Monday 31 July 2017

THE GONZO TRACK OF THE DAY: O'er The Water Tae Charlie - Archie Fisher and Barbara Dickson 2012



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Archie Fisher MBE (born October 23, 1939) is a Scottish folk singer and songwriter. He has released several solo albums since this his first, eponymous album in 1968. Fisher composed the song, 'The Fi..


Following on from his 1970 album, ‘Thro’ The Recent Years’, recorded with Barbara Dickson, Decca Records invited Archie Fisher to record a follow-up solo set. ‘Orfeo’ fea..

Arthur Brown In-studio on Jonesy's Jukebox



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When the God of Hellfire returned to the stage in the United Kingdom after a strange anabasis in Texas when, together with Jimmy Carl Black (the Indian in the Mothers) he was painting houses for a liv..


Kingdom Come were a British band of the 1970s, that played psychedelic, experimental progressive rock music. They were fronted by Arthur Brown, who gave them his theatrical style and voice. The combin..

Tramshed's Interzone - Dave Brock from Hawkwind



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Space Ritual Live - Special Edition
2DVD/2CD - £29.99

Space Ritual Live 
2CD1DVD - £19.99

RICK WAKEMAN IN THE NEWS


Rick Wakeman then returned for his solo slot - but not before (hilariously) grumbling that someone had removed the top of the piano, meaning his ...
Full Coverage 

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Live in Nottingham 1990
CD/DVD - £9.99

Rainbow Suite
CD - £11.99

Country Airs
CD - £9.99

Simply Acoustic
CD/DVD - £10.99

Out There
CD/DVD - £9.99

The Phantom of the Opera
2CD - £19.99

Live at the Winterland Theatre 1975
CD - £9.99

Time Machine
CD - £9.99

The Two Sides of Yes
2CD - £10.99

Made in Cuba
CD/DVD - £10.99

Grumpy Old Picture Show
CD/DVD - £9.99

The Myths and Legends of King Arthur (2CD)
2CD - £15.00

Can You Hear Me?
CD - £7.99

Gole/Almost Live in Europe
2CD - £9.99

Fields of Green/Always With You
2CD - £9.99

Live At The Maltings 1976
DVD/CD - £9.99

Caped Crusader- Rick Wakeman in the 1970s
Book - £14.99

Video Vaults
6DVD box - £85.00

Cirque Surreal 
CD - £7.99

The Mixture
CD - £7.99

THOM THE WORLD POET: The Daily Poem


Rob Ayling, yer Gonzo Grande Fromage, writes:

"Thom the World poet is an old mate of mine from way back in my history. Even pre-dating Voiceprint, when I was running "Otter Songs" and Thom's poetry tapes and guest appearances with Daevid Allen, Gilli Smyth and Mother Gong are well known and highly regarded. It just felt right to include a daily poem from Thom on our Gonzo blog and when I approached him to do so, he replied within seconds!!! Thom is a great talent and just wants to spread poetry, light and positive energy across the globe. If we at Gonzo can help him do that - why not?

MAKE MINE PAPERBACK
WHEN YOUNG,BOOKS WERE ART
Hard covered,gold/gilt edged/oil paper prefaced
They were objects for veneration and display
(not like those empty books in lawyer offices today)
Big books still rule today.But they have a new child-
paperback progeny who  themselves breed prolifically,
and are seen on streets and in cafes living a double life-
as information,art and dispersal of ideas.Small,portable,hardy and cheap,
paperbacks make both trash and classics weep.
They are everywhere in second-hand bookstores,and persist
in accessing all ages and levels of information.They exist
despite the Internet,and are as temporary as their authors.
My pockets carry them to distant lands,and leave them in exotic destinations
for other hands to pick them up as seeds for futures as yet unknown.
From Backpackers Hostels to Uluru,paperbacks are the Johnny Appleseed
of Fiction masquerading as Truth.But,then-just as in life-they will do!





