Thursday 30 December 2010

Moyra Melons celerbrates new year ear rings with a bang!

"Wo! No stop there, I didn't mean that sought of bang." yelled Moyra Melon's over excited husband.

She was confused when he told her he wanted to celebrate her new ear rings and new year with a bang.

"What now?" she had replied.

"Yes now, my little petal. Now is New Year," he answered dreaming of partying, drinking, having fun and meeting friends - the sought of thing one does for the New year bash.

"You want to have a New Year ear rings bang now?" asked Moyra with her saucy grin.

"Of course," he replied again. "Now is New Year - let the festive New Year 'going with a bang,' begin, especially with those wonderful new ear rings."

And so; This picture is how Moyra Melons readied herself and how her poor hot flushed husband came to be yelling, "Wo! No stop there, I didn't mean that sought of bang."

They got to the New Years bash a little later then expected because Moyra Melons insisted that her idea of starting the New Year with a bang was correct, and her husband, being an understanding sort of chap, felt he should comply with his wife's wishes. He did not want to argue with Moyra Melons and I don't think I blame him, do you?


    

BLACK WIDOW (retro Brit rock band) - Come To The Sabbat





(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
Black Widow - Retro Brit Rock Band


Origin Leicester, England
Genres Progressive rock, rock
Years active 1966–1973

2007–present

Members: Kay Garrett, Clive Jones, Geoff Griffiths, Paolo "Apollo" Negri,

Past members: Kay Garrett, Kip Trevor, Bob Bond, Clive Box, Jess "Zoot" Taylor, Jim Gannon, Romeo Challenger.

Black Widow were a rock band that formed in Leicester, England in September 1969. The band were mostly known for its early use of satanic and occult imagery in their music and stage act. The band were often confused with the better-known heavy rock band Black Sabbath, but the bands were only superficially similar.

The band formed in 1966 as Pesky Gee! with Kay Garrett (lead vocals), Kip Trevor (lead vocals, guitar and harmonica), Chris Dredge (guitar), Bob Bond (bass guitar), Clive Box (drums and piano), Jess "Zoot" Taylor (organ), Clive Jones (saxophone and flute). Jim Gannon (guitar, vocals and vibes), replaced Dredge in Spring 1969. The band split in September 1969.



The band released one album for Pye Records as Pesky Gee!, 1969's Exclamation Mark, before Garrett left the band. The remaining band members continued on as Black Widow and released their debut album Sacrifice in 1970. Perhaps better known than their music was the band's use of occult references in their music and their live performances, which were made more controversial with the mock sacrifice of a nude woman. These acts at time were very shocking but now a common use in the underground music scene, black metal. The band attracted further controversy by consulting infamous witch Alex Sanders for advice.

Black Widow's most popular song Come to the Sabbat has been covered by many bands and artists including Timberjack (Top 10 hit in New Zealand in 1971), Jon the Postman, Bewitched, Death SS and Propagandhi.









Wednesday 29 December 2010

Curtis Mayfield "Get Down" with Soul Train Line Dance

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This is a great sounding song from 1971 filled with nostalgia and wonderful black American retro fun of that decade. The people in this clip are young and full of joy. Many must be in their sixties and seventies now, but I bet they still love these great sounds.




Monday 27 December 2010

Claude Francois French Singer.



Claude Francois was a great French Singer/songwriter who was very popular in France and southern Europe during the 1960s and 1970s. He never gained the popularity he deserved in the English speaking countries, which was a great loss to those lands because this guy was extremely talented. Some of the songs we have heard sung by Brit or American artists and other English speaking nations were written by Claude Francois - although many of us are ignorant of this fact.

He was born in Egypt in 1939 to a French father and Italian mother. His father worked as an administrator on the Suez canal. The Francois family moved back to France during the Suez crisis and took up residence in Marseilles. 

Claude Francois played drums in various bands at the hotels of the town to supplement the wages of his daytime employment. His father had become too ill to work. It also became apparent that he could sing and it was from this moment that his life began to change.

