Michelle Shocked – I can remember precisely the moment I first heard Michelle.  It was in my Dad’s car in 1988 and the song ‘When I Grow Up’ came on the radio.  I knew straightaway that this girl was new, different and singing a great song in a style that defied description….and still does.  Alternative Folk – she is listed under, and it’s as good a name as any.  I bought the album ‘Short Sharp Shocked’ and never looked back – except to buy her first release, a live album recorded at a folk festival a couple of years earlier.  The Texas Campfire Tapes (1986) is a pretty straightforward acoustic set of not too brilliant songs.  Not bad songs but the recording is poor and her voice thin and reedy.  Saying that I do like ‘5 a.m. in Amsterdam’ and a couple of others, but even Michelle denigrated the album later.  Her first record proper was Short Sharp Shocked – and what a debut.  Perfectly formed and produced songs, almost every song a winner, and I fell in love with the album.  Opener ‘When I Grow Up’ is of course a gorgeous song with a tropical, almost reggae feel – and the letter sung ‘Anchorage’ is a classic by any standard (You know you’re in the largest state in the Union when you’re anchored down in Anchorage).  But my favourite is ‘Memories Of East Texas’ which rolls along describing Michelle’s learning to drive on East Texas red clay back roads.  For whatever reason I simply adore this song and usually repeat it again and again. I bought the expanded 2-disc version of this album with quite a few unreleased songs on it and some live versions, again brilliant but not essential to the collection.  Apparently, Michelle had her first three albums mapped out completely with songs and arrangements before she even had a record contract.  Her second was a slight change of direction; Captain Swing, which was a homage to the sounds of ‘swing’ and ‘big band’ music of before her birth.  Not that the songs are old-fashioned and are quite topical, especially ‘On The Greener Side’ and ‘The Cement Lament’ but as usual she mixed it up with a couple of love songs ‘Too Little Too late’ and ‘Must be Luff’ – but somehow this album disappointed me, and still to some extent still does, though I have learned to like it more as time goes by.   Her third effort was a country, almost bluegrass folk, album – Arkansas Traveller (1992).  I really loved this album for a while but listening now it seems a bit corny in a way.  Still, a handful of very good songs – ‘Come A Long Way’, ‘Over The Waterfall’ and ‘Secret To A long Life’.  She then left her Mercury label (incidentally retaining the rights to all her previous albums).  Two years later she released on her own independent label an album which is not now available at all – strange, as it really is possibly her best record ‘Kind Hearted Woman’ is a desperately sad album sung often in a keening wail of a voice.  It deals with hardships of life ‘Stillborn’ and ‘A Child Like Grace’ deal with infant deaths; ‘Winter Wheat’ and ‘Cold Comfort’ are about the hardships of small farmers.  But best of all is closer ‘No Sign Of Rain’.  A brilliant album – but maybe not for everyone.  She created her own record company for her later releases – Mighty Sound.  First was Deep Natural (2002) which came with a bonus disc ‘Dub Natural (mostly instrumental versions).   A brilliant album, and another change of style…this time an almost doowop swooping brass section – not jazz at all but an exciting sound.  Some brilliant tunes too; this girl can really write great songs.  Personal favourite is ‘Forgive to Forget’ (with the great line – holding on to the past is my deepest regret) – a gentle song to herself (let it go, let it go, let it go).  But I also love most of the other songs on this exciting record; ‘((Joy)), ‘Why Do I get The Feeling’, ‘If Not Here’ and best of all ‘That’s So Amazing’.  It really feels as if Michelle was inspired both in the writing and the execution of these songs; they absolutely knock me out.  Just listened again to the instrumental disc Dub Natural and it just rocks me too.  Then came a retrospective limited edition disc Shockolates – a pretty good resume, all my favourites up to Deep Natural.  Then three years later came not one but 3 albums.  Released simultaneously and as a threesome, the first of which was Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.  A bit of a mixed album, some very good songs but quite a few leave me cold.  Oh well; I really love ‘Evacuation Route’, ‘Elaborate Sabotage’ and ‘Goodbye’…but not much else (these just happen to be the quieter songs too).  Much better was the second in the trilogy Mexican Standoff, which has a definite TexMex flavour.   I really like this one; some great tunes and a lovely cohesive feel to it.  Best songs – ‘Lonely Planet’, ‘La Cantine el Gato Negro’ and ‘Match burns Twice’.  The third in the trilogy is Got No Strings and is a bunch of children’s or musicals songs, pleasant but a bit self indulgent.   Then came (for me) the disaster – a live gospel album recorded at a church; full of evengelical bullshit.  To Heaven U Ride….I hate it.  She did manage to redeem herself with Soul of My Soul (2009).  A simply lovely record – a return to form.  Best songs of hers for a long time; ‘Love’s Song’, ‘Other People’ and ‘True Story’  and ‘Pompeii’  are the best of a very good bunch.  And then nothing…Michelle is embarked on a battle with everyone in the music business, trying to stop anyone selling her music in any form that she doesn’t control whatsoever, a hopeless task.  Consequently, no new releases till she gets sole control…A pity as she is truly talented, if sadly silent of late

Mike Scott – was the singer in The Waterboys (see W), and I have just one solo album of his; which is strange, as it really is great.  I will make a note to myself to keep an eye out for him.  Bring ‘Em All In – 1995 is a pleasure to listen to – a classic singer-songwriter, mostly acoustic and fabulous songs – and oh, that voice, full of emotion and a lilting Scottish (almost Irish) accent.  Best songs – the title song, ‘Edinburgh Castle’ and ‘A Long Way To the Light’ – but really not a bad song on this record.

Scritti Politti – I have Louise to thank for this record, which she played almost constantly – and what a record; Songs To Remember 1982 was such a different and remarkably clever album; almost too clever for the music critics who struggled to pigeon-hole them.  They came out of the late punk scene but leaned more towards pop and what would become indie.  Lead singer and songwriter Green Gartside was truly an intellectual and littered his songs with references too obscure for more to fathom – but somehow they worked.  This was their debut album, delayed for a year because he had collapsed on stage and needed to recuperate. Well, all the songs on this record are great, I cannot help singing along to them.  Fave songs – ‘Assylums In Jerusalem’, ‘Lions After Slumber’ and ‘Rock-A-Boy Blue’.  They made a couple of later albums but I have never really been tempted.

