No 20 - Snow Flake - Jim Reeves

Gentleman Jim Reeves moved in mysterious ways.

He was a spooky bugger.

In the 1960's Jim Reeves was more popular in South Africa than Elvis. Elvis was too black for the Africaaners.

Jim once released an album that ran at 16 rpm, which is the slowest speed a record can run, playing music at this speed can summon up the devil.

For a gentleman, he could be a finickety bugger.

He would cancel a gig at the drop of a hat if he didn't like the piano at the venue - with Ireland suffering the most.

Daniel O' Donnells 1963 diary notes : 'Reeves the fecker cancelled again, The bastid'.

Some fool might posit that with Reeves last ever recording session featuring the song 'Make The World Go Away' was him asking God to take him home.
One year later, in 1964 he died due plane crash related injuries.
This piece of yuletide whimsy was released in 1966.
Two years after his death.
How is this possible?
As I said, a spooky bugger.

Also, once heard this song can never be forgotten.
Ever.
So be careful.

This is my last posting for Christmas, I'm turning off my computer until the new year. Thank you for reading, I hope you heard something new. Have a very Merry Christmas, and a most Happy New Year.
Best,
Mr. Drayton X.

No 19 - Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth - David Bowie and Bing Crosby

In terms of thinking about things, who spent the most time thinking about this meeting?

Did Bowie think more about singing with Bing, or did Bing think more about singing with Bowie? Being as Bing is dead, I'd wager that Bowie has, by default, given it more consideration. Were we to take the moments from when it was first suggested to the minute before Bing died, maybe Bing edged it. He was a deep thinker.

And he had met Bowie after all, not everyone got to do that back in the day.

Rumour has it that Bing didn't know who Bowie was. How could he not of known - even Tony Orlando of Dawn knew him. Put Bowie and Tony Orlando in Google to see.

Whatever went through their minds what we have here is a piece of weirdly and beautiful Christmas pop. Bowie wasn't overly happy at the song choice, but they'd preempted this problem by writing a new song to add to the mix, that's the Peace on Earth bit.

This choice is very much of it's time, it's wrapped in innocence, it doesn't feel as though there's a hugh PR machine ready to roll it out.
It just happened.
I can't think of a modern day equivalent.
That's a good thing in my book.

No 18 - The Little Boy That Santa Claus Forgot - A Girl Called Eddie.

When I played records on the radio, I had a Christmas Eve festive tunes special which featured this version of the song. After the song had finished, the phone went, and, on answering I had a very old and very tearful  man on the line.

'I just wanted to say that I haven't heard this song in years. It made me cry then, and it's making me cry now. Thankyou for playing it'.

Written in 1937, and one of it's co-writers, Michael Carr also wrote White Horses, the hit by Jacky. His theme to The Edgar Wallace Mysteries has been covered by Muse.
Not bad for a man born in 1905.

No 17 - Skiing In The Snow - Wigan's Ovation

When the pop has eaten itself and finally collaspses onto the ground, will anyone write the name Jim McClusky in the history books?

Will that single thread from rocks rich tapestry be unravelled?

Jim was the vocalist with Wigan's Ovation. His couldn't be a more rags to riches to rags story, I'll let him tell it:



'I had never sang live on stage before and one of the reasons for me joining the band was that I could not go on working shifts anymore'.

You never get that kind of story on X Factor these days.

"With Skiing in the Snow we had a load of fun in the studio, then we returned home and back to the working mens clubs performing either side of the bingo. Then about three weeks later we were in Hartlepool when we got the word that the record was finished, it sounded fantastic. Two weeks later we were on Top of the Pops.

The band split in 1976 but not before being ripped off by promoters and the like.
In 1977 we got back together again but the spark had gone, in 1984 our manager killed himself, for what reason nobody knows to this day.
We all gave up after that".

I think the words bitter and sweet are apt here. Stick this on though, and swing those pants.
　

No 16 - The Most Wonderful Time of the Year - Andy Williams

In our house Andy Williams was King. Petula Clarke was Queen and Elton John was the Little Princess. It's fitting that the smoothly cool Andy should provide us with a song, as it's a celebration of the season, full of excitment and hope.

We're talking parents record collection here, and although as a youngster it was my job to kick against them, I could never bring myself to hate Andy Williams.

If you're in any doubt that Andy was cool, how's about this guys and gals? 

He sang at JFK's funeral, he stood up to Nixon's administration in their attempts to deport John Lennon, he played Caesars Palace over 700 times and he invented the Osmonds (alright, maybe pass on that one).

When his first wife was accused of shooting her new husband, Andy stood by her, providing defence funds, and acting as a character witness.

I'm sat in my comfy armchair chair, wearing a nice sweater and having a dry martini, and I'm still nowhere as cool as Andy. No one can be.

15 - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - The Crystals.

Pop stars that have courted outrage over the years.
Alice Cooper? The Sex Pistols? Eminem?
The Crystals?
Nothing to see here?
Wrong.




