Podcassette 2

Extracts from a cassette found in the archive. Includes some old ads. a song about machines and Tony Schwartz, the pioneer audio documentary maker talking about Moondog, New York taxi drivers etc.

Discover more about Tony Schwartz HERE.

Jimmy Edwards

From an LP on the Spark label released in 1973. Jimmy edwards sings bawdy pub songs and plays his trombone accompanied by Ken Mackintosh and his band. Also on the record is special guest Joe "Mr. Piano" Henderson.

"Jimmy Edwards was a British radio and television comedy actor, best known as Pa Glum in Take It From Here and as the headmaster 'Professor' James Edwards in Whack-O.

Born James Keith O'Neill in Barnes, London, Edwards served in the Royal Air Force during World War II, winning the Distinguished Flying Cross. His Dakota was shot down at Arnhem in 1944, resulting in plastic surgery — he disguised it with the huge handlebar moustache that later became his trademark.

A feature of London theatre in the immediate post-War years, having previously performed in the Cambridge Footlights review, Edwards gained wider exposure as a radio performer, appearing in the long-running Take It From Here, where he developed the Glums alongside June Whitfield.

Graduatating to television, his appeared in shows such as the panel game Does the Team Think?, The Seven Faces of Jim, as well as guest slots in Make Room for Daddy and Sykes. Edwards also worked with Eric Sykes when he acted in the Sykes-penned short films The Plank (1967) (alongside Tommy Cooper) and Rhubarb (1969) (which also featured Harry Secombe).

He published his autobiography, Six of the Best, in 1984, as a follow up to the earlier Take it From Me. Amongst his outside interests were brass bands and the handlebar Club, in which all the members had such moustaches. During the 1970s he also came out as a homosexual."


Jimmy Edwards - Crumpet

Jimmy Edwards - I've Never Seen A Straight Banana



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Laff Blasts From The Past

A great Lp I found a few years back in Brick Lane in East London. It's a compilation of amusing r&b songs from the archives of Herb Abramson. Released in 1985 on the Red Lightnin' label.

"He was born in 1916 in Brooklyn, New York City and initially studied to be a dentist. But he landed a job with National Records producing such performers as The Ravens, Billy Eckstine and Joe Turner. Herb founded his first record company, Jubilee Records, in 1946 with Jerry Blaine. Herb aspired to record jazz, R&B and Gospel recordings. Though Blaine was having some success recording Jewish novelty records, this genre did not interest Abramson, so he sold his interest in Jubilee to Blaine. Herb and his wife Miriam were close friends with fellow jazz buff Ahmet Ertegun and together they founded Atlantic Records in 1947. Herb was president of Atlantic and Ahmet was vice-president. Both Herb and Ahmet handled the creative end of the business and Miriam handled the business end."

Discover more about Herb Abramson HERE.


The Essentials - Sha-He-Be

The Cashmeres with Eddie Jones - Daddy, Can I Go To The Hop?

The Jarmolettes - The Baby Monkeys' Song

The Magnetics - Sardines


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Cosmotheka

Cosmotheka sing a few old favourites from the days of music hall on their 1992 BBC radio show "Cosmotheka's Comedy Songbook" live from the Palace Theatre , Redditch in the West Midlands.

"For those of us that had the pleasure of witnessing the ‘act’ that was Cosmotheka (Dave & Al Sealey) should count ourselves lucky. I say this in the knowledge that I, along with countless others will recall with nostalgia the songs set before us for the first time on CD. So, congratulations to Graham Bradshaw at Folksound for issuing it. I won’t re-trace the history of the duo (Dave does that in the accompanying booklet) but needless to say a majority of the most popular numbers from their extensive repertoire appear here. To name-check a few, we have ‘Wot A Mouth’, ‘Don’t Do It Again, Matilda’, ‘Thuthie’ and ‘Wot I Want Is A Proper Cup Of Coffee’. Dave and Al’s tireless pursuit of the rich music hall heritage that was so much a part of Britain’s social structure is a testament to all song collectors. I reflect with fondness my particular association with the duo when I was asked to play a difficult banjo break on one of their recordings and all the encouragement they gave me in completing the task. Without the likes of Cosmotheka, the world of folk music (which they embraced as much as the music halls) would be a poorer scene. Sadly Al passed away in 1999 leaving a legacy of recordings that if they were to be released today would bring a smile to the sternest of critics. Perhaps now the ball has started rolling someone somewhere will re-issue all of Cosmotheka’s back catalogue."

