I can't stand 'Sgt. Peppers'. Don't understand why it is often (still) voted the best album of all time. Twee sentimentality, cod mysticism, music hall numbers and Ringo Starr. Jesus, I would have left home too.So now the Easy Star All Stars (after full reggae versions of 'Dark Side of the Moon' and 'OK Computer') have turned to this. Despite the calibre of some of the artists involved: Michael Rose, The Mighty Diamonds, Luciano, Max Romeo etc. this is just a complete aural abortion. And why do I find it hard to picture any of the artists rolling up a large number and settling down to listen to Sgt. Peppers at the end of a hard day in the studio?
So this begs the question who is this designed for? Blokes in their sixties who still think that punk was the end of good music or young college kids just discovering the joys of dope and how well reggae and it go together. There is some great reggae music out there but this is certainly not an example of it.
As for the Easy Star All Stars, 'Dub Side of the Moon' sort of worked and I am afraid I am not a fan of the original version of that either. It always struck me as the perfect album for the time as stereo moved into more and more homes. I feel that the Floyd worked more on the FX and stereo separation than the words and tunes of the songs, which I was under the impression had been more important until then.
'Radiodread', sort of OK. White guys with dreads who go to college probably like it much more than me!
The Easy Star All Stars are playing at the Corner Hotel in Melbourne on April 11. I won't be there.
My opinion of SGT. PEPPER rose CONSIDERABLY when I heard the dedicated mono mix from a bootleg by DR. EBBETTS, two years prior to these new remasters. The stereo mix is an abomination.
ReplyDeleteI'm not particularly fond of the influence of British dance hall in their 1960s rock, I have to wonder why I find it so tolerable in, say, Kinks albums.
2Ian/
ReplyDeleteI agree re: the mono mixes but it is the songs that let it down IMHO. Agree about The Kinks tho.
Overall I admire what The Beatles did to/for muic in what 7 or 8 years but I also feel that without George Martin it wold be a totally different kettle of kippers. I also think that the soft Liverpool accent had a lot to do with them appealing to so many. (A bit biased there as I am from Liverpool too...)
Regards/