After achieving reasonable chart success they caused outrage, outrage I tell you, by releasing 'He Hit Me (and it Felt Like A Kiss)'. It is a loathsome piece of work, they sang well, but hey....That was followed by Let's Dance The Screw. I know. Screwing. In 1963.

Anyways, when A Christmas Gift To You, the classic festive album, came out it, featured this fantastic version of a Santa Claus is Coming to Town. The album was released on the day JFK was shot, consequently it wasn't a big hit that Xmas.

Ever the trailblazers, The Crystals pioneered the badly spoken intro years before All Saints got in on the act.
Here's that clunky intro in full:

Jimmy, I just came back from a lovely trip along the milky way,
I stopped off a the north pole to spend the holiday,
I called on old dear Santa Claus, To see what I could see
He took me to his workshop and told his plans to me
Now Santa is a busy man, he's got no time to play
He's got millions of stocking to fill on christmas day
You better write your letter now and mail it right away,
Cos he's getting ready his reindeers and his sleigh...

No 14 - Songs For Christmas - Sufjan Stevens

Cards on the table, I love Sufjan Stevens. I think he's a genius.

With this selection, you get not one, but 42 songs. Sufjan tackles the classics. He also adds some of his own to the mix.
A culmination of several years work, songs he wrote for his friends and family.

You can download it or buy it, it comes in a lovely box.


You just need it for Christmas morning, or Boxing day afternoon.

No 13 - Caravan of Love - the Housemartins

Had Jackie Wilson's Reet Petite not knocked The Housemartins from the top spot the week before Christmas, Caravan of Love would probably be one of those songs that we're all heartily sick to the back teeth of by now.

It would've been looped to within an inch of it's life in shops around the country.

Well done dead pop star, you saved us.


Politically red in tooth and claw, how many more chart topping bands do you know who asked of you to 'take Jesus...take Marx...take Hope'?. Certainly not Amazulu (though their drummer was from Scunthorpe) or Brother Beyond.

If you're looking for a song that perfectly sums up the yuletide spirit then look no further than this accapella gem from the four loveable crop tops from the north bank of the Humber.

"We'll be living in a world of peace,
In the day when everyone is free,
We'll bring the young and the old,
Won't you let your love flow
From your heart"

No 12 - Christmas Time Will Soon Be Over - Jack White

If you haven't even started yet, if you have a mountain of shopping to do and you can only get into town this Saturday afternoon, if you've got family coming round you really don't want to come round, if, by some weird timing issue you've only just realised that it's just round the corner, if it reminds you of something you'd rather forget, if you just see it as an excuse to spend money you can ill afford, if you hate the fact that the news is never on at the time that news should be on, if you hate laughing, family, presents, melancholy, ghost stories, decorations, excited kids waking up at 4am, puddings and Love, then this one's for you. 

No 11 - Jingle Bell Rock - The Ventures

If Pete Best is the Pete Best of the Beatles, then Skip Moore is the Pete Best of The Ventures.

The biggest selling instrumental group ever (according to some gumph on the internet) got together over second hand cars and a love of re-recording other peoples songs. Their biggest hit, a version of Walk Don't Run, saw Skip waiving his future royalties for a $25 session fee. The pillock.

The Ventures also were one of the first groups to use flanging on a record, as well as a vocoder and one of them invented the Fuzzbox, which he then used.

You can hear all that history in this one great yuletide bounce of a record. Ideal for playing just before you go out for that early drink on Christmas Eve, it'll power you out of the house.

No 10 - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Joseph Spence

There are not enough pipe smoking musicians these days, ditto cigars.

One of the greatest moment in any childs Christmas morning was the unwrapping of the Smokers Outfit.

Usually made flesh in chocolate, though one year I did get a licorice one, which was given back the following year. Now thanks to the bloody PC brigade, Thornton's only do a Junkie Outfit, you know, chocolate stash, syringe, spoon, cotton wool and lighter.
You can however still get a Crack Outfit, but only in the dark side of town.

This song was recommended by The Windup Gramophone, a very talented lad from the 'boro who assures me that you can still buy a Parmo Outfit made of cheese.

You are unlikely to hear this version on the radio ever, which is a crying shame, as it's oddness is a welcome release from the usual saccharin treatment it receives. You could be mistaken for thinking the devil had a hand in it's making.
Well done Dark Lord.

No 9 - Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses

Chrissie Hynde, Clarke Gable and Devo are all famous folk from Akron, Ohio.

So, with todays choice, Akron, Ohio takes top spot in the 'places that have given us great xmas records' category. It was the birth place of the man who wrote and produced Christmas Wrapping.
Chris Butler is that man. "I go back and I try to think of what the original inspiration was. I think it was just very much that for years I hated Christmas,"

That loathing led to him writing a story song of love unrequited, love then requited -  over a search for cranberries.

To make this song even cooler it was first released on the Ze Label, the early 80's barometer of NYC pop/punk sophistication.
Was Not Was, Suicide and Kid Creole all featured on their roster.

