Only one place to go today - that's the Rock 'n' Roll World of Tina Turner.

Everyone will no doubt have their own personal favourite song, this is one of mine. Coincidently it's another record from those dancefloor nights at Tiffany's in the 1970s.

The version here is from a 'live' show in 1996 with Tina doing what she'll be remembered for - 'strutting her stuff' on 'Nutbush City Limits'. 

Nutbush: 'one more time' >

Encore: Last night we went to a Quiz night at our 'local'. The final song in the 'Music' round was this track. And by the end the entire pub was rocking and singing along to 'Proud Mary' 

R.I.P. Anna Mae Bullock (Tina Turner)

  

An occasional music spot - remembering places around the World

Tiffany's was a proper Nightclub [with a 'live' band]. - not to be confused with discotheques or discos - Wikipedia describes them as: "Nightclubs typically have dress codes to prohibit people wearing informal, indecent, offensive, or gang-related attire from entering. Unlike other entertainment venues, nightclubs are more likely to use bouncers to screen prospective patrons for entry."

Fridays and Saturdays were the most popular nights out and admission cost more, while Monday had (see above) special ticket prices to entice you along. Dancing to a DJ spinning the discs and the resident band The Treetops it was often a different crowd to weekends, but not that different. 

Treetops rhythm guitarist Jim Eaton remembers: 

Joined Mecca at the New Tiffany's in Wimbledon, the grand opening night was set for mid April 1966. Tiffany's was designed in a Polynesian style with fake palm trees, lots of foliage and twinkling stars covering the ceilings. Our stage was set into a cave with a door at the back leading to the dressing room. For further memories from Jim Eaton and many others:- click here.  

9:30 was definitely the cut-off time for reduced admission having had a few drinks elsewhere first. Bar prices at Tiffany's were pricey and the beer watered down I'm certain. As for the Grillette? (see ticket) I don't recall this at all ! 

The Treetops performed their versions of the hits, past and present, some better than others:

Spring 1973 was the height of David Cassidy and Osmonds fame. The era of Gary Glitter, Slade and Sweet. Wizard's 'See My Baby Jive' was in the Charts along with ’Love Train’ by The O’Jays and perennial slow dancers Detroit Spinners ‘Could it be I’m Falling in Love’ ?

Sometimes "Would you like to dance", actually did result in a dance 😀 and even a phone number and possibly a date... 

My memory of the music began with last Friday's Music Spot and Stevie Wonder. While I can hear The Treetops playing 'Get Down' by Gilbert O'Sullivan, who'd been Top of the Singles Chart in April. Here he is [clearly miming] >

[Above]: More eye opening nostalgia in a 1967 local press ad. 'Soft Lights'? Plus Pan's People on TOTPs 1973, doing their thing to 'Get Down' click this link 

  

Today's Star Track is a dancefloor classic ─ "Superstition" reached number one in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in January 1973 and in February No.11 in the UK Singles Chart. 

November 2004 saw 'Rolling Stone' magazine rate the song number 74 on its list of the '500 Greatest Songs of All Time'. It was re-ranked No.73 on its 2010 list, and then No.12 on a more recent 2021 list. 

There's quite a story about the recording and actual release of the song: 

Jeff Beck was an admirer of Stevie Wonder's music, who at this time was playing virtually all of the instruments on his songs by himself, but he preferred to let other guitarists play on his records, and he liked the idea of a collaboration with Beck. An agreement was quickly made for Beck to become involved in the sessions that became the 'Talking Book' album, in return for Wonder writing him a song. During the album sessions, Beck came up with the opening drum beat. Wonder told him to keep playing while he improvised over the top of it. He improvised most of the song, including the riff, on the spot. They created a rough demo for the song that day.
After finishing the song, Wonder decided that he would allow Beck to record "Superstition" as part of their agreement. Originally, the plan was for Beck to release his version of the song first, with his newly formed power trio Beck, Bogert & Appice. However, due to the combination of the trio's debut album getting delayed and Motown CEO Berry Gordy's prediction that "Superstition" would be a huge hit and greatly increase the sales of 'Talking Book', Stevie Wonder released the song as a single months ahead of Beck's version, the latter being issued in March 1973 on the 'Beck, Bogert & Appice' album.

The funky clavinet riff played on a Hohner Clavinet, the Moog synthesizer bass and the vocals are performed by Mr. Wonder. In addition, the song features trumpet and tenor saxophone, played respectively by Steve Madaio and Trevor Lawrence ─ [No video, album image only].

