Keeping the positive vibes going this week are The Lathums. 

I first heard this group from Wigan, England a few years back when their debut album 'How Beautiful Life Can Be' made No.1 on the UK Albums Chart in 2021. Reviewed as "a record very much steeped in the jangly sound of The Smiths and The Housemartins: jaunty guitars and anthems with swelling festival crowds in mind".

The Lathums are formed of singer/songwriter and guitarist Alex Moore, lead guitarist Scott Concepcion, bassist Matty Murphy and drummer Ryan Durrans. 

Most of you know how much I like a 'jingle-jangle morning' and Scott Concepcion's Rickenbacker guitar serves up plenty of Johnny Marr-esque guitar lines.

From the debut LP, I could have picked any number of tracks, this is 'I Know That Much' >

Definitely give the album's title track a listen (here) and see also the acapella version and another performed with The Killers. 

Their 2023 release ‘From Nothing To A Little Bit More’ earned the band their second No.1 LP in the UK album charts.
Later they issued a single 'Thoughts of a Child' - more uplifting lyrics "we can dance and we can sing" - sing along, this is really great too (link) 

    A T   C H R I S T M A S   T I M E   

 -   T h e   B r i n g e r   o f   J o l l i t y   - 

by Gustav Holst

"Jupiter, with it's ribbons of white cloud, it's mottled bands of salmon pink
and the Great Red Spot staring out like a baleful eye" 

ARTHUR C. CLARKE

And yet Holst called Jupiter 'the Bringer of Jollity' ! Which seems right for this time of year. 

The Planets Suite was first performed in 1918, The first complete performance at a public concert was given at the Queen's Hall, London on 15 November 1920.

At that time Jupiter had just five moons, as of 2023, there are now 95 known moons. The four largest moons of Jupiter - Io, Callisto, Ganymede, and Europa - were the first objects in the solar system discovered with a telescope. Galileo discovered them in 1610.

The music from The Planets Suite for 'The Bringer of Jollity' is nearly 8 minutes in total, while the slower middle section was later used as a patriotic hymn: ‘I vow to thee my country’.

Here's that section from Salisbury Cathedral with John Challenger playing the organ.

I came across this earlier in the year via a 'Drones fly through Salisbury Cathedral to Jupiter' article (click here) - again featuring John Challenger and filmed by Ben Tomlin. 

  

He was described as an inspiration, defying expectations, changing attitudes towards disabilities and the most extraordinary person ever on Strictly Come Dancing !

Chris McCausland - who with remarkable professional dance partner Dianne Buswell won the competition last weekend - was registered blind after losing his sight to retinitis pigmentosa in his 20s !

Strictly Come Dancing never fails to surprise and this year was no exception: like a Viennese Waltz to Metallica ? !! 

There was also one of those standout memories referred to as a "poignant blackout moment" when dancing to 'Instant Karma! (We All Shine On)' - both these dances are at the end of this post. 

Firstly it's that Metallica song performed with the San Francisco Symphony: 'Nothing Else Matters' 
[  ] go to full screen, bottom right >

Watch dances by Chris and Dianne > Waltz (click link)

& ‘Instant Karma’ with it's blackout sequence > [link 2)

   

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). 

Starring BE BOP DELUXE

This all began with me picking up for a £1 an EP released in the 70s called ‘Hot Valves’. It was one of those ‘Promotional - Not for Sale’ discs and contained 4 excellent tracks by Be Bop Deluxe. It set me off exploring the group’s catalog and I soon realised guitarist and singer Bill Nelson is a classic example of an unsung ‘Forgotten Fretmaster’ ! His playing is remarkable and the invention in the band’s music stands the test of time. Friday's track ‘Maid in Heaven’ was a minor hit (#36) in 1976. It was a mere taster, here's the full story and many extras.

Classic Rock magazine describes the band - 

Be Bop Deluxe blurred the battle lines between glam, art-rock and prog, offering a scintillating fusion that pointed to an unscripted future. Visionary works like albums 'Sunburst Finish' and 'Drastic Plastic' pre-empted the new wave of post-punk and beyond. Just as crucially, in Nelson they had the embodiment of the modern guitar hero; a riff lord of sophistication, guile and consummate ability.

I have a shortlist of favourite songs and notes for your attention: 

'Ships in the Night'; 'Music in Dreamland'; [like The Killers meet the Beatles] 'Modern Music'; [with it's radio clips] 'Panic in the World'; 'Orphans of Babylon'; 'Crying to the Sky'; [Hendrix guitar lines] 'Life in the Air Age'; 'Sleep That Burns' [Baba O'Riley ish] 'Shine' an extended improvised 'live' instrumental [from 'Live! In The Air Age' LP] and 'Jet Silver' [very Bowie] & 'Blazing Apostles' [both on the afore mentioned EP]. 