What's not to like?

No 8 - 2000 Miles - The Pretenders

Like Stop The Cavalry, this song became a Christmas record by default. That'll explain why it's not over laden with sleigh bells and caterwauling harpies.

At her best, Chrissie Hynde can melt the coldest hearts with that beautiful vibrato of hers. Coupled with a lovely guitar arpeggio, this song swings gently, yearning for better times.

Apparently, this was written for former guitarist James Honeyman Scott who had joined the great dead drug gang in the sky.
The band lost two members over a short period of time.

Knowing that makes this song all the more poignant.

He's gone 2000 miles.
It's very far,
the snow is falling down.
Gets colder every day,
I miss you.

No 7 - Silent Night - Sir Richard Hawley

Of course there's always time for tradition at Christmas, and it would be very remiss of me not to include a carol or two in this line up.

One of the things that bugs me about Xmas morning is all the lah-di-dah carol services swamping the radio when I'm trying to open my first bottle of sherry. It's either that or product-line festive tunes being wheeled out. We've been listening to them in Morisons since August, so do we really need to hear them again?


What we need is some Suavity.*

Step forward Sir Richard Hawley. A man who lists amongst his favourite things his Grandad, Dad and his Uncle isn't going to make a hash of such a solid tune as Silent Night is he? And so it proves.

This croonsome version has a steel guitar solo and I think it might feature a gentle xylophone.

That's got to be better than anything Mariah Carey foghorns her way through.
Hasn't it?

*Suavity. Someone being suave or having suaveness. I think I've invented a new word.

No 6 - Santa Claus Is Ska-ing To Town - The Granville Williams Orchestra

1934 sees Haven Gillespie and J. Fred Coots writing Santa Claus is Coming to Town.
According to legend it took about ten minutes to write and their publishers rubbished it - deeming it childish.

Undetered, they offered it to' Eddie 'Banjo Eyes' Cantor, who played it on his radio show. he was bigger than Chris Moyles back in the day.
By the end of the week it had sold 100,000 copies of sheet music and by Xmas, 400,000.

In the Mid 60's the Granville Williams Orchestra, a Jamician hotel band, got Lee Scratch Perry to pep it up.
Santa Claus is Ska-ing to Town was the result. You'd be hard pressed to find a more joyful evocation of pre-xmas jitters and excitment.

This sounds great rattling round a steamy Christmas day kitchen, it fair lifts the spirits.
Hit Him Up!

No 5 - Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto - James Brown

If you're Santa Claus, it's safe to say that you've got a lot on your plate come Christmas Eve.
There's a lot of boys and girls wanting their just deserts.
They want it all and they want it now.
No doubt your sleigh is full of expensive gifts for those kids whose folks can afford it.

But what about poor little Mary? Poor little Gary and Poor little Donnie with the lazy eye?


You could think, Hell No! Those kids don't get no presents.
You are Santa after all.
Omnipresent. You're not a charity.

Wait on though. Who is this telling you to get your red and white ass down to the Ghetto?
Only the Funky President - James Brown.
When James Brown asks you to go to Ghetto that's where you go:

"You know that I know you will see,
Cause that was once me"

No 4 - So Much Wine - The Handsome Family

It's got to be said.  Christmas is one holy pain in the ass. The Handsome Family give us Christmas Day from across the tracks, in far hills, from the bottom of a glass

What ever you do this yuletide, don't drink yourself sick and wake up naked in a hedge.

"I had nothing to say on Christmas day when you threw all your clothes in the snow. When you burnt your hair, knocked over chairs, I just tried to stay out of your way. But when you fell asleep with blood on your teeth, I got in my car and drove away"

That's lesson enough. Love one another.

No 3 - Purple Snowflakes - Marvin Gaye

Beautiful Marvin. Soul God, Social Concience.

1981.
Beautiful Marvin plays darts in an Ostend bar, his wilderness years.

1964.
Marvin sings for The Motown Christmas album. Purple Snowflakes swirl around a piano cascade, snowflakes swirl around Marvin and his love, safe inside. Chestnuts roasting. She warms Marvins heart.
Marvin melts ours with a deft touch, a voice quietly celebrating all that's right with the world.

Purple Snowflakes, not Blue.

No 2 - River - Joni Mitchell

It's coming on Christmas,
They're cutting down trees,
They're putting up reindeer,
And singing songs of joy and peace. 

Oh, I wish I had a river
I could skate away on.

Along with wind and heartburn, melancholia is one of my favourite Christmas feelings. You can't avoid it, it's contagious. It used to settle in on me whilst drunkenly carol singing at Midnight Mass. Once in Royal David's City is the holy champion of melancholia.

Joni Mitchell's Blue has it's fair share of sadness. Don't let that put you off, it's a brilliant record, best played on vinyl you've owned since 1978. Whilst not a Christmas Record per se, this song makes the top 25 thanks to that simple lyric opening onto an idyllic scene, then skating away into the cold, cold night.

