It's Syd Barrett's birthday today
So one of his finest recorded moments seems appropriate
(Plus my band used to play this one as a bit of a laugh)
Jan 6, 2025
Related Recs
Way back when this first came out in the Big 80s, I learned "The Bugle Sounds Again" for the little acoustic set my dumb band did during our sets, a smoke break for the rhythm section. (It's gorgeous and not the easiest guitar part ever; I can't imagine actually playing AND singing it).
My then-roommate called it "dorm room music" -- his take was that Scotland's Aztec Camera were for students, bedsit people, moody folks with lots of extra time on their hands.
I suspect Roddy Frame would have appreciated hearing his cerebral-yet-shiny indie-pop music described that way.
The man also did a killer (totally straight-faced) version of Van Halen's "Jump" that must be heard to be believed.
Jan 29, 2025
"I smoked a joint and started playing the piano," said Church frontman Steve Kilbey about the writing of the Aussie band's biggest, dreamiest hit. "Then Karin (his girlfriend at the time) came into the room and we just made it up together. A spontaneous event."
A song about "nothing" that the band originally didn't like, "Under the Milky Way" is inspired by the Amsterdam music venue the Melkveg ("Milky Way") and came out on this day to race to no. 24 on the US Billboard charts and eventually win "Single of the Year" at the ARIA awards. (It appeared in "Donnie Darko" and a bunch of ads too). It's part of a record ("Starfish") that includes the amazing "Reptile" and is at least the band's best-known if not outright finest work.
PS: you could be forgiven for thinking the solo in the song's break is played on a bagpipe, it's actually a Fender Jazzmaster guitar played with an E-bow and then fed through a Synclavier.
Feb 15, 2025
this is probably a very common pick, but i find this to be a โsexyโ transition album. every single song on this blends into the next as if it is a story, and in unique ways. the film projector, vocals, chimes, you name it and pink floyd does it. would love to be able to listen to this album for the first time again
Dec 1, 2024
Top Recs from @coreydubrowa
The man responsible for dozens of Teenage Symphonies to God
"Sad songs about happy things" (the first time, as a kid, I can recall the sweet/sour combo of melodies that could make you cry attached to songs about endless, bottomless love)
I've long since lost track of how many weddings and funerals I've attended that have featured this song; suffice it to say, "a lot."
God only knows what we'd been without him ๐๐ป
4d ago
May 22, 2025
Hey tyler hopefully this doesnโt violate some PI.FYI golden rule
But after nearly two years of writing, editing and arguing, my book about the EP is coming out in May and can be preordered here:
https://hozacrecords.com/product/aifl/
The book is about the origins, history and cultural impact of the EP since these little objects first started coming out in the 50s.
Over 50 of my music biz friends then helped me shape the list and review the top 200 ever released, according to us (ha).
For those of you who are into this kind of geekery/snobbery, I canโt wait to hear what you think. A labor of love, as all books are! โค๏ธ
Mar 27, 2024