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Showing posts from August, 2021

Hardware by Billy Gibbons

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 This is the new solo album by Billy Gibbons who is the member of the legendary American rock band ZZ Top and this was recorded at Escape in Pioneertown California and Drac Studios in Hollywood California. It has mainly original songs  including Stackin Bones which he recorded it with American roots band Larkin Poe and an cover of an Texas Tornados song hey Baby Que Paso. It is an FANTASTIC album with great songs and an great sound and it went to number 111 in the USA and number 18 in the UK. Billy produced the album with Matt Sorum from guns N Roses and Mike Fiorentino and he is currently on tour  with ZZ Top as they are doing shows in America in September . I give it 4 stars as it's in the shops now so do yourselves a favour and BUY IT which you will love it.  

Respect

 Yesterday afternoon I went to Balmoral Cinema to see the movie Respect which it's about the legendary American soul singer  Aretha Franklin. Aretha (Skye Dakota Turner/Jennifer Hudson) starts signing for her father Rev CL Franklin (Forrest Whittaker ) in front of guests including James Cleveland(Tituss Burgess), Clara Ward and Sam Cooke, loses her mother, starts singing for her father's church, meets Ted White(Marlon Wayans)  which he is warned to keep away from her but eventually comes into her life, recording for Columbia which nothing happens chart wise , goes to Atlantic where she finally achieve success but then has issues with Ted as well as  issues with alcohol and it gets interesting. It's FANTASTIC, BRILLIANT and SUPERB  with FANTASTIC and BRILLIANT acting by Jennifer Hudson who does the role of Aretha Franklin so brilliantly which it's one of her best performances since Dream Girls  and I think she should be considered for an Oscar for her role as well as FAN

A Vibrant Life by Rick Kent

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 This is the autobiography of Australian drummer and member of the Australian 60's group the Vibrants Rick Kent  and in this book he talks about his upbringing in Adelaide, playing in the Firebirds, forming the Vibrants who would achieve great success with the hit singles Something About You Baby and My Prayer,  working with Bev Harrell, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, Grantley Dee and others, working in London,  working in the Springfield Revival, touring with the Osmonds, working with the Angels and the Mount Lofty Rangers, working in Queensland and many others. It is an FANTASTIC, BRILLIANT and SUPERB book with AWESOME, FANTASTIC and impressive stories as well as very entertaining about those times in the 60's as well as the 70's up to covid  and it is an FANTASTIC  book to read. Rick is still performing here and there and this is an must for Australian 60's music fans  which I give it 5 stars as the only way you get the book is to go on the Facebook page A vibran

Growing Out Of It by Lee Thompson

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 This is the memoir of the musician and founding member of the British ska band Madness Lee Thompson and in this book he talks about his upbringing in North London, his dad being in and out of prison, meeting the girl who would become his wife Debbie, going to Chafford Approved School due to stealing, meeting Mike Barson and Chris Foreman, doing graffiti, getting into music  with the sounds of ska, reggae, glam, pub rock  and others as well as the venues like the Dublin Castle, forming the band Madness  who were called the Invaders, achieving success with their 1st hit the Prince  and many others. It is FANTASTIC, BRILLIANT and SUPERB with AWESOME , IMPRESSIVE and an Very Entertaining stories about growing up in the 60's and 70's  and an great read indeed as this book goes to 1980. Madness are still together which Lee is still there and will be touring in the UK in November. This is an must for Madness fans as well as 70's and 80's music fans and I give it 5 stars as it

Free Guy

 on Sunday I went to the South Bank Cinema where I saw the movie Free Guy. Guy (Ryan Reynolds)  who is a bank teller  and is  an non player character(NPC)of a open world video game  and has an best friend named Buddy (Lil Rel Howery) finds the girl of his dreams named Motolov Girl/Millie(Jodie Comer)  singing a song and takes the sunglasses of a player who was attempting to rob the bank   he sees Free City from the heads up display and becomes known as the blue shirt guy as he becomes the hero. Guy and Millie are starting to have a liking for each other and they have to save the city from being deleted by the games creator Antwan (Takia Waititi)  which gets interesting. It's FANTASTIC, Very Funny and very entertaining with  an great performance by Ryan Reynolds as well as other great performances by Lil Rel Howery, Jodie Comer, Takia Waititi, Joe Keery and Utkarsh Amdukar . The director was Shawn Levy  and he produced it as well with Ryan Reynolds, Sarah Schecter, Greg Berlanti  an

