Born on This Day: Keith Moon

Would have been Keith Moon's birthday today.

Won't Get Fooled Again.

Baba O'Riley.

My Generation and Keith's Exploding Kit.

Who Are You.

Isle of Wight 30th August 1970. Full Concert.

Joe Strummer - Gone But Never Forgotten

Today would have been the 61st birthday of the former frontman for The 101ers, The Clash and his band The Mescaleros.

It is interesting that whilst there will be many people remembering Joe today that over in New York they have just recently torn down a mural that celebrates the singer in the East Village to make way for a clothes store! Thankfully there are plans afoot to recreate the image elsewhere but no details have emerged as to exactly where or when that will be unveiled.

Click on the links to enjoy the music.

Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros - 'Global A Go-Go' Full Album.

Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros - Bizzare Festival, Germany 1999. Full Show.

Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros - Roseland Ballroom, New York. Full TV Show.

Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros - Coma Girl - Promo.

Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros - London Calling. Later with Jools Holland, 2000.

Vive Joe Strummer - The Story of The Clash.

Johnny Cash and Joe Strummer - Redemption Song.

Cast a Long Shadow Joe Strummer Tribute Show, Los Angeles 2007. Includes performances from Love and Rockets, Hellride and Zander Schloss and the Wilderness Years and much more.

Joe Strummer Celebration 22nd December 2003, Filmore East at Irving Plaza New York. Includes performances from Ari Up and Jesse Malin and loads more.

Joe Strummer - The Future is Unwritten EPK.

The 101ers - Elgin Avenue Breackdown Revisited. Full Album.

The 101ers - Keys to Your Heart (Single).

The Clash - Debut Album (1977).

The Clash - London Calling (1979). Full Album.

The Clash - Live in Tokyo, Japan (1982).

 The Clash - Live at Shea Stadium (supporting The Who). Full Album.

The Clash Live in Paris (1978).

The Clash - White Man in Hammersmith Palais (Live - from Rude Boy Movie).

The Clash - Armagideon Time/Justice Tonight/Kick It Over (Audio).

Stiff Little Fingers - Strummerville.

Into The River We Dive - Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

Things have been a bit quiet for me the past few days as I've been away camping and have had the chance to catch up on some listening. Just picked up the above show from 2009 of Bruce and the E Street Band. This is a newer recording (I have a few others of the same show) and is way better quality than I could have imagined.

It's a shame that he hasn't repeated the playing of the album as he has done with 'Born to Run', 'Darkness at the Edge of Town' and 'Born in the U.S.A.' as it sounded quite amazing hearing all the songs placed in their proper context.

 'The River' Album Played in Sequence at MSG

 

Audio of the Full Show

'Greetings from Asbury Park NJ' Album in Sequence 22/11/2009 Buffalo.

'The Wild, The Innocent and The E Street Shuffle' in Sequence 7th November MSG NY (Full Show).

Happy Birthday Matt Johnson (The The)

Born on this day in 1961 frontman for the vastly underrated

The The.

Acoustic Performance from 2000 (Audio Only).

01 Armageddon Days Are Here (Again)
02 Soul Catcher
03 This Is The Day
04 Weary Blues From Waitin'
05 The Beat(en) Generation
06 Phantom Walls
07 Love is Stronger Than Death

I still consider this as one of the best albums ever made.

This is the Day/I've Been Waiting for Tomorrow - 1983 Switch.

Uncertain Smile - Later with Jools Holland 1993.

Love Is Stronger Than Death - Later with Jools Holland 1993.

Your Cheatin Heart (Live on French TV).

Dumb as Death's Head (Melody Maker Flexi Disc 1983).

1990 KROQ Interview.

Bluer Than Midnight (German TV 1990).

Kingdom of Rain (ft Sinead O'Connor) Audio 1989.

Sweet Bird of Truth (Live at Royal Albert Hall, London).

Heartland - Promo Video.

The The Live at Glastonbury 2000.

I Saw The Light - Promo Video.

The Beat(en) Generation - Promo Video.

Out of the Blue (Into the Fire) - Promo Video. 

Travis - Where You Stand (2013)

Five years is a long time to have been away and Travis return with a brand new album. Back in 2008 when they released 'Ode to J Smith' (the album only stayed on the charts for three weeks before sinking without a trace!) they sounded like they were on their last legs and a million miles away from the band who gained such success with 'The Man Who' back in 1999. The follow up to that successful album, 'The Invisible Band', aside from a couple of songs ('Sing', 'Side', and 'Flowers in the Window') already was charting their demise from public conciousness (despite it reaching #1 in the UK). '12 Memories' was a more edgy sound but only 'Re-Offender' of the three singles released from the album broke the Top Ten. It would be another four years until 'The Boy With No Name' appeared, and personally I think it's a much better album than the ones that followed 'The Man Who'. NME gave the album a mere 2 out of 10 and labelled it "impotent aural gruel" with "all the soul of a platform announcement".

