What song are you listening to right now?

I know what you mean and I am feeling better today but my flu hasn’t completely gone away yet so I am going to the Doctors this afternoon and Beccy is coming home early from work to take me just to make sure I am alright and she is just worried ‘cause the last time I had a flu that lasted this long was not the flu and turned out to be Pneumonia but I am sure it is not this time ‘cause I am not feeling as sick as I did back then and have been going to work the last two days. I think the Pandemic has had a negative impact on all our lives on all our lives over the last year and it has left some of us with more free time than we would like with the amount of people who sadly lost their jobs due to Lockdowns/ Shutdowns causing companies to go broke and close permanently and it has been very hard to avoid seeing sad and tragic news ‘cause the news has been full of it with that along with the bushfires and floods we had here in the last year and a half and it will be good when things go back to normal but I think it is still going to be a while before that happens and it isn’t going to go away overnight.

Yeah. The internet has changed the landscape of music and has been a good platform for Artists and Bands who aren’t under major labels to promote themselves to listeners around the world and some Artists and Bands from previous decades that were under small labels and didn’t get promoted much when they started out have even made comebacks due to new fans listening their music for the first time and going on to buy their albums and they have started touring and releasing new albums again which must have been a blessing to some of them and while there’s no denying the internet has had a negative impact on the music industry in some ways like the rise of illegal downloading I feel it has had just as many positives too that are sometimes overlooked. It has also brought a lot of music fans together from all around the world on sites and forums as you noted and I have been a member and a moderator on a few music forums over the years and I also talked to a few Artists and members of bands when I was on Myspace in the 00s including some that went onto become big when they were just starting out like Cassadee Pope, Luke Bryan, Lee Brice and Melissa O’Neil who become an actress.

There are so many Artists and Bands out there though that there is not enough time to listen to all of them or enough money to buy all their albums () but I am glad to have discovered all the ones that I have ‘cause there is so much variety online compared to mainstream radio nowadays and I stopped listening to mainstream radio ‘cause they kept playing the same songs over and over again and I was not a fan of what they were starting to call Pop music. No. A lot of those bands I mentioned wouldn’t have become some of the biggest selling Rock and Metal bands of all time if it had not been for their record labels giving them a chance ‘cause it took years for some of them to catch on with people and for some it was finding that right song that become a hit and then people started buying their singles and albums and discovered their older ones and yes, there some that had success straight away with their debut albums but become known as One Hit Wonders ‘cause they were never able to follow up the success of those albums and I think one of the problems was some of them tried way too hard to outdo themselves or make an album as good as the first one instead of making one naturally.

Bands like Judas Priest, Rush and Cheap Trick never had that problem ‘cause they weren’t constantly trying to outdo a certain album and I liked Rush’s albums from the 80s the most too and didn’t know there were people that disliked them but people do have a divided taste in music as you said and we don’t always like the same things. I know with Uriah Heep the fanbase is divided ‘cause you have got some fans that don’t like acknowledging the albums after David Byron left which is a lot of them and some fans that only like their albums with John Lawton from Lucifer’s Friend and some that only like the newer albums with Bernie Shaw albums but I suppose when you go through as many changes as the band did with lead singers and musical styles it is bound to happen but I am among the fans that liked all their albums and I am the same with a lot of bands like Rush and Judas Priest and I think we discussed Judas Priest having an unreleased album last year after ‘Ram It Down’ that would have had songs like ‘Fire Burns Below’ and ‘Thunder Road’ on it and I still hope that sees the light of day ‘cause the songs they later released from it like the two above as bonus tracks on other albums sound good and as much as some fans are divided over that era I think there are a lot that would still buy it.

