Whats Up Doc? - Second Helping

Time for another bout of Whats Up Doc? Plenty of very good new music, some brand spanking new, some recent.

Not long now before the record industry starts the season of inevitably dodgy repackaged compilations...

So whats on my play list right now? Lets start with the new album from Siouxsie namely 'Mantaray'. If you like anything by the Banshees, or The Creatures, it's a must to check out. Have a listen to:

Links Removed - MP3 Policy.

Siouxsie - Into a Swan (radio edit).mp3

Official site and more info HERE.

Radiohead have announced the release of a new album - 'In Rainbows', as I am sure all their fans already know. For full details go to their site HERE. Two options, one - pre-order to download the single album, you choose the amount you want to pay, and two - order the comprehensive Cd & vinyl package, that will be dispatched in December.

Some of the songs from the new album were played on their tour last year. Whether they are like the finished article, will become clear soon. The following are live versions of the first three tracks on the new album:

Radiohead - 15 Step (Live 6.04.06).mp3

Radiohead - Bodysnatchers (Live 8.26.06).mp3

Radiohead - Nude (Live 8.17.06).mp3

Tegan and Sara, are in my opinion absolutely wonderful. From Canada Tegan and Sara are identical twins, and have also been very busy producing excellent music in recent years. From their most recent album 'The Con' here are a couple of tracks:

Tegan and Sara - 03 The Con.mp3
Tegan and Sara - Like O, Like H.mp3

Visit their site to find out more and buy this superb album HERE.

Richard Lloyd perhaps known to many as the guitarist in Television, (whose album 'Marquee Moon' has to be towards the top of my all time favorite list), is releasing a new album this month.

It's called 'The Radiant Monkey' and to quote Richard - "I feel by far that it is the best record I have ever made short of being involved in the making of Marquee Moon".

Check out: Richard Lloyd - Monkey.mp3

More details and release schedules HERE.

Annie Lennox has just released 'Songs Of Mass Destruction', which is a really good album, with a full range of musical styles, and her voice as powerful and classy as ever.

From the album (released October 1st):

Annie Lennox - Dark Road.mp3

Annie Lennox - Love is Blind.mp3

Annie's new(ish) website and purchase options HERE.

Bruce Springsteen has a new album out today (Wednesday 3rd) called 'Magic', and do you know what? I think I am going to have to get hold of a copy!

It's Bruce's fifteenth studio album, and it sounds like a gem. He is back with The E Street Band, and to give you an idea of what I am rambling on about check out these to songs from 'Magic'.

Bruce Springsteen - Livin' In The Future.mp3

Bruce Springsteen - Terry's Song.mp3

Here for more details etc.

Babyshambles new album was released in the UK on Monday. I think it's out elsewhere later this month.

I personally hope Pete Doherty gets over his addiction problems, it detracts from the music, and I cant think of anyone more boring than your average 'coke head'.

If only the abject misery of so many millions of people in lands where cocaine & opium are produced, could be transferred to the users for a month or two, maybe then, the message would get through?

Anyway off of my soapbox, the new Babyshambles album 'Shotters Nation', is like alot of his and their material, actually quite good. I like the rough and ready, and at times quite lose sound, and the mistakes are surely a little bit rock'n'roll anyway. Here are three songs from the new album:

Babyshambles - Unstookie Titled.mp3

Babyshambles - Baddies Boogie.mp3

Babyshambles - Carry On Up The Morning.mp3

Heres a link to the official website where at the time of posting this, no details of the new album are available - now that's a shambles.

And finally as it is now October, here's a song to remind us all of last month !

Frank Sinatra - September Song.mp3

Just fancied some Frank Sinatra - that's all for now folks...

Bootleg Originals Part Three - The Waterboys - Glastonbury 1986

When is a bootleg, not a bootleg?

"I think 1986 was a peak", states The Waterboys founder Mike Scott, "We never really came back to where we were in 1986."

How good was their concert at Glastonbury in 1986?

So good that in 1998, Mike Scott released a live album of The Waterboys including the Glastonbury performance, despite the fact it had been bootlegged from the radio broadcast twelve years earlier!

It's all a bit of a conundrum, when you consider the 'official release', and what has subsequently happened, it goes like this.

According to Mike Scott, the album was put out by New Millennium Records (although Amazon.com credits it to "Msi", and All Music Guide credits it to "Pilot" and "Griffin").

Mike Scott claims that New Millennium stopped paying royalties to the band but continued to sell the album. The album is not listed on the band's own 'official' discography.

Whatever the actual facts are, the Glastonbury concert was unique, capturing the whole essence of the festival, indeed the official Waterboys website refers to the 1986 bands line up as the "Raggle Taggle band", influenced by traditional Irish music, as well as by country and gospel.

Put simply they were superb, and this concert captures them at an all time peak.

Track listing:

1. Be My Enemy
2. Old England
3. The Thrill Is Gone & The Healing Has Begun
4. The Pan Within
5. The Whole Of The Moon
6. Spirit
7. Savage Earth Heart
8. Saint and Angels
NEW *(9. An extra Waterboys live recording from this era).* NEW

Audio quality: excellent, FM stereo sourced, with some clean up editing.

Some Waterboys CD releases from around the Glastonbury era HERE.
My thanks to Chris for replacing my old cassette copy of this, with such a fine example.
When is a bootleg, not a bootleg? You tell me...

Reloaded 25/May/2015 (with a little extra) - download link in comments.

