As a fan of the music of Miles Davis and being interested enough in the man to have read his autobiography and the brilliant biography by Ian Carr, I was very keen to see 'Miles Ahead' which marks the directional debut of Don Cheadle who also stars in the role of Davis.
Having attended a lunchtime showing in a local cinema, I found myself on my homeward journey trying to make some kind of sense out of what I had just witnessed. As anticipated, the music was superb though the great clips were usually far too brief, but I have the records at home so I can listen to those whenever I please. So, what of the film?
The basic story centres on the so called "silent years" between 1976 and 1980, when Davis became a virtual recluse, rarely if ever straying from his New York home. He had turned 50 in 1976 and was recovering from a hip replacement operation but was also suffering from inflammation of the joints making it almost impossible for him to pick up and play the trumpet. The prodigious amounts of drugs, alcohol and cigarettes that he took, certainly did not aid his recovery. In the film, he is visited by a writer (Ewan McGregor) who claims to represent 'Rolling Stone' magazine and who is seeking a story but also has hopes of provoking Davis back into playing again.
All well and good, except that the story then flips back and forth as Davis recollects the tumultuous relationship he had with the dancer Frances Taylor, who in 1958, became his first wife. We get glimpses of how he controlled and abused her and there is a recreation of the famous incident when Davis was assaulted and arrested by police officers outside Birdland after having escorted a white female customer to a taxi cab.
Meanwhile back in the 1970's, the bogus journalist appears to win the confidence of Davis but a recently completed tape of a Davis session is stolen and the film recounts the efforts made to recover this precious recording. It is during these scenes that the film gets a bit surreal and for me, loses it's direction. The tape though was not a piece of fiction but actually dated from a session on 2 March 1978. It was a session that produced only one six or seven minute recording with Larry Coryell on guitar, and Davis, not on trumpet, but on organ and synthesiser. After this short attempt to return to the business of making music, Davis retreated back to his home, where he remained for a further two years, only emerging in 1980 to begin recording what would become The Man With The Horn'.
My overall impression of the film is very mixed. It was generally well directed and for me, captured the periods (the late 1950's and 1970's) very well but I just felt that the storyline was rather contrived and all became too surreal during a boxing match late in the film. Credit must be given to Cheadle however, for his portrayal of Davis. So convincing was he, that there were long periods when I totally forgot that I wasn't watching Davis himself.
I don't really see this movie winning any major awards but if, like me, you are a fan of Miles Davis, then I suggest you get yourself along to a cinema to see it. Just don't expect to see the Miles Davis life story or to learn anything new.
After a wonderful day with family celebrating the first birthday of my grandson, Hendrix, I drove home last night to the news of the deaths of Prince (at 57) and Lonnie Mack.
I admit that I was never much of a fan of Prince, however I could recognise that the guy had an immense talent and as a multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter and with the amazing ability to combine musical genres, he deserved all of the accolades and commercial success he received. If you happen to need any convincing of what a great guitarist he was, then I suggest you take a look at this clip from the George Harrison tribute concert in 2004.
'While My Guitar Gently Weeps'
His death at such a young age was a huge shock to me.
Lonnie Mack on the other hand I could identify with more easily being one of the major driving forces behind the role of the electric guitar as a lead instrument in blues, country and rock music. Am I stretching a point by suggesting that without Mack, we may have had no Duane Allman, Jeff Beck, Mike Bloomfield or many others? I don't think so.
One lesser known fact about Mack is that he played bass guitar on the recording of 'Roadhouse Blues' by the Doors in November 1969. However he will be best remembered for his lead work such as on his 1963 hit 'Memphis'
Here is 'Memphis' by Lonnie Mack.
I can't recollect ever doing three posts in one day since I started this blog, but I've just been stunned at the news that Victoria Wood has passed away at the age of 62.
So that's 2-0 to cancer today. When the hell are we going to totally eradicate that bastard?
RIP Victoria and thanks for all those laughs over the years.
Way back in the early days of this blog, I posted pictures of some signs I saw in China which made me chuckle because of the translation into English.
http://eddie-graham.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/chinese-warnings.html
Recently I came across the following translation which has been taken directly from the brochure of a Beijing Hotel which shall remain nameless.
