A game of connections... 

Earlier this month my brother asked me if I'd heard that Gerry Conway, drummer with Fairport Convention from 1998 to 2022, who we'd seen perform on at least a dozen occasions over those years, had died ? The Fairport's website confirmed the sad news and said "condolences are with Gerry's partner Jacqui and the family".

Now I didn't know he was married to Jacqui McShee, of Pentangle fame. The original sixties band's line up now reads like a 'supergroup' with Danny Thompson on bass along with John Renbourn and Bert Jansch on guitars.

I had recently read about Bert Jansch being mentor and inspiration to a musician in Hastings who's responsible for Friday Sundowner sessions at the Jenny Lind pub in the Old Town.
Jason McNiff recalls going to the 12-Bar Club in London's Denmark Street (Tin Pan Alley) and studying Bert's finger picking style, which is evident in his guitar playing. He has a number of videos and albums to this effect, one being a covers CD 'Tonight We ride' from which this track comes: 'One Too Many Mornings' - a Dylan song from 1964 (which neatly points in the direction of next month's blog). 

Connecting: Gerry Conway > Jacqui McShee > Bert Jansch > Jason McNiff >

Nice video shot in Hastings, around the library and The Printworks area. 

  

Further info: Interview with Jason McNiff - HOT ‘Hastings Online Times’ click here  

   

It's all about the Vinyl Revival (or 'revinyl', if I'm being clever and someone hadn't already coined that 'portmanteau' buzzword !)
As tomorrow is the UK Record Store Day and new outlets for records seem to be springing up all over the place, time to browse into that world from our past. 30 years ago most homes had a record turntable to play music on. Then the CD revolution consigned these decks to the loft and then the record collection was sadly shown the exit door too. 

I have gone on about the value of vinyl on a few occasions, so I will say no more. But the return of vinyl music is here, yet 'How is it that a media format as clunky, costly and fragile as vinyl would become so popular in an age of ubiquitous digital content?'. And a study last year found that 50% of vinyl buyers in the US don’t have a record player ! So this revival is full of questions. I'll add a few links to articles at the end for any curious listeners. 

Need to re-purchase a record turntable ? Today's video features a very sexy vertical turntable, defying gravity (if you have the money - go here). 

Great track from Tracy Chapman 'She's Got Her Ticket' from her debut album in 1988, which at the time was probably the last vinyl LP I bought before CDs took over. Enjoy some very tasty guitar from Jack Holder who was in the band Black Oak Arkansas for two years in the late 70s. > 

A few vinyl articles of interest:

- Record Shops >>  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-68483084.amp

- Study >>  https://www.nme.com/news/music/study-finds-50-per-cent-of-vinyl-buyers-in-us-dont-have-a-record-player-3437301

- Vintage is back >>  https://theconversation.com/the-triumph-of-vinyl-vintage-is-back-as-lp-sales-continue-to-skyrocket-225662

- Retro 'Revinyl' >>  https://www.retrotogo.com/2016/11/budget-turntables-revinyl-briefcase-record-player-at-amazon.html

   

Last weekend I saw the Small Fakers. No this is not a spelling error it's the UK's only tribute to one of my favourite 60s bands the Small Faces. 

Now today could be a bit of a 'link fest' as there are plenty of videos around, but I will try to not get carried away. 

First up the Small Fakers were excellent as they rattled their way through some 25 songs on the night. Many I wasn't familiar with, so it's good there's a recent setlist on the web, which even has accompanying videos (link here). Some of these videos are not great but I can recommend 'Get Yourself Together', which is pretty much as we saw performed and 'Tin Soldier' which they also nailed. (Simply click the circled arrow, beside the song). 

Given that the original Small Faces (1965-69) only released 3 studio albums and a dozen singles it's probably no surprise I was hearing some album tracks for the first time: i.e. 'Sorry She’s Mine'* (off the 1st album, 1966) and (the 2nd album, 67) 'Happy Boys Happy'. There were also 3 compilation LPs and a couple of late 70s records from a reformed Small Faces without Ronnie Laine, but that was it. 

