On This Day – Bob Crashes
Jul 29, 2010 On This Day
On this day in 1966 Bob Dylan crashed his motorbike. Apparently he suffered serious neck injuries although their extent have never been fully confirmed. After the accident an ambulance was not called and was taken home in a car by his then wife Sara.
The crash, the circumstances of which were not fully explained, did have side benefits. Dylan was under a lot of pressure. The proofs for his book Tarantula were due for delivery, but not complete. He had been paid for a television special but it had not been recorded and after just finishing one tour another was already being planned.
After the crash his Bobness had time to analyze his direction, both personal and musically. He withdrew and did not tour again for 8 years.
Oops! Wrong video!
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Tags: bob dylan, classic rock music, love rock music, On This Day, real rock and blues
1846 was a Good Year
Jun 22, 2010 On This Day
The sexiest instrument (apart from the electric guitar) was patented on this day in 1846 by Adolphe Sax. What do you think he called it?
- Anyone else finds it strange to find out that you can patent a musical instrument? I know that he disigned it but even so.
You will not be surprised to know that his paptent was challenged by other instrument makers.
On This Day – The Stones’ TV Debut & First Single
Jun 7, 2010 On This Day
The Stones made their TV debut this day in 1963 on Thank Your Lucky Stars playing their first single C’mon.
It may come a surprise to some of the younger readers that The Stones were once a rock and blues band playing blues covers. Their first album, imaginatively titled The Rolling Stones featured songs by Bobby Troup (Route 66), Willie Dixon (I Just Want to Make Love to You), Jimmy Reed, Bo Diddly, Skip James, and Rufus Thomas.
It all goes to reinforce my view that without the Blues we would have no Rock or Jazz.
This is the magnificent Carol Barnes with Route 66….
The epitome of Blues The incredible Muddy.
Rufus walking his pet in the 60s
The Stones take their turn
Imitation is the greatest form of flattery. I am not knocking the Stones, we all build on the shoulders of those that went before. I just think that we do not laud those that went before enough.
Tags: Blues, blues music, chuck berry, classic rock music, muddy waters, On This Day, real rock and blues, rock and blues, rolling stones, rufus thomas, skip james, willie dixon
Small Faces Reunion (well, some of them anyway).
May 28, 2010 Rants, Uncategorized
The Small Faces will reunite to play the Vintage Festival (Goodwood August 13th). There are likely to be more dates and a tour announced in the near future.
Trouble is, it isn’t really The faces. It’s Some of them. Rod Stewart will not be there (too busy) he is going to be replaced by Mick ‘I am the best singer in the world’ Hucknall. Obviously, Ronnie Lanes will not be there (dead) he will be replaced by Glenn Matlock (ex-Sex Pistols). However, 3 out of 5 ain’t bad and Matlock is a proper musician (just ‘cos he was in the Pistols and a punk does not mean he could not play, quite the opposite).
My problem with the line up is the inclusion of the Haddock hounded Hucknall ( see previous about Hucknall for explanation). Rod Stewart may have been a cocky, jumped up jack-the-lad, raspy voiced, tit, but he was a
-
good
cocky, jumped up jack-the-lad, raspy voiced, tit.
Hucknall, does not rock, he does not have the voice to front a really rocking band. Would I go and see them? You betcha, then I could write about how crap they (he) were (was).
One really good part of this story is that Ronnie Wood has stopped drinking, a prerequisite for this booking and proposed tour. There had been fears for his health, and the health of the Stones. Perhaps Jagger’s talk did Ronnie some good, (see here). Although, if Ronnie is now sober why has the Faces gig and tour come before the Stones’ ? What else is hampering them from getting onto stage? Mick wants it Ronnies was up for it Charlie loves to play, with anyone anytime. What is left that could be getting in the way?
What is Keef up to at the moment?
Tags: classic rock music, faces, glenn matlock, live music, mick hucknall, real rock and blues, rock and blues, rod stewart, ronnie laine, ronnie wood, small faces
A Haddock? Oh No Take It Away!
May 26, 2010 Rants
I can’t believe this but apparently his gingerness, the one known as Mick “I am the best singer in the world” Hucknall is scared of Haddock.
Tony Roebuck co-wrote ‘Fairground’ (apparently it was a hit) with the Ginger one – I have nothing against ginger people, just Hucknall – he sucks – revealed this strange but true fact after he (Roebuck) fell out with the less-talented-than-a-stone-singer.
Even stranger the big H is reported to have enjoyed relations with several well known ladies; Catherine Zeta-Jones, Martine McCutcheon, Helena Christensen and glamour model Kathy Lloyd among them. Go Figure, there is no correlation between female fame and taste.
Tags: classic rock music, fear of fish, haddock, mick hucknall, mick hucknall and haddock, real rock and blues, rock and blues
Great Mistakes……….. (1)
May 25, 2010 Uncategorized
I loved this girl (as much as any 17 year old ‘loves’). I took her to a bar with a DJ. I got the DJ to play this song for her. She was not my girl friend afterwards………..
What did I do wrong?
I still love this.
Tags: captain beefheart, real rock and blues, rock and blues
Vamika – The Best band You’ve Never Heard (2)
Apr 28, 2010 The Best Band You've Never Heard
Well, you would not have as they have only played one gig so far with another lined up for 7th May at 9.00pm at The Pleasant Retreat in Lostock hall, Lancashire, UK.
