BEEHIVE CANDY

The 1970 Isle of Wight festival was the third and final year of the early festivals history. With an estimated 600,000 people in attendance both the organisers and the islanders had enough after this event. Free were a young band who first came together to rehearse at the Nag's Head pub in Battersea, London, on April 19, 1968. Bass player Andy Fraser, was only 15 years old while lead singer Paul Rodgers, lead guitarist Paul Kossoff, and drummer Simon Kirke, were also still teenagers. It would have been hard to imagine that just over two years later they would perform to such a large audience. Just three years later in 1973 the band disbanded, however they left classics such as 'All Right Now' and 'Wishing Well' along with some superb album tracks for posterity. This is Free live at East Afton Farm, Freshwater, Isle of Wight, England, the home for the third festival, on Sunday 30th August 1970. Set List: 01 Ride on a Pony 02 Woman 03 The Stealer ...

Mike Score (lead vocals, keyboards) formed A Flock of Seagulls with his brother Ali (drums) and Frank Maudsley (bass) in 1980, adding guitarist Paul Reynolds several months later. The group released its debut EP early in 1981, and while the record failed to chart, its lead track, 'Telecommunication' became an underground hit in Euro-disco and new wave clubs. The band signed a major-label contract with Jive by the end of the year, and their eponymous debut album appeared in the spring of 1982. 'I Ran (So Far Away)' was released as the first single from the album, and MTV quickly picked up on its video, which featured long shots of Mike Score and his distinctive, cascading hair. The single climbed into the American Top Ten, taking the album along with it. In the U.K., 'I Ran' didn't make the Top 40 (highest position 43), but 'Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)' reached number ten later that year. Which in commercial terms was the hi...

Welcome to this months 'Whats Up Doc' . They have been called 'pop surrealists' and 'new wave kooks', their original 'trade mark hairstyles' clearly have had an influence on this blog, whatever, they are The B52's , and in these dark times, any band that can pick up sixteen years after they left off, with some fun music gets my vote! The new album 'Funplex' is due out later this month, and here are two songs and two versions of the title track including a CSS remix, (CSS are just one of numerous bands to happily admit the positive impact The B52's have had on their music). Links Removed - MP3 Policy. The B-52s - Funplex.mp3 The B-52s - Funplex (CSS Remix).mp3 B52s - Hot Corner.mp3 Album details and purchase option HERE . Another favorite band of The Beehive are The Black Crowes , who finally have their new album 'Warpaint' out, as of yesterday. Recently insulted by Maxim magazine who reviewed and graded the album without even ...

Echo & the Bunnymen formed in Liverpool in 1978 making them a whopping thirty years old this year, and as always reminding me of my own state of aging! Their original lineup included vocalist Ian McCulloch and guitarist Will Sergeant, who both continue to be, the main stays of the band. The band are scheduled to play a sell out show in September this year at London's Royal Albert Hall, complete with an orchestra to perform the album 'Ocean Rain'. A little removed from their 'post punk' beginnings in Liverpool three full decades ago. Anyhow, this is from just one decade ago and features Echo and The Bunnymen live at The Kilburn National, in London on the 17th October 1997. This concert was broadcast by the BBC, and this is a good quality FM stereo recording of the gig. Set list is: 1. Rescue. 2. I want to be there when you come. 3. Baseball Bill. 4. The Cutter. 5. Just a touch away. 6. Crocodiles. 7. Forgiven. 8. I'll fly tonight. 9. Seven seas. 10. Villiers...

This is Madonna live on the 1990 Blond Ambition Tour. This particular show from the 31st July 1990 was performed at the Estadi Olímpic, Barcelona, Spain, and featured a seven minutes long extravagant fireworks display after the show. The show apparently had a few glitches. Numerous technical mistakes included Madonna forgetting part of the lyrics to "Sooner or Later" and "Material Girl," and getting her monocle caught on her head-microphone at the beginning of "Express Yourself". Not realizing that her headset microphone was still live as she exited the stage after " Where's the Party ," resulted in her command at a backstage crew member to "Get the f### out of my f#####' way" and complaints about the oppressive heat to be broadcast to the audience while the dancers performed during the closing of the number. Also, at the end of "Holiday" a man came on stage and put a shirt on Madonna to promote a product as Ma...

