tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50048319654437258772011-10-20T22:35:23.301+01:00Music for adults and children to enjoy together, with some hopefully diverting thoughts along the way.Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.comBlogger401100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-19672183271545097482011-10-20T22:13:00.005+01:002011-10-20T22:35:23.339+01:00

A friend from overseas asked me to decode the significance of stuffed giraffes and a pink pony on a stick seen on a video from Glastonbury, so I wrote down a few thoughts, which pedants will observe includes minor inaccuracies, some intentional, others less so, but anyone who has been to the Festival will get the drift:My Grandmother once went around Ireland on a coach tour, and on the

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-41656359360697680032011-09-25T23:52:00.003+01:002011-09-26T00:14:14.681+01:00

It seems rather churlish of me to have not paid tribute to Larry Fischer, whose first album inspired the title of this blog, and whose music made me laugh all the time I was feeling his pain. He died earlier this year, to almost no media attention.A deeply troubled individual, his "An Evening With Wild Man Fischer" album has been out of print for over forty years. There are some people I have

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-13578069760556708262011-09-22T21:58:00.003+01:002011-09-22T22:08:39.921+01:00

It's been a couple of years since I've even looked at this blog, but today I had an urge to come back and see if it's still here, maybe come up with some ideas for new posts, and share some more sounds. Was surprised to see how many hits it's had since I last looked, and amazed that so many of the links are still active. To everyone who has had a look around this little corner of my world, I'd

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-36152786689486563562009-01-25T09:31:00.001Z2009-01-25T09:34:05.708Z

I'm having trouble getting inspired at the moment, so I've decided to rest this blog until I've got something to say, which may be tomorrow, may be next week, next month, whatever.Take care, and catch you soon, hopefully!

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-81607940148645739912009-01-18T19:57:00.006Z2009-01-18T20:11:57.917Z

Having discovered the blogosphere about 18 months ago, I've been eagerly investigating all sorts of music I either heard a long time ago and wanted to hear again, or checked out artists I'd read about and whose music was - until now - all but impossible to obtain, and having heard it was usually glad that I hadn't parted with huge amounts of money for the original vinyl.Very occasionally I'll

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-77606094213765286012009-01-02T19:35:00.002Z2009-01-02T19:36:49.038Z

Thanks to Eddie for this one!So Whatever Happened to the Rockingbirds?

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-87817959932033604132008-12-29T22:29:00.002Z2008-12-29T22:31:07.555Z

On the basis that any fan of Jonathan Richman had to be alright with me, I went and bought The Rockingbirds' first single, 'Jonathan, Jonathan', on no more than a good review in the NME, whose opinion I had already been wary of since 1978 when I bought an album by The Pop Group (or it might have been The Birthday Party) on the strength of a glowing write-up by someone who I assume was either

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-54403341618672977632008-12-29T22:29:00.001Z2008-12-29T22:29:45.717Z

Tracks are:Gradually LearningFurther Down The LineStanding At The Doorstep of LoveJonathan, JonathanThe Day My Life BeginsSearchingRestlessTime Drives The TruckHalfway to ComatoseIn Tall BuildingsOnly One FlowerDriftingIt's on Mediafire, here.

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-884417514616699962008-12-28T17:13:00.000Z2008-12-28T17:14:17.028Z

We've all been feeling under the weather recently, in various states of 'flu, colds, and winter run-down-ness, so felt that a bit of medical gubbins was called for.Here is my prescription for feeling slightly better if you're tucked up with something unpleasant, and hopefully not as unpleasant as the half-eaten bananas our smallest has taken to leaving in our bed when we're not looking. I think

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-65460744631075861442008-12-28T17:12:00.000Z2008-12-28T17:13:10.266Z

1 Julie Andrews - A Spoonful of Sugar2 Dr Feelgood - Down at the Doctor's 3 Miami Sound Machine - Doctor Beat4 Jackson 5 - Doctor My Eyes5 Beatles - Dr Robert6 Electric Prunes - Doctor Do-Good7 BBC Radiophonic Workshop - Dr Who8 5000 Volts - Doctor Kiss Kiss9 The Adverts - Gary Gilmore's Eyes10 The Other Half - Mr Pharmacist11 Modern Lovers - Hospital12 Johnny Rivers - Rockin' Pneumonia and the

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-8384153647976930332008-12-20T19:07:00.005Z2008-12-20T19:10:06.522Z

One of my most treasured possessions comes from my time working in a now-closed bookshop. I asked if I could take it home and no-one else wanted it so I did just that. It is a self-published pamphlet, containing an A4 piece of paper from the company Teleordering, who deal - or dealt, it was a long time ago and things may have changed since then - with individual book orders to publishers from

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-26635594725340689602008-12-20T19:07:00.004Z2008-12-20T19:09:24.586Z

As I've already said, the sound quality is not good, but just about listenable. It's on Mediafire, here.

