Thursday, August 31, 2023

Blame it on the Cider

 Picked up this book for 50p. Looks good. 


Wednesday, August 30, 2023

Ronnie Love Chills and Fever 1961

 Here. Heard on the Wednesday Night Rockin' Party. 

J. B. Hutto and his Hawks Chance Recordings

J.B. Hutto & His Hawks! L-R Johnnie Mae Dunson, Joe Custom, George Mayweather, J.B. Hutto. Photo from the Mike Rowe Collection.

Spotify playlist

From the wiki

Joseph Benjamin Hutto was born in Blackville, South Carolina, the fifth of seven children. His family moved to Augusta, Georgia, when he was three years old. His father, Calvin, was a preacher. Joseph and his three brothers and three sisters formed a gospel group, the Golden Crowns, singing in local churches. Calvin Hutto died in 1949, and the family relocated to Chicago.[2]

Hutto served as a draftee in the Korean War in the early 1950s, driving trucks in combat zones.[3]

In Chicago, Hutto took up the drums and played with Johnny Ferguson and his Twisters. He also played the piano before settling on the guitar and performing on the streets with the percussionist Eddie "Porkchop" Hines. They added Joe Custom on second guitar and started playing club gigs. The harmonica player Earring George Mayweather joined after sitting in with the band. Hutto named his band the Hawks, after the wind that blows in Chicago.[4] A recording session in 1954 resulted in the release of two singles by Chance Records. A second session later the same year, with the band supplemented by the pianist Johnny Jones, produced a third single.[5]


The Biba Experience

 Are you interested in the Biba story? Here is a great Facebook page on the subject. Lots of images from the 60s and 70s. 



Little Richard: I Am Everything - | Rock 'n' Roll Documentary | Watch Now

 Now available on digital

http://littlericharddocumentary.com/

Produced by Bungalow Media + Entertainment for CNN Films and HBO Max, in association with Rolling Stone Films, director Lisa Cortés’ Sundance opening night documentary LITTLE RICHARD: I AM EVERYTHING tells the story of the Black queer origins of rock n’ roll, exploding the whitewashed canon of American pop music to reveal the innovator – the originator – Richard Penniman. Through a wealth of archive and performance that brings us into Richard’s complicated inner world, the film unspools the icon’s life story with all its switchbacks and contradictions. In interviews with family, musicians, and cutting-edge Black and queer scholars, the film reveals how Richard created an art form for ultimate self-expression, yet what he gave to the world he was never able to give to himself. Throughout his life, Richard careened like a shiny cracked pinball between God, sex and rock n’ roll. The world tried to put him in a box, but Richard was an omni being who contained multitudes – he was unabashedly everything. Directed by Lisa Cortés, LITTLE RICHARD: I AM EVERYTHING is produced by Robert Friedman, Cortés, Liz Yale Marsh and Caryn Capotosto and Executive Produced by Dee Rees. Follow Little Richard: I Am Everything https://twitter.com/LittleRichDoc

Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Monday, August 28, 2023

Cleveland Pools set to reopen in Bath soon

 

https://www.clevelandpools.org.uk/

A lido founded in 1817 is set to reopen. News piece and photos here

Sunday, August 27, 2023

The Cream I Feel Free (1967) Beat club

 I think this is the best Cream song. Very nice.

Redwood Tree Van Morrison 1972

. Susan likes this song. We saw a lot of Redwoods when we toured the West Coast. Even went to a drive through tree.

1940s postcard. Geoff Hagins collection.


Saturday, August 26, 2023

The Contours First I Look at the Purse

 The Cortinas used to cover this.

Jim Dale Train Kept a Rollin

 We are sad to hear Rock'n'roll heaven radio show is coming to an end. Curses to the BBC. Anyway they just played this. Jim Dale is mostly known for his comedy roles in Carry On films but he was a pop star for a while. There was a Radstock skiffle group the Angels made up of colliers and they supported him at the Bristol Hippodrome. This clip is from the 1958 musical 6-5 Special.

Cannon's Jug Stompers Complete works 1927-30

 My favourite jug band. Noah Lewis on harmonica. Gus Cannon wiki. Illustrated discography here

Friday, August 25, 2023

Give a show projector

 Me and my sister had one of these. Battery operated they would project into the ceiling. Each strip was about 6 images long and were very condensed children's stories such as Tom Sawyer or the Wizard of Oz. I remember it being quite magical. 



