"The Fender Stratocaster is arguably the most popular and most emulated solid electric guitar ever" 

Launched in 1954 the Fender Stratocaster or 'Strat' went into production in October of that year. See the full story here: click 

Two of the finest exponents of this guitar: Jimi Hendrix who wrote today's featured Star Track, while Eric Clapton recorded it on the Derek and the Dominos album 'Layla'. 

The version here is a live recording from 2008. Eric Clapton is joined by Steve Winwood on stage in New York's Madison Square Garden, and over two nights they played a wide variety of old gems from which a double CD* (and DVD) have been released. 
Here they are playing a fantastic version of Jimi Hendrix's 'Little Wing' >

* Want more ? Then give 'Double Trouble' off this record a listen.

More Blues Rock and 'Stratocasting' to follow... 

   

I don't know about you but the title of 'One-Hit Wonder' has never quite sat right with me !

Aside from being somewhat derogatory it can also be a fallacy. The term at first was supposed to refer to someone who had only one No.1 hit song and then nothing ... ! Now it seems to have become used in a haphazard way. 

Also, is this 'One-Hit Wonder' exclusive to a particular country ? For example John Denver did in fact have just the one UK No.1 with 'Annie's Song' but had countless US chart toppers and other No.1s around the world. Is he a 'O-HW' ? I think not ! 

Naturally there are others saddled with this misnomer so I will let you decide if today's track qualifies. I for one had not heard of Robin Beck until her worldwide hit 'First Time' came on a programme dedicated to today's subject. Spending three weeks at No.1 in 1988, her follow up single did not perform as well only reaching #84, but did far better in Germany and Switzerland. While in her native America she didn't have any chart success with either record, in part due to business political differences between Mercury Records and Coca-Cola. 

So her follow up single is linked below, after the big hit > 'First Time' 

A bit Cher like her follow up single (another power ballad) was ‘Save Up All Your Tears’ which was also really good - so why not a big hit too ?

Robin Beck Double bill - titled Hit-Medley - 1989 is mostly 'Tears' track with a brief beginning bit of 'First Time'. > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJUHPjoCOmE

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For those of you wondering how the recent Folk Shows went at The Cove in Fairlight, I can tell you they were a big success, so much so the pub are encouraging us to do more. Watch this space...

Both evenings were well attended and memorable occasions. We were able to video the performances and they are available to watch in full on YouTube - see links below - and original poster here. 
Introduced by Ian Dobson, who along with Karen Towner provided invaluable support in making these events happen. 

Paul Downes (and Annie Winter)

Part 1:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAVW2xToJQs

Part 2: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8WeQkyeHnQ

Martyn Wyndham-Read (with Iris Bishop) 
Part 1:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RJSaX_DrT8
Part 2:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nq7fk4zBffI

   

On leaving Genesis in 1977 Steve Hackett pursued a solo career. His second solo release in 1979 was an album called 'Spectral Mornings'.

To celebrate it's 40th anniversary he played a concert at Hammersmith in 2019. The title track is pure class, as captured here >

For completists the band line-up was: (as listed at the end of the video) 

- Steve Hackett / guitars
- Roger King / keyboards
- Jonas Reingold / bass
- Rob Townsend / saxophones, flutes
- Craig Blundell / drums, percussion
- Nad Sylvan / vocals (not in this video, as it's an instrumental) 

Released on 25 September 2020 - A Limited Edition Deluxe 2CD+Blu-ray+DVD with Artbook; 2CD+Blu-ray Digipak; 2CD+DVD Multibox; Limited Edition 4LP+2CD Box Set and Digital album. Something for every occasion !

  

This week has turned into one of 'Grandeur and Pomp', what with the music earlier in the week from the Paris Olympics (see below for this) to discovering the symphonic splendor of Imperial Age. 

Such full on productions are not to everyone's taste. You either like the epic arrangements or you find them too much and over the top. See what you make of Imperial Age and their dramatic orchestrations and theatrically fantastic videos.  

The band were originally founded in 2012 in Russia by singers/composers Alexander "Aor" Osipov and Jane "Corn" Odintsova. After the start of the Russian conflict with Ukraine in 2022, the band relocated, eventually settling in the United Kingdom. They are categorized as Symphonic Metal as Gothic fantasy meets the Pirates of the Caribbean. 

Here they are performing 'live' with an orchestra and choir and a track called 'The Way is the Aim' > 

 

Check out 'The Wheel' ‘live’ - here  

And the video for 'Windborn'  via here 

There are FREE downloads on their website, if you sign up to their mailing list: https://imperial-age.com/ 

  

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). 

Now that the 2024 Paris Olympics are finished, time to mention the music played during the event. 

Music Director for the Olympic and Paralympics was eclectic French musician and composer Victor Le Masne. Mainly associated with electro and pop he wrote 'Parade' the official anthem for the 2024 Olympiad. You certainly heard this as it played every time there was a medal presentation. 