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-414935660284282672008-12-14T20:52:00.000Z2008-12-14T20:56:54.079Z

Have been trying to get into the spirit of Christmas by listening to a lot of seasonal music, most of which I haven't heard before - and having listened it's quite clear why most of it is not on a loop in supermarkets. I've been impressed this year by just how jolly the staff are managing to appear - I worked in shops for years, and at this time of year it isn't easy to keep a smile on your face

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-63649734511216836462008-12-14T20:49:00.004Z2008-12-15T19:57:54.898Z

Tracks are:Gene Vincent - Bluejean BopFats Domino - I'm Walkin'Cliff Richard - DynamiteBilly May - Mission ImpossibleThe Beach Boys - Dance Dance DanceThe Ventures - Hawaii Five-OThe Trashmen - Surfin' BirdThe Animals - We've Gotta Get Out Of This PlaceManfred Mann - Tired of Trying, Bored With LyingInez & Charlie Foxx - MockingbirdSyd Barrett - OctopusThe Band - King Harvest (Has Surely Come)

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-62605267438433279132008-12-09T18:17:00.002Z2008-12-09T18:21:09.807Z

The Modern Lovers original early 1970s demos have just been posted here. It's worth checking out for the original of 'Don't Let Our Love Go To Waste', which was later covered by Galaxie 500.Great blog, too!

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-67502210242899195602008-12-07T17:20:00.002Z2008-12-07T21:31:04.584Z

As the days get shorter I'm finding it harder to get stuff done, and am looking forward to the turning of the year and longing for the return of spring. More and more at the moment I'm turning to the music of optimism. For me, Leonard Cohen's 'Songs of Love and Hate' is the ideal summer album, because after mulling it over during the short dark night one can then run outside just a few short

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-19976923902198740032008-12-07T17:15:00.004Z2008-12-07T17:49:21.749Z

Tracks are:1. I'm a Little Airplane2. Hey There Little Insect3. Egyptian Reggae4. Ice Cream Man5. I'm a Little Dinosaur6. My Little Kookenhaken7. South American Folk Song8. New England9. Morning of Our Lives Since Rapidshare, have re-introduced their waiting times between downloads, I'm putting this up on Badongo as well - so take your pick.I'd be interested to know which, if any, file sharing

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-67718529312918871572008-11-30T10:32:00.005Z2008-11-30T10:43:40.335Z

December 1st is coming 24 hours early this year.That is the date when we put up our decorations, but the kids are so excited that we're not going to be able to hold off until next weekend.This will be the first when our smallest will be able to 'help', so that will make it more 'fun' than usual - especially if middle-sized one is 'helping' to keep him out of the way.Speaking of being out of the

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-62308358418315113562008-11-23T15:43:00.001Z2008-11-23T15:47:11.297Z

It's been a bit of a week, with our boiler giving up on heating water and consequently having to bathe kids and a grumpy spouse via bucket chains from kettles and saucepans in the kitchen at the other end of the house. It wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't burnt out the shower trying to fill the bath from it last weekend.Could be far worse, though - the heating could have packed up as well.

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-90947891535989574412008-11-23T15:41:00.002Z2008-12-29T11:10:12.039Z

Aphrodite's Child - Rain and TearsBillie Davis - I Want You To Be My BabyBetty Everett - It's In His KissJohnny Nash - Hold Me TightMarmalade - Wait For Me MarianneDiana Ross & The Supremes - Love ChildFoundations - Build Me Up ButtercupCream - Sunshine Of Your LoveCliff Richard - MarianneGun - Race With The DevilWilliam Bell & Judy Clay - Private NumberThe Band - The WeightCupids' Inspiration -

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-28991809069123911962008-11-18T21:32:00.003Z2008-11-23T15:45:01.277Z

