Saturday, February 8, 2014

Song of the Week #284

Radio fans; hello! Turn out the lights, press the speaker up to your ear and hide under the covers in case Mum or Dad catch you listening after bedtime!

I guess you have to be a certain age to remember that. For me waiting until night time to listen to the radio was more about the fact that I could tune into AM stations from all over the country and SW stations from all over the world. Radio Moscow used to send me a regular programme guide. Which was amusing up to the point that my Dad forwarded one to me when I had just joined the Army. A few questions were certainly asked of me! Radio Moscow certainly wasn't "rocking in the free world" in the late 80s but it was the first place I heard Siouxsie & The Banshees. Looking back that is fairly surreal.

Siouxsie & The Banshees - Painted Bird (1982) - http://youtu.be/3QVEQ6XZ3V8

Let's move to something relatively new. English band "The Temperance Movement" are causing a fair bit of interest with blues and rock fans. After reading about them I listened to a few songs. To me they sound like a swampy, bluesy version of Thunder crossed with the Allman Brothers, ZZ Top and The Black Crowes. It's good stuff. ANd less contrived than Joe Bonamassa. Try this out...

The Temperance Movement - Only Friend (2012) - http://youtu.be/5mGALmFlHOA

I had a conversation with DJ MCG this week about Roxette. They are still playing music. I was reminded of seeing them live and the whole show being full on rock and roll with more guitars than I remember ever seeing on one stage. The only band that might be able to top that would be Cheap Trick I imagine.

Roxette - Sleeping In My Car (live 2012) - http://youtu.be/7V_8gi1wOYk

Did everyone see the keyboard players hat in that clip? He must be a Bee Gees fan.

Lilyhammer season 2 has started on TV here in Australia. If you haven't seen the first one then run to the DVD store/online and get it. Both series are only 8 episodes but well worth your valuable time. Steven Van Zandt is even more hilarious as a mobster relocated to the town of Lillehammer in Norway than he was the first time around. And now that he's finished making this series he's back on tour with Bruce Springsteen. I don't think I'd be overstating it if I said that the TV show is one of the best I've ever seen.

Steven Van Zandt - Espresso Martini (live 2013) - http://youtu.be/9UhwMH-4WWQ

Sadly one of my favourite Australian/NZ bands broke up last year. King Cannons were just fantastic. In great news though, Luke and Mikey from the band are back with something new. Out of Melbourne, "The Spirit" have just released their first song. See what you think...

The Spirit - Forever Gone (2014) - https://soundcloud.com/wearethespirit/forever-gone

Music isn't all meant to be serious. Sometimes cheesy lyrics, a great guitar riff and a big chorus is more than enough to lift your spirits. I was, and never will be, a "red blooded, fun lovin' all American boy" but I thought this was a great fun song when I was a teenager. I'd forgotten all about it until this week when the band's name popped up in the YouTube recommendations. This is one they should've included in the "Rock of Ages" soundtrack. More cliches than you can poke a stick at...

Y&T - All American Boy - http://youtu.be/irKc9O702nY

Lastly is a man whose career didn't really start to take off until he was well past what many would consider to be the prime of his life. Charles Bradley spent around 20 years playing small gigs and doing bits and pieces of work. But, he was discovered by one of the guys from Daptone Records and the rest is history. His debut album was released when he was 62. "The Screaming Eagle of Soul" will be here in Canberra on the 1st of March playing a free gig at the National Portrait Gallery (details here). I'll be making the effort to go and you should too if you like good honest music. Here's a couple of clips to whet your appetite...spot the theremin!

Charles Bradley - Why Is It So Hard? (live 2011) -  http://youtu.be/yBdTVmSVq14

Charles Bradley - Confusion (live 2013) - http://youtu.be/LDADBUPHt3U

Did you all spot the guitar player breaking a string in the second clip....he doesn't bat an eyelid. Respect!

That's all brothers and sisters. I hope you enjoyed the tunes this week.

DJ Rob
Do you remember lyin' in bed, with the covers over your head, radio playing so no-one could hear?
"Do you remember rock 'n' roll radio?" - Ramones, End of the Century (1980).





No comments:

Post a Comment