Business at the front, party at the back

2012 starts so we're going basic- this one has been on the ice for far too long...I have plenty of treats up my sleeve for year 3 of this blog but in the meantime snarf at these 3...!




Johnny Jones and The King Casuals- Soul poppin' 

Sugar Pie DeSanto- Do the whoopee!

Dusty Springfield and Englebert Humperdink- Ain't no mountain high enough

Shake it like your sister

It's been some time since I ventured over here and I'm not sure if the man is trying to slap down these type of blogs? All I do is link you to youtube with my current fave vids/ performers. This entry features a clutch of new late '40's/ early '50's (with the exemption of rockin' Ruth Brown) tunes dug out for you peeps in prep of next week's Burly Q 13!

First out of the traps is this great tune on the 'Modern music' label repro by the Jazzman label (check 'em folks- they got some hot yolks!). I've never seen the label before and I'm guessing this was probably a 78 only issue in the early 50's. Great vox form this gal who I've never heard of before or since... The B-side is no small beer either!

Jeanne Demetz- Calypso Daddy

I love the 'spooky' piano opening on this tune and the knocking of the door before a great swingtastic number kicks in from another act who I'd never heard of (and to be honest wasn't sure if she/he was Arthur or Martha). This is another tasty slab from Jazzman but this time the label is as dull as dish water. I love the false-ending which are underused in Den's big book of goodness!

Frances Burr & K.J. Trio- I say no, no more

Ramping up the pace on this one with a truly bonkers inst sound of the nonsense title 'Ojai' from Joe Lutcher on a rather fetching red 'Modern' records label. I struggle to pigeon hole this two-legged beauty as whilst it swings along nicely it's knocking at the door of a more progressive sound around the corner. Truly great!

Joe Lutcher & his orchestra- Ojai

And the final pick of the bunch is another ripe one from the vine. Snagged up in a job lot from my Stateside side shifter this one shows Ruth Brown in all too rare outing into uptempo territory. However, the lyrics may tend to grate a little (much like 'This little girl's gone rockin') but who cares with a backing track as good as this when the lyrics are a load of old hooey! Good ol' Leiber & Stoller take the reins on this one and do a job on it like only they can!

Ruth Brown- Papa Daddy

Plan B #72 Friday September 10th (Yup I thought we started in 2004 when it was actually 2005!)

Strange Plan B for JT this time out with me being first to arrive and first to leave. I even got to put up the sign and witness the lone drunks who sway on to an empty dance floor in a 'comedy' fashion that remains only funny to their drunken selves. No nutzoid requests from what I remember and armed with a Sharpie I scrawled down set one on two beer mats then tapped set 2 into the BlackBerry. Here's set one for you in my own hand-

Debuts in the early set from Bush Tetras, Go Go's, Lorainne Chandler & The Fall; along with the classic paring of Stiff Little Fingers & Wings- you don't get that on Radio 2!

On to set two in the early hours of the next day and I genuinely thought some bastard had stolen my Sharpie (I found it later in my pocket!) so I committed this set to my BlackBerry! I was pleased as punch with this set (mainly 'cos I sneaked in the Bush Tetras again!) but opening with my current faves, The Fall, set me off nicely and the floor was ramalamajammed throughout! Click the links for the good stuff!

The Fall- Theme from Sparta F.C.

The Clash- Rock the casbah

Salt N Pepa- Push it

Devo- Whip it

Bush Tetras- You can't be funky*

Talking Heads- Psycho killer

The Temptations- I can't get next to you

Rick James- Superfreak

Sugarhill Gang- Rappers delight

The Cure- Love cats

Motorhead- The ace of spades

Elvis Presley- What'd I say

Chuck Berry- Johnny B. Goode

BT Festival FM 106.2 Scott & Jamie Thompson's 'Sort of soul' Show 1, 28-6-97

Looking back (unfortunately not listening to) on a radio show I did with my brother in 1997 gave me some strange flash backs to that Summer and the hot Saturday nights at Forge FM. We did 4 shows across 4 consecutive Saturday nights and the two tapes give a nice snapshot of what I was really into at the time (although not really getting the chance to play given the constraints of the Thursday night Leadmill crowd). As you will see it is pretty much Northern/ Motown/ Soul from '64-'70 on this show with a couple of tracks i'd forgot about- 'Do you see my love', 'Let the sunshine in' & 'Contact'; current wants 'The joker' along with mucho golden- era Wigan Casino stuff.

I'm gonna keep mining the old tapes with the green covers over the coming months so watch this space peeps! Any guesses who my poster boys are?

The Mylestones- The joker
Mr. Floods Party- Compared to what
The Soul Clan- Soul meeting
Wilson Pickett- Born to be wild
Joe Tex- Everything happens on time
Jnr. Walker- Do you see my love
Linda Jones- My heart needs a break
Kurt Harris- Emperor of my baby's heart
Paul Anka- I can't help loving you
Bob Brady & The Con- Chords- It's a better world
Amen Corner- Our love is in the pocket
Darrel Banks- Angel baby
Bobby Freeman- I'll never fall in love again
World Column- So is the sun
Tom Jones- Stop breaking my heart
Small Faces- Something I want to tell you
Johnny Jones & The King Casuals- Purple haze
The Group feat Cecil Washington- I don't like to lose

Steve Karmen & Jimmy Radcliffe- Breakaway
Marvin Gaye- This love starved heart
Edwin Starr- My weakness is you
Four Tops- Baby I need your loving
Four Tops- Are you man enough
R.B. Freeman- I'm Shaft (you ain't Shaft)
Little Richard- Poor dog
Anthony & The Imperials- Let the sun shine in
The Wall of sound- Hang on
Jackie Trent- You baby
Three Degrees- Contact
Gene McDaniels- The point of no return
Walter Jackson- That's what Mama say
Little Esther Phillips- Just say goodbye

Boneshaker guest spot July 22nd 2011

It was a messy night but one of the best nights DJ'ing in a long time. All rounded off with some hooch that tasted like fairy liquid and a cafe creme cigar! My whole solo set can be downloaded via the Boneshaker website here. No links to youtube today but I think this weeks link is even better. Keep your ears peeled for the opening track.- I'm sure someone says 'Smokin' as it starts! As always a * indicates a debut for D.I.