This is Heart Live in Chicago, USA, on the 3rd August 1976. This boot has been called 'Heart'n'Zeppelin' for obvious reasons, tracks one, three, and five are all Led Zeppelin covers, which for Heart fans would, I imagine, make this something of a collectors item. This recording was from a single CD, with some obvious editing, however this remains a feisty performance with an excellent collection of songs. Band line up was: Ann Wilson - lead vocals Nancy Wilson - guitar and vocals Roger Fisher - lead guitar Howard Leese - guitar Michael Derosier - drums Steven Fossen - bass guitar Set list: 1. Rock 'n roll 2. Heartless 3. The Battle Of Evermore 4. White Lightning & Wine 5. The Rover 6. Devil's Delight 7. Magic Man 8. Crazy On You 9. Barracuda The recording is stereo soundboard sourced and good quality. REPLACEMENT DOWNLOAD LINK IN COMMENTS BELOW (29/05/2010).

This is a live concert from The Cult , from 1985, the year they broke through to mainstream success in the UK. In March 1985, The Cult recorded their fourth single, "She Sells Sanctuary", which charted at Number 15 in the UK charts. It re-entered the charts at Number 56 in September 1986, spending 41 consecutive weeks on the charts. The song has also been voted Number 18 in one of VH1's Top Indie 100 charts. For me The Cult were one of the defining bands of the 'post punk' era. The clear impression was of a band that played what they wanted to play, with a refreshing energy, and enjoyment for good old rock music. Just to demonstrate how 'time flies' (as if the 1985 concert date was not enough) it was nearly two years later that The Cult, toured the USA as headliners, with a widely unknown band called Guns'N'Roses. This is The Cult at The Hammersmith Odeon, London, on the 31st October, 1985. The set list is: 1.Love. 2.Nirvana. 3.Christians. 4.Holl...

Having vivid, exciting, and first hand memories of the punk revolution, that was the mid 1970's, I remain surprised that the expression 'progressive rock' remains, as a use-able tag. I suppose one of the saving graces of 'prog rock' from those heady late sixties and early seventies days, was the fact many of the performers were very capable musicians. From a very English perspective, I never really thought of Focus as 'prog rockers' , after all they were from Holland ! Those quirky alto flute riffs, accordion presence, 'different' guitar and drum solos, whistling, nonsensical vocals, falsetto singing, and yodeling, were a by product of being Dutch. Focus remain to this day, and appear comfortable with the 'prog rock' tag, however I would venture to say, that however much my collection of old 'prog albums' grows, I cannot say for certain they belong there. Rock they are, different they are, Dutch they remain, but their old music, h...

This is The Bangles live a couple of years before they hit the big time, with 'Manic Monday'. Having morphed from The Bangs (for legal reasons), the band was part of the so called 'Paisley Underground' scene in LA, which featured groups that played a mixture of 1960s influenced folk-rock and jangle pop with a more modern punk/ garage band undertone. This is the band performing in Valencia, which a quick google suggests, is a pretty up market and wealthy location, sorry I do not know the specific venue. In actual fact the band played two shows on this date, and I am pleased to have both of them to share, hence some songs appear twice, however they are very much to individual performances. This is The Bangles - Valencia, CA, USA on the 27th May 1983. Set lists are as follows: Early Show: Mary Street Hazy shade of winter I'm in line Where were you when I needed you Restless Live Dover Beach The Real world All about you Tell me Want you How i...

I am not a number !! - I am a free man !! - welcome to number six of 'Whats Up Doc' (fans of the sixties TV series The Prisoner, will know what I am on about). The Drive By Truckers new album 'Brighter Than Creation's Dark' , is the top choice for both of the UK's leading music monthlies, Uncut and Mojo Magazine, for their album reviews, in the March 2008 publications. Not surprising, this is one incredible album. Based in Athens, Georgia, though three out of five members (Mike Cooley, Patterson Hood, and Shonna Tucker) originally hail from The Shoals region of Northern Alabama, this is 'southern rock / Alt Country' at it's finest, I cannot recommend this album enough! From the album check out: Links Removed - MP3 Policy. Drive By Truckers - Self Destructive Zones (07).mp3 Here is a live version (unofficial) recorded in Athens, Georgia a month ago, of another track on the new album. Drive By Truckers - 3 Dimes Down (Live Version - 12th Jan 08).mp...