Scouting For Girls – despite the ambiguity of their name, I quite like this recent Indie group.  A nice positive vibe, slightly reminiscent of early Squeeze (see S).  They had a minor hit with ‘She’s So Lovely’ and I like opener ‘Keep On Walking’ and closer ‘James Bond’ with it’s hidden ode to Micheala Strachan.   But sometimes just one album is enough….

Seasick Steve – was a strange phenomenon who popped up a few years ago and was a minor sensation….a completely unreformed old bluesman, hillbilly who played on homemade guitars – or maybe not, but who cares – he was quite a character.  He interspersed his songs with a narrative about surviving on handouts and riding trains etc;.  First up is the cleverly titled I Started Out With Nothing And I Still Got Most Of It Left (2008)  – This was his breakthrough album I think, and the first one I got.  It was very novel at the time, and I like the roughly mixed raw sound of the blues and mostly underproduced single guitar sound, his voice as rough as gravel on sandpaper he seemed very different.  Best songs – the title track, ‘Happy Man’ and the long mostly spoken ‘My Youth’ – however, these long monologues pall a bit the more you hear them.  I then went back and bought his debut Cheap (2004).   Well – not so different really – a bit grungier maybe.  And having listened twice, I can’t really pick out any favourite tracks.  Much the same must be said about his next album Dog House Music (2006).  Not that there is anything wrong with it, it just doesn’t grab me.  I haven’t kept up with him since.

The Senators – (not to be confused with an American band of the same name) were a duo from Scotland who emerged in early 80’s.  I discovered them via a couple of CD singles. I have 3 albumsand they are excellent…actually that was all they ever recorded.  I don’t know much about them, they aren’t on Wikipedia.  As far as I can make out they were two vocalists who sang on most of the self-written songs – they may have been Scottish.  They have an uncluttered sound where the voices are clear and you can hear every word.   Anyway, I really liked them, though they only made 3 albums before calling it a day.  Welcome to our World (1988) was their first.  A great collection of songs; best are ‘One More Chance’, ‘Little Italy’ and ‘Love and Small Talk’.  Their second was Hopes and Bodies (1990); the same template – delicate and catchy songs beautifully sung – best are ‘Good Morning World’, ‘Crying Wolf’ and an excellent cover of Van Morrison’s ‘Brown Eyed Girl’.  Their final album Lovely was released in 1992 – again the songs are great, if anything a touch sadder – best are ‘Forty Nights’, ‘Hosing Down The Strand’ and ‘Another Love Song’.  Hard to know why some bands are successful and others are not.  A pity, as I believe these boys had real talent, but then – when was talent the main determinant.

September Songs – The Music Of Kurt Weill.  A secret passion of mine, these are songs from the Thirties and Forties which many musicians have loved ad much as I have.  This collection was produced by Hal Wilner in 1997 and featured Nick Cave, Sting and many more and Elvis Costello among others.  Some brilliant interpretations and a thoroughly enjoyable listen – if only for some.

Ron Sexsmith – unusual name, unusual singer – but maybe not so unusual.  A distinctive voice and style, but at times the yearning sounds like whining.  Only one album – Boy Blue – sometime in the naughties…I quite like it, but then again nothing special really.

Ed Sheeran – and right up to date – well, almost.  Just the one album (so far) – X – (2014).   Now, I like his voice and his style and his apparent ability to mix genres old and new….but….somehow I don’t quite buy the hype; that he is the new genius on the block for a start.  When you even dare compare his musical progress to anyone from the Sixties or Seventies or even Eighties, come to that…well, of course there is no comparison….and probably never could be.  And that is for one simple reason.  Music meant something then, it was an identifier, it was our inspiration, it was the dominant cultural driver.  Now it is simply a background noise for adverts or computer games.  Not that there is not incredible talent – it is just that the whole industry, the scene, the genre has become tired.  And maybe after all – all the best songs have already been written.  Anyway, back to Ed; a very pleasant record, but it doesn’t make me go wow, as The Beatles or Dylan or Leonard or Joni or Neil or bowie or Elton…..or a hundred others did.  Maybe I am just old and cynical, but I will continue dipping my toe in today’s music – only to return hotfoot to the music I love the best. 

