Black Sabbath - Paranoid

YOURZ

Heh, this was the shit when I was a lad.  So bad, in fact, I dared not speak the band's name around my conservative Catholic mother.  Status Quo was fine, AC/DC were okay and even KISS got past her.  But I had to rely on friends copies this classic in order to hear it.  

I remember sitting on the front steps of my mate Mick's place after a long summer afternoon, sharing a sneaky cigarette and listening to music on his Dad's quadraphonic system.  This was one of the LPs we'd listen to then and listening now takes me right back there.  

I love that this record still makes me headbang even though I hardly have the long locks of youth to flay around like I used to do.  It is, without a doubt, my favourite type of metal.  And while there have been so many great bands after them and despite Ozzy parading his tragic family in front of television cameras for the world to see, there will only ever be one Black Sabbath. 

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

So, when I was about 15 or so, there was a group of girls I went to school with and we used to get together every couple of weeks to smoke weed.  We'd meet up at Bernie's place, more often than not, because she used to hold for us (plus we were buying the stuff off her brother) and we'd smoke and eat (her mother was the most amazing baker of pies) and play records.  Mostly her brother's records.  So there was Dark Side of the Moon and Kiss and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.

Then many years later there was a TV show called The Osbournes which both delighted and horrified me.  And now there's re-listening to Paranoid, which made me realise, he had an amazing voice, didn't he?  But apart from War Pigs (nearly eight minutes, that takes balls for an opening number) and Paranoid, I don't really know this album at all.  And it's not really my kind of thing.  But we need this in out collection.  Gives us gravitas, I think.

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

For more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Sabbath but there's a bunch of fan sites, too

Jeff Buckley - Grace (Legacy Edition)

YOURZ

Oh fuck, where do I start?  There has been so much written about Jeff Buckley, so many emotional platitudes, it would seem almost redundant for me to add my own to the myriad voices.

So I guess I should start by admitting a stupid mistake and quite possibly one of the few musical regrets I have (I'm generally of the belief that regret is just another hangover of my long-abandoned Catholic upbringing so I try to have a few as possible).

As I've previously mentioned, I have worked for various music publications (read: street press) over the years.  In this capacity, I have interviewed and reviewed many artists.  The benefits for doing this have been free music, names on guest lists and passes into lots of sold out shows and occasionally getting to talk to a cool creative person.

While I never spoke to Jeff Buckley, I did receive a call to review a gig on what would be his last tour of Australia.  Of course, I jumped at the chance.  But, as events conspired against me, I had to abandon my tickets to a lesser mortal in favour of staying home and nursing a sick girlfriend (yeah, I know, I'm soft like this). (Mine says: thank goodness it wasn't ME folks!)  Of course, the rest is a tragic story of yet another incredible talent taken before he even got properly started and yet another on the list of could have seen but didn't, damn it!

When ever I think about this, that little pang I have worked so hard to suppress grabs my testicles and gives them a good shake.  (I'm kind of sorry for putting that picture in your head but also kinda not hahahaha...)  At least I got to see Nirvana.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

This is actually one of the occasions where I've behaved kind of like YourZ.  When he and all his friends told me I'd LOVE Jeff Buckley, I was a little "well how do you know that?" about it.  But it's obvious - the man had so much talent I defy anyone to be "meh" about him.

My husband's mate Dave (hi Dave!) tells the best story about his Buckley obsession.  When he was living in Melbourne, he lived in a block of flats and played this album over and over again.  I guess it was part of his musical therapy after a break-up.  Anyway, the playing got to be a bit much for one of the other residents, who sent him a note headed: Dear Jeff Buckley Fan and begging him to play something - ANYthing else for a while, even though the music was gorgeous. (YourZ sez: oh, I'd forgotten about that story - good one, hon.  It still makes me smile)

I can understand why anyone would feel this way about him - after having the obligatory listen to Grace before writing this review, I loved it so much I started at the beginning and went through it again.  It's so beautiful...

I've just had an "Of course" moment about Lilac Wine - after asking YourZ if it's a Trad. Arr. song he wasn't sure, but now Mr Google's told me where I've heard it before - one of my friends was a mad Elkie Brooks fan and it's one of her hits!

VERDICT: TURN IT UP (again and again and again)

For more information: http://www.jeffbuckley.com/

In our collection we also have: Sketches for my Sweetheart the Drunk, Live at the Olympia, and another copy of Grace because it contains a bonus Australian tour EP.