After loading 4 tracks into the system, the last one on February 2nd, I'm back and raring to go, poised with many scribbled notes and a shortlist of songs, old and new, to play you.
Driving around the last few months we always listened to a Western Cape radio station called "Magic 828 AM" which while playing a lot of good driving music, often specialised in songs from the 80s.
In a blatant attempt to make up for the none appearance of the 'Friday Music Spot' and to get you back in the swing and following how the radio would do things, here's my 80s 'Triple Play'.
Names of tracks will appear at the end (also like the radio, so you don't know what's coming up next...?) though the video windows will (in this case) probably give the game away... hit it >

You just heard Whitesnake with 'Here I Go Again' the 1987 recording, proceeded by Bryan Adams 1984 release 'Summer of '69' and first up was Huey Lewis 'Stuck With You' from 1986.

Heard this in an advert for Galaxy chocolate over Christmas and would be a definite candidate in any 'crazy artist name' category. This is Telepathic Teddy Bear with 'Where is My Mind'. 
On closer investigation I discovered it was a song from 1988 by indie band The Pixies and has been featured in many films and covered by loads of bands including Placebo.

The Pixies version > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idtE7MkHlW0

Chapman's Peak Drive - Noordhoek to Hout Bay - in Cape Town, is one of the world's most beautiful stretches of road. It's certainly one of my favourites and not wishing to make you too envious I thought I'd share this video. It begins in Noordhoek and finishes down the road, minutes from our flat in Hout Bay. Fasten your seat belts, sit back and hold on, watch out for the cyclists and take in the scenery with "Today I feel" by Oberst & Buchner >>>

For a slightly different perspective see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ad5RQDaXwmU

Today all my old football mates are gathering in London for a drink. I won't be there, but in spirit I shall be and therefore today's music spot is selected with all of them in mind.
I decided it has to be rock music and an unforgettable guitar riff, but what ?
Then I found this fantastic tribute video to Malcolm Young, of AC/DC, who sadly died last November. For those about to rock, not one riff, but ten !!!
> Air Guitars at the ready, let's rock…

Nice quote: Malcolm wrote most of the riffs from AC/DC… In fact once in an interview, brother Angus even said that Malcolm could have easily taken my place, but I couldn't have ever been able to fulfil his.

Back in the Seventies, Margaret's brother, who now lives in Cape Town, was a big big fan of Scotland's Bay City Rollers. As a bit of a joke we are going to give him an 'old' LP record from 1974, of their first album called 'Rollin'. It features their three big hits from that year and became a UK No.1 album. Can you remember those hits ???
Three years before this phenomenal chart success, the Bay City Rollers had a top ten single with a cover of a 1965 record by The Gentry's 'Keep On Dancing'. 
It's a favourite record of mine and this video has some brilliant dancing footage from sixties American TV shows. I love it…

First track for 2018 > "Keep on dancin' and a-prancin' !"

It's that time when we look back on the year and remember our favourite moments. Newspapers, magazines and websites are full of lists suggesting 'the best' books, films and naturally music from 2017. You can take your pick ?
My nomination in the category 'Comeback' is the major return to form shown by Liam Gallagher with his solo album 'As You Were'. You know the deal, it's music with attitude. I could have selected any number of tracks but have gone for that rock attitude on 'Come Back To Me'.

While on another track he's almost apologising for his behaviour > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDrPghDvYA4 

An Oasis documentary film 'Supersonic' was on TV the other night. Good job they didn't bleep out the swearing, otherwise there wouldn't have been any dialogue left !!!

Two years ago the Friday Music Spot featured a song from Christmas Past > and last year it was Christmas Present. To complete the trilogy, here's my personal wish for the Future.

Walking through the bullring at Waterloo yesterday I realised there are still people living rough on the streets of London. My hope for Christmas Future is that this is not the case in years to come.

Legendary singer-songwriter, Ralph McTell, has re-recorded his timeless song, ‘Streets of London’, with a choir made up of clients and staff from Crisis – the national charity for homeless people – and guest vocalist Annie Lennox, to raise money for the cause in the run-up to Christmas. First penned 50 years ago, the classic song shares its birthday with Crisis, whose 50th anniversary also falls this December. 

To quote Ralph McTell: “It’s 50 years since I wrote 'Streets of London' and it saddens me that the issues raised in the song are still so relevant today". 

Chatting to one of my regular listeners earlier this week, he was most insistent that I check out Loggins & Messina, and particularly their 1974 LP 'Mother Lode'. Their music is very 70s California, and it might just make you feel a bit warmer on a winter's day. I've picked this track off the album called 'Be Free' - which has a bit of everything and the accompanying video takes you through all the seasons. 

Unfamiliar with Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina ?  Bet you're heard this one before: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FDcTyyXQb8

Triggered by last week's work related track here's another story.
At my first job we produced the artwork for a local giveaway newspaper called 'Focus'. It was mostly adverts for businesses in the South London area, with articles to fill in the gaps. One filler was a very basic music page. I'd been asked by the Paper's owners if I'd like to compile this section and as it involved 'free' LPs sent to me to review any lack of journalistic ability on my part had been overlooked by all concerned.
Early in 1972 I heard there was a rock band called Focus and thought this was a coincidence worth exploring. So I wrote to the record company 'Blue Horizon' who released their music in the UK. They replied and sent me a press release that informed me they were a Dutch band. They also sent me their single 'Tommy' which was off the recently released album 'Moving Waves'.
The single and it's 'B' side were fantastic and as a result, despite no one having heard of them, I starting wittering on to friends about this great Dutch band Focus. Some months later, at the end of May, they made an appearance on 'The Old Grey Whistle Test'. 
Suddenly the same friends are calling me up and raving about them. The word was out. That British TV debut included a performance of 'Hocus Pocus'. Melody Maker newspaper voted Focus as 'Brightest Hope' that year. They played the Reading Festival in August followed by the MM Poll Awards at the Oval cricket ground in September. A return appearance on the OGWT in December sealed it and host Bob Harris said the show was inundated with calls and letters about the band.
Their new record label Polydor had issued a latest LP 'Focus 3' in November and then had to press more records to meet the demand.
A single off the album was released in early 1973 and reached No.4 in the UK chart. The single was called 'Sylvia'.

This track was also on my dad's cassette tape I made for him - remember that story? see: http://billblogs2.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/musicassettes-or-compact-tape-cassette.html

More >
May 1972: The original OGWT appearance on YouTube, comes complete with the almost compulsory equipment breakdown, that was such a part of 'live' concerts in the early 70s. 

Officially tomorrow I retire. Some might say I have had a few practise goes at this over the years, especially during the 1980s.
With that memory in mind I have a track from Australian band Redgum that captures the mood very much from then but also now.

Someone mentions walkabout and kiss your job goodbye.

The lyrics tell the story, while I'm not quite sure exactly what the video is all about it has enough open roads to fit the bill. Pun intended !