Buffy Sainte-Marie – I first heard Buffy in Sixth form, probably 66 or 67.  She was part of the folk movement and I liked her voice, part Indian – she seemed, and of course was, totally authentic.  Becoming a huge fan of her work in the seventies I had all her early albums on vinyl, and really should get them again in CD, naïve though they were in some respects.  My real enthusiasm for her started with 1971’s ‘Ballerina’ and I worked my way back to 1968’s I’m Gonna Be A Country Girl Again, which as the title suggests is a full-on country album – and I love it.  Raunchy arrangements and great melodies and, oh – that voice.  She obviously loves the genre and gives it all she has got – I particularly love a couple of quieter songs ‘Tall trees In Georgia’ and ‘Take My Hand For A While’ with sumptuous melodies and a melt your heart voice.  But the up-tempo songs are pretty good too; the title song and ‘Soulful Shade Of Blue’.  She still does a couple of numbers with mouthbow, a unique trick of hers – but especial thanks for one of her early Indian political songs, an updated arrangement of ‘Now That The Buffalo’s Gone’ her lament for on-going Indian deceit by the U.S. Government. The following years album was a complete change of sound.  All the sounds on the album have been synthesised form Buffy’s voice and guitar.  In fact, as far as I can find, one of the first uses of synthesised sound, and incidentally one of the most exciting.  Sad that in the 80s synthesisers simply tried to replicate acoustic instruments.  Anyway, the album Illuminations will always be in my top 100 albums and I play it regularly.  Not everyone’s cup of tea maybe and on first listen it can sound harsh, but somehow the songs and her voice worm their way into your consciousness and you end up worshipping the record.   It starts with Buffy singing an unrecorded poem of Leonard Cohens’.  It is actually an excerpt from his book Beautiful Losers, which incidentally features sex scenes with an American Indian (co-incidence or a likely story – but Buffy maybe had an affair with Leonard; almost everyone else did) A couple of up-tempo, almost hard rocking numbers; ‘Better To Find Out For Yourself’ and ‘Keeper Of The Fire’.  There are semi-religious songs; ‘Mary’ and ‘Adam’ and a couple of gentle ballads; best of which is the hauntingly beautiful ‘Guess Who I Saw In Paris’.  The album ends with another chilling but exquisite vocal ‘Poppies’.  As soon as the album ends, I just want to put it back on again.   She followed this with maybe her best-selling album She Used To Wanna Be A Ballerina (1971).  It had quite a big hit, which she sung on Top Of The Pops – ‘Soldier Blue’ – which was the title track of a film about atrocities against Native Americans and was a minor sensation.  But the album was a quite full-on rock album; with great production and a good choice of songs, with a handful of covers – ‘Bells’ by Leonard Cohen’ and ‘Helpless’ by Neil Young, where I think she sings the song better than the original.  But there are a handful of great songs from her own pen – ‘Moratorium’ (an anti-war song), ‘The Surfer’ and best of all a really sad and heartfelt song ‘Now You’ve Been Gone For A Long Time’ (best line – I wonder why you padlocked up my heart if you never meant to return).  A brilliant album….and yet…like so many others, she failed to follow this up with anything as good for a very long time.   1971 saw a half decent album Moonshot.  I quite liked it but felt she was moving just a bit too close to the middle of the road, her voice was splendid as usual, but the songs mostly lacked that brilliance of her three former albums.  Best are 2 songs reflecting her Indian heritage ‘He’s An Indian Cowboy In The Rodeo’ and ‘Native North American Child’ – but most of the other songs don’t really reach great heights.  Then followed 3 albums which I felt were pretty mediocre; I only bought them much later as a set of 3 albums on 2 discs. Quiet Places, Buffy and Changing Woman – did little to enhance her reputation, a couple of half-decent covers – Joni’s ‘For Free’ and ‘Eventually’ – a couple of half decent songs ‘Hong Kong Star Boy’ and ‘Eagle Man, Changing Woman’ are okay – but most of the rest just passes me by.  But….she had one last album in the Seventies – 1976’s Sweet America, which more than made up for the previous trio.  Almost every song sounds great, her voice never better and the songs just sparkle.  From opener ‘Sweet America’ to closer ‘Ain’t No Time For The Worrying Blues’ she sounds positively happy…but best of all are a couple of songs where she uses traditional Indian chants in her songs; ‘QueAppelle Valley’ and ‘Honey Can You Hang Around’ are simply superb.  A welcome return to form….but then Buffy retired from the music business and took up a residency as a presenter in Sesame Street.  I never watched the programme, but apparently, she was a great success.  However, after her own children were grown she returned to recording – and how.  Co-incidence and Likely Stories suddenly appeared in 1992, sixteen years after her last record.   And Buffy was now fully committed to her Indian heritage and her political views still as bright as they ever were.  She re-works a couple of her old songs but the new ones are pretty fierce too….especially ‘The Big Ones Get Away’ and ‘Disinformation’…but best are two quieter songs ‘Fallen Angels’ and ‘Goodnight’.  A pretty confident return to form.  1996 saw a re-recording of many of her earlier songs – a sort of greatest hits.  She included a song she never released but which she had written for a film ‘Up Where We Belong’, and Buffy’s version is much quieter and reflective than the Jennifer Warnes and Joe Cocker extravaganza (which had been a big hit).  I am not sure that these versions bring anything new to the songs and the whole album smacks of a hint of desperation.  Another new album came out in 2000 – Running For The Drum.  Not bad but the few new songs were supplemented by yet more re-recordings of older songs; still the new ones are pretty cool – best are ‘Too much is Never Enough’ and ‘Still this Love Goes On’.  One last original album came out a few years later Power In The Blood – and here the producer has tried to really update her sound for the 21^st century – I am not sure it works.  The title track is very modern sounding but the words are lost.  Some good songs though – ‘orion’ and ‘Love Charms’.  So far that is it – but I do have 2 greatest hits; Soldier Blue – The Vanguard Years – is a lot of her earlier albums, which are the best, even the pure folk early ones.  Fave songs – Co’dine and a couple of covers ‘Helpless’ and ‘For Free’.  Hardly essential but a nice selection.  I also found The Best of Buffy – Vol 2 a while back.  No surprises, but nice to hear songs like ’97 men In This Here Town’ and ‘Reynardine’. 

Mark Ronson – well, this is a record producer of the 2010s and probably beyond. Just the one album – Version – which is a few of the hit records he has produced. Means nothing to me really, a bit of a bore.  Sorry.

Kevin Rowland – lead singer of Dexys (see D) has had a rather unsuccessful career, attempts at going solo and resurrecting a new version of his old band – nothing has really worked.  Which is a pity as he has a sumptuous voice full of emotion and writes (when he can be bothered) intelligent songs.  He released an album in 1999 My Beauty – which is one of the strangest artifacts to have ever hit the record shelves.  A cover photo of Kevin half naked in a black dress and a bunch of covers where he often changes the words to reflect his (supposed) recovery from addiction….he even mumbles in a couple of songs that he is getting better.  A rather sad record really, but a couple of the tracks are quite good but hardly essential to anyone’s collection – ‘Concrete and Clay’ and ‘Labelled With Love’ – but even then they are not really as good as the originals.

Roxy Music – although I had a couple of their albums in the Seventies (on vinyl, now existing on cassette) and I liked the singles – I was never a big fan.  I foulnd them a bit too contrived really – still I have one of their Greatest Hits – The Collection…and it is, as expected, pretty good.  Best tracks  – ‘Virginia Plain’, ‘Love Is The Drug’ and ‘More Than This’.  But no desires to buy any of their old albums.

