Karl Denver

An EP on the Decca label from 1962 from a chariy shop in Glossop.  Karl Denver is one of those voices I remember from my youth - on radio shows like Saturday Club etc.

Wikipedia says -   Denver was born Angus Murdo McKenzie in Springburn, Glasgow and was well travelled by the time he took up singing, having had a previous career in the British Merchant Navy. He also had a country music influence, having lived in Nashville, Tennessee for a short time before being deported from there as an illegal immigrant in 1959. In the US, he adopted the new name that he retained for the remainder of his singing career.^[4]

In the early 1960s he formed a trio which included Kevin Neil (born 25 July 1931, Manchester, Lancashire; died 13 March 2010, Blackley, Manchester) and Gerry Cottrell (born Gerard Cottrell, 18 December 1933, Manchester, Lancashire; died 24 November 2006,^[5] at Trafford General Hospital, Urmston, Manchester).

Denver's song, "Never Goodbye", was an entry in A Song for Europe in 1962.

After the mid 1960s, Denver worked mainly on the cabaret circuit. However in 1989 he enjoyed a brief raise in profile after guesting on Madchester band, the Happy Mondays' single, "Lazyitis (One-Armed Boxer)", on Factory Records (FAC 222). Denver also appeared in The Happy Mondays' video for the song, although he contracted pneumonia whilst filming the video.^[1] Following this collaboration Factory released two further Denver recordings, "Wimoweh '89" (FAC 228) and "Indambinigi" (FAC 278; credited to Karl Denver and Steve Lima).

In 1993 he released his final album, Just Loving You, aimed at the country music market. In mid 1998, Denver began recording a new album, but died before full recording of the album was completed. The finished tracks were included on a re-release of Just Loving You entitled Movin' On in 1999. The final song he recorded was I Can't Go On This Way.

Karl Denver  -  Marcheta/ Mexicali Rose

Karl Denver  -  Never Goodbye/ A Little Love , A Little Kiss

The Springfields

 Yes, it's an Christmas record on Easter Monday - well, it is April the 1st  after all  and Ive found nothing else in the charity shops lately.  This  give-away ( one presumes ) was with the Womans Own magazine from 1962.

Wikipedia says -
" The trio formed in 1960, when Mary "Dusty" O’Brien, who had been a member of all-girl singing trio The Lana Sisters, joined her brother Dion O'Brien and Tim Feild, who had been working as a duo, "The Kensington Squares". Dion became Tom Springfield, and Mary became Dusty Springfield.

Tom Springfield was a songwriter and arranger with a wide knowledge of folk music and the group had strong vocal harmonies as well as Dusty’s powerful lead. Occupying a musical sphere comparable to that of the contemporary Peter, Paul and Mary they were signed to Philips Records and released their first single, "Dear John," in 1961, followed by two UK chart hits with "Breakaway" and "Bambino" – like their other records, produced by Johnny Franz.

The first recording contract the Springfields signed was offered by producer Johnny Franz at Philips Records in London. With early singles including "Breakaway" and "Bambino", and numerous television appearances, the trio soon became very popular in the UK. After Feild was replaced by Mike Hurst the Springfields became even more successful. In 1962, their version of "Silver Threads and Golden Needles" reached the US Top 20 (Billboard), #23 (Cash Box), the first single by a British group ever to do so (predating the Tornados’ “Telstar” by two months, and The Beatles by 15 months). The record also reached #1 in Australia. It featured lead guitar by Judd Proctor. "Silver Threads and Golden Needles" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.^[1]

"Island of Dreams" rose to the UK #5 at the beginning of 1963, and stayed in the charts for six months. The follow-up, "Say I Won’t Be There", was also #5 in the UK Singles Chart. By this time, the Springfields were one of the most popular groups in the UK. The group had several chart hits and had recorded several foreign language records. However, Dusty Springfield felt limited by the group's folk act and Tom's lead role within the trio and, towards the end of 1963, decided to leave for a solo career, at which point the group disbanded."

