From Blogger to Wordpress...

Please note I have now moved my blog to Wordpress. Please amend your links to: http://jocknroll.wordpress.com/

The Cat on "Where The Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287 AM - Sunday 11 April 2010

After the trauma of the HBA awards and the chocolate-flavoured goings-on of the Easter weekend, it's back to normality and the usual mix of mod, soul, Motown, alternative pop and a veritable cornucopia of classic cuts from the late 50s through to the early 70s. This month's shows will feature tracks from the Sunshine Pop edition of the Chartbusters USA series, The Laurie Records Story and "Phil's Spectre II: Another Wall of Soundalikes". Eyes down for a full house:

The Turtles - Happy Together (White Whale 1967)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)
The Summits - Hanky Panky (Harmon/Rust 1963)
The Beach Boys - I Do (Unreleased 1963)
The Critters - Younger Girl (Kapp 1966)
Les Girls - I Still Love You (Laurie 1966)
The Velvelettes - A Bird in the Hand (Is Worth Two In the Bush) (VIP 1965)
The Cowsills - The Rain, The Park and Other Things (MGM 1967)
Eight Feet - Bobby's Come A Long Long Way (Columbia 1966) (Connect 3)
Keith - 98.6 (Mercury 1966) (Connect 3)
Four Tops - Wonderful Baby (Motown 1967) (Connect 3)
Cher - I Go To Sleep (Imperial 1965)
Linda and the Lindettes - He's Mine (Unreleased 1964)
The Kingsmen - Louie Louie (Jerden 1963) (Birthday: 11/4/35 Richard Berry)
The Goodies - Dum Dum Ditty (Blue Cat 1965)
Don and the Goodtimes - I Could Be So Good To You (Epic 1967)
Jacques Brel - Le Moribond (Philips 1961) (Foreign Language)
Lorrie Darnell - Nothing Went Right (Laurie 1963)
Tony Newman - Let The Good Times Roll (Decca 1968) (Half-Time Instrumental)
Donovan - Wear Your Love Like Heaven (Epic 1967)
Dobie Gray - No Room To Cry (Charger 1966)
Tommy McCook - Riverton City (Trojan 1966) (Trojan Mod Reggae)
Mama Cass - It's Getting Better (Dunhill 1969)
The Rockin' Berries - The Water Is Over My Head (Piccadilly 1965)
Dawn - I'm Afraid They're All Talking About Me (Laurie 1967)
Jackie Leven - In a Shivering Blaze (Cooking Vinyl 2010) (Under The Influence)
Suzy Wallis - Be My Man (RCA-Victor 1965)
Tommy James and The Shondells - Crystal Blue Persuasion (Roulette 1969)
Episode Six - Put Yourself In My Place (Pye 1965)
Kathy Lynn & The Playboys - I Got A Guy (Swan 1964) (Connect 3)
Bernadette Carroll - He's Just A Playboy (Laurie 1965) (Connect 3)
Sundown Playboys - Saturday Night Special (Apple 1972) (Connect 3)
The Dreamlovers - You Gave Me Somebody To Love (Warner Bros 1966)
Robert John - If You Don't Want My Love (Columbia 1968)
The Chiffons - If I Knew Then (What I Know Now) (Laurie 1966) (Two of a Kind)
The Chiffons - Stop, Look and Listen (Laurie 1966) (Two of a Kind)
Clydie King - The Thrill Is Gone (Imperial 1965)
Chris Farlowe - Out of Time (Immediate 1966)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)

That's it for this week. I'm now off for a week's R&R with my ladies but I'll back for next week's show. Until then, it's good night and good health.