He quickly became popular in Europe and the first and only time I remember seeing him, on television, was when he came to England and did a French song on the Russel Harty show. He sang and danced with a group of glamorous and scantily clad ladies, before being interviewed by Russel Harty - this was in 1977. In 1978 he was electrocuted and killed in a freak accident when he was in the bath and tried to adjust a light bulb. He was just 39 years of age. 


Wednesday 22 December 2010

Chav rapping song



This one tickled me pink when I heard it - a song about chavs at their best/worst. You can stamp your feet and clap your hands between giggles on this one... :)












Claire - Tu veux ou tu veux pas



This is an old Brigette Bardot song being sung by a French artist called Claire. It has a great beat and of course the French can make anything sound great and sexy because of their cool language.


Tuesday 21 December 2010

The Exorcist - Original Spiderwalk



The spider walk from the newer clip of the Exorcist has a few other parts to it in this clip. I've put it on because it has a few added seconds. This movie frightened the life out of me when i first see it. The spider walk clip was not in it. Even today; the movie sends a shiver down my spine and this added clip makes it so much better.  


Dont show off!


I could not help but put on this clip. It is, after all, a rum little dittie if ever there was. It looks like one of those doggy fights that occur in underground places. One of the opponents is full of confidence and the quieter one is having non of it... :)


Sunday 19 December 2010

Moyra Melons ear rings for the air.

Moyra Melons fancied herself as a air hostess and bought a clothes rig out to see what she would look like if she were to acquire such employment. So, with great aplomb, the lovely Moyra set to work on building an image for the air passengers. Try as she did; Moyra could not find a way to tone down the look of her ear rings - they just stood out screaming to the detriment of everything else.

She waited for her poor husband to come home from work and as he walked through the door; his Moyra was looking up at him - just the way she is in the picture.

"Do you think they stand out to much?" she asked meaning her ear rings.

Her husband, once again, came over in a hot flush and gurgled something sounding like; "I don't think so or care."

He slammed the door shut and was in there with Moyra for rather a long time, but when they came out; Moyra was no longer interested in becoming an air hostess and her husband was glad to know it. I think he might miss her on long haul flights - wouldn't you?  


CERRONE - Love in C Minor



In 1977 when we all went out in a group, my friends and I used to really like this sound by CERRONE. It was called 'Love in C minor.' and we would play it and life seemed to be forever stretching before us. In the car as we drove about to clubs, pubs and other care free places with this sound getting us in the mood to go chasing the girls. We all fancied ourselves as BeeGees at the time and I can't help but chuckle at our ill deserved optimism. I thought those days would never end, but sadly they are long gone now and I am middle aged. 

Brian Jones - Crimewatch 1994




This is a clip from a documentary surrounding the death of Brian Jones in 1969. He drowned in his swimming pool age 27. The is still unsolved issues surrounding the rock star's untimely death and there is a movie out supposing he may have been murdered by a builder and minder working at Brian Jones' estate in Sussex, England.



 

LaBelle - Lady Marmalade (Live 1975)


This was a very vibrant song from 1975 when the soul/disco scene was really beginning to take off. The thing about this type of music scene was that everyone seemed to be enjoying life. No matter who you are or where you come from; you cannot help but be seduced into enjoying this music because it is like a fanfare to being alive.




Sunday 28 November 2010

Giving You: The Christmas Kids (A Short Story)

Little Mandy was woken in the early hours of the morning by the torch – her squinting face bathed in the bright beam. Her younger three and a half year old sister, Lucy, stood behind the light and whispered.



“It Christmas.”



“Not yet Lucy, we must wait for the morning light or Father Christmas won’t come.” Even though she could not put her finger on it; at five years of age, Mandy felt uncomfortable with her younger sister’s more leading nature. Lucy always seemed to be one step ahead on matters. Well maybe not on this occasion. “If we get up before he comes down the chimney; he won’t leave presents. We must be asleep or it doesn’t work.”



“Father Christmas been and gone.” Her tone was matter of fact as though they need not concern themselves with such things.



“How do you know that?”



“We left drink! It gone.”



