THE SPECIALS : Hyde Park August 2012

 

No doubt I'll have the bootleg in due course...New Order I can handle, but why oh why are the mighty Specials only on the support bill to those Brit pop wankers ???

Fender MIM Precision Standard

A recent tax rebate (from 7 years ago - why so long a wait !?!?) and loads of overtime have enabled me to catch up with all the bills, even Virgin Broadband & Rapidshare...so the blog files will be safe for a while longer ! A few bob in the kids' Post Office Accounts later, I had enough left to place a winning bid on this beauty.

A 1996 Standard Mexican Precision, its a lovely cream colour (faded from the original Olympic White). It came with the pick up covers fitted, and I'll be leaving them on. The only thing I think it's missing is a tortoiseshell scratchplate, which will follow.

Its in lovely condition, plays great and has a powerful sound. Only gripe is the locking strap buttons, so I reckon these will be replaced in due course.

Also picked up a great Amp recently for next to nothing. A 70s Yahama 120w, which I had an offer accepted on. Only drawback was having to collect the thing from Preston but my youngest son & I had a nice Sunday morning trip out in the country out of it.

Only risk is the Mrs kicking off about guitars (again) - as such the Squier Jaguar will be up for sale asap, along with the little Vox amp, plus a 30w Marshall I've also got sitting around.

Now I've got a Precision and a Tele, so all I need to complete the set is a Fender Jazz. Bit of a long shot, but is there anyone out there who has an unwanted Jazz but fancies a Squier Jag with a Vox & / or Marshall amp ?? I'd be happy to swap for a decent Jazz (Fender preferred but a Squier considered).

                                            Here's the Jag & Vox Amp... sorry for crap pic.

FREE : Au Golf Drouot, Paris April 1969

Great set from a fantastic outfit - the teenage Andy Fraser remains one of the finest bassists I have ever heard. Sound quality is not wonderful but a great document all the same... 

Final "unknown" track on CD2 is just a guitar outro...

THE SOFT MACHINE : Hendrix Tour, USA 1968

Thanks to Ian (Toronto) for this 110% gem - just converted it from FLAC to MP3 for the convenience of downloaders. These 3x concert extracts round up the existing material from the Softs' 1968 US Tour where they supported the Jimi Hendrix Experience. All are audience recordings but essential all the same, as they are the last gigs featuring Kevin Ayers, who was then replaced by the Soft's roadie, one Hugh Hopper . (Recall the great bass players c-box discussion recently with Pauli & myself both rating him).

Tracks 1-10 = Coliseum Ballroom, Davenport, Iowa, 11/8/68

Tracks 11-16 = Merriweather Post Pavillion, Columbia, Maryland, 16/8/68

Tracks 17-20 = Hollywood Bowl, 13/9/68.

This material has been released under different titles (& with different covers / artwork), including "Dada Insanity Vol 3" and "The Soft Machine Conquers America 1968). Some of the artwork is included on the file...

For Herr Pauli & SK (Rugby).

PINK FLOYD : The BBC Archive 1967 - 1969

Well, as I always say, you can't go wrong with the Floyd... here's another rehash of the familiar Beeb Sessions, though with a few extras thrown in, sch as the TV show rips. A couple I hadn't already got, including "Green Onions" and "Moonhead" (from the 1969 BBC coverage of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing). As always, essential listening.

JACK BRUCE : Things We Like (1970)

Excellent solo album (post Cream) from the master bassist Jack Bruce. Here he interestingly goes back to his  Jazz roots playing Double Bass and is backed by some great sidemen : John McLaughlin (Miles Davis / Bitches Brew), plus Coliseum's Hiseman & Heckstall - Smith. (This was recorded in 1968 though unreleased until the Autumn of 1970). Love to hear people's thoughts on this album...

HATFIELD & THE NORTH : BBC Sessions 1973 - 1974

Great collection of BBC tracks from 1973-74, mainly John Peel & Top Gear Sessions. Excellent Canterbury Scene outfit, whose members had previously been involved in scenemates Matching Mole, Caravan, Egg, Gong & Delivery. Only two albums were released during their original period - these will be posted soon in Japanese remastered format, including extra tracks.

More Hatfields on the way plus a Soft Machine 1968 Hendrix Tour roundup...

McGough & McGear (The Scaffold) 1968

Interesting period piece here from Roger McGough & Mike McGear, with an amazing list of sidemen, including Hendrix (& the Experience), Dave Mason (Traffic), Graham Nash (The Hollies), Viv Prince (The Pretty Things), Paul Samwell - Smith (The Yardbirds), Spencer Davis, Paul McCartney (McGear's older brother) & various Walker Brothers plus many more.

McGough remains one of the UK's most innovative and creative poets - I've been a big fan since school days when I discovered the Liverpool Poets anthology (also featuring Brian Patten & Adrian Henri).

(Weller fans may recognise the Liverpool poets as the inspiration for "Tonight At Noon" and the unreleased "I Want To Paint" from The Jam's "The Modern World" Era).

McGogh & McGear were two thirds of Chart Topping rock / poetry / comedy outfit "The Scaffold" (alongside John Gorman) - as such, this is a late 60s mix of psychedelic music fused with poetry readings and comic elements. If you like the Bonzo Dog Band then you will love this!!

Recorded in 1967 and released in '68 this is an impossibly rare album - even the later CD reissue is long deleted. There's a great chapter about this LP in McGough's excellent autobiography, which is well worth a read if there's a copy in your public library (as long as your local Tory Council haven't closed it yet!)

THE LONG RYDERS : Native Sons (Deluxe Edition)

More Long Ryders today - this is the deluxe edition : in addition to the original album tracks, this includes some Radio Tokyo tracks, plus the 10.5.60 mini LP and 5By5. Classic stuff...

THE LONG RYDERS : Metallic BO (Full Tape), 1989

I'm again back on albeit only briefly, courtsey of Manchester Libraries...

Originally releaseed on cassette tape in 1988 though later reissued on CD with less tracks. Here's a copy of the tape in all its low fi glory !! (Includes live stuff, outtakes and radio tracks).

9/2/12 : Post now fixed, ie file does not now need a password to unzip the tracks.

PS It's hard to upload / download in a public library - all new donations of files gratefully received !!

THE DIRECT HITS : The Magic Attic (1994)

Sorry for the previous posting of this being hard to find - was under the title "The Mod Revival & Beyond Pt 8" with some other files.... Here its is again in all its glory & with a post to itself...Sharecode has been checked & is still working - for once Rapidsahre come up trumps !!

Click on St George or use the link below...
http://rapidshare.com/files/358418880/Direct_Hits_-_The_Magic_Attic__Tangerine__1994_.rar

THE LONG RYDERS : Liberty Lunch, Austin, Texas, 3/4/86.

I'm back on briefly, courtsey of Manchester Libraries...

here's a well travelled boot by the great US outfit The Long Ryders. Like many others, I first got into 'em after they released "Looking For Lewis and Clark"...More Ryders to follow soon.

Deaf School : English Boys / Working Girls (1978)

Final Japanese reissue, again with extra tracks...

THE MOD FUN : Past Forward (1995)

Used to be quite fond of this lot back in the day. Even had some rare cassette tapes etc from fanzines - wish I knew where they were now!!  Sounds ok on a re- listen (is that a word ??) - nothing earth shattering but well crafted, competent, and a decent live act.

Coming up : More Deaf School, The Direct Hits & The Long Ryders...