Anyway I came across this recently. A curious 'street corner' video of 'All Or Nothing' - the band's only UK chart topping single  

Extras:
* 'Sorry She’s Mine' - just found a great YouTube vintage video of this song (click here)  - 
All this black and white stuff, it's time for some colour as the Small Faces were featured in 1968 on the BBC's 'Colour Me Pop' programme - do you remember this ? (great video) 

Finally - The Faker's: Matt Bond was a great Steve Marriott lookalike and had his mannerisms and sideways shuffle off to a tee. Which prompted me to review Steve Marriott's tragic death > 

Quite a story: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/tragic-death-small-faces-steve-marriott/

Postscript to this was discovering Steve's daughter Molly is a singer and currently vocalist in Rick Wakeman's English Rock Ensemble Band.

 

  

-  In the headlines, this week 60 years ago  -

The Billboard Hot 100 this week in 1964: The Beatles occupied the top 5 positions. 

No.1: “Can’t Buy Me Love”
No.2: “Twist and Shout”
No.3: “She Loves You”
No.4: “I Want To Hold Your Hand”

No.5: "Please Please Me"

Never before had this happened and followed 2 months of American chart success. From February 1st, 'I Want To Hold Your Hand' stayed 7 weeks at No.1 and then 'She Loves You' for 2 weeks, before on April 4th 'Can't Buy Me Love' was top - and would remain there for another 5 weeks. 

Some music from The Beatles then, and a song new to me called ‘Long, Long, Long’. Before all you Fab Four fans and owners of the 'White Album' start berating me, and in my defense, this track is tucked away on the outer reaches of side 3 of the album, in the shadow of 'Helter Skelter' and I really had never heard it until last year. A George Harrison composition and vocal with Ringo playing his part.  

 

While you’re listening (as there's no video to watch) here’s another short story: 

This unparalleled chart success would have pleased Murray the K no end. 

Murray Kaufman (1922 – 1982), professionally known as Murray the K, was an influential New York City rock 'n' roll impresario and disc jockey in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. 

When the band arrived in New York, Murray was invited by Brian Epstein to spend time with the group, and Murray persuaded his New York radio station (WINS) to let him broadcast his prime time show from the Beatles' Plaza Hotel suite. During the early days of Beatlemania he frequently referred to himself as the 'Fifth Beatle'.
The radio station WINS picked up on the name and billed Murray the K as the Fifth Beatle. 

He wouldn't be the last to be called this: there was George Martin, Billy Preston and a German car ! 

 

See previous Spotlight post (Part 1) below. 

On to part two and the Gigspanner Band which appear to come in different sizes ! 

Firstly there's the trio with fiddle player Peter Knight being joined by percussionist Sacha Trochet and guitarist Roger Flack. The line-up then expands to form the Gigspanner Big Band, with acclaimed multi-instrumental duo Edgelarks (Phillip Henry: dobro & harmonica and Hannah Martin: fiddle, banjo, tenor guitar) along with melodeon player John Spiers.

Only 5 members were around for today's track an excellent recording of the song 'Awake Awake'. John Spiers writes "This song is taken from Cecil Sharp’s English Folk Songs From The Southern Appalachians. The tune at the end, 'Ellen Smith', was found in unpublished extra notes from the collection, in the archive at Cecil Sharp House, London." 

What I particularly like is the approving glances the members give each other, which the video captures brilliantly - Gigspanner Big Band >

Extras:

You will have gathered I've spent quite a lot of time listening to Gigspanner of late: 

The group have collaborated with author Raynor Winn in a show called 'Saltlines' about her book 'The Salt Path' (which I am currently reading). Here is a 2 minute video about the walk - click here. 

Now take an aerial drone flight along the coast (on a slightly out-of-date video). Full screen is best, so you can read the captions ! Take off here. 

‘Found/The Salt Song’ from 'Saltlines' written by vocalist/fiddle player, Hannah Martin, with a great dobro solo from Phillip Henry.

   

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). 

The timing of this Spot will become apparent when you see the title of the tunes.

I was fortunate enough to see these artists in concert a month ago down in Hastings. 

Peter Knight (formerly Steeleye Span: 1971-2013) on fiddle.

and John Spiers (formerly Bellowhead: 2004-2016) on melodeon. 

Both now play in the Gigspanner band. More on that this coming Friday. 

With Peter Knight it's not just folk, there's classical and jazz elements in his playing and I think the first piece is very classical while the second is a Triple Hornpipe and a merry old dance. 

So we have 'Easter Thursday / Three Case Knives' - and one of those lockdown videos we became so familiar with - (Morris dancing at Easter time) > 

As mentioned above this is part 1 of a two part theme. Back Friday ... 

