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  • Interrupted Greatness – Charles Stepney

    • 1960s, 1970s, Documentary, Music • 26821 Views

    Cited by many as an absolute musical genius and the driving force behind some of the finest music to come out of Chicago in the 1960s and 70s, Charles Stepney is acknowledged by artists such as Stevie Wonder, Terry Callier and Ramsey Lewis as a massive influence. The likes of Patrick Forge and Gilles Peterson have been raving about his music for years. Continue Reading

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  • The Church in The Graduate

    • 1960s, Architecture, Documentary, Film • 14779 Views

    We’re going to do a bit of Pop-culture tourism and take you on a trip to the church featured in the iconic ending of The 1967 film – The Graduate. in one of the most famous scenes in film history, a young Benjamin (Dustin Hoffman) pounds the windows of The United Methodist Church in La Verne, California before boarding the bus. Continue Reading

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  • Yacht Rock – the series

    • Music, Television • 9240 Views

    You may have heard of the Yacht Rock phenomenon by now, but if you haven’t, let us introduce you…. 

    Devised by a bunch of Californian friends, who previously worked on the ‘Channel 101’ cult episodes, the 12 episodes you can watch via Youtube are based around the smooth/Yacht Rock music scene of, roughly ’76 – ’84 with a few exceptions… Each of the 12 episodes tells the story of how a song from that scene came about, and, yes, it is a comedy. There is a genuine love of some of those bands and songs however, which is quite refreshing, and some of the tunes are classic. Featuring the likes of Kenny Loggins, Jimmy Messina, Michael McDonald, Steely Dan, The Doobie Brothers, Christopher Cross, Toto and loads more, it really is a shambolic, funny thing to behold. R.I.P Koko. Continue Reading

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  • Unexpected Gems – Elkie Brooks The Rising Cost of Love

    • 1970s, Music, Unexpected Gems • 15353 Views

    The continuing saga of The Unexpected Gems carries on with Elkie Brooks version of The rising cost of Love. This Norman Jay favourite is an upbeat funky little number taken from the 1979 album Live and Learn. Darrow Fletcher also recorded a more downbeat version of the song in 1979. Take a listen to both versions. Continue Reading

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  • The Magic Touch and the Strange Death of Bobby Fuller

    • 1960s, Music • 10842 Views

    Those of you with even a passing acquaintance of the Northern Soul scene will be aware of Melba Moore’s stomping version of ‘The Magic Touch’ which was massive in the 1980’s having been discovered by Ady Croasdell and later released on Kent Records. What is probably less well-known is the original recording of this track was done by The Bobby Fuller Four (though written by Ted Daryll) a band who had brief fame with a few US hits in the 1960s and interestingly enough also had a hit with ‘I Fought the Law’ which The Clash made massive in 1979. Continue Reading

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  • Blue Note Records Inspired Video

    • Art, Documentary, Vinyl • 7636 Views

    Nice Video from a  few years ago promoting a concert season. The video features Moussa Kaba recreating various Blue Note Records classic album covers including Jimmy Smith – Back at the Chicken Shack, Donald Byrd – A New Perspective and Jackie McLean – Bout Soul – Clever Stuff. Continue Reading

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  • The Sound Of Smiles

    • 1960s, 1970s, Music • 9415 Views

    Here’s some sights and sounds from The Land of Smiles – Thailand, although the chaps in the band don’t look too happy.

    We’ve selected some of our favourite record covers from Siamfunko’s flickr selection and added Thai Funksters The Impossibles version of Kool and The Gang’s “Love the life you live”. Continue Reading

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  • Soul on Bikes – The East Bay Dragons

    • 1960s, 1970s, Transport, Youth Culture • 21094 Views

    While East Anglia’s biker gang The Outcasts cruised the promenade of Great Yarmouth, The East Bay Dragons were riding on the mean streets of Oakland, California. 

    The All Harley Davidson Black American biker gang started  as a car club in the 1950s before switching to two wheels.Their website says “While Rosa Parks took her historic bus ride, and as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X and Huey P. Newton and the Black Panthers stood bravely for equal rights, the East Bay Dragons MC risked life and limb during days when a black man riding a Harley chopper was a revolutionary act”

    The East Bay Dragons stories of racial tensions, street fighting and rival biker gangs have been told in the book Soul on Bikes. Continue Reading

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  • Unexpected Gems – Barbra Streisand Stoney End

    • 1970s, Music, Unexpected Gems • 11716 Views

    The latest installment in our Unexpected Gems series is the soulful version of Stoney End by Barbra Streisand.

    Stoned End was written by singer and songwriter Laura Nyro. When Nyro originally released the song as a B side  it caused controversary as it dealt with religion and Laura’s struggle with lesbianism. Click Here to hear the original. Continue Reading

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  • Breakin Bread Latin Sunshine Special

    • DJ mix, Music • 5430 Views

    Dig the sunshine and take a Listen to this Latin Special from South London Funk & Hip Hop Collective Breakin Bread on Mixcloud. There’s past and present latin themed tunes for you to Boogaloo and Barbecue too. Continue Reading

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