I had something entirely different lined up for today that was unrelated to New Year celebrations.

However dancing our way into 2025, with various approximations of the Twist, the Fly, Swim and the Bird, the Frug, the Mash Potato, the Boogaloo and even the Watusi, which together resembled something similar if not wholly recognisable as 'Shake a Tail Feather', as witnessed in this video.

You'll at least recognise that from The Blues Brothers movie. Ray Charles on piano and vocals, Dan Ackroyd [Elwood] and John Belushi [Jake] with a cast of fellow dancers shakin' and a twistin'.

Farewell 2024. Over to you 2025 

Resolution: I'll keep the music coming ... 

   

Keeping the positive vibes going this week are The Lathums. 

I first heard this group from Wigan, England a few years back when their debut album 'How Beautiful Life Can Be' made No.1 on the UK Albums Chart in 2021. Reviewed as "a record very much steeped in the jangly sound of The Smiths and The Housemartins: jaunty guitars and anthems with swelling festival crowds in mind".

The Lathums are formed of singer/songwriter and guitarist Alex Moore, lead guitarist Scott Concepcion, bassist Matty Murphy and drummer Ryan Durrans. 

Most of you know how much I like a 'jingle-jangle morning' and Scott Concepcion's Rickenbacker guitar serves up plenty of Johnny Marr-esque guitar lines.

From the debut LP, I could have picked any number of tracks, this is 'I Know That Much' >

Definitely give the album's title track a listen (here) and see also the acapella version and another performed with The Killers. 

Their 2023 release ‘From Nothing To A Little Bit More’ earned the band their second No.1 LP in the UK album charts.
Later they issued a single 'Thoughts of a Child' - more uplifting lyrics "we can dance and we can sing" - sing along, this is really great too (link) 

    A T   C H R I S T M A S   T I M E   

 -   T h e   B r i n g e r   o f   J o l l i t y   - 

by Gustav Holst

"Jupiter, with it's ribbons of white cloud, it's mottled bands of salmon pink
and the Great Red Spot staring out like a baleful eye" 

ARTHUR C. CLARKE

And yet Holst called Jupiter 'the Bringer of Jollity' ! Which seems right for this time of year. 

The Planets Suite was first performed in 1918, The first complete performance at a public concert was given at the Queen's Hall, London on 15 November 1920.

At that time Jupiter had just five moons, as of 2023, there are now 95 known moons. The four largest moons of Jupiter - Io, Callisto, Ganymede, and Europa - were the first objects in the solar system discovered with a telescope. Galileo discovered them in 1610.

The music from The Planets Suite for 'The Bringer of Jollity' is nearly 8 minutes in total, while the slower middle section was later used as a patriotic hymn: ‘I vow to thee my country’.

Here's that section from Salisbury Cathedral with John Challenger playing the organ.

I came across this earlier in the year via a 'Drones fly through Salisbury Cathedral to Jupiter' article (click here) - again featuring John Challenger and filmed by Ben Tomlin. 

  

He was described as an inspiration, defying expectations, changing attitudes towards disabilities and the most extraordinary person ever on Strictly Come Dancing !

Chris McCausland - who with remarkable professional dance partner Dianne Buswell won the competition last weekend - was registered blind after losing his sight to retinitis pigmentosa in his 20s !

Strictly Come Dancing never fails to surprise and this year was no exception: like a Viennese Waltz to Metallica ? !! 

There was also one of those standout memories referred to as a "poignant blackout moment" when dancing to 'Instant Karma! (We All Shine On)' - both these dances are at the end of this post. 

Firstly it's that Metallica song performed with the San Francisco Symphony: 'Nothing Else Matters' 
[  ] go to full screen, bottom right >

Watch dances by Chris and Dianne > Waltz (click link)

& ‘Instant Karma’ with it's blackout sequence > [link 2)

   

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). 

Starring BE BOP DELUXE

This all began with me picking up for a £1 an EP released in the 70s called ‘Hot Valves’. It was one of those ‘Promotional - Not for Sale’ discs and contained 4 excellent tracks by Be Bop Deluxe. It set me off exploring the group’s catalog and I soon realised guitarist and singer Bill Nelson is a classic example of an unsung ‘Forgotten Fretmaster’ ! His playing is remarkable and the invention in the band’s music stands the test of time. Friday's track ‘Maid in Heaven’ was a minor hit (#36) in 1976. It was a mere taster, here's the full story and many extras.

Classic Rock magazine describes the band - 

Be Bop Deluxe blurred the battle lines between glam, art-rock and prog, offering a scintillating fusion that pointed to an unscripted future. Visionary works like albums 'Sunburst Finish' and 'Drastic Plastic' pre-empted the new wave of post-punk and beyond. Just as crucially, in Nelson they had the embodiment of the modern guitar hero; a riff lord of sophistication, guile and consummate ability.

