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Rest In Peace George Frayne

Submitted by Roanman on Mon, 09/27/2021 - 07:49

Better known as Commander Cody.

Piano player - pretty good. Frontman - extraordinaire.

Arguably the best band ever to come out of Ann Arbor, Michigan, certainly the swinginest.

Here's the great Bill Kirchen playing that car passing music on his "coal burning guitar", Billy C. Farlow and John Tichy on rhythm guitars, Buffalo Bruce Barlow on the bass, Lance Dickerson on the drums, the also great Andy Stein on the fiddle and the equally, also great Bobby Black on the steel guitar.

This is Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen.

Hot Rod Lincoln.

My Pappy said son ...

On this Day In History, Richard Nixon Resigned From The Presidency

Submitted by Roanman on Sat, 08/08/2020 - 17:50

 

 I know this to be the case because I happened to have tickets for Joni Mitchell that night at Pine Knob.

You can trust me on this one when I tell you that the crowd was ready.

 Under normal circumstances, I would have never gone out and bought myself a ticket to a Joni Mitchell show but ..... there was this girl .....

 Anyway, I was completely unprepared for a band that rocked as hard as Tom Scott and the LA Express.

To this day, Court and Spark remains one of my all time favorite records.

Do what you want, but my best advice to you would be ..... crank it.

Apologies for the crap resolution, the great version of this performance has disappeared from the internet.

He bought a 57 Biscaine, he put it in a ditch.

Drank up all the rest that sonofabitch.

The Makgona Tsohle Band

Submitted by Roanman on Fri, 02/08/2019 - 17:53

It's Friday Night.

Time to rock.

Formed in 1963 in Johannesburg, South Africa by the Gallo Record Company to cut supporting tracks for their Mbqanga vocal artists, The Makgona Tshole Band, "The Band That Can Play Everything" ranks among the greatest session bands in the history of recorded music.

Name your favorite studio outfit: The Funk Brothers, Swampers, Wrecking Crew, Booker T and the MGs ... you just go right ahead and choose ... The Makgona Tshole Band's work stands up to all of them.

From left to right this is, I don't know but I'm working on it, on the accordian, Vivian Ngubane along with the great Marks Mankwane stepping dangerously with untied shoelaces, on their guitars, Lucky Monama on the drums, Joseph Makwela on bass guitar, and West Nkosi on his saxaphone.

Stockvel Jive.

Squeeze

Submitted by Roanman on Sat, 03/26/2016 - 18:38

Saturday night, it's time to Rock.

There must be something about Goodbye Girl, Squeeze's first single that inspires them to tinker. They've recorded it four times in the studio, three times in a matter of months with slightly different versions of the tune for release as a UK single, a US single and an albom cut on Cool For Cats.

They've fooled with it I don't even know how many different ways in their live show. But the version you want ..... IMHO ..... is the live version recorded for the vinyl only EP, Six Squeeze Songs Crammed Into One 10" Record. Here's a very close live performance of that version.

This is Glenn Tillbrook on lead guitar and vocals along with his songwriting partner Chris Difford on rhythm guitar and backup vocals  The credits on this vid say that's Don Snow on the keyboards, but it sure looks like Paul Carrack to me. John Bentley is playing bass and Gilson Lavis is on the drums.

Squeeze

Goodbye Girl ..... the fast version.

The BusBoys

Submitted by Roanman on Sat, 03/19/2016 - 16:55

 

  It's Saturday night. Time to rock.

The Head Buckaroo and I went and saw The BusBoys ... I can't remember where.

I do remember it being one of the funnest shows I have ever seen.

It was made more fun by the fact that we got there way early for a general admission show, met Kevin O'Neil wandering around up in the balcony and then watched the show from right down in front, smashed up against Brian O'Neil's Fender Rhodes piano.

  I may be prejudiced by the experience, but I can't think of many bands that have ever rocked as hard as The BusBoys, or many records I have played more than Minimum Wage Rock And Roll.

  I've waited a long time to write this post mostly because I couldn't find a video that I thought did justice to their live show.

  From Friday Night, probably best known for their unreleased for the better part of 20 years hit single The Boys Are Back In Town from the Eddie Murphey/Nick Nolte film 48 Hours, here is Brian O'Neil on vocals and keyboards, Kevin O'Neil on vocals and bass guitar, Vic Johnson on lead guitar, Mike Radi playing still more keyboards, Steve Felix on the drums and Reggie Leon doing James Brown as good or better than even James Brown did James Brown, along with a bunch of other stuff I don't even know what it is.

The Bus Boys.

KKK and Johnny Soul'd Out

 

 

Minimum Wage.

 

 

AWB

Submitted by Roanman on Sat, 03/05/2016 - 17:38

 

Saturday night.

It's time to rock.

Performing live at Atlantic Records 40th Anniversery Concert.

This is Molly Duncan and Roger Ball, aka the Dundee Horns on saxaphones. Onnie McIntyre, wondering just when the hell are we going to start this thing, on guitar. Steve Farrone playing the drums. Alan Gorrie laying down the bass. And Hamish Stuart playing guitar while rocking a kilt like no other.

This is the Average White Band.

Pick Up The Pieces.

 

 

Thunder And Lightning

Submitted by Roanman on Fri, 02/19/2016 - 21:29

 

Friday Night. It's time to rock.

From 1972, Chi Coltrane likely doesn't consider herself to be a one hit wonder, but this is the one that matters.

Thunder and Lightning hit the charts in May of 72 and lasted all summer, reaching #18 in the US while charting all over Europe as well.

To my way of thinking, one of the finer examples of "Blue Eyed Soul" ever recorded.

Thunder and Lightning, Chi Coltrane.

 

 

A History of Popular Music Timeline

Submitted by Roanman on Tue, 06/21/2011 - 20:10

 

From the Guardian.co.uk which just won "Newspaper of the Year" from someone, and continues to be just a wonderfully consistent source for news and other interesting stuff.

If you like "Popular Music" click the image below for just the coolest interactive imaginable.

We've been playing with it for over a week now.

Don't be put off by the Jazz label on the image.

It's all there, from OKEH Records to Stiff with everything before, after and in between.

Way, super double highly recommended.

 

 

Mahlathini & Mahotella Queens

Submitted by Roanman on Sun, 05/01/2011 - 16:31

 

One of my favorite bands of all time, Mahlathini & Mahotella Queens helped invent the Mbaqanga sound of the Soweto townships in the late 60's through the late 80's and were it's greatest practitioners.

I can't say it, but I sure know it when I hear it.

They were really three distinct outfits in one, as producer Rupert Bopape assembled the Makgona Tsohle Band (the band that can do anything) who at the time were South Africa’s premier studio group, with the Mahotella Queens and Simon “Mahlathini” Nkabinde (The Lion of Soweto) greatest of South Africa’s “groaning style” singers.

This is Marks Mankwane, one of popular music’s all time most innovative guitarists playing lead, Vivian Ngubane (I think) playing rhythm guitar, Joseph Makwela on bass, Lucky Monama on drums.  I don’t have the keyboards figured out yet.  The female vocalists are Hilda Tloubatla, Nobesuthu Mbadu and Mildred Mangxola and of course that’s the late, great Mahlathini groaning away.

Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens.

Stop Crying.

 

 

Apologies for the abrupt ending.

There are not a lot of vids out there for this band.

As an aside it was Mahlathini who introduced Ted Nugent to his tailor.

 

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