Chris James's Blog, page 23

100 Great Songs to Publish a Book to, #40: Lightning Seeds, Pure

The 1990s were a lot like the 1970s, only without the talent.  A significant exception was Ian Broudie who, after he left Big in Japan, went on to enjoy huge commercial success as the Lightning Seeds.  In my opinion, this is the best thing he did, and is good enough to forgive him for that atrocious song which so comprehensively gave the kiss of death to England’s Euro 1996 football campaign.

Onslaught is out now at the special introductory price of $2.99 in the US here, in the UK here, in Canada here, and in Australia here.

 

100 Great Songs to Publish a Book to, #41: Mike + The Mechanics, Heaven Doesn’t Care

As noted earlier in this list, seldom in their solo ventures did the members of Genesis reach anything like the heights they reached as a band.  All too rarely, however, a flash of the genius does crop up here and there.  Since the crushing disappointment of 1991’s Word of Mouth, I’ve tended to approach each subsequent M+M album with increasing trepidation.  2011’s The Road was as broadly pedestrian and disappointing as its predecessors, apart from this track.  I can’t work out what makes it so outstanding, but it is one perfectly formed gem of a song.

Onslaught is out now at the special introductory price of $2.99 in the US here, in the UK here, in Canada here, and in Australia here.

100 Great Songs to Publish a Book to, #42: Electric Light Orchestra, Dreaming of 4000

It is possible to argue that Jeff Lynne kept ELO as a broadly progressive group until as late as 1975’s Face the Music.  By the following year’s A New World Record, there was no doubt that ELO had become an outfit intent only on commercial success (nothing wrong with that, of course).  But if we go back to 1973’s On the Third Day, we find this track, full of anger and subtlety and yearning and that special mix of rock guitar and coarse strings which ELO did so well in the early years.  After all, “If that’s how it feels/It better be real…”

Onslaught is out now at the special introductory price of $2.99 in the US here, in the UK here, in Canada here, and in Australia here.

 

100 Great Songs to Publish a Book to, #43: Genesis, Fading Lights

The ultimate Banks ‘terminal song’, written at the height of the band’s commercial success, and proof that Genesis never completely abandoned their progressive roots.  But progress they did, and 1991’s We Can’t Dance stands if nothing else as the defining example of how easy Genesis had by then found it to toss out million-selling hit singles with a ridiculously cool flick of the wrist, while still producing songs like this to leave any self-respecting Prog-rock fan slack-jawed in wonder.

Onslaught is released today at the special introductory price of $2.99 in the US here, in the UK here, in Canada here, and in Australia here.

Competition winners announced!

[image error]The Repulse Chronicles, Book One: Onslaught went live on Kindle this morning, and if you’re one of the thousands hundreds tens handful of readers who pre-ordered it, thank you and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.  Now, with a sigh of relief, I can return to the altogether more important business of writing the next novel, which, unsurprisingly, will be called The Repulse Chronicles, Book Two: Invasion.

But before that, there is one important piece of unfinished business.  For the last week, I’ve been noting down the names of all the kind people who’ve spammed let their networks know about Onslaught.  This morning, I put all the bits of paper into a box (couldn’t find a hat) and got Youngest Daughter to pull out three pieces:

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And the winners are… (drumroll)… Francis in the USA, Dagmara in Poland, and Daz in the UK.  A signed and dedicated paperback copy of Onslaught will be snail-mailing its way to each of you from next week.  Sorry if you didn’t win, but thank you for helping out.  And do please remember that Amazon reviews are gold dust to independent authors.  It doesn’t matter if they’re good, bad or ugly, or long or short, if you read Onslaught, please make your opinion known with a review – thank you!

Onslaught will stay at the special introductory price of $2.99 until the end of the 100-song spam festival, and is available in the US here, in the UK here, in Canada here, and in Australia here.

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100 Great Songs to Publish a Book to, #44: The Fifth Dimension, Aquarius (Let the Sunshine In)

If like me you’re an Aquarian, then this is your song.  Taken from the controversial 1969 rock opera Hair, this track points out that we are about to enter the Age of Aquarius, which will usher in 2,150 years of love, light and humanity.  But not yet, apparently, as astrologers can’t agree and it seems we may still be stuck in the Age of Pisces.  Some said the alignment of 12 December 2012 began the Age of Aquarius, while others claim it won’t begin until at least 2150.

So, my fellow Aquarians, for now take comfort that our time is on its way, and understand that we’re blessed with an astrological advantage which always puts us ahead of the rest.  Yes, friends, if you want to know what things will be like in 50 years’ time, it’s us Aquarians who have the answers.  Which brings me to my new book – *cough*, *choke* (Subs pls check: We shouldn’t let James alienate his already-miniscule audience with such ham-fisted cross-promotion.  Pls delete.  Ed.)

Onslaught is released today at the special introductory price of $2.99 in the US here, in the UK here, in Canada here, and in Australia here.

100 Great Songs to Publish a Book to, #45: Simon & Garfunkel, Keep the Customer Satisfied

It’s very difficult to pick just one of Simon & Garfunkel’s songs when considering the remarkable body of work they produced from 1965 to 1970, but this is an upbeat foot-tapper which ticks all the right boxes musically and lyrically.  Yes, Paul Simon wrote this to have a moan about the exhausting touring the duo were obliged to do, but to some degree I usually feel one step ahead of the shoeshine, two steps away from the county line, just trying to keep my customer satisfied (note that the use of the singular noun there, folks, is not merely generic, but factually accurate).

Onslaught is available for pre-order at the special introductory price of $2.99 in the US here, in the UK here, in Canada here, and in Australia here.

100 Great Songs to Publish a Book to, #46: Pulp, Common People

Social commentary has to be done very well to work in song format, and this is something I feel American songwriters have always done better than the British.  One important exception is Jarvis Cocker, who in 1995 with his band Pulp released this cutting piece of observation.  In my opinion, there’s no better song about growing up in the UK’s working class, laced with a bitter undercurrent of satire.

Onslaught is available for pre-order at the special introductory price of $2.99 in the US here, in the UK here, in Canada here, and in Australia here.

100 Great Songs to Publish a Book to, #47: Genesis, Home by the Sea/Second Home by the Sea

By 1983, Genesis’s commercial success had begun to take off.  Despite the pop hits, however, the band showed they had little intention of abandoning their progressive roots entirely (as indeed they never would).  Side one of 1983’s self-untitled album ends with this two-part track about a burglar who breaks into a house, only to discover it is in fact a haunted prison.  The ghosts trap him and he is obliged to listen to their stories for the rest of his life.  The instrumental passage in the Second part of the song boasts some of Banks’ most fearsome work.

Onslaught is available for pre-order at the special introductory price of $2.99 in the US here, in the UK here, in Canada here, and in Australia here.

100 Great Songs to Publish a Book to, #48: Renaissance, Song of Scheherazade

Song of Scheherazade is nearly twenty-five minutes of glorious orchestral progressive rock, which tells the story of 1,001 Arabian Nights in nine suits.  One of the most accomplished suits to come out of the progressive era, telling a gripping tale and dripping in wonderful orchestration.

Onslaught is available for pre-order at the special introductory price of $2.99 in the US here, in the UK here, in Canada here, and in Australia here.