It has just been reported that former Thin Lizzyguitarist and superbly talented solo artist Gary Moore has died. There is no news as to the cause of death, his manager confirmed that he was found dead in a Spanish hotel room this morning.He had been on holiday in Spain. His talent crossed many genres; rock, blues and metal. He first came to prominence in the Irish band Skid Row, who he joined aged just 16 in 1969.
He joined Thin Lizzy as replacement for another Irish guitarist, Eric Bell, he had previously played in secondary school bands with Phil Lynott and another Lizzy guitarist Brian Downey. His partnership with Phil Lynott went beyond Thin Lizzy including hits such as “Parisienne Walkways” He has also played with many artists from BB King to the Travelling Wilburys. He provided a guitar solo on the Wilbury’s track “She’s My Baby”
Read the BBC report here. I am sure that his family, friends and fans around the world will miss him. RIP Gary Moore …… Rock On!
This is quite a difficult post for me. Some months ago I tried to help out a good friend by finding them a job where I was working at the time. You understand, I hope, that giving names may cause them embarrassment and get me into trouble. Actually it is the former that bothers me most. Anyway the lily livered people where I was working decided that as they had seen my friend when she previously worked at the same place via a consulting company that they didn’t like her. Lily livered is a bit strong for one individual for whom I have immense respect, he bothered to tell me personally how he felt about my friend and that he didn’t rate them. Fair enough and to each their own, I didn’t agree with him, but at least he had the balls to voice his opinion to me.
However there was at least one other individual (personally I believe it was more than one) who decided to go straight to the top and say that they didn’t like my friend and that I should not be allowed to appoint them. I was informed of this but the names of the complainants were not given as ‘they had given their views in confidence’. Which obviously gave me no right of reply. so I was persuaded against my better judgement not to employ my friend. I then compounded this by not telling them the whole truth as to why there was no longer a job. I did this to spare their feelings.
What happened next was that my friend went back to the same place with another consulting company whereupon one of the sad two-faced losers that had actually expressed their liking for my friend during that previous debacle once again complained to the ‘powers that be’ that my friend should not be employed. I am not one to seek revenge, but I do believe in karma and if an opportunity presents itself for me to crap on this pathetic two-faced lowlife, believe me, I will. he knows who he is and so do I. He must be aware that what goes around comes around, but then perhaps he’s too much of an arsehole to realise.
Enough said, now enjoy two very appropriate songs;
I read two music related stories in the news today and I thought that maybe we should put the two protagonists in touch with each other to resolve a problem for one of them. It would appear that 60s star PJ Proby has been in court to deny £47,000 of benefit fraud. The 72-year-old is alleged to have committed the fraud between 2002 and 2008. He was charged under his real name of James Marcus Smith and the case was adjourned. He is due back at Worcester Crown Court on 30th March. Maybe his trousers used to split on stage in the past because he hid all his money in them.
So who can help PJ? Well a certain Chris De Burgh is selling a large portion of his mostly red wine collection and is expected to raise in excess of £200,000. More than enough to help out poor old PJ for a few quid. Go on Chris, give PJ a call, he’d love to hear from you! Interestingly I wonder if the promotion of the wine sale will include a new version of Mr De Burgh’s biggest hit; “Lady In Red Wine” anyone?
Click here to read about PJ’s problems and here to read about Chris’ grape juice. Incidentally “Lady In Red” is undoubtedly one of my least favourite songs, along with almost anything from Robbie Williams and Boney M. But seeing as some of you might actually like the song, you can enjoy the video below.
I know I’m a little late with this post but last week saw the death of Gladys Horton. She died on 26th January aged just 65 after suffering a stroke last year. She was the lead singer of the Marvelettes and was just 15 when she recorded “Please Mr Postman” with the group. Sadly they were never as successful as that other Motowngirl group in the UK, I mean the Supremes. But Gladys had a very strong and distinctive voice. Gladys was orphaned aged only one year old and was brought up in foster care in Detroit.
The group was originally called the Marvels until Berry Gordy advised that they change it to the Marvelettes. The group was also the first Motown act to be offered what went on to become on of Holland, Dozier, Holland‘s biggest hits. The girls turned it down, the song was “Where Did Our Love Go” which was recorded by the Supremes and the rest as they say is history. The group may always be best known for “Please Mr Postman” (famously covered by the Beatles in 1963 and the Carpenters in 1975) but they also recorded some classic Motown songs, some of which you can enjoy below. My particular favourite is “Beechwood 45789“. Who knows how things had turned out if the Marvelettes had recorded that Supremes song? Farewell and RIP Gladys Horton.
