After last week, while digging out those HMV singles, I unearthed this gem from 1974.
Little known in the UK, the Raspberries were more successful in their native America, but not an overnight sensation.
Written by band leader Eric Carmen here's a review of this single:
In a word... epic! 'Overnight Sensation' is probably the Raspberries' most adventurous record. Taking a somewhat Phil Spector, kitchen sink approach, it's a mini-symphony packed into a five minute song. Overflowing with vocals, percussion, guitars, drums, saxophones, pianos, you name it, the song is an majestic slice of pop music.

'Overnight Sensation 'Hit Record' ⏩ hit play

Storyville: A True Detective Tale
A few weeks back I heard this instrumental track that sounded very familiar, but after identifying it, via my 'what's that music' phone app, as The Krew Kats playing 'Samovar' I was a bit lost.
The Krew Kats didn't ring any bells? Google revealed a mere handful of recordings from 1961, and a UK group featuring 'Big' Jim Sullivan - guitar, Tony Belcher - rhythm guitar, Brian 'Licorice' Locking - bass and Brian Bennett on drums. 'Big' Jim Sullivan I knew and Brian Locking and Brian Bennett both went on the play with The Shadows. 
Next I discovered the tune 'Samovar' was actually based on a 1933 Russian folk song called "Polyushko Polye".
And finally that this song had been recorded by various artists, notably the Swedish guitar-group The Spotnicks as 'The Rocket Man' in 1962. That was the tune I was familiar with. Mystery solved.

It definitely evokes that early 60s sound, so for lovers of The Ventures, The Safaris, Duane Eddy, The Tornadoes, Bert Weedon and naturally The Shads here's The Krew Kats >

And The Spotnicks  version > www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVvGKZklugE

The eagle eyed among you will have spotted the original 45 single released on the 'His Master's Voice' label. I have a few HMV singles (pictured left), by Bert Weedon, The Swinging Blue Jeans and Manfred Mann.

The record label having long gone and now the retail chain HMV has gone into administration for the second time in 7 years, following poor December sales at the 97-year-old company. > Latest News Update

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). 

Half way through the long cold month of January, that for me last year in Cape Town was warm and flew by - here's something to maybe warm you up.
Have you heard of 'Kwela' music ?
(Kwela: (Zulu: “get up” or “climb”) is an upbeat penny whistle based street music from South Africa, with jazzy underpinnings and a distinctive skiffle-like beat). So now you know.
Here's a track dedicated to penny whistle player - 'Spokes' Mashiyane (1933-1972) the king of Kwela music, called 'Special Star' performed by Mango Groove, who hail from Johannesburg. 

Prepare to tap your feet or stomp around to the beat (in rhythm or rhyme) - eases in nice and slow

I noticed in the run up to Christmas a veritable plethora of 50th anniversary record releases. The marketing Johnny's having a ball re-packaging the Beatles, Kinks and Led Zeppelin (to name just three) to tempt and test the resilience of fan's credit limits. 
Which brings me to, 50 years ago tomorrow, the debut album by Led Zeppelin hit the record stores of America. Recorded the previous October, a few gigs in Scandinavia and small venues in the UK (only 13 to be precise) followed. Concerts in the US were underway by the time of the LP release, having been signed by Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun who apparently hadn't even seen them play. This American record deal may explain why the album curiously wasn't released in the UK until March 28th. <link>
No doubt copies of the record were played on British radio during those 2 months, but it's likely the first notes heard (first song, Side One) of Led Zeppelin 1, were these: 
Jimmy Page's guitar riff with John Bonham's drums on 'Good Times, Bad Times' >

Wanna a video from 1969? Here's the track that followed this on the LP - recording from German TV Beat Club show: 'Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You' - still bloody excellent !

Hands up all those of you who bought a CD last year ?
One... two... thr... is that a hand up at the back ? No ! Seems we don't buy (or listen to) music this way anymore.
"Digital music revenue overtook sales of physical formats like CDs and records for the first time in 2012. Since then, online shopping and downloads and streaming provided by platforms such as Amazon, Spotify and Netflix, have continued to eat into sales of physical music" - added to this computers don't included a CD drive anymore!
I actually bought six CD's last year, but the majority of the music I listened to or discovered came courtesy of YouTube. 

Not that the above has anything to do with this (just making conversation here).....
After the fireworks of New Year there were more pyrotechnics on New Year's Day on Sky TV in a very colourful concert 'Coldplay: Live in Sao Paulo'.* A great example of today's live experience as the show fills the arena and the audience becomes part of the show.
This video of 'A Head Full of Dreams' begins with a voice-over of Charlie Chaplin's speech from the 1940 film 'The Great Dictator' - call it a New Year message of sorts.

Don't know why but the sound is a bit low on this track, so while you're switching to Full Screen [  ] you might want to up the volume too. Coldplay > STAR SHOW

* If you have the Sky Arts channel the programme repeats on January 5th at 9pm.

