Bow wow wow Louis Quatorze 1980

 Saturday Night selection. Thought I would choose something for Vivienne Westwood. She was involved in outfitting early Bow Wow Wow and very cool they looked too. Here is one with them kitted out. Enjoy!

Stroll out West Eddie Taylor 1957

 A Blues bopper I believe they call this kind of groove. I really like Eddie Taylor he was a great musician.

St Laurence's Church, Bradford-on-Avon

 I am not mad on churches but I do like this one - an Anglo-Saxon church at Bradford-on-Avon. From at least the 10th century it laid undiscovered, obscured by other buildings until the 19thc. Bradford-on-Avon is worth a day trip - the Tithe Barn is great too. 

The Colourfield - Thinking of You - Whistle Test c1985

 Susan has been enjoying this song recently 

Sultans of Ping FC Where's me jumper? 1991

 Mickey Bradley just played this indie classic. Presumably it is an intentional Fall pastiche?

Freddie King San-Ho-Zay Live

great film performance from the Texan guitar player. Wiki

Interview with Vivienne Westwood from 1978 on Irish tv

 interesting interview.

Bo Diddley on the Ed Sullivan show 1955

 Probably the best clip on Youtube. 

Happy birthday Bo Diddley

 This is very good and worth watching (20 or so minutes). I particularly liked  seeing them recording We're Gonna Get Married which is a song I love. Also shows records being made. There is a song I don't know called something like Look at that go-go which is cool. 

British forts in the age of Arthur.

 Just ordered this.

When the Romans left Britain around AD 410, the unconquered native peoples of modern Scotland, Ireland and Wales were presented with the opportunity to pillage what remained of Roman Britain. The Post-Roman Britons did their best to defend themselves by using fortifications. While some Roman forts were maintained, the Post-Roman Britons also created new strongholds, or re-occupied some of the hill-forts first built by their ancestors. The most famous warlord of the 'Dark Ages' was the legendary Arthur. His attempt to unite the Britons in the face of Saxon invaders was doomed, and in a little over two centuries the country had become Saxon England. However, for a few brief decades, 'Arthur of the Britons' did what he could to safeguard the culture and civilisation of Post-Roman Celtic Britain.

Suicide Ghost Rider 1977

 Their best one in my opinion. Here. Saw them supporting the Clash. Was a terrible experience. The crowd didn't like them. The singer carved a gouge in his cheek in an act of defiance. Shocking as we were right at the front which we usually were. Suicide band wiki

I made Nigel a Suicide t-shirt as you couldn't get things like that then. Done with fabric paint. 

Arthurian images by Richard Scollins

 Don't forget to join my Facebook group. These images are from the early 80s.

Happy birthday Geoff Norcott

 Animals & Men drummer. With me (on the right) at some event in about 82. Could be WOMAD. Geoff was in the Navy when he started playing with us. He was based at Weymouth and used to get most weekends off which he used to spend in Frome. It became a problem when he got posted to Gibraltar so he left. He had the dubious thrill of hearing our record on a forces radio show that John Peel used to do. 

1978 me and Nigel Susan and Tina in Geoff's car with sailor hats

Ron Goodwin and his Orchestra Murder at the Gallop 1963

 

Theme from the Miss Marple film of the same name. Listen here

The Pogues Dirty Old Town 1985

 Here. We used to like the Pogues. Never saw them live as that was a time when we had young kids.

Germinal (1993) trailer

 

One of our favourite mining movies is this one starring Gerard Depardieu. Here. It is about a strike and its consequences. Brilliant. I can't recommend this highly enough. Wiki

The Stars Look Down (1940)

 

We watched this classic movie about mining today. Movie here. It is my fantasy to have a season of mining movies in a film festival in Radstock. There are so many great films about mining. Wiki

Commandments of love Little Richard.1966

Little Richard did some great records in the 60s. This is one I like. Beautiful vocals. I notice it is written by Larry Williams. It's a b-side. 

Jimmy Rogers - Walking By Myself live on the Late Night Show 1994 plus interview

 Video of Jimmy Rogers on The Late Night Show 1994. Don't miss the interview at the end.

Jimmy Roger - Guitar/Vocals Madison Slim - Harmonica Jimmy D Lane - Guitar Piano Willie - Piano Bob Stroger - Bass Ted Harvey - Drums

Glastonbury Tor from the Air - Aerial View of an Ancient Landscape

 

Glastonbury in the 17th century

 Early sketch of Glastonbury area, showing the Tor in the background. Sketch by Wenceslaus Hollar (1607 - 1677). Zoomable image here

Arthur and the Anglo-Saxon wars

Last night whilst tipsy I started a Facebook group despite not really knowing much about the subject. Fb://group/717837069577437?ref=share

1958 Midsomer Norton carnival programme

 One of my presents. These ladies are from the surrounding villages.

