FRIDAY MUSIC: Alan Price and Georgie Fame

This week features the collaboration between Alan Price and Georgie Fame. There are not many videos on youtube with both of them together. There is a comment beneath one of the videos asking why they are never featured on the many ‘golden oldie’ shows on radio or TV. Another simply says ‘from the old days when pop stardom needed real musical talent.’

The final video here is one of their TV shows - 29 minutes long. I hope that is not excessive but fans may feel it is just right!

Alan Price and Georgie Fame starred in their own BBC2 television series titled
“The Price of Fame” (sometimes referred to as Fame at any Price) in 1969. The series was produced by Stanley Dorfman for BBC2, starting with a special in late 1969 and featuring episodes into 1970.

The show featured musical performances and sketches written by Michael Palin and Terry Jones of Monty Python fame. Guests included Delaney & Bonnie (with Eric Clapton and Dave Mason), Thelma Houston, Doris Troy, Billy Preston, and Zoot Money.

The partnership between Alan Price and Georgie Fame began on a November night in 1970 at the London Revolution Club. There was a positive atmosphere among the Georgie Fame fans attending one of his rare concerts. Few of them however, were prepared for the musical fireworks which were about to come.

As Georgie Fame began to strike up the old Animals classic “Bring It on Home”, it was all over for the former Animals organist Alan Price. When Georgie - who recognized Alan Price in the audience- invited him to come onstage, he readily took up his offer. Both delivered a rock show to a stunning crowd, one that people seldom experience.

Songs such as “Rave On,” “Great Balls of Fire,” and “Oh Boy “ were full of energy and the entire club was electrified with excitement. Continuing this partnership was a logical consequence. Whoever limits this collaboration to their smash hit “Rosetta” is making a big mistake. “Together” proves that this duo has so much more to offer.

https://propermusic.com/products/georgiefamealanprice-together

1971 Alan Price & Georgie Fame - Rosetta

Alan Price & Georgie Fame - Good Day Sunshine

Alan Price and Georgie Fame - “We Was Rockin”

Alan Price & Georgie Fame - Boney Maroni

Alan Price & Georgie Fame on Sez Les - 6 September 1971

The Price of Fame - Alan Price & Georgie Fame

“An episode of BBC television’s The Price of Fame from 1969. Alan Price and Georgie Fame sing solo and together. Songs include Great Balls of Fire, Good Day Sunshine, Searching for Love, Here, There and Everywhere, Walk On By, and Bring it on Home to Me.

“Special guest Thelma Houston. Also features some crazy dancing and hairstyles. Plus Georgie Fame performing a song in a bathrobe….”

Rubbish: PMQs 11th February 2025

As the Prime Minister rose both sides of the House cheered. “I did not think that the Prime Minister was so popular on the Opposition Benches,” remarked the Speaker. Cheering and jeering have similar sounds but different meanings. Tory hands flapped at him while David Lammy and Rachel Reeves smirked.

As Quentin Letts describes, the mood became sombre as Kemi Badenoch laid into Sir Keir on the key people the PM has been “throwing under the bus” including Matthew (now Baron) Doyle (another of Blair’s old team) who had campaigned for a sex-offender Scottish Labour councillor yet was still given a peerage. Lib Dem leader Ed Davey finally triggered Starmer into a rant (says Letts) by referring to the same matter.

How embarrrassing for Labour, whose activists “have been branded “paedo lovers” on the doorsteps.” Government backbenchers must be seething inside, knowing that they had to hang together or would hang separately in the snap General Election that Starmer threatened in order to force his Cabinet back into line behind him.

Yet the Puritans may console themselves with the prospect of another three years of keeping the Tories out and only another three months before a local elections debacle that will likely trigger a leadership challenge. One more push! …. and then, as with Mohammed’s prophecy of his legacy, a battle of seventy-two sects will begin, each convinced it is the only correct one.

