Post by Slim Shaney on Aug 22, 2005 16:38:40 GMT 1
The first in a series of occasional 'Unlikely Influences' postings....
The Steve Miller Band Live album is a marvellous thing. Simple, punchy songs delivered with three part harmonies, subtle guitar licks and corking harmonica, courtesy of the rather wonderfully-named Norton Buffalo. Lyrically is where the big influence here comes in. It's unlikely that 'Special Kind of Love' would have leapt out fully formed if not for the ballad of petty thievery and flight from authority that is 'Take The Money and Run'; Miller is also unafraid to pack as many syllables into a sentence as possible on 'Gangster of Love' (cf 'Not That Kind of Girl'), or to simply make up (or half remember) words where he needs something to fit ('pompitus of love', anyone?). Similarly, one learns that some rhymes are just unforgiveable (most of 'Abracadabra', although that did turn out to be a massive hit...). He also, right at the end, manages to namecheck the whole band before slamming down the last "kerrangg!" of the last number to close the set. Pity about the second rhythm guitarist's appalling legwarmers as sported on the sleeve, but as I say, negatives can also be an education and an influence.
Next, the unlikely link between the guitsr riff in Uriah Heep's "Easy Livin'" and our "Forever", and a short dissertation on the chord progression which makes up the acoustic section of Budgie's "Flowers in the Attic". Possibly.
Chin Chin!
Skirky
The Steve Miller Band Live album is a marvellous thing. Simple, punchy songs delivered with three part harmonies, subtle guitar licks and corking harmonica, courtesy of the rather wonderfully-named Norton Buffalo. Lyrically is where the big influence here comes in. It's unlikely that 'Special Kind of Love' would have leapt out fully formed if not for the ballad of petty thievery and flight from authority that is 'Take The Money and Run'; Miller is also unafraid to pack as many syllables into a sentence as possible on 'Gangster of Love' (cf 'Not That Kind of Girl'), or to simply make up (or half remember) words where he needs something to fit ('pompitus of love', anyone?). Similarly, one learns that some rhymes are just unforgiveable (most of 'Abracadabra', although that did turn out to be a massive hit...). He also, right at the end, manages to namecheck the whole band before slamming down the last "kerrangg!" of the last number to close the set. Pity about the second rhythm guitarist's appalling legwarmers as sported on the sleeve, but as I say, negatives can also be an education and an influence.
Next, the unlikely link between the guitsr riff in Uriah Heep's "Easy Livin'" and our "Forever", and a short dissertation on the chord progression which makes up the acoustic section of Budgie's "Flowers in the Attic". Possibly.
Chin Chin!
Skirky