The Spring fields  -  Side one                                                                       The Springfields  -  Side two

Bloopers Vol. 3 & 4

Double LP on the Bloopers label - Kermit Schafer Enterprises from the 60's I would guess.  Some funny and some not so funny but always interesting.
Wikipedia says  -

Early bloopers

Bloopers came into prominence in 1931, when radio announcer Harry Von Zell mispronounced the name of then-President of the United StatesHerbert Hoover as "Hoobert Heever" on the air, but Schafer's is believed to be the first attempt at collecting and presenting them. Other similar famous finds of Schafer's include ABC correspondent Joel Daly intoning, "The rumor that the President would veto the bill is reported to have come from a high White Horse souse," and veteran radio host Paul Harvey breaking into uncontrollable laughter at a story about a pet poodle.

These were collected and released in LP audio collections such as Pardon My Blooper! and Your Slip is Showing, which were briefly popular in the 1960s. A movie version also entitledPardon My Blooper was released in 1974. These led the way for such later TV shows as TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes, hosted by Dick Clark. Schafer himself gained minor celebrity under the nickname The Blooper Man.

[edit]Criticism and controversy

Schafer has come under criticism from TV and radio historians who have noted his deceptive presentations in his albums. If Schafer could not obtain an actual audio recording of the event (as many of these bloopers occurred live and were not always transcribed onto recordings), he would simply hire actors and recreate the event—without offering any disclaimer. This led to some misrepresentations. For example, the blooper by Harry Von Zell described above was not recorded, so Schafer recreated it.^[1] Had Von Zell's mispronunciation occurred as the President was being introduced to an audience, as presented by Schafer, it would have been highly embarrassing. However, Von Zell's blooper occurred at the end of a brief presentation in honor of the President's birthday, which, while still embarrassing, was not quite as mortifyingly so as President Hoover was not present.

Schafer is historically remembered for an unwitting libel he committed by dramatizing an incident that never happened. In his vinyl record Pardon My Blooper!, Volume 1, Schafer replicated the famous radio show host "Uncle Don" Carney, who broadcast on WOR in New York City to millions of children from 1928 to 1947. In Schafer's brief drama, Uncle Don mistakenly believes his microphone is off, then utters a contemptuous indecency.^[2][3]

Schafer's motivation to recreate Uncle Don included widespread popular rumors, some surprisingly misremembered testimony, and a contemporary, though probably false story in Varietyabout one of Uncle Don's many imitators. On April 23, 1930 Variety reported that "about two weeks ago" an unnamed children's bedtime story announcer at an unnamed station inPhiladelphia had blurted out—after the show had concluded and he believed the mic power was off—"'I hope that pleases the little b_______'" (sic). But—Variety claimed—the mic was open, the Federal Radio Commission was listening, bundles of complaining telegrams arrived, and the announcer was fired. Indecent language used in front of women and children carried great opprobrium in 1930, yet this stunning story did not appear in Philadelphia newspapers.

Again, no audio existed, so Schafer recreated this blooper. Schafer's "Uncle Don" segued from a gentle goodbye song to the children, then misopedically declared, "We're off? Good, well, that oughta hold the little bastards!" There is absolutely no factual evidence that Uncle Don ever said this, and Schafer's false recording perpetuates an unflattering urban legend that the real Don Carney spent his life denying.

Another example of a recreated blooper stemming from a second-hand report is that of a Canadian announcer stating "This is the Dominion network of the Canadian Broadcorping Castration," which utilized one of Schafer's voice actors. This alleged error has also passed on into urban legend in Canada, although it has never been confirmed as to whether it ever occurred.

Not all of Schafer's bloopers were recreated; one of his Pardon My Blooper albums, for example, included a rare outtake from a 1939 Bing Crosby recording session for "Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams" in which Crosby good naturedly starts swearing at his producer for changing the arrangement of the song he was singing. By the 1950s and 1960s transcribed recordings had become more commonplace, particularly for news broadcasts, so Schafer was able to include genuine recordings of some broadcasters, particularly the aforementioned Paul Harvey and Lowell Thomas, the latter being featured on several occasions

Bloopers Vol 3 & 4  -  Record 2 Side One

Magicarib!