Solo set

Jack Starr- Chicken
Johnny Kidd & The Pirates- Growl!
Ernie Maresco- Shout! Shout! Shout!
The Showmen- It will stand*
Big Joe Turner- Honey hush
Dr. Feelgood- Dr. Feelgood
Big Mama Thornton- I smell a rat*
Wanda Jackson- Mean, mean man
The Frogmen- Underwater
Michael Cox- Too hot to handle*
Carl Perkins- Wrong yo-yo
Buddy Holly- Brown eyed handsome man
Chuck Berry- Dear Dad*
Laverne Baker- Hey Memphis
Elvis Presley- Good rockin' tonight*
Arthur 'Big boy' Crudup- That's alright Mama*
Wynonie Harris- Quiet whiskey
Bobby Wall- Baby, it's too much
Billy La Mont- Country boy*
The Great Gaylord- Squat with me baby*

The one on/ one off section-

Barrett Strong- Money
Screamin' Jay Hawkins- Frenzy*
Thurston Harris- Itty bitty pretty one
Mike Pedicin- Burnt toast and black coffee
Sam & Kitty- I've got something good
The Emperors- Karate
The Big Bopper- Chantilly lace
Huey 'Piano Smith'- Don't you just know it
Elvis Presley- Hound dog
Tony & Joe- The freeze
Screaming Jay Hawkins- I put a spell on you (alt. version)
Hank Mizell- Jungle rock
Janis Martin- My boy Elvis
Big Joe Turner- Lipstick, powder and paint
Johnny Kidd & The Pirates- Shakin' all over
Joe Tex- I wanna be free
Elvis Presley- Promised land
Ricky Nelson- It's late
Jan & Dean- Surf city

It hit me with a wallop! or don't drink the milk

Amidst the gimmicks of DJ sets and the ventures into the wasteland of Elvis' movie-career this blog hasn't had a 'traditional' posting for some months. So it's time to rectify that with a hoovering up of this weekend's purchases from the fandabydozy Vinyl Demand in Sheff (Check it on Twitter and Facebook folks). Much madness abound this weekend with pissed teenagers in town and crawling from Junior without even starting on the craziness in Camden and the misery in Norway.

An amazing unheard track for me from Red Bird's Roddie Joy which took me by great surprise. I would say this is as good if not better than the oft- played out 'If there's anything else you want' and is certainly cut from the same cloth. No Red Bird orig this time but a strange flipping of the orig A's/ B's on the Stardust reissue. The flip of this little bute is the fantastically-titled Mary Wells-esque 'Love hit me with a wallop'.

Roddie Joy- Come back baby
Roddie Joy- Love hit me with wallop

I'm fairly firm on the strange popularity of anything with a latino-beat out there in DJ land. You could play a latino version of the birdy song and the plebs would dance to it! So stuff has to be good to get it's self in Den's good books. This is one such tune which is a great double- header with the non- youtubeable track 'At the party'. Pete Terrace bills himself as the 'King of boogaloo'. Maybe the Fantastic Johnny C might have summat to say about them apples..

Pete Terrace- No, No, No

It's May 15th 1993 and Sheffield Wednesday are playing in their first FA cup final since 1935 and I head off to the Octagon to see PJ Harvey & Gallon Drunk at one of the best gigs I've ever been to. As I mentioned at the start only just snaffled this and as you can see she didn't play it on the night but you'll find it on the B of 50ft Queenie which was the lead off single for 'Rid of me'. I always remember me and Jacqui chucking fags at the bass player from Gallon Drunk (or maybe that was just me); being drunk on cheap cider; and it being blistering hot. Wednesday went on to the lose the cup final folks!

Rid Of Me / Naked Cousin / Primed & Ticking / Highway 61 Revisited / Yuri-G / O Stella / Dress / Wang Dang Doodle / Me-Jane / Victory / Man-size / Snake / Sheela-Na-Gig / 50Ft Queenie / Rub 'Til It Bleeds / Water.

PJ Harvey- Reeling

And so I watched 'Suspicion' after Mark lent it to me following an evening of me looking perplexed as he called everyone 'Monkeyface'. Yup, it was pretty good and Cary Grant was by far the best thing in it but scoot round the innernets and you'll see that the ending that felt like a cop-out really was!

Suspicion trailer

The two-time blogged Nasty is back with the sort of routine that makes you think 'why haven't I seen that before?'. The lady that brought you the car alarm fan dance and the champagne class/ coffee cup routine  brings a fresh twist to the oft- weekoldcorpsestinkingsnoozefest of a fan- dance, which, in the hands of a mere amateur becomes just another chopped-meat face wannabe flailing around like she's trying to take off. I'll not ruin it for you Denettes but watch closely and wait until the very end- Smokin'!

