• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Bands & Projects
    • Marty Willson-Piper
    • Marty & Olivia
    • Noctorum
    • MOAT
    • Atlantæum Flood
    • Anekdoten
      • How I Joined Anekdoten
    • The Church
      • Sleeve Notes
    • All About Eve
  • Discography
  • Gear
  • Talking
  • Lyrics
    • SOLO ALBUMS
      • In Reflection
      • Art Attack
      • Rhyme
      • Spirit Level
      • Hanging Out In Heaven
      • Nightjar
    • NOCTORUM
      • Sparks Lane
      • Offer The Light
      • Honey Mink Forever
      • The Afterlife
    • MOAT
      • Moat
      • Poison Stream
    • Seeing Stars
  • Sleeve Notes
    • Of Skins And Heart
    • The Blurred Crusade
    • Seance
    • Heyday
    • Starfish
    • Gold Afternoon Fix
    • Priest = Aura
  • Bandcamp

Marty Willson-Piper

The official home of Marty Willson-Piper

  • News
  • Blog
  • Shows
  • Songwriting & Guitar Guidance
  • In Deep Music Archive
  • Contact

Dec 11 2021

TO WHERE I AM NOW

It was so nice outside today that I walked to the psychedelic psupermarket, more for the walk than what we needed. I took my time, took pics on the way – the big house at the nearby junction has flowers flowering in the garden and hanging over the fence into the street – even in December. Down the road, there’s a light shop that we always pass, it’s always closed and we never get to go inside to look at the hundreds of different lamps that they sell. Today it was open and I took it as an opportunity to search for the lava lamp lightbulbs more than anything else. Seeing those lava lamps explode in coloured wax and space globules galore since I found the right bulbs means I have to get as many spares as possible before they disappear and take lava lamps with them into history, the world dominated by the evil LED empire.

Inside there was another man browsing, a lady at the counter buying a lamp and a funny old man in a stained shop coat that he must have had for 50 years. He wasn’t going to speak English, so I asked the lady if she knew if he sold lightbulbs and grabbed the box out of my bag. She showed him, asked him, he said no. He directed me (via the lady) to the shop I’d already been to and then another in town. Something to try for next week. I got talking to the lady and commented on how warm it was today. I asked her if there was ever any ice in Porto, any frost, any snow. She said that she’d lived here her whole life and never experienced those things in Porto (she was in her mid-thirties). In the mountains, sure, further north, sure, but not here.

I took a picture of a mysterious black cat, prowling in an alleyway, some very basic Christmas decorations and a creative construction of Santa on his sleigh, I’m not sure if they needed the crane to put it together. I picked up papayas and a whole lot of other things I didn’t know we needed and headed back to Snooker semi-final land, Ronnie massacred 6-1 by Higgins, McGill hammered 6-1 by Brecel, final tomorrow. Football Saturday, Liverpool won again, this time against Steven Gerrard’s Villa, his first return home to the place they say he will manage in the future. I listened to sessioneer John’s songs for tomorrow but wonder if I will be ok for a sesh with him and Paul in New Orleans because tomorrow is ‘Booster Day’ – we’ll see. On that note, I have to go to bed now because it all starts early.

Music today was keeping it sixties with the first Who album My Generation (1965). Starting with the classic beat group sound of the sixties and Out In The Street showcasing Pete Townshend’s writing skills and his standout tremolo guitar. Lots of Daltrey shouting, Pete harmonies and pickup switch-flicking, mad drums and bass, even then. I Don’t Mind is a James Brown song, there are those harmonies again, Nicky Hopkins on piano. The Good’s Gone is next with a sparkling Rickenbacker arpeggio. The song was apparently inspired by The Kinks‘ See My Friends (1965). The catchy sixties La-La-La-Lies, followed by the more Stones sounding Much Too Much. This song and The Good’s Gone has Daltrey singing in a lower voice in the verses and sound American – that was the influence then. Throughout Keith Moon’s drumming, smashing those tom-toms is exemplary. The greatest song of youth ever written is next with My Generation (a UK No. 2) with its theme, tone and, wait for it, bass solos! The brilliant stutter, the stops, the backing vocal and key changes. The mad last minute of the song is fantastic.

Side two opens with another Who classic, The Kids Are Alright, Beatlesque melodies, sparkling arpeggios again and later thrashing chords, dynamic drumming. Is that a Beach Boys melody in the middle? It’s harmonies again, perhaps an overlooked and important element of the band. James Brown (and Johnny Terry) makes another appearance in the songwriting department for Please, Please, Please, I suppose that’s the music (R&B) that they were listening to and was inspiring them at the time. It’s Not True is next with its lyric denying rumours, its strongest asset. Bo Diddley’s I’m A Man is next with brilliant crackling guitar, jamming with Nicky Hopkins in the middle, John Entwistle pulsating. A Legal Matter with its classic riff (and breakup lyric) and a great vocal by Pete. The album ends with The Ox, a rollicking instrumental.

Pre-album singles were Zoot Suit as The High Numbers in 1964, as The Who, I Can’t Explain was released in 1965 making it to No. 8 in the UK with that trademark lead vocal and answer, harmonies, catchy tune with relentless drumming and Rickenbacker. It was produced by Shel Talmy, influenced by The Kinks – what’s not to like? Traditional blues song on the B-side, Bald Headed Woman, Jimmy Page on lead guitar.

