Whiling away a rainy afternoon with friends playing a game of 'Guess the song and artist' (first one to get it wins) would introduce a few new artists totally unknown to me. Notably David & David.
Their one and only album 'Boomtown' was released in 1986 and to listen to it now and read the comments like 'What an album "Boomtown" was & still remains' 'Quite possibly the greatest 1-hit (the entire album that is) wonders ever.' 'One of the most underrated albums of the 80s' etc etc., indicates its acclaim and affection if not its popularity and recognition.
David Baerwald and David Ricketts wrote all the songs and played most of the instruments on the album. This is 'Swallowed by the Cracks' - but check out the whole record on YouTube.

  

Touchdown in Houston, Texas, drive to Dallas and on to Little Rock. Then walking in Memphis. Stop off in Winchester (for Lynchburg, Jack Daniel’s distillery). Take in The Grand Ole Opry and Nashville, before finally rolling into Chattanooga (choo choo). Sounds like a Road Trip and it was... friends Jill and Andy supplied the itinerary, so all we need now is a soundtrack? And Andy supplied that too in the shape of The Highwaymen.
The four suspects in question and many of their songs, are very well known. Here Johnny Cash introduces fellow cohorts Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson supported by an excellent backing band. 
Written by Jim Webb 'Highwayman' sung by The Highwaymen, has each of the four verses sung by a different performer: first Nelson as the highwayman, then Kristofferson as the sailor, then Jennings as the dam builder, and finally Cash as the starship captain.

Alternative video version > www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFkcAH-m9W0

Search 'Highwaymen live at Las Vegas' for more.

Following the throaty vocals of Rod Stewart from last week, here's another British singer with a distinctive gritty raspy voice:-

Joe Cocker with the title track of his 1984 album 'Civilised Man'. This is a 'live' performance from the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1987.

Another 'Cup of Joe' ? >>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kp1NPcmnjk

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). 

Something not mainstream or a FRIDAY STAR TRACK but clearly off the wall and allowing me to be more self-indulgent than usual. ⏩

This track has been playing in my head ever since I first heard it nearly two weeks ago. Her music has been dubbed 'uncategorisable'. She is highly versatile. And as one person wrote "If you like music that's electrifying, challenging and sonically soars and ripples through your body — then crank this up. I was giddy for days". Me too...
This is Anna Meredith and 'The Vapours' from her 2016 debut album 'Varmints' > amazing video [Warning Flashing Lights] and if you reach the 4.30 minute mark*, the curtain literally comes down !!!

* A 'Bohemian Rhapsody' moment.

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