Sunday 30 July 2017

THE GONZO TRACK OF THE DAY: Sacred Shinto music and dance (Kagura, Japanese traditional dance)

Being Sunday I always post sacred music. The name of the deity may change, or even the deity Him/Herself but the spirit remains the same

 

FRANK ZAPPA IN THE NEWS


Frank Zappa was an independent American musician and filmmaker. He was known for his experimental non-conformist use of orchestral ...

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Frank Zappa is considered to be one of the most influential rock musicians of the late twentieth century. Between the start of his career in the late fifties and his death in 1993 he recorded and rele..


In 1965, Ray Collins asked Zappa to take over as guitarist in local R&B band the Soul Giants, following a fight between Collins and the group's original guitarist. Zappa accepted, and soon assumed..


On September 19, 1985, Frank Zappa testified before the United States Senate Commerce, Technology, and Transportation committee, attacking the Parents Music Resource Center or PMRC, a music organizati..

YES IN THE NEWS


Longtime drummer Alan White announced Wednesday that Dylan Howe, son of Yes guitarist Steve Howe, also will be playing for the group during the ...


Since its founding in 1968 by Jon Anderson and Chris Squire, YES has created much of rock history's most important music. Its albums, including ...

Rocker Steve Howe's son will be joining his dad on the road in 2017 after joining Yes for the band's upcoming North American tour. Steve Howe plays ...
Full Coverage 


Filmed in May of 2004, the classic YES line-up of Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Rick Wakeman and Alan White joined forces once again to ...


MULTI award-winning producer, songwriter and bass player Trevor Horn certainly knows a thing or two about the art of noise - his amazing track ...


interview with Geoff Downes (Yes/Asia/The Buggles)
Geoffrey "Geoff" Downes (born Aug. 25 1952) is an English musician, songwriter, and record producer and keyboardist in the new wave group The ...

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Union
DVD - £10.99

Union (2CD)
2CD - £7.99

HAWKWIND IN THE NEWS


Dave Brock founded the British band Hawkwind in 1969. The band began selling records in the United States in 1972 and embarked on its first ...

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Space Ritual Live - Special Edition
2DVD/2CD - £29.99

Space Ritual Live 
2CD1DVD - £19.99

THOM THE WORLD POET: The Daily Poem

Rob Ayling, yer Gonzo Grande Fromage, writes:

"Thom the World poet is an old mate of mine from way back in my history. Even pre-dating Voiceprint, when I was running "Otter Songs" and Thom's poetry tapes and guest appearances with Daevid Allen, Gilli Smyth and Mother Gong are well known and highly regarded. It just felt right to include a daily poem from Thom on our Gonzo blog and when I approached him to do so, he replied within seconds!!! Thom is a great talent and just wants to spread poetry, light and positive energy across the globe. If we at Gonzo can help him do that - why not?


SOMETIMES, SLIPS INTO MY MIND
LIKE A BUTTERFLY FALLING OUT OF A BOOK
One precious image/through which the whole world clicks
differently.Hitch hiking,watching a sparrow dancing to its hubcap reflection.
Decade later,Perth nightclub,American sailors,deficit blondes-
see them dance to their own reflection in those mirrors.
Or watching a bird about to..or a frog.Perhaps a folded butterfly
Something about trees means more than bookmarks.And people!
How they illuminate with random collisions.Smash and grab attention seekers.
Burglars of hearts.Thieves of focus.Narcissus in a mirror factory.
Random as recollections.Or books picked up and re-read-
those long gone return /to claim a space that was theirs

by dint of spectacular suffering,or astonishing achievements.Or both..

