Ralphadeus. Music movies comics feature in this look at life from Somerset.
Friday, October 09, 2026
Wargaming Normans
I had a Norman wargames army. I bought it off a friend so I didn't paint it. I think it was Essex. Sold it to Chris Scott. Nowadays it looks as if Victrix is worth investigating.
Tony Joe White Polk Salad Annie
The original. Polk Salad Annie - Wikipedia I love this song. Knew the Elvis version but this is the best.
Tony Joe White - Polk Salad Annie - 1 September 1969
Slab House Inn near Wells
I forgot the name of this pub Slab House Inn, West Horrington it was driving me mad - I dug out maps and all it said was PH. Then suddenly the name came to me about a month later. Closed now I went there a few times with Susan when I was working in Wells. Called the Slab House as during the Black Death food and drink was left on a slab there.
X RAY SPEX - Identity "Live Birmingham" (Revolver TV, Outtake #2) 7th August 1978
Great band. We saw them about this time.
Thursday, October 08, 2026
Boiled eggs
Sue likes these. Unusual to get white eggs here. We used to keep chickens. Bread is sourdough.
Ralph and Henry c1976
At my parents' house copying the Stupidity album cover pic. This line-up busked in Frome Town Centre. We soon got a bassist (Ivan) and a drummer (Bunse) who was very young (about 14 - me and Ivan were 16) but it never stopped us getting gigs in pubs. We never got stopped from drinking. I drank from about 14, in village pubs that didn't care.
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| Here we are in 1978. |
Stupidity Dr Feelgood 1976
Stupidity (Dr. Feelgood album) - Wikipedia
This came out September 1976. It got to number 1 without a single. It was probably their high point certainly of the Wilko period. I remember borrowing Henry of the Ba Detectives' copy as I was too poor to buy it for myself.
I Wanna Be Sedated The Ramones 1978
Our kids favourite Ramones song though they didn't know what sedated meant.
Road to Ruin (Ramones album) - Wikipedia
"I Wanna Be Sedated" was described by the author Brian J. Bowe as one of the band's "most classic" pieces of music. After a show in London, Joey told manager Linda Stein: "Put me in a wheelchair and get me on a plane before I go insane."[14] This quote would be the chorus to "I Wanna Be Sedated", whose lyrics invoke the stress which the band was under during touring. It is the most downloaded song from the catalog by The Ramones.[13]
My 1066 books
Some books I have acquired. One is a library book. I visited the Tapestry on a school trip in the 70s but the souvenir booklet was picked up by our daughter from Cheddar Car boot sale. I used to have spears and shields and kit that would have passed the test to take part in the reenactment this weekend but I am too old but I wish them well.
Screamin' Jay Hawkins - Alligator Wine (1957)
Halloween must-have. A big budget follow up to I Put a Spell on You but it flopped.
Screamin' Jay Hawkins - Wikipedia I actually met him in about 83.
Donovan - Season of the Witch - Live (Bouton Rouge, 1967)
Another song for Halloween playlists. Released 1966. Season of the Witch (song) - Wikipedia
In a retrospective song review for AllMusic, Lindsay Planer commented: "Few songs so perfectly reflect the dawn of the psychedelic pop era as aptly as Donovan's 'Season of the Witch' ... Both lyrically as well as musically, the languid and trippy contents project a dark foreboding atmosphere [and] a sort of sinister tale of paranoia and the paranormal".[8]
Mitchards the Butchers Radstock pics by Sue
Established 1913. Quality meat with famous faggots (see below). They source their meat from local farms.
Wednesday, October 07, 2026
Bob Dylan - "Don't Start Me Talkin'" and "Jokerman" (Late Night with David Letterman) 1984
Covering Sonny Boy. He knows a good song when he hears one.
Fattening Frogs For Snakes · Sonny Boy Williamson II 1957
Sonny Boy II was a genius songwriter. He simply took a few pencilled notes into the studio and improvised on the ideas.
James Cotton on Sonny Boy
James Cotton and Sonny Boy
'Crazy. He was crazy. Drink a lot of whiskey, had a pretty fast temper. He would fight right away, he'd cut 'cha. He'd get that knife open he'd sure cut 'cha. Crazy guy. But other than that, he was a good man, you know. He had a fast temper, liked to drink, liked to stay out all night long. That's where I get that from, I guess. I tell my wife all the time I'm a country boy. I like to stay out all night long. Me and him used to go playing, see that the other guys get home. There'd be times we'd ride around till daylight, wouldn't be doing nothing just ride around and talk, come home at daylight. He loved to stay out all night, loved to do that. I think that's where I got started on at that.'