The Cat on "Where The Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287AM - Sunday 4 April 2010

Due to a family engagement on Easter Sunday, I've already recorded this show for broadcast on that day. I don't particularly like recording them in advance as I prefer the warts-and-all live approach but when needs must, the devil drives. Monday 5 April would have been Joe Meek's 81st birthday and to commemorate the legendary maverick producer, here's a show dedicated to Joe Meek (although the regaulr features have been kept in):

Gelnda Collins - I Lost My Heart at the Fairground (HMV 1963)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)
Lance Fortune - Be Mine (Pye 1960)
Gene Vincent - Temptation Baby (Unreleased 1963)
Denise Scott & The Soundsmen - Your Love Keeps Me Going (Unreleased 65/66)
Mike Berry and the Admirals - It's Just A Matter of Time (HMV 1962)
Pete & The Boulevards - You're My Girl (Unreleased - Year Unknown)
Billy Dean - Ridin' The Rails (Unreleased 61/62)
Bobby Rio and the Revelles - Value for Love (Pye 1965) (Connect 3)
Pamela Blue - My Friend Bobby (Decca 1963) (Connect 3)
Bobby Cristo - The Other Side of the Track (Decca 1964) (Connect 3)
Michael Cox - Stand Up (HMV 1962)
Billie Davis - Don't Knock On My Door (Unreleased 1962)
Major Lance - Monkey Time (Okeh 1962) (Birthday: 4/4/41 Major Lance)
Heinz - Just Like Eddie (Decca 1963)
The Sharades - Boy Trouble (Decca 1964)
John Leyton - John C'Est L'Amour (Unreleased 1961) (Foreign Language)
The Cryan' Shames - Please Stay (Decca 1966)
The Tornados - Globetrotter (Decca 1963) (Half-Time Instrumental)
Gunilla Thorn - Merry Go Round (HMV 1960)
Charles Kingsley Creation - Summer Without Sun (Columbia 1965)
The Beach Boys - You Need A Mess of Help To Stand Alone (Brother/Reprise 1972) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - Y)
The Beach Boys - You Still Believe In Me (Capitol 1966) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - Y)
John Holt - Ali Baba (Trojan 1969)
Flip - Mama Don't Lie (Unreleased 1965)
Man or Astroman - Taxidermist Surf (Estrus 1993) (Under The Influence)
The Riot Squad - I Take It That We're Through (Pye 1966)
The Cameos - Powercut (Columbia 1963)
The Puppets - Shake With Me (Pye 1964)
Houston Wells and the Marksmen - Only The Heartaches (Parlophone 1963) (Connect 3)
Toby Ventura - If My Heart Were A Storybook (Decca 1963) (Connect 3)
Diane and the Javelins - Heart and Soul (Columbia 1966) (Connect 3)
Kenny Hollywood - Magic Star (Decca 1962)
Jenny Moss - Big Boys (Columbia 1963)
The Honeycombs - I Can't Stop (Interphon 1964) (Two of a Kind)
The Honeycombs - Something I've Got To Tell You (Pye 1965) (Two of a Kind)
Geoff Goddard - Girl Bride (HMV 1961) - Especially for John Cavanagh
Neil Christian and the Crusaders - The Road To Love (Columbia 1962)
John Leyton - Johnny Remember Me (Top Rank 1961)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)
Joe Meek - Meeksville Answering Machine

As there are no songs beginning with X and Z, this week was the last in the A to Z of the Beach Boys series and John Holt's "Ali Baba" previews our new weekly Trojan Mod Reggae track, which takes its place. Until next week, when normal (live) service resumes, it's good day and good health.

The Cat on "Where The Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287AM - Sunday 28 March 2010

It's our last dip into the "Love Is The Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965-1970" box set and loads of other goodies:

