This coming Tuesday is the Mexican Day of the Dead - "Dia de los muertos".

In some way this has been, for me, the 'Year of the DEAD' - as in the Grateful Dead. Back in January I discovered a lot of music from the Jerry Garcia Band [see January 21st blog], and since then more great music has come to light. 

Starting with 'If I Had the World to Give' from the band's tenth album 'Shakedown Street' released in 1978 - it's very Beatles-ish I think you'll agree. 

So now I consider myself a 'Deadhead' - which is what all fans (and there are many famous people who are - Matt Groening of Simpsons fame for one) call themselves >

Coming this Tuesday - please log on for more Grateful Dead from the 'Europe 72' album. There's a real psychedelic video from YouTube to also blow your mind.

   

Today's Star Track is prompted by two thoughts.  

Our, soon to be, new local watering hole (more on that coming soon) has a gallery of old black and white photos on display, one being of a very young Mike Bloomfield, then guitarist with The Paul Butterfield Blues Band. 

While the title of this particular track off the band's 1965 debut album seemed a good one for the lucrative world of the property market.  

"Shake Your Money Maker" was written by Elmore James in 1961 and is included in the list of 500 songs that shaped Rock and Roll. Covered here by Paul Butterfield (harmonica and vocals), Mike Bloomfield (lead guitar), Elvin Bishop (rhythm), Jerome Arnold (bass), Sam Ley (drums) & Mark Naftalin (organ) - The Paul Butterfield Blues Band > 

Check out other tracks from this album - especially 'Last Night' written by Little Walter.

Plus a 'live' recording from Monterey in 1967 - 'Drifin'Blues' > 

With Mike Bloomfield talking to camera as an introduction - click here  

  

Perhaps one of the lesser-known 'Brit Pop' bands are Elastica.

Formed when Justine Frischmann (lead singer) and Justin Welsh (drums) left the band Suede in 1992. This is their most successful single, released in February 1995, called 'Waking Up' - 

"Make a cup of tea, put a record on... "

Having listened to this you may think the song's riff sounded like The Stranglers 'No More Heroes', well so did The Stranglers ! Whose publishers took out a lawsuit, which was settled out of court after Elastica agreed to co-credit the band. So along with Frischmann, the members of The Stranglers are listed as songwriters. 

Interestingly "JJ" Burnel of The Stranglers said "Yes, it sounds like us, but so what? It's the first thing our publishers have done for us in 20 years, but if it had been up to me, I wouldn't have bothered."

Follow this:- 

with a track in a similar vein, released just a few weeks later in 1995, more morning upbeat happiness - the Boo Radleys and 'Wake Up Boo!' - [click now] 

   

The first James Bond movie 'Dr. No' had its World premiere at the London Pavilion on 5th October 1962, expanding to the rest of the United Kingdom days later. Then over the following months it played around Europe. While the North American premiere wasn't until 8th May 1963.

All this means, 60 years ago this week, we heard the 'James Bond Theme' for the very first time !

"Now, pay attention 007"

Many typical Bond film images were established in this first film. It begins with an introduction to the character through the view of a gun barrel as the main title sequence begins. It introduced the now famous theme music composed by Monty Norman. John Barry, who would later go on to compose the music for eleven Bond films, arranged the theme but was uncredited - except for the credit of his orchestra playing the final piece. The famous guitar riff was played by Vic Flick, as a member of the John Barry Orchestra. 

Every year the 5th of October is observed as "Global James Bond Day".

Sadly, Monty Norman passed away in July this year.

More Bond Music > [click here] 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' music by John Barry. These opening titles feature a reminder of the Bond films prior to 1969. 

Interesting Double 'O' Facts:

1)  Chris Blackwell (Island Records) was a location scout and production assistant on Dr. No. 

2)  The brilliant 007 logo with the added gun barrel plus the trigger at the end of the '007' made its first appearance in the US poster for Dr. No. 

  

-   R   E   V   I   S   I   T   E   D   -

30th September 1972

[Click this link]

Sitting in a favourite pub in St. Leonards on Sea just the other month ('The Tower' or "proper boozer"), a track came on their well-stocked jukebox that immediately took me back a number of years. Hence the revisit invite above. 

Accompanying a pint of IPA ('Life & Death' from the Vocation Brewery), which was going down rather well, the unmistakable slow building intro to 'The King Will Come' by Wishbone Ash could be heard.

Therefore the 50th anniversary of their album 'Argus' is celebrated today. Side Two, track one > 

There are plenty of 'live' videos - but I've gone with the original album version recording. 

  

The Old Grey Whistle Test - part two - as promised... Is of a performance that went out in March 1973 and involves one of my favourite songs.

