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). 

Have you been wondering lately about the future of music. A recent headline caught my attention "Will they ever play in a stadium again?", along side a picture of the Rolling Stones. 
Following the cancellation worldwide of festivals and tours it went on to list other ageing rock stars that may not get to play to large audiences as 'live' music wonders how to play to socially distanced crowds. It's a real conundrum. 
The article also pondered making records and releasing albums, the uncertainty of festivals, filming videos and streaming online. Adapting to change is going to require creativity from everyone in the business. One example I saw was of a concert in Denmark to a drive-in audience sitting in cars. Click link (Looked like an out take from the pixar movie 'Cars' - odd).
We have seen various collaborations over the last few months were artists and band members, usually indoors, are in different locations performing a song. Some have worked better than others, but the group Playing For Change have been creating these types of videos for a while now. They not only take you on a musical trip but also transport you around the globe, a nice bonus during these days of travel restrictions. So here might be the future of music for the immediate time to come.
I'm calling this my 'Take Five' Spot. Fasten your seat belts we are off around the world in 20 minutes with a cast of famous faces and captioned locations - 
> 'The Weight' - www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph1GU1qQ1zQ
> 'Redemption Song' - www.youtube.com/watch?v=55s3T7VRQSc
> 'Listen To The Music' - www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4sK8d48Exs
> 'Everyday People' - www.youtube.com/watch?v=-g4UWvcZn5U
> 'Love Train' (this final one may restore your faith in humanity)

Having secretly set up this week by back tracking to 1978 last week I can reveal: That on this day 40 years ago a European Trip of a lifetime began. 
Picking up my American friends at Heathrow airport - due to the time difference between our countries, their trip had actually began on June 4th, while it was the 5th here in England - in the VW Campervan that would be 'our home' for this Grand Tour and from this very moment on be renamed and referred to as 'Euri'. 
Other friends joined the trip at various intervals over the following five months of incident packed travel. Stories for another time, if you have days to spare listening to them. 
The link to today's Star Track is frankly no more than an obvious title one. The piece of music released originally in 1976 has no actual connection to this 1980 trip, though the concert performance in the video does take place 'live' in London.
And yes, I know we have had Santana before on a Friday (FMS12) but it was a long long time ago and was only 2.50 minutes and didn't have much of a guitar solo from Carlos. This instrumental song certainly does feature his incredible playing.
So 'Let's Go Europe' - with Santana and 'Europa' (Earth's Cry Heaven's Smile) >

  

'OZARK' (Series 3, Episode 3) "Kevin Cronin was Here" (first shown 27 March 2020)

This is a good story. Back in 1978 REO Speedwagon released the ridiculously titled album 'You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish' that contained the single 'Time For Me To Fly' which spent 4 weeks during August in the US charts. I no doubt heard this at the time on the radio while freeway flying in California. It has become one of the bands best-known songs. 

We have been watching the excellent Netflix TV Series 'Ozark' and the strangely titled episode above was explained by the use of 'Time For Me To Fly' in an opening dream sequence and then at the end as REO Speedwagon and lead singer Kevin Cronin performed onboard the riverboat casino. 
As a result the song would hit the Top 40 on 'Billboard's Digital Songs' chart in the weeks following the broadcast of this episode. Can't keep a good song down.

Another departure > That big hairdo has long gone these days > See 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). 

Start by clicking on the arrow to watch this short video from 'The IT Crowd' featuring Katherine Parkinson. We will speak again afterwards.

I guess I really should not be so surprised when I discover and read "A group that's not just one of the very best indie-rock bands, but on the short list of the greatest rock 'n' roll bands in history", when I have never heard of them before !? - presenting Guided By Voices.

The opening video is my introduction both to you and me. I heard the track 'Game of Pricks' (more weird titles to follow I assure you) in an episode of the TV series 'The IT Crowd'. I have since gone on to find a huge catalogue of some 30 albums and 500 songs, it's daunting ! And I'm constantly discovering new stuff I like. Therefore a useful place to start is with this 2020 link to 'The 25 Best Guided By Voices' songs: (link: www.slantmagazine.com/music/the-25-best-guided-by-voices-songs/amp/ ) listen and read about this band from Dayton, Ohio (a place more famous for aviation and the Wright Bros.)
What can you expect? Here's some salient points about the band > most songs are in the two-minute range, many are shorter, often ending abruptly; lots of jangling guitars and power chords; walls of sound; forays into prog-rock; weird record titles; Robert Pollard singer and main songwriter; music similarities to REM, Cars, Smiths, Ramones, Bon Jovi & the Beatles (I'd add Teenage Fanclub).
As the tracks are quite short I'm going to post two of my favourites plus a few more notes to some not on the '25 Best' link. Which probably goes to show differences of opinion and the sheer number of great tracks they've pumped out.
Here's the afore mentioned track 'Game of Pricks' > Guided By Voices

I also found a Peel Session from 1999 that begins with 'Frequent Weaver Who Burns' - a more ballsy version than studio recordings. 

