It occurred to me, that during the 40 or so minutes* that the Artemis II Orion spacecraft and it’s crew were speeding (at 5632 km/h) through the darkness that is the far side of the Moon, they were actually in its shadow. The Moonlight’s Shadow ! Queue the song… 

Nothing to do with space travel or specifically the Moon, Mike Oldfield's 1983 release 'Moonlight Shadow' gets a 'live' full orchestra production with Miriam Stockley on vocals in this 2006 German 'Night of the Proms. 

The roar of the crowd in recognition and 'All together' in German: 'alle zusammen' >>>> 

* While this is also about the amount of time it takes to listen to the whole of the album ‘Dark Side of the Moon‘ by Pink Floyd. 

   

We begin today with a short introduction - a 30 second (TikTok) promotion video:

You may have seen this story in the news. History link here. 

No better way to celebrate than with a demonstration from one the Telecaster's finest exponents. 

Totally in the Groove [the master] playing 'live' in Boston in 1993. 'Eileen' by Mr Keith Richards and The X-Pensive Winos band. 

A YouTube comment:
"Some of the most electrifying rhythm guitar lines ever laid down have been done so by Keith Richards. This is one of the best examples. This is rock 'n' roll in all its raw power."

  

With over 500 Star Tracks listed on the Friday Music Spot, I'm often convinced we have had a band before only to discover we haven't. Today's band I was sure we'd had previously. It was along time ago, so I've excused myself, because while one of their songs has featured it turns out it was from a tribute concert for the late Phil Lynott with Gary Moore & Friends performing 'Don't Believe a Word'.

Fifty years ago tomorrow Thin Lizzy released their Jailbreak album. Full of great tracks, I've selected the 'Cowboy Song', a particular favourite. Phil Lynott wrote and sang the song, Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson share the guitar work with Brian Downey on drums. 

Presenting the official visualiser video for 'Cowboy Song' >

Want to see Thin Lizzy 'live' - there's a 1978 video from Sydney, Australia (great backdrop) with Gary Moore now in the band and a faster track than the original. Click here. 

Fans note: Opening very soon in London, before touring the country, a new musical called 'Moonlight'.
See this link. 

   

I've had this track lined up for awhile. Time for a love song from the head of The Cure's Robert Smith. 

One of those songs that had chart success at the time of its release in 1987, including being the band's breakthrough in America, though it wasn't huge. Subsequently it has received many nominations in 'Greatest Songs' lists, and in 2019 Billboard ranked it No.1 on their list of the 40 greatest The Cure songs. While Robert Smith said he considers "Just Like Heaven" to be one of the band's strongest works, and called it "the best pop song The Cure have ever done".

Today's Star Track, from the LP 'Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me', is 'Just Like Heaven' with its 50 second instrumental intro, a definite trademark of The Cure. 

Plus a Special Extra:

A Rick Beato: 'What makes this song great ?' - 13 minutes that adds a level of appreciation and insight into the song. Recommended. Watch it here. 

 

Last week we went to see a Pink Floyd tribute band in Hastings: called On Thin Ice.

While waiting for them to come on the music playing was British bands that fans of Pink Floyd would clearly approve of. So we had the Moody Blues, Led Zeppelin, Procol Harum and this track from Supertramp - 'Crime of the Century'.

Quite an appropriate choice of song, written by Rick Davies [on piano and vocals] and Roger Hodgson.
Don't you think ? 

Track Notes:

Title song from the band's 1974 album of the same name. 

The guitar solo from Roger Hodgson in the video is footage from a concert in Paris, part of the 'Breakfast in America' tour in 1979. John Helliwell plays the saxophone solo. 

Rick Davies sadly died last September, at his home on Long Island. 

  

I did have something different lined up for today. Then I changed my mind, only to think again... 

So here's an instrumental piece of music to allow you to forget the News for the next seven minutes and watch a video that reminds us of our wonderful world and the nature that made it so. 

The group is called Held By Trees and this track is 'The Tree of Life' >

Info:

Held By Trees is a project led by David Joseph featuring veterans from Talk Talk, Pink Floyd, and Dire Straits. Blending post-rock, ambient, and progressive styles, their debut album 'Solace' from April 2022 features organic, nature-inspired music.
The band on the LP is: Paul Beavis - Drums, James Grant - Bass, David Joseph - Guitar, Robbie McIntosh - Lead Guitar, Andy Panayi - Clarinet and Saxophone & Laurence Pendrous - Piano. 

 

Back end of last year I saw an article headline that read "The Best American band you've never heard of" - only on this occasion I had heard of them !

While sitting having a drink in the bar at a hotel last August, music was playing via a phone playlist and I was able to 'Shazam' a number of the tracks I liked. The Red Clay Strays 'Wondering Why’ was one of those tracks noted. A country music band formed in Mobile, Alabama, their 2022 single "Wondering Why" was successful in late 2023 after going viral on TikTok and exposure on Live AF (An independent country and Americana space, on YouTube channel Western AF). This song is very bluesy and lead singer Brandon Coleman's voice is quite something. 

More Red Clay Strays (and further religious references) check out: 'Devil in My Ear' > here

And I can recommend: 'Wanna Be Loved', ‘I’m Still Fine’ and 'Drowning’. 

  

To follow last time's Star Track it feels only right and proper to actually feature the Band. 

I came upon this particular track via a post entitled "Five songs to prove Robbie Robertson is an underrated guitar genius": (link).