The torch beam left Mandy’s face and swung across the room to the set of draws where the empty brandy glass was.



“Daddy said leave special Father Christmas lemonade before going back up chimney. Look! He drunked it.”



Mandy got out of bed, feeling the excitement swell. “He can’t come and take them back can he?”



“No, he come here first.”



“How do you know that?”



“Uncle Jim tolded me he does.”



“When Lucy?”



“Yesterday.” Lucy looked pleased with her knowledge. “I said, ‘Do Father Christmas come to you?’ And he said, ‘yes.’”



“So how do you know he comes here first?”



“If he visit grown ups first; he be late and I say, ‘Will see me first?’”



“Did Uncle Jim say yes Lucy?”



“Yes.” Lucy looked agitated. “I make sure.”



“So we can go down now.” Her voice had that thrilled edge to it and now it was really Christmas. Father Christmas had been, drank his brandy and moved on to other houses. She looked at Lucy confused. “Father Christmas will be drunk when he gets home.” She knew that Father Christmas drank grown ups lemonade as her Dad sometimes did.



The torch went out and the exasperated whisper replied in the blackness. “It don’t matter, he come here first.”



“Are we going down Lucy?”



The torch came back on with the beam pointing up at the ceiling allowing Mandy to see that Lucy had her finger over her lips – the younger of the two was now firmly in control of the situation. “Be good girl. Don’t wake Mummy and Daddy.” And like the little madam she was; gently took her elder sister by the hand. “We go to Harry and Tom in their room.”



Gingerly, the two little girls tip toed out into the hallway and made for, their ten year old brother, Harry’s bedroom where he slept with their elder cousin, Tom.



It was Harry’s turn to squint in the beam and he turned away from it muttering. “Mandy, you did this last year.”



“It ain’t me, it’s Lucy.”



“I woked her up,” came the defiant whisper. “Shoosh! Or you’ll wake Mummy and Daddy.”



Harry pulled the blanket over his head and giggled at his little sister’s antics.



Mandy did likewise, relieved that her brother was quickly over being grumpy. “Its Christmas morning and Father Christmas has been.”



The covers came back down and Harry sat up with his dishevelled hair pointing in all directions. He had a big mischievous smile upon his face. His little sisters still believed in Father Christmas and he was aware of the wonderful magic it held for them. His Mother had thoroughly drilled him on not spoiling the belief and in complying; he found it exciting to see their expectant faces looking at him in wonderment.



“Lucy, did you check to see if Father Christmas drank his special lemonade?”



“Yep, he’s drunked it all up.”



Again Harry tittered. “Well done.” He gave a mock look of being serious. “You didn’t spy him through the covers did you?”



“No.” Her little tone was utterly flabbergasted. “I were sleep.”



Mandy nodded her head in agreement. “It was too dark anyway.”



“Are you sure you did not get the tiniest peep of Father Christmas drinking his special lemonade.” Harry could not help grinning and knew when his little sister was being sparing with the truth.



She looked down at the floor and pursed her tiny lips and her jaw became pointed as though trying desperately not to sulk. Her eyes slowly lifted up to stare at him as he placed his hand over his open mouth in mock dread.



“He did not see you looking did he?” Her brother’s eyes sparkled and Lucy recognised the tone of his good natured teasing. She shook her head sheepishly and was delighted to see him hold out his arms, into which she happily moved.



“Well that’s alright then.” He gave her a firm cuddle and lifted her onto the bed. “What did he look like?”



“He had big red coat and white beard.”



“What else?”



“He drunked lemonade, fell over, crawled out of door laughing and Mummy told him off.”



Harry giggled again remembering how tipsy his Dad was when putting out the presents, wearing the Santa outfit, and staggering up the stairs, full of inebriated tomfoolery to the girl’s room to get the Brandy that had been left for Father Christmas.



Tom rolled over and rubbed his face before yawning. He looked over defiantly – as a rebellious twelve year old sometimes do. “There’s no such…”



“Shut up Tom!” scolded Harry harshly. “They’re little girls. Don’t spoil things.”