"Our representative will make you wait at the airport. The bus to the hotel runs along the lake shore. Soon you will feel pleasure in passing water. You will know that you are getting near the hotel because you will go round the bend. The manager will await you in the entrance hall. He always tries to have intercourse with all new guests".
"This is a family hotel so children are very welcome. We of course are always pleased to accept adultery. Highly skilled nurses are available in the evenings to put down your children. Guests are invited to conjugate in the bar and expose themselves to others. But please note that ladies are not allowed to have babies in the bar. We organise social games so no guest is left alone to play with themself".
"Our menus have been specially chosen to be ordinary and unexciting. At dinner our quartet will circulate from table to table and fiddle with you. Every room has excellent facilities for your private parts. In winter, every room is on heat. Each room has a balcony offering views of outstanding obscenity. You will not be disturbed by traffic noise since the road between the hotel and the lake is used only by pederasts".
"Your bed has been made in accordance with local tradition. If you have any other ideas please ring for the chambermaid. Please take advantage of her. She will be very pleased to squash your shirts, blouses and underwear. If asked she will also squeeze your trousers".
I suspect that there may be many people now clamouring to stay at this particular hotel particularly among those seeking views of outstanding obscenity or those who would like their trousers squeezed.
Sad news that multi-instrumentalist Pete Zorn has passed away at the age of 65 after a battle with cancer.
I saw him several times as part of Richard Thompson's band and I constantly thought, is there any instrument this guy CAN'T play?
He will be sadly missed.
Well another Record Store Day has come and gone here in the UK and once again I have managed to avoid it. Not that I have anything against the event you understand, in fact as a collector of records myself, I believe that anything that promotes this fine hobby of ours has some merit. However, I have the distinct feeling that the whole event has, in the 9 years of it's existence, become something of a rip-off with too little by way of quality and too many vastly inflated prices.
The event was conceived as a way of giving a sales boost to independent record stores, and for a while it appeared to work. However, talking recently to the owner of such a store, he told me that the whole thing had become something of a blessing and a curse. Yes, on the day itself, he anticipated doing good business but his experience of the last few years is that sales declined dramatically in the weeks preceding the event. His theory was that perhaps people were saving up to splash out on the big day.
Nevertheless the event this year has again generated a lot of excitement and from what I read online, there are a whole load of people who are very happy with their purchases. Personally I might have found myself tempted by the deluxe version of 'Wrecking Ball' by Emmylou Harris and almost certainly by the self titled second album by Traffic which was limited to only 500 copies. For some inexplicable reason it is an album I do not own and one which I feel I really must get on vinyl - the way that I first heard it back in 1968.
Perhaps one of these days, when all the fuss has died down.
This morning I read an interesting piece in the online BBC Entertainment & Arts section. It dealt with the current resurgence in the sale of vinyl records and the research produced some surprising findings.
As expected many of the people questioned confessed that despite the ease of obtaining and listening to music through live streaming websites such as Spotify or YouTube, they now enjoyed the physical aspect of actually owning and handling a record. In my view, there were no surprises there, as it was those very same feelings which drove me back to collecting vinyl myself. What I did find surprising is that there is evidence to suggest that people are using the streaming services to listen to music that they might not otherwise hear, and then actually going out and purchasing the recordings they like. If true, then this flies in the face of the arguments that have been used in the past that such streaming sites are killing music sales.
What I found most surprising of all though, was the finding that of those surveyed, 48% of people who bought vinyl last month, have yet to play it. And 7% don't even own a turntable!
Which begs the question - why?
I suppose that one positive thing to come out of such revelations is the fact that vinyl collectors in the future should have no problem finding mint copies of their sought after records.
Two years ago I wrote about the similarity between Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway to Heaven' and the instrumental 'Taurus' which featured on the first album by US west coast band, Spirit.
Here is my original post from May 2014.
I now see that recent reports state that a US judge has decreed that a jury must decide and a trial has been scheduled for 10th May. Here is what The Guardian had to say on the subject.
As I said two years ago, Led Zeppelin may lose money and the estate of the late Randy California may gain, but at the end of the day, the only real winners in this whole sad affair are the lawyers. I mean they have been raking it in for at least two years now and I have a feeling the matter will not be resolved any time soon.
Meanwhile, sitting quietly on the sidelines is Michael Chapman, who also claims that Zeppelin ripped off his song 'Kodak Ghosts'.
Personally I think he is wise to stay out of it.
