JAMES DOUGLAS MORRISON 

December 8, 1943 – July 3, 1971

My introduction to the work of Bertolt Brecht (yes really!) and look out for Lotte Lenya in the vid . . . 




This changed music for me . . . . . 


Perhaps my favourite Doors song . . . .  

R.I.P. Jim 'Mr. Mojo Risin' Morrison

FIVE YEARS AGO TODAY WE LOST ONE OF MY DEAREST FRIENDS 

Generous to a fault, kind, funny and an expert film cameraman without equal and universally liked throughout his industry, Stephen was my friend and taken far too young. I miss him 

The last pictures he sent me were from New York and San Francisco where the last shoot he worked on was hectic and had silly schedules  but at least he was able to see his Dad, Alan . . . .  he was able to send funny quips to his pictures and he knew I adored the Flat Iron building and sent these in 2012

Flat Iron Building  ©️ Stephen Blackman 14th May 2012

'Oh the glamour of the movie business Washing my T-shirts @ The Bush St Laundermatt', SF  
©️ Stephen Blackman 20/05/2012

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Probably my favourite song by John and far superior to the simplistic 'Imagine' IMHO
Bought again when it came out and still have the album but also have the singles from the album too . . . . . . this is 'DEEP' and a lovely song, no irony, no scathing Liverpool wit no sardonic responses . . .In his 1970 interview with Rolling Stone, Lennon referred to the song as perhaps the best, most poetic lyric he ever wrote: "It's one of the best lyrics I've written. In fact, it could be the best. It's good poetry, or whatever you call it, without chewin' it. See, the ones I like are the ones that stand as words, without melody. They don't have to have any melody, like a poem, you can read them.". . poetica extremis . . . start the week with this

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जय गुरुदेव ॐ

What's so funny about peace, love and understanding . . . . . . ?

of course one of the truly great things about having a composer for a tutor in the Fine Art School where I studied (Gavin Bryars and fellow historian Fred Orton at Leicester since you ask) and studying Dada and Surrealism with artists like Marcel Duchamp, Man Ray and Francis Picabia, Tristan Tzara and many others, is that you discovered musical contemporaries like Erik Satie but also figures like Alfred Jerry, Arthur Cravan et al . . . . . . Here is one reason why this was such a great schooling and for those who think my musical tastes more pop driven . . . . . . . . 

a beauty for a Sunday morning . . . . . . . . 

Now a word about Pink Floyd, I bought 'Piper At The Gates of Dawn' when it came out and 'Saucerful . . . ' too and up to 'Zabriskie' UmmaGumma and 'Atom Heart Mother' and finally 'Meddle',  soundtracks like 'Obscured By Clouds' being the last album I bought I think which is where I left them and clearly I guess I must have been more of a Syd fan as when he went, they left me behind within a few albums. 
The previous adoration of all the band members including his 'replacement' so called, his oldest school friend Dave Gilmour, paled as Roger Waters took over the mantle of writing which frankly by 'Dark Side of The Moon was some of the most juvenile and cliche ridden dross I had ever heard. Fun tracks like 'Bike' and singles like 'See Emily...' and the transvestite peon 'Arnold Layne' and his 'strange hobby' made way to 'Money' and by the truly dreadful 'Wall' I was no longer a fan except maybe of Gilmour.  'Saucerful . . ' still had something and 'Set The Controls . . .' was still a musical tour de force but by 'Dark Side' I had left them in disgust . . . . 

On this day in music history: June 29, 1968 - “A Saucerful Of Secrets”, the second studio album by Pink Floyd is released. Produced by Norman Smith, it is recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London from August, October 1967 and January - April 1968. The bands follow up to their debut “The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn” is recorded sporadically over a period of eight months, largely because of Syd Barrett’s increasing mental instability due to his excessive consumption of psychedelic drugs. Syd's friend and guitarist David Gilmour is brought in to take Barrett’s place, though they had been working together for a while as Syd deteriorated Dave becoming a permanent member of the band in March 1968. The album features songs such as “Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun” and the title track, both of which become staples of their live performances. The enigmatic cover art for the album is designed by Hipgnosis, making Pink Floyd the first EMI act (besides The Beatles) to have their album covers designed by someone other than EMI’s art department). It is the beginning of a four decade long association with the graphic design company. Reissued on CD numerous times since its first digital release in 1987, it is most recently reissued in 2011. The album is remastered and reissued as a 180 gram vinyl LP in 2016, with the album sleeve using a printed version of the original UK “flip back” jacket design, and pressed with the original 60’s era UK Columbia labels. “A Saucerful Of Secrets” peaks at number nine on the UK album chart, and does not chart on the Billboard Top 200.

