Welcome to the RPM Seven Day Soundtrack, week ending Friday 24th June. Catching RPMers ears this week...? It's a right old mix. Let's start in the West Country...over to...

Nina -

"Hi everyone, thanks as ever for your fab choices, My 3 this week are mainly solstice-inspired, with a shanty thrown in too. Unfortunately I missed the Falmouth sea shanty festival at the weekend. Sadly a lot of the main stages were weathered off due to crazy, stormy conditions, arggh me hearties the wind is a savage beast, savvy!

Take care all and happy Solstice! "

Philip -

"Two powerful numbers this week from the extremely talented Alynda Segarra, one from her "The Navigator" album from a few years ago, and one from her new "Life On Earth" record, from each of which I have chosen songs previously. After those, I thought I should choose something to lighten the mood!

Best wishes to all RPMers; looking forward to returning after next week's short intermission."

Kevin -

"Hi RPMers. Apologies for a lost week to covid, but I’ve been introduced to some great riffage from an old friend so I felt it was my duty to pass them on. Bands with unlikely names and probably unsavoury habits."

Jackie -

"I'm dog sitting my friend's golden retriever, Mabel, this week..."

Alan -

"Three scarce 'rawk' and 'proggers' this week, inspired by an unusual disc picked up in Attleborough last week."

Madness in Memories by Ross (from 'The Pit and the Pendulum' LP released December 1974/January 1975.) - "Here's the inspiration for this week's dip into 'prog heaven' (or hell, depending.....) which is taken from an album entitled 'A selection of rock cuts from Polydor's January/February releases', a short series (I think) of three DJ Promotional Discs put out by Polydor in early 1975. Alongside Ross are a late 'rock' era Love, country star Roy Buchanon, jazzer Stan Getz, the blues wailing Maggie Bell and a solo Duane Allman amongst others. This one appears to be the first in the series (numbered PPP LP 001) and, looking on the t'internet, I have found a PPP LP 003 so it seems to have been a short, and probably unsuccessful venture. Founder Alan Ross had been guitarist for John Entwhistle's OX and had sessioned on the late Tim Hardin album 'Painted Head' in 1973 before forming the short lived Ro-Ro with Warwick Rose (hence Ro-Ro) who released a lone album 'Meet at the water' on Regal Zonophone the same year. Poor sales saw the band split and Ross (the group) was formed and released their self titled debut album in early 1974. Their sophomore album ('The Pit and the Pendulum') followed later that year, or early 1975, and saw the band supporting Eric Clapton on his US tour. Continuing poor sales saw the band split and Alan Ross went on to supply guitar on the obscure 'Stars' self titled album in 1976 and, after forming the Alan Ross Band, he released a further two albums on the Ebony label before appearing on Alexis Korner's final album, 'Juvenile Delinquent', in 1984. Following this, Ross and his wife opened a horse sanctuary in Finchingfield, Essex and that would have been that until a Japanese label contacted a Ross 'fan site' and, following their information regarding Ross's whereabouts, they contacted Ross, offered him a deal and, as a result, all five of his band albums have been rereleased in Japan on CD a few years ago. 'Madness and memories' does feature some groovy organ soloing, vocals approaching the 'hair metal' genre and there is some nifty guitar work from Ross himself too. For anyone interested, there are links on t'internet for the whole album."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd9fS_9dMbw

