Category: Music Trivia

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Vagabond Blues Show on All Jazz Radio every Thursday afternoon

Join me on my Vagabond Blues show on www.AllJazzRadio.co.za every Thursday afternoon from 4pm to 6pm (SA time). I play a broad spectrum of music in the blues genre, with a special focus on South African blues. – Brian Currin

Extract from an article I wrote in February 2007

I was born in South Africa 4 days after “The Day The Music Died” according to Don McLean (you work it out!). I was born and bred in a home filled with music (mainly Church Hymns and Showtunes) but soon discovered in my pre-teen years that I had absolutely no talent for singing or playing an instrument. I do play a mean air guitar solo though – I usually play a Black Fender Stratocaster Original Air Guitar. I also play Air Organ – a Hammond B3 of course – and recently I’ve started learning to play Air Harmonica.

Since I had this overwhelming passion for music, but not the skills to perform it, I started collecting music as well as information about music and also statistics and lists. Finding musical information in Apartheid-era South Africa was difficult to say the least, but my passion knew no bounds and I persevered.

In 1973 I heard the ‘Made in Japan’ version of ‘Smoke Of The Water’ by Deep Purple and my fate as a Rock Fan was sealed. I always thought that when I grew up I would lose my love of Rock and get into Classical and Jazz as “older” people did. Never happened! What did happen is that I just added and added more styles, types and genres to my musical tastes, though Classic Rock is still my first love and Deep Purple is still my favourite group. After listening to Purple and Zeppelin and Tull and Clapton and such-like I wanted to hear the original blues that inspired them … and a whole new world of discovering the Blues masters opened up for me.

Blues From The Deep South (Of Africa)

Because of South Africa’s unique geographical position and cosmopolitan population, there is really no such thing as a single defining style of “South African Music”. We seem to have everything here on the Southern Tip of Africa including African Tribal music, Zulu Township Jazz, Country and Western, Death Metal, Electronica and so much more, all with their own clearly-defined (and sometimes overlapping) niche markets. However the blues seems to be very popular in South Africa amongst most population groups, though I’ve never seen any research to support this theory of mine.

Blues in South Africa includes a wide variety of genres including Jazz Blues, Folk Blues, Traditional Blues, Blues Rock, Acoustic Blues and even blues sung in the language of Afrikaans which for want of a better name we will call Afrikaans Blues. So really South African Blues is just a term to mean Blues played by South African musicians. Cover versions of old blues classics abound, but there are also a large number of original compositions written in a variety of blues styles. Very few South African Blues musicians actually concentrate on playing the Blues exclusively, but rather play a mix of Blues, Rock, Blues-Rock and Country Rock.

Join me on my Vagabond Blues show on www.AllJazzRadio.co.za every Thursday afternoon from 4pm to 6pm (SA time). I play a broad spectrum of music in the blues genre, with a special focus on South African blues. – Brian Currin

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The Amazing Story Of Hate Street Dialogue

Originally published on Sugarman.org, 28th September 2001

HATE STREET DIALOGUE

Woman please be gone
You’ve stayed here much too long
Don’t you wish that you could cry
Don’t you wish I would die

Seamy, seesaw kids
Childwoman on the skids
The dust will choke you blind
The lust will choke your mind

I kiss the floor, one kick no more
The pig and hose have set me free
I’ve tasted hate street’s hanging tree
I’ve tasted hate street’s hanging tree

I kiss the floor, one kick no more
The pig and hose have set me free
I’ve tasted hate street’s hanging tree
I’ve tasted hate street’s hanging tree

The inner city birthed me
The local pusher nursed me
Cousins make it on the street
They marry every trick they meet

A dime, a dollar they’re all the same
When a man comes in to bust your game
The turnkey comes, his face a grin
Locks the cell I’m in again.

I kiss the floor, one kick no more
The pig and hose have set me free
I’ve tasted hate street’s hanging tree
I’ve tasted hate street’s hanging tree
I’ve tasted hate street’s hanging tree
I’ve tasted hate street’s hanging tree…

[Song published by Interior Music (BMI)]

This song was not actually written by Rodriguez, but sure sounds like it could have been. It was written by Gary Harvey, Mike Theodore (‘Cold Fact’ producer) and Dennis Coffey (guitarist on ‘Cold Fact’). “Hate Street” actually refers to the famous “Haight/Ashbury” area of San Francisco, the famous Hippie hang-out during the late 60’s “Summer Of Love”.

