The Cat on "Where the Action Is" on Kirkcaldy VRN 1287 AM - Sunday 31 January 2010

This is the last week of our rummage in the treasure chest that is the "Where The Action Is! LA Nuggets 1965-1968" box set. The San Francisco equivalent "Love Is the Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965-1970" will be heard during my shows in March. Here are this week's veritable cornucopia of crackin' tunes:

The Who - Substitute (Reaction 1966)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)
The Peanut Butter Conspiracy - Eventually (Unreleased 1966)
Dino, Desi and Billy - The Rebel Kind (Reprise 1965)
The Mustangs - That's For Sure (Nero 1965)
Jackie DeShannon & The Byrds - Splendor in the Grass (Imperial 1966)
The Seeds - Tripmaker (GNP Crescendo 1966)
The Mamas and the Papas - Somebody Groovy (Dunhill 1965)
Boyce and Hart - Thanks for Sunday (A&M 1969) (Connect 3)
Glenda Collins - Don't Let It Rain on Sunday (Pye 1966) (Connect 3)
Josephine Sunday - You Won't Even Know Her Name (Tower 1965) (Connect 3)
Fapardokly (Merrill & The Exiles) - Tomorrow's Girl (Glenn 1967)
The Knickerbockers - High On Love (Challenge 1966)
Billie Davis & The Leroys - Whatcha Gonna Do (Columbia 1964) (Birthday: 31/1/28 Chuck Willis, songwriter)
The Music Machine - The People in Me (Original Sound 1967)
Peter Fonda - November Night (Cjisa 1967)
Alma Cogan - Itte Kudes (Tell Him) (Japanese version) (Columbia 1963) (Foreign Language)
Herman's Hermits - Show Me Girl (Columbia 1964)
The Tornados - Ridin' The Wind (Decca 1962) (Half-Time Instrumental)
Jan and Dean - Fan Tan (Jan & Dean 1967)
Barry McGuire - Inner-Manipulations (Dunhill 1968)
The Beach Boys - The Night Was So Young (Capitol 1977) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - N)
The Beach Boys - The Nearest Faraway Place (Capitol 1968) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - N)
The Sons of Adam - Saturday's Son (Decca 1966)
Danny Hutton - Roses and Rainbows (Hanna-Barbera 1965)
Dan Lyth - Castles (Moojuice 2009) (Under The Influence)
The Hysterics - Everything's There (Bing 1965)
P F Sloan - Halloween Mary (Dunhill 1965)
The Whatt Four - Your Wishin' I Was Someone Else (Mercury 1967)
Petula Clark - Las Vegas (Pye 1967) (Connect 3)
Gene Clark - Los Angeles (Unreleased 1968) (Connect 3)
Gary Usher - Sacramento (Capitol 1964) (Connect 3)
The Penny Arkade - Swim (Unreleased 1967)
The Kinks - Days (Pye 1968)
The Monkees -Sometime In The Morning (Colgems 1967) (Two of a Kind)
The Monkees - You Just May Be The One (Colgems 1967) (Two of a Kind)
The Yellow Payges - Our Time Is Running Out (UNI 1967)
The Raspberries - Overnight Sensation (Hit Record) (Capitol 1974)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)

Next week it's back to our normal mix of mod, soul, girl groups, Motown and alternative pop from the late 50s to the early 1970s. Until then, it's good day and good health.

The Cat on "Where The Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287AM - Sunday 24 January 2010

We reach the penultimate week of our grab bag of West Coast goodies from the "Where The Action Is! LA Nuggets 1965-1968" box set. We're also celebrating a nomination in the National Hospital Radio awards for the show in the Best Specialist Music Programme category, as well as five nominations in four categories for others at the station. Well done everyone concerned. Meanwhile, tuck in to this week's musical feast...

