TV Killed The Radio Star

For some people it might be news of another African famine or the scent of a particularly strong onion or maybe even the thought of yet another Coldplay album. The one thing that has me weeping uncontrollably is the news of yet another ‘celebrity’, or in this case “celebrities”, getting a job in radio.

I have a job in radio. I say’ job’ because it’s not a job as such. It doesn’t pay. In fact, I have to pay the station in the form of a membership fee. It’s a voluntary presenter’s role with a community radio station, Leith FM. I do it for nothing because I love it but I also do it because I’m passionate about radio and I want to improve as a presenter and get to the point where someone will pay me to do what I love. A reasonable enough ambition I’m sure you’d agree.

TV may be home to an ever-changing carousel of the young and beautiful but radio is where any age is catered for and you don’t even need to have the face for it. Thanks to the likes of hospital radio, community radio and local radio stations, you can learn your craft, iron out the rough spots and work your way up the chain in the hope that one day you’ll be “discovered”.

I wonder which radio apprenticeship route TV interior designers Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan took. They’re the latest “celebrities” to be signed up to present their own show, a 13-week Sunday morning slot (oo-er missus) on Real Radio Scotland.

Love them or loath them, the likes of Graham Norton, Dale Winton, Paul O’Grady and Alan Carr are just some of the celebs who have transferred to radio, some more worthy of a show than others! Radio stations must have money to burn. I’m guessing they’re paying through the nose for these “stars”. In these difficult financial times why not invest in “home-grown” talent (like Man Utd or Barcelona) instead of trying to buy success (perm one from many)?

Some national stations have regular standby presenters, safe pairs of hands (or headphones) to be called off the subs’ bench to fill in while the “stars” take yet another holiday but most of them are identikit BBC radio-bots and you can tell why they don’t have their own regular slots. Andrew Collins is a notable exception. He’s the David Fairclough of BBC 6Music and should have his own show again. Give him the number 9 shirt.

How are people like me ever going to be discovered if radio stations/chains continue to get the cheque book out and pay for whatever celebrity needs to ‘up their profile’? Where are the next generation of Chris Evans’, Chris Moyles’, Danny Bakers and John Cavanaghs going to come from?

No, wait a minute. I take it all back. Colin and Justin did a breakfast show for a day last month. Oh well, that’s okay then.

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Where The Action Is – Playlist Thu 3 Feb LEITH FM

In a deal that slipped under the radar and was made just as the transfer window closed, I can  confirm that Where The Action Is has transferred from Kirkcaldy VRN 1287AM to Leith FM 98.8 for a nominal fee.

As of Thursday 3 February I shall be broadcasting on Leith FM 98.8 and online to the world via www.leithfm.co.uk between 8.30pm and 10pm, sandwiched between Momo’s excellent Imurig (North African Sounds) and the best of UK grime and hip-hop courtesy of Jay, Mica and crew with Music Always Comes First.

Despite the slighter shorter show I’ll still have plenty of  mod, soul, girl groups, Motown, sunshine pop, ye-ye and all manner of alternative tracks from the late 50s through to the early 70s!

There will only be time for one game of Connect 3, where you can guess the link between three tracks (give your answer on the show’s dedicated Facebook page), a birthday track and a Foreign Language track. We’ll still have the Half-Time Instrumental and Two of a Kind but the Trojan Mod Reggae track has made way for Death Disco, which, as you can appreciate, wasn’t a suitable feature for hospital radio.