And so a new album appears after another extended break and having only listened to it a couple of times I'm not convinced that they have made that much headway. Q Magazine in it's review (they gave it four stars) said, "The break has clearly done them good, here they sound determined to regain lost ground...Where You Stand finds the quartet catching up with themselves and displaying real depth and maturity." That maybe so but without a bunch of memorable songs they are not ever likely to enjoy the kind of success that they experienced in the light of 'The Man Who'.

'Where You Stand' - Single.

'Moving' - Single. 

'Another Guy'.

Travis T in the Park 2013 Full Show.

Review of the album featured in The Scotsman.

Happy Birthday Matt Thiessen (Relient K)

Be My Escape.

Chap Stick, Chapped Lips and Things Like Chemistry.

I So Hate Consequences (Acoustic).

Relient K In Concert (Part One) and (Part Two).

Must Have Done Something Right.

Pressing On.

Happy Birthday Chrissy Boy of Madness

Almost forgot, it's also 

Chris Foreman's birthday today.

Bed and Breakfast Man.

Wings of a Dove.

Drip Fed Fred.

Lovestruck.

Live at BBC Centre 2013 Full Show.

Live at the iTunes Festival 2012 Full Show.

Madness at Madstock Full Show.

Live in Paris 1979 (I think).

The Liberty of Norton Folgate (Live).

Happy Birthday The Edge and Scott Stapp

Born this day in 1961, Dave Evans or The Edge as he is known to the masses. Happy 52nd Birthday.

Van Dieman's Land.

Numb.

Born this day in 1973 and celebrating his 40th Birthday today, Scott Stapp, frontman for Creed.

With Arms Wide Open - Creed.

The Great Divide - Scott Stapp.

Otis Redding The Complete Stax/Volt Singles Collection 3CD Set (In Mono)

Otis Reddings' short but illustrious career included some of the most important singles to come out of R&B during the 60's. All of those singles have been collected on The Complete Stax/Vold Singles, out July 23 on Shout! Factory.
Every A and B side is included in this three-CD set, all in their original mono mixes.
Starting with 1962's These Arms of Mine / Hey Hey Baby and running through 1972's My Girl, the set includes all 17 of Redding's singles released prior to his 1967 death, the 14 released posthumously along with the four he recorded with Carla Thomas for a total of 35 singles and 70 sides.


Not all of the links are the mono versions but I'm sure you'll have great fun listening regardless. There are a couple of songs that there are no links for that is because they are not on You Tube.

One of the things that strikes you as you listen to this treasure trove of great music is the wide influence that the music of Otis Redding has had down through the years from The Queen of Soul Aretha through to The Black Crowes and even Public Enemy and Jay Z!


Track List:

Disc 1

• These Arms of Mine (1962 / #20 R&B / #85 Pop)
• Hey Hey Baby
• That's What My Heart Needs (1963 / #27 R&B)
• Mary's Little Lamb
• Pain in My Heart (1963 / #11 R&B / #61 Pop)
• Something is Worrying Me
• Come to Me (1964 / #26 R&B / #69 Pop)
• Don't Leave Me This Way
• Security (1964 / #23 R&B / #97 Pop)
• I Want to Thank You
• Chained and Bound (1964 / #6 R&B / #70 Pop)
• Your One and Only Man
• That's How Strong My Love Is (1964 / #18 R&B / #74 Pop)
• Mr. Pitiful (1964 / #10 R&B / #41 Pop)
• I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now) (1965 / #2 R&B / #21 Pop)
• I'm Depending On You
• Respect (1965 / #4 R&B / #35 Pop)
• Ole Man Trouble
• I Can't Turn You Loose (1965 / #11 R&B)
• Just One More Day (1965 / #15 R&B / #85 Pop)
• Satisfaction (1966 / #4 R&B / #31 Pop)
• Any Ole Way
• My Lover's Prayer (1966 / #10 R&B / #61 Pop)
• Don't Mess With Cupid

