Having anticipated reggae music at every port of call on our recent Caribbean cruise, and certainly there was a real Bob Marley presence throughout the trip, the big take-away was in fact the Wednesday onboard Silent-Disco Nights. 

Headphones on for two hours of dancing in your own world. Just select the Red channel or the Green channel and see all inhibitions fly out the window - without going overboard. 

One track that came up the first week and also in week two's 'Step into Christmas' Silent-Disco, which thankfully wasn't full of Christmas songs but more of the same from week one, was the 2014/15 internationally successful 'Shut Up and Dance (With Me)', by American pop-rock band Walk the Moon. 

As a 'pick-up' line this may well have met with questionable success. As a dance tune it's a belter. 

I have found two videos, so to give you the choice here on the Red channel is the Official Video of 'Shut Up + Dance'   ►  

while on the Green channel - a Movie Dance Compilation [captioned for you enjoyment]   ► 

More dancing - if you want to party on - these tracks also got played and follow the same principle of lots of repeat lyrics with a singalong chorus: 

Usher - 'DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love' [click] 

Taio Cruz 'Dynamite’ [click] 

  

2023 saw the release of 'Hackney Diamonds' the excellent LP by the Rolling Stones. 

> "previously on Bill Blogs" [see post below] - Keith Richards [birthday] >

From the album (and I really could have picked any number of tracks) here's 'Whole Wide World' - enjoy the song and the cycle ride

Bonus video - try 'Live' from NYC 'Sweet Sounds of Heaven' -
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wt3ISLkIS38   

  H a p p y  B i r t h d a y  

- K E I T H    R I C H A R D S -

80 Years Old Today

How he ever got there is a mystery, but I'm glad he did !! - born 18th December 1943 

- so I thought I'd share this:

Keith Richards: Shows Off His Guitar Skills by Playing Some Rolling Stones Hits on The Tonight Show 

TV host Jimmy Fallon gets a bit carried away, but then why not  

> More Stones coming up Friday....

  

Finally arriving in the present day with new releases from 2023. Bit obvious this, but couldn't resist: 

Beatles or the Stones - (The Stones will be up in a few weeks time).

Whatever you think of the 'new' song the video by 'Lord of the Rings' Peter Jackson is something special and amazingly clever. Journey back in time with 'Now and Then' > 

Unlike years gone by records don't stay at No.1 for weeks at a time. This did top the chart in November but for one week only.  

"Kerching" - some of you may feel this marketing gone mad. With some justification. 

Various formats of this single are: CD at £4.99; Vinyl - 12” black at £20.99;  12” red - £22.99; 7” Blue / White - £17.99; 7" clear - £17.99; 7” black - £14.99; 7” red limited - £ 22.99; even a Cassette for £9.99.
All selling out !! 

'Now and Then' is b/w 'Love Me Do' (2023 - new mix). Originally Released in 1962 for 6s 6d (33p) 

  

For the record over the last eight years   T H E  F R I D A Y  M U S I C  S P O T   has now starred 400 tracks, from the beginning in November 2015. 

The first 50 songs can be replayed via this link. For 51-100 click here: 101-150 click this one and then 151-200 (link) ; while 201-250 is here ; 251-300 right here ; and 301-350 revisited here. Today lists the last 50, see below.

Click on the blue arrow ➤ to replay that track. Please note: Many of the 400 videos are showing unavailable now, but you can search for an alternative, if you wish. 

351 ➤ Cause We're Ended As Lovers ...... Jeff Beck & Tal Wilkenfeld
352 ➤ I'd Rather Go Blind.......…................................. Chicken Shack
353 ➤ Stand Up.........….................................................. Cynthia Erivo
354 ➤ Caravan of Love............................................The Housemartins
355 ➤ Celestial Voices ...........…....…................................. Pink Floyd
356 ➤ The Court of the Crimson King.......................... King Crimson
357 ➤ So Long Ago, So Clear .............................................. Vangelis
358 ➤ The World We Use to Know …............................ Transatlantic
359 ➤ Back To Zero …………........................................... Morganway
360 ➤ Please Please Me .........….…..............................…The Beatles

361 ➤ The Flying Scotsman ….….......................... Brandon McPhee
362 ➤ Big Picture …................................................ London Grammar
363 ➤ Get It Right Next Time......…….......................… Gerry Rafferty

