Richard Thompson found it strange that Playboy magazine would
ask him to compile a list of the 10 best songs of the last 1,000
years. But he decided to fulfill the request anyway. Taking the
prompt literally, he started his list with an Italian ballad from
1068.
Although the Playboy staff did not find the humor in his
response and rejected his list, the idea of the question inspired
Thompson to seek out the best music of the past millennium.
As part of his “1,000 Years of Popular Music” tour,
the former Fairport Convention guitarist will perform in a UCLA
Live concert at Royce Hall Thursday.
“We play music from all periods,” Thompson said.
“Our modern songs include “˜1985′ by Bowling for
Soup. It’s about a mom who is stuck in the ’80s. But
we’ve got a few surprises that you’ll just have to wait
for.”
The British musician has won much acclaim, including the Ivor
Novello Award for Songwriting and the 2006 BBC Lifetime Achievement
Award.
However, pop culture has most recently recognized Thompson with
a No. 19 ranking in Rolling Stone Magazine’s list of the top
100 all-time greatest guitarists. In tune with his brooding lyrics,
he took this honor with a grain of salt.
“It’s flattering until you realize who is above you
and below you on the list,” Thompson said, with a hint of a
chuckle in his voice.
Growing up, music surrounded Thompson’s daily life. After
listening to rock ‘n’ roll records from his sister,
Thompson would frequent local clubs in the London music scene.
These jazz and folk clubs provided the influences that would later
reside in his own melancholy folk-rock style. At age 11, Thompson
picked up his first guitar, starting what has been a lifelong
career in music.
“After graduating high school, I decided to take one year
off,” Thompson said. “I was making money with my band.
We played local clubs. That one year turned into another year and
another year after that.”
While in Fairport Convention, he toured the world, inspiring
British musicians with his band’s mix of ’60s rock
essence and folk music basics.
Playing at Los Angeles venues such as the Troubadour, Thompson
began to play shows with musicians such as The Eagles and the woman
who later became his wife, Linda Thompson.
Hanging out at midnight with what he called the “L.A. folk
mafia,” Thompson would have late-night jam sessions with
people who were considered nobodies at the time. Today, we know
them as Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin.
“It’s surprising that these people are considered
legends. No one would have thought that years later these bands
would still be as popular as they are today,” Thompson
said.
It was the musicians of Thompson’s early days that changed
the way music sounded and was perceived. These musicians produced
timeless classics, staying popular even though decades have
passed.
Thompson, for one, is amazed at the fact that his 14-year-old
son, who loves Green Day, would also consider Led Zeppelin and
other bands that his father played with among his favorites.
“We didn’t realize it at the time, the influence
that the music would have today,” Thompson said. “It
was original, something new. Today there is a lack of originality
in music. You might hear (originality) in hip-hop and rap ““
but it would be one in 1,000 songs.”
After his tenure with Fairport Convention, Thompson moved on to
a solo career that has spanned the last 20 years. Most recently he
provided the music for “Grizzly Man,” the documentary
about Timothy Treadwell, a grizzly bear activist who decided to
live with bears in the wild. The soundtrack to the movie was
completely spontaneous and improvised, attesting to
Thompson’s melody-writing ability.
However, behind the wit and the talent lies a regular man who
enjoys spending time with his family, which includes two children
who have received their parents’ gift for music and pursued
professional careers.
“I like to garden and enjoy construction,” said
Thompson. “Although I should probably say I hang out with the
Hell’s Angels to preserve my image.”