Yesterday I met up with friends for a spot of lunch followed by a visit to a fairly recently opened vinyl cafe. Unfortunately while my flat white coffee was very good indeed, the venue was unable to entertain us with a selection of music played on vinyl. Something to do with waiting for a new stylus I understand.
Oh well!
Despite that minor setback, a good time was had by all I believe, but during our chat it struck me that here we are in April already and usually at this time of the year I have started to develop quite a list of favourite albums of the year. However that is certainly not the case this year and I confessed to owning only one album that was actually issued in 2016. The album in question is of course 'Blackstar' by David Bowie.
So where the hell is all the good stuff this year, or am I missing something? I admit to having been tempted by 'The Ghosts of Highway 20' by Lucinda Williams but when I tried streaming the record, I found myself unable to sustain the melancholia of the album for anything close to the full 84 minute duration. It was just all so terribly depressing.
I have also flirted with the possibility of buying 'You Can't Go Back if There's Nothing to Go Back To' by old favourites Richmond Fontaine, a band I have seen live on a couple of occasions and whose complete back catalogue I own. One of my lunch friends encouraged me to go for it and I am not entirely sure why I have been reluctant. Perhaps it is because we know it is to be the swan song of Richmond Fontaine as Willy Vlautin looks set to concentrate on his writing career and possibly his other band The Delines. Maybe my thoughts are that Vlautin has already turned his attention to other matters so we may have already heard the best from Richmond Fontaine. I'm certainly not ruling the album out and may defer my decision until I hopefully see them at a venue near here later this month.
Other records that have been on my radar this year are 'Where Have You Been All My Life' by Villagers and the self titled 'Jesu & Sun Kil Moon', but so far I have not been tempted. Even worse is that when I look at a list of forthcoming releases, I am hardly filled with eager anticipation.
It's a good job that I have a very healthy music library to delve into.
I had a really nice Easter weekend thanks for asking.
It might have been marred on Saturday however - nay my whole life could have been changed forever - when I narrowly avoided my first road accident in over 30 years. Only thanks to the fact that I still have decent reactions, I was not going at an excessive speed and my car did not skid, was a catastrophe averted.
And what was the cause? A young woman stepped off the pavement in front of me while staring at the small screen of her mobile phone. Making things potentially even worse was the fact that with her free hand she was manoeuvring a push chair containing her young child. So, as you can no doubt imagine, it would have been the innocent child who would have taken the main force of any collision.
I'm astounded that any parent would put their child in such danger but I am sad to say that this was not an isolated incident. There is scarcely a day that passes without me seeing such things occurring, though thankfully they don't usually require me to stamp on the brake peddle.
During a conversation with friends the other evening someone asked the question whether we would be happy to get into a computer driven car, something that appears to be on the very near horizon. I replied that personally I would feel happier to climb into such a car than one driven by one of the numerous idiots I see driving while clearly texting on their phones. At least the computer would, I assume, not be distracted by such things and would be fully focused on the task in hand.
The above incident made me wonder how children can survive the scourge of the mobile phone. Assuming that they do survive the early years of being pushed around by distracted parents, they then attend schools where all of their friends are permanently glued to their mobile phones and where, according to one article I read recently, every playground row is shared with friends via social media invariably resulting in "savagely cruel verbal attacks." The article concluded "we should weep at the damage being done to young minds and the gutlessness of grown-ups to do much about it." In my view, it is not just the gutlessness of adults; it is the fact that they are themselves setting such a terrible example. Every day without fail I see young children having to amuse themselves while their parents gaze blankly at the screens of their smartphones. Of course from about the age of eight the children will have their own mobile phones and then everything will be alright. Won't it?
On this occasion I'm revisiting an album I have been familiar with since soon after it was released in July 1968 when a few of us 6th formers would hang out in the school music room at lunch times and those who could afford to purchase LP records would bring in their current favourites for our enjoyment. That was how I first heard Music in a Doll's House' the debut album by Family.
Since then I have owned the album on LP, CD and in 1999 I purchased the double See For Miles CD package which coupled the album with it's follow-up, 'Family Entertainment'. The main motivation for buying it on that occasion was the inclusion of both sides of the very hard to find first Family single, 'Scene Through The Eye of a Lens' / 'Gypsy Woman'. That record was released in the autumn of 1967 on the Liberty label and despite being hailed since as something of a classic, it failed to dent the charts. Incidentally, if you stumble across an original copy, you will probably have to fork out something like £200 for it.