The Chymes - He's Not There Anymore (Chattahoochee 1966)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)
The Rising Sons - Take A Giant Step (Unreleased 1966)
Thorinsfield - Daydreaming (Philips 1967)
The Everpresent Fullness - Darlin' You Can Count On Me (White Whale 1967)
Limey & The Yanks - Guaranteed Love (Star-Burst 1966)
Sandie Shaw - It's In His Kiss (Pye 1965)
The Association - One Too Many Mornings (Valiant 1965)
Dusty Springfield - The Magic Garden (Philips 1968) (Connect 3)
The Garden Club - Little Girl - Lost and Found (A&M 1967) (Connect 3)
The Mamas and the Papas - Safe In My Garden (Dunhill 1968) (Connect 3)
The Nitty Gritty Band - I'll Search The Sky (Liberty 1967)
The Romancers (aka The Smoke Rings) - Love's The Thing (Linda 1965)
Tammi Terrell - Come On and See Me (Motown 1966) (Birthday: 24/1/45 Tammi Terrell)
The Full Treatment - Just Can't Wait (A&M 1967)
Kin Fowley - Underground Lady (Living Legend 1965)
Jackie Lee - Rupert der Bar (German) (Pye 1970) (Foreign Language)
Scott Walker - The Girls and the Dogs (Les filles et les chiens) (Philips 1968)
The Honeycombs - Goldfinger (Unreleased Year Unknown) (Half-Time Instrumental)
John Leyton (with Mike Sarne & Grazina) - Everyday's a Holiday (HMV 1964)
The Knack - Time Waits For No One (Capitol 1967)
The Beach Boys - Mama Says (Capitol 1967) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - M)
The Beach Boys - Marcella (Brother 1972) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - M)
Van Dyke Parks - Come To The Sunshine (MGM 1966)
London Phogg - The Times To Come (A&M 1969)
The BMX Bandits - I Can Wait Forever (Elefant 2008) (Under The Influence)
Harry Nilsson - Sister Marie (RCA 1968)
Love Affair - Rainbow Valley (CBS 1968)
The Doors - Take It as It Comes (Elektra 1967)
Moon - Mothers and Fathers (Imperial 1968) (Connect 3)
Susan Lynne - Reach for the Moon (Label Unknown 1968) (Connect 3)
The Puffs - Moon Out There (Dore 1966) (Connect 3)
Jesse Lee Kincaid - She Sang Hymns out of Tune (Kelly 1968)
The WC Fields Memorial Electric String Band - Hippy Elevator Operator (Hanna-Barbera 1966)
Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell - California Soul (Motown 1969) (Two of a Kind)
Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell - You're All I Need To Get By (Motown 1968) (Two of a Kind)
Kaleidoscope - Pulsating Dream (Epic 1967)
The Who - Won't Get Fooled Again (Polydor 1970)
The Action - Shadows and Reflections (Parlophone 1967) RIP Mike Evans
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)

The last prescription of LA Nuggets will be dosed out next week. Until next time, it's good day and good health.

The Cat on "Where The Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287AM - Sunday 17 January 2010

It's the third week of our rummage through the brilliant "Where The Action Is! LA Nuggets 1965-1968" box set. We're also celebrating the birthday of chanteuse Francoise Hardy. Last train to Tunesville - all aboard...

The Palace Guard - All Night Long (Orange-Empire 1965)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)
Noel Harrison - Life Is A Dream (Reprise 1965)
Little Eva - The Trouble With Boys (Dimension 1963)
Opus 1 - Back Seat '38 Dodge (Mustang 1966)
October Country - My Girlfriend Is A Witch (Epic 1968)
Rick Nelson - Marshmallow Skies (Decca 1967)
Roger Nichols Trio - Montage Mirror (Unreleased 1967)
A Joint Effort - The Third Eye (JE 1967) (Connect 3)
Les Fleurs de Lys - Mud In Your Eye (Polydor 1966) (Connect 3)
Spirit - Girl In Your Eye (Ode 1968) (Connect 3)
The Lamp of Childhood - No More Running Around (Dunhill 1967)
The Humane Society - Eternal Prison (New World 1968)
Francoise Hardy - All Over The World (Vogue 1965) (Birthday: 17/1/44 Francoise Hardy)
Randy Newman - I Had A Dream Last Night (Reprise 1968)
The Velvet Illusions - Acid Head (Metro-Media 1967)
Francoise Hardy - Ce Petite Coeur (My Little Heart) (Vogue 1965) (Foreign Language)
The Contours - Just A Little Understanding (Motown 1966)
The Beachcombers - Mad Goose (Columbia 1963) (Half-Time Instrumental)
Evie Sands - Take Me a While (Blue Cat 1965)
The Common Cold - Come Down (Atco 1967)
The Beach Boys - Long Promised Road (Brother 1971) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - L)
The Beach Boys - Little Honda (Capitol 1964) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - L)
The Others - Revenge (Mercury 1966)
Sonny and Cher - It's Gonna Rain (Atco 1965)
Dropkick - Choose (Sound Asleep 2009) (Under The Influence)
Sagittarius - The Turth Is Not Real (single version) (Columbia 1968)
The Honeybees - She Doesn't Deserve You (Fontana 1964)
Pasternak Progress - Flower Eyes (Original Sound 1967)
The Move - (Here We Go Round) The Lemon Tree (Regal Zonophone 1967) (Connect 3)
The Dillards - Lemon Chimes (Capitol 1965) (Connect 3)
Peter, Paul and Mary - The Lemon Tree (Warners 1962) (Connect 3)
Things To Come - Come Alive (Warners 1968)
The Guilloteens - For My Own (Hanna-Barbera 1965)
Francoise Hardy - La Maison Ou J'ai Grandi (Tar and Cement) (Vogue 1966) (Two of a Kind)
Francoise Hardy - Autumn Rendezvous (Vogue 1966) (Two of a Kind)
The Supremes - Love Is Like An Itching in My Heart (Motown 1966)
The Rev-lons - After Last Night (Reprise 1963)
Steampacket - Can I Get A Witness (Label Unknown 1965)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)

