Saturday, 8 August 2020

Pete Frampton from "The Herd" - I Don't Want Our Lovin' To Die (and rise to stardom)

Welcome to another trip down memory lane and a brief encounter with one of England's Rock greats, Pete Frampton. 

In 1968 I was 17, about to leave school and 'in a relationship' with Karen across the street where we lived. She was absolutely bonkers about her heartthrob, Pete Frampton (the singer) of The Herd, and played this hit of theirs until there was a well-worn groove in the 45rpm record vinyl. He joined a fairly long line of Popstars that Karen was going to marry. I was no competition!

We had no clue at that stage of our lives that Pete Frampton would go on to be a worldwide megastar. So funny to watch this typical 1960's output from the band.



Frampton's early influences were Cliff Richard & the Shadows (featuring guitarist Hank Marvin) and American rockers Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran and later the VenturesJimi Hendrix and the Beatles. His father introduced him to the recordings of Belgian gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt.

You can read more about his long and extensive musical career on Wikipedia

It wasn't until 1976 that Pete really hit the big time with a live Album 'Frampton Comes Alive' which really took off in the USA. My goto track from this period, amongst many worthy contenders, would be "Do You Feel Like We Do", featuring the use of the 'Talkbox' introduced to Frampton by Peter Drake in 1972 and which became Frampton's trademark. It was released as a single. Watch this live performance in the USA, of this track from the aforementioned album. I particularly love the Talkbox section and subsequent guitar riff (up there with the best) towards the end of the performance. Great keyboards too!



So by 1976 Frampton could do no wrong and his USA success is exemplified by the following early 1977 live stadium gig where he sings "Baby, I Love Your Way" to a packed out, swooning arena,  Oakland Coliseum Stadium, USA.


Peter Frampton is now 70 years old and announced a final goodbye to live touring last year, largely precipitated by his illness, inclusion body myositis (IBM), which he gives as his reason for retirement.

If you are still interested, I found this recent interview Pete gave to the excellent Rick Beato Channel on YouTube.


If you like these and other posts, I would love to hear your reactions and for you to add any of your own comments about the artist. Lastly, you can follow the blog and be notified of future posts by entering your preferred email address in the right-hand column above. 

Thanks for listening!


Wednesday, 5 August 2020

2018 Dimash Kudaibergen, "S.O.S." 《A Soul's Plea for Help》

After many encounters with remarkable singers over the years, I have to put this guy up there as one of, if not the best singer in the World today. As an introductory to his power, range and extraordinary talent, listen to this rendition of S.O.S. from 2018. Since then, he has continued to wow and confound those of us following his performances on YouTube (His Wikipedia page)

N.B. It is sung in French.....English lyrics below video or switch on English subtitles in YouTube:-



Why do I live, why do I die
Why do I laugh, why do I cry
Here is the SOS
Of an earthling in distress
I never had my feet on the ground
I would rather be a bird
Feel bad in my own skin.

I'd like to see the world upside down
It could be more beautiful
Better from above
From above

I always mixed up my life
With old childish fantasies
It's like I need a metamorphosis
I feel something strange
That pulls me
That pulls me
That pulls me
upwards.

In the big lottery of the universe
I didn't pull the right number
I feel bad in my own skin.

It could be more beautiful
Better from above
From above

Why do I live, why do I die
Why do I laugh, why do I cry
I'm getting waves of air
Coming from another world.

I never had my feet on the ground
It could be more beautiful
Better from above
It could be more beautiful
Sleep now my child

Saturday, 13 June 2020

Depeche Mode - Enjoy The Silence (Live in Berlin)

A little distracted lately, but to continue.....

The title resonates with the COVID lockdown quite nicely and what a fantastic Live DM performance in Berlin from their 2013/14 tour. Great crowd and nice dance moves...Love it!