Straight out of Canvey Island on the Costa Del Thames in the Deep South Dr. Feelgood produced some great rockin’ R&B!
Wilko Johnson on guitar and Lee Brilleaux on vocals – this was Punk Pub Rock!
Today’s Music to keep me NEAS in Isolation – James Brown
My back pages – 1992 – Bob Dylan and an array of stars.
Today’s Music to Keep eM enAS in Lockdown – Tommy Tucker
The rumour was that Tommy Tucker died on a UK tour from eating a Wimpy Burger and getting food poisoning. Lol. Probably a bit of fake news put out by McDonalds or Burger King.
There were many R&B staples of the British Beat boom of the sixties and Tommy Tucker was one of them.
I wonder how many different bands played ‘Long Tall Shorty’ and Hi-Heeled Sneakers’? Absolute classics!
Today I’m going to be playing them too – but I’ll play the originals by Tommy Tucker:
Youth Culture – Where’s it gone??
Today’s Music to keep me SAnnnnneeee in Isolation – Sam and Dave
Today’s Music to keep me SAnnnnne in Isolation – David Gray
Peter Green – a guitar genius – Fare Thee Well and Thank you!
I have just heard the sad news that Pete Green, the founder and guitar genius of Fleetwood Mac, has died at the age of 73.
I first saw Pete playing with John Mayall and was greatly impressed by his fluent, flowing guitar. He had followed Eric Clapton into the band and I reckon he was the better guitarist.
He formed the great Fleetwood Mac which I was lucky enough to see regularly. They had their roots in Blues but soon developed into something so much more with impressive progressive tracks like Green Manalishi. They were such a great band to see live – so full of fun, skill and great music. Pete wrote such brilliant songs.
After Pete suffered his psychedelically initiated breakdown and left the band they were never as good. I cherish those early albums and live shows – one of the best bands in the world (thanks to Pete Green).
If only we had music like that, venues like that and bands who were as exciting. For 25p you got to see Pete Green up close, to dance and laugh, and to watch in awe as he conjured brilliance out of his guitar. There was always such a range of styles and music – Pete duelling with Danny Kirwin or Jeremy Spencer summoning up the spirit of Elmore James.
I rate Pete Green as one of the greatest guitarists to have come out of Britain and count myself fortunate to have seen him play.
I shall be dusting off all my albums and thinking about you, playing the memories of seeing you play in my head, and celebrating such wonderful times with sad tears.
Goodbye Pete – thank you so much! I’ve been missing you for a long time but am still heartbroken at your death! You were the best (and such a nice guy too!).
Air – By the Incredible String Band
Today’s Music to keep me SAne in Isolation – Screaming Jay Hawkins
Screaming Jay was famous for developing his act as a Wild Man. He used to leap out of a coffin with big headdresses and skulls, sticks and feathers, bones and paint. The first person to do such a thing.
His other claim to fame was to have produced the first version of I’ll Put A Spell On You. His version was reputed to have sold a million copies but didn’t make the charts and wasn’t played on radio because it was considered too primitive and vulgar! Incredible for the mid-fifties.
My sort of man!
So today I’ll play some Screamin’ Jay!!