There will be more LA Nuggets over the next two weeks. Until next time, it's good day and good health.

The Cat on "Where The Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287 AM - Sunday 10 January 2010

More tracks from the wonderful "Where The Action Is! LA Nuggets 1965-1968" box set as the ice age continues unabated. These tunes will warm you up, if nothing else will. Here's your menu for today...

Bobby Fuller Four - Baby My Heart (Unreleased 1966)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)
The Motorcycle Abeline - (You Used To) Ride So High (Unreleased 1966)
The Marvelettes - I Just Can't Let Him Down (Unreleased Year Unknown)
Ken & The 4th Dimension - See If I Care (Star-Burst 1966)
Gary Lewis & The Playboys - Jill (Liberty 1967)
Lowell George & The Factory - Candy Cane Madness (Unreleased 1967)
The Odyssey - Little Girl, Little Boy (White Whale 1968)
Nino Tempo & April Stevens - I Love How You Love Me (Atco 1966) (Connect 3)
Love - You'll Be Following (Elektra 1966) (Connect 3)
The Action - Love Is All (Unreleased 67/68) (Connect 3)
Hearts and Flowers - Tin Angel (Will You Ever Come Down) (Capitol 1968)
Helen Shapiro - You Must Be Readin' My Mind (Columbia 1963)
Jenny Moss - Hobbies (Columbia 1963) (Birthday: 10/1/45 Jenny Moss)
The Electric Prunes - Hideaway (Reprise 1967)
West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band - If You Want This Love (Reprise 1967)
The Hollies - Look Through Any Window (French) (Label Unknown 1965) (Foreign Language)
Modern Folk Quartet - Night Time Girl (Dunhill 1966)
Andre Brasseur - The Kid (CBS 1967) (Half-Time Instrumental)
Fontella Bass - The Soul of a Man (Chess 1965)
Tim Buckpey - Once Upon a Time (Unreleased 1967)
The Beach Boys - Kokomo (Elektra 1988) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - K)
Brian Wilson - Keep An Eye On Summer (Giant 1998) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - K)
Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart - Words (Demo 1965)
Jimmy Winston & His Reflections - It's Not What You Do (Decca 1967)
The Lilys - Nanny in Manhattan (Che 1996) (Under The Influence)
The Merry Go Round - Listen Listen (A&M 1968)
Chris Farlowe - Air Travel (Decca 1962)
The Oracle - Don't Say No (Verve Forecast 1968)
The Leaves - Dr. Stone (Mira/Surrey 1966) (Connect 3)
Tom Jones - Dr. Love (Decca 1966) (Connect 3)
Dr. Specs Optical Illusion - She's The One (Flambeau 1967) (Connect 3)
The Spats - She Done Moved (ABC-Paramount 1966)
Polly Perkins - Young Lover (Oriole 1964)
Del Shannon - I Think I Love You (Liberty 1968) (Two of a Kind)
Del Shannon - Led Along (Liberty 1967) (Two of a Kind)
Lee Hazelwood - Rainbow Woman (Reprise 1968)
Carol Friday - Everybody I Know (Parlophone 1965)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)

There will be more LA Nuggets over the next three weeks. Until next time, it's good day and good health.

The Cat on "Where The Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287 AM - Sunday 3 January 2010

A new year, a new decade and a new theme tune for "Where The Action Is". "Bert's Apple Crumble" by The Quik has gone and Floyd Cramer's wonderful "On The Rebound" takes its place. With Santa generously bestowing the "Where The Action Is! LA Nuggets 1965-1968" box set upon me I've taken to loading up all the five January shows with 99 of the 101 tracks available. (I figure Bush's "To Die Alone" isn't really appropriate for hospital radio and The Beach Boys are more than covered by the A to Z feature). Upwards and onwards...