364 ➤ Time….….................................................................. Pink Floyd
365 ➤ What's Your Country Song …........................... Thomas Rhett

366 ➤ Rock and Roll......……......................................… Led Zeppelin

367 ➤ Buddy Holly .…............................................................. Weezer
368 ➤ Catch Us If You Can …................................... Dave Clark Five
369 ➤ Sister Atlas......……..............................................… Merry Hell

370 ➤ Anywhere Is …................................................................. Enya

371 ➤ Waking Up…............................................................. King King
372 ➤ Girl On Fire ............................................................ Alicia Keys
373 ➤ Superstition......…….....................................… Stevie Wonder

374 ➤ Nutbush City Limits….…...................................... Tina Turner
375 ➤ Grey Ghost …............................................... Henry Paul Band

376 ➤ There Goes Another Love Song............................… Outlaws

377 ➤ It's a Long Way There .…..............................Little River Band
378 ➤ Going Home…................................................... Mark Knopfler
379 ➤ American Tune......……..........................… Simon & Garfunkel

380 ➤ We Didn't Start the Fire …........................................ Billy Joel

381 ➤ Californication ….…............................ Red Hot Chili Peppers
382 ➤ Perfect Frame….................................................... Neon Waltz
383 ➤ This is the Last Time......……...................................… Keane

384 ➤ Dreadlock Holiday........................................................... 10cc
385 ➤ Thing Called Love …........................................... Bonnie Raitt

386 ➤ Take On the World ......……...........................… You Me At Six

387 ➤ Moonshine Sonata .…................................ Black Oak Arkansas
388 ➤ Lothlorien…................................................................ Bo Hansson
389 ➤ Witchi-Tai-To ..……........................................... Brewer & Shipley

390 ➤ September ................................................. Earth, Wind & Fire

391 ➤ Journey to the Moon .…............................... Biddu Orchestra
392 ➤ I've Seen That Movie To ….................................... Elton John
393 ➤ The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack......…................ The Nice

394 ➤ Tubular Bells II [Part 3] ….…............................. Mike Oldfield
395 ➤ Silver Machine........................................................ Hawkwind

396 ➤ Homecoming ......……........................................… Josh Ritter

397 ➤ Every Breath You Take ......................................... The Police
398 ➤ (I Can't Help) Falling In Love With You........................ UB40
399 ➤ Where Is the Love......…….......................… Black Eyed Peas

400 ➤ Let Her Go ............................................................. Passenger

  

Jumping a further 10 years to arrive in 2013 with perhaps a less well known artist but none the less another million seller !

The song was actually released in 2012 and became a hit in Holland at the end of that year. In 2013 it went to No.2 in the UK on May 19th, and this 'sleeper' hit then achieved international success topping the charts in 18 countries around the world. As of July 2014, it had sold over one million digital copies in the UK and over four million in the US. 

We are talking about Passenger aka Mike Rosenberg and 'Let Her Go'.

A few weeks ago a new version of the song arrived, as part of a special 10th anniversary edition of Passenger's hit, with Ed Sheeran helping him reimagine the song. 

But this is the original version >

Today is 'Star Track' number 400. For the record a full run down coming soon. 

   

Another week and fast forward 10 years, a lot has happened and the world in 2003 feels a different place. Summed up by the single from Black Eyed Peas ‘Where Is the Love’ that captures the new millennium in a different mood. 

This was the biggest selling UK single of the year, spending six weeks at No.1. Lyrically it could easily have been written yesterday - "One World"  

   

'The Fool' - 1964 Gibson SC Guitar

'Deal of the Week'. Did you see the news story about Eric Clapton's Gibson guitar (pictured) that he played while in Cream, that the Dutch Art Collective known as 'The Fool' painted? It sold last week for just over £1 million in Nashville, Tennessee ! 

The story behind it is recalled here. The article contains two YouTube videos - both well worth a look. 

   

Moving on from last week to 1993 and another song that topped the charts on both sides of the Atlantic and also 10 other countries. Namely UB40 and '(I Can't Help) Falling In Love With You' and their reggae/dance-pop version of the Elvis Presley original from the 1961 movie 'Blue Hawaii'.