Zoot Suit the High Numbers 1964


  Just heard this on the radio on Bernie Keith. Great. Wiki. Direct copy of Misery by the Dynamics but we.don't care. For all the Mods this Bank Holiday.

Can't Set Rules About Love Adam Ant 1990

 An Ant/Pirroni composition - a follow up to Room at the Top. I remember I was in Rival Records in Bath and they played this and I thought - 'I quite like this' and looked at who it was and it was Adam Ant! I have created a label on this blog Adam Ant so if you want fill yer boots

Tuesday, August 22, 2023

There'll Be A Day by Jimmy Reed from 'Mr. Luck'

 Pop Blues classic. Pop blues is a genre I made up. A lot of the blues on this blog are also pop. Jimmy Reed is the King of it..

Friday, August 18, 2023

Judy Street What 1968

 Just heard this on Mickey Bradley. Northern soul classic.Judy Street wiki.

This is the song covered by Soft Cell.

Drums Along the Mohawk

 

Susan and myself are listening to an audio version of this 1936 book Drums Along the Mohawk. Been wanting to read it for decades but you never see it in the U.K. It was a bestseller in the States. It is from a rebel perspective and I am more interested in the Loyalist and Indian side but it is so great to hear the novel. The good thing about audio is it's a shared experience - it's not me with my nose in a book its both of us listening and enjoying it. It is on a trial at Amazon audible. The other book is the novel set in a fictionalized Radstock called the Black Mountains by Janet Tanner.

Too Much of a Good Thing The Troggs

 


Here. Fantastic song by the Troggs. I have this box set of CDs which I got discounted. It was in an Our Price if you remember them. Well worth it but I guess people don't buy CDs but Spotify is poor for the Troggs only a couple of classic albums. The box set is two CDs of about 25 tracks each with a bonus disc of the legendary Troggs tapes.

Devo Mongoloid

 This weekend is all about Devo for our kids. Tribute band in Bristol this evening. Tomorrow London for Devo and a matinee for the tribute band. Video here

Saturday night by them


Thursday, August 17, 2023

Snooky Pryor Boogie Twist. 1963

 More Snooky Pryor cooking up a storm.

JOB Records 1963 B/W Uncle Sam Don't Take My Man

The Leather Boy Shadows 1967

 

This is a record by the Leather Boy, It's a great spooky bit of garage.  Early American Gothic rock.  Hear his hits I'm a Leather Boy and On the Go if you don't know them. 

Tuesday, August 15, 2023

Man about the House

 


Today 50 years ago was the debut of this successful situation comedy. Watch Season 1 Episode 1 here

Viva Viva Rock 'N' Roll · Chuck Berry 1971

 I have always liked this one. Thought it would be a good one to cover. 

The Hives What's in my bag?

 Short film where the Hives choose some records.

Monday, August 14, 2023

Bobby Braddock Gear bustin' sort of a feller 1967

 More trucking Country heard on Boss Radio 66. 

Sunday, August 13, 2023

Celia on the Hives insta

 At a signing at Rough Trade Bris. Got signatures from the band. 



Little Dave and the Sun Sessions

 Someone asked who our favourite band on the rocking scene were and we said this one. Very good. 


New Hives LP

 Our daughters are going to a signing at Bristol Rough Trade today. New LP is good.

Baby Boy Warren Hello Stranger 1953

 


Listen here. Sonny Boy Williamson on harmonica. Wiki

Saturday, August 12, 2023

Bolan's Shoes September 2023

 Bolan's Shoes takes us on a tumultuous journey from the height of T. Rex mania in 1970s Liverpool to the present-day poignancy of what would have been Marc Bolan's 75th birthday. It captures the heady exhilaration of glam rock mania through the experiences of a group of over-excited kids from a local children's home before a devastating road accident changes their lives forever.

Roy Brown Saturday night 1957

 Saturday Night 🌙selection. Just heard  on Bernie Keith's Rock and Roll heaven on the radio. Susan looked up and said "this is good". Roy Brown wiki

Wednesday, August 09, 2023

Rockin' Bones Ronnie Dawson

 Clip of this rockabilly classic 

Stanton Drew by William Stukeley 1723

 300 years give or take a fortnight since Antiquarian Stukeley visited and drew Stanton Drew.


Nowadays

Daughter Celia communing with the stones

The Cove at Stanton Drew by William Stukeley

 This is now in the beer garden at the pub the Druids arms. 




Avebury. This reconstruction by Alan Sorrell.

 We used to go to stone circles a lot in the early 90s. Avebury was a favourite and fairly nearby. Stanton Drew is probably our nearest stone circle. We visited a lot in Ireland too.


