FabricationsHQ - Putting the Words to the Music
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    • 2019 Featured Album Reviews >
      • Fat-Suit - Waifs & Strays
      • Wayward Sons - The Truth Ain't What it Used to Be
      • Flying Colors - Third Degree
      • Steve Hackett - Genesis Revisited Band & Orchestra: Live
      • Burnt Out Wreck - This is Hell
      • Runrig - The Last Dance
      • Scarlet Rebels - Show Your Colours
      • The Blind Lemon Gators - Gatorville
      • Bruce Springsteen - Western Stars
      • Sweet Oblivion Feat. Geoff Tate
      • Rebecca Downes - More Sinner Than Saint
      • Stray - Mudanzas
      • Snarky Puppy - Immigrance
      • Aaron Buchanan And The Cult Classics - The Man With Stars On His Knees
    • 2018 Featured Album Reviews >
      • Simon Thacker's Svara-Kanti - Trikala
      • Jason Becker - Triumphant Hearts
      • Duncan Chisholm - Sandwood
      • Jawbone - Jawbone
      • Steve Perry - Traces
      • Sari Schorr - Never Say Never
      • Joe Bonamassa - Redemption
      • Ben Poole - Anytime You Need Me
      • Hawkwind - Road To Utopia
      • Rainbreakers - Face To Face
      • Frequency Drift - Letters to Maro
      • JCM - Heroes
      • Dana Fuchs - Love Lives On
      • Joe Bonamassa - British Blues Explosion Live
      • W.E.T. - Earthrage
      • The King Lot - A World Without Evil
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  • Selected 2020 Gig Reviews...
    • Jared James Nichols - Garage G2, Glasgow
    • Oscar Cordoba Band - Blue Arrow, Glasgow
    • Rebecca Downes Band - The Ice Box, Glasgow
    • Ben Poole Trio - Room 2, Glasgow
    • Sensational Alex Harvey Experience - DreadnoughtRock, Bathgate
    • The Aristocrats - Liquid Rooms, Edinburgh
    • Fat Suit - Drygate, Glasgow
    • Francis Dunnery's It Bites - St Lukes, Glasgow
  • Selected 2019 Gig Reviews...
    • WinterStorm Rock Weekender IV - Troon
    • Hawkwind - 02 Academy, Glasgow
    • Opeth - SWG3 Galvanizers, Glasgow
    • Félix Rabin - Nice 'N' Sleazy Glasgow
    • Anchor Lane - G2, Glasgow
    • Stray - Backstage at the Green, Kinross
    • Danny Bryant - Backstage at the Green, Kinross
    • Talon - Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow
    • Lifesigns - Smiles of Musical Travel
    • A Whole Lotta Rock 3 - featuring Rattlesnake Tattoo, Prestwick
    • Chantel McGregor - Hard Rock Cafe Glasgow
    • Pete Way Band - Customs House Hotel, Greenock
    • Raintown and Katee Kross - Village Theatre, East Kilbride
    • Danny Vaughn - DreadnoughtRock, Bathgate
    • NR Rocks 2019 - DreadnoughtRock, Bathgate
    • Arran Rock 'N' Blues Fest 2019
    • Cheap Trick - 02 Academy, Glasgow
    • The Blind Lemon Gators - Tolboth, Stirling
    • Midnight Oil - 02 Brixton Academy, London
    • Ana Popovic - Oran Mor, Glasgow
    • Joe Bonamassa - SEC Armadillo, Glasgow
    • Eden's Curse - The Garage G2, Glasgow
    • Félix Rabin - Nice N Sleazy, Glasgow
    • Her Way to Hell - DreadnoughtRock, Bathgate
    • The Quireboys and FM - The Garage, Glasgow
    • Erja Lyytinen - Backstage at the Green, Kinross
    • Wille & The Bandits - Hug & Pint, Glasgow
    • Sari Schorr - Oran Mor, Glasgow
    • Frankie Miller's Full House - Oran Mor, Glasgow
    • A Whole Lotta Rock 2 featuring Brian Downey's Alive and Dangerous, Prestwick
    • John Verity Band - Borders Blues Club, Innerleithen
    • King King (with Sari Schorr) - 02 Academy, Glasgow
    • Burnt Out Wreck (with Scarlet Rebels) - Hard Rock Cafe, Glasgow
    • Buckcherry / Hoobastank / Adelita's Way - SWG3 Glasgow
  • Muirsical Conversations...
    • John Verity (September 2020)
    • Steve Hackett (July 2020)
    • Gary Moat (March 2020)
    • Steve Hackett (October 2019)
    • Rebecca Downes (May 2019)
    • Ben Poole & Wayne Proctor (January 2019)
    • Dan Reed (November 2018)
    • Del Bromham (October 2018)
    • Brian Downey (September 2018)