According to an NME report Lady Gaga has a new perfume coming out and she says she wants it to smell of blood and semen. Obviously I assume she means semen of the spermatozoa variety and not old sailors. In my view she should have blood and semen and then add vomit, booze and fags. She could call it Inner City Saturday, it would sell by the gallon in most UK provisional towns. You could spray some of it on you and your mates and get all the authentic smells of a night out without going anywhere. She could even have a few special editions; Kebab and chilli, Alcopop and finally curry with essence of skidmark. How about some ideas from you folks? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Read the report by clicking here.
Lady Gaga does not seem to worried about the effect her new perfume has had on one of her suitors!
Have you seen the news about the newly discovered species of big cat? The Sunda Clouded Leopard was only discovered in 2007, it was thought to be the same as other clouded leopards. But now scientists have found out that there are two quite distinct types of Sunda one living in Sumatra and the other in Borneo. It is thought that the two species separated a million years ago. They are genetically different after being based on islands all that time. I bet that must have confused the hell out of Noah, how many Sunda Cloud Leopards made it on to the Ark anyway? Frankly if there are supposedly 5 million or so species, give or take a Sunda, then the Ark must have been one enormous boat! Click here to read the story on BBC Earth News.
Anyway this is a music blog and this story gives me an opportunity to hit you with some cat related songs;
“What’s New Pussy Cat?” – Tom Jones. This song was composed by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and was the theme tune of the film of the same name starring Peter Sellers. It has featured a couple of times in the Simpsons, notably in an episode where Marge worked at the Nuclear Power Station and requested that Tom Jones’ music was played over the tannoy.
“Cool For Cats” – Squeeze. This is one of just two singles from the band that had a lead vocal from Chris Difford, it was usually Glenn Tilbrook. It reached number 2 in the UK charts in 1979.
“Honky Cat” – Elton John. This song was taken from Elton’s 1972 album ‘Honky Chateau‘ It features no guitar, but it does feature Elton’s regular 70s guitarist Davey Johnstone. He played banjo on this track.
“The Cat Crept In” – Mud. This was the follow-up to another cat related song from Mud; “Tiger Feet” which reached number 1 in the UK in 1974. “The Cat Crept In” just failed to match that performance later in 1974, peaking at number 2.
“Stray Cat Strut” – Stray Cats. This song reached number 11 in the UK in 1981. Singer Brian Setzer went on to even greater things with his Brian Setzer Orchestra.
Let me give you a bit of a rant warning before you read this post, just so you know! It would appear that HMV are now in some significant degree of financial trouble. Whilst I have a dislike of faceless corporate record/ music stores, HMV is effectively the last national left in the UK. Even their range has fallen considerably in the last couple of years as well. So along with the ongoing and sad demise of the independent record shop and HMV’s precarious position just where the hell will future generations buy their physical music? Downloading will continue its inexorable rise, both legally and illegally, but for physical purchases what are we left with? We’re left with just a handful of small chains (Fopp etc.) and fewer and fewer independent stores. Although I do believe that Fopp were rescued by HMV who still have a stake in them. That leaves the likes of WH Smith and the Grocers (Tesco, Asda etc.) who all seem to operate an ‘if it’s in the chart we’ll stock it policy’. So that pretty much takes away all key channels apart from the internet and downloads for new bands and artists.
A couple of the major labels (Sony and Universal) are looking to spice up interest in the singles market by releasing singles on the same day that they begin airplay. Read about it by clicking here. This will certainly allow songs to rise up the charts, just like those hazy old days of my youth, rather than enter high and then crash and burn after a couple of weeks. This will clearly help downloads, but will it help sell the physical product? If the only place you can get that product is on-line (Play.com etc) then I don’t think it will.
Sadly I believe that we are truly heading for a time when digital music will outstrip every other form. Sure, vinyl is making a bit of a comeback, but it will never match the digital form with most of todays generation. OK you might think I’m a boring old fart and you are entitled to your opinion. But I am not advocating a wholesale return to vinyl, cassettes, 8-tracks and CDs. What I am concerned about is the ongoing demise of the record shop. We cannot let the grocers take a stranglehold on our music, which is just so wrong on many levels. With Woolworths and Borders now dead and HMV potentially heading the same way we must support all the remaining small chains and independent record shops. So next time you are tempted to buy a CD on impulse in the supermarket resist the urge and find your nearest proper record shop. I know that you may pay a little more, but these people offer excellent service and they are a million times more knowledgeable about their ‘product’ than pretty much anyone on the supermarket checkout. But if you are a music aficionado who works on a supermarket checkout then please accept my apologies. So you know what to do, boycott music from large grocers and get it from a proper record shop, trust me it’s a better experience all round!
