My Top Ten Rock 'N' Roll Songs

I have professed my love of music before on this blog. I was exposed to many different forms and genres when I was young. Over time that love has deepened and broadened to include music from every age and of every kind.

Today my blog is the first of a series of ‘Top Ten lists’ of different genres, as I would find it impossible to pick a single list of top ten songs. The first set I have chosen is from the great Rock 'n' Roll of the fifties.  I first encountered these songs in the shape of Elvis Presley on my Dad’s crackly old vinyl. When I got interested in The Beatles, I traced their influences and it lead me back to that explosive period of music.

Bill Haley & His Comets - Rock Around The Clock The unlikely spark for a revolution, this song caused riots when it was included in the soundtrack of the movie Blackboard Jungle.

Elvis Presley - That’s All Right When Sam Phillips heard Elvis sing he knew that the world would never be the same. Elvis was what the Sun Records' owner was looking for, a white singer with a black voice. He placed his new talent with guitarist Scotty Moore and bass player Bill Black, as a result the blues were given new life and rock 'n' roll was born. I can only imagine what it was like when ‘That’s All Right’ was played on radio for the first time.

Chuck Berry - Johnny B Goode Rock 'n' roll is the blues with even more attitude. No one shows that more than the brilliant Chuck Berry. He wrote songs with stylish lyrics driven by the sound of his own cherry-red Gibson guitar. Johnny B Goode is one of many great Berry tunes that I could have chosen.

Buddy Holly - That’ll Be The Day There were many Elvis clones in the wake of his explosive arrival on the scene but Buddy Holly chose a different tack. Like Chuck Berry, the Texan wrote his own songs and also had a hand in producing them. He was to have a huge influence on The Beatles and who knows what he may have achieved if he hadn’t died on that fateful February night in 1959.

The Everly Brothers - Wake Up Little Susie Although it was rock 'n' roll with a pop sensibility, the music of The Everly Brothers was still significant. Their close harmonies were the model for both The Beatles and The Beach Boys. This song has the kind of bounce that was ideal for jiving in the dance halls.

Fats Domino - Blueberry Hill The music of Fats Domino is rooted in the blues of New Orleans. He was one of the great exponents of the rock 'n' roll piano with a voice that was the epitome of the Big Easy. This song stands as one of the greatest of the period.

Jerry Lee Lewis - Great Balls Of Fire Another genius of the piano, Jerry Lee ‘The Killer’ Lewis is rock 'n' roll stripped bare. Aggressive, raw vocals and an amazing stage presence helped to earn Lewis his nickname. This song is the Sun Records artist at the top of his game.

Little Richard - Tutti Frutti A-Wop-bop-a-loo-lop a-lop-bam-boo. Nonsense lyrics, screamed in a register that teenage girls would struggle to reach, Little Richard was a one off.  His influence carried all the way to Prince, he is undeniably one of the rock 'n' roll greats.

Roy Orbison - Oh Pretty Woman Possibly the finest singer in the rock 'n' roll genre, Roy Orbison was also an excellent songwriter. This song is so distinctive from the first beat of the drums in the introduction and even today still finds its way into movie and TV soundtracks.

Elvis Presley - Heartbreak Hotel According to John Lennon, “Before Elvis there was nothing”. This was the first Elvis song to be released in the UK and the one that catapulted the boy from Tupelo to worldwide fame.  A plaintive blues that shows his voice at its best, Heartbreak Hotel is a classic.

That’s it for today, although I could have added many more from the likes of Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent and Carl Perkins. These were the pioneers who kicked down the doors of the music establishment and paved the way for all that was to follow.

In my next top ten I will look at rock 'n' roll’s Daddy, The Blues and give you my favourite artists and their best songs.

You can listen to these songs here Rock 'n' Roll Top Ten

Parliamo Glasgow

Before I began writing the first ‘Reluctant Detective’ book, I thought long and hard about how to portray the Glaswegian vernacular. In the end I decided to use it where appropriate and write the majority of the book in standard English.

