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 !