At around that time, drummer Harry Overnall was replaced by Rob Townsend and in December 1967, the band commenced work at Olympic Studios, London on the tracks for what would become 'Music in a Doll's House'. The intention had been to use New Yorker Jimmy Miller as producer (he had been at the controls for the single) but although he continued to have an input, he was becoming heavily involved with the Rolling Stones who were recording 'Beggars Banquet' also at Olympic Studios. Consequently much of the production was handed to Dave Mason who was flitting in and out of the band Traffic.
Although it is often referred to as a classic of it's time, I feel that that the album has never really gained the recognition it deserves. I've lived with and loved this album for close to 50 years now and I never tire of hearing it. If I ever do get round to actually compiling a list of my top 20 albums of all time, I feel certain that it will be in there. Consequently despite owning CD copies, it was a record that I simply had to own once more on vinyl. And now I do. And if ever a record has convinced me that vinyl is the way to listen to music - then this is it. (Anyone want to buy a CD copy?) There is an awful lot going on in the tracks of this record and instead of straining to hear some of my favourite parts, I find that they now leap out of the speakers and fill the room. It is quite astonishing and the quality belies the age of this recording.
The eagle-eyed among you will however note from these photos that while the record I have is catalogue number K44057, the cover is for the far rarer original mono version (RLP 6312). I have to confess that my heart skipped a beat when I saw the cover, as the mono copy is extremely rare as well as being somewhat different to the stereo version. Oh well, perhaps one of these days I will stumble across one of those.
It is of course now a well known fact that the Beatles had intended calling what would become the double white album, 'A Doll's House' but Family scuppered that plan. Musically the album is very different from what Family would eventually become best known for though, to be fair, Family were a very eclectic band musically and were very difficult to categorise. I mean, can you imagine four more different singles than 'Today', 'The Weaver's Answer', 'No Mule's Fool' or 'Burlesque'? 'Music in a Doll's House' was far more psychedelic than later releases with tracks seamlessly running into each other and in some cases being connected by short, instrumental "variations on a theme" of some of the main tracks. The songwriting was mainly credited to Roger Chapman and John 'Charlie' Whitney though producer Dave Mason chipped in with one song 'Never Like This' which contained surrealistic lyrics somewhat akin to Traffic's 'Hole in My Shoe'. Stylistically it fitted onto the album perfectly.
The track 'Old Songs, New Songs' has on many CD issues of the album, been erroneously titled 'Old Songs For New Songs'. Thankfully, my LP gets it right. It is a great track which features jazz saxophonist Tubby Hayes and his band playing out a rip-roaring finale. The arrangement had been done by an 18 year old Mike Batt who inadvertently wrote the parts in the wrong key. The ever professional Hayes realised the error and simply transposed the parts by ear as he played along to the backing track. Unfortunately soon after the sessions, Hayes had to undergo major heart surgery and in 1973 he died while having further surgery at the age of 38.
'Music in a Doll's House' is a great album and a welcome addition to my vinyl collection.
For your enjoyment, here is the track referred to above, 'Old Songs New Songs'
Old Songs New Songs
My fairly recent return to the joys of collecting vinyl records has enabled me to listen to albums that I have either long since lost or that simply passed me by when they were originally released. Falling into that latter category is, the 1970 Fleetwood Mac album, 'Kiln House'.
I was a fan of the Peter Green incarnation of Fleetwood Mac and when he left the band after the wonderful 'Then Play On', I must have made the decision to stop buying and listening to their albums. Of course all that changed with the 1975 release of 'Fleetwood Mac' the precursor to the earth shatteringly successful 'Rumours'. I then revisited some of those so-called "wilderness years" Fleetwood Mac albums but somehow 'Kiln House' always evaded my attention.
Perhaps it was the reviews at the time which were not terribly complimentary about the album. With 'Then Play On'. Jeremy Spencer had been in competition with the songwriting skills of Peter Green and Danny Kirwan. He lost the battle and consequently played only a minor role on that album. The departure of Green enabled Spencer to take more of a leading role and for 'Kiln House'; the writing credits are divided fairly evenly between him and Kirwan (aided by the other band members). Once he had overcome his Elmore James obsession, Spencer turned his attention to 1950's rock and roll and a popular part of the Fleetwood Mac live act involved him doing a very passable imitation of Elvis Presley. This is carried onto 'Kiln House' from the opening number 'This is a Rock' which recreates the sound of the young Elvis during his Sun Records period. The country ballad, 'Blood on the Floor' could also be Elvis and the Side 2 opener 'Buddy's Song' is little more than a list of Buddy Holly quotes set to the melody of 'Peggy Sue Got Married'. Despite being written by Spencer, it gets credited on the album cover to Ella Holley, the mother of Buddy.