Picking one for today's music spot I've selected the 'Live' version of 'Adventures in a Yorkshire Landscape' which is extended from the 3-minute song on their debut LP 'Axe Victim'. Prepare yourself for some extraordinary guitar playing from Bill Nelson and wonderful keyboard work by Simon 'Andy' Clark - Be Bop Deluxe live in 1977 (audio video only) 

Want some action videos: Check out these 2011 concerts featuring Bill Nelson & The Gentlemen Rocketeers - and compare 'Maid In Heaven' to the original > click here 

Also with the Rocketeers 'Adventures in...' > guitar / flute / bass / sax / guitar [solos] on this link 

And as if I needed and excuse, today is Guitar Hero Bill Nelson's birthday 😀

  

A hastily composed music spot to kick off a planned ‘Spotlight’ featuring one of the most underrated bands of the 70s. 

Full lowdown: band info, the timing and how I caught up on all their music, to follow midweek - today is ‘Maid in Heaven’ by Be Bop Deluxe >

 

On the 'Whistle Test' in 1975. 

   C o n g r a t u l a t i o n s   t o   

 -   R A L P H   M c T E L L   - 

8 0   t o d a y

"Happy Birthday" Ralph May: born 3 December 1944

Here he is performing at his 60th birthday party at the Royal Festival Hall.
- It is dedicated to the hands of Joseph Spence a unique guitar player who has had a big influence on Ralph McTell's guitar style. The 'Hands of Joseph' >

Having been included in a BBC 'One-Hit Wonders' show, nothing could be further from the truth !

I could list dozens of great tracks but this will probably do it for me - 
Full Discography > http://www.ralph-mctell.co.uk/uk.html - it's quite a walk through. 

  

A serendipity story - 

After listening to a track on YouTube last week it then went into something that immediately caught my ear. Glancing at the screen I saw it was titled ‘Conversation with Billy’ ! As I continued listening a whole story emerged concerning a band and their music from 1970 that was never released until 2011. No surprise therefore that you’ve probably never heard of Sabattis. 

Today's video goes part way to telling the story of an underground hard-rock band from New York formed in 1968 by Jim Marvin (guitar & lead vocals), Gary Culotta (keyboard and vocals), Larry Wegman (drums) and Rocky Kaler (bass). Influenced by bands like Deep Purple, Mountain, and Grand Funk, they gigged around town playing a lot of psychedelic clubs and venues. In 1970, they recorded a demo with the intention of securing a record deal which never came. The demo tape was in fact a fully finished album recorded and engineered by a friend of the band, Mick Gauzaski, who despite using a homemade studio, managed to obtain a real professional sound. The Sabattis demo remained unreleased until 2011 when Jargon Records discovered the tapes and put out a CD edition with the band involvement. The album 'Warning In The Sky' was remastered from the original tapes.

There's more background plus an interview on this link: Psychedelic Baby

Here's the track 'Conversation with Billy' - which reminds me of Focus  

What a surprise! It's a really good 70s prog rock sounding LP - great organ playing and drums and guitar > Suggest listening to the whole album [at only 33 mins. long] - why not 😉  

  

" Why do Spirits Walk the Earth ?  You will be haunted by three Ghosts !

-  as the air filled with Phantoms "

Mr. CHARLES DICKENS

The choosing of today's track is not without reason. This group from Sweden came to my attention when I heard their music playing in Hastings HMV shop. A sense of macabre added to when I went there again a few weeks later only for another track by them to be playing as I walked in. Spooky !?

Formed in 2006 Ghost are renowned for their costumed on-stage presence, Band members, except for the lead vocalist, are known as "Nameless Ghouls". The lead-singer Tobias Forge performs under the persona of "Papa Emeritus".

The track I first heard was ‘Spillways’, a single from their 2022 album ‘Impera’.

Further info and recommended listening:

EP of 'covers' called 'Phantomime' [also heard in HMV] has 'Jesus, He Knows Me' among it's tracks. More info here. 

'Revolver Magazine' has a 25 best songs list - if you're really into them: 

Check out ‘Square Hammer’ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqoyKzgkqR4

- along with ‘Per Aspera Ad inferi’ - ‘Kaisartion’ & ‘Mary on a Cross’.

NB: As mentioned I have deliberately picked today's band for a reason. Some of you will follow this, those of you who don't get the connection - all will be revealed early next week in a new link I will send.

  

Samhain, pronounced “sow-in” (“ow” like in cow), is a Gaelic festival that marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter or the “darker half” of the year. It is traditionally recognized on November 1 and considered the 'Celtic New Year'.

I have a song called just that ....

On 'Later... with Jools Holland' from his 2005 'Magic Time' album Van Morrison plays guitar and sings "In the Celtic New Year" >

  

Last Tuesday we said a sad fond farewell to Dave Lawrence.