You are right about soundtracks and there have been a few soundtracks I have got for movies and TV Shows thinking they would have certain songs on them only to be disappointed to find they weren’t on them and I think some record labels don’t want songs on soundtracks ‘cause they prefer people get the full albums so they make more money. I didn't know that about 'Married With Children' but I know the theme song, 'Love and Marriage' was one of the many songs written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn and they wrote a lot of songs for Artists around the time of the Rat Pack and Frank Sinatra done a cover of the song and I actually have a book by Sammy Cahn which is a Songwriter's Rhyming Dictionary and my Grandfather bought it for me when I was young and was starting to write poems and songs.

As of now, the unormal has in a weird and creepy kind way, become the new "normal" life or everyday, at least compared to how it was almost a year ago, when all began, and the panic soon started spreading around. Most people, thought it would probably last for a few months, or so it felt, and then we had so much wrong and false "information", that were thrown around, and seemed to overflow the internet. But even scarier, it began to take place into more serious newspapers, sites and channels as well.
Of course, the media and certain "experts" did not exactly help out, by pushing on, all kind of scary and potential situations, both when it comes to peoples health or wealth.

I barely watch the news anymore. Not because I do not care, or feel for the tragic and sad situation, but there is just too much, all at once. Where the media and news, "milk" the death numbers of people, every day. And how many are ill, or have got any symptons or similar things.

Beside family and people I hold close, music and movies have probably been my best way of trying to take a "time-out" from it all. Of course, easier said than done, but without those hobbies, or any hobby, my life would have been very empty, and sadly, there are probably very many, right now, who does not get to see their beloved ones, or enjoy spending time doing what they love the most. So I guess, I should feel glad, that I have that in my life, as of now. Without them, I would not like to think how it might have gone.

Of course, physical training, running, driving a bike, or taking long walks, into the nearby forest and wild, has been also a huge and very important everyday boost.
As I know how lucky we are in Norway/Oslo, right now, where as in other big cities, peeople must stay inside, or do only get to go out, in certain hours of the day.
Still, there are lots of young students, being crammed into small spaced apartments, miles and miles away of their family and friends, in a town or place, where they know not many people, and then of course, the many elder, who are confused, lonely and yeah, the list goes on I guess. 

Hopefully, there might be some improvement, as they have just recently stepped up a bit, or should I say, eased down, in how strict the situation in certain cities are to be, and I really hope, they will soon re-open some of the indoor gyms, swimming pools and then maybe some of the everyday stores and shops, as I sure miss going to the second hand stores, looking up music, movies, books, and all kind of weird stuff.
Oh yeah, the positives and the negatives when it comes to the internet and music and movie business. I still remember very little of the Napster era, mostly because I was not that much online during the period, and when I started taking more notice, Napster were almost done, and for me, I guess Emule or a few similar sites were more prefered later one. Still, I never stopped buying or picking up CDs or VHS or DVDs, as Emule where kind like Youtube, in where I would download or search for unheard movies/songs, that where hard to find in physical stores (I did not began to shop online, until a bit later on), so I tended to use Emule for the lesser know horror and action films of the 70s, 80s and early 90s. And those I liked or loved, would soon end up getting bought on DVD or VHS.

The music however, were quite "messy". One could search for any artist or group, and often, you would get so much wrong music in return, so for me, I prefered to download/look up movies instead of music. Not sure if Emule or the other pre-Napster sites or clones, is still up. But with Youtube going strong, since 2006, I guess the days of Emule or Napster, is not likely gonna return for my part.
And I still buy lots of movies and music, but more now, through second hand stores, as I never know what to find, and often some of the best hidden gems, have been found that way, but of course, one has to dig a bit further on, and there has also been lots of "non gems" but for such cheap prices, I really cannot complain.

The downside, with having so much to choose or pick from, as we are truly spoilt, when it comes to the extreme portions of music and movies, lying around for free, often in much better quality than the physical releases, and yeah, there sure is a limit to how many films and albums one can watch or listen to, in a week or month.
For me, I would rather fell in love with one great album, which gets better, for each listen, than only listen to a bunch of forgettable/mediocre albums, just once, and then move on, and never really settle down, for a few favorites.
A strong debut album, or a big hit early, can sure do wonders, but as you mentioned, also a lot damage. I guess if bands like Rush had put out 2112, as their debut, or Judas Priest delivered something like British Steel or Screaming for Vengeance much earlier, it is not sure, they would last so long, and hand out so many great albums and songs, over that many decades.

