SEQUOIA - Mississippi Lady / The Ballad of San Andreas (Blue Mountain, 1972)

"Mississippi Lady"

Aventuras de John Carter e Ken Lewis

TRAMWAY - A Brand Of Lovin' (Siesta 1994)

                                      "Gianni Bugno Wheels"

 Este "A Brand of Lovin' " de Tramway, a primeira referencia do selo Siesta, é todo un tratado de continuidade silvestre desa independencia que nos 80 agromou coa C-86 do NME (Felt, Primal Scream, Tallulah Gosh, Razorcuts, Jasmine Minks, Pastels...) e que demostra que como tódalas décadas, os 90 deron bandas das que sentirse satisfeitos. Os irmáns Nancy e Matthew Evans despois do abraiante Ep "West Country Hospitality" presentan esta alfaia. con nove temas na versión vinilo e 13 na de cedé, das que non podemos deixar de salientar ese "Gianni Bugno Wheels", "Lookin' To Be Movin", "That Old, Old Feeling", ou esa broma que no cedé figura como pista instrumental a 10, e na realidade é unha adaptación da peza de Mary Poppins "Life's a Country Holiday With Mary". Dos irmáns Evans nada sabemos nin nos molestamos en indagar. De Jez Butler, teclados e frauta, digamos que é o instigador de Tomorrow's World, Mild Euphoria ou Sunshine Day entre outros. En fin, gocen dunha obra mestra, este "Brand of Lovin' " que segue fresco como una leituga fresca.

WHISKY DAVID Tina - Groupie (RCA, 1973)

NOTAS DA FOLLA DE PROMOCIÓN

WHISKY DAVID es producido por su descubridor FERNANDO ARBEX, pero su vinculación con la música data de hace varios años, Escocés de nacimiento y español por adopción, llegó a nuestro país en 1966, con sus 19 años deslumbrados por sus experiencias y meditaciones logradas durante su reclusión en un Monasterio Tibetano. Aquí con un conjunto escocés cantaba y era el organista del grupo, luego pasó a Los Shakers, cuyos componentes formaron después el grupo Los Brincos. Más tarde fue organista con Juan y Junior, Miguel Rios y con Micky donde también tocaba la armónica. 

WHISKY DAVID admira a Ray Charles y sueña con llegar a parecerse algún día a Jimmy Smith, su organista favorito, pero FERNANDO ARBEX, descubrió que tiene enormes facultades como cantante y compositoror. Por eso en éste, su primer disco, la "cara A" es "TINA", tema que le pertenece y que dedicó a una novia que tuvieron entre su hermano gemelo y él allí en Escocia , y la cara B, "GROUPIE" de FERNANDO ARBEX. su productor, son la tarjeta de presentacion de este artista que dará mucho que hablar.

PURPLE VELVET - Tribute To Creedence Clearwater (Avenue Recordings, 1972)

Towards the end of the nineteen-sixties, the focus of attention in the field of international pop music swung to the West Coast of America where a new and vital spirit had sprung up amongst the horde of young musicians who had gathered there. It was a period which was to see the emergence of a number of outstanding musical aggregations and individual talents, all reaching out for fame and fortune in the rich and relaxed atmosphere that pervaded the cities of San Francisco and Los Angeles. As the decade moved to a close and the gentle and wistful sounds which had heralded the appearance of flower-power and incense lost favour, the music took on new vitality and drive.

Out of this creative maelstrom came Creedence Clearwater Revival, four young, talented men whose distinctive powerhouse sound was to set a new pattern for American pop music. The group's gutty, raw material, penned mainly by their leader John Fogerty, was based securely in the blues of the deep South, and their dynamic interpretations quickly swept Creedence into the upper reaches of the best-selling record charts, not only in America but also across the international music scene. 

On this album, Purple Velvet recreate and capture the full vitality and force of Creedence's magni­ficent sound in a selection of their twelve best-known performances. A fitting tribute to one of the most exciting groups to appear in recent times and a superb L.P. for your collection. 

KAI OLSSON Once In A While (EMI, 1975)

Para aquellos que no sigan con verdadera fruición la carrera musical de la familia Olsson, decir que Kai es uno de los cuatro hermanos de Nigel Olsson, miembro de los fantásticos Plastic Penny pero conocido fundamentalmente por ser el batería de la banda de Elton John durante buena parte de los setentas. "Once in a while" suponía la segunda incursión discográfica del chaval después de su paso por Longdancer que llegaron a publicar un único y agradable disco de folk-rock titulado  "If It Was So Simple" y en en el que coincidió con Dave Stewart, futuro eurítmico. Excepto "Is it love" que está grabado en los USA con el grupo Orleans de banda de apoyo, el resto cuenta con lo más granado de los sesioneros británicos del momento, Mick Grabham, Tim Renwick, Dave Mattacks, John Turnbull o Dee Murray, que proporcionan el acompañamiento perfecto para el pop rock clásico del bueno de Kai.