Nasty Canasta- The unknown stripper

Plan B #83 Friday July 8th 2011 'That women looks like she should be the referee at the Superbowl'

And so the first absence of Scott for a long time brought on the duo of Mark from Mars and my good self. No familiar faces though a visit from an old friend who I don't think has ever been led to reminisces about 1995. Here is the playlist in no particular order. As always look for the hyperlinks and a * denotes a Plan B debut! This issue has one from the vaults (Loch Ness monster) and a newie from my recent Manchester jaunt. Check 'em folks...

The big ones with the small holes-

David Bowie- Queen Bitch
The Clash- Rudi can't fail
Talking Heads- Burning down the house*
The Rolling Stones- Gimme shelter
The Rolling Stones- It's all over now
Roy Head- Treat her right
Blondie- One way or another
Eddie Cochran- Somethin' else
Eddie Cochran- C' mon everybody
The Surfaris- Wipeout
Wings- Old Siam, Sir (Opening track)
Talking Heads- Uh-huh loves come to town
The Clash- The magnificent seven
Elvis Costello & The Attractions- You belong to me
Wynonie Harris- Bloodshot eyes
Screamin' Lord Sutch- Jack the ripper

The small ones with the big holes-

The Beatles- She's a women
Screamin' Jay Hawkins- I put a spell on you (60's version)
King Horror- Loch Ness Monster
Adam & The Ants- Antmusic
The Monkees- I'm a believer
Fox- Sss single bed*
Archie Bell & The Drells- Tighten up
The Ides of March- Vehicle
Gloria Jones- Tainted love
Spencer Davies Group- Gimme some loving
Elvis Presley- Viva Las Vegas
The Standells- Dirty water
Pearl Reeves- You can't stay here
Ike & Tina Turner- Two is a couple
Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels- Sock it to me baby
Vanilla Fudge- Good good livin'
Markeys- Last night
Aretha Franklin- Chain of fools
Depeche Mode- Master and servant
Pigbag- Papas got a brand new pig bag
Elvis Costello & The Attractions- Pump it up
R. Dean Taylor- There's a ghost in my house
The Equals- Black skinned blue eyed boys
Mike Pedicin- Burnt toast and black coffee*
Devo- Whip it!
George Baker Selection- Little green bag*
Ian Dury- Spasticus autisticus*
The Polecats- Jeepster*
Chuck Berry- Dear Dad*
Big Ella- Too hot to hold*
Magazine- Song from under the floorboards*

Plan B #82 Friday June 10th 2011: Toto- Africa & Erasure!

Despite being as sober as a judge I forget to scribble down the actual playlist from the eighty- second(!) Plan B on Friday. As the title gives away there was the usual stupid requests as well as a fit- inducing light show! The joint was packed and the floor rammed from 11pm onwards so the early more experimental stuff split the floor with the crazier folks busting moves like they were going out of fashion (so to speak...!). Grab the links to the old faves from Boo Boo & Bunky and Babe Ruth folks!
I'll try and remember how it went down...

Rick James- Superfreak
The Temptations- I can't next to you
Babe Ruth- The mexican
Kool & The Gang- Jungle boogie*

The Standells- Dirty water

Small Faces- Almost grown

The Marvelettes- Too many fish in the sea
Martha & The Vandellas- Heatwave
The Emperors- Karate
Chuck Berry- Too much monkey business*
Solomon Burke- Maggie's farm
Elvis Presley- Promised land
Julian Covey & The Machine- A little bit hurt
Adam & The Ants- Antmusic

Set two
R. Dean Taylor- There's a ghost in my house
Screamin' Jay Hawkins- I put a spell on you (alt. version)
Marv Johnson- Come on and stop

The Doors- Peace frog

Ram Jam- Black betty

Eric Burdon & The Animals- It's all meat

Motorhead- Ace of spades*

Boo Boo & Bunky- This old town

T Rex- Get it on

Spencer Davies Group- Gimme some loving

Paul Revere & The Raiders- The great airplane strike

The Rolling Stones- Miss you

The Clash- Rock the casbah

Elvis Presley- Viva Las Vegas

Not so wild in flaming star country: Elvisarama #6/#7, Flaming Star & Go wild in the country

So my first post for a week or two brings you a twofer on two strange films in the Elvis cannon. Yup, he goes on to make a few more westerns but 'Go wild in the country' is a strange pile of hokum akin to 'Serious charge' starring Cliff Richard. No vids to link this time and this one if for completist only...check my quick- fire follow up post of Plan B 10/6/11 for some choonage. You know the drill...

The songs (slim pickings folks!)


'Flaming star'- Not bad...
'A cane and a high starched collar'- hideous country dancing nightmare!

An 'actual' film from Elvis (directed by Don Siegel): Elvis plays a mixed- race dude, there's a scene where someone gets an axe in the head (I'm sure that never happens again); Elvis' mum almost get raped by hicks in the scene where he unleashes his vengence with the axe and to round it off he shivs a native- American. Despite all this I can remember next to nothing about this film which falls flat and lands somewhere in the column with 'Love me tender'. Brace yourself folks: were gonna go down hill fast from now on!

Elvis= Pacer Burton

Score= 6/10

Elvis Score= 2/3

Leading lady= N0ne

Songs= 2

Viewed= 14/12/07

I barely remember this one and I have since discovered that Elv was dating the greatly-monkired (wild gild, single- mother lush) Tuesday Weld. We have Elv killing his brother; he's on parole; strange relationship with his probation officer..This one is pretty dull, overlong but with surprisingly few songs. Elv goes good and gets to college in the end but the MILF parole officer attempts suicide and admits she has a heart defect?! It's like Murder she wrote!


