It's February 3, 2002 as I begin writing this editorial; lord knows when I'll actually finish it. I felt the need to pass on some sort of positivity this time around and not be as curmudgeonly as I have been. This is only a temporary suspension of the aforementioned virtues and will be back, in even greater force, next time around.
I decided to highlight artists that have either influenced me musically or simply brought some vestige of joy into my life over the years. The following is a small list of artists that, in a perfect world, would dominate the pop charts; or more appropriately, still dominate the pop charts.
Jerry Reed - One of the funkiest guitarist ever; and he's a country artist! This guy possesses the most jaw-dropping 'chicken-pickin' technique but it's his unbelievable rhythm that ends up knocking me out. To top that, he's also a witty, charismatic singer that has written hundreds of songs with many of them being hit singles. Elvis even had a hit with one of his songs! Hell, he's even an actor who's most famous role was that of 'Snowman' in the "Smokey and the Bandit" films. Do yourself a favour; get one of his albums; he's amazing. It's enough to make us forgive him for "Smokey and the Bandit 3".
King's X - They did the heavy detuned guitar riffs YEARS before anyone else and they still do it better than everyone else. They have great songs with lyrics that actually mean something, a keen sense of melody, catchy three-part harmony vocals and with all that, they still manage to ROCK! One of the most striking aspects of the King's X sound is the contrast between Doug Pinnick's soulful voice and the pretty, Beatles-esque, harmonies of Ty Tabor and Jerry Gaskill. Its' such a unique sound, that it saddens me to think how many are unaware of their talents. At the very least, grab the group's "Best Of" collection or self titled album from 1992; it will be money well spent.
The Thompson Twins - I don't care what anyone thinks; Tom Bailey is one of the coolest pop stars to emerge from the 80's. Not only did he have the tunes, he had the looks, the hair and the outfits to go along with it! One thing that I've always noticed about Tom Bailey is that he never sounded like anyone else, like it or not, he was always in his own league. Great songs, great vibe - I love this band. I think I'll start wearing my Swatches again.
Peter Murphy - Unbelievable, that's all I can say. Powerful, magical and sublimely beautiful, this is the type of performer we should be seeing on MTV and concert stages. Listening to Peter Murphy, I can't help but be moved by the passion conveyed in his voice or the gorgeous songs he writes. If I can create something half as beautiful as this, then I should be pretty happy, for he is truly the yardstick by which I measure all of my musical accomplishments.
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