  

> Newspaper headlines read "POP PIRATES JAM THE WAVES" 

On the morning of March 26th 1964 the 'M.V. Frederica' a former Danish ferry now renamed 'Caroline' left Greenore, Ireland, after being refitted for broadcasting. She reached her anchorage five miles off the coast near Harwich at 6pm the next day. Her first test signals were put out at 9pm and then at noon on March 28th a new era began in British radio history as Radio Caroline broadcast 'Can't Buy Me Love' to the South-East of England. The official launch was the next day, Easter Sunday March 29th. As DJ Simon Dee announced "Radio Caroline on 199, your all day music station".   

Early broadcasts were very much 'middle of the road' but when another pirate station Radio London took most of their audience away with their more 'pop' music approach Radio Caroline adopted a similar style and format. 

UK RADIO - 1964-1967: 'Pirates off our shores' Story to be continued... 

One of the station's early theme tunes was a single by The Fortunes called 'Caroline' - it wasn't a hit record you'll not be surprised to hear but this neat video has some great pictures that capture those days. WATCH HERE. 

A far better 'Caroline' song (and there's been a few down the years) is by Status Quo released in 1973. 

Break out your denim and faded jeans it's air-guitar time 

You may have spotted in The Fortunes video, DJ Tony Blackburn, who worked for Radio Caroline until 1966 when he switched to Radio London. He picked up his OBE this week. From Pirate to a British Empire Award. How times change !

  

Comic Relief - 'Red Nose Day' today. 'You're 'avin' a larf' - and we are 😀

And there's nothing quite as funny as the British weather !!

Michael Flanders and Donald Swann during the years 1956-1967 via their two-man revue 'At the Drop of a Hat' performed their comic songs along with monologues that would provide the background to my growing up as they were always on radio request shows. 

With Swann on piano and Flanders in his wheelchair, who had contracted polio while serving in the Navy, they cut an entertaining and much loved seated sight.  

So many funny songs by Flanders and Swann - this is ‘A Song of the Weather’

😀 

Another charity venture happening today sees the release of Mark Knopfler's Guitar Heroes 9-minute version of 'Going Home' > listen here and buy there.  

   

Given that I have piles of notes for potential Star Tracks, somehow almost weekly I jot down new artists and songs that add to the list.

Because as John Peel once said “There’s always the possibility that you’re going to come across a record that transforms your life“

Music is compelling, all consuming and continually diverting! There’s a continual quest for the new. 

A high percentage of what I list on the Friday Music Spot is because it is something I have recently discovered. And I’m passing on the excitement of that new feeling ! 

Preamble over, this band falls firmly into this category because until a few weeks ago I had not heard of the American indie rock band from Philadelphia called The War on Drugs.

Paste magazine (see link below) described them as follows: 

Bonafide purveyors of shoegaze and staples of dad rock, The War on Drugs are a walking kush coma(*), cut on atmospheric echoes, roaring synths and guitars cracked out of their minds. When Adam Granduciel and Kurt Vile formed the band in Philadelphia in 2005, it was after they’d come into each other’s orbits and bonded over Bob Dylan. 

Now I knew Kurt Vile (see FMS #243 - who in fact left the band in 2008) and while The War on Drugs are not a new band everything else was news and ever since I've been constantly finding more 'new' tracks I like. 'Red Eyes' from 2014 was the first song I heard, so I'm going with that as today's Star Track, with a long list of others from down the years for you to check out. Easiest way to present this is to refer again to Paste magazine and their 'List of Best 10 songs' link - which has videos to those songs on their list. Personally I would add ‘Harmonia’s Dream’, a 9 minute hypnotic track nominated as 'Best Rock Song' in the 2023 Grammy's. Here 

The first thing that hit me was the great blistering 'fuzz' guitar from Adam Granduciel and his vocals often sounding just like Dylan. 

The band have a London gig this July at the Royal Albert Hall, already sold out !  

Video is Live on KEXP - can't make out the words, me neither - I love it !  

(*) A 'kush coma' is suppose to be a relaxing experience. Your brain will go on a vacation in the sense of you becoming calm and at peace. 

Some of today's info and quotes come as a result of my having just finished reading a book called 'iPod, Therefore I Am' by Dylan Jones - no doubt this will come up again fairly soon. 

  

Today is the 80th birthday of Roger Daltrey. 60 of those years he's been lead singer with the Who ! 

As a celebration here are old friends Rockin'1000 with a mass rendition of ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again’ - from 2019 at Linate regional airport in Milan.  