Buy the CD of some of their best known songs HERE.

Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band

A short radio programme from a series Bob Kerr did for the BBC I imagine back in the 80's or 90's. This taken from a cassette someone sent me and it is sadly lacking in any info. Bob Kerr Is currently on tour with the re-formed Bonzo Dog Band.

"The WHOOPEE BAND have performed on stage and TV in most European countries, had their own 45 minute TV show in Germany, not to mention their very own TV series for London Weekend Television in the 70's, it was called "Making Whoopee". They have worked with many leading stars including Lionel Bart, Peter Cook & Dudley More and Max Wall. They have toured with Ralph McTell, Manhattan Transfer and many more.
Such is the bizarre nature of this outfit they not only play Theatres and Festivals all over Europe and beyond, they even played at the legendary BOB DYLAN concerts in Earls Court London in the late seventies and when Roger Daltrey of The Who got married they even played at his wedding. The WHOOPEE BAND have appeared in concert at the Philharmonic Hall in St. Petersburg, Russia and in Denmark with Dame Edna Everage ............in various concerts with Chris Barber, Kenny Ball, Lonnie Donegan and Acker Bilk plus many many more."

Discover more about the Whoopee Band HERE.

Another selection of songs here including Pasadena, Hard Hearted Hannah and Somebody Stole My Gal. In fact I think these may not be radio shows atall but television shows on London Weekend as mentioned in the website.

Bob Kerr - Bob Kerr and His Whoopee Band Pt.2

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Winifred Atwell

A rather battered and bruised EP found at Crewe Flea market yesterday for 50p. Winnie had loads of hits in the U.K. in the 50's- mostly medleys of music hall and popular songs like we have here. She paved the way for other pianists who made it big later on, like Russ Conway and Mrs. Mills.

Here's what Wikipedia says about her -

"Winifred Atwell (February 27, 1914 - February 28, 1983) was a pianist who enjoyed great popularity in Britain in the 1950s with a series of boogie woogie and ragtime hits.
Atwell was born in Tunapuna in Trinidad and Tobago. Her family owned a pharmacy, and she trained as a druggist, and was expected to join the family business, Winifred , however played the piano since a young age, and achieved considerable popularity locally. She used to play for American Serviceman at the air force base (which is now the main airport). It was whilst playing at the Servicemen's Club at Piarco someone bet her she couldn't play something in the boogie woogie style that was popular back home in the USA. She went away and wrote "Piarco Boogie" which was later renamed "Five Finger Boogie"."

Winifred Atwell - Let's Have A Ding Dong Medley

Winifred Atwell - Make It A Party Medley


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Hank Snow

Happy to upload some more Hank Snow found on this LP recently at charity shop for a few pennies. Hank plays a mean guitar and his songs are uplifting rather than maudlin. He's not afraid to introduce some interesting Latin influences as in the song "Panamama" and "When Mexican Joe Met Jole Blon" is enriched by some Creole sounds and nimble guitar picking.


Clarence Eugene "Hank" Snow was born on May 9th, 1914 in the sleepy fishing village of Brooklyn, Queens County, on Nova Scotia's beautiful South Shore, just down the tracks from Liverpool.

"As a boy, Hank faced many difficulties and shortcomings. He had to face the trauma of his parents' divorce at just eight years old and he was forced to stay with his grandparents. He then had to deal with an abusive grandmother who forbid him to see his mother. He regularly sneaked out at night and walked the railroad tracks to Liverpool where his mother was living. Not willing to return to his grandmother, who would often beat him for visiting his mom, he would sometimes seek shelter in Liverpool's railway station, now home of the Hank Snow Country Music Centre.

