All posts by Armin Grewe

Hi, it's just me.
Thoughts, Video

40 years ago today, Big Country’s The Crossing

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Do I feel old now? Yes and no. After all age is just a number. Still, earlier today I spotted that one of the defining albums of my youth is 40 years old today. Yes, Big Country’s The Crossing was released 40 years ago. So let’s look back to some of my favourite songs from it, as far as I’m concerned still sounding fresh today. One of the first singles:

Big Country – Fields Of Fire (Music Video HQ)

And the same again, but live:

Big Country Glasgow Barrowlands Fields Of Fire

Of course there’s In A Big Country, the opener:

Big Country – In A Big Country

Moving on to Chance:

Big Country Chance – official video

And my last pick for this post, Porrohman:

Big Country – Porrohman (The Tube 17.2.1984)

Oh, and to get back to the intro of this post: Many people apparently stop discovering new music after a certain age and only listen to the music from their youth. I do both, I still listen to some bands from my youth (hence this post) while also discovering new bands with members sometimes barely half the age of the older albums I still listen to. That’s how I firmly believe it should be: Treasure the great classics while being open to new discoveries.

Thoughts, Video

Two “Shorts” about practice and preparation I quite liked recently

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Some people like him, others find him really annoying. Either way, I felt in these two clips Neil DeGrasse Tyson makes some good points about practice and preparation and their importance to success and making something look easy. Both are closely related, let’s start with this one more focused on practice:

The Disrespectful “Secret” Question Neil DeGrasse Tyson The Diary Of A CEO Podcast

Now move on to this one, more focused on how important preparation is to make something look natural:

The Jon Stewart Interview Experience Neil DeGrasse Tyson The Diary Of A CEO Podcast

Do you agree? Or do you think there is a “secret” people just don’t want to tell you?

Snippets, Thoughts, Video

Music for this Friday evening: The Big Moon, Live

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OK, not just for this Friday evening, but for any evening really. First watched it / listened to it a few days ago and I’m certain I will watch and listen to is many times again. An absolutely stunning performance by The Big Moon with three songs from their latest album “Here Is Everything”:

The Big Moon – The Big Moon: Live

I hope they do more like that. While I think their videos to the studio recordings are among the best if not the best this might be even better.

Bands New To Me, Snippets, Thoughts, Video

Bass Drum of Death – Get Found

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The song is over a decade old, but I only came across it a few weeks ago. It’s been on heavy rotation ever since and probably will be for quite some time. I love the “dirty” sound, the guitar riff, the banging drums, the pounding bass. And the band name is pretty cool as well.

Bass Drum of Death – “Get Found” (Official Video)

What do you think, do you like it?

PS: I probably should write a Bands New To Me entry about them, they have a few more nice tunes…

Bands New To Me, Thoughts, Video

Ugly Pop: Skating Polly

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I’m not entirely sure when I discovered Skating Polly (Kelli, Peyton and Kurtis), I think probably somewhere around 2018 or 2019. In other words, before I started my Bands New To Me series/category. But with their latest song having just been published I decided to give them a dedicated entry with some of my favourite songs by them, starting with the latest:

Skating Polly – Hickey King (Official Video)

In a similar noisy style, but also with beautiful layered vocals:

Skating Polly – Hail Mary (Official Video)

But they also have a different side, voice, piano and guitar:

Skating Polly – Don’t Leave Me Gravity (Official Video)

Back to noisier sounds from their New Tricks EP with two famous guests, Nina Gordon & Louise Post of Veruca Salt:

Skating Polly – Louder In Outer Space (Official Video)

Enjoying Hollywood life while not moving to Hollywood or joining the Hollywood crowd:

Skating Polly – Hollywood Factory (Official Video)

Another of their older songs, I love the bass line in this one, as well as the pounding and rattling drums:

Skating Polly – Pretective Boy (Official Video)

The second to last song is another quiet one with just Kelli and Peyton singing while playing the piano (and some light drums):

Skating Polly – A Little Late (Official Video)

And to close some pure simple noise from before Kurtis joining with just a basitar and drums (and of course voice):

Skating Polly – Stop Digging (Official Video)

I could have picked many more, but I had to draw the line somewhere and leave you to discover more yourself: Skating Polly website, Skating Polly YouTube channel