Funky Friday - "Summer is heaven in `77" *

* 'Celebrate Summer' - Marc Bolan

Axe Victim says 1973 is the summer of summers. But for me, the top pop year will always be 1977. It's an overlooked classic - and the year sound and vision went Concorde shaped and Skylab sounding - Bowie released 'Low', 'Heroes' (and clonked out 'Lust For Life' and 'Idiot' as hobby projects), Giorgio and Donna gave us deep space disco, there's Space - 'Magic Fly', Meco - 'Star Wars' and JMJ 'Oxygene' - see what I mean? And then you've got Close Encounters, 'Calling Occupants', Bond's Lotus Esprit, Saturday Night Fever, Star Wars, Punk wars, the deaths of Marc Bolan and Elvis - you just don't get designs, dynamics and dramatics like that in many other years.

My personal obsessions during the summer of 77 were...

Sharks (I saw Jaws 5 times).
Skateboards (Fibreflex boards and Kryptonic wheels were the kiddies, Skudas were cool and affordable, but Surf Flyers? That's a no-no )
Starsky and Hutch.
Admiral football togs.(the Coventry kit being my fave)
Lord Anthony clobber (but never had a Parka)
Dayvilles Ice Cream Parlours(32 flavours)
Krazy Comic

And as I started to make the move from pick 'n' mix singles to adult size albums the record I wanted, really wanted - and got for Christmas was K-Tel's blistering 'Disco Fever'. You can enjoy the full track list here, and for MOR eye popping madness have peep at the cozy cardie coloured charts from 31 years ago - both of which are almost entirely untroubled by any punky doings.

Top 50 singles week ending 30/07/77

Top 60 albums week ending 30/07/77

So a few songs from the 1977 jukebox then...

RAH Band 'The Crunch' (as featured on 'Disco Fever')


There's a TOTP appearance too

Bond goes disco 'Bond 77' (from 'The Spy Who Loved Me')


Original trailer for 'The Spy Who Loved Me'

Elvis 'Way Down' ( Alt take with added piano at the coda)



If you fancy a few more sounds from the summer of 77 hop on over to...

Track Lister for Giorgio Moroder - 'From Here To Eternity' (single version)
Davey H for Donna Summer - 'I Feel Love' (12" version)

My selection for Book Of The year 1977 - Man Eating Sharks
Always wanted one of these G and S Fibreflex boards (and a trip to Skate City or the South Bank), but never managed to get either.

The Sound Of The Suburbs

1977 may have been the big bang/year zero of Punk, but while the world crash, burned and turned dayglo, the UK singles and album charts stayed strictly beige, and a gallery of beards and Bri-Nylon, not bondage and black leather. It may have been anarchy and white riots in the city, but the real sound of the suburbs was glam girls with Farah flicks in disco dresses and bouffant chaps in cheesecloth and satin.

I've read far too many books on the UK Punk scene - three on the bounce so far this year, but none of then have the same snap, sparkle, spit and polish as Barry Cain's 77 Sulphate Strip, which has gone straight in at number 1 in my 'pile high club' of rock reads.

Taking a year (1977) in the life of a Record Mirror's initially reluctant'Punk' reporter, 77 Sulphate Strip scrapbooks the combustion and contrast of Seditionaries Punk and 'Sing Something Simple' style Pop by prologuing each chapter with the best selling singles and albums for that month (there's hardly a spikey top in sight) followed by reviews and interviews from Barry Cain's original Record Mirror features on the Pistols, The Stranglers, The Heartbreakers, The Jam, The Damned and Demis Roussos while threading in offstage stories and anecdotes of scams, schemes, scary Dutch hells angels, dodgy raffles, girl chasing, globe trotting and living at home with mum and dad. I can't recommend it enough. It is simply, one the finest pieces of music writing ever published.

I was too young for Punk in 1977 and could only afford Pop at pocket money prices - so why buy just one real deal single, when you can have a full albums worth of soft focus sound-alikes?

Like these taken from 'The Best Of Top Of The Pops 77'
I Feel Love



Way Down



Hey Ho Let's Go - click on the pic for more info


GLC Councilor Comments On Punk.



Is The Queen A Moron? Sex Pistols on the GSTQ single




Not me in the picture BTW

Summer Sounds - Limited Edition Mix

Phew what a blooming scorcher.
I'm sneaking my 'Summer Sounds Like This' Mix up for a limited run. It's a bit more Balearic than the usual Mondomania - but never mind the Balearics, it just seems simpatico in this crazy heat.