Both his parents had musical talent and Hank picked up his basic guitar-playing skills from his mother. In 1926, Hank went to sea as a 12-year-old cabin boy on fishing schooners based out of Lunenburg to escape his abusive step-father and never returned to school. With his first earned income he bought his first guitar, a T. Eaton Special for $5.95. While at sea, Hank would listen to Jimmie Rodgers on the radio and began to imitate him and entertain the crew. It wasn't long before Hank had picked up his own style."

Discover more about Hank Snow HERE.


Hank Snow - When Mexican Joe Met Jole Blon

Hank Snow - Trouble Trouble Trouble

Hank Snow - Panamama


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Your Face

Very funny and inventive Bill Plympton animation from 1988.

"For this one, he contacted an old friend with whom he had performed in a Country Western Band (he played pedal steel guitar). Maureen McElheron, whose band it had been, agreed to score "Your Face." Due to budgetary considerations, she also sang. Her voice, eerily decelerated to sound more masculine combined with a fantastically contorting visage helped garner the film a 1988 Oscar nomination for best animation."

Lew Stone

Aother found cassette on the boot sale on sunday. "The Golden Age of Lew Stone" on the EMI label from the 80's. All songs from the mid 30's.

"London native Lew Stone was an extremely popular bandleader, arranger, and pianist throughout the '30s. The self-taught musician also authored Harmony and Orchestration for the Modern Dance Band, a book that was the standard in its field against which all others were measured for several decades. In his late '20s, he spent a brief period playing piano for Bert Ralton, but this association ended when Ralton passed away while he was hunting in Africa. Stone farmed himself out as a freelance arranger for numerous bands for a period of four years, beginning in 1927. By 1931, Stone was working with Roy Fox in Piccadilly, enchanting audiences from the stage of the Monseigneur Restaurant. Stone stepped into the leader's position the following year, when Fox decided to move on.

As he formed his own outfit, Stone continued to utilize some of Fox's musicians, among them popular singer Al Bowlly, drummer Bill Harty, saxophone players Ernest Ritte and Joe Crossman, trombonists Lew Davis and Joe Ferrie, bassist Tiny Winters, and trumpeters Alfie Noakes and Nat Gonella. Stone's band, which played on the radio once a week, recorded a number of songs. These included "Call of the Freaks," "Tiger Rag," "White Jazz/Blue Jazz," and "Milenbourg Joys." Bowlly stayed with the band for two years, during which he was featured on "Isle of Capri," the bandleader's only hit on the other side of the Atlantic. He also sang on "What a Little Moonlight Can Do," "With My Eyes Wide Open I'm Dreaming," "Just Let Me Look at You," and "I'll Never Be the Same." Although Bowlly left Stone's band in 1934, he returned later in the decade for a short period. Stone went on to lead the Stonecrackers and the Novatones during the '40s."


Lew Stone - Stay As Sweet As You Are

Lew Stone - Sidewalks Of Cuba

Lew Stone - My Old Dog

Lew Stone - Two Trumpet Toot


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Hula Podcassette

Podcast of first few tracks from an old mix tape I found recently. Mostly old hawaiian and old timey tracks from the 30's and 40's.

Tracks are as follows-

1. Abdul Abulbul Ameer - Frank Ifield
2. Hula Girl - Sal Hoopii's Quintet
3. Hawaiian Cowboy - Sol K. Bright & His Hollywiians
4. Jonah In The Whale - Golden Gate Quintet
5. Ol' Man Mose - Golden Gate Quintet
6. New Jole Blon - Moon Mullican

FRANK IFIELD is an Australian who had a few hits in the U.K. in the early 60's. His first was "I Remember You" and was one of the first records I ever bought. It was the first time I'd heard any yodelling in the pop charts!

