Friday 5 February 2016

What we're listening to. Clapton '461 Ocean Boulevard'.



So you're thinking, why is there two Albums here? Well, there isn't. Really. Sort of.

'461 Ocean Boulevard' is the Album we're listening to but, on the 'Give me strength' Album, you get the full 461 Album and some more recordings from 74/75. 

So you get extra, geddit?

'461' (as those in 'the know' call it) was Clapton's 2nd 1974 Album after his battle with heroin. In fact, it was the address of the house where he recovered and I think we're right in saying it was owned by Robert Stigwood in Miami, who helped him. 

At that time he was well known from Cream and The Dominos, but this marked a solo departure into Blues. 

'Motherless Children' is a cracking track if not, his best ever. 'I can't hold out' and 'Let it grow' are classics as of course, 'I shot the sheriff' which was the single (written by Bob Marley in 1973). 

The Album is a classic and well regarded and in a way, very summery. The Album for open top driving with a Miami sound. It's bright, interesting and varied but with blues at the core. The versions on the 'Give me strength' Album are at least as good, if not better and the extra tracks mean that it makes more sense to get it.

Still, if you want to hear Clapton at his lethal best, search up 'Further on up the Road'. It's a gem and no more so, than with blistering guitars with Robbie Robertson of The Band, in The Last Waltz

Crank up the sound full blast, sit back, press play and start to dance. Here it is....

  


Previous "listen to's" you'll also find on this blog.......Massive Attack Blue Lines; The Clash London Calling; Chris Isaak At The Filmore; Bob Dylan Street Legal;Bad Company Straight Shooter; Jackson Browne Love is Strange; Lou Reed Transformer; Steely Dan AJA; Stones Black+Blue; Stephen Bishop Careless; Nils Lofgren Night after Night; Mike Oldfield Tubular Bells; Neil Young Harvest; Led Zep 4; David Bowie David Live; Van It's too late to stop now; Wings Band on the run; Rod Stewart Atlantic Crossing; Ryan Adams Heartbreaker; Santana Essential; Bob Dylan Desire; Roxy Music For your pleasure; Bob Marley Legend; Stephen Fretwell Magpie; James Taylor Sweet Baby James; Deep Purple Machine Head; Springsteen Darkness on the edge of town; Leon Bridges Coming Home; Eagles Hotel California; Jungle; Aretha Soul Queen; Neil Young After the Goldrush + Harvest; Zappa Overnite Sensation; Fleetwood Mac Rumours; Keith Jarrett Koln Concert; Doobies Southbound; Stevie Earle I feel alright; Tom Waits Closing Time; Pink Floyd Dark Side; Van Moondance; Eric Church Caught in the Act; Randy Newman Little Criminals; Elton John Madman across the water; Patti Smith Horses; Doobies Captain and Me; Steely Dan Can't Buy a Thrill.

Tuesday 2 February 2016

The world's most valuable company with the world's most ridiculous name.




The world's most valuable company with the world's most ridiculous name launched in 2015.

Alphabet, the company behind Google/YouTube, has overtaken Apple (which starts the Alphabet, A is for...) as the world's most valuable company at circa 544 Billion usd. Apple a poor second at 534 Billion.

Largely on foot of Alphabet posting Q4 Revenues of over 21 Billion usd, coming mainly from Google.

Mind you, they lost 3.6 Billion on other projects in 2015 which still may come in. Basically, upfront investment in future projects.

Still, it's a great performance for a company to be as valuable as country like Belgium. And it's tax domiciled where?