Something tells me, we need a little more current music, and from an act, to young to remember the last couple or so of postings, first time around. Yep 'old timers' we need to take our 'recent tablets'. The Dresden Dolls are a musical duo from Boston, Massachusetts USA. Formed in 2001, the group consists of Amanda Palmer (vocals, piano, harmonica, ukelele) and Brian Viglione (drums, percussion, guitar, vocals). This is the important bit! The two describe their style as 'Brechtian punk cabaret' , a phrase invented by Amanda Palmer because she was terrified that the press would invent a name that would involve the word Gothic . Now any band that includes punk and cabaret along with another word that means nothing to me, as describers of their music gains my attention. Seriously they are very good. Having enjoyed their music for a couple of years, I was delighted to receive the following concert from their recent series of live dates in the USA. Along with their ...

I was still a little to young to appreciate what Jimi Hendrix was all about at the time. I guess by the time I started to really appreciate rock & blues music, Jimi was already a casualty. My clearest recollection of Jimi Hendrix was seeing him performing live on Lulu's BBC Saturday night show 'A happening For Lulu' on January 4th 1969. Fittingly this bootleg is from a performance just nine days later in Germany. On the day Jimi attended an autograph session at Studio Du Monde Book & Record Shop. Part of the event was filmed and later featured as part of the German television program Beat Club. In the evening The Jimi Hendrix Experience performed two shows with support 'Eire Apparent' at Studio Dumont in Cologne, Germany. This then is one of those shows from the 13th January 1969. It is a very good quality soundboard recording . The set list is: 01- Come On (Let The Good Times Roll) 02- Foxey Lady 03- Red House 04- Voodoo Child (Slight Return) 05- Fire ...

Joni Mitchell first played Club 47 in Cambridge, MA (USA), in December 1966, she returned for a second time in late April 1967. While she was playing one night during November 1967 at 'The Gaslight South', a club in Florida, David Crosby walked in and was immediately struck by her ability and her appeal as an artist. He took her back to Los Angeles, where he set about introducing her and her music to his friends. David convinced a record company to agree to let Joni record a solo acoustic album without all the folk-rock overdubs that were in vogue at the time, and his clout earned him a producer's credit in March 1968, when Reprise records released her debut album, Song to a Seagull . It is therefore likely that Joni Mitchell's third appearance at Club 47, a three night set of performances, from the 8th to 10th January 1968, were just prior to the recording of her debut album. It is really something then, to have a good quality recording of an artist with th...

Ahead of the 1976 release of the very popular album 'Fly Like An Eagle' Steve Miller spent a reasonable part of 1975 touring. Having gone to Knebworth Park in England, in the summer of 1975, along with 100,000 other fairly typical 'raving and drooling' Pink Floyd fans, I was absolutely 'blown over' by the final band of the day prior to Pink Floyd, namely the Steve Miller Band . This was my introduction to Steve Miller, and I have been after live material from that year, or tour ever since. I have a recording of the Pink Floyd element of Knebworth 75, however the audio is very 'low tech' and I wonder if this particular festival is designated for the memories of those fortunate enough to have attended only. Therefore I am delighted to have obtained a copy of Steve Miller live, from earlier in 1975 and in superb quality. I am not sure if this is a 'King Biscuit' FM broadcast, whatever it is an excellent recording. This then is The Steve M...

Is the glass half full or half empty? Lets go for half full on this occasion. Sometimes broadcasters only cover or transmit part of a concert, and I am guessing (having as a Sparks fan, tried to check this one out) this is what occurred here. Contractual obligation, a lack of appreciation on the part of the producer or presenter, other more 'current favorable artists', and of course available 'air-time' in the 'pre-digital' age, may have resulted in Sparks being cut down to just a thirty minute broadcast on this occasion - who knows? If I had a pound, a dollar (US or any other) or a Euro, for every artists song that has 'lifted' some of Sparks unique style and creativity, I reckon I would be doing very well financially. There are more complete Sparks bootlegs out there, this one stands by the audio quality, and the actual performance on the day. 1994 saw the brothers Mael return with the release of 'Gratuitous Sax and Senseless Violins', in turn ...

