GUEST SPOT # 39 - Deacon Blue - 'Dignity'

GUEST SPOT # 39 - Deacon Blue - 'Dignity'

Deacon Blue Guest Spot Sophie

It's Saturday, it's Guest Spot day! If you fancy doing a spot yourself and I know you do then why not make our telephone ring (just email us) and we'll feature your post!

This guest spot is written by my very own Chocolate Girl, Sophie (check out her other posts), who also tells me that she was Born in a Storm. Anyway whatever, it's her turn to sing the blues...enjoy! 

Deacon Blue - Dignity (1989)

I was introduced to my dear friend Vicky who invited me to their concert at Manchester GMex for her 17th Birthday circa 1989. In preparation, she played me their album Raintown (in a tent in her Mum’s back garden if I remember correctly) and I fell for the dulcet tones of Ricky Ross there and then. And so, off we went by coach to Manchester – my first big stadium gig and it was brilliant. Mr Ross was even better in the flesh - resplendent in black leather trousers and a white shirt with his gorgeous accent and outspoken anti-Thatcherite views. I was studying economics for A-Level and so was delighted to find reference to Maynard Keynes in the lyrics...seriously, this band had everything! What a potent cocktail for a precocious 16 year old, full of hormones, romantic ideals and anticipation of her imminent departure to University and the opportunities this would bring.

Deacon Blue with new member Clive Owen!

I really struggled to choose a song for this post – I listened to the Greatest Hits again recently and I still remember the words to all the songs. They all have merit – Chocolate Girl, Raintown and the gorgeous Loaded, among my favourites. But it had to be this one. It was a great song back then but listening to it now with 20 years hard graft under my belt, in the middle of a recession and now with the responsibility of providing for a family weighing heavily, it takes on a whole new meaning. I cry easily listening to this song – the lyrics are clever and beautiful telling the touching story of a man who “saved (his) money”. In our crazy culture when an ‘essential’ item is a smart phone we can’t live without, this song really makes me think about what life is, or rather should, be about and the importance of work to a person's self-esteem.
So, listen and weep - this one’s for you – V-E-B!!! Xxx

Ps. DB are apparently recording a new album...I await the result with interest. Peruse their website here for details.

Get Loaded on more of our Guest Spots..

sfw Pada 23:00 3 Komentar

GUEST SPOT'S Best Of 2011 part 3

GUEST SPOT'S Best Of 2011 part 3

Adele Arctic Monkeys Best of 2011 Bon Iver Christina Perri Foo Fighters Gavin Guest Spot Hurts Jon Linkin Park Maroon 5 Miles Kane OK Go Peter Gabriel Russ SBTRKT Sophie

We did not want this site to be all about us, we wanted people to contribute their musical experiences, favourite tunes, musical memories, legendary gigs etc and as a result we have compiled a number of excellent posts which have enhanced our site and our music collection. It's with great thanks to you guys for putting in the time and effort to write and share these experiences with us. Thanks again for contributing for the best of 2011 post too. Remember, feel free to submit any contributions at any time, they are always welcome and we enjoy them greatly.

Jon:-
Husband, father and part time Jedi trainer to his two daughters, Jon has contributed and eclectic mix of guest spots which you can check out here.... (Dub War, Steve Earle and Kings of Convenience)
Bon Iver - 'Holocene'
I originally dismissed Justin Vernon prematurely before I'd really given him much of a listen. However, Peter Gabriel's "Scratch My Back Album" - covers of a pretty eclectic mix of songs with an amazing orchestral arrangement and exposed vocals introduced me to his track "Flume". I immediately sought out the original from the "For Emma, Forever Ago" album and loved it. "Holocene" off the current album the self titled "Bon Iver" has been a regular on my playlist. It's just a beautiful track and you can completely immerse yourself in the vocals.

Peter Gabriel - 'Wallflower'
Continuing the Peter Gabriel vibe (as I very often do), Kate,my brother Aidan and I saw him touring the "Scratch My Back" album at the O2 in 2010. In the second part of the show he played some of his own tracks - not all of them obvious choices for an orchestral re-imagining but pretty much all of them worked really well. I was particularly pleased to hear a number of tracks off his 1982 release "Peter Gabriel 4" / "Security" which is probably my all time favourite album of his. These tracks have been released in 2011 as a live DVD/Bluray and album, titled "New Blood". "Wallflower",  about the mistreatment of political prisoners is one of the stand out tracks on the new album, possibly even more powerful with the orchestral backing than the original.

OK Go - 'All Is Not Lost' 
Not an obvious choice I admit, but OK Go really do it for me. Their ever-inventive videos (from the now legendary and much imitated treadmill video for "Here It Goes Again" to the "Incredible Machine" style video for "This Too Shall Pass") combined with catchy indie-pop/rock songs are a joy to watch. Even my 2 daughters (aged 6 and 4) now get excited when I tell them there's a new OK Go video, although that could be down to the cultural brainwashing programme. They both have their favourites - Eva's is "White Knuckles" (with the dogs) and Meg's is the ghillie-suited marching band version of the video for "This Too Shall Pass". Seek them out on YouTube - you will not be disappointed. This track, "All Is Not Lost" is best viewed in the Google Chrome browser as it takes advantage of some nifty Chrome features during the song to great effect, click here to see!!

