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Joined: December 06 2006
Location: New England
Status: Offline
Points: 8962
Posted: March 07 2016 at 21:43
Great lyricist, singer/songwriter and guitarist. I saw him live opening for Renaissance a few years ago in PA (one of the only places in the world where he would OPEN for Renaissance). Only criticism is that he has re-engineered a few melodies to work around a significant loss of vocal range.
I agree with previous post that he achieved commercial success without a lot of compromise, and at a time when most of his ilk were becoming has beens or never weres
Joined: February 18 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 28270
Posted: March 02 2016 at 06:56
^yep Tori Amos but didn't realise that was her first recorded work. I think she lived in the West Of England for some time (Devon maybe) so not a million miles away from Al's stomping ground
In a thread about Al Stewart I think we should mention Peter White. Really brilliant musician who collaborated with Al for a number of years and helped him realise many of his most ambitious musical ideas. Anyone know what he is now up to?
Joined: August 12 2015
Location: Chelmsford
Status: Offline
Points: 1223
Posted: March 01 2016 at 03:37
Last Days of the Century is an excellent alb um. I do love Red Toupee, which has Tori Amos on backing vocals I do stand ready to be corrected but I beleive this was the first ever piece of recorded music released that featured her. I was also fortunate enough to see her do a guest appearance with him in 1991 doing the piano for Year of the Cat. For legal reasons he wasn't able to introduce her by her real name.
Joined: February 18 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 28270
Posted: March 01 2016 at 02:40
tszirmay wrote:
Last Days of the Century is a phenomenal album, as well Time Passages .
totally agree re Last Days Of The Century . Such an underappreciated gem. I also like Russians and Americans a lot especially Al at his most proggy on Rumours Of War . Great lyricist and very dry wit.
Did you know that although from Scotland originally he grew up in Dorset (place called Wimbourne) and took guitar lessons off Robert Fripp? Thought that might be interesting (or not)
Joined: April 12 2013
Location: Michigan
Status: Offline
Points: 470
Posted: February 19 2016 at 18:27
Definitely a big part of my
personal Age of Discovery, circa 1974, that I referred to in the Lamb Lies Down
thread.Specifically, of course, Past
Present and Future.The second half
(Roads to Moscow, Terminal Eyes, Nostradamus) is still amazing.
Fortunately, he was able to
achieve commercial success with “Year of the Cat” and “Time Passages” without sacrificing
his established artistic standards, IMO.
Managed to catch him in concert
in 1984, on the tour promoting “Russians and Americans.”Small intimate theater in West Palm Beach, FL,
great acoustics.Al bantered with the
audience, at one point when there was an annoying buzz in a speaker, he said
there might be a dead parrot in there.“I’ll
have to recite that entire monologue if that doesn’t get fixed… ‘I wish to
register a complaint…’” For some reason there wasn’t a live drummer, rhythm was
maintained through click-tracks.A
spotlight swung around to the sax player, at the opposite end of the theater,
when his solo in Year of the Cat came up.The encore was, appropriately, The One That Got Away, the single off the
new album.Wonderful show all around.
I’ve kind of lost track of him
in recent years, but his classic albums are still classics.
Caption: We tend to take ourselves a little too seriously.
Joined: January 04 2007
Location: Grok City
Status: Online
Points: 17702
Posted: February 18 2016 at 16:17
Intruder wrote:
...
And, remember, he was the first cat to use the word "f**k" on album on the Love Chronicles epic.....and also dig Pagey letting electric riffs fly on that same album. Pagey and "f**k" are a great reason to get into Al Stewart.
I do not think this is right.
Frank Zappa and many others had already done this wayyyyyyyy long before it. In fact, the FCC in Southern California, used to plant folks to listen to the big FM stations to make sure they filed a complaint for each use of the word! This was way before Al Stewart! And I maybe mistaken here but the likes of Velvet Underground would have likely abused the word as well!
Edited by moshkito - February 18 2016 at 16:20
Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com
To Whom it May Concern and Images contain his first three albums and all are readily available in N. America; the Early Years is a double set with all of Love Chronicles and most of Zero, and it's also easily gotten in the States and Canada.....dig thru the bins and Early Years will pop up but not as often as Time Passages and Year.
I like to feel the suspense when you're certain you know I am there.....
I dig the first couple of albums and - surprise, surprise - his contemporary work. His big albums - basically from Past, Present, Future to 24 Carrot - are just too slick.....he was searching for a hit and abandoned that which made his music interesting. His latest records are wicked cool.....his songwriting has never been sharper. And, remember, he was the first cat to use the word "f**k" on album on the Love Chronicles epic.....and also dig Pagey letting electric riffs fly on that same album. Pagey and "f**k" are a great reason to get into Al Stewart.
I like to feel the suspense when you're certain you know I am there.....
Joined: August 22 2010
Location: Indiana
Status: Offline
Points: 20630
Posted: February 17 2016 at 21:07
I have a double album compilation of his early stuff which is interesting at times and of course Year of the Cat on vinyl also. Not a big fan, but my late brother was a fan and really liked his Past Present Future album.
One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin
Joined: January 04 2007
Location: Grok City
Status: Online
Points: 17702
Posted: February 17 2016 at 08:40
Hi,
He's doing a show in the Seattle area, next month ... I probably will go see it, but have not committed to it yet. I doubt that folks like him, will come around again ... I think this is an acoustic show by himself, or with someone else.
Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com
Joined: February 11 2016
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 31
Posted: February 15 2016 at 08:27
"AwEsome". Like "devastated", a terribly-overused word. One would think one would know how to spell it by now.
.....
I love the melancholy tone of Stewart's voice. The introspection of the lyrics can be an acquired taste.
"Year of the Cat" is one of those ubiquitous lps (alongside de Burgh's "Spanish Train",first Phil Collins, Frampton live, any Fogelburg, Manilow II, Simon & Garfunkel "Bridge...", Billy Joel, Zamfir, "Hotel California", "Best of Chicago"...) which if you DO NOT find at your next bin/garage sale dig, you KNOW you have somehow survived passing through a wormhole.
But just try finding a copy of "Zero She Flies" (1970). It is still on my wantlist. Maybe copies can be snagged in UK, but I dont think this was ever pressed in North America.
Joined: August 12 2015
Location: Chelmsford
Status: Offline
Points: 1223
Posted: February 15 2016 at 07:50
Apologies if one already exists, but I think this bloke's music is awsome. And he is arguably music's greatest lyricist. All of his albums are great. Its just a shame that he said he is unlikely to make another album now. Then again he said that in 1993.
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Al Stewart apreciation thread
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tszirmay wrote:
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