Show Me Heaven

Apologies to those who thought they were going to get some Maria McKee!

Takes me back to when I saw the Jayhawks and Maria McKee on the same night in Dublin - but that's another story

No, I'm taking you back 30 years to when Sheffield ruled the air waves

Here are Glenn, Ian and Martyn bemoaning the death of British industry

Liberation for the Nation now!

Heaven 17 - Crushed by the Wheels of Industry

Comments from Captains of Industry (you know who you are!) welcome

8.54

I have a preference for Country tinged Southern Soul such as James Carr, O.V.Wright and the songs of Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham as opposed to its Northern counterpart.

For those interested in the Southern genre check out the two excellent 3 CD Box sets from the mighty Kent Records:
Take me to the River - A Southern Soul Story 1961-1977 and
The Fame Studios Story 1961-1973 Home of the Muscle Shoals Sound (which features the Osmonds and Bobbie Gentry as well as some stonkin' soul!)

Whilst I could not be described as a Northern Soul aficionado I do have a reasonable number of compilations including the excellent This is Northern Soul on the Crimson label

Purchased for a quid from Debras in Clarkston Toll, Glasgow which is now a bathroom emporium.

The very brave choice for first track (as it is almost impossible to follow) is this 8 minutes and 54 seconds of unadulterated genius

Curtis Mayfield - Move On Up

DeMented

Many moons ago my boss at the time mentioned that he quite liked Iris DeMent

I was quite impressed that an old fogey, as I considered him, would like that sort of stuff.

He was probably about the same age then as I am now.

Here's Iris doing Lefty

Iris DeMent - Mom & Dad's Waltz

The Orange Spot

You know how it is when you are out record shopping (as I still insist on calling it) you see a CD or record and you are not sure whether you already have it or not.

This has been happening to me with REM records lately.
Bought Up not knowing whether I had it or not - but didn't
Didn't buy New Adventures in Hi Fi thinking I had it - but didn't
Bought Reveal not knowing whether I had it or not - but didn't

I suppose the advantage of Charity Shops is you can take a punt for a couple of quid and pass it on or donate back if you already have it

True confession time - I spent a wee while trying to peel off the orange spot as this is not an uncommon thing to be stuck on the box in certain shops!

REM - Imitation of Life

The Three Judges and the Jury

Sitting in the splended The Three Judges pub in Dumbarton Road, Glasgow
after a top curry in Balbirs
 a vote was taken as to whether Capercaillie or REM would be the next to feature on this blog.

Capercaillie won the day with Donno insisting on a name check.

Donald Shaw from the band is the Artistic Director of Celtic Connections of which more later.

I also have a couple of excellent  solo Karen Matheson CDs which will feature in due course.

Capercaillie - To the Moon (Nighean Donn-Ghealich)

Typically Tropical

Kirsty MacColl's last album before her untimely passing , Tropical Brainstorm, showed that her career was moving in an interesting direction with a distinct Latin influence


Here is the first track:

Kirsty MacColl -Mambo dela Luna

Apologies, I am having problems posting images so here is her dad as a wee bonus:

Ewan MacColl - Ballad of Accounting

Hah -sorted!

Poetry in Motion

Happy New Year!

It has come to my attention that I have not posted any Soul tracks recently.

This must stop so here is The Poet himself to blow away those cobwebs.

The picture is the fromt cover of the Trikont CD - Dirty Laundry - the Soul of Black Country
Buy together with the sister album Cheatin' Soul and the Southern Dream of Freedom.

Bobby Womack - Games