I feel like the time is right, to add one more ‘reply’ in this series. I’m quite happy for anyone to add anything to it (within ‘the rules’, naturally) at any time – only that might stimulate me into further comment under my thread here. This last original entry has two sources of inspiration, the thread itself and the comments I recently added to the LAY ME DOWN thread, originated by Stephanie and particularly, Stella’s comments therein:
www.steveharley.com/forum/6-general-disc...me-down.html?start=6
Harley said (in 2015), something to the effect that he might be out of work (purely as a guitarist – he considers himself ‘an average rhythm guitarist’) were he not, the leader of his band. For years, Ferry described himself as a ‘non musician’. They are each (in my view) very good harmonica players, which is another parallel.
I’ve spent about half of my career to date, in professional life (mainly quantity surveying and quasi-legal procedure). The other half, to date, has been made up of a collection of other, sometimes random, jobs and there have been a couple of times of recession, when it’s been harder to make a living. Whenever I’ve ‘hit’ one of the difficult periods (particularly since Sasha bought me the Yamaha keyboard c. 2006 – there was a period post the 2008 global financial meltdown and one could argue 2023 - although I’m now old enough for it to matter a bit less to me, at least), I’ve turned to music, to ‘balance out’, the less cerebral ways, I was making a living. This sounds a bit like the ‘punk philosophy’. For anyone, to ‘find their voice’.
When I ‘hit’ my fifties, was one such time and there was the added element of a minor mid-life crisis! I began working (physically) with other Europeans (mainly Poles as well as English, Hungarians and a couple of Germans) in a women’s clothes distributor and we’d often talk about popular music during breaks (or trips to and from home).
Totally unconnected with my next words – I doubt if it wasn’t for Ferry (the elder) and Harley (the slightly younger) – I’d have ever tried to play keys. As I stated under the LAY ME DOWN thread, I was never destined and I’m quite content with that (honestly).
As my tribute to Harley and Ferry, I want to leave an arrangement of written chords (no top line melody) from which I made a ballad type backing track of about tempo 70bpm (quite slow) but when I was looking at more unusual chords. I put these together, less than three months before my own Dad died and I can empathise with Steve about his, more recent loss, in that sense.
Steve could tell me whether these make any musical sense or not – though he doesn’t need to, of course, but he would be welcome to ‘play around’ with them, or some of them, should he so wish. After that list of chords, (in 2020, during lockdown), I put a bit of verse together, inspired by Harley, by Ferry (The Psychomodo, Harley, 1974 and In Your Mind, Ferry, et al, 1977) and also a small part of my current science studies. Stay well, stay your way, and all the best, Jem H (aka ’75):
The chord arrangement (H, J, 2012):
D7 sus4 - D7 - D7sus4 - D7
F7 - A7 - C7 - D7
D7 sus4 - D7 - G - F
G7 (9)
D7 sus4 - D7 - D7sus4 - D7
F - F6 - Dm - D7
D7 - D7sus4 - D7 - D7sus4
D7
THE PSYCHO-MODUS (H, J, 2020-24):
The developmental, the interpersonal,
Friends, colleagues, lovers, family.
The good,
The bad,
The not me.
Civilisation and its discontents,
Attachment to each,
Interpersonal psychiatry.
Oh Freud, Oh Sullivan, Oh Ainsworth,
Were you all, right?
The good,
The bad,
The not me.
Clinical, educational,
Applied, forensic,
Neuro, occupational,
This is DE100,
Psychology.
The Future Time Perspective,
Is no reason to rush a headstone,
Nor carve a cornerstone,
Wow, this module has flown.
It’s the ‘right-stuff’ that counts,
The ‘left field’ that stimulates,
The left and right hemispheres,
And everything in between.
This is the neuro authority,
It speaks to us all,
How to behave and survive.