The Monkees - All The King's Horses (Unreleased 1966)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)
The Freshmen - Look at the Sunshine (Pye 1968)
The Youngbloods - Get Together (RCA 1967)
Jackie Leven - John Paul Getty's Silver Cadillac (Cooking Vinyl 2009)
Santana - Evil Ways (Columbia 1969)
Dino Valenti - Let's Get Together (Unreleased 1964)
The Charlatans - Alabama Bound (Unreleased 1967)
People - I Love You (Capitol 1968) (Connect 3)
Lulu - To Sir, With Love (Epic 1967) (Connect 3)
The Great! Society - Somebody To Love (LP version) (Unreleased 1966) (Connect 3)
Blue Cheer - Fool (single version) (Philips 1967)
Jefferson Airplane - It's No Secret (RCA 1966)
The Turtles - Grim Reaper of Love (White Whale 1966) (Birthday: 28/3/45 Chuck Portz)
Grateful Dead - The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion) (Warner Bros 1967)
The Bystanders - Royal Blue Summer Sunshine Day (Piccadilly 1967)
Liz Brady - Palladium (The Hip) (Pathe 1966) (Foreign Language)
Fifty Foot Horse - Red The Sign Post (Limelight 1968)
Dave Clark Five - I Walk The Line (Piccadilly 1962) (Half-Time Instrumental)
Notes from the Underground - Why Did You Put Me On? (Vanguard 1968)
The Ivy League - My World Fell Down (Piccadilly 1966)
The Beach Boys - Wendy (Capitol 1964) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - W)
The Beach Boys - When a Man Needs a Woman (Capitol 1968) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - W)
Country Weather - Fly To New York (Private 1969)
The Mojo Men - She's My Baby (Reprise 1966)
Care - Flaming Sword (Arista 1983) (Under The Influence)
The Otherside - Streetcar (Brent 1966)
Country Joe and the Fish - I Feel Like I'm Fixing To Die Rag (EP version) (Rag Baby 1965)
The Petites - Baby Blue Mustang (Troy 1965) (Connect 3)
Janis Joplin - Mercedes Benz (Columbia 1968) (Connect 3)
The Beach Boys - Little Honda (Capitol 1964) (Connect 3)
The Warlocks - Can't Come Down (Unreleased 1965)
Quicksilver Messenger Service - Light Your Windows (Capitol 1968)
The Marvelettes - Danger Heartbreak Dead Ahead (Tamla 1965) (Two of a Kind)
The Marvelettes - I'll Keep On Holding On (Tamla 1965) (Two of a Kind)
The Immediate Family - Rubiyat (Unreleased 1967)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)

Next week it'll be my pre-recorded Joe Meek special, as I celebrate Easter Sunday with my family. Congratulations to my VRN colleague John Murray who was awarded The John Witney Award for his outstanding contribution to hospital radio at the National Hospital Radio Awards - well done, John! Although I didn't appreciate him charging a bottle of wine to my room!! Sadly, I left empty-handed in my category, as did all our other nominees. Just call us the Shawshank Redemption of the HBA! Until next week, it's good day and good health.

Sky Minus/Stagecoach

On Friday the Good Lady Wife and I noticed that that afternoon's Pointless - our new favourite quiz show - hadn't recorded. Not only had it not recorded but it had been marked as FAILED. Mastermind was set to record too but FAILED too. We didn't notice until later on because we were saving it for later (When none of the specialist subjects are of interest we proceed straight to General Knowledge questions and start the weekly routine of 'shouting at the telly'). Then Big Bang Theory FAILED on Saturday and we sussed that something wasn't quite right.

Using the interweb I found that it was a common problem but decided to let Sky sort it out (isn't that what we pay them a small fortune for?) before I took advice from 'the people'. I emailed them: "For the last two days I've been getting FAILED messages against programmes I've tried to record through the Sky+ Planner. When we press for Information it gives us a Technical Fault 11. What is a Technical Fault 11, why are we getting it and how can it be fixed?"

Meanwhile, we switched everything off - we drew the line at unplugging everything - and waited to see what Sunday morning would bring. Voila, it was fine again but it still rankled me that it had happened in the first place.

A reply awaited me when I switched the computer on:

"I am sorry to hear of the problems you have been experiencing with your services. To rectify these problems, please follow the procedure below:

Please note this process will stop all the recordings currently in progress and reboot your box, therefore you may want to do this after a recording has been completed.

1. Using the Sky Remote Control press the services button.
2. Using the up / down arrow buttons highlight System Setup and press select.
3. Press 0, 1 and select to access the Installer Menu.
4. Highlight Sky+ Planner Rebuild and press select.

When the warning on screen message, 'this will take a few minutes to completed' the rebuild will stop all recordings and reboot your Sky+. Press select to confirm or backup to cancel appears press select to continue.

The on screen message, 'Housekeeping please wait' will appear and take up to 2 minutes to clear. Once complete the set top box will switch itself off and then back on automatically and wait in standby mode. Wait for 60 seconds after the red light has appeared before attempting to switch back on your box.