Songs-


'Wild in the country'- forgettable ballad
'I tripped, I stumbled, I fell'- Pretty good serenade in his truck?!
'?'- Slow forgettable song to the 'lush' (Tuesday)


Good dialogue!

'He's got a cup full of anger ready to spill over'!

Elvis= Glen Tyler

Score= 5/10

Elvis Score= 2/3

Leading lady= Hope Lange

Songs= 3

Viewed= 18/12/07

He puts his cigars out in your face for kicks- Boneshaker set 27/5/11

And so I stepped into the breach the other night to help out my friend Dan Sette at his new venture- Boneshaker. This was a low key event compared to the launch party and the next one in June featuring my Burly Q side- sharer- Cherryred but with the stakes low we hit it out of the park and the floor was pretty packed to a bizarro mixture of choons. I went for some good 60's soul/ RnB & Northern chucked in with the 50s remit. I probably stayed a little safe on some stuff, particularly early on, but most of the famous tunes hadn't had an outing from me in a long time...The evening was rounded off with a bit of the good ol' one on/ one off with the aforementioned Dan. Check out his blog/ download/ one on-one off set here. You can listen to my set below using the link...

Boneshaker solo set- 27/5/11

* Is a DJ debut!

John Zacherle "The cool ghoul"- Dinner with Drac Part 1
Rene Hall's Orchestra- Twitchy
Sam & Kitty- I've got something good
Solomon Burke- Maggie's farm
Laverne Baker- Batman to the rescue*
Ray Charles- I'm movin' on
The Kingsmen- The jolly green giant
Tom Waits- Union Square
Little Richard- Good golly Miss Molly
The Duals- Stick shift
Marv Johnson- Come on and stop
Chuck Berry- Club nitty gritty
Jo Anne Garrett- Get back
The Champs- Tequila*
Elvis Presley- Got a lot of livin' to do
Mr. Bonz- Bonzfire*
Wynonie Harris- Bloodshot eyes

So that's it for this little detour back into my DJ world. More Elvisarama next month along with a return to the traditional format of music/ film/ burlesque! TTFN.

Do not let Elvis babysit: Elvisarama #5, G.I. Blues, 1960

And so Elvis goes into the army after 'King Creole' and comes out and makes G.I. Blues which is set in Germany. Life imitating art? Well there's no scene of Elv heading into East Germany by accident in his tank; wrestling with Priscilla in her white daks and I hope to hell he never sang 'Wooden heart' to the boys in the platoon. Onwards and downwards here we go...

The platters that (don't really) matter...

'G.I. Blues'- Not bad but the barbershop grates a little...
'Doin' the best I can'- Nice ballad that is initiated by 'Blue suede shoes' playing on the juke
'Frankfurt special'-  Great tune in a train carriage...'Go special go!'
'Shoppin' around'- Pretty good...
'Tonight is so right for love'- OKayish...
'Wooden heart'- HITS ROCK BOTTOM! Singing in a Punch & Judy tent. Elvis loses his dignity for the first time on screen...The chorus is in German and the kids join in bleurgh!
'Pocketful of rainbows'- Duet sang in a bizarre cable car sequence
'Big boots'- Horrid lullaby sang to a kid (watch out for more of these turds in later flicks)
'Didja ever'- Patriotic tune with all the audience joining in!

Stuff...

*Lots of redheads!
*Bizarre puppet show
*'Blue suede shoes' on the jukebox...
*Elvis's crap babysitting!
*Elvis proposes..
*'Didja ever' sang to the camera
*First duet on screen
*First 'ROCK BOTTOM' moment!

Elvis= Tulsa McClean

Score= 6/10

Elvis Score= 2/3

Leading lady= 

Songs= 10 in total

Viewed= 8/12/07

Get your gumbo: Elvisarama #4 King Creole, 1958

So it's film 3 of the 3 Elvis greats and the finest of the bunch of the 31 (27 to go!). This is the first one to feature someone other than Elvis that you probably will know- Walter Matthau. Lap up the tunes folks this one is worth buying the soundtrack for!

'Crawfish'

-Weird opening tune. Non- naturalistic musical moment! (Only the second to date!)

'Steadfast, loyal and true'

- Crappy title for an accapella school anthem

'Loverdoll'

-Cheesy guitar tune when Elv is the decoy at the five and dime. 

'Trouble'

-Stone cold classic alert! On stage in the club in his bus boy outfit!

'Dixieland rock'

-Decent tune with dixieland jazz twist. 'All pooped out when the clock hit four'

'Young dreams'

-Mid tempo tune drowned in barbershop backing

'New Orleans'

-Vocal jousting with barbershop is much better than the last one

'Hard headed woman'

-Very short snippit but v.v.v.good!

'King creole'

-More horrid backing vox but great title track. Elv gets a guitar solo!

'Don't ask me why'

-'One night' retread!

'As long as I have you'

-OK ballad

Weird Stuff-

'Get your gumbo'
'Crawfish'! 

Good Stuff

-New Orleans set
-Walter Matthau
-Walter's girl with the bob and the pointy bra!
-Good 'noirish' direction
-Femma fatale dies/ mute saves Elv

Best flick to date (and Elvis' fave). 'Trouble' and 'Crawfish' are fab. Great film that stands on it's own...fear downhill trajectory now!