Get A Little Dirt A Delltones Story by Bob Pierse

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 This is the memoir of Bob Pierse who was an former member of the legendary Australian singing group the Delltones from 1968-73 and 1978-81 and in this book he talks about his upbringing in the West Of Sydney, began playing in groups the Impacts and the Noctunes who would become the Whispers with Ray Brown, formed the Beaumarks which they played in Vietnam as well as doing an Christmas Show there, formed the Ambassadors with former Delltones member Warren Lucas, joined the Delltones in 1968  which would last until their break up in 1973 as well as working in Europe and Asia,  The Delltones getting back together in 1978 which he would last with them until 1981, the history of the Delltones and his life after the Delltones. It's FANTASTIC, BRILLIANT and SUPERB with FANTASTIC and AWESOME stories as well as  funny, impressive and very entertaining and is worth an read. The Delltones disbanded in 2016 but has left an great legacy in the music  which still gets played today and they shou

Fraternity by Victor Marshall

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 This is the biography of the legendary Australian group Fraternity  which the surviving members tell it in their own words and they talk about their beginnings in other bands as well as   being in Levi Smith's Clefs led by Adelaide singer Barry McAskill, the formation of the Band Fraternity in 1970, Bon Scott joining the band  after leaving the Valentine, moving to Adelaide, playing at festivals like the Odyssey (Wallacia) Pop Festival, Myponga and Meadows Technicolour Fair, releasing 2 albums Livestock and Flaming Galah, the singles Seasons Of Change and If You Got It, touring with 1910 Fruitgum Company, Jerry lee Lewis, Deep purple, Manfred Mann and Free, line up changes with Sam See, Uncle John Eyres, Jimmy Barnes and Swanee, working in England  which they worked with Status Quo and Mungo Jerry and many others. It's an FANTASTIC,BRILLIANT and SUPERB book with AWESOME and FANTASTIC stories as well as very entertaining and impressive as well an FANTASTIC read which it is wort

Neil Harvey The Last Invicible by Ashley Mallett

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 This is the biography of former Australian cricketer Neil Harvey written by former Australian spinner Ashley Mallett and in the book it talks about his upbringing in Victoria, playing for Victoria, making his Test debut for Australia in 1948, being selected for the 1948 tour of England which remained undefeated under Sir Donald Bradman which he played 2 Tests on that tour and would be playing for Australia until 1963 which he would score 21 centuries, moving to NSW in 1958, becoming Vice Captain of Australia and many others. It is an FANTASTIC, BRILLIANT and SUPERB book with FANTASTIC and Impressive stories as well as an job done by Ashley Mallett. Neil Harvey was involved in this book which he tells his own recollections as well as former cricketers like Ian and Greg Chappell, journalist David Frith, Ian Meckiff, Graham McKenzie, Ray Illingworth and it is worth an read indeed. It's an must for cricket fans and I am giving this 5 stars as it's in the shops now so do yourselves

Stories To Tell Greatest Hits and More by Richard Marx

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 This is the new compilation double CD by American singer-songwriter Richard Marx  and on the double CD it has the classic hits from the 80's and 90's including Right Here Waiting, Endless Summer Nights, Hazard and others as well as some live recording and demo recordings of the hits. It is FANTASTIC, BRILLIANT and SUPERB with FANTASTIC songs  which holds up so well to this day and still gets played on the radio which it's still well worth listening to. He has a book out too and has shows coming up this month and October. This is an must for 80's and 90's music fans as well as Richard Marx fans and I am giving it 5 stars as it's in the shops now so do yourselves an favour and BUY IT which you will love it. 

Not Out At the Close Of Play by Dennis Amiss

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 This is the memoir of former English cricketer Dennis Amiss and in this book he talks about his upbringing in Birmingham, starting playing professional cricket on his 15th birthday in 1958, playing his first test match against in 1966 which would last until 1977, encounters with people like  Dennis Lillee, Sir Garfield Sobers, Michael Holding and Les Ames, taking part in the 1982 Rebel  tour of South Africa, getting in the middle of the battle between World Series Cricket and the English Cricket Board in the 70's and many others. it is an Fantastic and Excellent book with impressive and Fantastic stories as well as very entertaining  and an enjoyable read too. This book was written with James Graham Brown who played cricket for Kent and Derbyshire before becoming an teacher and an playwright doing sporting dramas and former opening batsman Sir Geoff Boycott does the foreword. I give this 4 stars as it's in the bookshops now so do yourselves an favour and BUY IT which you will