tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post510907694839468744..comments2023-10-24T11:11:49.568+01:00Comments on There Are Places I Remember: Songs About Places: EarliesGeoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10966328708258079467noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-73644409103918979872011-10-19T19:32:45.725+01:002011-10-19T19:32:45.725+01:00Thanks for that link! I suppose Christiana in Cope...Thanks for that link! I suppose Christiana in Copenhagen is along those lines..Geoffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10966328708258079467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-53779507830826833552011-10-18T20:34:52.233+01:002011-10-18T20:34:52.233+01:00Geoff, this is off topic, but the series How to St...Geoff, this is off topic, but the series How to Start Your Own Country is very funny and clever, and made me think of you and your blog (wonder if there are any songs about micro countries, mini nations started by an individual). Here is the trailer: <br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZUNwRewEnkIngridhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09706483693939439276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-12401545827148806522011-10-13T22:58:30.440+01:002011-10-13T22:58:30.440+01:00And we cant view that one here!And we cant view that one here!Geoffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10966328708258079467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-38173902572844474282011-10-13T17:42:38.463+01:002011-10-13T17:42:38.463+01:00That link to Hawkwind isn't available in the U...That link to Hawkwind isn't available in the U.S. to view, but here is one I found that can be watched over here.... Very very weird!!!<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzJfInW9Kx4Owennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-35331451631901451132011-10-12T21:32:14.937+01:002011-10-12T21:32:14.937+01:00http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYv2n-hRsa0&fea...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYv2n-hRsa0&feature=fvst<br />And here is Hawkwind with a bit of time travel to early- 70's Britain!Geoffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10966328708258079467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-61637838193071812782011-10-11T23:11:27.079+01:002011-10-11T23:11:27.079+01:00Both Robert Palmer and the great Elkie Brooks in t...Both Robert Palmer and the great Elkie Brooks in the Vinegar Joe line-upGeoffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10966328708258079467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-52742919256219183412011-10-11T22:46:59.620+01:002011-10-11T22:46:59.620+01:00Interesting Geoff! I bet you were reading the musi...Interesting Geoff! I bet you were reading the music magazines in the store you worked in:)Marthahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09666582384609617831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-65734418872635488672011-10-11T22:46:38.180+01:002011-10-11T22:46:38.180+01:00Ok, thanks Geoff. It's a good reminder to diff...Ok, thanks Geoff. It's a good reminder to differentiate between the likes of Pat Boone and certain British groups.Laurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10190486337916706104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-85471787800237177752011-10-11T22:46:09.745+01:002011-10-11T22:46:09.745+01:00Here is Vinegar Joe, that Geoff mentioned as a sli...Here is Vinegar Joe, that Geoff mentioned as a slice of Britain in the early 70s (1973). Check out the fashions, not only in the band but in the audience too. And at least here they were just appropriating Jerry Lee Lewis, not a black artist! - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpoK_elHKcgGregnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-63083253468592639882011-10-11T22:40:55.113+01:002011-10-11T22:40:55.113+01:00I love Lotte Kestner - the great Anna-Lynne Willia...I love Lotte Kestner - the great Anna-Lynne Williams. Her latest album, a collection of somewhat obscure covers, is obviously beautiful. Her interpretations of Trash Can Sinatras and Interpol are obviously commendable. My favorite though is her version of Beyonce's Halo, which is something so sensual and captivating, it is extremely hard to believe these words did not come straight from her heart, but from any given songwriter who will probably always remain nameless. Beyonce can sing. This is obvious. But, anyone who hears Lotte Kestner spill out her heart to the same words the lady of R&B once did, should instantly realize that an improvement was made. Should Beyonce ever come across this track, I can feel that even she would agree that she was trumped. Hopefully she can understand. Here is the song:<br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK4rhSdUwg8Daniellenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-21168732655820621912011-10-11T22:40:23.397+01:002011-10-11T22:40:23.397+01:00There is also Cath Carroll in Miaow's Thames A...There is also Cath Carroll in Miaow's Thames At High Water. She cites several Miaow numbers as being very much London songs, and Thames At High Water is one she pinpoints as being Rotherhithe or Bermondsey related, dating from a time she was squatting in the area.Sidneynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-32896458856026063792011-10-11T22:39:58.258+01:002011-10-11T22:39:58.258+01:00Don't forget Marcel's by Herman's Herm...Don't forget Marcel's by Herman's Hermits - "Marcel lives in Wapping. The dockside