Sutch Is Life

There is definitely an anorak background emerging on this site.

A couple of pictures of Caroline have muscled there way in (along with a link to Radio Caroline's home page), Screaming Lord Sutch is featured in the Behive Candy Store, whats going on?

Screaming Lord Sutch for most people in the UK, was the man behind the Monster Raving Lunatic Party, Britain's only credible political force ever.

However before his grand entrance into politics, Master Sutch was a rock'n'roller, with a loyal following, and for a brief while a bonafide pirate, launching Radio Sutch, that later morphed into Radio City, one of the UK's offshore radio stations in the 1960's, (and great to listen to).

In 1977, to mark the 10th anniversary of the marine offences act (designed to get rid of offshore radio in the UK), an event at the Centre Airport Hotel, next to Heathrow Airport was held. Now at this event anoraks really were out in force. Yep I was there, with no excuses I am afraid, in those days I was marching to the free radio drum.

I was a seasoned attendee of gigs by then, and was delighted to note the event would end with a live act, no less than Screaming Lord Sutch. He was good, the band were really good, the drum kit caught fire, Sutch who entered the stage in a steel coffin, was clearly overweight by the strained looks of those carrying him. This was a great end to a great day, and for a short while pirates ruled the waves again.

So I was delighted to find a Screaming Lord Sutch CD available on Amazon, that I could include in the Beehive Candy Store, for what is the 30th Anniversary of Flashback 67, an event in it's own right marking an anniversary (are you still with me?).

The Beehive Candy Store is hopefully varied, and so for another unashamed plug, here are some mp3 downloads to enjoy, and if you do enjoy, please do consider a purchase...

Links Removed - MP3 Policy.

Screaming Lord Sutch - Dracula's Daughter.mp3

The Orb - Little Fluffy Clouds.mp3

Procol Harem - Grand Hotel.mp3

Varied ? - They are poles apart, and that in a nut shell is Beehive Candy.

A Trip With The Beatles - Part One

My first recollection of The Beatles, was watching them perform on the BBC probably in October 1963 at the London Palladium (no I do not have a fantastic memory, its a calculated guess, they were on the bill, and it was the sort of programme my parents would have had on).

Yes I was very young !!!

Keeping it simple, I have always liked the Beatles, if ever there was an example of popular music that stands the test of time, its them.

In this occasional series, I hope to share some of their rarities, and in doing so probably only just scratch the surface.

There are so many Beatles boots around it's a job to know where to start. In recent years however digital technology has allowed the ardent fan, not only to circulate the material more easily, but to clean up the sound quality, and in some cases, do such a fantastic job, it can rival 'officially' released material.

I am going to ignore any chronological order, to support the fact my collection is growing as I type.

However let's start close after success had come their way.

From Mythology - Volume One - CD One - comes track one. Not to be mistaken with The Anthology series released by the Beatles, and shown on TV at the same time, Mythology is a bootleg series, that dug a little deeper.

On the downside rather than share the material, those behind Mythology were trying to make a profit without royalties. However in more recent times, the collection has surfaced free on the web.

The Beatles - A Taste of Honey.mp3 - BBC Radio - Light Service - 25-10-1962

Or check out this, recorded again for BBC radio's 'Light Programme' as it was back then ( a whole two hours of pop music per week! - this was 1963, who arrived in 1964 ???).

The Beatles - Love Me Do.mp3 - Recorded January 22nd 1963 - Playhouse Theatre London

So who arrived in 1964 ?

To purchase The Beatles - White Album or check out similar Beatles Cd's click here, or on the picture above.

The Retro Zone

The Beehive Candy Store, has a new addition, the retro zone.

Put simply, it's a mixed bag of music, some old, some even more old, and some, not that old at all.

The only theme, is that there is not a theme. However, the Cd's may prove useful as gift ideas, memory jerkers, or additional contents for your local landfill site.

All I am going to say is, if you don't like them, suggest your ideas.

I will be pleased to add to, and expand, the more the merrier, and enough cliche's from me...

Welcome to the retro zone, you can download the following mp3's, and as always click on the picture or here to purchase.

Links Removed - MP3 Policy

Bob Hope and Shirley Ross - Thanks for the Memories.mp3

Langley Schools Music Project - The Long and Winding Road.mp3

Pentangle - Light Flight.mp3

Genesis - Turn The Cash On Again

I have always liked Genesis. They are so easy to knock, ex public schoolboys who made good, through progressive rock, circa early 1970's.

Concept albums, followed by intelligent musical pieces, with complicated chord and time changes.

Add to that Phil Collins solo music that gradually descended to the depths of bland for bland's sake.

The fashion and dance sense of .... You remember why punk happened don't you ?

Like I say I have always liked Genesis, with a few exceptions. So I wish them well on this years tour, and look forward to the superb digital remixes of their material to follow.

For those of us, that missed out on tickets (that were already expensive), and who are currently falling over with laughter, at the prices some mugs are paying on EBay, or the modern day ticket touts on the web - 'who have managed to source exclusive tickets' are charging, here's a couple of excellent live songs.

Both from the 1978 tour, and of the highest quality (soundboard - stereo boots no less). If you are going to one of this years concerts, and they don't play one of these, demand your money back !

Genesis - 3rd June 1978 - Palais Des Sports - Dijon France - The Cinema Show.mp3.

Genesis - 3rd June 1978 - Palais Des Sports - Dijon France - Ripples.mp3

As far as I understand this is from the first generation bootleg (from here on in on this blog lets call em boots), and the sound desk on the tour was really advanced for the time. Whatever the sound quality is superb.

Check out the Beehive Candy Store.

Now I must try and move on from the prog rock trend, that has sadly emerged so early in this blogs short life.

Pink Floyd - Animal Moments

When 'Animals' was first released, I was disappointed, I expected another ' Dark Side of the Moon'.
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Over time however, I have to say that Animals has become a Pink Floyd favorite of mine. Sadly the live material of this album has been pretty poor in quality down the years.
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Not surprising really, the American leg of the tour to promote this album was not a happy affair, which must have been clear at a number of concerts, and audience recordings from that time were generally pretty poor.

I doubt the sound engineers were keen to risk the wrath of Roger Waters, however apparently there is an excellent sound desk recording somewhere, and here is a public grovel, for a copy if anyone can shed light on this.

Having laboured the quality point, I have two good copies of Animals live namely, 'With Bright Knives' and 'Animal Instincts'.

Cutting to the chase a pretty decent version of Sheep is available via the following link.

Pink Floyd - Sheep - Live.mp3

The Beehive Candy Store is HERE.