The track is ‘It Makes No Difference’ from 1975. The video is combined footage from 'The Last Waltz' movie and a show at the Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco.

The Band were: Rick Danko (bass guitar, vocals, guitar, double bass, fiddle), Richard Manuel (piano, vocals, keyboards), Garth Hudson (organ, keyboards, saxophone, accordion, woodwinds, brass), guitarist Robbie Robertson and drummer & singer Levon Helm. They have now all passed away, to play Music from the Big Pink in the sky ! What a memory they leave. 

A sad song, some great guitar and a sax solo - written by Robbie Robertson and sung by Rick Danko >>> 

  

For the record over the last ten years   T H E  F R I D A Y  M U S I C  S P O T   has now starred 500 tracks, the grand total from 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 ; for 400-450 link here ; Today lists the last 50, see below. 

Click on the blue arrow ➤ to replay that track. Please note: Many of the 500 videos featured are showing unavailable, but I'm sure you can search for an alternative, if you choose. 

451 ➤ 2-4-6-8 Motorway ............................. Tom Robinson Band
452 ➤ Walk In My Shadow .......…....................................... Free
453 ➤ Cast Your Fate To The Wind ............. Sounds Orchestral
454 ➤ Not Fade Away ............................................. Buddy Holly
455 ➤ Getting Closer .................................................. Lonerider
456 ➤ Beautiful........................................................... Carol King
457 ➤ Highway to Hell .................................................... AC/DC
458 ➤ If I Had a Hammer …....................................... Trini Lopez
459 ➤ Autobahn …………............................................ Kraftwerk
460 ➤ The Fairest of the Season  ....................................…Nico 

461 ➤ The Birds of St. Marks .......................... Jackson Browne
462 ➤ Fox On The Run .......….......................................... Sweet
463 ➤ Blitzkrieg Bop .........…................................. Rockin' 1000
464 ➤ Baby Let Me Take You Home .......................The Animals
465 ➤ Rage of Angels ....................................... Sign of the Wolf
466 ➤ Feet.................................................. The Equatorial Group
467 ➤ The Weaver's Answer ........................................... Family
468 ➤ Cheek to Cheek …......................................... Fred Astaire
469 ➤ On The Way ………….................................. Hollow Coves
470 ➤ Good One Coming On ........................ Blackberry Smoke

471 ➤ The Passenger ................................................... Iggy Pop
472 ➤ Up Around the Bend ....... Creedence Clearwater Revival
473 ➤ Ride Like the Wind .........…................. Christopher Cross
474 ➤ (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66 ..................... Chuck Berry
475 ➤ Saturday Gigs ......................................... Mott the Hoople 
476 ➤ The Riddle..................................................... Nik Kershaw
477 ➤ Highway ..................................... Robert Jon & The Wreck
478 ➤ Space Age Love Song …................... A Flock of Seagulls
479 ➤ Margaritaville …………............................... Jimmy Buffett
480 ➤ Woodstock ........................…Matthews Southern Comfort

481 ➤ The Cinema Show .............................................. Genetics
482 ➤ Wish You Were Here ....................................... Pink Floyd
483 ➤ Transcendental Reunion ............ Mary Chapin Carpenter
484 ➤ So Very Young ...............................................Cat Stevens
485 ➤ At Last ............................................................. Etta James 
486 ➤ Guinevere.................................................. Rick Wakeman
487 ➤ Boom Boom .......................................... John Lee Hooker
488 ➤ Galway Girl ................. Dennis O'Neil & Davey Armstrong
489 ➤ Rockin' in the Free World ……....................... Neil Young
490 ➤ Galadriel.....................................…Barclay James Harvest

491 ➤ Lotta Love ............................................... Nicolette Larson
492 ➤ She's A Star ............................................................ James
493 ➤ Angel Delight .........…........................ Fairport Convention
494 ➤ Sugar and Spice ........................................ The Searchers
495 ➤ Gonna Move Across the River ... Bill Pinkney the Drifters 
496 ➤ The Winter Long .................................................. Strawbs
497 ➤ She Knows How .............................................. The Burros
498 ➤ In Electric Dreams ............ Phil Oakey & Giorgio Moroder
499 ➤ Sultans of Swing ………........…...................... Dire Straits
500 ➤ The Weight ........................................ Playing For Change

  

Wahey made it... the 500th Friday Star Track is today. And it's another classic song, though presented in a slightly different manner by Playing for Change Foundation.

We're off around the world with musicians from all corners. Beginning with a drummer who you'll probably recognise before the song's composer gets things rolling.

Originally on the Band's 1968 debut album 'Music from Big Pink' (a house in West Saugertes, near Woodstock, New York) an LP widely considered to be one of the most influential in rock history. 

Here then is 'The Weight' recorded by Playing for Change. With the Band's guitarist Robbie Robertson and a full supporting cast. Look out for the mid-song solos from Ahmed Al Harmi [Bahrain] playing oud and Rajeev Shrestha [Kathmandu] on sitar >

Footnote: In the 1969 movie 'Easy Rider', the song was used as recorded by the Band, but their recording was not licensed for the soundtrack LP release. To deal with this, ABC-Dunhill commissioned Smith, a band that recorded for the label at the time, to record a nearly identical cover version of the song for the soundtrack album. 

BIG Foot note: In among the 500 Star Tracks, there have been many of my all time favourites.
And there's plenty more where they came from !