Musical Pearls
Look At Them
Is it wrong to ask for something when you have nothing? Jed Logan didn't think so. He was rock bottom. His family were homeless. Having nothing doesn't just mean you're poor. It means you have no access. No opportunities. No standing. No influence. No effect. No place. No authority. No rights. No voice. You're invisible. Would you be prepared to live the rest of your life like that? Jed wasn't. So one cold January day he walked into a bank and asked the cashier to give him all the money in the till. He wasn't robbing the bank. He didn't have a weapon or threaten anyone. He just asked. But the cashier panicked, handed over the money then hit the emergency button. The alarms went off. The shutters came down. The police arrived. Jed hadn't tried to run, but he was arrested for robbery. He went to court and pleaded his case, but it fell on deaf ears. It was a ridiculous defence. Asking for something when you have nothing? No credibility. He was convicted and given a jail sentence. Now he had less than nothing. He'd lost his freedom. He'd lost his wife and children. So if you answered 'No' to my previous question, you might want to think again. Having nothing might be a misfortune, but asking for something is a crime. <Watch video>
Don't You Worry About Me
Juice was originally formed way back in the 1960's and were part of the early underground movement that later developed into psychedelic and progressive rock. Although the underground bands in those days claimed to be autonomous and individualistic, they all eventually sold out to the large record companies. But Juice refused to be exploited or conform to the rules and chose to remain independent. They had a great affinity with their audiences and managed to build up a huge cult following, but being outsiders, they obviously never had any mainstream success. In those days it was impossible to go against the established corporate music business that had overwhelming control over the industry.
But how times change. The internet has turned the music industry upside down. Record companies and management agencies have finally lost their stranglehold. Bands can now operate independently without the fear of being blacklisted. Juice are taking advantage of this. They have a huge selection of old and new material that spans over four decades and are currently in the process of putting albums together. I will be soon be featuring some of their latest work.
Don't You Worry About Me is a track from their Live and Kicking album. It was recorded live in 1970 at the Fillmore North (Sunderland Mecca). This was a concert organised by the legendary promoter Geoff Docherty who arranged major events in North East England for all the important bands of the day. Watch this space - Juice are back. <Watch video>
Back On The Road
A live concert by country rock band This Side Of Life has created quite a stir. The event wasn't publicly advertised and was staged for an invited audience of family, friends and well-wishers, but there were a significant number of protesters and gatecrashers intent on spoiling the proceedings. There was already high security for the show, but the local police had to be called to control and disperse an angry mob. Still the show went ahead as scheduled. All proceeds from the concert are going to a national charity for the rehabilitation of ex-prisoners which is a pointer to the reason for the protests. All members of the band are serving life sentences in a maximum security prison and are more accustomed to solitary confinement than appearing in front of a large audience. Organising such an event was a very controversial decision by the prison authorities and raised questions from many campaigners who were against the idea. Yet, despite the protests the band gave a superb performance and hopefully silenced some of their critics. Music is a universal language that we can all relate to and this project is an experiment using Music Therapy as part of a programme intended to rehabilitate some of the country's worst offenders. <Watch video>
Dance To Their Rhythm
"Trends in music are now transmitted laterally and collaboratively via the internet. You once had a series of gatekeepers in the adoption of a trend: the innovator, the early adopter, the late adopter, the early mainstream, the late mainstream, and finally the conservative. But now it goes straight from the innovator to the mainstream blah, blah, blah..." The Independent
STOP! Don't the music press people talk a load of bollocks? Look, if you like it - listen to it. If you think it's good - it's good. It's your choice. Make up your own mind and don't listen to the hype. Always ask yourself "If I were to believe this crap, who benefits?" You'll find it's never you. It's always some talentless arsehole trying to con you out of your hard earned cash. It's called the music business and it's full of crap. Pop is to music what nursery rhymes are to literature. It obviously has it's place, but do you really want to be part of a heated discussion arguing whether 'Mary had a little lamb' is better than 'Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall'? Accept it for what it is and enjoy it, but don't take it seriously. <Watch video>
Sleep Well Tonight
"Genocide is accomplished by mass killings but is not necessarily meant to cause the immediate extinction of a nation. It is intended rather as a coordinated plan of actions aimed at the destruction of the essential foundations of the life of certain national groups, with the ultimate goal of annihilating the groups themselves. The objectives of such a plan would be disintegration of the political and social institutions, culture, language, national feelings, religion, economics, and the destruction of the personal security, liberty, health, dignity, as well as the lives of individuals." Raphael Lemkin <Watch video>
As Cold As Ice
Talk about elusive. I've been trying for years to track down Arlenderre and get some of his music together. It's a gross understatement to describe him as quiet and unassuming. He's practically invisible. I've trailed him half way around the world and back and would you believe that this demo he's finally allowed me to use was recorded at the Sage in Gateshead. Ten minutes on the Metro from where I live. Still, the good news is he's agreed to let me use more of his stuff. I can't wait. <Watch video>
Good To Me
You can't say they're not enterprising, but start up business High Heels On Wheels is raising a few eyebrows in local communities here in the North East. Their activities have also attracted the attention of the police authorities, but the company aren't actually doing anything wrong. The ladies from this new 'escort' agency make visits to their customers' homes and offer the kind of services you won't get from your normal home help visitor. The girls are over 18, work independently, in private and of their own free will, so no one is breaking the law. You might be surprised to know that under such circumstances, prostitution is not illegal in the UK. These workers pay their insurance contributions and taxes on their income just like every other self-employed person. You may question the morality of the work these women do, but it is very well paid and if they have no other skills and need to earn a living, they obviously find it preferable to doing demeaning, menial work like cleaning public toilets for the statutory minimum wage. <Watch video>
Rosie's Bar
"We'd meet at Rosie's Bar to make plans and talk about the future and how we'd build a better world. We felt contempt for the old people and their outdated ways. They'd have to move aside and make way for new ideas. We were marching forward into tomorrow and wanted everything to change. Then, in time, we eventually saw the reality of it all and grew wise enough to understand what the old people had been saying. But by then we'd become the new old people and our children hated us." War veteran <Watch video>
Oh, What A Life It Is
"Iggy left his home town of Stockton-On-Tees in 1989 when the shipyards and steelworks were going through big changes and jobs were scarce. He set off for the bright lights of Minehead which was home to a magical place called Butlins. This was where many families took their annual holidays to get away from their everyday lives. To all those that worked there it was an amazing and surreal place. His journey was an unforgettable experience that would stay with Iggy for the rest of his life. Although he eventually moved back to the North East and settled down in Sunderland, he still reminisces about those great times and has fond memories of all the laid back and mellow people he met on his travels. Real people from all walks of life who had time for each other and didn't live in today's fantasy world of the internet and so called 'reality' television."
A song by great North East songwriter Lee Turner <Watch video>
Had A Little Bad News
You don't know how you love someone
Until you say goodbye
It's measured by the hurt you feel
With every tear you cry
Though parting brings such sadness
And loss is filled with pain
Still they live within your heart
And always will remain
