Curtis Mayfield - Live & Studio Rarities

This is a wonderful collection of Curtis Mayfield rarities, that was released as a bootleg entitled 'Keep On Keepin' On'.

I think the original version came into circulation on silver disc, not that long after Curtis passed away ( ten years, this coming December).

Since 2003 it has appeared predominately on a limited number of Soul, R&B, and Funk enthusiasts web pages.

However Curtis Mayfield had a message that went way beyond just musical style or genre.

Part of the Wikipedia entry for him states:

'Curtis Mayfield is remembered for his introduction of social consciousness into R&B and for pioneering the funk style in the 1970s. Many of his recordings with the Impressions became anthems of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, and his most famous album, Super Fly, is regarded as an all-time great that influenced many and truly invented a new style of modern black music'.

It is the case that his 'social consciousness' in the 1970's drew me to his music.

Radio Caroline played 'We Got To Have Peace' on a good number of occasions, the presenters on board the radio ship at the time, clearly supporting that aspiration, as they struggled to remain on air, for simply having the audacity to play music the limited number of 'other' UK radio stations chose to ignore.

Source: From the CD edition (Original Silver), ripped via WAV to MP3 in this case, the original material was either studio soundboard, or FM radio broadcast.

Sound Quality: Stereo (extremely good) @ 192kbps.

Genre: Soul, R&B, Funk, Chicago Soul, Psychedelic Soul.

Track list:

Old Grey Whistle Test London England, January 1972:

01. Keep On Keepin' On
02. We Got To Have Peace (Omitted from this rip - see below)
03. Curtis on Discovery (interview)

Radio City Music Hall, New York NY, July 6, 1972:

04. Stone Junkie
05. Pusherman

In The Studio - 1972:

06. Freddie's Dead
07. Eddie, You Should Know Better
08. Curtis on Songwriting (interview)

The Push Expo - Chicago 1972:

09. We People Who Are Darker Than Blue
10. Give Me Your Love

The Midnight Special - Los Angeles CA, 1972:

11. Superfly
12. Freddie's Dead
13. Curtis on Superfly (interview)

The Midnight Special - Los Angeles CA, June 8, 1973:

14. Superfly
15. Back To The World
16. Curtis on Politics (interview)

1st Annual Black Caucus Benefit, Washington DC, September 25, 1974:

17. Give Me Your Love
18. Curtis on Curtis (interview)

The original source for this specific copy of the boot, has deleted track two, as this was released on the 'Old Grey Whistle Test DVD Vol. 1' in 2001. That's fine as the whole thrust of this bootleg was the rarity of the material.

Links: Wikipedia is to the point, and well edited on this occasion, it's a good reminder on the legacy of Curtis Mayfield - HERE.

Comments: What you have not got, you cannot pass on, ironically 'We Got to Have Peace' was a key track in my own personal discovering of Curtis Mayfield.

Sadly Curtis Mayfield was badly injured and suffered many health problems for much of the last decade of his life.

His music for me however, fits comfortably in to the very limited and hard to gain entry 'timeless' category.

Replacement download link in comments below - October 2011.

Purchase: A wondeful selection of over one hundred and fifty DRM free MP3's - Curtis Mayfield

Groucho Marx - I Never Kissed An Ugly Woman

This is wonderful, a bootlegged vinyl album of Groucho Marx, predominately singing songs, as only this comedy legend could have (no apology for using the over used legend word, in this case).

As I understand it, the actual vinyl bootleg album is very rare, so if you have one keep hold of it!

If you were a fan of The Marx Brothers, or indeed just Groucho, then this is a must have.

If you just like nostalgia, or appreciate comedy old and new, then this is a must have.

If you are just someone who must have, must haves then this is a...

Source: I do not know the specifics, I am guessing mainly from CBS radio programmes.

Sound Quality: Direct vinyl rip (1st generation), warm and old, with a few crackles, and so very, very listenable for fans, and interested parties a like (its stereo in places).

Genre: Comedy and musical styles from a bygone era.

Track list:

Hooray For Captain Spaulding
Just Wait To I Get Through With It
I Want My Shirt
Omaha, Nabraska
The Country's Gone To War
Go West Young Man
Dr Hackenbush
I'm Against It
Everybody Say's I Love You
Lydia, The Tattooed Lady
Fathers Day
Show Me A Rose

Links: Groucho Marx article from Wikipedia HERE. More free mp3 material available at the excellent Internet Archive Organisation HERE.

Comments: Ripped from the 'Amazing Kornyfone Record Label's' vinyl release, this really is pure comedy nostalgia.

A small amount of the material has also surfaced on a CD release entitled 'Gratuitously Groucho', back in 1993, however the audio quality is no better than this material.

My thanks to Mark for this wonderful (weird) rarity.

Free: You might need this, most players can handle the format, however - Free Nero Music Player HERE.

New file link in comments below - Re-uploaded 2012 (Stealth project).

Midnight Oil - Wembley Arena, London, 1990.

This is the second Midnight Oil live recording presented on 'Beehive Candy', this one a 'full on electric gig' that captures the band live in concert at The Wembley Arena, London, back in 1990.

Source: FM stereo recording from the Westwood One Show, broadcast on WHFS Annapolis, MD, USA, in 1990.

Sound Quality: Very good FM stereo, this is first generation from the TDK Cassette SA76 Dolby C recording (WMA 9.1 Rip CBR @ 96kps).

