With Just A Hint Of Mayhem

Music reviews, gig reviews, fun trivia and extra added random stuff!

“Mud can make you prisoner and the plains can bake you dry” October 24, 2013


Did you know that there are four winners of acting Oscars who have also had UK number one singles? No nor did I until I chanced upon the quiz in this weeks NME. Those four clever people and their UK number ones are;

Frank Sinatra won the best supporting actor Oscar for his role in 1954’s ‘From Here To Eternity’

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Frank’s UK number one songs were; “Three Coins In A Fountain” (1954), “Strangers In The Night” (1966) and “Something Stupid” (with his daughter Nancy Sinatra (1967)

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Cher won the best actor Oscar for her part in ‘Moonstruck’ in 1988.

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Cher’s UK number one singles were “I Got You Babe” (with then husband Sonny Bono) (1965), “The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s In His Kiss)” (1990), “Love Can Build A Bridge” (with Chrissie Hynde, Eric Clapton and Neneh Cherry) (1995) and  “Believe” (1998)

Lee Marvin won the best actor Oscar for his part in the 1965 film ‘Cat Ballou

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Lee’s only UK number one was “Wandrin’ Star” which was taken from the soundtrack of ‘Paint Your Wagon’ in 1970. The B side was another actor not famed for his singing, Clint Eastwood with “I Talk To The Trees”

Barbara Streisand won the best actor Oscar for 1969’s ‘Funny Girl’.

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Barbara’s only UK number one was “Woman In Love” (1980) which was written by Barry and Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees

 

“The whistles were blowin’ and everybody did the bump” January 17, 2012


I think I must be getting to that kind of age where many of your heroes or favourite folk from your youth are dying off. Well it’s happened again; sadly the great Jimmy Castor is now the late, great Jimmy Castor. He died yesterday in Las Vegas from apparent heart failure after earlier by-pass surgery. He was aged just 71 (although some on-line sources say 64). I hadn’t listened to him for quite a while but I heard the news on the way home from work tonight and played “Trogolodyte” on the iPod.

Mr Castor was a seriously funky dude who could even give the likes of George Clinton and Bootsy Collins a run for their money. His songs have been sampled by many artists including Madonna, Neneh Cherry, Kanye West, DJ Shadow, Ice Cube and the Spice Girls. If you’re too young to remember Jimmy Castor or he somehow passed you by then take a listen to the songs below and get your booty shakin’. You know it makes sense you funkateers you!

My thoughts go out to Jimmy’s family, friends and fans. RIP Jimmy Castor.

 

“And there’s a million voices to tell you what she should be thinking” January 3, 2012


Is Youssou N’Dour just seven seconds away from becoming Senegal’s new president? Well the elections aren’t happening until February, so it will be slightly more than seven seconds if he is successful. He is standing against his former friend Abdoulaye Wade who has been president of the country since 2000.

Despite having little education N’Dour has become a very successful musician fusing African music with Jazz and other western influences. He is also owns a number of broadcast companies in Senegal. Which may help his campaign.

Wade communicated plans last year to change the country’s constitution. This was not well received by the Senegalese people who took to the streets in violent protest. Tensions are still running high with one prominent politician having been accused of murder. This is quite significant for Senegal as it is now the only country in West Africa never to have suffered a military coup.

Wyclef Jean failed in his attempt to stand for the Haitian presidency last year, more for technical reasons than popularity and actors have made it to the top in US politics (Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ronald Reagan). So why can’t Yousso N’Dour become senegal’s new president? Clearly he will have to make sure that convinces all the fans of his music to vote for him along with millions of others among the country’s population of 12.5 million.

Click here to read the BBC report of the upcoming elections in Senegal and enjoy Youssou’s biggest UK hit in which he was joined by Neneh Cherry;