“Yeah, we little girls,” replied Mandy and Lucy.



Both boys sniggered at Lucy’s harsh reply because she was apt to agree with all things her big brother said – even when she was not sure what they meant.



“Come on then, let’s go down stairs and see the presents, shall we Lucy? And turn the torch out if you don’t want to wake Mum and Dad.”



Lucy complied and allowed Harry to carry her along the hallway with Mandy following, holding Tom’s hand. Their cousin was now playing along dutifully for the benefit of the little girls as they made for the stairs.



Lucy gasped as they passed the open door of their parent’s room and put her hand over her mouth. She had seen something that startled her. The rest of the children smiled at her antic as combined with the quite and darkness she unwittingly lent a sense of enthusiasm to the exquisite occasion. All put fingers to their lips – even Tom, who was beginning to rediscover the wonderful innocence of bygone Christmases.



They reached the bottom of the stairs and were overjoyed to see the array of wrapped presents beneath the big beautiful Christmas tree. All except Lucy, who still had her hand over her mouth looking at them with dismay?



Harry put her down and was a little disappointed to see her looking so unsure.



Tom knelt before her and took her hand feeling robbed of a grand occasion by the little girl’s lack of joy. “What’s the matter Lucy?”



Mandy was oblivious to the boys and her sister as she moved forward to the Christmas tree and peered down at the delightful sight of wrapped presents. She was only vaguely aware off Lucy’s mumbled reply to the boy’s concerned enquiries, but turned when both hissed trying to contain their amusement as they rolled on the floor with joyous gritted teeth. They dared not allow the hilarity to escape and wake the sleeping adults.



“What you laughing at Harry? Stop it Tom – she’s only a little girl.”



Lucy was standing before the boys, as they rolled about the floor, each holding his stomach; she had a big grin on her face knowing that she had accidentally elated them in some way.



Tom got on his hands and knees and looked at Mandy. “Lucy thinks we have to go back to bed because Father Christmas as drunk too much special lemonade and can’t get up the chimney.”



“Why? He’s gone.”



Harry tried to explain between chuckles. “She said she saw him when we were on the landing.”



Lucy looked at her, not knowing whether to laugh or be worried as she whispered, “Father Christmas in bed with Mummy.”


Wednesday 24 November 2010

Andre Rieu - Meine Lippen sie küssen so heiß


This piece, played by the fabulous Andre Rieu, makes me want to stick a rose between my teeth, stand on one leg and with the other raised (knee level with stomach). Both my arms are held straight up and with ill deserved confidence; I would pose before an attractive female - trying to woe her to dance with me like the man and lady in this scene.

I like to flatter myself that I would look dashing and irresistible while this tune is playing - having an attack of the virtuosos by a real virtuoso of the violin.

http://tinyurl.com/355gsrh



Tuesday 23 November 2010

kc and the sunshine band - get down tonight.mpg


A fine soul song from KC and the Sunshine Band. This clip is from a concert in 1977. It only seems like yesterday but now it is 33 years on. I loved this time and it reminds me of my youth when my life before me, seemed like a big adventure quest. I suppose it was really, but sometimes these wonderful clips take me back and stir little memories of how I used to feel.


Soul Train Line Dance to Earth Wind & Fire's "Mighty Mighty"




The Soul Train used to have some great funky dance scenes to some great 70s soul sounds. Everyone looks vibrant and happy - the presentation of this show was simple and wonderful - the songs and the dancing spoke for itself.

http://tinyurl.com/355gsrh




Monday 22 November 2010

Status Quo - Pictures Of Matchstick Men


This was one of my favorite Quo songs and I can remember watching this on television when I was a kid back in 1968. I wonder if they had any inkling how long they would be going for. This is a little flowery and reflects the signature of that particular time. Of course they developed or metamorphosed into a more raw type of rock group, but the beginnings are evident here and I have to admit, I like the flower power element to this early step in Quo's career. 

