As he would have looked during the time with Chess/Checker.
Ralphadeus. Music movies comics feature in this look at life from Somerset.
Friday, October 16, 2026
Sonny Boy Williamson II - Checkin' Up On My Baby 1960
In 1960, Sonny Boy Williamson II recorded "Checkin' Up on My Baby" as an uptempo Chicago blues shuffle that features his harmonica playing. Backing Williamson (vocal and harmonica) are Otis Spann (piano), Robert Lockwood Jr.and Luther Tucker (guitars), Fred Below (drums), and an bassist Willie Dixon. Despite its brief length (less than two minutes), the song has been identified as among "the most accomplished masterpieces of postwar blues".
Heinz (Telstar Cast) Just Like Eddie
Susan loves this song. This is from the movie about Joe Meek Telstar.
Watch it here Telstar- The Joe Meek Story (2008)
Gene Vincent Temptation Baby (1963)
From the film Live it Up! Our local label Western Star have been reissuing Joe Meek recordings which this one is. Joe Meek comes from Newent Gloucestershire and they have an annual shindig there for all the Meek fans.
The Popinjay Cavalier | Trailer
The Popinjay Cavalier - Wikipedia Our daughters are excited to see this. I hear tickets are going fast.
The Blues Brothers | Aretha Franklin Sings "Think" in 4K HDR
Been enjoying a book on the Blues Brothers and it reminds me what a classic it it.
Thursday, October 15, 2026
Its a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963) - Sylvester full dance
it's a mad, mad, mad, mad world dance - YouTube
.webp) |
| Barrie Chase and Dick Shawn |
According to an interview Barrie Chase gave during the 50th anniversary celebrations for "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World" (1963, she was in Sweden when her agent called and told her Stanley Kramer wanted to see her the next day about a part in a movie. She thought it was just an audition, but she flew back anyway. It turned out his wife had suggested he hire Barrie for the role so it was hers if she wanted it (she did). After the meeting she was walking down the Sunset Strip when she ran into an actor friend, and she told him she'd just gotten a part that was shooting the next day but she had no idea how to play the character. He read her script pages and he noticed the name was a Mrs. He asked her if the guy in the scene was her husband and she said no. It's easy then, he said, they are stoned. The next day Barrie told Kramer, who was directing as well as producing the picture, of her plan to play it as if she were stoned and he liked the idea. But this presented a problem - Barrie had never been stoned, and didn't know how to properly "toke a doobie" (watch closely the next time when she sits on the bed - she's not lighting a cigarette - it's a prop joint). A helpful member of the crew had to take her aside and give her a quick tutorial on the procedure. This was probably the first time such a thing appeared in a comedy movie, but since it wasn't common in 1963 society most people then, and still, missed it, but it accounts for Barrie's strange zoned-out look during the dance. Her interpretation also came in handy because it was the only way to keep a straight face while Dick Shawn (Sylvester) ricocheted around her and screamed in her ear. Oh, and the actor who had helped her "find" the character - that was Steve McQueen.
When Chase got the part she hadn't danced in a while and was carrying an extra, unwanted, ten pounds. They sent her to wardrobe and she was horrified to be given a choice of three bikinis. She chose the black fringed one for two reasons - she hoped the movement of the fringe would distract the audience, and the top was constructed in such a way that she was able to shove some of her extra flesh, as well as a few other items, into it to give herself more volume in the right places. (IMDb)
Henry Weston's Cloudy Vintage
Susan went to Shepton Mallet today - it's a pleasant bus ride and she brought me back this for a treat.
The Byrds - Wasn't Born To Follow (Easy Rider) (1969)
So I thought I would post my top ten soundtracks. The mvoies are all ones we enjoyed. In no particular order. Easy Rider (soundtrack) - Wikipedia
Pulp Fiction OST - 01 Pumpkin and Hunny Bunny-Misirlou
I liked this soundtrack. Susan reminded me of it.
The Beatles - I Am The Walrus (Official Video) 1967
Thought I would choose a Beatles soundtrack and so selected Magical Mystery Tour which we had on two 7inches in a gatefold sleeve. Magical Mystery Tour - Wikipedia
Barry Lyndon • Piano Trio in E-Flat • Franz Schubert
Barry Lyndon soundtrack is another in my top 10.
