The legendary Howlin' Wolf & Spoonful. An absolute thrashing band featuring the wonderful Herbert Sumlin's brilliance on guitar. A brutal piece of music.
A bit bored so watched the new BBC4 Norwegian serial, State of Happiness, on Saturday night. Didn't have much hope for it but it was really good and at times brilliant. Based on Norway's discovery of oil and set in Stavanger. They are even spot on with the music of the time (so far): Proud Mary CCR and The Weight The Band. So you can tell it's set in 1969.
The Band is one of my favourite groups. The Weight is brilliant. Pops and Mavis Staples are wonderful, as is Rick Danko. No need to mention Levon. I can't be sure but I think Rick Danko and Levon Helm are buried near one another.
It is very good, Bustino. Concerns Phase 2 of oil and gas exploration in the North Sea. I was in Aberdeen for exactly 2-years between 1972 and 1974, and also very early days off Hartlepool and Gt. Yarmouth (Phase 1, if you like). Our rig was the 5th out into the North Sea in 1965, and was damn nearly lost in a terrific storm off Whitby before it ever drilled a foot. It was about this time that BP lost the 'Sea Gem' rig in a like storm. Going by memory, so hope I don't get trapped yet again because I did not check things out! Got the Phase 1 job after I returned from Canada in early 1965; more or less fell into it. Not too many Brits at that time with experience in my particular line of work. Knew Phillips very well in Yarmouth; smart company with excellent staff. Pretty sure they were not up in Aberdeen later, and 'State of Happiness' would seem to confirm that they were over in the Norwegian sector. Looking forward to the next two episodes on BBC4. Sorry for this rambling post, it's late and must hit the sack! Again, apologies for any errors!
Thought you might be on to it Swanny. With the little knowledge I have, I was impressed they talked about things like Salt Domes. Looks and sounds as if the writers knew some of their stuff and that makes it more real. Philipps were part of the company I joined (on the materials side) in '86, but for some reason were sold off a few years later.
The history of Phillips Petroleum is a bit complicated, especially after the merger with Conoco in 2002. However, Phillips is now a fully-fledged chemical company in partnership with Chevron. Here's some blurb from Wikipedia: …………………………………. Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, LLC is a petrochemical company jointly owned by Chevron Corporation and Phillips 66. The company was formed July 1, 2000 by merging the chemicals operations of both Chevron Corporation and Phillips Petroleum Company. As equally-owned company, it is governed by a board of directors composed of two members from each of the parent companies. The company was actually named in a coin toss to determine which parent company name would be first and which would be last. Chevron Phillips is headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas, a northern suburb of Houston, and is a major producer of ethylene, propylene, polyethylene, Alpha-olefins, Polyalphaolefins, aromatic compounds and a range of specialty chemicals. As of the end of 2014 the Company has 5,000 employees worldwide, US$9 billion in assets, and 36 manufacturing and research facilities in eight countries, including the United States, Belgium, China, Colombia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and South Korea. It has 24 facilities in 13 U.S. states. Source: Wikipedia ………………………………….
One of those reaction clips. There were 4 releases of this song in the 50s before Bobby Hatfield claimed it in the mid sixties. It's said that next to nobody is game to take a crack at it anymore because they'll risk their version coming off as a pale imitation. Some have tried, including Presley, but none have managed to eclipse Bobby Hatfield. Pretty lady.
On the subject of music one of my neighbours is currently subjecting what is normally a very quiet area to dodgy cover versions - oobladee oobladaa at the moment.
Amazing Cyc the last few weeks I have listened to this one most days which has better sound quality than the one you posted i think. along with the Nessum Dorma Pavarotti by the same reactor.. That vocal by Hatfield must be about the best of all time, no auto cue needed there. She is a looker your right there.
I have a copy of Pavarotti's Nessum Dorma on vinyl. Kids think I'm mental when I blast it out. I bloody love it. Italia 90 nostalgia kick for me, I still get goosebumps every time I hear it.
I too love Pavarotti, who wouldn't? I really enjoyed the Three Tenors, but for me it was all about Luciano Pavarotti. One of the finest voices of the 20th century, the brilliant Swedish tenor Jussi Bjorling, also recorded Nessum Dorma, as has just about everyone else. A comment I found most interesting about both men came when Pavarotti was being compared to Bjorling, Pavarotti replied: "Please, I'm only human." Jussi's version. Crank up the volume.
And from what I've just been listening to, I'd also go with the versions of Beniamino Gili and Franco Corelli.
I didn't know where else to put this but it belongs here because it is poetry in motion. Dessie winning the Whitbread over 3m 5f at Sandown in April 1988 on a beautiful spring day. Hard to believe that he would go on to win the Tingle Creek over 2 miles in December of the same year. Enjoy what was possibly the flamboyant grey's most impressive performance.
Glad you put something up Ron. Thanks for that. I was going to post something myself earlier but wasn't sure there'd be an audience for it.
