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Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Konono N°1: Congotronics, performed on electric thumb pianos and homemade amplifiers.. DAMN, but I want to see this lot play live...
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(The Real) Tuesday Weld - Bathtime in Clerkenwell. Brilliant black & white animation - just watch it.
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Saturday, July 22, 2006
Public Image Ltd - Death Disco, Top Of The Pops, July 1979.
See also: Poptones, Old Grey Whistle Test, late 1979.
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See also: Poptones, Old Grey Whistle Test, late 1979.
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Can - Paper House. Beat Club, 1971. Really kicks off at around the 3 minute mark. This one's for Dymbel.
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Krautrock Baby.
Sterling is 11 months old, and loves bubbles. And bouncing. And Neu's "Hallogallo".
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Sterling is 11 months old, and loves bubbles. And bouncing. And Neu's "Hallogallo".
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Dolly Parton - Potential New Boyfriend. Live on Solid Gold, 1980s. I've always loved this one.
See also: a delightful rendition of "I Will Always Love You" from 1974.
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See also: a delightful rendition of "I Will Always Love You" from 1974.
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Sylvester - You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real). Original promo video, containing some exemplary fan-flnging. All hail.
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Claude François - Petite mèche de cheveux.
Let's just say that 1960s French pop could be a bit "hit and miss" at times.
See also: Claude François and Diana Ross collectively murdering "Reach Out I'll Be There" in February 1968, while Mary and Cindy gamely mug along (with their mikes switched off).
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Let's just say that 1960s French pop could be a bit "hit and miss" at times.
See also: Claude François and Diana Ross collectively murdering "Reach Out I'll Be There" in February 1968, while Mary and Cindy gamely mug along (with their mikes switched off).
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Human Resource - Dominator. Some claim that this was the first recorded instance of "hoover" techno, and who am I to doubt them? Not getting the point of "rave" until it was almost over remains one of my greatest musical wrong turnings, but that's what you get for staying a snooty soulboy purist for too long.
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Aretha Franklin - Night Life (written by Willie Nelson), recorded live circa 1969.
See also: Call Me, I Say A Little Prayer (keep watching; it builds) and Don't Play That Song For Me (You Lied), all live at Montreux, 1971.
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See also: Call Me, I Say A Little Prayer (keep watching; it builds) and Don't Play That Song For Me (You Lied), all live at Montreux, 1971.
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Rodrigo y Gabriela - Tamacun. Probably their best known tune (which still reminds me of Barbara Streisand's "Woman In Love", but that's my problem.) Needs to be experienced live, but hopefully you'll get the general idea.
See also: Diablo Rojo.
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See also: Diablo Rojo.
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Usha Uthup & Bappi Lahiri - Auva Auva Koi Yahan Nache, from the 1982 Bollywood film Disco Dancer. Just as Usha Uthup's immortal "One Two Cha Cha Cha" incorporated snatches of KC & The Sunshine Band, so this incorporates snatches of the Buggles. Deeply weird, at times almost dub-like in its sparseness.
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Johnny Cash & Odetta on "The Johnny Cash Show", August 30th, 1969, performing "Shame and Scandal On A Family".
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Arctic Monkeys live on Jools Holland's Later, 2005. I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor, When The Sun Goes Down, From The Ritz To The Rubble.
This is the performance that knocked both of us sideways at the time, and I've yet to hear them top it.
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This is the performance that knocked both of us sideways at the time, and I've yet to hear them top it.
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Fela Kuti with Jethro Tull (no, this is not a misprint) live in Munich, 1983. The first Youtube clip to get me off my seat and dancing round the kitchen.
(And here's more of the same.)
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(And here's more of the same.)
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The Ornette Coleman Quartet, with James "Blood" Ulmer on guitar, performing in Rome, 1974. Esctatic, abandoned, glorious.
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A 1960s Canadian TV interview with Leonard Cohen.
"If you can sell your anguish, then you've probably done one of the best possible things you can do with anguish."
(Also remarkable for the almost tangible sense of sexual tension between Cohen and his interviewer.)
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"If you can sell your anguish, then you've probably done one of the best possible things you can do with anguish."
(Also remarkable for the almost tangible sense of sexual tension between Cohen and his interviewer.)
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Alla Pugacheva - Balalaika (USSR, 1986). Camp enough for you? I particularly like the Air Glockenspiel during the first chorus.
See also: Alla's mesmerically diva-tastic performance of "Golden Merry-Go-Round" (1985), her frankly gob-smacking romp through "Arlequino" (1998), and her deathless rendition of "Prima Donna" at the 1997 Eurovision Song Contest. Goodness, I feel a new obsession coming on...
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See also: Alla's mesmerically diva-tastic performance of "Golden Merry-Go-Round" (1985), her frankly gob-smacking romp through "Arlequino" (1998), and her deathless rendition of "Prima Donna" at the 1997 Eurovision Song Contest. Goodness, I feel a new obsession coming on...
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Audrey Hepburn - How Long Has This Been Going On?
From Funny Face. More hat-flinging par excellence.
See also (and you must, you must): Moon River.
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From Funny Face. More hat-flinging par excellence.
See also (and you must, you must): Moon River.
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Mary Tyler Moore Show - opening credits. "Who can turn the world on with her smile?" YOU TOSS THAT TAM O'SHANTER GIRL.
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The Osmonds - Let Me In. Correction: Mary, THIS one's for you.
See also: Down By The Lazy River, Crazy Horses.
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See also: Down By The Lazy River, Crazy Horses.
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Middle Of The Road - Soley Soley. Quite indescribably beautiful. I could weep. But then, it is very, very late.
Mary, this one's for you.
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Mary, this one's for you.
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The Sweet - Little Willy. Aged 10, this was everything I wanted pop music to be.
See also: Poppa Joe and Co-Co.
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See also: Poppa Joe and Co-Co.
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Anna Vissi - Everything. The Greek entry for Eurovision 2006. YOU SHOW 'EM GRANDMA!
(Compare and contrast with Anna's performance of "Autostop" at Eurovision in 1980.)
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(Compare and contrast with Anna's performance of "Autostop" at Eurovision in 1980.)
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Hastings Riverside Company Showchoir 2006 - Roundabout. That's right: the Yes classic, reinterpreted as Musical Theatre.
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"Just doing it for myself - and if anybody else happens to like it, that's a bonus."
...because everybody needs a place to plonk.
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portrait of Mike by Vitriolica Webb.
It's all © Mike, thank you very much. No funny business, or else I'll send the A-list round. Then you'll be sorry.