One JemTunes 23 #11

11 of 12 in a monthly music diatribe from a 64-year old hippy

OneJemTunes is a monthly foray into my world of music. Published monthly throughout 2023, there’s everything here including downloads, gigs I’ve been to, JemJams listings, birthdays and passings and much more.

And as 2023 is the year I could finally sing the line ‘…when I’m 64…’ and be there, the music world is my proverbial oyster (not that it’s not always been of course – because it has). And still is. Music is one of my passions and as writing is another – it’s a no-brainer to combine the two.

OneJemTunes 23 #11 is mostly about October 2023 (although there’s a bit of looking into and forward to November as well).

Comings and goings – a regular feature throughout the year. On the one hand sadly recording those we’ve lost, but on the other – looking forward to birthdays of those we still have.

On 11th October we lost American singer/songwriter and founder member of the Isley Brothers, Rudolph Isley, aged 84.

Eleven birthdays for the 11th month of the year already gone or coming up are – Rick Allen (Def Leppard drummer) [1st/60], K D Lang (singer/songwriter) [2nd/62], Adam Ant [3rd/69], Chris Difford (Squeeze) [4th/69], Brian Adams [5th/63], Art Gunfunkel [5th/81], Joni Mitchell [7th/79], Bonnie Riatt (blues guitarist) [8th/73], Roy Wood (Electric Light Orchestra) [8th/76], Neil Young [12th/77], and Leo Lyons (Ten Years After bassist) [30th/79]

October downloads and other additions added to my JemTunes music collection:

• James & the Cold Gun [eponymous] (2023) – standout track ‘Chewing Glass’
• Roger Waters – Dark Side of the Moon Redux (2023) – standout track ‘Money’
• The Rolling Stones – Hackney Diamonds (2023) – standout track ‘Sweet sounds of heaven’ (ft. Lady Gaga & Stevie Wonder)

Jem’s daily music lists of 10 – is something I’ve been doing since around the start of the 2019 pandemic and the first UK lockdown. So grateful those dark days are behind us now – but I took a liking to the idea, so haven’t yet stopped. I’m currently on list No. 1317. Quite simply it’s a list of 10 songs (or other music-related things) on different themes published daily on my main FaceBook page. During October 2023, those were…

• NME Number 1 singles of the 1970s [1st to 17th]
• NME Number 1 singles of the 1980s [18th to 30th]
• 10 songs about retirement (31st) – the day of my retirement

JemJams (one of my FaceBook pages) is about posting a new jam every 6 days. JemJams has its roots in something called ‘This is my jam.com’; a website/blogsite to which contributors worldwide added a track of their choosing once every 6 days. No words – no dialogue – no comments. Just the music. ‘This is my jam’ went offline in September 2015. But – as it was such a good idea and something which means a lot to me, JemJams has carried on the task (albeit from just one person) ever since. Here are JemJams 449 to 453.

1. 449: Ghost Hounds – Make it shake (posted on 5/10)
2. 450: Skindred – Gimme dat boom (posted on 11/10)
3. 451: Ally Venable – Don’t lose me (posted on 17/10)
4. 452: Royal Blood – Pull me through (posted on 23/10), and
5. 453: Michael Katon – Watermelon & Black Coffee (posted on 29/10)

October gigs. Two. Both at Brighton’s ‘Chalk’. Both booked six months or so back. Both long since sold out.

The first was ‘Tigercub‘ supported by ‘James & the Cold Gun’ on the 20th. Tigercub are a three-piece rock band from Brighton, UK. The band are Jamie Stephen Hall (vocals and lead guitar), James Allix (drums) and Jimi Wheelwright (bass). They were formed in 2011 by Hall and Allie who both studied at Brighton Institute of Modern Music (BIMM). They’ve released three EPs, the Hands EP (2013), Repressed Semantics (2015) and Evolve or Die (2017), and three full-length albums, Abstract Figures in the Dark (2016), As Blue as Indigo (2021) and The Perfume Of Decay (2023).

The second was ‘Skindred‘ supported by ‘St Agnes’ and ‘Blackgold’ on the 27th. This was the ‘Smile’ tour in support of the of 2023 album of the same name. Skindred formed in Newport in 1998 and have won several awards including “Best Live Band” at the 2011 UK Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards and the “Devotion Award” at the 2011 Kerrang! Awards

Upcoming gigs. Already been to one in November; Robert Plant on the 1st. Coming up CMAT (at Brighton’s Chalk) on the 15th and Kris Drever (at Brighton’s Komedia) on the 22nd. More on all three in One JemTunes 23 #12 due out at the beginning of December.