Dave was an enthusiastic follower of this music blog. The David Bowie week back in January was done very much with him in mind. While a 'Midweek Spotlight' featuring an outfit calling themselves 'Two Cellos' was suggested to me by Dave on more than the odd occasion. [See reminder].

His music choices during the funeral were typically eclectic. Music from the spaghetti western 'The Good, The Bad and The Ugly' by Ennio Morricone, a lesser known Queen track 'Innuendo' and the Stones singing 'She's a Rainbow'. 
My earliest memory of Dave was of his love for Santana. So I have chosen this instrumental track co-written by keyboard player Greg Rolie, a very young Neal Schon on guitar and of course the maestro Carlos Santana. Although not as well known as "Samba Pa Ti" or "Europa," many fans consider it a hidden gem in Santana's catalog > "Song of the Wind".  

For Dave: 

  

"The Fender Stratocaster is arguably the most popular and most emulated solid electric guitar ever" 

Launched in 1954 the Fender Stratocaster or 'Strat' went into production in October of that year. See the full story here: click 

Two of the finest exponents of this guitar: Jimi Hendrix who wrote today's featured Star Track, while Eric Clapton recorded it on the Derek and the Dominos album 'Layla'. 

The version here is a live recording from 2008. Eric Clapton is joined by Steve Winwood on stage in New York's Madison Square Garden, and over two nights they played a wide variety of old gems from which a double CD* (and DVD) have been released. 
Here they are playing a fantastic version of Jimi Hendrix's 'Little Wing' >

* Want more ? Then give 'Double Trouble' off this record a listen.

More Blues Rock and 'Stratocasting' to follow... 

   

I don't know about you but the title of 'One-Hit Wonder' has never quite sat right with me !

Aside from being somewhat derogatory it can also be a fallacy. The term at first was supposed to refer to someone who had only one No.1 hit song and then nothing ... ! Now it seems to have become used in a haphazard way. 

Also, is this 'One-Hit Wonder' exclusive to a particular country ? For example John Denver did in fact have just the one UK No.1 with 'Annie's Song' but had countless US chart toppers and other No.1s around the world. Is he a 'O-HW' ? I think not ! 

Naturally there are others saddled with this misnomer so I will let you decide if today's track qualifies. I for one had not heard of Robin Beck until her worldwide hit 'First Time' came on a programme dedicated to today's subject. Spending three weeks at No.1 in 1988, her follow up single did not perform as well only reaching #84, but did far better in Germany and Switzerland. While in her native America she didn't have any chart success with either record, in part due to business political differences between Mercury Records and Coca-Cola. 

So her follow up single is linked below, after the big hit > 'First Time' 

A bit Cher like her follow up single (another power ballad) was ‘Save Up All Your Tears’ which was also really good - so why not a big hit too ?

Robin Beck Double bill - titled Hit-Medley - 1989 is mostly 'Tears' track with a brief beginning bit of 'First Time'. > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJUHPjoCOmE

 -  R  E  V  I  E  W  -

For those of you wondering how the recent Folk Shows went at The Cove in Fairlight, I can tell you they were a big success, so much so the pub are encouraging us to do more. Watch this space...

Both evenings were well attended and memorable occasions. We were able to video the performances and they are available to watch in full on YouTube - see links below - and original poster here. 
Introduced by Ian Dobson, who along with Karen Towner provided invaluable support in making these events happen. 

Paul Downes (and Annie Winter)

Part 1:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAVW2xToJQs

Part 2: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8WeQkyeHnQ

Martyn Wyndham-Read (with Iris Bishop) 
Part 1:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RJSaX_DrT8
Part 2:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nq7fk4zBffI

   

On leaving Genesis in 1977 Steve Hackett pursued a solo career. His second solo release in 1979 was an album called 'Spectral Mornings'.

To celebrate it's 40th anniversary he played a concert at Hammersmith in 2019. The title track is pure class, as captured here >

For completists the band line-up was: (as listed at the end of the video) 

- Steve Hackett / guitars
- Roger King / keyboards
- Jonas Reingold / bass
- Rob Townsend / saxophones, flutes
- Craig Blundell / drums, percussion
- Nad Sylvan / vocals (not in this video, as it's an instrumental) 

Released on 25 September 2020 - A Limited Edition Deluxe 2CD+Blu-ray+DVD with Artbook; 2CD+Blu-ray Digipak; 2CD+DVD Multibox; Limited Edition 4LP+2CD Box Set and Digital album. Something for every occasion !

  

This week has turned into one of 'Grandeur and Pomp', what with the music earlier in the week from the Paris Olympics (see below for this) to discovering the symphonic splendor of Imperial Age. 

Such full on productions are not to everyone's taste. You either like the epic arrangements or you find them too much and over the top. See what you make of Imperial Age and their dramatic orchestrations and theatrically fantastic videos.  

