Misadventures in Music with Ian Prowse & Mick Ord

It's difficult to imagine now but back in the early sixties, soul was 'underground' music in the UK - rarely played on the radio, and only appreciated by a small number of aficionados.

Within a few years, records by artists on the Tamla Motown label would sell in their millions but in the very early 60s, very few people had heard of it.

Among a small cult of fans was a Liverpool teenager Frank Collins who went on to form a blue-eyed soul band <strong>The Excels</strong> who later played at the Cavern Club, not singing rock n roll or Merseybeat, but soul music with intricate harmonies.

Frank's 60-year career would take him onto the singles chart with the band Arrival then the British soul/funk pioneers Kokomo</strong> and later working with Bob Dylan, Bryan Ferry, Tom Robinson and many more.

He's still writing and performing regularly today.

We're delighted to have Frank as our special guest on this month's Misadventures in Music with Ian Prowse and Mick Ord

'Bill Harry's Sixties Snapshots - on Arrival/Kokomo' - https://sixtiescity.net/Mbeat/mbfilms191.htm

BBC Four soul documentary- 'When Motown Came to Britain'.

Urbanista Music Podcasts

Playlist :

Money - Barrett Strong

Be My Baby - The Ronettes

Friends - Arrival

I Will Survive - Arrival

A Little Bit Further Away - Kokomo

Romance in Durango -Bob Dylan

Swansong - Kokomo

Kirkby's finest, China Crisis, are the guests in this month's Misadventures in Music podcast with Ian Prowse and Mick Ord.

Eddie Lundon and Gary Daly founded the band in 1979 and notched up a string of hits in the album and singles charts in the 1980's.

They're still going as strong as ever and regularly touring the UK and Europe.

Their candid tales of working with Walter Becker of Steely Dan and supporting and 'socialising' with David Bowie are the stuff of legend.

Their musical influences might raise a few eyebrows (and smiles) as well.

Oh yes, their sense of humour is as sharp as it ever was as you'll discover when you listen to this episode of Misadventures in Music.

In the new season of Misadventures in Music' (episode 13) Ian Prowse and Mick Ord take a deep dive into the UK's Post-Punk music scene (1978-1982) with New Jersey-based writer and filmmaker <strong>Russell Craig Richardson</strong> who has been working on a documentary film about the genre, having lived among many of the musicians in the UK at the time.

He talks about some of the leading characters, including those he interviewed such as Jah Wobble from Public Image Ltd. and Paul and Steve Hanley from The Fall.

Russell's a great storyteller and his musical choice contains more than a few surprises as well as post-punk classics.

Watch the trailer for the documentary on the website here

Paul Hemmings, co-founder of the amazing Viper Label is our guest in episode 9 of the Misadventures in Music podcast with Ian Prowse and Mick Ord.

Paul, ex-Las's and Lightning Seeds guitarist, co-founded the label in 1999 with another ex-La's stalwart and solo artist in his own right, Mike Badger.

The label specialises in vintage blues, rock n roll, country & gospel recordings and has released more than 150 "roots" albums and singles along with notable releases from the La's and Captain Beefheart, in addition to noted Merseyside artists such as Edgar Jones & Mr Badger himself.

Paul's love of these iconic recordings shines through and he's already agreed to return to our studios in the future to continue the Viper story and showcase the vintage roots recordings of which he is rightly so proud."

PLAYLIST - all from Viper Label

1) Buddy Jones - Rockin Rollin Mama - from Out There - The Wondrous Roots of Rock n Roll

2) The Reefer Song - Fats Waller - from Ultimate 30's and 40's Reefer Songs

3) Then We'll Need that True Religion - Rev Edward Clayton from The Very Best of American Religious Songs

4) Rock Me - Sister Rosetta Tharpe as above

5) Riot in Cell Block Number 9 - The Robins ( from Banged Up - American Jailhouse Songs)

6) Folson Prison Blues - Johnny Cash ( as above)

7) Space Guitar - Johnny Guitar Watson --- from Hot Guitars album

8) Bo Meets The Master - Bo Diddley --- The Ultimate Halloween Party

All music is licensed with PRS - Read more about the Viper Label here

Rory Taylor runs the Positive Vibration Festival, regular Reggae Socials at District and represents international reggae artists at home and abroad. He is on a mission with Positive Vibration to bring reggae to a wider audience.

Rory came to Liverpool to study law in 2003. He is an intellectual property lawyer who is also passionate about raising the profile of reggae in Liverpool and beyond. In 2013, as part of a collective, Rory began Positive Vibration with a small event in the Kazimer gardens featuring local DJs and a couple of bands.

Rory and Positive Vibration have brought a range of acts to its Baltic-based festival include Lee Scratch Perry, Roni Size, Sister Nancy and many others.

Rory also works with the Jamaican High Commission and tourist board, linking up with organisations and charities as well as artists and musicians. For an example of Rory’s close working relationship with the Jamaican High Commission, Rory was contacted to look at ways of promoting the Jamaican netball team whilst based in Liverpool:

Tracks

Baba Brooks Band - Teenage Ska

Toots & The Maytals - Do the Reggay.

Bob Marley - Concrete Jungle.

King Tubby & Augustus Pablo - King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown

Madness - Night Boat to Cairo

Sister Nancy - Bam Bam

Prince Fatty ft. Shniece and Horseman - The Model.