WELCOME TO THE 80'S.....Life & Music

I remember that was the First Christmas and New Year, I hadn't had to Work! that was one of the better things that came from working as a Butcher!

As I said in previous posts, I was working on how to move Shops or start working as a Relief Butcher (going around all shops in my area when they were short of workers) but nothing was going to happen right now, so I had to get on with where I was already working.

Checkout the photos both taken around the same period, I'm with Nathan in our back Garden, note the weeds! and the other was taken at the mother in laws with Susan in the background, at one of the usual Friday gatherings!

I must admit, I cant remember too much of what happened around this time, so I think from now on I will start mixing my Personal Story with some Musical advents of the same time period!

One such advent happened late on 1979 to early 1980, the First Rap Record was released, it was by The Sugarhill Gang and was called "Rapper's Delight" to this day its still one of the Best Rap Records and probably the Sugarhill Gang's Best Track ever!

Another Great Track from around this period was by Drummer/Singer/Writer/Producer Narada Michael Walden, it was called "I Shoulda Loved Ya" the track was taken from his1979 Album called "The Dance Of Life"

THE 37th MIX FOR F.S.V.B

Here's the 37th Mix for F.S.V.B,  Its been Mixed by Blick, its called Soul & Funk Mix Volume 1, there's some classic  Soul & Jazz  Tracks on here!

Press here to go to page to download to your pc.

FULL TRACK LISTING BELOW!

Soul And Funk Mix Volume 1 - 123:38 Mins - 256 kbps

00:00 - Loose Ends - Hold Tight - 1990
03:38 - Soul II Soul - Courtney Blows - 1990
07:00 - Loose Ends - Love Controversy Pt. 1 - 1990
09:37 - A.B.'s - Deja Vu - 1983
15:34 - William DeVaughn - Creme De Creme - 1982
20:45 - Ruth Joy - Feel - 1991
25:30 - At Jazz - Storm - 1999
29:14 - Soul II Soull - Keep On Moving - 1989
34:12 - At Jazz - Eastern Sound - 1999
41:22 - Keni Burke - Risin' To The Top - 1982
46:20 - Wilton Felder - Inherit The Wind - 1980
53:06 - Alexander O'Neal - If You Were Here Tonight - 1985
58:35 - Roy Ayres - Programmed For Love - 1985
63:07 - The Isley Brothers - It Takes A Good Woman - 1987
65:45 - The Isley Brothers - Between The Sheets - 1983
70:39 - Natalie Cole - I Wanna Be That Woman - 1988
75:00 - Stanley Clarke - Let Me know You - 1982
79:26 - William DeVaughn - Be Thankful For What Got - 1980
86:12 - Miss Jones - Where I Wanna Be Boy - 1994
88:42 - Loose Ends - Feel The Vibe - 1990
91:40 - Movement. 98 - Joy And Heartbreak - 1990
97:04 - Maxi Priest - Groovin' In The Moonlight - 1992
100:28 - Sade - Super Bien Total - 1988
105:45 - Eugene Wilde - Gotta Get You Home Tonight - 1984
110:18 - Sade - Siempre Hay Esperanza - 1988
113:48 - Yasuko Agawa - L.A. Nights - 1986
119:15 - Light Of The World - London Town - 1980

BARRY WHITE Part 4

 1975 saw the release of "Just another way to say I love you" on the 20th Century Record Label, it attained Gold Status in the U.S!

The Album reached number 1 in the R&B Charts, number 17 in Pop Charts in U.S, it also got to number 12 in U.K Chart.

The Album contained 2 Great Singles " I'll do for you anything you want me to" its Chart Postions were, U.S Pop number 8, U.S R&B number 1 and in U.K Pop number 5!

The other Single was "What am I gonna do with you" U.S Pop number 8,  U.S R&B number 1 and number 5  in U.K Pop Singles!