Todd Rundgren  – I remember this eccentric American from the Seventies, when he was into prog rock, which I suppose he still is.  He was for a while a go-to record producer too.  I picked up this CD in a charity shop – Liars – (2004).  I am still not sure of it – firstly it is very long and the sound is pretty dense too.  But there is a certain charm about the album and it ranges in style from soul to heavy rock.  The track titles seem to bear little resemblance to the lyrics which are largely unclear. So, it remains an outlier in the collection.

Kate Rusby – Little Lights is my sole album of hers.  A very pleasant voice, a folksinger but quite lyrical and modern sounding.  Hard to pick out favourite tracks but ‘Withered and Died’ sticks in my mind.

Leon Russell – a truly great rock piano player and singer. He first came to notice in the late 60s on the Mad Dogs and Englishman Tour with Joe Cocker.  He also played a lead role in George’s ‘Concert For BanglaDesh’ in 1971.  He has one of the most distinctive voices in Modern Music, a sort of lazy Southern Drawl but which worms its way into your brain.  He plays a sort of Swamp Rock with a lot of rocky piano.  Just 3 albums; first is Leon Russell And The Shelter People (1971) which was his third album (he was incredibly prolific).  This record actually has 3 Dylan covers (or 5 on the CD version), best of which is ‘A Hard Rain’s A Gonna Fall’ But best of all is ‘Home Sweet Oklahoma’, ‘Stranger in A Strange Land’ and his cover of George’s ‘Beware Of Darkness.’ A great album which swings from first to last.  1972 saw the release of Carney (at the time his best-selling record).  Not as iconic as his previous albums and a bit slower and I think the songs generally aren’t as good.  Well, for whatever reason it is not in any way on my list of great albums; maybe it was just too much expectation – who knows.  Anyway, I did buy one or two more Leon albums on Vinyl, but have not been tempted to get the CDs – well, there just are so many artists I like.  Best songs are ‘Me and Baby Jane’ and ‘Roller Derby’.   Only one other solo Leon album (see Elton for his collaboration – Th Union) Anything Can Happen  which was I think 1992.  Quite a nice record, but nothing too exciting…best tracks…the title track and a cover of Chuck Berry’s ‘Too Much Monkey Business’

Damien Rice – Another more recent singer and I really like him – at least the album I bought O (2002).  Quite an orchestral album and some beautiful sweeping melodies; this was his debut and made a bit of a splash on its release, but I don’t seem to have heard much about him since – and like quite a few more modern singers I haven’t pursued his other records (which may well be a pity).  Anyway – the album – pretty good really, and different enough to spark the brain cells.  Best songs – ‘Volcano’, ‘The Blowers Daughter’ and ‘Eskimo’.  I really should look out for some of his other records (but I probably won’t).

Keith Richards – famous guitarist of the Stones (see R), who has made only a couple I think of solo efforts.   Talk is Cheap (1988) came at a time that the stones were more or less on an extended sabbatical.  It is okay but not that much different from the Stones, except that the vocals are obviously more restrained.  Not a brilliant album really.

Robbie Robertson – was the lead guitarist of a band The Hawks, who Dylan hired in ’65 and became known as The Band.  He has had quite a varied solo career and is particularly concerned with Native American issues.  First up is a Soundtrack album Music For The Native Americans (1994) – backed by The Red Road Ensembe it is a largely instrumental album but with various singers.  Best songs are ’Ghost Dance’, ‘Golden Feather’ and ‘It Is A Good Day To Die’.  A really good record; I love these Indian rhythms and vocals, often based on traditional chants (see also records by Buffy Ste Marie  see S).  Quite a different album.  Nest is 1998s Contact From the Underworld of Red Boy – which continues the themes in the previous record but musically it is updated to mix in more modern sounds. There is one superb track ‘Sacrifice’ featuring Leonard Peltier – who has been incarcerated for over twenty years for an unproven murder in a shootout between red Indians and law enforcement officers.  A very moving testimony.  I also like ‘The Code Of Handsome Lake; and the modern beats of ‘Making A Noise’.  Another great record.  On the strength of these I bought 2011s How To Become Clairvoyent.  And I find the magic is almost gone, it really just passed me by; which is a shame as it may be quite good – I just cannot get into it.

Tom Robinson Band – A bit of nostalgia here…a great but shortlived band; only 2 real albums I think in the mid-seventies.  Great politics and even better songs – I have a Greatest Hits Rising Free album; full of political and raucous songs – of course, the big hit – ‘2- 4-6-8 Motorway’ but also ‘Martin’ and ‘Sing If You’re Glad To Be Gay’ – and a great version of Dylan’s ‘When I Paint My Masterpiece.’  Tom never quite made it as a solo artist, though he continued to write good songs like ‘War baby’.  I caught up with him in the early nineties singing with another great favourite of mine – Martyn Joseph (see J).

Rock Follies – another trip down the Seventies memory lane. This was a TV series about a girl rock group featuring Rula Lenska and Julie Covington (see C). The music was written by Andy Mackay of Roxy Music (see R).  And it was great, I really loved it.  The album is pretty good, though it sounds really dated now.  I still enjoyed it – best songs – ‘Sugar Mountain’, ‘Stairway’ and ‘Biba Nova’.