The Elvis song has been adopted by several football teams including AFC Wimbledon - I'm just warming up by thinking about the Caribbean with some rocksteady calypso laid-back vibes: 

Cue lots of echo and singing in a corridor > 

  

As we steadily approach the four hundredth Friday Star Track I had this idea to pick some artists somehow not previously featured on the Music Spot in those 8 years - with tracks you’ll know I’m sure:- jumping ten years at a time in 'Decade Time Steps'.

1973 has been covered sufficiently I feel, so starting today in 1983 with The Police ‘Every Breath You Take' and the video from MTV. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 8 weeks and was No.1 in the UK for 4 weeks. It was also rated 'Song of the Year' in many polls. 

   

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). 

Now I consider myself a big fan of the guitar so this headline easily caught my attention:-

  "Rolling Stone 250 Greatest Guitarists of all time" !

A previous Rolling Stone list of "Greatest vocalists" of all time, caused an upset. Well the same applies here. There's a lot of guitarists missing and many questions marks though ultimately it just boils down to opinion - one guy's reaction on YouTube was to simply add 50 of those missing (while addressing some of my concerns) and Rick Beato just called it a Sh*t List ! 

I have diligently gone through the full 250 list [see here], checking each time I think of someone, to determine if they are there or not - there are lots of names I simply don’t know - and not wanting to add to the controversy - but there's no Gary Moore! How can that be ? He'd be in my Top 5 !

No Leo Kottke or Joe Bonamassa or Paul Kossoff [who was actually No.51 in a 2010 list by Rolling Stone's David Fricke in his 100 Greatest Guitarists]. No Tom Scholz from Boston. No George Benson or Earl Kluge either. 

Interestingly the 250 list contains a few twin guitar players like at # 194 there's Thin Lizzy guitarists: Brian Robertson and Scott Gorham, but then again there's no Steve Hunter / Dick Wagner. Or duos like Andy Powell & Ted Turner and Hughie Thomasson & Billy Jones OR these guys and their 2006 single "Through The Fire And Flames" that became one of those legendary songs in Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock*. Namely Herman Li & Sam Totman from the band Dragonforce. Pretty outrageous stuff and if you play this in your car you might ending getting a speeding ticket. Lots of hair flying... and towards the end there is a close up of the playing, if you fancy giving it a go 😁  Hit full screen [  ]  

*It was easily one of the more popular songs in the game. Though according to guitarist Herman Li, the band only got paid around $3,000 for the use of the track… and that's before splitting the money between band members and management. 

   

One of our favourite TV series has just reached its finale. 

Since 2016 over 7 series 'Billions' starring Damian Lewis and Paul Giamatti has been a convincing fable of greed, power and competition, rivalries and big stakes. We're going to miss it and all the great songs used during this series and the constant references to rock 'n' roll and song lyrics that kept cropping up, concealed in the sharp full throttle dialogue.  

The penultimate song in the last episode was by Josh Ritter a single entitled 'Homecoming' from a 2015 album. Appropriate enough as he sings "I feel a change in the weather" and this great video is also enjoyable. Bet you watch it through a second time... I did 

   

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). 

A busy music week this: Hot Rocs last Sunday at the local (who really were hot), ELO Again tribute band tonight in Hastings and tomorrow I'm away up to London to King's Place for Scottish band Breabach. Never heard of them ? Well without further ado here they are:

BBC ALBA 'Scots Trad Music Awards 2022' - FOLK BAND OF THE YEAR

Breabach are; Megan Henderson (Fiddle/Vocals), James Lindsay (Double Bass/Moog/Vocals), Calum MacCrimmon (Highland Bagpipe/Whistle/Bouzouki/Vocals), Conal McDonagh (Highland Bagpipe/Uilleann pipes/Whistle/Vocals) and Ewan Robertson (Guitar/Cajon/Vocals).
With a nice video [a cycle ride through the Hebrides] to 'Knees Up in Hanoi' - actually two tunes:
'Knees Up' (by Calum MacCrimmon) and 'Dòchas Glan Na Fàire' (by Ewen Henderson & Calum MacCrimmon) - on yer bike - 'slainte'

If you fancy more then try this 30 minute live set - right here [NB: set of tunes @ 17:45] > the excellent 'Les Pieds Joyeux' [joyful feet] 😀

Interesting no one on YouTube has clicked the 'dislike' button for this video !! 