    • Raintown - Paul Bain & Claire McArthur Bain (May 2018)
    • Hamilton Loomis (December 2017)
    • Alan Nimmo (October 2017)
    • Erja Lyytinen (September 2017)
    • Suzi Quatro (September 2017)
    • Biff Byford (August 2017)
    • Dan Patlansky (June 2017)
    • Graham Bonnet (May 2017)
    • Simon Thacker (April 2017)
    • Sari Schorr (March 2017)
    • Stevie Nimmo (February 2017)
    • Dan Reed (February 2017)
    • Adam Norsworthy (January 2017)
    • Colin James (December 2016)
    • John Lees (October 2016)
    • Sari Schorr (August 2016)
    • Mike Vernon (August 2016)
    • Wayne Proctor (July 2016)
    • Laurence Jones (April 2016)
    • Chantel McGregor (March 2016)
    • John Young (January 2016)
    • Michael Schenker (November 2015)
    • Martin Barre (October 2015)
    • Chris Norman (September 2015)
    • Joanne Shaw Taylor (August 2015)
    • Fee Waybill (July 2015)
    • Ian Anderson (June 2015)
    • John Lodge (June 2015)
    • John Lawton (May 2015)
    • Steve Hackett (May 2015)
    • Manny Charlton (April 2015)
    • Ben Poole (April 2015)
    • Alan Nimmo (February 2015)
    • Popa Chubby (December 2014)
    • Paul Young (July 2014)
    • Bernie Shaw (June 2014)
    • Lee Kerslake (December 2013)
    • Pat Travers (September 2013)
    • Steve Hunter (August 2013)
    • Joy Dunlop (March 2013)
    • Gwyn Ashton (Dec. 2012)
    • Greg Lake (October 2012)
    • Ned Evett (August 2012)
    • Steven Lindsay (July 2012)
    • Dave Cureton (June 2012)
    • Jon Anderson (May 2012)
    • Jeremey Frederick Hunsicker (March 2012)
    • Amy Schugar (Feb. 2012)
    • Robert Fleischman (November 2011)
    • Ivan Drever (Sep. 2011)
    • Michael Sadler (June 2011)
    • James Evans (April 2011)
    • Alyn Cosker (Nov. 2010)
    • Scott Higham (Nov. 2010)
    • Kevin Chalfant (Oct. 2010)
    • Francis Dunnery (Sep. 2010)
    • Duncan Chisholm (Aug 2010)
    • Barbara Rubin (July 2010)
    • Alan Reed (June 2010)
  • Muirsical Q&A with...
    • Félix Rabin (February 2020)
    • Chantel McGregor (August 2019)
    • Greig Taylor (July 2019)
    • Adam Norsworthy (June 2019)
    • Erja Lyytinen (March 2019)
  • Muirsical Articles...
    • 2019AB?
    • The Fool Guitar - The Fool Story
    • Alex Harvey - Framed in Words. And pictures
    • Journey - That Time Forgot
    • KISS - Elder Statesmen, Elder Statement?
    • Phil Lynott - Remembering Pt. 3
    • Freddie Mercury - The Days of His Life
    • Gary Moore - Last Exit
    • Mott - Without any of the Hoople-la
    • Muirsical Six of the Best
    • Music Town: A Decade of the Darvel Music Festival
    • Pat Travers - The Forgotten Power Trio
    • Playing Tribute
    • Gerry Rafferty - Humblebum to Multi-Million Seller
    • Cliff Richard - The Rock and Roll Juvenile
    • Slade - Thanks For the Memories
    • The Sweet - A Cut Above the Rest
    • Talon - On Eagles Wings
    • Wild Horses - Thoroughbreds or also-rans?
  • A Personal Journey: Definitive Edition (eBook)
  • Steve Perry (vocalist): One in a Million (eBook)
  • A Writer's Muirsings...
    • A Writer's Muirsings: Introduction
    • Superbowl XLVII MVP: Beyoncé (February 2013)
    • Michael Jackson: The Alternative Verdict (Nov 2011)
    • True Colours (November 2010)
    • It's a New Language, Old Bean (October 2010)
    • Finger Pointing (July 2010)
    • Suffer the Little Children (April 2010)
    • Hey 'Banker', can you spare a dime? (February 2010)
    • Earlier Muirsings... >
      • Muirsical Christmas #1's (December 09)
      • 3-D, or not 3-D, Avatar? (December 09)
      • Pains, Planes and Automobiles (November 09)
  • A Man of Letters...
    • A Man of Letters (Introduction)
    • Letter to Danbury Mint #1
    • Letter to Danbury Mint #2
    • Letter to The Catholic League
    • Letter to SKY #1
    • Letter to SKY #2
    • Letter to SKY #3
    • Letter to Leeds City Council Parking Services
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Six of The Rest