Nice find at charity shop today on the BOAC label from 1968.  Obviously a freebie for tourists to the Caribbean to remind them of their holidays. I particularly like the sultry calypso sounds of  Papette & The Islanders Steel Band.

Wikipedia says -

Calypso is a style of Afro-Caribbean music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago during the early to mid 20th century, and lays it roots in the West African Kaiso and the migration of Martinican planters and their slaves.

The music, which drew upon African and French influences, became the voice of the people, and was characterized by highly rhythmic and harmonic vocals, which was most often sung in a French creole and led by a griot. As calypso developed, the role of the griot (originally a similar traveling musician in West Africa) became known as a chantuelle and eventually, calypsonian. As English replaced patois (creole French) as the dominant language, calypso migrated into English, and in so doing it attracted more attention from the government. It allowed the masses to challenge the doings of the unelected Governor and Legislative Council, and the elected town councils of Port of Spain andSan Fernando. Calypso continued to play an important role in political expression, and also served to document the history of Trinidad and Tobago.

The French brought Carnival to Trinidad, and calypso competitions at Carnival grew in popularity, especially after the abolition of slavery in 1834. While most authorities stress the African roots of calypso, in his 1986 book, Calypso from France to Trinidad: 800 Years of History, that veteran calypsonian, The Roaring Lion (Rafael de Leon) asserted that calypso descends from the music of the medieval Frenchtroubadours.

Tracks are as follows  -   1.  Island In The Sun  - Ken Kirkham & The Islanders  2. Banana Boat  -  Papette & The Islanders Steelband  3.  Island Woman  -  Ken Kirkham & The Islanders  4. Dear Melanie - Cy Grant  5. Ammo Boccaio  -  Papette & The Islanders Steelband  6.  Sly Mongoose  -  Ken Kirkham& The Islanders

Magicarib  -  Side One

Tom Lehrer

Another from the same table top sale as the Flanders & Swann. A 10" LP on Decca from 1952/53. Gentle and sometimes pithy social commentary songs about the old dope peddler, boy scouts and the American pre-occupation with guns, to name but a few.

Wikipedia says  -  " Lehrer was born in 1928 to a Jewish family in the New York City borough of Manhattan, and began studying classical piano music at the age of seven. He was more interested in the popular music of the age, however. Eventually, his mother also sent him to a popular-music piano teacher. At this early age, he began writing his own show tunes, which eventually helped him in his future adventures as a satirical composer and writer in his years of lecturing at Harvard University, and later at other universities.Lehrer graduated from the Horace Mann School in Riverdale, NY. He attended Camp Androscoggin, both as a camper and a counselor.While studying mathematics as an undergraduate student at Harvard College, he began to write comic songs to entertain his friends, including "Fight Fiercely, Harvard" (1945). Those songs were later named The Physical Revue, a joking reference to a leading scientific journal, The Physical Review.
Lehrer earned his AB in mathematics (magna cum laude) from Harvard University in 1946, when he was nineteen. He received his MA degree the next year, and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. He taught classes at MIT, Harvard, and Wellesley.
He remained in Harvard's doctoral program for several years, taking time out for his musical career and to work as a researcher at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. He served in theU.S. Army from 1955 to 1957, working at the National Security Agency. (Lehrer has stated that he invented the Jell-O Shot during this time, as a means of circumventing liquor restrictions.) All of these experiences eventually became fodder for songs, viz. "Fight Fiercely, Harvard", "The Wild West Is Where I Want To Be" and "It Makes a Fellow Proud to Be a Soldier". Despite holding a master's degree in an era when American conscripts often lacked a high school diploma, Lehrer served as an enlisted soldier, achieving the rank of Specialist Third Class (later retitled "Specialist-4" and currently "Specialist"), which he described as being a "corporal without portfolio". In 1960, Lehrer returned to full-time studies at Harvard, but he never completed his doctoral studies in mathematics.
From 1962, he taught in the political science department at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In 1972, he joined the faculty of the University of California, Santa Cruz, teaching an introductory course entitled "The Nature of Mathematics" to liberal arts majors—"Math for Tenors", according to Lehrer. He also taught a class in musical theater. He occasionally performed songs in his lectures, primarily those relating to the topic.
In 2001, Lehrer taught his last mathematics class (on the topic of infinity) and retired from academia.^[ He has remained in the area, and in 2003 said he still "hangs out" around theUniversity of California, Santa Cruz."