Un Homme et une Femme - Main Theme - Francis Lai 1966
The whole soundtrack is great. We used to cover this in Animals & Men.
Toussaint McCall - Nothing Takes The Place Of You - Hairspray (1988)
The Hairspray (1988) soundtrack was a firm favourite.
Gently Johnny Wicker Man
This is another top ten soundtrack album. The Wicker Man (soundtrack) - Wikipedia
Blues Brothers Soundtrack
Carrying on with my top ten soundtracks I thought of this one as I am reading a book about the Bluess Brothers story.
The Blues Brothers (film) - Wikipedia
Wednesday, October 14, 2026
Gato Barbieri - Last Tango In Paris (FULL OST) - 1973
In my top ten soundtracks. Gato Barbieri - Wikipedia
Johnny Kidd and the Pirates - Please Don`t Touch ( 1959 )
Sixty years ago this week we lost Johnny Kidd.
William the Conqueror ❄️| Full Action Movie
I haven't seen this. Dubbed. Might be OK. William the Conqueror (film) - Wikipedia
Sugar Pie DeSanto with "Rock Me Baby" from the American Folk Blues Festival 1964
With Hubert Sumlin guitar.
Magazine - The Light Pours Out Of Me 1978
Real Life (Magazine album) - Wikipedia This is probably my favourite Magazine moment. Saw them about then.
THE HIGSONS - I DON'T WANT TO LIVE WITH MONKEYS 1981
The Higsons - I Don't Want To Live With Monkeys - Romans In Britain Records - 1981
Susan loved this. Heard originally on John Peel. The Higsons - Wikipedia
The Damned at The Roxy, 1977, 70s London Punk
October 22 we will be celebrating 50 years of New Rose coming out on Stiff. Here is something to watch in the meantime.
Tuesday, October 13, 2026
Memories of Bristol book
Susan picked this up today. The swan image on the cover echoes a bit from Hot Fuzz - see below.
The Skids “Into the Valley” Top of the Pops, BBC, 1979
Their best song in my humble opinion. I remember dancing to this and it is impossible to dance to this without imitating singer Richard Jobson's leggy style of dancing. Into the Valley - Wikipedia
Kate Bush - The Sensual World 1989
The Sensual World (song) - Wikipedia
This song on a scratchy 45 is the only Kate Bush record we own. I like it. Susan doesn't like it much. Our son saw her live a few years ago. Some great folk luminaries play on this. See the wiki for the line-up
William The Conqueror (Ladybird History Series 561 ) Great Rulers by L. Du Garde Peach Publication date 1956
This was my first taste of 1066. Lovely artwork.
HOT FUZZ Filming Locations! Wells, Somerset in England.
Hot Fuzz - Wikipedia 2007. We know Wells very well. I used to work there.
Harrell "Young Rell" Davenport & Timo Haikarainen Blues Band - live at Maanalainen
The Blues Show featured this 19 year old bluesman. The Blues Show with Cerys Matthews - Harrell "Young Rell" Davenport - BBC Sounds
Monday, October 12, 2026
Sunday, October 11, 2026
Hastings 960 - a collosal paper recreation of Hastings 1066
James Mogsymakes says: Awesome day out with The Paperboys Page running the Battle of Hastings with 16,000 paper minis at Partizan Wargaming and History. Kudos to the 28 volunteers who snipped soldiers for the game and Peter Dennis for an entirely cardboard/paper hill, and cheers to our Midgard Heroic Battles veterans who turned up to make the game run smoothly. — with The Paperboys Page and 2 others at Newark Showground.'
Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee - Red River Blues [Colourised] 1946
This is a real rare one!!
This outtake is earlier and longer footage of Brownie and Sonny (as shown on the library of congress documentary). Although the black and white source footage had no audio the quality of the video was so good I had to have a go colourising it and I synced it to the 'live' version shown on the Library of Congress documentary released in 1968. You can find the original here: https://archive.org/details/gov.archives.a... (Brownie & Sonny are about 12minutes into this). Big thanks to the Rr R- Folk Music channel for finding and uploading the silent black & white outtake footage I used to colourise this, check out their excellent channel here: / @rrr-folkmusicchannelfocusi4476
Human League - Path of Least Resistance (live BBCtv 1979)
Susan likes this era Human League.
