May 28, 2017

Know your UK soul men

Born
  • Cocker:  1944 - Sheffield, Yorkshire
  • Morrison:  1945 - Belfast, Northern Ireland

Song the world first noticed
  • Cocker: "With a Little Help From My Friends" (1969)
  • Morrison:  "Gloria" (1964)

Primary influences (according to Wikipedia)
  • Cocker:  Ray Charles and Lonnie Donegan
  • Morrison:  Much of Morrison's music is structured around the conventions of soul music and R&B... [However] an equal part of his catalogue consists of lengthy, loosely connected, spiritually-inspired musical journeys that show the influence of Celtic tradition, jazz and stream-of-consciousness narrative, such as the album Astral Weeks and the lesser-known Veedon Fleece and Common One. The two strains together are sometimes referred to as "Celtic soul".

Rolling Stone says

  • (#96) Cocker would...interpret tunes by Randy Newman and Traffic as if they were R&B classics. And once he was done with them, that's what they were.
  • (#24) Morrison has left his mark on over 40 years' worth of rock, blues, folk, jazz and soul, as well as several genres that only really exist on his records. He's the most painterly of vocalists, a master of unexpected phrasing whose voice can transform lyrics into something abstract and mystical...


Best cover
  • Cocker: "With a Little Help From My Friends" or "You Are So Beautiful" or possibly "Feelin' Alright"
  • Morrison:  Gonna say the 2000 Skiffle Sessions with Lonnie Donegan, but YMMV 

Google hits when you Google their name and "crazy story"

  • Cocker:  25,000
  • Morrison: 55,800


Nickname

  • Cocker:  "Joe" - real name was John Robert.  Performed as "Vance Arnold" for a while.
  • Morrison:  "Van the Man"


Big influence on...

  • Cocker:  Bryan Adams
  • Morrison:  Springsteen, Seger, Elvis Costello, Tom Petty for a start


Imitated by Belushi?
  • Cocker:  yes
  • Morrison:  no, although Kevin Pollak says they hung out a bit

Song I really like



Still alive?

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