31 December 2019
DAVID BOWIE played a semi-acoustic version of his massive hit SPACE ODDITY
that was broadcast on the New Year’s Eve TV Show of comedian Kenny Everett
40 years ago today, on 31 December 1979.
Here’s the special performance…
DAVID BOWIE: Facebook
18 December 2019
48 years ago today, on 18 December 1971, legendary glam rockers T.REX scored their first No 1 album in the UK with their sixth release ‘ELECTRIC WARRIOR’. The LP was a huge hit as it became the best-selling longplayer of that year in Great-Britain. Here are the two successful singles off the record…
– GET IT ON –
(No 1 on the UK Singles Chart)
– JEEPSTER –
(Peaked at #2 on the UK Singles Chart)
Album in full here…
.
T.REX: Discography
14 December 2019
Legends THE CLASH released LONDON CALLING, their best album – a double one – on
14 December 1979, 40 years ago today. A monumental record with the band mixing a
lot of different musical genres such as reggae, rockabilly, ska, New Orleans R&B, pop and lounge jazz. Lyrically, the songs were about social issues like inequality, unemployment, racial conflicts, drug abuse and our climate’s ugly future. The final result was a bold, multi-faceted and overall astonishing achievement. The double longplayer scored big time, worldwide, with sales of over five million copies.
Three of the many highlights…
– LONDON CALLING –
– GUNS OF BRIXTON –
– CLAMPDOWN –
(Live version)…
THE CLASH: Facebook
Album in full…
.
THE CLASH: Facebook
Back sleeve
11 December 2019
On 11 December 1982, 37 years ago today, THE JAM played their last ever concert in Brighton, UK. It was frontman and songwriter Paul Weller who wanted to move on and start other musical projects. Between 1977 and 1982 the band released six triumphant albums – with the 1977 brilliant LP ‘All Mod Cons‘ as my absolute favourite – and no less than 19 hit singles. Although The Jam formed in the 70s punk era the trio’s work was more influenced by R & B, 60s beat music and ‘angry young man‘ rock ‘n’ roll. To celebrate one of the best British groups ever Turn Up The Volume selected three of their standout crackers. Here we go…
– IN THE CITY – 1977
– DOWN IN THE TUBE STATION AT MIDNIGHT – 1978
– THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT – 1981
THE JAM: Discography
5 December 2019
Today 25 years ago, on 5 December 1994, Manchester’s legends THE STONE ROSES released their second and final album titled biblically’ SECOND COMING‘. It came more than 5 years after their sensational self-titled debut LP, their magnum opus, all killers no fillers. The delay was due to a lengthy legal dispute with their first record label Silverstone Records, the fact that they were too busy spending the big advance money they got from their new, major label Geffen Records, but most of all there was the immense pressure
on the band to make another masterpiece.
Despite top tracks such as ‘Driving South’, ‘Ten Storey Love Song’, ‘Love Spreads’, ‘Your Star
Will Shine’ and ‘Begging You’ the longplayer failed to meet the high musical expectations and the critics weren’t impressed. Yet the record peaked at #4 on the UK Chart and sold over 1 million copies worldwide.
Here are the three singles…
– LOVE SPREADS –
– TEN STOREY LOVE SONG –
– BEGGING YOU –
Album in full…
Back sleeve
4 December 2016
THE ROLLING STONES released ‘LET IT BLEED’ one of their best albums on 5 December 1969, 50 years ago. They rocked harder than before and lyrically they explored sexual
and demonic territories where they had never been before. Rolling Stone wrote, “Whether
it was spiritual, menstrual or visceral, the Stones made sure you went home covered in blood.”. The record topped the UK Chart and peaked at #3 in the US.
Mick Taylor had joined the band as Brian Jones was fired in the midst of the recording sessions. He only played on two tracks and passed away 5 months before the LP came
out. Eventually, it was Keith Richards who did almost all the guitar parts.
Key Tracks: Gimme Shelter / Love In Vain / Midnight Rambler / Country Honk (actually another title for their hit single ‘Honky Tonk Woman’ / ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’
Album in full…
3 December 2019
THE BEATLES released one of their best albums ‘RUBBER SOUL’ on 3 December 1965,
54 years ago. It was their sixth longplayer with almost every track a winner and several standout pieces such as ‘Nowhere Man, ‘Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)‘ (with George Harrison for the first time on sitar), ‘Drive My Car‘ and ‘Girl‘. It was the LP on which The Fab Four assisted by the sonic creativity of producer George Martin started to experiment with all kinds of studio techniques. The record topped both the UK and the US Chart.
AllMusic wrote: “While the Beatles still largely stuck to love songs on ‘Rubber Soul’, the lyrics represented a quantum leap in terms of thoughtfulness, maturity, and complex ambiguities. Musically, too, it was a substantial leap forward, with intricate folk-rock arrangements that reflected the increasing influence of Dylan and the Byrds. The group and George Martin were also beginning to expand the conventional instrumental parameters of the rock group…”
Full review here. Score: 5/5
Album in full right here…
.
THE BEATLES: Website – Facebook
Back sleeve
2 December 2019
Today 11 years ago American black singer/songwriter and human rights activist ODETTA passed away, she was 78. I didn’t know her until I read an interview with legend Bob Dylan, a couple of years ago, in which he said that he was heavily inspired by Odetta. Also, other contemporary artists such as Joan Baez, Mavis Staples, Janis Joplin and many folk artists were all fans of Odetta.
It made me curious and I started to check out her work. What I discovered was a most expressive voice, an outspoken lyricist and a compelling performer. If you never heard
of her than this live rendition of American traditional ‘Waterboy‘ is a perfect introduction to this special artist…
You can stream a ‘Best Of‘ right here…
.
ODETTA: Biography
1 December 2019
THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE released their second longplayer ‘AXIS: BOLD AS LOVE’ on 1 December 1967, 52 years ago today. It came out only 7 months after the critically praised and triumphant debut LP ‘Are You Experienced’ but it didn’t hurt the record’s sales. It peaked at #5 in the UK and #3 in the US where it was issued later.
Rolling Stone wrote at the time: “Jimi Hendrix sounds like a junk heap, very heavy and metallic loud. Rock’s first burlesque dancer, superman in drag, his music is schizophrenic. Axis: Bold as Love is the refinement of white noise into psychedelia, and (like Cream) it is not a timid happening; in the vortex of this apocalyptic transcendence stands Hendrix, beating off on his guitar and defiantly proclaiming “if the mountains fell in the sea, let it be, it ain’t me.” Such cocky pop philosophy shall not go unrewarded.”
Album in full here…
.
JIMI HENDRIX: Website – Facebook
Back sleeve
30 November 2019
It was the Madchester era. It seemed like all great bands at the time came out of that buzzing city up north, called Manchester, the town of 24 Hour Party People.
Two of the biggest bands on the scene, THE STONE ROSES and HAPPY MONDAYS even performed on the same edition of the legendary BBC music programme Top Of The Pops. It happened on 30 November 1989, 30 years ago.
The Stone Roses played their greatest single success, the awesome trippy ‘Fool’s Gold’
and Happy Mondays, with surprising special guest, the late great Kirsty MacColl played ‘Hallelujah’ from their Madchester Rave On EP. Time to watch some cool moves…
– ‘Fool’s Gold‘ by THE STONE ROSES –
– ‘Hallelujah’ by HAPPY MONDAYS –