Goldfrapp have a new CD album release ( Seventh Tree ) due out here in the UK on the 25th February 2008. I am an unashamed and somewhat 'gushing' fan of Goldfrapp. No doubt (and based on the last three albums) I will buy the deluxe CD/DVD version of the album for my collection, regardless of the freebie mp3 versions that arrive. Every album they have released, contains a healthy amount of 'new direction' whilst retaining the very essence of Goldfrapp, which is a unique style that skips across genres and keeps music cretins (sorry critics) on their feet. From the fourth coming album here is the initial 'single' release: Goldfrapp - A & E.mp3 Back in 2004 Goldfrapp played Glastonbury, and thankfully a reasonable part of their show was recorded for broadcast, on either MTV or the BBC who were both present at that years event. This is one continuous segment of the performance (except for the first song which opened the show and is edited on). The performan...

In the early days of The Monkees , there was some fuss over the fact that session musicians played on their first couple of albums. Add to this the fact that they had been brought together for a TV series, any thought of artistic integrity or status was a definite no. However they were fun, their fan base included The Beatles, and repeats of the TV series, still appear time and again on cable and satellite channels. However by 1968 the TV series was over, the band completed a far east tour, the last with Peter Tork as part of the band at that juncture, and their very alternative and psychedelic film 'Head' was released. This is from the 'far east' tour, and captures a band that at least live, probably still had something to prove. You can also enjoy a couple of 'hot rocking' Japanese DJ's whose voice overs, bring a huge smile to my face, somehow I think this was pretty serious stuff for them. Clearly from a radio broadcast of the show - FM thankf...

Having posted a number of Jeff Buckley live performances last year, I will try hard not to repeat myself. The previous boots are still available, and continue to be downloaded, I guess by new visitors to the Beehive, and a few who discover us through Googling Jeff etc. This is Jeff live at WNEW (Sony Studios) with a very fortunate audience, who also got to 'enjoy' his wine, as well as the music - it will all become clear when you listen. It is so good to hear him in such a fantastic mood, and the intimacy of the event really makes this performance special. WNEW-FM were at this time just into a new music format, that was promoting, less mainstream 'alternative rock' artists, and Jeff fitted in well to these aspirations. It's a great shame the station did not stick at this, but at least they are back to music these days, rather than the horrendous 'talk radio' set up, that existed a few years back. This then is Jeff Buckley live at WNEW, Sony Stu...

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark or OMD as they are more conveniently referred too, emerged from the Wirral Peninsula in the north west of England. Their live debut was in October 1978, close to home in nearby Liverpool. By the time this concert took place less than five years later, they had already notched up six top twenty singles and three top ten albums in the UK. Not bad for a band, whose electronic and partly Kraftwerk influenced music, was often very different from the mainstream at that time. In fairness founders Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys had an ear for a good tune, and with the likes of former Gong bassist Mike Howlett producing some of the material, they had every chance of the success they achieved. When I first heard 'Messages' I was blown away, having been a fan of the likes of Germany's Can, Kraftwerk, and Amon Duul, at last an English band with enough personal originality was coming up with really classy electronic music, yep this band bring back ...

You may have noticed, January 2008 has arrived. Well although it can be a lean month for new music, I have two bands that I reckon can be pretty big this year, mind you - the competition will be tough. Just look at some of the established acts with new albums lined up, and these are just the ones I am looking forward to right now! In no particular order... Emmylou Harris, Marianne Faithful, Franz Ferdinand, CSS, Madness, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, The Black Crowes, Billy Bragg, Guillemots, Martha Wainwright, Drive By Truckers, REM, David Byrne, Moby, PJ Harvey, Primal Scream, Supergrass, Counting Crows and The Pogues. Musically that's quite a taster for the year to come. However if you want a recommendation right now, then if you have not yet enjoyed No Fixed Abode , can I be the first to share this superb band with you. Their roots may be in folk (predominately modern), however as I listen I hear so many inspirations (The Waterboys, Bruce Springsteen, Fairport Convention and ...