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(The Creation - When they said their music was red with purple flashes, they weren't kidding)

Back to the 60s tonight with the dawn of psychedelia and Freakbeat. Creation were one of the cornerstones of the wild aggressive turn pop music had taken. Along with The Who, The Creation were a totally visual and sonic experience, taking the music to a new level. Fronted by singer Kenny Pickett, with guitarist Eddie Phillips whose technique of bowing his guitar predates Jimmy Page's use of it with Led Zeppelin by a few years, the band also included such luminaries as Kim Gardner and Ronnie Wood (Rolling Stones). Gardner and Wood joined later, as did other members, but Phillips and Pickett were founding members. Their first incarnation from 1966-1967 yielded tracks like the one tonight "How Does It Feel To Feel", which was released in two different versions; one for the US and the other for the UK. The insane guitar solo is from the US version, which doesn't appear on the UK version. The band went through a quick dissolve, but resurfaced in early 1968 with new members and continued until the end of 1968. From that point on, the band has achieved legend status and has been cited by countless musicians as a pivotal influence. Their songs have been reissued several times and even their rare TV appearances have made it over to YouTube in recent months.

Definitely a band worth checking out if you've never heard them before. They came along at a time when being outrageous was a completely new concept. And they wore it incredibly well.

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(The Lilac Time - still together, still recording, still gigging, still great)

In the late 1980s/early 90s, Fontana Records issued a lot of albums by interesting, out of the way, alternative bands. Which, as a subsidiary of a major label (Phonogram now Universal) was a pretty bold thing to do (well . .not since the early 70s anyway). Most of the acts didn't last more than one or two albums before being dropped, but the material most of them recorded was top-notch. A lot of the bands went off to other labels and other degrees of success and some are still together today. One of those acts was The Lilac Time, a band fronted by Stephen Duffy and largely considered an influential part of the early 90s wave of alternative bands coming out of the UK.

This track All For Love & Love For All comes from the album of the same name and was produced by XTC bandmates Andy Partridge and John Leckie. It has the XTC stamp on it and the track did pretty well on the charts at the time, further establishing The Lilac Time as no one-hit wonders. Luckily, they are still together and recording. Their last album came out about a year ago.

In case you missed them the first time around . . .

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(The Management - Got a little confusing, so they changed their name)

As the story goes, there were two bands around the same time who decided to call themselves The Management. The upstate New York one and the UK one. The New York one decided to shorten their name to MGMT and are doing rather well for themselves on the pop charts. The UK Management, the one I'm posting tonight, kept the name for a while but then decided they too would undergo a name change and they have since called themselves The Neon Sound. They are the indie one, the sort of techno one, the one who are not on the pop charts. This track, Coffee Shop Girls comes from their first album, released in 2002 "Seventeen Minutes In The Cheap Seats". At present they are still going the indie route and you can find out more about them through their MySpace and Last.FM pages. The album is available on CD as well as download and it's worth checking out - imho.

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(Crooked Cowboy & The Freshwater Indians - finally, a new music genre)

I don't think there is really an adequate way to describe Crooked Cowboy & the Freshwater Indians. So I won't. Other than I think we've hit on something wonderful.

But right now the only thing you can really do is listen to this track, BumpyGBH and get sucked into it. It's an amazing adventure.

And once you do that, go over to their MySpace or Last.FM page and check out the other tracks as well as their upcoming gig listings. They're an L.A. outfit, so I suspect they won't be showing up in London anytime soon (unless of course you have connections and can book them). They've only been together a short while, are not on a label and can certainly use every bit of support they can get.

Do yourself a favor.

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(Hartzell Strathdene "Tiny" Parham - one of the most overlooked and neglected figures in early Chicago Jazz)

Back to Jazz tonight - this time it's Tiny Parham, one of the most innovative and obscure figures in the "South Side Chicago Jazz" scene of the 1920s, who has sadly and strangely been almost totally overlooked by critics and neglected even by early Jazz enthusiasts. Why? I couldn't possibly tell you. Parham recorded several sides for a number of record companies between 1926 and 1940 with his biggest popularity during the 1920s. After the depression hit, and dates became scarce, Parham's popularity began to slide into obscurity. Parham died on April 4, 1943.

