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Sunday 31 May 2020

Sounds Familiar?


As  the Americana Highways website asks "did George Jones come back from the dead?"

Seems Like Tears Ago is a 2019 album by  Jason James as opposed to Jason Jones
James is a Texas born former punk rocker who grew up with traditional country, living in Texas, so I guess it was something that was ingrained in me.(Billboard)

Some retro Jonesesque ballads and honky tonking to ease you into Sunday morning

Jason James - Seems Like Tears Ago

Jason James - We're Gonna Honky Tonk Tonight


Saturday 30 May 2020

50 Americana Albums You Should Hear Before You Die - Downtown, Saturday


From 1999 on the great German Glitterhouse label (and Undertow in the US) Downtown, Saturday is the second of the four albums by St Louis band Nadine.
Their other albums were Back to My Senses (1997, Glitterhouse /Undertow), Lit Up From the Inside (2000 , Glitterhouse /Undertow) and Strange Seasons (2003,Trampolene). All but the last one grace the shelves.

Coincidentally, they received a mention in last weeks instalment featuring Hazeldine when I mentioned that I saw them play in Helnsburgh. They were the second and last band that I have seen in Helensburgh. I've just noticed that inexplicably the first band I ever saw in Helensburgh do not feature in this series. That may be rectified later on in the series with a potentially controversial substitution.
The late bass player Ann Tkach who also played with Hazeldine was part of the band on the night  I saw thembut did not appear on Downtime, Saturday but did so on Lit Up From the Inside.

The personnel were Adam  Reichman (vocals/guitar),Steve Rauner (guitar/organ) and Todd Schitzer (bass/drums).
We got chatting to Adam who was a lovely fella and who, I'm guessing, was heavily influenced by Neil Young as these songs would suggest.

Nadine - Closer

Nadine - So That I Don't Miss You

Friday 29 May 2020

Late Jumping on the Bandwagonesque



I was criminally well into the blog before I posted anything by Bellshill's finest Teenage Fanclub. I've tried to make up for that but there is still plenty out there for me to delight you with in due course.
A song or two from 1991's Bandwagonesque album has popped up here or there but this is the first time that the album has enjoyed a post in it's own right. Not before time I hear you cry.

I can't remember whether it was this one or Grand Prix which was the first of theirs I bought proving that once more I was pretty late to the party.
Voted album of the year in 1991 by US magazine Spin beating Nirvana's Nevermind to top slot, and rightly so.
And yet it is not my favourite of theirs but it does come a close second to Songs of Northern Britain.

Norman Blake, Gerard Love, Raymond McGinley and Brendan O'Hare wear their influences proudly on their sleeves most notably the Beach Boys style harmonies and the songs of Big Star.
They have also influenced countless others. particularly from Scotland. In a previous post I suggested Whiteout, Attic Lights and Vera Cruise who are all on the shelves. I'm sure there are countless others.

A seminal record and a seminal band.An album you would buy for the cover alone
Sunny day music


Teenage Fanclub - The Concept

Teenage Fanclub - Star Sign

Thursday 28 May 2020

Hard Times




I was a bit stuck for inspiration for today's post when Hard Times Come Again No More popped up on the i-Pod.
Problem solved and it was off to the hard drive to see what other songs I have which reference hard times.
I was sorely tempted to include Fell on Hard Times by Neal Casal but it featured on my 50 Americana albums series earlier in the month.
Still Gillian Welch, as I am sure you will agree, is a more than able substitute.
There were a couple more but I opted for Hard Times Ahead by Janis Martin.I'm not sure how or where I acquired it but it is from 1960 and  from an album called The Female Elvis:Complete Recordings 1956 -1960. So called I imagine as she was that rare thing , a female Rockabilly artist.