The band were originally founded in 2012 in Russia by singers/composers Alexander "Aor" Osipov and Jane "Corn" Odintsova. After the start of the Russian conflict with Ukraine in 2022, the band relocated, eventually settling in the United Kingdom. They are categorized as Symphonic Metal as Gothic fantasy meets the Pirates of the Caribbean. 

Here they are performing 'live' with an orchestra and choir and a track called 'The Way is the Aim' > 

 

Check out 'The Wheel' ‘live’ - here  

And the video for 'Windborn'  via here 

There are FREE downloads on their website, if you sign up to their mailing list: https://imperial-age.com/ 

  

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 that the 2024 Paris Olympics are finished, time to mention the music played during the event. 

Music Director for the Olympic and Paralympics was eclectic French musician and composer Victor Le Masne. Mainly associated with electro and pop he wrote 'Parade' the official anthem for the 2024 Olympiad. You certainly heard this as it played every time there was a medal presentation. 

Less played was the amazing piece at the Opening ceremony during the horse rider sequence along the River Seine. Titled 'Higher', this was quite something >

A word to on the Logo: that looked like the Olympic flame but also something else: see this story of explanation and discover Marianne. 

  

You probably noticed all the hullaballoo this week surrounding the reunion of Oasis and the buying of tickets for next year's shows. Personally I'm wondering why all the fuss? 

Liam Gallagher had a No.1 album earlier this year with a collaboration instigated by ex Stone Roses guitarist John Squire, so going back to Oasis days seems rather unnecessary.

I have been undecided on selecting a track off the 'Liam Gallagher John Squire' album: 

'Just Another Rainbow' is very Stone Roses and the video pretty psychedelic, while 'One Day at a Time' doesn't have a video but does have a swear word! So I'm going with 'Mars to Liverpool' which has flashbacks to both bands from the 90s. 

All the album tracks are written by John Squire and contain some great guitar playing:  

Do check out 'Just Another Rainbow' & 'One Day at a Time' 

   

To conclude this Folky month I've criss-crossed the whole country, been to Australia and back again, reliving memories and stories of past times while discovering connections I didn't know before.

As a consequence I was undecided on this week's track. That is until earlier this week when something weird occurred to make my mind up. 

Receiving a text from my fellow Hayloft Folk Club compadre Steve which contained a link from his friend Malcolm to a video of the Arizona Smoke Revue. Now this band's name had featured in all our publicity material about Paul Downes (who played an excellent first show at The Cove in Fairlight last Sunday, by the way). Not really knowing the band (I thought) I was interested to listen to the link. 

Turned out the video was of a performance in August 1983 at the Goodwood Racecourse Folk Jamboree. On reading this I realised: "I was there" ! 

This festival had featured a lot of artists and clearly lost in the sands of time were the Arizona Smoke Revue. This English folk / American bluegrass group formed in 1980 by Bill Zorn from Connecticut USA, along with Phil Beer and Paul Downes from Devon, England and joining them a year later Bill's brother Pete Zorn. 

I went on to discovered another video that saw Jim Couza on hammered dulcimer join them on stage for a rendition of 'Mohammed's Radio', a song written by Warren Zevon, from his debut LP (an album I have in my collection). Quite a number of unexpected connections. 

Anyway here's the track with each band member taking turns on vocals (Paul, Phil, Pete & Bill in order) with some tasty guitar playing from a very young looking Phil Beer.

Stepping back in time... don't it make you wanna rock 'n' roll 

   

Also a post of two parts: 

Firstly the artists Robin Hall and Jimmie Macgregor, well known in the 60s from their appearances on the BBC 'Tonight' programme and the 'White Heather Club', played at the Hayloft Folk Club in 1974 - which we are celebrating this weekend in Fairlight.  

And secondly as a follow on from yesterday's Football post a song that was frequently requested on the radio during the early 60s and whenever it came on my parents would say to me they're playing 'your song' again !

The Scottish footballer in the video is Jimmy Johnstone.

GLOSSARY:

I thought I might provide one but there seems to be some confusion as various lyrics are presented online ! So I've given up. Especially once I saw a reference to this song as "Fitba Crazy". 

    R e m e m b e r i n g   

 -    S I X T I E S   Y E A R S   A G O   - 

A u g u s t  1 9 6 4

This is a blog of two halves !
If you saw the football on the BBC last weekend you won't be surprised to learn that today marks 60 years since the very first 'Match of the Day'.
The opening game of the 1964-65 season involving Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield on Saturday 22 August, was shown as the first highlights show introduced by Kenneth Wolstenholme. All eleven First Division matches kicked-off at 3pm that day.