I've long been a fan of today's artist but I confess I was slow to get into John Martyn. I even had his 'Solid Air' album to review in 1973 yet somehow it didn't register. Three years later I rediscovered him, as it were, and I was hooked. 

My favourite memory was seeing him at the Half Moon pub in Putney performing 'May You Never'. The audience were almost unconsciously singing along, when sudden John stopped singing himself, and with a huge smile on his face he watched the crowd continue without him. Great moment.   

Early days of the OGWT conjure memories of a fluctuating start time, I think once it even missed midnight and so became the first Wednesday show. While the studio was only 32 by 22 feet, and due to the lack of technology that accommodated live performances, bands often mimed to a back track. No mining here, just John Martyn singing 'May You Never' >

Did you? John Martyn was born in New Malden, Surrey. Grew up in Glasgow and lived in 1975 in Hastings

  

Much like all the rescheduling by TV channels since the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II - there is a change to the advertised programme for this week's Music Spot. (The OGWT - Part 2 - will return soon).

Seeing all the various tributes and newsreel footage of her reign I heard a piece of music I recognised and it seems that Handel's 'Zadok the Priest' written in 1727 for the Coronation of George III has been played at all coronations since, including the Queen's in 1953. 

Some of you will also recognise it as Tony Britten rearranged 'Zadok the Priest' in 1992 as the basis for the UEFA Champions League anthem. 

    

  

This coming Monday marks 50 years since Bob Harris first appeared on the 'Old Grey Whistle Test' on the Beeb.

He is probably the presenter most associated with the show. Launched on 21st September 1971 'The Old Grey Whistle Test' was the BBC's main outlet for non-chart music and went out late Tuesday nights. A brief history being Richard Williams presented that first season. Bob Harris was in the chair from 1972 to 1979 when Anne Nightingale took over. In 1983 it was renamed the 'Whistle Test' and various presenters were used during the 1980s until the show came off the air in 1988. 

Series Two with 'Whispering Bob' also came with a new theme, with the 'Star Kicker' visuals to Area Code 615 "Stone Fox Chase" music. [here].

Bob's first show on 12th Sept 1972 featured Frampton's Camel and John Prine. There's a fan website listing all the artists who appeared week by week, if you fancy a who's who of the show click here [link] 

We have featured some OGWT clips from YouTube on the Friday Music Spot over the years, here's another from October 1973, this is some virtuoso 12 string guitar playing from Leo Kottke with a track called 'The Driving of the Year Nail'.

We catch a brief glimpse of Whispering Bob (once called a broadcaster "laid-back to the point of narcolepsy") at the very start of this clip.

If you liked that Leo Kottke's full performance is recorded here as 'The Driving of the Year Nail' is followed by a piece called 'Stealing'. Click On ➤ 

As a result of this week's blog and the knowledge from all the research, the next few weeks may have a distinct 'Old Grey' 70s feel about them. He whispered 😏  

  

Time for some New music, that sounds like old music... 

I occasionally get email-outs from 'LOOSE Records', an independent company who I have bought CDs from in the past. They have a roster of up and coming artists and The Hanging Stars have caught my attention on a few occasions.   

They have been described as "Blending folk pastoralism with swampy 60s Americana, The Hanging Stars sound like the missing link between the California desert sun and the grey skies of London Town".

"Their new album 'Hollow Heart' cements their repute as masters of captivating blissful psychedelic folk and harmony-laden cosmic country" - says one review.

See what you make of this track 'Black Light Night', the playout sounds like Ultrasound on 'Floodlit World' while the black and white video features a VW camper (model not unlike my old van). Summer easing into September > 

Another track off the album. This is 'I Don't Want To Feel So Bad Anymore' >click The Hanging Stars   

Filmed in May 2022 at LePub, Newport, Wales. Jangle guitar, harmonies, great pedal steel, very west coast. 

 

An occasional music spot - remembering places around the World

Another place memory that features a bar on the Costa Brava in Spain. 

The story begins in 1972 when a crowd of us went to Lloret de mar for a two-week holiday at the end of August. In 1975 we were back again and discovered this bar midway between the two main beach areas. It was a hike along a sea cliff path but never busy mid-afternoon, so much so we often had the deck to ourselves and would refer to 'Cala Banys' as 'The Club'. A perfect spot to drink and listen to the music they played, often at our request, in such surroundings.  

This Moody Blues track will always remind me of those times. 'New Horizons' [out to sea] >

From the album 'Seventh Sojourn' which was actually released in 1972, a few months after our very first Lloret holiday.

Suntan and San Miguels (same again) at our club 'Cala Banys' - 1975
(left to right): D. Clack, G. Moorhouse, B. Pocock, J. Dodd (sitting), A. Robertson & J. Chick. 

Cheers