*offline*'Summer Sounds Like This'*offine*

Variety Lab - London In The Rain
Big Muff – My Funny Valentine
Physics – Leaving Monte Carlo
Scubba (featuring Moana) - Fool To Cry
Rouge Rouge – L'amour
Ohm G & Bruno – One
Grandadbob - Hide Me (Al Usher Dance Mix)
The Streamers – Zwing Ting
311 Porter - Surround Me With Your Love (Mental Overdrive Mix)
Stigmato Inc. - Reality Check
Nouvelle Vague – Ever Fallen In Love
Patricia Marx and 4 Hero – Menino
Ralph Myerz and the Jack Herren Band – L.I.P.S.T.I.C.K
Ralph Myerz & The Jack Herren Band - Think Twice
Parov Stelar - Kiss Me Twice
Nouvelle Vague – Dancing With Myself
Pink Martini - Sympathique

Sunflower photo by Chocolate Girl 64

Funky Friday - If I Ruled The World....

This would be the end of office hours anthem. When clocking off time arrives (4 pm Monday - Thursday, 2:30 Fridays) whistles wouldn't be blown or hooters tooted. No,no, no. 'Soul Town'* would be piped through PAs as everyone drifts away from their desks and doings, heading for the park to waft through willow trees.
The Motherhood - 'Soul Town'



All alarm clocks would kick off at the crack of 10am (Mondays to Fridays) with this ripstart stormer.
The Fabulous Wailers - 'Wailin''



And The Gee-Cees would provide the offical opening fanfare for all Saturday night shindiggs, shakedowns and tear ups.
The Gee-Cees -'Buzz Saw Twist'



Suggestions for parade music, event anthems and any other occasion motifs are always welcome.

And please, please, please pop over and say hello the Larry Funky 16 the King of Crate Diggers who's just reached 1 million hits - yes 1 million - and is celebrating with a special mix of funky Beatles covers.

*If I ever get round to doing a podcast (called-'Spodulike' ) I may use 'Soul Town' as the closedown tune

"And now he is a puppet dancer"

Piley put me on to this Bowie boggler years ago - when I discovered YouTube, this bizzaro Bowie-as-Pelham-Puppet performance of 'Boys Keep Swinging' was the first vid' I searched for, but some ol' spoilsport pulled it a week later - since then I've been trawling the 'Tube at least once a week hoping for the return of the Thin White Duke, only to find it on Yahoo/AOL video (no, I didn't know about it either).

Anyhow - while it's online,watch it, watch it and watch it again. - It is a pinocchio a go-go gem.



As a bonus here's Suzanna Hoff's rework of 'Boys Keep Swinging', which would be greatly improved by losing the squiddly diddly guitar solo (I don't think it's her hammering the frets).
'Boys Keep Swinging'



And, have a pop on over to I Should Be Working for another video version of Bowie and 'Boys Keep Swinging'.

Twinned With......

Here's a twinset of sunny delights and summer smashers that never were.

Jimmy Webb's boys (Christiaan, Justin and James) clearly inherited their ol' dad's fine ear for a melody and his talent for tunesmithery.

The Webb Brothers - Summer People


Summer People




Ding Dong! Avon calling (to the faraway towns). All the way from Devizes The Davey Brothers pollinated big beaty rock with sweet tooth pop to make this high energy hybrid - now if only I could find that pesky vid' for 'She's So Fine'.

The Davey Brothers - Sunshine Day


Sunshine Day



Our town of sunny Southend is twinned with Sopot, a very dandy riviera affair, offering several accommodation options 'hotels, motels and campings' and a sprinkling of swinging 'Disco Clubs' for leg shakings, including the temptingly named 'Galaxy', 'Viva' and 'Derby' (eh?)

Funky Friday - The Joy Of Six

It's guest blogger time again, and here's a first - a Mr and Mrs post!
That snappy couple Devil Dick from The Devils Music (Psych Rock, Stoner Funk and Garage Goodies)and Jenn from Eye Eat Music (Punky nuggets, Hippy treats and Rocking Beats), have hand picked six - yes SIX rock-a-doodle dandies to fill your boogie boots, so over to that ol' Devil called Dick ...

We'd both like to thank Planet Mondo for having us do this little guest post over here at his world famous Mondo Atomic Blog!!! This is as it looks a HIS and HERS Collaboration for Your Funky Friday. Please Enjoy

Ladies first and she's giving you some Doo-Wop...

The Dells – “I want to Go Home”: Boy Group Harmonizers of the 50’s. Doo-Wop Born in a Chicago Burbs High School . Cut released late 1956.
The Dells – “I want to Go Home”



The Eternals –“Rocking in the Jungle”: Bronx Doo-Wop Groups 1st 45’ release originally titled “Christmas in the Jungle” which wasn’t working out so well since the holiday was over 8 months away. Careful where you step, you may cross a lion in your travels with this tune.
The Eternals –“Rocking in the Jungle”



The Coasters – “Sorry Gonna Have to Pass”: Storytelling R&B Vocal Group of the late 50s. They were outside the box when it came to Mainstream Doo-Wop, many would try to imitating their style in later years. But they are the Kings of weaving vocals around a story.
The Coasters – “Sorry Gonna Have to Pass”




The Devil's part of the show is 3 choice, little instrumental nuggets!