Elvis= Danny Fisher

Score= 8/10

Elvis Score= 3/3

Leading lady= Delores Hart (much better than in 'Loving you') 8/10

Songs= 11 in total

Viewed= 27/11/07

I wouldn't feed this garbage to a razor back hog: Elvisarama #3, Jailhouse Rock, 1957

So it's film 2 of the 3 Elvis greats and the one you probably know best of all of 'em: Jailhouse Rock! I'll keep a lid on the booshwash jibber- jabba and focus on the platters that matter.

'Young and Beautiful'

-Slow tune sang in his prison cell

'I want to be free'

-Okayish tune at the prison talent show

'Don't leave me now'

-In the studio. Take 1= country version, take 2= with added backing vox (see the clip link). Nice sports coat Elvorino!

'Treat me nice'

-In the studio. Frickin' great (see the clip link). Nice sports coat Elvorino!

'Jailhouse rock'

-Classic alert! Elvis is going the full on MGM style big musical staging number in a clip you all know, and if you don't you will be severely spanked with a wet plimsoll.

'(You're so square) Baby I don't care'

-Weird film within a film moment

Weird Stuff-

Elvis commits manslaughter in a bar?!

Narration to the camera by the lawyer

Best bits

'You'll never make a guitar player: you got no rhythm in your bones'

'I wouldn't feed this garbage to a razor back hog'

'I'm gonna buy a guitar and sing love songs to you' Elvis to his landlady!

Elvis is a bad-ass, money- obsessed, bitter ex- con; a naive dude who defends an old trollops honour at the start. Again, the romance is underplayed (she's his manager/ producer) and Scotty Moore et al get on screen as well. As good, if not better, film than 'Loving you', albeit with a weaker soundtrack.

-He's just a 'kid from the neighbourhood'

- Hot groupie in his dressing room- "That's kissin', cousin''

-"Jumpin' beans in his jeans"

-"Hey Sideburns"

For the songs we have a solid selection of rock 'n' roll tunes on one of the few LP soundtracks worth buying in the Elvo (another moniker at the Den house) cannon. First up the rather tame title track that gets an orchestral treatment over the opening titles; 'Got a lot o' lovin' to do' is a stone cold classic where Elvis tones down the moves onstage at a political rally where he gets up to 'boogie woogie'!; (Let's have a) Party which is heard twice is decent but not a patch on the Wanda Jackson version- this is another song sung on a truck!; 'Lonesome cowboy' features a foxy gal in shorts in the audience!; 'Hot dog' is another live track featuring screaming bobby soxxer types. Nice black striped shirt on Elv; 'Mean woman blues' is great and is his foray into singing in a barroom; 'Teddy bear' is another tune that you'll all know that I'm no fan of. This one is delivered onstage with a mean cowboy shirt and necktie.

Plenty of high points and I fear that this may be the template that gets watered down as we progress through the next 29. Elvis is Deke: a singer who makes it...his manager shocks the media with his wild image etc...After a hectic first half hour or so we move to a kinda love triangle. This has great songs (best yet!) with a relatively formulaic script. No songs are delivered in the 'musical style. A winner!

Elvis= Vince Everett

Score= 7/10

Elvis Score= 3/3

Leading lady= Judy Tyler 7/10

Songs= 9/10

Viewed= 26/11/07

Jumpin' beans in his jeans: Elvis filmarama 2: Loving you, 1957

And so on to the second Elvis (or Elvis P as Max Bygraves calls him in 'Fings ain't what they used to be'!) flick which along with the next 2 sets up the best run of films and probably 3 of his best overall...It could be the story of Elv (or Schmelmann as he sometimes called in these parts!) with the rags to riches story of him making it as a rock star (hence the name change!)

Good Stuff-

-He's just a 'kid from the neighbourhood'

- Hot groupie in his dressing room- "That's kissin', cousin''

-"Jumpin' beans in his jeans"

-"Hey Sideburns"

For the songs we have a solid selection of rock 'n' roll tunes on one of the few LP soundtracks worth buying in the Elvo (another moniker at the Den house) cannon. First up the rather tame title track that gets an orchestral treatment over the opening titles; 'Got a lot o' lovin' to do' is a stone cold classic where Elvis tones down the moves onstage at a political rally where he gets up to 'boogie woogie'!; (Let's have a) Party which is heard twice is decent but not a patch on the Wanda Jackson version- this is another song sung on a truck!; 'Lonesome cowboy' features a foxy gal in shorts in the audience!; 'Hot dog' is another live track featuring screaming bobby soxxer types. Nice black striped shirt on Elv; 'Mean woman blues' is great and is his foray into singing in a barroom; 'Teddy bear' is another tune that you'll all know that I'm no fan of. This one is delivered onstage with a mean cowboy shirt and necktie.

Plenty of high points and I fear that this may be the template that gets watered down as we progress through the next 29. Elvis is Deke: a singer who makes it...his manager shocks the media with his wild image etc...After a hectic first half hour or so we move to a kinda love triangle. This has great songs (best yet!) with a relatively formulaic script. No songs are delivered in the 'musical style. A winner!