One JemTunes 23 #10

10 of 12 in a monthly music diatribe from a 64 year-old hippy

OneJemTunes is a monthly foray into my world of music. Published monthly throughout 2023, there’s everything here including downloads, gigs I’ve been to, JemJams listings, birthdays and passings and much more.

And as 2023 is the year I could finally sing the line ‘…when I’m 64…’ and be there, the music world is my proverbial oyster (not that it’s not always been of course – because it has). And still is. Music is one of my passions and as writing is another – it’s a no-brainer to combine the two.

OneJemTunes 23 #10 is mostly about September 2023 (although there’s a bit of looking into and forward to October as well).

Comings and goings – a regular feature throughout the year. On the one hand sadly recording those we’ve lost, but on the other – looking forward to birthdays of those we still have.

On 1st September we lost American singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett  aged 72, principally associated with the ‘tropical rock’ genre. He was all about ‘island escapism’ – a life-long passion, epitomised in this quote:

“It’s pure escapism is all it is…I’m not the first one to do it, nor shall I probably be the last. But I think it’s really a part of the human condition that you’ve got to have some fun. You’ve got to get away from whatever you do to make a living or other parts of life that stress you out. I try to make it at least 50/50 fun to work and so far it’s worked out.”

Ten birthdays for the 10th month of the year already gone or coming up are – Martin Turner (Wishbone Ash bassist) [1st/76], Phil Oakey (Human League) [2nd/68], Sting (Police) [2nd/72], Bob Geldof (The Boomtown Rats) [5th/71], Thom Yorke (Radiohead) [7th/54], Martin Kemp (Spandau Ballet) [10th/61], Billy Cox (Bassist with the Jimi Hendrix Experience) [18th/81], Ric Lee (Ten Years After drummer) [20th/77], Simon le Bon (Duran Duran) [27th/64], and Johnny Marr (The Smiths) [31st/59].

September downloads and other additions added to my JemTunes music collection:

• Albany Down – Born in the Ashes (2023) [standout track – Let your love shine]
• Royal Blood – Back to the water below (2023) [standout track – Triggers]
• The Bites – Squeeze (2023) [standout track – Do me a favour]
• You’ve got everything now [Mojo cover CD] (standout track – The Wedding Present: My favourite dress)
• Pretenders – Relentless (2023) [standout track – Losing my sense of taste]
• Public Service Broadcasting – This new noise (2023) [standout track – An unusual man]
• The Record Company – 4th album (2023) [standout track – I found heaven (in my darkest days))
• Paul Rodgers – Midnight Rose (2023) [standout track – Melting]
• Blackstone Cherry – Screaming at the sky (2023) [standout track – Not afraid]

Jem’s daily music lists of 10 – is something I’ve been doing since around the start of the 2019 pandemic and the first UK lockdown. So grateful those dark days are behind us now – but I took a liking to the idea, so haven’t yet stopped. I’m currently on list No. 1286. Quite simply it’s a list of 10 songs (or other music-related things) on different themes published daily on my main FaceBook page. During September 2023, those were…

• 100 rock albums that defined the 1980s (1-6/9)
• 20 Instrumentals (7 & 8)
• 20 very long album tracks (9 & 10)
• NME No.1 singles of the 1960s (11-29/9)
• 10 getting marrieds songs (30th)

JemJams (one of my FaceBook pages) is about posting a new jam every 6 days. JemJams has its roots in something called ‘This is my jam.com’; a website/blogsite to which contributors worldwide added a track of their choosing once every 6 days. No words – no dialogue – no comments. Just the music. ‘This is my jam’ went offline in September 2015. But – as it was such a good idea and something which means a lot to me, JemJams has carried on the task (albeit from just one person) ever since. Here are JemJams 444 to 448.

1. 444: Queens of the Stone Age – Straitjacket fitting (posted on 5/9)
2. 445: Pontus Snibb – Love Letter (posted on 11/9)
3. 446: The Dust Coda – Free all the dancers (posted on 17/9)
4. 447: The Black Keys – Burn the damn thing down (posted on 23/9), and
5. 448: Greta van Fleet – Farewell for now (posted on 29/9)

Upcoming gigs. Been a bit of a hiatus there for a while – but I’m making up big-time in October and November. Coming in October are Tigercub (cover pic) on the 20th and Skindred on the 27th (both at Brighton’s ‘Chalk’). Reviews of both in One JemTunes #11, due out around 6th November.