The Tremeloes – Hello World (CBS 1969)
Tony Newman – Let The Good Times Roll (Decca 1968) (show theme)
Dino, Desi and Billy – Not The Lovin’ Kind (Reprise 1965)
Billie Davis – Billie Sunshine (Decca 1969)
The Marvelettes – I’ll Keep On Holding On (Motown 1965)
The Shondells – Wonderful One (King 1962)
The Liverpool Five – I Can Only Give You Everything (TK 1965) (Connect 3)
Billy Nichols – London Social Degree (Immediate 1968) (Connect 3)
John Carter and Ken Lewis – Birmingham Brass Band (Demo 1968) (Connect 3)
Sanford Clark – Houston (Warner Bros 1965)
A Wild Uncertainty – A Man With Money (Planet 1966)
Patsy Ann Noble – Sour Grapes (Columbia 1963) (Birthday: 3/2/44)
The Dee-Tees – Got Love If You Want It (Philips 1965)
John Carter – She Won’t Show Up Tonight (Demo 1967)
Small Faces – Own Up Time (Decca 1966) (Half-Time Instrumental)
Lesley Gore – My Gu y, My Town and Me (Mercury 1965)
Peggy March – Das Ist Zauberi (Decca 1970) (Foreign Language)
Jackie Wilson – The Who Who Song (Brunswick 1967)
The Times – Tomorrow Night (Columbia 1966)
The Shangri-las – Give Us Your Blessings (Red Bird 1964) (Death Disco)
The Rockin’ Vickers – It’s Alright (CBS 1965)
The Thrills – Santa Cruz (You’re Not That Far) (Virgin 2002) (Under the Influence)
Mary Wells – You Beat Me To The Punch (Motown 1962)
Guy Darrell & Wind of Change – Stupidity (CBS 1965)
Sir Douglas Quintet – She’s a Mover (London 1965)
Billy Fury – Things are Changing (Parlophone 1967) (Two of a Kind)
Billy Fury – Colette (Decca 1959) (Two of a Kind)
The Small Faces – I Feel Much Better (Immediate 1967)

I shall continue to provide an extended version of this show on Kirkcaldy VRN 1287AM for the rest of February but to avoid confusion between the two I’ll only post the Leith FM playlist here. I’m looking to do a different type of show on VRN from March onwards. Watch this space.

So a lot has happened in a short space of time. Once I’ve settled into Leith FM I’ll be looking at listeners making requests, especially for the features.

Don’t forget you can hear me, The Cat, on Leith FM 98.8 or online every Thursday between 8.30pm and 10pm or,  if you’re in the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, you can hear an extended version of Where The Action Is on Channel 3 on your bedside headphones or on 1287AM on the Medium Wave between 1702 and 1900 every Sunday.

A big thanks for Momo, John and Ally for all their assistance and to all of you who tuned into the first show. There are already requests coming in for show 2. Keep ‘em coming.

That’s it for this week. Until next time, it’s good day and good health.

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Where The Action Is: Playlist Sunday 23 January 2011

Two days before Burns night we celebrate the obscure and not so obscure of Scottish rock and pop with a special Jocknroll edition of Where The Action Is! This selection of tunes should’ve been broadcast in November for St. Andrew’s Day but the weather put paid to that.

As usual we’ll have two games of Connect 3, where you can guess the link between three Jockanese tracks and this week we have a Foreign Language track from Lulu. There’s also the Half-Time Instrumental and Two of a Kind from The Poets.