Keith Allison - Action Action Action (Columbia 1966)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)
The Four Tops - I Can't Help Myself (Motown 1965)
Dusty Springfield - Wishin' and Hopin' (Philips 1964)
The Light - Back Up (A&M 1967)
The Yardbirds - Heart Full of Soul (Columbia 1965)
The Standells - Riot On Sunset Strip (Tower 1967)
The Kinks - The Village Green Preservation Society (Pye 1968)
Yellow Balloon - Yellow Balloon (Canterbury 1967) (Connect 3)
The Deepest Blue - Pretty Little Thing (Blue-Fin 1966) (Connect 3)
The Rose Garden - Here's Today (Atco 1968) (Connect 3)
John Leyton - I'll Cut Your Tail Off (HMV 1963)
The Shangri-las - The Train from Kansas City (Red Bird 1965)
Stephen Stills & Richie Furay - Sit Down I Think I Love You (Demo 1966) (Birthday: 3/1/45 Stephen Stills)
Shorty Long - Function at the Junction (Soul/Motown 1968)
Iron Butterfly - Genlte As It May Seem (Atco 1968)
France Gall - L'Amerique (Philips 1965) (Foreign Language)
Dorothy Berry - You're So Fine (Challenge 1963)
Floyd Cramer - Love Is Blue (RCA Victor 1968) (Half-Time Instrumental)
The Premiers - Get On This Plane (Faro 1966)
Mally Page - Life and Soul of the Party (Pye 1966)
The Beach Boys - California Saga: California (Brother 1973) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - J)
The Beach Boys - Just Once In My Life (Brother 1976) (A to Z of The Beach Boys - J)
The Ballroom - Baby, Please Don't Go (Warners 1967)
Lorraine Silver - I'll Know You'll Be There (Pye 1965)
The Caesars - Jerk It Out (Virgin 2003) (Under The Influence)
Thee Midniters - Jump, Jive and Harmonize (Whittier 1967)
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Zig Zag Wanderer (Buddah 1967)
Chris Clark - From Head To Toe (Motown 1967)
The Turtles - Grim Reaper of Love (White Whale 1967) (Connect 3)
The Monkees - Daily Nightly (Colgems 1967) (Connect 3)
Buffalo Springfield - Go and Say Goodbye (Atco 1967) (Connect 3)
The Girlfriends - My One and Only, Jimmy Boy (Colpix 1963)
Pleasure featuring Billy Elder - Poor Old Organ Grinder (Tower 1969)
The Byrds - You Movin' (Unreleased 1964) (Two of a Kind)
The Byrds - Change Is Now (Columbia 1967) (Two of a Kind)
Love - You Set The Scene (Elektra 1967)
Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)

There will be more LA Nuggets over the next four weeks. Until next time, it's good day and good health.

The Cat
=^..^=

Thursday 31 December 2009

The last drive to work this year and another nondescript one.

Took some bread to work so I could have some toast only to find that my Waitrose spread had disappeared from the office fridge. If that had happened last year I'd have over-reacted and gone nuts. I'd have sent out accusatory e-mails to all and sundry and got myself in a right state. But the new me is somewhat calmer about such things. I still had a little moan about it to the few colleagues who were in but eventually let it go.

The word on the street was that we'd get away at 1400 but the grumbles were short-lived when we spotted the first flakes of snow fall shortly before 11. A lunchtime finish it was. Now my lunch begins at 11 (that's flexible working for you) and I'd booked my quiz show haircut for 1130 so there was no need for me to come back to the office. I popped into Waitrose to get some money and considered getting the crumpets I'd forgotten yesterday. One look at the queues and general madness brought me to my senses - the crumpets could wait.

Normally I pay £4 for my haircut, which usually equates to £1 a minute but today, because I was "up town" (i.e. in Edinburgh, albeit the outskirts) I had to pay a whopping £6.50!! I even increased my usual £1 tip by 50%. Anyone would think it was Christmas.

After the recent debacle I avoided my usual route home and went via Ferry Road, which was an altogether more stress-free journey.

After toasties and soup for lunch, the girls and I settled down to watch "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe". I enjoyed the film although I felt it was a bit violent in places.