One JemTunes 23 #9

9 of 12 in a monthly music diatribe from a 64-year old hippy

OneJemTunes is a monthly foray into my world of music. Published monthly throughout 2023, there’s everything here including downloads, gigs I’ve been to, JemJams listings, birthdays and passings and much more.

And as 2023 is the year I could finally sing the line ‘…when I’m 64…’ and be there, the music world is my proverbial oyster (not that it’s not always been of course – because it has). And still is. Music is one of my passions and as writing is another – it’s a no-brainer to combine the two.

OneJemTunes 23 #9 is mostly about August 2023 (although there’s a bit of looking into and forward to September as well).

Comings and goings – a regular feature throughout the year. On the one hand sadly recording those we’ve lost, but on the other – looking forward to birthdays of those we still have.

On 24th August we lost Bernie Marsden aged 72 (sic. cover pic). An English rock and blues guitarist,  he is primarily known for his work with Whitesnake, having written or co-written with singer David Coverdale many of the group’s hit songs, including “Fool for your loving”, “Walking in the Shadow of the Blues”, “She’s A Woman”, “Lovehunter”, “Trouble”, “Child of Babylon”, “Rough and Ready”, and the multi-million selling chart-topper “Here I go again”

Nine birthdays for the 9th month of the year already gone or coming up are – Gloria Estafan (singer) [1st/66], Bruce Foxton (Jam bassist) [1st/68], Barry Gibb (The Bee Gees) [1st/77], Steve Jones (Sex Pistols guitarist) [3rd/68], Beyonce Knowles (singer/songwriter) [4th/42], Martin Chamber (Pretenders drummer) [4th/72], Roger Waters (Pink Floyd bassist) [6th/80], Joe Perry (Aerosmith guitarist) [10th/72] and Jarvis Cocker (Pulp singer) [10th/59].

August downloads and other additions added to the JemTunes collection:

• Collective Soul – Afterwords (2008) Standout track – Persuasion of you
• Skindred – Smile (2023) Standout track – Gimme that boom [There’ll be a review of the Brighton leg of their 2023 ‘Smile’ tour in One JemTunes #11 as we’ll be at the Chalk gig on 27th October]
• Dave Fields – Force of Will (2020) Standout track – Best I can
• Beaux Gris Gris & the Apocalypse – Live in the UK (2023) Standout track – What’s my name
• Ally Venable – Pearl Gone (2023) Standout track – Don’t lose me
• Michel Katon – Hard On (the Boogie) (2012) Standout track – Watermelon and black coffee
• Laurence Jones – Bad luck and the blues (2023) Standout track – Woman

Jem’s daily music lists of 10 – is something I’ve been doing since around the start of the 2019 pandemic and the first UK lockdown. So grateful those dark days are behind us now – but I took a liking to the idea, so haven’t yet stopped. I’m currently on list No. 1260. Quite simply it’s a list of 10 songs (or other music-related things) on different themes published daily on my main FaceBook page. During August 2023, those were…

• Classic Albums (1950s to 2020s) [b/f from July] (1st to 11th)
• Weekend songs (12th)
• Songs with ‘Charlie’ in the title (13th) [for my brother Charlie’s birthday]
• Top 10 most weeks in the top 20 UK singles charts (14th)
• Top 10 longest UK top 20 span (15th)
• Top 10 most top 20 UK singles charts entries (16th)
• Top 10 acts of the 1990s (17th)
• Top 10 singles (by sales) of the 1990s (18th)
• Top 10 European Acts with most weeks in the 1990s UK charts (19th)
• 20 Guitarists (20th & 21st)
• 20 Drummers (22nd & 23rd)
• 20 Bassists (24th & 25th)
• 20 Pink Floyd albums (26th & 27th)
• 100 rock albums that defined the 1980s (28th to 31st) [c/f to September]

JemJams (one of my FaceBook pages) is about posting a new jam every 6 days. JemJams has its roots in something called ‘This is my jam.com’; a website/blogsite to which contributors worldwide added a track of their choosing once every 6 days. No words – no dialogue – no comments. Just the music. ‘This is my jam’ went offline in September 2015. But – as it was such a good idea and something which means a lot to me, JemJams has carried on the task (albeit from just one person) ever since. Here are JemJams 439 to 443.

