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Sunday, February 17, 2013

MICHAEL JACKSON BAD TOUR AT WEMBLEY and GREG PHILLINGANES

It was now Summertime of 1988, Trade in the Takeaway was Picking up a bit, but still Not Enough to make a Decent Living!

It was Fast Approaching to our Trip To Wembley Stadium to See Michael Jackson's Bad Tour Show.

But one thing Needed to be Sorted out First, before the Day Arrived, Our Mode of Transport, I only had my Van, so we Needed to Hire or Borrow a Car for the Day!

Luckily my Middle Sister had a Little Vauxhall Fiesta and she Agreed to let us Borrow it for the Day, I cant Remember if I got out any Insurance for that Day, I would have Probably been made to, by Susan and my Sister!

The Car I Remember was Bright Yellow with Green and Black Interior, it was only a Small Engine, so Fairly Cheap on the Petrol, this was a Few Years ago now, things have Changed (Petrol Wise) Now Though!

The Day we Actually went to Wembley was 16th July 1988, I Remember this Date, as it was the Day that Prince Charles and Diana went, there was also a Video of the Show Released, that same Year!

I Remember we got there Really Early and also Walking on all the Wooden Boards that were all over The Pitch of Wembley, to Protect the Surface!

As I have said before, My Wife Susan Liked Jacko, I Dont Mind him, but his Music was Not what I Really Liked, but he did put on a Great Show, I also Remember his Keyboard Player was Greg Phillinganes, who's Album I had Brought a Few Years Previously also Sheryl Crow was on Back Up Vocals!

As I said it was a Great Show, I Believe it Lasted at Least 2.5 Hours, and there was about 72,000 people there, the Biggest Concert Audience I have Seen and Been in!

We had a Clear View of Charles and Diana as we were Quite Near the Front over to Jacko's Left Hand Side!

The Worst Thing about the Whole Day, was Trying to get out of the Car Park at Wembley after the Show, as you could Imagine, there Thousand's of People all over the Place and Thousand's of Cars Everywhere, what a Nightmare!

I Believe we were Nearly as Long getting out of the Car Park, onto the Road Home, as we were in Wembley, Watching the Whole Concert!

Another Bad (no pun intended) Memory of the Night, was when we Eventually got on the Way Home, after about an Hour of Driving, with the Heater on Full, I Started to Doze Off!

Before I Realised what was Happening, we went Right Up on the Verge for what seemed Hundred's of Yard's, Luckily for us it was all Grass Verge along that Stretch of Road, What a Wake Up Call!

I Pulled over to the Side of Road and had a Rest for a While and something to Eat and Drink, that really put the Sh*t up me and Susan!

What an Ending of a Great Night Out that was!

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Now for Some Music, as Mentioned in above Post this Week, Greg Phillinganes, Keyboard Player on the Michael Jackson's Bad Tour, also had a Couple of Solo Albums Released in the 1980's.

In 1981, he Released the Album called "Significant Ganes" it Featured a Great Instrumental Track Called "Maxxed Out"

Incidentally, Greg Phillinganes Sister is "Carrie Lucas" who used to be a Recording Artist on the Solar Record Label (and Married to Dick Giffey, Founder of Solar Records)

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Thursday, February 14, 2013

THE 179th MIX FOR F.S.V.B

Here's the 179th Mix Selection for F.S.V.B, it Called "Valentines Day Lovers Mix" its been Mixed by A-Train the Islander (Soul and Groove) and contains Various Soul Artists and Bands, it Features some Great Tracks by amongst others: Isley Brothers, The Moments, Ray Goodman & Brown, The Chi-Lites, Keni Burke, Al Hudson and Leroy Hustson!

For a Full Track Listing and Download from Soul Of Sydney's MixCloud Page, go Here!

Soul of Sydney #43: Valentines Day Lovers Mix by A-Train the Islander (SOUL & GROOVE) by Soul Of Sydney on Mixcloud

Monday, February 11, 2013

WHO'S THE GREATEST FUNK BASS PLAYER # 7 BERNARD EDWARDS

In this Series of Posts, I will Writing about the Artist's who are in My "Who's the Greatest Funk Bass Player" Poll.

The Poll is over to the Right of the Blog, it has been Running for a Few Week's, so if You haven't already Voted, Please do so!

In these Post's, I will write a few Facts, Figures, Stats and Interesting Stuff on the Artist in Question, I will also include a Playlist of their Greatest Songs.

I will Write a Post on Each Artist, One Every Other Week!

ARTIST NUMBER 7..............BERNARD EDWARDS

Bernard Edwards was Born on the 18th of April 1952, in Greenville, North Carolina USA, but Moved to Brooklyn NYC at an Early Age.

He met Nile Rodgers in the Early 1970's, they were Both Session Musicians around the New York Area, they Later Formed a Band Together in 1972 and were named "The Boys" and Later to become the "Big Apple Band" Despite Playing Gigs and Making Demo's, they were Never to be Signed to Any Label, the Band Lasted until 1976!

Then in 1976 they Added 2 New Members to the Band, Tony Thompson on Drums and Norma Jean Wright on Vocals and Changed their Name to "Chic"

By 1977 they were Signed to "Atlantic Records" and Chic's First "Self Titled" Album was Released that same Year in 1977, it Reached Number 27 on the US Pop Chart and Number 12 on the US R&B Chart.

The First Single off the Album was also "Chic's" First Hit Record, Dance Dance Dance (Yowsah Yowsah Yowsah
it Reached Number 6 on both US Pop and R&B Charts!

Their next Hit Single from the Album was "Everybody Dance" but it did not Chart as well as their Debut Single.

