Welcome to week 8 of the Isolation Room Listening Booth, songs as chosen by RPM club members week ending Friday 15th May. This time in a totally random order chosen….well, at random…….it’s over to……
Philip – “Greetings and best wishes to all RPMers. This week, a few words in defence of some much-maligned artists. My selections are as follows………”
Heartattack and Vine by John Hammond (2001) – “How can a scion of an extremely wealthy family sing the blues? That's always been a large part of the problem for critics of this man. Well how about because he loves and respects the music and its' makers and has dedicated his life to improving his performance of it? It might have taken the accumulation of age to gain the gravitas required to become the bluesman he wanted to be, but he's not the only artist of whom that might be said. This is the opening track from a superb album ("Wicked Grin") of covers of Tom Waits songs made at the age of 59, produced by Mr. Waits himself.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFAuHcCSl8c
Message In A Bottle by The Police (1979) – “Spiky peroxided hair does not a punk-rocker make. They were too old and too capable as musicians to carry that off. The most unfair criticism of them, however, was the accusation of "cultural appropriation" because of the way they used reggae rhythms. How is this any worse than the countless examples of white boys from the Medway delta and points North singing the blues? They were not the first or only rockers to use reggae rhythms- but they made better use of them than anyone else, producing a fresh and invigorating sound in rock'n'roll at a time when this seemed to be a thing of the past...specifically the 1960s.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMl1xKJeuuQ
Paper In Fire by John Mellencamp (1987) – “He first came to prominence as ridiculously named teen-idol "Johnny Cougar." He has since been described as "a well-meaning cornball" among other put-downs. He might not ever attain the depth and resonance of a Dylan, Fogerty, Young, or Springsteen, but there have been some very decent records along the way, including the Appalachian-flavoured album "The Lonesome Jubilee" from which this number comes.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGklxgCnDwQ
Jean –“Here’s my picks……… Roll on Saturday. Hope everyone in RPM is keeping safe.”
Another Star by Stevie Wonder- “……from Songs in the Key of Life 1976 (Happy 70th Birthday to Stevie).”
www.Youtube.com/watch?v=Dt5RyztEXco
God Bless the Child by Liza Minnelli- “…..from Liza with a Z 1972. My all-time favourite performer. Dancer, singer and actress - she lives every song and creates such a buzz at her concerts.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHOgGqGMOkg
Love is a Stranger by Eurythmics – “….from Greatest Hits 1999. Amazed how Annie Lennox is always changing her look. She has a powerful voice and I love the energy in the songs.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6f593X6rv8
Nina –“Here's my 3 choices, no ranty this week…..(Shame…😊!!-Tim.)…….all trancy & a bit folk-y too. Hope you all enjoy dancing round the kitchen, or available outdoor, socially distanced space as much as I do……….…Take care everyone and keep smiling”
Zenlike Creature by Ozric Tentacles,
Pink Fluffy clouds by The Orb
Down Home by The Rainbow Girls
Piers –“There’s been some great tracks uploaded in the last couple of weeks, I’ve been really impressed. Thanks to everyone for such great diversion.
Mellow selection this week and I need a new belt for my record deck. Any recommendations?”
Waters of March by Cassandra Wilson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufoO5rvD88k
Thunder On The Run by Stefan Grossman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z0RA6ztMuY
Ookpik Waltz by Chris Thile and Michael Daves
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6t0O6FPKVoQ
Dave – “Here’s my hot 3……….”
Herman Loves Pauline by Supper Furry Animals
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njhQ23ZKjFU
Lost Cause by Beck
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkNa5xzOe5U
Am I in Heaven by King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TATUfcVL1wo
Aiden –
On The Way To The Club by Blur
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySgSIBJJGDY
Alive by Beasty Boys
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkeE2O15RFs
Heartland Feelings by Beck
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb-QEuyTGh4
Sal –“Here's my 3 for this week.......”
Witches! Witches! Rest Now In The Fire by Get Well Soon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPKtK9Utr4Y
All You Ever Wanted by The Black Keys
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyA9f9fA8_s
I Believe She's Lying by Rhett Miller
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=978mqSCxkHY
Tony – “Here we are at Week 8 - who would have thought it? Looks like weeks 9, 10 and 11 are a distinct possibility too. My usual eclectic mix this week and plenty of reserves queued up. Best wishes to all RPMers.”
