Aug 12: 2015

2015 saw the release of 'The Book of Souls' by Iron Maiden. This was another solid album from the band.

It featured on my listening that year.

Public Service Broadcasting released the wonderful 'The Race for Space'.

This had a space theme, featuring some of their most memorable songs. This is a live favourite.

Gagarin features the words of Yuri Gagarin himself as he did his first space walk and saw the Earth from space.

What beauty. I saw clouds and their light shadows on the distant dear earth.... The water looked like darkish, slightly gleaming spots.... When I watched the horizon, I saw the abrupt, contrasting transition from the earth's light-colored surface to the absolutely black sky. I enjoyed the rich color spectrum of the earth. It is surrounded by a light blue aureole that gradually darkens, becoming turquiose, dark blue, violet, and finally coal black.

This is the track named after him:

June saw the passing of the great Chris Squire. I had the pleasure of seeing him play live a number of times with Yes in various incarnations.... and his Rickenbacker tone was legendary.

Here's a classic bass line... from 1983 when Yes 'reinvented' themselves... 

I remember this playing in the Dickens Inn in Rotherham... a classic pub much missed... 

There were lots of musical myths about this place, but it also hosted some excellent musicians.
This was our pub of choice in the early 80s

The Dickens at Westgate was a popular meeting place in the 70s and 80s and attracted such legendary performers as Joe Cocker, Frank White, Def Leppard and Saxon.

Def Leppard played there in 1979 and were apparently paid £20.

What are your musical memories of 2015?