Music Links
Here are some links to sites featuring artisits, bands, and composers whose music has inspired me, informed me, or just made me tap my toes joyously. As much as possible I've tried to list official sites, although there are some very good unofficial sites out there as well. As might be expected many of the names listed here will be unfamiliar to many of my visitors. But don't worry--just because something isn't in the Billboard Hot 100 doesn't mean it isn't good music. So surrender to your curiosity and click a link or two--come on, I dare you!
Fred Frith:
Founding member of the legendary '70s British band, Henry Cow, multi-instrumentalis/composer Fred Frith has been the purveyer of some of the most unique and original music the world has heard in the last 30+ years. A (very) short list of artists Frith has worked with includes Brian Eno, The Residents, John Zorn , Bill Laswell, Bongwater, Heny Kaiser, Amy Denio, and Rebby Sharp. Visit his site to find ut what has been happening, what is happening, and what will happen next. And if you ever have the opportunity to see this guy play live, cancel all other plans and go cheek him out. I promise you have never heard music like this in your life--unless you've already heard Frith.
Click here to visit Fred's official site.
Guided By Voices:
Psychedelic rangers from Dayton, Ohio. Catchy melodies, obtuse lyrics, and guitar chords that you may never be able to figure out. The official GBV site features bio, news, pictures, lyrics, guitar tabulature, and other cool stuff. Especially noteworthy are the MP3 files you can download of rare live performances and such. Free music is your best entertainment value!
Click here to visitGBV.com.
Sonic Youth:
The ULTIMATE guitar band! I saw them in Portland, Oregon in July of 2000 and it was the best concert I've ever seen--my ribs were vibrating like tuning forks. The offical site features all the usuals--news, pictures, bios, etc. There are also free MP3 files of rare and out-of-print material. Very nice of SY to share their music with the world this way. Kill yr idols if you must, but visit this site first.
Click here to visit the official SY site.
Robert Fripp/King Crimson:
No musician has had a more profound influence on my music or my life than guitar virtuoso, Robert Fripp. Since founding King Crimson in 1968, Fripp has been a stalwart on the progressive music scene. Gifted with a a degree of intelligence quite rare in rock musicians, Fripp is bound to say things that will make you think. Elephant Talk is the official site for all things Fripp and Crimson. Interviews, pictures, news, and other goodies can be had by clicking the link below. Do it now!
Click here to visit Elepahnt Talk.
Tori Amos:
They don't come any more original than Tori. She is, quite simply, one of the best songwriters of our time. Check out her official site for information on the Tori Universe. Oh, while you're ther, sign up for the mailing list and get really groovy stuff in your email.
Click here to visit Tori Amos Dot Com.
They Might Be Giants:
TMBG have been making their own band of catchy, quirky music since the mid-1980s. You may have heard them on NPR's This American Life or playing the theme song to the Fox series, Malcolm In The Middle. Their sound is unique (but very accessible) and their lyrics betray a truly original view of the world around them (and us!).
Click here to visit They Might Be Giants.
The Residents:
Purveyors of what has been described as "the most determinedly repellant music ever played", The Residents are definitely an acquired taste. I acquired the taste 10 seconds into my first hearing of their music. They have been making records for more than 30 years, yet have managed to keep their identities secret from the general public the whole time. Rich and famous would be nice, but rich and unknown is better. Then again, since I don't know who hey actually are I have no way of knowing if they're rich or not. Well, they ought to be!
Click here to visit RZ Web, The Offical Unoffical Guide to The Works of The Residents.
Harry Partch:
Hobo, poet, carpentar, and composer of some of the most compelling and original music of the 20th centruy, the late Harry Partch was a true visionary. His music was so outside of the mainstream belief about what music should be that Partch had to create his own instruments on which to perform his compositions. Corporeal Meadows is a site devoted to Partch's music. Especially cool is the photo gallery featuring pictures of some of the instruments Partch constructed. These rare, one-of-a-kind instruments, quite apart from the incrdible music they were used to create, stand alone as beautiful works of art. Partch once described himself as "a woodworker trapped in a composer's body" (I think I've got the quote right). And if you can find any of his music check it out. But be warned--anyone who divides the octave up into 47 tones is bound to ruffle more than a few feathers. Don't delay--get ruffled today!
Click here to visit Corporeal Meadows.
Björk:
For me it was love at first listen. Björk's voice is one of my favorite sounds in the world. I wouldn't have thought my esteem for her could go up any further, but when I heard that filthy right-wing hate-monger, O'Reilly, from Fox News (now there's an oxymoron for you!) speak disparagingly of her a few months ago, it only made me love her all the more.
Click here to visit the Offical Björk site
Robyn Hitchcock:
One of rock music's best sonwriters, Hitchcock has been playing almost non-stop since founding The Soft Boys in the mid-1970s. With his band, The Egyptians (featuring ex-Sofies, Andy Metcalfe and Morris Windsor) he recorded some of the most delicious music of the '80s/'90s. Hitchcock is now a solo performer. His ability to combine quirky, surreal lyrics with beautiful melodis makes him both arty and accessible at the same time. I have introduced numerous friends to his music over the years and have never gotten a negative reaction. I have more than 20 of his albums in my record collection--you should too
Click here to visit The Museum Of Robyn Hitchcock.