Oh I wish I had a river
I could skate away on.

I made my baby say goodbye.

No 1 - White Christmas - The Patti Smith Group.

Fighting in the punk rock wars year zero meant there was very little room for finer musical feelings as the 1970's bowed out. Carols were for sissys.

This version of the Irving Berlin classic was released as a bootleg 7" single credited to r.e.f.m, which, when I saw it* was a must have. Patti croaks her way through the song, a heart felt, if not a classic, rendition, nicely rounded off with 'Merry Christmas From The Patti Smith Group'.

*I have no recollection where it was, it could've been Woolies in Scunthorpe, one lad who worked there sold under the counter bootlegs along with the MFP and Pickwick albums. I also bought a red vinyl 12" of the Stones Cock Sucker Blues off him for a quid. That was the wonder of Woolies.

HIPSTERS! This is what they wanted!

So, eleven weeks later and side one of The Record Player comes to a close. It's been great fun and I've met some new people and heard some stuff I wouldn't ever consider listening to. Below are the chart placings decided by ticket sales, biggest surprise was 9 people for The Stone Roses. I'd think more would come now that they're decided to get their sorry asses on the comeback trail. Thanks to all who bought tickets, thanks to Tyneside Cinema for going along with the whole crazy scheme.

Back in March, suggestions for long list coming this week - please add your faves to comments list or email them to therecordplayer@yahoo.co.uk.

1. Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders from Mars
2. Led Zep 4
3. Dark Side of the Moon
4. The Hounds of Love
5. Pet Sounds
6. For Emma, Forever Ago
7. Seldom Seen Kid
8. Abbey Road
9. Queen 2
10. Quadrophenia
11. The Stone Roses

Folk I Have Met.

Last weekend I was in the same room as a man who wrote over 50 Motown hits. Alright, Cliff Richard was there as well, but let's not quibble. Lamont Dozier was that man, a man whose genius has soundtracked the lives of millions.

I once shook the hand of DJ Fontana, he played the drums on Jailhouse Rock. With Elvis. I never expected that in my life. Suzi Quatro once rang me up and I have offered my flat as a bail address for a Housemartin.

There is an argument that should never meet your heroes, but, sadly when I do, I can't help myself. Fanboy takes over. I once stuck my head through the sun roof of a Ford Granada to tell David Sylvian that I liked his records and there was that time that Peter Hook told me to fuck off.

When I got the chance to meet Brian Wilson, I was both chuffed and cynical. Here's a man whose songs are on the radio everyday. Since the 1960's. But he's bonkers, he's addled by drugs and age. As we queued a little American barked at us 'one autograph, one photograph'. Duly we met the man, a brief blur of signing and a quick snap.
For the few seconds I stood by him, all I could think was; 'bugger me, it's Brian Wilson'. He's a genius.
We were soon turfed out, but the good feeling remained.

So what's the point then? It's the Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys classic at The Record Player on Thursday, and as part of the fun, there's a competition to win the copy of Smile I got Brian to autograph.
Here it is:

http://www.tynesidecinema.co.uk/whats-on/mr-draytons-record-player

I Listen So You Don't Have To

Yesterday, some young people stopped me in the street and asked me if I liked modern music. 'Why yes of course' I replied, 'I enjoy lots of modern things, The LCD Soundsystem, John Grant, Bon Iver, Magnetic Man and The Flaming Lips to name a few'. 

Apparently these aren't modern enough for todays youth, they're 'shan'. Politely, they asked me to cast a weather ear over some of todays chart bound sounds. So I did.

I've listened to them so you don't have to. If you got a record token from your Auntie Phylis for your birthday and you're wondering what to buy this weekend, maybe one of these might be just right for you.

Christina Perri.
This sounds like Death dragging a rusting metal box crammed with evicerated puppies, scratching it's way across the face of a burnt out child.

Adele - 21
Sounds like a morbidly obese lass caterwauling down a ten-foot, in the pissing rain, having lost a shoe in a brawl outside a chippy over a lad called Shane. In Rotherham.

Jessie J
Sounds like a dog having eaten a box full of false nails, eyelashes and glitter, now having a convulsive shaking shit to purge them from it's system.

Florence and the Whale
A posh bird at a christmas do for abatoir workers, caged in a karaoke machine which can only spew out You've Got The Love until someone comes and cleves her head from her shoulders in a mercy killing. Which never happens.

Lilly Allen
Sounds like a flat bike tyre, the leak caused by a syringinge discarded by Pete Docherty on his way to score some smack from Amy Winehouse's ghost.

NO MORE Mr. NICE GUY

Sadly this weeks Record Player comes with a dark cloud hovering above it's head. After last weeks shenanigans I feel it's time to bring down the heavy hand of authority. I have to do this to protect those who come along to enjoy the music every week.

The Record Player prides its self in bringing a relaxed atmosphere, a place to take time out from the day, a place to listen.