Tom Lehrer  -  Side One.

Flanders & Swann

An LP from 1958 on the Parlophone label.  Intelligent and charming comedy songs from a bygone era.
Wikipedia says  -  "Flanders and Swann both attended Westminster School, where in July and August 1940 they staged a revue called Go To It, and Christ Church, Oxford, two institutions linked by ancient tradition. The pair went their separate ways during World War II, but a chance meeting in 1948 led to a musical partnership writing songs and light opera, Flanders providing the words and Swann composing the music. Their songs have been sung by performers such as Ian Wallace and Joyce Grenfell.In December 1956, Flanders and Swann hired the New Lindsey Theatre, Notting Hill, to perform their own two-man revue At the Drop of a Hat, which opened on New Year's Eve. Flanders sang a selection of the songs that they had written, interspersed with comic monologues, and accompanied by Swann on the piano. An unusual feature of their act was that, due to Flanders' having contracted poliomyelitis in 1943, both men remained seated for their shows: Swann behind his piano, and Flanders in a wheelchair. The show was successful and transferred the next month to the Fortune Theatre, where it ran for over two years, before touring in the UK, the United States, Canada and Switzerland.In 1963 Flanders and Swann opened in a second revue, At the Drop of Another Hat at the Haymarket Theatre. Over the next four years they toured a combination of the two shows in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, the United States and Canada, before finishing up at the Booth Theatre on Broadway. On 9 April 1967, they performed their last live show together. Ten days later, they moved into a studio and recorded the show for television.Over the course of eleven years, Flanders and Swann gave nearly 2,000 live performances. Although their performing partnership ended in 1967, they remained friends afterwards and collaborated on occasional projects."

Flanders & Swann  -  Side One

Shag Connors & The Carrot Crunchers

An Lp on the cheapo Starline label from 1974 featuring Shag Connors & The Carrot Crunchers who were similar the Wurzels but did vary their act to include rock and calypso inspired songs.

"West Country band Shag Connors & The Carrot Crunchers are Gloucestershire's answer to The Wurzels; a humorous and fondly remembered band led by the inimitable and sadly missed Shag Connors. The band is still doing the business in the capable hands of Shag's son Mart, as Mart Connors & The Carrot Crunchers.

Described as a 'country comedy musical act' singing ribald songs of country life such as Gloucester Calypso, Blame the Breathalyser and I'm Jealous of the Farmyard Cockerel; the The Carrot Crunchers were perhaps best known for their black cockerel, which Shag taught to drink beer from a pint glass, and which was an integral part of the act. Story has it that one night the band played at an army base, and after the gig a bunch of squaddies killed the cockerel! This might explain why the two pictures in the gallery show different coloured birds - obviously Shag trained up a replacement!

Although Shag Connors & The Carrot Crunchers didn't achieve the UK chart success of Adge and The Wurzels, they were nevertheless is demand, appearing on various TV shows in the 1970s including The Wheeltappers & Shunters Show, the David Nixon Show (7/5/73 and 22/4/74), the Sooty Show and Opportunity Knockswhich would have put them in front of a massive national audience.

Shag died in 1987 after a long fight against cancer - a sad end to a real gentleman. He is buried in Mayshill Cemetery. His son Mart (aka Martin 'Scarecrow' Connor) took over the reigns and the band still performs today."