The second Who single, Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere, a UK No. 10, is actually a Townshend/Daltrey composition, lots of switch-flicking between pickups on this one, the classic lead vocal and answer vocals, relentless drumming, harmonies. Otis Blackwell’s Daddy Rolling Stone on the B-side. The Who had arrived…

Music Of The Daze

Written by Marty Willson-Piper · Categorized: Blog

Missing

This is my stolen 1965 Rickenbacker 12-string, serial number EB157. If there's any chance of this guitar coming back to me before I go to meet my maker, then that would be wonderful. Please contact me if you have any information.

11209512_1669022976719710_7288437867089763325_n

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

  • spotify
  • facebook
  • instagram
  • youtube

Liking the blog?

Tour Dates

Instagram

Rockin' the MOAT t-shirt next to the real deal! #m Rockin' the MOAT t-shirt next to the real deal! #moatband #poisonstream 🤘🏰

T-Shirt Design by Reid Wilson
Photo by @oliviaelektra 

#schoolkidsrecords #nikoröhlcke #wellscathedral
Peter Walsh and I getting down at the Heron Tower Peter Walsh and I getting down at the Heron Tower disco 🕺🏻 #heyday
Soundchecking at Birmingham Symphony Hall, 10th Fe Soundchecking at Birmingham Symphony Hall, 10th February, 2001. All About Eve supporting Fairport Convention.

📷 by @derektimbrell
Thanks to The Wernickis for a little glimpse into Thanks to The Wernickis for a little glimpse into their new New Mexico listening space 🌵 #nightjar #schoolkidsrecords
Redeyed lad of the lowlands 🎵 📷 @oliviaelek Redeyed lad of the lowlands 🎵

📷 @oliviaelektra 

#danelectro #danelectrobass #redeyerecords #pleasantrylane #pleasantrylanestudio
You usually don’t spend the day in the studio an You usually don’t spend the day in the studio and the night at a gig but if you put the studio next to the gig then there’s a greater chance. So @salimnourallah did just that, he put the gig and the studio next to each other and made it possible for me to spend the day recording and the evening playing live 🎵

📷 @drewliophoto 

#galacticheadquarters #happinessarecordlabel #pleasantrylanestudio #salimnourallah #oliviawillsonpiper
TO WHERE I AM NOW A visit in the studio today fro TO WHERE I AM NOW

A visit in the studio today from old mate Mark Burgess from The Chameleons who has been hanging in Texas recently. I was thinking about the two of us growing up in the northwest of England and all these years later finding ourselves in such an unlikely spot together. We fixed a few issues in the universe and I carried on recording some guitars until Mark had to leave. Mark had played at the Galactic Headquarters next to the studio this year as Olivia and I had four years ago and this reminded me to remind myself to remind everyone to remind their friends that we will be playing there with Salim on Saturday, New Year’s Eve, for the ultimate in intimate performance. You can get tickets here (follow link below).

CONTINUE READING: https://martywillson-piper.com/2022/12/to-where-i-am-now-1045

KEEP IN TOUCH: https://linktr.ee/mwillsonpiper

📷 @salimnourallah 

#markburgess #thechameleons #chameleonsvox #pleasantrylanestudio #happinessarecordlabel #martywillsonpiper #oliviawillsonpiper #moatband
📷 @argirgirl 📷 @argirgirl
TO WHERE I AM NOW Sadness manifested in a buildin TO WHERE I AM NOW

Sadness manifested in a building, today we went to visit Paisley Park. Prince built Paisley Park in Chanhassen, about twenty minutes southwest of Minneapolis. It opened in 1987 and he recorded his later albums there. Apart from Prince, REM also recorded and mixed Out Of Time there, recording Kate Pearson’s vocal on Shiny Happy People vocal. Madonna had Prince play guitar on three songs from Like A Prayer and the two co-wrote Love Song, finishing it remotely due to Madonna not being able to stand the cold weather and the rather desolate location of the studio. Of course, there are things around but it’s not in the city and it’s not in the countryside, it’s in a suburb, no distractions, just what Prince wanted.

CONTINUE READING: https://martywillson-piper.com/2022/12/to-where-i-am-now-1032

KEEP IN TOUCH: https://linktr.ee/mwillsonpiper

📷 @argirgirl 

#paisleypark #prince
Load More… Follow on Instagram

Mailing List

In Deep Music Archive

Songwriting & Guitar Guidance with Marty Willson-Piper
ORDER HERE

"These are awesome sessions that I highly recommend for guitar players of all levels. Very informative, frank discussions on everything related to guitar and music in general. Definitely a must for anyone pursuing songwriting."
(Stephen G., VA, USA)

"Marty knows how to bypass scales and get to the heart of feel and timing. His musical knowledge spans multiple cultures and genres. Perhaps most importantly, Marty is a cool dude. I highly recommend his guitar guidance." (Jed B., MN, USA)

"Ok, so you’re sitting in your home and Marty is across the world but is actually right here teaching you how to play guitar and write songs. He is a delight to talk to and he is your teacher, meaning he wants to see you get something out of his lessons. You know he’s paying attention and wants to steer you in the right direction. I am so grateful and humbled that he offers his time in this manner. This is an amazing opportunity for anyone who admires anything from his enormous body of work. How often do you get to learn from somebody that inspired you in the first place? Amazing." (Ann S., CA, USA)

Missing

This is my stolen 1965 Rickenbacker 12-string, serial number EB157. If there’s any chance of this guitar coming back to me before I go to meet my maker, then that would be wonderful. Please contact me if you have any information.

11209512_1669022976719710_7288437867089763325_n

MARTY WILLSON-PIPER © 2023 - Front Page Images by Hajo Müller