Green River by Creedence Clearwater Revival – “How about a little bit of swamp rock this week with Creedence Clearwater Revival? When I found this version I thought it was lip-synced but plugged in guitars and slight trouble with the reverb which prompted a mid-song laugh suggest otherwise.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUlZ6D5fxBg
Slow Down performed by Larry Williams – “Following the loss last week of Little Richard I thought I'd pick a track by the guy who more or less replaced him at Specialty when he went back to religion. Larry Williams was from the same mould but never achieved the heights of Richard's success. This track was covered by the Beatles though and that didn't do him any harm. Here it is with gymnastic accompaniment courtesy of youtube.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHuJAC_XbhQ
60 Years On by Elton John – “I've picked this magnificent track from Elton John's eponymous second album which had the kitchen sink thrown at it. I bought the album when it first came out and have had to replace it as it got a hard life. The lyrics don't make total sense to me but so what?"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqTbjKZviIA
John –“Still a lot of Stranglers on the turntable this week (mostly some surprisingly good bootlegs I'd forgotten about) but also plenty of time for some old favourites.......... All the best to all RPMers.”
Ghetto of the City by Misty In Roots – “From the very wonderful 'Live at the Counter-Eurovision' LP.”
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyslAtJQq8E
One Foot in the Boat by Starry Eyed & Laughing – “An obvious Byrds influence going on here but they weren't the first and they wont be the last! Very active over a short period of time (just under 3 years) in the mid-seventies playing over 300 gigs and recording a couple of excellent albums. Saw them at St. Osyth's College early '75……..”
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPv_KnQbKXw
Toiler on the Sea by The Stranglers – “Last track on the 'white' side of the Black and White album. Superb.....”
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqyeupzBUIQ
Alan –“The sun was shining, the lawn was cut and the TEAC LP500R was primed. It was time for some bass heavy, head spinning, pupil dilating music...…... enjoy!!!”
Chapter 3 by Joe Gibbs and the Professionals
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USve_Zk2aQQ
Mantra (Praying Mantra Mix) by Material
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9TcFYiK22w
Towers of Dub by The Orb
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFAvSXS5H0E
“Keep well everyone, ignore Boris, stay safe...….”
Morra – “In honour of Dave Greenfield, here’s 3 keyboard led favourites……”
Ice by The Stranglers
Hendrix Medley by Soft Cell
Soft Parade by The Doors
Jayne –“With good wishes to all RPM devotees out there. This should have been last week’s selection, having dug the bikes out of the shed, a bit of maintenance and off we go….(with of course a solemn nod to Florian Schneider)……….”
Tour de France by Kraftwerk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTe7U92ecX8
Pushbike Song by Mungo Jerry
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0xrv17icX0
You Ride, We Ride, In My Ride by Hot Chip
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptfG_R0ENVc
Tim – “Well, that was weird, wasn’t it? Alan has a Little Richard fest last week and a day later the great man dies…………got me thinking where I first encountered his music and about his far reaching influence on many musicians and the subsequent “Rock Scene”……so here’s a bit of a theme with a few underlying links to boot…..”
Lucille performed by The Pink Fairies – “After discovering Hawkwind, it’s kind of inevitable you find the Pink Fairies. The two bands performed outside festivals as Pink Wind in the early 70s. Paul Rudolph, Fairies guitarist, played bass in Hawkwind on the Astounding Sounds, Amazing Music album and tour of 1976. Larry Wallis, other Fairies guitarist, was in the first incarnation of Motorhead with Lemmy, ex-Hawkwind bassist in 1975……all very incestuous! Lucille would have been the first Little Richard song (unbeknown to me at the time) I heard, found on the Pink Fairies Live at the Roundhouse 1975 LP on glorious bright pink vinyl, no less. “Going back to the roots,” one of the Fairies tells the audience on the LP as the song comes to an end, acknowledging their debt to Mr Penniman…….however, missing here on the only Youtube audio I can find of this track, so I presume it’s the CD version we are listening to which splices the LP side 1 to side 2…….. but, how right he was, though…..the roots of Rock Music possibly starts here!?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_YESFZoJdg
All Along The Watchtower performed by Jimi Hendrix – “My favourite guitarist, as Alan reminded us last week, played a stint in Little Richard’s band before he was sacked. Not only did Hendrix want his guitar to sound like Richard’s vocals, he also seems to have picked up major styling influences as well; flamboyant dress sense, headbands etc. This is one of my favourite Hendrix tracks and also ties in nicely with the theme, as Bob Dylan who wrote Watchtower, listed his ambition in his High School Year book as “…...joining Little Richard’s band,”….what else?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLV4_xaYynY
“And just to prove it’s a small world……for a while before stepping into the spotlight, Lemmy worked back stage as a member of Hendrix’s road crew….leading us seamlessly onwards to………”
Good Golly Miss Molly performed by Lemmy – “Lemmy always stated Motorhead were a Rock ‘n’ Roll band and when asked who influenced him and why, stated without hesitation, “Little Richard…..because he’s the best.” Here’s our Lem taking the vocals with Jools Holland and his band……….apologies for the annoying Evans appearance.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6FlQb965FM