  

See previous post (below) photo of 'The Wall'. Because today's track ties in to one of the bands who appeared at the Hastings Pier on Saturday 1st September, 1973 - tickets 99p !  

The band with bassist Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister on vocals are 'In Search of Space' psychedelic rock outfit Hawkwind. Anyone ever see them live ?

Their best known number is 'Silver Machine' - joss sticks lit, then away we go >

Science fiction author Michael Moorcock and dancer Stacia (Blake) also contributed to the band.  

  

-  T H E   W A L L  - 

The Wall in The Piper* pub, St. Leonards-on-Sea.

Covered in various posters and adverts for concerts taking place in the local area. Roughly mid sixties to late 70s. Hastings Pier is featuring a lot and many bands of legendary status. Some of the smaller print maybe illegible but no mistaking Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Kinks, Pretty Things, The Who, The Stones, Procol Harum & Hawkwind.... and someone called Dave Bowie !

* Previously called The Norman Arms (in Norman Road) the pub was renovated and reopened in 2019 as The Piper. The new name was inspired by Pink Floyd's album 'Piper at the Gates of Dawn' and is a tribute to some of the great bands and musicians who once performed on Hastings Pier.

  

Grand piano; reed and pipe organ; glockenspiel; bass guitar; double speed guitar; two slightly distorted guitars; mandolin; spanish guitar and introducing acoustic guitar; plus tubular bells ! As announced by Vivian Stanshall as Master of Ceremonies on 'Tubular Bells' by Mike Oldfield. 

This innovative album was released 50 years ago in May 1973. But far from stories that suggest it was an instant success and the making of Richard Branson and his fledgling Virgin Records label the reality was it took time to become the successful LP we now know. 

A more accurate timeline would be: July before it entered the UK album chart, rising to No.7 in August before dropping back down the chart again. June had seen a 'Live' performance with a cast of players gathered together with Oldfield a reluctant participant. October the album was released in America. But remarkably it was the use of a mere one minute segment in the movie 'The Exorcist', released in December, that saw it take off in 1974. A BBC tv recording broadcast in early January and then from February '74 to March '75 the LP was only out of the UK Top 10 for 4 weeks, reaching No.1 in October 1974, 16 months after it's initial release. 

Mike Oldfield, who was only 19 when it was recorded, had played the majority of the instruments as a series of overdubs, reportedly 274 of them with 15 different instruments credited to him. 

Certainly unconventional John Peel played a whole side of ‘Tubular Bells’ on his show 'Top Gear', while I suspect Capital Radio (see previous post) with their commercial obligations only played parts of it on DJ Nicky Horne's evening show ‘Your Mother Wouldn’t Like It’.    

Given this introduction you'd expect today's Star Track to be the afore mention record... however > 

On leaving Virgin Records Mike Oldfield composed a Tubular Bells II, using elements of the original it was released on August 30th 1992, followed by a 'Live' performance at Edinburgh Castle on 4th September (with - Gregory: John Gordon Sinclair as master of ceremonies). I've selected Part 3 - with the instrument introductions [though different] and fading out to a beautiful Spanish guitar, like the original. The whole show looks quite amazing, so that's my reason for choosing it. All parts are on YouTube (see below). 

Mike Oldfield jumping around the stage switching between instruments > No dancing to this, more meditating 

There are six parts and I can only encourage you to watch them. There are a few ad interruptions during the whole 62 minute show - Part 5 has Scottish pipers, then goes a bit weird - Part 6 has a hoedown rather than a hornpipe. Expect the unexpected. [Link]  

    R e m e m b e r i n g    

 -   C A P I T A L   R A D I O   - 

16th October 1973

This day in 1973 was actually a Tuesday, which seems an odd day of the week to launch a new radio station in London. It might be one of the moments where Londoners remember where they were at the time ? Though at 5am, perhaps not !

Hear the launch music and various snippets of DJ intros, jingles and commercial ads - see below - as Capital Radio took to the airwaves: "Capital sounds goes round and round, London Town !"

Capital Radio was one of the UK's earliest Independent Local Radio stations to come on air. It served London and the surrounding areas, was originally heard on 539 metres MW and 95.8 VHF before the MW frequency moved to 194 metres (1548 KHz) during the seventies. 