If after following this procedure you are still experiencing problems, you may need to contact our technical team on 08442 41 14 11,direct for further assistance. If you require a service call and your box warranty has expired, the service call will carry a charge of 65.00 (GBP).

I hope this information has helped with your enquiry. If you require any further assistance, you can respond to my email. You can also contact our Customer Services team on 08442 41 41 41, where one of our advisors will be happy to help."

You would've thought I'd have been pleased to hear from them but I wasn't. Why? Well, firstly they want me to use "0" from a system setup screen that only offers a choice form 1 to 8! Secondly, they want ME to phone THEM on an 0844 number (you know our details, call us) and, thirdly, if the equipment isn't working I have to pay THEM £65 for an engineer (or whatever pretentious job title Sky give them) to tell me what I already know! It's all money, money, money*. I'm turning into Jim Royle, only without the bowel/toilet problems and bad clothes.

I replied to the email from "Cynthia" with a simple one-liner: "You say "highlight System setup and press select" Then "press 0" but there is no 0 on our System setup menu! It only goes from 1 to 8".

Cynthia turned into Bruce and responded thus:

"You're quite right there is no 0 on the system setup menu, but that is because you are accessing a hidden menu at that point. If you are on system setup menu, ignore the screen and just press 0,1 and select the installer menu will appear.

It can be easier for us to take you through the procedures on the phone but I do not have any details to be able to access your account. If you email back to us with your viewing card number and password if you have one, we will be happy to contact you back.

Kind regards

Bruce"

Of course. Stupid me, a "hidden menu". Why didn't I think of that? I am such an idiot. I have brought shame upon myself and my family and I must throw myself off the roof immediately.

I find "It can be easier for us" to be rather patronising and somewhat insulting. If I can't work the instructions given to me in writing, some sad sod with no career prospects, halitosis and white socks in the modern electronic equivalent of the sweatshop isn't going to be any more useful.

Thankfully for the Good Lady Wife, but not me, her "Dancing on Ice" has recorded.

* On Saturday morning I had to take the car for a service in Dalgety Bay, a 10-minute drive from home. I dropped the car off and waited for a bus back.

"Tesco, Dunfermline, please" "£2.75"

"What?" "£2.75"

I handed it over but was so positive that that was wrong I tucked my ticket safely away. I'd never been on this bus before or in the area, except in a car, but it seemed rather steep. I checked the time and wondered if this particular bus took a different route home, maybe via Oslo. After all this was the 80C. Not the original 80, the all-new 80A or the new AND improved 80B with Boswelox, this was the all-singing, all-dancing, let's-do-the-show-right-here 80C.

I alighted at Tesco (who the hell says "alighted" anymore?), a mere eight minutes after I got on. Surviving the pedestrian jungle that is the Tesco car park - does nobody stop at pedestrian crossings anymore? - I walked, still in disbelief. After a couple of hours serious "pottering" the garage called and I headed back out for the bus.

"Dalgety Bay, please" "£1.40"

"£1.40? I was charged £2.75 not two hours ago for the same trip in reverse"

After a discussion with the driver,who was as much use as a cat flap on a submarine, I took a seat. I used the nine minutes constructively (the 80B goes a different route and I had to walk some of the way hence the extra minute) and fired off an e-mail to the Operations Manager, who is also a near neighbour.

Just to rub salt into the wound I had to stump up £270 at the garage (service and something to do with the brakes) and they couldn't fix the radio display without a code, which was on a card, which we didn't have.

It never rains but it pours.

The Cat on "Where The Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287AM - Sunday 21 March 2010

We continue to tuck into the psychedelic feast that is the "Love Is The Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965-1970" box set and we commemorate the passings of Lesley Duncan and Alex Chilton, as well as the regular features:

