STREWTH SHEILA! IT'S THE 100th AUSTRALIAN ANNIVERSARY
I just want to say congratulations and many thanks to one of the blog's dedicated readers who hails from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia who, last month, logged on to read their 100th blog......and have since returned another couple of times.....many thanks, whoever you are, for putting up with my inane ramblings since I started down this road of monthly drivel. If I'm ever passing that way you must keep a couple of huge shrimps ready to throw on the barbie and we'll ramble on about things a bit more!!!! If there's Anything or any band you would like me to focus on especially for you then please just let me know and I'll be your slave........in a sort of Brummie, article writing, cyber way that is. Of course you might probably be another Brummie abroad, but the shrimp thing still applies!!
BOB'S AMAZING AUSTRALIAN FACT FILE!!
FACT 1. Just to give you, the BHB bloggies, a sneaky peek into the status of my international music success, I can disclose right here that I'm actually known in Alice Springs!! "Well blow me down!" you must be saying, "that famous eh?".
So, if you visit Alice Springs, you could always ask around for me, I probably won't be there but I am known there, it's just a matter of physical substance that makes the difference. You could still bathe in the ambience.
You just try asking anyone you meet there "Excuse me, have you seen Bob?", I bet you that practically all of them will either say Bob? or by the other name I'm affectionately known as, 'Boboo'.
FACT 2. BRUMBEAT FACT. Any mention of Brummie success in Aus has to include Birmingham's own The Ugly's who had a
No 1 chart hit there on the Astor label, an off shoot of the British PYE record label, with 'Wake up My Mind' and were scheduled to be on The Rolling Stones tour of Australia but were vetoed by the Australian Musicians Union at the last moment.
FACT 3. My Uncle Bill drowned on Bondi Beach. Sad but true.
No worries though, he could have been eaten by sharks or crocodiles, bitten by spiders or snakes, infested with mice or any of the other hundred ways to die, only to be found in Australia.....life's for living right?
FACT 4. Not everyone who lives there is called Sheila or Bruce..... Kylie's a thing of the past too...evolution.
Back to the West Midlands.
FAIRFIELD SKI
A few months back, I mentioned that Fairfield Ski had announced that their previously recorded LP, which was only in existence in acetate form, was now set for release on CD. For those who hadn't read that particular blog, let me tell you that this group exceed, chronologically, the 60's time restraints of the Brumbeat period but of course their beginnings as that very well known 60's Birmingham band, The Cheetahs deservedly place the band here in continuity.
It was only when they were joined by Bill Bonham did they change their name to Fairfield Ski.
They appear to have also been known as Fairfield 'Sky' but just to set the record straight, they got their 'Ski' name from their ex-managers wife Ellen, who spoke fluent Russian so they called her Ellenski and eventually simply 'ski'.
I don't want any smart alec out there pestering me for "why Fairfield then Bob?"
So anyway, the CD release is imminent and will be released sometime in July on the European label 'Guersen', I can't actually give you precise details of the release but please let me direct all you fans of Fairfield Ski to visit their Facebook Page
www.facebook.com/FairfieldSki.
...where you can find all the news about the band's CD release, see the artwork, hear a track or two and explore the gory details of how much it costs and things like that. I sincerely wish you guys good luck! and am pleased to see that this previously planned release has at last become a reality. Great to have a bit of good news to announce.
THE STONES VS THE BEATLES
If you were there during the sixties, there was always that basic music question of which of the two bands you preferred? That sounds simplistic when referring to the two biggest bands ever. Weren't we lucky?
I'm a Beatles man, no denying it, through and through, and at the last poll, 80% of the public agreed with me.
Like all bands though, there were off-stage friendships and on-stage rivalries at every level including these two mammoths of rock. This competitive band rivalry was re-visited and re-ignited in the 90's by the media, in their carbon-copy hype of the 60's, re-badged as 'Britpop' during the Blur/Oasis days. Blur declaring themselves the reincarnation of The Kinks, during their psychedelic whimsical period and Oasis dressing exactly the same as the cover of The Beatles Rubber Soul LP and imitating the Beatles guitar sound of that period......they certainly were not The Beatles but there was some good music made by both of those bands during Britpop.
That inter-band rivalry situation was captured so perfectly in the legendary film, Spinal Tap when David St Hubbins was talking about another band's singer.
"He was so crap, the crowd were still booing him, while we were playing!"
Here's something though. If you want to hear John Lennon's opinion on Mick Jagger and the Stones? click on the link below and listen to a very short, but very interesting, interview with John Lennon. His biting assessment of Jagger is so harsh and although, in truth, I agree with everything he says, he seemed to me to have some kind of preoccupation about Jagger.
Lennon also wrote "And Your Bird Can Sing" about Mick Jagger with the 'Bird' in the title referring to Marianne Faithful..........."but you don't get me!".
Worth a visit:
Click Here : http://youtu.be/E-b3fRisu50GREAT BRUMBEAT GIGS
THE MORGUE,
THE KINGS HEAD, BEARWOOD
THE UGLY'S
Given this blog's Australian theme, I have had the pleasure to recently have this just drop into my lap, a previously unpublished, photo of The Ugly's, taken by the bands manager, John Singer, well that is Steve Gibbons, Willie Hammond and Dave Morgan sat having a beer. One of the best vocal front-line's of all the Brummie 60's bands, brilliant harmonies from these three. Some of you, along with me will recognise the Brumbeat Gig location too, it's The Kings Head at Bearwood, situated at the end of the Hagley Road that had a dance Club named The Morgue where groups like The Uglys, The Moody Blues and The Spencer Davis Group among many others played in the cellars of this large boozer which had been painted black and had skeletons hanging on the wall and things. This pictured seating area was above The Morgue and was a great venue to play at particularly during the summer months, the venue was promoted by John Singer. I was last there in 2005 and they were still having bands then. it's probably a franchise joint by now.
This might not be true in the Antipodes but it appears, from a recently researched report on the BBC website, that men are apparently to blame for the female menopause??
Just when you thought you'd reached the top of the 'Men are to Blame' heap!!
FOOTBALL ROUND UP
Well with the new football season on the horizon and despite their best efforts, Birmingham City remained in the Championship. The Baggies did remarkably well and the mighty Villa showed their strength and determination
in the latter third of the season and battled through to stay up in the Premiership. I'm pretty sure that we will, as Brummies and most certainly if you're a Villa supporter, enjoy the fortunes of our teams this year.
Finally....
'Her indoors' is coming back from a family visit this weekend so I'm eradicating the smell of fish and chips, curries, Pizzas, you know anything you don't have to cook for yourself when you've been busy all week slaying aliens on 'Halo' 1, 2 and 3, having a Beer and Beatles Day which entailed getting up, allowing myself a civilised cup of tea then it was the whole of the Beatles LP's in chronological order at a staggering volume, accompanied by copious amounts of beer.....pure art. No matter how many times I listen to it, their catalogue of songs is monumental, their instinctive insight as to what was innovative and quality is simply breathtaking. The recordings themselves are vibrant with energy and enthusiasm right from their first LP. It really pisses me off when I hear them referred to as the first 'Boy Band'??
If you've watched 'Searchin for Sugarman' and enjoyed it
then you should really watch 'The Story of Anvil', both great DVD's. They both go well with a large bowl of hot Chili con Carne,Rice, Fajitas and naturally, copious amounts of beer!!.
Bob
Copyright: BullsHeadBob
contact: Bobsbullocks@GMail.com
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