Less played was the amazing piece at the Opening ceremony during the horse rider sequence along the River Seine. Titled 'Higher', this was quite something >

A word to on the Logo: that looked like the Olympic flame but also something else: see this story of explanation and discover Marianne. 

  

You probably noticed all the hullaballoo this week surrounding the reunion of Oasis and the buying of tickets for next year's shows. Personally I'm wondering why all the fuss? 

Liam Gallagher had a No.1 album earlier this year with a collaboration instigated by ex Stone Roses guitarist John Squire, so going back to Oasis days seems rather unnecessary.

I have been undecided on selecting a track off the 'Liam Gallagher John Squire' album: 

'Just Another Rainbow' is very Stone Roses and the video pretty psychedelic, while 'One Day at a Time' doesn't have a video but does have a swear word! So I'm going with 'Mars to Liverpool' which has flashbacks to both bands from the 90s. 

All the album tracks are written by John Squire and contain some great guitar playing:  

Do check out 'Just Another Rainbow' & 'One Day at a Time' 

   

To conclude this Folky month I've criss-crossed the whole country, been to Australia and back again, reliving memories and stories of past times while discovering connections I didn't know before.

As a consequence I was undecided on this week's track. That is until earlier this week when something weird occurred to make my mind up. 

Receiving a text from my fellow Hayloft Folk Club compadre Steve which contained a link from his friend Malcolm to a video of the Arizona Smoke Revue. Now this band's name had featured in all our publicity material about Paul Downes (who played an excellent first show at The Cove in Fairlight last Sunday, by the way). Not really knowing the band (I thought) I was interested to listen to the link. 

Turned out the video was of a performance in August 1983 at the Goodwood Racecourse Folk Jamboree. On reading this I realised: "I was there" ! 

This festival had featured a lot of artists and clearly lost in the sands of time were the Arizona Smoke Revue. This English folk / American bluegrass group formed in 1980 by Bill Zorn from Connecticut USA, along with Phil Beer and Paul Downes from Devon, England and joining them a year later Bill's brother Pete Zorn. 

I went on to discovered another video that saw Jim Couza on hammered dulcimer join them on stage for a rendition of 'Mohammed's Radio', a song written by Warren Zevon, from his debut LP (an album I have in my collection). Quite a number of unexpected connections. 

Anyway here's the track with each band member taking turns on vocals (Paul, Phil, Pete & Bill in order) with some tasty guitar playing from a very young looking Phil Beer.

Stepping back in time... don't it make you wanna rock 'n' roll 

   

Also a post of two parts: 

Firstly the artists Robin Hall and Jimmie Macgregor, well known in the 60s from their appearances on the BBC 'Tonight' programme and the 'White Heather Club', played at the Hayloft Folk Club in 1974 - which we are celebrating this weekend in Fairlight.  

And secondly as a follow on from yesterday's Football post a song that was frequently requested on the radio during the early 60s and whenever it came on my parents would say to me they're playing 'your song' again !

The Scottish footballer in the video is Jimmy Johnstone.

GLOSSARY:

I thought I might provide one but there seems to be some confusion as various lyrics are presented online ! So I've given up. Especially once I saw a reference to this song as "Fitba Crazy". 

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This is a blog of two halves !
If you saw the football on the BBC last weekend you won't be surprised to learn that today marks 60 years since the very first 'Match of the Day'.
The opening game of the 1964-65 season involving Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield on Saturday 22 August, was shown as the first highlights show introduced by Kenneth Wolstenholme. All eleven First Division matches kicked-off at 3pm that day.

Coincidentally the same Saturday in 1964 saw the first semi-professional game for Wimbledon Football Club. The Mighty Dons playing out a 0-0 draw with Poole Town, kick-off 3 o'clock at Plough Lane.
Found a really excellent History Site: click here you Dons.
+ Here's the centre spread of the day's programme with the Team Sheet. Note: the advert bottom right for Mr. Hales Sport Shop in Kingston Road. In the other corner something called Watney's Red Barrel.

So "Home for Tea and Match of the Day, which was on TV at 6:30." Or, more accurately it would have been if we had BBC2 - which we didn't ! (To view the new BBC2 channel's 625 lines picture required a new television and aerial - my home had neither.)
A lot of us had to wait two years for 'MOTD' to move to BBC1 in the August of 1966.
Who remembers the original theme - ‘Drum Majorette’ by Major Leslie Stratham a former Welsh Guard. Take it away Major >

The famous 'MOTD' theme, we all know, didn't appear until August 1970. A year after 'Slow-motion' replays were introduced.

Interestingly the next weekend's fixtures on 29th August was my first ever match at Stamford Bridge. 

See tomorrow's Music Spot for more Football Folk >>>