What Are You Listening To - The Reckoning

[Oxford]

 

[Oxford]

 

[Oxford]

 

[Cheshire Setter]

When I was a teenager in the 90s I spent a year living in a place called Moss Side in Manchester. It had a bad reputation for crime, but there was a great pirate radio station called Frontline FM that played mostly reggae music.

However, every Wednesday morning (I think) there was a guy who would play contemporary African music. I taped his show one morning and kept the tape for years, eventually buying the albums of all the singers on that morning’s show. 
 

On a day like today, when the sun is shining but it’s cold outside, it’s great to sit by the window and bake in the sun rays listening to what I think is the ultimate chillout track for summer. Try it, might not be to everyone’s taste but for me there’s nothing better to take me to a warm place:

 

[Futtocks]

1 hour ago, Cheshire Setter said:

However, every Wednesday morning (I think) there was a guy who would play contemporary African music. I taped his show one morning and kept the tape for years, eventually buying the albums of all the singers on that morning’s show. 

Ever come across this website before? Awesome Tapes from Africa They sell some recordings, but most of the cassettes shown in the blog are free MP3 downloads.

[Cheshire Setter]

21 minutes ago, Futtocks said:

Ever come across this website before? Awesome Tapes from Africa They sell some recordings, but most of the cassettes shown in the blog are free MP3 downloads.

Cheers. I don’t know how you found that but that’s a load of new (old) artists to check out! All I need is a cassette player! 

[Futtocks]

1 hour ago, Cheshire Setter said:

Cheers. I don’t know how you found that but that’s a load of new (old) artists to check out! All I need is a cassette player! 

I'd forgotten about it, to be honest. The last time I visited the site was a few years ago, so thank you for jogging my memory.

Here's one I enjoyed: https://www.awesometapes.com/john-chibadura-and-the-tembo-brothers/ 

[Bleep1673]

OK, in response to another thread........

 

[Bleep1673]

 

[Bleep1673]

 

[Ullman]

Nation in crisis? Send for Fogerty.

 

[Oxford]

I thought there's not enough porn on this forum so I thought a bunch of Willies might help

 

 

 

 

[Oxford]

 

[Oxford]

 

[Oxford]

 

[unapologetic pedant]

On 05/01/2021 at 17:45, Bleep1673 said:

OK, in response to another thread........

 

In an echo of Ray Davies having to swap "Coca" for "cherry" on "Lola", the Freshies had to replace "Virgin" with "certain". Can`t remember whether the change was actually on the recording or just in the title.

Back then if you bought a record from elsewhere, then went into Virgin, they made you hand in the bag at the desk in exchange for a token. It was uncomfortable redeeming it on the way out if you hadn`t got anything from their shop.

[unapologetic pedant]

On 05/01/2021 at 17:30, Futtocks said:

I'd forgotten about it, to be honest. The last time I visited the site was a few years ago, so thank you for jogging my memory.

Here's one I enjoyed: https://www.awesometapes.com/john-chibadura-and-the-tembo-brothers/ 

When Peel started playing groups like the Bhundu Boys and Four Brothers, initially I thought it all sounded a bit like the Lotus Eaters. Eventually I came round. He was usually right.

About a decade or so back I picked up and enjoyed records by some of the Touareg artists like Tinariwen, Toumast, Etran Finatawa.

[Bleep1673]

11 hours ago, unapologetic pedant said:

In an echo of Ray Davies having to swap "Coca" for "cherry" on "Lola", the Freshies had to replace "Virgin" with "certain". Can`t remember whether the change was actually on the recording or just in the title.

Back then if you bought a record from elsewhere, then went into Virgin, they made you hand in the bag at the desk in exchange for a token. It was uncomfortable redeeming it on the way out if you hadn`t got anything from their shop.

I think it was changed both in the title, and on the recording, to get around the BBC's very strict anti-advertising policy that was in force in those days.

[Bleep1673]

11 hours ago, unapologetic pedant said:

When Peel started playing groups like the Bhundu Boys and Four Brothers, initially I thought it all sounded a bit like the Lotus Eaters. Eventually I came round. He was usually right.

About a decade or so back I picked up and enjoyed records by some of the Touareg artists like Tinariwen, Toumast, Etran Finatawa.

The booze wore off then?

[Oxford]

17 hours ago, unapologetic pedant said:

When Peel started

 

17 hours ago, unapologetic pedant said:

He was usually right.

I used to love the show, even the poshboy scouser stuff, but when you're a collecter like Peel as well as a DJ/Presenter the search for music and the reasons for the search take on a different look. When you get 1000's of records for nowt and have gone through all the themes, ideas and concepts a dozen times over you're looking for something far different from ordinary folk in general.Not a criticism this just recognition of how it all works.

[unapologetic pedant]

6 hours ago, Oxford said:

 

I used to love the show, even the poshboy scouser stuff, but when you're a collecter like Peel as well as a DJ/Presenter the search for music and the reasons for the search take on a different look. When you get 1000's of records for nowt and have gone through all the themes, ideas and concepts a dozen times over you're looking for something far different from ordinary folk in general.Not a criticism this just recognition of how it all works.

Upon first hearing there can be a fine line between "challenging" and "unlistenable". Likewise the divergence between the undiscovered genius and the talentless twerp is not immediately apparent. Peel`s endorsement was for me the most trustworthy sign that something was worth persevering with.

I would apply the characterisation you set out more to music journalists who, when listening to all their free records, are primarily looking for something to write about. It`s why they focus excessively on lyrical content. Enjoying the sound that issues from the speakers is less of a priority.

[unapologetic pedant]

13 hours ago, Bleep1673 said:

I think it was changed both in the title, and on the recording, to get around the BBC's very strict anti-advertising policy that was in force in those days.

The BBC today probably wouldn`t care less about a mere mention of the name of a brand. However, they would expunge other references that 40 years ago would have slipped by unhindered. Different times, different things to censoriously obsess over.

13 hours ago, Bleep1673 said:

The booze wore off then?

Rigorously abstemious. Judgement always unimpaired.

[Oxford]

11 hours ago, unapologetic pedant said:

Upon first hearing there can be a fine line between "challenging" and "unlistenable". Likewise the divergence between the undiscovered genius and the talentless twerp is not immediately apparent. Peel`s endorsement was for me the most trustworthy sign that something was worth persevering with.

I would apply the characterisation you set out more to music journalists who, when listening to all their free records, are primarily looking for something to write about. It`s why they focus excessively on lyrical content. Enjoying the sound that issues from the speakers is less of a priority.

UP thanks for the discussion and interesting points. My minor criticism of hero John Peel was that he had to a large extent become jaundiced because he had been spoiled to some extent by having a huge collection of discs a massive number of which were freebies. Added to this in order to move on and remain relevant he was looking for and at some quite odd, outside the box and even questionable stuff. There were times I'd sit though a progarmme and ask why would anyone play this rubbish? So I can't agree entirely with your point about his endorsement but the programme was great none the less.

 

[Oxford]

Exhibits A & B for the very mild prosecution

https://www.johnpeelarchive.com/albums/

[Oxford]