De Rosa are probably one of the more obscure bands to feature in this series.
Active from 2001 -2009 and then 2012 -2021 their membership consisted at various times of Martin John Henry, Chris Connick, James Woodside, Neil Woodside and Andrew Bush.
I have their 2006 album Mend, on the Chemikal Underground label, which according to my spreadsheet I picked up in Fort William. I thought it was from Muir of Ord but I might be confusing them with Rader Bros. The personnel on the album are Martin John Henry and the Woodside Brothers. It is the first of three studio albums they released.
I've become a bit of a fanboy of M. John Henry and have picked up a few of his albums including this years Early Songs of Late where he sings acoustic versions of the majority of songs from Mend and a few others. I had the pleasure of seeing him performing them live just over a year ago.
Here are some of original geographically based songs by the band.
2026 Charity Shop Purchases #20 - Echo &the Bunnymen - Evergreen/History of the Peel Sessions 1979-1997
I was in Debras, a charity furniture shop in Shawlands, with Mrs CC who was looking for a set of bedroom drawers, successfully as it happens. I had time for a very quick glance at the relatively low number of CD's on the shelves.
Evergreen the 1997 "comeback " album by Echo & the Bunnymen on the London label caught my eye. I made the schoolboy error of not checking the disc as I was too busy lugging the cabinet into the car.
When I got home I noticed that the Evergreen disc was missing. I was a bit annoyed but not that unduly bothered as I'm not really a huge fan and also have both Nothing Lasts For Ever and Don't Let It Get You Down as CD singles
The second disc a limited bonus disc called History of the Peel Sessions 1979-1997 was intact. I would have been more annoyed if that one was missing. Here fellow blogger (La) Luna does the leg work to save me the bother.
Good news, I’ve been invited back. This week, and I think the picture might have given it away, it’s Jesus Christ Superstar. And I have the film soundtrack, bought from Chalmers and Joy record shop at the top of Gellatly Street in Dundee, probably in 1977. And I still like the music. Unsurprisingly there were some objections to the stage and film versions, but it seems that a Pope quite liked it. And not some person called Pope but a genuine supreme pontiff Pope. And for those of you scoffing at the Pope’s, and mine’s taste in rock opera, you should know it was made by the same bloke who made In The Heat Of The Night.
Words such as rock opera and musical usually strike fear into the heart of many of us, but sometimes there is no accounting for taste. Maybe the 14 or 15 year old me thought it a radical film, possibly an educational one (not having been inducted into any church as an infant), or maybe it is a simple case of liking the music. Anyway, one of the many fine songs is Everything's Alright:
But this is the one you really want. The grumpy Judas intervention is a bit derogatory to Ms Magdalene, and critical of the main man (the Judas is not the One Night In Bangkok bloke, he was Judas on the original concept album), but of course well worth a listen
Judas also sings the song that became the well-known 1970s football song “Charlie George, superstar, walks like a woman and he wears a bra”, namely Superstar
And here it is, a great video and splendid soul/gospel song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGcIvK7f77o
I’ve been watching several of the songs on You Tube, and there’s some memorable lines “you have set them all on fire, they think they’ve found the new messiah” sang Judas. Or “a trick or two with lepers and the whole town’s on its feet” (a pharisee, I think).
And that’s it. Jesus Christ Superstar, probably my favourite rock opera.
Thanks to Mr CC for posting, and thanks to you for reading.
After digging out Star Wars by BMX Bandits for a listen as part of my recent Bellshill post I had the urge to listen to another couple of albums by Scottish bands.
I found myself crossing the room to the M Section from were I selected the In Awe of Nothing by Edinburgh band Mt.Doubt. It was originally released by Scottish Fiction Records in 2016 . I have it on CD but also purchased the vinyl reissue (above) from 2021. A band I saw a couple of times who are sadly no more
The Muldoons are a Paisley band who first got together in the 90's but did not record an album until Last Night From Glasgow released Made For Each Other (2020) and We Saw the View (2024). Both are very much worth having but I opted for the latter on this occasion . A band who are not afraid to use a trumpet.
