Chatting to one of my regular listeners earlier this week, he was most insistent that I check out Loggins & Messina, and particularly their 1974 LP 'Mother Lode'. Their music is very 70s California, and it might just make you feel a bit warmer on a winter's day. I've picked this track off the album called 'Be Free' - which has a bit of everything and the accompanying video takes you through all the seasons. 

Unfamiliar with Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina ?  Bet you're heard this one before: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FDcTyyXQb8

Triggered by last week's work related track here's another story.
At my first job we produced the artwork for a local giveaway newspaper called 'Focus'. It was mostly adverts for businesses in the South London area, with articles to fill in the gaps. One filler was a very basic music page. I'd been asked by the Paper's owners if I'd like to compile this section and as it involved 'free' LPs sent to me to review any lack of journalistic ability on my part had been overlooked by all concerned.
Early in 1972 I heard there was a rock band called Focus and thought this was a coincidence worth exploring. So I wrote to the record company 'Blue Horizon' who released their music in the UK. They replied and sent me a press release that informed me they were a Dutch band. They also sent me their single 'Tommy' which was off the recently released album 'Moving Waves'.
The single and it's 'B' side were fantastic and as a result, despite no one having heard of them, I starting wittering on to friends about this great Dutch band Focus. Some months later, at the end of May, they made an appearance on 'The Old Grey Whistle Test'. 
Suddenly the same friends are calling me up and raving about them. The word was out. That British TV debut included a performance of 'Hocus Pocus'. Melody Maker newspaper voted Focus as 'Brightest Hope' that year. They played the Reading Festival in August followed by the MM Poll Awards at the Oval cricket ground in September. A return appearance on the OGWT in December sealed it and host Bob Harris said the show was inundated with calls and letters about the band.
Their new record label Polydor had issued a latest LP 'Focus 3' in November and then had to press more records to meet the demand.
A single off the album was released in early 1973 and reached No.4 in the UK chart. The single was called 'Sylvia'.

This track was also on my dad's cassette tape I made for him - remember that story? see: http://billblogs2.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/musicassettes-or-compact-tape-cassette.html

More >
May 1972: The original OGWT appearance on YouTube, comes complete with the almost compulsory equipment breakdown, that was such a part of 'live' concerts in the early 70s. 

Officially tomorrow I retire. Some might say I have had a few practise goes at this over the years, especially during the 1980s.
With that memory in mind I have a track from Australian band Redgum that captures the mood very much from then but also now.

Someone mentions walkabout and kiss your job goodbye.

The lyrics tell the story, while I'm not quite sure exactly what the video is all about it has enough open roads to fit the bill. Pun intended !

Another week and time for Siem Reap in Cambodia. 
'Angkor Wat' is the main attraction and this is a traveller's personal video off YouTube. Music is by Nomyn titled 'Daydreamer'.

If you were hoping for some more 'drone' footage - we can do that too > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCpAWH_1ttc

And this week's sees us up, up and away over Vietnam. 
My son sent me this video called an Aerial Concert (in 5 chapters) - quite stunning (as are the other amazing 'drone' video productions by ThangSoi).
The music is 'Becoming Human' by Ryan Taubert. Full screen for full effect.

Week One >> Take off to Thailand. 
No idea who supplies the music, but the aerial footage is simply brilliant - fasten those seat belts !

After nearly two years the  FRIDAY MUSIC SPOT  has reached 100 !!

We kicked-off on 13th November 2015 with Funkadelic's 'Maggot Brain'.

The first 50 songs can be seen via this link. Here's a run down of 51-100: listed below. So welcome to:

51 (>)  Turn My Ship Around .…….………….…….… Jeremy Buck
52 (>)  Wishing Well .……….…….…………….……  Bad Company

53 (>)  Fallout .………………….….….… Catfish and the Bottlemen

54 (>)  Don't Believe a Word ..…..…......…. Gary Moore & Friends

55 (>)  Bicentennial Present .…..………..….….… Peter Baumann

56 (>)  The Last Resort …………….……..……………….… Eagles

57 (>)  Friday On My Mind .….……..……………… The Easybeats

58 (>)  Von den Elben .…….…………………………………… Faun

59 (>)  Midnight Blues …….………………………….. Snowy White 

60 (>)  Better Things .……….....… Ray Davies/Bruce Springsteen

61 (>)  China In Your Hand …………..…………….………… T'Pau  

62 (>)  America's Sweetheart/Can't Be Loved ….......... Elle King

63 (>)  Canon Rock  ….……..….……………………...… Laura Lace

64 (>)  Heat of The Moment ….…….…..…..…....….……..…. Asia
65 (>)  Thinking Out Loud ………………………….… Ed Sheeran
66 (>)  Believe ….……….……………………….… Mumford & Sons
67 (>)  I Think It's Going To Work Out Fine …..… Ry Cooder
68 (>)  Soon ….……………………….………..………….……..…… Yes
69 (>)  The Devil's Answer ….…………….…....…  Atomic Rooster