Sophie:-
Er' indoors has supported and put up with me and this blog so a big thank you goes to her. She always has an ear for a tune and the ability to surprise a few gems of her own over the years...Check out her guest spots here...(Roddy Frame and Degrees in Motion)
SBTRKT - 'Pharaohs' Feat Roses Gabor
Given that 2011 was the worst Summer in ages, this song transported me to sunnier climes and to younger, funkier times.

Adele - 'Someone Like You'
Adele’s performance of this song at The Brits is all you need to know – incredible!

Maroon 5 - 'Moves Like Jagger'
I have detested every Maroon 5 song before this but I just couldn’t help myself this time! Maybe it’s the fact that Christina has a hand in it or just that it makes you want to dance – either way, a great pop song.

Russ:-
He has kept the peace in the Falklands (Verve guest spot) and comes out with the 'Best Northern Slang' but he also has 3 belters for you to enjoy!
Foo Fighters - 'Rope'
At last back to the food I love!!

Arctic Monkeys- 'Don't Sit Down'
Always heed the warnings, it's dangerous!!

Miles Kane - Come Closer
Opened my eyes to a newer artist style and I like it!

Gavin:-
Biltong Man is quite partial to a bit of Swiss cheese as his guest spot revealed (Yello) but put these choices on yo' crackers!!
Hurts – 'Sunday'
Brilliant and can’t believe they are not bigger than they are. Apart from Man Utd these guys are the best thing out of Manchester in recent years.

Christina Perri – 'Arms'
New sound, new voice and full of tattoos, a voice that can make you feel all sorts of emotions in one album. It's in my car CD at the mo.

Linkin Park – 'Iridesent'
Picked up a ticket off eBay for this concert for £18.90 a couple of days before the show. Sat in the front of the O2 and heard this song for the first time then … blew me away hearing it live.

sfw Pada 05:34 5 Komentar

GUEST SPOT # 20 - Roddy Frame - Small World

GUEST SPOT # 20 - Roddy Frame - Small World

Guest Spot Roddy Frame Sophie Tune Doctor

Fancy doing a guest spot? Then contact us, we'll be glad to hear it!

Roddy Frame - Small World (2002)

The second of this weeks guest spots goes to 'er indoors, Sophie. A fabulous and moving song which reminds us of some pretty tough times. Made worse now, by the fact that what Roddy was singing about wasn't what we thought. An easy mistake to make, we've all done it...Still there are those Star Wars references! If any of you have misinterpreted any lyrics then let us know in the comments!!

The North Circular, Halloween and Roddy Frame

For a couple of exhausting years, I worked for Lidl, the discount retailer. As a District Manager, I clocked up thousands of miles a year, travelling across London and the South East, visiting stores and carrying out various duties at the regional head office, located on the industrial banks of the Thames in Kent.

Part of the role involved covert operations:  following lorries delivering to stores at night (to ensure goods weren’t offloaded halfway) and testing the security of the warehouse by walking in, taking a case of (very cheap) whiskey and seeing if anyone stopped to challenge us.
This was all endorsed by the Powers That Be and, although I did experience a slight frisson from this pseudo-foray into the criminal underworld, it largely involved spending cold and lonely hours in various dodgy locations in my trusty Passat, wishing I was tucked up bed at home.

And so I found myself after one such late visit, on the North Circular, near Barking I think. A grim stretch of road at the best of times but truly bleak at midnight on the 31st October after another 18 hour day.

I was listening to the radio and this song came on. I’d heard it before and loved it so much that I bought the album, Surf, which is still one of my favourites.
It contains the line “floating in a car, past the gates of Must Destroy Dot Com”. I always thought this must be a US company as I had never heard of them before but imagine my surprise when, at the very point Roddy was singing the words, I glanced to my right and saw a large warehouse with these words emblazoned on the side!
As it was, the song’s lyrics really summed up the loneliness I felt during that time and that night, which was coincidentally Halloween , they took on new significance – Spooky!!
It gave me great comfort and I like to think that some friendly spirits were watching down on me, seeing me safely home without falling asleep at the wheel.

Before writing this post, I googled Must Destroy.com and can only find one reference to a document disposal business but no evidence it still exists.
Then I thought I’d check the lyrics of the song. Turns out, Roddy and I were singing completely different words...Gutted.

Sorry love, you thought I wrote what?

Anyway, the album is brilliant – his lyrics are gorgeous, although I think my version of Small World is much better...

Roddy Frame - Small World

More guest spots here!

sfw Pada 22:00 5 Komentar

GUEST SPOT # 3 - Degrees in Motion - 'Shine On'

GUEST SPOT # 3 - Degrees in Motion - 'Shine On'

Degrees in Motion Guest Spot Sophie

Degrees in Motion - 'Shine On' (1992)

The guest spot this week is from the lovely Sophie:-

Shiny Happy People!

1992, I was at Sheffield University, having the time of my life. The dance scene was in full swing and so I found myself at Love to Be at The Jam Factory on the London Road, in later years at Rise at The Leadmill and an all night shindig with Pete Tong at Renaissance on an industrial estate in Mansfield. We queued in typical freezing Yorkshire temperatures to get in but it was so worth it and we had a bottle of MD 20/20 to keep us warm! Bare chests (the boys not the girls), the scent of Vicks in the air and lots of very happy, dancing people…

This one’s for my friend Chrissie who I always think of when I hear this song.

Press play, close my eyes and I’m 19 again….Shine ON!!!!

sfw Pada 00:34 3 Komentar