Gillian Welch - Hard Times

Janis Martin - Hard Times Ahead

The Chieftains with Paolo Nutini - Hard Times Come Again No More

Wednesday 27 May 2020

Covers 20. Dionne Warwick does The Beatles



George writes:
The idea for this series came from Ernie at 27Leggies. He posted a country version of today’s song. As for today’s version it appears that Whitney Houston’s cousin wanted a change in musical style, from delivering Bacharach-David songs to something more southern soul-like. Not that there’s much wrong with her earlier material. But sometimes people need a change. The “Soulful” album was produced by Chips Moman, who knows a thing or two about matters soul-related. (indeed ... Ed)




Ms Warwick also covers Hey Jude, but it’s a bit pallid compared to Wilson Pickett’s version. And not as endearing as Nana Mouskouri’s version. Ms Mouskouri is six years older than Ms Warwick.


Time for a completely preposterous version. Ever heard A Hard Day’s Night covered in the style of Iron Maiden?  Well, I hope the file below allows you to watch a video:



If that does not work, here’s the original youtube video: scroll exactly 3 minutes into the clip and you will hear “Portugal Metal Gods” Tarantula  performing:







That’s all. Another one next week.

CC writes : CCM - THE place for Portuguese Metal Gods

Tuesday 26 May 2020

Pin a Rose on Me


I've been trying to work out whether Pin a Rose on Me is a Chuck Prophet song covered by Kim Richey or a Kim Richey song covered by Chuck Prophet.
I've seen them both doing it live recently and was still none the wiser.

Fortunately t'Internet has done it's magic.It is a song by Chuck  first recorded on his 2004 album Age of Miracles.
Kim covers it on her 2018 album Edgelands, where it is titled as just  Pin a Rose,  although her version first crossed my radar on the Yep Roc sampler Essentials of Americana 2018.

Glad we go that sorted.

Chuck Prophet -Pin a Rose On Me

Kim Richey - Pin a Rose

Monday 25 May 2020

Heaven or Hell 5


Well that was an interesting contest last week.I fully expected a unanimous win for the Pixies but the Triffids quickly notched up a very impressive lead. They were 7-2 ahead at one stage before being pegged back to 7-5.
We're still all going to Hell folks. Even the Pixies can't get us into Heaven

This week we have a contribution from our dear friend Ernie Goggins
Ernie got in touch to suggest putting Highway to Heaven by Detroit Soul group The Dramatics up against AC/DC and Highway to Hell.
We had a chat and agreed that it might be more interesting to pitch them against Red Star Belgrade who's cover version appears on the  Down to the Promised Land - 5 Years of Bloodshot Records compilation

As the sign says: Heaven or Hell the choice is yours

The Dramatics - Highway to Heaven

Red Star Belgrade - Highway to Hell

Sunday 24 May 2020

Alive and Kicking


As far as I am aware none of my musical heroes has passed on during the last week which makes a pleasant change.
I feel that this represents an opportunity to celebrate with some songs which are very much alive.

Simple Minds -Alive and Kicking

The Golden Polominos - Alive and Living Now

999 - I'm Alive

The Mooney Suzuki - Alive and Amplified

Saturday 23 May 2020

50 Americana Albums You Should Hear Before You Die - Digging You Up


Named after a street in their home town of Alburquerque  Hazeldine released four albums from 1997 to 2002.
Digging You Up was their second from 1998 and their only one on a major label namely Polydor .It came hot on the heels of their  1997 debut How Bees Are on Glitterhouse and given their close proximity four tracks are duplicated.
Their other two albums were Orphans (1998 E-Squared) and Double Back (2001 Glitterhouse in Europe and Okra Tone in the US).
Yet another example of  an Americana band who made their breakthrough and enjoyed more success on this side of the pond.
Hazeldine were Shawn Barton (vocals, guitar),Tonya Lamn (guitar,vocals), Jeffrey Richards (guitar,banjo,drums) and Anne Tkach(bass). Sadly Anne Tkach died in a house fire in April 2015 at the age of just 48.  I saw her playing with the band  Nadine at a gig in Helensburgh.
Their music has been described as  a mix of blistering rock, windswept country, and desert romance. For me there is also a dark Gothic feel to their songs.


I have to take Allmusic to task for only giving this album 4 out of 10. They are plainly wrong there as these two tracks ably demonstrate.
I eagerly await Spence's comment!