Elvis= Deke Rivers/ Jimmy Tompkins

Score= 7/10

Elvis Score= 3/3

Leading lady= Dolores Hart 7/10

Songs= 9/10

Viewed= 17/11/07

Debra Paget's nice high waisted jeans (Elvis filmarama no 1: Love me tender, 1956)

In 2007 I braced myself and headed into uncharted waters with the task of watching all 31 of Elvis' films (for those of you interested a list of 'em is here). Over the coming weeks I'm gonna let you folks know what schizz I scribbled about 'em. I promise there will be some good, bad and extremely ugly songs and clips for you to lap up. First up: 'Love me tender'

First off I have to say that I have never been a big fan of the song 'Love me tender' which I find on the schnoozy side of boring (you get multiple versions here), that said I had high hopes for a 'gritty' first Elvis film. The plot is as follows: Elvis's brothers steal some cash under orders during the civil war and don't realise the war is over and decide to keep it. This one is in black and white and Elvis croaks at the end.

For the songs we have the musical theatre styled 'We're gonna move' ('nice song with deep backing vocals'); 'Love me tender'; 'Let me' ('Crazy song sung wearing a boot lace tie on the back of a truck'); 'Poor boy' ('Hillbilly accordian') Over all light on the songs with nothing much to remember/ write home about...

Elvis= Clint Reno

Score= 8/10

Elvis Score= 2/3

Leading lady= Debra Paget 5/10

Songs= 6/10

Viewed= 17/11/07

Elvis fact- Elvis's first word on screen' 'Vance!'

Plan B #81 Friday May 13th 2011

I used to do this yonks ago when we first started DJ'ing on Thursday nights at Plan B but the habit wore off...I may dig out the old Bugs Bunny notebook and post up some old set lists but for now gorge on my tunes from last night...there are one or two more eighties tracks than norm! A * indicates a Plan B debut!

Set one

The Rolling Stones- I'm free

Wilson Pickett- Don't fight it

Gene Thompson & The Counts- You don't love me

Tom Zacherle "The Cool Ghoul"- Dinner with Drac part 1*

Tom Waits- Union Square

Depeche Mode- Master and servant*

Sparks- Tips for teens

David Bowie- Modern love

Elvis Costello & The Attractions- Pump it up

The Clash- The guns of Brixton

Hank Mizell- Jungle rock

Joe Tex- I wanna be free

The Temptations- Get ready

Bobby Darin- You must have been a beautiful baby*

Bob Seger System- Ramblin' gamblin' man

The Equals- Black skin blue eyed boys

Rick James- Superfreak

Cameo- Word up*

The Champs- Tequila

The Surfaris- Wipe out

Marvin Gaye- Can I get a witness

The Who- Wont get fooled again

Set two

Salt n' Pepa- Push it

Talking Heads- Psycho killer

The Cult- She sells sanctuary*

Five by Five- Fire*

Eric Burdon & The Animals- It's all meat

Screamin' Jay Hawkins- I put a spell on you (60's version)*

Chuck Berry- Johnny B. Goode

Barry White- I'm gonna love you just a little more

I've never been on a horse: I'm Jewish

So back to that week old kipper stinking day gig after 11 days of firsts, seconds and blasts from the past!

Wizzard fall into the old overrated and therefore underrated trap here at Chez Den. It doesn't help that you can't find a fellow Wizzard fan anywhere in S12! This one has had a re-listen and sounds like someone has mixed some polyfila on it but I'm bringing it to you folks in this tasty vid...no one does Spectoresque circa 1973 better than Roy Wood. Interestingly the flipside (You got the jump on me) is by Rick Price and is billed as Wizzard feat Vile Len and Rhino...it's a goody! Nice pic of Roy doing his best blonde Gene Simmons impression an' all!

Wizzard- Angel fingers

Dropping in on an oft- neglected corner of my collection and it's time for a turn down doo-wop street. I have some stuff by these harmonising dudes but not this hot circle which I discovered when youtube told me that I might like it- fanks youtube! Not to be confused with those indie dudes from the early '90's ?!

The Pastels- Don't knock

And now we zip forward to just 3 years ago and the Beach Boys apers The Explorers Club. I genuinely thought this tune was the Boys when I heard on the end of the credits of 'Bored to Death' the other night. Another pleasant surprise for ol' Dennychops.

The Explorers- Do you love me

And the just ref'd above 'Bored to Death' I urge you to sniff it out. It isn't 'a bit crap' as my brother described it. It's the buttons on the rat's spats!

Bored to Death season 2 trailer

You're gonna have bank roll so big that when you walk down the street your pocket will look like it's got the mumps

So back in Densville it's almost time for a break from the sweatshop. With plenty on the slate lined up for the Easter and Republican bank holidays Den is in like flint tonight with a smattering of good stuff along with musings from the idea box.

The peepers are being cast over Rex Pickett's 'Sideways' which ain't a good book to be reading when you're trying to cut down on the grape juice. It just makes you wanna drink, drink, drink. Good read thus far but I could have done without Miles telling me what his pubes smelt like...

First out of the box is the just dug up from the vaults track from Len Barry from the same LP that spawned 'My baby must be a magician'. I like the fact that he's singing about the Yankees losing and bemoaning oodles of other stuff. There seems to be one picture of Len in the sixties in existence so here it is again...

Len Barry- Rainy side of the street

I like it when I get beened by a complete left-field act and these dudes are no exception...I was pointed in their direction by a friend of mine and I wasn't disappointed by their dirty garage sound. Kewlos haircuts and geetars to match blow the local pap out of the water. Now if only someone would book 'em for my home town...

Los Peyotes- Bdaaa!!!

And rounding things off we have my current fave cabaret singer Tricity Vogue. Known to strum a mean uke she is due to be co- starring with the fabby Dusty Limits soon. If you join her mailing list you can get a free mp3 of my current ear worm 'Everybody today is turning on'. So check out the blue lady, the Janus Sisters and any solo stuff for the correct balance of intellect, shits, and giggles!

