This effectively draws my short 'Rickenbacker Special' to a close (for the time being, anyway). 

I came across this track while researching the piece and yet something about it felt like I wasn't hearing it for the first time (more on that below).

It's from the late 90s and is by a short lived band called Ultrasound (who have since reformed, as they do). Anyway this track 'Floodlit World' was released in various formats. There's a live video that clearly shows Richard Green [on lead 'Rick' guitar] in the opening 10 seconds. But the video is very fuzzy as is the sound (but worth a look at ). 

So I have gone for the longer FP [fortepiano] version, with better sound and a nice 1:20 introduction, before the guitars come crashing in... 

"Sometimes with guitars we can reach you" is a line from the song written by singer Andrew 'Tiny' Wood. While the chorus sings "Sometimes when it rains there's a rainbow" >

I initially saw this as a Midweek Spotlight but I like this kind of 'euphoric cacophony' so much, that I promoted it to Star Track status. 

I knew in the back of my mind I had heard of Ultrasound before. Sure enough I dug out an old giveaway Cassette from the late 90s that contained this very song, final track side two. [See pic here].  

P A R T   T W O 

Photos: (Top) The special Rickenbacker 12-string headstock and distinctive logo. 

(Lower left) A little band from Liverpool. George at the back with his new 12-string and John with his earlier Rickenbacker. 

(Right) A very young looking Pete Townshend of The Who in the mid sixties. 

Fender and Gibson are probably the most famous guitar names known. However the Sounds of the Sixties would not have been the same without the Rickenbacker. 

John Lennon acquired one from a shop in Hamburg in 1960, which he used throughout the early days of The Beatles.

In February 1964, while in New York City, F.C. Hall of Rickenbacker met with the band and their manager and gave George Harrison a model 360/12 (the second electric twelve-string built by Rickenbacker). This instrument became a key part of the Beatles' sound on their LP and film 'A Hard Days Night'. 

Roger McGuinn of The Byrds saw the movie and immediately bought a Rickenbacker 12-string.

Pete Townshend loved them. John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival also.

The music of The Hollies and The Searchers rang to the sound of the Rickenbacker too. 

The company was founded in 1931 by Adolf Rickenbacker, their electric guitars have a distinctive logo with a Soundhole 'slash' instead of the 'f-hole' and are famous for that signature 'jangle' sound. They enjoyed a renaissance in the 1980s with The Smiths, REM, Tom Petty's Heartbreakers, U2 and Smashing Pumpkins, to name just a few (and all favourites of mine). 

Here's a clever demo titled '20 Classic Rickenbacker Riffs & Licks' played by Joe George[s] >

 ... and so to today's Track:

 

I found this on an introduction to a YouTube video called "The Rickenbacker 12: A Short History, Featuring Jason Loughlin" - he says it's a little piece that's XTC meets The Byrds to underscore the intro. However he didn't name it, so I'm calling it 'Guitar Jangle' by Jason Loughlin > 

 

Hit replay ⏩ you know you want to !

T A Y L O R   H A W K I N S

So sad to hear the news at the weekend of the death of Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins. 

BBC R6 played this song in his memory. I share it here today. 

'Cold Day in the Sun' - written and sang by Taylor from the 'In Your Honor' album [the not so loud side]

R.I.P. (Rest in Beats) 

   

With the music of Sweden's Nayad leading me back in time to Japan's Kitaro I then found myself delving deeper into the music of France's electronic artists M83.

You maybe be familiar with their track 'Outro', which has been frequently used in a number of media, including commercials, movies, trailers and television shows.  

Taken from the 'Hurry Up, We're Dreaming' - Double LP from 2011 - and where there's an 'Outer' naturally there's and 'Intro' ! I'm looking at numerous videos, so spoilt for choice this week.

Here then is one pick called 'Splendor' (a real Star Track) - with other links of interest below. 

