Marvin Gaye - Rockin' After Midnight (Midnight Love)
Spoons - Nova Heart (Arias & Symphonies)
Depeche Mode - Leave In Silence (A Broken Frame)

Thursday, April 13, 2017

Vinyl Spins - Sweetheart of the Rodeo

Sweetheart of the Rodeo by The Byrds and released in 1968 was the first time I really listened to anything that might be called country music.

I was just never exposed to country music in our house or in the neighborhood. Everything I heard growing up in Philadelphia was rock 'n' roll, doo-wop, soul and then the British Invasion. There was probably occasionally a country crossover hit song on the radio station my mother listened to but I never heard a country album throughout the sixties.

There were some times when the family spent an afternoon out in the country with one of the men my father worked with. We would have an outside lunch at his house and there would be country music on his stereo but it was just background noise and only made an impression because I thought there was a lot of Hawaiian guitar sounds which is what I thought of country music.

Things would all change when I got in the Navy. After several weeks of boot camp we were allowed to have a radio play for an hour an evening in our barracks. The company voted on which radio station to play and I was totally shocked that the country station won by such an overwhelming majority. It seemed like all the white guys were from the rural south and me and a few black guys were the only people there from cities. Rock and roll never had a chance and soul music wasn't even considered. I saw a lot of racism in the Navy but that is another story to be told.

Back to the Byrds. This album was a revelation and I did listen to some more of what might be called cosmic country music at the time and suddenly after this album there was a lot of it. I also heard some country and bluegrass at the Philadelphia Folk Festival in the late 60's but that was more by accident. I was there for the folk music and the scene and there was some crossover.

I learned to appreciate country music while I was in the Navy. I was sort of forced to listen to a lot of George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, Charlie Pride and many others. I also heard much more bluegrass. I was surprised how many guys were into that music.

After I got out of the Navy I spent more time exploring country and bluegrass music. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's Will The Circle Be Unbroken was another groundbreaking album for me and an earlier post Vinyl Spins - Country & Bluegrass. Overall, it was Sweetheart of the Rodeo that opened my ears.