Coincidentally the same Saturday in 1964 saw the first semi-professional game for Wimbledon Football Club. The Mighty Dons playing out a 0-0 draw with Poole Town, kick-off 3 o'clock at Plough Lane.
Found a really excellent History Site: click here you Dons.
+ Here's the centre spread of the day's programme with the Team Sheet. Note: the advert bottom right for Mr. Hales Sport Shop in Kingston Road. In the other corner something called Watney's Red Barrel.

So "Home for Tea and Match of the Day, which was on TV at 6:30." Or, more accurately it would have been if we had BBC2 - which we didn't ! (To view the new BBC2 channel's 625 lines picture required a new television and aerial - my home had neither.)
A lot of us had to wait two years for 'MOTD' to move to BBC1 in the August of 1966.
Who remembers the original theme - ‘Drum Majorette’ by Major Leslie Stratham a former Welsh Guard. Take it away Major >

The famous 'MOTD' theme, we all know, didn't appear until August 1970. A year after 'Slow-motion' replays were introduced.

Interestingly the next weekend's fixtures on 29th August was my first ever match at Stamford Bridge. 

See tomorrow's Music Spot for more Football Folk >>>

  

Lately we have been watching the BBC series ' Detectorists'. If you haven't seen this excellent series, all 20 episodes are available on the iPlayer. 

It first aired in 2014 with Lance (Toby Jones) and writer Andy (MacKenzie Crook) and a whole host of characters, acquainting us with the Danebury Metal Detecting Club (DMD).
Gentle English humour and countryside photography, it's comedy gold in every sense.
And the music is great too. The score and the main theme are by South African born Johnny Flynn, actor and musician. He actually appeared in Ep3 Series 1 as part of a pub night called 'Folk it up' - this is the theme tune 'I'm Waiting For You' - and a compilation of outtakes 

Johnny Flynn performed his composition ‘Song With No Name’ at the recent D-Day Anniversary.  

  

This month the music is going to have a definite Folk flavour to it. This is because, as previously posted, we have a couple of special shows lined up in Fairlight. (Scroll down the page to see our promotional poster). 

And this weekend is the Fairport's Cropredy Convention. 

A few weeks back while listen to Radio Caroline (yes they're still going) a songwriter was featured and among the tracks they played was his composition 'Home is Where the Heart Is'. Now I'd heard this before because in the mid 90's Fairport Convention recorded this song written by Clive Gregson. I suspect you may not know him but he was in an 80's indie band called Any Trouble - which is an interesting story... (Fyi: click here)

I have today's Star Track from Any Trouble and then links to some excellent earlier videos.

Played by Radio Caroline and from a 2015 Cherry Records release entitled 'Present Tense' is the track 'Rocking Horse' - it's about a car, a pop top Ford Transit, to be precise. Those of you who know me well will not be surprised I was taken with this track, reminding me of my own VW pop-up days. A vehicle, I might add, that made a few appearances at Cropredy in its time >  

Like this? You'll love ‘Not Like Other Girls’ - [a bit Traveling Wilburys] from the same album and check out 'I Love the Way' - great guitar - ALL happy singalong music !

As the writer of ‘Home is Where the Heart Is’ Clive Gregson performs it here on the 'Old Grey Whistle Test' in 1985 [introduced and praised by David Hepworth] > link 

Two songs 'Home' & 'Open Fire' - with Christine Collister and the great Richard Thompson on guitar

Finally from the early 80's here's an Any Trouble single called 'Second Choice' > link 2  [sounding a bit like Elvis Costello]   

-   B L A T A N T   A D V E R T I S I N G   C O N T E N T  -

This is the poster we have produced to publise the folk events in our local pub happening later this month. It provides the details that were listed in the two posts last month called 'Folk Returns to Fairlight' and contained music videos of Paul Downes and Martyn Wyndham-Read. 

The QR code bottom right should work on your smart phone, if you are on Facebook.

  

  

An occasional music spot - remembering places around the World

The place in this instance would be my living room in front of the TV on a Friday evening in the 1960s. As the ‘5-4-3-2-1’ countdown announced ‘the weekend starts here’ with ATV’s ‘Ready Steady Go’ ! 

On Friday July 31st 1964 The Kinks played a particular song and life (well my life) would not be the same again - I found I was addicted to Power Chords and I still am … ! 

The group performed two songs: 'I Got Love If You Want It' and of course this ‘You Really Got Me’ > 

Watch out for the strange dancing chef in this 'Beat Room Show' video.

   

From one Tangerine Dream to another... 

After last week, this time it's not the band but an album named 'Tangerine Dream'. 

So let's drift back to 1967....

Amid the lyrics of 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' there are clues to the name. Even while that song was being written an English psychedelic rock band from London called Kaleidoscope had begun recording their debut album 'Tangerine Dream' in January 1967, using songs they had written in late 1966. The recordings were completed in May. The album`s June release was then rescheduled to November to allow their debut single 'Flight from Ashiya' to introduce them to the record-buying public [a song that sounds very 'See Emily Play' like - see them live here].  