This is why, as Blair and his horrid crew understood, you cannot unite the Left, you have to dominate it. Zealous Muslim convert Jody McIntyre tells us:

“When Morgan McSweeney first joined Labour in 2001, he was assigned to Peter Mandelson’s Excalibur database, used to monitor “internal political rivals”. Mandelson would show Labour MPs their “Excalibur printouts” and threaten them with action if they stepped out of line.”

According to McIntyre, who in 2024 very nearly ousted Jess Phillips from her traditionally rock-solid Labour seat, “an MP who served on Labour’s frontbench has passed [JMc] details of an unknown and unelected group who “rule with a rod of iron” and are fighting to retain control of the party.”

McIntyre names Baron Doyle as one of McSweeney’s “inner circle” and goes on to allege “Starmer’s Labour is now infested with sexual predators + child rapists.” The pro-Palestinian activist is clearly hoping to widen the gap between Labour and the Islamic political faction that is developing as the Left Balkanises.

Did we miss an opportunity to stabilise the electorate when rejecting the Alternative Vote in the 2011 referendum? “Her party is dying,” said Sir Keir to Kemi; that makes two, at least.

In connection with the Mandelson affair Ed Davey’s second question urged the adoption of the “Hillsborough law” imposing “a duty of candour for anyone and everyone in public office.”

A British glasnost would be welcome, especially since the tendency appears to be in the opposite direction, what with the Goverment’s cancelling its agreement with Courtsdesk and so making searches of criminal proceedings (and e.g. collation of migrant crime data) more difficult. Debating this on Tuesday the Minister, Sarah Sackman, dressed it up as a procedural matter based on data protection.

The SNP’s Stephen Flynn made transparency a personal matter for Starmer, asking him in relation to Baron Doyle to release the House of Lords Appointments Commission’s confidential advice given to the PM “on the propriety of the proposed nominees.” Sir Keir replied “I have made my position clear. The right hon. Gentleman knows how the system works” (convention of confidentiality, another procedural escape hatch) and typically for him launched a distracting counterattack against the SNP. PMQs as Blind Man’s Buff.

Isn’t procedure wonderful? It can give you a monstrously unrepresentative majority in Parliament based on the technicalities of a flawed electoral system.

Independent Ayoub Khan lightened the mood when his question on the Birmingham bin strike began “Rubbish is building up right beneath my very nose.” There was general laughter.

Yet there is so much else building up under our noses that is not being cleared up.

Only disaster can save us

If the fuses keep blowing maybe the toaster needs replacing. Morgan McSweeney, Tim Allan, who’s next? Has the PM’s position become un-Number-Ten-able?

Belatedly Twitterites are starting to worry about who might come after Starmer. Sir Keir is being described as moderate and restrained by comparison.

They’re wrong.

The choice is between socialist hotheads who rush like a bull at a gate and will be defeated by a horrified populace, and crypto-communists who proceed more slowly and thoroughly - the Fabians, the Gramscians, the Pabloites.

Blair’s influence within the Labour Party continues. His Institute for Global Change is said to be deeply influential. Although Andrew Neil protests “Blair has never been Starmer’s mentor. Never. And recently they’ve barely been on speaking terms” you have to look at who has been working with the PM: tentacles of the New Labour octopus.

If TB is disappointed in KS it will be because Starmer is a clunker in presentation. We see it weekly in PMQs but here is Sir Keir in Hastings where while passing judgment on the Prince of Darkness he gives us this hostage to his own political fortune:

“No one — however well-connected, however experienced, however senior… should hold public office if they cannot meet the basic test of honesty.”

Some are saying there should now be a General Election.

Wrong again.

In the first place it is unconstitutional, as barrister Steven Barrett explains: out of the massive Parliamentary majority someone can be found to lead the Government on the King’s behalf.

Secondly the people are torn. Labour has shown its ghastly colours, the Conservatives are deeply unforgiven but Reform is still “an emotional spasm.”