"Let The Music Play"  Album was released in 1976 once again on the 20th Century Record Label, it reached number 42 on U.S Pop Albums & number 8 on the U.S R&B Chart and number 22 in U.K!

The 2 Best Tracks on Album were The Title Track and "You See the Trouble with Me" the latter Barry White co-wrote with Ray Parker Jr, who at the time was a Member of "Love Unlimited Orchestra" before going on to create "Raydio " in 1977, incidentally this was B.W's first Album not to Top the U.S R&B Chart!

During 1976 Barry White released another Album entitled "Is This Wotcha want" apart from one other Album, this was Barry White's  worse Chart Performing Album of the 70's, number 125 in U.S Pop Chart, number 25 in U.S R&B and it never Charted at all in U.K!

It only contained 5 Tracks, but the stand out Tracks were"Dont make me wait too long" and "I'm qualified to satisfy you"

During 1977, Barry White released his 7th LP called "Barry White sings for someone you love" it turned out to be B.W's First Platinum Selling Album and His 2nd Biggest Selling LP of all time on the U.S Pop Chart!

It reached number 8 on U.S Pop Chart and number 1 on R&B Chart, but in U.K it never even Charted!

It contained 3 Singles Releases "Playing your game, baby" U.S R&B number 8, The second Single was"Its ecstasy when you down next to me" this went to Top of U.S R&B Chart and stayed there for 5 weeks, this was unusual for a B.W release, as it was not writtem by B.W, the writers were Ekundayo Paris and Nelson Pigford!

The 3rd Single was "Oh what a night for dancing" it reached number 24 on U.S Pop Charts and number 13 on U.S R&B Chart.

During 1977 Barry White also had his " Greatest Hits Volume 2 " released!

Download some bazza here!

THE 36th MIX FOR FSVB

Here's the 36th Mix for F.S.V.B,  Its been Mixed by Spoamusic, there's some classic  Soul Tracks on here, Its a Al Green Mix!

Press play to listen or press link to go to 
Spoamusic's  page and download to your pc. 

FULL TRACK LISTING BELOW!

1. So You're Leaving
2. L.O.V.E.
3. Stay With Me Forever
4. Tomorrow's Dream
5. Right Now Right Now
6. You Ought To Be With Me
7. I'm So Tired To Be Alone
8. Livin For You
9. Stand Up
10. I'm Hooked On You
11. I Gotta Be More (Take Me Higher)
12. Light My Fire
13. Could I Be The One
14. Your Love is Like the Morning Sun
15. Beware
Al Green * 1969-1975 by spoamusic

CHRISTMAS OF 1979

By now it was Christmas of 1979, The Butcher's was really busy, it was though the Shop was shutting down for a month or two, (not just a week) they Sold Loads Of Meat, if I can remember I believe we all worked longer hours just to complete all the extra orders there were!

As I said in previous Post, I was looking to Transfer to a different Branch, this as it turned out, was not too long away! By the New Year  I would get some Good News!

As for our Home Life, Susan was about 3 Months away from giving Birth, so we were getting ready for that, ie Decorating Bedrooms and buying a New Cot, Babies Clothes etc and Nathan was Moving into his own Bedroom, so that had to be got ready.

As this was our First Christmas in our New House and on our own and this would also be Nathan's First Christmas at home (He was in Hospital , the previous Year)  you would have thought our memories of this period would be very Easy to remember, but in fact, it is the opposite, I/We cannot really remember anything of that particular Christmas Period!

I/We cannot remember any Presents we brought each other or for Nathan, or what happened that Christmas or where we went out to, in fact I/We cant even remember Christmas Decorations in the House!

One thing I do remember though, I had a Full Week Off Work, which in fact was my First Ever Christmas off  Working ( for about 5 years), as obviously when working as a Chef, Christmas was the busiest period, and you never had any time off, in fact I used to work longer hours!  

Here's the 35th Mix for F.S.V.B,  Its been Mixed by DjRave (Gary) of London, there's some classic  Soul Tracks on here, Its a Tribute to Luther Vandross!