Sometime, it is better to start slow, and then see where it might take you. Could be quite some journey, or it could end up with just a little bright spark, and then it is all over. Anyway, I sure know what I would prefer.



From what I understand, I guess many fans of Rush and Judas Priest, did not like that they shifted away of longer and harder or more complicted songs and music, towards shorter and more synth dominated music and style, yet, I believe of the many, many 70s hard rock, metal and prog rock bands who attempted going a similar way, very few came out, in such a strong and impressive way, as Rush and Judas Priest. They seemed to love the challenge, and accept that in order to keep on going with the times, some huge changes were in need, and while several of the 70s rock and metal acts might have enjoyed a few surprise hits into the 80s, Rush and Judas Priest would deliver great and fantastic albums, over and over, which is surely harder than just handing out a one hit wonder, every now and then.

It is strange, in a fun and interesting way, to see how certain old classics, can go on to live their own life, either through the original versions, or someone else, either through a tv show theme and, maybe being featured in a movie. 
Love and Married, is certainly one of those, that the moment people hear the first seconds, I am sure most who grew up during the 80s and 90s, immediately think of Married With Children, hopefully in a positive way. 

Anyway, as of right now, I am really enjoying digging up a few of the 70s albums of Fleetwood Mac, and I had not heard them since I first got them, around 2006-07. 
Have forgotten how much great songs that were from Tusk (1979), and while I have yet to hear again Rumours (1977), there is such a nice surprise, in the variaty in music and songs, and yeah, this is what I love about music and movies. Sometimes, going backwards, hearing or watching again a film or album, which you liked, but then put away for a long while, and suddenly, many years later on, visiting them again, and it all feels so right. 

Since too many still have a difficulty in keeping distances of 2 meters or 6 feet

Yeah. I heard Craig Nicholls had Asperger's Syndrome but that didn't excuse his violent behaviour or being a prick to people and my Brother In Law has Asperger's and wouldn't hurt a fly and I think with Craig there was a lot more going on than we know but he has said to have made up with his family now and gotten his life back on track and he has gone on to say in interviews he regrets a lot of his past behaviour which is good to see him owning up to and the Vines are still together. It is interesting how some Artists and Bands can be really big and then do things like that and their careers will go down the drain and I forgot to mention Bobby Brown was one of those Artists who never really recovered from the bad reputation he got for being abusive and violent and he had a lot of hits out in the 1980s and early 1990s like 'Every Little Step', 'My Prerogative', 'Roni', 'Don't Be Cruel', 'Two Can Play That Game', 'Get Away' and 'Girl Next Door' New Edition and it is rare when we hear him on the radio or see him on music channels now despite having multiple hits and one band I don't think gets the praise and acknowledgement they deserve 'cause Liam and Noel's bad reputations is Oasis and Oasis are one of the biggest selling Rock and British bands of all time and had heaps of hits out in the 90s and 00s and they were bigger than Nirvana and a lot of boy bands that were around the same time that a lot of Music Critics still praise but are often let out of conversations now because of Liam and Noel's bad attitudes which is a shame 'cause I think they have a lot of great songs and some of their B-Sides are just as good if not better than their singles. 

It is a shame Liam and Noel not getting along caused the band to break up. Although I have surprisingly really liked Liam's solo albums and everybody used to say Noel was the one with the talent but 'As You Were' shows Liam is very talented too and I think we will see them get back together one day 'cause a lot of bands that have broken up always get back together and I think the Beatles would have too at some point had John Lennon not been murdered since him and Paul were getting on with each other again and I liked how the Eagles called their reunion album, 'Hell Freezes Over' 'cause they said when they broke up they wouldn't get back together until that.  

