tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50341352024-03-13T12:10:50.695+00:00The World of Misery GutsThe strongest man is he who stands aloneThe Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04930337779892788516noreply@blogger.comBlogger221125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034135.post-87496033127514987052010-04-18T10:27:00.002+01:002010-04-18T10:28:27.053+01:00From Blogger to Wordpress...Please note I have now moved my blog to Wordpress. Please amend your links to: <a href="http://jocknroll.wordpress.com/">http://jocknroll.wordpress.com/</a>The Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04930337779892788516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034135.post-80476265906913966442010-04-11T11:38:00.001+01:002010-04-11T11:38:57.901+01:00The Cat on "Where The Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287 AM - Sunday 11 April 2010After the trauma of the HBA awards and the chocolate-flavoured goings-on of the Easter weekend, it's back to normality and the usual mix of mod, soul, Motown, alternative pop and a veritable cornucopia of classic cuts from the late 50s through to the early 70s. This month's shows will feature tracks from the Sunshine Pop edition of the Chartbusters USA series, The Laurie Records Story and "Phil's Spectre II: Another Wall of Soundalikes". Eyes down for a full house:<br /><br />The Turtles - Happy Together (White Whale 1967)<br />Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br />The Summits - Hanky Panky (Harmon/Rust 1963)<br />The Beach Boys - I Do (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1963)<br />The Critters - Younger Girl (Kapp 1966)<br />Les Girls - I Still Love You (Laurie 1966)<br />The Velvelettes - A Bird in the Hand (Is Worth Two In the Bush) (VIP 1965)<br />The Cowsills - The Rain, The Park and Other Things (MGM 1967)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Eight</span> Feet - Bobby's Come A Long Long Way (Columbia 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Keith - <span style="font-weight: bold;">98.6</span> (Mercury 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Four</span> Tops - Wonderful Baby (Motown 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Cher - I Go To Sleep (Imperial 1965)<br />Linda and the Lindettes - He's Mine (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1964)<br />The Kingsmen - Louie Louie (Jerden 1963) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Birthday: 11/4/35 Richard Berry)</span><br />The Goodies - Dum Dum Ditty (Blue Cat 1965) <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span><br />Don and the Goodtimes - I Could Be So Good To You (Epic 1967)<br />Jacques Brel - Le Moribond (Philips 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Foreign Language)</span><br />Lorrie Darnell - Nothing Went Right (Laurie 1963)<br />Tony Newman - Let The Good Times Roll (Decca 1968) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Half-Time Instrumental)</span><br />Donovan - Wear Your Love Like Heaven (Epic 1967)<br />Dobie Gray - No Room To Cry (Charger 1966)<br />Tommy McCook - Riverton City (Trojan 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Trojan Mod Reggae)</span><br />Mama Cass - It's Getting Better (Dunhill 1969) <span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br />The Rockin' Berries - The Water Is Over My Head (Piccadilly 1965) <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span><br />Dawn - I'm Afraid They're All Talking About Me (Laurie 1967)<br />Jackie Leven - In a Shivering Blaze (Cooking Vinyl 2010) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Under The Influence)</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span><br />Suzy Wallis - Be My Man (RCA-Victor 1965) <span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br />Tommy James and The Shondells - Crystal Blue Persuasion (Roulette 1969)<br />Episode Six - Put Yourself In My Place (Pye 1965)<br />Kathy Lynn & The <span style="font-weight: bold;">Playboys</span> - I Got A Guy (Swan 1964) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Bernadette Carroll - He's Just A <span style="font-weight: bold;">Playboy</span> (Laurie 1965) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Sundown <span style="font-weight: bold;">Playboys</span> - Saturday Night Special (Apple 1972) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The Dreamlovers - You Gave Me Somebody To Love (Warner Bros 1966)<br />Robert John - If You Don't Want My Love (Columbia 1968)<br />The Chiffons - If I Knew Then (What I Know Now) (Laurie 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />The Chiffons - Stop, Look and Listen (Laurie 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />Clydie King - The Thrill Is Gone (Imperial 1965) <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"></span><br />Chris Farlowe - Out of Time (Immediate 1966)<br />Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br /><br />That's it for this week. I'm now off for a week's R&R with my ladies but I'll back for next week's show. Until then, it's good night and good health.The Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04930337779892788516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034135.post-22197493553832096882010-04-03T19:41:00.001+01:002010-04-03T20:00:23.971+01:00The Cat on "Where The Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287AM - Sunday 4 April 2010Due to a family engagement on Easter Sunday, I've already recorded this show for broadcast on that day. I don't particularly like recording them in advance as I prefer the warts-and-all live approach but when needs must, the devil drives. Monday 5 April would have been Joe Meek's 81st birthday and to commemorate the legendary maverick producer, here's a show dedicated to Joe Meek (although the regaulr features have been kept in):<br /><br />Gelnda Collins - I Lost My Heart at the Fairground (HMV 1963)<br />Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br />Lance Fortune - Be Mine (Pye 1960)<br />Gene Vincent - Temptation Baby (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1963)<br />Denise Scott & The Soundsmen - Your Love Keeps Me Going (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 65/66)<br />Mike Berry and the Admirals - It's Just A Matter of Time (HMV 1962)<br />Pete & The Boulevards - You're My Girl (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased - Year Unknown</span>)<br />Billy Dean - Ridin' The Rails (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 61/62)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bobby</span> Rio and the Revelles - Value for Love (Pye 1965) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Pamela Blue - My Friend <span style="font-weight: bold;">Bobby</span> (Decca 1963) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bobby</span> Cristo - The Other Side of the Track (Decca 1964) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Michael Cox - Stand Up (HMV 1962)<br />Billie Davis - Don't Knock On My Door (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1962)<br />Major Lance - Monkey Time (Okeh 1962) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Birthday: 4/4/41 Major Lance)</span><br />Heinz - Just Like Eddie (Decca 1963) <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span><br />The Sharades - Boy Trouble (Decca 1964)<br />John Leyton - John C'Est L'Amour (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Foreign Language)</span><br />The Cryan' Shames - Please Stay (Decca 1966)<br />The Tornados - Globetrotter (Decca 1963) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Half-Time Instrumental)</span><br />Gunilla Thorn - Merry Go Round (HMV 1960)<br />Charles Kingsley Creation - Summer Without Sun (Columbia 1965)<br />The Beach Boys - You Need A Mess of Help To Stand Alone (Brother/Reprise 1972) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(A to Z of The Beach Boys - Y)</span><br />The Beach Boys - You Still Believe In Me (Capitol 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(A to Z of The Beach Boys - Y)</span><br />John Holt - Ali Baba (Trojan 1969) <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span><br />Flip - Mama Don't Lie (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1965)<br />Man or Astroman - Taxidermist Surf (Estrus 1993) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Under The Influence)</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span><br />The Riot Squad - I Take It That We're Through (Pye 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br />The Cameos - Powercut (Columbia 1963)<br />The Puppets - Shake With Me (Pye 1964)<br />Houston Wells and the Marksmen - Only The <span style="font-weight: bold;">Heart</span>aches (Parlophone 1963) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Toby Ventura - If My <span style="font-weight: bold;">Heart</span> Were A Storybook (Decca 1963) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Diane and the Javelins - <span style="font-weight: bold;">Heart</span> and Soul (Columbia 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Kenny Hollywood - Magic Star (Decca 1962)<br />Jenny Moss - Big Boys (Columbia 1963)<br />The Honeycombs - I Can't Stop (Interphon 1964) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />The Honeycombs - Something I've Got To Tell You (Pye 1965) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />Geoff Goddard - Girl Bride (HMV 1961) - <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Especially for John Cavanagh</span><br />Neil Christian and the Crusaders - The Road To Love (Columbia 1962)<br />John Leyton - Johnny Remember Me (Top Rank 1961)<br />Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br />Joe Meek - Meeksville Answering Machine<br /><br />As there are no songs beginning with X and Z, this week was the last in the A to Z of the Beach Boys series and John Holt's "Ali Baba" previews our new weekly Trojan Mod Reggae track, which takes its place. Until next week, when normal (live) service resumes, it's good day and good health.The Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04930337779892788516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034135.post-80172762437728876712010-03-28T17:43:00.001+01:002010-03-28T17:43:58.960+01:00The Cat on "Where The Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287AM - Sunday 28 March 2010It's our last dip into the <span style="font-style: italic;">"Love Is The Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965-1970"</span> box set and loads of other goodies:<br /><br />The Monkees - All The King's Horses (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1966)<br />Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br />The Freshmen - Look at the Sunshine (Pye 1968)<br />The Youngbloods - Get Together (RCA 1967)<br />Jackie Leven - John Paul Getty's Silver Cadillac (Cooking Vinyl 2009)<br />Santana - Evil Ways (Columbia 1969)<br />Dino Valenti - Let's Get Together (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1964)<br />The Charlatans - Alabama Bound (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1967)<br />People - I <span style="font-weight: bold;">Love</span> You (Capitol 1968) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Lulu - To Sir, With <span style="font-weight: bold;">Love</span> (Epic 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The Great! Society - Somebody To <span style="font-weight: bold;">Love</span> (LP version) (Unreleased 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Blue Cheer - Fool <span style="font-style: italic;">(single version)</span> (Philips 1967)<br />Jefferson Airplane - It's No Secret (RCA 1966)<br />The Turtles - Grim Reaper of Love (White Whale 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Birthday: 28/3/45 Chuck Portz)</span><br />Grateful Dead - The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion) (Warner Bros 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span><br />The Bystanders - Royal Blue Summer Sunshine Day (Piccadilly 1967)<br />Liz Brady - Palladium (The Hip) (Pathe 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Foreign Language)</span><br />Fifty Foot Horse - Red The Sign Post (Limelight 1968)<br />Dave Clark Five - I Walk The Line (Piccadilly 1962) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Half-Time Instrumental)</span><br />Notes from the Underground - Why Did You Put Me On? (Vanguard 1968)<br />The Ivy League - My World Fell Down (Piccadilly 1966)<br />The Beach Boys - Wendy (Capitol 1964) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(A to Z of The Beach Boys - W)</span><br />The Beach Boys - When a Man Needs a Woman (Capitol 1968) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(A to Z of The Beach Boys - W)</span><br />Country Weather - Fly To New York (<span style="font-style: italic;">Private</span> 1969) <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span><br />The Mojo Men - She's My Baby (Reprise 1966)<br />Care - Flaming Sword (Arista 1983) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Under The Influence)</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span><br />The Otherside - Streetcar (Brent 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br />Country Joe and the Fish - I Feel Like I'm Fixing To Die Rag <span style="font-style: italic;">(EP version)</span> (Rag Baby 1965)<br />The Petites - Baby Blue <span style="font-weight: bold;">Mustang</span> (Troy 1965) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Janis Joplin - <span style="font-weight: bold;">Mercedes Benz</span> (Columbia 1968) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The Beach Boys - Little <span style="font-weight: bold;">Honda</span> (Capitol 1964) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The Warlocks - Can't Come Down (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1965)<br />Quicksilver Messenger Service - Light Your Windows (Capitol 1968)<br />The Marvelettes - Danger Heartbreak Dead Ahead (Tamla 1965) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />The Marvelettes - I'll Keep On Holding On (Tamla 1965) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />The Immediate Family - Rubiyat (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1967)<br />Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br /><br />Next week it'll be my pre-recorded Joe Meek special, as I celebrate Easter Sunday with my family. Congratulations to my VRN colleague John Murray who was awarded The John Witney Award for his outstanding contribution to hospital radio at the National Hospital Radio Awards - well done, John! Although I didn't appreciate him charging a bottle of wine to my room!! Sadly, I left empty-handed in my category, as did all our other nominees. Just call us the Shawshank Redemption of the HBA! Until next week, it's good day and good health.The Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04930337779892788516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034135.post-59000784375466720142010-03-21T20:37:00.005+00:002010-03-21T21:31:27.568+00:00Sky Minus/Stagecoach<span style="font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >On Friday the Good Lady Wife and I noticed that that afternoon's Pointless - our new favourite quiz show - hadn't recorded. Not only had it not recorded but it had been marked as FAILED. Mastermind was set to record too but FAILED too. We didn't notice until later on because we were saving it for later (When none of the specialist subjects are of interest we proceed straight to General Knowledge questions and start the weekly routine of 'shouting at the telly'). Then Big Bang Theory FAILED on Saturday and we sussed that something wasn't quite right.</span><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >Using the interweb I found that it was a common problem but decided to let Sky sort it out (isn't that what we pay them a small fortune for?) before I took advice from 'the people'. I emailed them: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >"For the last two days I've been getting FAILED messages against programmes I've tried to record through the Sky+ Planner. When we press for Information it gives us a Technical Fault 11. What is a Technical Fault 11, why are we getting it and how can it be fixed?"</span><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >Meanwhile, we switched everything off - we drew the line at unplugging everything - and waited to see what Sunday morning would bring. Voila, it was fine again but it still rankled me that it had happened in the first place. </span><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >A reply awaited me when I switched the computer on:</span><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >"</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: times new roman;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >I am sorry to hear of the problems you have been experiencing with your services. To rectify these problems, please follow the procedure below:</span> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-style: italic; font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />Please note this process will stop all the recordings currently in progress and reboot your box, therefore you may want to do this after a recording has been completed.</span></p> <ol style="font-style: italic; font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;"><li> <div><span style="font-size:100%;">Using the Sky Remote Control press the services button. </span></div> </li><li> <div><span style="font-size:100%;">Using the up / down arrow buttons highlight System Setup and press select. </span></div> </li><li> <div><span style="font-size:100%;">Press 0, 1 and select to access the Installer Menu. </span></div> </li><li> <div><span style="font-size:100%;">Highlight Sky+ Planner Rebuild and press select. </span></div></li></ol> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-style: italic; font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;">When the warning on screen message, 'this will take a few minutes to completed' the rebuild will stop all recordings and reboot your Sky+. Press select to confirm or backup to cancel appears press select to continue.</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-style: italic; font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-style: italic; font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;">The on screen message, 'Housekeeping please wait' will appear and take up to 2 minutes to clear. Once complete the set top box will switch itself off and then back on automatically and wait in standby mode. Wait for 60 seconds after the red light has appeared before attempting to switch back on your box.</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-style: italic; font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-style: italic; font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;">If after following this procedure you are still experiencing problems, you may need to contact our technical team on 08442 41 14 11,direct for further assistance. If you require a service call and your box warranty has expired, the service call will carry a charge of 65.00 (GBP).</span></p><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-style: italic; font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;">I hope this information has helped with your enquiry. If you require any further assistance, you can respond to my email. You can also contact our Customer Services team on 08442 41 41 41, where one of our advisors will be happy to help."</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >You would've thought I'd have been pleased to hear from them but I wasn't. Why? Well, firstly they want me to use "0" from a system setup screen that only offers a choice form 1 to 8! Secondly, they want ME to phone THEM on an 0844 number (you know our details, call us) and, thirdly, if the equipment isn't working I have to pay THEM £65 for an engineer (or whatever pretentious job title Sky give them) to tell me what I already know! It's all money, money, money*. I'm turning into Jim Royle, only without the bowel/toilet problems and bad clothes.</span><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >I replied to the email from "Cynthia" with a simple one-liner: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >"You say "highlight System setup and press select" Then "press 0" but there is no 0 on our System setup menu! It only goes from 1 to 8".<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >Cynthia turned into Bruce and responded thus:</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"</span></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: times new roman;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >You're quite right there is no 0 on the system setup menu, but that is because you are accessing a hidden menu at that point. If you are on system setup menu, ignore the screen and just press 0,1 and select the installer menu will appear.<br /><br /></span> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-style: italic; font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;">It can be easier for us to take you through the procedures on the phone but I do not have any details to be able to access your account. If you email back to us with your viewing card number and password if you have one, we will be happy to contact you back.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-style: italic; font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Kind regards</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-style: italic; font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Bruce"</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Of course. Stupid me, a <span style="font-style: italic;">"hidden menu"</span>. Why didn't I think of that? I am such an idiot. I have brought shame upon myself and my family and I must throw myself off the roof immediately.<br /></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: times new roman;"><span style=";font-size:100%;" >I find <span style="font-style: italic;">"It can be easier for us"</span> to be rather patronising and somewhat insulting. If I can't work the instructions given to me in writing, some sad sod with no career prospects, halitosis and white socks in the modern electronic equivalent of the sweatshop isn't going to be any more useful.<br /></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: times new roman;"><span style=";font-size:100%;" >Thankfully for the Good Lady Wife, but not me, her "Dancing on Ice" has recorded.</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: times new roman;"><span style=";font-size:100%;" >* On Saturday morning I had to take the car for a service in Dalgety Bay, a 10-minute drive from home. I dropped the car off and waited for a bus back.<br /></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: times new roman;"><span style=";font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-style: italic; font-family: times new roman;"><span style=";font-size:100%;" >"Tesco, Dunfermline, please" "£2.75"<br /></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-style: italic; font-family: times new roman;"><span style=";font-size:100%;" >"What?" "£2.75"</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: times new roman;"><span style=";font-size:100%;" >I handed it over but was so positive that that was wrong I tucked my ticket safely away. I'd never been on this bus before or in the area, except in a car, but it seemed rather steep. I checked the time and wondered if this particular bus took a different route home, maybe via Oslo. After all this was the 80C. Not the original 80, the all-new 80A or the new AND improved 80B with Boswelox, this was the all-singing, all-dancing, let's-do-the-show-right-here 80C.<br /></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: times new roman;"><span style=";font-size:100%;" >I alighted at Tesco (who the hell says "alighted" anymore?), a mere eight minutes after I got on. Surviving the pedestrian jungle that is the Tesco car park - does nobody stop at pedestrian crossings anymore? - I walked, still in disbelief. After a couple of hours serious "pottering" the garage called and I headed back out for the bus.<br /></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-style: italic; font-family: times new roman;"><span style=";font-size:100%;" >"Dalgety Bay, please" "£1.40"</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-style: italic; font-family: times new roman;"><span style=";font-size:100%;" >"£1.40? I was charged £2.75 not two hours ago for the same trip in reverse"</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: times new roman;"><span style=";font-size:100%;" >After a discussion with the driver,who was as much use as a cat flap on a submarine, I took a seat. I used the nine minutes constructively (the 80B goes a different route and I had to walk some of the way hence the extra minute) and fired off an e-mail to the Operations Manager, who is also a near neighbour.</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: times new roman;"><span style=";font-size:100%;" >Just to rub salt into the wound I had to stump up £270 at the garage (service and something to do with the brakes) and they couldn't fix the radio display without a code, which was on a card, which we didn't have.</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >It never rains but it pours.</span><br /></span></p><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:navy;" ><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;color:navy;" ><o:p></o:p></span></span>The Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04930337779892788516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034135.post-81650446749893603622010-03-21T09:51:00.000+00:002010-03-21T09:52:15.757+00:00The Cat on "Where The Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287AM - Sunday 21 March 2010We continue to tuck into the psychedelic feast that is the <span style="font-style: italic;">"Love Is The Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965-1970"</span> box set and we commemorate the passings of Lesley Duncan and Alex Chilton, as well as the regular features:<br /><br />Big Star - September Gurls (Stax 1973)<br />Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br />Marc Bolan - Third Degree (Decca 1966)<br />Mad River - Amphetamine Gazelle (Capitol 1968)<br />The Mystery Trend - Carl Street (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1967)<br />Ministry of Sound (Lesley Duncan/Val McKenna) - Something's Coming Along (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased </span>1967)<br />Blackburn and Snow - Stranger In a Strange Land (Verve 1967)<br />Billie Davis - Billy Sunshine (Decca 1969)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Chocolate</span> Watchband - No Way Out (Tower 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The <span style="font-weight: bold;">Vejtables</span> - Anything (Autumn 1965) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Teddy and the Patches - Suzy <span style="font-weight: bold;">Creamcheese</span> (Chance 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Clyde McPhatter - You Got It (Deram 1969)<br />Sly & The Family Stone - Underdog (Epic 1967)<br />Solomon Burke - Home In Your Heart (Atlantic 1963) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Birthday: 21/3/40)</span><br />Steve Miller Band - Roll With It(Capitol 1968) <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span><br />The Shangri-la's - Sophisticated Boom Boom (Red Bird 1966)<br />Louise Cordet - Que m'a-t-il fait? <span style="font-style: italic;">(What's He/It Done to Me?)