Today's Must Have - Adele 21/ Rolling In The Deep

Very excited about the release of the album - just seen her performance of this on "Chatty Man" blindin' to say the least but the chat showed her to be a very grounded fun person, not overawed with what she has acheived at such a young age. Massive Talent.

45Cat - A Must For All Collectors

A catalogue of all the UK singles ever released; Scans of labels and picture bags; Reader and owner ratings; Sign up and compile your own collection, add comments - print your collection catalogue.

I stumbled upon this via a number of blogs so I thought I would check it out.  Wow! what a great idea.  Rather than compiling your own catalogue why not join the hundreds of collectors who have contributed to this brill web site - it's easier if we all do it together.  So far (today) they have 80,000+ entries of different releases.  It's creating a history of pop released on 7" 45rpm singles in the UK.  I urge you to go and join in.  It's really fast to add your collection and once you have scanned in any that they don't have on there you'll have a full list of your stuff owned (you'll never have to think about whether you do have something or not at that record fair)  They're working on an i-phone app - so you will be able to keep your lists in your pocket.

bloody brilliant!

click on the logo above to go there (now!)

p.s added 12th February 2011 - now I have all my singles up on 45c i'll link all future posts to the corresponding entry.

Newly Vintage - Eli "Paperboy" Reed

With the current spate of "new" soul artists around (you know "neo-soul" whatever that means) - your Duffy (Pop princess); Amy Winehouse (go back to the jazz sounds of the first album please); Cee Lo (the Real Thing but in a 70's Groove); Adele (A British Soul Voice if ever I heard one) - I was pleasantly surprised to find that Eli Reed delivers the real thing - play any of the tracks from his latest album or indeed those posted on soundcloud and I'll defy anyone to say that they are a poor imitation of the past - they could be old masters found in some dusty basement.  I added them to a northern soul set for some friends the other day and they wanted to know where i'd found this new/old gem.  Give him a listen for a real trip back in time

In Appreciation Of .... Lewis Taylor

The wonderful Mr Taylor came into my life in 1996 following some great reviews of his debut solo album citing Marvin Gaye, Neo soul, layered harmonies, etc etc.  How would I resist such praise.  The debut self titled album is a set to be worked at but once you hook into the sounds and the feel that this guy produces (much of it with him playing everything) it is sublime. "Lucky" the lead track and released as a single is a good intro but by the time you get to "Bittersweet" with it's slow build and then the breakout Marvin vocal change it's bloody marvellous. 

I love albums that grow from interesting to irresistable and this one is in that catagory. He received a lot of high profile praise from Jools Holland, Elton, Paul Weller and the like together with the music press but I think a white north London guy (and not another pretty teen type but a seasoned musican) singing his own take on harmonies that have a strong nod to black America as much as the Beach Boys and Flying Burritto's - with some added amazing guitar - Island were confused and didn't know how to promote him.  He lost ground and by the time his second "Lewis II" arrived, again different - more introspective, more song based and easing up on the production pedal - they gave up, dropping him later that year.

He resurfaced with his own label, Slow Reality, and released "Stoned" ironically a step forward artistically and commercially, more accessible and potentially what Island would have wanted. Again back to acclaim and a following both via the web and through a few live performances. I saw him at a packed Jazz Cafe in London and was blown away.

"Stoned Part 2" followed with new songs and some reworkings from it's counterpart suggesting the guy is a perfectionist. Later a "Lost Album" appeared with yet more versions of those songs with a more rock bias than soul. All the above are recommended. He gave up his career in 2006 and is still considered by many to be a great loss to the music scene.

He had a song covered by Robbie Williams from which I hope he gets a decent royalty cheque every now and then. I play his albums a lot and often think he would be great in the production seat for various artists.

I recommend you seek out his albums.

You Been Playing My Records? (Diner - 1982)

I know how he feels - not about the filing but about knowing what was playing at certain points in your life.

Chuck Jackson - I Only Get This Feeling/Slowly But Surely (1973)

A great soul track from the veteran soul singer Chuck Jackson whose career still runs today and has travelled through Wand Records; duets with Maxine Brown; a stint at Motown.  I had this on a single and loved it together with the B side - unavailable on CD to my knowledge.

http://45cat.com/record/pro595

That Was My 2010

As we head into 2011 I thought I would share a few of my own music related highlights of 2010.

