Marvellous

Marva delivered the goods in Bristol last night! Don't be fooled by some of the YouTube clips of some of her live performances over the last couple of years. I can testify that, at 65 years young, her pipes are in full working order. Wow!

Her UK dates are finished tonight in Leeds, but if you live in France or Australia she could be coming to a venue near you soon. Catch her if you can.

Here's one of her string of singles on King at the end of the sixties. Loud and raw - just like last night's gig.


Marva Whitney - Things Got To Get Better (Get Together) (mp3) 1968

All things Marva can be found here.

Buy "It's My Thing".

I'm pinching myself

Less than 2 hours from now I'll be watching Marva Whitney in my home town!

I can't quite believe it!

Tapping My Feet #12

I’m still here. The PC has been doing some strange things these past days. It’s been running really slow and put me off using it much. It seems to have mended itself at the moment, but I know deep down that the time is nearly upon me. Four (or is it five?) years of files and programs mostly long unused and forgotten act like a comfort blanket, but they are now lying a bit heavy. Yes, – it’s time I reloaded the operating system. So if I disappear for another couple of weeks you will know what’s going down.

The computer’s contrariness has not been the only reason I’ve been quiet though. Me, Mrs Darce and a couple of good friends have just got back from a great long weekend in Krakow. I’ll have some honey in that vodka, please.

Strolling through the old Jewish quarter on Friday night we heard this seeping out of a bar. Took me back thirty years, to my DJ days, in an instant.

War – The World is A Ghetto (mp3) 1979

The original (and very different) version can be found on this.

My 12” copy states the time as being 13:47 (!) but in fact it is only a mere 8:45. It is possible the full length version is on “Music Band II”, if you can find it.

coming to you live! recorded highlights

Was Mrs Darce's party a week ago already? Time passes at warp speed once you reach 50 it seems.

So the plan was, with the party in full swing, I would press the publish button and give you a post entitled "coming to you live!". Nice idea, but it wasn't to be. Too busy chatting to old friends - and burning up the (kitchen) dance floor (ha! ha!). A good time was had by all and we got the milk in before we went to bed!

Truth is the suddenly darker nights seem to have made me very lethargic these past few days. So to be very lazy I will simply offer you up the post I had originally intended for last Friday, original wording and all.

If you're reading this I have managed to press the publish button during Mrs Darce's party!

I must point out that is not Mrs. Darce in the picture ( - but that does give me an idea!)

This was a boot sale purchase last week for 50p. Well scratched and a couple of jumps along the way but it all adds to the atmosphere.

This track has survived very well though.

Upsetters - Live Injection (mp3) 1969

(From "Tighten Up Volume 2")

The song title retains its relevance right now as I think I need a live injection to banish my lethargy.

counting down

"Mrs Darce" is 50 today!

We're having a party.

Guests due to arrive in 2 hours time (except for those still stuck on the M25!).

Here's something to ease us gently into the proceedings...

... and something that will be perfect for about 4 o'clock tomorrow morning!


Little Beaver - Get Into The Party Life (mp3) 1975


(Music delivery at the party will be very retro - vinyl in the geeks' room and CD and cassette(!) is set up in the kitchen. Not an Ipod in sight.)

Friday Funk, Jazz-, British

From Brit Reggae to Brit Jazz-Funk. Something to dance around the kitchen to on a Friday evening.

I've stumbled across a few blogs and forum threads extolling the virtues of British Jazz-Funk recently. It seems somehow strange to see twenty-something Californians (for example) "going mad" for a sub-genre of music that had gone to ground before they were even born. Warms the cockles of the heart though - I seem to remember it got more than its fair share of bad press at the time.

This was Atmosfear's second single, following on from their debut "Dancing In Outer Space". DIOS was a sizeable hit and this single too, amazingly, exercised the lower reaches of the charts in 1980.

This is a UK 12" but I notice that "U.S.A." appears, apparently randomly, on the label. Was this done to make it appear as a US import and so appeal all the more to all those DJs who had to have the latest sound (er, maybe I was one of those).

I also notice Elite's address was Craven Park Rd. in London. A road that was home to many a British Reggae label as well. Appropriate as "Motivation" in particular has a dubby feel to it in places.

As The Peoples Choice once urged us to do - jam jam jam all night long... now - I wonder - have I still got those blue shoes somewhere?

(Put your 'phones on for a head expanding experience).

My favourite of the two and it clocks in at under 6 minutes:

Atmosfear - Extract (mp3) 1980

This one is a mighty 8:43, those were the days:

Atmosfear - Motivation (mp3) 1980


Buy "En Trance"

RIP Louisa Mark

Feel It received a big jump in hits today, all directed to an old post of mine on Louisa Mark. I wondered why. It turns out to be for the worst of reasons. It has been reported that Louisa Mark died yesterday (17th October 2009) of food poisoning. She was 49.

RIP Louisa.


Louisa Mark / The Bush Rangers - 6 Six Street (mp3) 1979