The Right is split between the Tories, Reform and other nascent parties such as Advance UK. If Labour went to the country now it could destroy Reform who have an unlicked bear-whelp of a manifesto and a leader who has yet to prove he can assemble a Cabinet with strength in depth that could survive his departure.

The Left is also fragmenting - some are off to the Greens who are a combination of eco cranks and revolutionary Islamists, some to the Lib Dems, some to independents.

A GE now might be dangerous. A heartbroken electorate might stay away from the polling booths on such a scale as to realize what Tony Benn warned against in 1991:

“Apathy could destroy democracy. When the turnout drops below 50 per cent., we are in danger.”

- and again ten years later:

“The real danger to democracy is not that someone will burn Buckingham Palace and run up the red flag, but that people will not vote. If people do not vote, they destroy, by neglect, the legitimacy of the Government who have been elected.”

Already the dangerous question of legitimacy has arisen, when a Government acts as though it has a mandate for radical change when only a fifth of the voting population cast their ballots for them and many of those are suffering buyer’s remorse.

Such a crisis could scarcely come at a worse time. Starmer seems keen to get our weakened military involved in Ukraine. The rich are being driven out of Britain, many entrepreneurial types in the prime of life are emigrating. Businesses are going to the wall, manufacturing is dying because of Net Zero. Both Peter Hitchens and Rupert Lowe (see 31:25) are expecting a run on sterling at some point.

Our economy is threatened by an international trade imbalance against a background of Britain’s crippling Net Zero commitment and doctrinaire hostility to business. Unemployment is rising for these reasons and also because of mechanisation and AI. In this context the use of immigration to swell GDP can only be seen as lunatic. We are heading for a State where many millions will be long-term welfare dependants and the system will break.

It is odd that Starmer claims to work for the working class defined by him as those who do not have savings, when the public sector workers whose pay has recently been greatly boosted have not only greater job security but pensions that embody future financial benefits that personal schemes cannot match.

Foreign relations are also an issue. Why is China being allowed to build a Lubyanka-like fortress in central London? Why does it look as though the Chagos giveaway is likely to go ahead, after a period of US opposition? Did Starmer fly halfway around the world merely to get a lower tariff on Scotch whisky exports or did he give certain private assurances to the Chinese Government? Would that explain why he didn’t take his Foreign Secretary with him but instead his “national security adviser” Jonathan Powell who served a decade as Blair’s chief of staff (1997-2007)?

We seem to be weakening in every way. Is that the big idea?

As Starmer gave us his delusionary vision in Hastings we have to remember the significance of that place where almost a thousand years ago the flower of Anglo-Saxon nobility faced invasion, defeat and systematic oppression. Is Sir Keir standing on Senlac Hill or is his back to the sea?

Perhaps only a swift and full disaster will give us the opportunity to rebuild.

FRIDAY MUSIC: Tejedor, by JD

Tejedor is a folk music group from Avilés, Asturias, Spain, consisting originally of three siblings (Jose, Javier and Eva Tejedor). Eva left the band in 2010, being replaced by Silvia Quesada on vocals. Tejedor’s members play traditional Asturian styles of music using traditional instruments such as bagpipes, flutes, accordions and guitars.

Tejedor has become known on the international Celtic music scene, the two brothers of the group winning on several occasions the McCallan bagpipe awards at the Inter Celtic Music Festival in Lorient, France.

Their first album, Texedores De Suaños, was produced by Phil Cunningham and features musicians like Michael McGoldrick, Duncan Chisholm, James McKintosh and Kepa Junkera.

https://tejedorweb.blogspot.com/p/bio.html

Xota Villacondide

“Xota la Punta” - Tejedor

Tejedor - Gaites del infiernu (Bagpipes from hell)

Tejedor - El veleta

Chalaneru [Víctor Manuel, Tejedor, Chus Pedro, Ramón Prada]

Tejedor: Andolina

Just out of interest the word tejedor means weaver so they are, in a way, paying homage to Pete Seeger and his ‘Weavers’ from years ago. And andolina means swallow (the bird).

