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Musings on the byways of popular culture

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Who’s left?

by 8 Comments

With Val Doonican no longer able to play himself, it seems there are only three remaining members of the ensemble still with us – the ukulele player, the sousaphone player and the piano player.

I could be wrong though, anyone seen Vernon Dudley Bohay-Nowell lately?

Rejected hit songs

by 29 Comments

There’s a few of these stories about, where a singer/band turns down a song that was subsequently a huge hit for someone else.

Here’s a rather unlikely story I read the other day – Micky Dolenz (who has a great voice) turning down David Gates’ “Diary” (interesting he mentions the “Brill Building West” – not something I’d heard of before).

So what are the really well-known ones I’ve forgotten? Or lesser known ones that my nerd-brain needs to know about?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bftrqg7xRLo

http://somethingelsereviews.com/2015/06/14/micky-dolenz-monkees-diary-bread/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook

It was 45 years ago this weekend…

by 43 Comments

How’s this for a weekend festival lineup?

So firstly – was anyone there?

Secondly – which day would you go (if not both)?

For me the Sunday looks amazing for the first three – Led Zep, the Airplane and FZ, and then the Byrds and Dr John – well, the whole day apart from the Moodies appeals.

OOAA.

And according to this YouTube link, it’s the first time ever (gasp) they played the Immigrant Song

http://i1275.photobucket.com/albums/y448/MrMunkie/Bath%20Festival%201970_zpsflrdhyks.jpg

Songs that tell you where they were written

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Interviewer: “So Mr Brown, tell us about how you wrote ‘White Room’”? Pete Brown: “Well, I was sitting in this white room, at the station with black curtains…”

And then there is also that S&G song, also set at a station. I’m sure there are many others

Favourite songs from the thirties

by 41 Comments

I just went out to lunch with my Mum, aged 89. She suffers from arthritis and it’s bloody cold down here in New Zealand so she wore gloves, which of course she took off once we were inside. And of course forgot when we left – a kind waitress delivered them to us as we were going out the door.

Which reminded me of this song which I know from a record of “British Dance-Band Hits” or something that I got out of the public library many years ago. It has such a charming lyric about a specific event of its time, a beautifully crafted song with a strong melody and great arrangement.

Anyone else have favourites from this “bygone era”?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJS6kN7iCHI

Dinner table dynamics

by 53 Comments

This is a bit of an introverted post. but for those extroverts amongst us, bear with me. You might learn something.

I hate going “out for dinner” with more than one person. When it’s just me and my wife I love it. Sometimes the two of us go out with others, and if that happens, I inevitably find myself on the outer. So if there’s 3 of us, I’m the one left listening to two people talking. If there’s four of us, then that can be OK, because there can be two sets of two people talking. However if there’s 5, then that means 2 groups of 2 talking, and I’m left out. Etc.

If there’s a bigger group, like a birthday party or something, a big bunch of people – “woo-hoo let’s all go out it’ll be great” – well inevitably I find myself alone, because I just can’t do the “conversation with several people at once”. I like to talk to one person at a time. I can’t keep up with several conversations, and if I’m having a good talk to someone, I don’t want it being interrupted by some frivolous contribution from an inevitably well-meaning and probably » Continue Reading.

Thinking about bootlegs

by 35 Comments

Bootlegs! Once an exciting, naughty, illegal, secret world. At least they were in the seventies, when I first became aware of the existence of them. And they were just out of reach in New Zealand. There was a music mag that advertised them, from an address in Australia, but organising payment in those days between NZ and Australia was virtually impossible, especially for a green 17yr old already fighting his Dad (the only person who could make payment possible) on several other fronts.

There were of course exceptionally groovy folk in NZ who (I found out years later) had copies of The Great White Wonder etc etc.

In 1974 on a trip to the UK I went to see ver Floyd at Earls Court, As I shuffled my way to my seat I happened to look behind me and right into the eyes of an anxious looking boy with a tape machine on his knee, the desperate look in his eyes saying “please don’t tell”…

Anyway, fast forward to 2015. On my community radio show I regularly play bootleg recordings which are available all over the Internet (I’m talking about live concert recordings here, not official releases).