Shag Connors  -  Side One

Trio Guadalajara

..........................................................................................................................Found at local Oxfam. A kind of cross between the Gipsy Kings and a Mexican Mariachi band..Not much discovered about them on line but this small snippet from a Spanish blog badly translated -----"SPAIN, 1959 "vocal trios and quartets have their space in this blog as they were instrumental in the development of rock in Spanish (especially in Mexico and Puerto Rico). Among repertoires specialized in boleros, were pioneers in adapting to Spanish and American themes, accompanied by rhythmic groups, let us excellent examples of rock'n'roll. Under Mexican influence, this trio Valencia made ​​a series of recordings with great pace, as this original composition with some Spanish flavor .""..............................................................................................................................Trio Guadalajara - El Pomompompero/ Cu-Cu-Rru-Cu-Cu Palermo..................................................................................................................... Trio Guadalajara - La Malaguena/ La Bamba Alegre

A Review of '69

A charity shop find from the last week. A rather dull portrait of 1969 considering all the things that happened that year! They make even the moon landing sound drab and dreary. No mention of the exciting things going on in the arts and entertainment. All serious stuff which could have been enlivened by snippets of music and comedy etc. ................................................................................................................................ Review of 69 - Side One

The Hi - Lo's

Again I was attracted by the wonderful sleeve photo of the Hi-Lo's behind some glass in the recording studio, flanked by an array of dials and knobs. At 49p from Oxfam in Crewe ( of all places!) I could not resist! Not a record I would normally buy or listen to I must admit but rather astonished at the vocal gymnastics displayed here! Great faves of The Beach Boys and one can see why......................................................................................................... Wikipedia says - "The Hi-Lo's were an a cappella quartet formed in 1953. The group's name is reportedly a reference to their extreme vocal and physical ranges (Bob Strasen and Bob Morse were tall, Gene Puerling and Clark Burroughs were short). The group consisted of Gene Puerling (bass-baritone or 4th voice, arranger and leader), Bob Strasen (baritone or 3rd voice), Bob Morse (baritone or 2nd voice and occasional soloist) and Clark Burroughs (tenor or 1st voice/lead). In 1959, Don Shelton replaced Strasen. They are considered a musical influence on groups like The King's Singers, The Manhattan Transfer, Chanticleer, The Free Design and Brian Wilson. They were also supported by Frank Sinatra. Clare Fischer was their pianist for years and did some of their arrangements. Puerling and Shelton, together with Bonnie Herman and Len Dressler, later formed another vocal group, The Singers Unlimited. This group gave a wide range for Puerling's arrangements,for the four singers multi-tracked as many as 16 voices. For that reason The Singers Unlimited were exclusively a recording group. Bob Strasen died Feb. 28, 1994, Bob Morse on Apr. 27, 2001. Afterward, Puerling, Shelton and Burroughs still appeared very occasionally as the Hi-Lo's in and around Southern California. Shelton is an accomplished reed player and has played in Clare Fischer's bands. Clark Burroughs is semi-retired and can sometimes be heard on film soundtracks. On March 25, 2008, Gene Puerling died just shy of his 79th birthday.".................................................................................................................. Tracks are as follows - 1. Chinatown, My Chinatown 2. The Surrey With The Fringe On The Top 3. IN The Blue Of The Evening 4. Cockles and Mussels 5. You're The Top 6. Long Ago & Far Away........................................................................................................................ The Hi - Lo's - Side Two.

Bryan Smith

The sleeve art caught my eye this morning in the charity shop. Some intriguing song titles including music hall favourites like I'm Henry the 8th I Am, Daisy Daisy, Cokey-cokey etc. A MOR Charlie Kunz meets Winired Atwell kinda thing. Pleasant enough for a low key party I guess. Not much info. online but seems Mr. Smith was very prolific and plenty of LP's on the Dansan label as is this one from 1979.......................................................................................................................... Tracks are as follows - 1. March Of The Mods 2. St. Bernards Waltz 3. Bobbin Up & Down Like This 4. The Quack Quack Song 5. The Lambeth Walk........................................................................................................... Bryan Smith - Side One.