This track, The Head Hunter's Dream comes from his 1928-1929 period recording for Victor Records and this session comes from July 2, 1928.

I guess it goes to prove you can still be great and nobody knows you.

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(Heading into Sunday Night on a mellow note)

I just realized I've been giving Jazz a short shrift this past week at The Roundtable. Being Sunday night, I can't think of a better excuse than to dive into this Blue Note side, My Old Flame cut on January 31, 1945 featuring the Benny Morton All Stars with Ben Webster, Barney Bigard and an amazing pianist who has been criminally neglected, Sammy Benskin.

A little session info:

Benny Morton's All Stars

Benny Morton (tb) Barney Bigard (cl) Ben Webster (ts) Sammy Benskin (p) Israel Crosby (b) Eddie Dougherty (d)

WOR Studios, NYC, January 31, 1945

BN219-0 My Old Flame Blue Note 47

All in all, a good way to end another insane week.

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(Telephone - huge in Europe. Over here? Well . . . )

I recently ran across a French Radio station online (Oui FM, which you should check out) that plays some fascinating stuff - old and new - French and non-French. During one of their sets they slipped in Dure Limite by the French punk/post-punk/new wave/hard rock group Telephone. They were enormous in France and throughout Europe in the late 1970s up to 1986, when they disbanded and went separate ways. They hardly made a dent in the States (again, that language thing), but I remembered the band pretty well, having been familiar with them since their first album, but I really hadn't played anything by them, or heard anything about them until the other day when Dure Limite came on. Not a massive seller at the time, it was produced by Bob Ezrin, who was responsible for a lot of memorable albums in the 70s - Doctor John and Peter Gabriel are two that come to mind. According to a website, the band did reunite in 2003. But what has happened since then is a mystery.

Still, it's nice to be reminded of the not-so-obvious 80s every once in a while.

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(The Bluetones - done rather well for themselves)

A slight departure tonight from the criminally neglected, abandoned at the starting gate and might've beens. The Bluetones have actually achieved a goodly amount of popularity and sales since they got together in 1995. Initially hailed as part of the Britpop movement, they've managed to shed the image while still maintaining a pretty good fan base. Although they've never managed to surpass their initial success, from which this track, A Slight Return was their first single went to number 1, leading off a string of successful singles during the last 13 years. Still, as is often the case, they are much more popular and recognized in the UK than they are over here, despite a number of tours of the U.S. - of their five album releases, their first album and their last album (S/T) were the only two to be issued simultaneously in the States as well as Britain.

So maybe you've heard them and maybe you haven't.

Flip a coin.

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(Trashcan Sinatras - They're working on it)

Another band you can file under "criminally neglected" (at least here in the States). Trashcan Sinatras have been around since the mid-90s and are still turning out great tracks. They have a new album out "In The Music", which is getting good reviews and they have been doing a lot of touring this year, both in the U.S. and Australia and all points between. Perhaps because they are from Glasgow they have escaped being pigeonholed as Britpop, but they've also escaped being recognized as one of the more influential voices in the alternative/indie genre.

This track, Welcome Back is off their 2004 album Weightlifting and it's typical of the kind of wordplay they are so good at.

I suspect it's only a matter of time before they stop being overlooked and start being enjoyed and respected for just how great they are.

One hopes.

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(The Capsules - dispelling the stereotype Kansas is a flyover state)

Something domestic tonight - The Capsules, from Lawrence Kansas. A three piece band fronted by Julie Shields, whose vocals are mesmerizing (don't take my word for it). Together since 2002, with three albums and an ep to their credit, they aren't what you'd assume something from the midwest would be all about. But then, never judge books by their covers.