Upon reaching the ripe old age of 50 a couple of years back I made myself a short list of things I wanted to do before I pop my clogs. There were five things; Ride a motorbike, learn to play the guitar, have something I’ve written actually published, spend a couple of hours in a flotation tank and be hypnotised for some past life regression. Thanks to my delectable fiancée, who most of you know as Catwoman, I have now achieved three of them, all birthday presents in fact. I spent a day at the Harley Davidson Centre in Wales in 2009, but I won’t be taking up riding! I took an initial few guitar lessons in early 2010, but work got in the way as I could never get home in time for my lessons. But I do have a very rudimentary skill. This weekend I underwent past life regression hypnosis. Now in many things I am quite cynical, but with things like reincarnation I do have an open mind.
The experience, given to me by Catwoman for my birthday, surpassed all my expectations. I wasn’t put into a deep trance, but some of the things I experienced were incredible. Were they actual past lives or were they part of my imagination driven by the vastness of my unconscious mind (I’m not bragging here, everyone has one!). I don’t know, but I do know it was an amazingly thought-provoking and exciting experience. I am still an atheist with no-balls, which is how an old boss of mine described agnostics! Anyway I won’t go into too much detail about it here, but feel free to get in touch if you’d like to hear more. But I am happy to say that I wasn’t Napoleon or Caesar!
But apart from the guitar lessons none of this is about music so I thought I’d add a few past life related songs. I hope you enjoy them.
I used to have this poster on my bedroom wall as a teenager
I won’t go as far as addressing you as constant reader as Stephen King does, but I will say dear regular reader thank you for coming to this blog every so often. In particular a big thank you to those of you who send me links to stories that might be worth posting about. I do try to use all of them, although I haven’t done much of that in recent weeks. However I intend to rectify that today with a double whammy of two car related stories. The first was provided by my good friend Nick Horslen and the second from yet another good friend, Tom Wycks. Strangely or appropriately both are car related, so perhaps you can guess the kind of songs that will follow!
Apparently a few days ago whilst out and about in LA actor Peter Fonda discovered a dead body in a car. It wasn’t his, I mean the car wasn’t his, but then neither was the body, but that would have been a hell of a story too wouldn’t it? he saw the body slumped over the wheel and reported it to police. I wonder if he thought it might have been George Michael asleep at the wheel again. You can read the Fonda and the Dead Body (now that’s a good name for an indie band don’t you think?) story on the Guardian website. There are a couple of easy music links to any story involving Peter Fonda. Firstly his involvement in acting and co writing the film Easy Rider means I simply have to include the magnificent “Born To Be Wild” by Steppenwolf from the soundtrack of the movie. This song was said by many to be the first heavy metal song, whether that is true or not it may well be the first song to use the phrase in its lyrics. Secondly it is Peter Fonda’s voice that you can hear sampled on Primal Scream‘s excellent “Loaded”
Nick Cave 1 Speed Camera Nil
The second story is now a few weeks old, but it involves gruff Aussie Crooner Nick Cave who attacked a speed camera in Hove with his car. Now I don’t condone vandalism, but frankly there must be a modicum of praise given to someone who decommissioned a speed camera. But somehow I don’t think the police and the judiciary will see it that way. But joking aside for a moment whilst Nick’s Jaguar was obviously damaged both he and his 10-year-old twin sons were fine. You can read the story here on the BBC News site.
So moving along a car and road travel theme here are a few related songs for you pleasure;
It would appear that UK chart history was made today by Rihanna. She became the first female artist to have a number one single five years in a row. She has almost matched the feat of Elvis Presley who managed a number one in each year from 1957 to 1963, some six years in total. Starting with “All Shook Up” and ending with “Devil In Disguise“. Inevitably the current record is held by the Beatles who had a number one in each year from 1963 to 1969, a 7 year run. Staring with “From Me To You” and ending with “The Ballad Of John And Yoko” I reckon Rihanna has a good chance of overturning both of those records. read about it on the NME site by clicking here.
Rihanna hoovers up yet more chart records
Rihanna’s UK number one singles since 2007 have been;
Rihanna was born nearly 20 years after the last of the Beatles run and she is still only 22. She will be 23 in February. She originates from Barbados and plays a big part in the support of the marketing of her homeland. She is now an honorary cultural ambassador. She is also a great philanthropist, setting up her Believe Foundation in 2006. It is a charity which supports terminally ill children.
Is it Grace Jones? Is it Max Wall? No it's Rihanna!
With Just A Hint Of Mayhem 