Records
Firstly Surprise Of The Year goes to the John Legend And The Roots Album for reasons I have stated already on these pages; Dissappointment? - the Rumer Album - I thought "Slow" was a real head turner of a record but all the hype led to yet another drab dinner party album with little to celebrate other than it is quality but not very interesting - having seen a couple of TV performances and had reports from friends of gigs - Rumer needs some personality added to that glorious voice.

I don't get Arcade Fire - despite them being flavour of the year in most polls - it just doesn't move me (although "Rebellion" is one of my favourite tracks from recent years).  I love the "Strickland Banks" album from Plan B - I hope to go to the gigs in March 2011. "The Element of Freedom" from Alicia Keys. Not so mad on the latest Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings - again it has nothing new to offer - yes it's good and authentic soul but I can go back to the originals of the genre in preference.  I love "The Lady Killer" by Cee- Lo Green but was let down by the second Cherry Ghost album.  Diane Birch is one to watch as "Bible Belt" works for me; I've followed Eli Paperboy Reed with interest as he writes and performs new soul pop songs with his own swagger attached;  Amazed at Mavis Staples, at 70, turning out "You Are Not Alone". I got the two Open Souls albums from New Zealand which are mixed but the high points outweigh the less so and are well worth seeking out.  I have ended the year with a mixed bunch of presents of music in the shape of Kanye's latest, Roy Ayers (1979); Springsteen's "The Promise"; Basie/Sinatra "At The Sands"; a return to UB40's roots with a new copy of "Signing Off" and,of course "Soul Alive!" from Solomon Burke.

Gigs this year have been few on the ground with a Union Chapel Peter Green gig which displayed him as part brilliant part "not quite his former self" mode (think Brian Wilson on the first solo tour a few years ago); Supertarmp at the O2 - my comments werte not well received by the Hodgson faithful but I thought it was a great show - pity everyone wants to take sides; Again the Legend/Roots gig is top of my list but probably shared with the final Simply Red gig in December. Alicia Keys in February - high on a list of wonderful performances.  I hope to get out a bit more in 2011.

Lost But Not Forgotten
The sad passing of Solomon Burke - he of great soul legend. I was introduced properly to him via Peter Garulnick's invaluable southern soul history "Sweet Soul Music"; saw him live at the Barbican in 2008 and have slowly collected much of his catalogue and newer albums as a result. Marvel at the Later version of "Don't Give Up On Me" on YouTube - there was more to come and he will be missed. Also lost is Harvey Fuqua - someone who has contributed so much but not been centre stage.

Guilty Pleasure - the X-Factor 2010

Simply Red Are No More

Back around 1986 a new band started a career with "Money's Too Tight To Mention" - the band were credible, lauded by the then (as now) cynical music press, the songwriter had been in a punk band having attended an early Pistols gig in Manchester.  He was red haired, claimed to have been an outcast but was determined to make it in music as this was his passion.  Isn't that how our musical heroes should be.  Further evidence of this solid foundation (in an artistic sense) was that his next single was self written in his early teens, related to his lack of a mother who deserted him when he was very young. "Holding Back The Years" was a song to be admired and the world acknowledged that here was a songwriter to be watched.

The album "Picture Book" brought a lot more with nods to jazz, soul and pop. What a future.  On "Men and Women" the "difficult" second album he delivered again but upped the ante, acknowledging the past (Cole Porter's "Evr'y Time We Say Goodbye")  political comment - on Thatcher in particular; worked with Lamont Dozier; even covered Sly Stone's "Let Me Have It All" making it his own. 

I don't need to run through his career but I feel that it is easy to forget that Mick Hucknall is one of the British Greats with a pedigree to be reckoned with - not just measured in sales figues or bums on seats at vast halls around the world.  We should acknowledge that this guy has delivered a body of work second to none over the past 25 years.  Great influences, a foundation of musical knowledge, always with great musicians.  He does have the record sales and not just at home.  He is mocked due to the excesses of the eighties but that will pass - just as we now acknowledge the 70's as a watershed decade for music where we once rubbished it for glitter, flares, afros and disco.

We love to pull our successes apart in this country - 'we build em up only to pull em down' as they say.

