Something surprising happened recently. A friend mentioned a band that I had never previously heard anyone talk about. 

Immaculate Fools, formed in 1984 in Kent by two sets of brothers: Kevin Weatherill (vocals, guitar) and Paul Weatherill (bass, vocals), and brothers Andy Ross (guitar) and Peter Ross (drums). It was 1990 when I first heard of them in a shop that was playing their album 'Another Man's World'. By now the Ross brothers had left and other personal changes, notably Barry Wickens now playing violin, had occurred, while singer and main songwriter Kevin Weatherill was still there.

Back in the shop: the opening title track had caught my ear. Track 2: 'Sad' was also really good, so by the time of track 3: 'The Prince', I was happily handing over a tenner to purchase the record (one of the first CDs I ever bought).   

So today's Star Track is from Immaculate Fools - one of the best bands hardly anyone has heard of ! The album 'Another Man's World' (actually produced by ex-guitarist Andy Ross) doesn't have a duff track on it and stands the test of time. 

‘Falling Apart Together’ is my choice (really could have been anything off this excellent CD). There is a live version available but the quality and sound isn't so good, so it's an album cover only video (but I do have another link to a really good video full of memorabilia, covers & pictures of the group).

 

Other links: fyi

'Live' version - click here.

Track ‘Come on Jayne’ - must see: video of memorabilia, covers & pics right here. 

Footnote: (or actually headliner)

Kevin Weatherill has these days lost all his hair - all gone [so 'Sad']...

  

Our Vinyl Night theme this week was Female Artists. Coupled with a request I'd had to feature today's singer, and I have the ideal excuse to listen to the music of Sandy Denny. 

She has been a Star Track previously, amazingly over 10 years ago now, with her song 'Who Knows Where The Time Goes', written when she was just 20 years old: (see here).

For those of you unfamiliar with her, this article on her life is really good. From 'Nostalgia Central" - click on this link.

Being it's Friday how about a 2-4-1 special (one track hardly seems enough).

First, this is a favourite of mine and was the first song on the Fairport Convention album 'What We Did on Our Holidays'. 'Fortheringay' was also the name of her short lived band in the early 70s. I have found an excellent tribute video by her daughter Georgia Rose Lucas that imagines the time of Mary Queen of Scots and Fortheringhay Castle.

Track 2

Is off the 1975 'Rising For The Moon' LP and is 'White Dress' - nice video images that begin with some rare live footage that has survived. Written by Dave Swarbrick and sung by Sandy Denny.

In Fairports at this time was her husband Trevor Lucas on acoustic guitar.

   

My notes for this week read 'something seasonal' ! Meaning Autumnal...

It begins with the warm harmonies of 'All The Birds' sung by Golden Oak, an indie-soul-folk band from Maine, fronted by sister-and-brother duo Lena and Zak Kendall, from their most recent album release 'All the Light in Autumn'.

Continues with 'Masquerading as a Star', 'Glass Bottles', 'I’m Not the Only Thing', 'The Flood' and 'Some say dreams / They can get you by / But all the birds are leaving / In the autumn light' - from the track 'Geese'. 

There's a clear bird theme running here [including the future environment / reoccurring dreams / paradise / greed / reflections on living]. 

Any of the above songs are Star Tracks, but 'Geese' has a nice loosely animated lyric video - as opposed to the others, that just feature the album cover: 'All the Light in Autumn' >

 

Check out Golden Oak's previous album 'Room To Grow'. 

And give this short video of '‘The Stable Song’ by Gregory Alan Isakov a listen - a wonderful vocal harmony cover by the group : Lena and Zak with Mike Knowles.

Finally that album cover featuring 9 birds - click here. 

   

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). 

By way of a follow on from last Friday's Star Track featuring John Cougar Mellencamp singing about his 'Small Town', I discovered after coming across this artist, that he was from the same 'small' town of Seymour, Indiana, as him.

