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Overview - Hep to the Jive!!!!

This is just really a nostalgic ramble through the aural windmills of my mind... My musical taste, or lack thereof, expands daily, eclectically.  I haven’t even mentioned Gene Autry yet…  Music is for listening to, not writing about. However, since March 2007 I have tried to make this section more interactive by adding links to selections by the relevant artist.

Firstly, my tribute to the work of Buchanan & Goodman, recorded 25 years ago from vinyl and onto an old cassette player...

Fave hot wax - Albums

I decided in October 2006 to set criteria for what defines an album that is allowed to be in my Top Ten Thirteen. I decided to exclude greatest hits albums, and various artists compilations.  That means that they must be a collection of songs which a group or artist decided to release at one particular time, as a new offering, that had not previously been available in that form. So here we go, not yet in any particular order.

• Original Broadway Cast - West Side Story
• Original Cast - Joseph & the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat
• Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
• Big Bopper - Chantilly Lace 

For me The Bopper was one of the under-rated greats of all time. The one excellent album showed such promise, such wit, such musical innovation. The humour in his voice in just about every song is wonderful, and yet all most people know him for is Chantilly Lace, although his larger than life personality really comes out, right from the first Heeeelllloooo Baaabbbbby!. The laugh-a-minute scariness of Preacher and the Bear is wonderful. The steady rolling along of Walking through my Dreams is perfect. Whoever played sax (was it him?) on his records deserves immortality. His son apparently still performs his father's stage act.

• Crazy Cavan and the Rhythm Rockers - Crazy Rhythm
• The Million Dollar Quartet recordings - Elvis, with Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins

• Hank Williams - Moanin’ the Blues
• Zombies - The Odessey and The Oracle
• Paul Simon - Graceland
• Sex Pistols - Never Mind
• Billy Fury - Sound of Fury
• David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
• Phil Spector & Artists - A Christmas Gift For You

Others that I like

Any compilation of Sun country rock stuff.

Any Joe Meek stuff

Fave hot wax - Singles/Album tracks

This is impossible for anyone as it must be constantly changing, but over the years my all-time winner is

Red Cadillac and a Black Moustache - Warren Smith on Sun

She Loves You - Beatles

Vince Taylor and the Playboys - Brand New Cadillac

Most wanted records

‘My Happiness’ home recording by Elvis Presley as a gift for his mother. Only one copy ever existed.

‘Looking for an Echo’ by Kenny Vance, late of Jay and the Americans. I’ve only ever heard it once. Will it be any good when I finally get it? This isn't particularly rare or expensive, it's just a great performance that I've only ever heard once, apart from odd MP3 clips.

Greatest personal musical achievements

This is where I get to mention that I’ve stood on the stage of the Ryman Auditorium. If you’ve never heard of it I won’t explain as you won’t be impressed anyway.

I've also met Sam Philips, below, with Peter Guralnick, right. If you’ve never heard of him I won’t explain as you still won’t be impressed anyway.

I’m often asked where is the best place for getting hold of such-and-such a record.  ‘Keep looking’ is the best advice.  I look through vast amounts of utter rubbish, but am often rewarded with some Rough Diamond or Long-Lost Gem. Try Archive Records one of the best collectors’ records shops around.  Say hi to Stompin’ Steve.

He sells everything from 78s, 45s, LPs, CDs, books, magazines, pop memorabilia, posters… 

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