This one - number 70 in the Blues Collection series - is right up my street.
Covering songs recorded between 1929 and 1940 it offers a rare glimpse of first-generation Country music.
My first selection is the opening track Bell Clappin' Mama by Bill Carlisle recorded in Charlotte , North Carolina on 16th February 1937. He recorded for over 50 years dying on 17th March aged 93 in Nashville.
Next up is Jimmie Rodgers. Yes that Jimmie Rogers - The Singing Brakeman himself. From 31st January 1931 in San Antonio here is T.B. Blues
We conclude with another Jimmie, Jimmie Davis who went on to be the Governor of Louisiana. From Chicago on 5th August 1933 here he is with Easy Rider Blues.
The good or bad news, depending on your perspective is that there are still a few more from the Collection to go!
We start with a young whipper snapper making his debut in this series. From the compilation Red Hot Rockabilly- 50 Hard Hitting Rockabilly Classics I give you Elvis Presley with Good Rockin' Tonight.
Compared to Elvis, Nadine Shah is a Saturday regular. Wasps Nest from her 2020 album Kitchen Sink is her third contribution to this series.
For our final act we go back to 1965 with another debutante namely Unit Four Plus Two with Concrete and Clay taken from Jon Savage's 1965 The Year The Sixties Exploded
I'm pretty sure that somebody, somewhere has already done this and if so I apologise if I've stepped on anyone's toes.
For a small town in North Lanarkshire Bellshill (population approx 20,000) has constantly punched above it 's weight when it comes to churning out Indie bands
The first band to feature are the BMX Bandits a band who have been active since 1985. During that period they have gone through a large number of band members (some of whom will feature here later) with Duglas T Stewarthere being the core member and primary songwriter. He is a legendary figure on the Scottish independent music scene. You will see him at many a gig.
They were a band that I was aware of over the years but I didn't really know that much about them (if that makes sense).
It is primarily through my Blogging chums and the likes of Big Gold Dreams - A Story of Scottish Independent Music 1977- 1989 that I gradually became more familiar with them.
In 2021 Last Night From Glasgow re-released a copy of the band's 1991 album Star Wars and I saw them play at the Hug and Pint around then. It was the first, and as things stand the only piece of vinyl, I own by the band
They are quirky, a bit twee and well worth checking out.
Relatively speaking it was just a hop, skip and a jump from the last Blog Country Togo to today's Blog Country Mauritania - a mere 1864 KM
Mauritania, officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country in the Maghreb region of West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Western Sahara to the north and northwest, Algeria to the northeast, Mali to the east and southeast, and Senegal to the southwest..It is the 11th-largest country in Africa and the 28th-largest in the world; 90% of its territory is in the Sahara desert.
As usual when it comes to Africa I am contractually obliged to refer you to Ernie's African Odyssey. I try not to step on his toes but on this occasion I may have grazed his little toe.
I very nearly started with Laura Beg who I have just discovered is actually from Mauritius as opposed to Mauritania. Clearly, you have to be careful while searching on Google
It looks as if Ahmedou Ahamed Lowla is definitely a Mauritanian. Indeed he is one of the country's biggest stars. Performing in lavish weddings of Nouakchott with a troupe of percussionists, Ahmed's signature style is dynamic and ambitious, shredding over the keys with flourishes (like playing with his elbows and head!).Here he is with Bembara
There are plenty of clips on line of Bakha Tokha but precious little information about him. I'm reasonably sure (but not quite 100%) that he is Mauritanian. especially when the song Bakha Gambia Kota references another African country!
Khalifa Ould Eide & Dimi Mint Abba provide Moorish Music From Mauritania here Try saying that after a couple of pints. They have turned up at Ernie's place but not as part of the Odyssey. Art's Plume is today's offering.
We conclude with DJ Dhaker who Google describe as a music maker .He is a self-taught producer and composer whose releases are popular throughout Mauritania with videos that have millions of views online some presumably referencing Desert Amapiano.