Friday 22 May 2020

I've Heard the Rumours


My recent More Pub Rock Favourites Covered post included a cover of Local Girls a song by Graham Parker and the Rumour.
At the time George commented that he had nothing by them which was a shocking omission on his part. In fairness it was something that he quickly rectified and by way of penance he pushed two I don't have 1979's Squeezing Out the Sparks and Struck by Lightning a solo album from 1991 in my direction.
Their first three albums  Howlin' Wind (1976), Heat Treatment (1976) and Stick to Me (1977) are must haves given that the band were on fire at the time.
Parker at the time was often compared to Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson.Sadly he was never as commercially successful as either of them. Sometimes life just ain't fair.

If you are not familiar with them you should obviously rectify that at the earliest opportunity
1980's Best of  available for buttons on Discogs is a good place to start. 14 tracks and everyone a belter

Graham Parker & the Rumour - Local Girls

Graham Parker & the Rumour - You Can't Be Too Strong

Graham Parker - She Wants So Many Things

Thursday 21 May 2020

Who Will Love Aladdin Sane?


Last week in a The Day Today series Jez featured Drive -In Saturday by David Bowie.
This led me to comment that it was a brilliant and often overlooked song.Overlooked probably because Bowie was churning out quality song after quality song at the time.

Jez' post also led me to dusting down 1973's  Aladdin Sane and giving it it's first listen in quite a  while.
Whereas Hunky Dory remains my all time favourite Bowie album there is no denying that Aladdin Sane is also a cracker.
There are few, if any, artists who have produced three records in a row as good as Hunky Dory, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars and Aladdin Sane.

Aladdin Sane also has the greatest album cover of all time.

Here are another two brilliant and often overlooked sings from the album.
Thanks Jez

David Bowie - Panic in Detroit

David Bowie - Cracked Actor



Wednesday 20 May 2020

Covers 19. Boris Besedin does Deep Purple

Can you guess what it is yet? .... Ed



Country music this week. And it’s a Russian country cover. Again. This time by Boris Besedin. This is great, enjoy:




There might be more Russian country covers in the coming weeks (Haud me back ...... Ed). The two posted so far are splendid (allegedly .... Ed)


Now, hands up all those who want to see two female flautists, two backing singers, a bloke on acoustic guitar, a bass guitarist and two percussionists, from Brazil………….



Another one next week

(Haud me back once more ...... Ed)

Tuesday 19 May 2020

The A Word


The A Word is back on the BBC with a new series. Whereas it can be a bit cliched at times it covers subjects such as Autism and Learning Disabilities which other comedy dramas tend to shy away from. Plus young Joe listens to some terrific 70's punk soundtracks.

I now longer have a CD player in the car and therefore I have a USB stick which I use to listen to music in addition to the radio. Whenever I plug it in it goes to the first download in numerical/alphabetical order which is New West Records 2018 New Releases Sampler

For some reason it plays the tracks alphabetically as opposed to the order they are on the sampler so the first thing I hear everytime I plug it in is the first few bars of  Heart Slows Down by Aaron Lee Tasjan while I select what I want to play
In the spirit of The A Word here are the A songs

Aaron Lee Tasjan - Heart Slows Down

All Them Witches - Diamond

American Aquarium - The World Is On Fire

Monday 18 May 2020

Heaven or Hell 4


Initially I thought that we had another whitewash on our hands last week as the Gang of Four romped ahead of the Psychedelic Furs. They still won but in the end it was a close run thing.

So Walter,the Robster, George, Swiss Adam and Brian join them in Hell whilst Ernie, Rol, SWC and Spence head up to heaven.

It says something about my audience that Hell is currently 3 -0 up

This week in Heaven v Hell  it is the USA v Australia or more specifically Boston, Massachusetts v Perth, Australia.

Yes folks The Triffids with Hell of a Summer have the unenviable task of going up against The Pixies with Monkey Gone to Heaven.
It's a tough task. Will they do it, or at the very least run them close?