Joy Division - Shadowplay - First TV Appearance 20th September 1978

 Some early Joy Division.

Joy Division at the Hope and Anchor 27/12/1978

 

We were at this gig. Susan me and Nigel House. Photos and reviews here. It was a sparse crowd as it was in the Christmas period. I wish we had chatted to them as they packed up as we sometimes did but we were a bit shy. Susan remembers Peter Hook's beard as being a bit of a problem. Kids eh? (I was 18).

Solid Gold Easy Action T Rex 1972

 

So above John and Yoko was this song by T Rex. Susan bought it. I only vaguely remember it. Number 2 was My Ding a Ling which I hated. Wiki

Happy Xmas (War is over) John and Yoko 1972

I bought this as an 12 year old in 1972. (It came out November 72 in the UK). Didn't get the picture sleeve but this image was on the centre of the record. I remember being disappointed it didn't get to number 1. (Number 1 50 years ago was Little Jimmy Osmond Long haired lover from Liverpool which made it worse). Wiki 

Tell me that you love me Fats Domino 1960

 I do love Fats and this is a really good one. He certainly could write some pretty tunes.

Ann-Margaret I Just Don't Understand 1961

 I really like this. Beatles covered  it. 

Runaways pinball

 Just saw this image on the WFMU site (yes we listen to it on Christmas day).

Blue Christmas Elvis 1957

 Here for a cool animation. Song wiki

The Marsh King C. Walter Hodges

 This is a good novel about King Alfred from about 1968. I will dig it out and scan the map which is interesting.

Tex Avery boxset

 Picked up this Tex Avery collection today. Love Tex Avery. 5 discs with 16 cartoons on each disc. French but the cartoons are not changed. 

Cardigans I need some fine wine 2005

I still like this song. I posted about it when I first started blogging and I still admire it. Wiki.

Ramones - Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight) (Official Music Video) 1989

 Here for a great Christmas song. Brain Drain album wiki

John Michell (writer) (9 February 1933 – 24 April 2009)

 A pioneer of the Earth Mysteries movement. 

Talking of books read by hippies I have to admit liking the work of John Michell. These are some of my favourites. Piece I wrote about him when he died here

I think this was the first book of his that we read

Travel advice

 

The Fall (We wish you) a protein Christmas 2003

 Here. I remember when I had this I had ordered it from my local record shop and I went in and they said "it's not in" and I then looked over and saw it sitting in the 45 rack! So much for ordering!

Merry Christmas

 From Susan and myself. Pic is Frome 1981

Diana Dors

 There is a great Diana Dors Facebook page "Diana Dors the legacy" here. She was from Swindon and once came to Radstock for a railway festival.

Frank Cosmo Merry Christmas 1963

 Just heard this early reggae tune on Gideon Coe. Nice chromatic harmonica.

Wedding Present Step into Christmas 1992

 

We have it on this album

This was a good record. Wedding Present wiki. Originally an Elton John/ Bernie Taupin song it was part of the band's year of singles. 

Mists of Avalon

 I have never read this novel but it was popular among my hippy neighbours when we lived at Whitelands. I think it's a female perspective of the Arthurian legend. Wiki

Santa Claus Sonny Boy Williamson (2)

 My baby went shoppin' yesterday

Said "I'm gonna buy what you need for Santa Claus"

have a great Yule! Thanks for dropping by

Otis Spann - Nobody Knows My Trouble and Cold Cold Feeling Denmark (Live video - 1968)

 Here for some good blues.

Winter solstice sunset at Stonehenge

 

Heart-o-matic love Bo Diddley

 Early Bo. 

Wedding anniversary

 The 21st is our wedding anniversary. 1981.

Jethro Tull Ring Out Solstice Bells BBC film 1976

 Not a Jethro Tull fan but this is good for today. 

Brenton Wood - Give Me Some Kind Of Sign (1968)

 Woke up with this in my head. Apologies for the Jimmy Saville bit. 

Apple Tree Shoscombe near Radstock

 Good range of cider and you can eat here too. Went here a lot when we lived in Whitelands as it's a pleasant walk or cycle from Radstock. 

The George Inn Norton St Philip

 Just a few miles from Tucker's is the George. A historic pub and no mistake. The Duke of Monmouth used this as his headquarters in 1685. Enough said. Sacred ground. You can stay there. Appears in many movies. 

Tuckers Grave Inn near Radstock

 Going to do a series on pubs worth visiting in the West Country. This is probably my favourite having a brilliant selection of cider. You can camp there and they often have live music. Webpage. It was originally a farm but has been a pub for 200 years or so. 

Lower Writhlington Radstock in the snow

The Jokers -Sabre Dance (nostalgic guitar instrumental tv performance Belgium)

 Pleasant 

Beyond Christmas aka Beyond Tomorrow 1940

 I watched this old Christmas movie today. Good. A little ghostly action in the mix too. So if you like old mildly supernatural old Christmas movies this is for you.

