BBC4 television last Friday night had a programme called "Still on the Run" a profile of Jeff Beck, featuring fellow guitar heroes eulogising about his playing. It's still on BBC iplayer if you missed it. It was excellent and the variety of his music spanning the years, his numerous bands and collaborations was quite something. 
Running for 85 minutes they did get through a lot of great tracks but missed this one, so I'll put that right straight away. It's a version of the song "People Get Ready" that probably best represents the 60s civil rights era. Released in 1965, written by lead singer, Curtis Mayfield and performed by The Impressions. One of the most well-known covers is by Jeff Beck with Rod Stewart on vocals, a single release in 1985, (and on the 'Flash' LP) it gained considerable airplay on album rock and classic rock radio stations and had a popular video on MTV. Rolling Stone magazine (in 2008) named "People Get Ready" at number 20 on their list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks.
Here's the video. All aboard now...

In the 'Still on the Run' programme there was plenty I was unfamiliar with >
Check out: 'Cause We've Ended As Lovers': www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aWd88rs6JE
From the 1975 album 'Blow By Blow'. Composed by Stevie Wonder and recorded by Jeff Beck in George Martin's Air Studios > the studio version has the opening notes bouncing across the speakers. Nice !

Other programme highlights were >  'Where Were You' (89), 'Nadia' (2001), 'Emotion & Commotion' LP (2010) & 'Scared for the Children' (2016).

'Hi Ho, Silver Lining'... 

Another week and another track from the Africa field trip, well kind of.
On the flight out in January, scrolling through the music section of the onboard entertainment I came across a Folk Playlist. It contained a dozen or so tracks but had no introduction or information about the various pieces of music and no indication of who played them, just a song title?
There was one I especially liked and I jotted down certain lines of the lyrics and hoped that 'google' would be able to find the track. 3 months later and after a concerted search I finally came up with the answer.
It's a little bit Ed Sheeran (vocally) and a lot Mumford & Sons. Voted Best Group in the 2018 BBC Radio Folk Awards this is Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys with 'Chasing Shadows'.

If any of you know the name Sam Kelly (I know it's a bit like John Smith, because 'google' will find plenty of Sam Kellys for you), or even recognise the face perhaps?

Then it might be because in 2012 he reached the final of Britain's Got Talent as a solo artist aged just 19. He actually won the public vote but lost out to the eventual winner Ashleigh and Pudsey a dancing dog act.

That's 'Show Biz', but I don't suppose he's to bothered.

I could kid you I've been away these past months on a musical mission to South Africa to find new and interesting tracks for the FMS. And while there was music and song a plenty, there wasn't always the possibility to actually find out who it was playing and take note for future reference. Which was a pity, but I did find a few, most notably this one.

This is unusual, like nothing you've ever seen before ...unless you've seen the work of this South African artist: William Kentridge. (See link). We saw it at the Cape Town Zeitz MOCAA exhibition, but it has been shown in places around the world.

8 screens depicting a strange dance macabre set to an original soundtrack: the Band leader is Johannes Serekeho, along with The African Immanuel Essemblies Brass Band and vocals by Bham Ntabeni & Moses Moeta: this is "More Sweetly Play the Dance".

It may not be to everyone's taste, so here's just a short 'extracts' video. If you like it, then see the whole 14 minute show on the link beneath.

The entire William Kentridge installation is on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pA7uob5PIPw

After loading 4 tracks into the system, the last one on February 2nd, I'm back and raring to go, poised with many scribbled notes and a shortlist of songs, old and new, to play you.
Driving around the last few months we always listened to a Western Cape radio station called "Magic 828 AM" which while playing a lot of good driving music, often specialised in songs from the 80s.
In a blatant attempt to make up for the none appearance of the 'Friday Music Spot' and to get you back in the swing and following how the radio would do things, here's my 80s 'Triple Play'.
Names of tracks will appear at the end (also like the radio, so you don't know what's coming up next...?) though the video windows will (in this case) probably give the game away... hit it >

You just heard Whitesnake with 'Here I Go Again' the 1987 recording, proceeded by Bryan Adams 1984 release 'Summer of '69' and first up was Huey Lewis 'Stuck With You' from 1986.

Heard this in an advert for Galaxy chocolate over Christmas and would be a definite candidate in any 'crazy artist name' category. This is Telepathic Teddy Bear with 'Where is My Mind'. 
On closer investigation I discovered it was a song from 1988 by indie band The Pixies and has been featured in many films and covered by loads of bands including Placebo.

The Pixies version > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idtE7MkHlW0

Chapman's Peak Drive - Noordhoek to Hout Bay - in Cape Town, is one of the world's most beautiful stretches of road. It's certainly one of my favourites and not wishing to make you too envious I thought I'd share this video. It begins in Noordhoek and finishes down the road, minutes from our flat in Hout Bay. Fasten your seat belts, sit back and hold on, watch out for the cyclists and take in the scenery with "Today I feel" by Oberst & Buchner >>>

For a slightly different perspective see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ad5RQDaXwmU

Today all my old football mates are gathering in London for a drink. I won't be there, but in spirit I shall be and therefore today's music spot is selected with all of them in mind.
I decided it has to be rock music and an unforgettable guitar riff, but what ?
Then I found this fantastic tribute video to Malcolm Young, of AC/DC, who sadly died last November. For those about to rock, not one riff, but ten !!!
> Air Guitars at the ready, let's rock…

Nice quote: Malcolm wrote most of the riffs from AC/DC… In fact once in an interview, brother Angus even said that Malcolm could have easily taken my place, but I couldn't have ever been able to fulfil his.

Back in the Seventies, Margaret's brother, who now lives in Cape Town, was a big big fan of Scotland's Bay City Rollers. As a bit of a joke we are going to give him an 'old' LP record from 1974, of their first album called 'Rollin'. It features their three big hits from that year and became a UK No.1 album. Can you remember those hits ???
Three years before this phenomenal chart success, the Bay City Rollers had a top ten single with a cover of a 1965 record by The Gentry's 'Keep On Dancing'. 
It's a favourite record of mine and this video has some brilliant dancing footage from sixties American TV shows. I love it…

First track for 2018 > "Keep on dancin' and a-prancin' !"

It's that time when we look back on the year and remember our favourite moments. Newspapers, magazines and websites are full of lists suggesting 'the best' books, films and naturally music from 2017. You can take your pick ?
My nomination in the category 'Comeback' is the major return to form shown by Liam Gallagher with his solo album 'As You Were'. You know the deal, it's music with attitude. I could have selected any number of tracks but have gone for that rock attitude on 'Come Back To Me'.

While on another track he's almost apologising for his behaviour > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDrPghDvYA4 

An Oasis documentary film 'Supersonic' was on TV the other night. Good job they didn't bleep out the swearing, otherwise there wouldn't have been any dialogue left !!!

Two years ago the Friday Music Spot featured a song from Christmas Past > and last year it was Christmas Present. To complete the trilogy, here's my personal wish for the Future.

Walking through the bullring at Waterloo yesterday I realised there are still people living rough on the streets of London. My hope for Christmas Future is that this is not the case in years to come.

Legendary singer-songwriter, Ralph McTell, has re-recorded his timeless song, ‘Streets of London’, with a choir made up of clients and staff from Crisis – the national charity for homeless people – and guest vocalist Annie Lennox, to raise money for the cause in the run-up to Christmas. First penned 50 years ago, the classic song shares its birthday with Crisis, whose 50th anniversary also falls this December. 

To quote Ralph McTell: “It’s 50 years since I wrote 'Streets of London' and it saddens me that the issues raised in the song are still so relevant today".