Beginning as more of a light music station it changed its policy following a slow start, to a more pop-based format in January 1974. More info here. 
Some of the early presenters included Kenny Everett, Brian Hayes, Michael Aspel, David Symonds, Dave Cash, Gerald Harper, Graham Dene, Tony Myatt, Roger Scott, Mike Allen, Gary Crowley and 'little' Nicky Horne, with his early evening programme called 'Your Mother Wouldn't like it'.

Here's the odd 10 minute mash up of 'clips' as a video of the 'Launch of Capital'.  

For your memory the UK charts at this time were full of David Cassidy, Slade, Tina Turner, Sweet, David Bowie, Status Quo & Elton John. But at No.1 was the Simon Park Orchestra with 'Eye Level' the theme tune to the TV show 'Van der Valk. 

  

Keith Emerson: keyboards; David O'List: guitar & trumpet; Lee Jackson: bass; & Brian Davison: drums:- The Nice. 'Emerlist Davjack' (a portmanteau created by combining the last names of the four members of the group). Their debut album was released in March 1968 and called 'The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack'.

The title track which had been released as a single in November 1967 is one of those songs not to have the title in the lyrics. I recently discovered this YouTube video from French TV, which is fairly extraordinary vintage material. Original drummer Ian Hague is involved for starters, who I had to look up as I'd never seen him before.   

I don't know where all this black & white stuff has come from but there's loads of 'live' Nice footage from this period on YouTube, simply search The Nice. 

That's David O'List in the video window. Which is how his name is spelt on my LP sleeve, though Dave and Davey are noted in other areas along with plenty of different stories involving him and his recollections. For another time I think >>> 

   R e m e m b e r i n g   

 -   K E I T H   E M E R S O N   - 

And The Nice

Which is just what a special Box-Set release this weekend is doing: See this link.

Titled 'Variations' it spans the recording career of Keith Emerson, keyboardist, songwriter, composer and record producer.

My humble memory begins in 1968 with 'The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack' the debut album of The Nice, which will feature more tomorrow. 

Side Two of the album has a track called ‘Tantalising Maggie’ ! A typical piece of period psychedelic pop with piano, organ, harpsichord and incoherent vocals, that some of you listeners may recognise from the bombastic piano ending which Alan ‘Fluff’ Freeman used as a comedy jingle for years on his Radio 1 rock show. It is in fact composed of several descending arpeggios from a piece by Christoph Bach, with taped laughter inserted for effect: Psychedelic man

 

Kind of works as a birthday track today - for you know who... 

more 'Thoughts' tomorrow. 

 

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). 

No introduction necessary today, primarily because keyboard maestros Rick Wakeman and Jon Lord provide their own intro at the start of the video clip.

Performing in 2011 at the Sunflower Jam from the Royal Albert Hall, admirably supported by the 'House Band' for the night - guitarist Murray Gould behind the hair on the beat up stratocaster and Gerry Brown on drums, a recent composition they call 'It's Not As Big As It Was' !!

It's very 60/70s 'Hammond organ B3' sound put me in mind of Keith Emerson and the days of The Nice. This is brilliant stuff and really cooks - I love it > 

> This is by way of an introduction to a 'triple-play' involving Keith Emerson - continuing tomorrow and Friday. A nice week !

   

Yesterday, 50 years ago, the Double LP 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road' by Elton John was released.  

If you know the album then the track that ends side two "I've Seen That Movie Too" will be familiar. Not being familiar I only heard this song a few months ago for the first time.

I then found this neat video that contains not just the lyrics and an assortment of wacky images of Elton John but name checks his long-time band members: Nigel Olsson - drums; Davey Johnstone - guitar (cued to the solo near the end) and Dee Murray on bass.

Roll the cameras > 

Surely not just a coincidence, I see that BBC4 has an evening of Elton John showing on tv tonight. Described amusingly by last weekend's Times newspaper "as a look back at how a portly piano man from Pinner went stratospheric." 😁 

   

"Vinyl Night at the Jenny Lind Inn, Hastings -
the return of our long-running Sunday BYO Vinyl Night!
Every Sunday from 7ish in the cozy back bar of The Jenny." 

So dust off those platters and head on down!

That was the promo - put your name on the blackboard and take it in turns to play your record(s). And quite a mixed bag it was to, from thrash metal to Kiss, the Thompson Twins, Wire and this 'Futuristic Journey' by Biddu Orchestra. 