1. 439: Tigerclub – Until I forget [posted on 6th August]
2. 440: Rival Sons – Nobody wants to die [posted in 12th August]
3. 441: Samantha Fish & Jesse Dayton – Down in the mud [posted on 18th August]
4. 442: Buckcherry – Good time [posted on 24th August] and
5. 443: Gov’t Mule – Peace I need [posted on 30th August]

’23 Tunes’ is the thematic I’ve given to the periodic playlists I’m putting together this year. Here’s the track-by-track lowdown for No.5…

1. Knocking on the door – The Bites
2. Watermelon & Black Coffee – Michael Katon
3. Bad luck and the blues – Laurence Jones
4. Custard Pie – Jimmy Page & the Black Crowes
5. Dirty Angel – Ghost Hounds
6. Jack Ham Her – Dave Fields
7. Gimme that boom – Skindred
8. New Vibration – Collective Soul
9. Two wrongs – Ally Venable
10. Let me out – Brian May
11. I love my baby – Dave Fields
12. Oh Well – (into…)
13. Nobody’s fault but mine – (both by…) Jimmy Page & the Black Crowes
14. LOVE (Smile please) – Skindred
15. Pull me through – Royal Blood
16. Don’t lose me – Ally Venable
17. Check out the blues – Michael Katon
18. Persuasion of you – Collective Soul
19. Make it shake – Ghost Hounds
20. Mama – Skindred
21. Best I can – Dave Fields
22. Bluesbreaker 23 – Brian May & friends
23. What’s my name – Beaux Gris Gris & the Apocalypse

One JemTunes #10 is due out sometime around 2nd October.

One Jemtunes 23 #6

6 of 12 in a monthly music diatribe from a 64 year old hippy

OneJemTunes is a monthly foray into my world of music. Published monthly throughout 2023, there’s everything here including downloads, gigs I’ve been to, JemJams listings, birthdays and passings and much more.

And as 2023 is the year I can finally sing the line ‘…when I’m 64…’ and be there, the music world is my proverbial oyster (not that it’s not always been of course – because it has).

OneJemTunes 23 #6 is mostly about May 2023 (although there’s a bit of looking forward to June as well).

Read on…

JemJams (one of my FaceBook pages) is about posting a new jam every 6 days. JemJams has its roots in something called ‘This is my jam.com’; a website/blogsite to which contributors worldwide added a track of their choosing once every 6 days. No words – no dialogue – no comments. Just the music. ‘This is my jam’ went offline in September 2015. But – as it was such a good idea and something which means a lot to me, JemJams has carried on the task (albeit from just one person) ever since. Here are JemJams 423 to 427.

1. 423: Indigo Girls – Shit kicking (posted on 2nd May)
2. 424: Neverland Branch Davidians – Fatback (posted on 8 May)
3. 425: The Cold Stares – Nothing but the blues (posted on 14 May)
4. 426: Connor Selby – Emily (posted on 20 May) and
5. 427: Hillbilly Vegas – Shake it like a hillbilly (posted on 26 May)

Jem’s daily music lists of 10 – is something I’ve been doing since around the start of the 2019 pandemic and the first UK lockdown. So grateful those dark days are behind us now – but I took a liking to the idea, so haven’t yet stopped. I’m currently on list No. 1165. Quite simply it’s a list of 10 songs on different themes published daily on my main FaceBook page. During May 2023, those were…

• Top 10 UK singles this week in 1977 through 1979 (1st to 3rd May)
• 10 songs about Star Wars (4th May)
• Top 10 UK singles the week in 1980 (5th May)
• 10 singles from January 1970 to November 1979 (6th to 15th May)
• 10 songs about Sally (16th May)
• Top 10 albums this day from 1990 to 2020 (in decades) (17th to 20th May)
• 10 Brighton songs (21st May)
• Songs about London (22nd to 26th May)
• Saturday songs (27th May)
• Hot songs (28th & 29th May)
• Shakespeare inspired songs (30th and 31st May)

May downloads and other additions:

• Pop Evil – Skeletons (2023) [standout track – Wrong Direction]
• Mallory Knox (eponymous) (2015) on CD [standout track – Fine Lines]
• Queens of the Stone Age – Fra Vulgaris (2007) on CD [standout track – Sick sick sick]
• Underworld – a collection 2 (2016) [standout track Dirty Epic]
• Ana Popovic – Power (2023) [standout track -Doin this]
• Tyler Bryant & the Shakedown – Dirty Work (2023) [standout track – Sho been worse]
• Snayx – Weaponised youth Part I (2023) [standout track – Work]
• Demob Happy – Divine Machines (2023) [standout track -Super Fluid]
• Street Sermons – Daddy Longlegs (2023) [standout track – Street Sermon]

And the best of of the lot – an ultra-limited single-sided heavy vinyl copy of Underworld’s ‘And the colour red’ on red vinyl. Mine is 49/1000. Very special pressie from my son Ed. (See cover pic)

Comings and goings – a regular feature throughout the year. On the one hand sadly recording those we’ve lost, but on the other – looking forward to birthdays of those we still have.