CALIFORNIAN REUNION – 2018
I just love this photo. Mostly because it's of wonderful friends and memories of a holiday last June. 
But also the harmony and warmth of the image. From Margaret and Gary providing that symmetric central balance, to the conformity of the line yet the individual character of each person shines through. The giant redwood forest backdrop couldn't be better.
PHOTO Credit: Donna Bianchi

Some of you may have seen this already... if not, then it'll amaze you - it's mental !
A cast of thousands gathered in Courmayeur, Italy, close to Europe's highest mountain Mount Blanc, under the banner of Rockin' 1000 Summer Camp, to perform a Power Medley of 6 songs:
'Rocks' > Primal Scream -
'Bohemian Like You' > Dandy Warhols - 
'No One Knows' > Queens Of The Stone Age - 
'Reptilia' > The Strokes - 
'Suck My Kiss' > Red Hot Chilli Peppers - 
'Woman' > Wolfmother 

Just over five minutes of music followed by numerous credits and thanks. We see out the year with The Biggest Rock Band on Earth - extraordinary. 

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). 

Thought you might like a White Christmas. All aboard this real time Norwegian train ride.
With Moby emerging from the tunnel on 'Everloving' - Chill-out, naturally...

Actually a clever link (mid tunnel) makes this 6.36 minutes long - original track is only 3.24
FYI: The Kongsnut tunnel is 60° 34' North by 7° 35' East in Southern Norway, nr Bergen.

Of all my favourite artists, and there are many, one that hasn't to date been a STAR TRACK is R.E.M. Deliberately sounding like the Beach Boys, with a video portraying Christmas scenes and lights, on their song 'At My Most Beautiful' - sub-captioned on YouTube: in pictures.

And while on the subject of pictures....
HISTORIC NOTE >>> 50 years ago today Apollo 8* blasted off from Cape Kennedy into outer space. Three days later the crew witnessed and photographed an Earthrise and we all saw our beautiful planet. So I dedicate todays track to the one and only Planet Earth.

*James Lovell was part of that crew that only orbited the Moon. Five missions later he commanded the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission and missed out on walking on the Moon.

Over the last three years the  FRIDAY MUSIC SPOT  has clocked up 150 tracks.

It all began on 13th November 2015 with Funkadelic's 'Maggot Brain'.

The first 50 songs can be seen via this link. For 51-100 click here: 101-150 are listed below.
Click on the blue arrow to replay that track. NB: Not all of the videos are still available, but you can 'google' for an alternative.

Welcome to:

101  ➤   Thailand from the Air .…….….……….…....… Unknown Aritist
102  ➤   Becoming Human .……….…...……...……….……  Ryan Taubert

103  ➤   Daydreamer .………………….….……........................… Nomyn

104  ➤   The Last Frontier ..…..…...............................…. Redgum

105  ➤   Sylvia .…..……....…...........................................…… Focus

106  ➤   Be Free …………….……...………………..…….… Loggins & Messina

107  ➤   Streets of London .….…..……..….........………… Ralph McTell

108  ➤   Come Back To Me .…….………..….……………… Liam Gallagher

109  ➤   Keep On Dancing ……..….……....….……………….. The Gentrys 

110  ➤   Top 10 Riffs .………...................................… from AC/DC

111  ➤   Today I Feel …………..………………….………… Oberst & Buckner 

112  ➤   Where Is My Mind ..................... Telepathic Teddy Bear

113  ➤   Stuck With You ....................… Hewy Lewis & The News

114  ➤   Summer of '69' ...................................… Bryan Adams

115  ➤   Here I Go Again .....................................… Whitesnake

116  ➤   More Sweetly Play The Dance  African Immanuel Essemblies Brass Band 

117  ➤   Chasing Shadows .............… Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys

118  ➤   People Get Ready ............. .....… Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart

119  ➤   Civilised Man ..........................................… Joe Cocker

120  ➤   Highwayman .................................… The Highwaymen

121  ➤   Swallowed By the Cracks ..................… David & David
122  ➤   Rain Plans .............................................… Israel Nash
123  ➤   Don't Look Back ..........................................… Boston
124  ➤   Breakfast in America ............................… Supertramp
125  ➤   Tunnel of Love ......................................… Dire Straits
126  ➤   Handle With Care ..................… The Traveling Wilburys
127  ➤   Where Do The Children Play .................… Cat Stevens
128  ➤   100 Years ......................................… Five For Fighting
129  ➤   Got To Do It ........................................… Andrew W.K.
130  ➤   Burn Baby Burn ...............................................… Ash

131  ➤   Use Me ...............................................… Nick Marzock
132  ➤   Don't Stop Believin' ...................................… Journey
133  ➤   All We Do ..............................................… Oh Wonder
134  ➤   The Circle is Small .........................… Gordon Lightfoot
135  ➤   Bridge Over Troubled Water ............… Aretha Franklin
136  ➤   What Have I Done To Deserve This?  Pet Shop Boys w/Dusty Springfield
137  ➤   Sabre Dance ....................................… Love Sculpture
138  ➤   Singing The Blues ............................… Tommy Steele
139  ➤   Sometime World ...............................… Wishbone Ash
140  ➤   Wind of Change ......................................… Scorpions

141  ➤   Dreams ..................................................… Cat Power
142  ➤   When We Was Fab ........................... George Harrison
143  ➤   Let it Rain ........................................… Quinn Sullivan
144  ➤   If Heartaches Were Nickels ............… Joe Bonamassa
145  ➤   Solsbury Hill ......................................… Peter Gabriel
146  ➤   My Back Pages ........................… Bob Dylan & Friends
147  ➤   Rosanna ........................................................… Toto
148  ➤   Just a Shadow .....................................… Big Country
149  ➤   Things Will Change ..........................… Treetop Flyers
150  ➤   Give It To Me .................................… Michael Jackson