April 2009 Archives

ELVIS PRESLEY

I Believe (RCA / Legacy)

THIS is an impressive 4-CD boxset and a fitting tribute to all of Elvis Presley's Grammy award-winning gospel and inspirational recordings.

It features the multi-platinum selling original albums Peace In The Valley, His Hand In Mine, How Great Thou Art and He Touched Me.

Also included are movie tracks such as Down By The Riverside from Frankie And Johnny, Swing Low Sweet Chariot from The Trouble With Girls, Sing You Children from Easy Come Easy Go and Let Us Pray from Change Of Habit.

It is interesting and surprising to note that throughout his distinguished career, Elvis Presley only ever received three Grammy awards and none of those were for his classic hits or groundbreaking rock'n'roll records, but all for his recordings of church music.

JOHN PHILLIPS

Pussycat (SPV Yellow Label)

JOHN Phillips was born in Paris Island, South Carolina in 1935 and is best remembered for creating folk-rock quartet the Mamas and Papas, who went on to enjoy several hit singles and albums during the mid-Sixties.

This shelved solo album, now on CD, was recorded in 1976 along with Rolling Stones Mick Taylor and Ronnie Wood, and was produced by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.

Amongst the 10 original album tracks and the five bonus ones, you'll find Phillips' material from the movie The Man Who Fell To Earth, which starred David Bowie in the lead role.

This album was the last creative effort by John Phillips before his drug arrest in 1980. Sadly, he died in 2001.

Been listening to this album ...

VINCE TAYLOR
Jet Black Leather Machine
(Ace)

Lionised by David Bowie and covered by The Clash, Vince Taylor was one of the most remarkable rock and roll stars to emerge from late 1950s Britain.

For David Bowie, the rise and fall of Taylor was the inspiration for Ziggy Stardust.

In 1996, Bowie told the BBC's Alan Yentob that Taylor was "out of his gourd, totally flipped.

He came out on stage in white robes and said he was Jesus Christ.

"It was the end of Vince - his career and everything else".

Bowie recalled meeting Taylor in mid-60s London, outside Charing Cross Station.

Opening a map on the pavement, Taylor got a magnifying glass out and showed the aspiring rock star the sites where UFOs would land.

Jet Black Leather Machine is the first compilation to tell the Vince Taylor story.

He composed Brand New Cadillac, along with Cliff Richard's Move It and Johnny Kidd's Shakin' All Over - the only three British-made rock'n'roll records of the late Fifties to stand alongside their American influences.

As well as that classic , there are Vince Taylor and the Playboys' powerful renditions of My Baby Left Me, My Babe, Sweet Little 16, Twenty Flight Rock, Memphis Tennessee, Hi-Heel Sneakers and Long Tall Sally.

Tune in to my show from 2pm to 4pm Sundays on BBC WM 95.6FM

MARCH 2009

March 2nd

Drove to the imposing Mailbox building in downtown Birmingham for a meeting at the BBC with assistant MD Jeremy Pollock and my old friend Jimmy Franks, who will be helping me host my new Sunday afternoon radio show (BBC WM 95.6 , 2pm 'til 4pm).

A live two-hour show will be a new experience for me , but one that I am really looking forward to. I spent about five years with "SAGA FM" and around two years with "SMOOTH RADIO", but joining the BBC feels like being signed up by Manchester United!