Elvis Don't Be Cruel January 1957
Don't Be Cruel - Wikipedia A great Otis Blackwell composition. "Don't Be Cruel" went on to become Presley's biggest selling single recorded in 1956, with sales over six million by 1961.[1]
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - What Ever Happened To My Rock And Roll 2001
Our daughters won tickets from the NME to see this band about then. They enjoyed it
Adge Cutler and the Wurzels - Hark At 'Ee Jacko
Currently reading this biography. A lot about Nailsea in the old days. The song below celebrates the art of telling tall tales in the pub.
Tuesday, October 06, 2026
Haysi Fantayzee performing Shiny Shiny 1983
I used to like this band. I bought their singles which were good but the LP was a bit rubbish.
900TH ANNIVERSARY BATTLE OF HASTINGS RE-ENACTMENT
(15 Oct 1966) The annual re-enactment of the Battle of Hastings takes place at Battle Abbey, Hastings. The re-enactment battle is shown including a victorious William the Conqueror and a dead King Harold. This year is the 900th anniversay of the battle.
Van Morrison - Moondance (from..It's Too Late to Stop Now...Film) (Live) 1973
Neath the cover of October skies.
Monday, October 05, 2026
Amy Winehouse - You Know I'm No Good (Live at Other Voices, 2006)
Nearly 20 years since Back to Black came out. Back to Black - Wikipedia
" I Am A Cider Drinker" - The Wurzels ORIGINAL PROMO FILM 1976
Number 1 in August 24th 1976. Filmed aat the Blackhorse aka Kicker The cosy 14th century Somerset inn that was once the village 'lock up' | Somerset Live
Bygone Times
Antiques, Collectables & Vintage in Lancashire | Bygone Times
Barefoot in the Park ≣ 1967 ≣ Trailer
Barefoot in the Park (film) - Wikipedia I saw this on the tv a long time ago.
Sunday, October 04, 2026
Sony Walkman
Sue's Dad bought her one of these as soon as they came out in 1979. I had to go for an operation about then and it was really great. Ate batteries. Susan used to drop them off at the hospital. Cassettes outsold vinyl in 1983.
Sandie Shaw - Long Live Love - 1966
Susan was a big fan about then. Long Live Love (Chris Andrews song) - Wikipedia
Janis Joplin Mercedes Benz (1970)
Janis Joplin - Wikipedia Nearly a member of the 13th Floor Elevators. Mercedes Benz (song) - Wikipedia
Janis Joplin's Porsche
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| pic from Jake's Car World: Janis Joplin Custom Painted Porsche 356 Convertible |
A suggestion for diecasts of rock stars' car should include this one.
Elvis Costello - Mystery Dance 1978
Elvis Costello was on Sounds of the 70s Radio 2 promoting his new box set. Very insightful.
50 years ago I remember Henry of the Bad Detectives trying to get me into EC but I only liked fast music at the time so I resisted but I did like this one which was a B-side I think.
Ottillie Paterson - Where Has Poor Micky Gone? 1964
Here's the late great Ottillie Paterson singing "Where Has Poor micky Gone" the title sequence from the brilliant short movie of the same title circa 1964. Ottilie Patterson sings a very bluesy showstopper of a number backed by Chris Barber's band and Sonny Boy Williamson on harmonica.
Cable Street anniversary
Midsomer Norton had a Blackshirt march about then. They had their shirts on coat hangers as the law had come in banning them from wearing a uniform. I haven't been able to find much out about it.
Saturday, October 03, 2026
(1958) Sun ''Lovin' Up A Storm'' (1) (Chatter, FS, Take 4) Jerry Lee Lewis
Saturday night selection. A rocker.
The day our Dad was on the news
This is my Dad when he had his 15 minutes of fame. He was attending Blackpool Labour party conference and fascist Colin Jordan came in shouting about Rhodesia and gets given the bums rush by Dad. On the main news at the time. Our next door neighbours' phone got red hot as everybody rang up to say 'was that our John?'
Falco - Rock Me Amadeus 1985
Rock Me Amadeus - Wikipedia I loved this when it came out. Schlock but fun. Everyone was Amadeus crazy then.To date, the single is the only German language song to peak at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, which it did on 29 March 1986.[5]