"It's 12 noon in London, 7am in Philadelphia, and around the world it's time for Live Aid"

Saturday 13th July 1985. Where were you ?

I was in front of my television, where I'd remain for the next 16 hours. Listening on the radio while watching the show from Wembley stadium and then from just after 10pm the American concert from John F. Kennedy stadium in Philadelphia. 

You may well have forgotten all those who performed that day. Here's the running order link:- Live Aid.

This is a song that always makes me smile. Taking the stage around 2:20 Nik Kershaw sang four songs including this hit single - the one with the nonsense lyrics and confused ramblings of an 80s popstar - hence the title 'The Riddle' >

  

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). 

Another big show this last weekend in Birmingham saw Black Sabbath play what was billed, along with the title 'Back to the Beginning' and an all-star cast, as their last ever show. We will see ....

Time for this song originally from their second album released in 1970. It's an anti-war protest song and bassist and lyricist Geezer Butler says "it's about how these rich politicians and rich people start all the wars for their benefit and get all the poor people to die for them" - sound familiar ?

I heard it the other day and thought the guitar and drum playing towards the end sounded brilliant, so had to post it. Considered the greatest ever Heavy Metal song and one of the group's best tracks, this is 'War Pigs' >

All about that Birmingham show (link here) 

  

"Do you remember" Gigs you went to ? Of course you do !

The recent passing of guitarist Mick Ralphs caused this track to pop into my head. As a founding member of Mott the Hoople, Ralphs left in 1973 to form Bad Company. So wasn't playing on today's track, but as the lyrics reveal he was very much apart of those earlier 'Saturdays Gigs'.

All about 'Live' shows - 

- Mott the Hoople played a reunion of five nights at Hammersmith Odeon back in 2009. We were there to see Ian Hunter and Mick Ralphs and other original band members. Nice article worth a read (here). 

- And I just read about a 'Mottfest' scheduled for this October in Ross-on-Wye. See story.

- Finally, you've probably heard 'Live Aid' was 40 years ago this month and the BBC have some programmes lined up 'When Rock 'n' Roll Took on the World', starting this Sunday and I believe the entire Wembley show is getting a repeat performance on 13th July.  

  

"Bobby Troup was sitting behind the wheel of his '41 Buick, with his wife Cynthia, driving 

from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to Los Angeles, when an idea for a song documenting their  

trip began to take shape in his mind. It was February 1946 and Troup, a singer, musician  

and songwriter, was heading West to Chicago, where they picked up the 2,448 mile long US Highway, that would take them all the way to LA - on Route 66 ! "

Finally the reason behind the build up of recent 'Road Music' can be disclosed. Today marks 40 years since Route 66 was officially decertified by the Highway authorities in 1985 (nearly 60 years after it had opened). The romance surrounding the route continues to this day, if in fact following the original road, which has disappeared in parts, is less continuous. John Steinbeck in his book 'The Grapes of Wrath' called it the Mother Road and it symbolises escape, loss, freedom and hope for a new beginning. 

The song by Bobby Troup '(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66' mentions the places they passed along the way - I'm sure you know the words. In March 1946 it was recorded and released a month later by Nat King Cole. His jazz inflected swing rendition was a bit hit. While 15 years later the song was reinvented for a whole new generation by Chuck Berry. I first heard the song as the opening track on the debut LP by the Rolling Stones, their version was a transformation of Berry's straight three-chord 12-bar blues 1961 recording. 

So Chuck Berry is today's Star Track artist. With a great video full of nice memorabilia >>>

In case you wondered - a Shasta caravan refers to travel trailers manufactured by the Shasta Corporation that captured the imagination of lovers of 'Van Life'.

🚙 Also you may remember an early 60s TV series called 'Route 66', an American adventure crime drama. The theme to the show was by Nelson Riddle and goes like this (link).