Favourites of 2011:
Album: Welcome 2 My Nightmare - Alice Cooper
Runner-Up: Resolution - Dougie MacLean
Honourable Mentions: Quid Pro Quo - Status Quo; Dust Bowl - Joe Bonamassa
'Sorry, I don't hear what all the fuss is about' Award: Chickenfoot - Chickenfoot III
Concert (attended): Peter Frampton, Glasgow, 2nd March
Concert (heard): Todd Rundgren's Utopia, Atlanta, 11th November

Favourites of 2010:
Album: Reimaginator - Rock Sugar
Runner-Up: Orchestrion - Pat Metheny
Honourable Mention: Fidelis - Pat Travers Band
'Sorry, I don't hear what all the fuss is about' Award (tied between):
Scratch my Back - Peter Gabriel; Omega - Asia; The Final Frontier - Iron Maiden
Concert (attended): Cheap Trick, Glasgow, 7th November
Concert (heard): Todd Rundgren, London, 6th February

Favourite Albums - Top 20 (no preference - alphabetical):
Boston - Boston (1976)
Camel - The Snow Goose (1975)
Deep Purple - Come Taste The Band (1975)
Dream Theater - Score (2006)
Electric Light Orchestra - Out of the Blue (1977)
Emerson Lake and Palmer - Brain Salad Surgery (1973)
Emerson Lake and Palmer - Works Volume 1 (1977)
Peter Frampton - Frampton Comes Alive (1976)
Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)
Genesis - Trick of the Tail (1976)
Journey - Trial by Fire (1996)
Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti (1975)
Lone Star - Firing on all Six (1976)
Lucifers Friend - Mind Exploding (1976)
Meat Loaf - Bat out of Hell (1977)
Pat Metheny - Secret Story (1992)
Todd Rundgren - Initiation (1975)
Uriah Heep - Sweet Freedom (1973)
Wings - Band on the Run (1973)
Yes - Relayer (1974)
I found this incredibly hard to restrict to only a Top 20, but otherwise it would have had to expand to a Top 50 or even 100. And although around four fifths of it is probably set in musical stone, the other 20% I find constantly 'subject to change.'



Favourite Concerts - Top 20 (no preference - alphabetical):
Blue Oyster Cult (Spectres Tour) - Glasgow Apollo 1977
Cheap Trick - The ABC O2, Glasgow 2010
Francis Dunnery - King Tuts, Glasgow 2005 (inc. 'impromptu' unplugged set)
Rory Gallagher (Jinx Tour) - Glasgow Apollo 1980
Billy Joel (River of Dreams Tour) - Glasgow SECC 1994
Journey/ Pat Travers Band (double headliner) - Glasgow Apollo 1979
BB King - Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow 2001
Matchbox 20 - Glasgow SECC 2005
Pat Metheny & Brad Mehldau - Glasgow Carling Academy 2007
Queen (The Crazy Tour) - Glasgow Apollo 1979
Todd Rundgren (Arena Tour) - The Picture House, Edinburgh 2008
Rush (30th Anniversary Tour) - Glasgow SECC 2004
Slade (The Christmas Gigs) - Glasgow Queen Margaret Union 1983
Robin Trower (Victims of the Future Tour) - Glasgow Apollo 1980
Utopia (The London Shows) - Victoria Theatre, London 1978
U2 (The Unforgettable Fire Tour) - Barrowlands, Glasgow 1984
Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds - Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow 2006
Wolfstone (The Half Tail Tour) - Gaiety Theatre, Ayr 1995
Yes (Symphonic Tour) - Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow 2001
Yes (35th Anniversary Tour) - Glasgow SECC 2003
Another list that's hard to restrict and subject to some change, although I have to admit I could also create a 'Howlingly Bad' Top 20 from the hundreds upon hundreds of concerts, club gigs, musical events and festivals I have attended. 