The Jeremy Spencer compositions are all pleasant enough but it is the writing of Danny Kirwan that really give this album a lift. 'Station Man' fades in very gradually and is a gentle rocker featuring nice slide guitar and some fine drumming from Mick Fleetwood. It was a song that Fleetwood Mac would return to and perform live during the early Buckingham/Nicks years.
Side One of the album ends with 'Jewel Eyed Judy' which is credited to Kirwan, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie though Fleetwood later claimed that the words were actually written by his wife Jenny and Christine McVie about a close friend of the band, Judy Wong who later married Jethro Tull bassist Glenn Cornick.. It is one of the most beautiful pieces on the album with a gorgeous melody and a catchy refrain. The track was issued as a single backed by 'Station Man' but incredibly failed to chart. Incidentally, Jenny Fleetwood was the former Jenny Boyd, a sister of Patti Boyd who famously married George Harrison and Eric Clapton and inspired songs by both. Patti clearly wasn't the only muse in the Boyd family as the Donovan song 'Jennifer Juniper' was written for Jenny.
Kirwan also demonstrates with 'Lady Gray' (sic) that he can write an instrumental to rival the beautiful Peter Green number one hit, 'Albatross'. Another highlight of the album is the final Danny Kirwan track 'Tell Me All The Things You Do' which allows the band to really rock out and features some great guitar work but also demonstrates what a fantastic rhythm section Fleetwood and McVie were. Try listening to this without your feet tapping and if they don't, check that they aren't nailed to the floor.
Although uncredited on the album, Christine McVie (formerly Christine Perfect) was recruited on piano and she would subsequently become a full member of the band, being of course the wife of John McVie. She also created the striking artwork that adorns the cover of the album. It would appear that someone bought her felt pens and crayons for Christmas that year.
This album was the first release by the band on which they totally abandoned the blues that had dominated their earlier recordings. Neither Spencer nor Kirwan would last that much longer in the line-up but with 'Kiln House' they had clearly pointed the direction in which the band would move en route to the massive commercial success they would ultimately enjoy with 'Rumours'.
I have been listening to the album a lot over the past few weeks and have been thoroughly enjoying the experience. I now wonder how it took me 45 years.
Spring arrived and best of all, the family were reunited.
This is just the male side - three generations of us.
Brilliant!
I discovered last night that Keith Emerson had died and have awoken this morning to the even more tragic news that he may have committed suicide. I understand that he was suffering from a condition that made it impossible for him to play his beloved keyboards and consequently chose to end his own life. If true, this is very sad indeed.
I confess that apart from the first album, I was never much of a fan of Emerson, Lake & Palmer but I certainly appreciate what an immense talent, Emerson was. I did quite like his earlier band, The Nice and was fortunate to see them live in the late 1960's performing at The Plaza Ballroom in Tynemouth. To say that he was a showman is a massive understatement.
Emerson is just the latest in an ever growing list of fine musicians who have been taken from us this year. Another signal to us all that we should hang onto life and enjoy every moment while we can.
It is with a very heavy heart that I write these words after waking this morning to hear the sad news of the passing of Sir George Martin.
Like many others of my generation, I grew up listening to the music of The Beatles. During those heady days of Beatlemania, it was all about John, Paul, George and Ringo but we gradually came to realise that a great deal of what they achieved on record was down to their producer George Martin.
I firmly believe that without him at the helm, their recordings would have sounded very different and certainly albums like 'Revolver' and 'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' would never have come about. For George Martin had the unique ability to understand the sounds that The Beatles wanted to create and he had the musical and technical talent to make it happen. It was a perfect partnership and they were fortunate to find each other.
RIP Sir George, and thank you for all that wonderful music.
It would appear that popular music is derogatory about growing old, or so claims a piece of research conducted by Jacinta Kelly, a senior nursing lecturer and her team at Anglia Ruskin University.