The Track also Had Luther Vandross on Backing Vocals.

It was not until their Second Album in 1978 "C'est Chic" that Chic got their First Number One Single, on Both US Pop and R&B Charts, that was "Le Freak" incidentally this was to be Chic's Best Selling Album of All Time!

Chic had 2 Number One Singles in their Career, "Le Freak and "Good Times"

By 1983 Chic were to Split Up, Both Edwards and Rodgers were to say the Split was Down to "Personal and Artistic Reasons"

In 1985 "Bernard Edwards" was to Release his only Solo Album entitled "Glad to be Here" it was Not a Big Hit!

That same Year if 1985 he was to Record and Produce an Album with the Band called "Power Station" it Featured "Tony Thompson" from Chic and 2 Members from Duran Duran and Robert Palmer.

He went on to Work with Numerous different Acts from the Recording World, i.e Robert Palmer, Diana Ross, Rod Stewart, Duran Duran, ABC and Adam Ant.

He also Produced Records for Various Artists including: Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce and Busta Rhymes.

In the Early 1990's "Chic" were Briefly to Reform and later in 1992 Release their Last Ever Album "Chic-ism"

In 1996 "Bernard Edwards" was named "JT Super Producer of the Year" in Japan, and he and Chic were Invited to Play a Gig in Japan, a Live Album was Later Released of the Live Concert, it was called "Live at the Budokan"

Bernard Edwards was taken Unwell the Night before the Concert, but Insisted in going on with the Gig, he had to be Physically Helped During the Show and to actually Finish it, but that Night in his Hotel Room, he was to "Pass Away" in his Sleep!

It was later Discovered that "Bernard Edwards" had Died from "Pneumonia"

In 2005, Bernard Edwards was Honored Posthumously for his Outstanding Achievements as a Producer and was Inducted into the "Dance Music Hall of Fame"

Chic's Discography: 11 Albums and 24 Singles

CHIC'S GREATEST HITS

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Wednesday, February 6, 2013

THE 178th MIX FOR F.S.V.B

Here's the 178th Mix Selection for F.S.V.B, it Called "Soul Funk & Jazz Volume 123" Its been Mixed by Payback, and Features some Rare Tracks from Yesteryear, Including: Johnny Taylor, Little Beaver, Curtis Mayfield, Maze and The Moments!

For a Full Track Listing and Download go to Paybacks Mixcloud Page!

PAYBACK Vol. 123 November 2012 by Payback: Soul Funk & Jazz on Mixcloud

Sunday, February 3, 2013

TRAFFIC CONES and ROBERTA FLACK

This is Actually my 400th Post today

The Date was around Spring-Time in 1988, I was still Struggling in the Takeaway, which also Meant we were Struggling in Life, as anyone knows, if your Business or Work are going Badly, so more than likely will your Home Life!

At this time we were also going to my Mothers House at Least 3/4 Times a Week, as it had been Less than a Year since my Father had Died (we had been doing this ever since his Death).

We used to Help her with Shopping etc etc and to generally keep her Company as by Now she was on her own, as my 3 Sisters had all left Home by then!

We also had our 2 Kids to see too, Nathan was 9 Years Old by then and Natalie was 8 Years Old, they Both went to the same School, which Luckily for us, was only about 2 minutes away, so apart from when they First Started School, they always took themselves to School!

The Takeaway was just about Ticking Over (Money Wise) but it Needed to Improve if I was to Keep it Going!

One thing I Remember about the Takeaway, was where it was Situated, on the Main Street Through Gorleston, but on the Way Out (or In) so there was No Parking Directly Outside the Shop, which in Hindsight was a Hinderance, but I was Told by the Previous Tenants, "that was Not a Problem" That was Another Lie!

Also I had to Park my Van in a Side Street, only about 20 Yards Away, but I Remember there was this Woman who Lived in that Small Road, and she Thought She Owned the Road, she even had "Her Own Traffic Cones" she was such a Loud Mouthed Woman!

She used to put these Cones out, when she went out in her Car, I Remember Moving them Several Times, but in the End it Happened, she came out one Day I was Parking up the Van!

She was Shouting her Big Mouth Off about "This is where We Live, and I should Not Park there" I told her and her Husband to "P*ss Off"

Needless to Say, She Never came into the Takeaway to Buy Anything, so I had Nothing too Lose, but whenever she got the Chance to Stop me Parking there, she did!

Over 25 Years Later, that Woman Still Lives there, I have Seen her around that Area, quite often!

One Good bit of News we had around this Time was, the Pepsi Rep came back to the Takeaway and with him he Brought the 2 Michael Jackson Tickets, I had Won with Pepsi about 2 Months Previously, they were for the Date of 16th July 1988, which was on a Saturday, and the Reason I can Remember this Date is because that was the same Day that Charles and Diana went to Wembley!

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As for some Music, my Wife has been playing a Song Lately by Celine Dion, this Reminded me of the Best Version of that Song, it was Recorded by Roberta Flack back in 1972!

The Song is "The First Time I Ever saw Your Face" a Soul Classic.

That wasn't the Original Recording though, that was written in 1957 by Ewan MacColl, (Kirsy MacColl's Father) it was Originally a Folk Song!

This was Roberta Flack's 8th Single Release (including 3 Duets) and her First Big Solo Hit, getting to Number 1 in Several Countries and Number 14 in the UK.

Incidentally the Track, was on her Debut Album (First Take) 3 Years Previously in 1969, the Reason why it Was Not released until 1972, was it was featured in the Clint Eastwood Movie "Play Misty for Me" it was Number 1 in the US for a Total of 6 Weeks

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