Category: Songwriters

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composers hit singles Music music videos photography Songwriters

Eve of Destruction.

The extraordinary, powerful, and, upon its 1965 release, highly controversial composition Eve of Destruction is performed live by vocalist Barry McGuire on the Hullabaloo show. McGuire, after being introduced by Jerry Lewis, delivers an emotionally charged rendition that made ripples—more like tsunami—across the US.

Composer P.F. Sloan recalls a few fascinating and unlikely (as in, almost credulity-straining…yet not) details: during the studio recording session, “Barry was reading it for the first time off a piece of paper I had written the lyric on! Okay. McGuire’s record is released but ‘Eve’ is the B-side. Somewhere in the Great Midwest of America a DJ played the wrong side by mistake!”.

Banned and denounced as unpatriotic, Eve only became more and more popular, most likely benefiting from all the wild, incorrect accusations and censure. Its creator and performer were not so fortunate, however; Sloan:  “It ruined Barry’s career as an artist and in a year I would be driven out of the music business too.”.

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Beta Band composers Geniuses Indie Music music videos Neutral Milk Hotel Songwriters

The Indie Titans.

Iron & Wine

Titans of the Indie music display their awesome gifts. Featuring Neutral Milk Hotel, The Shins, Beta Band, John Vanderslice, Luke Haines, The Mekons, and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

Addendum: Vandaveer, Richard Hawley, Iron and Wine, The Postal Service, Darden Smith, Cats on Fire, Hot Hot Heat, Gledhill, Western States Motels, Decemberists, and Robbers on High Street. And Mercury Rev. And Flaming Lips. And M. Ward.

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Audio composers Music music videos Scott Walker Singers Songwriters vocalists

The Scott Walker.

Track 6.
Man From Reno.
Thanks For Chicago, Mr. James.
The Plague.
It’s Raining Today.
We Came Through.
Little Things That Keep Us Together.
Hero of the War.
Old Man’s Back Again.
World’s Strongest Man.
30 Century Man.
Cowbells Shakin’.
Jackie.
My Death.
Mathilde.
Get Behind Me.
Best of Both Worlds.
Free Again.
Plastic Palace People.
Next.
Montague Terrace.
Shutout.
Ride Me Down Easy.
Such a Small Love.
The Electrician.
Dealer.

The above are audio tracks that span a fairly large time period of Scott Walker’s remarkable body of recorded work.

In My Room.

And a few Walker Brothers masterpieces.

Scott Walker VII

{NOTE: Revised 11/19/2019}

Scott Walker, born Noel Scott Engel, 1943, a musical artist of profound depth and originality, was (and is) a cherished figure for millions worldwide. Reclusive, enigmatic, innovative, Scott occupies a unique place in the pantheon of recording artists. He’s also very near and dear to my own heart. He will be deeply missed.

Many will remember Scott Walker’s sublime work with ballads; many others love his idiosyncratic, Brel-influenced blossoming into a top-notch composer and performer; still more prefer the uneasy, discomfiting terrain and eerie beauty of his later recordings. I’ll remember him for all of it, for everything. There’s no replacing him. We’ll never see his likes again.

Memorial post here.