There was hee-haw on the telly and K and I ended up watching not one, not two but three list programmes. First up there was the repeat of Channel 4's The Greatest Songs of the Noughties.
I dipped in and out of the programme as I did the dishes and some tidying but the Top 20 went like this:

20. Leave Right Now - Will Young
19. Ruby - Kaiser Chiefs
18. Valerie - Mark Ronson feat. Amy Winehouse
17. Viva La Vida - Coldplay
16. Take Me Out - Franz Ferdinand
15. Mercy - Duffy
14. Patience - Take That
13. Stan - Eminem
12. I Don't Feel Like Dancing - Scissor Sisters
11. Hey Ya! - Outkast
10. You're Beautiful - James Blunt
9. Can't Get You Out Of My Head - Kylie Minouge
8. Crazy In Love - Beyonce
7. Rule The World - Take That
6. Crazy - Gnarls Barkley
5. Rehab - Amy Winehouse
4. Sex On Fire - Kings Of Leon
3. I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor - Arctic Monkeys
2. Mr. Brightside - The Killers
1. Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol

While two or three of those songs might have made my own list I had no real qualms with it. Let's face it, we've seen worse lists.

Next up, after Flick had gone to bed, was the first of a two-part repeat of BBC3's Most Annoying People of 2009. (The most annoying thing about this show was the number of talking heads I hadn't heard of. Where's Andrew Collins when you need him?) In between was sandwiched the Greatest TV shows of the Noughties, which Top Gear won and, again, I had no grumbles with that.

For the record my choices in these categories would be as follows:

Song of the Noughties: Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart
Most Annoying Person of 2009: Katie Price/Cheryl Cole
Greatest TV Show of the Noughties: A tough call with so many great shows but I'd probably go for House.

These programmes took us to 3am and we called it a night, er, morning!

During our televisual delights I received five pre-midnight text messages wishing me a Happy New Year, three of which read "When the clock strikes 12 with the midnight bell, I'm not going 2 join the texting hell, so here is my message 2 those I hold dear, have a great night and a happy new year!" I'm sorry but if you want to truly wish me a Happy New Year then at least send me an individual personal message and not a cut and paste job from someone else that you then send to 50 people, including me. I sent a personal message to people who sent me a text but I didn't bother with anyone else. I sent all my Happy New Year messages via Twitter and Facebook and didn't feel the need to send anymore.

On that bombshell, Happy New Year and all the best for 2010.

Wednesday 30 December 2009

Straightforward drive to work. Sadly no inclement weather today so I had to work a full day - curse it. The Good Lady Wife wanted "a couple of things" at Tesco after work and left me a list. The couple of things had morphed into twenty items! I downloaded a shopping App to assist me (hey, it was free). Unfortunately it couldn't assist me get a parking space as Tesco was in absolute chaos. The car park, like my own street, hadn't been cleared of ice and as a result the parking spaces were frosted over. No one could see the lines for the parking bays and it turned into a survival-of-the-fittest, fight-to-the-death battle to get parked. I spotted two women emptying a trolley only to see that they also had a couple of babies too. I waited VERY patiently for 10 minutes while they got themselves organised and stared down anyone else who even thought about stealing MY spot.

It wasn't much better in the shop itself but I kept my head as I weaved in and out of the ditherers. Why do people wait until they get to the checkout before asking if something has a guarantee? Why not go to Customer Services first? Calm. Calm. Calm.

Not surprisingly, as soon as I opened my car and began putting stuff in the boot, a car hovered near by. I feel your pain, I thought. I didn't keep them waiting long but then again I didn't have a brood and all that goes with it. As a parent I know how much of a logistic exercise travelling with a child can be.

I got home soon enough, only to realise I'd forgotten crumpets which seemed to have disappeared from the App. The girls had been busy, having watched Merry Madagascar and completed a 100-piece jigsaw of the British Isles. Flick had also written a (rather) short story entitled "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe 4". I must confess it was a bit thin on plot but had excellent characterisation. Flick also got a small diary for Christmas and I'm going to encourage her to write something in it every day. I might even get her an A4 one so she can doodle as well; especially considering her writing is large, as it is with most kids of her age.

After a scrummy tea of baked potato, quiche lorraine and the spare chicken leg left over from Christmas Day it was time for yet another Wallace and Gromit. This time, A Close Shave. Watched Celebrity Mastermind. Each night we try and predict the winner and having guessed correctly that Stuart Maconie (an impressive 33) and Alastair Stewart would triumph on the previous two shows, we put our weight behind dark horse Joe Pasquale. After an impressive 17 points on 'Vampires in Film' we were confident that he would complete the job after the General Knowledge round. Sadly it wasn't to be a triumvirate of successful tips as Joe crashed and burned spectacularly, scoring a paltry 4. Oh dear.

Left K to her Waterloo Road while I did some more work on my January radio shows. I know Waterloo Road is supposed to be fiction but the thought that Felicity might go to a school like that in a few years time fills me with dread. I sometimes think it might be best to not know what goes on at school. Is ignorance really bliss? No doubt I'll find out further down the road.