SOL K. BRIGHT.
"Solomon Kekipi Bright was born in Honolulu, and became famous as a composer, musician, comic dancer, producer, director and actor. The author of 'Hawaiian Cowboy,' 'Sophisticated Hula,' and many others began his career with his sister Hannah Bright's orchestra. He joined Sol Hoopii's orchestra in 1928 on the mainland, then returned to Honolulu and formed his own band. He toured the west coast from 1936 through 1957, while appearing in every major Waikiki venue when on island.

Sol's brother Andy popularized 'Hawaiian Cowboy' on Hawaii Calls, using a dummy horse as a prop, an idea Hilo Hattie appropriated for her shows. Sol's other comic hit, 'Hawaiian Scotsman,' made a star out of Bill Akamuhou. Sol's hundreds of recordings sold millions of copies. He was a moving force behind the formation of the Hawaiian Professional Songwriter's Society and the Hawaiian Music Awards Academy."

GOLDEN GATE QUARTET.
"When the GGQ burst onto the gospel music scene in the 1930's out of the Tidewater region of Virginia, black churches were quite musically conservative and not given to rhythmic experimentation or nods toward popular music. Thus there was a fair amount of head-shaking when the GGQ emerged as the leader of a very fine pack of Gospel groups during a very difficult and trying time in American history. Appearing on a North Carolina radio station led to a move north, then to a Bluebird recording contract. The strong beat and counterpoint in those first recordings are looked upon as a turning point in Gospel music, a rebirth of the spiritual."

Felix Mendelssohn

No vinyl today but this cassette from the 80's. A re-issue of some tracks from the 40's by Felix Mendelssohn and His Hawaiian Serenaders. Sadly very little on the internet about Felix and his Serenaders but he was British and caught the Hawaiian bug in the 30's and although not a musician himself managed to gather some accomplished musicians around him and spread the music of the South pacific around wartime Britain. His lavish stage shows had "hula" dancers and the band dressed appropriately in grass skirts and flower garlands travelled around until the early 50's.



Rare piece of film of Felix and the Serenaders from a daft British Film .


Felix Mendelssohn - The Hula Blues

Felix Mendelssohn - Hawaiian War Chant

Felix Mendelssohn - Yakka Hula Hickey Dula


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G.H.Elliott

Not a boot sale find ( they are a bit thin on the ground just lately ) but I promised some tracks by G.H. Elliott to a friend who asked if i had any and searching through my old cassette tapes found several that had been dubbed from various sources from 1912 up until the 50's. The recording above is from a radio show- one of the last he made I imagine ,singing " I Used To Sigh For The Silvery Moon" which was his theme song.

"G.H. Elliott was one of Britain’s best-loved blackface entertainers in the days before such things became unthinkable. He was, like Gracie Fields, born in Rochdale, Lancashire, and as a child was taken to the United States, where he learned his craft with the Primrose West Minstrels (Gammond 1991, 176). He was elegant and sophisticated — Peter Honri (1974, 20) relates that, in blacking up, he always used champagne corks. Music Hall historian W. Macqueen-Pope (1950, 163) calls him “the nearest approach to the wonderful Eugene Stratton the Halls ever knew” (although S. Theodore Felstead accords that accolade to another blackface performer, Dubliner Tom E. Finglass). Among the songs particularly associated with him are Idaho, I Used To Sigh For The Silvery Moon, and Sue, Sue, Sue. Elliott’s long career carried him well into the 1940s." He died in 1962.

Discover more about G.H. Elliott HERE.