</span> (Decca 1963) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Foreign Language)</span><br />Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks - How Can I Miss You When You Won't Go Away? (Epic 1969)<br />The Outlaws - Valley of the Sioux (HMV 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Half-Time Instrumental)</span><br />Seatrain - Portrait of the Artist as a Young Lady (A&M 1969)<br />The Savage Resurrection - Things in "E" (Mercury 1968)<br />The Beach Boys - Vegetables (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(A to Z of The Beach Boys - V)</span><br />The Beach Boys - Heroes and Villains (45 version) (Capitol 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(A to Z of The Beach Boys - V)</span><br />Jon Gunn - I Just Made Up My Mind (Deram 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span><br />Syndicate of Sound - Rumors (Bell 1966)<br />The La's - Son of a Gun <span style="font-style: italic;">(BBC session)</span> (Go! Discs 1988) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Under The Influence)</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span><br />The La's - There She Goes (Go! Discs 1988) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Under The Influence)</span><br />The Frantics - Human Monkey (Action 1966)<br />October Country - Good To Be Around (Epic 1968)<br />The Grass Roots - Mr Jones (A Ballad of a Thin Man) (Dunhill 1965) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The Cryan' Shames - Greenburg, Glickstein, Charles, David Smith & Jones (Columbia 1968) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Tom Jones - Stop Breaking My Heart (Decca 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The Harbinger Complex - Sometimes I Wonder (Amber 1966)<br />Fearns Brass Foundry - Don't Chance It (Decca 1968)<br />The Beau Brummels - Don't Talk To Strangers<span style="font-style: italic;"></span> (Autumn 1965) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />The Beau Brummels - Two Days 'Til Tomorrow (Warner Bros 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />Earl Cosby - Ooh Honey Baby (Mirwood 1966)<br />The Majority - One Third (Decca 1966)<br />Big Star - I'm In Love With a Girl (Stax 1973)<br />Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br /><br />Next week it'll be business as usual after I return from the National Hospital Radio Awards in Erskine. The Cat has his paws well and truly crossed for his nomination in the Best Specialist Music category. Until next week, and the last of our San Francisco sounds, it's good day and good health.The Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04930337779892788516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034135.post-57240341437140220652010-03-14T09:36:00.001+00:002010-03-14T09:47:01.363+00:00The Cat on "Where The Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287AM - Sunday 14 March 2010More from the <span style="font-style: italic;">"Love Is The Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965-1970"</span> box set and the usual grab-bag of goodies:<br /><br />The Hollies - Look Through Any Window (Parlophone 1965)<br />Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br />The Honeys - The One You Can't Have (Capitol 1963)<br />The Ivy League - In The Not Too Distant Future (Pye 1967)<br />The Wildflower - Coffee Cup (Mainstream 1967)<br />The Soul Agents - Let's Make It Pretty Baby (Pye 1964)<br />Fontella Bass/Bobby McClure - Don't Mess Up A Good Thing (Checker 1965)<br />Sharon Marie - Story of My Life (Capitol 1964)<br />The Majorettes - <span style="font-weight: bold;">White</span> Levis (Troy 1963) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Jefferson Airplane - <span style="font-weight: bold;">White</span> Rabbit (RCA 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />It's A Beautiful Day - <span style="font-weight: bold;">White</span> Bird (Columbia 1969) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />American Spring - Shyin' Away (Capitol 1973)<br />The Sons of Champlin - Fat City (Verve 1967)<br />The Turtles - You Don' Have To Walk In The Rain (White Whale 1969) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Birthday: 14/3/46 Jim Pons)</span><br />Steve Miller Band - Quicksilver Girl (Capitol 1968) <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span><br />The Mystery Trend - Johnny Was A Good Boy (Verve 1968)<br />Brigitte Bardot - Je Me Donne a Qui Me Plait <span style="font-style: italic;">(I Give Myself To Whom I Please)</span> (Philips 1962) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Foreign Language)</span><br />Blue Cheer - Summertime Blues (Philips 1968)<br />Earl Van Dyke - 6x6 (Motown 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Half-Time Instrumental)</span><br />The Loading Zone - The Bells (RCA Victor 1968)<br />The Sheffields - Hey, Hey Lover Boy (Pye 1964)<br />The Beach Boys - 409 (Capitol 1962) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(A to Z of The Beach Boys - U)</span><br />Gary Usher - That's The Way I Feel (Capitol 1964) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(A to Z of The Beach Boys - U)</span><br />The Tikis - Bye Bye Bye <span style="font-style: italic;">(Warner Bros single version)</span> (Warner Bros 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span><br />The New Breed - Want Ad Reader (World United 1966)<br />The Magic Numbers - Love Me Like You (Heavenly 2005) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Under The Influence)</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span><br />Mother Earth - Revolution (Unted Artists 1968)<br />Public Nuisance - America (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1968)<br />The <span style="font-weight: bold;">Oxford</span> Circle - Foolish Woman (World United 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Moby Grape - <span style="font-weight: bold;">Omaha</span> (Columbia 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Country Weather - Fly To <span style="font-weight: bold;">New York</span> (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1969) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Quicksilver Messenger - Who Do You Love <span style="font-style: italic;">(demo)</span> (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />Quicksilver Messenger - Codine (United Artists 1968) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />The Stained Glass - My Buddy Sin (RCA 1966)<br />Earl Cosby - Ooh Honey Baby (Mirwood 1966)<br />Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br /><br />Until next week, and some more San Francisco sounds, it's good day and good health.The Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04930337779892788516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034135.post-59841598754560527782010-03-07T10:05:00.001+00:002010-03-07T10:07:49.663+00:00The Cat on "Where The Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287AM - Sunday 7 March 2010January's shows were dominated by the LA Nuggets box set and this month it's the turn of its San Francisco counterpart, "Love Is The Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965-1970":<br /><br />Cliff Richard & The Shadows - Big News (Columbia 1963)<br />Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br />Dee Dee Young - You Haven't Seen Nothing (Challenge 1964)<br />The Front Line Assembly - Got Love (York 1965)<br />The Knickerbockers - I Can Do It Better (Challenge 1966)<br />Ace of Cups - Glue (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1968)<br />Count Five - Psychotic Reaction (Double Shot 1966)<br />Sister Rachel - Don't Mess Around With Me (Challenge 1967)<br />The Charlatans - Number <span style="font-weight: bold;">One</span> (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1965) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The Sons of Champlin - <span style="font-weight: bold;">1982</span>-A (Capitol 1969) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />We <span style="font-weight: bold;">Five</span> - You Were On My Mind (A&M 1965) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Helen Shapiro - Let's Talk About Love (Columbia 1962)<br />The Generation - I'm A Good Woman (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1967)<br />Donna Loren - Muscle Bustle (Challenge 1964) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Birthday: 7/3/47)</span><br />Big Brother & The Holding Company - Down On Love <span style="font-style: italic;">(live)</span> (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1968) <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span><br />The Mourning Reign - Satisfaction Guaranteed (Link 1966)<br />Jacques Brel - Le Chanson de Jacky (Barclay 1965) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Foreign Language)</span><br />The Serpent Power - Up and Down (Vanguard 1967)<br />The Tornados - Telstar (Decca 1962) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Half-Time Instrumental)</span><br />Butch Engle & The Styx - Hey I'm Lost (Onyx 1967)<br />The Beach Boys - Tears in the Morning (Brother/Reprise 1970) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(A to Z of The Beach Boys - T)</span><br />The Beach Boys - Things We Did Last Summer (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1963?) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(A to Z of The Beach Boys - T)</span><br />Fanny - Charity Ball <span style="font-style: italic;">(second version)</span> (Reprise 1971) <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span><br />Grateful Dead - Dark Star <span style="font-style: italic;">(single version)</span> (Warner Bros 1968)<br />Mari Wilson & The Wilsations - Beat the Beat (Compact 1982) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Under The Influence)</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span><br />The Feminine Complex - I Don't Want Another Man (Athena 1968)<br />The Great! Society - Free Advice (Northbeach 1966)<br />Dusty Springfield - Little by Little (Mercury 1966)<br />Country Joe and the Fish - Super<span style="font-weight: bold;">bird</span> (Vanguard 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sopwith "Camel"</span> - Hello Hello (Kama Sutra 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Jefferson <span style="font-weight: bold;">Airplane</span> - Mexico (RCA 1970) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Santana - Soul Sacrifice (Columbia 1969)<br />The Family Tree - Live Your Own Life (Mira 1966)<br />The Flamin' Groovies - I'm Drowning (Snazz 1968) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />The Flamin' Groovies - Shake Some Action (Sire 1976) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />The Box Tops - Neon Rainbow (Mala 1967)<br />Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br /><br />Until next week, and some more San Francisco sounds, it's good day and good health.The Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04930337779892788516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034135.post-10331806749295644542010-02-28T16:57:00.001+00:002010-02-28T16:57:58.965+00:00The Cat on "Where The Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287AM - Sunday 28 February 2010I've dragged myself off my sick bed to bring you these delights:<br /><br />The Outsiders - Time Won't Let Me (Capitol 1965)<br />Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br />Brenda Lee - Dum Dum (Decca 1961)<br />Stamford Bridge - Happiness and Rainy Days (Penny Farthing 1970)<br />The Turtles - Wanderin' Kind (Immediate 1966)<br />The Young Rascals - Good Lovin' (Atlantic 1966)<br />Del Shannon - Led Along (Liberty 1967)<br />Bobby Angelle - Too Much for You (Money 1967)<br />Little Eva - Keep Your <span style="font-weight: bold;">Hands</span> Off Of My Baby (Dimension 1962) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Baby Washington - Careless <span style="font-weight: bold;">Hands</span> (Sue 1962) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Bobby "Blue" Bland - These <span style="font-weight: bold;">Hands</span> (Small But Mighty) (Duke 1965) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Nicky Scott - Big City (Immediate 1967)<br />The Hipster Image - Can't Let Her Go (Decca 1965)<br />Barbara Acklin - Love Makes A Woman (Brunswick 1968) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Birthday: 28/2/44)</span><br />Annette Funicello & The Afterbeats - Tall Paul (Disneyland 1958) <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span><br />First Class - Coney Island (UK 1972)<br />Alma Cogan - O Dio Mio (HMV 1960) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Foreign Language)</span><br />Robert Parker - Let's Go Baby (Where the Action Is) (Nola 1965)<br />The Original Checkmates - Hot Toddy (Pye 1962) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Half-Time Instrumental)</span><br />Emmit Rhodes - Mary Will You Take My Hand (Dakar 1970)<br />Brian Wilson - South American (Giant 1998) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(A to Z of The Beach Boys - S)</span><br />The Beach Boys - Shut Down (Capitol 1963) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(A to Z of The Beach Boys - S)</span><br />PP Arnold - Life Is Nothing (Immediate 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span><br />Benny Parker & The Dynamos - Boys and Girls (Decca 1964)<br />The Jam - Boy About Town (Polydor 1980) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Under The Influence)</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span><br />Eddie Holman - Eddie's My Name (Parkway 1965)<br />Betty Johnson - Little White Lies (Bally 1957)<br />The Fairies - Anytime At All (Decca 1964)<br />Vicky Gomez - Boys Are <span style="font-weight: bold;">Dime</span> A Dozen (ABC Paramount 1965) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Betty Bibbs - <span style="font-weight: bold;">Pounds</span> of Soul (Kent 1968) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Kincade - Dreams Are Ten a <span style="font-weight: bold;">Penny</span> (1972 <span style="font-style: italic;">Label Unknown</span>) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Twice As Much - Sittin' On a Fence (Immediate 1966)<br />Gene Chandler - Mr Big Shot (Constellation 1966)<br />Billie Davis - Make The Feeling Go Away (Decca 1969) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />Billie Davis - Ev'ry Day (Piccadilly 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />Albert Washington - Hold Me Baby (Ace? 1969)<br />Marc Bolan - Third Degree (Decca 1966)<br />Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br /><br />Until next week, it's good day and good health.The Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04930337779892788516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034135.post-24903665112660098732010-02-26T18:54:00.004+00:002010-02-26T19:03:21.954+00:00Life is a Moment in SpaceAfter a particular shitty week I heard a record on Radio 2 today that took me back to a more innocent and happier time. A time when you paid the price on the ticket and nothing more and long before stress became the new bad back.