And Still We Say Come Back, Come Back To Camden

Amy Winehouse was at the absolute top of her game when I moved to Camden Town, London for uni four years ago....and Camden was on fire. No, I'm not talking about the fire that took out the Canal Market and The Hawley Arms (my and Amy's local). I'm talking about the music scene. And Amy was it's queen bee.












My first flat was on the outskirts of Camden, in between Euston Station and Mornington Crescent Station. A flatmate and I discovered The Hawley Arms by accident one night and thus, my 'local' was chosen. We kept it a secret from the rest of our friends. We'd steal away while everyone else wasn't looking and head up the High Street towards Chalk Farm to The Hawley to rub elbows with the likes of Amy, Kelly Osbourne, The Kooks, and loads more.



Eventually, I moved to the very heart of Camden Town....and just down the street and round the corner from Amy. I LIVED in the Hawley Arms. My flatmate, Pete, and I were there at least 6 days a week and Amy was in often. Even when Amy wasn't in the pub, her voice was....and even if it wasn't, you could feel her aura there. It was much the same in any pub in Camden at the time. If you didn't see her, you heard her. Imagine how it would have been, living in Liverpool at the height of Beatlemania. That's how it felt.




On February 9, 2008, Pete and I were on our way up the High Street to The Hawley when a fire engine screamed by us. As we approached Camden Town Station, we could see smoke and heard a passerby comment about, "the market on fire". From where we were, it appeared to be quite far away and we assumed it was Stables Market. But when we got to the bottom of the hill, about to cross Camden Lock Bridge, our hearts sank. We stood as long as we could, but the police eventually pushed everyone back. We silently walked back down the High Street and into Tommy Flynn's. We drank in silence, watching our 'home' burn on the telly.





I remember walking around in a daze for a day or so...until I saw video of Amy's speech on the Grammy Awards. When she defiantly yelled out, "Camden Town ain't burnin' down!", I realized that she was right. Camden and it's spirit would survive.



The Hawley and the Market were rebuilt. Things are back to normal in the good old Den of Cam....or should I say, "back to NOT normal"?

But now Amy's left NW1 for good. This loss can't be rebuilt. Her music and her memory will remain imprinted on the borough forever and it will always remind me of Camden and the best three years of my life.

"CAMDEN TOWN AIN'T BURNIN' DOWN!"

...and neither will Amy's memory.

Band Of The Month: Creedence Clearwater Revival--An American Soundtrack 1968-1972

For today's post, my lovelies, I've decided to focus on one of my personal favourite bands of the late '60s/early '70s, Creedence Clearwater Revival.




CCR and I go way back. I don't remember our very first meeting as I'm sure I was most likely less than a year old. You see, my dad was always a huge fan of them from his college days and they were played often around our house when I was little.




My first tangable CCR memory is of weekend trips to the lake with my parents. My dad had an old uber-cool '71 Blazer that we used to pull the boat on those excursions to the lake house. It was green with a black top and was nicknamed 'The Green Bean'.



It had an 8-track player in it and the only two 8-tracks we ever listened to on the way to the lake were Janis Joplin and, of course, CCR. I don't remember which album it was...most likely Cosmo's Factory or a Greatest Hits ...as I super young and it disappeared with the Green Bean itself. But I DO remember that 'Lookin' Out My Back Door' was on it. To this day it's my favourite Creedence tune and always reminds me of the lake!

Another favourite is Bad Moon Risin'. Again, it reminds me of my dad. I remember him telling me when I was little that they were saying, "There's a bathroom on the right". Of course I believed him and he had me thinking that really was the line for years. I reminded him of it a few days ago and he almost fell out of his chair laughing at me. Here's a pic of the two of us...he kind of looks like he could be in CCR himself!...



I always loved CCR's Deep Southern sound...although they weren't from the Deep South at all! Instead they were from San Francisco, but nevertheless they were pioneers of the 'Southern Rock' genre that flourished in the early 1970s.




Creedence was formed in the late '50s as The Blue Velvets. In the mid-'60s they changed their name to The Golliwogs. In 1968, the band known now as Creedence Clearwater Revival released their self titled debut album.





