Claus

OK, I didn't mind to say that it was all better then, you are right there might be more exciting music being released these days then ever. Anyway to add to the REAL purpose of this thread here my recent purchases: Divine Comedy: Victory For The Comic Muse The Who: Wire & Glass Buzzcocks: Singles going steady (CD-version) Ron Sexsmith: Time being Wilco: Kicking Television, Live in Chicago

Thanks a lot for the link to that website, highly interesting stuff! I grew up in Germany, so no chance to see the "The old grey whistle test", but way back then (at the tender age of 7) my favourite bands were Sweet and Slade, so I might not have taken notice of Judee anyway. It is strange, I recently met a Swedish friend (who funnily enough plays in a heavy metal band) and when we discussed great music we heard lately he started praising Terry Reid, while I raved about Judee Sill. Makes you wonder why so many people are always desperately trying to find the hip new artists, when there are still so many hidden treasures (name of my former band by the way) to be found in the past...

I have bought the Judee Sill double CD as well a few weeks ago, having read Andy Partridge (XTC) raving about her somewhere some time ago. I hadn't known any of her stuff before and was completely blown away (doesn't happen a lot anymore, too old for that). Particularly "The Donor" on the second CD ("Heartfood" if my memory serves me well) is absolutely amazing (think Johann Sebastian Bach meeting Brian Wilson). Highly recommended to anybody who likes great songwriting (if you like Joni Mitchell you will LOVE Judee Sill).

Rustico is good, but I like Ciao Napoli (10 Bon Accord Crescent) perhaps even better!

Well, actually your parents being fans, could be one of the reasons why you stayed so resistant. Obviously there are other influential songwriters and everybody has his/her own taste but from an objective point of view Lennon/McCartney must be regarded as THE most influential songwriting act in pop history. Before them pop music was mainly simple rock'n roll with 3 or 4 chords, exciting, but harmonically very schematic. Within a few months they took this simple scheme from "Love me do" to the complexity of "She loves you", "I'll be back" or "Things we said today" and then continued to expand the formulat to the heights of Revoler/Pepper. They invented the pop-song as we know it today in my opinion. But then again I am no "mentalist" but just a lifelong Beatles fan, so what do I know ;-)

Brilliant News! You are right, he is not only Scotlands finest songwriters but one of the best anywhere. And I can say that without any patriotic bias, as I am German and I only came across him by chance. "Posted Sober" is such a beautiful record, up there with anything Tom Waits has done. Can't wait to see him live again (will be the fourth or fifth time and it was always brilliant!).