<br /><br />My day was in the army and we lived in Army Quarters just outside Bonnyrigg. If it was so far out of Bonnyrigg that it could've been in the Borders! And there was nothing bonnie about it. We didn't have the luxury of computers or iPods and we utilised the natural resources to have our fun. The pavements hosted running races, with long paths used as jumps on an imaginary steeplechase. The Harry the housing warden had also provided a pair of old rusty goalposts (no nets) in a local field but the grass was lumpier and bumpier than the school custard and the field sloped from wing to wing more than a drunk against a lamppost. We made do because that's what you had to do. I even made a showjumping course in our back garden until I "clipped a fence" and broke one of my mother's brush handles.<br /><br />The highlight of the week was when the Harry would open up one of the empty quarters and allow us "young 'uns" to have a disco. To be honest, I only remember two records being played because the supply was somewhat limited. One of those was the so-bad-it's-bad novelty record by Joe Dolce. Nowadays, I pull anyone up for suggesting that "Shaddap Your Face" was by Joe Dolce, when any quizzer worth their salt knows it was the Joe Dolce Music Theatre who foisted such nonsense on an unfussy record-buying public. Of course, as kids we didn't know any better, and we enjoyed the pidgin Italian and joined in while telling each other to "Shaddap Your Face". I still have that song on a K-Tel album called "Chartblasters '81". I don't play it much, except for Susan Fassbender's "Twilight Cafe".<br /><br />The other record, the one that always transports me back to 1981, was the velvety, lusciousness of Barbra Streisand's Bee Gees' written and produced <span style="font-style: italic;">"Woman in Love"</span>. Even for a 14-year old I was very tall. So much so that when I asked Teresa Black to dance she had to stand on one of the many plastic chairs hugging the wall of the tiny living room as we swayed, clenched, from side to side. This was somewhat awkward although with it being a "slow record" we wouldn't have done more than shuffle awkwardly anyway. These days mooning takes on rather different connotations but back in the day that's what we called slow dancing. The erection section would, ahem, come much later. From memory Teresa had dark, straight hair and a lazy eye and a brother who loved to wear Adam Ant's war paint on his face.<br /><br />Even after our family moved away from the Army houses and closer to the centre of Bonnyrigg, my brother and I would walk the mile or so to the "disco". I even got a kiss one night, but not from Teresa; this Lothario was playing the field albeit one without a big slope and cow dung.The Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04930337779892788516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034135.post-20379611848260355652010-02-21T11:57:00.001+00:002010-02-21T11:57:14.933+00:00The Cat on "Where the Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287AM - Sunday 21 February 2010After the slush and mush of last week's Valentine's Day special, it's back to basics with the usual fun-filled festival of pop 'n' stuff. This week's humble offerings:<br /><br />Herman's Hermits - No Milk Today (Columbia 1966)<br />Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br />The Supremes - The Happening (Motown 1967)<br />The Marvelettes - Please Mr Postman (Tamla 1961)<br />Madeline Bell - I'm Gonna Make You Love Me (Phillips 1967)<br />A Band of Angels - Cheat and Lie (Piccadilly 1966)<br />The Shangri-la's - Bull Dog (Red Bird 1965)<br />The Spencer Davis Group - I Can't Stand It (Fontana 1964)<br />Billie Davis - <span style="font-weight: bold;">School</span> Is Over (Columbia 1964) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The Charmettes - <span style="font-weight: bold;">School</span> Letter <span style="font-style: italic;">(mono)</span> (Federal 1959) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The Langley <span style="font-weight: bold;">School</span>s Music Project - Help Me Rhonda (Bar-None 2001) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Arthur Alexander - Where Have You Been (London 1962)<br />Connie Francis - Where The Boys Are (MGM 1960)<br />Nina Simone - See Line Woman (Phillips 1964) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Birthday: 21/2/33)</span><br />Strawberry Alarm Clock - Incense and Peppermint (UNI 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">RIP Lee Freeman</span><br />Wayne Fontana - Something Keeps Calling Me Back (Fontana 1966)<br />Pat Simon - Small Town (Vogue 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Foreign Language)</span><br />Val McKenna - I Can't Believe What You Say (Piccadilly 1965)<br />The Rustlers - A Matter of Who (Pye 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Half-Time Instrumental)</span><br />Gene Chandler - I Fooled You This Time (Checker 1966)<br />The Beach Boys - Help Me Rhonda <span style="font-style: italic;">(alternative single mix)</span> (Capitol 1965) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(A to Z of The Beach Boys - R)</span><br />The Beach Boys - Break Away (Capitol 1969) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(A to Z of The Beach Boys - R)</span><br />The Action - Come On, Come With Me (Parlophone <span style="font-style: italic;">Year Unknown</span>) <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">RIP Mike Evans</span><br /> Sharon Tandy - One Way Street (Unreleased/Stax <span style="font-style: italic;">Year Unknown</span>)<br />The Loving Kind - Ain't That Peculiar (Pye 1966)<br />The Knack - Good Girls Don't (Capitol 1979) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Under The Influence)</span> <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">RIP Doug Fieger</span><br />Everpresent Fullness - Suzi Q (White Whale 1970) <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">RIP Dale Hawkins</span><br />The Hit Pack - Never Say No To My Baby (Tamla 1965)<br />Kim Weston - Just Loving You (Tamla 1963)<br />Young Blood - <span style="font-weight: bold;">Green</span> Light (Pye 1968) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The Knickerbockers - Sweet <span style="font-weight: bold;">Green</span> Fields (Challenge 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Petula Clark - The Other Man's Grass Is Always <span style="font-weight: bold;">Green</span>er (Pye 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The Shondells - Special Delivery (King 1963)<br />Todd Rundgren - Couldn't I Just Tell You (Bearsville 1972)<br />The Kinks - Australia (Pye 1969) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />The Kinks - This Man He Weeps Tonight (Pye 1969) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />Marvin Gaye - One More Heartache (Tamla 1966)<br />Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br /><br />Until next week, it's good day and good health.The Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04930337779892788516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034135.post-14372058669482170572010-02-14T12:46:00.002+00:002010-02-14T12:46:46.186+00:00The Cat on "Where The Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287AM - Sunday 14 February 2010All you need is love on my Valentine's Day special. Here are this week's soft pop centres and hard soul bites:<br /><br />The Love Affair - Everlasting Love (CBS 1968)<br />Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br />Billie Davis - Love (Decca 1970)<br />The Mamas and the Papas - Words of Love (RCA/Dunhill 1966)<br />Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - Third Finger, Left Hand (Gordy 1967)<br />Margo Guryan - I Love (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1967)<br />Annette Funicello - Train of Love (Buena Vista 1960)<br />The Lovelites - I Found Me A Lover (Bandera 1970)<br />Billy Joe Royal - <span style="font-weight: bold;">Hearts</span> Desire (Columbia 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hearts</span> of Stone - If I Could Give You The World (VIP 1970) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Gary Lewis & The Playboys - My <span style="font-weight: bold;">Hearts</span> Symphony (Liberty 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Barbara Ruskin - The Light of Love (Piccadilly 1966)<br />Frank Wilson - Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) (Soul 1965)<br />Tim Buckley - Once Upon A Time (Unreleased 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Birthday: 14/2/47)</span><br />The Shirelles - What Is Love? (Scepter 1967)<br />Brenda Holloway - Favour for a Girl (With a Love Sick Heart) (Motown 1964)<br />Sylvie Vartan - Donne Moi Ton Amour <span style="font-style: italic;">(Gimme Some Loving)</span> (RCA 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Foreign Language)</span><br />The Action - Love Is All (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1967/1968)<br />The Packabeats - Evening in Paris (Pye 1962) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Half-Time Instrumental)</span><br />Darlene Love - Strange Love (Philles 1964)<br />Bobby Hebb - Love Love Love (Phillips 1972)<br />The Beach Boys - Please Let Me Wonder (Capitol 1965) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(A to Z of The Beach Boys - P)</span><br />The Beach Boys - Surf's Up (Brother/Reprise 1971) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(A to Z of The Beach Boys - P)</span><br />The Four Tops - Standing In The Shadows of Love (Tamla Motown 1967)<br />The Monkees - Love To Love (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1967)<br />Aberfeldy - Love Is An Arrow (Rough Trade 2004) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Under The Influence)</span><br />Petula Clark - My Love (Pye 1965)<br />The Hollies - Too Young To Be Married (Parlophone 1970)<br />The Turtles - Guide for the Married Man (White Whale 1967)<br />The Holy Mackerel - <span style="font-weight: bold;">Wildflowers</span> (Reprise 1968) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The Beatstalkers - Rain Coloured <span style="font-weight: bold;">Roses</span> (CBS 1968) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The Jaynetts - Cry Behind The <span style="font-weight: bold;">Daisies</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">(demo)</span> (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1964) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Glenda Collins - Head Over Heels In Love (Decca 1961)<br />Jackie Lee - Your Other Love (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1966)<br />Love - The Daily Planet (Elektra 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />Love - Hey Joe (Elektra 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />Rose Valentine - I've Gotta Know Right Now (RCA Victor 1967)<br />April Stevens - Lovin' Valentine (Atco 1965)<br />Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br /><br />Until next week, it's good day and good health.The Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04930337779892788516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034135.post-56627034546773554762010-02-07T11:01:00.002+00:002010-02-07T11:01:43.201+00:00The Cat on "Where The Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287AM - Sunday 7 February 2010Time flies when you're having fun and we'll already into February. It's back to our normal mix of mod, soul, girl groups, Motown and alternative music from the late 50s to the early 70s. Here are this week's tasty musical morsels:<br /><br />The Casuals - Jesamine (Decca 1968)<br />Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br />Claudine Clark - Party Lights (Chancellor 1962)<br />The Walker