I'll wager that by the mid-point of the video you'll be waiting expectantly for the famous scream that comes at the end of this song. Prepare for landing - "pick up your guitar and play"

? Remember Rockin'1000 and this post from October 2021 > revisit here 

    

 

United Stoats of America. 'Live' in St. Leonard's.

After last week's Music Spot that spoke of "'Fat Tuesday' (Mardi Gras) in St. Leonard's, taking place in small bars that squeezed musicians into limited spaces that in one instance blocked the way to the toilet." - I thought this statement may benefit from some photographic evidence.

So above we have the six-piece band United Stoats of America (plus their instruments - one being a double bass) performing in the Craft Beer bar 'Collected Fictions' in St. Leonard's on Saturday 10th February 2024. The toilet in question is to the left of the photo and completely inaccessible. 

  

You can't beat 'Live' music !

2024 has so far been full of great music seen in a variety of venues. From our local pub to 'Fat Tuesday' (Mardi Gras) in St. Leonard's, taking place in small bars that squeezed musicians into limited spaces that in one instance blocked the way to the toilet. Intimate, is sure was. 

The performance and the playing always presenting something different. The atmosphere, the audience participation and even the playing of a familiar song can offer an unexpected new experience. The moment can be unique, the memory likewise. 

Today's track just about covers all of those things. 'Live From The Backyard' > a personal show from Columbia, South Carolina > has three songs, sung by Nick Stone, mixed together in a surprising way that I won't give away here. And as mentioned in the YouTube comments "the lead guitar player is the most tasteful guitarist I've heard in a long time" !

On lead Manning Feldner, playing with Nick Stone and the Shifty Hunchbacks > take it away

  

More backyard videos : @  https://nickstonemusic.com/  

   

The second 'lurve' song this week. And a huge hit ! 

Released and in the UK chart over Christmas, December 1987 it was No.1 for two weeks in mid January 1988. It also topped the charts in the US and many other countries.  

Uplifting power pop ‘Heaven is a Place on Earth’ was Belinda Carlisle's biggest hit single, but by no means her only chart success as numerous hits followed. 

Seen here performing for 'Top of the Pops' in their Los Angeles studio >

Belinda Carlisle was a member of the Go-Go's, the most successful all female band of all time.  

Check out 'Vacation' >>> 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). 

Something for Valentine's Day - an excuse to feature this: 

I've long been fascinated by tracks that sample bits of other songs. Every time I heard this record I thought it was sampling 'The Days of Pearly Spencer' a 1967 song by David McWilliams. It turns out I am complete wrong because it is in fact a 1932 song called ‘My Woman’ by Al Bowlly with Lew Stone and His Monseigneur Band. 

"Love Again" by English-Albanian singer Dua Lipa from her second studio album 'Future Nostalgia'. The song was written by Lipa alongside Clarence Coffee Jr., Chelcee Grimes and its producer Koz, with Bing Crosby, Max Wartell and Irving Wallman also credited as the writers of 'My Woman'. 

Dua Lipa ‘Love Again’ was released March 2021 >

FYI: The original 'My Woman' song. Link here

   

Last week I made reference to the fashionable King's Road in Chelsea. This week we are going there and travelling back to the Swinging Sixties. Let's take a trip...  

In February 1966 at 488 King's Road a boutique shop opened run by Nigel Waymouth, his girlfriend Sheila Cohen and John Pearse, in 1969 it was acquired by Freddie Hornik and remained open until the mid-1970s. It has been called the "first psychedelic boutique in Groovy London of the 1960s" - the shop was called 'Granny Takes a Trip' ! 

I have photos and links to all of this (which will appear as extras at the end of this post). 

But first a promotional film to a single released in 1967 by The Purple Gang titled 'Granny Takes a Trip' that is a fantastic bit of time travel down the King's Road and into the actual shop in question. 

People like John Peel loved this record – but the BBC had other ideas and promptly banned it, even though the 'trip' had nothing to do with LSD. So instead of soundtracking the hippy era, it sold a measly 4,340 copies. With its honky-tonk piano and one of pop's rarest of instrumental breaks, a kazoo solo, it remains an innocent, timeless reminder of the first Summer of Love. 

Produced by Joe Boyd and recorded at the same time and same studio as Pink Floyd's 'Arnold Layne' this is The Purple Gang > [full screen a must]

Extras:-

A very short film: Excerpt from a 1967 'Look At Life' documentary (link here)  Far Out ! 

