Brassed off
Good reaction to the brass show last night. So many things we didn't get the chance to play inc Love doing Alone Again or which was asked for by many people including Big Gordon in Leith.
" I saw LOVE in 1969 and was privileged to see them several times in 2003,4 and 5 when Arthur Lee and his band had a revival. The most memorable were a couple of gigs were when they did the whole of 'Forever Changes' with the Swedish Strings and Horns backing them. Sadly Arthur passed away in 2006. 20 years and almost 40 years later The Damned and Calexico did great covers however LOVE's version is the mammy and daddy. Out of interest Rolling Stone rated 'Forever Changes' at 40 in it's Top 100 all time albums."
The most controversial song of the night was Concierto De Aranjuez which had been asked for by Brian in Pitenweem as it was the song that his wife had walked down the aisle to.
Brian mentioned the version from the film Brassed Off ( "concert for Orange Juice!") was his favourite but that Miles Davis had also done a version. We plumped for Miles. Not a good idea according to Fiona on the e-mail:
"Just heard the version of this song played on your show and I really have to disagree with you. Miles Davis (?) was RUBBISH! It sounded like a first attempt by the local primary school orchestra and I fear you might have severely damaged that otherwise gorgeous tune and others enjoyment of it! If you really want to hear a superb version of it listen to the arrangement as played on the "Brassed Off" CD, recording number 5 - only then will you be fit to comment on how wonderful it really is!"
Fiona, if I had a choice I would stick with the brass band version, but I thought it might be interesting to play the Miles Davis version. Like a lot of jazz, I thought it certainly lived up to the interesting billing, but would I want to listen to it in the bath? Probably not. I do have the Brassed Off CD and in fact I bought it specifically for that song as I thought it was so moving in the film.