HAIGHT STREET

…for years the title ‘Hate Street Dialogue’ has been bothering me, when I listened to the song I gathered the lyrics were referring to the famous hippie street in San Francisco: Haight/Ashbury, however the title on the album is spelt “Hate”. Rodriguez said (on a SA radio phone-in show in March 1998) that although the lyrics of that particular song were not written by himself they did refer to the Haight and not to the opposite of love.
– Stelios, 1998

PIG AND HOSE
In this song Rodriguez sings about being set free by “the pig and hose”. Could this mean a policeman (“pigs” was hippy slang for cops) and a piece of hose-pipe?

The quote: “pig and hose to bust our game” from the song “Hate Street Dialogue”, refers to the continual harassment of the hippy-subculture by the San Francisco police department on the Haight-Ashbury youth in 1967. “Pig” was the referrel to the POLICE, and “hose” was in reference to the length of “garden-hose” used to beat the citizens into submission [usually in the confines of the police station. The title was changed in spelling from “Haight Street”, to “Hate Street” to further emphasize that feeling of alienation, by both sides of the establishment, at that time.
– Gary W Harvey, June 2002

BLACK EYED SUSAN

Back Stabbers & Money Grabbers by Black Eyed Susan
Back Stabbers & Money Grabbers by Black Eyed Susan

South African Indie melodic grunge-rockers Black Eyed Susan recorded the album ‘Back Stabbers & Money Grabbers’ in January 1998 and released it in May 1998. Included on their album is an uptempo remake of this classic ‘Cold Fact’ song. Not actually written by Rodriguez, this song of urban decay and loneliness fits perfectly on Black Eyed Susan’s album of otherwise original material. A great version on an even greater album. If you like your rock modern-but-retro, grungy-yet-tuneful, this album is for you.

GARY W. HARVEY
4th September 2001, Darin J. Harvey wrote:

I was amazed that I finally found something about Sixto Rodriguez on the net and that I could finish a long quest with the help of your website.

Two years ago my father, Gary W. Harvey, mentioned while I was visiting him in Detroit, that he received a check for percentage for the lyrics of a song he wrote some thirty years ago! He wasn’t sure about the facts and he could only tell me the name of the song (which he thought was “Haight Street Dialog”) and that he originally wrote that one for a guy named Rodriguez. But the check was for a cover version from a band of South Africa!

Back in Germany, where I live, I started my search with the weak information I had! As I couldn’t find any hint for Rodriguez or that song I stopped my search after a few weeks! Now nearly two years later, I remembered my search and tried again! And yep, I got some hits!

My first hit was, that the song wasn’t named “Haight Street dialog” but “Hate Street Dialogue”, which brought me on the trail of “Black Eyed Susan” and finally lead me to “Sixto Rodriguez”!

So I read the facts you collected in your website and after all I could buy me a copy of ‘Cold Fact’ through Amazon.com, Germany (which was amazing that they could supply it in Germany). Two days later I received the album and now I really love it – as it’s interesting, unique and simply good music!

It turned out that my Dad also wrote the lyrics from the song “Gommorah”. He really was amazed that I could find the stuff we talked about two years ago and as I forwarded the links to him, so he could surf through by himself!

If you ever have the chance, get yourself a copy of the first Rare Earth Album “Dreams/Answer” on Verve Records! You might find some parallels as it was produced by the same team back then!

28th September 2001, Darin wrote again:

I would be pleased if you quote my e-mail on your website and your e-mag!

I’m so happy that I could expose some old stories and connection with the help of your work and website!

Meanwhile I got contact with Francois Bredenkamp from the “Black Eyed Susan” and even with Mike Theodore, the Producer of “Cold Fact”.

Francois Bredenkamp was very surprised and pleased to receive my mail and promised to send me a copy of their album. Unfortunately his band doesn’t exist anymore!

This is what he wrote me:

It’s a great surprise and pleasure to hear from you. We fell in love with the song lyrics and decided to make a remake. We are a South African based independent band, but unfortunately Black Eyed Susan does not exist anymore. I don’t know if you are aware of this but Rodriguez is an legend in our country. He is currently touring here till the end of September and I will watch him in Pretoria this Sunday.

This was definitely the most rewarding mail we have ever received for our efforts as a struggling rock band. (Francois Bredenkamp)

A few days later I received a mail from Mike Theodore (who’s still working as a producer in New Jersey, USA) and I was very amazed, as I didn’t try to contact him! He got information through my Dad, that I searched for Rodriguez and Black Eyed Susan!

Since I have the Rodriguez album ‘Cold Fact’, I introduced it to some friends and co-workers and everyone liked it and thought it’s very unique! They’ve been surprized that he’s totally unknown here, and that he’d never made it in Germany.

