Going to keep it simple this week. Summer has made a more than welcome return - 'leave your cares behind' - 'Good Times' written by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards and performed by Chic live in Amsterdam in 2004.
Bernard Edwards: The DIVINE BASS line (as someone has called it) played here by Jerry Barnes, I believe, and Sylver Logan Sharp on lead vocals. Shake it !

All this looking back 50 years ago and memories of 1969. Here's a track that sounds like it's 50 years old but is a new recording.
JD Simo lives in Nashville but hails from Chicago. From his first solo album 'Off at 11', this track is called 'You Need Love' - complete with false ending and b/w video (who do you think it reminds you of....?)

This is the single version, here's the longer album take > www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRvNJ76lw_M

August 15, 16, 17 1969. 3 days of Peace & Music. Forever known as Woodstock.
Even though it took place at Max Yasgur's Farm near White Lake in Bethel some 43 miles from Woodstock, New York.
There followed in 1970 a 3 disc LP and a 185 minute movie. And a year later another 2 disc record was released. A Director's Cut film spanning 224 minutes came out in 1994. Both films take liberties with the timeline of the festival but do open with Richie Havens and close with Jimi Hendrix, which is actually what happened.
32 acts performed and 3 days into 3 or 4 hours was always going to leave a hellava lot out. For me it was how to pick one track for this Friday.
Not that I'm suggesting a British band sold the show, for fear of a chorus of calls in the name of Santana, Ritchie Havens, Crosby, Stills & Nash or Jimi, I just think this is great. Taken from the Director's Cut with split screen double image (best watched in Full Screen mode) it has better sound quality and presentation than the 1970 original film. Enough said. The Who 'See Me Feel Me'

A band missing from both film versions > Creedance Clearwater Revival   Did you know?

This doesn't happen too often on the FMS, but here's a brand new release.
Actually this single 'Youth' by Feeder has been out for a few months, but their new album 'Tallulah' is out today !
Summer's here. Paying homage to youth and days gone by and the perfect summer. Lyrics > 

      California here we come (California)
      Just when I thought those days had gone
      Still wishing we were young 

Feeder are not American but Welsh (who knew?) ...

Much like 'YouTube's: Up Next' ... continue listening

Also from the new LP, here's 'Fear of Flying' (love the middle part) > www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOHBh5NLfbY
then > 'Veins' (great video) > www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TE1NWuv6HQ
and  > 'Children of the Sun' > www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJ0yX3xpXk0

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). 

Any excuse will do... Forty years ago, this week, I was in Nova Scotia. Just the reason needed to post this routine from 'Riverdance'. Titled 'American Wake', that doesn't last beyond a minute before we are into 'The Nova Scotia Set' - wonderful

  
Composed by Bill Whelan

I recently heard this Michael Kiwanuka track as part of the BBC's Glastonbury highlights. Then I discovered an extended version on YouTube. And now I'm hearing it used in the Mercedes-Benz GLE - 'Long Run' tv advert. 
However his story is also interesting. He's the son of parents who escaped Uganda and the Amin regime, growing up in Muswell Hill, London. Studied at the University of Westminster. Became a session guitarist. Signed a record deal with Polydor in 2011 and has been nominated for various awards. His second solo album 'Love & Hate' was released in 2016 and reached No.1 in the UK albums chart. 
The track 'Cold Little Heart' is from that LP, but this is titled (Live Session Video) and has a long instrumental intro (not unlike 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond'). It's over 11 minutes long, so do as they do and have a cuppa tea first.... 

Sadly last week the great Johnny Clegg died. He was just 66.
Born in 1953 in Bacup, a small town near Manchester, England - at the age of 6 he moved to South Africa with his Rhodesian mother.
The Grammy-nominated singer, sometimes called the “White Zulu”, will live long for many:
“Johnny leaves deep footprints in the hearts of every person that considers himself or herself to be an African” Clegg’s manager, Roddy Quin said.
South Africa’s government paid tribute to Clegg’s achievements on Twitter, saying his music could “unite people across the races and bring them together as a community. Clegg has made an indelible mark in the music industry and the hearts of the people,”  they said.

The first I heard of him was the song "Scatterlings of Africa". A UK singles chart entry in 1983 with his band Juluka (an unusual musical partnership for the time in South Africa, with a white man (Clegg) and a black man (Sipho Mchunu) performing together. Just as unusually, the band's music combined Zulu, Celtic and rock elements, with both English and Zulu lyrics. Those lyrics often contained coded political messages and references to the battle against apartheid. "Scatterlings" was heard again in 1987 with a new band Savuka (containing dancer Dudu Zulu). This video is from that time. Thanks for the memory Johnny.

Further listening > (google: 'Utshani Obulele' - 'Devana' - 'Thamela' all from the 'One Life' album).

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). 

Space Week - Track 3:
Timeline > Apollo 11 Lands Back on Earth, July 24, 1969

Successfully back to Earth, time to rejoice and celebration. 
A track simply called 'Joy' by Apollo 100. A short lived studio based instrumental group fronted by Tom Parker and some well known session musicians in 1972. This track is a nearly note-for-note version of J.S. Bach's 'Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring' with a modern twist. Someone has put together a great video showing Apollo and the moon landings.
    

Space Week - Track 2:
Timeline July 19th > 

"On Saturday 19th 1969 they were in the moon's gravity and began orbiting in preparation for the landing of the lunar module"

This track isn't about space but does have a very trippy 'flying through space' video of our world. And a futuristic moog synthesizer solo ending. Full Screen recommended: [  ] for Emerson, Lake and Palmer - "From the Beginning" 

Timeline July 20th > "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed."

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). 

Space Week - Track 1:
On this day 50 years ago Apollo 11 (Columbia) launched from Cape Kennedy carrying Commander Neil Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin into an initial Earth-orbit in preparation for going to and landing a man on the moon.
The timeline that followed was:
> First Lunar Orbit. July 19.
> Eagle (LEM) Undocks From Columbia. July 20.
> Lunar Landing. July 20.
> First Man on the Moon. July 20, 1969.
> Eagle and Columbia Reconnect. July 21
> Apollo 11 Lands Back on Earth, July 24, 1969
I have deliberately not put any times down as it is very confusing when quoting them due to the time differences between UK and USA. (for example Armstrong's first steps - 9.56 pm EST (was actually 0256 GMT Monday morning in UK - see this link). So history books say July 20th 'First Man on the moon', but July 21st in UK !

Right, enough confusion, here's some lift-off music. Fairly obvious choice I know but I do have a couple more to cover the 8 days of this Apollo mission. Check back in on Friday and next week (24th).
1st: Remember the 21st Century begins in 1968 >>>

The brilliance of Stanley Kubrick and composed by Johann Strauss in 1866, 'The Blue Danube'.