FLORIBUNDA ROSE- Linda Loves Linda - One Way Street (Piccadilly, 1967)

"One Way Street"

O sudáfricano John Kongos desembarcou en Londres en 1967. Despois dalgún intento en solitario apareceu como cabeza visible de Floribunda Rose, un proxecto que só deixou como legado este sinxelo. Ao ano seguinte o grupo mutaría en Scrugg e con ese nome publicaron tres singles máis cos que tampouco pasou nada. O éxito acabou por chegarlle nos primeiros setentas con "He's Gonna Step on You Again" e "Tokoloshe Man". Todas estas pezas están dipoñibles xuntas nun recomendable cd do que aínda se atopan copias: "John Kongos Featuring Floribunda Rose & Scrugg - Lavender Popcorn"

MIKE McGEAR - McGear (WB 1974)

"Rainbow lady"

"McGear", publicado en setembro de 1974, foi o segundo álbum en solitario de Mike, que desta volta contou coa colaboración case total do seu irmán Paul McCartney que ademáis da produción tamén proporcionou o acompañamento musical dos Wings, ou sexa Linda, Denny Laine e o guitarrista recén chegado Jimmy McCulloch. Como os Wings non tiñan un batería estable nesa época, recurriron a Gerry Conway da banda de Cat Stevens. Paul co-escribiu todas as cancións do álbum, coa excepción de "Sea Breezes", escrita por Bryan Ferry.

MICHAEL McGEAR Woman (Island, 1972)

"Bored As Butterscotch"

Mike McGear (o irmán de Paul McCartney) foi membro dos Scaffold, aquel trío no que tamén estaban Roger McGough e John Gorman e que durante uns anos coa súa súa mestura de comedia, poesía e música incluso acadaron certa notoriedade con temas frikis como "LilyThe Pink" ou "Thank U Very Much". Está ben lembrar tamén o Lp que editou en compaña de McGough, "McGough and McGear" en 1968 e que incluía "So Much", unha canción que me gusta especialmente. "Woman" foi o seu primeiro traballo en solitario e nel conta de novo con McGough nas letras agás a colaboración co seu irmán Paul co que compón a medias a deliciosa "Bored As Butterscotch" aínda que nos créditos aparece asinada por McGear e amigo. O resto do disco ten os seus momentos como "Roamin A Road", "Witness" ou o rock de "Uptown Downtown" que xa fora gravada por Scaffold

Notas interiores:

"i asked zoot money, andy roberts, dave richards, gerry conway, norman yardley and john megginson to leave their homes to stay at mine in liverpool and with very little time or money de my first solo album: being mad they agreed. a year, lots of time, lots of money, and lots of friends later it was done. not knowing how to sing i chose the north to tear my guts out, and drove to stockport.s.r.s. studios where pete tattershall recorded all the basic tracks. zoot on one grand (and leky) piano, john on the other, andy on kriwaczek (pronounced krivocheck) acoustic and lead gtr, dave on bass gt.. norm gob iron, jerry drums, and i was khown to pick up my maracas. the next few months were covered in 'roof over your head' work, during which roger mcgough (the good poet) and i polished off the words. and i phoned people who would make the album nicer. on to e.m.i, abbey rd. studios where with the help of tony clarke we added final vocals, tim and the centipede string section/tony coe, chris pyne, cecil moss, mike rosen. molly duncan roger ball and other brass friends-paul korda, alan gorrie, steve gould (heavenly soulchoir) ginger johnsons african drums brian augers lovely organ, and special appearance of roger bunn on spaceship "mindblow". john meg may i add had the cheek to arrange the brass and strings. then endless hours of mixing with tony, me, and meg, and finally tony common came up to take some wet wirral photos, then down to finish the artwork. The end result is the plastic disc under this cardboard and a year out of my life. i (what they laughingly call) produced it. i've also treated my voice like an instrument (particularly on things like jolly good show) and naturally instruments blend, together at times. so there follows a list of printed songs to catch the words that float away."

OBIE CLAYTON - Obie Clayton (DJM Records, 1975)

Si os gustó "Searching for Sugar Man" no dejéis de leer "Who does Obie Clayton think he is?" de Claes Johansen.

