I spied this poster a few weeks ago for Toots and The Maytals appearing this weekend on Clapham Common. It's also the Notting Hill Carnival weekend, so some reggae would seem in order. Plus naturally I have a Maytals story to tell… 

A few years ago we were driving back from Scotland on the M6, just south of Manchester. For reasons best known to the radio it had retuned itself to Radio Stoke and a sequence of excellent records played one after the other. The DJ announced "if you're enjoying the show, why not text us and let us know". So Margaret sends a text message saying how much we're enjoying the music and giving our approximate, if moving, location. Minutes later he reads out, over the air, "Thanks to Margaret and Bill, travelling on the M6, for your kind words". Well we laughed and our smiles grew bigger. One of the songs he'd played was this great track: The Maytals with "Monkey Man'. 

Get your clod-hopping boots on and stomp along ….

… some of the pictures may help remind you.

Top Forty

'The Friday Music Spot' has reached the dizzy heights of a Top Forty. Here's a 2nd iTunes playlist of the tracks 21 to 40. (See: http://billblogs2.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/top-twenty.html for 1–20). I think a special Top 50 graphic, in 10 weeks time, maybe called for. Stay tuned 'Pop-pickers'.

If you missed any and you want to listen or hear them again, just click on the appropriate number here: 
21  |  22  |  23  |  24  |  25  |  26  |  27  |  28  |  29  |  30  | 31 |  32 |  33  |  34  |  35  |  36  | 37  | 38 | 39  | 40  

Sports Desk

Having finally watched the closing ceremony from the Rio Olympics (yep, just as we did with the Opening ceremony, we recorded it rather than stay up half the night), I have to say how enjoyable both were despite Brazil spending nothing like the same amounts of money as London and Beijing before them.

The spectacular and beautiful 'kinetic sculpture' surrounding the cauldron (below) and the carnival music, dancing and atmosphere of vibrant colour will live long in the memory. 

As will Team GB's record medal haul and all their star performers along with other unforgettable moments - Fiji's Rugby 7s, Simone Biles, local heroes Rafaela Silva and Tiago Braz de Silva, penalties in the Maracana and a certain Mr Bolt, plus the backdrop of Rio for the rowing, cycling and firework displays. Fantastic!

Having slipped from the 5th best world economy in 2009 when the games were awarded, and all the challenges this bought about, well done Brazil, from a spectator point of view you made it work.

Back to the football season then

I must say I'm still not fully geared up for this, still feels like summer. While the various Sports commentators suggesting that after just two games this is a 'must win game' for certain teams, is as off putting as ever. The season lasts thirty-eight games, not three! Let's get real…

On the bill at Fairport's Cropredy Convention last weekend there were a few familiar faces - the always excellent Richard Digance and the legendary Ralph McTell - plus a few surprises, none more so than the Pierce Brothers from Australia.
The sound they made for just two fellers had us looking around for more musicians up on the stage ? The Pierce Brothers had been playing and busking around Europe for three months but this was the largest crowd they'd ever played to and they went down a storm.
Here's some footage taken at Cropredy (there's more if you want). I think this is their encore, called "Golden Times". A good example of the Mumford & Sons comparison. And the first time a didgeridoo is on the  STAR TRACK  spot.

More? (of course you do): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrGkeUagqBk

Postcard from Cropredy

(Top): Fairport's Cropredy Convention, Arena and crowd, (Lower left): Fairport 5% beer from Wadworths, (Middle): 'Spend a penny' facilities, Clothing stall, Tickets and wrist band, (Bottom): Food stall, Sunset over Ralph McTell.

Tomorrow my brother and me are off to the Fairport's Cropredy Convention. We have seen the band play numerous times over the years, in clubs, pubs, churches and concert halls, but it is over 30 years since we went to the annual festival at Cropredy.
I therefore asked my brother to pick his favourite Fairport's tracks and I'd select one for the Friday Music Spot. In light of this weekend and our following Fairport Convention for so long, there really was only one track I could choose.
Released in 1969 on the 'Unhalfbricking' LP, it's the Sandy Denny composition 'Who Knows Where The Time Goes'. I was going to offer some more information, but no need, I found this storytelling video* and it does it for me. 

*(Best click Full screen [   ] bottom right)
Whilst researching this song I came up with various alternative versions: one featuring the current line-up of Fairport Convention - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tScjURu2IDI  and another one live in a Dutch church - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mxH18A3mFA

But the original is still my favourite. (And the Music Spot is nothing if not personal). Sandy Denny was born on 6th January 1947 at the Nelson Hospital, Merton Park. The same hospital my brother and me would be born in.

Whilst watching the opening ceremony for the Olympics, I'm always struck by the extraordinary number of different countries that file into the arena and that occasionally along comes one that has you asking 'where's that then?'
This can simply be a country that's become independent and changed its name, or the appearance of the athletes gives you a fair glue. 

Rio presented us with a few questions and most turned out to be in the Pacific Ocean somewhere. The Republic of Kiribati was one that previously we'd have known as the Gilbert Islands. 33 atolls and reef islands and one raised coral island straddling the equator, with the International Date Line being drawn around them to make sure they were all on the same day. 
Talk about OUT there…

A definite homemade personal feel to this week's music spot.
10 years ago to this day I was in Las Vegas with the kids. We were at our hotel waiting for our pick-up to take us to the airport and Scott and Kim were amusing themselves by taking pictures of each other pulling funny faces. When we got back from this trip I had dozens of crazy photos and the idea I'd make a 'Vegas' movie using all these still images. Recently I was able to upload this video to YouTube, and here it is: Watch the Kids in Las Vegas in 2006. And listen to the 'Moneytalks' soundtrack by AC/DC. Hit it …

For the curious ones among you, Scott was nearly 16 and Kim 13, at the time. 

Play like Pelé ?

Ad from 1966.

Or, play the Barratt Way !

Last Saturday marked 50 years since England won the World Cup.
That evening ITV broadcast an excellent programme called '1966 - A Nation Remembers'. Available on 'catch-up' for the next 28 days, if you missed it.
Refreshingly if wasn't just from the England team perspective, but more the whole country. Involving fans, boys and girls, the two irishmen on Wembley's manual scoreboard and one of the 'some people are on the pitch' invaders. All reminiscing, (in black and white and colour) great stuff. 

Let's hear it for Tofik Bakhramov - the Russian linesman - from Azerbaijan.

Charles Buchan's Football Monthly 1966 - Glory Be !

NB: if you watch the programme, note the three players it took to kick the game off. Compared to the recent Euros (rule change) that saw only one player kicking-off.