Other Mixes By Ken Harris
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Mixed Genre
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Theme - Alternating DJ
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Theme
A Great Last Gasp: Pop Music Of The 70s, Vol I
| Artist | Song | |
| Melanie | Lay Down (Candles In The Rain) | |
| Alive And Kicking | Tighter, Tighter | |
| Apollo 100 | Joy | |
| Climax | Precious And Few | |
| Average White Band | Pick Up The Pieces | |
| Billy Swan | I Can Help | |
| Jay Ferguson | Thunder Island | |
| The Bellamy Brothers | Let Your Love Flow | |
| Blues Image | Ride, Captain, Ride | |
| Arlo Guthrie | City Of New Orleans | |
| Edison Lighthouse | Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) | |
| The Tee Set | My Belle Amie | |
| Marmalade | Reflections Of My LIfe | |
| White Plains | My Baby Loves Love | |
| Vanity Fare | Hitching A Ride | |
| Albert Hammond | It Never Rains In Southern California | |
| Hurricane Smith | Oh, Babe | |
| Stealers Wheel | Stuck In The Middle With You | |
| Edward Bear | Last Song | |
Comment:
Just another tribute/meditation on the art of the "pop song". Where did it go? Well, it was clearly in full throttle in the 1970s, weaving itself in between Kent State, Watergate and the bicentennial. The dearth of the genre can be traced to many things, such as sophisticated radio programming technology, impatience on the part of the radio industry to cultivate and develop product, but mostly, I think, because record companies and the radio industries are now run and managed by MBAs who know zilch about music but plenty about profit. As with most thngs, capitalism eventually cannibalizes anything and everything precious to itself. A plague upon their kingdom for all I care at this point...Of course, some would argue that many of these tracks represent a bloated, outdated era that needs no such re-visit. I disagree. Just sit back and listen to the music...Feedback:
Some great, great picks here. I'm a long-time Melanie fan - "Brand new key" is one of those songs that I've always loved despite the fact that most folks I know hate that tune. She was, of course, much more than that. The Edison Lighthouse is top-notch, as are so many of these hits. Save me a copy, eh?
"capitalism eventually cannibalizes anything and everything precious to itself..." This is, in fact, like a virus that has no cure. Eventually all the performing arts will be destroyed...In the 70s, you could hear a WIDE range of music on one radio station, and cultivate an appreciation for, and understanding of many different genres. Sadly, young people today won't have that. I just lamented to my wife today that if Bob Dylan were starting his career right now, he'd never even get a recoding contract!!! I doubt Springsteen, Tom Waits or thousands of other TALENTED artists would either! Great work, Ken - on both volumes!!!
Thanks, SAG...I appreciate the kind words. Your Dylan point is well taken. The artists you mentioned are true heavyweights and would have likely (I hope) broken through. It's the folks like Billy Swan, Apollo 100 and The Tee Set that I worry about...They made GREAT records that in today's "bottom line oriented" world, would never have made it to the surface...Would have been our loss, unquestionably. Now, count down from 10 and someone with a much broader knowledge of all this is about to swoop in and post a BRILLIANT mix of the essential Billy Swan, Apollo 100 and The Tee Set...Listening, Sean?... :::grinning like a damned fool:::
those were the days, well sorta
Hey! Now theres a song...Thunder Island by Jay Ferguson...gotta love it. Oh and Hitching a Ride by Vanity Fair is excellent aslo. Great mix. Sometimes I wish I lived in the 70s
Ken, I received the discs today. You're too kind - thanks a million. I owe ya, so find some stuff of mine that you'd like to hear and I'll shoot it over to ya.
There are still a lot of very good "pop" performers out there, though they get little airplay: Marshall Crenshaw, Chris Von Sneidern, Walter Clevinger, the Rembrandts, Fountains of Wayne. The three minute pop gem lives!