Strut Your Stuff

When Peter Blegvad's "King Strut & Other Stories" came out in 1990 I bought it on cassette - younger readers may want to Google that. In due course that cassette went the way of all flesh. I was sad, but not sad enough to pay the outrageous amounts that were being asked for second hand copies. 

Every now and then I would look for a replacement only to be deterred by the price. Until the other week, that is, when I managed to find a reasonably priced CD on German eBay. I snapped it up. I am very glad I did.

"King Strut" - Peter Blegvad

"Gold" - Peter Blegvad

Same Name Different Noise 2

Following a flurry of enthusiasm for the first post, almost all of it from George, I have decided to carry on a bit longer with the nascent series featuring different acts with the same names.

We have a particularly fine selection for you today. I am indebted to my old pal Mister F for pointing out that at least three of these four bands have totally inappropriate names.

"Sunrise" - The Originals

"Got To Be Irie" - The Originals

"Not Too Long Ago" - The Uniques

"Love And Devotion" - The Uniques

The Jamaican Uniques were one of the finest ever reggae vocal groups, with the great and prematurely late Slim Smith backed up by Jimmy Riley and Lloyd Charmers, both of whom went on to have very notable careers of their own.

The same can be said of the lead singer of the other Uniques. In the 1970s he reinvented himself as a country singer and had a string of hits both in his own right and with his good buddy Moe Bandy - the Chas to his Dave, if you like. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr Joe Stampley. 

 

More Kalbells!

Regular readers may recall me raving away about "Hump The Beach" by Kalbells last year. From memory I think I even made it one of my singles of the year. 

Well now Kalbells have a brand new album for you to enjoy. Its called "Max Heart", its out today and its decidedly groovy. If you click on the album title it will take you over to Bandcamp where you can snap it up.  I suggest you do.

While we are at it, I would also like to give a well-deserved plug to "Revelation" by Lara Taubman, which originally came out last year but is currently being re-promoted as too many of us missed it the first time. Its a bit folky and a lot 70s singer-songwriter, and a very good listen all round. 

"Diagram Of Me Sleeping" - Kalbells

"Heartbreak Garden" - Lara Taubman

Habibi Funk, That's What It Is...

We have previously featured here albums released by the excellent Habibi Funk label, which dedicates itself to rediscovering the music of the Arab world. I may even have raved about "Habibi Funk 007", their fantastic sampler album. 

Either way, I am doing that now. With 16 great tracks for a mere €8, you have to buy it. Just in case you need persuading, here are a couple of the many highlights to whet your appetite. If your mind isn't blown by Fadoul, Morocco's answer to Little Richard, then I fear that you have no mind to blow.

"Bsslama Habiti" - Fadoul

"Al Asafir" - Kamal Keila

I'm slightly regretting my choice of title for this post, because it has led to this being stuck in my head for the last couple of days. 

Same Name, Different Noise

The best part of a year ago I had a bright idea for a series. Now I'm not very reliable when it comes to keeping series going, so I thought I would pitch my idea to the acknowledged King of Series, Charity Chic, to see if he fancied picking it up. The Great Man politely declined, so I left it at that.

Until yesterday that is, when I found myself completely lacking in any inspiration for today's post and I decided to dust the idea off. This may or may not turn into a regular feature, who can tell? Not me that's for sure.

Anyway the idea was a simple one - two different acts with identical names. We'll have a double bill today just in case this turns out to be your lot. Ladies and gentlemen, we bring you two Chords and the truth - or at least the truth as our pair of Willie Williamses see it. 

"Maybe Tomorrow" - The Chords

"Sh-Boom" - The Chords

"Ease Up The Pressure" - Willie Williams

"The Baa-Baa Song" - Willie Williams

Here are one of The Chords appearing on the UK's premier music show of the early 1980s. 

El Subterraneo de Paisley

We finish the week with some mid-1980s Spanish psychedelia. I can't help being hidebound by convention.

Los Negativos were formed in Barcelona in the mid 1980s. They released a couple of fine albums - "Piknik Caleidoscópico" (1986) and "18º Sábado Amarillo" (1987) - before splitting up. They got back together about ten years ago and, if badly translated Spanish Wikipedia is to be believed, are still going strong.

Here are a track apiece from the first two albums.

"Cigarras Panameñas" - Los Negativos

"Recuerdos Desde el Gran Hotel" - Los Negativos

Dusty in Philly

You'll all be familiar with "Dusty in Memphis", an album that is rightly considered to be an all-time great but one that did absolutely nothing when it first came out. The same was true of Dusty's follow up, 1970's "A Brand New Me", but that album hasn't gone through the same process of rediscovery and reappraisal. Which is a great shame.

For "A Brand New Me", Dusty headed to Philadelphia where she teamed up with Gamble & Huff and Thom Bell. This was a year or so before they set up Philadelphia International and became a guaranteed hit machine - a case of being in the right place at the wrong time perhaps.   

Here are a couple of tracks from the album. If you can find the 2017 reissue by Real Gone Music you get seven bonus tracks all recorded by the same team for a follow-up album that never happened. 

"Bad Case Of The Blues" - Dusty Springfield

"Silly, Silly, Fool" - Dusty Springfield