Van Morrison

No one sounds as great as Van Morrison does. To me he sounds, on occasion, almost divine.

I've seen him perform live once. He was playing at The Royal Albert Hall in 1987; I was only 19 and was probably the youngest person in the audience. His backing band were Georgie Fame etc. He grumbled on to stage looking like a giant hamster stuffed into suit that was too small. He was pissed off and looked like he was only going to be around for 5 minutes. But then he scuttled to center stage. He glared at his band and at us the audience and he started to sing. He sounded majestic, proud, strong and cool as fuck. He took control of Royal Albert Hall. His band like his shadow behind him; menacing his words and voice like a some kind of bodyguard but kept at bay by the subtle flick of Van's podgy little hand.

I can't remember what he sang, but I do remember him stalking the stage during instrumental parts holding his microphone up to the sky like an aerial. His face rapt and grumpy as he waited for the inspiration from 'on high'. He was truly great.

I was listening to him this morning on the ipod on the way to work and his music gives me a connection to our landscape like no other music does.

I'm now on holiday. I will listen to Van some more as we spend a week in our caravan in the Suffolk countryside. The kids like the album he did with the Chieftains, 'Irish Heartbeat'. My 5 year old daughter calls it 'cowboy music'.

Check out - http://www.mediafire.com/?6tjxnn3c2zz

This is a track of Van's from his Veedon Fleece album. Veedon Fleece is currently being repised as a 'Van album it's ok to like'. So you never know you might like it too..

I am now 'off line'.

Amen

T