In the eighties during the rise of SR I missed out on some tickets for the first large (Wembley Arena) London gigs.  I am a fan of the band and whilst that interest has palled of late due to my (and probably Mick Hucknall's) musical tastes developing to other things, I regularly play those first 5 albums (important: not just the odd track- but whole sets as they were intended).  With all of this in mind I have attended two gigs on the farewell tour (although 11 months apart) including last week's Final Show at the O2.

There are many reviews posted which reflect the quality of that gig by far better reviewers than I.  All I can say is I thought it was amazing with no low points for me.  A great gig - yes to the faithful but what a way to go.  Apt that a solo start to "Holding..." was the last song of the night/tour/band but it was delivered with that wonderful voice sounding as good as it did 25 years ago

a great song, a great voice and a great band - I'm fortunate to have been there.

http://45cat.com/record/yz70

John Legend & The Roots - London

A number of reviews of last Saturday's John Legend & the Roots gig at Hammersmith have asked what motivated the audience to attend;  To see John Legend singing his soulful love songs; to have a rare sight of the Roots excellent full on rap meets rock meets ......whatever? or as in my case to hear those songs, the ones that i grew up with, that despite the fact that i had no way of identifying with the struggle they represented became very prescient to me - even part of my education. 

The gig was the only way of seeing this combination in London playing their excellent covers album of civil rights songs from the 60's and 70's.  We've all heard some of these or at least some others with the same sentiments played by other artists not quite so up to the task.  Both acts here are known for music with much integrity.  Both took to the road in 2008 to support Obama's run for the White House.  The resulting album recorded from that collaboration and since called "Wake Up" includes both well known songs from the era from artists like Donny Hathaway, Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye and; some lesser known and rearranged titles like James Kirkland's "Hang On In There" and "Hard Times" - a track originally by Curtis Mayfield (but in a very different form here). 

So what did we get?  Firstly a stage set developed from their cartoon street corner as a backdrop complete with street light and doors from which the guys emerged both at the start and as they rotated through their set.  They arrived without announcement and launched into "Hard Times" then "Compared To What" and "Our Generation" at this point my son who I had co opted to be my gig buddy for the night turned and told me how fantastic this was,  Pause here.  Here I am 50 something and been through years of playing him this sort of stuff - my heroes, the soundtrack to my life almost - you'd expect "Dad Tunes!" but he's inherited some great taste obviously.

John Legend then took over for a couple of his big numbers including "Save Room" and Used to Love You" which were really well received (the guy next to me came to hear these and was bewildered by the "new songs").  The Roots went into "The Seed" to rapturous applause then onto a version of "Move On Up" which let's face it must have been on the original list of songs for the album.  A track from the new album followed (yet to be bought so not sure of title).

Back together on stage (for me) the momentum was lost slightly by the appearance of Estelle - great in her own right but not her pop with this high calibre soul.

Back to the album and "Wake Up Everybody" a blistering guitar driven "I Can't Write Left Handed" (which I see as a track from the Bill Withers Carnegie set but my son knows from containing the sample for "Demons" a collaboration between Fat Boy Slim and Macy Gray ( much better than it sounds).  This short song in it's original form is a full 12 or so minute epic with Hendrix or in this case should I say Isleys style guitar.

Throughout the Roots and added sidemen and girl singers were superb.  The rapping of Black Thought was clear, intelligent and rhythmic.  The drumming from ?uestlove solid and the foundation of the whole performance, the guitar (sorry don't know the name) outstanding but basically the whole bunch could do and did no wrong.

I have wished for a resurgence of these songs or at least the sentiments that drive them for a long time.  I believed that music would never be up to the challenge in the same form or to the same high standard.  The album and this spectacular performance proved me wrong and has leapt into my top 5 all time best gigs.  I fully expect this to be listed next month as one of the gigs of the year and deservedly so.  For so many reasons and all the right ones.  There is hope. Musically for Soul Dads like me and Politically no matter where you're from.  I normally always say leave it alone once you've made an album like this but the subject matter, the songbook of black America begs for a second volume and these guys have it in them to deliver again at this level.