Press play to listen or press link to go to Gary's Podmatic Page and 
download to your pc.

see  podcast page for  full track listing!

My Tribute to Luther Vandross.....

djrave Podcast

THE GREATEST SOUL SINGER OF ALL TIME.....AL GREEN...Part 6

 

Since Al Green's Album Release in 1995 " Your Hearts in Good Hands" 8 years had past, during this time he had several different Compilations released as well as several different Gospel Albums released.

The Album "I Cant Stop" was released in November of 2003, Al Green was back with  Friend and Producer Willie Mitchell and Recording for Blue Note Records.

The Album was recorded at Famous  Royal Studios in Memphis, between March - April 2003.

The Album included a lot of the Musicians and Backing Singers from the earlier HI Recordings, including the Hodges Brother's "Teenie" on Guitar & "Leroy" on Bass, also the "Rhodes Sisters" on Backing Vocals, also Charles Chambers was featured doing  Backing Vocals, he was involved with one of Al Greens Biggest Hits "Lets Stay Together"

All Tracks on Album were either written together by Al Green & Willie Mitchell or seperately!

The Best Track was the Single release "I Cant Stop" which went to number 97 in US R&B Chart.

It was 2 years before the next release in 2005 "Everythings OK" again on Blue Note Records, but this time Produced by Willie Mitchell and Al Green!

The Album was Recorded between June - September of 2004 and Released on March 14 2005.

The Album contained 3 Great Tracks, the Title Track " Everthings OK"  Build Me Up and "You Are So Beautiful" which was writtem by Billy Preston & Bruce Fisher and this was a Big Hit for "Joe Cocker" in 1974.

The Album got to number 19 in US R&B Charts and Number 50 in US POP Chart, this was Al Greens first Album in the  Pop Charts since 1975!

                     Download some Al Green Music

            Photo Edit was done by JessJayneJukebox!

THE 34th MIX FOR FSVB

Here's the 34th Soul Mix for F.S.V.B, Its been Mixed by Waltrich, its called "Walton J's all Barkays Mix", there's some classic Funk & Soul Tracks on here, including Sexomatic, Holy Ghost, Certified True & Shake Your Rump to the Funk.  

Either press play to listen or to go to revevant page.

Walton J.'s All Bar-Kays Mix from waltrich at Letsmix.com.

The 2 Units and a Transfer!

It was now Winter 1979, Nathan was crawling around eveywhere, how I remember this was, we had brought ourselves our First piece of Brand New Furniture from Woolworth's.

It was a Small Melamine Unit about 6 feet high by 3 Foot in width it was for holding such things as, Ornaments etc and it had a seperate cupboard space at the bottom, where if I remember correctly we used to keep Nathan's Nappies and Towels etc!

At that time we had our TV in the Front Room, so we had a Portable Radio in the Middle Room, and this was our our New Unit, and with Nathan crawling around, he always kept pulling the Radio Electric Cable, so I had to do something about this, as He would eventually pull the Radio off the unit on to his Head!

So what I did was nail some Tacks all around the bottom of the Radio, to keep it in place when pulled by Nathan, that was probably my first DIY Job, these Days I would have done something more Permanent and Secure!

But that is something we always remember, from back then!

We also had another Wooden Unit in our Front Room, this was brought by Susan's Father (when he got us the three piece suite and carpet) from a Second Hand place, we had this for several years, I found a picture off the Net, which looks just like the one we had!

I always remembered the Drawer on the unit, it was lined with Green Felt Material!

By now I had been at the Butchers for about 5/6 months and wasn't really liking the Job, not so much the work, as that was Easy, but it was the Staff and how it was Run, as I said in Previous Post the Manager and the Assistant Manager were Related, so it was a case of, if your Face Fits!

So I was looking out for a Transfer from that Branch, as Dewhurst's had several Branches in our Area, there was a chance of a move!