Stephen Wilson Jr. is a Country and Rock singer with a colourful backstory. (An 18 minute YouTube video is worth a watch, if you want to, click here). He is currently on a 'Gary the Torch' tour (playing Brixton Academy on October 22nd). And he definitely likes a name song: 'Henry', 'Billy' and this track called 'Gary' (On The Road). 

His story begins quietly enough by singing about 'there aren't a lot of boys named Gary these days' and builds to a more energetic pedal-steel guitar play out, which is wild. It's a bit Springsteen vocally with Stephen Wilson Jr.'s unique blend of country and grunge influences > Gary !

‘Gary’ was released in January 2026 as Wilson's first single. 

NB: Not to be confused with Steven Wilson, the British prog rock musician. 

  

"We all remember our hometown? Where we were born and grew up! Yet when you go back now you hardly recognise it." 

Once a small town, now part of a bigger community as boundaries overlap, it's no wonder it now feels different. But the line 'Well, I was born in a small town' still rings true for many.

You might see where I'm going with this and further references are coming in the weeks ahead (watch this space). For now it's John Cougar Mellencamp and his 1985 song 'Small Town'. That town is Seymour, Indiana and the song was recorded virtually up the road in his recording studio in Belmont - which also sounds like a small town. 

Such a great song >>>

No, I cannot forget from where it is that I come from

I cannot forget the people who love me

Full lyrics are here - so you can sing along, on the ride, in the video.

  

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). 

On our recent holiday in Guernsey we ran into (not literally) a competition taking place at the harbour in St. Peter Port to find Guernsey's Strongest !

As sizable men and women lifted and ran with 40 and 50 kilo sandbags, back and forth over a short course, that still left you exhausted just watching their efforts, loud and appropriate music blared encouragement over the PA to motivate them. 

Among the various tracks we heard the wonderfully named Dropkick Murphys with 'Blood' (You want blood, we'll give you some) caught my attention. 

The track is from the American Celtic punk band's 2017 album '11 Short Stories of Pain & Glory'. Appropriate enough I think.  

   

Jim Croce recorded his final album in the Summer of 1973.   

The title track 'I Got a Name' released as a single on the day after he sadly died in a plane crash in September of that year. The album was released posthumously in December. 

The final song on the album is ‘The Hard Way Every Time', so it's likely this was the last recording he made, though he clearly wouldn't have known it. As he sings "Wouldn'ta done it any other way", it's quite a moving parting statement that's hard to beat. All the lyrics are in today's video.

The story is I recently bought this album on vinyl for a £5, roughly double what it would have cost when it first came out. I confess I didn't really know of Jim Croce until American friends spoke of him so highly in 1978. So this is for all of them. Wherever they are... 

As this week marks a year since the start of these Thursday night sessions at our local, a review therefore seems in order. So this is my 'Folk, Blues & Beyond' JUKEBOX.

Jason McNiff would open the show, the guests would follow and then he'd finish the evening. My Jukebox mirrors that with a selection of guests who I especially enjoyed. 

Click on the video windows to listen OR play the Jukebox in a more traditional way by clicking on the numbered buttons 1 to 10 at the end. 

 J 1   JASON McNIFF with 'Song of Everything' - almost solo

From his 2024 'Everything's a Song' album

 J 2   TREVOR MOSS & HANNAH LOU: 'A Proud Surrender' 

They've been on BBC Radio 2 'Bob Harris Sunday' show

 J 3   PEPE BELMONTE - ‘No Word of a Lie’

(BJ Cole adds some great pedal steel guitar to this track)

 J 4   BENITA JOHNSON: ‘5 Miles Wide’

There's a live version of this track on YouTube

 J 5   SAM SENIOR - ‘You Look Different’

(Young singer from Hailsham)

 J 6   ZOE FITZGERALD CARTER: 'Better Things To Do'

(From California, USA) Our first 'special' in the garden gig

 J 7   DAN RAZA - ‘Home Again’