So my » Continue Reading.

Cricket? New Zealand? Anyone?

by 9 Comments

I’m loving it, natch. A few flibbity-jibbities from the England lads in the field, (Ian Bell I’m looking at you) and I feel sorry for the young bowler who put his foot over the line a couple of times. And the Kiwis made the most of their luck which is what good players do. It’s shaping up to be a great Test I reckon.

Even better 50 years later (nearly)

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This is just fabulous. For a start it’s really well recorded, but the vocals and the harmonies and the band are excellent. I loved this when it came out in 1967, one of those one-off hits that seemed to come along all the time in those days (think “Macarthur Park”, “Ode To Billy Joe”).

Anyway I can’t think of another band that has actually improved over nearly 50 years, and if asked I would never have imagined it would be The Cowsills

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foepOwQlXpI

A couple of Australians are going to be shot dead tonight

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I don’t know if this is news in the UK or outside Australasia, it’s obviously headline news here in Australia and has been for some months. Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were the ringleaders of the so-called “Bali Nine”, nine misguided kids who got caught smuggling heroin in Bali 10 years ago, and were sentenced to death. After umpteen legal processes and pleas from the Australian government it looks like tonight they will be lined up and shot by a firing squad.

There are so many issues surrounding this case – the death penalty itself, the weakness of the newly elected Indonesian prime minister etc etc. What is often overlooked is that the Australian Federal Police knew about these people and let them be arrested in Bali, for whatever reason.

Another issue is that if ever there was a case for commuting the death sentence it’s this – the two men seem to have remarkably got their act together and are willing to remain in an Indonesian jail for the rest of lives helping other prisoners. One of them is an accomplished painter.

There’s a lot of killing and disasters in the world at the moment but this case makes » Continue Reading.

40 years on – your memories of 1975

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I’m currently preparing an episode of my radio show “One Size Fits All” (it’s a Frank Zappa based 2 hour show named after the FZ album of the same name) –

http://eastsidefm.org/onesizefitsall/

– which will be an overview of the year 1975 (when FZ released OSFA).

What are your memories of music in 1975? In between psychedelia and prog and punk?

Supposedly a crap year but there are gems – like this –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDD5BQlv8iw

(George McRae – “Rock Your Baby”)

And I’m NOT going to play anything from Rumours or Physical Graffiti. And I WILL play a couple of tracks from The Last Record Album.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUxJQlOKj38

Friendly folk up north

by 12 Comments

So Andy Partridge agrees with a study that has found that people from Swindon are not very “open” and in general the friendlier folk in the UK are in the north.

Is this rubbish?

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/11879263.Don_t_bank_on__open__reaction_from_Swindonians__says_XTC_frontman/

What do you call it – album, record, CD?

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For example The Unthanks new “product” – how do you refer to it when you are talking about it?

I tend to use the word “album”, cos I’m such a 1971 kind of guy, although in reality usually I’ve bought a CD. If I’ve downloaded the – er, product (in which case it’s not a CD) then “album” seems to also cover the digital experience.

I have a friend in NZ who is a music journalist (of my vintage although a bit younger) who ALWAYS uses the word “record”, which I love.

What’s your preferred nomenclature, and why?

Songs for children from England

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I ask out of ignorance and for information.

1. What are the great, classic, songs for children from England? I mean I know there are nursery rhymes and so on, but is there an English equivalent of say, Pete Seeger, or Burl Ives, who sang traditional and contemporary (at the time) songs just for kids?

2. Are there current writers/performers of children’s songs in the UK? Who are the best ones? For example in the US They Might Be Giants are hugely (and deservedly) popular for their kids’ stuff.