The LP finally appear late November 1967 and despite the group’s following, good reviews and radio play it failed to reach the charts. It is now considered a classic psychedelic album.

Kaleidoscope were composers Peter Daltrey on vocals, keyboards and lyrics with Eddy Pumer: guitar, keyboards and music, along with Steve Clark: bass, flute & Dan Bridgman on drums & percussion.  

A place to start is the track that ends the album, a psychedelic fairy tale: 'The Sky Children' >

I can recommend tracks '(Further Reflections) In The Room Of Percussion' [with weird stereo effects] click here. And 'Dear Nellie Goodrich' among others on this album. 

NB: Confusingly there's an American band from the same era called Kaleidoscope. A psychedelic folk group who recorded four albums and several singles for Epic Records between 1966 and 1970. The band's membership included multi instrumentalist David Lindley.

   R e m e m b e r i n g   

 -   J O H N   M A Y A L L   - 

1 9 3 3  -  2 0 2 4

The news of the death of the 'godfather of the British Blues' was a sad start to today. He featured as a Friday Star Track back in 2020 on 1st May. 

'So Many Roads' would be a fitting tribute - relive this from 2008, with another greatly missed artist Gary Moore. 

  

Today is the birthday of Queen's Brian May. Not that I needed an excuse to play this, but I found one.

A Tangerine Dream concert at the Starmus Festival 2011 on Spain's Tenerife Island with a guest appearance by Brian May. The festival was held in honour of the 50th Anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's first space flight.

The video takes awhile to get going as the artists walk on stage to perform a beautiful song called 'Sally's Garden'. Founding Tangs member Edgar Froese is there on keyboards as Brian channels his inner Mark Knopfler and Linda Spa plays the saxophone.  

Tangerine Dream & Brian May > 'Sally's Garden'  

Amazingly this has only been viewed 38 times on YouTube - can't believe that ? !! 

   

From last week's devil's crossroads to 'Dead Man's Road' would seem a short distance, certainly musically at any rate. Lyrically the warnings of the dangers of addiction and to the path to redemption are told in this honest tale written by Bruce Brookshire lead singer with the Doc Holliday Southern rock band, named after the American frontier gambler, gunfighter and dentist !

From the group's 2001 album 'A Better Road' this falls into my contemporary road songs category and has some great guitar work from John Turner Samuelson. It's very Lynyrd Skynyrd, which is probably why I like it so much. 

Guitar playing folk legend from Devon, who performed at the Hayloft Club in 1974 and 1975. Listen to Paul below playing a selection of songs (which are helpfully captioned) recorded in Brighton in 2009. 

View The COVE pub in Fairlight for additional information: thecovefairlight.co.uk/events/ 

An English folk singer, born in Sussex, worked in Australia before returning to England in 1967. Appeared at the Hayloft Club in 1974 and 1984. Listen to Martyn here singing ‘Come Walk with Me’, followed by a video from 2011, a 'live' show in Sydney and a song called 'Billy of Tea'. With an intro poem and a performance with Iris Bishop on concertina, who will be accompanying him for this special show in September. 

View The COVE pub in Fairlight for additional information: thecovefairlight.co.uk/events/ 

 

  

'Big American Car Music' - that's what Dylan Jones called it in his book 'iPod, Therefore I Am' that I mentioned back in March saying 'no doubt this will come up again'. And so this week we are out there 'On the Road' again. 

Dylan Jones' is obsessed with lists (certainly more so than me) and he did provided some new songs for me. Which led me to compile a list of 'classic' road songs, you know and love, and then more recent 'contemporary' tracks. I won't list them here, you know the classics I'm sure (listening to Steppenwolf and Springsteen or perhaps just the one cassette tape full of Creedence Clearwater Revival), that would have accompanied those road trips across America. Tomorrow actually marks the anniversary of an epic 'Coast to Coast' drive in 1978 (again mentioned in these blogs previously). 

My list was of mostly American bands, though not exclusively (Free, Bad Company and Eric Clapton aside) and the book speaks of “Then I went to America and it all made perfect sense", the music filled the car as the freeways rushed under the wheels. 

The book has various suggestions for the perfect car tape by listing different States and places with appropriate music for them. Adding at the end of the book a full 50 more you'll need: "Appendix 14: Drive Time" !

This was how I heard about 'Hoover Dam' by Sugar, an American alternative rock band formed in 1992, they were led by the singer and guitarist Bob Mould. Power guitar, big choruses, great words, on 'Copper Blue' - 1992 NME album of the year ! So how did I miss this ? Well I do have a distinct feeling I've heard it before... 

