10 years ago, on the morning of June 24th, we all woke up to the result of the UK referendum on EU membership. And the phrase 'Brexit' embedded itself into our lives. I think I can safely say the 90s music that was labelled 'Britpop' was significantly more fun. 

So if the result from that morning came as a surprise, today's Star Track artist may also be somewhat unexpected. It's Robbie Williams ! With a single from his chart topping album 'Britpop', released earlier this year (see what I did there). 

Sounding like Liam and Oasis, the song 'All My Life' did not enter the UK Singles Chart but made No. 44 on UK downloads and No. 50 on UK sales charts ! Whatever that means ?
The single come out at the time of Robbie's ‘Britpop’ album release. Which made No.1 on the Album Chart Top 100, but then disappeared after just 3 weeks ! So you could have easily missed it. How different and transient charts are nowadays. Take it away Robbie >

   

I really like it when this happens...

A couple of weeks ago, after my Folk filled 'Star Tracks' in May, I got an email from Roy Maggs. He'd enjoyed them and asked if I'd heard of the singer Kate Wolf. I hadn't and promptly gave a listen to the songs he suggested I check out. And so here we are today.

One of those songs 'The Redtail Hawk' from a live release in 1983 is just wonderful. 

Kate Wolf, who sadly passed away in 1986 aged just 44, performed with Nina Gerber from 1979 and a number of her songs have been covered by Nanci Griffith and Emmylou Harris among others.

‘Redtail Hawk writes songs across the sky’ - is a song written by George Schroder and is the main part of the track ‘Pacheco / Redtail Kite’. As a 9 minute mood scape, it's 2 mins of 'Pacheco' then we're into Kate singing 'The Redtail Kite' with some fantastic mandolin playing from Nina Gerber, a violin solo from David Balakrishnan, while long time collaborator Bill Griffin is also on the track.
'Pacheco' refers to Pacheco Pass on Highway 152 which runs east - west between the San Joaquin Valley and Highway 1 south of Santa Cruz. Yes, we're going to sunny California ! And Sonoma gets a name check too. 

Further listening links >

There is a 'live' video performance (without the violin solo) of 'Redtail Kite': Click Play

And I'd recommend her song ‘Across the Great Divide’: Play 

Also a video of this song performed by Nanci Griffith with Nina and guests: Play

Kate Wolf also sings a great version of Jackson Brown's 'These Days': Play

  

Continuing from last Wednesday (please read the intro first):

The Bevis Frond gig in Hastings is tomorrow night. And I've been refreshing my memory and making additional notes. I can't be accused of not doing my homework !

I've some must listens and a Star Track. So here's 'Six of the Best' (click on each arrow to listen):

➤ 'He'd Be a Diamond' *(Song covered by Teenage Fanclub)

➤ 'Lights Are Changing' (Sounds like The Byrds) + a great acoustic version, search 'Aterpe Sessions'

➤ 'The Strangers Mirror' (11 minute slow track into some blistering guitar solos)

➤ 'Mr. Fred's Disco' *(great lyrics, like "Don't smile your crown shows up in ultraviolet light")

➤ 'Through the Hedge' *(organ based melody and smouldering guitars)

➤ 'Coming Round' *(Power chords, an encore track)

"Everyone has a favourite tune. Is this yours" ?

From the 2011 album release 'The Leaving of London' this is 'Johnny Kwango' - who was a professional wrestler and was on British TV when Wrestling was popular.

 

* Denotes tracks currently on the 'live' setlist.

.... there are of course lots more where these came from. 

I hope you like The Bevis Frond as much as I do. 

  

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). 

Back end of last year I came upon this band. I'd never heard of them before and the track 'You’re On Your Own’ did more than just catch my attention. Then I found they were playing a gig in Hastings accompanied by the following blurb "The Bevis Frond (guitarist and songwriter Nick Saloman) have become the UK's leading underground psychedelic rock band. Their music is an iconoclastic collision of distinctly British psychedelia, space-rock, grunge, slow-burning soulful laments, even grizzled folk and more occasional moments of sublime pop genius."

All this from one band was summed up by the fact they'd released something in the regions of 29 albums since their debut in 1987. I freely admit that at first I became a bit obsessed with The Bevis Frond, trying to get to grips with such a varied and extensive catalogue of music. Not only was I liking a lot of the songs but I found that Nick Saloman, a Londoner, was now a Hastings resident, and the extensive recorded output was through his own and various other independent record labels. Going some way to explaining why I'd never heard of him and why 'underground' perhaps best categorises him if you too don't know the name.

Describing the 2018 LP 'We're Your Friends, Man' The Progressive Aspect website says of the aforementioned song - "The longest track here is the 13 minute album closer 'You’re On Your Own', one of Nick’s trademark Neil Young-duels-with-Jimi beasties" !

As I personally delved deeper into the music I was hearing influences from Elvis Costello and Tom Petty vocally to The Jam, Procol Harum, the Cure, Pink Floyd and Hendrix. Weird and wonderful, odd subjects and song titles and 'stoned-out' lengthy guitar jams all the way to sensitive folky numbers. No wonder my head was spinning - so let's play the track I came in on and go back to those liquid light show psychedelic days of yesteryear. 

(This reminds me of the very first FMS Star Track 'Maggot Brain' by Funkadelic) > 

 

Today is just an introduction... 

Friday I shall list other favourites leading to a Star Track, which will be a distinct contrast to this Bevis Frond track. Nick Saloman is a man of multiple hats and the wealth of material available can be overwhelming at first. 

... to be continued

   

Last weekend in Ballyshannon, County Donegal, Ireland the 22nd 'Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival' took place. This was heavily publicised on Facebook and that's where I came across this video from a 1979 gig.

It's a BBC tv recording from a show at the Middlesex Polytechnic, Hendon in January 1979. Amazingly good quality and what a performance. "Guitar on a lead, playing and singing, no ear monitor and mixing it with the crowd" is one amazed YouTuber comment. And there's only three of them !

A fantastic rhythm section of Gerry McAvoy (bass) and Ted McKenna (drums) with William Rory Gallagher on guitar and vocals. 

NB: There's a short intro to the video from the YouTube contributor and then we're off to 'Shadow Play'