Peter's best Classic Rock recordings/cds/remasters

[crisnee]

Btw Chris, did you recognize that the (your) flute is a typicle instrument for beginning 70's (psychedelic) music ?

I don't know how they got that in, but at some stage (don't know what year) it disappeared again too. It doesn't seem to fit the type of music; too classical. But it was profound. Some verry explicit (like Focus, or Back Home from the Golden Earring).

Peter

No I didn't. The only flute I knew of in popular music was Jethro Tull, Yusef Lateef and Herbie Mann, none of which I particularly loved. although Yusef had a few moments and Herbie one album I really liked (At the Village Gate--I think) but the flute playing wasn't particularly terrific or terrific sounding. Actually, suddenly I hear a song in my head, my feet are tapping... (I must have an audiophile quality head) "Going up Country," Canned Heat.

Any of it any good? Golden Earring sounds familiar but I can't place them. Or is it the Steely Dan song I'm thinking of? I used to play a few folk bars wtih folkies and the streets, oops another song is sounding as I write, although I think it was recorder. Jefferson Airplane second album, and LOVE, right? Or am I dreamin'? It's late as usual. I also improvised Vivaldi while people ate at the West Bank Cafe in NYC. I say Vivaldi, because diners asked me if what I was playing was Vivaldi. So... it was.

Coincidentally I went to a concert today (rare event in my parts these days) of flute and organ (church organ). I'm not terribly fond of flute any more, but this was terrific. Who would have thought that organ and flute would go together. When done right, they go together, don't you doubt it young fella! Wow, it was really touching and moving and quite beautiful in parts. Benedetto Marcello or Marcello Benedetto, who knows with them thar Baroque Italians, and a great 8 note octave modern piece by the organist, John Weaver. And of course Bach, but you knew that.

Hey, I'm just sharing, that's what you do here in the U.S., especially in kindergarten and pre-school.

-Chris

[PeterSt]

All the examples you mention "do the flute" indeed. But with Love as the example (you didn't recognize at first), it's about all of them from that era. Pink Floyd not though (of what my mind tells me).

It also seems to imply that everybody could play the flute. Is it that easy ?

Maybe it is something like those (Indie ?) "snake swearers", where the flute does wonders (but this is about another type of flute of course). Fits "psychedelic" quite well ...

Peter

[pedal]

Flute trivia: Peter Gabriel picked up the flute to "have something to do" while the rest of Genesis did their usual 15min instrumental thing.

Quite a few english rock bands featured the flute. Camel, Genesis, King Crimson, Gentle Giant and of course Jethro Tull. Even mighty Led Zeppelin!

I guess it is their folk music heritage, combined with the fact that many of the british prog rock musicans had proper classical music education.

[crisnee]

It also seems to imply that everybody could play the flute. Is it that easy ?

Peter

Here's what my friends said at the time about the flute after trying to play it. "How the hell do you get any sound out of this thing?" Having said that; it's a lot easier than the piano.

Pedal, Led Zeppelin, really? What album, what track? I'll have to give it a listen, as I probably have the track.

-Chris


California Dreaming, Mas and Pas

[crisnee]

So, I started thinking just before going to sleep, so why did the flute suddenly appear in popular music?

Here's why (I think). Because it is the most convenient of the intruments that can be played solo to good effect and is also a nice accompaniment instrument.

The other instruments that fit into the musical category include the other woodwinds, maybe the trumpet but probably not, the piano, violin, viola, harp, harpsichord and that's about it.

Of these instruments the only ones reasonably portable (and therefore even a possibility for winning the convenience award) are the woodwinds, violin, viola and trumpet. Of these remaining instruments the flute (and recorder) is the most convenient because it doesn't involve reeds, or two parts (bow and instrument) and relative fragility. After all a good hippie wanted it here and now, good and ready, and easy, which is why the recorder was even more popular out in the fields of Woodstock and other idyllic spots.

The instruments left out altogether are either too loud, too low or high in range, or non-melodic (drums, triangle etc.).

That's my theory and I'm sticking to it.

-Chris

[pedal]

Pedal, Led Zeppelin, really? What album, what track? I'll have to give it a listen, as I probably have the track.

Well, Chris, it's "the most famous rock song in the world"... Tease, tease.

[PeterSt]

I have been thinking about it too, *knowing* that I heard it the other day. But it won't come upfront in my mind.

But if you talk about a famous rock song ... it should be Stairway to Heaven. Yes, I think I hear that flute now in my mind ...

[manisandher]

Yep, absolutely no question about StH having a flute at the beginning.

Mani.

[christoffe01]

I don't know how they got that in, but at some stage (don't know what year) it disappeared again too. It doesn't seem to fit the type of music; too classical. But it was profound. Some verry explicit (like Focus, or Back Home from the Golden Earring).

Peter

Hi Peter,

"Living In the Past" by Jethro Tull was ................... .

Joachim