The Rolling Stones – well, they don’t come much bigger than this.  I loved the singles in the Sixties but the first album I bought was 1971’s Sticky Fingers (with the real zip on it) and what a great album it was – and still is, sounding as fresh as anything released later.  It was 2 years since their last album and released on their own record label – so maybe the songs were the best of that 2 year period.  Opening with those iconic chords of ‘Brown Sugar’ the album doesn’t miss a beat until closer ‘Moonlit Mile’.  But my fave tracks are ‘Wild Horses’ (surely influenced by Gram Parsons (see P) who was Keith’s best pal at the time) and ‘Dead Flowers’ – but also ‘Sister Morphine’ (incidentally co-written by Marianne Faithful, though she had to wait decades for any credit or royalties).  The album was a number 1 hit here and in America and established them as not only a Sixties band but one ready for the new decade.   I now own an expanded version of this with an extra CD of demo and live tracks which is pretty good too.  They followed this classic with the somewhat sprawling but brilliant double album Exile On Main Street. (1972)….and really what a great record it was – and still is.  Hit single ‘Tumbling Dice’ was one of their most danceable songs; ‘Sweet Virginia’ was the Stones own swamp laden slice of Americana; ‘Sweet Black Angel’ is almost hip-hop; and Keith sings his very own composition ‘Happy’.  But I also like ‘Torn and Frayed’ and ‘Loving Cup’.  Like many double albums it does flag a bit and could have been a better single disc.  But really it is hard to fault.   The hits kept coming…the next year they released another cracker Goats Head Soup.  This begins with ‘Dancing With Mr. D.’ a really infectious track and doesn’t let up after that. My favourites are ‘Coming Down Again’, ‘Can You Hear Me Knocking’ and the plaintive ‘Angie’.  It’s Only Rock and Rollfollowed a year later, only really spoiled by the ludicrous cover.   Another pretty cool album though with tracks like ‘Aint Too proud To Beg’, ‘If You Really Want To be My Friend’ and best of all ‘Time Waits For No-one’.  The sort of record you immediately want to turn over and play again (though nowadays that is simply press a button or ask Alexa to repeat it).  Black and Blue came out in 1976 and was definitely a bit more bluesy.  And not so popular really…but I quite liked it; the tracks are longer and only 8 of them, which maybe left some fans feeling a bit short-changed.  When bands start lengthening the tracks and shortening the length of each side it is usually because they were short of new material.  Anyway, best songs are ‘Memory Motel’, ‘Hey Negrita’ and a song which was one of their best ‘Fool To Cry’.  Some Girls came out in 1978 and was in my humble opinion their very best album.  It was controversial as the title song had the line ‘black girls just wanna get fucked all night’, which while maybe a reflection on their experiences was not the best thing to sing about.  But every song seemed to have an edge; maybe it was Charlie’s very sharp drumming or just the style of playing and the quality of the songs, but I love every track and if I had to keep just one album of theirs – this would be the one.  If I have to choose – ‘Miss You’, ‘When the Whip Comes Down’ and ‘Faraway Eyes’.  A great album.  And for whatever reason I more or less stopped buying their records in the Eighties.  I had one or two on vinyl but haven’t bothered to get them on CD.  I did but a much later record – A Bigger Bang – (2005) and while good in places, it is far too long and too many poor songs -still – best are ‘Biggest Mistake’, ‘Laugh, I Nearly Died’ and ‘Infamy’.  Trouble is that long before this they had really been treading water, huge World Tours and mediocre records.  In fact, I believe they released almost as many live albums as they did new material.  They are now the best Rolling Stones Tribute Band in the world.  I did buy one live album Stripped (1995) – a rare non stadium album where they played a really stripped down set (hence the name).  there are 6 songs from this session, including ‘Like A Rolling Stone’ a rare Dylan cover.  They also re-recorded 8 of my favourite tracks in a less bombastic 4 piece style.  A really nice record, but maybe one for collectors only.   The only other Stones album I have is Blue and Lonesome, which I think is their latest studio record.  It is almost entirely an album of old blues standards by the likes of hank Williams and Robert Johnson….and although they do it well, it is simply boring.  I also have one of the many greatest hits Forty Licks.  Good to hear old songs like ‘Not Fade Away’ and ‘Satisfaction’.  So, that was the Rolling Stones – one of the iconic bands of all time, and still (sort of) going strong.

Eddi Reader – She was the lead singer in Fairground Attraction (see F) which I loved, even though they were very short-lived as a band, I felt that her voice carried the group, even if she was not the songwriter.  She also appeared in a BBC Scotland series ‘Your Cheating Heart’ (see W) which was superb; so, I had high hopes for her as a solo artist – but really, I find she has been disappointing and seems to have had an obscure and sporadic career.  Her second album Eddi Reader (1994) was pretty encouraging – (I did have her first on vinyl, but not on CD) I especially like ‘The Patience of Angels’, ‘Dear John’ and ‘Joke’.  It was a bit idiosyncratic and I had high hopes – which were never reached as her next Candyfloss and Medicine (1996) seemed a bit bland. The only song which seems to resonate was ‘Rebel Angel’.  Two years later she released Angels and Electricity.  And it got no better.  Listening again it seems just too light, too ethereal and passes you by like the traffic on a busy road…oh well.  She has continued recording but I haven’t dipped my toe in the water since.

Lou Reed – was the lead singer in The Velvet Underground (see V), and was a great friend and influence on Bowie (see B), who produced his biggest hit album Transformer (see below) – he also married Laurie Anderson (see L), a real avant garde artist who simply ploughed his own furrow, regardless of praise or record sales.  Only the one record – the big one – Transformer, and quite an excellent if now sounding a bit dated, record it was.  Lou Reed has a lazy drawling voice which works on some songs and not on others.  But the production is second to none and the sheer brilliance of the songs shine through.  Best are ‘Perfect Day’, ‘Walk On The Wild Side’ and ‘Satellite Of Love’. 

Otis Redding – One of the great soul voices of the Sixties, who died tragically so young and just after his first bite of the fame cherry.  A seemingly effortless style, he apparently nailed ‘Dock of The Bay’ at a first attempt.  I only really knew that song and years later bought a Greatest Hits compilation on the strength of it.  He seems to have recorded many songs that were also hits by others ‘Respect’ (Aretha) and ‘Satisfaction’ (Stones) and a gorgeous ‘Mr Pitiful’ and ‘My Girl’ – a lovely but rarely played collection.