G.H.Elliott - The Ghost Of The Yodelling Coon

G.H.Elliott - Up With The Lark

G.H.Elliott - Little Dolly Daydream


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Ted Chippington

"After a series of low-key UK school bands, Robert Lloyd (b. 1959, Cannock, Staffordshire, England) formed the Prefects - one of the earliest punk bands - who toured with the Clash. They split up in 1979 and Lloyd assembled the Nightingales using the best of the musicians who had passed through the ranks of the Prefects. The first of many subsequent line-ups comprised Lloyd, Alan and Paul Apperley, Joe Crow and Eamonn Duffy. They were ably championed by BBC Radio 1 disc jockey John Peel, for whom Lloyd recorded more sessions under various guises than any other artist. The Nightingales' debut single, "Idiot Strength", was released in 1981 on the band's own Vindaloo label in association with Rough Trade Records. Joe Crow then departed and his replacements, Nick Beales and Andy Lloyd, brought a totally different sound to the band. Cherry Red Records picked them up and the band's career began in earnest. Lloyd soon established himself as one of the more interesting lyricists on the independent chart. Most of his tirades were draped in humour: "I'm too tired to do anything today, but tomorrow I'll start my diet, and answer some of my fan mail ('Elvis: The Last Ten Days'). The lack of success of subsequent releases led Lloyd and friends to the new Red Flame label started by Dave Kitson, the promoter of the Moonlight Club in London's Hampstead. Still unhappy with the way record companies were handling his band's career, Lloyd decided to reactivate the Vindaloo label. Ironically, this led to the demise of the Nightingales as Lloyd needed to spend more time as songwriter, producer and label boss for his relatively successful roster of artists such as We've Got A Fuzzbox And We're Gonna Use It and comedian Ted Chippington. When Fuzzbox toured America, taking the Nightingales' keyboard player with them, Lloyd dissolved the band and concentrated on a solo career. The Nightingales" legacy was wrapped up in 1991 with a compilation album for Mau Mau Records with sleeve-notes written by a still devoted John Peel."

A cassette from 1986 that I found down Brick Lane market I think. Good newsd is that Ted has a 4 CD boxe set of all his work coming out in 2007! I can't quite believe it either!

Find out more about Ted Chippington HERE.

Find out more about The Nightingales HERE.

Find out more about Ted Chippington HERE.

Ted Chippington - Going Down The Road

Ted Chippington - Rockin' With Rita

Ted Chippington - She Loves You

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SWAPATORIUM: Leo De Lyon

SWAPATORIUM: Leo De Lyon

Happy Songs For Rainy Days

A Panda Children's Record distributed by the Connoisseur Record Corp. back in the 50's. One side is a medley of nursery rhymes and the other from which the four tracks below are lifted is an odd mix of hits of the day, blues and more nursery rhymes. I think Jim Reeves had a hit with "Bimbo" but not sure who is singing here? No names of tracks or artistes on the sleeve and a bare list of titles on the record itself. "Choo Choo Train" sounds very firmiliar too but can't quite place the singer. Any ideas?


Unknown - Bimbo

Unknown - Choo Choo Train

Unknown - Hi Didle Diddle

Unknown - I Tisket I Tasket


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SWAPATORIUM: Leo De Lyon

John Inman

"Tandem Song" from "John Inman - With A Bit Of Brass" . Found vinyl on the Webb Ivory label 1978. Here John Inman is accompanied by the Webb Ivory newall Band and the West Midlands Police Male Voice Choir.

"John Inman was just thirteen when he first appeared at the South Pier in Blackpool, his home town. Since then he has never looked back, with innumerable appearances on television, in cabaret and stage productions all over Britain and overseas and with starring roles in London's West End.
His West End debut came in the musical Ann Veronica at the Cambridge Theatre, followed by seventeen months at the famous Windmill Theatre after which John starred as Lord Fancourt Babberley in the production of Charley's Aunt at the Adelphi Theatre in the Strand.
However it was as Mr. Humphries in the long running BBC series Are You Being Served? that he became a household name throughout the country and world-wide. He was chosen to be the subject of This Is Your Life and was later honoured by the Variety Club of Great Britain as BBC television personality of the year. He was also voted funniest man on television by the readers of T.V. Times.
Summer seasons have also been an important element in John's varied career. His favorite show is pantomime, of which he has done over 40, and he is firmly recognised as the best dame in the business. He has appeared in six Royal Variety Performances, before most of the members of the Royal Family.
In spite of his world tours, he still returns home each christmas for his pantomime appearances. Are You Being Served? is shown on American television from coast to coast with huge success, which makes John a truly International star."