It's in your hands folks



The Triffids - Hell of a Summer

The Pixies - Monkey Gone to Heaven

Sunday 17 May 2020

2015 RIP


We have all been commenting that 2020 is becoming a bad year for the deaths of our musical heroes and many of us have been comparing it to 2016.
My Saturday paper has a  From the Archives section when it looks at events 5 ,10,25 years ago etc.

The 5 years ago entry was lamenting the death of BB King (May 14th) hot on the heels of Percy Sledge (April 24th), Ben E King (April 30th) and Errol Brown (6th May ).
I think we can add  2015 to the list

B.B.King - Hully Gully Twist

Percy Sledge - Let it Be Me

Ben E King - It's All Over

Hot Chocolate - Emma

Saturday 16 May 2020

50 Americana Albums You Should Hear Before You Die - Another Long Story





Kevin Montgomery has an affinity with Glasgow in general and with King Tut's in particular.
So much so that he recorded an album Live From Glasgow with his band The Roadtrippers featuring a concert at King Tuts from  Friday June 27th 2003.
I was in the audience as I had been on a number of other occassions
All his albums are worth a listen but I have gone for Another Long Story which is attributed to Kevin Montgomery and (Doug) Pettibone
Hal Horowitch in a review for AllMusic was quite  taken with the album when it was subsequently released in his native US four years after it's release in Britain. He is one of a number of Americana artists who enjoyed more success on this side of the pond than in his homeland.
Horowitch writes : Another Long Story is a classy and beautifully rendered collection of singer/songwriter tunes that deserves to be embraced by Americana fans. The grayish tunes are immaculately crafted, borrowing from rootsy folk, rock, pop, and country, but seldom falling into one genre
All the songs on the album very quickly became crowd favourites alongside those from his debut album Fear Nothing and from 2.30 AM
Kevin is one of those journeymen artists constantly touring the world and playing to small but dedicated and appreciative audiences.
In his own country he has done a couple of 50 States in 50 Days tours.
If he pitches up anywhere near you go and see him. I can guarantee that you will have a good night out.

His father Wes co-wrote Heartbeat with Buddy Holly!

That's 20 of the 50 accounted for.

Kevin Montgomery and Pettibone - Another Long Story

Kevin Montgomery & Pettibone - Let's All Go To California

Kevin Montgomery and Pettibone - Angel Tonight

Friday 15 May 2020

Bob Dylan Live 1966


The Bootleg Series Volume 4  Bob Dylan Live 1966 is sub titled The "Royal Albert Hall" Concert whereas in reality it was recorded at Manchester Free Trade Hall. Yet another example of that London's oneupmanship .
This is the somewhat infamous album with Bob singing solo and acoustic on the first set and then playing an electric set along with The Hawks.
At the time the first half was warmly received by the audience with the second half being widely criticised with heckling from the audience
It contains the legendary Judas heckle at the end of Ballad of a Thin Man before the band launch into Like a Rolling Stone.
Music was never the same again.

The album first crossed my radar following a brilliant documentary by Andy Kershaw leading to it's immediate purpose.

Two songs - one acoustic, one electric

Bob Dylan - Visions of Joanna (Live 1966)

Bob Dylan - Ballad of a Thin Man (Live 1966)

Thursday 14 May 2020

Happy Hippy Chick Mix 7


I'm not sure if there is anyone still with me as the numbers have been dwindling week on week in this series. You will therefore be relieved to know that this is the last in the series even although we are still in lockdown
A bit of barrel scraping this week which goes to show how hard it is to find over twenty songs with the word happy (or joy) in the title

We start with Tift Merritt with Supposed to Make You Happy from her 2002 Bramble Rose album.
As this is Americana  this is of course a sad as opposed to a happy song.

I've absolutely no idea as to whether The Mekons are happy or not but it is a splendid racket.

The same applies to Sparklehorse although given the lyrics
The dogs on my trail wouldn't drag me back to jail
I woke up in a horse's stomach one foggy morning
His eyes were crazy and he smashed into the cemetery gates

I suspect that the late Mark Linkous was not a Happy Pig or indeed a happy bunny.

