Stuck for a record cover idea?

This week’s record cover display celebrates the fall back plan of what to do when you have no idea for a record cover.

Sincerely L.Cohen. PS. Wish You Were Here

I’ve got lots of tales of how I discovered this singer or that band and todays Song for a Friday is one such tale.

To be a Big Star

Sad news this week with the passing of Andy Hummel, the orginal Bass player from one of my favourite bands Big Star. Don’t worry if you have never heard of them, because most people haven’t. Nevertheless Big Star were a truly incredible band with the most inappropriate name, since they never were Big Stars.

Earlier this year, there was the passing of Alex Chilton the main man behind Big Star (Chris Bell, the other former main man in the band died many years ago), and so all up this has not been a good year for fans of Big Star. Last year at least saw a box set released to commemorate the group, so there has been recognition in the lifetime of some members.

All of which brings us to today’s song and I am sorry that it is not the rocking happy song you might have been expecting for a Friday, but this one goes out to the memory of Andy. As the bassist he didn’t write a lot of songs but the few he did I think were fantastic and one of them is amongst my favourite Big Star songs.

So here it is Way Out West; a song of aching and longing and wishes, with that unmistakable  powerpop jangle.

 

I promise the song next week will be more upbeat, but, as Leonard Cohen once pointed out, people tend to remember the sad songs more; I know I do.

Reflections

This is one Vinyl Triptych that really works best in real life. The Uriah Heep album has a reflective surface that acts as a mirror.