I've had a few half started posts lying around for the last week or so. All uncomplete as they've not yet given me the rush of excitement needed to just immediately type up a little blurb and get the track OUT THERE! Step right up please then will you Mr Thane Russal, who just drops the nuclear rock n' roll bomb! Got a bit messy in the car last night as this one surprised me on my CD player. Good times party music. Set it off! LOUD!

We're continuing a strong recent run of 60's era posts with this terrific Soul jam from Roy C today.  Again I can only add that I'm playing this almost on repeat, such is the love that I'm feeling towards this track right now! For me this is fresh 2010 music, though the track itself is not far off from it's half century birthday. Too good! When I say dance, you best dance motherf**ker!

Well birthday today then innit. Didn't really have any birthday records in mind for todays upload, though we were well overdue in posting any sort of reggae jam, and so whether you whine or grine I'm hoping you'll be feeling fine to this top 1960's era cut from our man : Prince Buster. Fact fans might also be interested to know that it was this track from which UK legends "Madness," took their name. S'true!

Playing us out some blues today, though it's anything but the blues that I'm feeling. In fact it's my birthday tomorrow for start, with the days key number being : 30! Plus, linked to tonights post, I'll be making my way out to Charlotte Street Blues for the evening, and so thought I wouldn't do half wrong by warming myself up with this 1961 release by star guitarist and all-round music legend : Johnny 'Guitar' Watson.

Catching this for the first time just a couple days ago was a super pleasant surprise to say the least. Not only is a 60's era slice of French fantastic, but I instantly clocked that the Black Lips version, which I also adore, was now actually a cover version, and for some reason made me like the band all that much more. Kind of like well done for choosing something so different, if that makes and sense at all!?!

I recently came into the most incredible collection of 50's 60's 70's era music, and while it's going to take me literally weeks to get through all of the music, I am going to be throwing up select bits and pieces from time time as we go - starting with this fun little party piece from Heinz & The Wild Boys.

Hmmmm... from time to time this blog gets topical on some of the things going on in my life, and I guess this is one of those occassions. Tell it Roy... I walk down to the blue side of town Where there's no happiness, no joy. Down at the end of a long dark street I saw a little paper boy. Paper boy paper boy I've got bad news for you. Paper boy paper boy Me and my baby are through...

"I am the preacher, with a message for my people..." Seriously. I mean seriously now! Amazing stuff on the up tonight people. I proclaimed to both myself in the car last night, as well as to my lady on the phone a little while ago, that music like this was life changing for me. Now some might think I'm overly stating things just a bit, but no, life changing I tell you...

Right folks, been a while hasn't it. Sorry. Xmas holidays and plus I've been pretty ill for a few days... It add's up. But it's back into the music we go, and it's to a track that I myself only heard for the first time today. I only caught a bit of the original track and it's chorus as it played out in a section of the Telstar : The Joe Meek Story DVD that I watched today.

I am PLEASED as hell at the result I've had with this William Bell track right here! You see I'd previously only heard this once before while playing through the window as I was sitting outside drinking my Brooklyn Lager and smoking some cigarettes with the Brooklyn crew out on 22nd Street a couple weeks back. I think what first caught my ear was the intro which I recognised as having obviously been sampled on a Hip-Hop tune from a good few years back.

Oh man am I battling to type anything! Could I mention the postal strike going on right now, and achieve a link up that way? Hmmmm... No. I guess I really just wanted to post this song as it's just too awesome for words, though if I'm pressed the as per usual brilliant/love it/excellent descriptions most definitely do apply. Honestly, such joy listening to this...

I've been swapping ideas all day as to what to go with as tonights post as I drove about listening to an MP3 compilation album that I'd made a while back. Lots of great stuff to with (naturally), though it's with this beautiful (X10) love song by Soul legend Percy Sledge that the buck pretty much stopped! I dont know, my words get a bit silly as I gush over music like this, so I reckon that I'll forgo the almost over-emotional outpouring bit and just let the music do the talking.

Big up the dance with this 1969 classic from Lloyd Robinson. Not sure what to say about this 40yr old record, but that it's quite unlike any other reggae tune I've ever heard. Perhaps I've not been digging hard enough, but it just comes across as something so unique with it's mad sounds and awesome rumbling sub bass. And it's also Optimo approved! Mmmmmmmmmmmmmuch love!

Another Optimo tagged track upload for you. This of course meaning that it the tune first came to light off of the back of me having heard it for the first time through one of their stunning DJ Mixes, and I'm now getting to share some of the love by passing it on. First of my foreign language uploads, and I dont know about but I couldn't really be bothered with what it is that she's actually saying, as being French it all sounds pretty fantastic regardless.

I got a great bit of constructive advice on the running of this website from a mate today. Short and sweet he delivered the following message : "Enough with the dance and hip hop shit, how about some classic rock or folk or something, vary it a bit...." No more, no less. Anyway with that in mind the best I can offer in relation to that comment is this classic psychedelic cut from Tommy James & The Shondells.

Just hit the download button, and sing along to the super sweet voice of the Jamaican legend that is Desmond Dekker. I've typed so much mindless bullshit while trying to get this post done, that it's just getting ridiculous. Well over 2hrs to get as far as this. True.

By my count there's over 30 cover versions of this Mama's & Papa's original, and while I've actually only ever heard todays post subject and the original, I'm pretty sure in my assumptions that this must be one of the finest. There really is something special about these old soul legends, and looking around today, I personally dont see any modern equivalents picking up from where these guys left off.

It's all to rare that I get to discover something new that is as good as this. It's usually even better when that something "new," is actually something old! Released way back in 1969, means this track is pushing on 40 this year! Yowser. I cant even begin to think of all the great music that will forever be lost in time to me.

Todays post is tied into the 28th anniversary of the murder of John Lennon. There really isn't very much for me to say about that man that you dont already know. So I wont bother. All I can say is that I've gone with the option of a Beatles based tribute, as apposed to an actual Lennon masterpiece, purely because I've previously put up a piece of the great man's work in an earlier post. I also really really really like this Beatles tune. Works for me! John's killer is still in jail.

This came on in the car the other day, and I laughed to myself thinking about a mate and this new love interest of his. Seeing her is meaning get out and about the city until all hours, and not hanging about at home as he's gotten used too. Anyway you dont really need me to say exactly where I'm going with all this. This track is a real treat, and there's more where that came from too, if you're liking what you hear of course... Want love, must travel!

A very special day for me today. I'm off to see living rock 'n roll legend Chuck Berry live in concert at the Jazz Cafe in Camden town in a short while. I swore years ago that if the chance ever came up to see the man live, that I'd pay almost any money. Anyway that opportunity presented itself a couple of months back when he played two nights at the Hackney Empire, and I have to admit that it was just my smarting at the price of the tickets then that became the hold up in buying, and well it wasn't long before they were all SOLD OUT. Not tonight! Over £60 paid, and I'm in! Tonight I also kick off the Tarantino tag. His films have introduced me to a number of memorably great records, and I'd like to highlight some of them as time goes on. I did know this Chuck Berry tune before I heard it in Pulp Fiction, but it works all the same. Those not too familiar with the man should check out this Wikipedia link for a whole lot more info and the history behind the Father of Rock 'n Roll! Wish me well! Enjoy! MP3 : ...