So it began last week. Abbey Road played and a scuffle broke out during Maxwell's Silver Hammer. All well and good, not everyone likes this piece of McCartney whimsy - Lennon called it 'Paul's granny music' after all.

Further investigation revealed the scuffle wasn't over the merits of the song. It was members of the audience attempting to suppress a triangle player. He'd brought the triangle along to 'enhance the vibe'. I gave the audience a stiff talking to.

Afterwards, some came along to aplogise. They admitted to bringing along the following - a stylophone to Dark Side of the Moon, a comb and paper to The Stone Roses, marimbas to Ziggy Stardust and harp to Bon Iver.

I feel guilty for not noticing. I'd thought these new sounds were coming out from the uncompressed beauty of vinyl. Turns out it was some kids fannying on with instruments they'd brought along.

I never thought I would have to say this, it saddens me that I should have to. From here on in - NO MORE INSTRUMENTS.

Anyone who looks as though they're carrying will be searched, and if found in possession of instruments will be taken to the Record Player parallel universe version where Phil Collins 'No Jacket Required' is in perpetual rotation. You have been warned.

Queen II by The Queen Group this week.

Hello, Hello, It's Good To Be Back....

The Record Player Returns on the 13th Oct with the fab-four-tastic Abbey Road. To increase your record enjoying pleasure, single album evenings will also include a devilish daft competition.

The prize for this Thursday is a pair of tickets to any future Record player evening of your choice*.

There is a downside though. All those who enter are automatically plunged into the Essential and Ultimate box. The lowest scoring team has to chose an album that is classed as Ultimate or Essential.

It might make a nice present for your Nana. Personally, I wouldn't have them in the house.

* It was going to be a fab Beatles plate, but the pillocks I bought it from failed to deliver it in time.

End Of Term Report, Record Player, Vol 1.

With the Record Player resting it's weary stylus this week, I feel it's high time to take a look back at what was an interesting and entertaining set of albums, and to reveal The Record Player TOP FOUR.

If you've come across this blog before, you'll be heartily sick of reading about how fantastic it's all been, so I'll not bang on about it all too much.

Needless to say it has been great, far, far better than I expected. I never expected people to applaud vinyl, I never expected to meet so many people who are so in love with music, knowledgeable and enthusiastic and who are prepared to sit and listen to groovy sounds.

The evenings have been pretty much finding their own way.When I punted the idea to the Tyneside Cinema I knew what I wanted to do, and certainly didn't want to try and make it 'all about me'. I do witter on at the beginning, in an attempt to put people at their ease, ready for the music, and am always happy to chat on afterwards.

What I didn't expect was so many lovely folk would come, with such an open attitude, it has been most heartening and puts a spring in my step come a Friday morning.

The next seven weeks albums are those chosen from a short list of 20, which was boiled down from some 40 or so suggestions. If your favourite isn't on the list, look out, it maybe on the list should the Record Player return in the New Year.

So what have been the hits and misses of the last month?

According to ticket sales - here's the Record Player Top Four.

No 4: The Stone Roses by The Stone Roses. The lowest attendance by a country mile. I thought this would be a sure fire winner, but you proved otherwise. The vinyl - played from two separate albums wasn't that warm either.

No 3: For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver. After the relative failure of the 'Roses, I wasn't holding out much hope for this, the most modern of the selection. I was wrong. A most chilled evening.

No 2: Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd. One ticket off a sell out for this one, half way through side one and the room relaxed.

No 1: The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders from Mars - David Bowie. Top seller by a country mile. Original 1970's pressing adding depth and some surface noise. Added bonus of exclusive interview with drummer Woody Woodmansey, it was the icing on the  Record player Volume 1. Cake
Thankyou one and all.

Far Beyond My Wildest Dreams....

...as side one of The Record Player comes to a close, I have to say the last four weeks have been above and beyond. Each night has brought it's own particular brand of magic.

Last week we went wiggy with Ziggy, this week (which I expected to be  empty because of the heat) a fantastic crowd sat and soaked up the melancholy gorgeousness of Bon Iver.

I can't get over the fact that people will come to simply enjoy music. Running the Record Player has allowed me to listen afresh. I used to cycle to work with my ipod on. Now, if I'm going to play music, I take time to sit and listen. I hear it.

I'd like to extend the hand of friendship to all those who bothered to come.  Thanks to the Four Timers - Susan and Ewan. Nuff respec' (see what I did there?) to the cool kids who came tonight - they took the time to come from Washington to listen to a record.  How cool is that? Ice Cold.

And - the lovely folk at Tyneside Cinema, the only place see a film or listen to an album.
Thank you.

Week off next week, I'm off bear baiting with Jackie Charlton.

The Record Player Charts will follow soon, as will the playlist for October/November 2011.
See you on the 13th.

If you're in two minds about Bon Iver on Thursday...

....try this. Here are some excerpts from an article written by Laura Barton in The Guardian back in Feb 2008. As soon as I'd read this I ordered the album. I wasn't disapointed.