Montgomery Clift by Random Hold (from 'Avalanche' double LP released 1981. Upper Class Records label) - "Pretty much of its time, straddling 'new wave', 'Post punk' nihilism and Marillion era prog, this is a band with an interesting pedigree which promised much and achieved little Founded by Peter Gabriel's guitarist David Rhodes and Bill MacCormick (late of Phil Manzanera's Quiet Sun) after they both attended Manzanera's one off 'prog supergroup' 801's September 1976 concert at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London (also attended by yours truly and Sue!!). Leaving the gig, they felt that Manzanera, Eno et al had 'played safe' and decided to form a more experimental outfit. However, it would be late 1978 that Melody Maker published a double page interview with the band which led to Polydor signing the band in March 1979. Initially the band were to be produced by Peter Gabriel but, as they had been signed to Tony Stratton Smith's Gailforce Agency, it was decided they would be produced by fellow Gailforce artist Peter Hammill. 'Etceteraville' became the band's first single in October 1979, followed by well received gigs at the Marquee and a tour supporting XTC. There followed the 'Avalanche' EP and 'The view from here' album but, following poor sales, Polydor dropped the band from the label. Despite this setback, and increasingly regular personnel changes, the band toured the US with Gabriel but, on their return, they decided to disband altogether. Recording with Hammill had proved fraught and there are rancorous comments on the bands website regarding the recording process, countered by typically self effacing and resigned answers on Hammill's Sofa Sound site, and that is probably reflected in the albums overall style which varies from 'post punk' to almost Kraftwerk like experimental electro. Keyboard player David Ferguson went on to have a successful career with the BBC Radiophonic Workshop and Granada TV, scoring many popular series and documentaries and became a leading light in establishing the composer rights for work produced for TV shows. Working alongside Paul McCartney, Robin Gibb, Elton John, Benny Andersson and David Gilmour he achieved an EU wide agreement on copyright control and musical piracy which is still in operation today. He also gathered together all of Random Hold's recordings and, in 1981, formed Upper Class Records and released just a few hundred copies of the 'Avalanche' album. The Voiceprint label followed this in 2001 with a CD release entitled 'Overview' which added further archive and live recordings."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JI92sm4phY8

Time Machine by Factory (7" single limited release to 99 copies January 1971. Oak Records. This from 'The Oak Records Story' double LP compilation released 1994. Tenth Planet label) - "One for Tim, I'm sure. Even more 'rock' than Open Mind's classic 'Magic Potion' or Craig's epic 'I must be mad', Factory hung around long enough to have a snotty bunch of no-hopers support them in early 1976 called the Sex Pistols!! Not to be confused with identically named bands from the UK (purveyors of the mighty 'Path through the forest) and the US group who morphed into Little Feat, here's the Qunta brothers successor to their first school band, in October 1968. Perfect Turkey who had recorded the rare as hens teeth.... if not rarer, 'Stones/Perfect Turkey Blues' single for OAK in October 1968. Returning to R G Jones studio in Morden, the newly formed Factory laid down just four tracks in a three hour session in January 1971 with 'Time Machine' and 'Castle on the hill' being pressed up in the time honoured, tax avoiding 99 copies. These sold out within a couple of weeks and there were no further recordings by the band despite their live shows being regularly attended by Micky Most, Robin Gibb, Mitch Mitchell and Roger Daltrey. Daltrey invited the band to his home studio but it's unclear if they actually recorded any further material and the band struggled on until late 1976 before splitting. Bassist Steve Kinch and Andy Qunta joined Hazel O'Connors band before Andy relocated to Australia where he became a go to composer, hitting with 'Crazy' for Icehouse and 'You're the voice' for John Parnham. 'Time Machine' was later re-released by Record Collector magazine."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iaF3Qnj0P0

"So: we're gonna have a high skilled, high wage economy but rail workers, and others, have to settle for 3% and compulsory redundancies? Plus, P&O are castigated for sacking 800 and bringing in agency workers but the Tories are gonna bring in legislation to allow agency workers to replace workers on an official strike? Hmmmm...... meanwhile TESCO's CEO pockets £5,000,000 pa. That's 244 times the TESCO average wage apparently!!!!!

Tony -

"Just time to send one selection.....last day of our holiday in beautiful Alsace - we fly home tomorrow. Best wishes to all as usual."

Dave -

"Hi RPMers, hope all is good . Here’s my 3..."

John -

"Hi Everyone, I trust you're all keeping well. Hope to see some of you at Folk In A Field next weekend."

Jayne -

"With all good wishes to RPM comrades, and thanks for your choices these past weeks. Here are three from me gathered during our recent travels north."

Tim -

"Here's my three from the few albums I've listened to this week....but can't wait for next weekend's musical overdose at Folk in a Field....."

'Til Next Time....which will be in two weeks time after our summer break at Folk in a Field.