(With his 'travelling' fold up guitar, track has BJ Cole: Pedal Steel and Fiddle: Barbara Bartz)

 J 8   HOUSE ABOVE THE SUN - 'Time I Got Goin'

(Title track from an EP by London band, lead by singer/songwriter/guitarist Jim Moreton)

 J 9   TONI MONSERRAT INC. - 'Collision Course'

(Toni and his band over from Majorca, Spain) on a road trip

 J 10   JASON and BAND - 'My Mississippi'

From a live show in Hastings 

(Matt Armstrong: bass: Richard Moore: violin; Lyle Zimmerman: mandola)

Play the Jukebox: by pressing (clicking) on the appropriate numbered buttons 1 to 10. 

 J   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9  10

  

"Rock Me, Mama" was originally penned by Bob Dylan during the 'Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid' sessions in 1973. 25 years later Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show added verses (some of which are geographically inaccurate, as the hitchhiking Southbound journey unfolds) and he called the song 'Wagon Wheel'. Then in 2013 Darius Rucker, ex lead singer of Hootie & the Blowfish recorded his version and it became huge. 

It's a great singalong track, you'll soon pick it up... 

  

I've had this song lined up for a while, waiting patiently to be played. Last Monday's Dylan show at our local provided the perfect cue.

I know Bob Dylan features a lot in these blogs, directly or as inspiration to others. I make no excuses for this as I would argue he is the greatest songwriter of our age. 

'Changing of the Guards' was the opening track on the 'Street Legal' album, released in 1978 just before I saw him in London on 20th June. This was the tour that saw him rework many of his best known songs so that when they were played you didn't recognise them until the lyrics came in.

It seems todays track wasn't part of that night's set (according to setlist.fm). Later shows on the tour list it as an encore. But what I can say for certain is our tribute band (of Jason McNiff and Richard Moore) played it last Monday.

Critics have praised 'Changing of the Guards' for its originality and the haunting effect of the backup singers (Carolyn Dennis, JoAnn Harris, Helena Springs) echoing Dylan's words throughout the verses. Lyrical references and disguised personal content, it's one of his typical no chorus compositions - hit it

  

Somehow we haven't had one of these in awhile. That is my regular feature of an artist or band I've only recently discovered.

From Toronto, Canada we have Elephants and Stars. Formed in 2020 their bio tells us :

"Elephants and Stars are real. Much like both real elephants and the stars above us, they are mature. They spend their time in rehearsals and in the studio crafting rock songs with hooks and lyrics with a bite that might take more than one listen to fully appreciate."

My take is they've master the art of the 3 minute rock song. And if the initial hook doesn’t get you by the time of the chorus it will have you !

Their line-up is: Manfred Sittmann - vocals, guitar; Adam Seed - lead guitar; Michael MacMillan - bass; Stewart McKinney - drums, with keyboards by: Simon Head.

I've picked ‘Strangers on a Train’ as my Star Track, because the 'fish-eye' video is so good. But I could have chosen anything by them, there's loads of great tracks, to many to list (and plenty of videos too). I can highly recommend the 'Dreamland' (EP) and the 'Under the Earth and Above Heaven' album, for starters, having bought both of these. 

Bandcamp is the place to go to buy their music - download prices are in Canadian dollars [$1.88 to the pound] so they are really good value. Link is here.  

Let's Rock & Support Canada 

   

Today's track needs no introduction, but it's going to get one...

Next week marks 40 years since the release of 'Graceland' by Paul Simon. 

Partly recorded in Johannesburg, Paul Simon had become fascinated with 'mbaqanga', South African street music and was criticized at the time for breaking the cultural boycott due to the policy of apartheid in South Africa. He said the record showcased collaboration between black and white people and raised international awareness of apartheid. With some praising him for helping popularize African music in the West.
In 1987 the album won the Grammy for Album of the Year and is now considered one of the all time great albums.