view is stopping. Marcel's got a houseboat on the Thames. There's grotesque decorations. Eccentric demonstrations. Oh let's go down to Marcel's on the Thames. Knock, knock, sesame, it's open. It's an East End wonderland ..."Terrinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-3451280821133736202011-10-11T22:39:21.284+01:002011-10-11T22:39:21.284+01:00Anna-Lynne Williams has the kind of voice that sto...Anna-Lynne Williams has the kind of voice that stops you in your tracks. The kind of voice that can re-affirm your belief in the existence of a benevolent deity or higher power, one whose sole interest appears to be generously bestowing music of great power and beauty upon His (or her) thankful people. It's one of those voices that could sing the phone book, or a Chinese Takeaway menu, and it would have you swooning. Stolen is a covers record. This is a brave move at the best of times. The majority of covers albums don't really work. Here is one, however, which does. The songs come from a variety of sources. Beginning with a haunting cover of Damien Jurado's "The Falling Snow" and taking in songs by artists as diverse as Bon Iver, Hayden, The National and Interpol among others, the sense emerges, of a unified, cohesive album, full of songs which sound like they were written for Lotte Kestner to sing them. This is not a disparate collection of random covers, this is a journey into the heartbeat of an artist and poet, who wrests every ounce of fragile emotion possible form each song she touches. Building on the successful blueprint of China Mountain, this record is awash with delicate acoustic flourishes, delectable vocal harmonies, and occasional interjections from keys and synths which take Lotte Kestner's sound in a slightly fuller direction, without ever distracting from the central instrument: that once-in-a-lifetime voice. Self-released on her own Saint-Loop Records, this is one album not to miss. Lotte Kestner is an artist worthy of our ears, our hearts, and our support. Thanks for writing about her.Haydonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-19176947082787868292011-10-11T22:39:03.868+01:002011-10-11T22:39:03.868+01:00Everything I’ve heard from Trashcan Sinatras is pu...Everything I’ve heard from Trashcan Sinatras is pure genius. As they’ve aged, they’ve only gotten better, more thoughtful and somehow cooler.Lynnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-38301577803777968412011-10-11T22:38:45.022+01:002011-10-11T22:38:45.022+01:00The next time someone tries to tell you there ain&...The next time someone tries to tell you there ain't no soul left in the UK's old shoes just play them Kevin Mark Trail's D'Thames. It's quite lovely, and one of the best Thames songs full stop. If you recognise Kevin's name it may be from his work with The Streets. He did a great solo LP in 2005 called Just Living which EMI did their best to keep a secret and then dropped him for not selling millions. The song is online here: http://www.mediafire.com/?jnduoumwhymMarknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-30791027958025348652011-10-11T22:38:18.634+01:002011-10-11T22:38:18.634+01:00Another Thames / bridge song is Vauxhall to Lambet...Another Thames / bridge song is Vauxhall to Lambeth Bridge by Julie Driscoll, really beautiful song from the Streetnoise LP she made with Brian Auger in 1969 which captures that special sense of escape and reflection that can be found while walking by the banks of the Thames. That part of the embankment Julie sings about, the stretch Vauxhall to Lambeth Bridge, is perhaps one of the better sections of the river to walk quietly along now that there's on the South Bank the Millennium Wheel and the Tate Modern. I love that line: "I think of you as I watch Big Ben and I see he's crying too ..." No video but here is the song: http://www.mediafire.com/?j3mmyzod5ykGarricknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-23950074064826327962011-10-11T22:37:51.857+01:002011-10-11T22:37:51.857+01:00I am a sucker for Anna-lynne Williams and her proj...I am a sucker for Anna-lynne Williams and her projects Trespassers Williams and Lotte Kestner, Lotte Kestner being the name she gave her solo acoustic project. So you can imagine how happy I was to find out Lotte Kestner's new album would be entirely covers! For some this would be a let down, but for me, who loves covers, this is thrilling. She has done some amazing covers before, a few are included again on this new release, like her amazing version of Interpol's "Leif Erikson".Annenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-28874424286232228172011-10-11T22:37:19.077+01:002011-10-11T22:37:19.077+01:00I was in high school when I first heard Trashcan S...I was in high school when I first heard Trashcan Sinatras on the radio. I was in my room, up late as usual, reorganizing my furniture when “Hayfever,” the single from their 1993 album I’ve Seen Everything, came on. Sadly, it was the only time I heard them on the radio. I did see them on MTV months later when they were featured in a Beavis and Butthead episode. But with their combination of acoustic and clean electric guitars, they couldn’t compete in the US with the verging Seattle scene of what would soon become grunge music. The album that has "Earlies" is I’ve Seen Everything, which is an album that sounds like a band experimenting with their own unique blend of pop rock. The guitars strayed into rock with "Bloodrush" and the bluesy "One At A Time." The album still stayed in the realm of acoustic pop but their sound was incredibly enhanced