Tricity Vogue- Careless drinker

Happy hunting all you live wires

Got the blues this week what with the BQ comedown...So we have a repost from Slade; Walken dancing his ass off; and two nice northern sides. What more could you want???

Crazy alt. 'Screaming Lord Sutch' type lyrics on this great Slade track from the LP/ film 'Slade in Flame'. This is a repost from last year's April blog but you get to see Noddy Holder singing in a coffin this time around...

Slade- This girl

The 'Pennies from heaven' hangover continues this week with Walken's turn as the pimp. Happy Birthday Christopher! You got some moves Mr.

Christopher Walken- Let's misbehave

I've been listening to a lot of Northern Soul these last few weeks. I dunno why I always find myself coming back to it but I do! These two are my fave raves at the mo. Bobby 'Blue' Bland is blowing my mind at the mo (check 'I pity the fool' and 'Turn on your love light' for more raves) and Sidney Barnes is cutting a very non- Red Bird release that is rarer than a Tory apology!

Bobby Bland- Ain't nothing you can do

Sidney Barnes- I hurt on the other side

House of lurgo

It's been a hell of a week Chez Den what with one thing and another coming at me in the run up to the return on Burly Q next Saturday. It seems a long time since I've picked up a good book and I need to get my teeth into something tasty...any suggestions? Hitting plenty of tunes at the moment and chomping at the bit with two 50s gigs coming up at Rumble & Burly Q.

With a name like that you'd think Skeeter would look like some dude out of 'Deliverance' but I was surprised to find many years ago that she is a she. She's better known for the warbler of the gag- fest that you can frug, jerk and boogaloo down to that is 'The end of the world'. This one is a new one on me...

Skeeter Davis- I can't stay mad at you

A fairly drippy clip of Bobby with a droopy hairy bogey on the top lip...The tune however shakes like your sister and whips it real good...I wan' it.

Bobby Darin- Long line rider

So I finally got round to watching the Yanks take a wrecking ball to my beloved 'Pennies from heaven' (Potter was in on the job an' all...). How wrong can I be?? Best scene from a highly- under-rated methinks...watch them kids go!

Bernadette Peters- Love is good

More good stuff and Kabaret abundance next time in Densville!

Machine gun the bikini girls

Time is flying at the mo with more balls in the air for D.I. than a one-armed juggler in a ball pool. Burly Q is shaping up nicely with our new venue and things are getting sorted for future shows this year...On the other side of the coin i've been helping a good friend of mine sort out his new record shop. I did get a bit lost in the D-G heavy rock section when we were sorting out but it was a good day down at Vinyl Demand! Facebook group link to follow peeps!

I've been partaking in this facebook thing where you rack the idea box for tunes that remind you of certain stuff. Some have been easy, others not so. Anyway, this one reminds me of National Express coaches, Springtime and Golders Green...

The Cramps- Bikini girls with machine guns

One that I've heard for the first time today! I picked this up the other day and it's shaping up to be a great LP (fabby cover an' all)! I'm getting a bit of a thing for ol' Peg. It's that smile of hers...she could haul my ashes any time she wants to hop in that time machine!

Peggy Lee- Heart

And finally we come to Sparks who I also end up coming back to even though I'm not that familiar with all their stuff. I got the eagers over this one a while or so back and it's from the yet to be found 'Sparks in outer space' LP which features 'Cool places' with Jane Wiedlin from the Go Go's, who (not that you'd care) bares an uncanny resemblance to someone I used to know who also has a look of Peggy Lee. That, however, is another story!

Sparks- I wish I looked a little better

Cary Grant has got pithe in his hair-piece

So nothing stays the same for long they keep telling me. Change is something that cannot be resisted! So in the mood of austerity and doing less for more I'm trying something new this week by changing my blog slightly for the few folks out there in innernets land.

It's been a mixed few weeks with bad news a plenty but I found this track that cheered me up. Yup, it sounds a little like Fats Waller but to hear a guy from 1937 riffing about smoking a five foot long reefer has to be worth a lesson. Is it just me or did those jazz grass hoppers play an upbeat kinda groove that is sadly lacking later in the decade when all the deadheads who smoked too much dope could do was take down nice and slow. Anyway, Bob Howard is your man this time out. It's the penguins sock suspenders!

Whilst looking for good cabaret turns I stumbled across Nellie Mckay as she had recently performed in Lahndan. I'm sure got some gals all steamed up and ready for a scrap. I was hopeful that we could snag her as a possible Burly Q 'til I found out she was Stateside! Darn it. Is she saying what most people think? I dunno but she's kinda cute and I dig her act!

I've also watched two flicks this last week that I dug for varying reasons. First up was Charade with the fantastically touped (it even withstands a shower) Cary Grant and the bony- ass Audrey Hepburn who's voice continues to grate on me. In this scene we have Cary mugging it up 30's style; frugging whilst trying to pass an orange. Groovey man!

Over on the flipside we have 'One crazy summer': a mid- rate Cusack film from the mid- eighties. This one is set in Nantucket (trust me peeps this will remain limerick free!) and has an 'alternative' Demi Moore in a band featuring backing singers dressed as waitresses (that's as good as they get!). The flick is OK but is made all the better with an appearance from that guy out of 'Revenge of the nerds' and the love-him-or-hate-him Bobcat Goldthwaite who in the best scene in the film wrecks a model village dressed as godzilla with a burning cigar in his costume!