Brothers - (Baby) You Don't Have To Tell Me (Philips 1966)<br />The Jewells - Smokie Joe's (King 1967)<br />Heinz - Questions I Can't Answer (Columbia 1964)<br />Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - I Second That Emotion (Tamla Motown 1968)<br />The Teardrops - Tears Come Running (Saxony/Musicor 1964)<br />Goldie & The Gingerbreads - <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sailor</span> Boy (Decca 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Petula Clark - <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sailor</span> (Pye 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The Zippers - My <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sailor</span> Boy (Hickory 1964) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Glenda Collins - I Lost My Heart at the Fairground (HMV 1963)<br />Badfinger - Now Matter What (Apple 1970)<br />King Curtis - Memphis Soul Stew (Atco 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Birthday: 7/2/34 King Curtis, saxophonist)</span><br />The Jelly Beans - How Fine Can One Guy Be (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span>, Year Unknown)<br />Barry Ryan - Eloise (MGM 1968)<br />The Searchers - Mais C'Etait un Reve <span style="font-style: italic;">(It's All Been a Dream)</span> (Vogue 1965) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Foreign Language)</span><br />The Honeycombs - Something Better Beginning (Pye 1965)<br />The Tornados - Life on Venus <span style="font-style: italic;">(German version)</span> (Decca 1968) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Half-Time Instrumental)</span><br />Julie Grant - Don't Ever Let Me Down (Pye 1963)<br />Barbara Mason & The Tiffanys - Trouble Child (Crusader 1964)<br />The Beach Boys - Only With You (Capitol 1972) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(A to Z of The Beach Boys - O)</span><br />The Beach Boys - Our Car Club (Capitol 1963) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(A to Z of The Beach Boys - O)</span><br />Diana Ross & The Supremes - In and Out of Love (Tamla Motown 1968)<br />The Small Faces/PP Arnold - (If You Think You're) Groovy (Immediate 1968)<br />The Small Ads - Small Ads (Bronze 1981) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Under The Influence)</span><br />The Utopias - Sally Bad (Fortune 1965)<br />Dusty Springfield - I Close My Eyes and Count To Ten (Philips 1968)<br />Emitt Rhodes - Ever Find Yourself Running (ABC Dunhill 1970)<br />PP Arnold - Angle of the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Morning</span> (Immediate 1968) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Margo Guryan - Something's Wrong With The <span style="font-weight: bold;">Morning</span> (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span>, Year Unknown) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Episode Six - <span style="font-weight: bold;">Morning</span> Dew (Pye 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Jackie Lee - Co-Co (Pye 1971)<br />Joani Camp - His Lips Get In The Way (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span>, Year Unknown)<br />Herman's Hermits - A Must To Avoid (Columbia 1965) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />Herman's Hermits - For Your Love (Columbia 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />Simon Dupree & The Big Sound Authority - I See The Light (Parlophone 1966)<br />The Searchers - Goodnight Baby (Pye 1965)<br />Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br /><br />Next week it's our Valentine's Day special. All love, hearts, flowers etc. Until then, it's good day and good health.The Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04930337779892788516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034135.post-22352450641793369872010-01-31T10:12:00.003+00:002010-01-31T10:33:08.309+00:00The Cat on "Where the Action Is" on Kirkcaldy VRN 1287 AM - Sunday 31 January 2010This is the last week of our rummage in the treasure chest that is the <span style="font-style: italic;">"Where The Action Is! LA Nuggets 1965-1968"</span> box set. The San Francisco equivalent <span style="font-style: italic;">"Love Is the Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965-1970"</span> will be heard during my shows in March. Here are this week's veritable cornucopia of crackin' tunes:<br /><br />The Who - Substitute (Reaction 1966)<br />Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br />The Peanut Butter Conspiracy - Eventually (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1966)<br />Dino, Desi and Billy - The Rebel Kind (Reprise 1965)<br />The Mustangs - That's For Sure (Nero 1965)<br />Jackie DeShannon & The Byrds - Splendor in the Grass (Imperial 1966)<br />The Seeds - Tripmaker (GNP Crescendo 1966)<br />The Mamas and the Papas - Somebody Groovy (Dunhill 1965)<br />Boyce and Hart - Thanks for <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunday</span> (A&M 1969) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Glenda Collins - Don't Let It Rain on <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunday</span> (Pye 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Josephine <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunday</span> - You Won't Even Know Her Name (Tower 1965) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Fapardokly <span style="font-style: italic;">(Merrill & The Exiles)</span> - Tomorrow's Girl (Glenn 1967)<br />The Knickerbockers - High On Love (Challenge 1966)<br />Billie Davis & The Leroys - Whatcha Gonna Do (Columbia 1964) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Birthday: 31/1/28 Chuck Willis, songwriter)</span><br />The Music Machine - The People in Me (Original Sound 1967)<br />Peter Fonda - November Night (Cjisa 1967)<br />Alma Cogan - Itte Kudes <span style="font-style: italic;">(Tell Him) (Japanese version)</span> (Columbia 1963) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Foreign Language)</span><br />Herman's Hermits - Show Me Girl (Columbia 1964)<br />The Tornados - Ridin' The Wind (Decca 1962) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Half-Time Instrumental)</span><br />Jan and Dean - Fan Tan (Jan & Dean 1967)<br />Barry McGuire - Inner-Manipulations (Dunhill 1968)<br />The Beach Boys - The Night Was So Young (Capitol 1977) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(A to Z of The Beach Boys - N)</span><br />The Beach Boys - The Nearest Faraway Place (Capitol 1968) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(A to Z of The Beach Boys - N)</span><br />The Sons of Adam - Saturday's Son (Decca 1966)<br />Danny Hutton - Roses and Rainbows (Hanna-Barbera 1965)<br />Dan Lyth - Castles (Moojuice 2009) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Under The Influence)</span><br />The Hysterics - Everything's There (Bing 1965)<br />P F Sloan - Halloween Mary (Dunhill 1965)<br />The Whatt Four - Your Wishin' I Was Someone Else (Mercury 1967)<br />Petula Clark - <span style="font-weight: bold;">Las Vegas</span> (Pye 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;"></span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Gene Clark - <span style="font-weight: bold;">Los Angeles</span> (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1968) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Gary Usher - <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sacramento</span> (Capitol 1964) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The Penny Arkade - Swim (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1967)<br />The Kinks - Days (Pye 1968)<br />The Monkees -Sometime In The Morning (Colgems 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />The Monkees - You Just May Be The One (Colgems 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />The Yellow Payges - Our Time Is Running Out (UNI 1967)<br />The Raspberries - Overnight Sensation (Hit Record) (Capitol 1974)<br />Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br /><br />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 Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04930337779892788516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034135.post-11105543596253472802010-01-24T12:12:00.000+00:002010-01-24T12:13:07.073+00:00The Cat on "Where The Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287AM - Sunday 24 January 2010We reach the penultimate week of our grab bag of West Coast goodies from the <span style="font-style: italic;">"Where The Action Is! LA Nuggets 1965-1968"</span> 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...<br /><br />The Chymes - He's Not There Anymore (Chattahoochee 1966)<br />Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br />The Rising Sons - Take A Giant Step (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1966)<br />Thorinsfield - Daydreaming (Philips 1967)<br />The Everpresent Fullness - Darlin' You Can Count On Me (White Whale 1967)<br />Limey & The Yanks - Guaranteed Love (Star-Burst 1966)<br />Sandie Shaw - It's In His Kiss (Pye 1965)<br />The Association - One Too Many Mornings (Valiant 1965)<br />Dusty Springfield - The Magic <span style="font-weight: bold;">Garden</span> (Philips 1968) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The <span style="font-weight: bold;">Garden</span> Club - Little Girl - Lost and Found (A&M 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The Mamas and the Papas - Safe In My <span style="font-weight: bold;">Garden</span> (Dunhill 1968) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The Nitty Gritty Band - I'll Search The Sky (Liberty 1967)<br />The Romancers <span style="font-style: italic;">(aka The Smoke Rings)</span> - Love's The Thing (Linda 1965)<br />Tammi Terrell - Come On and See Me (Motown 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Birthday: 24/1/45 Tammi Terrell)</span><br />The Full Treatment - Just Can't Wait (A&M 1967)<br />Kin Fowley - Underground Lady (Living Legend 1965)<br />Jackie Lee - Rupert der Bar <span style="font-style: italic;">(German)</span> (Pye 1970) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Foreign Language)</span><br />Scott Walker - The Girls and the Dogs <span style="font-style: italic;">(Les filles et les chiens)</span> (Philips 1968)<br />The Honeycombs - Goldfinger (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> Year Unknown) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Half-Time Instrumental)</span><br />John Leyton (with Mike Sarne & Grazina) - Everyday's a Holiday (HMV 1964)<br />The Knack - Time Waits For No One (Capitol 1967)<br />The Beach Boys - Mama Says (Capitol 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(A to Z of The Beach Boys - M)</span><br />The Beach Boys - Marcella (Brother 1972) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(A to Z of The Beach Boys - M)</span><br />Van Dyke Parks - Come To The Sunshine (MGM 1966)<br />London Phogg - The Times To Come (A&M 1969)<br />The BMX Bandits - I Can Wait Forever (Elefant 2008) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Under The Influence)</span><br />Harry Nilsson - Sister Marie (RCA 1968)<br />Love Affair - Rainbow Valley (CBS 1968)<br />The Doors - Take It as It Comes (Elektra 1967)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Moon</span> - Mothers and Fathers (Imperial 1968) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Susan Lynne - Reach for the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Moon</span> (Label Unknown 1968) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The Puffs - <span style="font-weight: bold;">Moon</span> Out There (Dore 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Jesse Lee Kincaid - She Sang Hymns out of Tune (Kelly 1968)<br />The WC Fields Memorial Electric String Band - Hippy Elevator Operator (Hanna-Barbera 1966)<br />Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell - California Soul (Motown 1969) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell - You're All I Need To Get By (Motown 1968) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />Kaleidoscope - Pulsating Dream (Epic 1967)<br />The Who - Won't Get Fooled Again (Polydor 1970)<br />The Action - Shadows and Reflections (Parlophone 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">RIP Mike Evans</span><br />Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br /><br />The last prescription of LA Nuggets will be dosed out next week. Until next time, it's good day and good health.The Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04930337779892788516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034135.post-3596827151285944262010-01-17T08:34:00.002+00:002010-01-17T09:03:23.029+00:00The Cat on "Where The Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287AM - Sunday 17 January 2010It's the third week of our rummage through the brilliant <span style="font-style: italic;"></span><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><span style="font-style: italic;">"Where The Action Is! LA Nuggets 1965-1968"</span> box set. We're also celebrating the birthday of chanteuse Francoise Hardy. Last train to Tunesville - all aboard...