Tag Archives: americana
ONLINE & OFF – HISTORY OF R’N’B
One of my favourite compilation records is Gaz’s Rockin Blues, put together by a DJ called Gaz Mayall, who turns out to be son of John Mayall, of the Bluesbreakers. In nov. 2005, he wrote a very quotable piece … Continue reading
WRONG-EYED MUSIC
Simone Felice: Call him Simon and file him under Wrong-Eyed Music. My Brennan MP3 deck is a beautiful thing when it is working as it should – it has had a couple of bugs, which Brennan were endlessly patient about … Continue reading
COMING ATTRACTION – DARLENE V. LALA
Even the Today programme (Radio 4, 25.2.14) has now trailed the launch of the much-praised new music documentary 20 Feet From Stardom, about backing singers, so I had better post my notes, although I haven’t actually seen it yet. … Continue reading
REMEMBERING THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS
It is a little early to celebrate it but we are coming up to the 200th anniversary of the fight commemorated in one of America’s favourite records of all time. The main Battle Of New Orleans actually took place in … Continue reading
FUNNY MEN WHO GOT HENDRIX STARTED
Observer Magazine 8.12.13 had an extract from a new biography of Jimi Hendrix – Starting At Zero: His Own Story (Bloomsbury) – put together by Alan Douglas and Peter Neal from Jimi’s own words, written and reported. His first band, … Continue reading
SITARIST’S DAUGHTER AND EX-PUNK COVER PIONEERING EVERLYS LP
Everlyites: Billie and Norah publicity shot Bought Foreverly on the strength of a review by Neil McCormick in Telegraph Review 23.11.13. It is a track-by-track cover of a 1958 Everly Brothers album, Songs Our Daddy Taught Us, explained McCormick, with … Continue reading
GREAT STORY, GREAT MUSIC, SHAME ABOUT THE HAIR
Having recommended the new Muscle Shoals documentary – see http://tinyurl.com/mal7a6o – I went to see it, in Bradford, and loved it. I knew a bit of the Muscle Shoals story but there was a lot more to learn about just … Continue reading
CHESS RECORDS MOVIE SOUNDS EVEN BETTER THAN IT LOOKS
Music documentaries and biopics are a growing bandwagon, it seems, and I’ve got a list of musts to catch. Meanwhile, Netflix has cottoned on to my interest and threw me Cadillac Records the other night, which I missed when it … Continue reading
HOW WHITE PICKERS AND BLACK SINGERS PUT MUSCLE INTO SOUL
This trail started with a feature by Mick Brown, in Telegraph Mag 19.10.13, on Muscle Shoals, Alabama, pop. 69,000 (er, to be checked), where white country boys who “took a left turn at the blues”, in the words of … Continue reading
RADIO MINIDISK 2 – AFRICAN’N’WESTERN
A bit of a hasty one, because I’ve got a lot going on right now, but having set myself up as a blogger, I ought to blog. For now, posting Radio Minidisk 2, which should play okay from a click … Continue reading