Lee Cooper Advert 1978

 Music by Tubeway army I think

Jimmy Reed Mr. Luck the complete Vee-Jay singles

 This is a fine compilation. A commercially successful and influential blues man. These songs are in chronological order so you can hear how he develops his style. 

Tuesday, August 08, 2023

T. Rex New York City 1975

 This is a song that's not too bad but the clip is pretty terrible but we still love it.

Canned Heat - Canned Heat - Bullfrog Blues 1967

 Well did you ever wake up

with them Bullfrogs on your mind?
Frogs yes Bullfrogs No

Fattening frogs for snakes Sonny Boy Williamson 1957

 To celebrate my new amphibian label here's a few reptile/amphibian songs. This one is just brilliant. Shows you that Sonny Boy was a great songwriter one of the best of America. 

Invicta plastics Natural History Museum dinosaurs

 Not my photo. We had this collection. Started collecting them before we had children. We picked them up when we went to the Museum in London. First one we had was the mammoth. I think they are collected nowadays. There was an offer with Weetabix cereal for a set and we bought two sets. Our grandson is into dinosaurs and so it all comes back.


Photo by Susan - a common frog


 Note new label - amphibians. I have included lizards and slow worms in this label. I know they are not amphibians.

Schleich Mustelids

 We as a family like toys. My eldest works in toy retail. These are models in our collection. The ferret was discontinued as a choking hazard but we managed to grab a couple. The other - a Wolverine is unavailable I think. The ferret one was repainted by Celia to look like a polecat type. Schleich website

Wolverine
Ferret with paint job.

Incidentally I have made a new label Toys which should link you to other toy pages on here

The Irma Thomas Collection 1961-1966

 



Got some solid gold songs on this. 'The Soul Queen of New Orleans' she is known as. By the age of 19 she had been married twice and had four children. Wiki

Roy C. Shotgun Wedding 1966

 Here. Reissued in 1972 it became a bit in the U.K.  I have a memory of sitting in the school playing field with someone having a portable radio and this coming on. Roy C wiki

When Coal was king. New radio show on Somer valley FM

 Thursday 7-8pm. Show is also available on the website afterwards. Details here

Sunday, August 06, 2023

Animals and Men write up in Venue Magazine

 This was today in this Bristol What's on mag (which is no longer going) in 2009 for our gig at the Fleece. Hope you can read it.


Van Morrison - Wavelength - 2/1/1979 - Belfast (OFFICIAL)

 Starts slowly then revs up. Very good version. I wasn't liking this in 79 I got into it much later. My brother leant me the VHS Van Morrison in Ireland which this is from. To my shame I never gave it back. 

Saturday, August 05, 2023

British Newts - an identification guide

 Article here on the amphibian. I am a big newt fan.

1955

 One of my friends had one of these in the 70s.


Mickey Lee Lane Shaggy dog American Bandstand. 1964

 Great song and clip. Saturday  night selection. I understand that it was popular with Mods and Rockers.

Friday, August 04, 2023

Fall Fan Club

 In the 90s I used to be in the Fall fan club. It wasn't a regular fan club but you got the opportunity to buy merch and this I did. Susan also had a great Infotainment scan t-shirt but I can't find a pic of that and I also had a heat sensitive t-shirt but no photo. 




Code: Selfish The Fall 1992


 For Fall Friday. One of my favourite Fall albums. I saw them at Glastonbury when they were promoting this album. Was great. Watch it on YouTube here. Our kids saw them so it was probably their first gig. Wiki

Thursday, August 03, 2023

Warm Love - Van Morrison- Rainbow Theatre- London- UK July 1973

  Just fancied a bit of Van. This is about 50 years ago. Off Hard Nose the Highway.

American Graffiti 1973

 50 years ago. Wiki. Was a big successful movie if I remember rightly. The soundtrack was popular too as it was an early case of a pop soundtrack. Trailer


Wednesday, August 02, 2023

Ten Pole Tudor Who killed Bambi? 1980

 We had venison for tea today which made us remember this song from the Great Rock'n'roll Swindle. . Terrible film but this is to my mind the best bit.

Red Simpson Roll Truck Roll 1966

 Just heard on Boss Radio 66. Very good if you like trucking songs. 

Red Simpson wiki

Tuesday, August 01, 2023

Billy Boy Arnold & The Aces - She Fooled Me (1978)

 A Chicago who should have been in the Blues Brothers is Billy Boy Arnold.