Friday 25 August 2017

What we're listening to: Glen Campbell 'Rhinestone Cowboy'


Not to recognise the passing of Glen Campbell would be a disgrace and indeed, of course, his Albums have got a sales spike following his death. 

What we noted last week, was that the great Dwight Yoakam highlighted this 1967 record as his key moment - the music he grew up on - "By the time I get to Phoenix". And the Album cover is a classic.

But...we would also suggest that you look at this too.



He created an extraordinary 60 Studio Albums and 7 Live Albums but the best way to hear him (if you're not a die hard fan) is this 'Rhinestone Cowboy' a "best of". There's another of the same name so look for this Album cover above. 

There's so many songs and of course, Jimmy Webb songs including 'By the time I get to Phoenix' which is still very difficult to listen to. 

On 'Rhinestone Cowboy' you'll get 'Dreams of an everyday housewife', 'Galveston', 'Mary in the Morning' and in our view, his best ever song, 'Wichita Lineman'. 

Born in Arkansas 1936, he was the 7th of 12 children on a farm growing cotton. 

He moved to LA in 1960 to become a session man having played in local bands. 

His guitar work was so good, he worked with Bobby Darin, Nat King Cole, The Monkees, Frank Sinatra, Phil Spector and of course, Elvis. That's some line-up and only a part of it - that's how good he was.

In 1964 he became part of The Beach Boys, filing in for Brian Wilson no less. 

You probably didn't know that Glen's the guitarist on 'Pet Sounds'. 

Married 4 times, 5 Daughters/3 Sons, he had problems with Cocaine and Alcoholism. 

He died of course of Alzheimer's having been diagnosed in 2011 which prompted his 'goodbye' Album, "Ghost on the Canvas" (a further record "Adios" was released this year). He died in Nashville (where else) on August 8th.  

We count 21 Grammy awards.......and such a list of tributes, it's hard not to think that he was so well liked. A superb body of work.

The best track ever - His still on the line...1968 Jimmy Webb, here you go. 





Previous "listen to's" you'll also find on this blog (you can search them in the Search top left on the Blog)......Rory Gallagher 'Live in Europe': Michael Jackson 'Thriller': Daft Punk 'Discovery': DJ Dimitri 'Disco Forever': John Martyn 'Grace & Danger': Peter Gabriel 'So': Crowded House 'Woodface': Springsteen 'Born to Run': ACDC 'Back in Black': Grace Jones 'Nighclubbing': Stevie Wonder 'Songs in the key of life': The Cars 'The Cars': Billy Joel '52nd Street': Beatles 'Sgt Pepper': Tom Petty 'Damn the Torpedoes': World Party 'Bang': Eric Clapton 'Slowhand':John Mayer 'Room for Squares': Ry Cooder 'Bop til you drop': Jon&Vangelis 'Friends of Mr. Cairo': Mary Chapin 'Come on, Come on': Frank Zappa 'Joe's Garage': Joni Mitchell 'Blue': Steve Gibbons 'Caught in the Act': Elton John 'Tumbleweed Connection': Elton John 'Honky Chateau': Gallagher & Lyle 'Breakaway': Warren Zevon 'Excitable Boy': Donald Fagen 'The Nightfly': Supertramp 'Breakfast in America': George Michael 'Listen without predujice': Radiohead 'The Bends': Beyonce 'Lemonade' Album of the year 2016: Oddisee 'The mix Tape': Soul 11 Soul 'Club Classics': Jennifer Warnes 'Famous Blue Raincoat':Art Garfunkel 'Watermark': REM 'Out of Time': Van 'Keep me Singing': Frank Sinatra 'Songs for Swinging Lovers': Al Stewart 'Year of the Cat': Stevie Ray Vaughan 'Texas Flood':Frank Ocean 'Blond': Jimmy Buffett 'Son of a Sailor': Marc Cohn 'Marc Cohn': Bill Withers 'Complete Sussex and Columbia': Hendrix 'Electric Ladyland': ABC 'Lexicon of Love': Rickie Lee Jones 'Rickie Lee Jones': Billy Joel "Glass Houses": Rodriguez "Cold Fact": Prefab Sprout 'Steve McQueen'; Chet Baker 'Live 64-79'; The Stone Roses 'Stone Roses'; Joe Jackson 'I'm the Man'; Oasis 'Morning Glory'; Bob Dylan 'At The Budokan'; Van "It's too late to stop now Volume 2/3/4"; Air 'Moon Safari'; Talking Heads 'Stop Making Sense'; Lynyrd Skynyrd 'One for the road'; Marvin Gaye 'Whats Goin on'; Mercury Rev 'Deserters Songs'; Dave Matthews 'Crash'; Beyonce 'Lemonade'; Prince 'Sign O the times'; Daft Punk 'Random Access Memories'; Amy Winehouse 'Back to Black';Police 'Outlandos D'Amour'; Michael Jackson 'Off the Wall'; Carole King 'Tapestry'; Beatles 'Red Album'; Sex Pistols 'Never mind the Bollocks'; Sam Cooke 'Live at Harlem Square'; The Doors 'LA Woman'; Thin Lizzy 'Live & Dangerous'; Kendrick Lamarr 'Butterfly'; Aretha Franklin 'Amazing Grace'; Clapton '461'; 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 Morrison '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' ; 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 Morrison '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'.

Thursday 24 August 2017


Yeah we know, but the weekend that's in it.

It's not exactly Carlos Santana or The Dan but as they go, this is catchy in a jingle way. And actually, we all liked it here in Streamabout. 

Big shout out to our man Darragh McCarthy filming McGregor's fight for Showtime/HBO in Vegas. The last we heard was an Instagram pic of him and Snoop Dog....we'll be watching the footage and criticising afterwards. 

Be sure of it.