Don't Be So Sad is off their new album, Long Distance Dedication and it's available either as a download or (for those of you, like me who like those chunks of plastic) on CD. It is a haunting testimony to sadness and optimism - good stuff for these times.

Aside from their band website, they're also on MySpace (as most bands are these days . . which is a good thing) and their albums are available via CD Baby (the indie album online store that's been doing wonders for new talent).

I don't know what their touring/appearances thing is like. I would assume they are gigging around.

They are definitely worth a look-see and at least a listen.

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(29 Luces - New faces of Mexican Indie . .si se puede!)

Further evidence that music is the universal language, 29 Luces comes from Mexico. They've been together since 2005, have one album out and I would bet you anything you've never heard of them, right?

Well, neither had I until a few years ago when I went exploring on MySpace and hit the browse icon and became a fan less than a minute later.

Aside from their album Sentado En Una Estrella (which isn't available in the States as far as I know, but is available via Amazon.com) they've been putting out some new material of which this track, El Dia es Hoy is one.

As always, check this band out. Their MySpace page is the best bet at the moment, as some of their other links don't go anywhere. I'll put some of their other material up in the coming weeks.

But for now . . .

(Sentado En Una Estrella - if you see it, grab it)

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(Fred Hughes - as real as it gets)

I don't know what became of Fred Hughes. He had a major hit on the R&B charts with this track, Oo Wee Baby, I Love You, which he recorded for Vee-Jay in 1965. Shortly after that, he went over to Checker and later Brunswick and had a string of singles which didn't do as well as expected. And by the 1970s he more or less dropped out of the picture.

Unfortunately, it's a story that happens way too often, and some with tragic results.

Regardless of his whereabouts now, what he did do is record one of the classics of the Soul idiom, one which has endured well over these 40+ years. A song which no one has duplicated, despite a few attempts.

Not bad.

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(Jarvis Cocker of Pulp - transformed taking the piss into high art)

I was reminded by a reader last night that, while I was mentioning Blur and Oasis, I neglected to mention one of the most influential bands of the mid-90s Britpop explosion, Pulp. Fronted by Jarvis Cocker, whose razor-sharp lyrics were/are a perfect companion to his stage persona, Pulp became one of the most enduring bands from the 90s. Probably something more of cult following here in the States than overseas, even though they've sold over 10 million copies of their albums worldwide. But nonetheless, one of the great bands to come out of that period. Sadly, they split in 2002.

This track, Common People, might be familiar - but I'm afraid it may be more familiar as the version done by William Shatner a couple of years back. I've gotta be honest, I hated that version - it was sacrilegious to me, because Shatner did it as a goof and the song is anything but - just my opinion. At any rate, it's off the 1995 album Different Class and it's one of a lot of great songs off that album.

If you're not familiar with them, I would really urge you to check them out. But if you are familiar - I'm just preaching to the choir.

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(Blur - put Britpop on the map - and we're glad they did)

Blur tonight. From the Popscene ep from 1992 - Mace. I always loved this band. I could never quite figure out the whole Blur vs. Oasis thing - I suspect it was more a publicity device than anything else. It was a bit like the Beatles vs. Rolling Stones supposed rivalry in the 60s. It was and is still possible to like both bands and their music and not play favorites. Especially on a Friday night.

Life is too short anyway.

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(H.P. Lovecraft - for once, there was a certain amount of truth in advertising)

No self-respecting stoners record collection would have been complete in the late 60s without at least one H.P. Lovecraft lp, usually the self-titled first one. And invariably this track, The White Ship, was the one usually the most worn on the album.

And with good reason - it's a classic. H.P. Lovecraft were together for a comparatively short period of time. Personnel and direction kept changing, but their first album, released in late 1967 is probably the most memorable owing to it's completely unique sound and eerie vocals, particularly the high tenor of Dave Michaels who turns The White Ship into the haunting masterpiece it is.

1967 was indeed an interesting year.