CAT STEVENS Sitting / Crab Dance (1972)

Levo uns días facendo limpeza e pasei por Cat Stevens ao que tiña xa un pouco esquecido, de feito xa non me lembraba desta gran cara B, un instrumental chamado "Crab Dance" que nunca apareceu publicado en Lp. "Sitting" viña en "Catch Bull at Four".

THE CARVELLS - Skateboard Rampage (1978)

"Skateboard Racer"

The Carvells' music represents the combined talents of vocalist ALAN CARVELL and producer RON O'SHEA. 

ALAN CARVELL not only sings lead vocals with the group, but also works out all the arrangements for their songs. He is able to take a melody and embellish it with complex, note perfect harmonies. It is an ability which over the last three years has led to a great demand from record companies to use Alan for sessions. 

RON O'SHEA is the producer who first took Alan Carvell into the studio. He later laid down "L.A. Run": the Carvells' first hit which became the skateboarding anthem last year. It is included on this album, together with a collection of songs that show the hit-making talents of Carvell and O'Shea at their finest. 

MIKI - Dear Auntie Mary / A Piece Of Heaven (RCA 1969)

O tal Miki é en realidade Miki Anthony do que tedes unha wikipédica biografía máis abaixo. "Dear Auntie Mary" é unha peza composta por Mark Wirtz que ben podería ir incluída naquel proxecto chamado "A Teenage Opera" pero eu prefiro a cara B, unha composición do propio Anthony.

---

Miki Anthony's career in the music industry lasted approximately from 1970 to 1985 . During that time he had several hit records, as a singer, writer, and record producer, both in United Kingdom and abroad. As a singer he had a top 20 hit "If it wasn't for the reason" and a follow-up top 50 "Another without you day" both Greenaway/Cook songs and record productions. His only LP was "City of the Angels" recorded in LA for EMI in 1976, which is a collection of all his best songs, many of which were covered by other artists.

As a writer, his songs have been recorded by 5th Dimension, Vince Hill, Pat McGlynn (Bay City Rollers), Nolans, Congregation, Bob Monkhouse, The Goodies, Demmis Roussos,... His disco library music was strongly featured in all the Benny Hill TV series and the Avengers TV. After leaving the music industry he had a very successful career as a property developer converting NHS hospitals into apartments and houses until he retired in 2001 to work from home in Windsor and spend more time with his family. He continues to write songs and in 2010 "If you never have the chance" got to the final of the UK songwriting contest. Wikipedia

SAVOY BROWN - A Hard Way To Go / Waiting In The Bamboo Grove (Decca, 1970)

O blues rock e derivados abúrrenme un pouco pero hei de recoñecer que esta peza de Savoy Brown orixinalmente aparecida no seu Lp "A Step Further" ten o seu aquel.

JEREMY KIDD - Petals And Ashes / Crocodile Tears (Self -Drive Music, 1985)

"Petals And Ashes"

Inencontrable en internet hasta ahora como da fe alguno de nuestros colaboradores, “Petals & ashes” (pétalos y cenizas) es el único single que publicó Jeremy (o Jerry) Kidd tras su salida de los experimentales The Red Guitars, una banda de culto procedente de Hull y asociada al ambiente independiente británico de mediados de los 80. En el 85 Kidd decide emprender una esperanzadora carrera en solitario cuyo único resultado es este sencillo en cuya cara b figuraba otro tema propio, la lánguida e inocua “Cocodrile tears”. Con los excesos de las producciones de los 80, su tema principal es un homenaje a la anarquista lituana Emma Goldman (1869-1940), una canción de belleza serena y ecléctica que muestra lo mejor (la pieza en sí)  y lo más incómodo (esas baterías electrónicas) de una década de la que todavía hay mucho que rascar. La emoción acaba por imponerse y su vibrante mensaje tan actual convierte a esta canción en una joya perdida y hallada para goce de nuestros lectores y oyentes. Una vez recuperada no se la pierdan.

NOEL HARRISON - Suzanne / Museum (Reprise-Hispavox, 1967)

"Museum"

Estes dous temas de Noel Harrison viñan orixinalmente no seu Lp "Collage". Mola máis a adaptación de Donovan.