Shaping every personality,
Holistic, human,
and in other minds.
www.steveharley.com/forum/7-welcome-mat/...kney-rebel-1973.html
12 Feb 25 - Thoughts on my other thread (link below), led me to think that an alternative title for 'The Psycho-Modus' might be 'The Neurotic' (or even, 'Mr Neuroses'). The lyrics could also move from the psychological dogma I have written, to the more personal - perhaps more in the first person, rather than as detached learning, perhaps more in the vein of from the perspective of a 'Mr Soft' (Harley, 1974) or a 'Mr Raffles' (Harley, 1975). Something for me to think about and maybe work on, in my retirement(!) and as a bit of fun/hobby (for me, that is - for Harley, well he was good enough to make it HIS way of life "It's what I do" (Harley)...and didn't he do it well?! X
www.steveharley.com/forum/5-forum-questi...-still-in-music.html
11 April 2025 (edits 13th and 19th) - With further reference to my prose-lyric, if there was a legitimate bridge between the work of Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) and Harry Stack Sullivan, 1892-1949 (possibly even Mary Ainsworth, 1913-1999), then for me it would be Alfred Adler (1870-1937). He is probably as important as the other three.
His writings following his break with Freud in 1911, expanded on his 'Individual Psychology', from 1911 until the mid 1920's at least. Carl Jung, (1875-1961) broke from Freud a couple of years after Adler. I admire Jung for his intellect and his 'persona' concept but I find his views the most extreme from my four other favourites - more difficult to grasp in terms of a single movement or collective theory. Freud and Jung, nevertheless, have probably had the greatest overall influence, whilst in 'opposing camps'. Freud and Jung were the closest however, with their championing of the unconscious.
Some of Adler's concepts - individual style of life - birth order (siblings) - feelings of inferiority and hopefully, striving towards a goal of totality, of superiority - or, POWER. In my view, between Adler and Freud, they identified the major drives i.e. (self) preservation of the organism, sex - including reproduction of the organism, power (however this is ideal for the individual - her or his own totality) and social ties.
Where he got, in my view, closest to Freud he maintained, "Sexuality and all the sexual varieties and attitudes are also dominated by the style of life". Where he got closest to Sullivan and at the same time Ainsworth (from a spoiled child perspective), "When left alone they develop anxiety, an intelligent function, in order to be joined with the mother". My (layman) view is that this could be extended to either parent (I think Freud also referred to this?) Anyway, with Freud, Sullivan and Ainsworth, to me, his views are credible.
Adler and Sullivan were also close with their considered importance of 'correct' sociability. Steve Harley, when developing this very site with his IT people, really thought about the social aspects of this Forum and gave us an opportunity to express ourselves in the public domain - one in which we shared a common (big) interest!
This may be the last time I add anything to these forums - unless something written by another Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel fan, sparks more thoughts of mine. I'm so glad I made sure I saw and heard him (and of course, Cockney Rebel) again on 19 December 2022 and I wanted that Timeless Flight to continue and Steve did his best in that regard. Finally, I thank him again.
My very best to the Harley (Nice) family, all the band members and theirs, the managers of this excellent site and to fellow fans and theirs, of this following - especially those I have had direct dialogue with - and anyone who has read any of my (101 forum) posts.
Quick parallel(s) - in early 1979, Roxy Music released the album 'Manifesto'. In mid 1979, Steve Harley released the album 'The Candidate'. From the age of fourteen/fifteen, to currently nearer seventy than sixty, I've 'voted' for each person, persona and band!
In January 1976 Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel released an album track entitled, 'White, White Dove' and in October 1975, Roxy Music released an album track called 'Nightingale'. "...lead, I'll follow on..." Day and night, their respective melodies and words, will periodically re-enter the remainder of my own lifetime.
Jem
April 2025
X
Viva the sounds and words of: Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel!
Viva the sounds and words of: Bryan Ferry & Roxy Music!
For me, inseparable greats of British and European cultural life. Harley and Ferry always loved and respected both zones, as do I.
it was great meeting her, in 1996), Gabrielle, Little Simz, Anne-Marie, Jess Glynne, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Miley Cyrus, Zara Larsson, Sigrid, Katy Perry, Florence Welch, Jessie Buckley, Georgia, Lone Lady, Aimee Mann, Kate Bush (always present, veteran though she is), et al.