Saturday 20 November 2010

Moyra Melons ear rings in minimalist room

Moyra Melons was always looking for new ways to allow men to notice her splendid taste in ear bling. Her latest idea was to clear her room of furniture paint the walls plain white and wear a plain white dress.

Then she sat there, very contentedly waiting for her husband to come home from work. She was certain that amid plain white walls and white dress, in a minimalist decorated room; her poor husband could not help, but notice the subtle glow of the ear rings she was wearing.

Picture, if you will, her husband as he walks through the door. What will be the first thing screaming at him when he looks upon Moyra Melons sitting there? Yes you got it - her gorgeous ear wear because Moyra has cleverly fashioned things so that nothing else stands out - would you not agree?


Thursday 18 November 2010

Alice Cooper - Poison


Alice Cooper is an absolute showman and much of his singing is performed in live concerts. He has been going for a number of decades now and is always popular where ever he travels to perform. This track is called Poison and it it one of my favorites.


Marillion - Torch Song



I had to put this other song up by Marillion. As I have said on another blog; this band really makes me drift and think on all sorts of issues.


http://tinyurl.com/355gsrh


High pitched singing geezer of 10 CC ( Donna)




I remember the first time I heard this on Top of the Pops in the early 1970s. I remember my mother and father laughing, but still they liked it enough to buy the single. The band went on to do some excellent songs and some fine albums too. It seems like yesterday, but it was 35+ years ago and I was in Secondary school. Happy days when everything always seemed to be exciting. I suppose we all love our own little era - even such little charming yet trivial things like this song, which is a fine and quaint tune by the band 10 CC. I sometimes wonder what some of the old school mates are doing nowadays after a few decades of trials and tribulations.


Tuesday 16 November 2010

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Aeroplane


Another gem by Red Hot Chilli Peppers coupled with a nice piece of choreography to help the song along. Not that it needs any help, but this is a very happy and colourful presentation.

What Would Middle Age Priests Make of Marilyn Manson - Fight Song?




I would like to place this lot in a time bubble and put them on a stage in medieval Europe somewhere and watch the faces of the Christian religious orders when hearing the lyrics. I'm sure it would be a picture. Of course I would have to zap them away and back to today's times before the inquisitions could lay hands on them. I'm sure these people of our great protesting times would be regarded as the ant-Christ by the most moderate of people, during the middle ages. Peasants would be terrified of them and run willingly into the arms of fundamentalist Christian orders that ruled in those times.


Sunday 14 November 2010

Margaret Thatcher's political end (Poll Tax Riots London 1990)


She was one of the best though she was a person with many faults. I think Maggie deserves recognition because she was a true patriot and many did admire her greatly.

Well, I would not mind betting that there are a lot of people shouting "No Way" But then there will be as many applauding. When I was 18 years of age, Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister of United Kingdom and she gave the country a blooming big kick up the arse. The trouble was, I don't think she always knew when to stop kicking and many of us imagined we had bottoms that were constantly smarting. The reason I have picked Margaret Thatcher for praise is because I am  now 53 and I own my house because of her. I did not appreciate it at the time. I thought she was as hard as nails, which she was.

I worked in the Royal Mail (Post Office) throughout the 1980s decade and it seemed to be a rather turbulent time. I remember the unemployment and the clashes with the unions, most notably the miners strike. Everyone that confronted her was swept aside and I was one of the young who thought she was too harsh.

As much as it pains me to say this, I believe she got more right then she got wrong. I can visualise myself as a young man in his twenties - full of high ideas and morals - being disgusted with this older me, who is writing this. But if I could, I would like to reach down that time corridor and grab myself by the collar. I'd spit. "You are so full of Bull - you know nothing and she will do you right in years to come." She did, and to be fair on Maggie, she is one I did not appreciate at the time. I think a lot of us secretly miss her. Sometimes undesirable elements took the country on and I could not have wished such enemies upon a more formidable opponent. (I almost felt sorry for them)

If I could make one complaint to Margaret Thatcher it would be:

Why did you steam roller through the Pole Tax without properly reviewing such things. It could have been a good idea if you had taken the many variables of income into the equation. You really did drop the ball on that one and then it was the old; "And you to Brutus" from most of your ministers. It all stemmed from the Pole tax - I'm certain it did. You could have had a few more years, but for that.
No doubt, Mrs Thatcher would still hear none of this.