Jon Thomas – “Fat Back”: A nice little soulful instrumental R&B number with plenty of Killer organ and sax from1957
Jon Thomas – “Fat Back”




The Craftsmen – “Rock Along”: A kooky little rockin’ surf type instrumental from -1961: Plenty of crazy organ and twangy guitars a-go-go!!!
The Craftsmen – “Rock Along”




The Dartells – “Dartell Stomp”: Another Great Rockin’ Instrumental this time from 1963! More killer organ work, pumping bass and a driving drum beat and break that doesn’t quit!
The Dartells – “Dartell Stomp”



If these 6 little ditties don’t put a smile on your face this fine Friday then I don't know what will!!!

Now you you've filled your groovy boots here - why not pop on over to The Devils Music and Eye Eat Music for a bellyful of sizzling and scorching sounds

Pop Goes The Summer

The Good News
My Indiana Jones 'Raiders of the Lost Archives' quest to gather up golden nuggets, summer sweeties and snap crackle and pop tunes, has led me to possibly the hookiest band heard since Jellyfish - The Sonic Executive Sessions "Just 3 mates using some studio downtime to share their love for all things easy on the ear" is how they describe themselves - peddling peachy treats and marshmallow melters drizzled with hypnotic harmonies is how I'd describe them

The Bad News
There's no record deal, Sonic Exec's CDs or downloads available ( except for a cover of 'Hello' on the Jellyfish tribute album 'Sensory Lullabies')

The Happy Ending
But, being the thoroughly pleasant bunch of chaps they are, TSES have made one their tunes available for streaming right here - '17 (over you)', which spins and whips a pick 'n' mix blend of Beach Boys, Jellyfish, Ben Folds and late 70s singer songwriters like Andrew Gould and Gerard Kenny into a candyfloss confection of all things pop shaped and bubblegum coloured. Even good ol' Willy Wonka couldn't create treats as sweet as these.

The Sonic Executive Sessions '17 (over you)'



I'd also recommend taste testing 'Make Do' featuring Alessi over at The Sonic Executive Sessions MySpace site.

The Sonic Executive Sessions 'Hello'
TSES's cover of unreleased an Jellyfish tune, recorded for 'Sensory Lullabies'



The Quinn Martin Style Epilogue
I've been lending an ear to the Beach Boys 'Holland' and 'Sunflower' as suggested - 'Sunflower' is nosing ahead at the moment - mainly because of the ol' blab and jabber on 'Mount Vernon and Fairway'!

Funky Friday - Latino Lovelies

Hola! Hola! Hola - it's all gone Channel 9 and Mondo Bossa shaped for todays fistful of funky numbers, revolutionary remakes and south american shakedowns - so fill your botas mi amigos.

Ándale! Ándale! Arriba! Arriba!
It's Wah-wah and bongo a go-go from Willie Bobo
Willie Bobo - 'Always There'



Scorchio!
There's a rootin' tootin' tropical tear up by way of...
Mongo Santamaria - 'Lady Marmlade'



Muchos Gracias
To Nanker for putting this loco cover on my musical map -
Pucho and his Latin Soul Brothers - 'Sex machine'



And finally ¡Salud! to Budd for tipping me off about Freakpower's 'Rush' which samples Pucho's 'Got Myself A Good Man'



Back to the usual Rioja and Roll next week hombres

Fur Den Untergang

Roman Empress and I have been putting our collective noggins together for a 'prog blogging' project. RE has thumbnailed nine key scenes for an imaginary film ‘Fur Den Untergang’ capturing the cultural claustrophobia, ‘Stasiland’ suspicous minds and shifty whispers of early eighties East Germany - while I've compiled a nine song soundtrack which hopefully matches the mood of each scene and the Totalitarianism and tower block greyscapes of the time..

You can read the script here, and download the soundtrack below...
(or stream it over at RE HQ)

'Fur Den Untergang' - O.S.T.

‘R.A.F’ – Brian Eno (& Snatch)
‘Big Dome Pt. 1’ – Phil Manzanera
‘48 Hour Drive’ – Baltic Fleet.
‘Warm Leatherette’ - Grace Jones.
‘`84 Pontiac Dream’ – Boards of Canada
‘Back To Nature’ – Fad Gadget.
‘Tom Baker’ – The Human League
‘Memories Can’t Wait’ – Talking Heads.
‘Small Hours’ – John Martyn.

But there's a couple of extras and outtakes too.

Gina X - 'No G.D.M.'
I had planned to use this for 'scene 4-the party scene', but 'G.D.M' seemed cult rather than club, and didn't have the new wave cocktail cool of Grace Jones


Brian Eno 'Mist/Rythm'
This had been 'final scene' for 90% of the time, but seemed soothing rather than sombre, whereas John Martyn's ghostly notes seemed pitch perfect for the lonely closing coda.