Wow, wow, wow, and many more wows. George, over the years you've made a habit of producing such inspiring texts, but this is clearly one of your best. It's a great idea and I hope there will be more episodes of this series.
The funny thing is that I didn't know this song at all; and for the last two hours I've been listening to it ten times and rereading your text for the second time.
BTW, I'm currently working on a video where I will present to my friends a top10 of my "favourite electric guitar solos", and I spent months choosing which 10 would appear. Now, because of you, it becomes impossible not to include Lindsey Buckingham in the list, so I'll have no choice but presenting a... top11.
Good idea, George, to write about this song, a song which shows the limits of having a "repertoire" (same word in english than french, isn't it?) when we talk about art. Buckingham has certainly squeezed all the juice of what was written in this song, meaning nothing truly interesting now that he has learned to tame his inner demons. The art lies in the tension contained in the work, not in a meaningless show business. It's the problem with seeing the old bands in concert: you never can tell if there will be art in stake. It doesn't matter for the more or less engaging band (I've seen Iron Maiden 5 years ago or so and it looked like the Maiden England 88', by the book, so great stuff!), but for a song like "I'm so afraid", or a visceral kind of sound (Am I the only to feel deeply sorry when I see Iggy and the Stooges still trying to bleed Raw Power upon the audience?)
So, your work can be seen as a historical take on a life of work of art in age of reproduction, as Walter Benjamin said: we've got the matrix, the incarnations, and the souvenir... Interisting stuff to do, really. Staying ouside of the showbusiness can help to keep the flame lit: I take the post 2000's Pretty Things upon the Stones...
If you find the time, other song of interest: "Bitch" (does it survive the 80's?), "My Generation" (cruel for Pete, isn't it?), Echoes (most technically stimulating, and you already have written about it...)...
The king of rock criticism returns with a fantastic essay. Love it George, this is my favorite song off their 1975 self-titled (and I don't know why not even RYM holds it as the biggest highlight of the album because, to me, I thought it was amazing from the first listen!) and I also loved the version on Live. Now I gotta just hear all of the versions you wrote about! This week I probably will sit down and do a proper read-listen sort of thing so I can hear everything you are talking about. But I did to a read through of the article, and I have to agree with the posters below, this is one of your best George, and you always write your best when it is clear how deeply you love it. And glad you are back, as always.
Fabulous! You and me are members of the "I'm So Afraid is pure magic and every version out there is a matter of interest" Club, so this is a delightful article. The studio version which I heard back in '90 when a friend put it in a mix tape is really spellbinding. BUT The live versions are what you need to go the extra mile, because this is a song you can't play just once in a row.
And WOW the Largo version is indeed, a different monster! That intro! AND THE SOLO(S). And Lindsey's phantasmagoric face!! Worth the eight pixels of the video.
I just found a cover of the song? Quite corporate probably, Karaokish as Simon would say? I couldn't listen properly but so it seems. Respectful, right, nice solo. Don't know the artist! But this is definitely too personal a song, a tour de force they call it? And yeah the more raw, out-of-control, the better.
About the project, a great idea. I can only think, for some reason, about "I Put A Spell On You" now. Creedence and specially Pete Townshend come to mind. I once heard a version he made in concert in the radio in the late 80s and it's always in my head ever since.
Regarding evolution of songs for better or for worse there's this video of Malcolm Gladwell on the life of "Hallelujah" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OKQTl09vC) where I can't agree at all that in order for the song to achieve its full potential the involvement of Jeck Buckley was necessary (the evolution of live versions of Cohen's songs is an interesting topic but despite Leonard being a very limited singer in my mind for nearly all of his songs no covers convey the message better than the originals).
Great just great. I hesitate to call it a review but the idea is very special - interrogating a rock song within an inch of its life. Not sure how many others you'll find worthy of such extensive treatment. Most of those I'm familiar with - Knopfler, Gilmour, Roeser - don't vary their performance of signature solos that much. Can't say I'm a FM fan but I was prompted to unearth the one version I have of the song from The Rockhoppers 1976 bootleg. I'll go and check out the latter versions now.
A great idea, George, looking forward. I acknowledge Buckingham as a pretty classy guitar player but when I saw Fleetwood Mac in your title line I was sure you were going to cover a song from the Peter Green founding version of the group. A little disappointed, listened anyway of course, and as like you I'm a sucker for crack guitar solos, was all attention. And impressed enough, while wondering why you didn't start with he who I consider the master of this kind of thing, Neil Young. It even occurred to me Buckingham was plugged into Young's blistering guitar solos of his early years (1969-1975). In the several versions of the song I listened to he sounds like any number of other heavy rock guitarists of the time, all pretty much of a muchness, where Neil always stood out from the crowd, not always as technically acrobatic but uncannily always, but always finding the notes no one else did.
Am sure you'll clobber me for this, but that's my first take. Others will no doubt be more enthused. In any event, can't wait to hear you succeeding editions!