I have a shortlist of favourite songs and notes for your attention: 

'Ships in the Night'; 'Music in Dreamland'; [like The Killers meet the Beatles] 'Modern Music'; [with it's radio clips] 'Panic in the World'; 'Orphans of Babylon'; 'Crying to the Sky'; [Hendrix guitar lines] 'Life in the Air Age'; 'Sleep That Burns' [Baba O'Riley ish] 'Shine' an extended improvised 'live' instrumental [from 'Live! In The Air Age' LP] and 'Jet Silver' [very Bowie] & 'Blazing Apostles' [both on the afore mentioned EP]. 

Picking one for today's music spot I've selected the 'Live' version of 'Adventures in a Yorkshire Landscape' which is extended from the 3-minute song on their debut LP 'Axe Victim'. Prepare yourself for some extraordinary guitar playing from Bill Nelson and wonderful keyboard work by Simon 'Andy' Clark - Be Bop Deluxe live in 1977 (audio video only) 

Want some action videos: Check out these 2011 concerts featuring Bill Nelson & The Gentlemen Rocketeers - and compare 'Maid In Heaven' to the original > click here 

Also with the Rocketeers 'Adventures in...' > guitar / flute / bass / sax / guitar [solos] on this link 

And as if I needed and excuse, today is Guitar Hero Bill Nelson's birthday 😀

  

A hastily composed music spot to kick off a planned ‘Spotlight’ featuring one of the most underrated bands of the 70s. 

Full lowdown: band info, the timing and how I caught up on all their music, to follow midweek - today is ‘Maid in Heaven’ by Be Bop Deluxe >

 

On the 'Whistle Test' in 1975. 

   C o n g r a t u l a t i o n s   t o   

 -   R A L P H   M c T E L L   - 

8 0   t o d a y

"Happy Birthday" Ralph May: born 3 December 1944

Here he is performing at his 60th birthday party at the Royal Festival Hall.
- It is dedicated to the hands of Joseph Spence a unique guitar player who has had a big influence on Ralph McTell's guitar style. The 'Hands of Joseph' >

Having been included in a BBC 'One-Hit Wonders' show, nothing could be further from the truth !

I could list dozens of great tracks but this will probably do it for me - 
Full Discography > http://www.ralph-mctell.co.uk/uk.html - it's quite a walk through. 

  

A serendipity story - 

After listening to a track on YouTube last week it then went into something that immediately caught my ear. Glancing at the screen I saw it was titled ‘Conversation with Billy’ ! As I continued listening a whole story emerged concerning a band and their music from 1970 that was never released until 2011. No surprise therefore that you’ve probably never heard of Sabattis. 

Today's video goes part way to telling the story of an underground hard-rock band from New York formed in 1968 by Jim Marvin (guitar & lead vocals), Gary Culotta (keyboard and vocals), Larry Wegman (drums) and Rocky Kaler (bass). Influenced by bands like Deep Purple, Mountain, and Grand Funk, they gigged around town playing a lot of psychedelic clubs and venues. In 1970, they recorded a demo with the intention of securing a record deal which never came. The demo tape was in fact a fully finished album recorded and engineered by a friend of the band, Mick Gauzaski, who despite using a homemade studio, managed to obtain a real professional sound. The Sabattis demo remained unreleased until 2011 when Jargon Records discovered the tapes and put out a CD edition with the band involvement. The album 'Warning In The Sky' was remastered from the original tapes.

There's more background plus an interview on this link: Psychedelic Baby

Here's the track 'Conversation with Billy' - which reminds me of Focus  

What a surprise! It's a really good 70s prog rock sounding LP - great organ playing and drums and guitar > Suggest listening to the whole album [at only 33 mins. long] - why not 😉  

  

" Why do Spirits Walk the Earth ?  You will be haunted by three Ghosts !

-  as the air filled with Phantoms "

Mr. CHARLES DICKENS

The choosing of today's track is not without reason. This group from Sweden came to my attention when I heard their music playing in Hastings HMV shop. A sense of macabre added to when I went there again a few weeks later only for another track by them to be playing as I walked in. Spooky !?

Formed in 2006 Ghost are renowned for their costumed on-stage presence, Band members, except for the lead vocalist, are known as "Nameless Ghouls". The lead-singer Tobias Forge performs under the persona of "Papa Emeritus".

The track I first heard was ‘Spillways’, a single from their 2022 album ‘Impera’.

Further info and recommended listening:

EP of 'covers' called 'Phantomime' [also heard in HMV] has 'Jesus, He Knows Me' among it's tracks. More info here. 

'Revolver Magazine' has a 25 best songs list - if you're really into them: 

Check out ‘Square Hammer’ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqoyKzgkqR4

- along with ‘Per Aspera Ad inferi’ - ‘Kaisartion’ & ‘Mary on a Cross’.

NB: As mentioned I have deliberately picked today's band for a reason. Some of you will follow this, those of you who don't get the connection - all will be revealed early next week in a new link I will send.

  

Samhain, pronounced “sow-in” (“ow” like in cow), is a Gaelic festival that marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter or the “darker half” of the year. It is traditionally recognized on November 1 and considered the 'Celtic New Year'.

I have a song called just that ....

On 'Later... with Jools Holland' from his 2005 'Magic Time' album Van Morrison plays guitar and sings "In the Celtic New Year" >