DADDY LINDBERG Shirl - Wade In The Shade (Columbia, 1967)

"Wade in The Shade"

The Fingers foron unha das primeiras banda británicas en definirse a si mesmos como sicodélicos alá polo 66. Tamén, segundo as lendas que acompañan a todo grupo de rock, saían a escena cun mono de nome Freak Out. Na súa curta carreira deixaron tres sinxelos aínda que  o seu terceiro apareceu baixo o seudónimo de Daddy Lindberg. "Shirl", una peza de Geoff Stephens e John Carter non vale moito pero "Wade in the Shade" é realmente impresionante.  Hai uns días púxose en contacto con nós John Bobin,  baixista orixinal de The Fingers,  que nos conta isto:

Hi:
I saw a track called "Wade in the Shade" in your blog which my old band The Fingers recorded in 1967 under the name Daddy Lindberg (The Fingers were under contract to EMI, with a certain amount of recording time allotted to us at Abbey Road. We had run out of time for that period so Peter Eden (our producer) booked us in as Daddy Lindberg!). We were recently persuaded to reform for a one-off gig and the evening was recorded for posterity. Henry Scott-Irvine (the well known author, broadcast media consultant and radio presenter) was present at the reunion gig when The Fingers played together for the first time since 1967. Henry described the gig thus: 

“The Fingers emerged in 1966 and recorded their best songs in the summer of 1967. With former members of Dr Feelgood, The Kursaal Flyers and Wilko Johnson’s Solid Senders, gathered alongside former associates of Procol Harum, The Fingers took to the stage on the night of September 21st 2012 in the shape of their original line-up. During the break several TV screens came to life showing The Fingers in May 1967 from the German TV series Beat Beat Beat, which was televised, live in Frankfurt. The pinnacle of the show was ‘Wade in the Shade’, which was the B-side of ‘Shirl’ undertaken by The Fingers’ alter-ego band Daddy Lindberg. I did say to their bass guitarist, John Bobin, that it was a shame they had not played ‘All Kinds Of People’ and its B-side ‘Circus With A Female Clown’, which are now regarded as psychedelic masterpieces by many, which brings us back to that particular tag ‘psychedelic’. Record Mirror newspaper said in 1966, ‘The Fingers are as about as psychedelic as Ken Dodd!’ Leaving aside the above two songs, the Daddy Lindberg single and the songs seen on Beat Beat Beat, Record Mirror probably had a point. The Fingers were a great 60’s Pop group. They were extremely versatile, then and now. And they had their psychedelic moments, too!” 

Our new CD "Wade in the Shade" is available from www.mickeyjupp.com.. All the best,  John

LALLY STOTT - Chirpy Chirpy, Cheep Cheep (Philips, 1971)

"Love Is Free, Love Is Blind, Love Is Good"

Antes de que Middle of the Road, Los 3 de Castilla y Mac & Katie Kissoon bombardearan a medio mundo con "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep", su autor, Lally Stott ya había grabado su propia versión que alcanzó cierta popularidad en Australia e Italia donde residía entonces. Lally nació cerca de Liverpool y en los primeros sesentas en plena explosión beat formó parte de varios grupos como The Vaqueros o los algo más conocidos Four Just Men que posteriormente mutarían en los recomendables Wimple Winch. En 1965, como muchos músicos británicos del momento, desembarcó en Italia dónde formó parte de los Motowns hasta 1969. Éste, su único Lp, grabado con apoyo de los Black Jacks, contiene las dosis justas de bubblegum mezclado con popsyke de época con excelentes momentos, un disco realmente agradable. Murió en 1977 en accidente de coche. Como bonus va la cara B de "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep", otra estupenda canción titulada "Henry James".

ALFALPHA - Alfalpha (EMI 1977)

"About You"

With a rather stylish album cover created by none other than renowned artist David Hockney; Alfalpha had some serious friends in high places with the inside sleeve namedropping Pete Townsend/ Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason and more importantly Marc Bolan of T Rex. It's the connection with the godfather of glam that reaped big dividends including contributing vocals to what would be the final T Rex album "Dandy In The Underworld" and several appearances on Bolan's short-lived television show "Marc" which ran for six episodes before his untimely death in September 1977. 

I Indeed this is a very laid-back album in the style of America and Crosby, Stills & Nash. Not a problem since I'm a fan I of both but unlike their folk-pop peers, Alfalpha didn't have a well of great songs at their disposal. Vocally and as expected, the trio blends well with jangly acoustic and occasionally but not often enough electric guitars and yet nothing here sticks, although tunes like the sugary sweet 'About You' and the windswept "Sky Turned Red" are certainly passable. One single "If I Can Just Get through Tonight" was released and it too is a pleasant little ditty but with so much ground breaking competition in 1977 it never stood a chance. Too late for the Laurel Canyon heyday and too early to hitch-up on the Paisley Underground movement; Alfalpha were a melancholic minor league oddity in the wrong era and short of originality. 