Geographical references are a must for any road music and this underrated album is loaded with great tracks. With 'Hoover Dam' managing to ask about the deal at the most famous ‘crossroads’ in music (Clarksdale, Mississippi: highways 49 & 61).

At times this track's vocals remind me of Marillion - hope you like Sugar 

 

   

For the fair ladies of Fairlight, in particular the 'Rise and Shine' class, who in a massed dancercise display at 'Fairfest' last weekend threw some shapes to various well chosen pieces of music. Videos available on a Facebook page near you !

I referenced this track last September when Northern Soul celebrated 50 years - at the end under 'More dancing...?' Revisit blog here. But I didn't provide a link then, so Frank Wilson is this week's Star Track artist with the anthem 'Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)'. *Originally a 45 record in 1965, but forever associated with Northern Soul in 70s Britain. And now Fairlight's 'Fairfest 2024' > 

Video shows the Northern Soul dance moves, so you can do your thing... 

*'Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)’ by Frank Wilson: 

As a producer for Tamla Motown he tried his luck as a recording artist in 1965, recording this single for release on the Tamla Motown / Soul label. 250 demo 45s were pressed and scheduled for release. Frank Wilson then decided to focus on producing and he had the demos trashed. Somehow some survived to become popular in the Northern Soul movement and the single became a rare collectable, ultimately being officially released on the Tamla Motown label in 1979. 

  

In this month's Mojo magazine their obituary column 'Real Gone' informed me that The Allman Brothers Band's guitar great Dickey Betts left us on April 18th. 

It goes on to say that "in Britain even car enthusiasts with little affinity with down-home 70s rusticity would recognise 'Jessica', the Betts penned composition BBC tv show 'Top Gear' adopted as its long standing theme-tune".

The buoyant instrumental named after his then infant daughter would in 2006 be called 'a true national heirloom' by The Wall Street Journal. 

The tune maybe familiar to 'Top Gear' fans but barely 30 seconds gets played at the beginning and end of shows. I recently reminded myself of the full track in particular the Chuck Leavell piano section two and a half minutes in and then just over a minute later the soaring guitar solo from Dickey Betts that follows. I'm posting here the original 7:30 album track for purists (like me). I do have a 'live' video but it's shorter and the piano not as good.  

The Mojo article ends by saying a statement posted on the The Allman Brothers Band official website after Betts died imagined him touring "in that old Winnebago in the sky". "Play on Brother Dickey" - 

FYI Ladies & Gentlemen 'Take it away': Live in 1982 'Jessica'  - right here 

 

An occasional music spot - remembering places around the World

Not had one of these in awhile ... 

The not terribly exciting photo is of the entrance to a famous location. Chelsea Manor Studios, Flood Street - just off the King's Road, were I worked between 1973 and 1975 in Studio 3. 

We were at the end of a ground floor corridor sharing part of a photographer's studio space. As a source of music we had an Eight Track cartridge player. Anyone remembering these will know of the limitations and how tracks often changed mid song with a significant 'clunk' (not a 'click' as advertised) and the tape length sometimes meant a song had to be edited to make it fit on. 

We didn't have that many tapes to play, but one I do remember from this time was Paul McCartney's Ram LP, and this song in particular 'Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey' > 

Coincidently I would later discover that in March 1967 in the studio next door, at No.4, Paul McCartney and the other Beatles were photographed by Michael Cooper for the cover of 'Sgt Pepper's': (for full story, click here). 

  

The European Championships begin today in Germany and no doubt this song is ready and cued up to blast out over the PA at a moments notice. 

How a Eurodance hit from the 90s singing about the Buddhist values of rejecting consumerism and greed became associated with Association Football is quite a story - (read all about it). 

Performed by Italian singer-songwriter Gala Rizzatto singing the mantra 'Freed from desire - mind and senses purified' into its 'all join in' chorus is incredibly infectious. 

Chanting "Na-na-na-na-na-na-na, na-na-na, na-na-na" - let's hear you >

Video above is the 1997 original. Naturally there's a 'Stadium Effect' sound version to celebrate the goals - click on 

  

Last Friday Margaret asks me if I know a blues artist called Coco Montoya ? And promptly sends me a link to listen to. 

Turns out our friend in California had seen him perform just a few miles north of their home in Santa Rosa and had posted pictures on Facebook of the concert. 

I've not stopped listen to him since... so had to feature this week, especially this song from his debut solo album ‘Gotta Mind to Travel’ released in 1995. 'Am I Losing You' written by the Cate Brothers from their '95 ‘Radioland’ album that featured Coco Montoya guesting. I am going with the album cut purely for listening purposes, (no video) so no distractions, as I really like the subtle guitar licks in the second verse and the sound of his voice. 

I will add a link to a 'live' performance below for action video fans. 

