If anyone was in doubt that 1967 was not a technicolour psychedelic dream, I present the evidence for the accused. 

Lighting the fire was the debut album 'The Doors' followed by Jefferson Airplane 'Surrealistic Pillow'; 'The Velvet Underground & Nico'; Jimi Hendrix 'Are You Experienced'; 'Sgt. Peppers'; Pink Floyd 'The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn'; Beach Boys 'Smiley Smile'; Strawberry Alarm Clock 'Incense and Peppermints'; Love 'Forever Changes'; Cream 'Disraeli Gears; The Moody Blues 'Days Of Future Passed'; The Rolling Stones 'Their Satanic Majesties Request'; Traffic 'Mr Fantasy'; & The Beatles 'Magical Mystery Tour' ! 

I further bring to your attention an earlier indication of things to come with this excellent 20 minute video of British single releases in the October of 1966. [click here] Containing some great footage and a number of less well known records. The Wolves in particular ! 

'Psychedelia' - The term was first coined as a noun in 1956 by psychiatrist Humphry Osmond as an alternative descriptor for hallucinogenic drugs in the context of psychedelic psychotherapy. 

The phrase 'psychedelic' was coined in music terms with 'The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators ' in 1966. 

"I rest my case, m'lud"

To the music, an unfamiliar track until once again heard on an episode of 'Heartbeat'. From October 1967 on their ‘Try It’ album, the American garage band The Standells with Side two, track two: ‘Did You Ever Have That Feeling’ >

The video is very psychedelic - and might blow your mind a bit - so you may want to wait till later in the day to watch, rather than first thing in the morning 😉 

Check out the evidence here with 'A List of 25 LPs released in 1967'

  

Today's Star Track is The Spencer Davis Group and 'I'm A Man' - but how did I get here ?

Well it all starts with hearing a piece of music in an episode of 'Heartbeat'. This instrumental required 'Shazam' to tell me it was called 'Waltz for Lumumba' and it appeared on a Steve Winwood 'Best of' release from 2010. 

Intrigued I set off in search of more info and here it gets a tad convoluted, so I won't bore you with it all. I discovered it had appeared on a CD album reissue of 'The Spencer Davis Group: Autumn ‘66' and named 'Waltz for Lumumba (Waltz for Caroline)' which indicated it had been recycled and renamed in 1968 when the group supplied most of the soundtrack to the film 'Here We Go 'Round The Mulberry Bush'. Same track renamed ‘for Caroline’ (referring to ‘posh' Caroline Beauchamp: Angela Scoular) in the movie. The jazzy percussion and organ sound typical of wild party scenes in films involving people getting high on psychedelia and dancing in a world of their own. Listen to the track here. 

Further to this I also found a website that had a 1970 single release from New Zealand with 'Waltz for Lumumba' as a 'B' side to (you guessed it) 'I'm A Man'.  

The original 'I'm A Man' single released in January 1967 had been backed by 'I Can't Get Enough of It' and reached No.9 in the UK and peaked at No.10 in the US Billboard charts. 

All this said I best remember the 1970 single version by Chicago - known at the time of release as Chicago Transit Authority. Searches often reveal Bo Diddley's ‘I’m A Man’ from 1955, rocked up by The Yardbirds in 1965 to add to the confusion. 

After all this we got there.... The Spencer Davis Group and 'I'm A Man' - and here's another one of those excellent Swinging London, King's Road videos to accompany the song. 

 

  

For the 'Merry Month of May' I have some 60 year old childhood memories and some sixties psychedelia from 1967. 

Everything will be reveal by the end of the month but we start today with a single released on 1st May 1964 by The Shadows. Written by all the band members ‘The Rise and Fall of Flingel Bunt’ was reviewed by Record Mirror as "completely different from all the Shads' previous ones. Good beat and plenty of blues' feeling". 

It was still an instrumental track and this vintage video has the group showing off their British made Burns electric guitars. They even made a model called the 'Marvin' (see ad in this article here). 

'Flingel Bunt’ had risen to No.7 in the UK hit parade by the end of May - dig the ‘go go’ dancers > 

More Go Go dancers? Dance On: right here  

Today's track is also for Duane Eddy who passed away this week aged 86 and was a big influence on many 60s guitarists including Hank Marvin.

Eddy is quoted as saying "One of my biggest contributions to the music industry is not singing"  RIP 

  

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 !