Main man Nick Laird-Clowes who went on to respected power poppers The Act and later to international success in The Dream Academy, a band I have a great admiration for and although I rarely if ever give Alfalpha a spin on the old turntable, I keep it for the artful Hockney sleeve. Glory Daze Music

LOUIS PHILLIPPE - Passport To Pamplona (GASA, 1987)

"You Mary You"

Outra petición. Publicado inicialmente en outubro do 2008

Hace un par de años estabamos Kabaloff y yo rebuscando entre los pocos discos que aún quedan en la tienda que hay en Monforte y además de comprarme por segunda vez el disco de los Triffids "Born Sandy Devotional", por cierto no entiendo en aprecio que hay por ese disco, también me hice con este de Louis Philippe, al que recordaba por una bonita canción "If You're Missing Someone" que aparecía en un recopilatorio de "él records" publicado por Grabaciones Accidentales en los ochenta, de hecho Philippe era una de las personas que estaban detrás de ese sello de efímera existencia (1986-1989), pero de fuerte impronta musical. Este "Passport To Pamplona" es en realidad "Passport To The Pogie Mountains" editado según reza en la página de Louis Phillipe sólo en España y Japón y que no viene a ser más que una recopilación de ocho temas provenientes de "Appointment with Venus" (1986), su debut para "él records", algunos temas aparecidos en single como "You Mary You" o "Anthony Bay", una demo de "The Rubens Room", más tarde publicada por The King of Luxemburg, otro colega del sello y un par de instrumentales grabados para el programa de TV3 Catalunya Arsenal Atlas. El disco tiene todo lo que se espera de este titán, pop barroco excelso "You Mary You" o "Heaven Is Above My Head" que podría haber sido fuente de inspiración para The Divine Comedy, ejercicios vocales fantásticos en "Anthony Bay", sonidos fronterizos en "Touch of Evil" con unas trompetas muy molonas, toquecitos Ray Davies en "Angelica My Love", pop francés " La Pluie Fait Des Claquettes", lounge de diverso tipo, etc, un disco bien bonito a pesar de la portada, no sé porque no escogieron la estupenda foto de la contra, obra de Nick Wesolowski, ex-batería de Monochrome Set, que lo retrató como una especie de anarquista de finales del XIX. Como nota curiosa decir que el señor Philippe aparte de sus escarceos musicales es también muy conocido en su país bajo su nombre real Philippe Auclair como comentarista futbolero y es, además, corresponsal de France Football en Inglaterra. Tiembla Segurola

VIGRASS AND OSBORNE - Steppin' Out (CBS, 1974)

"Daily Depress"

Había anos que non escoitaba este disco do que, a verdade sexa dita, só lembraba a peza que se pode escoitar no reprodutor, pero decidín compracer a un comunicante anónimo que tiña certo interese neste segundo Lp do dúo británico Vigrass and Osborne. Despois de darlle un repaso enteiro de novo, dicir que o máis interesante está nas voces e nalgúns dos arranxos do produtor Jeff Wayne. As notas que veñen a continuación están extraídas do blog The Note Book Of.

Here you'll find all I have been able to assemble about Vigrass and Osborne: the British duo of Paul Vigrass and Gary Osborne. They had a brief recording history in the early 1970s which resulted in a handful of sparkling pop singles that were criminally ignored in most territories around the world.

Their producer, Jeff Wayne, was a writer and producer of commercial jingles - he undoubtedly brought that sensibility to the table, as well as playing organ and co-writing some of the songs.  Musicians I recognise on the albums include guitarists Chris Spedding and Caleb Quaye, and Ray Cooper (percussion); the latter two frequently worked with Elton John.

Wayne, of course, later produced the highly successful War Of The Worlds album in 1978. To that project, he took with him Gary Osborne to write lyrics to some of the songs - and he uplifted a Vigrass And Osborne tune - Forever Autumn, which became the biggest seller and signature tune from War Of The Worlds.

Prior to V&O, Paul Vigrass had a few solo releases in the late 1960s (including Free Lorry Ride and A New Man), then briefly replaced Tony Burrows as lead singer of the studio band Edison Lighthouse. 

Gary Osborne leaves a number of traces, though - as a lyricist. He apparently wrote English lyrics for the Veronique Sanson song Amoureuse, recorded by Kiki Dee in 1974 (a year after the original). But his best residual income would be from the War Of The Worlds album, possibly also for his lyrics for Elton John on three albums in the mid-1980s; the hits were Part Time Love, Little Jeannie, and Blue Eyes. He's been active as lyricist as recently as 2006.