Picking one track of the record isn't easy but I've gone for this as it heavily features the male choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo.  

'Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes' (from The African Concert, 1987)

  

Having suggested this Summer was feeling like one of those from the sixties. How about I pick a year and ask you what you were listening to ?

The Summer of 1968: here's a few singles in the charts > 'Young Girl’ Gary Puckett and the Union Gap; 'My Name is Jack' Manfred Mann; 'Dance to the Music' Sly & the Family Stone; 'Mrs Robinson' Simon & Garfunkel; 'Fire' by Arthur Brown. 

The Beatles 'Yellow Submarine', animated musical film was on release, so perhaps you were in the cinema ? Or maybe you remember this forgotten hit, by Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich called 'Last Night in Soho'. 

If you didn't already know, the group were five friends from Wiltshire, David John Harman (Dave Dee), Trevor Leonard Ward-Davies (Dozy), John Dymond (Beaky), Michael Wilson (Mick) and Ian Frederick Stephen Amey (Tich).
I saw a 2021 film of the same name earlier this year. This British psychological horror filmed around London's Soho, had dream sequence flashbacks to the 1960s, and cast members from that era, including Terence Stamp and Rita Tushingham. The Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich Top Ten single played over the final credits.

The video is from Beat-Club, a West German music programme that ran from September 1965 to December 1972. 

   

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). 

This is the final part of my Rabbie Burns trilogy.

We're away up in Scotland and this song and the video seem ideal for this time.

'Now Westlin Winds', or 'Song Composed in August' is based on a Robert Burns poem and is a celebration of the bird life of Scotland and of the gentleman’s pursuit of hunting.

Sung by Dick Gaughan 'Now Westin Winds' is from his 1981 LP 'Handful of Earth' - accompanied here by this scenic video

  

Couldn't let the Summer go by without mentioning that along with the long days of hot weather it's starting to feel like a Summer from the Sixties.

But first the name Andrew Watt, a 35 year old New York, music whizz kid/record producer gets a mention because he links some famous legends from the past that need no introduction. He worked with Paul McCartney on his album 'Boys of Dungeon Lane', released in May. Check out 'Home To Us' a song duet with Ringo that's about their Home Town, that even manages to include some yeah, yeahs !

I should also say Ringo had a nice single release called 'Long, Long Road' along with a great video. More pure nostalgia ...

So two Beatles records and now a new LP from the Rolling Stones. Andrew Watt, who could be their grandson, produced the 'Hackney Diamonds' album in 2023 and he's at it again on the latest offering from Mick, Keith and Ronnie. And it's a another winner.

'Foreign Tongues' is out now and I particularly like this track all about that 'American Dream', reflecting on how it's not what it once was... 'Ringing Hollow' > some great lines

And from the album, give 'Back In Your Life' a listen. 

Along with those Beatle tracks for the full nostalgia trip ! Summer's here, the time is right 

   

Bit of an 80s party happening this weekend. Madness - you bet !

Welcome to the 'House of Fun' - a UK No.1 hit single in 1982, about a young fellow trying to buy condoms on his sixteenth birthday. It could only be a Madness song !

Along with a video that's very Monty Python-esque. The boy in the song is misunderstood by the chemist, as he asks for the condoms using slang euphemisms.

Written by band members Lee Thompson (saxophone) and Mike Barson (keyboards) and naturally sung by Hastings born Graham McPherson, better known as Suggs. 

Curiously 'House of Fun' was not released in America, however the music video was shown on the then newly launched MTV channel >

PS:

To confirm the 'Prog Prom', mentioned last week, is on tv tonight at 7pm on BBC4. 

   

Tonight is the first night of The Proms 2026. Copland, Gershwin and Ravel launch this season. 

Tomorrow night it's the turn of composers Emerson, Anderson, Banks, Hayward, Hammill, Oldfield, Zappa and Wright: in a Special Prog Rock Prom titled 'A Fanfare for the Common Man'. See the full programme here. 