I confess that I have not read the full report (published in the 'Journal of Advanced Nursing') but from what I can gather, the research team trawled a database of songs from the 1930's to the present and found 76 songs making reference to old age, of which 55 made "negative" references. A pretty high proportion I will admit. But what exactly were these negative references?
Well, it would appear that the worst offenders were Pete Townshend's famous line from 'My Generation', which proclaims "I hope I die before I get old." Then even The Beatles get criticism for the song 'When I'm Sixty Four' which appears upbeat and harmless but which contains the lines
"When I get older, losing my hair, many years from now
Will you still be sending me a Valentine, birthday greetings, bottle of wine?"
The research opines that to question whether someone will still be lovable in their old age is, to use the words of Jacinta Kelly, "concerning".
Paul McCartney wrote the song 'When I'm Sixty Four' when he was only 16 years old, so I'm sure that any clumsiness in the lyrical content can be forgiven. But is it really so bad? After all the song is just a young man addressing his lover and considering them growing old together. Is that so wrong? McCartney's father Jim was 64 when the song was eventually released in 1967 and I wonder if he found it offensive. I somehow doubt it as he would have seen it for what it was, a cute novelty song in the music hall tradition in which the elder McCartney had been involved and which Paul himself had grown up with.
Had the research picked up on the fact that the singer of the song (the male) mends fuses and digs the garden while the woman knits sweaters and prepares the meals, I could have understood any perceived criticism of sexist stereotyping.
I was 16 myself when I first heard the song and found it mildly humourous though the joke wore thin after two or three listens. I certainly didn't find it offensive then and now that I'm the very age referred to in the song, I can say with some authority that I still don't.
The report concludes that the message from such songs is that the elderly are "frail and a burden" and because popular music is very pervasive, the portrayals of old age could reinforce negative stereotypes. And this is "concerning" to the research team.
What I find concerning is that the research team appear to consider people of my age to be frail or a burden. Also I am concerned by the fact that time and money have been spent on such futile activities. Do these people have nothing better to do?
I hear that there is sleet and possible snow back home.
Do I care?
Not a bit!
Of course all that will change when I touch down in the UK tomorrow.
I read in a local paper recently that the Rex Hotel in Whitley Bay is due to close. This will mean absolutely nothing to those of you that do not reside in the north east of England but I felt compelled to scribble a few words because of what the hotel represented for me during my formative years.
For it was in the downstairs ballroom that I first got to see a number of local bands and a few more well known names from farther afield. Among the latter were The Alan Bown in 1969 who had recently replaced vocalist Jess Roden with Robert Palmer, who of course in later years would go on to greater commercial success. Another band I saw there were Family who played a great gig supported by Raw Spirit on 30 October 1969. Local legends Lindisfarne were regulars there but before teaming up with local folk singer Alan Hull. At that stage, they were a blues band performing under the name of Downtown Faction.
The venue had two stages, one at each end of the massive dance floor. This meant that both the main band and the support could be set up and there was no need for a lengthy break between acts while the sets were changed. There was some seating beneath the overhanging balcony but the majority of seats and tables were on the balcony itself, overlooking the dance floor and stages. I also remember the barman (Don I think he was called) who served up either Newcastle Brown Ale or a mixture of Jubilee Stout and cider which was known as a Black Velvet. (Actually I have since learned that this is a poor man's Black Velvet as the real thing is made with Guinness and sparkling wine).
Once I was old enough (17) to blag my way into licensed premises, the Rex was my usual haunt on Saturday and Sunday nights. It was very much a part of my musical education and gave me a love of live music that endures to this day.
In recent years I think the hotel itself has had it's share of adverse publicity. Despite it's prime sea front location, with wonderful sea views, the place is obviously in need of renovation and failure to secure the necessary funding has resulted in the closure. Nevertheless, because of my own associations with the building, I will be very sad to see it go. I hope it doesn't join the ever growing list of local music venues that have been demolished. These include Newcastle's Club-a-Gogo and Mayfair Ballroom, the Tynemouth Plaza and the Whitley Bay YMCA.
I wrote about three years ago on the poor quality fare being served up on our TV screens here in the UK and I went on to praise the intelligent and entertaining programmes that were coming to our screens from the USA ('The Wire') and Scandinavia ('The Killing' and 'The Bridge').