Friday 28 July 2017

JACKIE LEE REVIEW


http://www.musicstreetjournal.com/index_cdreviews_display.cfm?id=105890



Jackie Lee

White Horses

Review by Gary Hill
The opening song here is a single from Jackie Lee from the 1960s. The rest of the music includes the original album along with some other tracks that she did for different projects. Let's make no mistake, this sounds dated. It's very much a product of the 1960s, and specifically the pop music of the era. That said, a lot of it is very good. Lee's voice really sells this thing.
Track by Track Review
White Horses (Stereo)
This song starts with some horns and works out to a tasty little psychedelic meets folk styled number. It's dated, and lightweight. It's also compelling.
I Can Sing a Rainbow
Adult contemporary styled in a lot of ways, this isn't really my kind of music. That said, I like it - a lot. I can't tell you why, except that it's a cheery, fun little tune.
Things I Don't Mean
There is definitely a lot of jazz in the mix here. I love the piano on the cut. I'd have to say that there are some prog rock elements in the musical arrangement here. Again, this is fun and cheery.
Well, That's Loving You
More energized, this is set on a 1960s pop rock arrangement with some definite jazz elements. It's catchy.
We're Off and Running
Feeling a lot like 1960s bubble gum pop, this is a cheery cut. I really love the vocal performance on this piece.
I Think I Like You
The strings and other elements bring a definite 1960s adult contemporary vibe to this. The song is very potent, though, and there are some cool bits of jazz guitar in the mix.
Scarlet Ribbons
Very much a pop folk song, this is not really my thing, but the vocal performance is strong.
Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?
This old dittie gets a pretty theatrical arrangement. It's definitely not something that works for me. I'm betting little kids would really like it, though.
Out of Sight, Out of Mind
The guitar on this brings a lot of jazz to the table. The cut is sort of an old school standard beyond that. It's pretty, but not really my type of music.
Too Many Chiefs and Not Enough Indians
A bouncy little cut, this is dated but fun.
Favourites
       
I Cry Alone
I don't like all the shaking on the vocals here. The arrangement seems a little odd, too. That makes this one a tune I would skip, but your results may vary.
The Busker
Now, this is something really special. There is a bit of a theatrical element in terms of the sound effects in the backdrop. The music is evocative and the gentle vocal performance adds to the element.
Extra Favourites
         
Jackie Lee and the Raindrops - Will You Love Me Tomorrow
This song is not my kind of music, but I've always loved it. This performance is dated in terms of its doo-wop styled sound, but yet it works really well. It's one of favorites from this set, really.
Jackie Lee and the Raindrops - There Goes the Lucky One
Now the 50s doo-wop on this doesn't work for me. Additionally, the recording quality doesn't seem as good. Still, I'm sure a lot of people like this kind of music. The vocal performance is strong. It's just not something I can really find appealing.
Jackie Lee and the Raindrops - Here I Go Again
The music on this feels closer to early Beatles. It's energetic and fun. This is dated, but it works really well. Imagine if Jackie Lee was a member of the Beatles in 1964, and it would probably sound a lot like this fun tune.
Jackie Lee and the Raindrops - Down Our Street
A more rock and roll oriented sound is heard on this. It's fun, but the recording seems to suffer a little in terms of quality. Still, this works pretty well.
Jackie Lee and the Raindrops - The Locomotion
Now, this is a tune I've always liked. This version is pretty much in line with the Motown kind sound, but perhaps delivered via Liverpool. All in all this is fun.
Jackie Lee and the Raindrops - The End of the World
This is a traditional tune, and it's delivered in the sort of classic retro sound one would expect. It's a good song and works well here.

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White Horses
CD - £9.99
...BECAUSE SOME OF US THINK THAT THIS STUFF IS IMPORTANT
What happens when you mix what is - arguably - the world's most interesting record company, with an anarchist manic-depressive rock music historian polymath, and a method of dissemination which means that a daily rock-music magazine can be almost instantaneous?

Most of this blog is related in some way to the music, books and films produced by Gonzo Multimedia, but the editor has a grasshopper mind and so also writes about all sorts of cultural issues which interest him, and which he hopes will interest you as well.