Friday 24 December 2010

BBC Space Themes (1978)




















Thirty-two years ago tonight my late Mother put this record under the Christmas tree for me, along with Parallel Lines, Another Music In A Different Kitchen by the Buzzcocks and The Man Machine.  She always knew the records I wanted.

However, this record was a surprise as I hadn't asked for it (or knew it existed).  She said she got it as she knew I loved Blake's Seven.  I've not listened to this album for years and only recently dug it back out of the loft due to positive comments received for its sister BBC album, Sporting Themes.

So, three decades later this is a Christmas present for you lot now.  I hope you and yours have a good one.

Tuesday 21 December 2010

Mantovani - An Album Of Christmas Music (1958)





















An absolute Christmas favourite in our house for many years.  Side one is a little crackly but side two isn't bad at all.  A truly wonderful Christmas record.

Tuesday 7 December 2010

Christmas At Home (1962)





















Another one from last year.  Some great traditional carols and Christmas songs on here.

Friday 3 December 2010

Wednesday 1 December 2010

Ronne Aldrich - This Way 'In' (Phase 4 Stereo, 1968)





















Some great stuff on here from the prolific Ronnie Aldrich who seemed to release Phase 4 albums on a weekly basis!

Saturday 27 November 2010

Laurindo Almeida - Viva Bossa Nova! (1962)




















One of the best bossa nova albums ever made.  Unfortunately, I only own a mono copy, but that doesn't ditract from the fantastic music too much.   Just the thing for a snowy English day.

Friday 26 November 2010

Eric Winstone - Supersonic Sounds (1972)





















Some nice interpretations on here and a couple of storming Winstone's compositions thrown in for good measure.

Saturday 20 November 2010

Carlo Peretti - Mambos And Cha-Cha-Chas (1959)





















Fantastic early Mambo album.  All the tracks are brilliant, particularly the first, Mambo A La Puenti, a six minute stormer!

Tuesday 16 November 2010

BBC Sporting Themes (1979)




















This is another one of my favourite albums and it's posted to celebrate In-Flight Entertainment being one year old today.  Thanks for all the advice and encouragement from over the last year.

As for this album, yes, it probably is one of the worst covers you'll ever see, but it hides one of the finest collection of tracks on plastic.  Lots of your KPM boys on here:  Johnny Pearson, Keith Mansfield and Brian Bennett.

My personal favourite is the theme to Superstars, Heavy Action by Johnny Pearson.  If you're of a certain age like me then you'll remember Kevin Keegan falling off his bike like it was yesterday.  Fantastic!

Sunday 7 November 2010

Barry Gray - Music From The 21st Century (1987)




















This was an excellent EP issued to us Fanderson members back in the late 80s.  It contains some superb material, some of Gray's best:  White As Snow (otherwise known as TVR-17, which is what I was originally going to call this blog), Theme From UFO, Thunderbirds and the fantastic vocal version of Captain Scarlet recorded by The Spectrum which included drummer Keith Forsey who famously went on to co-write Flashdance and Don't You Forget About Me by the Simple Minds.

Sunday 24 October 2010

The Mystic Moods Orchestra - Love Token (1972)





















Another cool Sunday morning record.  This one drives my wife mad for some reason.  Maybe because I'm a man of habit and play it every weekend! 

Thursday 21 October 2010

Frank Barber - Swingin' Percussion (1966)




















Another S2S favourite of mine.

Edit, March 2011:    Thanks to those who have contacted me regarding the duplication of Spanish Flea.  Here's Creole Carnival, the missing track.

Tuesday 19 October 2010

Monday 4 October 2010

Richard Harvey - The Theme From Terrahawks (1983)





















For the last year or so I'm been pretty successful in brainwashing my four-year-old son into liking stuff I do.  He loves music, Captain Scarlet, Joe 90, Thunderbirds, Back To The Future, etc.  Over the weekend I thought I'd try Terrahawks.  He wasn't to impressed with the DVD - and neither was I, to be honest, I'd forgotten how much it had dated - but he loved the theme tune, so I dug my 12" single out and encoded it for your listening pleasure.

OK, so Richard Harvey is no Barry Gray, but this is the beginning of the 80s and is a theme very much of its time. 

Apologies as  there is a slight jump but it doesn't detract too much.

Saturday 2 October 2010

Tuesday 21 September 2010

Ennio Morricone - A Fistful Of Dollars and For A Few Dollars More (1968)




















One of the ways I like to pass my time is listening to Titoli while our cat and the one next door stare each other out on our garden wall.  "We can fight!"

Saturday 18 September 2010

Tuesday 14 September 2010

Nelson Riddle - The Contemporary Sound Of... (1968)





































One of my favourite Nelson Riddle albums this.  Some great takes on Light My Fire and Gentle On My Mind and a storming Stoned Soul Picnic.  Here are the UK and US sleeves.

Sunday 12 September 2010

Barry Gray - Space 1999 - Original Television Soundtrack (1976)




















Another gem from Barry Gray, the soundtrack to Season One of Space 1999.  Gray only scored the first season and then dropped out for the second series.  This ended a long-run of soundtracks Gray had done for Gerry Anderson including classics such as Fireball XL5, Stingray, Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, Joe 90 and UFO.

Apart from the main titles there are some corkers on here, particularly Black Sun and Death's Other Dominion.  Genius!

Wednesday 8 September 2010

Monday 6 September 2010

Wednesday 1 September 2010

Wednesday 18 August 2010

Morton Stevens Orchestra - Hawaii Five-0 - Television Soundtrack (1968)




















Fabulously funky soundtrack from Morton Stevens.  A really great album and there's so much more than the theme on here to enjoy.  Ignore at your peril!