Coco Montoya's career began in the 70s as a drummer with Albert Collins who then taught him guitar. In the 80s he played with the John Mayall Bluesbreakers for 10 years before going solo. Plays guitar, plays it left hand (like Jimi and Ziggy) … and boy can he play ! 

So thanks to M and Debbie 😃. And I hope you like this as much as me > 

 

Replay: same song 'Live' from 2016 - click here 

Further listening fyi: (look out for these) 

‘I Want it All Back’ - from ‘Songs from the Road’ double cd  

‘I Wish I Could Be That Strong’ 

‘Don’t Take it Personally’ - sounding like Free both vocally and guitar playing.  

.... to mention just a few 'blues' titles. 

  

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). 

Last week I was travelling back on the train from London and sitting opposite me with their daughter were a couple. Both of them were sporting T-shirts emblazoned with the words 'DEATH PUNCH'. On closer inspection these words were proceed by 'Five Finger' ! 

Intrigued I 'googled' and turns out Five Finger Death Punch are an American heavy metal band from Las Vegas. And they're BIG. Been going since 2005. Four albums between 2013 and 2018 certified Platinum or Gold, making them one of the most successful heavy metal bands of the decade. Also they've received Rock Radio Awards for "Indie Artist of the Year" in 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014.

I had never heard of them, had you ? 

Well turns out they're pretty good. Check this out >

'Blue On Black' (feat. Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Brantley Gilbert & Brian May) - takes half a minute to get going > 

"Blue on Black" by Kenny Wayne Shepherd was regarded as the best rock song of 1998 winning the Billboard Music Award for "Rock Track of the Year". 

American heavy metal band Five Finger Death Punch recorded "Blue on Black" for their 2018 album 'And Justice for None'. However, on April 12, 2019, a version different to the one on that album, was released as a single, together with Kenny Shepherd, country musician Brantley Gilbert and Queen guitarist Brian May. It merged Shepherd's blues rock, Gilbert's country, May's classic rock and Five Finger Death Punch's mainstream rock styles.

An official music video was released on April 11, 2019. (Featured above) 

For more Five Finger Death Punch - read here  

  

And finally to the childhood memory I promised at the beginning of the month. 

In May 1964, having just completed the 11 Plus exams, I had a family holiday to Hastings. Precisely when we went required a bit of research, so I went to the Hastings library and flicking through microfiche copies of the Hastings & St. Leonard's Observer from that year, I am now accurately able to tell you. 

My own memory of this holiday was I remember it rained. A lot ! So much so we did the unheard of holiday activity of going to the cinema. The week commencing 31st May the film 'Zulu' was showing at the De Luxe cinema on the Sea Front. So this had to be the time of our holiday because you don't forget a film like 'Zulu'. 

I also remember the jukebox in the clubhouse of the Combe Haven Holiday Park where we stayed and therefore the music we listened to. Many a sixpence was spent playing songs I liked. Then midweek a man shows up and changes the records on the jukebox and this new release from The Hollies was added. ‘Here I Go Again’ released on 15th May 1964 entered the hit parade a week later.

On hearing this track I'm right back there, my eleven and a half year old self, hovering by the jukebox waiting expectantly for my selection to play. 

Thank you Allan Clarke, Graham Nash, Tony Hicks, Eric Haydock & Bobby Elliott. Never saw this in colour before 😃 

Postscript: I also found out that the week previously the Kinks had appearing on the Hastings Pier - their 3rd single 'You Really Got Me' still more than two months away. 

   

On the same day in November 1967 as The Moody Blues LP 'Days of Future Passed' was released, so was the single from the album 'Nights in White Satin'. Making the UK chart in January 1968 and reaching No.19 in February.  

Both the album and single having only moderate success upon release, 'Nights in White Satin' has enjoyed a recurring chart presence over the years. In 1972 following steady FM radio airplay and the success of this single, the album became a top ten hit in the US.
'Nights' was a hit again in the UK and Ireland in 1979 reaching numbers 14 and 8, respectively. The song charted once again in 2010, reaching number 51 in the UK Official Singles Charts. 
With hindsight 'Days of Future Passed' has since been listed among the most important albums of 1967 by Rolling Stone magazine, cited by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an example of one of the first progressive rock albums and one of the first concept LP releases.
The "orchestral" sounds in the main body of 'Nights in White Satin' were actually produced by Mike Pinder's Mellotron keyboard device. One of the founding members of the band, sadly Mike's 'Days Passed' only last month, but as a pioneer of the Mellotron his playing would become The Moody Blues' signature sound.

With the instrument's instruction to 'play slowly' here's a rather flaky 'sound wise' 10 minute video that's very informative called "A Brief History of the Mellotron" Click here. 

The phrase “No Prog Rock without mellotrons” will clue you in to its main content. 

     

Psychedelic backdrop.

Photo taken at the Small Fakers gig at The Piper, St. Leonards, April 2024. Before the band arrived.