However, they have previous. Until part way through 2009 they were Crimzon, a gigging band with a dedicated local following in this part of the country, and bloody good they were too.
My knowledge of them started a number of years ago. At that time I had a programme on a community radio station. One day a friend (Dave Sharples) sidled up and says ‘Phil, me and a couple of friends have recorded a few songs, what do you think?’
Now, the trouble with being given a home recorded CD is that they are usually crap, and you have to think of how to be polite when asked what you thought of it.
On this occasion I should have had no fears. They were good. In particular Dave had found a singer with a great voice, Amy Murrell.
Over a period of time I saw them often and had them in the studio a couple of times. During that time I saw their progress and witnessed Amy’s development and the growth of her confidence.
Then they went the way of all flesh……
Enter Vamika.
Vamika refers to the Hindu goddess Durga. Durga is a form of Devi (Hindu dieties and the relationship between them can seem quite complicated when you first investigate them). Devi is a supremely radiant goddess, depicted as having ten arms, riding a lion or a tiger, carrying weapons and a lotus flower, maintaining a meditative smile, and practicing mudras. Durga herself is said to be able to “redeem in situations of utmost distress”
Anyway, enough of the name the important thing is the music.
The band is;
AMY MURRELL Vocalist & Belly Dancer
DAVE SHARPLES Lead Guitarist
DAMIEN WELLMAN Bass Guitarist
JIM LEWIS Drummer
check them out at www.myspace.com/vamikarockband
Tags: amy murrell, dave sharples, love rock music, real rock and blues, rock and blues, vamika
On This Day – Stones In Harrow & The Beatles On US TV
Jan 6, 2010 On This Day
The Fab Four at their most Fab.......
Gawd knows what he would have made of the Stones.
They were embarking on their first tour in the UK on which they were the headliners having previously backed people like Bo Diddley, Little Richard and The Everly Brothers. This tie round they were supported by the Ronnettes (as was usual at the time a strange pairing it seems to me). Jack Paar may not have liked the Beatles’ hair Phil Spector did not like the Stones’ morals. He sent a telegram to the Stones warning to stay away from ‘his girls’. Mind you Ronnie of the Ronnettes was his wife at the time.
Apparently, the Stones ignored the telegram.
The tour started in the Harrow Granada, not the best venue they would ever play, but certainly not the worst. One notable thing from the tour was that the Stones stopped wearing their band uniform. One of the first bands to do so. These days it seems hard imagine that any band would wear a uniform, but it was the norm in those days. That they stopped wearing them enhanced their loutish, bad boy image. parents (mine included) hated them because of it. The kids (me included) loved them because of it (and the music, of course).
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Tags: beatles, On This Day, phil spector, real rock and blues, rolling stones, ronnettes
Not The Post It Is Supposed To Be!
Nov 8, 2009 Reviews
I was going to write a post about the reissue of Maxinquay by Tricky from 1995. This in itself was a bit of a surprise as I am not into Hip Hop (or whatever the genre is called these days) however, I have kept a bit of a watching (listening) brief on Tricky. For one thing he was born bristol which is where I grew up. Secondly, his music is a bit dark and he comments on social problems.
Anyway I was looking for clips from Maxinquay, which I heartedly recommend by the way, and came across this tremendous clip. It is called Puppy Toy and is from the 2008 album Knowle West Boy (the part of Bristol he was brought up in). It shows how he has developed as a writer and performer.
An interview with Tricky.
This is from Maxinquaye.
In Summary, Maxinqaye is a welcomed reissue, although I am not sure why it went away, however, Knowle West Boy shows what grown up hip hop is all about. And for my friends who deride hip hop as not being ‘real’ music I urge you to get yourself over to Youtube and just wander around the clips of Tricky you will be converted. As Frank Zappa said there is no such thing as bad music (mind you he obviously never listened to Country and Western, or ELO!)
Tags: hip hop, knowle west boy, maxinquaye, real rock and blues, rock and blues, tricky
On This Day – Dylan Storms New York, Nearly.
Nov 4, 2009 On This Day
On this day in 1962 Dylan headlined his first concert in New York at Carnegie Chapter Hall. Tickets cost $2 each and the box office was not over run. Just 53 tickets were sold, apparently. Most of those watching his Bobness’s debut in New York were friends and he was paid $20.
There is a bootleg of this concert doing the rounds and a quick search should find it. This is the track listing that I have seen.
1. Pretty Peggy-O
2. In The Pines
3. Gospel Plow
4. 1913 Massacre
5. Backwater Blues
6. Young But Daily Growing
7. Fixin\\\’ To Die
8. Talkin\\\’ Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues
9. Man On The Street
10. This Land Is Your Land
11. Talking Merchant Marine
12. Black Cross
13. Freight Train Blues
14. Song To Woody
15. Talkin\\\’ New York on the
There was a bootleg that came out years ago with just the first 7 tracks and I can say that the quality on that was pretty good. This version of “This Land is Your Land” appears on the “No Direction Home” soundtrack but that sounds pretty clean given the source.
In many ways I now find the early Dylan stuff the most interesting. I dislike old time folk and the journey he took from that tradition is fascinating. I have also found that I now have a new respect for the folk tradition that influenced Dylan.
Tags: bob dylan, classic rock music, On This Day, real rock and blues, rock and blues