"If we have spoken in the past couple of weeks, I apologise. If you have poured out your heart and found me blank-faced, if you have asked me whether you should wear the red or the blue, or if I want-milk-with-that and I have appeared distracted, let me say that I am sorry. My mind has been elsewhere. For the past fortnight, every moment not spent listening to the Bon Iver record, For Emma, Forever Ago, has seemed wasted.

In my defence, this is a truly astonishing album. It was recorded last winter, in a hunting cabin in northwestern Wisconsin to which Justin Vernon (who is Bon Iver) retreated alone for three months following the break up of both his band and his relationship. Eighty acres. Forty miles from anywhere. He chopped wood, hunted deer, and unexpectedly found himself writing songs.

It is only nine tracks long. A little over 30 minutes. A sapling. Vernon sings in an icy falsetto, the sound of winter sky and bare branches. He sings of his inhospitable surroundings, of snow and stone and crows and cold moons, interspersing these images with a few warm memories of blouses and blood and brassières. It is an album that starts by watching "gluey feathers on a flume", that, in Skinny Love, firmly grasps the nettle of a relationship: "I'll be holding all the tickets," he sings, voice turned thorny and rough, "and you'll be owning all the fines." And it ends in a song named Re: Stacks, closing with the lines: "This is not the sound of a new man or crispy realisation/ It's the sound of the unlocking and the lift away/ Your love will be/ Safe with me."

I first played it sitting at my desk. The room stood still and my breath disappeared. Since then, I have listened to it endlessly, over and over, on buses and trains, late night and early mornings, sitting at my kitchen table, running to the corner shop, stopped, dumbstruck, beneath the office strip lights looking out over the rooftops of Farringdon. It is an album that envelops you in a profound sense of loss and isolation and stillness.

There are times when an album, for the want of a hunting cabin in Wisconsin, can offer a retreat; somewhere to hide away and muddle things through. It is quite different to falling in love with a record, the feeling is less exuberant, more cathartic. You do not so much want to shout your passion for this music from the rooftops, as long to quietly fold around it."

Apologies for nicking this off another website, but I couldn't have put it better myself.

Ziggy Played Guitar - and Woody Played The Drums.

When I pushed the idea of The Record Player into the happy faces of the good people of the Tyneside Cinema, I had, at the back of my mind, this notion of listening to an album as a shared experience, much the same of going to see a film or a play. Obviously, it takes a great leap of faith, sitting in the dark with some strangers for company, letting yourself go with the groovy sounds.

It's happened twice so far. The Darkside of the Moon was, I felt, a contemplative evening, whereas Ziggy Stardust rocked the house.

There's not a bad song on that album, not one overstays it's welcome, it sounds tough and sweet all at the same time.

The boat was pushed out for Ziggy. Before the playback top Tyneside actor Laura Norton took on the mantle of Angie Bowie. She read some of Angie's prose and poetry and then I talked some nonsense. The icing on the cake was an interview I'd recorded the day before with King Spider - Sir Woody Woodsmansey which ended with him introducing the album.

I'd emailed Woody via his website, asking if he'd be up for a chat, and very generously he said yes.

That's what I love about things like this. Sometimes, just sometimes you get to say hello to people who have sound tracked not only yours, but millions of peoples lives. If the 14 year old me knew that the 52 year old me was talking to an actual Spider from Mars (Driffield, East Yorks actually fact fans) he would have fainted away with joy, which actually, I very nearly did.

I had goosebumps from start to finish, and, as Rock n Roll Suicide drew to a close, everyone applauded.

That's the power of Ziggy.

Win a vinyl copy of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars by pop singer David Bowie

You know that Six Degrees of Separation thing? (Six degrees of separation refers to the idea that everyone is on average approximately six steps away, by way of introduction, from any other person on Earth).

Well, I can connect myself to top pop star David Bowie with four degrees. So can my friend Carol Cooke.

I'll tell you how on Thursday at the Tyneside Cinema.

To win a copy of this weeks Record Player featured album - connect yourself to David Bowie.

The best entries will be put to an audience vote. You stand more chance of winning by being there, but email and posted connections will be taken into consideration.

Post here or email therecordplayer@yahoo.co.uk.

https://www.tynesidecinema.co.uk/whats-on/mr-draytons-record-player

Fragments of a Song

I hadn't listened to the debut album from The Stone Roses in years.
It was one of those rare albums that withstood play after play after play.

There are a handful of albums that I've had to ration my listening to, for fear of wearing out their appeal, this is (the) one.
A great album is like a puzzle. On the first few plays you can hear the magic, it's hooks are fleeting, but gradually those hooks get under your skin.

Every play brings the familiar, whilst slowly revealing tricks and treats which make the whole thing sing.
A real test of the staying power of a great album are the fragments of songs that pop in to your head, unannounced.

Currently I have:
'I'm going to do it and you know you've always had it coming....' snaking around my brain.

The Stone Roses has tons of these fragments.
It's these shards that catch the light, giving it a shimmering beauty.