Those we lost in May included the ubiquitous Tina Turner (aged 83 on the 24th) and Andy Rourke – bassist for The Smiths (aged 59 on the 19th).

Six birthdays in the sixth month of the year (June) – Ronnie Wood (1st and 76), Suzi Quatro (3rd and 73), Steve Vai (6th and 62), George Ezra (7th and 29), Paul McCartney (18th and 80) and Andy Scott – Sweet guitarist (30th and 73)

Gigs in May 23 – not a gig per se – but a celebration of songwriters as a part of The Ivors week on 16th May. Live at the London Palladium, ‘The Other songs’ featured songwriters both talking about and performing some of the songs which they’d written for others over the years. We got tickets as one of our daughters works for The Ivors and helped set up the Palladium show.

One Jemtunes #7 is due around 3rd July

One Jemtunes 23 #5

5 of 12 in a monthly music diatribe from a 64-year old hippy

OneJemTunes is a monthly foray into my world of music. Published monthly throughout 2023, there’s everything here including downloads, gigs I’ve been to, JemJams listings, birthdays and passings and much more.

And as 2023 is the year I can finally sing the line ‘…when I’m 64…’ and be there, the music world is my proverbial oyster (not that it’s not always been of course – because it has).

OneJemTunes 23 #5 is mostly about April 2023 (although there’s a bit of looking forward to May as well).

Read on…

JemJams (one of my FaceBook pages) is about posting a new jam every 6 days. JemJams has its roots in something called ‘This is my jam.com’; a website/blogsite to which contributors worldwide added a track of their choosing once every 6 days. No words – no dialogue – no comments. Just the music. ‘This is my jam’ went offline in September 2015. But – as it was such a good idea and something which means a lot to me, JemJams has carried on the task (albeit from just one person) ever since. Here are JemJams 418 to 422.

1. 418: Black Star Riders – Hustle (posted on 2nd April)
2. 419: Crosby Stills & Nash – Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (posted on 8th April)
3. 420: The Sensational Alex Harvey Band – Faith Healer (posted on 14th April)
4. 421: Those Damn Crows – I am (posted on 20th April), and
5. 422: Doomsday Outlaws – In too deep (posted on 26th April)

Jem’s daily music lists of 10 – is something I’ve been doing since the start of the pandemic and the first UK lockdown. So grateful those dark days are behind us now – but I took a liking to the idea, so haven’t yet stopped. I’m currently on list No. 1130. Quite simply it’s a daily list of 10 songs on different themes published daily on my main FaceBook page. During April 2023, those were…

• Songs about April (1st & 2nd)
• Ten standout tracks from album downloads 2022/23 (3rd to 12th)
• Cloud songs (13th to 15th)
• Spring songs (16th to 19th)
• Flower songs (20th to 23rd)
• Top 10 singles this day in 1970 to 1976 (24th to 30th)

April downloads and other additions:

• Elles Bailey – Shining in the half-light (2023) [standout track – ‘Sunshine City (live)’]
• Underworld – and the colour red (2023) [track only]
• Demob Happy – Holy Doom (2018) [standout track – ‘Loosen it’]
• Tiger Club – As blue as indigo (2021) [standout track – Beauty’]
• Unthank Smith – Nowhere and Everywhere (2023) [standout track – ‘Robert Kay’]
• The Nude Party – Rides On (2023) [standout track – ‘Tell em”]
• Arielle – 73 (2023) [standout track – ”73′]
• Skindred – Big Tings (2018) [standout track – ‘Machine’]
• Gyasi – Androgyne (2019) [standout track – ‘Young Love’]
• Gyasi – Baby Blue EP (2023) [standout track ‘Sugar Mama’]

Comings and goings – a regular feature throughout the year. On the one hand sadly recording those we’ve lost, but on the other – looking forward to birthdays of those we still have.