The Misfits – Hanging Around (Aberdeen Students Charity Appeal 1966)
Tony Newman – Let The Good Times Roll (Decca 1968) (show theme)
Bobby Patrick Big Six – Monkey Time (Decca 1964)
Studio Six – Bless My Soul (I’ve Been and Gone and Done It) (Polydor 1967)
Donovan – Catch The Wind (Pye 1965)
The Blues Council – Baby Don’t Look Down (Parlophone 1964)
Linda Flavell – And The Trouble With Me Is You (Decca 1966)
The Golden Crusaders – Come On, Come On (Columbia 1964)
New Faces – Never Gonna Love Again (Pye 1965) (Connect 3)
The Athenians – I Got  Love If You Want It (Waverley 1964) (Connect 3)
The Poor Souls – Love Me (Alp 1965) (Connect 3)
The McKinleys – That Lonely Feeling (Parlophone 1964)
The Scots of St. James – Timothy (Spot 1967)
Lulu – Stubborn Kinda Fellow (Ace of Clubs 1967)
The Luvvers – House on the Hill (Parlophone 1966)
My Dear Watson – Stop Stop There I’ll Be (Parlophone 1968)
Lulu – So Fing Es An (Decca 1966) (Foreign Language)
Davey Graham – Goin’ Down Slow (Decca 1965)
The Beatstalkers – Base Line (Decca 1966) (Half-Time Instrumental)
James Galt – With My Baby (Pye 1966)
Dean Ford and the Gaylords – He’s a Good Face (But he’s No Down and Out) (Columbia 1965)
Sol Byron and The Impacts – Pride and Joy (Flamingo 1964)
The Anteeks – I Don’t Want You (Philips 1966)
Societie – Bird Has Flown (Deram 1967)
Barry St. John – Hey Boy (Decca 1965)
The Orchids – She’s My Girl (Pebble 2010) (Under the Influence)
Joss Monroe & The Mark Eton Sound – Sha La La (West 1972)
The Black Ring – Take It or Leave It (SAUSCA 1965)
One in a Million – Double Sight (MGM 1968)
The Boston Dexters – Nothing’s Gonna Change Me (Contemporary 1964) (Connect 3)
Tam White – Don’t Make Promises (Deram 1969) (Connect 3)
The Buzz – You’re Holding Me Down (Columbia 1966) (Connect 3)
Dream Police – Living is Easy (Decca 1970)
Mickey Moonshine – Name It You Got It (Decca 1974)
The Poets – I Love Her Still (Decca 1965) (Two of a Kind)
The Poets – Wooden Spoon (Decca 1967) (Two of a Kind)
Hopscotch – Look At The Lights Go Up (United Artists 1968)
Jackie Dennis – La Dee Dah (Decca 1958)
Tony Newman – Let The Good Times Roll (Decca 1968) (show theme)

That’s it for this week. (Please note, for the sake of compliance, that today’s show was actually recorded yesterday as I’m off to Glasgow tonight to see the BMX Bandits’ 25th Anniversary Concert).

Don’t forget, if you’re in the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy you can hear Where The Action Is on Channel 3 on your bedside headphones or on 1287AM on the Medium Wave between 1702 and 1900 every Sunday.

That’s it for this week. Until next time, it’s good day and good health.

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Where The Action Is: Playlist – Sunday 16 January 2010

Here we go again. Eyes down for a full house, it’s time for this week’s Where The Action Is! Join me for another great mix of mod, soul, girl groups, Motown, sunshine pop, ye-ye and all manner of alternative tracks from the late 50s through to the early 70s! As usual we’ll have two games of Connect 3, where you can guess the link between three tracks, a birthday track for Dave Berry and this week we have a Foreign Language track from Ria Bartok. There’s also the Half-Time Instrumental and Two of a Kind from Ann-Margret.
 

The Action – I’ll Keep On Holding On (Parlophone 1966)
Tony Newman – Let The Good Times Roll (Decca 1968) (show theme)
The What Four – I’m Gonna Destroy That Boy (Columbia 1966)
Lucas and the Mike Cotton Sound – Step Out of Line (Pye 1967)
Lee Hazelwood & Suzi Jane Hokom – Califia (Stone Rider) (LHI 1969)
The In Crowd – Blow Up (Unreleased 1967)
Felder’s Orioles – Backstreet (Picadillly 1966)
Billy Fury – Beyond The Shadow of a Doubt (Parlophone 1968)
The Panthers – I’ll Be Pleased (Polydor 1965) (Connect 3)
Brian Auger – Tiger (Columbia 1967) (Connect 3)
Hal Blaine & The Young Cougars – The Dip (RCA 1963) (Connect 3)
She Trinity – Climb That Tree (President 1970)
Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds – Hey Hey Hey Hey (Columbia 1964)
Caroline Munro – This Sporting Life (Columbia 1967) (Birthday: 16/01/49 Caroline Munro)
Al Casey & The Bats – (Got The) Teen-Age Blues (Highland 1958)
The Yardbirds – Stroll On (MGM 1967)
Ria Bartok – Roller Girl (Philips 1967) (Foreign Language)
The Marauders – Lucille (Decca 1964)
Mort Shuman IV – Monday Monday (Immediate 1967) (Half-Time Instrumental)
Rod Stewart – Shake (Columbia 1966)
The Girls – Here I Am In Love Again (Unreleased 1965)
Slim Smith & The Uniques – