Major League Music = #6 – Seattle Mariners

Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle – Nirvana (1993,DGC Records)

On occasion in this series, I am lucky enough to be able to call upon the services of a couple of people who I happen to know live in the cities (or near at least) that I am featuring.  Today I am featuring Seattle, and that means I get to introduce you all to Joe. 

I’ve never met Joe, physically at least.  I’ve met him on Zoom a bunch of times, and in meetings that are supposed to be about quite important stuff, we spend about 45 minutes of the allowed hour talking about music and baseball.  He is a huge Seattle Mariners fan and an ardant supporter of the local music scene.  So today’s bit about the baseball team, at least two of the tracks and the new local band recommendation all come from him.  Here he is…

The last time I saw the Mariners play in a post season match I was 18 years old.  They lost to the New York Yankees (more of them next week – SWC).  That was in 2001.  Since 2001, I’ve got married (twice), had two kids, three dogs, nine cars, a mortgage, travelled the world, been in four bands, punched Macauley Culkin (long slightly libellous story, probably for another time – SWC) and got a full time job.  You might think that clearly I’ve been too busy to watch the Mariners in the World Series.  Nope, they’ve never been past the divisional section since 2001.  Heck, they’ve never been to the world series.  Ever.  I love the Mariners, but they suck.  Actually, at times I love the Mariners because they suck. 

Music in Seattle doesn’t suck though.  Jimi Hendrix for example was born in Seattle, and we gave the world Nirvana, Sub Pop Records, The Sonics, Tiny Vipers, Mudhoney, Band of Horses, The Posies and a host of others. On the downside we also gave the world and I hope I get the phrase right ‘sax wanker’ Kenny G (Pretty much spot on Joe – SWC), no matter how many times this city apologises, it never seems quite enough.

Thanks Joe, here’s some music from three of the bands in that list

The Witch – The Sonics (1965, Etiquette Records)

Development – Tiny Vipers (2009, Sub Pop Records) – I’d never heard of Tiny Vipers before meeting Joe, but I totally recommend them if you like bands like Waxahatchee or Bright Eyes perhaps.

March to Fuzz – Mudhoney (1991, Sub Pop Records)

And, this weeks new band is Antonioni, which comes personally recommended by Joe, and you know what, they are very good indeed.

Mary Bell – Antonioni (2021, Lauren Records)

Next Week we meet the Yankees of New York

The Sunday Shuffle #26

Only Memories Remain (demo version) – My Morning Jacket (2015, Capitol Records)

Today’s randomly chosen track was picked by my phone on the way back from an evening drinking session at a mates house.  I say session, it was all very refined, three bottles of local Devon ale and a small rum and ginger for the walk home.  The walk home isn’t far, about a mile and to make things interesting for me, I decide that whatever song was playing when I reached Badger Corner would be todays randomly shuffled track.

Badger Corner is so named because about two years ago, when walking back at almost the same time of night, a badger leapt out the hedge and attacked me.   Well, it leapt out the hedge at least, and made me scream like a four year old who has been told its time to leave the playpark because mummy has to go to Asda and pick up some broccoli.   After leaping out the hedge, teeth bared, fangs (probably) dripping in blood, the badger growled like some form of devil dog and ran off up the hill.  I’m pretty sure I heard it laughing its badgery laugh in the field behind the hedges about ten minutes later when I’d stopped shaking.  I may have said this before, but badgers rock.  They are the animal equivalent of Lemmy from Motorhead.

On this occasion though, there were no badgers, well none that I saw at least, then again I was making as much bloody noise as I could without being a public nuisance. 

The song that was playing (loudly) when I reached Badger Corner was ‘Only Memories Remain’ by big bearded alt-country superstars My Morning Jacket.  It is taken from their seventh album ‘The Waterfall’.  ‘Only Memories Remain’ is a tremendous track, a song which is essentially saying goodbye to a loved one.  It’s sparse, soulful and really showcases the range of Jim James’ voice.  It feels kind of intimate but warm and welcoming at the same time.  I think he sound a lot of Lennon around the time he recorded ‘Jealous Guy’ on it, which considering he is from Kentucky and not Toxeth, that is quite an achievement.  

The version that came on was the demo version, so here just in case you were interested is the album version.

Only Memories Remain – My Morning Jacket (2015, Capitol Records)

This was the song that preceded it by the way and probably did enough to keep the badgers away, although I like to think of them behind the hedge, all moshing away, whilst ripped to the nostrils on Jack Daniels.

Milk It – Nirvana (1993, Geffen Records)

The Boxing Day Shuffle

Something In The Way – Nirvana (1994, DGC Records, Taken from ‘MTV Unplugged In New York’)

Hey folks. Hope you all had a lovely Christmas Day. I’m not going to say much today, but just gentle nudge you along to kitchen where there is a cup of tea waiting for you. Oh and the dishes need doing and the leftover turkey that the cat has spewed onto the floor needs clearing up. When you’ve done that three of the presents you bought the kids are broken already, so can you find the receipts please and whilst you are at it, that awful jumper that your mother bought you – that can go as well….

Next Week will see a bit of a change – as I’ve had some ideas that I am going to test out.