- The entire session is available if you have a hankering to hear John Peel DJ'ing > www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZtHN41_yj8

That 25 list says it was cut down from an initial 60. I have a 'Best of' CD that has 32 tracks and contains only five of those 25 listed. For those of you craving more, like me, here are some added extras to check out: LPs - 'Propeller' © 1992 'Isolation Drills' © 2001
Tracks: 'Atom Eyes' > 'I'm Cold' > 'Drag Days' > 'Waves' > 'Echos Myron' > 'Fair Touching' 😊 

I wouldn't mind betting there are those amongst you that have doubtless lost track of the days over recent weeks and have welcomed the arrival of my FRIDAY MUSIC SPOT, not just for the musical distraction but that it swiftly enables you to identify that the good old weekend is about to begin.
Hopefully you have also allowed yourself, as you click the link, a moment to wonder if this weeks jolly ditty would be a much loved long forgotten favourite or whether (as is often the case) something new was about to descend upon you and take your fancy, much in the way it did mine.

Which brings me, without further ado, to this week's Star Tracker, an artist that is in part both of the above options.
Chris Rea is a name you doubtless know, yet his music remains, for me at least, largely uncharted territory. Not that his records have actually 'uncharted' - 72 singles: 33 hits and 24 albums, two of which have been UK No.1s. And while this recognition has repeated itself in Europe, especially Germany, I can find very little evidence of much success in America. Even the yuletide perennial 'Driving Home For Christmas' single, which hits the road (and the UK charts) every December appears to have never actually left the parking lot in the US.
So something familiar and new coming up. Originally released in 1983 "I Can Hear Your Heartbeat", a three and half minute song, became a longer live track, with some nice solos: piano, fantastic slide guitar from Chris and saxophone ending. Taken from a German TV show recording:

This track would evolve over the years and a 'live' show from 2006 reveals an even longer and different version - almost a 'jam', minus the sax solo - plus Chris Rea's 'strat' is now older and a bit beat up. Worth a comparison > www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRK6QpajpXQ

Further recommended listening > 'Dancing with Strangers' 1987 album. Contains 'Let's Dance' among many more. And those UK No.1 albums: 'Road To Hell' & 'Auberge'.

This weeks headline grabbing intro is: 

Paul Rose - "THE BEST GUITARIST YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF"

Right, now I have your attention get ready for a double video spot. First one is Paul Rose, playing solo with some clever overdubbing, the other is a band version of the same song "Home", lasting a bit longer. I couldn't decide which I preferred, so here they both are, you pick.

The headline has a link for more info on Paul Rose. Because if you just search his rather un-rock 'n' roll name you get all sorts of different people from a TV presenter and explorer to a screenwriter. 

Little Richard EP. That belonged to my parents.

> Little Richard who died a few days ago. Revisit his FMS here: 'Tutti Frutti' 
Given that parents were supposed to dislike rock 'n' roll music, is this a sign of a misspent upbringing? You decide.

Continuing the 'live' concert performances of late, here's another. This one came with a strong sense of deja vu when I heard the track a few weeks back and sure enough I had noted it down last year when I first came across it.
Reese Wynans may not be a name you're familiar with and in fact this song is from his first ever album release with his name on it. But he is a Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame member and has a 50 year career and a history of playing keyboards with a 'who's who' of music.
Joe Bonamassa for one and on the album version of this song it features no less than 7 different vocalists. For this 'live' show there's five: Paulie Cerra (1st), Noah Hunt (long hair), Jimmy Hall (hat), Juanita Tippins (1st female) and Sinead Burgess (long haired female), along with Joe B and Josh Smith on guitars. 
It really is Reese Wynans & Friends: enjoying themselves > 'Sweet Release' 

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). 

A short while back we had some Portuguese lyrics, today I have some Italian for you.
From a Pavarotti and Friends 1999 concert, el legendario cantante y compositor B.B. King on stage with Italian singer-songwriter Zucchero Fornaciari or simply Zucchero for a version of his composition 'Hey Man (Sing a Song)'.
Hang together ... 

There's another version from some years later with another old geezer called Eric Clapton. Mostly in Italian, but worth a spin: www.youtube.com/watch?v=S10wohhv_RQ

On this day, 50 years ago, by virtue of one half of a ticket stub I can tell you exactly where I was that evening. (see pic). I was sitting in the Upper Stalls at the Fairfield Halls in Croydon enjoying John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, for the princely sum of 15/- (75p in today's money).
The father of British Blues John Mayall is now 86 years old, still performing and in 2003 celebrated his 70th birthday with a special concert. Earlier this year I picked up, in a charity shop, a CD of that night, for a similar ridiculous sum of money.* It's a double CD too and full of incredible music and guest artists from down the years of Bluesbreakers: Eric Clapton, Chris Barber and Mick Taylor.
I could therefore select any number of tracks from this concert (most of which are available on YouTube) and had already earmarked 'Blues for the Lost Days' before it became appropriate for this time. 
So pull up a front seat for a near 12 minute treat, with solos from (in order): Tom Canning organ, Buddy Whittington guitar & finally Mick Taylor playing guitar, in his usual understated way.

* CD actually cost me £2. A single LP back in 1970 would have cost more than that !