A Trip Before The Beatles - The Quarrymen 1960

If you are not familiar with The Quarrymen, John Lennon's 'skiffle' group, that eventually became The Silver Beatles, and then of course The Beatles, the Wikipedia article HERE is really interesting.

I thought of just providing some selected parts within this posting, but the whole article provides excellent background to this recording.

This rehearsal recording was made just four weeks before they changed name to The Silver Beetles, and John Lennon's friend Stuart Sutcliffe made up the quartet.

This recording was made at Paul McCartney's home early in 1960, prior to Pete Best joining as drummer, and of course the Hamburg, Germany era.

This is obviously a wonderful piece of musical history, and the audio quality reflects the historical aspect, home taping circa 1960, likely on one microphone, and with a muffled sound and hiss, that an old tape would retain however much you try to clean it up.

That said I find it fascinating, and a must have for any Beatles fan, and for anyone who values rock and pop musics heritage.

Track listing:

1 I Love Her So - vocals Paul McCartney
2 The One After 909 - vocals John Lennon and Paul McCartney
3 I'll Always Be In Love With You - vocals John Lennon
4 You'll Always Be Mine - vocals John and Paul
5 Match Box - vocals George Harrison
6 You Just Don't Understand - vocals Paul
7 Some days - vocals Paul
8 Thinking Of Linking - Instrumental
9 I'll Follow The Sun - vocals Paul
10 The One After 909 - Version Two vocals John & Paul
11 Hey Darling - vocals George and Paul
12 You Must Lie Everyday - vocals unknown
13 Guitar Bop - Instrumental
14 That's When Your Heartaches Begin - vocals John
15 Hello Little Girl - vocals John and Paul
16 That'll Be The Day - vocals John

OK so the audio ain't brilliant, but as collectors items go this has to be right up there - enjoy!

The Beatles merchandise HERE

Reloaded - 25/May/2015 - download link in comments.

Aretha Franklin - Live in Jamaica - 1982

OK lets get the all important 'Queen Of Soul' reference stated, and out of the way!

From the mid 1970's Aretha Franklin's musical career was struggling, not surprisingly as her personal life was troubled by family tragedy and a big problem with tax debt issues.

In 1980, Aretha Franklin's career was given a much-needed boost thanks to a cameo appearance on The Blues Brothers, singing 'Think' as Mrs. Matt Murphy. That same year, Clive Davis signed Aretha, to his Arista Records.

'United Together' and 'Love All The Hurt Away', a duet with George Benson, returned her to the Top 10 on the Billboard R&B charts.

Her 1982 release, 'Jump To It', produced by longtime admirer Luther Vandross, gave the singer her first R&B chart-topper and pop success since '(Giving Him) Something He Can Feel'.

The Jump To It album enjoyed a long run at Number One on Billboard's R&B Albums chart.

Aretha was back on form, as this live recording demonstrates. Recorded at the Jamaica World Music Festival in 1982, as part of a live FM broadcast, this is Aretha Franklin, doing her stuff.

This performance was recorded on November 26, 1982 at the Bob Marley Performing Arts Center, Freeport Zone, Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Unedited it includes introductory announcements and so forth - the concert comprises of the following:

01 - Announcer Talk
02 - Instrumental Intro & Announcer
03 - Hold On I'm Coming
04 - Love Me Forever
05 - It's Your Thing
06 - Make It Up To You
07 - Talk By Aretha Over Intro To Golden Moments Medley
08 - Daydreaming
09 - Rock Steady
10 - Say A Little Prayer
11 - Respect
12 - I Hurt Myself (I'm Guilty)
13 - Ain't No Way
14 - Instrumental Outro To Set & Announcer
15 - Band Intro
16 - Because Of You
17 - Jump To It
18 - Announcer & Jump To It Finale
19 - Announcer & Crowd Noise

Put some soul, some energy, and some Aretha on your hard drive!

Sound quality: Original FM stereo source - very good.

Reloaded August 2015 see comments.

Bootleg Originals Part Two - Santana - USA 1976

Carlos Santana is sixty years young this year, yep once again another one of those now familiar milestones for music fans.

Was it really 35 years ago that I bought Caravanserai, an album of timeless qualities, which I think pretty much sums up so much of the music of Santana.

This concert was recorded in 1976. Lets get the period in context.

Carlos Santana along with Tom Coster, producer David Rubinson, and drummer Ndugu Leon Chancler had formed yet another version of Santana, adding vocalist Greg Walker.

The album "Amigos" was released in 1976 which featured the songs "Dance, Sister, Dance" and "Let It Shine" and had a strong funk and Latin sound.

The album also received considerable airplay on FM (USA) album oriented rock stations with the instrumental "Europa (Earths Cry Heavens Smile)" and re-introduced Santana back into the charts. Rolling Stone magazine ran a second cover story on Santana entitled; "Santana Comes Home" there was a lot of interest in the band that year.

This concert captures so well one of Santana's most special aspects, namely playing live.

Recorded at The Beacon Theatre, New York City, USA on the 7th May 1976, the band were in sparkling form, the venue seems ideal for their kind of skilled musicianship.

This was a professionally recorded and mixed show, that does such a well crafted and vibrant band justice. It was recently given a digital clean up by the BBC for rebroadcast. This is the nice new 'cleaned up' copy!

Set list is:

1. Gitano
2. Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen
3. Dance Sister Dance (Baila Mi Hermana)
4. Europa (Earth's Cry Heaven's Smile)
5. Samba Pa Ti
6. Let Me
7. Incident At Neshabur
8. Evil Ways

Replacement download link in comments below (8th February 2012).

Some Santana Cd's from their seventies era HERE .