🎵🔜This track will always remind me of a certain place (tune in this coming Monday for the answer to that ?). Perhaps it reminds you of the same place or maybe somewhere similar ? 

There happens to be a Jeff Beck Tribute Concert at the Royal Albert Hall this coming Monday and Tuesday 22/23 May.

🎵 And finally you MUST watch this > as James Cordon, who recently left the CBS 'Late Late Show' on April 27th, presents one of his first 'Carpool Karaoke' spots - if you haven't seen this, it's just brilliant >  CLICK HERE 

  

Today we are 'Going Local (not Down in Acapulco)' but 'Up by Fairlight'. 

Hopefully you have seen the 2023 Lloyds Bank TV ad. If you haven't, then watch it here > 'Smart Start' 

The campaign relays the benefits of a children’s account, with the iconic Lloyds black horses riding along with kids on bikes. The ad which was partly filmed in and around Leith Hill near Dorking on the outskirts of London is bookended first by the Firehills at Hastings Country Park and concludes at Cliff End, just to the east of Fairlight, with the final drone shot. 

The music used is Alicia Keys singing her 2012 hit 'Girl on Fire' > 

If you're interested, like me, there's a 2-minute 'Behind the scenes' video worth watching > click here.  

Not only but also: 

Pett Level beach, a stones throw further east, has been used as a location for music videos, most famously David Bowie's 'Ashes to Ashes'. And the Kaiser Chiefs filmed 'My Life' at Pett Level beach. Both available on YouTube.  

   

On the Eve of the Coronation, today's choice is straightforward enough. Though I suspect that British Blues may not be a big part of the weekend music celebrations, so the band King King probably wont get a mention beyond here. 

Formed in 2008 King King are named after a former blues club in Los Angeles. Originally a 4-piece group fronted by larger than life guitarist Glaswegian Alan Nimmo (which explains the kilt ! )

This great track from a 2016 'Live' release is titled 'Waking Up' :

Looks like they're enjoying themselves - hope you do too. Blues Rock forever > long live the King, King

More: King King from their 2020 'Maverick' album, now a 5-piece line up with Stevie Nimmo joining his brother. “I Will Not Fall “ video here 

  

An alternative (and occasional) music posting highlighting something out of the ordinary. Perhaps of limited appeal, unconventional, experimental or just far-out ! Call it what you like (or switch it off, if you don't like). 

C e l e b r a t i n g  T R E E S

-  a love of and a new knowledge too  -

While not necessarily seeing myself as a 'tree hugger' I realise if you consider Margaret's nickname from her South African days then that is exactly what I am: a 'Tree' hugger 😊

But that is something else. It was whilst travelling on a train from the south coast that I found myself thinking about all the trees I could see passing me by through the window. The sheer numbers and varieties, seemed incredible. We're talking evolution timelines and silly numbers here: millions and then billions of years. 

🌍 As a guide: First 'modern' human - Homo sapiens arrive some 300,000 years ago.

🍃 While trees have been on our planet about 380,000,000 years (380 Million).

🌐 Globally, there are estimated to be 3.04 trillion trees, according to a recent study published in the journal Nature. This means that there are roughly 422 trees for every person on earth.

🌱 There are over 73,000 different species of trees on Earth 🌐 

IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING

The earliest trees were tree ferns, horsetails and lycophytes, which grew in forests in the Carboniferous period. The first tree may have been Wattieza, fossils of which have been found in New York State in 2007 dating back to the Middle Devonian (about 385 million years ago). During the Mesozoic (245 to 66 million years ago) the conifers flourished and became adapted to live in all the major terrestrial habitats. Subsequently, the tree forms of flowering plants evolved during the Cretaceous period. These began to displace the conifers during the Tertiary era (66 to 2 million years ago) when forests covered the globe. When the climate cooled 1.5 million years ago and the first of four ice ages occurred, the forests retreated as the ice advanced. In the interglacials, trees recolonised the land that had been covered by ice, only to be driven back again in the next ice age. 

And then there's Oxygen

The Origin of Oxygen in Earth's Atmosphere is tiny organisms known as cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae. These microbes conduct photosynthesis: using sunshine, water and carbon dioxide to produce carbohydrates and oxygen. Earth's atmospheric fills with oxygen about 2.4 billion years ago. 

Finally some appropriate music: Swiss harpist Andreas Vollenweider with 'Under The Trees of Hope' > 

From his 1997 'Kryptos' Album, which I first heard on a plane to America. Must be something about being 35,000 feet up in the air surrounded by clouds, because I remember feeling overwelmed. Amazing track - magnificent [like trees]  

For the love of Tree