Those we lost in April included Seymour Stein – co-founder of Sire Records (2nd aged 80), Paul Cattermole – S Club 7 singer (6th aged 46) and Ian Bairnson – The Alan Parsons Project (7th aged 69).

Birthdays in May 2023: Judy Collins – singer (1st and 84), Rita Coolidge – singer (1st and 78), Ray Parker Jnr – singer (1st and 69), Bernard Butler – Suede guitarist (1st and 54), Englebert Humperdinck – singer (2nd and 86), Lou Gramm – Foreigner vocalist (2nd and 72), Frankie Valli – The Four Seasons (3rd and 88), Mary Hopkin – singer (3rd and 72), Bruce Hall – REO Speedwagon bassist (3rd and 69), Zal Cleminson – Sensational Alex Harvey Band guitarist (4th and 73), Teddie Chinery – The Beverley Sisters (5th and 95), Bob Seger – singer (5th and 77), Bernie Marsden – Whitesnake guitarist (7th and 71), Dave Rowntree – Blur drummer (8th and 58), Dave Gahan – Depeche Mode (8th and 60), Donovan – singer (10th and 76), Eric Burdon – The Animals (11th and 81), Steve Winwood – Spencer Davis Group, Traffic & Blind faith (12th and 74), Stevie Wonder (13th and 72), David Byrne – Talking Heads (14th and 70), Brian Eno – Roxy Music (15th and 74), Robert Fripp – King Crimson guitarist (16th and 76), Trent Reznor – Nine Inch Nails (17th and 57), Rick Wakeman – Yes keyboardist (18th and 73), Pete Townshend – The Who (19th and 77), Cher (20th and 76), Morrissey – The Smiths (22nd and 64), Bob Dylan (24th and 81), Paul Weller – The Jam (25th and 65), John Fogerty – Creedence Clearwater Revival (28th and 77), Francis Rossi – Status Quo (29th and 77) and Tom Morello – Rage against the machine guitarist (30th and 58)

Gigs in April 23 – ‘Unthank/Smith’ at Brighton’s Komedia on the 5th. A collaboration between Rachel Unthank (from the Unthanks) and Paul Smith (from Maximo Park), this was an evening of exploration into songs from their mutual homeland – the north east of England.

Featuring many songs from the recently released but five-years ago recorded ‘Nowhere and Everywhere’ album, many sung unaccompanied save for the drone of Rachel Unthank’s harmonium, this was an evening of musical loveliness. Thought-provoking, insightful and melodious, we were taken deeply into the history via songs and words telling stories from the north east from both yesteryear and more recent times. The haunting ‘Robert Kay’ stole the show for me – a sad tale of a young soldier killed in the first world war on a Palm Sunday ten days before be was due to come home. Yet this was not a mournful gig but an uplifting one. Another one etched in the memory.

One Jemtunes 23 #6 is due out around June 5th.

OneJemTunes 23 #4

4 of 12 in a monthly diatribe from a 64 year old hippy

OneJemTunes is a monthly foray into my world of music. Published monthly throughout 2023, there’s everything here including downloads, gigs I’ve been to, JemJams listings, birthdays and passings and much more.

And as 2023 is the year I can finally sing the line ‘…when I’m 64…’ and be there, the music world is my proverbial oyster.

OneJemTunes 23 #4 is mostly about March 23 (although there’s a bit of looking forward to April as well).

Read on…

JemJams (one of my FaceBook pages) is about posting a new jam every 6 days. JemJams has its roots in something called ‘This is my jam.com’; a website/blogsite to which contributors worldwide added a track of their choosing once every 6 days. No words – no dialogue – no comments. Just the music. ‘This is my jam’ went offline in September 2015. But – as it was such a good idea and something which means a lot to me, JemJams has carried on the task (albeit from just one person) ever since. Here are JemJams 413 to 417

1. 413: Kenny Wayne Shepherd – Kings Highway (posted on 3rd March)
2. 414: Leftfield – This is what we do (posted on 9th March)
3. 415: The Commoners – Too Much (posted on 15th March)
4. 416: Laura Cox – One Big Mess (posted on 21st March)
5. 417: Dangereens – Thieves (posted on 28th March)

March downloads and other additions:

