Re: All this KBS

[ranjit%cory.Berkeley.EDU@BERKELEY.EDU (Ranjit Bhatnagar)]

In article <8701281707.AA17917@EDDIE.MIT.EDU> Doug writes:
>Bullpucky!  Beethoven was undeniably a great composer.  I don't even
>like him that much, but his music contained a level of innovation and
>power such that it had a great affect on a wide spectrum of musicians,
>critics, and normal people.  This *makes* Beethoven a great composer.
>Likewise, Kate Bush's music has had a profound effect on a vast number
>of people and has gathered an intensely dedicated following among a
>wide spectrum of musicians, critics, and normal people.  This makes
>Kate a great musician.
 
I hate to even say it, but that criterion makes Madonna a great musician
too.  Well, perhaps she is.  (Of course we can disqualify ANYONE
from this criterion by redefining the fans as ABnormal people.)

Now to get serious, that is, to praise Kate.  I've now had the
chance to listen to _The Kick Inside_ about as many times as _Hounds_
and _The Dreaming_ (and _Never for Ever_ almost as often.  How come
my album, with a special sticker that says "Includes 'Never for Ever,'"
doesn't have any songs called 'Never for Ever' on it?).  I enjoy this
album at least as much as the later ones, perhaps because it's simpler.
I played _The Dreaming_ for a friend, whose comment was "Sounds like
someone trying to be artsy-fartsy."  This could be considered a fault.
I would suspect that _Kick Inside_ is more accessible, since it follows
"the rules" more of the time.  

I get the impression that _The Kick Inside_ came after _Never for Ever_.
Is this true?

As long as I'm here, I would like to cast my votes for albums as complex
and interesting as _The Dreaming_.

	Talking Heads, _Remain in Light_
	Pink Floyd, _Dark Side of the Moon_
	The Beatles, _Abbey Road_
	The Roches, _Keep On Doing_ (for somewhat different reasons)
	Scott Johnson, _John Somebody_ (for COMPLETELY different reasons)

I might come up with others, given time.  One characteristic common to
all of these - which is vital to be considered "complex and interesting" -
is that I hear a different album each time I play one of these.  This
is most evident in _Remain in Light_, least so in _John Somebody_, and
somewhere in between for _The Dreaming_.  By the way, I don't own any
albums by Brian Eno, but, from what I've heard, I expect that I would
put at least a few of his records in the above list.  

Bought Benatar's album with the cover of "Wuthering Heights."  Ugh.

Finally: I recommend to everyone the NET.ALBUM cassette - available from
Greg Taylor gtaylor@astroatc.  Worth it at twice the price (to coin
a phrase).

	-r-


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