By 1969, the band was huge. They played Woodstock in August of that year...a great setlist including 'Commotion', 'Green River', and 'Susie Q'.






That same year, 1969, the band had THREE albums in the top ten after Willy and The Poor Boys was released in November. Cosmo's Factory was released less than a year later.





This article is scanned from my copy of the March 1970 issue of Song Hits Magazine where they were 'Pop Star of the Month' (click and enlarge to read it!):



Creedence Clearwater Revival disbanded in 1972, but individual band members have continued to play their music. Although I was always disappointed that I was born far too late to hear them together way back then, I was lucky enough to see John Fogarty in 2005 in Asheville, North Carolina. I was not disappointed any longer! John is just as good a show now as in 1970. If you ever have the opportunity, I highly recommend catching one of his gigs.

Easter Bunny After Dark....

What would the Easter Bunny be watching, martini in hand, after a hard 24 hours work delivering Cadbury Cream Eggs, jelly beans, chocolate bunnies, and Peeps???? Why Playboy After Dark, of course!! Sit back and enjoy the groovy chunes...and the even groovier 'bunnies'.....

The Rock Star Knack...And How to Get It--1974

Want to dress like Ziggy my little lambs? Or how about the boys from Slade? Well here's your definitive contemporary guide. Published thirty-seven years ago this month in Circus Raves music magazine, this article actually gives a pretty good summary of the various styles prevalent in popular performers' wardrobes at the time. It also gives mention to some of the shops and designers they used. It's a great guide!
The thing most of my beloved readers will find most interesting is on the last page under the heading 'Nostalgia'. Apparently the 1974 term for 'Vintage'. Interestingly...and very wrongly...the writer of the article says of Nostalgia:

"But really, how far can nostalgia go anyway? There are only so many defunct TV series and Humphrey Bogart movies to draw from."

I beg to differ!!!.....and I'm sure many of you will to, won't you petals??? If they only knew then what we know now, eh?




***Here's some scans I made of my copy of the magazine. As per usual, simply click on the images and magnify to read the entire article....







Here are a few photos of some of the lovelies mentioned in the article.....














Now, go on my dears and get fabulous!! You know you want to....

What's Goin' On: 22-27 February, 2011

25 February:

Jukebox Jam
The Alley Cat
4 Denmark St
WC2H 8LP
We welcome back a Jukebox Jam favourite - the one and only Big Boy Bloater, one of the best R&B artists these shores are yet to produce! Bloater returns after a year off, having regrouped and come back with a whole new line-up and promising a significant switch in direction. New band the Limits is so top-secret that we have only just received the merest sneak preview - a one song demo - and we have to count ourselves damned lucky for that!
We also feel mighty privileged that Bloat has chosen the Jukejam to offer a first preview of what's to come in the months and years ahead. Not to be missed!
Joining the resident DJ's is this months guest, TOMAS McGRATH, the young wunderkind behind cool 60s soul and R&B hangout PORK and BEANS. As ever, expect the very best Blues and Rhythm sounds of the 50s and early 60s that you're ever likely to hear - along with a sprinkling of Ska, Rock and Roll and more...
9pm til 3am
Admission is £4 before 10pm / with flyer. Otherwise £6
****Dolly says, "Yayyy, Tomas!! Fab Dj, and an even better dancer....there's a reason we call him 'Slinks'...and a darn nice guy! Love 'im to bits!!"

Vintage Sheet Music: Late '60s-early '70s edition...

Hello dearies!
Your beloved narrator is an addict. My drug of choice is vintage. Although the 60s are my 'gateway drug' and my go-to style, I must confess to being a collector of pretty much anything of interest from the 1920s-the mid '70s. I've titled this post "Late '60s-early '70s edition" because I'm sure at some point I'll be sharing more of my sheet music collection from other periods as well!
I absolutely adore old sheet music. They are often works of art...in fact, I have plans to frame a few of these once I move back to LDN. I love the colours, the artist photos, the layouts...all of it!

Here are some scans...unfortunately my scanner isn't A3, so it cuts bits off of a few of them!















PS...I'd like to dedicate the Glen Campbell to my old flatmate, Heidy. For some reason every now and again she'd spontaneously break into, "Like a rhinestone cowboy...."!