This Is Me--2024 A to Z Theme

My A to Z Themes in the past have covered a range of topics and for 2024 the theme is a personal retrospective that I call "I Coulda Been" which is in reference to my job and career arc over my lifetime. I'll be looking at all sorts of occupations that I have done or could have done. Maybe you've done some of these too!

Thursday, April 7, 2022

Fantastic Music and Far Out Albums ( #AtoZChallenge )

 

       Fantastic music resides in my vinyl collection though some might think that some of my albums are pretty far out.  And some are indeed "far out" as we used to say back in the hippy dippy sixties and seventies.  I was striving to achieve an eclectic interesting collection of music that might have something to appeal to many listeners, but most of all I was looking for music that I could enjoy. I think I was successful in my quest for a broad ranging collection of record albums.  


#AtoZChallenge 2022 Blogging from A to Z Challenge letter         Flo & Eddie, Full Moon, and the Four Tops have left my building and now reside in some other collection unbeknownst to me. The Graham Nash produced album by The Fool was maybe one of the worst albums ever made so I felt no great urge to keep it. However, as bad as my three albums by Frankie Stein and his Ghouls may have been, I probably should have hung on to them just for the novelty and for the fact that they were albums purchased during my early adolescent years.  But I didn't keep them.  Here are some albums in the F file that I did keep in my collection...

Links to the music are included throughout the post if you want to hear the music.



The Four Seasons "Gold Vault of Hits"  (1965)  was given to me as a Christmas gift from my mother in 1965 while we were still living in northern Indiana.  They were one of  my favorite groups at the time and this album has some great tunes, all big hits.  Nothing really bad on this album and it is worthy of any collection.  Well worn after years of play, it was worth keeping for the sentimental personal nature if not for the music.



Federal Duck (1968)  Don't know where I obtained this cut-out, but this album is very weird at times while being interesting and occasionally oddly beautiful.  I've never seen another copy, but since it has been written about on various internet sources I know I'm not the only one who has a copy.  Still it has a uniqueness that I think makes it worth keeping.  So I kept it.  And did I say it is weird.  I mean the band has a tuba player as well as other assorted musicians.  I like it and that's what matters to me.


Dan Fogelberg "Nether Lands" (1977)  I used to listen to this album so much. Listening now transports me to that time.  My first wife Cathy was a Fogelberg fanatic and through her I gained a great appreciation for his music.  This album came out while Cathy was pregnant with our son who we named Daniel Neil in honor of her favorite artist and mine (Neil Young).   I own several Fogelberg albums on cassette and CD, but this is the only one I have on vinyl.  


Peter Frampton "Wind of Change"  (1972)  I was well aware of Frampton from his work with The Herd (I used to have their album) and Humble Pie (I listened to them a lot on albums owned by friends).  After his Wind of Change album came out I heard it at a friend's house--frequently.  They were playing it every time I was there it seemed.  The album grew on me to the extent that I went out and purchased a full price copy of it.  This is some of Frampton's best work.


Function  "Play It Maestro" (1979)  This prog rock Christian album comes from a Swedish group.  It's a bit run of the mill, but I find it to be okay listening.  Actually I haven't listened to it much.  I found it at a Books-a-Million store in West Knoxville around 1988 or so and it was cheap.  It also has a violin player pictured on the cover as well as a violinist playing in some of the music.  I guess I'd say that I kept this for the album art, but the music could grow on me if I listened enough.


The Fourth Way (1969)   If I remember correctly, I found this album in the cut-out bin at the University of Tennessee Bookstore.  The attraction for me about this album was the violin player. This jazz music was a bit alien to me at first, but soon took hold of me.  It's funky electrified jazz rock by top notch players.  Of course I'd keep this album--the violin you know.


        I'm sure you recognize some these, but do you have a favorite among them?  Do you keep any albums because of the artwork?   What is your favorite artist with an F name?  






40 comments:

  1. Some old, classic pictures to go with the albums. They are gold. I'm aware of The Wind of Change. One of my uncles had it. Though I was born much later.

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    1. Sonia, "Wind of Change" is a wonderful album. I listened to it a lot before the more known live album came out.

      Lee

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  2. I certainly know about Peter Frampton, The Four Seasons and Dan Fogelberg, but the rest of the stuff in your collection here is new to me. The name Federal Duck sounds funny, as does the duck on the album cover.

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    1. Jamie, Federal Duck was a peculiar group that went in some eclectic directions--my kind of band.

      Lee

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  3. I have heard of these bands/performers but I don't know all of these albums.

    --
    Tim Brannan
    The Other Side | A to Z of Conspiracy Theories

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    1. Timothy, the Fogelberg album was a pretty big one I think. Same with the Four Seasons hit compilation, but they had a few of those.

      Lee

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  4. Knew most of them but Federal Duck is new - and one weird name!

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    1. Alex, Federal Duck would probably be "new" for most people. They were a very obscure group.

      Lee

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  5. I used to keep them. Several Cat Stevens in the 70's had inserts of his own artwork. I have a Rocky Horror album somewhere. I can't think of a favorite F artist, but I can tell you it is NOT Fleetwood Mac! The only John Fogelberg I can think of is Leader of the Band. My father was a musician, and my brother was a professional musician, so it always reminded me of them.

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    1. Lisa, I still have a Cat Stevens album, but I don't think I've ever looked in to see the artwork or even played the album for that matter. It belonged to my second wife and she left it behind when she left. I was never a Cat Stevens fan. But I do like Fleetwood Mac!