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Martin Raphael and Ramases are not the same person | Space Hymns

Ramases and Sel on Felixstowe beach, 1975
Ramases and Sel, 1975. Photo: Pennie Smith (NME)

It was reported by many reviewers and re-issue liner note writers that the real name of the artist known as Ramases (who recorded the cult classic album Space Hymns in 1971) was Martin Raphael.

However in May 2012, Dorothy, better known to Ramases fans as Sel (or Selket), advised that her late husband, Ramases (real name Barrington Frost) and Martin Raphael were not the same person.

I would like to clear up the confusion between Ramases (Barrington Frost), born in Sheffield, and Martin Raphael who played the sitar on Space Hymns. I do not know where he was born or where he lived. I wish to confirm that Ramases and Martin Raphael were not the same person. I do not know how this misunderstanding has come about. I would be interested to hear any comments. Love and light from Selket. (Dorothy Frost, wife of Ramases)

Dorothy’s message was posted on the Space Hymns website and Facebook Page, and actor and musician, Peter Stormare responded with some information after listening to the studio out-take tapes.

Martin Raphael’s nickname was Ralph to start with….
On one of the out-takes the engineer… (Gouldman, I think) talks over the intercom to the guy on the floor … you think it’s to Ram but actually Ram isn’t even there … it’s an overdub… (track is obviously Molecular Delusion, Mr Raphael’s only contribution).

“Hey Ralph” And it sounds as if Ram is replying, but that’s a previous take…
It’s very clear on our out-take…
“Ralph” Martin Raphael is then the only one talking…
Ram did show and sing him the chord-changes, but when the sitar is laid down on the next take Ram has left.

Also the famous “Fuck” heard on Molecular Delusions is clearly not Ram but Martin Raphael … he thought the chorus was coming and plays that note but there is still 8 bars of verse to go … he goes back to the verse after a bar.

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Life Is A Long Song

[Thanks to Jethro Tull for the post title]

Just a few of my favourite really long songs.

Thick As A Brick – Jethro Tull

Supper’s Ready – Genesis

Karn Evil 9 – Emerson, Lake and Palmer

Close To The Edge – Yes

Tubular Bells – Mike Oldfield

Phallus Dei – Amon Düül II

Autobahn – Kraftwerk

Ma – Rare Earth

Get Ready – Rare Earth

Just A Poke (album) – Sweet Smoke: Baby Night & Silly Sally

Includes an excerpt from The Soft Parade by The Doors and a wonderfully phased drum solo.

Shine On You Crazy Diamond, parts 1-9 – Pink Floyd

On the ‘Wish You Were Here’ album, this song is split into two sections, separated by the other 3 songs on the album. Here it can be heard as one long piece.

Anonymus Two – Focus

Tarkus – Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Echoes – Pink Floyd

Salisbury – Uriah Heep

In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida – Iron Butterfly

Ordinary length songs are often stretched incredibly during live performances, here’s one of them:

Dazed And Confused (live 1973) – Led Zeppelin

And here’s another:

Space Truckin’ – live 1974 – Deep Purple

And just for laughs:

Metal Machine Music – Lou Reed

This double album, consisting of 4 sides of equal length, is like one of those really bad movies that you keep watching hoping it will get better.

Spoiler alert:  it doesn’t.

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Eleven Of The Best Classic Rock Songs Released in 2011

2011 has been a great year for an old Classic Rock fan like myself.

My sons: “what did you call “Classic Rock” when you were growing up, Dad?”

Me: “Rock!

Some of my all-time favourite bands either released new albums or re-issued classic albums with obscure and rare bonus tracks during 2011.

Here are eleven tracks that stand-out:

  1. Wond’ring Aloud, Again – Jethro Tull
    Segued and extended version,
    from the 40th Anniversary re-issue of  “Aqualung    “
  2. The Painter (BBC, version two) – Deep Purple
    from “BBC Sessions“
  3. Gotta Be Crazy (live 1974) – Pink Floyd
    early version of Dogs,
    from the 2011 re-issue of “Wish You Were Here    “
  4. Into The Storm – Yes
    from “Fly From Here”
  5. The Travel Sequence – Pink Floyd
    early version of On The Run,
    from 2011 re-issue of “Dark Side Of The Moon    “
  6. The Hard Way – Pink Floyd
    from The Household Objects Project,
    from 2011 re-issue of “Dark Side Of The Moon“
  7. I Can See You – Uriah Heep
    from “Into The Wild”
  8. Ricochet (BBC) – Deep Purple
    early version of Speed King with different lyrics, including a guitar solo later used in The Mule,
    from “BBC Sessions”
  9. My God – Jethro Tull
    early version with slightly different lyrics,
    from the 40th Anniversary re-issue of “Aqualung    “
  10. Smoke On The Water (live 2011) – Deep Purple and Orchestra
    from “Live At Montreux 2011“
  11. Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd
    alternate version with Stéphane Grappelli on violin,
    from the 2011 re-issue of “Wish You Were Here“
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LM Radio Top Hits Of 1973