Terry Reid – another unheard of genius.  He made quite a stir in late sixties London and went to L.A. to try a solo career, while there he got a call to front a new band, which he declined instead suggesting a friend of his.  The friend was Robert Plant and the new band was Led Zeppelin.  Oh well.  He had made 2 albums and a few singles in London which had sold poorly but pleased the critics.  They have been re-released along with the singles as a double album Superlungs.  A mixed bag really, some incredible performances and some sounding just too ordinary – which almost sums up his career.  Best on disc 1 are ‘Season Of The Witch’ (a Donovan song covered also by The Zombies), ‘Better By Far’ and ‘Without Expression’.  Disc 2 was a bit jazzier and more like his next album in style. Some good tracks – best were ‘Stay With Me Baby’, ‘Rich Kids Blues’ and a cover of Dylan’s ‘Highway 61 Revisited’.  He moved to America and recorded his first album River in 1973 – it was one of those albums that was an underground hit but never surfaced to general applause.   It was way ahead of it’s time really – a fusion of jazz and rock which had some great tracks but nothing commercial on it.  I remember when Joy and I first met; she played me River and I played her McCartney’s Red Rose Speedway.  Love at first listening.  It still wows me…best tracks are ‘Dean’, ‘River’ and ‘Milestones’ (where he duets with himself on a dreamy coda – lovely).   Quite recently an album of other tracks from these sessions was released – The Other Side Of The River.  It’s okay, but nothing as good as the finished record.  He followed River with my favourite of his records Seeds Of Memory (1976).  This is just one of those records you can fall in love with’ it simply rolls along – great tunes, great singing and playing and enough variety to keep you coming back for more.  From the first guitar notes of lead off track ‘Faith To Arise’ you are hooked – well I was anyway.  Almost every song a winner – especially the title track and ‘Brave Awakening’ which is a quite unique song, never heard anything like it before (or since).  Great stuff.  So, what went wrong?  Who knows, but he never reached these starstruck heights again – or came even close.  The record sold poorly and his follow up was a huge disappointment.  Rogue Waves (1979) casts him as a middle of the road rock singer and features covers of ‘Walk Away Renee’, ‘Then I Kissed Her’ and others and a very few original songs.  Which is a great pity as he has written some great tunes for others and collaborated with many rock idols of the 60’s and 70’s.  having said that his voice on some of these songs is superb….if you like that sort of thing.   He turned to session work in the 80s, singing and playing guitar for various artists.  But in 1991 he recorded a new album – The Driver.  Well, not as good as his first 2 U.S. albums but not so bad really.  A good cover of the Waterboys ‘The Whole Of The Moon’, but which really adds little to the original.  Likewise, a cover of Traffics ‘Gimme Some Lovin’ – good but not that much better.  A few self-written songs, best of which are ‘The Fifth Of July’ and ‘Laugh At Life’; overall a disappointment.  No more studio albums either but a quite interesting Live In London, released in 2013.  Terry seems to still enjoy singing and playing, and he is quite a raconteur too.  A few expanded songs from his great albums like ‘River’ and ‘Faith To Arise’.  Although the new songs seem a bit rambling and unfocussed.  A good cover of Sinatra hit ‘In The Wee Small hours’ – but overall a far too slow jazzy sound for my old ears.

Pulp – another of the 90‘s bands that erupted along with Oasis and Blur as some sort of new British revival of Pop.  And pretty damned good they were too, though it all seemed down to frontman Jarvis Cocker.  I have just the one CD – Different Class – which was probably their biggest record.  Quite enjoyable, and definitely takes you back – best songs are ‘Common People’, ‘Disco 2000’ and ‘Sorted for E’s and Whizz’. 

Quantum Jump – This was my old friend Rupert Hine recording as a band with session players.  I am struggling to buy their two albums on CD so have had to resort to youtube…oh well.  Great music, as you would expect. 

Queen – well, almost as big as The Beatles were in the previous decade.  I had most of their albums but just their three greatest hits on CD these days. Greatest Hits 1 was really the best of course.  From ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ through to ‘We Are The Champions’ it doesn’t falter at all.  Personal favourites are ‘Killer Queen’, ‘You’re My Best Friend’ and ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’.  They managed to be both pioneering in musical styles and incredibly commercial at the same time.  And especially with their late career comeback at Live Aid who could not love them.   Greatest Hits 2 – is their later stuff, still great mostly; especially ‘Hammer To Fall’ and ‘Radio GaGa’ and of course the duet with Bowie ‘Under Pressure’.  Another great collection.  Greatest Hits 3 – though, is a disappointment. Sounds of scraping the barrel ensue – a few minor tracks and solo efforts by Freddie and Brian May, and a couple of live renditions with different vocalists – still, as a coda it sort-of works.  And despite loving them early on and even in their pomp and maturity I have no desire to get the albums….mind you, if a decent box set comes out…

Gerry Rafferty – he of Stealers Wheel (see S) – he had one great album really and then sort of drifted off stage left.   City To City was a superb record; of course it contained the sublime jazzy track ‘Baker Street’, which is one of those songs which just has legs and still receives loads of radio play (just like Stuck in the middle with you, another Rafferty song by Stealers Wheel).  But almost every song is really good, especially ‘Stealin |Time’ and ‘Whatever’s Written In Your Heart’.  A lovely record, and though he continued to record he never had another big hit album. 

Chris Rea – another Northeast boy, who slowly grew in popularity; a superb guitarist and a soulful voice and best of all an excellent songwriter.   I caught up with him a bit late and worked backwards a bit – though not all the way.  First up is Water Sign (1983); no big hits but his unique laid-back soulful style was there and the songs just roll along. A few favourites –‘I Can Hear Your Heart Beat’, ‘Texas’ and ‘Midnight Blue’.  In fact not a bad song anywhere.   This was followed by possibly his real breakthrough album Shamrock Diaries (1985) – A classic album featuring the big hit ‘Stainsby Girls’ and also ‘Steel River’ (about his home town of Newcastle) and ‘Josephine’.  His popularity soared after this, he had a unique sound and a distinctive gentle voice and seemed to catch the mid-eighties wave for soulful smooth almost jazzy music.  I didn’t buy everything of his but his next album was On The Beach (1986).  This seemed a slower, more reflective record – the title track is very laidback, and I love ‘Giverney’ (home of Monet).  ‘Little Blonde Plaits’ is sweet too.  In fact, the whole album just drifts by in a haze of gentle guitar and voice, which can mean of course that you don’t really hear the words at all.  Much better was his biggest album The Road To Hell (1989).  The title track was a huge hit and established Chris as a real star.  The whole album is much stronger, the production more varied and a full band sound; the songs too seem to be better; the words seem to stick in the brain a bit better.  Best songs are the title song, ‘Daytona’, ‘You Must Be Evil’ and ‘Texas’.  thoroughly enjoyable album.    Next was Auberge (1991) – and another sumptuous album.  I especially like the title track and Gone Fishing and Every Second Counts.  The Road To Hell Volume 2 – 1991 was a bit of a disappointment, as it always is when a famous album is attempted to be used to sell a new one.  It was probably okay but I cannot really recall a great song.  Espresso Logic (1993) is my last of his; this was a bit better, especially the songs Julia and ‘Summer Love’.  Last is one of the earlier Greatest Hits – which is superb, especially ‘Ace of Hearts’.