Favourite Vocalists:
Jon Anderson (Yes/ solo/ other projects)
David Byron (1947-85) (Uriah Heep/ solo/ other projects)
Brian Connolly (1945-97) (The Sweet)
Dennis DeYoung (Styx/ solo)

Steve Perry (Journey/ solo)
Robin Zander (Cheap Trick)
The most powerful musical instrument is the most natural musical instrument.
And I'll take an average song carried by a great singer over a great song delivered by an average singer any day of the musical week.



‘Six of the Worst' (The evil 'Mirror Universe' equivalent of Six of The Best):
Agadoo - Black Lace
The Birdie Song - The Tweets
If - Telly Savalas
Achy Breaky Heart - Billy Ray Cyrus
The Final Countdown - Europe
Open Arms - Mariah Carey

'Agadoo' and 'The Birdie Song' are two seriously infectious songs, but let's not forget that most serious infections cause a great deal of pain and discomfort.

'Agadoo' is the ultimate inane sing-a-long party-dance holiday song (it makes 'Macarena' sound like 'Stairway to Heaven'), while 'The Birdie Song' is its partner in crime as the ultimate dance-along (instrumental) party tune.

I envy those of you who have never heard either and for those of us who have heard them, even if only a few times, it's too late - any mention of the songs trigger the entire playback in your head.

There are a few vocal narratives that are truly brilliant, such as 'A Hard Day's Night' by Peter Sellers.
Its Shakespearian wit is matched by the unintentional hilarity of 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' by William Shatner, an interpretation that is perennially regarded as one of the worst, if not the worst, covers of all time (although Shatner's rendition of 'Mr Tambourine Man' runs it close).


Then there are the narrative interpretations that have you looking for a strong box of pain killers and a mallet to destroy the radio. Not so much "If," Mr Savalas, as "Why?"

'Achy Breaky Heart' and 'The Final Countdown' are actually similar beasts.

Both sold by the absolute bucketful and are amongst the favourite songs of many, but for me they are everything that's wrong with their respective musical genres.

Billy Ray Cyrus' massive success is the pinnacle (or pit) of commercial pop-based country foot-tap-a-longs.

The song that launched a thousand line-dancing clubs makes Shania Twain's manufactured country-pop-by-numbers hits almost listenable.
Almost.

Europe's hit is one of the most successful and enduring melodic rock/ soft metal songs, but only because every 80's-rock cliche' in the book is thrown into the mix...
Naff lyric, wailing but infectious (there's that infection again)
melody line on a polyphonic synthesizer, a fast flurry of notes guitar solo, harmony chorus sing-a-long and, visually, the poodle-haired spandex bedecked video that set a template that many would follow.
The perfect marriage of formula and fashion (of the day).

And so to 'Open Arms' by Mariah Carey.
The original, by Journey, is one of the most powerful and well known power ballads in the business and Steve Perry's vocal on that original (and his definitive live rendition from Houston in 1981), as regards lyrical phrasing, vocal control and delivery is, arguably, unsurpassed.

Miss Carey takes a different approach.

She throws what seems like her entire vocal repertoire over each line and thus makes it all about her voice, not the melody or the lyric.
The song therefore loses any of it's original grace and becomes the opposite of the original; it's lyrically passionate-less and vocally uncontrolled.
Vocal interpretation is all in the ear of the beholder of course, but for me it's a criminal cover, and the (im)perfect end to my 'Six of the Worst.'  
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