It is believed that the Poll tax signified the beginning of the end for Margaret Thatcher. She had stood her ground on many issues over 11 years and won. This, the hated Poll tax, was one she would loose, but only after her ministers manoeuvred her into quitting a short time later on other issues. However, the Poll tax was the original cause that began to really spiral out of control for her.

It is thought that the riot in central London, with the countrywide opposition to the Community Charge (especially vehement in the North of England and Scotland) contributed to the downfall of Margaret Thatcher, who resigned as Prime Minister in November the same year, defending the tax when opinion polls were showing 2% support for it. The next Prime Minister, John Major, announced it would be abolished.

War of 1812 - 1814 (USA against UK and Canada)

The War of 1812 was a little known military conflict in Britain, which was fought between the forces of the young USA and those of the British Empire – predominantly today’s Great Britain and Canada. The USA publicly declared war on Britain in 1812 for a number of reasons, including trade restrictions, press ganging of American merchant sailors into the Royal Navy, British support of American Indian tribes against US expansion, and the humiliation of American honor. These reasons were real on the part of the USA, and Britain was aiding the development of Indian nations to thwart the USA expanding westward.


However, behind the scenes, the USA was stealthily planning to absorb Canadian provinces into the American union and while Britain was engaged in a war in Europe against Napoleonic France. The US saw, what they believed, a good opportunity to strike. The USA was expecting more support from French Canadians then she got and upon this basis, the USA under estimated the over all Canadian will not to be part of the USA. In this theatre of the conflict, the USA lost. As far as Britain was concerned in thwarting US expansion westward and imposing international treaty restriction upon the young USA - well, Britain lost. These were strong issues of the time for both nations but their prominence diminished as the fruitless war almost got out of control. Britain had more pressing things to worry about in Europe and the USA got her nose bloodied against the Canadian militias. It was in the other theatres that the war began to take more unexpected turns.


From the British aspect, Napoleon's grand army was all but destroyed after the ill fated invasion of Russia. The joint forces of Austria, Prussia, Russia, Sweden and Great Britain were able to defeat France. This brought about an unexpected change of events for the USA. She was suddenly faced with a more focused and formidable force then expected.  



At first, the war was fought on a defensive basis by Britain. She relied on the strategy of Canada's volunteer forces. The Canadian militias were formidable against US aggression and managed to repel various American invasion attempts of her nation's provinces. The USA did manage to win control of Lake Erie and control parts of Ontario. They also defeated the Indian allies both in Canada and in the south west of their country which Britain had been manipulating.


However when things radically changed for the British Empire with the defeat of Napoleon in 1814; they were able to adopt a more aggressive approach and sent larger combat forces to the conflict. What followed was an upping of the political stakes. Britain and Canada won victories and the USA was able to win victories too. During one episode, the British managed to capture and burn Washington D.C. but eventually the Americans managed to repulse the British in this theatre of the war.

The White House during 1812 - 1814 War

At sea, both naval forces attacked one another scoring victories that were memorable on both sides, but neither side could seem to gain an upper hand.


The British no longer wanted or hoped to try and control the new USA and the Americans could not hope to gain Canadian provinces, though some of their own northern states came close to seceeding from the union and joining Canada. There was no gain for either side in the long run, just an escalating stalemate that neither side could afford to loose. Britain even tried to invade the US from the south but was stopped at New Orleans. At the end of the war, both sides occupied parts of the other's territory, but these areas were restored by the Treaty of Ghent.


In the end it was a war that neither USA or Britain could claim to have won. The Americans could claim it further united and bought their nation together. However, this could also be said of Canada and this was a harsh lesson, not lost, on the USA. 


Britain had more pressing matters and would leave the USA alone to continue with other far flung reaches of her Empire and stayed out of the USA's way concerning trade and supporting the Indian nations in future.