In Appreciation Of.... The Duke And The King

Just caught up with this band following the release of the new album "Long Live the Duke And The King" - so many good things were being said about them I wanted to do it properly and follow their story - so I bought the first album "Nothing Gold Can Stay"

"Nothing Gold..." is a quiet contemplative album with songs about leaving the real life behind when fame comes "If I Ever Get Famous"; teenage, formative years and home places "Union Street" and the current war years experience of those that fight and of those who stay behind in "One More American Song".  Simone Felice's plaintive sweet voice serves these songs well with harmonies and accompaniment balanced just right for the delivery of such rich lyrics.  You can hear many influences - vocal harmonies/hippy feel CSNand Y, gospel - Sam Cooke; soul - Marvin. Reminiscent recently of Ray Lamontagne.

"Long Live..." is a bit more uptown (but not much) with stronger vocal trade offs between the three voices of Felice, Bobbie Bird and Simi Stone.  There is a move to progress and build on the first and it really works. "Gloria"  and "Right Now" are the early stand-outs for me but it's early days - I know I'm going to love this album growing on me and delivering it's secrets and beauty (love it when that happens).

I recommend both but would do it in the right order as you can see a bunch of talent growing and delivering so well with no fancy tricks just solid songs and perfectly suited performances.

I Love Fopp!

Here's a great idea.  Let's keep record shops.  Have them stocked with good cross section of catalogues.  Include the obscure at appropriate higher prices but overall be cheap.  Plenty of bargain basement stuff.  Offers for £3, £5, £8.  New (but not mainstream) releases for £10.  Special offers for local events - London Jazz Week - sell some old but classic Columbia jazz sets for £3 in cool vinyl cover copies.  Include books about music, film and anything ... well anything really.  Most of all have staff who want to help, know their stuff and like customers.  Fopp went bust a couple of years ago and was bought out (they say saved) by HMV.  Interesting as Fopp is what i'd like to have seen HMV become.  Ask most HMV staff a not too difficult music question and not only will they not know but will show you they don't really care (my experience granted but there you go).  Compare it to my Covent Garden Favourite and there is no contest.  I will support this store for as long as they support my record buying habit in this way.  Power to the Fopp!

Supertramp at the O2 - 6th October 2010

I went to this expecting to be disappointed. How would they deliver in such a cavern in the O2? The hits were all sung by Roger Hodgson who is no longer with them.  They haven't toured for some time and the original membership is reduced to Rick Davies (grant you the main songwriter besides Hodgson) and John Halliwell.

I saw Hodgson a couple of years ago at the Royal Albert Hall and whilst he was excellent, playing only with one sideman, I did come out and say to my friend "those songs need a band!".  And so they did.  And boy what a difference.  Call me old school but I like a band who can come out and deliver the songs without the need of tricks, video and hullabaloo.  Supertramp did this, letting the music and songs speak for themselves.  They were excellent. I found myself hoping they could stun me as they did with the first time I saw then in 1974.  I attended the Crime tour London gig at Hammersmith of the back of hearing one single "Dreamer".  What a great night that was.

And here we were again.  Rick Davies' voice had few frailties and delivered faithful versions of "Crime", Bloody Well Right" "Rudy" (the highlight for me), "If Everyone Was Listening", "Downstream" and many other album tracks that I thought I would never hear live again.  The unique sound of Hodgson was replaced by drummer Bob Seidenberg's son, Jesse and Gabe Dixon - not so much impersonations but close enough to deliver suitably true versions.  Do they need RH? - No, Would it be good to see a reunion? undoubtedly yes.  I have heard that since Rodger Hodgson announced his own dates just before this show he sent them a list of songs that they shouldn't sing.  They ignored him and a fantastic show was had by all. Shame on you Rodger - they gave you something too and it's the S'tramp brand on those songs just as much.

For the Hits brigade there was "Breakfast", "The Logical Song", "Give A Little Bit" and "Take the Long Way Home" - all received gratefully by an enthusiastic crowd.  I noted a very mixed bunch with the twenty something in front of me knowing every word and note - great to see.

So pleasantly surprised? YES.  Go and see Hodgson solo again? Maybe not but would recommend it to my friends to do once - closely followed to the (as close as you can get) 1974 experience of last Wednesday.

Highly recommended.  David Sinclair's 3 stars in the Times should be 4.5 in my book.

A Motown Story

In March 1983 I joined the newly formed european office at RCA Records based in London. It was my job to coordinate the production of CDs for the label and convert the existing catalogue to issue CD equivalents.

At that time Motown was being distributed in the US by MCA and licensed to EMI everywhere else in the world. The EMI licences were about to expire.........read on  -  The First Motown on CD