<br /><br />The Palace Guard - All Night Long (Orange-Empire 1965)<br />Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br />Noel Harrison - Life Is A Dream (Reprise 1965)<br />Little Eva - The Trouble With Boys (Dimension 1963)<br />Opus 1 - Back Seat '38 Dodge (Mustang 1966)<br />October Country - My Girlfriend Is A Witch (Epic 1968)<br />Rick Nelson - Marshmallow Skies (Decca 1967)<br />Roger Nichols Trio - Montage Mirror (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1967)<br />A Joint Effort - The Third <span style="font-weight: bold;">Eye</span> (JE 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Les Fleurs de Lys - Mud In Your <span style="font-weight: bold;">Eye </span>(Polydor 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Spirit - Girl In Your <span style="font-weight: bold;">Eye</span> (Ode 1968) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The Lamp of Childhood - No More Running Around (Dunhill 1967)<br />The Humane Society - Eternal Prison (New World 1968)<br />Francoise Hardy - All Over The World (Vogue 1965) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Birthday: 17/1/44 Francoise Hardy)</span><br />Randy Newman - I Had A Dream Last Night (Reprise 1968)<br />The Velvet Illusions - Acid Head (Metro-Media 1967)<br />Francoise Hardy - Ce Petite Coeur <span style="font-style: italic;">(My Little Heart)</span> (Vogue 1965) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Foreign Language)</span><br />The Contours - Just A Little Understanding (Motown 1966)<br />The Beachcombers - Mad Goose (Columbia 1963) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Half-Time Instrumental)</span><br />Evie Sands - Take Me a While (Blue Cat 1965)<br />The Common Cold - Come Down (Atco 1967)<br />The Beach Boys - Long Promised Road (Brother 1971) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(A to Z of The Beach Boys - L)</span><br />The Beach Boys - Little Honda (Capitol 1964) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(A to Z of The Beach Boys - L)</span><br />The Others - Revenge (Mercury 1966)<br />Sonny and Cher - It's Gonna Rain (Atco 1965)<br />Dropkick - Choose (Sound Asleep 2009) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Under The Influence)</span><br />Sagittarius - The Turth Is Not Real <span style="font-style: italic;">(single version)</span> (Columbia 1968)<br />The Honeybees - She Doesn't Deserve You (Fontana 1964)<br />Pasternak Progress - Flower Eyes (Original Sound 1967)<br />The Move - (Here We Go Round) The <span style="font-weight: bold;">Lemon</span> Tree (Regal Zonophone 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The Dillards - <span style="font-weight: bold;">Lemon</span> Chimes (Capitol 1965) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Peter, Paul and Mary - The <span style="font-weight: bold;">Lemon</span> Tree (Warners 1962) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Things To Come - Come Alive (Warners 1968)<br />The Guilloteens - For My Own (Hanna-Barbera 1965)<br />Francoise Hardy - La Maison Ou J'ai Grandi <span style="font-style: italic;">(Tar and Cement)</span> (Vogue 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />Francoise Hardy - Autumn Rendezvous (Vogue 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />The Supremes - Love Is Like An Itching in My Heart (Motown 1966)<br />The Rev-lons - After Last Night (Reprise 1963)<br />Steampacket - Can I Get A Witness (<span style="font-style: italic;">Label Unknown</span> 1965)<br />Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br /><br />There will be more LA Nuggets over the next two weeks. Until next time, it's good day and good health.The Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04930337779892788516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034135.post-92146410487582320872010-01-10T09:53:00.005+00:002010-01-10T10:18:44.404+00:00The Cat on "Where The Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287 AM - Sunday 10 January 2010More tracks from the wonderful <span style="font-style: italic;"></span><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><span style="font-style: italic;">"Where The Action Is! LA Nuggets 1965-1968"</span> box set as the ice age continues unabated. These tunes will warm you up, if nothing else will.<span style="font-style: italic;"></span> Here's your menu for today...<br /><br />Bobby Fuller Four - Baby My Heart (Unreleased 1966)<br />Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br />The Motorcycle Abeline - (You Used To) Ride So High (Unreleased 1966)<br />The Marvelettes - I Just Can't Let Him Down (Unreleased Year Unknown)<br />Ken & The 4th Dimension - See If I Care (Star-Burst 1966)<br />Gary Lewis & The Playboys - Jill (Liberty 1967)<br />Lowell George & The Factory - Candy Cane Madness (Unreleased 1967)<br />The Odyssey - Little Girl, Little Boy (White Whale 1968)<br />Nino Tempo & April Stevens - I <span style="font-weight: bold;">Love</span> How You Love Me (Atco 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Love</span> - You'll Be Following (Elektra 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The Action - <span style="font-weight: bold;">Love</span> Is All (Unreleased 67/68) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Hearts and Flowers - Tin Angel (Will You Ever Come Down) (Capitol 1968)<br />Helen Shapiro - You Must Be Readin' My Mind (Columbia 1963)<br />Jenny Moss - Hobbies (Columbia 1963) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Birthday: 10/1/45 Jenny Moss)</span><br />The Electric Prunes - Hideaway (Reprise 1967)<br />West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band - If You Want This Love (Reprise 1967)<br />The Hollies - Look Through Any Window (French) (Label Unknown 1965) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Foreign Language)</span><br />Modern Folk Quartet - Night Time Girl (Dunhill 1966)<br />Andre Brasseur - The Kid (CBS 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Half-Time Instrumental)</span><br />Fontella Bass - The Soul of a Man (Chess 1965)<br />Tim Buckpey - Once Upon a Time (Unreleased 1967)<br />The Beach Boys - Kokomo (Elektra 1988) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(A to Z of The Beach Boys - K)</span><br />Brian Wilson - Keep An Eye On Summer (Giant 1998) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(A to Z of The Beach Boys - K)</span><br />Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart - Words (Demo 1965)<br />Jimmy Winston & His Reflections - It's Not What You Do (Decca 1967)<br />The Lilys - Nanny in Manhattan (Che 1996) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Under The Influence)</span><br />The Merry Go Round - Listen Listen (A&M 1968)<br />Chris Farlowe - Air Travel (Decca 1962)<br />The Oracle - Don't Say No (Verve Forecast 1968)<br />The Leaves - <span style="font-weight: bold;">Dr</span>. Stone (Mira/Surrey 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Tom Jones - <span style="font-weight: bold;">Dr</span>. Love (Decca 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dr</span>. Specs Optical Illusion - She's The One (Flambeau 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The Spats - She Done Moved (ABC-Paramount 1966)<br />Polly Perkins - Young Lover (Oriole 1964)<br />Del Shannon - I Think I Love You (Liberty 1968) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />Del Shannon - Led Along (Liberty 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />Lee Hazelwood - Rainbow Woman (Reprise 1968)<br />Carol Friday - Everybody I Know (Parlophone 1965)<br />Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br /><br />There will be more LA Nuggets over the next three weeks. Until next time, it's good day and good health.The Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04930337779892788516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034135.post-55180927550511889842010-01-03T11:18:00.005+00:002010-01-03T11:57:34.964+00:00The Cat on "Where The Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287 AM - Sunday 3 January 2010A new year, a new decade and a new theme tune for <span style="font-style: italic;">"Where The Action Is"</span>. <span style="font-style: italic;">"Bert's Apple Crumble"</span> by The Quik has gone and Floyd Cramer's wonderful <span style="font-style: italic;">"On The Rebound"</span> takes its place. With Santa generously bestowing the <span style="font-style: italic;">"Where The Action Is! LA Nuggets 1965-1968"</span> 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 <span style="font-style: italic;">"To Die Alone"</span> isn't really appropriate for hospital radio and The Beach Boys are more than covered by the A to Z feature). Upwards and onwards...<br /><br />Keith Allison - Action Action Action (Columbia 1966)<br />Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br />The Four Tops - I Can't Help Myself (Motown 1965)<br />Dusty Springfield - Wishin' and Hopin' (Philips 1964)<br />The Light - Back Up (A&M 1967)<br />The Yardbirds - Heart Full of Soul (Columbia 1965)<br />The Standells - Riot On Sunset Strip (Tower 1967)<br />The Kinks - The Village Green Preservation Society (Pye 1968)<br />Yellow Balloon - <span style="font-weight: bold;">Yellow</span> Balloon (Canterbury 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The Deepest <span style="font-weight: bold;">Blue</span> - Pretty Little Thing (Blue-Fin 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The <span style="font-weight: bold;">Rose</span> Garden - Here's Today (Atco 1968) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />John Leyton - I'll Cut Your Tail Off (HMV 1963)<br />The Shangri-las - The Train from Kansas City (Red Bird 1965)<br />Stephen Stills & Richie Furay - Sit Down I Think I Love You (<span style="font-style: italic;">Demo</span> 1966) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Birthday: 3/1/45 Stephen Stills)</span><br />Shorty Long - Function at the Junction (Soul/Motown 1968)<br />Iron Butterfly - Genlte As It May Seem (Atco 1968)<br />France Gall - L'Amerique (Philips 1965) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Foreign Language)</span><br />Dorothy Berry - You're So Fine (Challenge 1963)<br />Floyd Cramer - Love Is Blue (RCA Victor 1968) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Half-Time Instrumental)</span><br />The Premiers - Get On This Plane (Faro 1966)<br />Mally Page - Life and Soul of the Party (Pye 1966)<br />The Beach Boys - California Saga: California (Brother 1973) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(A to Z of The Beach Boys - J)</span><br />The Beach Boys - Just Once In My Life (Brother 1976) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(A to Z of The Beach Boys - J)</span><br />The Ballroom - Baby, Please Don't Go (Warners 1967)<br />Lorraine Silver - I'll Know You'll Be There (Pye 1965)<br />The Caesars - Jerk It Out (Virgin 2003) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Under The Influence)</span><br />Thee Midniters - Jump, Jive and Harmonize (Whittier 1967)<br />Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Zig Zag Wanderer (Buddah 1967)<br />Chris Clark - From Head To Toe (Motown 1967)<br />The <span style="font-weight: bold;">Turtles</span> - Grim Reaper of Love (White Whale 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The <span style="font-weight: bold;">Monkees</span> - Daily Nightly (Colgems 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Buffalo</span> Springfield - Go and Say Goodbye (Atco 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The Girlfriends - My One and Only, Jimmy Boy (Colpix 1963)<br />Pleasure featuring Billy Elder - Poor Old Organ Grinder (Tower 1969)<br />The Byrds - You Movin' (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1964) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />The Byrds - Change Is Now (Columbia 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />Love - You Set The Scene (Elektra 1967)<br />Floyd Cramer - On The Rebound (RCA 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br /><br />There will be more LA Nuggets over the next four weeks. Until next time, it's good day and good health.<br /><br />The Cat<br />=^..^=The Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04930337779892788516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034135.post-33297673401152662482010-01-01T11:44:00.003+00:002010-01-01T12:23:47.443+00:00Thursday 31 December 2009The last drive to work this year and another nondescript one.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />After the recent debacle I avoided my usual route home and went via Ferry Road, which was an altogether more stress-free journey.<br /><br />After toasties and soup for lunch, the girls and I settled down to watch <span style="font-style: italic;">"The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe"</span>. I enjoyed the film although I felt it was a bit violent in places.<br /><br />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 <span style="font-style: italic;">The Greatest Songs of the Noughties</span>.<br />I dipped in and out of the programme as I did the dishes and some tidying but the Top 20 went like this:<br /><br />20. Leave Right Now - Will Young<br />19. Ruby - Kaiser Chiefs<br />18. Valerie - Mark Ronson feat. Amy Winehouse<br />17. Viva La Vida - Coldplay<br />16. Take Me Out - Franz Ferdinand<br />15. Mercy - Duffy<br />14. Patience - Take That<br />13. Stan - Eminem<br />12. I Don't Feel Like Dancing - Scissor Sisters<br />11. Hey Ya! - Outkast<br />10. You're Beautiful - James Blunt<br />9. Can't Get You Out Of My Head - Kylie Minouge<br />8. Crazy In Love - Beyonce<br />7. Rule The World - Take That<br />6. Crazy - Gnarls Barkley<br />5. Rehab - Amy Winehouse<br />4. Sex On Fire - Kings Of Leon<br />3. I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor - Arctic Monkeys<br />2. Mr. Brightside - The Killers<br />1. Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol<br /><br />While two or three of those songs <span style="font-style: italic;">might</span> have made my own list I had no real qualms with it. Let's face it, we've seen worse lists.