Other
See other Other Articles
Title: What Was The Best Year For Music? David Hepworth Knows the Answer
Source:
Forbes
URL Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/bradaue ... knows-the-answer/#5c8706cc5c5f
Published: Jun 7, 2016
Author: Brad Auerbach
Post Date: 2016-06-07 09:43:10 by Deckard
Keywords: None
Views: 1071
Comments: 2
After launching more than a couple notable music magazines, noted British writer David Hepworth has turned his sights on a pivotal year for music. His book Never a Dull Moment: 1971 sets out his premise cogently, and after finishing its final chapter (each covering a month of that year), it is easy to agree. In our lively chat, I of course led with the question why 1971? “It was the end of Beatles, and a vacant crown existed to be competed for,” was Hepworth’s initial response. But he had much more to say, and I enjoyed the banter. Hepworth continued, “I was there, and rock history is now increasingly written by folks who weren’t there. Music was all we were bothered about, unlike today. Then we had three TV channels, but five weekly music papers. All I wanted as a 21 year old was music. There was nothing on TV, and movies were floundering.” I expressed my jealousy; stateside we had Rolling Stone every other week and a few monthlies (Creem, Circus), but by and large we were starved for printed information about the music we craved. Hepworth pointed out that the British music publications did not cover the US scene. But back to why 1971. Hepworth explained further, “There were two things going on. Creative people were coming up from the 60s, they were hardened but young. And there was this new means of expression, the LP. Creativity in the new medium was meeting a new audience attuned to it. The music business had not become an industry, so it was not yet interested in repeating what had been successful. The sixties had been a singles market. Now the business could sell records to folks older than teenagers. The industry was adventurous, there was no template. And artists were working at a speed unparalleled, mostly because they thought they only had a short time to make a splash.” Ringo always said he hoped to open a few hairdressing salons once the Beatles thing blew over. “Being a rock star is the only job that you can keep doing in your 70s,” noted Hepworth. “It was supposed to be the most ephemeral job you could ever have. No one imagined the future.” Hepworth also noted the spontaneity of the era. “So much was made up on the spur of the moment, such as George Harrison’s Concert for Bangladesh. The modesty of it intrigues me. For Led Zeppelin’s college tour, there was no drum riser. The technology was modest, there were no great theatrics or flash.” Hepworth also instructively pointed out that in the early 70s, there was no urgency for the music fan, there was a sense that the music will find me or vice versa, eventually. We agreed that once you as the music fan made the decision to buy the album, you almost needed to like the purchase back then. Now the music is free, if recorded…but not free if consumed live. We chuckled at the price point differential in concert tickets, me mentioning how I struggled mightily on whether to spend $4, $5 or $6 to see Led Zeppelin. Apparently, I could not afford to splurge. A Stairway to Heaven in Buffalo was not too expensive for us back in the day. Hepworth and I readily concurred that never again will music have the focus it had then. “You would set up a record player before you sorted out how to cook in your new flat. The scarcity of music made it valuable, yet it was an achievable luxury. We simply weren’t bothered about anything else. Adopting the fashionable style of dress in 1971 was sheer neglect. That’s simply not the case in subsequent generations.” Today, attending a concert or Coachella is a far more studied process in terms of attire. It was clear Hepworth and I enjoyed being in our echo chamber. “This music from 1971 is listened to more often than any other. Each generation seems to come back to it. It was made by people going in a room and playing, with good recording engineers. The music sounds very live and warm.” After reflecting on the wonderful storytelling in Hepworth’s book and our lively dialogue, it is easy to conclude that music is simply not as front and center as it used to be. Although more people are listening to more music than ever before due to God’s iPod (a/k/a Spotify), it no longer holds the central focus of interest that it did in 1971. Plus which, those artists had a really good audience. >>>>>>><<<<<<< What