A life without music, now that is something I truly fear, far more than, well, a whole lot of other scary stuff.
I guess when it comes to certain music genres, I might be more of an music decade lover, as the 70s and 80s, surely are the two music eras, where most of my favorite albums and artists, often came out from. Well, the 80s, both in music and movies, are most likely the one I love the most. Been like that, since, well forever, I guess. Yeah, techno and dance, I guess is just as with any other music genre, some you love, some you don't. 

It is kind of funny, how the 80s would hit back, with full force, during the late 90s and far into the 00s. As it has so often been described and ridiculed, over and over, as the "worst" decade, of all time, when it comes to music, fashion and trends. But every other new song or movie I seem to hear or watch, still has that 80s retro vibe going very strong. I mean it is nice and all, but sometimes I feel the whole retro trend seem to underestimate the music and movies of the 80s, and that they just throw in a lot references, some neon lights, synthesizers and big hair, and suddenly it is how "everybody" looked or sounded for about 10 years. Which is of course, as with any decade, far away of the truth.
Bobby Brown, that is a name I guess is most remembered, because of the Frank Zappa hit single, which actually got so big in Norway, that it ended up as one of the most selling singles of 1979 in my country, and then re-released back in 1991, where it almost made it the top of the charts, for a second time.
I think I read somewhere, that Zappa got so tired during the heyday of that tune, as a lot of his new audience, only arrived, cause of that hit single, so he decided to play the same song, for the entire show.   
Well, I guess those who asked for it, surely got it. I believe also Nirvana did something similar, in their peak days with Smells Like Teen Spirit, and got annoyed of people only coming to hear that one song, so they just kept on playing it, and yeah, kind of sad in a funny way, as when you have two so different type of artists, but with such a rich display of variaty and so many other great songs, and then you have people only wanting to hear one song, but at least they paid for hearing their favorite, getting a bit of re-play, live, which I think is not something that happens too often.

Anyway, Bobby Brown, the artist. I only know of, through some of his late 80s hits, and the song which got included to the Ghostbusters II (1989) soundtrack, one I actually liked very much, both film and song. Somehow it seems like many still has a rather negative attitude towards Ghostbusters 2, but I still enjoyed it, very much.

I only have about 2-3 albums of Oasis, but as of lately, I have started digging back into my rather small portion of "Britpop" releases, where as I have just been through with a couple of Blur records. I guess Pulp and Suede, where kind of more of those I liked, where as the whole hype train, surrounding Oasis and Blur, through the british media, back in the 90s, as the next huge rock acts, where not something that got me into either one of them. But I certainly have enjoyed several of the Oasis songs, specially from their first two albums, but around the time they released their third one, I guess the long awaited "masterpiece", which seemed to get perfect reviews, even before it had been released to the music stores, it did not take long, until the positive feedback, all of a sudden, got very nasty, even among some of the die hard Oasis fans.

Blur however, seemed to do everything they could, to get away of the Britpop name, and I thought they put out some very interesting albums, later on.
Anyway, the rivalry between the two groups, always seemed to be rather "friendly", but of course, the media made well use of it, and I guess so did the artists as well.
What I respect about these british rock bands, is that they were a part of a cultural change, when I guess the british just got fed up, with all the american music and fashion, dominating, and decided to take up on the challenge, and do their own thing, which for a while, really hit off well. 
Britpop, big british movies and movie stars, the whole Premier League era, surely were getting bigger and bigger, and then it exploded, when David Beckham became as popular, as some of the biggest pop and movie stars in the world, and it was not just because all these people were good looking, but they backed it up with talent and the will to succeed. And for a while, Britain really were back again, as the dominant giant in the music and movie business.

Well, I guess that is it for today   but always nice chatting up with you, and I am thinking of re-listening to the first two Oasis albums, along with the rest of my Blur CDs, as I am sure there is a reason to why I kept them, for all these years.  
Anyway, have nice weekend, and take care.