Today’s all about ‘recording’. 

There's 'recording' as in ... See previous story about ‘My Recording Career’ (scroll down page). I shall delve deeper into this cassette case of taped memories, when I get the time… 

The other recording is my yearly 'billblogs' list of Hot 450, that I posted recently (right here). This is compiled as much for me as your reference. Because keeping up with 450 different Star Tracks is quite tricky as repeating an artist or a song is something I’m checking regularly. So the run down is an important record.

Looking back over previous Music Spots I can enjoy some posts again (March and July, were particularly good months last year), while also seeing how long it’s been since we had a type of music and more likely checking who I’ve never featured to date. I have a shortlist of artists not previously included, and actually I didn’t make many inroads into that list as last year I kept finding so many new artists.

I shall address this situation, as we get ever closer to 500 tracks. There are at least a dozen big names to include, so stay tuned (or can you guess any of them?).

  

The song 'Wishing Well' was FMS #52, which meant I was convinced Free had been featured. But that entry was actually played by Bad Company. Therefore without further discussion here's Free with Paul Kossoff on lead guitar. From their debut album 'Tons of Sobs' released in March 1969, when all four band members were still teenagers. 

Before ‘baby, it's all right now’ there was the group composition 'Walk In My Shadow'

A really good story about today's track - fyi: 

https://bestsong.substack.com/p/walk-in-my-shadow-by-free

   

An occasional music spot - remembering places around the World

On Tuesday 14th January 1975 my recording career began !

Of course I'd been taping the radio and music for years, but that had been very Low-Fi compared to the step-up of buying a Cassette Stereo Tape Recorder. A receipt dated 14.1.75 would indicate roughly how long I'd been saving for this expensive item, as I'd been working for over 5 years and had been slowly upgrading music equipment over that time. Compatibility of different manufactures equipment was always an issue and I was planning on using my brand new recorder with my old amplifier, until April when I could afford to buy a new upgraded one. 

On 15th January - I have found some notes I'd made saying "We have a problem Dave !"

(This was a clear reference to 2001: A Space Odyssey and HAL's message to crew member Dave Bowman.) My way of documenting that something was not working as it should - incorrect stereo separation and play back between tape deck and amp. Other notes followed with question marks against various possible causes ? The problem was solved by a work colleague who's father-in-law worked at Decca, he run a test and create a special lead for me to use until I could buy my upgrade. 

So strictly speaking my recording career didn't actually begin immediately, but soon after the date when I bought my Akai GXC-46D Tape Recorder. With Dolby Noise reduction, VU meters, Index counter and sliding recording and volume controls. All very fancy and Hi-Tech - for £109.95 !

The advert above is from a magazine for 'Analog Audio'. This was not to be entirely accurate 'a place I remember all my life' because without the receipts I had completely forgotten the name, but clearly I'd spent a lot of time on reviewing prices and purchasing the equipment from the shop 'Analog Audio' in the Fulham Road, near where I worked. And I'd be back there in April to buy my amplifier - a Rotel RX202 AM/FM Stereo receiver, for £75. 

As for remembering what I first taped, I don't have dates on cassettes or in a book that listed my recordings, just a vague memory. The work colleague asked me to record some of his records, so he could listen to them in his car on his cassette player: he liked jazz - Stanley Clarke, Chick Corea and Keith Jarrett - it was the least I could do to thank him. While another work mate lent me his Eagles LPs, which he raved about. 

I later went out and bought 'Desperado' and the under-rated 'On the Border', which included this almost forgotten gem that never makes any 'Best of' compilations. It's the Randy Meisner song 'Is It True?' >

Anyone remember 'Analog Audio' or any of these ? 

Laskys (Ask Laskys), Southern Audio, Lindair, REW Audio, Comet ?

Or perhaps Servio Radio in Merton Road or Ready Radio in The Broadway, Wimbledon. 

   

Reviewing 2024, here's the story I had originally lined up for last week. I've an idea to feature a monthly 'One For The Road' track. Plenty of material and reasons for 'Road' music, which begins today: 

Last November there was a story I found interesting that remembered, 65 years ago, the opening of the M1 motorway in England. The first section (only 73 miles of the London to Yorkshire motorway - that wouldn't be fully complete until 1999), was basically today's Junction 5 to 18.

Various junctions and sections would be added over the years from 1959 with some fascinating facts on those early days of motorway travel in England. The article headline was "How dream of fast living got stuck in a jam". At first people really didn't know how to drive on motorways, although you can argue not much has changed these days. Police would patrol and educate drivers using loudhailers to issue instructions. There was no crash barriers or lights and staggeringly NO speed limit. Limits were temporarily introduced in 1965, following a series of accidents in fog. The initial four month trial was extended and in 1967 a permanent 70mph limit was in force. 

The M1 also had a 24-hour restaurant at Watford Gap Services - which attracted the likes of The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and the Rolling Stones as in the 1960s, London's pubs shut at 23:00 on the dot.