Bill Doggett

Slightly warped copy of an LP on the CBS label from 1966. I think I have featured the side with Honky Tonk Pts. 1 & 2 previously much loved theme for the Charlie Gillett radio show of the same name back in the 70's. .............................................................................................................................. Wikipedia says - "William Ballard Doggett was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. His mother, a church pianist, introduced him to music when he was nine years old. By the time he was fifteen, he had joined a Philadelphia area combo, playing local theaters and clubs while attending high school. Doggett later sold his band to Lucky Millinder, and worked during the 1930s and early 1940s for both Millinder and arranger Jimmy Mundy. In 1942 he was hired as The Ink Spots' pianist and arranger. Toward the end of 1947, he replaced Wild Bill Davis as the pianist for Louis Jordan's Tympany Five. It was in Jordan's group that he first achieved success playing the Hammond organ. In 1950 he is reputed to have written one of Jordan's biggest hits, "Saturday Night Fish Fry", for which Jordan claimed the writing credit. In 1951, Doggett organized his own trio and began recording for King Records. His best known recording is "Honky Tonk", a rhythm and blues hit of 1956 which sold four million copies (reaching No. 1 R&B and No. 2 Pop), and which he co-wrote with Billy Butler. The track topped the US Billboard R&B chart for over two months.[2] He won the Cash Box award for best rhythm and blues performer in 1957, 1958, and 1959. He also arranged for many bandleaders and performers, including Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, and Lionel Hampton. As a jazz player Doggett started in swing music and later played soul jazz. His bands included saxophonists Red Holloway, Clifford Scott, Percy France, David "Bubba" Brooks, Clifford Davis, and Floyd "Candy" Johnson; guitarists Floyd Smith, Billy Butler, Sam Lackey and Pete Mayes; and singers Edwin Starr, Toni Williams and Betty Saint-Clair. His biggest hits, "Honky Tonk" (the Part 2 side of the record) and "Slow Walk" featured saxophonist Clifford Scott. He continued to play and arrange until he died, aged 80, of a heart attack in New York.".......................................................................................................................Tracks are as follows - 1. Stop That Twistin' In Here 2. I Cover The waterfront 3. Lady's Choice 4. Mommy Pt. 1 5. Mommy Pt.2.................................................................................................................Bill Doggett - Side One

Dave Brubeck

I must say I'm not a great Jazz fan and this kind of low key cocktail jazz with polite audience applause does nothing for me. One cannot deny though how Tom Hanks lookalike Dave won the hearts of many with his Take Five hit and spread the word of Jazz to the masses ( well, to a wider audience anyway )A picture sleeve single from the 60's I imagine...................................................................................... Wikipedia says - "David Warren "Dave" Brubeck (December 6, 1920 – December 5, 2012) was an American jazz pianist and composer, considered to be one of the foremost exponents of progressive jazz. He wrote a number of jazz standards, including "In Your Own Sweet Way" and "The Duke". Brubeck's style ranged from refined to bombastic, reflecting his mother's attempts at classical training and his improvisational skills. His music is known for employing unusual time signatures, and superimposing contrasting rhythms, meters, and tonalities. His long-time musical partner, alto saxophonist Paul Desmond, wrote the saxophone melody for the Dave Brubeck Quartet's best remembered piece, "Take Five", which is in 5/4 time and has endured as a jazz classic on one of the top-selling jazz albums, Time Out. Brubeck experimented with time signatures throughout his career, recording "Pick Up Sticks" in 6/4, "Unsquare Dance" in 7/4, "World's Fair" in 13/4, and "Blue Rondo à la Turk" in 9/8. He was also a respected composer of orchestral and sacred music, and wrote soundtracks for television such as Mr. Broadway and the animated mini-series This Is America, Charlie Brown."........................................................................................................................................................................Dave Brubeck - Lover............................................................................ Dave Brubeck - I'm In A Dancing Mood

Hawaiian Hula Boys

Extremely dull sounding fake Hawaiian record I picked up from the local Age UK shop the other day for 50p. Made for people who like MOR drivel. Have uploaded one side so you can hear how horrible it is!.........................................................................................................Hawaiian Hula Boys - \Honolulu/When You Dream About Hawaii.