Prince – Well…I never really liked him or his music, which I suppose you would call funk.  I only have The Very Best Of Prince, and apart from the big singles ‘Purple Rain’ ‘1999’ etc…it still doesn’t work for me.

The Proclaimers – I saw them live at one of The Fleadhs in Finsbury Park in the early nineties I think, and they were great and I started buying their albums.  Their debut was pretty good too – This Is The Story (1987), if a bit rough around the edges.  A predominantly acoustic sound, lightened by their evocative Scottish accented vocals.  Best song by a mile is ‘Letter From America’, but I also like ‘Misty Blue’ and ‘Make My Heart Fly’ But their follow-up really was one of their best – Sunshine On Leith (1988).  With a fuller more rounded sound and better production, and most important a batch of brilliant songs this album really established the band.  From the opener ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)’ to exuberant closer ‘Oh Jean’ – there isn’t a poor song on the record.  I particularly love ‘Cap In Hand’, the title track, their take on ‘My Old Friend The Blues’ and ‘Come on Nature’.  I had a couple more on vinyl back when but only have one more original on CD; 2007’s Life With You.   A pretty good album, if it has lost some of the excitement and fervour of their earlier albums – best songs are ‘In Recognition’ (a jibe at rock stars getting above themselves), ‘Harness Pain’ and ‘If There’s A God’ ( a great philosophical song almost questioning religion itself).  The CD came with a live album which is pretty good too.  I do have 2 greatest hits CDs – The Best Of – which has all the hits, including my favourite – their version of Roger Miller’s ‘King Of The Road’.  And Finest – which is a bit quieter and more reflective; with a few lesser known gems.  Both are great for parties or just when you want a quick fix of these Scottish laddies.

Procul Harum – Of course they had a number one hit with ‘Whiter Shad Of Pale’ in 1967 itself.   And in a way they never recovered from that; they had a couple of lesser hits – best was ‘Homburg’ – but they seemed to get lost in the late Sixties explosion of great bands.  I have Greatest Hits – which is really all you need.

The Pretenders – Just a Greatest Hits.  Never a fave band but they had quite a few good singles…

Dory Previn – another dead heroine I am afraid.   Born in 1925, Dorothy Langdon was a lyricist for some Hollywood films in the Fifties.  In 1959 she married Andre Previn, with whom she wrote a few songs for more films.  She divorced him in the late 60s and decided to pursue a solo career; this was the advent of Singer-Songwriters, and although already in her Forties she had the skills to be a great writer of songs.  She explored the deeper themes of rejection and depression.  In the early 60’s she had released an album of her songs The Heart Is A Hunter.  This is quite a jazzy piano-led album (Andre playing) and is naïve but witty at the same time, though not at all representative of her later style.  As a notorious completist I bought it; I quite like some of it, notably ‘Can’t We Be Enemies’ and ‘Lonely Girl in London’.  But her career proper started in 1970 with On My Way To Where.  A brilliant debut, with sprightly tunes which counterpointed her often desperately sad lyrics…I discovered later that she had been hospitalised with her second nervous breakdown after her husband Andre Previn left her for Mis Farrow, about twenty years younger than her, which prompted the song ‘Beware Of Young Girls’ on this album.  She had also suffered a very unhappy relationship with her father, reflected in many songs, such ‘I Ain’t His Child’ (My daddy says I ‘aint his child, ‘aint that something wild) and ‘With My Daddy In The Attic’.  There are also songs about sad and insecure women, and the pressures put on men; ‘Michael Michael Superman.’  The songs are of course brilliantly written and sung, though the production is at times a bit too middle of the road.  The album closes with a sound collage of mostly Dory’s voice coming from alternate speakers – ‘Mister Whisper’.  Much better was her second album of that year Mythical kings and Iguanas, which is overall maybe her best record.  From the opener and reprise of the title song she doesn’t put a foot wrong.  Producer Nik Venet subtly arranges the backing and features a lot of Dory and her guitar.  Very hard to pick a best song as they are all brilliant; maybe my favourites are ‘Yada Yada La Scala’ and ‘Lady With The Braid’ and of course the tragic tale of ‘Mary C. Brown and The Hollywood Sign’ (she hanged herself from the second or third letter O).  Wow – this was hardly off my turntable in 1971.  She stepped back a bit with her third, though fame and fortune seemed the last thing she would want.  Reflections In A Mud Puddle came out in late ’71 and had a song-suite on side 2 ‘Taps, Tremors and Timesteps) One Last Dance For My Father), where she maybe tried to exorcise his ghost.  It is a lovely sequence of songs but a bit harrowing.  Side one contains more, almost political, songs; ‘Doppelganger’ and ‘The Talkative Woman and The General’, and my favourite – ‘The Enzyme Detergent Demise of Ali McGraw’ (mine was a Wednesday death).  An exquisite but quieter album.  Dory resurrected a song from Mythical Kings to entitle her next record, 1972s Mary C Brownand The Hollywood Sign.  This was a more ‘produced’ album, with strong songs a bit more ‘rocky’ too.    Despite the almost ‘overproduction’ at times I love the songs; ‘The Holy man on The Malibu Bus’, ‘When A Man Wants A Woman’, ‘Left Hand Lost’ and ‘The Perfect Man’ are all exceptional…she closes with a trio of songs where the melodies are far rockier; ‘King Kong’, ‘Jesus Was An Androgyne’ and Anima Animus’ where she sings more loudly, and higher notes, an almost new Dory – but really I prefer the quieter version.    For whatever reason Dory left her record label United Artists and recorded later with Warner Brothers.  Her best work was undoubtedly in these first four albums and a greatest hits In Search Of Mythical Kings is the best of quite a few belated Greatest Hits.  Also an excellent live album Live At Carnegie Hall came out in 1973 with only one new song, but a very nice record,  A self-titled album Dory Previn heralded her next album in 1974.  Well, a bit of a disappointment really…the songs are okay but somehow the record never excites.  New producer too, and a quieter more introspective style.  Best songs are ‘Coldwater Canyon’ and ‘The Obscene Phone Call’.  Two years later and her final album Children Of Co-incidence and Harpo Marx…another disappointment really – she just seems to have gone off the boil; the songs seem quite inconsequential, as if she was just going through the motions  – and maybe she was.  Only a couple of good songs; best of which is her take on The Owl And The Pussycat. She had a history of mental breakdowns – and she turned to writing an autobiography and a handful of unsuccessful musicals.  She never returned to recording again, though there was one download only ‘Planet Blue’ which is quite frankly dire.  Oh well, she died in 2012 aged 84; she was in her late thirties when she had her 15 minutes of fame.  I know that most of you will never have heard of her – but she is well worth a listen

