Tune Tag #132 with Ali of Hi-Fi Amateur: Joy Division, Wilson Pickett, Captain Sensible, Naked Eyes, Pet Shop Boys, Bryan Ferry, Williams Bros.

Ali makes his first appearance in the Tune Tag arena!🌊A California resident, Ali's star is rising in the #MusicStack community! Catch him on his way to shore: His wave is cresting!🏄‍♂️

🕵️‍♂️I believe that’s Ali approaching now in his custom ride. Ali, we’ve assigned you one of our Executive spots right up front!

Welcome to Tune Tag, Ali of Hi-Fi Amateur!

“I’m a guy who’s lived around the world, 2.5 continents, and on both coasts and the middle of the United States!” Ali’s bow-wow’s name is Ziggy Stardust Space Doggo, but you can call him Ziggy!

A little about me: I am based in L.A. and work in tech. Music has been a part of my life always….always played in our house, and my dad’s collection of vinyl records served as my musical education!

When I was old enough to hold a guitar, that became my primary music of expression. I received a high school education in music nonetheless. I had a brief stint as a DJ in a real music station playing the music I wanted to and getting exposed to great music.

Since then I was always the most opinionated about music in my friends group, until my closest friend told me about Substack as a place to share my love and knowledge of music with like-minded folks!

I love New Wave, Post-Punk, Goth, Industrial, Alternative, Electronic, and Indie music. I love to play music, and occasionally try to write music, but most importantly I’m a huge fan of music!

🎶Knowing he had a “name” connection to the ‘Stack, I asked Ali to tell us the story:

“I learned about Substack through a music legend, who I had been a fan of for many years. Then by luck, a cousin of mine met him, and had him record a video message for me. Then I was lucky enough to do a few sessions online in music collaboration with him during Covid!

“It was guitarist, Marty Willson-Piper (above), legendary guitarist of bands like All About Eve, The Church, and more recently Noctorum and Anekdoten.”

I then asked Ali if he had a favorite Marty Willson-Piper song he could share:

Ali: This is difficult….One of his solo songs that’s special, as I played it for my wife when I proposed (click to listen on YouTube): “You Bring Your Love To Me.” My favorite song of his in the band, Noctorum: “Piccadilly Circus in the Rain,” and my favorite song of his with The Church: “Russian Autumn Heart.”

👉Enjoy a 90-minute YouTube video interview with Piper about his record-collecting hobby, eclectic musical tastes, and a wide array of topics (click here)!

Last week, we welcomed PeDupre of The Twelve Inch (Disco/80s) for a disco tour de force:

Tune Tag #131 with PeDupre of The Twelve Inch, Pt. 3: New Musik, Ali Jamieson, Black, RPM, Marshall Crenshaw, Laura Branigan, Scarlett & Black

Next week, we’ll enjoy the tuned-in presence of Joi of The Radio Room!

Tune Tag #132👇

Ali’ song #1 sent to Brad: Joy Division, “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” 1980

Ali’s rationale: A friend of mine is going through a rough breakup so this song is being played a lot.

Brad’s response: As it happens, “the title to the song can read like an ironic response to ‘Love Will Keep Us Together’” (according to Warren Huart in his Songs That Changed Music; click here for his informational/instructional YouTube video) a song whose version by Captain & Tennille (written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield) was the best-selling single in 1975, and won the Grammy for Record of the Year (a producer’s award…in this case, The Captain…Daryl Dragon).

And, of course, Neil Sedaka (above) recorded his children’s music album, Waking Up is Hard to Do, in 2009, featuring his own Weird Al-ish food-focused parody, “Lunch Will Keep Us Together”:

GROW BIGGER EARS #9: English Hits Sung in Spanish by Original Artists! Kool & The Gang, Barry Manilow, Captain & Tennille, Gipsy Kings

Brad’s song #1 sent to Ali: Wilson Pickett, “Love Will Keep Us Together,” 1976