70 (>)  Samba De Janerio ….……….…….……...….…….…  Bellini

71 (>)  Spring 1 ….……………….………….……..….….… Max Richter

72 (>)  Always Gold….……….……..….………..….…….. Radical Face

73 (>)  Firth of Fifth ….……….……..….…… Steve Hackett Band 

74 (>)  Dreams …………………………….…..…..………..…… Dawes

76 (>)  Back of My Hand ….……….…………………....… The Jags 

77 (>)  One Last Breath ….………………..….………….…… Creed

78 (>)  Driver's Seat  …….…………………..….… Sniff 'n' the Tears

79 (>)  Landslide  ….……….……………………..… Fleetwood Mac 

80 (>)  Melissa ….……..…..……….…..….. Greg Allman & Friends

81 (>)  Open Your Eyes ….……….……………..……….. Snow Patrol

82 (>)  Closing Time ….……….…….……………………… Semisonic

83 (>)  Lofty Skies ….…..….…….…..….……. Tyrannosaurus Rex 

84 (>)  Back It Up …………………………….……..….. Nils Lofgren

85 (>)  The Singer Not The Song …………….... Rolling Stones

86 (>)  Philia …….……….….………..……….…… Baiju Dharmajan 

87 (>)  I'd Love to Change the World ….…… Ten Years After

88 (>)  Suite: Judy Blue Eyes … ………....… Crosby, Still & Nash

89 (>)  Music from: ………….………..… Penguin Cafe Orchestra 

90 (>)  Live the Life  .……..……………….…..…..….. Rod Stewart

91 (>)  Summer Breeze ….….…….……….….....… The Isley Brothers

92 (>)  Taillights Fade ….…….….………….….………… Buffalo Tom

93 (>)  Comfortably Dumb ……….………………….… Pink Floyd 

94 (>)  A Dustland Fairytale …….……….…..……..... The Killers

95 (>)  Illusion of Life ….…………….………….….… The Illusion

96 (>)  San Franciscan Nights …. Eric Burdon & the Animals 

97 (>)  Flowers in the Rain ……….….……....……….. The Move

98 (>)   The Sky is a Neighbourhood ….……...…Foo Fighters

99 (>)  Even The Losers ….… Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers 

100 (>)  The Voyager ….…….…………..…...….…..…Mike Oldfield

Click on the (>) to go to the track of your choice. (Not sure if all the videos are still available).

This week's Music Spot is being triggered remotely as I'll already be 'on voyage' by the time you are watching this.
Basically it's just a kaleidoscope of images to transport you to some other place. Float away on an appropriately named soundtrack by Mike Oldfield, from his 1996 album release of the same name 
'The Voyager'. 

> This sets the tone for the coming weeks - as I've loaded up the Friday jukebox with a travel log for you to roughly follow our itinerary and come along for the journey.

NB: This is the 100th Star Track on the Friday Music Spot. Come back Monday for the Chart Show.

I'd already set up last week's Music Spot when the sad news concerning Tom Petty came through. A tribute is therefore a bit late but the moment not missed.
Following a 'Classic Albums' tv show, shown last Friday, about the 1979 'Damn the Torpedoes' album, we have today's Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers Star Track.
Side one, track three off the LP:- 'Even The Losers'. Fantastic guitar too, from Mike Campbell.

One track is hardly enough, right. And if you were wondered where the Byrds-like chiming Rickenbacker guitars were? Here they are > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMyCa35_mOg
Still want more… well 'Damn the Torpedoes' – whole album >>>

September was a good month for new music. Album releases from The Killers and Foo Fighters. An extraordinary concert of Icelandic avant-garde rock from Sigur Ros. And I discovered a band from Toronto called Alvvays (really spelt like that) and their 2nd album called 'Antisocialites'*. 

As we haven't had any thumping rock music in a while and as they are my son's favourite band AND it was his birthday yesterday, I'm going with the Foo Fighters and 'The Sky is a Neighborhood'.

This track is a 'grower' (so give it a few plays to work it's magic). Great video with the sky at the end, something else. All join in…

Bangin' on the ceiling

Bangin' on the ceiling

Keep it down

* Interested? Sample some anti socialness from Alvvays. Link >

Those students and scholars among you will have noted that the Friday Music Spot is fast approaching the milestone of 100. Watch this space.