Chucklefoot

LP on the Cottage label from 1982. Lovely one man band from the west country by the sound of it. Not much gleaned on the internet. O wait a minute here's his website right HERE!....................................................................................... "Good-time music from Chucklefoot who are Rog Butler (one-man-band, vocals, banjo, guitar, blues harp kazoo, drum, etc)… and Gill Butler (vocals, washboard, penny whistle, tea-chest bass, assorted noises) who play folk, jazz and comedy songs in their unique style."................................................................................ Tracks are as follows - 1. I Wish I Could Shimmy |Like My Sister Kate. 2. Sunshine Funshine 3. Froggy Went A Courtin' 4. The Pickle Packer's Picnic Outing 5. Gambling Man/ Last Train To San Fernando............................................................................... Chucklefoot - Side One.

Slade Flexidisc

A flexidisc from the early 70's given away with 19 magazine to publicise the release of Slade's "Something Old Something New Something Borrowed Something Blue" album.................................................................................. Wikipedia says - "Slade are a British rock band from Wolverhampton/Walsall, who rose to prominence during the glam rock era of the early 1970s. With 17 consecutive Top 20 hits and six number ones, the British Hit Singles & Albums names them as the most successful British group of the 1970s based on sales of singles. They were the first act to have three singles enter at number one, and all six of the band's chart-toppers were penned by Noddy Holder and Jim Lea. Total UK sales stand at 6,520,171, and their best selling single, "Merry Xmas Everybody", has sold in excess of one million copies. Following an unsuccessful move to the United States in 1975, the band's popularity waned but was unexpectedly revived in 1980 when they were last minute replacements for Ozzy Osbourne at the Reading Rock Festival. The band later acknowledged this to have been one of the highlights of their career. The original line up split in 1992 but the band reformed the following year as Slade II. The band has continued, with a number of line-up changes, to the present day. They have now shortened the group name back to Slade. A number of diverse artists have cited Slade as an influence, including 90s icons Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins, punk pioneers The Ramones, Sex Pistols, The Undertones, The Runaways and The Clash, glam followers Kiss, Mötley Crüe, Twisted Sister, Quiet Riot, Poison and Def Leppard and pop-rock stalwarts The Replacements, Cheap Trick and Oasis. The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Music tells of Holder's powerful vocals, guitarist Dave Hill's equally arresting dress sense and the deliberate misspelling of their song titles for which they became well known.".............................................................................. Slade - 19 Flexidisc.

Chapparal

Tacky drawn sleeve attracted me to this run-of-the-mill country record I found in Macclesfield today for a quid in a charity shop. Full of maudlin songs but a couple of high spots I have uploaded so you can get a flavour of what's on it. No info to be found on the internet. On the SRT Productions label from 1980 so probably broke up a long time ago........................................................................................................................................................................... Chapparal - Take This Job And Shove It........................................................................... Chapparal - Ol'e Joe Clark.

Rudi Wairata

I thought this LP sounded very authentic but it turns out that this Hawaiian is Moluccan (wherever that is?)! Even so a very nice sounding record and one cannot fault the musicianship. On the Gemini label from 1962................................................................. Real name - Diederich Gijsbrecht Christo Wairata Profile: Moluccan artist, born in Ternate on December 25, 1929. He started at a young age as a Hawaiian guitar player. In 1951 he moved to Holland on a scholarship and started his own band "Mena Moeria Minstrels". Because of disagreements he leaves this band and forms a new band using the names "Rudi Wairata & The Hawaiian Minstrels" and "Rudi Wairata & The Serenaders". In 1959 and 1960 he was part of the band "De Kilima Hawaiians" as a steel guitar player. In the 1960s and 1970s he continued his musical career, but mostly in Germany. The artist has passed away in Rotterdam on July 15, 1981................................................................................... Tracks are as follows - 1.Tomi-Tomi 2. Pua Jka Lani 3. Kane-Ohe-Hula 4. Uhe-Uhene 5. Ulu-Hua-Wale-Aoe 6. |He U-I...................................................................................... Rudi Wairata - Side Two.