There is a reason why these were the last songs on the mix.

Now where did I put  that mix of Angel songs?


Tift Merritt - Supposed To Make You Happy

Mekons - I'm So Happy

Sparklehorse - Happy Pig

Wednesday 13 May 2020

Covers 18. Etta James does Sonny & Cher


George writes:

Of course everyone detests that appalling load of saccharine nonsense, the original version. And that god-awful TOTP video as they gaze, glaikitly, into each others’ eyes.  It gives me the boak.I’d rather go blind than listen to it again, but it came on the radio the other day and all I could was cry.(see what he did there? ... Ed)
But, at last, there’s a decent cover; somehow, and it’s hard to believe anyone can make the song even listenable, let alone make it a keeper, Etta James takes the song and makes it a southern-soul belter.




Unfortunately (or should that read fortunatel? ... Ed) I could find no Portuguese-language version of the song but there is this portuguese version of another Cher song. 





And fair play to you if you listened to more than 43 seconds of that.
The picture at the top, by the way, is one that I thought would explain what a glaikit look was.

Another one next week.

Tuesday 12 May 2020

Betty Wright RIP


Another one bites the dust.
Sad to hear of the death from cancer of Soul singer Betty Wright at the ridiculously young age of 66.
This is getting silly now
She shot to fame in the early 70's with songs such as Clean Up Girl and Baby Sitter when she was only 17 and was still recording up to 2014

Another talent taken far too young
Rest easy Betty

Betty Wright - Girls Can't Do What Guys Do

Betty Wright - The Best Girls Don't Always Win

Monday 11 May 2020

Heaven or Hell 3



A complete whitewash last week with the Waco Brothers routing Jonathan Wilson by 5 votes to nil
Ernie Goggins went as far as describing Walking on Hell's Roof (Looking at the Flowers) as one of the greatest records in the world ever
I'm not sure that I would go that far but it would have got my vote to.

This week is is London for heaven and Leeds for hell. Something wrong there surely.
In the heaven corner we have The Psychedelic Furs with Heaven from their 1984 album Mirror Moves.
They are up against against Gang of Four with To Hell With Poverty a single from 1981.
Somewhat disappointingly it doesn't contain the lines
To Hell with Poverty
Put another pea in the soup

I'm expecting another clear winner this week. Will anyone prove me wrong?


The Psychedelic Furs - Heaven

Gang of Four - To Hell With Poverty

Sunday 10 May 2020

Little Richard RIP


Sad to hear that the Georgia Peach Richard Wayne Penniman better known to the world as Little Richard has died at the age of 87
In June 2001 Tutti Frutti topped a list in Mojo of the Top 100 records that changed the world.
Keith Richards recalls that on hearing this it was as though the world changed suddenly from monochrome to technicolour.

Certainly music, and the world in general, would have been a far poorer place without him



 A Wop Bop A Loo Mop A Lop Bam Boom

Rest easy Richard




Saturday 9 May 2020

50 Americana Albums You Should Hear Before You Die - Alan Freed's Radio


Lou Ford are filed on the Americana shelves under L as opposed to F. That is because they were  a band from Charlotte, North Carolina as opposed to a person. It seems that they are named after a character in Jim Thompson's 1952 novel A Killer Inside Me

From Discogs The fictional Lou Ford was someone comprised of various layers, where what you saw on the surface wasn't really the whole story. The musical Lou Ford likes to describe itself the same way. At first glance, audiences and critics dubbed them country. Underneath, bandmembers say, they really are is more pop-oriented.

They sound pretty country to me hence the appearance of their 2000 album Alan Freed's Radio (on Cargo in the US/Glitterhouse in Europe) in this series.
They only appear to have released three albums the others being 1998's Sad But Familiar which is also on the shelves and 2007's Poor Man's Soul which isn't

No Depression , the bible of Americana  describes the opener Storz' Bar as a meeting of the Beatles and Big Star .Well one out of two ain't bad.
They also compare the excellent What've I Gotta Do to post Mark Olson Jayhawks.