The Fun Boy Three Tunnel of love 1983

 

Here. Terry Hall RIP. Wiki. 

The Fall Hark the Herald Angels Sing

 Here. A Peel session from 1994.

Wulfheodenas

 To see more https://www.facebook.com/Wulfheodenas

Big Bill Broonzy 1957: 3 Songs

 Good footage The great country blues singer and guitarist Big Bill Broonzy performs "Worried Man Blues," "Hey, Hey" and "How You Want It Done." From the DVD "A Musical Journey: The Films of Pete, Toshi and Dan Seeger."

Anglo-Saxon helmets

 

Replica of the Sutton Hoo helmet

 From the wiki. 

  Unique in many respects, the Sutton Hoo helmet is nevertheless inextricably linked to its Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian contexts. It is one of only six known Anglo-Saxon helmets, along with those found at Benty Grange (1848), Coppergate (1982), Wollaston (1997), Shorwell (2004) and Staffordshire (2009),^[321] yet is closer in character to finds in Sweden at Vendel (1881–1883) and Valsgärde (1920s).^[343] At the same time, the helmet shares "consistent and intimate" parallels with those characterised in the Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf,^[344] and, like the Sutton Hoo ship-burial as a whole,^[345] has had a profound impact on modern understandings of the poem.^[346]

A reconstruction of a helmet found in the Staffordshire hoard, at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. Photograph: Aaron Chown/PA

Coppergate

Benty Grange helmet repro

Replica of the Shorwell helmet

Quite an in-depth article on the 'five' Anglo- Saxon helmets by the Thegns of Marcia here

Badon and the Early Wars for Wessex, circa 500 to 710

Sadly my library doesn't have this. Kindle version is less than a fiver.

Blurb

David Cooper's book reappraises the evidence regarding the early battles for Wessex territory. It charts the sequence of battles from the c. AD 500 siege of Badon Hill, in which the Britons defeated the first Saxon attempt to gain a foothold in Wessex territory, to Langport in 710, which consolidated King Ine's position and pushed the Britons westwards. Discussion of the post-Roman British and Germanic factions provides context and background to Badon Hill, which is then covered in detail and disentangled from Arthurian legend. In considering how the opposing commanders are likely to have planned their campaigns, enduring principles of military doctrine and tactics are discussed, using examples from other periods to illustrate how these principles applied in Dark Ages Britain. Going on to follow subsequent campaigns of the West Saxons in southern Britain, a credible assessment is made of how these resulted in the establishment of a viable Wessex kingdom, two centuries after Badon. Grounded in the latest academic and archaeological evidence, David Cooper offers a number of new insights and ideas.
 

The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse

 Trailer for Christmas animation on BBC and Iplayer. 

Tell Me Pretty Baby Lazy Lester 1958

 Lovely tune

Battle of Deorham 577

Deorham Saxons at Durham Hagunaz on flickr

 Another decisive battle fought near Bath is Deorham thought to be Dyrham.

Beatles Star Club recordings December 1962

The Beatles at the Star Club Hamburg December 1962. Demixed and remixed in super-wide full-dimensional full-frequency STEREO!!! Track Listing 00:00 1. Be Bop A Lula - Fred Fascher vocal 02:34 2. I Saw Her Standing There (Ver. 1) 05:24 3. Hallelujah I Love Her So - Horst Fascher vocal 07:33 4. Red Hot 09:00 5. Sheila 10:56 6. Kansas City 13:06 7. Shimmy Like Kate 15:24 8. Reminiscing 17:09 9. Red Sails In The Sunset 19:29 10. Sweet Little Sixteen 22:17 11. Roll Over Beethoven 24:39 12. A Taste Of Honey (Ver. 1) 27:11 13. Ain't Nothin' Shakin' 28:29 14. I Saw Her Standing There (Ver. 2) 31:23 15. To Know Her Is To Love Her 34:30 16. Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby 36:59 17. Till There Was You 39:17 18. Where Have You Been All My Life? 41:41 19. Lend Me Your Comb 43:34 20. Your Feet's Too Big 46:05 21. I'm Talking About You (Ver. 1) 48:06 22. A Taste Of Honey (Ver. 2) 49:57 23. Matchbox 52:41 24. Little Queenie 56:43 25. The Hippy Hippy Shake 58:26 26. A Taste Of Honey (Ver. 3) 1:00:24 27. I Remember You 1:01:50 28. Ask Me Why 1:04:14 29. Besame Mucho 1:07:03 30. Mr Moonlight 1:09:15 31. Falling In Love Again 1:11:29 32. I'm Going To Sit Right Down And Cry Over You 1:13:15 33. I'm Talking About You (Ver. 2) 1:15:26 34. Long Tall Sally 1:17:03 35. Twist And Shout