Wow, wow, wow, and many more wows. George, over the years you've made a habit of producing such inspiring texts, but this is clearly one of your best. It's a great idea and I hope there will be more episodes of this series.
The funny thing is that I didn't know this song at all; and for the last two hours I've been listening to it ten times and rereading your text for the second time.
BTW, I'm currently working on a video where I will present to my friends a top10 of my "favourite electric guitar solos", and I spent months choosing which 10 would appear. Now, because of you, it becomes impossible not to include Lindsey Buckingham in the list, so I'll have no choice but presenting a... top11.
Good idea, George, to write about this song, a song which shows the limits of having a "repertoire" (same word in english than french, isn't it?) when we talk about art. Buckingham has certainly squeezed all the juice of what was written in this song, meaning nothing truly interesting now that he has learned to tame his inner demons. The art lies in the tension contained in the work, not in a meaningless show business. It's the problem with seeing the old bands in concert: you never can tell if there will be art in stake. It doesn't matter for the more or less engaging band (I've seen Iron Maiden 5 years ago or so and it looked like the Maiden England 88', by the book, so great stuff!), but for a song like "I'm so afraid", or a visceral kind of sound (Am I the only to feel deeply sorry when I see Iggy and the Stooges still trying to bleed Raw Power upon the audience?)
So, your work can be seen as a historical take on a life of work of art in age of reproduction, as Walter Benjamin said: we've got the matrix, the incarnations, and the souvenir... Interisting stuff to do, really. Staying ouside of the showbusiness can help to keep the flame lit: I take the post 2000's Pretty Things upon the Stones...
If you find the time, other song of interest: "Bitch" (does it survive the 80's?), "My Generation" (cruel for Pete, isn't it?), Echoes (most technically stimulating, and you already have written about it...)...
The king of rock criticism returns with a fantastic essay. Love it George, this is my favorite song off their 1975 self-titled (and I don't know why not even RYM holds it as the biggest highlight of the album because, to me, I thought it was amazing from the first listen!) and I also loved the version on Live. Now I gotta just hear all of the versions you wrote about! This week I probably will sit down and do a proper read-listen sort of thing so I can hear everything you are talking about. But I did to a read through of the article, and I have to agree with the posters below, this is one of your best George, and you always write your best when it is clear how deeply you love it. And glad you are back, as always.
Fabulous! You and me are members of the "I'm So Afraid is pure magic and every version out there is a matter of interest" Club, so this is a delightful article. The studio version which I heard back in '90 when a friend put it in a mix tape is really spellbinding. BUT The live versions are what you need to go the extra mile, because this is a song you can't play just once in a row.
And WOW the Largo version is indeed, a different monster! That intro! AND THE SOLO(S). And Lindsey's phantasmagoric face!! Worth the eight pixels of the video.
I just found a cover of the song? Quite corporate probably, Karaokish as Simon would say? I couldn't listen properly but so it seems. Respectful, right, nice solo. Don't know the artist! But this is definitely too personal a song, a tour de force they call it? And yeah the more raw, out-of-control, the better.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9KUybxp9sY
About the project, a great idea. I can only think, for some reason, about "I Put A Spell On You" now. Creedence and specially Pete Townshend come to mind. I once heard a version he made in concert in the radio in the late 80s and it's always in my head ever since.
Do a Heart track next!
Regarding evolution of songs for better or for worse there's this video of Malcolm Gladwell on the life of "Hallelujah" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OKQTl09vC) where I can't agree at all that in order for the song to achieve its full potential the involvement of Jeck Buckley was necessary (the evolution of live versions of Cohen's songs is an interesting topic but despite Leonard being a very limited singer in my mind for nearly all of his songs no covers convey the message better than the originals).
Great just great. I hesitate to call it a review but the idea is very special - interrogating a rock song within an inch of its life. Not sure how many others you'll find worthy of such extensive treatment. Most of those I'm familiar with - Knopfler, Gilmour, Roeser - don't vary their performance of signature solos that much. Can't say I'm a FM fan but I was prompted to unearth the one version I have of the song from The Rockhoppers 1976 bootleg. I'll go and check out the latter versions now.
Thanks again for a great read.
Ross
A great idea, George, looking forward. I acknowledge Buckingham as a pretty classy guitar player but when I saw Fleetwood Mac in your title line I was sure you were going to cover a song from the Peter Green founding version of the group. A little disappointed, listened anyway of course, and as like you I'm a sucker for crack guitar solos, was all attention. And impressed enough, while wondering why you didn't start with he who I consider the master of this kind of thing, Neil Young. It even occurred to me Buckingham was plugged into Young's blistering guitar solos of his early years (1969-1975). In the several versions of the song I listened to he sounds like any number of other heavy rock guitarists of the time, all pretty much of a muchness, where Neil always stood out from the crowd, not always as technically acrobatic but uncannily always, but always finding the notes no one else did.
Am sure you'll clobber me for this, but that's my first take. Others will no doubt be more enthused. In any event, can't wait to hear you succeeding editions!