Big Star - September Gurls (Stax 1973)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)
Marc Bolan - Third Degree (Decca 1966)
Mad River - Amphetamine Gazelle (Capitol 1968)
The Mystery Trend - Carl Street (Unreleased 1967)
Ministry of Sound (Lesley Duncan/Val McKenna) - Something's Coming Along (Unreleased 1967)
Blackburn and Snow - Stranger In a Strange Land (Verve 1967)
Billie Davis - Billy Sunshine (Decca 1969)
Chocolate Watchband - No Way Out (Tower 1967) (Connect 3)
The Vejtables - Anything (Autumn 1965) (Connect 3)
Teddy and the Patches - Suzy Creamcheese (Chance 1967) (Connect 3)
Clyde McPhatter - You Got It (Deram 1969)
Sly & The Family Stone - Underdog (Epic 1967)
Solomon Burke - Home In Your Heart (Atlantic 1963) (Birthday: 21/3/40)
Steve Miller Band - Roll With It(Capitol 1968)
The Shangri-la's - Sophisticated Boom Boom (Red Bird 1966)
Louise Cordet - Que m'a-t-il fait? (What's He/It Done to Me?) (Decca 1963) (Foreign Language)
Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks - How Can I Miss You When You Won't Go Away? (Epic 1969)
The Outlaws - Valley of the Sioux (HMV 1961) (Half-Time Instrumental)
Seatrain - Portrait of the Artist as a Young Lady (A&M 1969)
The Savage Resurrection - Things in "E" (Mercury 1968)
The Beach Boys - Vegetables (Unreleased 1967) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - V)
The Beach Boys - Heroes and Villains (45 version) (Capitol 1967) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - V)
Jon Gunn - I Just Made Up My Mind (Deram 1967)
Syndicate of Sound - Rumors (Bell 1966)
The La's - Son of a Gun (BBC session) (Go! Discs 1988) (Under The Influence)
The La's - There She Goes (Go! Discs 1988) (Under The Influence)
The Frantics - Human Monkey (Action 1966)
October Country - Good To Be Around (Epic 1968)
The Grass Roots - Mr Jones (A Ballad of a Thin Man) (Dunhill 1965) (Connect 3)
The Cryan' Shames - Greenburg, Glickstein, Charles, David Smith & Jones (Columbia 1968) (Connect 3)
Tom Jones - Stop Breaking My Heart (Decca 1966) (Connect 3)
The Harbinger Complex - Sometimes I Wonder (Amber 1966)
Fearns Brass Foundry - Don't Chance It (Decca 1968)
The Beau Brummels - Don't Talk To Strangers (Autumn 1965) (Two of a Kind)
The Beau Brummels - Two Days 'Til Tomorrow (Warner Bros 1967) (Two of a Kind)
Earl Cosby - Ooh Honey Baby (Mirwood 1966)
The Majority - One Third (Decca 1966)
Big Star - I'm In Love With a Girl (Stax 1973)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)

Next week it'll be business as usual after I return from the National Hospital Radio Awards in Erskine. The Cat has his paws well and truly crossed for his nomination in the Best Specialist Music category. Until next week, and the last of our San Francisco sounds, it's good day and good health.

The Cat on "Where The Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287AM - Sunday 14 March 2010

More from the "Love Is The Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965-1970" box set and the usual grab-bag of goodies:

The Hollies - Look Through Any Window (Parlophone 1965)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)
The Honeys - The One You Can't Have (Capitol 1963)
The Ivy League - In The Not Too Distant Future (Pye 1967)
The Wildflower - Coffee Cup (Mainstream 1967)
The Soul Agents - Let's Make It Pretty Baby (Pye 1964)
Fontella Bass/Bobby McClure - Don't Mess Up A Good Thing (Checker 1965)
Sharon Marie - Story of My Life (Capitol 1964)
The Majorettes - White Levis (Troy 1963) (Connect 3)
Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit (RCA 1967) (Connect 3)
It's A Beautiful Day - White Bird (Columbia 1969) (Connect 3)
American Spring - Shyin' Away (Capitol 1973)
The Sons of Champlin - Fat City (Verve 1967)
The Turtles - You Don' Have To Walk In The Rain (White Whale 1969) (Birthday: 14/3/46 Jim Pons)
Steve Miller Band - Quicksilver Girl (Capitol 1968)
The Mystery Trend - Johnny Was A Good Boy (Verve 1968)
Brigitte Bardot - Je Me Donne a Qui Me Plait (I Give Myself To Whom I Please) (Philips 1962) (Foreign Language)
Blue Cheer - Summertime Blues (Philips 1968)
Earl Van Dyke - 6x6 (Motown 1967) (Half-Time Instrumental)
The Loading Zone - The Bells (RCA Victor 1968)
The Sheffields - Hey, Hey Lover Boy (Pye 1964)
The Beach Boys - 409 (Capitol 1962) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - U)
Gary Usher - That's The Way I Feel (Capitol 1964) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - U)
The Tikis - Bye Bye Bye (Warner Bros single version) (Warner Bros 1966)
The New Breed - Want Ad Reader (World United 1966)
The Magic Numbers - Love Me Like You (Heavenly 2005) (Under The Influence)
Mother Earth - Revolution (Unted Artists 1968)
Public Nuisance - America (Unreleased 1968)
The Oxford Circle - Foolish Woman (World United 1966) (Connect 3)
Moby Grape - Omaha (Columbia 1967) (Connect 3)
Country Weather - Fly To New York (Unreleased 1969) (Connect 3)
Quicksilver Messenger - Who Do You Love (demo) (Unreleased 1966) (Two of a Kind)
Quicksilver Messenger - Codine (United Artists 1968) (Two of a Kind)
The Stained Glass - My Buddy Sin (RCA 1966)
Earl Cosby - Ooh Honey Baby (Mirwood 1966)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)

