Honky Tonk Demos

Compilation I bought on the Oval label back in 1979 for budget price of 3:99p. Wonderful selection of early demos from pub rockers and outsiders who soon became big on other labels - such as Darts, Chas 'N' Dave, Dire Straights and Elvis Costello ( not featured on this LP ). DJ Charlie Gillett had a knack of spotting talent before anyone else. He saw the potential of Ian Dury before The Blockheads were even thought of when he became manager of Kilburn and The Highroads for a short while. The Radio London programme from which most of these tracks are culled was a veritable Who's Who of 70's rock 'n' roll with guests ranging from Ry Cooder and Fats Domino popping up on a regular basis rubbing shoulders with Blondie, David Byrne and a host of soon to be stars of the burgeoning new-wave and punk scene which grew out of the fertile pub-rock phase of the mid to late 70's.


Chas 'N' Dave - One Fing 'N' Anuvver

Leo Kosmin Band - Ain't No Way

Juice On The Loose - Blue Flame Boogie

Junior Kimbrough - In The City


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El Disco Del Ano

Here is one I uploaded before, back in 2006. It's from Colombia and dated 1980. It certainly looks very xmassy but my guess would be that it's "Hits Of The Year" and these are some of the favourites in Colombia in 1980. It makes a change from the usual Christmassy music thats churned out at the is time of year.

Wikipedia says-

"Modern Colombian music is a mixture of African, native Indigenous and European (especially Spanish) influences, as well as more modern American and Caribbean musical forms, such as Trinidadian, Cuban, and Jamaican. The national music of Colombia is said to be cumbia.
Cumbia is a mixture of Spanish and African music, the latter brought by slaves. In the 19th century, slavery was abolished and Africans, Indians and other ethnic groups mixed more fully. Styles like bambuco, vallenato and porro was especially influential. When the waltz became popular in the 19th century, a Colombian version called pasillo was invented. International Latin, a type of pop ballad, and salsa music are best-represented by Charlie Zaa and Joe Arroyo, respectively."


Alcides Diaz Con Los Piratas Sabaneros - Remolino

El Combo De Las Estrellas - Aguita De Ron

El Combo Nutibara - La Clavada

El Bimomio De Oro - Mi Novia Mi Pueblo

Juan Pina Con La Revelacion - El Pilon Guajiro

Alcides Diaz Con Los Piratas Sabaneros - Dos Mujeres

Los Hispanos - La Cobija


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Frank Sidebottom

"Frank Sidebottom: Nothing more than Chris Sievey wearing a paper maché head. He was created by Sievey as the Freshies' number one fan (well, The Freshies' only fan), and managed to get a career out of being the band's only fan. Ironic that the Freshies' fan would be more famous than the Freshies themselves.

Frank once sold a video by mail-order called "Frank's Home Movie Video". He reportedly recorded a personalised intro on each video ordered, and coloured all the sleeves in by hand!

He had many songs released, although all of them are near impossible to get hold of. For example, he released a couple of "Timperley" EPs, where all the tracks contained, er, "Timperley" (it was where he lived, or something). Yes: all of them. Every single one. Other famous releases included "Frank Sings The Magic Of Freddie Mercury and Queen", and the 12" version called "Frank Sings The Magic Of Freddie Mercury And Queen And Kylie Minogue (you know; her off 'Neighbours')". The most memorable tracks being "Frank Gordon" (a version of "Flash Gordon"), and "I Am The Champion" (a version of "We Are The Champions"). He also released a single entitled "Panic by The Sidebottoms", containing no less than nine different mixes of the same song (one of which was the "Demon Axx Warriors from Oblivion Mix"). And John Kettley wasn't the only BBC weatherman to have a song written about him, as Ian McCaskill's name was put to Frank's imaginatively-titled "Ian McCaskill". And we haven't even mentioned "Best of the Answering Machine", "6 All-time Great Footballing Chants (including 'Nil-Nil', 'Wemberley', and 'There's Only One Referee')" or "Frank checks into Auntie Edie's", yet. Or the album "B******s To Christmas"."

Tracks on this side of the album are-

1. Guess Who's Been On m.o.t.d?
2. Bros medley
3. Twist and Shout
4. Planet Earth( with Kevin Bignell)
5. Tummy (i.f's rock opera )


Frank Sidebottom - Medium Play

Chas 'N' Dave

A CD I bought today for 50p in a charity shop. Two discs- one of Christmas songs and carols and the other a long medley of cockney favourites. Heres a mixure of some of the best tracks as a Xmas treat. It's on the Crimson label and probably still available. Dated 2001.