According to the AA, 20,000 drivers used the M1 each day in the first year - compared to between 130,000 and 140,000 a day 65 years on ! With today's average speeds on the road at just over 60mph, which alludes to the article headline of traffic jams and my feeling that the M1 is now virtually the 'Highway to Hell' ?

Which brings me to today's music. This probably needs no introduction, but it’s going to get one, as it's about driving on the M1. The Tom Robinson Band with '2-4-6-8 Motorway' came from Robinson's memories of driving back to London through the night after gigs with his first group Café Society. By the time their van hit the last stretch of M1 into London he sings [lyrics] "motorway sun comin' up with the mornin' light."

UK motorways are relatively new when compared to the first ever motorway opened in Italy in Sept 1924: the Autostrada Milano-Laghi - which was 100 years old, last year. 

While researching all this I found a Timeout 'Top 50 Road Trip Songs' - it's a fairly obvious selection though actually missing today's track !?  https://www.timeout.com/music/50-best-road-trip-songs

   

For the record over the last nine years   T H E  F R I D A Y  M U S I C  S P O T   has now starred 450 tracks, from the very start in November 2015. 

The first 50 songs can be replayed via this link. For 51-100 click here: 101-150 click this one and then 151-200 (link) ; while 201-250 is here ; 251-300 right here ; 301-350 revisited here ; and for 351-400 click this link. Today lists the last 50, see below. 

Click on the blue arrow ➤ to replay that track. Please note: Many of the 450 videos are showing unavailable now, but you can search for an alternative, if you wish. 

401 ➤ Now And Then .......................................................... The Beatles
402 ➤ Whole Wide World .......…..................................... Rolling Stones
403 ➤ Shut Up and Dance .........…................................. Walk the Moon
404 ➤ Theme from the Black Pudding ........................Los Twangueros
405 ➤ Wild Eyed Boy from Freecloud .............................. David Bowie
406 ➤ A Whiter Shade of Pale...................... King Curtis & the Kingpins
407 ➤ Three Little Birds ...................................................... Bob Marley
408 ➤ Rocky Mountain High …......................................... John Denver
409 ➤ Granny Takes a Trip ………….......................... The Purple Gang
410 ➤ Heaven is a Place on Earth .............................…Belinda Carlisle

411 ➤ Midnight Rider/Can't You See.. Nick Stone & Shifty Hunchbacks
412 ➤ Won't Get Fooled Again …...................................... Rockin'1000

413 ➤ Red Eyes .........…............................................ The War on Drugs
414 ➤ A Song of the Weather ................................Flanders and Swann
415 ➤ Caroline ...................................................................... Status Quo
416 ➤ Awake Awake ..................................... The Gigspanner Big Band
417 ➤ Long Long Long ....................................................... The Beatles
418 ➤ All Or Nothing .......................................................... Small Faces
419 ➤ She's Got Her Tickets …………......................... Tracy Chapman
420 ➤ One To Many Mornings .......................................…Jason McNiff

421 ➤ Rise and Fall of Flingel Bunt................................ The Shadows
422 ➤ I'm A Man ….............................................. Spencer Davis Group

423 ➤ Did You Ever Have That Feeling ......................... The Standells
424 ➤ Nights in White Satin ......................................The Moody Blues
425 ➤ Here I Go Again ........................................................ The Hollies
426 ➤ Am I Losing You .................................................. Coco Montoya
427 ➤ Freed From Desire ............................................................. Gala
428 ➤ Jessica ….......................................... The Allman Brothers Band
429 ➤ Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) …….......……............ Frank Wilson

430 ➤ Hoover Dam .........….…..................................................…Sugar

431 ➤ Dead Man's Road.................................................... Doc Holliday

432 ➤ Sally's Garden ….................... Tangerine Dream with Brian May

433 ➤ The Sky Children ..............…................................ Kaleidoscope
434 ➤ Rocking Horse .........................................................Any Trouble
435 ➤ I'm Waiting For You .............................................. Johnny Flynn
436 ➤ Football Crazy.......................... Robin Hall & Jimmie Macgregor
437 ➤ Mohammed's Radio ............................... Arizona Smoke Revue
438 ➤ Mars to Liverpool …................... Liam Gallagher & John Squire 
439 ➤ The Way is the Aim …….….................................... Imperial Age
440 ➤ Spectral Mornings .........….…...........................…Steve Hackett

.

441 ➤ First Time.................................................................. Robin Beck
442 ➤ Little Wing ................................. Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood

443 ➤ Song of the Wind ......................................................... Santana
444 ➤ Celtic New Year .....................................................Van Morrison
445 ➤ Spillways .......................................................................... Ghost
446 ➤ Conversation with Billy................................................ Sabittas
447 ➤ Maid in Heaven .................................................. Be Bop Deluxe
448 ➤ Nothing Else Matters .................................................. Metallica
449 ➤ I Know That Much ………….................................. The Lathums
450 ➤ Shake a Tail Feather .........….…..........................…Ray Charles

  

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.