Until next week, and some more San Francisco sounds, it's good day and good health.

The Cat on "Where The Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287AM - Sunday 7 March 2010

January's shows were dominated by the LA Nuggets box set and this month it's the turn of its San Francisco counterpart, "Love Is The Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965-1970":

Cliff Richard & The Shadows - Big News (Columbia 1963)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)
Dee Dee Young - You Haven't Seen Nothing (Challenge 1964)
The Front Line Assembly - Got Love (York 1965)
The Knickerbockers - I Can Do It Better (Challenge 1966)
Ace of Cups - Glue (Unreleased 1968)
Count Five - Psychotic Reaction (Double Shot 1966)
Sister Rachel - Don't Mess Around With Me (Challenge 1967)
The Charlatans - Number One (Unreleased 1965) (Connect 3)
The Sons of Champlin - 1982-A (Capitol 1969) (Connect 3)
We Five - You Were On My Mind (A&M 1965) (Connect 3)
Helen Shapiro - Let's Talk About Love (Columbia 1962)
The Generation - I'm A Good Woman (Unreleased 1967)
Donna Loren - Muscle Bustle (Challenge 1964) (Birthday: 7/3/47)
Big Brother & The Holding Company - Down On Love (live) (Unreleased 1968)
The Mourning Reign - Satisfaction Guaranteed (Link 1966)
Jacques Brel - Le Chanson de Jacky (Barclay 1965) (Foreign Language)
The Serpent Power - Up and Down (Vanguard 1967)
The Tornados - Telstar (Decca 1962) (Half-Time Instrumental)
Butch Engle & The Styx - Hey I'm Lost (Onyx 1967)
The Beach Boys - Tears in the Morning (Brother/Reprise 1970) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - T)
The Beach Boys - Things We Did Last Summer (Unreleased 1963?) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - T)
Fanny - Charity Ball (second version) (Reprise 1971)
Grateful Dead - Dark Star (single version) (Warner Bros 1968)
Mari Wilson & The Wilsations - Beat the Beat (Compact 1982) (Under The Influence)
The Feminine Complex - I Don't Want Another Man (Athena 1968)
The Great! Society - Free Advice (Northbeach 1966)
Dusty Springfield - Little by Little (Mercury 1966)
Country Joe and the Fish - Superbird (Vanguard 1967) (Connect 3)
The Sopwith "Camel" - Hello Hello (Kama Sutra 1966) (Connect 3)
Jefferson Airplane - Mexico (RCA 1970) (Connect 3)
Santana - Soul Sacrifice (Columbia 1969)
The Family Tree - Live Your Own Life (Mira 1966)
The Flamin' Groovies - I'm Drowning (Snazz 1968) (Two of a Kind)
The Flamin' Groovies - Shake Some Action (Sire 1976) (Two of a Kind)
The Box Tops - Neon Rainbow (Mala 1967)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)

Until next week, and some more San Francisco sounds, it's good day and good health.