do you think, will music being made today be listened to as often and as fondly as the music from 1971? A partial list of songs that argue in favor of 1971 being the best year for music. It is hard to imagine any other 12 month period has or will result in a playlist as compelling as this one: The Who – Baba O’Riley Rod Stewart – Mandolin Wind The Rolling Stones – Moonlight Mile Elton John – Tiny Dancer Van Morrison – Wild Night Marvin Gaye – Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) Sly & The Family Stone – Family Affair The Allman Brothers Band – Statesboro Blues – Live At The Fillmore East/1971 Carole King – It’s Too Late Joni Mitchell – Little Green Led Zeppelin – Stairway to Heaven, Going to California David Bowie – Changes The Doors – Riders On The Storm T. Rex – Life’s A Gas Yes – I’ve Seen All Good People: a. Your Move, b. All Good People Yes – Roundabout Paul McCartney – Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey Janis Joplin – Mercedes Benz Cat Stevens – Tuesday’s Dead John Prine – Illegal Smile David Crosby – Laughing Stephen Stills – Change Partners Graham Nash – Wounded Bird Neil Young – Helpless – Live At Massey Hall 1971 The Beach Boys – ‘Til I Die Jimi Hendrix – Angel Gene Clark – For A Spanish Guitar Randy Newman – Tickle Me The Kinks – Muswell Hillbilly Nilsson – Without You Santana – Toussaint L’Overture Alice Cooper – Under My Wheels Dolly Parton – Coat Of Many Colors Bill Withers – Ain’t No Sunshine Don McLean – American Pie James Taylor – Hey Mister, That’s Me Up On The Jukebox Emerson, Lake & Palmer – Pictures At An Exhibition: The Great Gates Of Kiev – Live At Newcastle City Hall, 1971 Kris Kristofferson – The Pilgrim – Chapter 33 Flamin’ Groovies – Teenage Head Todd Rundgren – We Gotta Get You A Woman Aretha Franklin – Oh Me Oh My [I'm A Fool For You Baby] J.J. Cale – Call Me The Breeze Isaac Hayes – Theme From Shaft Little Feat – Brides Of Jesus The Move – Do Ya Electric Light Orchestra – 10538 Overture Al Green – I Can’t Get Next To You Stevie Wonder – Never Dreamed You’d Leave In Summer Leon Russell – Stranger In A Strange Land Michael Nesmith And The First National Band – Grand Ennui Traffic – The Low Spark Of High-Heeled Boys James Brown – Hot Pants (She Got To Use What She Got To Get What She Wants) The Staple Singers – Respect Yourself John Lennon – Jealous Guy Bee Gees – How Can You Mend A Broken Heart? Carly Simon – Anticipation Frank Zappa – Peaches En Regalia – Live At Fillmore East / 1971 Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks – Shorty Falls In Love – Live (1971 Troubadour) The Chi-Lites – Have You Seen Her Faces – Had Me A Real Good Time Hot Tuna – Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning The Band – Life Is A Carnival CCL -1.42% Steeleye Span – When I Was On Horseback Steve Goodman – City Of New Orleans Jethro Tull – Aqualung America – Ventura Highway New Riders Of The Purple Sage – Glendale Train The Hollies – Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress) The Moody Blues – The Story In Your Eyes Linda Ronstadt – Rock Me On The Water The Temptations – Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me) Johnny Cash – Man In Black Ike & Tina Turner – Proud Mary 
FILE – In this Feb. 18, 1964, file photo, the Beatles, from left, Ringo Starr, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Paul McCartney spar up to Muhammad Ali, or Cassius Clay at the time, while visiting the heavyweight contender at his training camp in Miami Beach, Fla. Ali, the magnificent heavyweight champion whose fast fists and irrepressible personality transcended sports and captivated the world, has died according to a statement released by his family Friday, June 3, 2016. He was 74. (AP Photo/File)
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
#1. To: Deckard (#0)
(Edited)
Hard to argue with that great playlist, but the quote above is utterly ridiculous.
I would also have listed these among the best. Ohio - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Walk Away - James Gang. Hymn #43 - Jethro Tull. Jump Into The Fire - Nilsson. Maggie May - Rod Stewart. I'd Love to Change The World - Ten Years After. Ball of Confusion - The Temptations. Move Over - Janis Joplin. Low Spark of High Heeled Boys - Traffic.
“Being a rock star is the only job that you can keep doing in your 70s,” noted Hepworth.
Let's see Neil Diamond hit those high notes today.
#2. To: Deckard (#0)
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
[Home] [Headlines] [Latest Articles] [Latest Comments] [Post] [Mail] [Sign-in] [Setup] [Help] [Register]