The ever changing shop front is captured along with photos of The Purple Gang band (here) 

Location - it was not really a place I remember as it was a mile away from where I was working - down the King's Road at World's End. 

(Left) in the 60s and (right) 488 King's Road today. The zebra crossing and Belisha beacon have gone. 

And anyone interested (like me): Nigel Waymouth was a designer and artist and responsible for the constantly changing shop fronts. While still involved in Granny Takes a Trip, in 1967 he teamed up with fellow artist Michael English and together they began designing many of the quintessential British pop posters of that era. See here 

  

Looking back 50 years - who remembers the 'Three-Day Week ?  My short story:

At the end of 1973 I began a new job. Which strictly speaking was the same job as I'd had before but with a different company, only now in the fashionable surroundings of the Kings Road, Chelsea with the main account of this small design studio being RCA Records. All very exciting ! David Bowie, Lou Reed and signed from the Pye label in 1971 The Kinks.
However my early months there were interrupted by the UK government's '3-day working week' ruling to conserve electricity generated by coal, which was being effected by industrial action from coal miners and railway workers. This involved working by angle-pose lamp with candles ready to light in case of a knock on the studio door and being caught with our lights on. Also rather than working on posters, points of sale and record sleeves for the above notable artists I found myself in the company of Perry Como, Jack Jones and Charles Aznavour, all very squares-ville, RCA ! I wasn't a fan of John Denver either, far from it, yet 5 years later I converted to 'Coloradoism' as I found his lyrics and songs making far more sense whilst travelling in the States - as we all went to look for America. 'Rocky Mountain High' best describes my conversion.

"John Denver's Greatest Hits" is the first hits album by American singer-songwriter John Denver, released in November 1973 by RCA Records. 'Rocky Mountain High' closes the album. 

This lyric video is great > 

NB: The 'Three-Day Week' was 1 January to 7 March 1974 (see article).  

  

From Prog-Rock and Symphonic Pop through Punk, New Wave and Heavy Metal to Electronica and Hip-Hop, Grime and Dubstep, Nightingale embraced them all. I'm quoting this from the Times obituary to Annie Nightingale, the first female disc jockey to break into the 'boys club' of BBC Radio 1, who recently died. She went on to outlast them all and remain on air for more than four decades. 

It occurred to me that this was a musical itinerary experienced by many of us of a similar age. Personally I'd have to insert Folk in there and the Blues, but the rest all fits. 

Elsewhere in the obituary it mentions her listening to 'up' music. She says: 

"I'm not a great fan of very down, depressing music. So I love uplifting music, music that makes me feel happier. And 'Three Little Birds'… I can't think of another song ever by anybody that makes you feel so happy. If ever I put together a mixtape – say someone is ill, or down, or depressed, or something, needs a lift – then that is the tune I play them."

Bob Marley & The Wailers – 'Three Little Birds' is today's Star Track 

   

We're in mellow mode today. 

Last year began with the deaths of prominent musicians - Jeff Beck and then Dave Crosby. Along with other sad news I found myself not always recording when this happened. Tina was remembered but many weren't, as the list grew through the year, becoming too many to mention them all. 

- Gordon Lightfoot, Randy Meisner (of the Eagles), John Gosling (Kinks keyboard player in the 70s), David Lindley (multi-instrumentalist in Jackson Browne band - wonderful lap steel guitar), two members of Bachman-Turner Overdrive: Robbie and Tim Bachman, Sinéad O'Connor, Tony McPhee (of the Groundhogs) and many many more... 

So today is for all the people who left us in 2023. 

A version of 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' played by King Curtis & the Kingpins >

 

From the 'King Size Soul' LP (1967)  

Curtis Ousley (born Curtis Montgomery in 1934). A master of the soprano, alto and tenor saxophone played rhythm and blues, jazz and rock and roll. 

  

He was Davy Jones and Dave Bowie and then David Bowie but in 1972 he became Ziggy Stardust ! 

In 1969 his character Major Tom had a hit single with 'Space Oddity'. On the 'B' side of the original Philips release was a song called 'Wide Eyed Boy from Freecloud' - this version has sparse instrumentation: guitar (played by Bowie) and arco bass (by Paul Buckmaster). The album version, recorded in July/August 1969, features a full orchestral arrangement by Tony Visconti. Have a listen to the single 'B' side here > 

 

Last summer I saw the re-release (after restoration) of D. A. Pennebaker's documentary film of the final Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars performance on 3rd July 1973 at the Hammersmith Odeon, London. RCA records had recorded it with the intention of releasing a live album. However, the project was shelved for several reasons, rumoured to include Bowie's desire to leave Ziggy behind, and the poor quality of the recordings. Bowie and producer Tony Visconti mixed the recordings in 1981, a mix heavily criticised, although Visconti describes it as "more of a salvage job than an artistic endeavor" considering the state of the source material. 