The Cat on "Where The Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287AM - Sunday 28 February 2010

I've dragged myself off my sick bed to bring you these delights:

The Outsiders - Time Won't Let Me (Capitol 1965)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)
Brenda Lee - Dum Dum (Decca 1961)
Stamford Bridge - Happiness and Rainy Days (Penny Farthing 1970)
The Turtles - Wanderin' Kind (Immediate 1966)
The Young Rascals - Good Lovin' (Atlantic 1966)
Del Shannon - Led Along (Liberty 1967)
Bobby Angelle - Too Much for You (Money 1967)
Little Eva - Keep Your Hands Off Of My Baby (Dimension 1962) (Connect 3)
Baby Washington - Careless Hands (Sue 1962) (Connect 3)
Bobby "Blue" Bland - These Hands (Small But Mighty) (Duke 1965) (Connect 3)
Nicky Scott - Big City (Immediate 1967)
The Hipster Image - Can't Let Her Go (Decca 1965)
Barbara Acklin - Love Makes A Woman (Brunswick 1968) (Birthday: 28/2/44)
Annette Funicello & The Afterbeats - Tall Paul (Disneyland 1958)
First Class - Coney Island (UK 1972)
Alma Cogan - O Dio Mio (HMV 1960) (Foreign Language)
Robert Parker - Let's Go Baby (Where the Action Is) (Nola 1965)
The Original Checkmates - Hot Toddy (Pye 1962) (Half-Time Instrumental)
Emmit Rhodes - Mary Will You Take My Hand (Dakar 1970)
Brian Wilson - South American (Giant 1998) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - S)
The Beach Boys - Shut Down (Capitol 1963) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - S)
PP Arnold - Life Is Nothing (Immediate 1967)
Benny Parker & The Dynamos - Boys and Girls (Decca 1964)
The Jam - Boy About Town (Polydor 1980) (Under The Influence)
Eddie Holman - Eddie's My Name (Parkway 1965)
Betty Johnson - Little White Lies (Bally 1957)
The Fairies - Anytime At All (Decca 1964)
Vicky Gomez - Boys Are Dime A Dozen (ABC Paramount 1965) (Connect 3)
Betty Bibbs - Pounds of Soul (Kent 1968) (Connect 3)
Kincade - Dreams Are Ten a Penny (1972 Label Unknown) (Connect 3)
Twice As Much - Sittin' On a Fence (Immediate 1966)
Gene Chandler - Mr Big Shot (Constellation 1966)
Billie Davis - Make The Feeling Go Away (Decca 1969) (Two of a Kind)
Billie Davis - Ev'ry Day (Piccadilly 1966) (Two of a Kind)
Albert Washington - Hold Me Baby (Ace? 1969)
Marc Bolan - Third Degree (Decca 1966)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)

Until next week, it's good day and good health.

Life is a Moment in Space

After a particular shitty week I heard a record on Radio 2 today that took me back to a more innocent and happier time. A time when you paid the price on the ticket and nothing more and long before stress became the new bad back.

My day was in the army and we lived in Army Quarters just outside Bonnyrigg. If it was so far out of Bonnyrigg that it could've been in the Borders! And there was nothing bonnie about it. We didn't have the luxury of computers or iPods and we utilised the natural resources to have our fun. The pavements hosted running races, with long paths used as jumps on an imaginary steeplechase. The Harry the housing warden had also provided a pair of old rusty goalposts (no nets) in a local field but the grass was lumpier and bumpier than the school custard and the field sloped from wing to wing more than a drunk against a lamppost. We made do because that's what you had to do. I even made a showjumping course in our back garden until I "clipped a fence" and broke one of my mother's brush handles.

The highlight of the week was when the Harry would open up one of the empty quarters and allow us "young 'uns" to have a disco. To be honest, I only remember two records being played because the supply was somewhat limited. One of those was the so-bad-it's-bad novelty record by Joe Dolce. Nowadays, I pull anyone up for suggesting that "Shaddap Your Face" was by Joe Dolce, when any quizzer worth their salt knows it was the Joe Dolce Music Theatre who foisted such nonsense on an unfussy record-buying public. Of course, as kids we didn't know any better, and we enjoyed the pidgin Italian and joined in while telling each other to "Shaddap Your Face". I still have that song on a K-Tel album called "Chartblasters '81". I don't play it much, except for Susan Fassbender's "Twilight Cafe".