🚙 OR Get Your Kicks On The Stones version 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTG9dKW7EaA&list=RDuTG9dKW7EaA&start_radio=1

     R e m e m b e r i n g    

 -    B R I A N   W I L S O N   - 

o f  T h e  B e a c h  B o y s

Who passed away earlier this month. You have perhaps seen this video from former Beach Boy and cousin Mike Love, of his song 'Brian's Back'. An emotional and touching tribute to the life and work of "the driving creative force behind The Beach Boys’ best work". 

> Reminds me of the time on Long Island in 1998. We'd gone to a balloon festival out East and as we entered there was music coming from the other side of the field. Easily recognising the songs and I said 'boy these guys are good, they sound JUST like the Beach Boys'...
'That's because they ARE The Beach Boys' !

   

I've finally decided on this week's track, which not only featured in a Top 50 best road trip songs list (see here) at No.23, but also was the subject of a Rick Beato video I'd found called 'The Greatest Guitar Solo You Can’t HEAR! '

Christopher Cross 'Ride Like the Wind' released in 1980 was his debut record and after 45 years it has finally received an official music video created by director Andrea Calvetti, with wild ’70s energy and cars tearing through the desert.

The guitar solo you can't hear, played by Cross, is at the end...

Here's the Rick Beato video explanation I mentioned, for your interest (click link).

   

I've previously mentioned when compiling a tape (playlist in current jargon) of Road songs that probably all you'd need would one full of Creedence Clearwater Revival songs. If I were to pick one it would be this, if only for that brilliant guitar intro... 

'Up Around the Bend'

'Curva' = bend in Portuguese [subtitles are also in English] 

The Road in the video is actually in Brazil - PR444 highway - Londrina to Malinga

  

In January I started my 'One For The Road' monthly track, without revealing where this was going. 

As the reasoning will become clear by the end of this month, June will provide a 'traffic' build up of Driving music along the lines previously discussed in a post last July, (re-read here). 

There I mentioned Classic and Contemporary songs and that my list was mostly American bands, though not exclusively. Long distance road trips having originated in the states they cornered the market in 'Two-Lane Blacktop' 'Easy Rider' style out-takes with music and lyrics to set your wheels a spinning. What is remarkable is my 2025 monthly 'Road' tracks so far have not featured any American music. Motorways, Highways & Autobahns but no Freeways or Interstates. 

That is about to change of course as we head out on the highway with some 'Big American Car Music' looking for adventure. Many classics are former Friday Star Tracks: 'Sweet Home Alabama', 'Running On Empty', 'Wasn't Born to Follow' & 'Don't Look Back' as I have remembered these favourites from personal road trips. 

These tracks are going to need little introduction. From 1977 and off the 'Lust for Life' LP this is Iggy Pop 'The Passenger' - fasten seat belts

  

Two six packs of Shiner

99 cent butane lighter

Lucky Strikes and a fifth of Patron

Ice down that Igloo cooler

Tank of gas that oughta do er'

I can feel a good one comin' on

Might need a few translations here ...  

'Shiner' is beer from Texas; 'Lucky Strike' cigarettes; 'Patron' is tequila; the rest I think you'll get ...

Watched the Netflix series 'Yellowstone' and it was full of songs like this in a landscape of cowboy tough guys and the girls were pretty tough too.
Blackberry Smoke formed in Atlanta, Georgia in 2000, this track is from 2009 ‘Good One Coming On’ -

We're gonna roll all night

There were plenty more tracks like this from artists I didn't know - Shane Smith & the Saints,

The Panhandlers & Cody Johnson - check them out

  

From The Cove (see last Wednesday's Spotlight post) to Hollow Coves in one small hop.

This month's Road Track is from Hollow Coves an Australian indie folk band formed in 2013. The band consists of vocalists and guitarists Ryan Henderson and Matt Carins.

The track is called 'On The Way' and we are on the road in a VW camper and a Road Trip bucket list - perfect. I'm right there... 

Along with a couple of albums they have also released and EP called 'Wanderlust'. No surprise there !