That said, this sounds pretty good to me. 'Wide Eyed Boy from Freecloud' was played as part of a medley with "All the Young Dudes" and "Oh! You Pretty Things". 

> Finally, did any one of you ever see "Ziggy play guitar" live in concert ? 

  

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). 

This track finds David Bowie at the other end of his catalogue, in the late 1990s.

I'd never heard this until last year and knowing he went through many musical changes during his life, some more popular than others, see what you make of this. It's different yet infectious !

Written by Bowie and Brian Eno it went through various revisions before emerging in 1997 on the 'Earthling' album and as a maxi-single release. A techno (or industrial) track, it presents a critique of America through the eyes of a stereotypical "Johnny" and is a mix of drum patterns, synthesizers, various loops and vocal distortions.

See what you make of "I'm Afraid of Americans" > 

   C e l e b r a t i n g  

-   D A V I D   B O W I E  -

A week devoted to David Robert Jones (8 January 1947 – 10 January 2016) - aka David Bowie (or maybe Davy Jones or then again Dave Bowie !

This is mostly material I've only discovered recently:

Back in the mid sixties via ads for the Witch Doctor* Club near Hastings I have found that he played with a backing band called The Lower Third and soon after the Buzz. All around the time of 1965/66 and a time when he change his name - was it Davy or Dave - as often as the backing band changed. See link 

Another website has various photos of The Lower Third: here 

And click here for the Buzz. 

Prior to all this, Bowie had made a TV appearance in 1964 representing 'The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Long-haired Men', on the BBC's flagship Tonight Programme, hosted by the legendary Cliff Michelmore. See video and story link here. 

While in early 1965 there was The Manish Boys: see this article and their rejection by the BBC. 

* The Witch Doctor was in Marine Court, St Leonards, and later became The Cobweb. A fire in December 1970 caused serious damage to The Cobweb Ballroom and The Dolphin Ballroom. 

According to DavidBowieWorld.nl - 

In December 1966, Bowie left the Buzz to become a solo act. The Buzz offered to stick with him for a while for no wages when Bowie told them he couldn’t afford them, at which point it came out that the real reason was that he wanted to be on his own. They did, however, back Bowie on early 1967 studio sessions for his first album. 

Far-Out magazine looking back recently on this debut album said

In truth, on the record, we find a 20-year-old Bowie clearly without focus and the album is a serious mess because of it. Upon the release of his self-titled debut album in 1967. The record was received with critical warmth, but thanks in part to label Deram’s lack of promotion, its release saw a cold reception from the public. As such, Bowie was cast aside as yet another folk-pop-adjacent singer who had listened to one too many Beatles albums, having dived headfirst into Vaudeville caricature. 

I was recently lent a 1973 compilation of this debut material called 'Images 1966-1967' > reissued on Decca's Deram label. It is a curious mixture with very little I'd heard previously. 

Here's some MUSIC 

Not on the debut LP but the final track on 'Images' was the Tony Visconti produced 

'In the Heat of the Morning' > an indication of the direction Bowie was heading in 

  

((left) Another one of the ads I found. September 1966. 

FOOTNOTE: 1966 - The other Davy Jones was in The Monkees !! 

   

As the curtain came down on 2023 to the sounds of Los Twangueros, at our local pub - 2024 began with a traditional freestyle rendition of 'Aude Lang Syne' and much dancing and merriment and then more dancing. Let's hope the Year ahead stays in tune in much the same way.

So who are Los Twangueros, I hear you holler ? Well they are a Hastings band. Cool, quirky and play an improvised mix of Latin-influenced music, that includes elements of African, Dub reggae and pop. We got Santana's 'Oye Como Va', a version of 'Get Lucky' that proceeded an encore of the Chemical Brothers 'Star Guitar' - as 2024 beckoned ! 

Guitarist Andy Neale is ever present in what appears to also be an improvised line-up. A 2016 CD release called 'The all day breakfast' has suitably titled tracks and this one is 'Theme from the Black Pudding' with a nice Caribbean feel to it. 

Check them out 'Live' at the Albion [a pub in Hastings] > click here