Heading into the 80's tonight with a track by The Style Council. When The Jam called it quits, front man Paul Weller promptly switched gears from Punk icon to Blue-eyed Soul and Funk aficionado and baffled quit a few fans in the process. But for all the scorn he reaped from his old fans, his new ones came running and The Style Council created a lasting impression and a newly-found admiration base for Paul Weller.

Tonight it's a track off Introducing The Style Council, released in 1983. Long Hot Summer starts the album off and quickly eases into the groove that would be their trademark over the next several years.

And since we are heading on a crash course for Summer anyway . . . .

To me, The Zombies were one of the milestone bands to be part of the British Invasion in the mid-1960's. They had a completely unique sound and approach to their music which set them apart from the majority of bands vying for airwave attention during those days.

But for some reason they were more popular in the U.S. and Continental Europe than they were in their native UK. Maybe because of that they were almost constantly working on getting exposure on British radio which was the reason for the huge amount of sessions they recorded for the BBC for the various music programs of the time. Sadly, we never got to hear those live sessions in the States (well, occasionally via the trusty BBC Transcription Service) and so we never really got to appreciate what a truly unique and influential band they really were.

So tonight I'm running three tracks The Zombies recorded for the BBC. The first one was a huge hit for them over here and is probably the one song most closely associated with them over the years, Tell Her No, recorded in session in 1965. The second and third tracks, Gotta Get Hold Of Myself and Goin' Out Of My Head are from 1966 and give a glowing indication of what they were capable of doing with other people's material. Goin' Out Of My Head, made famous by Little Anthony & The Imperials is probably the best version I've ever heard by a white group of a song indelibly stamped by Little Anthony.

Three tracks by a unique and noteworthy band who were part of a massive upheaval and change in Rock Music.

The 60's were an interesting time.

Very early Moody Blues tonight. I know most people think of The Moody Blues and they instantly hum Nights In White Satin from Days Of Future Past - it was the song from the album that signaled turning point in the bands career.

Granted, it was a dramatic shift from Merseybeat and R&B to the sound that became their signature, but with the exception of some personnel changes, it was for the most part the same band. It just goes to show you what a difference a year and a direction change can make.

But this was 1965 - they already scored a hit with the Bessie Banks song Go Now! in 1964 and direction change wasn't in the cards just yet. Tonight's track is the follow up to that single. A Moody Blues original, From The Bottom Of My Heart which came out in February 1965 and got as high as #22 on the charts. The song was a departure for the band and listening to the arrangement and production you get the feeling they were experimenting with a different sound even then. It just hadn't quite jelled and was waiting for a few more elements to be introduced.

You probably haven't heard this one in a very long time - if ever.