What I did avoid however, was words that may be alien to the majority of my readers. Today I thought as a bit of fun I would show you the kind of words you may come across and think ‘what does that mean?’

Language in Glasgow has many roots including traditional Scots, Irish and Western Isles influences. Some of these are not unique to Glasgow but they are used here quite a bit.

Blether: It is both a verb and a noun. As a verb it means to talk. One friend may say to another, “We were blethering aboot the X-Factor?” As a noun it takes on a different connotation. It means someone who talks a lot. “See her, she’s a right blether.”

Scunner’t: If someone is scunner’t they are fed up or frustrated.

Drookit: A word we use a lot in Glasgow because it means soaked to the skin.

Wean: The derivative is from ‘wee yin’ and it means a child. A famous line in Rab C. Nesbitt that probably left many people from outside the city perplexed was “Ma wean’s done a bunk and ah’m up tae high dough”. The translation in English is “My child has run away and I am very worried.”

Steamin’: A person who has consumed a little too much alcohol. “On Friday ah wis absolutely steamin’, so ah wis.” See also “blootered; hammered; bevvied; blazin’; fleein’. We seem to have a lot of words to convey this particular state. I'm not sure why!

Stoater: Someone who looks attractive. “See her, she’s a pure stoater.”

Swedger: A sweet. “Gonna gie’s wan o’ yir swedgers.”

Glaikit: Someone who lacks intelligence or looks as if they do. “See that George Osborne, he’s pure glaikit.”

Jeely piece: A jam sandwich.

Crabbit: Someone who is in a foul mood. “She’s a crabbit besom first thing in the moarnin’.”

Fankle: A mess. “Ah goat in such a fankle tryin’ tae build that sideboard.”

Wabbit: Tired or exhausted. “Efter writin’ aw these words, ah’m fair wabbit.”

That brings to an end your introduction to wonderful world of Glaswegian slang. If you would like to learn more, why not consult the Scottish comic genius Stanley Baxter for more advanced lessons.

http://bit.ly/tWC1vz

Notes of a meditation novice

I began to meditate regularly about seven weeks ago. I thought I would share my experience as a meditation novice and my feelings about the practice.
You can find details of the benefits of meditation on many sites across the web. The ancient practice is a great way to deal with stress, provides acknowledged health benefits and many creative people find it helps them to focus when they are working.
I first encountered it about 10 years ago and it helped me to deal with the stressful atmosphere of my job but like many things, life gets in the way and I drifted from it.
My wife uses meditation as one of her tools to help her clients deal with stress, anxiety and depression. Due to the literature she has around our house I decided to give meditation another go.
When I first started to meditate again I found it difficult to still my mind. I wasn't sure that I was doing it properly but apparently it is a common problem for people starting out.
Over the last couple of weeks I have begun to meditate into a deeper state and my mind isn't so restless. My writer's block seems to have been released and I am finally back on track with the book. I feel happier and I think I have coped with stressful situations better in the past few weeks than I would have previously. I have accepted that change and problems are inevitable but after all our family has been through they are, in truth, trivial in comparison.
In the times we live in stress is everywhere. It is a very destructive force and is at least in part the cause of cancer, heart disease and strokes. It may not be for everyone and it's not a panacea for all ills but I would suggest that it is worth giving meditation a go to help you cope with all that life has to throw at you.
I will write again about this subject in a few weeks to tell how how things are going.
It would be interesting to hear from experienced meditators about how you believe it had benefitted you.
You can read more about how my wife helps people at Stress The Positive.

Hidden Gems

It's Friday, so time for a musical-themed blog to help set you up for the weekend. Today I'm going to give you a list of some great tracks you might not have heard. Hopefully you'll enjoy them.

First up is Some Misunderstanding by Soulsavers. An epic track which lasts nearly eight minutes, it is full of sumptuous guitars and a laconic vocal. Simply beautiful.

Colourful Life by Cajun Dance Party is a bouncy, joyous track from the very first chord. It's bound to lift your spirits.