Bob Howard- If you're a viper

Nellie McKay

Cary Grant/ Audrey Hepburn Orange dance

Godzilla in One Crazy Summer

The nuts

So now were on to the second month of the year and Christmas fades into the distance...I've got the usual display of goodness that hopefully you Den bods tune into each week or so...We have the debut of the Rolling Stones; a warm return for Garfunkel and Oates and their ode to your LB Johnson along with some Vicoriana fan dancing from Vicky Butterfly that is truly the nuts!

So I went a little nuts the other day as I went 30 clicks south with MD. I snaffled solo Bill Wyman (subsequently dispatched at the charity shop bin) and also ' She's the boss' which awaits it's verdict...'Lucky in love' will always have a close place in Den's heart but he fears that the entire LP will be an LP too far to file away with 'Give me regards to broad street' and ' Southpaw grammer'. Anways, I heard this watching the under-rated/ axed 'Happy Town'...

The Rolling Stones- Hand of fate

Another great turn from Garf & Oates...this one did make me larf! I plumped for the subtitled version so you can follow the numerous euphenisms to the Tricky Dick Nixon...

Garfunkel and Oates- I don't understand job

A fantastic (and all-too rare in my humble pov) classy burlesque performance for you this week (that is if you ignore the woops and awooos from the audience...is it just me who is annoyed by these on live clips?). I've been left cold by so much recently that this one really blew me away even more than I expected. Great musicality and choice of backing track is married with amazing use of isis wings and a cage dress; and all this is done on pointe. Vicky Butterfly truly is the parrot's dungarees!

Vicky Butterfly- Victorian butterfly

They deviled my kidneys, stomach and lungs

It's been busy times here in Densville. I've been teaching the kids the meaning of the word 'Gak' and learning that 'Blates' is a term that exists in Y2k Sheff; and the bastards crawled out of the woodwork again whilst I indulged myself with double bills of pop films and re-reads. In addition there is a welcome time-machine return to a previously recorded on my VHS Blues Explosion clip from '94, the British Heart recommended Tom Waits track, some burlesk from NYC and a nice little Beatles lullaby for Beej. Enjoy.

A first outing for Julie Atlas Muz at Densville. If there is such a thing as a beautiful women inside an oversized inflatable balloon having poise, class and style this gal has it in spades. Hot dawg! this gal sure can hot foot with the best of them; the fact that she's topless throughout appears to be so matter of fact that it recalls the Crazy Horse/ Moulin Rouge French stuff that I've seen. I love this gal she's clearly in the driving seat. Take it away Julie...

Julie Atlas Muz- Balloon

Fantastic rock 'n' roll without a bass many years before the White Stripes. I remember watching this when it was on back in '94 and saw a theramin for the first time! For the Spencer virgins check out 'Bellbottoms' for more kicks.

Jon Spencer Blues Explosion- Afro!

This one had been lurkin' on the shelf for a few years since Mark snatched this one up for me. Fast- forward to May '10 and British Heart doing his Prime Minister's mouse and we get this! Tom seems to be working the Phil Mitchell dough face look in this one but don't let it put you off! Cheers Crispy!

Tom Waits- God's away on business

Finally another track that takes me back to '94 and endless plays of 'the white album'. Schmaltz central but the best thing Ringo put down with the Beatles. Which filled my double- bill of pop flicks the other night with a welcome viewing of Robert Zemeckis' 'I wanna hold your hand'. It doesn't appear to be available on DVD in the UK but I'm sure you can track it down...Which I would advise for the fans of schadenfreude with Kiss meets the phantom of the park. It's a hoot! The evil 'evil' Kiss are great!!!

The Beatles- Good night

The Monkey's briefcase

So the days are spent in darkness in deepest, darkest Sheffield bobbing around to the lousy day gig and back to the crib. I learnt my fave phrase this week from WW2- SNAFU...it's an acronym folks that you should drop into your day to day convo. I'm clearly backing the packages this week on the blog with Etta, Bobbie & Dana along with the man mountain that is Nick Apollo (Forte) and a welcome return for Woody Allen. Keep those cab doors tuned in for more Den time over the coming weeks. It's where it's at...

First up with an unheard version of Get ready is Ella Fitzgerald. This is much better than I thought it would be. Yup she's hitching her waggon to the tunes of the day (albeit 3/4 years late) but she turns in a decent version that's worth getting the magnifying glass out for.

Ella Fitzgerald- Get ready

Another one on the never ending list of wants for D.I. I know nothin' about this gal other than she turns in a decent version of the Simon and Halfuncle track which I blogged a few months back. Again another one of the pop tunes spun at Wigan. Methinks that some of those Northern fans wanna lighten up and smell the roast...Nice snap of Dana with Sandie and Marianne, who is looking a little pregnant on this one...Maybe it's just the posture...

Dana Valery- You don't know where your interest lies

Bobbie Gentry- Morning glory

A welcome return for Bobbie...Back in the day 'Morning glory' meant more than being the title of being Oasis' second LP. There's another half- decent version of this lurking on an LP she did with Glen Campbell which I previously advised to avoid like the plague. I think this clip demonstrates that she can certainly manage well enough on her own without him and I did the right thing sending that one to the chazza. I love the way Bobbie plays guitar is if she can't be arsed...it's the Gibbons suitcase...!

So I had a rare night in on my Jack Jones and headed to the Woody Allen cupboard. A double bill of Whatever Works (not so good on the second view) and Broadway Danny Rose (gets better every time). This one is all about what happens when you eata too much...Take it away Lou!

Lou Canova- Agita!