The album title and the final sing pay homage to Alan Freed the legendary American disc jokey celebrated as one of the pioneers of playing rock'n'roll until he got caught up in a payolla scandal.

Alan and Chad Edwards the two main members of Lou Ford reappeared around 2014 in another Charlotte band The Loudermilks . Given that Loudermilk was the actual surname of Ira and Charlie Louvin  I'm off to do some digging


Lou Ford -Storz' Bar

Lou Ford - What've I Gotta Do

Lou Ford - Alan Freed


Friday 8 May 2020

The Day of the Ray


You know how it is.You catch a band that you have never heard of playing a stonking set and  then when you eagerly purchase the record it is never quite the same. A bit like that Cypriot brandy you enjoyed on holiday and then you open the bottle you brought back home.

Dallas band The Deathray Davies are one such band. I saw them a couple of times live and they were very bouncy, loud and full of energy.
This led me to purchasing not one, but two of their records. The Return of the Drunk Ventriloquist their second album from 2001 has featured here before so todayit is the turn of the third album 2002's The Day of the Ray.
This was a random dinner accompaniment during the week. It is actually not a bad slab of garage pop full of scuzzy guitars and catchy hooks and better than I remember from it's last play which was a good few years back.
See what you think.

The Deathray Davies - I'm From the Future

The Deathray Davies -She Can Play Me Like a Drum Machine

Thursday 7 May 2020

Happy Hippy Chick Mix 6


Is there anyone still with us?
Oh good, just checking. Welcome to the penultimate Happy Hippy Chick Mix and another three happy songs.

First up are Kings of Leon. On the back of all the hype I got their 2003 debut album Youth & Young Manhood from which Happy Alone is taken. This is their debut on CCM given that I rarely if ever play it and have never felt the desire to acquire anything else of theirs. My typed tracklist on the mix says Kings of Lean who are almost certainly better.

The pick of the bunch this week, in my humble opinion, are the happy sounding Sunshine Club with the appropriately named Happy Song.
A song from their self-released debut alum Visit to a Small Planet  from 1997 and which crossed my radar when it appeared on the Glitterhouse compilation Come Fly With Us. I've never heard anything else by then.

The Magic Numbers magically make up the numbers with Which Way to Happy a song from their self-titled debut album from 2005

Tune in next week for the final instalment.

Kings of Leon - Happy Alone

Sunshine Club - Happy Song

The Magic Numbers - Which Way to Happy

Wednesday 6 May 2020

Covers 17. The Country Pills do Survivor




George writes
I love Eye Of The Tiger by Survivor. I bought the single on release and on the few occasions I can be bothered to change the motor on the turntable I will still play it. Although Fox On The Run will usually be at the head of the queue. For some reason, and I’m quite sure heavy drinking was involved, when Frank Bruno fought Tyson ca. 1989, I and a friend (who was an avid Dunfermline Athletic fan)  went back to my flat to listen to it on the radio. At 3 in the morning.  Yes, just before the fight started I played the Survivor single. 


So for your listening pleasure today, here’s a country cover version, by a Russian country music band. You can hear more of their music on the russian equivalent of facebook, vkontakte. Oh, and soundcloud and bandcamp.




Splendid. 

And here’s The Kira Justice, all the way from Brazil, in a musically and lyrically faithful cover


Again, splendid.

Another one next week.



Tuesday 5 May 2020

Strike a Match


Recently I've been extoling to George the virtues of the 2017 Scottish Album of the Year namely Strike a Match by Sacred Paws
I thought that I'd posted something about it before but apparantly not.
If you like a bit of jingle jangle then this lbum is for you. If you like a bit of jingle jangle that puts you in mind of the Bhundu Boys then you have well and truly hit the jackpot.