Prefab Sprout – this is one of those bands which emerged in the early 80s, along with Deacon Blue (see D) and Aztec Camera (see A).  Lead singer, songwriter and musician was Paddy MacAloon, a superbly talented guy who revered the music of McCartney, Gershwin and Bacharach; he had a unique ‘pop’ sensibility.  Their first album 1984s Swoon (which Paddy insisted stood for Songs Written Out Of Necessity) was pretty good, but a bit rambling and unfocussed, though songs such as ‘Don’t Sing’, ‘Elegance’ and especially ‘Cruel’, the last being their first really classic song.  A great start which only got better with their next Steve McQueen in 1985.  A much better album which contained classic songs such as ‘Faron Young’, ‘Appetite’, the hit single ‘When Love Breaks Down’ and my favourite ‘Desire As’ – with the brilliant line “Desire is a sylph-figured creature that changes her own mind.”    I rebought the album on CD and it included a bonus disc of 2007 re-recordings; completely acoustic versions, sparse and almost demos – I couldn’t see the point as the original Thomas Dolby produced album was such a gem – but Paddy has always been an eccentric, he has apparently recorded whole albums and never released them as his muse, or for whatever reason he has moved on – he is a notorious perfectionist.  Their third was titled From Langley Park To ,Memphis – but took 3 years to appear.  It was a much more rounded and commercial album, more varied and more successful – if losing some of the charm of the first two idiosyncratic records.  I really like it and the songs are excellent, especially – ‘The King Of Rock and Roll’, Cars and Girls’ and ‘Hey Manhattan’.  This may be almost my favourite of the early records.  In late 1985 Paddy had self-recorded and produced a batch of songs meant for release the following year.  But the album Steve McQueen was such a slow burner that it was held over and only released as Protest Songs in 1989.  These songs are quite stripped back and seem a bit undeveloped, as indeed they were.  Still – not such a poor album really though not a favourite of mine I must admit.  The only really good track is ‘A Life Of Surprises’. Much better was 1990’s Jordan – The Comeback.   The only trouble with this admittedly superb collection of songs is that it is a double album and consequently far too long.  Very few double albums really work; The Beatles managed it because they had 3 quite different songwriters so there was a great mixture of styles and textures; concept albums often work as they are telling a story – but Roddy’s songs all have a similarity of style and sound and even song structure – and with 19 songs it does get a bit boring towards the end.  Saying that most of the songs are really good, if not some of his best.  I particularly like ‘Wild Horses’, ‘Machine Gun Ibiza’, ‘All The World Loves Lovers’ and ‘The Ice Maiden’; tough there is really not a poor song on the record.  Then, as so often seems to happen after 6 successful years we had a hiatus of seven years.  In reality the albums, splendid as they are, which have followed have been Paddy MacAloon solo efforts; he has occasionally used session and old Prefab Sprout members, and credits the records as Prefab Sprout – but he plays almost all the instruments; piano, guitars and synths and even backing vocals.  Still, saying that the records are pretty damned good.  He has suffered from severe hearing problems and is a temperamental guy, having apparently recorded and then shelved several albums over his later years.  But, fans like me scour the music press to hear of new releases which often slip out with a minimum of publicity; Roddy preferring to sit on his laurels and just make the music he obviously loves.  2007 saw the first of these releases with Andromeda Heights – also the name of the studio he built for himself.  Well, although it got a cool reception from the critics, who love nothing more than treating an old favourite as a has-been, I loved it.  A somewhat quieter record with a lot of slower tunes it still has that Prefab Sprout magic and is, as one has come to expect, immaculately produced.  Best tracks are ‘Electric Guitars’ and ‘Anne Marie’.    Then came a really great album – The Gunman – (2001).  This was written around the time of Jimmy Nail’s Crocodile Shoes (see N), and a couple of the songs were sung by Jimmy on his albums.  But these versions are simply knockout; the familiar sounds with a country twist and Paddy’s sublime vocals.  Every song is superb but I particularly love opener ‘Cowboy Dream’, ‘Wild Card in The Pack’ and a surprise cover of ‘Streets Of Laredo’.  2009 saw the release of Lets change The World With Music.  Not quite one of his best; still some lovely songs but somehow it sounds a bit flat and uninspired to my ears – best are ‘Ride’ and ‘Last Of The Great Romantics’.  His latest (so far) is 2013 (and that is nine years ago!) Crimson Red.  And another classic, so if we have to wait even ten or more years if they are this quality, well, I will wait.  The album though is almost his best…just lovely, and the words so astute and clever.  Best songs – ‘Adolescence’, ‘Billie’ and ‘The Old Magician’.  I also of course have a Greatest Hits collection, which is sublime.