The other record, the one that always transports me back to 1981, was the velvety, lusciousness of Barbra Streisand's Bee Gees' written and produced "Woman in Love". Even for a 14-year old I was very tall. So much so that when I asked Teresa Black to dance she had to stand on one of the many plastic chairs hugging the wall of the tiny living room as we swayed, clenched, from side to side. This was somewhat awkward although with it being a "slow record" we wouldn't have done more than shuffle awkwardly anyway. These days mooning takes on rather different connotations but back in the day that's what we called slow dancing. The erection section would, ahem, come much later. From memory Teresa had dark, straight hair and a lazy eye and a brother who loved to wear Adam Ant's war paint on his face.

Even after our family moved away from the Army houses and closer to the centre of Bonnyrigg, my brother and I would walk the mile or so to the "disco". I even got a kiss one night, but not from Teresa; this Lothario was playing the field albeit one without a big slope and cow dung.

The Cat on "Where the Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287AM - Sunday 21 February 2010

After the slush and mush of last week's Valentine's Day special, it's back to basics with the usual fun-filled festival of pop 'n' stuff. This week's humble offerings:

Herman's Hermits - No Milk Today (Columbia 1966)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)
The Supremes - The Happening (Motown 1967)
The Marvelettes - Please Mr Postman (Tamla 1961)
Madeline Bell - I'm Gonna Make You Love Me (Phillips 1967)
A Band of Angels - Cheat and Lie (Piccadilly 1966)
The Shangri-la's - Bull Dog (Red Bird 1965)
The Spencer Davis Group - I Can't Stand It (Fontana 1964)
Billie Davis - School Is Over (Columbia 1964) (Connect 3)
The Charmettes - School Letter (mono) (Federal 1959) (Connect 3)
The Langley Schools Music Project - Help Me Rhonda (Bar-None 2001) (Connect 3)
Arthur Alexander - Where Have You Been (London 1962)
Connie Francis - Where The Boys Are (MGM 1960)
Nina Simone - See Line Woman (Phillips 1964) (Birthday: 21/2/33)
Strawberry Alarm Clock - Incense and Peppermint (UNI 1967) RIP Lee Freeman
Wayne Fontana - Something Keeps Calling Me Back (Fontana 1966)
Pat Simon - Small Town (Vogue 1967) (Foreign Language)
Val McKenna - I Can't Believe What You Say (Piccadilly 1965)
The Rustlers - A Matter of Who (Pye 1961) (Half-Time Instrumental)
Gene Chandler - I Fooled You This Time (Checker 1966)
The Beach Boys - Help Me Rhonda (alternative single mix) (Capitol 1965) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - R)
The Beach Boys - Break Away (Capitol 1969) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - R)
The Action - Come On, Come With Me (Parlophone Year Unknown) RIP Mike Evans
Sharon Tandy - One Way Street (Unreleased/Stax Year Unknown)
The Loving Kind - Ain't That Peculiar (Pye 1966)
The Knack - Good Girls Don't (Capitol 1979) (Under The Influence) RIP Doug Fieger
Everpresent Fullness - Suzi Q (White Whale 1970) RIP Dale Hawkins
The Hit Pack - Never Say No To My Baby (Tamla 1965)
Kim Weston - Just Loving You (Tamla 1963)
Young Blood - Green Light (Pye 1968) (Connect 3)
The Knickerbockers - Sweet Green Fields (Challenge 1967) (Connect 3)
Petula Clark - The Other Man's Grass Is Always Greener (Pye 1967) (Connect 3)
The Shondells - Special Delivery (King 1963)
Todd Rundgren - Couldn't I Just Tell You (Bearsville 1972)
The Kinks - Australia (Pye 1969) (Two of a Kind)
The Kinks - This Man He Weeps Tonight (Pye 1969) (Two of a Kind)
Marvin Gaye - One More Heartache (Tamla 1966)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)

Until next week, it's good day and good health.