Next up is Keep Walking by Emily Maguire. A celebration of persistence and an anthem to those who want to follow their dreams.

Raphael Saadiq may be the coolest guy on the planet. Sure Hope You Mean It epitomises his sixties sound and would not have been out of place at the Wigan Casino soul dance marathons.

No Time by The Heavy is a fusion of traditional rock and soul, driven by a fierce guitar and raw, grating vocal.

To Ohio is a folky blues by The Low Anthem. It shows that you don't need lavish production if you have a great melody and delightful harmonies.

The Island by Scotland's own Phantom Band is another epic. It has an almost hypnotic, meditative quality.

There's a lot of fantastic folk-related music around at the moment and Northern Skies by I Am Kloot is a stand-out track.

The Jim Jones Revue owe their sound to the great rock 'n' roll of the fifties. On High Horse  they sound like Jerry Lee Lewis went for a beer with The Ramones and they jammed in the bar. Brilliant.

The National are one of the top bands on the American indie scene. Bloodbuzz Ohio is one of the best tracks on their recent album.

So that completes my Hidden Gems playlist. I hope you find something new to delight you in this collection. You can check the songs out on Spotify, just click the link. I hope you have a great weekend.

Brandon Sanderson - The Mistborn Trilogy

As some of you may know, although my first love is crime fiction, I am also a devotee of fantasy and science fiction. A friend gave me 'The Hobbit' to read when I was twelve, I became a fan of the amazing alternate worlds that can be found in these books and love the sense of escapism they offer.
One of the very best series of novels is Robert Jordan's 'Wheel Of Time'. It is possibly the grandest fantasy vision ever created, spanning an incredible fourteen novels with a cast of hundreds, it is truly epic fiction. When Mr Jordan passed away in 2007 with three books incomplete, his family chose Brandon Sanderson to finish the story from notes left by the author.
Before that I knew little of Brandon Sanderson or his work but I was intrigued to see why he had been given this mammoth task.

I chose the Mistborn trilogy as my introduction to his work and I am very glad I did.
The three books 'The Final Empire'; 'The Well Of Ascension' and 'The Hero Of Ages' represent some of the most original fantasy fiction I have read in years.
The magic system in the books is based on people who can use metals to achieve certain feats. The metals are paired with one balancing the other and as the story progresses the reader discovers all the ways they have been used to control and change people.
Without spoiling it too much for you, the first book is the story of the overthrow of the Lord Ruler, a dark dictator who runs the world with the help of the obligators - magicians with metal spikes driven through their eyes. The following two books deal with the aftermath of the overthrow of a tyrant and the faith required by the main protagonists to overcome the problems that they have created by killing him. They discover that there was more than evil behind the Lord Ruler's actions and the consequences of overthrowing him are far reaching. As the story unravels you realise that despite the oppression, he had been a force for good within the land and now that he is gone the world seems doomed.
There are creatures born of magic like nothing else I have ever read, the characters are diverse and interesting with many of the fantasy cliches being turned on their head. The storytelling is wonderful and my only regret was that it finished too soon.
If you are looking for a new take on the fantasy genre, I can thoroughly recommend these books.

More new music

I said I would return to some of the music released this year that I have enjoyed and hope they inspire you. Here are another five albums that I think are worth checking out.

First up is Adele and her album 21. I must confess that modern pop music rarely appears on my playlists but Adele's amazing voice is worth making an exception for. She has an incredible vocal range and her song writing is wonderful, if a times a little gloomy. She hasn't had much luck in love if her lyrics are anything to go by but she delivers every word with a conviction and emotion that the X-Factor contestants can only dream of. Top songs are "Rolling in The Deep"; "Rumor Has It"; "Set Fire To The Rain" and the wonderful "Someone Like You".

Admiral Fallow are a Scottish band and their debut album Boots Met My Face is packed full of cracking melodies and evocative lyrics.

In "Subbuteo", Louis Abbot takes a nostalgic trip home and writes "I've returned for a while, To the concrete that once claimed my knees, And the stones my hands owned, As I sent them toward windows and trees". The album is filled with the kind of imagery that really tells a story. 

