Intro to Music (The Salad Era)

This I call a salad, because it is a blast of music; the emergence of it is extreme, and it forms a soup, a mix, a salad. A chicken salad with croutons.

By now classic rock is in full swing, also new types of music are emerging such as progressive rock, shitty classic rock, glam-rock (like pop-type of music by David Bowie), hip hop, synth-pop and industrial rock. If you like Bowie, I suggest looking into Sting; he is like Bowie with a pussy instead of a penis. Roxanne by the Police, is one of the best pop songs from this ear.

Progressive is kind of psychedelic/concept type stuff like Pink Floyd. However lots of prog-rock isn't psychedelic; it is just "different" (example: Tull featuring flutes, wtf?). I jacked this from wiki: Progressive Rock: its origin is King Crimson's album "In the Court of the Crimson King".

The songs may be long as well, such as many PF songs, Rush's 20-minute "2112" and Jethro Tull's 44-minute (two album sides) "Thick as a Brick."

"Prog Rock" Artists (jacked from wiki):
Pink Floyd
Jethro Tull
Yes
Genesis
Rush
The Moody Blues
Frank Zappa
Phish
Tool
Electric Light Orchestra
The Flaming Lips

My personal favorites are Genesis (the band consists of some legendary musicians) and Pink Floyd. Suppers Ready (live version), by genesis features lots of different styles and melodies including snippets of demented Beatles v.s Queen style (featured in the section "Willow Farm"), heavy metal riffs, and Deep Purple-like instrumentals. If you download only 1 or two prog songs, I suggest:

Echoes - Pink Floyd
Shine On You Crazy Diamond (all parts) - Pink Floyd
Suppers Ready (live) - Genesis
Thick as a Brick - Jethro Tull


This spans like 1960's-2006. There are debates wether bands like Tool or Frank Zappa are Porg Rock. Also many of the songs are not prog rock but in other genres, like Yes, and Rush have a lot of classic rock/metal types sounds, and PF has concept songs like the Wall, which are just regular rock IMO. Overall I'd suggest cherry picking songs/ albums for bands like ELO, Phish, Flaming Lips, and downloading all albums for Tull, Floyd Yes, etc...

Chances are you know all the Classic Rock going on during the 70's. You also know all the shitty classic rock (catchy toons that don't take skill or intellect ie; Boston, AC/DC, Foreigner...) If you are not famailiar with these bands, I suggest you tune in to 1077 the Bone:

{begin rant}

http://www.1077thebone.com/default.asp

Here you will find shitty music, shitty DJs, and a repulsive morning show. As well as phone calls that go something like this "Hey Weedman, I'd like to throw a bone out there for y'all. My momma is sick and this one is for her: You're listening to the hot lunch on 1077 the bone!". If you ever happen to stumble across the political parodies, do stay away from sharp objects, or weapons; these skits will make you violent and full of rage.

{end rant}

Anyway, during this time "Pop" type of music is going on also; Paul McCartny and Wings (after breaking up from Beatles), Elton John, Sonny and Chere. I however, especially like the dance type of stuff - disco type of music.

Here are some highlights of the club music;
Let's Dance - David Bowie
She's Fresh (extended version) - Kool and the Gang
Shake Your Booty - KC and the Sunshine Band
Disco Inferno - Bee Gees
If You Think I'm Sexy - Rod Stewart
Higher Love - Steven Winwood
Superfreak - Rick James
Madonna (discussed later in Artist Spotlight)
Michael Jackson (discussed later in Artist Spotlight)

Anyway, that type of music spans from the late 60's to the early 90's, and is very fun.

During this era, we ride the Van Halen, ZZ Top, Journy, Guns and Roses train all the way till like the mid 80's where it basically just dies. Industrial rock has been gaining speed, "80s" music as well (these however were more in the pop genre, rather then classic rock). The main killing of the late/mid 80's metal/shitty classic rock era comes from grunge. I suggest downloading the top results in Kazzaa, or Lime Wire for the Shitty Classic Rock artists.

The "80s" music takes place from the late 70's into the 90's. This is great stuff to listen to while railing a few lines of high quality blow. It is like "club" music's little brother. Here are some highlights;

Major Tom - Peter Schilling
Take On Me - Ah Ha
True Faith - New Order
Blue Monday - New Order
And I Ran - Flock Of Seagulls
Call Me - Blondie
Personal Jesus - Depeche Mode
West End Girls - Pet Shop Boys
One Night in Bangkok - Pet Shop Boys
I am the Air - Smiths and Morrissey
Vienna - Ultravox

This is only a brief list; there is truly e plethora of "80's" music. Next we will discuss the birth of grunge, as well as the era of music that is most close to me "The Golden Era"

Intro to Music (Transition Era)

I don't know why I call it the Transition Era, but that is how it will be. I guess this is like oldies + an aspect of modernness.