Find out more about John Inman HERE.


John Inman - The King's Horses

John Inman - The Laughing Policeman

John Inman - Pennsylvania Polka


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Jimmy McCracklin

Four tracks from side one of "Twist With Jimmy McCracklin" on the Crown Records label released in the early 60's I imagine at the height of the Twist craze.

1. I'm Gonna Tell Your Mother
2. My Mother Says
3. That Ain't Right
4. Please Forgive

Wikipedia says of him-

"McCracklin was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He joined the United States Navy in 1938 following a successful run as an amateur boxer.
McCracklin began recording after World War II. His first recordings were released by Globe Records in 1945. He formed the Blues Blasters in 1946. His first recording under his name were on the Trilon Records label in 1948.
He recorded on many labels in ensuing years, including Swing Time Records in 1951, Peacock Records in 1952, as well as Modern Records, Irma Records, and Gedinson's Records."

Discover more about Jimmy McCracklin HERE.


Jimmy McCracklin - You Don't Seem To Understand

Jimmy McCracklin - Reelin' & Rockin' Twist


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Duke Harris

An LP on the Kalypso label in Kingston, Jamaica, in the late 50's early 60's I imagine by the look of the sleeve. Typical calypso and mento tracks here including Yellow Bird, Jamaica Farewell and Island In the Sun. I have chosen a few novelty numbers to share.

"Mento music had its beginnings in Jamaica in the 19th century, and was uniquely Jamaican fusion of African and European musical traditions. In the 1920s, a number of mento songs were put to vinyl by Caribbean jazz artists. In the 1930 and 1940s, Slim and Sam, a mento duo who performed in Kingston, gained renown and are remembered today. This act is remembered for their originals, and sold "tracts" -- printed lyrics -- at their performances. (The book "Reggae Routes" by Kevin O'Brien Chang and Wayne Chen lists the names of some of these originals, and has additional information and even a picture of Slim and Sam.)

But it wasn't until the early 1950s that true mento recordings first began to appear on 78 RPM discs. This decade was mento’s golden age, as a variety of artists recorded mento songs in an assortment of rhythms and styles. It was the peak of mento's creativity and popularity in Jamaica and the birth of Jamaica's recording industry.

These recordings reveal mento to be a diverse musical genre, sometimes played with reckless abandon and other times with orderly precision. In addition to mento's African and European roots, by this time it has also encompassed pan-Caribbean influences, as well as American jazz. Although it was informed by a world of music, mento is clearly, uniquely Jamaican. And as Jamaica's original music, all other Jamaican music can trace its roots to mento."

Discover more about mento and calypso HERE.


Duke Harris - Shame & Scandal

Duke Harris - Bloodshot Eyes

Duke Harris - Matilda


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Ivor Biggun

A charity shop find from a couple of years ago. This Lp on the Beggars Banquet label came out in 1978 at the height of punk.


"This(The Winker's Song) notorious first single by Ivor Biggun and the Red-Nose Burglars was released on 2nd September 1978 on the blue Beggars Banquet label, and was immediately banned by the BBC as being 'sexually explicit'. Early editions came in plain bags, because the ladies in the first pressing plant refused to handle sleeve-designer Dave Brett's revolting artwork. After a few weeks, it appeared on the picture sleeves we know and love. It is the same ukelele-pronged pervert you see on the sleeve of The Winkers Album.

It spent 12 weeks in the charts and reached its highest position at number 19, 20, 21 or 22 (depending whose Charts you read), and was Number One on the Indie/Punk Charts for several weeks, being the first big hit for Beggars Banquet Records."

Discover more about Ivor Biggun HERE.


Ivor Biggun - A Mucky Song

Ivor Biggun - Hello, My Baby

Ivor Biggun - I Wish I Was


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