I was just on Facebook and I saw a comment and video on "Classic Rock Presents Prog" page of Annie Haslam and the band Renaissance saying she was "one of our fave female vocalists" and how it takes you back to your childhood. This comment made me think back to my teenage years and to the wonderful Sonja Kristina, the lead singer with the 70's Prog band Curved Air. Someone who I thought was absolutely stunning and beautiful and a great vocalist, not just eye candy like so many today. In fact I was probably infatuated with her at the time (no I definitely was) as were many guys, now of a certain age.Back to the story - I made a little comment on the page mentioning Sonja and the next thing I was messaged by another reader to become friends with her, which of course I did, then Sonja contacted me to become a fan of her new project "Mask" and of course I said "Yes".
This all happened within the space of a couple of hours and I am now virtual friends with a Prog goddess and a fan of her new music. This to me shows how much times have changed for the better in many respects. In the 70's or until very recently, all signed bands and artists like this were untouchable, unattainable and put on a pedestal, by the record companies and PR machine and you would never get chance to interact with them. The best you could hope for would be to read an interview in the N.M.E., Sounds or Melody Maker or maybe go and see them play live once in a blue moon, if they happened to be touring nearby.
Now I can look forward to following the progress of a very talented lady and re-new my interest in the great music she has produced over the years.
My advice - there's never been a better time to be a music fan, so search out the people you admire or have admired, and there's a good chance they'll still be making great music and you get the chance to be closer to that artist, like never before.
Musical Thoughts For Nought
2 comments:
I bunked off school and made my way all the way up to Manchester in 1973 just to see Sonja and Curved Air at the Free Trade Hall..
She was my fantasy as a 14 year old, and an inspiration. I later became a Flautist, due entirely to Melinda, (more or less) :)
For my money the Curved Air '2nd Album' and 'Phantasmagoria' are as good as ANYTHING done in the studio in 1971-2. The songs still WORK perfectly today which shows amazing composition and performance skills. Wish I'd ever seen them live--was just starting college in Oregon. Did they ever do a USA tour? Anyone got a fan club--God their tunes are so moody and magnificent. It's a tie between Marie Antoinette and Young Mother for my fave. Really been playing those CDs to death he
re in 2014--is the end near?
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