This track may sound vaguely familiar or not. It was released in early January 1978, just as disco was taking off following the premier of 'Saturday Night Fever'. It would only troubled the lower reaches of the UK singles chart for one week in February but I'm sure it was played a lot around the dancefloors everywhere. 

Biddu Appaiah is a British-Indian singer songwriter, composer and music producer, considered one of the pioneers of Disco, Euro Disco and Indian Pop. His international breakthrough came in 1974 when he produced 'Kung Fu Fighting' by Carl Douglas. 

Played that night, the Biddu Orchestra and the sitar sound of 'Journey to the Moon' (neat video) and dance away into space

   

The timing of this week's Star Track is perfectly understandable. That's not quite the case when discussing the singalong chorus and its misheard lyrics:-

"On and on, you said you'd remember" or "Party art-y art-y on" or just "Party on !"

- instead of the actual words "Ba-dee-ya, say, do you remember?" 

Plus other interpretations include "Balls and all !"; "Borneo"; "Gloria" and even "Oreo" ?

All part of the fun and this funky disco video to watch, in which you'd be excused for not knowing how many members there are in the band ? 

Recorded in September and released in November 1978 the single reached No.8 in America and No.3 in the UK. Time for dancing to Earth Wind & Fire and 'September' >

 

More dancing .... ?

Northern Soul is celebrating 50 years. See story here includes video. 

The song is 'Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)' by Frank Wilson (originally from 1965). 

  

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). 

You may have seen the recent result of this year's Mercury Prize and the winner: Ezra Collective. 

The London based group fuses elements of afrobeat, calypso, reggae, hip-hop, soul and jazz. Quite a mix ! So for those of you listeners who preferred last Friday's jazzier version of 'Witchi-Tai-To' - watch them perform at the winners show with 'Victory Dance' - they're really rather good !

  

10 Obscure Classic Rock Albums You Didn’t Know Your Collection Needed

As attention seeking headlines go this is pretty enticing. So naturally I clicked the link to americansongwriter.com to discover what I'd seemingly missed. 

Seven of the ten albums listed were by artists I knew, less so the LPs listed from the 60s & 70s. 

One track featured was titled 'Witchi-Tai-To' by Brewer & Shipley and a story emerged. I thought I knew this song, you may also, as it's been covered by many artists. Apparently Mike Brewer and Tom Shipley learnt it off the radio in 1969 from a single by a short lived group called Everything is Everything. Written by group member Jim Pepper it's derived from a peyote* song of the Native American Church which he had learned from his grandfather. In 1971 he released an expanded version on his album 'Pepper's Pow Wow' and it's a great example of his hybrid jazz/Native American style music with the saxophone playing of Jim Pepper plus Billy Cobham on drums and Larry Coryell on guitar (see below). 

However Brewer & Shipley's 'Witchi-Tai-To' was released in 1969 on their album 'Weeds', is very different and the guitar riff sounds close to 'Sweet Jane' by Lou Reed, also written in 1969. Who composed this riff first is not easy to judge, a coincidence maybe, I just love it !

So here it is, the excellent track I didn't know from Brewer & Shipley > Nice video too and bongo intro 

"Witchi-Tai-To" by Jim Pepper, his version here fyi > worth a listen.

* peyote: a small spineless cactus plant which contains psychoactive alkaloids, particularly mescaline! 

   

Every house in Fairlight has a name as well as a number. Ours is called 'Lothlorien'. 

The fairest Elf-kingdom remaining on Middle Earth in the Third age was Lothlorien, where the Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn ruled.
There are no trees like the Mallorn trees of the land. For in the autumn their leaves fall not, but turn to gold. Not till the spring and the new green opens do they fall, and then the boughs are laden with yellow flowers; and the floor of the wood is golden. 

'Sagan Om Ringen' was released on Silence Records (Sweden's first independent record label) in autumn 1970 and became a huge hit. Copies of the album began to filter across to Britain where it came to the attention of Tony Stratton Smith, who was so impressed that he released the album as 'Music Inspired by Lord of the Rings' on his own Charisma Records label in September 1972. 
Bo Hansson was the Swedish musician who made that record and this is the track 'Lothlorien’ - another instrumental piece, the video just the LP cover >

PS:

More Swedish music (and sorcery) earlier this week when we saw 'Abba Voyage' in London. It was quite an incredible spectacle ! One I will return to at a future date. 