Sacred Paws are a Glasgow band  consitsing of Rachel Aggs on guitar, bass and vocals and Eilidh Rodgers on drums and vocals
They had previously released Six Songs an EP on Rock Action the label run by Mogwai on which the album also appears.
A follow up album The Conversation, which I've yet to hear, was released in 2019

Sacred Paws - Nothing

Sacred Paws - Strike a Match

Monday 4 May 2020

Heaven or Hell 2


Honours even last week. The Clash came flying out the traps only to be gradually clawed back by the wily Mr Prine. I didn't vote and am happy with a draw but if I had  to choose I would go for John Prine purely on the strength of Alyson's comments.

Now for this week's contenders. I am rather enjoying Dixie Blur the latest album by Jonathan Wilson which includes the track In Heaven Making Love (which is presumably what John Prine is currently up to).
Jonathan is up against a song by the Waco Brothers from their 2000 album Electric Waco Chair on, as always, the Bloodshot label.

What's it to be this week folks - heaven or hell?
I'm sitting on the fence again but am prepared to give the casting vote in the event of a draw.

Jonathan Wilson - In Heaven Making Love

Waco Brother - Walking on Hell's Roof Looking at the Flowers

Sunday 3 May 2020

More Pub Rock Favourites Covered


Happy Doing What We're Doing by Elizabeth McQueen and the Firebrands is still lying waiting to be put away after featuring on the latest Happy Hippy Chick Mix instalment.
Therefore I thought that I would share some more Pub Rock covers with you. You can thnk me later.

Let's kick off with Love's Melody the first song on the album and a cover of a song by Ducks Deluxe. The writer of the song Andy McMaster went on to join the Motors and wrote Airport. This is obviously better.

I'm sure that Graham Parker and the Rumour need no introduction so without further ado I give you a cover of Local Girls.

As well as Graham Parker at CCHQ Dave Edmunds has legendary status. A1 On the Jukebox was co-writtent with ex Kursaal Flyer Will Burch who wrote Nick Lowe's biography (a Nick cover also features)  and the excellent No Sleep Til Canvey Island. If you have my copy please can I have it back..

How did an American come to love Pub Rock songs so much that she did an album of covers.
I'm lifting the reason from a previous post.

Her uncle gave her a Rockpile album - my aunt gave me the Glitter Band! There is no justice in this world.


Elizabeth McQueen and the Firebrands.-Love's Melody

Elizabeth McQueen and the Firebrands.- Local Girls

Elizabeth McQueen and the Firebrands -A1 on the Jukebox


Saturday 2 May 2020

50 Americana Albums You Should Hear Before You Die - Anytime Tomorrow


Sadly I featured this artist and songs from this album towards the end of August last year. I say sadly as Neal Casal had just taken his own life at the age of 50.
He left behind a great legacy of music.
The pick of the bunch for me is 2000's Anytime Tomorrow his sixth solo album and his last on Glitterhouse the great record label from Beverungen in Germany.
This was followed by an extensive European tour in 1991 where I saw him in thr 13th Note Club in Glasgow on 29th January paying £8 for the privilege.I saw him again at King Tuts in October 2004 when the price was £10 - ticken number 12. I also saw him playing guitar once as part of Lucinda Williams' band.

Thee is not a duff track on the album. I probably first became aware of him with the first song on the album Willow Jane also being the first song on the Glitterhouse compilation Come Fly With Us. I've featured it a couple of times before and make no apology for doing so again.

If you are lucky enough to come across any of his records snap them up

Neal Casal - Willow Jane

Neal Casal - Fell on Hard Times

Neal Casal - No One Above You

Friday 1 May 2020

Social Dancing Euro Disco


I had a bit of a wobble on Tuesday just before the minute's silence for the NHS staff and care workers who have died so far during the Coronavirus pandemic.

I had drafted a post having a bit of a rant at the shortages of PPE and the fact that the Government with their BBC lapdogs are being somewhat reticent in revealing the extent of the number of deaths and the devastation when they were quick to do so in Spain and Italy.The desperately sad situation in care homes was also getting me down particularly given that my mum was in one for just over a year before she died.



However posting it would probably have made me even more twitchy and angry.
So instead I have decided that today we will have some Euro Disco courtesy of the band bis.

This should cheer us up.



bis - Euro Disco

bis -Shopaholic

bis - Listen Up