Interesting Times

 Some points arising out of the events of the last few days:

1. Why has Peter Mandelson been given so many chances over the years?

2. Would Starmer’s resignation change much? Or would it be the trumpet call for a clearout of the Blairites? In which case, would the general political programme remain the same?

3. Some are calling for a fresh General Election. Could that inflict serious damage on Reform, who have yet to work out what they will do and how, and how to set up and run a Cabinet?

4. If Reform are not ready and both Labour and Conservative are mistrusted, even hated, could we see the constitutional crisis thatTony Benn warned against, a voter turnout below fifty per cent and people questioning the Government’s authority to govern?

5. Such a crisis could scarcely come at a worse time. Starmer seems keen to get our weakened military involved in Ukraine. The rich are being driven out of Britain, many entrepreneurial types in the prime of life are emigrating. Businesses are going to the wall, manufacturing is dying because of Net Zero. Both Peter Hitchens and Rupert Lowe (see 31:25) are expecting a run on sterling at some point.

6. Mandelson’s insider financial tips to Epstein maybe be treacherous in a non-legal sense but not necessarily treasonous as they did not impact on the State’s security. Arguably the (planned) giving away of the Chagos islands with its implications for national defence, might be considered worse, though Starmer is not solely to blame: talks with Mauritius were instituted under the last Conservative government in 2022. Nevertheless the ICJ’s rulings are not binding; why was Sir Keir so interested in pushing the process onward?

7. Starmer’s recent visit to China resulted in a reduced tariff on our whisky exports and an easement of visa requirements for Chinese citizens visiting the UK. But while he was there might he also have agreed with the Chinese government some Memorandum of Understanding on other matters of mutual interest? Why did his National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell accompany him, but not the Foreign Secretary?

Should we abandon hope in this country, as Hitchens has, or hold onto it - remain “Klingons”?

FRIDAY MUSIC: Slim Gaillard, by JD

This time from Slim Gaillard. The comments to these videos show that most people have never heard of him which surprises me. The man was a genius! Unique, a one off, never to be repeated!

Bulee “Slim” Gaillard, also known as McVouty, was an American jazz singer and songwriter who played piano, guitar, vibraphone, and tenor saxophone. Gaillard was noted for his comedic vocalese singing and word play in his own constructed language called “Vout-o-Reenee”, for which he wrote a dictionary.

This man’s life is remarkable. He spent his childhood in Cuba cutting sugarcane and picking bananas. At age 12, he accompanied his father on a round-the-world trip but was accidentally stranded on the island of Crete. He spent four years sailing the Mediterranean, learning the basics of Greek and Arabic, and eventually boarding a ship bound for North America. During Prohibition, he drove a hearse carrying a coffin full of whiskey for the Purple Gang. As an adult, he taught himself guitar and piano, earned the respect of such big names in jazz such as Charlie Parker, Flip Phillips, and Coleman Hawkins, and he was capable of speaking six languages.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slim_Gaillard

Slim Gaillard Trio in Burghausen 1986

SLIM GAILLARD

George Melly & Slim Gaillard - Part 1 - Jazz Juke Box

George Melly & Slim Gaillard - Part 2 - Jazz Juke Box

Hellzapoppin’ in full color Slim Gaillard & Slam Stewart, the Harlem Congeroos

Slim Gaillard - Flat Foot Floogie (Live 1988)

Davos and PMQs, 21st January 2025

To adapt the My Fair Lady song, “Why can’t a Yankee be more like a Brit?” It was fun watching Andrew Neil sizzling ever hotter on X as President Trump spoke at Davos - “If the folks at Davos had a spine they’d be walking out en masse now. Leaving him to an empty room.” Neil seems to prefer the English habit of cautious precision, apology and understatement; I once unintentionally misled a Californian when I told him Colman’s mustard was “fairly warm” and watched him impressed as he slathered it on his hot dog.

