NOTHING TO LEARN? BECOMING CHAMPIONS – Netflix documentary (review) [email protected] July 30, 2019 ‘The take on ’66 is baffling to say the least. George Cohen provides insight, but more time is given to the ’86 defeat against Argentina.’ RANTS & REFLECTIONS Bobby Charlton, Bobby Moore, England, Gordon Banks, Peter Shilton, Sir Alf Ramsey, Sven Goran Erikson, World Cup 1966, World Cup 1970
STILL(S) AMAZING AFTER ALL THESE YEARS – Stephen Stills & ‘MANASSAS’ [email protected] July 24, 2019 On ‘MANASSAS’ (1972) Stills incorporates blues, rock, bluegrass, funk and Latin-shuffles into a sprawling, nigh-on faultless collection. RANTS & REFLECTIONS Buffalo Springfield, Chris Hillman, Crosby Stills and Nash, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Flying Burrito Brothers, Manassas, Neil Young, Stephen Stills
STRINGS ATTACHED – The Clash & ‘GIVE ‘EM ENOUGH ROPE’ (1978): [email protected] July 17, 2019 ‘Give ‘Em Enough Rope’ (1978) is not the finest work of The Clash – but when it soars they are still the most essential rock band around. RANTS & REFLECTIONS Give Em Enough Rope, Grateful Dead, Joe Strummer, London Calling, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, Sandy Pearlman, The Clash, The Kinks, The Who, Topper Headon
YOUNG (South) AMERICANS – The Rolling Stones ‘Ole Ole Ole’: A Trip Across Latin America (review) [email protected] July 9, 2019 OLE’ OLE’ OLE’: The Havana roar acclaiming the Stones as they strike up ‘It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll’ so loud the group can barely hear each other. RANTS & REFLECTIONS Charlie Watts, Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Paul Dugdale, Rolling Stones, Ronnie Wood
FIXTURES AND FITTING IN – 3pm on a 70s Saturday…….. [email protected] June 26, 2019 For years my Dad lived by the adage ‘never book a summer holiday until the fixtures are out.’ RANTS & REFLECTIONS Blackpool, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Everton, Jimmy Greaves, Manchester City, Premiership, Roy and Shirley Sambrook, Shrewsbury Town, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers
SMALL VENUES/TALL TALES: Bob Dylan and ‘The Rolling Thunder Revue’ (documentary review) [email protected] June 20, 2019 ‘If there was a concept to the ‘Rolling Thunder Revue’ it was the notion of being an ‘anti-tour’ tour.’ RANTS & REFLECTIONS Blood on the Tracks, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Martin Scorsese, Mick Ronson, Roger McGuinn, Rolling Thunder Revue, Sharon Stone, The Band
AIRBORNE – The Flying Burrito Brothers take flight with a magnificent debut album………. [email protected] June 13, 2019 ‘The Gilded Palace of Sin’ is not only a great debut album, but arguably the most potent mix of country, soul and rock ever recorded. RANTS & REFLECTIONS Bob Dylan, Chris Hillman, Eagles, Gram Parsons, Grateful Dead, Poco, Rolling Stones, The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers, The Gilded Palace of Sin
UNHAPPY AS A SANDBOY – 1974 finds Neil Young ‘On The Beach.’ [email protected] June 5, 2019 ‘ON THE BEACH’ is a defining album of the 70s and arguably the most lyrically potent made in the first half of that decade. RANTS & REFLECTIONS After The Goldrush, Buffalo Springfield, Carole King, Crosby Stills and Nash, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Harvest, Jackson Browne, John Lennon, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, On The Beach, Richie Furay, Sam Peckinpah, Stephen Stills, Time Fades Away, Tonight's The Night, Van Morrison
AN ALL-ENGLAND EUROPEAN FINAL…….in 1972 [email protected] May 27, 2019 Goalkeepers Phil Parkes and Pat Jennings each wear gloves in the Molineux first-leg, but for the return on May 17 both play in bare hands. RANTS & REFLECTIONS 1972 UEFA Cup Final, Alan Mullery, Bobby Charlton, Bobby Moore, Dave Wagstaffe, Denis Law, Derek Dougan, Europa League, Geoff Hurst, Gordon Banks, Helmut Haller, Jim McCalliog, John Richards, Kenneth Wolstenholme, Martin Chivers, Martin Peters, Molineux, Pat Jennings, Phil Parkes, Roy and Shirley Sambrook, Tottenham Hotspur, White Hart Lane, Wolverhampton Wanderers
COUNTRY LIFE ‘Wild Rose’ manages to bloom (film review). [email protected] May 23, 2019 ‘Wild Rose’ manages to succeed due to the deft but differing performances of Walters and Buckley – whose impressive singing voice completes an admirable display of acting.’ RANTS & REFLECTIONS Eagles, Gram Parsons, Gretchen Peters, Jessie Buckley, Julie Walters, Sophie Okonedo, Tom Harper, Wild Rose