A REDISCOVERY SPOT
It started last December (actually it might have been October with Genesis - see FMS191) with me watching a Lynyrd Skynyrd programme that reminded me of their music while introducing some great tracks I'd missed along the way.
Into January and it was the turn of Al Stewart. You see back in the 70s I would buy LPs by certain bands and my brother would buy albums by other artists. This worked well, until we both moved out and I had all the Genesis and Pink Floyd records while he had all the Dylan and Al Stewart. I basically lost touch with Al Stewart from there on.
As I rediscovered his music - 'Year of The Cat' apart he rarely got much radio time - I found songs I'd long forgotten and some new ones that I loved as much. His songs always taking you on a journey. 
Al Stewart really is folk music's history man and has quipped that at least 'you never run out of material to sing about'. His 1973 release 'Past, Present And Future' covers a lot of history and ends with the almost 10 minute 'Nostradamus'. Put your headphones on to appreciate a middle section I'd forgotten all about - the wonderful indulgence of mesmerising guitar, three-minutes long, break your strings, strumming tour-de-force packed with harmonics, fretboard workouts and phasing effects.
Very nice video walking us through the lyrics > Past, Present & Future... maybe ?

© 1973  Al Stewart wrote about this visionary in his own sleeve notes. “Whether or not you believe his prophecies to be true rests with you, but history seem to be on his side.”

Other discoveries I learnt:
'Trains' > www.youtube.com/watch?v=wn9NUmPV_Ts
'Coldest Winter' > www.youtube.com/watch?v=56Z8Nx5HJQw
That last one is from a brilliant live CD recorded with Dave Nachmanoff on lead guitar called 'Uncorked', containing acoustic versions of many favourites. Pick any track off YouTube.