Richard North takes a different angle: “Most of [Trump’s] speeches are self-aggrandising waffle with multiple factual inaccuracies. You have to listen to the song and not the lyrics.”

North is correct. The WEF, EU and Starmer’s Ingsoc are still playing with their citizen-paralysing legal architecture while China is bulldozing its way around the world. By contrast Trump is combative - who will ever forget his reaction to being nearly killed in Pennsylvania?

When Montgomery first met Churchill in 1940 and Winston overmatched him the General later said he’d thought “we’ve got our man.” Churchill didn’t get everything right either - Alan Brooke did great service in moderating most of the PM’s ideas; but what counted, and what still counts, was the fighting spirit and sense of direction.

But how Trump ruffles feathers! Suddenly Starmer has discovered “values and principles” in relation to Greenland and told the Commons he “will not yield.” To clarify, on Monday he said “any decision about the future status of Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark alone.”

That prompts us to ask, “which of those two?” For the Danes have not made themselves loved among the Inuit, on whom the Copenhaven government inflicted forced contraception decades ago, apologising only last August.

Naturally some people say, if the people of Greenland must make their own decision about national sovereignty, shouldn’t we also respect the result of the Brexit referendum? (And as Badenoch said, what about the Chagossians?) But don’t expect Starmer to have consistent principles on that, any more than with free speech, trial by jury and liberty generally.

Turning to national defence, where Sir Keir boasts of boosting funding, we struggle to square that with giving the Chinese the go-ahead on building a fortress-like embassy in central London, and yielding (to use his new favourite word) the strategically important Chagos islands to China-aligned Mauritius. On Monday the PM shared custard cream biscuits with Samaritans representatives; perhaps he should offer Cowardy Custard Creams to the FCO and intelligence services?

This week’s PMQs was rowdy. The Speaker issued multiple warnings to his unruly class but shadow Transport Secretary Richard Holden persisted and was ordered out. Holden has been an MP since 2019 so ignorance could not be an excuse; did he want to bunk off for a fag behind the bike sheds?

He’s not the only one to transgress protocol. Starmer once again introduced the session with a party political broadcast and when the Greens’ Dr Chowns asked about agricultural water pollution she was treated to an aggressive interrrogation of Zack Polanski’s policy toward NATO. Speaker Hoyle brought him up short - “We do not ask the Opposition questions” - but after eighteen months in power surely the PM should know how not to be a hooligan.

The first query was a softball about the new Warm Homes plan. Even if the figures are right the £15 billion investment might take over a decade to pay for itself but that doesn’t solve the problem that our energy prices are four times higher than in the US and consequently our industry is withering. Does the unyielding PM have the spine to cancel Net Zero and redeploy Miliband the Mad?

It’s odd how Starmer is willing to pay for palliative measures rather than seek fundamental cures when it comes to energy, immigration and wealth production. Instead his radicalism comes out in cowing and de-democratising the people.

On the other hand Trump is resented for his willingness to use America’s might in order to tackle systemic matters. Would-be statesman Ed Davey said today that the Don is a “crime boss”; Labour’s Steve Witherden called him a thug and bully. One supposes they prefer the bureaucratic gradualism of their European political colleagues, the ones who so dragged their feet when Ethiopia was starving and needed Bob Geldof’s popular support to galvanise them into action.

It’s not just that Trump is an old man in a hurry. Like his predecessors he is under the gun, having only two years (if that) to make his mark before the mid-term elections (all members of Congress and a third of the Senate) that could change the balance of power and hamstring his efforts to restore the Republic and cleanse its institutions of subversive zealots (both Left and Right.) He is a flawed and fallible man but we need to rise above soap opera judgmentalism to consider the great challenges in this newly multi-polar world.