Here's the second batch, thirteen more from November 1968. The first batch are below, just scroll down a bit, the third part will be along in a few days.Tracks are:Long John Baldry - MexicoThe Hollies - Listen To MeThe Tremeloes - My Little LadyJeannie C Riley - Harper Valley PTAMarvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - You're All I Need To Get ByThe Scaffold - Lily The PinkDave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-59846821786550914022008-11-17T21:20:00.000Z2008-11-17T21:22:41.048Z

I've spent a great deal of time this week trying to get computers to function properly. Anyone running Zone Alarm 8 and wondering why their PC is running like Steptoe and Son's carthorse would be well advised to uninstall it and go back to version 7 - your 'puter will probably start to function as you'd expect it to again.Friday was Children in Need day in the UK - when the BBC is given over to

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-2734688658915377842008-11-17T21:18:00.003Z2008-11-17T22:05:36.278Z

Hugo Montenegro - The Good, The Bad and The UglyBarry Ryan - EloiseThe Isley Brothers - This Old Heart of MineJimi Hendrix - All Along The WatchtowerMary Hopkin - Those Were The DaysThe Marbles - Only One WomanJohnny Johnson and the Bandwagon - Breaking Down The Walls of HeartacheLeapy Lee - Little ArrowsThe Turtles - ElenoreThe Casuals - JesamineNina Simone - Ain't Got No/I Got LifeEngelbert

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-13380205014924378492008-11-13T19:34:00.002Z2008-11-13T19:44:27.675Z

I just found that blogger deleted one of my posts - it was the one I did about time. Shame, because I was really proud of that one. I guess that someone objected to one or more of the tracks I put on the compilation. I'm not going to get stressy about it, but I wished they had just asked me to take the music off, which I would have done straightaway. I suppose that it's easier for these

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-73248345322903764112008-11-09T12:47:00.007Z2008-11-09T19:51:35.595Z

I'm not feeling very talkative today, so will let the music do the chatting for me.Here's another gem which is not so much forgotten as never made it to the bus stop on time in the first place - which is no reason not to fall in love with it in the time it takes to download and listen to it.It seems to be completely unavailable at the moment, so if you've been waiting to hear this all your life,

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-71815583171284397312008-11-04T20:03:00.001Z2008-11-04T20:18:17.790Z

In common with a lot of Brits my age, I don't really 'get' Hallowe'en. When I was young it came and went with not a lot of fuss, and by the time we got around to having kids ourselves it seemed to have become an extension of Christmas, with orange, green and red tat filling the shops from the moment the kids go back to school in September until the end of October, when it is immediately replaced

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-6875642679830209712008-11-04T18:06:00.000Z2008-11-04T18:07:47.955Z

Wow! Over 2,500 visitors, and most of them not me hitting the refresh button! Thank you!As a Brit, and thereby a citizen of the rest of the World which isn't America, I'm not really qualified to hold an opinion, but I really hope that Obama wins tonight - not least because I would love to see the Home of the Free do something which I do not believe that Britain is anywhere near ready to do in

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-81284705489701755302008-10-28T19:56:00.002Z2008-10-28T20:04:43.837Z

I have a very dear friend who once made me a compilation of old blues records, on cassette, in the days when TDK C-90s traded between teenagers were the closest any of us could dream that we'd ever get to Napster.I liked almost everything on that tape, so much that I leapt at the chance of going to a Blues Festival in London, at the Hammersmith Odeon as it was then, to see John Lee Hooker, Buddy

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-9308432009747142432008-10-22T17:47:00.008+01:002008-10-23T20:23:17.751+01:00

I was disappointed, but not entirely surprised, to learn that according to a magazine (the name of which I can't remember)that blogging is dead because the whole Interwebworld has gone over to twittering. As I've only been doing this for about six weeks, all I can say is that it's been very jolly while it lasted, although I intend to carry on until I either get bored or switched off.I have no

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-38702903599355592992008-10-18T16:53:00.002+01:002008-10-18T16:56:29.881+01:00

Goodness me, didn't I go on last week!This time I'm letting the music do the talking. They're all over three minutes long, most of them are very much longer than that.I've called it "Clunking Great Epics", designed to be listened to on those long journeys when only a great big hairy wig-out or ten will do. Hope you enjoy 'em!Tracks are:Neil Young - Like a HurricaneThe Fall - Cruiser's CreekThe