Stepowski Jarema

Having so many Eastern European's, especially Poles , living in the UK now it's not surprising that eventually some records from those countries would turn up in the charity shops and boot sales. This is one such example that caught my eye - the cloth cap and cheeky smile reminded me of northern comedians like Frank Randle and Al Read. No idea what these novelty songs are about but one gets a clue from the titles of the songs thankfully translated into English on the sleeve................................................................................. Wikipedia says - "Jarema Junosza-Stępowski (born January 15, 1925 in Warsaw, died. Jan. 11, 2001 ibid.) - Polish actor and singer. He has appeared in over 20 films. He appeared in Cabaret Old Men, where he sang such Disgusting drab songs (with Jeremy utensil) and Winter regret. Is known for its performances of many songs thematically and linguistically referring to the dialect and folklore in Warsaw . He appeared in the television series The Civil War, where he played in the distinctive figure of a man collecting dried bread for the horse. Casimir's nephew Junosza-Stępowskiego." (Google Translate) This amusing translation adds even more enigma to the man!................................................................................... Tracks are as follows - 1. Urchin's Tango 2. A Golden Thumb 3. The Story Of Mrs. Wisniewska 4. Mr. Valentine 5. The Red Haired Mary 6. The Parting In My Hair................................................................................... Stepowski Jarema - Side One.

Noel Coward

I seem to have missed adding this gem to the blog in the past although I seem to remember featuring Noel Coward's live album from Las Vegas at some point. Some great songs on here especially London Pride and There Are Bad Times Just Around The Corner which seems very pertinent for today with some very funny lyrics................................................................................. Wikipedia says - "Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 1899 – 26 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what Time magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and chic, pose and poise". Born in Teddington, a suburb of London, Coward attended a dance academy in London as a child, making his professional stage début at the age of eleven. As a teenager he was introduced into the high society in which most of his plays would be set. Coward achieved enduring success as a playwright, publishing more than 50 plays from his teens onwards. Many of his works, such as Hay Fever, Private Lives, Design for Living, Present Laughter and Blithe Spirit, have remained in the regular theatre repertoire. He composed hundreds of songs, in addition to well over a dozen musical theatre works (including the operetta Bitter Sweet and comic revues), poetry, several volumes of short stories, the novel Pomp and Circumstance, and a three-volume autobiography. Coward's stage and film acting and directing career spanned six decades, during which he starred in many of his own works. At the outbreak of World War II, Coward volunteered for war work, running the British propaganda office in Paris. He also worked with the Secret Service, seeking to use his influence to persuade the American public and government to help Britain. Coward won an Academy Honorary Award in 1943 for his naval film drama, In Which We Serve, and was knighted in 1969. In the 1950s he achieved fresh success as a cabaret performer, performing his own songs, such as "Mad Dogs and Englishmen", "London Pride" and "I Went to a Marvellous Party". His plays and songs achieved new popularity in the 1960s and 1970s, and his work and style continue to influence popular culture. Coward did not publicly acknowledge his homosexuality, but it was discussed candidly after his death by biographers including Graham Payn, his long-time partner, and in Coward's diaries and letters, published posthumously. The former Albery Theatre (originally the New Theatre) in London was renamed the Noël Coward Theatre in his honour in 2006."............................................................................... Tracks are as follows - 1.There Are Bad Times Just Around The Corner 2. Nina 3. London Pride 4. Imagine The Duchess's Feelings 5. His Excellency Regrets 6. Sail Away................................................................................. Noel Coward - Side Two.