You can hear it, in full tonight from 7.15.
https://www.tynesidecinema.co.uk/whats-on/mr-draytons-record-player

Your Record Player Needs You.

The good people of the Tyneside Cinema have asked if the Record Player would be interested in spinning yet more groovy sounds in the Digital Lounge.

Why, of course it would.

Since its launch, the House Of Record Player has received many suggestions for featured albums – so now, it’s time for you to decide.

Below is the short list. Eight will be chosen.

Put your selection in the comments below or email therecordplayer@yahoo.co.uk.

The Shortlist

Blue - Joni Mitchell

Hounds of Love – Kate Bush

Led Zeppelin 4 – Led Zeppelin

Parallel Lines – Blondie

OK Computer - Radiohead

Kind of Blue – Miles Davis

Moon Safari - Air

For Your Pleasure – Roxy Music

Solid Air – John Martyn

Different Class – Pulp

Innervisions - Stevie Wonder

Abbey Road – The Beatles

Horses – Patti Smith

Tubular Bells – Mike Oldfield

Unknown Pleasures – Joy Division

Never Mind The Bollocks… – The Sex Pistols

Pet Sounds – The Beach Boys

Seldom Seen Kid – Elbow

Marquee Moon – Television

Queen II - Queen

Closing date 12.00 Friday 16^th September.

Bri An' I

When I was 10, Mick and Barbara Wooffitt moved next door. They were flamboyant creatures, Barbara was beautiful, Mick had a guitar. Mick also had a record player.

He had records by The Shadows, The Four Seasons, Great War Movie Themes, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly soundtrack and The Beach Boys Greatest Hits.

I would often go round on the pretence of saying hello, hoping that I might be able to hear these records. Often, when Mick was on shift, Barbara would let me pop round and listen to whatever I wanted. I loved Frankie Valli's falsetto on Big Girls Don't Cry, but the song that captured by imagination was 'I Get Around' by The Beach Boys, especially the line 'The bad guys know us and they leave us alone'.

What did the good guys do that gave them the respect from the bad guys?

Sadly, I never found out their secret, and was often chinned by the bad guys.
Despite this, the Beach Boys gave me eternal hope.

Tonight, thanks to my mate Rob I met the man who, in a small way, gave the 10 year old me, that little bit of hope.

I never ever thought that would happen.

Well That Was Nice.

Yesterday was a momentous day in the life of The Record Player. It began with the handing over of the very first copy of the very first edition of the fanzine to contributor Keith Topping. Keith chose The Stone Roses badge as his free badge. As you can see I was very happy to present Keith with his copy, and managed to get that gormless fan boy look down as well.

I'm very pleased to report that The Darkside Of The Moon by The Pink Floyd was very well received by a very appreciative audience.

During the planning stages several doubters put forward the idea that I would end up with a room full of beard strokers. Well, let me tell you, you doubting Helen and Marks, there was only one beard in sight, and to draw attention it would have upset the lady who wore it.

Last night the house rules were set collectively, last night (and for all future nights)
- all mobile devices are to be turned off.
-Air guitar and air drumming is allowed, as is singing.
- Chilling is imperative.

Comments afterwards: suggestions for future evenings, how several attendees hadn't sat and listened to record all the way through since they were nowt  but bairns and "even though the Stone Roses are shit, I'll come and listen to it".

You can hear The Stone Roses first album next Thursday, doors at 7.00 and playback at 7.15.
https://www.tynesidecinema.co.uk/whats-on/mr-draytons-record-player

A big, big thankyou to all at the Tyneside who helped make it happen, it's very much appreciated.

People Are Good

As part of the Record Player Experience, I figured putting out a fanzine might be a nice touch. As a fan of these 'knock 'em out' alternatives to the NME and Melody Maker from the days of the punk rock wars, I set to. I'd never had the where-with-all to do one when I was younger, so now seemed like a good time to reach for that DIY ethic.

I also wanted the whole thing to be more of a shared experience, taking in views that would give the publication variety and insight.

I put the word out to those hipsters who I thought might be interested in contributing, gave them some themes and a deadline. Contributions rolled in. When I sat down to edit the thing, I was struck by the strength and humour in the writing. I had planned to chop articles, but as it turned out, each individual voice was strong.
I could offer no fee, people did it for the love of it, I've had pieces from as far away as Germany and The Borders.

It's just been delivered, and is sitting at home,waiting for me. That's very exciting.

So, anyway, what I wanted to say was thanks to those who contributed -
Mr. Kirkwood, Mr. Walton, Mr. Hedges, Mr. Schumm, Mr. Collier, Mr. Topping, Mr. Moyes and young Master Boughen. Thankyou men, you're great.

'Zine available from the Record Player events at the Tyneside or you can email me
Therecordplayer@yahoo.co.uk.

It comes with a free badge that I've had made as well.
You can also buy a set of four limited edition badges I've had made for the first four weeks, each with a lyric from the first four albums.

https://www.tynesidecinema.co.uk/whats-on/mr-draytons-record-player

Bleeding Heart, Lily of the Valley, Snap Dragon, Rambling Rose...