Boots Met My Face is packed with great folk inspired songs but my favourites are "Squealing Pigs"; "These Barren Years" and the aforementioned "Subbuteo". 

Kasabian are back with another towering record, Velociraptor!  - the exclamation is theirs not mine.

Kasabian have always walked their own path and they continue to find new ways to entertain. This album is possibly a little less bombastic than their previous efforts but it still has great songs like the almost hypnotic rhythm of "Days Are Forgotten" and the gentle "Goodbye Kiss. There isn't anything to alienate fans in this album but it does continue their evolution into one of the best bands around at the moment.

Now for a change of pace. Barton Hollow by The Civil Wars is a stripped back country-folk album originating from the home of country music, Nashville.

Joy Williams and John Paul White combine their voices perfectly against a background of simple arrangements. Among the stand out tracks are "20 Years"; "I've Got This Friend" and the title track.

If you enjoyed Robert Plant's collaboration with Alison Krauss then you will love this.

Finally I offer you the foot-stomping, drum-battering, guitar-shredding blues-rock of Vintage Trouble's, The Bomb Shelter Sessions. From the first track "Blues Hand Me Down" you are in no doubt that the guys are tipping their hats to the blues legends of the past like Albert King. Ty Taylor's soulful voice is underpinned by the guitar of Nalle Colt, whose playing will raise a smile among the old blues masters.  As well as the opener there is much to love about this album including "Nancy Lee"; "You Better Believe It" and Total Strangers."

That's all for this blog, as usual I would love to hear about anything exciting you've discovered.

Holiday thoughts

I have returned from a week's holiday in the beautiful country of Italy and thought I would share with you my impressions of my first visit in twenty years.
We were based in Lucca in Tuscany and it gave us an opportunity to visit some of Italy's most famous destinations.
Lucca is a city with a long history that dates back to the time of the Romans. The ancient amphitheatre was directly opposite the flat we were staying in. Where once gladiators battled in front of baying crowds there are bars, restaurants and shops catering for the visitors to the city. The ancient stones are mostly gone but you can still see remnants of the Roman structure in the buildings.

The Piazza dell' Anfiteatro in Lucca

Lucca is a walled city and within those walls the streets are narrow and filled with expensive shopping opportunities. The Italian sense of style is a part of the national identity. In Lucca it's not only the clothes that are stylish, even the shops are the very essence of elegance and glamour. To wander down the Via Fillungo, the main shopping street, is to stroll back in time. The shops are small and there are few of the usual high street names that you would find in any shopping mall in Britain. In Italy small is beautiful.

The Di Simo is just one example of the stylish shops.

The trains in Italy are a lot cheaper than the UK. This gave us the opportunity to explore Tuscany in all its glory. We visited Pisa, its tower still defying gravity and offering one of the true wonders of the world.

The Leaning Tower

We also visited the spa town of Montecatini Terme. It was our first visit there and it was an amazing find. You can ride a funicular railway to Montecatini Alto which sits high in the hills above the main town. The views from the top are stunning, the red roofs of the farmhouses and towns stand out from the green of the olive groves as the full pallet of Tuscan colours are displayed.

The Tuscan landscape

Also on our itinerary was Viareggio, which is a lovely seaside town with a beautiful beach. We had stayed in Viareggio on previous visits so there was a little bit of nostalgia when we spent a day in this coastal idyll.
No visit to Tuscany would be complete without a trip to the Renaissance treasure that is Florence. It was my third visit and I never tire of admiring the artistic and architectural achievements that are displayed in that wonderful city.
Other highlights of our stay were Puccini's house in Lucca and the Palazzo Pfanner with its incredibly beautiful gardens.

The garden at the Palazzo Pfanner

At the heart of Florence there is a bronze statue of a wild boar. There is a tradition that states if you rub the boar's nose, one day you will return to the city. We all hope that it proves to be true.

Note: All photographs are my own so please if you would like to use any of them drop me a line.