with thanks to Jeff Harris' wonderful blog 'Behind The Grooves  On this day in Music History   

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From the legendary Nick Drake and  I think I have pretty much everything as he was really important to us growing up and my dearest friends, Leo and Michelle, played 'Time Has Told Me' as their signature tune for me . . . . . . . 'Place to Be' from Pink Moon to ease you towards the weekend

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Don't often post much Elvis as he leaves me a tad cold except for the real early stuff (Sun sessions is a favourite and the comeback in '68 and then he blew it for me)  . . . . . but it's Friday so heck here's a classic . . . . Camp as you like! Dedicated to my old friend and colleague Paul Reid because he is SO conflicted about being a Mod and loves his Elvis who as we all know was a Greebo! Dirty Filthy Rocker! 😉 😎

another in the series of singles bought when they came out thanks to Jeff Harris' wonderful blog
still members of the Fan Club by now and yet about to leave and move on as the Wings and 80's kicked in and left me cold  . . . . at least for a while

On this day in music history: June 28, 1980 - “Coming Up (Live At Glasgow)” by Paul McCartney & Wings hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 3 weeks. Written by Paul McCartney, it is the seventh solo chart topper for Liverpool, UK born singer, songwriter and musician born James Paul McCartney. Written in the Summer of 1979 while recording his album “McCartney II” at his farmhouse in rural Scotland, he performs all of the instrumental parts and most of the vocals on his own. Months prior to its release as a single, McCartney and his band Wings perform “Coming Up” to live audiences on a brief tour of the UK to rapturous response. The bands show at the Glasgow Apollo in Glasgow, Scotland on December 17, 1979 is recorded and includes a rousing performance of “Coming Up”. When the studio version is released as a single in April of 1980, that performance is also included on the B-side of the 45 with the “Venus And Mars” era track “Lunchbox/Odd Sox”. US radio stations immediately take to the live version, giving it more airplay than the studio version and creating a huge public demand for it. Initially, Columbia Records in the US wants to add the live recording to the “McCartney II” album, but Paul refuses. A compromise is reached with CBS by including a bonus 7" single (actually one sided white label promotional copies originally intended for radio stations only) of the “Live At Glasgow” version with the first pressing of the album. Entering the Hot 100 at #73 on April 26, 1980, it climbs to the top of the chart nine weeks later. “Coming Up” is also instrumental in McCartney’s friend and former band mate John Lennon coming out of his five year long retirement from the music business. While spending time at his and wife Yoko Ono’s beach house at Cold Spring Harbor in Long Island, NY, Lennon hears the song on the radio just days before its release. Impressed by the song and feeling the competitive urge once again, Lennon is immediately inspired to begin writing the songs that becomes the “Double Fantasy” album released in November of 1980. After the chart success of the live recording of “Coming Up” in the US, an alternate live performance recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon in London on December 29, 1979 is released. That version is featured in the live concert film and soundtrack album “Concerts For The People Of Kampuchea” released in 1981. “Coming Up (Live At Glasgow)” is certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.

with thanks to Jeff Harris' wonderful blog 'Behind The Grooves  On this day in Music History    

On this day in music history: June 27, 1989 - “Cosmic Thing”, the fifth album by The B-52’s is released. Produced by Don Was and Nile Rodgers, It is recorded at Dreamland Recording Studio in West Hurley, NY and Skyline Studios in New York City from Late 1988 - Early 1989. After the loss of original guitarist Ricky Wilson in October 1985 and the lukewarm reception to the “Bouncing Off The Satellites” album, the veteran new wave band take a three year long hiatus from the music business before regrouping. In the interim, Keith Stickland having switched from the drums to playing guitar (having learned Wilson’s unique guitar tunings), begin composing new material in 1988. Playing some of the new songs for his bandmates, The B-52’s begin writing and playing together again. Their first album of all new studio material in over three years. Returning to the studio in late 1988, the band work with Was (Not Was) bassist Don Was fresh off of producing Bonnie Raitt’s comeback album “Nick Of Time”, and Chic guitarist and producer Nile Rodgers. The album features additional musicians including former Gang Of Four bassist Sara Lee, drummers Steve Ferrone (AWB, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers), Sonny Emory (Earth, Wind & Fire, Bruce Hornsby), and Charley Drayton (Divinyls). It is an artistic and commercial triumph upon its release, and is the biggest selling album of their career. It spins off four singles including “Love Shack” (#3 Pop), “Roam” (#3 Pop) and “Deadbeat Club” (#30 Pop) “Cosmic Thing” peaks at number four on the Billboard Top 200, and is certified 4x Platinum in the US by the RIAA.

Another song bought when it came out and this I have on a 12" single or EP extended remix when it came out. It was a great chart classic and you could dance to it! Ironic too!