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-70597772109692556492008-10-11T17:19:00.003+01:002008-10-11T17:56:45.109+01:00

When I consider the matter objectively, I can understand why most people do not enjoy listening to 'Trout Mask Replica' by Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band for pleasure, even occasionally. If you've never heard it, it is almost impossible to describe. I have played it to very few people. I struggle to contain the urge to share this wonderful thing with every sentient being on the planet, but

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-15825970471488745652008-10-05T16:17:00.004+01:002008-10-05T16:29:08.504+01:00

Totally Fuzzy is my very favourite web-site, and it's five years old this weekend. By way of tribute, I've put together a very short collection - five songs revolving around the number five, and three versions of Happy Birthday.Elvis Presley - Happy BirthdayDave Brubeck Quartet - Take Five (edited by the Wild Man to digestible length)Manfred Mann - 5-4-3-2-1Marilyn Monroe - Happy BirthdayJohnny

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-91410006752943008752008-10-04T19:24:00.006+01:002008-10-04T23:06:37.565+01:00

Tonight I'm happy to share a collection which started as an exercise in testing the possibility of doing something which until the coming of the internet most certainly one would not have been able to do. I started it as little more than a joke, but ultimately works quite well as a compilation - having passed the keeping kids quiet on journeys test a couple of times. It also brought back happy

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-7077068976459152712008-09-28T17:14:00.011+01:002008-09-29T18:49:43.409+01:00

We were watching the weather forecast on ITV the other night and I was impressed that the young lady presenting it managed to use the word 'lovely' to describe what we were in for over these last few days no fewer than ten times. I observed at the time that 'lovely' is a subjective term used to express a matter of opinion rather than an objective description of climatology, but even an

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-33736426871415482742008-09-21T20:36:00.006+01:002008-09-24T20:06:31.754+01:00

It's been a gloriously sunny weekend here in the bit of England where the Home Counties meet the Midlands and the Midlands meet East Anglia and no-one seems quite sure what to call it. At the risk of sounding a bit early morning on Radio 4, there usually seems to be one last burst of summer to encourage folk out into the great outdoors as if to make us notice that the blackberries which were

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-26962647883156755172008-09-19T17:55:00.006+01:002008-09-19T21:51:12.492+01:00

It looks like summer has arrived in the midlands at last, with the promise of sunshine for the weekend as well! Truly Mother Nature is spoiling us this year.At the start of the week I was full of confidence that I would find hundreds of songs for adults which kids would like, or songs for kids which parents can smile at as well, on a science theme - but to my surprise they appear to be

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-55864322588250592802008-09-15T21:18:00.003+01:002008-09-15T21:42:28.992+01:00

Have just heard the news that Rick Wright of Pink Floyd has died.My father, who never liked music much but preferred to listen to a box set of the Flying Scotsman's historic journey from London to Glasgow - which at least meant that he was untroubled by other members of the family for several hours on a sunday morning - amazed us all by declaring that he had hugely enjoyed 'Piper at the Gates of

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-38036184698439495802008-09-14T19:45:00.002+01:002008-09-14T20:26:07.031+01:00

Our largest kept the middle-sized one awake for hours on tuesday night by whispering "Hey, the world is going to end tomorrow!" often enough to disturb her pleasant thoughts of fairies and Disney Princesses and set her worrying about if she would miss Christmas this year or ever see her friends again.In the days prior to this, most TV and radio stations had summoned a tame scientist, preferably

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-73905719072591242162008-09-07T15:17:00.009+01:002008-09-14T18:15:39.485+01:00

About three years ago I was stuck in traffic on the way back from the National Space Centre in Leicester with two small-ish children in the car who had enjoyed a very exciting day and were now entertaining themselves - as 8 year old brothers and 4 year old sisters tend to - by poking and tickling each other until the driver threatens to put them out on the hard shoulder of the motorway and let

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004831965443725877.post-12007894597378698212008-09-06T00:05:00.001+01:002008-09-14T19:29:50.976+01:00

It would be both pompous, preposterous and presumptuous to sit here and claim that my aim with this little blog is to present an alternative history of music in the twentieth-century, so instead I'll say that I aim to have fun and if you'd like to join me occasionally that would be jolly splendid.I've been inspired to start this blog by Totally Fuzzy and Dr Forrest's Cheeze Factory and about a

Wild Man Mikeynoreply@blogger.com1