Top clip of the original line-up performing a song from the first album on some programme called "Mainstream". Repeated as part of the "Sounds of the Seventies" series, hence the daft bookending with Paul Darrow and Patrick Troughton.
The Black Cauldron - 1985 Theatrical Trailer (35mm 4K)
I picked this up recently on DVD. It's a good film. The Black Cauldron (film) - Wikipedia
The Cure Jumping Someone Else's Train 1979
Jumping Someone Else's Train - Wikipedia Just played on Sounds of the 70s. We bought the first threee or four Cure singles.
The music video shows a speeded up view from the driver's cab of a train journey from London Victoria to Brighton Station.[3]
960th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings.
new label 1066
(1066 - 2026)
Abbaye de Battle / County of Sussex / England.
Christian Duchemin 
Samsung S24 Ultra.
Fast Show The Very Best of Jazz Club
The Fast Show - Wikipedia We loved this show and this sketch series was hilarious.
Madonna Beautiful Stranger 1999
Beautiful Stranger - Wikipedia From the Austin Powers' movie The Spy Who Shagged Me.
Alfred The Great (1969) Trailer
Alfred the Great (film) - Wikipedia I saw this at the cinema as a child. The Vikings frightened me. I like this film though I don't own a DVD of it. Filmed in Ireland but set in Somerset and Wiltshire.
Saturday, October 10, 2026
Johnny Shines, Honeyboy Edwards & Walter Horton - 'Love of Mine' live 1969
This was part of a session held on Wednesday the 3rd September, 1969, at the Thunderbird Motel on South Shore Drive in Chicago. Johnny Shines called Big Walter in for the session, and Adelphi sent a taxi to pick him up from home and deliver him to the motel. Upon arrival, Horton apologized for his appearance. It seems he had been in a fight the night before and had just returned home from the emergency room when Shines called. The white stuff you see on his hand is medical tape.
The 101’ers, Joe Strummer - Keys To Your Heart (2026 Mix) [Official Audio]
The 101ers - Wikipedia Saturday Night Selection. There is a new box set of 101ers recordings.
- Adge Cutler & The Wurzels ' Back on the Farm' 1967
I enjoyed the book on him. Very good on the Bristol Jazz and subsequently folk scene that spawned the band. Scrumpy and Western music was a group of artists including people like Fred Wedlock, the Yetties, and the Pigsty Hill Light Orchestra to name but a few.
The Premiers Farmer John 1964
American Bandstand. August 01, 1964. First appearance by The Premieres on American Bandstand.
Dodge City Chronicles by Andrew Barnes
Dodge City Chronicles by Andrew Barnes — British Comic Crime Fiction
A friend recommended these books. They are set in Radstock and Norton in the 80s I believe.
“Boom Boom!” John Lee Hooker Brings The Blues | The Blues Brothers (1980)
Sue and I saw this at the cinema when it came out. Blues Unlimited magazine flagged and though I'd never heard of the concept considered it worth going to see it. In pre Youtube days you would go to the cinema to see two minutes of your musical heroes. It really took off on VHS.
Blues Brothers book
Today's charity shop purchase. Looks good fun.
The saga behind The Blues Brothers, as Daniel de Visé reveals, is epic, encompassing the colourful childhoods of Belushi and Aykroyd; the comedic revolution sparked by Harvard's Lampoon and Chicago's Second City; the birth and anecdote-rich, drug-filled early years of Saturday Night Live, where the Blues Brothers were born as an act amidst turmoil and rivalry; and, of course, the indelible behind-the-scenes narrative of how the film was made, scene by memorable scene. Based on original research and dozens of interviews probing the memories of principals from director John Landis and producer Bob Weiss to Aykroyd himself, The Blues Brothers illuminates an American masterpiece while vividly portraying the creative geniuses behind modern comedy.
THE LAIR OF THE WHITE WORM Trailer [1988]
*TONIGHT 10PM*
An archaeologist discovers a cult planning to resurrect a legendary snake monster with human sacrifice. Ken Russell's horror, with Amanda Donohoe, Hugh Grant and Peter Capaldi.
The Lair of the White Worm
Freeview 81 | Sky Q 182 | Freely 141 | Freesat 164
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