Ovalteeny

If we still had a proper Miners Picnic (in Bedlington), then you might want to invite the Reverend Payton and his Big Damn Band, check this video out.....

There was quite a Cajun/Zydeco trend in the UK during the 1990's and I saw R. Cajun when I lived near Aylesbury, but I thought a couple of the London based bands were better. The Electric Bluebirds (with Alan Dunn on accordion) were good but the best of all were The Balham Alligators (featuring Welsh Keyboardist to the stars - Geraint Watkins). They have a recently released compilation album that covers 4 individual albums and it's very good. There's not much on YouTube by way of videos, but there are loads of recording tracks that you can listen to.

Have a listen/look at this live version of a song from a recently released album by The Bros. Landreth

Malcolm, I too like Cajun/Bluesy type of music, as well as lots of others genres. Back in 1987 I went to the New Orleans Jazz & Blues Heritage Festival and had a brilliant 12 days of wall to wall music, mostly from Louisiana, but lots of other states & countries also represented. The festival is held over 2 weekends at the end of April, each year, on the New Orleans Racecourse. When we were there, they had 10 Stages set up, where the music played simultaneously, non-stop from 11:00am to 7:00pm each Friday, Saturday & Sunday. The hardest thing was deciding who to go and see/listen and who to miss out on. We saw loads of cajun/zydeco bands.

Malcolm, thanks for posting this clip on here. I like "Southern Rock" or Bar-room Boogie" type bands and I hadn't heard of Blackberry Smoke before. I've just downloaded the album and on first listen I like it (which is always a good sign), so I'll have a few more listens and then decide on whether or not their back catalogue gets downloaded.

don't remember the Torchie mans name, but can recall stamping of the feet

Maggie, I like your classification "Like or dislike". Music is great, it's just some music is better than others. Alternatively, there is the old saying "Life's too short to listen to bad music". I much prefer music that cannot be classified, the sort that crosses over 2 or 3 genres. I guess Emile Sande could fall into that bracket! I hate that word "genre".

I remember playing in the "Novices" during my teenage years and each team was only allowed 1 proper cricketer. I'm fairly sure we entered a team from "The Terrier" in 1967 & 1968. Not sure about the years that followed, as I did my Dick Whittington thing in early 1969. I may have played in 1972, when I did my first Prodigal Son thing. The Salvation Army always had a strong team, but the team that was feared by most were the lads from Millfield, who's team name was "Thorntons Thumpers".

Maybe we commence a new topic, with "Your Top Ten favourite Albums of all time"?

You're very welcome. Hope you've had a good day and best wishes for 2015.

why?

must be Australia

Sounds like a decent philosophy to me Maggie/915

My work here (for 2014) is now done.

"Too Blessed to be Stressed" is the name of the album at number 10 in my Top 10 of 2014. If you've never heard of Paul Thorn, then say hello to the 2nd. most famous man from Tupelo, Mississippi. I've followed him for the past 7 years, since seeing him on a Cruise Ship. He's the son of a Preacher Man and before becoming an accomplished and prolific singer/songwriter he was a Professional Boxer, good enough to fight Roberto Duran, no less. He can be profound, he can be irreverent, he can be very southern/red neck, but most of all he has humility and a very, very sharp sense of humour. He's not country, he's not blues, he's not folk, he's not rock, the fact is he's all those genres. Check out various videos on YouTube. This song and the accompanying video reveals a little about a fascinating man :-

Number 9 in this years Top 10 was Jesse Winchester's "A reasonable amount of trouble". Sadly he died just a month or two before it's release. It's an excellent album, but there are no videos of him singing any of the songs, so I have posted a superb version of "Sham a Ling ding dong" from an old Elvis Costello Show. It's compelling and watch it all the way through to see the reaction of Neko Case (on his left) and then hear what Elvis has to say, at the end. Pure magic.

Number 8 in this years Top 10 is un-ashamedly Country from the prolific, excellent Jason Eady, Check out a live version of OK Whiskey

Totally agree with you Symptoms. In 1968 me and some other Bedlington lads got in a Thames Trader van and went to the College of Art & Tech in Newcastle to see Joe (with the Grease Band). As we were ordering our beers at the bar, this fella in a Sheffield Corporation Bus Drivers Jacket came up, it was Joe, and we had a little chat and he ended up buying the beers. I think his first single "Marjorine" had just been released. Ever since then I have followed his career. Then in 1994 (December 4th.) I was at work and my boss (a musical moron) shouted out, I've got 4 tickets for Joe Cocker at Wembley Arena tonight, he's only ever made one record "a little help from my friends", does any one want these tickets. So I had 2 and one of the other lads had 2. Cheryl Cole opened the concert (poor sound issues) and then Joe, with a superb band that was MD'd by non other than John Miles (from jarrow), delivered a masterpiece. A terrific gig. In 2004 I honeymooned in Colorada, knowing that Joe had lived there for some time and looked for him everywhere we went, to no avail. I think I've got 8 or 9 albums throughout the decades and I still like each one. One of his great talents was taking other peoples songs are lifting them to a higher plane, check out one that he nearly always featured, Mr. Billy Prestons "You are so beautiful"

Number 7 is my Top 10 of 2014 is Rodney Crowell's "Tarpaper Sky". He's been in the business for years and years (in various guises and bands as well as solo, plus written some cracking songs), but this solo album effort is by far his best in years. The video is my favourite track from the album :-

Brett, I guess that's where you are totally correct about it all being subjective. But, each individual can apply his own taste to that well known quote "Life's too short to listen to bad music". Whatever constitutes good or bad (in anything) is what makes us all different.

Brett, in general terms I agree with you, I am 66 years old, have been listening to / going to gigs / and collecting my music since I was 12 years old. My tastes are wide and varied and I love it that in todays modern, digital age I can see and hear 99.99% of all artists (whether their music is current of from years gone by), before going on the acquire any of their records. I still buy the odd CD, but mostly these days I download, either via my eMusic subscription or a sharing site like Soulseek. Hence I usually have somewhere in the region of 8-12 new albums per month. I tend to look at Music like an Oak Tree. Music is the trunk and then as the tree grows and sprouts branches etc. they are either the different artists / styles / genres that you can choose to select. It's never ending and I really like discovering new talent that appeals to my ears, my heart & my soul. Long may it continue. However, I have never been able to get into The Smiths or Morrisey, I've not really heard one track that is uplifting or inspirational or even passable. One of my best friends is Morrisey mad and has tried for years to convert me, to no avail. And, I haven't got around to slitting my throat yet, but there's still time, I suppose.

Seasons greeting to you too, and everyone else on this forum

Morrisey = music to slit your throat by.

Number 6 in my Top 10 albums of this year are from a proper Country Band. If you like you music, from a fast, frentetic, Red Neck angle, then Old Crow Medicine Show are the boys for you :-

Maggie/915, it should be under Hobbies & Interests / Entertainment / Music