I am finding it increasingly harder to pick up CDs in Charity Shops. So much so that my raison d'etre is increasingly under threat.
For example I visited a handful of charity shops in Clarkston, Troon and Prestwick recently and came away with nothing. As I pointed out recently I went through 500 plus CDs in Kinder Handl in Battlefield and came away with two. Two!
I'm blaming streaming and Spotify. Those that remain on the shelves tend to be Robbie Williams, the Corrs and any number of X Factor finalists
And yet very occasionally I'm in the right place at the right time and come away with a great haul. Trips to Debras in Shawlands and Marie Curie in Newton Stewart spring to mind.
I'm trying to be more discerning due to space issues but it can be a bit soul destroying.
I think what I'm saying is that unless in the unlikely even that things improve there will be less and less posts of new charity purchases
I'm pretty sure that the Mojo CD Cash Covered could not accurately be described an Americana Compilation.
However I am pushing for 50 entries in this series ( this is 42) and there are a number of Americana artists contributing. as confirmed by the attached setlist
My blog, my rules
Michelle Shocked perhaps slightly pre-dated Americana but I think that I an justified in including her fantastic version of One Piece of Americana.
Were you to look up Americana in the dictionary the entry might simply read Steve Earle. Although Hardin Wouldn't Run was written by Johnny himself it is easy to imagine Steve writing this or something similar
Willard Grant Conspiracy never came across as a particularly happy band so I Still Miss Someone is probably appropriate.
Again it is fairly easy to associate Robbie Fulks with a song like Cry Cry Cry.
We may, or may not , return next week with number 43
I haven't been able to find out much information about our cover stars Bill Fadden & the Silvertone Flyers other than a search throws up the words - rockabilly, rock and roll, hillbilly and Western swing. A fine combination as I'm sure you'll agree. It seems they have been active since 1999. Here they are with Too Bad Baby
Edwyn Starr and his majestic song War surely need no introduction.
War! What is it Good For? Absolutely Nothing! Say it Again ...
Some of you will be familiar with Jesse Malin. After listening to Wendy I'm sure many more of you will be hitting the search button.
2026 Charity Shop Purchases #19 - The Beta Band - Hot Shots II
Not unusually I was pretty late to the party when it came to The Beta Band. While I was aware of the name it took Vic Galloway's book Songs In The Key Of Fife to give me the necessary kick up the pants.
Respected colleagues pointed me in the direction of 1998's The Three E.P.s which was duly purchased. This was followed by charity shop purchases of The Beta Band (not sure where) and Heroes to Zeros (Stirling)
Hot Shots II their second studio album from 2001 and my second purchase in Kinder Handl probably completes the set.
There's probably not much to say. If you like the Beta Band you will like this. If you don't you wont. Thankfully I'm in the first camp and you should be too.
Last night saw me at Cottiers Theatre in Hyndland to see Thrum.
It was originally scheduled for 13th March in the Glad Cafe but was subsequently rescheduled. This annoyed me at the time as the Glad Cafe is reasonably local but Hyndland is in Glasgow's West End and over an hour away on the bus.
It turns out that it was probably a good thing as they were very loud and the Glad Cafe has a low ceiling and Cottiers which is a lovely old church a much higher ceiling. It was loud but thankfully not Sugar at the Barrowlands loud or Ryan Adams at the QMU loud. No ringing ears to report.
Put on by Douglas McIntyre's FRETS the support act was Radhika a singer-songwriter who was accompanied by Douglas on guitar. Her set was pretty pleasant and well received.
Thrum's tour was to promote a new remastered version of their 1994 album Rifferama see here and Glasgow was a fitting finale.
For someone who is the height of nothing Monica Queen is a total force of nature. She led the line well, interacted with the audience and frequently jammed with Johnny Smillie on guitar. The band seemed to be having a blast and genuinely thrilled to be performing.
Any band who encore with Sheena Is a Punk Rocker are surely worthy of your time.