More music videos >>>

- 'Outro' music [skiing tricks] > link to 
- 'Outro' [more snowy mountains] 'The Art of Flight' > link 2

- 'Intro' [+Lyrics] Northern lights, wild fantastic video > link 3

  

   

Travelling back in time to a time of travel.

It began with 'The Silk Road: The Rise And Fall Of Civilizations'. I recall it being shown late night in the mid 1980s and the music was wonderful while the credits simply said by Kitaro. [That's all I knew - no internet or google in the 80s]. Then when I went to SE Asia suddenly there was cassettes in shop windows with this name on them. Clearly Kitaro, whoever he was, band or person, they were better known in this part of the world, so I bought up the cassettes and have been a huge fan of Masanori Takahashi (Kitaro) ever since.   

The 12-part tv series covers segments of the Silk Road within the People's Republic of China, It was first aired in Japan on 7 April 1980, with sequels being broadcast over a 10-year period. An 18-part second series was broadcast between April 1983 and September 1984, and shown in 38 countries in Asia and Europe. The popularity of the series launched the career of Kitaro who produced the theme and background music - which is almost spiritual ! 

Escorting the viewer on the ancient path travelled by Marco Polo, with evocatively named episodes like "In Search of the Kingdom of Lou-Lan", "Khotan - Oasis of Silk and Jade", "Through the Tian Shan Mountains by Rail" & "Where Horses Fly Like the Wind" the music made it quite a trip. My intro to his music is captured here, so you too can be transported. 

Just sit back, relax and imagine. 

Today's Star Track is a 'live' performance of 'Milky Way' by Kitaro ...begins quietly >

 

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). 

Here's a good example of the expression 'one thing leads to another'...

Having heard this Swedish duo on a television series accompanying music I went on to discovered other interesting psych/pop from Nayad. 

'Holy Lakes' is well worth a watch for the fascinating video alone [watch here]. While last summer, Nayad burst onto the Swedish music scene with their breakout Swedish-language single “Ingen vet” (which translates as 'Nobody Knows') > nice

This led me on to other electronic synthesizer artists (old and new) - via the ever helpful YouTube right-hand column of suggested other listening. More of the same to come ....

  

Nominated for 'Best Film' at this weekend's BAFTA awards and in 5 other categories, while also being in line for 7 Oscars - 'Belfast', written and directed by Kenneth Branagh, is a great film (or fillum).

Shot in nostalgic black and white it's a heartfelt story of turbulent times in Northern Ireland at the beginning of the troubles in 1969. With a 'back in time' soundtrack featuring the music of Van Morrison. From 'Down to Joy' to 'And the Healing Has Begun' they're not all from that time but lyrically contribute to the storytelling.

One song featured is however from 1968 and is probably one of the best 'Pop' songs ever. 

Originally recorded by Robert Knight, it reached No.13 in the US charts in 1967, but before its release here a cover version was rushed out in the UK. This version became a No.1 hit in January 1968 and personally I feel it has a bit more 'oomph' and it is this cover by Love Affair that is recreated in 'Belfast'. 

Steve Ellis sings 'Everlasting Love' - also in black & white >

Nice video > notice the blond dancer casting her spell over the boys [at the end]. 

   

   

This needs little introduction or explanation. 

Released in 1970. All these years later, the message has not changed. Edwin Starr and 'War' >

Says it all. 

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). 

HE wrote 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' in 1967 with Matthew Fisher and lyricist Keith Reid with a little help from J.S. Bach. The follow up single was 'Homburg' while albums 'Shine On Brightly', 'A Salty Dog' and 'Home' sold well, though interestingly often better in America than the UK. Band personal changes saw Fisher leave and Robin Trower come and go, leaving him the clear leader of the group. In 2003 he was awarded an OBE.

Gary Brooker, pianist and founder of Procol Harum sadly passed away last weekend.

One of my favourite tracks off the 'Home' LP has always been 'Your Own Choice'. I love the false start and piano playing and the lyrics, which end with the line 'Rest-in-peace hereafter' > Gary Brooker