A few likes while we pause

The paws are off today I'm afraid so we'll look at a few likes from over the years

This is from the anime Cardcaptor Sakura a fantastic magical girl series from the early part of the this decade which recently I've been rewatching.

The Pink Panther was always a thing with me from my earliest days with this one where his Pinkness goes head to head with the hapless construction building over whose building this will be is a favourite.

I have a Viewmaster set of PP cartoons.

Fish Fingers were a childhood love but over the years they got thinner, the cod got changed so many today have Atlantic Pollock but these available from Iceland are not just bigger, the cod is as good as you'd expect from fish and  chip suppers!

Now That's What I Call 70's Soul

It's Friday, we don't tend to do that many music features on here but as the medium connects with what during this period was my main form of listening to it we'll look at the 3 LP version of a recent Now That's What I Call Music release.

Most of Now's releases are about periods of hits such as the iconic Now Numbered series from Now 1 in 1983 to 123 recently, the recent Now Yearbook series and it's sub series Vaults but they have done more genre focused compilations.

This looks to be a part of round up by decade of soul music they are attempting really aimed at those who have a general interest in Soul music but not having label or single artist compilations reminding me a bit of 90's bank holiday soul shows on BBC Radio that broadened your knowledge.

This is looking at 70's soul starting with Motown and Philly and going through to the like Earth Wind and Fire and the funk/soul of the Commodores.

The cd set uses four cds but by only using three lps the selection of necessity is tighter which makes it a most useful overview of this decade in soul.

Record One opens with one of the decade’s most recognisable love songs: Al Green’s ‘Let’s Stay Together’, a US #1 and UK Top 10 hit that became his signature recording. It’s followed by Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s Going On’, the socially conscious masterpiece and title track from his landmark 1971 album, and Diana Ross’ Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’, which topped the US chart and became her first solo #1. Stevie Wonder’s ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)’ remains one of Motown’s most joyful recordings and comes before Commodores’ ‘Easy’ introducing Lionel Richie’s smooth ballad vocals. 

The side also includes Bill Withers’ timeless ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’, a Grammy-winning classic, and The Stylistics’ lush ballad ‘You Make Me Feel Brand New’, a UK Top 3 smash, before closing with Rose Royce’s beautiful ‘Wishing On A Star’, one of the most loved soul ballads of the era. 

Side Two opens with The Jackson 5’s ‘I Want You Back’ – the group’s explosive debut single opens the side. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles’ ‘The Tears Of A Clown’ became a UK #1 and is followed by The Supremes’ Nathan Jones’ showcasing the group’s evolving psychedelic-soul sound. Northern Soul classics from Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons with ‘The Night’, Chairmen Of The Board’s Top 3 smash ‘Give Me Just A Little More Time’ and The Trammps’ ‘Hold Back The Night’. The O’Jays’ joyous ‘Love Train’ leads to The Blackbyrds’ Walking In Rhythm’, before the side closes with the romantic classic ‘Always And Forever’ from Heatwave.

Record Two opens with The Temptations’ epic ‘Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone’, a Grammy-winning US #1 remains one of the most stunning recordings from the Motown catalogue, is followed by Isaac Hayes’ ‘Theme From “Shaft”’, an Academy Award-winner and a US #1 smash. More funk follows from Ike & Tina Turner, James Brown with one of his key tracks ‘Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine’, Edwin Starr’s powerful anti-Vietnam protest song ‘War’, and Sly & The Family Stone’s hugely influential ‘Family Affair’. The Delfonics’ sublime ‘Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)’ comes ahead of Billy Paul’s timeless ‘Me And Mrs. Jones’ which closes the side.

Side Two begins with the 1977 #1 from The Floaters with ‘Float On’, before the breathtaking vocals of Minnie Riperton on ‘Lovin’ You’. The Isley Brothers’ Summer Breeze’ and William DeVaughn’s ‘Be Thankful For What You Got’ have become enduring classics and are followed by a run of ‘80s pop-chart crossover hits completing this disc from Detroit Emeralds, The Moments Raydio and The Tymes’ #1 ‘Ms. Grace’.

Record Three opens with the unmistakable voice of Barry White and his US #1 hit ‘Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe’, before Aretha Franklin’s ‘Until You Come Back To Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do)’, delivers one of her smoothest performances. Al Green’s ‘Tired Of Being Alone’ and Gladys Knight & The Pips’ ‘Midnight Train To Georgia’ are followed by minimalist soul classic ‘Why Can’t We Live Together’ from Timmy Thomas, and the side closes with a trio of defining ballads:- George Benson’s ‘The Greatest Love Of All’ Diana Ross’ ‘Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To)’ and The Jackson 5’s ‘I’ll Be There’, their biggest hit…while over the last side Freda Payne’s #1 ‘Band Of Gold’, opens alongside Ann Peebles’ influential and much covered ‘I Can’t Stand The Rain’.Marvin Gaye’s sensual ‘Let’s Get It On’ became another US #1, while Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes featuring Teddy Pendergrass deliver the contemporary standard ‘If You Don’t Know Me By Now’. 

Three massive UK #1s are next…The Stylistics with ‘Can’t Give You Anything (But My Love)’, The Three Degrees’ peerless ‘When Will I See You Again’ and Deniece Williams’ ‘Free’. This amazing collection closes with two timeless ballads: Earth, Wind & Fire’s ‘After The Love Has Gone’, a Grammy-winning classic, along with ‘Three Times A Lady’in its singles edit , a huge worldwide #1 for the Commodores.

This set is well worth it's modest price.

Mayday moves

Bit of a warm one in the Dorm, windows open, as old as the building gas fire turned off and much lighter girlie clothes on as I'm cleaning the odd record a few decades old with a new brush.

No, not a clothes brush but a soft fairly deep brush with velvet guards to take up the dust and debris it digs out of the groove as having got it out you don't want it staying on the record potentially being plowed back into it!

Some exciting news is we have a summer camp this year despite much weirdo politicking over the use of legal and fully authorized rooms that saw last years cancelled for some of us to the consternation of others who could see beyond the obvious that more more in means lower fees across the board.

Obviously  numbers and finding accommodation to fit all those interested is a challenge given there is a big jump in terms of prices once you're over eleven or so rooms so apart from  being sure you can fill them, for a few affordability may be an issue but sometimes you have to bite the bullet.

Post Covid, with international tensions "staycations" that's to say people taking vacations in the UK has risen so while it was the case places were cutting back on renewing facilities leading to tired rooms but they have spent more on this so that apart from demand has fed into this accommodation cost increase.