366 Artists In 366 Days : Day 364 Number 3 Jellyfish

It's late 1990, and my boss has videotaped MTV for us to play in the shop.

One segment shows clips from new artists, and it's then for the first time I catch a glimpse of a band that I instantly fall in love with.

They're cute, quirky and oh, those glorious harmonies.

They are Jellyfish, and they should have been ma-ha-ssive.

Only grunge (and a lack of record sales) stood in their way.

This was the start of it all for me.

Only one of the most amazing songs of all-time!

Ah, Andy Sturmer. Be still my beating heart.
There isn't much more that turns me on than a hot, long-haired honey playing complex time signatures and exotic rhythms on a stand-up drumkit...

A song about his willy...

Before Jellyfish, they were Beatnik Beatch...

Here's some solo stuff...

366 Artists In 366 Days : Day 363 Number 4 Todd Rundgren / Utopia

I only properly discovered Todd Rundgren in the late 1980s, when I came across two of his tapes, A Wizard A True Star, and Anthology, for £1.99 apiece.

One of the best things I ever did.

The man is, and I don't use this term very often, an utter genius.

That he is hardly a household name (save perhaps for when one mentions, 'Oh, he produced Bat Out Of Hell for Meat Loaf') is a crime.

How someone so talented can remain largely so unknown is just baffling.

Do yourself the proverbial favour and check him out!

Not only is he an extraordinarily gifted artist, writer and producer, Todd is one of the loveliest and most approachable musicians you could ever hope to meet. This was proven in 2008, when, for his 60th birthday, he and his wonderful family invited fans from around the globe to join in the celebrations.

Quite fortunate for us all that he lives on the stunning Hawaiian isle of Kuaui.

What a week that was...

If you live in the U.K. this is probably the only song you think he ever recorded...

Likewise, for Australians...

R.I.P. Dear Stephanie... 

XXX

366 Artists In 366 Days : Day 362 Number 5 ABBA

This is a tale of woe, so please have some hankies at the ready.

It's 1976, and it's just been announced that

ABBA are coming to perform at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne the following March. My 7-year-old self is excited beyond compare. It's all me and my schoolfriends have been discussing for months.

Only, there is something to burst my bubble and steal my joy.

My father.

He informed me that the seats had sold out in minutes, and although 'I don't care if we have to pay fifty dollars for seats there's no way we're sitting on the grass!'

Me, I couldn't care if you stuck me in a barrel of warm shit up to my neck, I just want to see ABBA.

Anyway, I never did get to see them.

Almost everybody I've ever met, both previously and since, did. 

Including my entire Grade 2 class.

Bitter, much?

You betcha...

366 Artists In 366 Days : Day 361 Number 6 Electric Light Orchestra

Yes, my favourite album of all-time is Discovery.

No, I'm not joking.

Oh, go on, here is Discovery in full...

Jeff Lynne, you are a freakin' genius!!!

366 Artists In 366 Days : Day 360 Number 7 KISS

The first concert I ever saw: 15th November 1980, VFL Park, Melbourne.

It was a Saturday.

It was amazing.

I think I began to go deaf that day...

Ahh, this brings back memories. Unbeknown to me, my sister stole this album to give to one of her mates. For many years I wondered where it was, and just assumed it had got lost somewhere between Australia and the U.K. 

366 Artists In 366 Days : Day 359 Number 8 Cheap Trick

One of the best musical moments of my life occurred almost 25 years ago in Melbourne, when some friends and I were invited backstage to hang out with the 'Tricksters.

Bun E. Carlos gave me a little drum lesson after I showed him how I twirl drumsticks. 

He said I was doing it wrong, and attempted to teach me to roll it over just two fingers.

I still can't do it...