Focusing on a single artist during a listening session!

[Johnny Vinyl]

Every few weeks or so I focus in on an artist I've been thinking about and play all (or most) of the albums I own by them, him or her. And I usually do so in chronological order. If I have various pressings I play the ones I prefer, although at times that's not a simple decision. For instance, I have the MFSL and Classic Records reissue of APP - I Robot and I like them both. Depending on their output and the ones I own it is sometimes difficult to get through all of them in one day, but I'm a fairly determined guy, so I'm usually quite successful.

Today's focus is going to be Steve Winwood and six of his albums. And I mean his solo output...no Spencer Davis, Blind Faith, Traffic, etc.

Do you ever do this?

[MylesBAstor]

Every few weeks or so I focus in on an artist I've been thinking about and play all (or most) of the albums I own by them, him or her. And I usually do so in chronological order. If I have various pressings I play the ones I prefer, although at times that's not a simple decision. For instance, I have the MFSL and Classic Records reissue of APP - I Robot and I like them both. Depending on their output and the ones I own it is sometimes difficult to get through all of them in one day, but I'm a fairly determined guy, so I'm usually quite successful.

Today's focus is going to be Steve Winwood and six of his albums. And I mean his solo output...no Spencer Davis, Blind Faith, Traffic, etc.

Do you ever do this?

What a great idea John. I've never done that and never occurred to me.

Of course being a reviewer, all I listen to is ten or twelve albums. Actually I do get a little burned out on the music and do take time off just to listen to the music. Problem is I can just listen to music for weeks and never get any reviewing done!

[Bill Hart]

I always have these great intentions, I'll even make notes in advance of things I want to remember to listen to (maybe a sign of age, I don't know).
In other instances, say I do a big cleaning session-- a bunch of stuff, I'll take that pile (or more) into the listening room, and it's in a separate place-not yet shelved- for the next listening round- but when I'm ready to listen, it's not necessary what I want to listen to at that moment. Or, I see mention of a record on a forum or for whatever reason, I think of some album out of the blue, and say, damn, I have that somewhere and haven't listened to it in years- so I'll find it (sometimes that takes time) pull it out, clean it, and eventually get around to listening. But, my sessions are kind of haphazard in a good way. I 'surf' music in the sense that while I'm listening to one thing, it reminds me of something else, and that may be where I go next- and it could be jumping from a cello soloist to punk rock. One of the time consuming things is simply cleaning and play checking stuff that comes in; if it is a bin find, or a cheapie, i'm not as likely to jump on it; but if I've laid out some bread for a record, I'll want to make sure it is a good player. That takes time even if it is something I enjoy, because it may not be what I want to hear at the moment. The other thing- I guess this is an admission of sorts- is that it is a commitment to do a listening session. I have to warm everything up- know that my schedule is clear for several hours at a minimum- the last thing I want to do is get everything warmed up and start listening, only to learn that we have to run out somewhere for something. But, as that phrase the millennials seem to have invented, 'first world' problem, right?

[Johnny Vinyl]

Bill - There is no doubt that it's a commitment of considerable time, so I only involve myself when I know I won't likely be disturbed by others or other activities. That doesn't always work out, I'll admit. I have 6 of SW's albums and am halfway through so I'll easily get them all in today.

[MylesBAstor]

I love Steve Winwood! Saw him and Tom Petty at The Garden couple of years back and they rocked the house!

[Johnny Vinyl]

I love Steve Winwood! Saw him and Tom Petty at The Garden couple of years back and they rocked the house!

Steve Winwood is one of the most important figures in all of rock 'n roll. His contributions are almost immeasurable, but he kept a rather low-profile and this meant he was often and still is over-looked.

[allenh]

Hey Johnny,

I've done artist binging before as well. I'll play all the LPs/CDs of only that artist in a day. Sinead, Silk Road Ensemble, some others.

What I do more often though is maybe focus on a genre for a a longer period of time, say classical, world, rock. So I'll play only classical LPs for a month or more, then world... Think I'm entering a pop/rock phase right now.. Does that happen to you, too?

[Johnny Vinyl]

Hey Johnny,

I've done artist binging before as well. I'll play all the LPs/CDs of only that artist in a day. Sinead, Silk Road Ensemble, some others.

What I do more often though is maybe focus on a genre for a a longer period of time, say classical, world, rock. So I'll play only classical LPs for a month or more, then world... Think I'm entering a pop/rock phase right now.. Does that happen to you, too?

I do the same thing, although not for a month. I do a lot of Prog Rock listening to begin with, as that is my fave genre of music, so I can go for days on end playing Pink Floyd, Supertramp, Alan Parsons, Harmonium, The Moody Blues, Genesis, King Crimson, Dead Can Dance, Portishead, Blackfield, IQ, Yes, etc. Eventually though I get tired of it and need a change.

For some strange reason I reserve Jazz and Classical for Sunday mornings...it just seems to go well for me on that day. Weird, I know.

[MylesBAstor]

I do the same thing, although not for a month. I do a lot of Prog Rock listening to begin with, as that is my fave genre of music, so I can go for days on end playing Pink Floyd, Supertramp, Alan Parsons, Harmonium, The Moody Blues, Genesis, King Crimson, Dead Can Dance, Portishead, Blackfield, IQ, Yes, etc. Eventually though I get tired of it and need a change.

For some strange reason I reserve Jazz and Classical for Sunday mornings...it just seems to go well for me on that day. Weird, I know.

Does that mean that most audiophiles suffer from ADHD?

[Bill Hart]

Steve Winwood is one of the most important figures in all of rock 'n roll. His contributions are almost immeasurable, but he kept a rather low-profile and this meant he was often and still is over-looked.

He had a good solo career after the work with Traffic- I'm still not sure about his first solo album,* I have it, but haven't listened to it in a while. He's always been a hero of mine from the early days, I first heard him from the Spencer Davis days, though the real focus for me was the early Traffic stuff, Mr. Fantasy, John Barleycorn, The Canteen album and Blind Faith, rather than the "Low Spark" and later stuff. He's long been on a list of someone I wouldn't mind meeting and talking to. "Can't Find My Way Back Home" is a song that still gives me goosebumps- it is haunting. I never got to see Blind Faith back in the day, but we were invited to go hear Clapton and Winwood at the Garden when they did that tour several years ago. I was skeptical- a lot of times hearing somebody who made their mark along time ago isn't really playing or singing at the same level when they are much older and it can be depressing. (You really can't go back home again). I was blown away by how good those guys were; Chris Stainton played keyboards--he was around back in the early days and they managed to do several Blind Faith tracks. The guy has immense talent- and proved it when he was 15 years old. I still love listening to the older records of his. I gather the recording of Garden show on vinyl isn't that good, but I haven't heard it. Have you?
* Dave Mason's first solo album, on the other hand, is chock full of great songs and though I haven't listened to it in a few years, I was playing it often for a while.
Winwood is also inextricably tied to early Island in my mind as well, a label that enjoys legendary status in part because of Winwood. (His brother, Muff, was also a good producer, for Island and other labels).