2026 Charity Shop Purchases #18 - James Yorkston & The Athletes -Tender To The Blues (CD Single)
I visited the Kinder Handl charity shop on Glasgow's Battlefield Road on Saturday afternoon. I went through all the 500 to 600 CDs on their shelves and came away with two!
One was Tender to the Blues a CD single by James Yorkston & the Athletes from 2002 on the Domino label.
A native of the East Neuk of Fife James Yorkston was part of the Fence Collective. I have a couple of his albums on the shelves and this is a welcome addition. More recently he has been writing fiction books and those I have read have been pretty good.
Stay tuned for CD 2 which also has Fence Collective connections
Three classic songs for you today. All songs and artists from around the same era. They will all have featured here before (probably more than once) but never on the Shuffle
We kick of with the Tom Robinson Band and 2-4-6-8 Motorway . Originally released as a single in 1977 it also featured on their 1978 debut album Power In The Darkness which remains a fine record.
I didn't realise that Days by Kirsty MacColl was not released until 1989 so maybe not quite all from the same era! I'm sure that even Ray Davies , the author of the song, would concede that hers is the definitive version. Sadly missed.
We return to 1977 with Wreckless Eric and Whole Wide World which remains a strong candidate in the unlikely event of me featuring on Desert Island Discs.
Fast approaching 50 years old ( or 40 in Kirsty's case) they certainly have all stood the tests of time.
Having subjected you to some gentle female singers this week in the shape of Tracy Chapman and Rumer, and not forgetting Andrew Lloyd Webber, I thought that I should finish the week on a slightly louder note.
Step forward Tippi, Soup, Gill and Rosie collectively known as The Hedrons.
I was a big fan of their 2007 debut album One More Won't Kill Us and have featured it here on a few occasions.
More recently they were taken under the Last Night From Glasgow wing leading to the follow up album Tired of Taking in late 2023 some 16 years later.
This excellent article in Goldmine gives a more detailed account than I could begin to muster.
2026 Charity Shop Purchases #18 - Rumer -This Girl's In Love
It has been a Smooth Radio week on CCM what with Tracy Chapman, Andrew Lloyd Weber and now Rumer. I may have to finish the week with something more noisy.
From 2016 on East West Records - This Girl's In Love - A Bacharach & David Songbook is the 4th album by UK/Pakistani singer Sarah Joyce.
As you would expect her interpretations of the B&D Songbook are on point. Let's face it she could read out the phonebook and it would sound brilliant.
Perhaps not quite in the same league as Seasons Of My Soul and Boys Don't Cry but still perfect Sunday morning music.
CC writes - he's back for Part 2. Strap yourselves in!
George writes:
Joseph, son of Jacob, who was a grandson of Abraham, had a truly remarkable life. Someone should write about it in a book, or even better, write a musical about him. And thanks to Mr Lloyd Webber, we have a musical, filled with many songs, and I’ve even heard of one of them. Unfortunately Dolly Parton’s great song was somehow left out. Yes, it’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat this week.
Here’s a song that references the coat, it’s called Joseph’s Coat:
And there’s this version, which is even better (and better for not featuring the yowling tantrums of Ms Joplin):
And here’s the song that Mr Lloyd Webber wrote:
I could have opted for Stone The Crows, a rather splendid soul song by Jackie Robinson (no, not the bloke referenced by Joe Tex in Buying the Book).
Or this version by Faith Brown
Wait a minute…….Faith Brown, wasn’t she that comedian who did Thatcher impersonations?
And here’s the song you’ve been waiting for……
There are many more musicals attributed to Mr Lloyd Webber. I’ve no idea if I’ll be allowed back here to tell you about them. (oh, and for the sake of your sanity, don’t listen to too much of that last song).
Thanks for reading, and thanks to Mr CCM
CC writes:
Thanks George - I think!
I'll leave it to the jury as to whether they are ready for trip 3!
Here is a song by the Glasgow band Stone the Crows who had Maggie Bell (of Taggart theme tune fame) and Les Harvey (brother of Alex) among their members
A Charity acquistion but not one that counts in my yearly list as this one was purchased by Mrs CC.