Many of the featured compositions have been Friday Star Tracks, so it's a popular selection performed by an orchestra and a band comprising of Carl Palmer and Peter Hammill along with Guy Garvey, Jane Weaver and Gruff Rhys. I'm sure you'll know most of the songs included. 

To following the evening's title I've picked today Emerson, Lake & Palmer's version of 'Fanfare for the Common Man'. This is a shorten edit from the 9 minute original, which was the *Aaron Copland composition at the start and end with a 6 minute middle section added by Keith Emerson. Filmed at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal. 

NB: This Prog Prom is scheduled for TV broadcast next Friday, 24th July on BBC4 and will be available on the iplayer from then.

One song in the programme I was not familiar with was 'Refugees' by Van der Graaf Generator, so I gave this poignant piece a listen and recommend you do too: (link here) - interesting video also. 

*The 1942 original 3 minute classical piece is basically all 'Fanfare'. Here's a video with some fantastic images - fyi (click on)  

  

World Cup 2026, with an introduction last Wednesday, (scroll down) takes another musical break today.

Aside from the cameras constantly picking out people in the crowd you don't recognise it's been the 'Hydration' breaks that have caused as many talking points as VAR decisions.   

Commercial / Coaching / Music / booing breaks call them what you will they have become a pause of annoyance. And apparently the best way to stop the crowd booing is to get them to start singing, with American stadium DJs quick to get the music playing. 

So you have probably heard ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ by Journey and other singalong tunes by John Denver and The Killers and no doubt this track by Bon Jovi.

Though not in anyway about football, I can see why it was chosen, with lyrics like: 

"hold on to what we've got"
"We'll give it a shot"

And "we're halfway there" - all rallying cries of encouragement to take back on to the field of play.
All together - 'Livin' On A Prayer'

 

WORLD CUP 2026

As the Football World Cup progresses to the Quarter-Final stage, time for a breather and some musical reflection. 'Life is a Highway' is the song used for the excellent ITV introduction titles. The lyrics 'All night long', have in some cases been quite literally that ! (from a watching perspective)...

The song is from the movie ‘Cars’ and is played by the American Country Music band Rascal Flatts. The original composition, from 1991 is by Canadian Tom Cochrane. Here's the full track FYI - click link

  

A I (as in Artificial Intelligence):

Plenty of discussion this week about this. A recent newspaper article spoke about various Apps that allow you to easily create your own songs, along with this quote "As an artist I'm a bit frightened - these songs sound really good".  

A friend had made such a song for their husband's birthday, With personalised lyrics and a catchy tune which was extremely good. Then my wife using Suno: a generative artificial intelligence music creation platform, made a song for me: 'My Favourite Partner in Crime'😃*

Then a few days ago I read about the streaming platform: Tidal, that had updated its policies with regard to AI and that music generated by the technology will no longer be monetised on the platform !

And this brings me to music I heard on a YouTube channel under the banner 'Crossroads Records'. There's literally dozens of videos all very similar in structure. It even has a menu guide by listing featured instrumentation:- Reverb-Heavy Electric Slide Guitar - "Train-Whistle" Harmonica (Call and Response) - Deep Hammond B3 Organ & Minor-Key Piano - Slow-Drag Brush Drum Rhythm. 

See what you make of today's track ‘The Last Train from Memphis’ with guitar playing [like Gary Moore] and soulful singing, however no mention at all of artists names playing these instruments. So I'm pretty sure it's AI. 

Is it therefore about enjoying the sound of the music or the ethics of it's origin ? How do you feel ?

* A Link to this song is available upon request. Just ask. 

NB: SUNO Inc. has been sued by the Recording Industry Association of America for copyright infringement, and thousands of musicians have signed a letter demanding that the company cease using copyrighted music in their training data. Suno does not disclose the dataset used to train its artificial intelligence.