<br /><br />Next up, after Flick had gone to bed, was the first of a two-part repeat of BBC3's <span style="font-style: italic;">Most Annoying People of 2009</span>. (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 <span style="font-style: italic;">Greatest TV shows of the Noughties</span>, which <span style="font-style: italic;">Top Gear</span> won and, again, I had no grumbles with that.<br /><br />For the record my choices in these categories would be as follows:<br /><br />Song of the Noughties: Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart<br />Most Annoying Person of 2009: Katie Price/Cheryl Cole<br />Greatest TV Show of the Noughties: A tough call with so many great shows but I'd probably go for <span style="font-style: italic;">House</span>.<br /><br />These programmes took us to 3am and we called it a night, er, morning!<br /><br />During our televisual delights I received five pre-midnight text messages wishing me a Happy New Year, three of which read <span style="font-style: italic;">"</span><span class="UIStory_Message"><span style="font-style: italic;">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!" </span>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.<br /><br />On that bombshell, Happy New Year and all the best for 2010.<br /></span>The Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04930337779892788516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034135.post-68289774593130496502010-01-01T11:38:00.003+00:002010-01-01T11:43:43.253+00:00Wednesday 30 December 2009Straightforward 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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Tesco</span> 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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Tesco</span> 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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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 <span style="font-style: italic;">Merry Madagascar</span> and completed a 100-piece jigsaw of the British Isles. Flick had also written a (rather) short story entitled <span style="font-style: italic;">"The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe 4"</span>. 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.<br /><br />After a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">scrummy</span> tea of baked potato, quiche <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">lorraine</span> and the spare chicken leg left over from Christmas Day it was time for yet another Wallace and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Gromit</span>. This time, <span style="font-style: italic;">A Close Shave</span>. Watched <span style="font-style: italic;">Celebrity Mastermind</span>. Each night we try and predict the winner and having guessed correctly that Stuart <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Maconie</span> (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.<br /><br />Left K to her <span style="font-style: italic;">Waterloo Road</span> while I did some more work on my January radio shows. I know <span style="font-style: italic;">Waterloo Road</span> 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.The Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04930337779892788516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034135.post-90522043600635582112009-12-30T19:10:00.001+00:002009-12-30T19:11:37.349+00:00Like Pulling TeethTuesday 29 December 2009<br /><br />The hardest part of today's trip to work was getting out of my own drive. A cacophony of crunch-op sounds had me worrying for the tyres, especially as K thought that one of them looked a bit flat. It seemed okay this morning.<br /><br />A busy morning culminated in my first appearance in the gym since Monday 14 December. I did a resistance workout but omitted the sit-ups between each circuit. For such a small gym it was busy with one girl taking instruction from Chris, the Sports Physiologist who had put me back on the straight and narrow and another regular pounding away on the step trainer. Someone I hadn't seen previously came in and impatient at having to wait for Chris to finish his training decided to turn the radio off and put his own CD on! This is considered bad form. The unwritten etiquette is that whoever is in the gym first has control over the music and today, as usual, it was me. I used to bring my own CDs and mp3 player but I was always a bit concerned about imposing my tastes on other people. The mp3 player also had a habit of getting tangled or falling out and wasn't worth the hassle. In the end I decided it was easier and less stressful to just put the radio on, make sure it was on a station with reasonable reception (not guaranteed) and get on with my workout.<br /><br />If he'd asked around if anyone would mind if he put on a CD then I would have raised no objections, especially as I was about to finish and Step Woman had her own tunes. Chris doesn't seem to like the music too loud while he's working with someone, which is fair enough, but a simple ask around and it would have been okay. And the fact that he chose to put on the Foo Fighters Greatest Hits, which I like and purchased for K's Christmas, is neither here nor there. You ask first. <br /><br />After I got back to the office and ate my lunch the weather started to turn. The snow was lying and quickly covered the area as far as I could see from my second floor office window. The boss told those who were travelling to Fife and the Borders to go home. You don't need to tell me twice. The snow was very powdery to touch but the volume soon built up. I cleared the snow from the car and headed off into the wilderness and another Narnia-like journey. Normally I go straight over the Comely Bank roundabout but a small roadwork meant the traffic tailed back to the roundabout. Plan B: I decided to take the opening before my normal exit. Other drivers had the same thought and we trundled, convoy-style, along our sneaky detour. I wondered why drivers didn't use this road more often and then it soon became clear why. The upward slope at the end is bad enough without having to then get across one lane of traffic into the busy flow on the other side of the road but when it's covered in snow and ice it's impassable (cue for a song?). Sir Edmund Hillary in a 4x4 would struggle to get up that hill and I made the smart decision to turn back. After performing a manoeuvre last seen on Dancing on Ice I turned back, took a more successful sneaky detour and got back on track only to find myself in nose-to-tail traffic on Craigleith Road. After what seemed like an eternity I got through the lights. As usual someone in the left lane cut across me without indicating as we went through the chicane that is the junction from Craigleith Road to Queensferry Road. There are two lanes going into the chicane and two lanes coming out so why so many in the left feel they need to cut across to the left is beyond me. Actually it isn't beyond me; they're dickheads. The rest of the journey was pain free.<br /><br />Our street, if anything, has got worse with more crunching and popping as I gingerly put the car back in the drive. After the girls finished their lunch we out Home Alone 4 on. Now most franchises of this sort start to flag but the fourth instalment was in need of a crash car and defibrillator. It was woeful. I tolerated, nay enjoyed, the first 3 - especially the sound of Felicity laughing her head off - but 4 was terrible. After dinner we played The Magic Tooth Fairy Game, one of Flick's Christmas presents. You collect teeth, put them under the pillow on the Magic Bed and get a gold coin and the first to four gold coins is the winner. The game doesn't take too long and is ideal for families. My own complaint is that the gold coins don't always come out. The tooth is placed under the pillow; a "Magic Wand" is then used to trigger the disappearance of the tooth and in its place should appear a Gold Coin. K opined that this could make it the new Mousetrap, which, as everyone knows, never worked like it did on the telly adverts. As it turned out Felicity won.<br /><br />K and I watched "In The Loop", one of my Christmas presents. Once you get over the fact that most of the actors from The Thick of It are playing completely different characters in what is essentially a spin-off from said series, it's an enjoyable political farce. Sure it's foul-mouthed but it's also hilarious.The Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04930337779892788516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034135.post-11809953442291229142009-12-28T15:49:00.008+00:002009-12-28T16:50:50.564+00:00A Christmas Gift for You<span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunday 20 December 2009</span><br /><br />Did my last Christmas-themed radio show of the year and prepared for three days off.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Monday 21 December 2009</span><br /><br />The last of the Christmas Shopping is done as Flick and I brave Tesco. The shop is full of dithering clueless idiots but we stay on-list and get in and out in no time. We even have enough time for Flick to do the scanning in the self-service checkout - what a star! We watch <span style="font-style: italic;">Home Alone</span> after lunch.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tuesday 22 December 2009</span><br /><br />Flick and I have a Making Day, which results in a mask, based on Daddy's face apparently, and a painted fairy. Post-lunch it's <span style="font-style: italic;">Home Alone 2</span>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wednesday 23 December 2009</span><br /><br />A heavy snowfall overnight has meant the obligatory snowman must be built. Being sub-zero outside we get out, do the deed and get back in as soon as possible.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mg87Zkz61U8/SzjeH7hhHpI/AAAAAAAAAUM/NPQ92ENuHV4/s1600-h/017.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 189px; height: 252px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mg87Zkz61U8/SzjeH7hhHpI/AAAAAAAAAUM/NPQ92ENuHV4/s400/017.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420326379359116946" border="0" /></a><br />Flick designs some Cool Cardz, which I think she got last Christmas, and I'm now officially a "Best friend". Cool! Flick then helps me dig out the car and drive. I say "help", she pelts me with snowball as I do the adult work. The third of the <span style="font-style: italic;">Home Alone</span> triumverate is viewed after lunch. We then play Hangman on her chalkboard and I listen to Andrew Collins, who is Supersub once again. Knowing I have to at least attempt to get to work tomorrow I stick the shovel in the boot.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Thursday 24 December 2009</span><br /><br />Drive through snow, ice and fog to get to work. I half expect to be having a breakfast cuppa with Aslan. Thanks to a snoring wife I'm up at a hideous hour and can't get back to sleep. The work clearing the car and drive yesterday has paid dividends, as it doesn't take that long to get the car going and the windows cleared. I drive to work to the soundtrack of Ryan Adams through the winter wonderland. Halfway across the bridge the fog lifts suddenly.<br /><br />Due to a poor night's sleep I'm in work by 5.15am! Crazy, I know. I even thought, for a nanosecond, about going to the gym - I haven't been for over a week - but dismiss it with the seasonal "it's Christmas" excuse. I'm busy until everyone else comes in. I catch up with 109 e-mails. A breakfast buffet, which had been cancelled and then uncancelled, is organised in one of the classrooms. It's filled rolls and bucks fizz all round. I stick to orange juice. I get a flyer at 11am, which is when my lunch normally starts.<br /><br />A colleague informs me that there are actually 4 Home Alone films. Sky only showed three, back-to-back, and I assumed that we'd seen them all. Sky isn't showing number 4.<br /><br />A signed 7" arrived in the post from Fat Cat Records. It's Frightened Rabbit's <span style="font-style: italic;">"It's Christmas So We'll Stop"</span>. It's rather ironic as yesterday I had said on Twitter that Frightened Rabbit didn't really do too much for me. Not "pop" enough you see.<br /><br />K makes some festive biscuits, which we all help to decorate, as follows:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mg87Zkz61U8/Szjf0bCMmjI/AAAAAAAAAUc/ULvnM5G5vKM/s1600-h/011.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 166px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mg87Zkz61U8/Szjf0bCMmjI/AAAAAAAAAUc/ULvnM5G5vKM/s320/011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420328243243555378" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Friday 25 December 2009</span><br /><br />Christmas Day and Santa has brought me the box set I wrote to him about. It's <span style="font-style: italic;">"Where The Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets 1965-1968"</span>. He also brought me a Yellow Submarine jigsaw, a book on the Top 100 60s albums and 007 Bond Girls playing cards.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mg87Zkz61U8/Szje3lv2bGI/AAAAAAAAAUU/RZNqKzzZSf8/s1600-h/Where+The+Action+Is.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 241px; height: 241px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mg87Zkz61U8/Szje3lv2bGI/AAAAAAAAAUU/RZNqKzzZSf8/s400/Where+The+Action+Is.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420327198147374178" border="0" /></a><br />Kirsty makes a fabulous Christmas dinner of chicken, roast potatoes (goose fat of course), Yorkshire puddings, pigs-in-blankets, carrots, peas and potato croquettes. A double-headed pudding in the shape of a Christmas Pudding and a chocolate pudding. Tre-men-dous!