If you happen to happen by The House of Record Player on a Friday evening, chances are you'll find my good lady and myself enjoying some fine spanish beer and spinning some tunes. One particular family favourite is the album 'Goodbye' by The Czars, and, the one track that is our tune is called 'Little Pink House'. It's a melancholy number, voiced by the estimable John Grant.

I came to The Czars late in the day, after they'd split, and it was always a regret that I'd never seen them, as I was entranced by John Grant. When he returned to the pop scene with the brilliant Queen Of Denmark album, I was overjoyed, because there was a chance that he'd be touring it, and, as it turned out, he came to the Sage in March.

The show was stunning, he was in great voice, very warm, witty and open, so when, towards the end of the show he asked if anyone had any request I bellowed "Little Pink House" drowning out just about everyone else. He played it, and I like to think, a little bit of it was for Mrs. D and myself. I did allow a squeeze of her hand as he sang it.

Fast forward to yesterday, I'm in Brighton, I know, very debonair, and reading Mojo magazine. Mojo magazine is a music mag for the older gentleman. On Page 126 a review of John Grant at the 100 Club, London and these words appear "The last song is Little Pink House, a Czars track that Grant hadn't played since the band split in 2004, until a fan requested it at a gig in March".

Reading that made me very happy, and a friend who was at the gig and had read the review and contacted me about it, so I'm not making it up.

It's little things like that that make me still believe in the power of music, the power to bring us together and make us happy.



 

I Dreamed A Dream...

I had my first Record Player anxiety dream last night. I was on my way to the show, with a bunch of albums for the evening in a beautiful 1970’s mauve record case. As I walked down Northumberland Street I saw, coming towards me, a man in a hurry. The strange thing was, he was carrying an identical record case.

He clattered into me and we both tumbled to the ground.

It’s alright, I wasn’t hurt.

We picked ourselves up, dusted ourselves down, shook hands like gentlemen and continued on our separate ways.

There was a very lovely crowd of people in the Digital Lounge, which was very heartening, as they had all obviously booked their tickets early, they booked their tickets early, book your ticket now.

I welcomed everyone in and began my little introduction, a very witty, pithy and informative piece about The Dark Side Of The Moon. It was very well received and the audience clubbed together to buy me a bottle of wine to enjoy during the playback.

Then the nightmare began.

I opened my record case and pulled out, not the Pink Floyd classic, but Private Dancer by Tina Turner. Someone laughed. My stomach flipped. No Jacket Required by Phil Collins appeared next, followed by Men At Work, Adele, The Spice Girls, Savage Garden and Westlife. I had taken the wrong record case.

The gathered throng, once happy and welcoming, became restless and aggressive . A Latte flew out of the darkness, followed by some expensive crisps. I awoke screaming, my wife holding me down, soothing me with a gentle caress, a damp flannel calming my fever. As I drifted back to sleep, I reminded myself to put the albums in turquoise record case.

Well that's nice.

There has been a great response to The Record Player from friends and strangers alike.

Why, only yesterday a blind tramp, his clothing hanging in rags, his breath fetid, took hold of my arm and coughed 'Thankyou for bringing back the music Mr. Drayton" into my face.  He then pressed a gold coin into my palm.

I took this gold coin,  I purchased a brand new copy, on vinyl, of 'For Emma, For Ever Ago'. This will be opened on the night. If it scratched, we're buggered. But now, thanks to that shabby, beautiful tramp, we do have all the albums on vinyl.

And in other news, There is one of the four that I have two of, so there'll be one up for a competition prize.

How exciting!

Hello and welcome.

A few weeks ago I went and bought myself a replica Dansette record player. In doing so I unleashed lots of records that had been kept in captivity on a shelf.

After some serious old bloke organising, I took an album and played it, from start to finish every night for a week. It was great. For far to long I'd been doing the ipod shuffle, little musical snacks, in place of great big meal. Taking myself off with a different album each night was a treat at the end of the day.

I then thought it would be great to be able to invite everyone round to have a feast, but was thwarted by space restrictions. I asked the good people of the Tyneside if I could have some people round at theirs, and they said it was no problem, they'd even open a bar.

http://www.tynesidecinema.co.uk/whats-on/mr-draytons-record-player

I've chosen the first four albums in this season, I'd be delighted if you suggested something, but beware, I'm a right nazi when it comes to music, so no Jethro Tull or Leona Lewis if you don't mind. Unless you can persuade me otherwise.

I'm also putting a fanzine for the event, should you want to contribute, please do so, keep it short, anything about music, also your thoughts about the featured albums, anything will be considered. If you get a piece in you get a free copy, it'll come with a badge as well, so that's good.

I will be posting more about  the evenings as they draw closer so do drop by again, feel free to post here, or email therecordplayer@yahoo.co.uk.

Thanks,
Mr. Drayton.