 

Well technically just a photo of a newspaper. So more memorabilia of the week.
Advertisement page 6 of The Statesman - the official student newspaper of Stony Brook University - shows an ad for The Hobbit Hole (right hand side) being dwarfed by the Budweiser ad !

  R e m e m b e r i n g  

 -   J. R. R. T O L K I E N   - 

Concerning Hobbits

On this day 50 years ago J.R.R. Tolkien left this Earth, passing on to the Road that Goes Ever On. 

I had just finished reading 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy only 4 months before. 

'The Hobbit' has been published in 1937 with the 'LOTR' books following in 1954-55. The books popularity spread, especially during the 60s, into the 70s and beyond. 

A lack of copyright in the US led to an unauthorized edition in 1965 being published. This resulted in a second edition and first paperback being authorized and a US copyright. September 1966 'LOTR' entered the New York Times Best sellers list. 

In a 1999 poll of Amazon customers, 'The Lord of the Rings' was judged to be their favourite "book of the millennium". 

Influences abound - to name just a few - there was of course:

The beloved 'Hobbit's Garden' Club in Wimbledon (remembed here) 

'Middle Earth' music venue in Covent Garden

'Gandalf's Garden' a shop and mystical community in Chelsea 

The 'Hobbit Hole' bar on Old Country Road, Long Island, NY (see here)

- and numerous musical references from bands Tyrannosaurus Rex, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and others. Tolkien's anti-materialistic worldview appealed to hippie counterculture values. 

And of course the movies made by Peter Jackson that won over a new generation of fans. 

'Concerning Hobbits' part of Howard Shore's wonderful music for the films shows Hobbiton, set in the Shire, home of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins. [click on Full Screen, bottom right of video]

NB: Previously a LOTR music spot [in  February 2019] saw a selection of the soundtrack by Howard Stone - BIG error - Howard SHORE - not Stone ! 

 

  

Hacked, looted and burned to the ground:
was Bull Island the worst music festival of all time?

This kind of headline is likely to catch your attention and lead to further investigation, right ?

I'd never heard of Bull Island or indeed 'The Erie Canal Soda Pop Festival', more commonly known as the Bull Island Rock Festival. So rather than regurgitate all the detail, assuming you know as little as me and are equally intrigued, let's begin with the headline story, that starts with a poster of the intended line-up, continues to describe the event and ends with a YouTube video that tells it all. (Click link here) & watch the excellent yet crazy 19 minute video: (Direct link to this video).

Further investigation is optional but the poster for the festival, which reads like one of those dream line-ups, reveals that many of those billed to appear, didn't ! Especially the star attractions and who can blame them. 

I became fascinated with the book by Dan Davis all about his and others experiences at this Labor Day weekend (September 4,5 & 6 back in 1972). 

One band who did appear and perform (and curiously dropped sun visors and let off white doves during their set) was Black Oak Arkansas. Their music is characterised by three guitar players and the raspy vocals of Jim Mangrum, though this track from their 'High on the Hog' album released a year later and called 'Moonshine Sonata' is an instrumental. Info on who did appear and what they played is sketchy, so the band probably didn't play this track, but no matter. You can imagine (or hallucinate)... white doves and helicopters - it must have been surreal. 

No video today, but it's great track and Black Oak Arkansas are named in the afore mentioned YouTube video at the 12:26 mark. 

ALL this is strangely similar to the festival 'Woodstock '99' (see the Netflix documentary film). 

An occasional music spot - remembering places around the World

This week 45 years ago I was driving around Los Angeles. Following a 3-man four week cross-country American Road Trip, destination California and with some new found (and now life-long) friends already back home in New York and others still in San Francisco. I took time out to visit the City of Angels, staying with family of the boss my mother worked for in Wimbledon. With a car at my disposal I was Freeway Flying on Santa Monica boulevard, Sunset blvd, Mulholland Drive, San Bernadino Freeway and Hollywood Fwy. Lots of places I remember all connected by the automobile.  

FM radio playing there was one classic rock track that kept blasting over the airwaves. 

In 2003, as a 25th Anniversary of 'On The Road in 78', I produced a CD (see cover above). 16 road music songs from that summer. 