Not a great deal has changed in those intervening years I'm afraid as far as UK TV is concerned. We still appear to be obsessed with reality programmes many of which deal with the lives of the super-rich or, at the other end of the social spectrum, those on benefits. Or soap operas which all appear to be bloody miserable, and now, to the myriad of cookery programmes we can also add baking. Yes, baking!
Good grief!
Thankfully we still get some great shows from the US and to those I listed last time, I can now add the wonderful 'Breaking Bad'. Possibly the best of all the great dramas to hit us from the states.
Of late, some relief has come in the form of some dramas from various parts of the world under the broad umbrella of 'Walter Presents'. Screened to us via Channel 4, the shows have included 'Deutchland 83', an espionage thriller set in the early 1980's at a time when East and West Germany were still divided and so called Cold War tensions were very high resulting in a strong belief that the nuclear button could be pressed at any time. Also I am currently engrossed in a French political drama that has been given the English title 'Spin'. We are now into Series 2 and it is coming across like a sexier version of 'House of Cards'. Well, it is French, so it would wouldn't it?
Getting in on the act of their Scandinavian neighbours and filling the same Saturday evening slot on BBC4 is the Icelandic crime drama 'Trapped'. It concerns a male torso pulled from the sea and believed to have come from a Danish ferry. The ship with its passengers and crew all have to be detained while an investigation is undertaken. The problem is that the investigating team are stranded in Reykjavik because of adverse weather, leaving the initial enquiries to be made by the overworked local cop. Having only seen the first two episodes I am totally gripped.
Of course it is not all bad in the UK. The BBC are always excellent at period dramas and they have excelled themselves with the twenty part 'Dickensian'. This is a kind of prequel to the great novels of Dickens, most notably 'A Christmas Carol', 'Oliver Twist' and 'Great Expectations'. The whole thing is centered around the murder of Jacob Marley and with just the right amount of tension and humour, and of course, the trademark BBC attention to detail - beautifully recreating the gas-lit, cobbled streets of Victorian London, it just had to be a winner. And it was, If that doesn't encourage more people to read the works of Dickens, then nothing will.
With the BBC adaptation of John le Carre's 'The Night Manager', the second series of 'Breaking Bad' spin-off, 'Better Call Saul' and of course the return after 13 years of 'The X-Files'. things are indeed looking up.
The trouble now is trying to find the time to watch them all.
Having joined all and sundry in making the inevitable comparison between Ryley Walker, Bert Jansch and John Martyn, I obviously regarded Walker and Danny Thompson as a perfect fit. The 76 year old Thompson has now added his superb double bass skills to the work of them all - and many more besides. Despite there being a 50 year age difference, Walker also saw that Thompson would be the perfect playing partner and the two agreed to tour together.
I love Walker's last album 'Primrose Green' and since purchasing the record last year, there has been scarcely a week when I have not played it. Consequently I wasted no time in obtaining tickets for this event and was more than happy to make the 75 mile round trip to Stockton and back. It was certainly worth the effort as playing live allows Walker to stretch out his familiar songs.
If I did have one slight concern before the event, it was how the songs would fare when stripped of the wonderful instrumental accompaniment that adorns the album versions. Would I miss those gorgeous vibes and the superb drumming? My concerns were totally unfounded as Walker has an uncanny knack of sounding like two or three guitarists at once. And he makes it all look so damned easy. Throw into the mix, his unique voice which he uses like another instrument, moaning, howling and yelping to flesh out the more usual sound of his vocals and the absence of other instruments became superfluous.
The contrast between the two on stage also worked very well and it is clear that they are forging a respectful friendship while touring together. Walker is all energy and came across at times like an excited puppy while regaling us of tales from the road including his recent introduction to the delights of Yorkshire pudding. Thompson on the other hand conserved his energy for his wonderful playing. Standing or leaning against his stool, he remained almost motionless but made the occasional humourous quip with the timing of a true comedian.
If I had one criticism, it was that the show was a little too short. The pair left the stage after and hour and returned to perform only two songs, so we got only about 75 minutes in total. I could have done with a lot longer but then, I did have a drive of almost an hour ahead of me.
As a fan of the music of Miles Davis and being interested enough in the man to have read his autobiography and the brilliant biography by Ian Carr, I was very keen to see 'Miles Ahead' which marks the directional debut of Don Cheadle who also stars in the role of Davis.