      Lee

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  6. Peter Frampton and the 4 Seasons are the artists we enjoyed the most. Cat Stevens is a favorite.

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    1. Susan K, a lot of folks seemed to have liked Cat Stevens. I was never a fan. I guess it was something about his voice that didn't appeal to me.

      Lee

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  7. The only Fogelberg that I remember is Souvenirs

    My groove, at that time, was with the Funkadelics, mostly Maggot Brain.

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    1. Craig, Souvenirs is an excellent album. I think I still have that one on cassette.
      Though I never listened much to Funkadelics I did listen to Maggot Brain and thought it was quite good.

      Lee

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  8. I was introduced to Dan Fogelberg in college - the Jersey girls loved him, and I grew to love him, too. And how touching to name your son after Dan Fogelberg and Neil Young!

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    1. Martha, I had heard "Part of the Plan" before I knew who sang it or anything about Fogelberg. My second wife was a fanatic about him so after I met her I became well aware of his music. And I'm glad because he did some great music.

      Lee

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  9. You have quite a collection of albums, especially if you are going to be able to make it Z with it.

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    1. L&L, I might have to be creative for some posts. But that's always the cases.

      Lee

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  10. Definitely heard about The Four Seasons and Peter Frampton, yes, I can right now imagine my dad humming Wind of Change, as you said before, he might be about your age.
    https://steampunkcowunicorn.wordpress.com/2022/04/07/f-is-for-fleeting-happy-as-a-clam/

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    1. Absenta, yes, "Winds of Change" is probably not even that well known among many in my generation.

      Lee

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    2. Too bad, it´s a great song, I had it yesterday on repeat mode at the bottom of my mind, hihihi.

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  11. They all sound interesting, but the only one I would have a ghost of a chance of knowing was The Four Seasons album. It must have come out right after they left Vee Jay (where they were labelmates with The Beatles).

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    1. John H, I don't remember anything about their labels. I had 2 or 3 of their albums but I don't remember. The had U.S. hits before the Beatles--I remembering hearing those when I just entered junior high school in 1963.

      Lee

      Lee

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  12. I don't have any of these albums but I do enjoy Dan Fogelberg's music and I did see Peter Frampton in concert in 1976 in San Diego along with Yes, Gary Weaver and some one else that I have now forgotten.

    Betty

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    1. Betty, you saw Frampton at the height of his fame then. What a great concert line-up!

      Lee

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  13. Federal Duck - now there's a name I couldn't have imagined 🤣. I am not familiar with any of these albums, but I have heard of a couple of the artists.
    I like some of Five Finger Death Punch's work, and they have such an awesome name.
    Tasha
    Tasha's Thinkings: YouTube - What They Don't Tell You (and free fiction)

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    1. Tasha, coming up with weird unique names seemed to increase during the sixties and beyond. Having a name that stood out was the first step in gaining the public's attention. But then you had to have a product to keep the audience interested.
      Five Finger Death Punch is definitely an attention getting name. I've heard the name, but I don't know any of their music.

      Lee

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  14. The one CD for the letter F worthy of mention is Frampton. Actually, it''s two CDs. One is best hits and the other is all guitar.

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    1. Patricia, Frampton Comes Alive! is one of the most iconic albums of the seventies and for good reason--it's a great live album! Frampton did so much other good work as well, but it is eclipsed by that live album.

      Lee

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    2. Lee, the only real big concert I ever attended was Peter Frampton at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis sometime back in the 70s. I'm transported back there every time I hear one of his songs.

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  15. I had both that Four Seasons Gold vault and the second gold vault- both from garage sales. Great stuff.

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    1. CW, I think someone around my parents house had the second one. I seem to remember seeing it. The Four Seasons were a big favorite of mine in the late sixties into the seventies. I saw them in concert in 1975 in Terre Haute IN. Oh what a night!

      Lee

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  16. Love the Four Seasons, Frampton and Fogelberg!

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    1. Diedre, all three are wonderful and I still like to listen to their music.

      Lee

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  17. I had the Fogelberg album and I didn't have that Frampton, but I did have Frampton Comes Alive, and we all know what everyone did with their double albums in the 70s....

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    1. Dyanne, I heard Frampton Comes Alive! so many places so often that I never felt the need to buy it. I still don't have it--at least I don't recall having bought it on CD or cassette. What did they do with the double albums? I know one thing, but I'm not sure it's what you're referring to--maybe it is. However, I also enjoyed the music on those double albums.

      Lee

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    2. Where I grew up, double albums were used as a tool to help place certain plant products into the paper vessel in which they would be consumed.... :)

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    3. Dyanne, yes I'm sure many of my album covers were used in the same manner. They worked really well for that.

      Lee

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  18. I'm surprised you have no Fleetwood Mac. They came into my head. I have heard of most except for that Duck one. Funny I have The Four Seasons but by Vivaldi.

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    1. Birgit, I once had Mac's Future Games on vinyl. Now I have many Fleetwood Mac albums on CD--very many. They are one of my favorite groups.

      I did have Vivaldi's work on vinyl once. Now I have several versions of The Four Seasons on CD. They sound the same for the most part, but after listening to each so many times I can distinguish some of the differences in performances. This is one of my wife's favorite pieces of music and same for me. On a long trip we're apt to listen a few times.

      Lee

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Lee