Genre: Rock, Alternative Rock.

Set: Majority of live concert.

Set List:

01 King Of The Mountain
02 Dream World
03 River Runs Red
04 Warakurna
05 Read About It
06 Read About It Cont.
07 The Dead Heart
08 Best Of Both Worlds
09 Kosciusko
10 Power and The Passion
11 Beds Are Burning
12 Bedlam Bridge, Forgotten Years
13 What's So Funny About Peace Love And Understanding
14 Hercules
15 Know Your Product
16 Blue Sky Mine

Links: The official (record label) site HERE.

Comments: Keeping it up to date in 2009:

By ROD McGUIRK, Associated Press Writer – Thursday March 12th 2009.

CANBERRA, Australia – Australia's environment minister swapped the political stage Thursday for one he trod in a former incarnation — as the country's loudest anti establishment rock star.

Peter Garrett, the front man for Midnight Oil, broke up the band in 2002 and pursued a career in politics that brought him into government just under two years ago.

But band members have come together to perform at a concert to raise funds for victims of Australia's worst wildfires, which killed more than 210 and destroyed thousands of homes in southern Victoria state last month.

Once known as champions of Aboriginal rights and the environment, Midnight Oil has not played a gig since their singer became a minister. Garrett has toed his Labor Party's center-left policy line, and tries to avoid questions about his former views.

Now, Garrett may have a dilemma on his hands because lyrics in some of the band's most popular songs do not fit comfortably within the political mainstream.

"Can Midnight Oil field 20 whole minutes of material that wouldn't get Mr. Garrett sacked if he were to read it out in Parliament rather than shrieking it while twitching violently to guitar music?" Sydney Morning Herald columnist Annabel Crabb wrote recently.

The band's 1987 breakthrough album "Diesel and Dust" called for Australia to be handed back to the Aborigines. U.S. and British imperialism were also favorite targets during the band's 26 years together.

They famously played an impromptu concert on a flatbed truck outside the Manhattan headquarters of Exxon Mobil Corp. in 1990 to protest the company's response to the ecological disasters caused by one of its tankers in Prince William Sound.

Standing six foot four inches (193 centimeters) tall and with a head shaved bald as it was throughout his music career, Garrett still stands out from his government colleagues even when in a gray suit and tie.

Garrett has insisted there will be no compromise on the play list.

"We won't be choosing songs on the basis of whether or not they're considered by political commentators to be political songs or not, we'll play songs for the fans," he told Australian Associated Press Wednesday.

Gary Morris, a longtime manager associate of the band, said Thursday there will be no satisfying some fans who contend the songs will have been picked specifically to keep the government happy.

The band opened a warm-up concert Thursday with the uncontroversial "Redneck Wonderland" from the 1998 album of the same name and Garrett played harmonica for a rendition of "Blue Sky Mine," a song about asbestos miners suffering lung disease.

Midnight Oil will perform another warm-up Friday. Two big concerts take place Saturday — one in Sydney, with Coldplay headlining, and the other in the Victorian capital of Melbourne, featuring Garrett's band.

Garrett's new career has created some friction with the band. Instead of rehearsing in Canberra on Wednesday, Garrett was representing Australia at coral conservation talks in Papua New Guinea.

Morris said that when he had recently protested about the double-booking, Garrett had replied: "I don't work for the Oils anymore. I work for the Australian government."

"I used to be able to persuade him after about an hour of discussion to do various things that he was reluctant to do, but when he pulled that line on me, I couldn't beat that one," Morris laughed.

Garrett flew into Canberra on Thursday morning and attended the final session of Parliament for the week before making the short journey to the theater.

Thursday's concert was the first time he has sung in public since 2005 when the band performed at a fund raiser for victims of the 2004 Asian tsunami.

Download link in comments below or click the picture.

Buy DRM free mp3's at Amazon.co.uk - Midnight Oil

Texas - Paradiso, Amsterdam, 1989.

Considering Texas only formed in 1986, and made their live debut in March 1988, by the time of this concert in June 1989, they sounded very polished and professional, having already scored a top ten hit in the UK and parts of Europe.

Was it really twenty years ago ?

This concert was performed at The Paradiso, Amsterdam, Holland on the 12th June 1989.

Many of their tour dates were bootlegged at this time, this concert circulated as 'First Dive' on CD, but did not include the full set.

Source: The concert was recorded by Dutch radio and broadcast at a later date.

Sound Quality: Very good FM Stereo rip @ 320kbps.

Genre: Indie Pop to Indie Rock.

Set: Majority of live concert (last track fades out).

Set List:

1.Fool for love.
2.Everyday now.
3.I don't want a lover.
4.Nowhere left to hide.
5.Fight the feeling.
6.Future is promises.
7.Tell me why ?
8.Livin' for the city.
9.A prayer for you.
10.I can't get next to you.
11.Dimples.
12.It hurts me too. (edited fade out).

Links: Official UK site HERE. The more comprehensive 'Texas In Demand' site HERE.

Comments: This is a really good recording of a very good performance. Texas went on to well deserved popularity and success, and a large part of that is down to just how good they are live in concert.

I have no details regarding the actual FM broadcast of this show, the sound quality does however, suggest it was captured on excellent audio equipment.

Download links in comments below.

Purchase: Albums through the Texas site HERE. Amazon MP3's - Texas.