Like most folk I suspect I was aware of her eponymous 1998 debut album ( Tracy Chapman not Mrs CC!)but nothing else. Collection a compilation from 2001 contains 4 tracks from that debut album, 3 from Crossroads (1989), 2 from Matters of the Heart (1992). 4 from New Beginning (1995) and 3 from Telling Stories (2000).
This CD then saves us the bother of tracking them all down.
The two that most caught my attention after an initial play were Give Me One Reason from New Beginning and All I Have Is Your Soul from Crossroads. Perhaps these two require further attention.
A month or so ago I was in Missing Records and saw a Best Of compilation by Denton Texas' finest Slobberbone for four quid.
I hummed and hawed and decided not to buy it given I have 2000's Everything You Thought Was Right Was Wrong Today and a burn of 2002's Slippage
It's obviously stuck with me as it popped into my head the other day. Looking at their back catalogue in addition to the two above there are four from 1996 to 1998 and the said Bees and Seas: The Best of Slobberbone from 2016.
We are back in Abstatt, Germany this week to hook up with the good people from Blue Rose Records.
Blue Rose Collection Volume 5 is the third, and I think last, compilation from the label that I have. We appear to be doing it in reverse chronologically given we started with Vol 8, then Vol 7 and now Vol 5
By and large the usual suspects appear with some being more obscure than others as befits such a compilation.
Obviously I can't see past Steve Wynn so we kick off with his song Mandy Breakdown. Farmer Not So John also have a presence on the blue shelf so here they are with Undertow.
I've also gone for two of the five bonus tracks. Firstly I give you Big In Iowa with a cover of the Neil Young classic Cinnamon Girl.We conclude with Rich Hopkins & Luminarios and the song Poker Face thankfully not a cover of the Lady Gaga number.
This is number 40 in this Sunday Series. I'm aiming for 50. My spreadsheet says 64 but I suspect some of them may be a bit spurious. Not that that's ever stopped me.
The first shot is Savoir Complex track 8 from Punisher the 2020 album by Phoebe Bridgers.
The Bullet Hole theme is inspired by the song of the same name by The Dream Syndicate from their 2019 album These Times the one that caused me to get back into them in a big way.
I would imagine that the late Jamaican reggae artist and producer Keith Hudson would have been no stranger to the occassional bullet hole or two. Here he is with the Soul Syndicate on the song Nuh Skin Up Dub off the 2007 Mojo Compilation Sun is Shining here
Hopefully the sun will still be shining next week when we return with SS 152
Mr CC wrote “I'm lacking inspiration , new material and no ideas for new series'(suggestions welcomed!). “ I suggested something: It has occurred to me that none of the blogs I read show an appreciation of the genre of musicals, any musicals, not just those of the man in the title. And it’s about time someone corrected this, so here goes.
Mr Lloyd Webber has written at least a plethora of musicals. His first is based on a book by Leslie Thomas, not the Virgin Soldiers one but a biography of Thomas Barnardo (of children’s home fame), a man who was in no way related to the pioneering heart transplant chappie. And inexplicably, although written in 1965, when Mr Lloyd Webber was 17 (17, bloody hell I was doing my Highers when I was 17, and discovering the joys of Tennent’s lager), it was not performed publicly until 2005.
One of the tracks on The Likes of Us, that all-important first album, is Man of The World, and this is from when they were good:
This is the ALW song, and I dare you to listen to it all the way through.
“Going, going, gone” also graces the soundtrack:
………and here it is:
Did anyone meet the challenge and listen to it?
Big Big Train released an album called The Likes of Us, alas there is no title track. I do not know if this album relates to Thomas Barnardo.
Thanks to Mr CC, and to you for reading.
CC writes
Thanks George .
I think that this is the first time that Andrew Lloyd Webber has appeared on these pages.
I notice with a degree of apprehension that there is a number 1 attached!
If this doesn't snap me out of my writer's block, nothing will!
.jpg)
