STAR BLUES on 10th March 2013 at 22:00

Mike Leadbitter turned 21 on 12th March 1963 and, along with his friend Simon Napier, published the worlds first English language blues magazine. BLUES UNLIMITED. A third friend John Broven wrote reviews and a feature on "record man" Jay Miller and the standard was set pretty high from the outset. Their knowledge and passion for the subject is clear, though how on earth they researched it all is a wonder I can't fathom. Records would often need to be imported with the delay that brings; and what to buy: their only clues were to trust a label or artist name they knew in the hope there'd be more of the same?




The first print run was 200, 16 pages of typed A4, no photos or adverts, selling at 1/6 - today you can expect to pay a lot more for a copy from your friendly e-auction site. That it sprang from their Blues Appreciation Society is evident in a drive toward the authentic source with a battle line already drawn up with Cyril Davies and his cohorts on the other side.



As a part time reviewer of blues myself I know the challenges of saying something meaningful in the context of other work: I have lots of books and the wobbly web to equally assist and bamboozle me, Mike Leadbitter, Simon Napier and John Broven had no such help. We can then forgive their boyish enthusiasm for some things we - with hind-sight - judge differently: the Smokey Hogg album being one of the best on the Crown label and the organ-led Muddy Waters single with whistling as one for discerning collectors are two subjective opinions in point.



Our STAR BLUES playlist stayed pretty faithfully to the content of the magazine, though I wish I'd had some other bits and pieces to hand (like something from Bull City Red and a decent Vee-Jay record from the Staple Singers). With every track starting life at 45 or 78 rpm you could say we did two vinyl hours. Plenty of highlights in the bunch that I hope will have prompted some nice recollections of a time where music enjoyment was a physical thing and the anticipation and thrill of the chase were half the pleasure. A time Bill Wyman recalled as making a trek half way across London just to see a John Lee Hooker album that someone's mate's girlfriend's brother owned. There's a smell to be had when opening a new record and trying to imagine what the artist looked like and guessing who else played on the record. I only hope I did it justice last night.



I'm planning a few more of these vinyl festivals, including one over Easter to celebrate the centenary of Muddy Waters birth - until next week take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you

Track.Title	Track.ArtistSort	Index	Album.Title	Album.ArtistSort	Label
(Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean	Ruth Brown	2	The Best Of Bob Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour	Various Artists	CHROME
when the welfare turns its back	freddie king	19	texas sensation	freddie king	charly
trouble up the road	jackie brenston feat. ike turner	4	trouble up the road	ike turner	secret records
i get evil	albert king	3	more big blues	albert king	ace
nothing new 9same old thing)	fats domino	8	imperial singles vol. 5	fats domino	ace
the dog	rufus thomas	2-8	complete stax singles, vol. 1	various artists	stax
you don't miss your water	william bell	1-16	complete stax singles, vol. 1	various artists	stax
pretty girsl everywhere	eugene church	14	golden age of american rock'n'roll	various artists	ace
that's the way love is	bobby bland	7	call on me	bobby bland	mca
When My Left Eye Jumps	Buddy Guy	5	Mojo Presents: The Roots Of Hendrix	Various Artists	MOJO MAGAZINE
Broke and Hungry	Hop Wilson & His Buddies	1	Bayou Blues Blasters: Goldband Blues	Various Artists	ACE
I'm A Mojo Man	Lonesome Sundown	11	Excello Hits	Various Artists	ACE
I'm Warning You Baby	Lightning Slim	3	Louisiana Swamp Blues	Various Artists	FLYRIGHT
Rooster Blues	Lightnin' Slim	16	Excello Hits	Various Artists	ACE
feelin good	Little Junior Parker	4	Ride With Me, Baby: The Singles 1952-1961	Little Junior Parker	Fantastic Voyage
Fussin’ And Fightin’ Blues	Little Junior Parker	5	Ride With Me, Baby: The Singles 1952-1961	Little Junior Parker	Fantastic Voyage
Little School Girl	Smokey Hogg	3	Mojo Working : Best Of Ace Blues	Various Artists	ACE
Give Me Back That Wig (Wig Wearing Woman)	Lightnin' Hopkins	10	Jake Head Boogie	Lightnin' Hopkins	ACE
House Rent Boogie	John Lee Hooker	3	Ace 30: Blues And R'n'b	Various Artists	ACE
Keep What You Got	Howlin' Wolf	7	Howling Wolf Sings The Blues	Howlin' Wolf	ACE
Blues Before Sunrise	Elmore James	8	Blues After Hours	Elmore James	ACE
Too Close	Staple Singers, The	14	God's Wonderful World	Staple Singers, The	NEON
Little Brown Bird	Muddy Waters	138	The Complete Muddy Waters 1947-1967	Muddy Waters	CHARLY
no no no	clarence garlow	1	goldband	various artists	ace
Sugar Bee	Crochet, Cleveland	27	The Golden Age Of American Rock 'N' Roll - Volume 7	Various Artists	ACE
Let Me Hold Your Hand	Big Chenier	2	Bayou Blues Blasters: Goldband Blues	Various Artists	ACE
Green Onions	Booker T & The M.G's	15	The Atlantic Story	Various Artists	Atlantic
Nadine (Is It You?)	Chuck Berry	13	His Best Volume 2	Chuck Berry	MCA/CHESS
bad case of love	B. B. King	1	more blues	b b king	ACE
Soul Twist	King Curtis & Knoble Knights	35	The Fire And Fury Story	Various Artists	CHARLY

Created: 10/03/2013 23:56:10