Disc 2

• Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song) (1966 / #12 R&B / #29 Pop)
• Good to Me
• Try a Little Tenderness (1967 / #4 R&B / #25 Pop)
• I'm Sick Y'All
• I Love You More Than Words Can Say (1967 / #30 R&B / #78 Pop)
• Let Me Come On Home
• Tramp (Otis & Carla) (1967 / #2 R&B / #26 Pop)
• Tell It Like It Is (Otis & Carla)
• Shake (Live in Europe) (1967 / #16 R&B / #47 Pop)
• You Don't Miss Your Water
• Glory of Love (1967 / #19 R&B / #60 Pop)
• I'm Coming Home
• Knock on Wood (Otis & Carla) (1967 / #8 R&B / #30 Pop)
• Let Me Be Good to You (Otis & Carla)
• (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay (1968 / #1 R&B / #1 Pop)
• Sweet Lorene
• Lovey Dovey (Otis & Carla) (1968 / #21 R&B / #60 Pop)
• New Year's Resolution (Otis & Carla)
• The Happy Song (Dum-Dum) (1968 / #10 R&B / #25 Pop)
• Open the Door
• Amen (1968 / #15 R&B / #36 Pop)
• Hard to Handle (1968 / #38 R&B / #51 Pop)
• I've Got Dreams to Remember (1968 / #6 R&B / #41 Pop)
• Nobody's Fault But Mine

Disc 3

• White Christmas
• Merry Christmas, Baby
• Papa's Got a Brand New Bag (Live at Whiskey) (1968 / #10 R&B / #21 Pop)
• Direct Me 
• A Lover's Question (1969 / #20 R&B / #48 Pop)
• You Made a Man Out of Me
• When Something is Wrong With My Baby (Otis & Carla)
• Ooh Carla, Ooh Otis (Otis & Carla)
• Love Man (1969 / #17 R&B / #72 Pop)
• Can't Turn You Loose (Live in Europe)
• Free Me (1969 / #30 R&B / #103 Pop)
• (Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher
• Look at the Girl
• That's a Good Idea
• Demonstration
• Johnny's Heartbreak
• Give Away None of My Love
• Snatch a Little Piece
• I've Been Loving You Too Long (Live in Monterrey)
• Try a Little Tenderness (Live in Monterrey)
• My Girl
• Good to Me

Rewind: 1993 Natalie Merchant Announces She is Leaving 10,000 Maniacs to pursue a Solo Career

August 5th 1993 Natalie Merchant told MTV that she was leaving She had been with the band since 1981, firstly as a vocalist alongside Rob Buck's ex-wife Terri Newhouse. Newhouse left the band in July that year and Merchant took over the lead vocals and songwriting duties at the tender age of 17.

Their first release was the March 1982 EP 'Human Conflict Number 5'.
In 1983 they released their debut album, 'Secrets of the I Ching'. The album was very well received among critics and even the legendary John Peel took a shine to the band. 'My Mother the War' (first UK TV performance) had some success on the Indie Chart as a result of airplay and touring in the UK.
The band got a real break in 1984 when they signed to Elektra Records and released 'The Wishing Chair'. The album included the most excellent 'Scorpio Rising'.

But it would be the follow-up, 'In My Tribe' that would gain for them the success they richly deserved.

The album, produced by Peter Asher, would contain many songs that would become fan favourites. My own choices from this album would be 'What's the Matter Here', 'Hey Jack Kerouac', 'Like the Weather', 'Don't Talk', 'City of Angels' and 'Verdi Cries'.

'Blind Man's Zoo' would follow in 1989 and became their most successful album chartwise reaching #13 in the USA and #18 in the UK. The album is loaded with so many great songs that it's hard to spotlight anyone of them. It's still one of my favourite albums of theirs.

Eat For Two.

Trouble Me.

Headstrong.

Dust Bowl.

The final studio album that Natalie Merchant appeared on with 10,000 Maniacs is the brilliant 'Our Time In Eden'.
'These Are Days', 'Candy Everybody Wants', and 'Few and Far Between' were the single releases. The other standout tracks for me are 'Stockton Gala Days', 'Jezebel', and 'Tolerance'.
One of the strange things about this album is that playing viola and providing backing vocals was Natalie's replacement Mary Ramsey. Merchant had already indicated to fellow band members in 1991 that she would be departing once she had completed recording on the 'Our Time in Eden' album, but it didn't become public knowledge until 1993.

One of the final acts to perform before leaving the band would the the MTV Unplugged show in April 1993 and the album would be released in October 1993 and it's a fine testament to just how good live they were.

These Are Days.

Eat For Two.

Candy Everybody Wants.

I'm Not the Man.

Don't Talk.

Hey Jack Kerouac.

What's The Matter Here.

Gold Rush Brides.

Like The Weather.

Trouble Me.

Jezebel.

Because the Night.

Stockton Gala Days.

Noah's Dove.