"Chas & Dave are Cockney pop rock music artists, often billed as Chas 'n' Dave or erroneously as Chaz 'n' Dave. Their full names are Chas Hodges (piano, vocals, banjo, guitars) and Dave Peacock (bass guitar, vocals, banjo, guitars), with Mick Burt on drums. They were regulars on British TV from 1975 onwards and had hits like "Gertcha", their first, as well as "Rabbit" and "The Sideboard Song". Their music was featured in a TV beer advertising campaign which also helped to establish them in the United Kingdom.
The unique cockney style of singing was from the start intentional. They felt an alternative to the way British bands copied American accents was needed. The songs above are partly comic, and Chas 'n' Dave are identified with London pub culture. But their 1982 number 2 hit, "Ain't No Pleasing You" was a more romantic record, with strings added to the usual piano, drum and bass sound. 'Rockney' has been coined as a term for their music style. They have always done a great deal of live work, and are currently doing shows all over the UK.
"Snooker Loopy" is a comic song about snooker by Chas and Dave.
Chas and Dave have remained famous, in part, because of the songs they have written and recorded for Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Among their most famous Spurs recordings are "Glory Glory Tottenham Hotspur", "Ossie's Dream", "Hot Shot Tottenham", "When the Year Ends in One", "Tottenham Tottenham" and the "Spurs Medley"."

A bonus festive treat for you all - well, some of you maybe! I love Chas 'N' Dave and forgive them the dreadful cockney caperings and "Stars On 45" type medleys they do but at the heart of their music is a great musicianship and a refreshing use of the local venacular without stooping to affect a mid Atlantic drawl like so many seems to do for some reason. They write good catchy songs too as their many hits denote.
"The Sideboard Song" "Margate" "Gertcha" to name but a few.
Here is a radio show from the 80's or maybe 90's when they were at their height. Full of Xmas cheer and jolly good up kneesing- cor blimey guv!

Visit Chas 'N' Dave's official website HERE.


Chas 'N' Dave - The Wassail Song

Chas 'N' Dave - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Chas 'N' Dave - Good Christmas Men Rejoice

Chas 'N' Dave - Aunt Tilly

Chas 'N' Dave - Someday

Chas 'N' Dave - Down Where The Swanee River Flows


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Max Bacon ( Requested Re-Up )

"Max was the larger-than-life drummer with the Ambrose Orchestra for many years, who also had a unique Jewish-style humour. Prior to joining Ambrose in late 1927, he had been with Leon van Straten's band in 1926 and also was briefly with Fred Elizalde's band (which seems to be made up of Ambrose musicians) and Al Starita's Kit-Cat band (probably a temporary substitute for Eric Little). He was a regular member of Ronnie Munro's band which recorded for Parlophone and Imperial from 1926 to 1929, and also with Arthur Lally's band at Decca in the early 1930s. His stint with Ambrose lasted until 1940 and his wry comments may be heard on a number of comedy titles, including the famous number "Cohen the Crooner (The Crosby of Mile-End)" which is extant on film. On leaving Ambrose, Max went into variety, and also acting, taking small parts in films and television shows."


Max Bacon - William T Hell

Max Bacon - Little Red Hooding Ride

Max Bacon - Even A Crooner Must Eat


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There Was This Bloke

Found this today in the local Oxfam shop. It's on the Rubber record label from 1974.
4 folk singers with a humourous slant- some funnier than others. I particularly like the cockney capers of Derek Brimstone that I'd not heard of before.

Derek Brimstone.

"In the early 60’s Brimstone was studying classical guitar, and by chance wandered into the Spinning Wheel folk club in his hometown of Hemel Hempstead. Long stories can be boring, but it can be said that the whole direction of his life changed on that night. Bach and Tarrega gave way to Broonzy and Davy Graham, and the next few years were spent learning the ropes in the company of such people as Maddy Prior, Donovan, Sandy Denny, Derrol Adams – to name but a few. After winning the prestigious solo artist’s prize in the national competitions held at the first Cambridge Folk Festival in 1965, he embarked on a long and successful career, which has continued up to the present day."

Bill Barclay.

"In the 1970s Bill Barclay toured with the big boys of rock. In 1974 he supported Rod Stewart on his British tour. That was followed by a one-night stand in Edinburgh's 3 000-seat Playhouse Theatre supporting Elton John and a Glasgow Apollo gig with Bill Haley. Then then there were three nights in London's Theatre Royal with Dusty Springfield. He has taken the stage in front of audiences exceeding 50,000 in three major rock festivals, at Reading, White City and Lincoln.

Of course, in addition to the jet-setting, Bill Barclay is very well-known back home here in Scotland where he has appeared in countless golf-clubs, smokers, rugby clubs, bowling clubs, folk clubs, concerts, and festivals, and at special dinner functions for every conceivable organisation."


Derek Brimstone - Sir Quincy De Bas etc.

Tony Capstick - John Blunt etc.

Bill Barclay - Polly Was A Poodle etc.

Mike Harding - Irwell Delta Blues


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