Connections 111 7/1/12 (1/7/12 US)

You can listen to the show at Connections Show 111 07012012

All the 1's! You'll have to forgive me, 111 shows and this is the first post I've made. I'm going to add details of the previous shows as a sort of back catalogue. I'll be posting each show as a URL 'podcast' so you can listen when you get time...in the bath or whatever for 5 weeks. Thereafter if anyone wants any 'retired' shows, I can arrange to re post by request.

Oh, I ought to mention that the show starts and finishes with the same artist each week, and I suppose if there is an objective, it's to go as 'wide' as possible around a range of popular music and to return to the original artist for one last song! This show's 'featured' artist at the beginning and end was Billy Preston...Child genius keyboard player, whose first album has the rather unfortunate title of 'The Most Exciting Organ Ever,' and who had played with the likes of Little Richard in Hamburg. He is the only artist other than Tony Sheridan to be credited by name on a Beatles record and he was even considered as a full time 5th member of The Beatles in 1969...Paul McCartney thought there were enough problems with 4! As if that wasn't enough, he was resident keyboard player for the Rolling Stones between 1970 and '78. By all accounts his ego got a little bit big and Keith Richard had to show him, 'The blade...' Menacing!!



So...The Playlist:

Outta Space by Billy Preston (A&M Records 1972) Clavinet through a wah wah pedal...lovely stuff! The connection was that Billy played with the Rolling Stones...

 I Got The Blues by The Rolling Stones (Rolling Stones Records 1971) (Roll out that air hammond...) and from the same album, Sticky fingers, I just couldn't resist playing...

You Got To Move by The Rolling Stones (Rolling Stones Records 1971)...by Fred MacDowell and The Reverend...yes, reverend Gary Davies...Yee hah! Now, on that album was a session man (there were a good few!) called Jim Dickinson...and that'll be a nice connection to....

High Flyin' Baby by The Flamin' Groovies (Karma Sutra Records 1971) From their seminal album, 'Teenage Head,' to which Mick Jagger lauded much praise, claiming they had done a better job than the Rolling Stones at emulating the 'American Sound.' (That was between selling 'Let It Bleed Stencil sets') The connection here was a very dodgy one (There are lots!)...I go to some very great lengths to get these...Jim Dickinson connects us back to the Rolling Stones and they were used as sort of incidental music on a programme in the UK called OTT (The song, Around and Around was used) and the guy presenting this silly early 80's show was Chris Tarrant. He in turn, narrated a Schools and Colleges programme called, 'Stop, Look and Listen...' the theme tune to which, I always liked and thought sounded like The Mighty Tull...

High Life by Tany Turens (E.C.A.P records circa 1977) I really can't find much out about this bloke. He had an 'orchestre' and one can only assume he was a flautist!! Fab tune though. I'd be interested if anyone out there knows anything about him...? The programme Stop, Look Listen was produced by ATV (Associated Television) as was the Muppets...there's a connection...

Baby Face by The Muppet Chickens (Pye Records 1978) Absolutely clucking great!!! See, we've gone from funk keyboard player extraordinaire to Muppet in 6 easy steps!!! The Muppet drummer 'Animal' was based on none other than Keith Moon. I think we may be on to something here....

Don't Worry Baby by Keith Moon (MCA/ Polydor Records 1975) Ok...so Ringo had made albums, so why shouldn't Mr Moon himself??!! There are probably a few dozen reasons why not...however the 'Two Sides Of The Moon album' featured the World's best drummer...well...not drumming!! Instead he was a glorified karaoke singer of sorts for the most part, as only Keith know best!! There are 'guests' that pop up on the album like Ringo, David Bowie, John Lennon but as there was a lot of sherry trifle going round in those heady days in LA, no one can really remember who was there!! Connections...connections...Keith's Who cronies Pete and Roger were recognised by the Kennedy Center hounours...whatever they are...as was Loretta Lynn...

Don't Come Home a Drinkin' with Lovin' On Your Mind by Loretta Lynn (Decca Records 1967) Yippeeyayae!! The First Lady of country music moved ground with this album of the same name, which was a big step away from a very masculinised World that was country music, where ladies sang of being true to their men even if they were gambling, drinking blaggards...'I'll go to the kitchen and make you some pie...etc etc...' None of that with Ms Lynn...no messing...if you're pissed, go and lie on a park bench....Loretta has worked with Dolly Parton, who in turn worked with....

You're Moving out Today by Carole Bayer Sager (Elektra Records 1977) Very Tin Pan Alley type was Carole..She wrote 'Groovy Kind Of Love' and 'The Spy Who Loved Me' (Glag glanagalangalangalang etc etc) but I think decided in 1977 to delve into actually being a recording artiste circa 1977, presumably because she wanted. Reminds me of Summer 1977 driving round the East coast of England! The connection is Carole worked with Clint Eastwood...who was in...

L'Estasi Dell'Oro (The Ecstasy Of Gold) by Ennio Morricone (Capitol/ MGM Records 1967) From 'The Good, The Bad and The Ugly'...Played in the film while some bloke is trying to find some gold coins in a panoramic graveyard. A beautiful piece of music that is a kind of Westernised interpretation of Pink Floyd's, 'The Great Gig in The Sky' The film was reviewed in a book called, 'Going Steady,' by Pauline Kael, a film critic of the day...also in this book, she reviewed....

Barbarella by Bob Crewe (Paramount 1968) Bob Crewe was the guy who wrote, 'Music To Watch Girls By,' and this was a lounge meets psychedelic workout! Frank Zappa did put in a bid to do the soundtrack to this film...God only knows what that'd have been like!! Now here's a clutching at straws connection...Jane Fonda, who starred in Barbarella, is currently dating vintage record producer Richard Perry, or was at least (Yes, we connect on gossip!!) and Richard produced The Pointer Sisters, who sang backing vocals on...

This Is It by Betty Davis (MPC Records 1974) Betty Davis-former wife of Miles-Betty Davis. Betty Mabry was quite possibly the catalyst for Miles to shift into rock fusion for his early 1970's albums, namely 'Bitches Brew.' This lady makes Lady Ga Ga look like a Nun who has chosen to live in seclusion in the North Yorkshire Moors! Miles is the connection back to our 'anchor man' this week, Billy Preston. He produced a song on the 1974 album, 'Get Up With It,' called, 'Billy Preston.' If Miles liked you, he didn't mess around!!

and so...

That's The Way God Planned It (Parts 1&2) by Billy Preston (Apple records 1969) Anthemic song produced by George Harrison trying to keep out of the way of John and Paul!!!

So that's this week's show. You can listen to the link attached. This blog is in its infancy at the moment so I'd welcome any suggestions, requests or feedback from you all! Enjoy!!

One love...

TimX