This question actually comes from Mrs M, who is constantly looking for content for her podcast for kids that is not American. You can listen to her podcast here –

http://eastsidefm.org/blogs/catch-it-by-the-tail/

http://eastsidefm.org/blogs/catch-it-by-the-tail/

Abdullah Ibrahim

by 9 Comments

Venue:

Adelaide Town Hall, South Australia

Date: 10/03/2015

This was just sublime. The first hour was a continuous succession of improvisations, he’d play a melody or a theme and then rather than take off an extended virtuosic solo he gently explored the ideas in the piece, sometimes setting up a rhythmic groove, sometimes exploring the chord progression. It was all very gentle, meditative but never dull or boring, indeed it was the opposite – endlessly interesting, the sound of a master musician who knows exactly what he’s doing and how to do it. After that first hour there was another twenty minute piece, not quite so inventive, and that was it.

He didn’t speak a word to the audience, and had a folio of music on the piano which I suppose was a reminder of the pieces he wanted to play.

As a footnote, I’d organised to go this gig several months ago – had to leave a rehearsal half an hour early to get to the airport, fortunately the plane was on time but I was 3 minutes late and had to sit in the dress circle, which was OK. I fell over running across the road rushing » Continue Reading.

What do you do better than your “better half”?

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The phrase “better half” tends to be used by men referring to women (I look forward to being corrected on this), and is usually a kind of self-deprecating acknowledgement of women’s wisdom.

I’m the first to note Mrs M’s ability to organise social occasions, advise on any social interaction and – well, let’s just say she’s the boss.

However, there are certain things that I am better at doing. The main one is working out exactly how much time it will take to get from one place to another (and another, and another, on the same day) and against my Better Half’s optimism, suggesting an alternative. For example, just visiting/going to ONE event. Because every occasion/event involves chat/discussion/talk/gossip. Which means that we will be late for the NEXT thing.

What’s your experience?

Toumani and Sidiki Doubate

by 12 Comments

Venue:

City Recital Hall, Sydney

Date: 03/03/2015

An amazing performance, and for me (as a total ignoramus about African music), a complete eye-opener. Father and son duo both playing the kora (Google it), an African stringed instrument. Both total virtuosi. The music was remarkably “Western” sounding to my ears – diatonic major or Lydian scales, straight 8 grooves, but totally engaging, wonderful rhythmic playfulness, and a beautiful sound. My son (aged 22) suggested we go to this, otherwise I would not have even known it was on.

In an odd footnote, they brought on a couple of guests, including an Australian woman who has been studying African music – turned out she was the daughter of our family GP from a decade ago.

The audience:

Hated them. Clapped every time the performers said anything. Obviously there were folks from Mali in the audience, and great that they yelled out etc. Mali has been overrun by Muslim extremists in recent years, and the performers mentioned tis, not in so many words. I’m trying not to be cynical here but I can’t help suspecting the mainly white audience had their moment of pleasure. OK, I am being cynical. But really, just » Continue Reading.

Deborah has some young ladies over for tea

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This is a great interview, love the idea of Debbie Harry inviting her “punk ladies” for tea. Except Chrissie Hynde looks like she’s about to swig from a bottle of champers. She also looks, in this photo, disturbing like Freddie Mercury.

Blondie wrote some great pop songs. Time for a reassessment?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopfeatures/11432214/Debbie-Harry-on-punk-refusing-to-retire-and-sex-at-69.html

Lulu Davy and Frank

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So where and when do you suppose this could have been taken? Maybe Lulu was in America when FZ was in The Monkees’ “Head”. Or were Lulu and Davy an item at one stage?

http://i1275.photobucket.com/albums/y448/MrMunkie/FZ%20DavyJ%20Lulu_zpsdowoyrya.jpg

A couple of questions for the admin folks

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1. If I reply to a comment, it appears as a reply to the OP rather than the comment I was replying to (eg see my comment on DFB’s comment about the Bonzo’s/Rutles in IanP’s “Who you going to see” post. Can we fix this? Otherwise my comment doesn’t necessarily make sense.

2. I saved a New Blog Post as a draft, because I couldn’t work out how to post a photo. (Still can’t). But then when I went to “Post a Blog”, I kept getting my previous, saved one. Can this be sorted? Does this make sense?

BTW I of course appreciate the great work all the admin folks are doing. PLEASE can we donate something?