Music Fan, Anton van Staden, has scanned this booklet issued by LM Radio reflecting their top hits of 1973.

The back cover was dedicated to an advert for a famous cigarette brand, but since I am not sure of the legalities of advertising tobacco products, I decided to omit it.

LM Radio Top Hits Of 1973

Extracts below are taken from sleeve notes for the Hits Of LM Radio 2CD set released by PT Music in 2009.

Do you remember a time in South Africa when there was no TV and no internet? Hard to believe that there ever was such a time, and that listening to the radio was actually one of the best ways to discover the latest and greatest music. The DJ’s cared about the music and they even had theme tunes. Springbok Radio was OK, but the station that teenagers really embraced with enthusiasm was LM Radio, based out of Lourenco Marques in neighbouring Mozambique.

LM Radio was privately owned and operated, and served a vast audience of young people by transmitting pop and rock music which was not heard on the state-controlled SABC stations. The music was everything and DJs like David Gresham, Darryl Jooste, Long John Berks, Peter De Nobrega (and many, many more), were real personalities who played music that they really liked and the fans appreciated it.

The radio station in Lourenco Marques first started broadcasting in the 1930s, but it was in the late 1950s that it underwent a major format change to cater for the younger generation.

The LMRadio.org website says it best; “LM Radio, as it was popularly known, was renowned for its Top Twenty chart show, the LM Hit Parade, and played a major role in promoting South African artists and their music.”

In 1975 LM Radio became Radio 5, and then 5FM, but the spark of independence was no longer there and whole generations have grown up in South Africa without hearing music radio at its best.  – Brian Currin

LM Radio Top Hits Of 1973
LM Radio Top Hits Of 1973LM Radio Top Hits Of 1973LM Radio Top Hits Of 1973LM Radio Top Hits Of 1973

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Music of the 60’s groups

Name: Bennie Solomons

Message: Hi there Brian, I just came across your column and saw the 40 songs from 6 decades.I was fortunate to be a member of 2 groups featured, namely, The Big Beats and The Phantom 5. Have you still got some of this music, I am also looking for “she’s a yum, yum by the Lunar Five.Have you got “Rovi” by the Big beats and/or “Phantom kwela” by the phantom 5?

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John Ireland

Name: Keith Millar

Message: Hi Brian – We have been searching for 25 odd years for the John Ireland Thinking Aloud and John Ireland albums!!

Then I stumbled across your site quite by chance – fantastic website!!!!

Brian do you know where I can buy these two albums – We named my daughter Nicole after the one song and she is 21 and has never heard it!!!!!

I would really appreciate your help

Warm regards

Keith

Brian wrote:

John Ireland albums have not been released on CD, but old records can be found at shops such as Mabu Vinyl in Cape Town.

He was born John Griffith on the 24th August 1954 in Ireland (some sources say Boksburg). He attended Boksburg High School in the mid-70s. In 1977 he and Jonathan Handley formed the band Slither and were based in Springs. He studied medicine with Jonathan at Wits University and they both became doctors. Slither later became Radio Rats. John has musical training in classical piano to an advanced level and also plays guitar and drums. – SA Rock Encyclopedia

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Joanna Field “Don’t Fly Too High”

Name: JADE HURLEY

Message: Hello Brian … I am trying to find out who wrote the Joanna Field song “DON’T FLY TOO HIGH” … and i believe you may be able to help? If so … I would really be obliged as I have just recorded this song and require the writers details. I hope you can help. JADE HURLEY OAM … You can reference me here … Website: www.jadehurley.net

Brian wrote:

“Don’t Fly Too High” was written by J. Frankfurter and R. Jung with English lyrics by T & J Möhring. Published by Gallo / GEMA.

Originally recorded by German singer, Nicole, as “Flieg Nicht So Hoch, Mein Kleiner Freund” in 1981.

It reached number 4 on the Springbok Radio charts in 1982.

Available to download at Rhythm Music Store.

Videos:

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