Pop(ish) Direction
American Woman / No Sugar Tonight - The Guess Who
I Can See Clearly Now - Johnny Nash
Joy to the World - Three Dog Night
Maggie May / Reason to Believe - Rod Stewart
Anything by Sly & the Family Stone
Anything by the Jackson 5

Rock(ish) Direction

My Sweet Lord / Isn't It a Pity - George Harrison
Me and Bobby McGee - Janis Joplin
Me and Mrs. Jones - Billy Paul
Bridge over Troubled Water - Simon and Garfunkel

Throughout this time ( 67-73) is also the beginning and heart of some good rock artist (as well as the end of some oldies bands) such as:

Credence Clearwater Revival
Deep Purple
Rolling Stones
Led Zeppelin
The Who
Eric Clapton
The Doors
Neil Young
Allman Brothers
Black Sabbath
Grateful Dead
Cream
Buffalo Springfield
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
The Byrds
_____________ (insert a good band from late '60's)

This section in music, is very self explanatory. The bands from these times have produced some of the most successful music in modern history. My personal favorites consist of all of these bands; more specifically The Beatles and Deep Purple. Some great albums I suggest for illegally downloading are Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club, and Deep Purple in Rock. For most of these bands you can download "Best of" albums, if you are too lazy to download their entire discographies. I don't suggest it however, because you will miss many good songs that did not reach the accolades that the "hits" did.

Next time, I will discuss the Musical Salad Era.

Intro to Music (Early Sound)

The point of me listing these areas of music is for you to understand my interpretation of music. I will discuss songs that feel are important to the time. These songs I may be impartial to. I will also discuss songs that I personally feel are a highlight of that time. This will serve as a balance between understanding the music of the era and understanding the Kurosawan taste.

Also I define eras not on date, or style, or sound, or history, but on personal views.

Important Songs:

What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
Forever Young - Rod Stewart
American Pie (Part 1) / American Pie (Part 2) - Don McLean
Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison
(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding
House of the Rising Sun- Animals
Turn! Turn! Turn! - The Byrds
Respect - Aretha Franklin
Johnny B. Good - Chuck Berry
My Girl - The Temptations
Unchained Melody - The Righteous Brothers
Like A Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan
I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Marvin Gaye
Born To Be Wild - Steppenwolf
Magic Carpet Ride - Steppenwolf
Layla - Derek and the Dominos
Hound Dog -Elvis Presley
The Sounds Of Silence - Simon and Garfunkel
Summer in the City - The Lovin' Spoonful

Chances are, you will not like typical oldies songs. Only the famous ones. According to history, the most famous or typical, oldies bands are Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, The Supremes, and Sam Cooke. I think you should download all the albums of "famous groups" like Beatles, Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and Beach Boys. I think these bands (with exception to Elvis and Sam Cooke) have a more modern sound than other oldies bands.

I mainly like songs that I don't know the names of. The local oldies station has turned into a dance station, so It is difficult for me to recollect particular songs. Out of the ones I can recollect, I would say:

Teach Your Children Well - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Sweet Judy Blues - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Turn! Turn! Turn! - The Byrds
96 Tears- ? & the Mysterians
(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding
What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
Sugar Shack - Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs
Assorted Selection of Van Morrison
Assorted Selection of Jefferson Airplane
Assorted Selection of Janis Joplin
Assorted Selection of Simon and Garfunkel
Modern Sounds - (Early Work of Beach Boys, Beatles, and Rolling Stones)

After this comes like the transition between oldies and classic rock consisting of The Who, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Almon Brothers, CCR, The Doors, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and the Rolling Stones.

Introcutory Phase

Many of the 3 or 4 readers of Kurosawaland have come here from the PDL blog. I would like to point out that this blog will be very different. I will try to interject some humor into it, but I doubt I will be able to match the genius I exhibited during the PDL era. Every now and then, I will post an old PDL article on here for sentimental value.

I would also like to change the layout of the blog, however the new version of blogger makes it very difficult. Ideally I'd have picture on the top of the page of a hot chicks ass or something.

Over the next few posts, I will be introducing the essence of Kurosawanism as well as Hogness, Leonness, and other forms of existence that I have not yet found a name for. All this really means is that I will discuss my interests so that you assholes that read this will understand my interests and approaches to things.

The Birth

I would just like to welcome Paul and Dmitri to the blog. Over the next year we will go on a journey comprised of many smaller journeys, many of which will be documented in this blog. I am a man just like you, and for that I am greatful.

As for the random traffic: this blog is more or less a combination of hogness, with f-ness. This is a highly philosophical concept; and if you can understand the relationship between universals and particulars, then you are worthy enough to acknowledge that you understand a concept that I understand better than you.

That is all.