by the use of orchestration. “Easy Read” got most of my attention because of its use of somber lyrics and inspirational music. It begins like a folk song with just an acoustic guitar and Frank's voice. An electric guitar, along with the full band, takes over with a new riff. On the second chorus, the string orchestra simulates the main guitar riff and adds a level of sophistication. The entire album is a work of art and has inspired me many times over. The album sounds like the mentality of a small indie band harnessing the aesthetics of a well-established composer. As I think about that late night when I first heard "Hayfever," I think about how much Trashcan Sinatras have affected my life and how much of their music brings back fond memories. And I think about how much more they will affect me. I can only hope that Geoff's column inspires people to discover one of my favorite bands.Javnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-7138870214027443912011-10-11T22:36:58.005+01:002011-10-11T22:36:58.005+01:00You may have mentioned this on the blog already, G...You may have mentioned this on the blog already, Geoff, but there is Nadia Cattouse's Bermondsey, which mentions London Bridge: "It's night time in Bermondsey. The tide is turning now on barges in Bermondsey. The waters laps their bows. And on London Bridge young lovers shiver and gaze at the lamplight in the river ..." Mysteriously Bermondsey is credited to Unknown, which is fascinating as the local colour is an absolute joy (St Saviour's, Guy's, Southwark Cathedral, barrow boys etc.) I can't find a video online, but the MP3 is here to download: http://www.mediafire.com/?yzmhzdzamzvSimonenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-22531389963900192352011-10-11T22:36:02.508+01:002011-10-11T22:36:02.508+01:00Another Thames song, and another example of the se...Another Thames song, and another example of the second-try thing you wrote about (where second releases were more successful) is The Inmates' song "Dirty Water" - "Yeah, down by the river. Down by the banks of the river Thames. That's where you'll find me ..." They made The Standells' Dirty Water their own, adapting it to reflect London rather than the Boston that Ed Cobb wrote about. Certainly when this version hit the charts many of us were hearing the song for the first time and weren't familiar with The Standells'. I have to confess I actually prefer The Inmates' interpretation. - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NrhE4FtqScKarennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-49029714136838698102011-10-11T20:17:03.728+01:002011-10-11T20:17:03.728+01:00The link of a Lindisfarne concert given by Ray Lai...The link of a Lindisfarne concert given by Ray Laidlaw above seems very evocative of a particular era. In fact, for a slice of Britain in the early 70's you could do worse than view clips of Lindisfarne, Hawkwind or Vinegar Joe.Geoffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10966328708258079467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-91927528297033782432011-10-11T19:16:25.032+01:002011-10-11T19:16:25.032+01:00Thanks for the clips of Fog on the Tyne and Sweet ...Thanks for the clips of Fog on the Tyne and Sweet Thames Flow Softly<br /><br />Laura, I think what you say was true when the likes of Pat Boone had hits with Fats Domino songs but I think it was more complicated with the British groups of that time, who were influenced by r n b and gospel with the call and response sound and r n b songs like Mickey's Monkey were in every beat group's repertoire. Also, the British market was pretty insular still and British artists like Mark Wynter and Susan Maughan could have a chart career covering American hits, black or white.<br /><br />Martha, at the time I was working in a shop selling papers, magazines and stationary and often had to pick up supplies on the way in!Geoffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10966328708258079467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-61751413406431506772011-10-11T08:29:48.991+01:002011-10-11T08:29:48.991+01:00For anyone curious, Geoff is quoting On the Univer...For anyone curious, Geoff is quoting On the Universe by Heraclitus here: "You cannot step twice in the same river for other waters are ever flowing on to you." Also quoted by Plato in Cratylus. I love a blog that needs the occasional footnote - Geoff's University!J.J.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-91456506140012356862011-10-11T08:26:26.458+01:002011-10-11T08:26:26.458+01:00Thanks for not writing about Elton John’s Across t...Thanks for not writing about Elton John’s Across the River Thames - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Dpeq4X1lwY - as your main song for this week, as that song does seem like a less interesting exercise in nostalgia (recreating a 70s sound).Joehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07633031262197544864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3774690407548657707.post-25685887052212730852011-10-11T08:23:36.234+01:002011-10-11T08:23:36.234+01:00Thanks for mentioning Richard Digance’s Dear River...Thanks for mentioning Richard Digance’s Dear River Thames. While, as this lovely song shows, Richard has his roots in the folk scene those of us of a certain age will think of Richard on our TV screens performing topical and comical compositions. Sometimes he would simply sing sentimental and quite touching songs like this (The Washerwoman) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0gAFQcaJlEAlannoreply@blogger.com