• Indigo Girls – Shit Kickin (2020) – Track download
• The Cold Stares – Voices (2023) [Standout track – Nothing but the blues]
• Connor Selby (2023) [Standout track – Emily]
• Hillbilly Vegas – The Great Southern Hustle (2023) [Standout track – Shake it like a hillbilly]
• The Heavy – Stone Cold Killer EP (2023)
• Neverland Branch Davidians (2023) [Standout track – Fatback]
• Van Morrison – Moving on Skiffle (2023) [Standout track – Steamline Train]
• The Answer – Sundowners (2023) [Standout track – Blood Brother]
• The Inspector Cluzo – Horizon (2023) [Standout track – Rockophobia]

’23 Tunes’ is the thematic I’ve given to the periodic playlists I’m putting together this year. Here’s the track-by-track lowdown for No.2…

1. The Cold Stares – Nothing but the blues
2. Doomsday Outlaws – In too deep
3. Those Damn Crows – Fill the void
4. Black Star Riders – Crazy Horses
5. Dangereens – Thieves
6. Doomsday Outlaw – Bring you pain
7. The Cold Stares – Come for me
8. Jeff Beck – You know what I mean
9. Those Damn Crows – I am
10. The Heavy – Feel the love
11. Doomsday Outlaws – It never gets old
12. Black Star Riders – Hustle
13. Indigo Girls – Shit kickin
14. The Answer – Living on the line
15. The Cold Stares – It’s heavy
16. The Heavy – Stone cold killer
17. The Inspector Cluzo – Rockophobia
18. The Answer – Blood Brother
19. Van Morrison – Streamline Train
20. Hillbilly Vegas – Shake it like a hillbilly
21. The Heavy – Hurricane coming
22. Connor Selby – Emily
23. Neverland Branch Davidians – Fatback

Comings and goings – a regular feature throughout the year. On the one hand sadly recording those we’ve lost, but on the other – looking forward to birthdays of those we still have.

Those we lost in March included Gary Rossington – guitarist and last surviving founder member of the original Lynyrd Skynyrd. December 4, 1951 to March 5, 2023.

Birthdays in April 2023: Robin Scott (singer/songwriter with M – notable writer of ‘Pop Musik’ – 1st and 76), Emmylou Harris (2nd and 76), David Robinson (Cars drummer – 2nd and 74), Tony Orlando (‘Tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree’ – 3rd and 78), Judy Tzuke (3rd and 66), Sebastian Bach (Skid Row – 3rd and 54), Dave Hill (Slade guitarist – 4th and 76), Allan Clarke (The Hollies – 5th and 80), Gordon Giltrap (6th and 74), Roger Chapman (8th and 80), Steve Howe (Yes – 8th and 75), Brian Setzer (Stray Cats – 10th and 63), Joss Stone (11th and 35), Herbie Hancock (12th and 82), Al Green (13th and 76), Ritchie Blackmore (14th and 77), Dave Edmunds (Love Sculpture guitarist – 15th and 77), Jimmy Osmond (16th and 59), Alan Price (The Animals – 19th and 80), Iggy Pop (21st and 75), Peter Frampton (22nd and 72), Barbara Streisand (24th and 80), Ace Frehley (Kiss – 27th and 71), and Wayne Kramer (MC5 – 30th and 74)

Gigs in March 2023: The long-awaited Beth Hart at Brighton Dome. Having seen footage of her playing various solo gigs in 2018 and 2019, when (in early 2021) a UK tour was announced for 2023, we got in early. Front row seats, left-centre stage!

Admirably supported by Connor Selby, the 21st March Brighton gig was the last of the 2022/23 UK tour. And it was subliminal!

Connor Selby opened with a wonderful acoustic set concluded with ‘Emily’ from his recently released eponymous album. And then Mrs Hart and band (Jon Nichols – guitar, Tom Lily – bass and Bill Ransom – percussion) blitzed into the Dome an hour later for a two and half hour set and 20 minute encore!

Comprising a wonderful mix of covers and her own material and ranging between the loud and lovely full electric to the spine-tingly wonderful acoustic to the hauntingly beautiful a cappella, this close to three hour set was the closest thing to music heaven I’ve had the good fortune to be part of in many a long year.

And, when a band like this, with the full throttle vocal prowess Beth throws into everything she sings, rips into a near-perfect cover of a song you first heard and fell in love with over half a century ago, you know you’re onto a good thing! Led Zeppelin’s ‘When the levee breaks’ (from Led Zeppelin IV – 1971) was the song. And yes – there were tears!