<br /><br />Watched The Royle Family.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Saturday 26 December 2009</span><br /><br />Boxing Day with the Outlaws, which was relaxing. More pressies in the shape of <span style="font-style: italic;">"In The Loop"</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">"Telstar"</span> DVDs, a jumper, a Beatles t-shirt, a Toblerone, some socks and a blue gingham shirt. I might have forgotten something.<br /><br />After driving home, laden done with even more presents for Flick, we put her to bed before embarking on the mammoth task of putting together a Playmobil farm set. Usually this is a Daddy Job but I need help on this one. Two hours and 15 minutes later the job is done.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mg87Zkz61U8/Szjgyla92-I/AAAAAAAAAUk/wtHc4FwAFwo/s1600-h/015.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 159px; height: 120px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mg87Zkz61U8/Szjgyla92-I/AAAAAAAAAUk/wtHc4FwAFwo/s320/015.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420329311183690722" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mg87Zkz61U8/SzjhDutxIWI/AAAAAAAAAUs/a08LORUxxpE/s1600-h/019.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 156px; height: 117px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mg87Zkz61U8/SzjhDutxIWI/AAAAAAAAAUs/a08LORUxxpE/s320/019.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420329605736243554" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunday 27 December 2009</span><br /><br />Both Hibs and Aston Villa soundly thrashed. My mate Dave assisted me on my radio show. Did a <a href="http://jocknrollmusic.blogspot.com/2009/12/cat-on-where-action-is-kirkcaldy-vrn_27.html">Jocknroll special</a> with contributions from Dave. We both enjoyed it and hopefully we can do it again this year. Home Alone 4 is on after all (not Sky) and I tape it for future festive watching. I know they're not great films but Flick loves them and I'd hate to deprive her of the last one. There isn't a Home Alone 5, is there? IS THERE?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Monday 28 December 2009</span><br /><br />Listened to Andrew Collins on BBC6Music while putting together 5 radio shows for January. I'm utilising the 101-track "Where The Action Is" box set that Santa brought me. Listened to Andrew Collins, subbing for Cerys this time.<br /><br />Back to work tomorrow...The Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04930337779892788516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034135.post-67840893873978907142009-12-27T10:17:00.006+00:002009-12-27T10:45:50.776+00:00The Cat on "Where The Action Is" Kirkcaldy VRN 1287AM - Sunday 27 December 2009I figure that by Boxing Day people have had enough of Christmas records so I've decided instead to give myself a musical Christmas present. I'll be joined in the studio - snow permitting - by my mate Dave as we host a two-hour Jocknroll special, playing a variety of well-known and not so well-known Scottish bands from the last few years:<br /><br />Camera Obscura - Swan (4AD 2009)<br />The Quik - Bert's Apple Crumble (Decca 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br />Aberfeldy - Tom Weir (Rough Trade 2005)<br />Roddy Hart - Flames (Odd Art 2004)<br />Sergeant - The Time Is Now (Shy Recordings 2009)<br />Ally Kerr - Could Have Been A Contender (Much Obliged 2007)<br />Roddy Frame - Western Skies (Redemption 2006)<br />Aztec Camera - The <span style="font-weight: bold;">Boy</span> Wonders (Rough Trade 1983) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Belle and Sebastian - The <span style="font-weight: bold;">Boy</span> With The Arab Strap (Jeepster 1998) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The Beatstalkers - Little <span style="font-weight: bold;">Boy</span> (CBS 1968) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Big Dish - Miss America (WEA 1990)<br />The Bluebells - Wishful Thinking (Will She Always Be Waiting) (London 1984)<br />Superstar - Superstar (French vocal) (Deconstruction 1997) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Foreign Language)</span><br />Orange Juice - I Can't Help Myself (Polydor 1982)<br />The BMX Bandits - Let Mother Nature Be Your Guide (Karaoke version) (Vinyl Japan 1989) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Half-Time Instrumental)</span><br />Teenage Fanclub - Slow Fade (PeMa 2005)<br />Colin MacIntyre - Famous for Being Famous (Future Gods 2008)<br />The Fabulous Artisans - Sycamore Square (Bendi 2008)<br />The Goldenhour - Julie's In Control (Neon Tetra 2007)<br />Trashcan Sinatras - People (Lo-Five 2009)<br />Attic Lights - Never Get Sick of the Sea (Island 2008)<br />Del Amitri - Ceasefire (Chrysalis 1985) <span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br />Justin Currie - What Is Love For? (Rykodisc 2007)<br />Daniel Wylie - Define <span style="font-weight: bold;">Love</span> (Neon Tetra 2007) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The BMX Bandits - I Wanna Fall in <span style="font-weight: bold;">Love</span> (Version #2) (<span style="font-style: italic;">Unreleased</span> 1996) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Simple Minds - <span style="font-weight: bold;">Love</span> Song 12" (Virgin 1981) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The Orchids - Thaumaturgy (Sarah 1992) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />The Orchids - Last Thing On Your Mind (Siesta 2007) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />The Quik - Bert's Apple Crumble (Decca 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br /><br />Please not that some of these tracks probably won't be aired due to the great likelihood of Dave and I blethering too much!<br /><br />Good day, good health and enjoy the rest of the festive season. I'll be back on the 3rd of January with my normal show and a new theme tune.<br /><br />The Cat<br />=^..^=The Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04930337779892788516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034135.post-9238583246461976112009-12-20T16:18:00.002+00:002009-12-20T16:27:05.093+00:00The Cat on "Where The Action Is"Kirkcaldy VRN 1287 AM - Sunday 20 December 2009It's the last of my three festive extravaganzas:<br /><br />Saint Etienne - I Was Born On Christmas Day (Heavenly 1993)<br />The Quik - Bert's Apple Crumble (Decca 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br />Badly Drawn Boy - Donna and Blitzen (Twisted Nerve 2001)<br />Adam Faith - Lonely Pup (In A Christmas Shop) (Parlophone 1960)<br />Peter, Paul and Mary - Christmas Dinner (Warners 1969)<br />The Orchids - Christmas Is The Time To Be With Your Baby (Columbia 1964)<br />They Might Be Giants - Santa's Beard (Bar/None 1988)<br />KT Tunstall - Mele Kailimaka (Christmas in Hawaii) (EMI 2007)<br />Connie Francis - I'm Gonna Be Warm This <span style="font-weight: bold;">Winter</span> (MGM 1962) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Arthur Lee Harper - <span style="font-weight: bold;">Winter</span>time (PHI 1968) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Ed Harcourt - In The Bleak Mid<span style="font-weight: bold;">winter</span> (Unreleased 2004) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The Beatles - Christmas Time Is Here Again (Lyntone 1967)<br />Low - Just Like Christmas (Tugboat 1999)<br />The Cocteau Twins - Frosty The Snowman (Fontana 1993)<br />The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale of New York (Pogue Mahone 1987)<br />Britney Spears - My Only Wish (This Christmas) (Jive 2000)<br />Isabelle Aubret - Savez Vous Qu'il Fait Au Sapin de Noel? (Label Unknown 1969) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Foreign Language)</span><br />Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - Hwiannggerdd Mair (Mary's Lullaby) (Mercury 1993) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Foreign Language)</span><br />Russ Conway - Snow Coach (Columbia 1959) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Half-Time Instrumental)</span><br />The Crystals - Parade of the Wooden Soldiers (Philles 1963)<br />The Variations - The Man With All The Boys (Immediate 1965)<br />The Beach Boys - Christmas Day (Capitol 1964)<br />The Beach Boys - Santa's Got An Airplane (Capitol 1977)<br />Valerie Masters - Christmas Calling (RGM 1964)<br />Pet Shop Boys - It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas (Fan Club 1997)<br />Teenage Fanclub - Jesus Christ (Creation 1997) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Under The Influence)</span><br />Dropkick - Scampi for Xmas (Download 2007)<br />Dan Lyth - Maybe This Baby Could Save Us All (Moojuice 2009)<br />Twice As Much/Vashti Bunyan - Coldest Night of the Year (Immediate 1967)<br />Darlene Love - White <span style="font-weight: bold;">Christmas</span> (Philles 1963) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Julian Casablancas - I Wish It Was <span style="font-weight: bold;">Christmas</span> Today (Rough Trade 2009) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />The Del-Vetts - I Want A Boy for <span style="font-weight: bold;">Christmas</span> (End 1961) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Connect 3)</span><br />Attic Lights/Cerys Matthes - Santa's Girlfriend (Island 2008)<br />Sufjan Stevens - Joy To The World (Asthmatic Kitty 2005) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />Sufjan Stevens - It's Christmas! Let's Be Glad (Asthmatic Kitty 2001) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Two of a Kind)</span><br />Nat King Cole - The Little Boy That Santa Claus Forgot (Capitol 1953)<br />Chris Rea - Driving Home for Christmas (Magnet 1988)<br />The Quik - Bert's Apple Crumble (Decca 1967) <span style="font-weight: bold;">(show theme)</span><br /><br />Good day, good health and have a great Christmas. I'll be back on the 27th for a modern Jocknroll episode of my show as I figure everyone is sick of Christmas records by then.<br /><br />The Cat<br />=^..^=The Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04930337779892788516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5034135.post-9163601067527131862009-12-19T19:16:00.003+00:002009-12-19T21:42:53.509+00:00Saturday 19 December 2009Getting more Christmassy by the minute but I won't be venturing forth into the big wide world.<br /><br />I slept like a log last night (I woke up and my head was on the fire! Boom-tish!) and missed the first hour of <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00pdhz9">Sounds of the Sixties</a>. I was ecstatic when, at 9.35 am, Brian Matthews played the Christmas Three-In-A-Row request I'd sent in a few weeks back. He even commented on the Jocknroll part of my e-mail address, calling it "brilliant". He then played Jackie DeShannon's <span style="font-style: italic;">"Do You Know How Christmas Trees Have Grown"</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">"Mr Scrooge"</span> by The Orchids and the Joe Meek-produced Valerie Masters with <span style="font-style: italic;">"Christmas Calling"</span>. It's made my day and it's now even 10am!<br /><br />As the records are playing I'm bombarded, okay, slightly peppered with Twitter and Facebook comments. One of them even suggested I could do the sounds of the Sixties show. As someone who doesn't particularly like the sound of his own voice (some friends might disagree), I don't think I could. I mean, I'd LOVE to but not even in my wildest dreams could it happen.<br /><br />I put the finishing touches to my Dec 27 show while the girls are at ballet. I must stress that only Flick does ballet. K sits in the corner knitting things like a cover for her iPhone. I kid you not, I've seen it!<br /><br />The afternoon is spent cleaning. You can see the carpet in the study now, well most of it.<br /><br />I received some information, by Special Delivery no less, from the BBC about the quiz show. It's the usual stuff about what you can and can't wear. It's just the excuse I need to have a look at my wardrobe. Having lost a stone and a half in weight I'll have to try on everything in my wardrobe to see what does and doesn't fit. A wee trip to the January sales could be on the cards. Ben Sherman, here I come.<br /><br />It's exciting but also nerve-wracking. I always think a certain amount of nerves is natural but too much and you can go to pieces and make a fool of yourself. I need to swot up on the Eurovision Song Contest, my specialist subject, and I've been spending some time pouring over a couple of books and asking K to test me. Of course, this could all be pointless as I would have to get through five rounds first before I got to the final Question of Genius, which is to win some money. Still, best to be prepared just in case. Just don't be rushing to Ladbrokes to put any money on me. I find that if you worry too much about whether you'll win or not, you won't enjoy the whole experience and that, honestly, is why I do it. It's something different and always a talking point. I do believe the show will be going out sometime in April 2010 so I'll be embargoed from giving anything away until then. As it should be. I don't kiss and tell. Unless you tickle me!<br /><br />I've also got to put some thought into my appearances on Fred MacAulay's radio show in January. The book has been giving me nightmares but I need to dig deep and get it re-started/done.<br /><br />Right "Strictly Come Dancing" is finished so I can return to the living room...The Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04930337779892788516noreply@blogger.com0