Because it was more of a personal experience this classic rock track from LA didn't make the final CD cut, despite me sneaking Bruce Springsteen and Boston on at the end.

Recently this same rock track came on while I was driving and immediately I'm back on the Freeway, flying as UFO's 'Only You Can Rock Me' rocked me !

  

Getting back to Music Festivals - more specifically Reading (on this weekend) - which since 1999 has been known as Reading & Leeds Festival, taking place simultaneously over the Bank Holiday weekend. 

The Reading Festival, the older of the two, is the world's oldest popular music festival still in existence, having gone through various musical phases over the years. Originally The National Jazz and Blues Festival it began in Richmond in 1961. The venue moved location throughout the sixties and by 1969 Jazz had all but disappeared from the line-up of artists playing. 1971 saw it move permanently to Reading and become The National Jazz, Blues, Folk & Rock Festival. I did a feature last year when I attended in 1972: (link reminder). 

Looking at this year's festival reveals the degree of change, from a single stage in the 70s to today's: Main Stage East, Main Stage West, Radio One Dance Stage, Festival Republic Stage, Radio 1xtra Stage and finally BBC Music introducing Stage !

The scale and number of artists involved covers a change in genres that saw Heavy Metal, Punk and New Wave in the 80s, Brit Pop and Indie in the 90s, Hip Hop and Rap in the 00s and Grime artists added to the predominately Rock line-ups. Recent years have seen less Rock acts which results in me not knowing many of the bands playing this year's festival. The headliners I know but then it becomes a mystery. But I found one band I knew and a video from their performance at Reading in the sunshine in 2019. They are on again this afternoon at 3pm on the Main Stage West: You Me At Six with ‘Take On The World’ - join the audience and sing along !

You Me At Six are from down the road in Weybridge, Surrey - there's another live video from Ally Pally > check out the wild ending here. 

I also unearthed some old footage of the National Jazz & Blues festival from 1964 (no sound though) - short but sweet (click) and 1969 with a classic voice over and artists performing (mostly the Bonzo Dogs) and some idiot dancing to take you back.

   

From a recently seen guitar post about great players of the Fender Stratocaster to a previous list by Joe Bonamassa of his Top 10 Blues-Rock Guitar solos of all time - Bonnie Raitt stood out amongst mostly male players. 

"Thing Called Love" from 1989 was the solo selected (by Joe) with "Three Time Loser" mentioned in the post for Bonnie Raitt's "supernatural slide work infusing the song with deep blues feeling as her 'strat' tones burn." 

On television this evening (BBC4 at 21:55) in "Sessions" you may well hear and see all of the above (from a 2013 concert). 

I'm going with "Thing Called Love". Written by John Hiatt in 1987 and covered on her breakthrough 'Nick of Time' album by Bonnie Raitt. The video is a live performance at the Henry J. Kaiser Auditorium, Oakland at the end of 1989 > 

Encore:

Try "Three Time Loser" from 'Later with Jools Holland' in 1994 (link here): Jimmie Vaughan and Jools are playing along with this comment noted: "after Jimmie's solo, Bonnie slinks up to the Mic in time! She is a great musician and gets my vote as the coolest chick ever to strap on a guitar."

This track was also performed at the excellent Oakland concert. (Link2 fyi). 

 

   

The English summer (or more accurately May, June, July, August and sometimes September) is a time for music festivals. There are events every weekend* and often there's a wide choice not just the one !

And boy have they grown in scale over the years. I shall be looking at this in the coming weeks, starting today at this weekends Cropredy Festival. Regular viewers will know my love of all things Fairport Convention and their Cropredy Convention has been attended in the past and provided Star Tracks on various Fridays:  

This year's proceedings kicked off with Merry Hell - Rewind One. While Morganway take to the stage this Saturday afternoon - Rewind Two.  

Sandwiched in between and headlining tonight are 10cc. Strictly speaking it's Graham Gouldman's 10cc as he's the only original member involved. The new line up have been going since 1999 and this UK No.1 from the late 70s has been played often. The video is a 2008 performance from a German Proms night with a full orchestra. 'Dreadlock Holiday' - 'I don't like reggae, no no, I love it !' >

* For example if you travel north of Oxfordshire to Derbyshire this weekend you'll find heavy metal fans attending 'Bloodstock' !