It’s really hard to choose, but perhaps the crowning glory of the show was the semi-acoustic 9-minute long version of ‘Sugar Shack’ when Bill Ransom’s mini-drum kit proved you really don’t need the full works if you have his skills. Hauntingly good stuff.

And a fitting conclusion to OneJemTunes 23 #4. Episode 5 is due out around 1st May.

Classic 21 #237 – Pub Rock

Classic 21: August (Poppa/Quebec) P #25

The Jemtunes 2021 series ‘Classic 21’ is taking you on a Classic Rock musical A-Z mystery tour throughout the year. August features artists, bands and themes covering the letters P and Q – Poppa/Quebec – and ends the letter ‘P’ today with a shout out to ‘Pub Rock’

Pub rock developed in the early to mid-1970s in the United Kingdom. A back-to-basics movement which incorporated roots rock, pub rock was a reaction against expensively-recorded and produced progressive rock and flashy glam rock.

Although short-lived, pub rock was live rock played in small traditional venues like pubs and clubs.Since major labels showed no interest in pub rock groups, pub rockers sought out independent record labels such as Stiff Records. Indie labels used relatively inexpensive recording processes, so they had a much lower break-even point for a record than a major label.

With pub rock’s emphasis on small venues, simple, fairly inexpensive recordings and indie record labels, it was the catalyst for the development of the British punk rock scene. Despite these shared elements, though, there was a difference between the genres: while pub rock harked back to early rock and roll and R&B, punk was iconoclastic, and sought to break with the past musical traditions.

Classic 21 # 163 – Live albums

Classic 21: June (Lima/Mike) L #12

The live albums that changed the world

The Jemtunes 2021 series ‘Classic 21’ is taking you on a Classic Rock musical A-Z mystery tour throughout the year. June features artists, bands and themes covering the letters L and M – Lima/Mike – and continues today with the letter ‘L’ and a shout out to ‘Live albums’.

This particular selection comes from the insert given away with the December 2011 issue of Classic Rock (issue 165)

1. Cream – Wheels of Fire (1968)
2. MC5 – Kick out the Jams (1969)
3. The Who – Live at Leeds (1970)
4. The Rolling Stones – Get yer ya-ya’s out (1970)
5. Grand Funk – Live Album (1970)
6. Rory Gallagher – Irish Tour (1974)
7. Humble Pie – Performance rockin’ the Fillmore (1971)
8. The Allman Brothers Band – At Fillmore East (1971)
9. Deep Purple – Made in Japan (1972)
10. Slade – Slade Alive (1972)
11. Kiss – Alive (1975)
12. Hawkwind – Space Ritual (1973)
13. Peter Frampton – Frampton comes alive (1976)
14. Led Zeppelin – The song remains the same (1976)
15. Iggy & The Stooges – Metallic KO (1977)
16. Status Quo – Alive (1977)
17. Thin Lizzy – Live and Dangerous (1978)
18. AC/DC – If you want blood you’ve got it (1978)
19. Cheap Trick – at Budokan (1978)
20. UFO – Strangers in the night (1979)
21. Ramones – It’s alive (1979)
22. Whitesnake – Live in the heart of the city (1980)
23. Motorhead – No sleep til Hammersmith (1981)
24. Iron Maiden – Live after death (1985)
25. Pearl Jam – The official bootlegs (2000-2011)
26. U2 – Under a blood red sky (1983)
27. Nirvana – Unplugged in New York (1994)

Leaps n Bands #114: The Pirates – Skull Wars (1977) 12/12

Side 2, track 6 – Shake hands with the devil

Throughout 2020, Jemtunes is re-visiting on a track by track basis some the records that have spoken loudest over the years.

‘Leaps n Bands’ #103 through #114 – concluding today – featured the 1977 mostly live album from The Pirates – Skull Wars

Part studio/part live (from sessions at London’s Hope and Anchor in November 1977), ‘Skull Wars’ was the reformed Pirates’ second album.

Here’s the final track – Shake hands with the devil

Leaps n Bands #112: The Pirates – Skull Wars (1977) 10/12

Side 2, track 4 – Honey Hush

Throughout 2020, Jemtunes is re-visiting on a track by track basis some the records that have spoken loudest over the years.

‘Leaps n Bands’ #103 through #114 – running through to 14 August – features the 1977 mostly live album from The Pirates – Skull Wars

Part studio/part live (from sessions at London’s Hope and Anchor in November 1977), ‘Skull Wars’ was the reformed Pirates’ second album.

Here’s the album’s antepenultimate track – Honey Hush