Podcast

House On Fire No.5 by House On Fire on Mixcloud

You can listen from this page or follow the link to mixcloud.com and listen from there. I hope you enjoy it...

Tracklisting

1. London Is The Place For Me - Lord Kitchener - 2:46
2. No Carnaval In Britain - Mighty Terror - 3:07
3. Run Me Over - The Babies - 2:42
4. Tool - Heavenly - 3:11
5. Stamper - Fridge - 4:56
6. Photosynth - Jonnie Common - 4:51
7. Have You Seen My Baby - Randy Newman - 2:35
8. Long Haired Lady - Paul & Linda McCartney - 6:05
9. The Six Teens - Sweet - 4:11
10. The Grey Ship - EMA - 7:15

Song of the Day No.61

Used To Be

by Rory Gallagher (Deuce, 1971)

Originally, the blues was a predominantly black-American past-time, officially emerging in 1912 with the publication of the first blues sheet music but like other genres, traces of early activity have been reported up to ten years before. Recordings continued through the 20s, 30s with the evolution to electrified blues in the 50s but it wasn't really until the post-war baby boom kids starting taking an interest in the late 50s/early 60s that these journeymen musicians started receiving wider attention and commercial benefits. A good example being that upon arriving in the US, The Beatles stated that they really wanted to see Muddy Waters, to which one journalist replied with the question “Where's that?”.

Rory Gallagher was part of this British influence on world blues appreciation forming Taste in 1966 and releasing two blues-rock studios albums before embarking a successful blues-drenched solo career that would start with the self-titled debut and follow-up, Deuce, being released in the same year. Also in 1971, Rory Gallagher beat Eric Clapton to being voted the International Top Musician of the Year by Melody Maker magazine. All through his life, and after his death in 1995, Gallagher received plaudits from luminaries as illustrious Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Marr, Slash and Brian May but never really achieved the stardom he deserved.

'Used To Be' is pure blues-rock. From the opening guitar riff that rips a big dirty hole in the silence between tracks to Gallagher's earthy growl and the song's lovelorn subject matter. The blues and love troubles go hand in hand and 'Used To Be' revolves around a scowling one-line riposte for a chorus “Better get used to bein' my used to be” that dovetails into a typically catchy, meaty Gallagher riff. If you like the blues but haven't listened to Rory yet, you're missing out.

AR

Podcast

House On Fire No.4 by House On Fire on Mixcloud

You can listen from this page or follow the link to mixcloud.com and listen from there. I hope you enjoy it...

Tracklisting

1. Mini-Skirt And Go Go Boots - Lloyd & Glen - 2:35
2. Talk To Your Daughter - J.B. Lenoir - 2:45
3. Don't Cry No More - Bobby Bland - 2:29
4. I Want To Hold Your Hand - Al Green - 2:16
5. Radar Eyes - The Godz - 2:11
6. Lovefingers - Silver Apples - 4:12
7. Baron Saturday - The Pretty Things - 4:02
8. Ubu Dance Party - Pere Ubu - 4:50
9. Final Request - Josef K - 2:23
10. She's Like Heroin To Me - The Gun Club - 2:36
11. Zanzíbar - Toundra - 4:55
12. Cold Hard Times - Lee Hazlewood - 2:23

Song Of The Day No.41

Handsome Johnny

by Richie Havens (Mixed Bag, 1967)

Possibly most well known for his improvised song 'Freedom' which he played at Woodstock in 1969 in order to satisfy the insatiable crowd after he had run out of songs to play. The Brooklyn born musician took a while in picking up a guitar after first moving to Greenwich Village to recite poetry. The folk scene proved too much to resist and after two albums on Douglas Records he signed with Verve and Bob Dylan's manager, Albert Grossman. Mixed Bag contains just three Havens penned tracks, the rest of the LP is made up of covers ranging from famous acts like Bob Dylan or The Beatles to lesser known songwriters like Tuli Kupferberg of The Fugs or folk singer Jerry Merrick.

'Handsome Johnny' was co-written by Havens with Oscar-winning actor Louis Gossett Jr. The song employs Havens' typical intensely strumming style tuned to his customary open-G setting. The energy expelled in his strumming and strained baritone singing style is complemented by a simple marching bass line. The anti-Vietnam lyrics are obvious but the catchy of the melody keeps the song fresh over 40 years later.

AR

Keep Your Ears and Eyes Open

The wonderful St Vincent everyone, round of applause please, we like her...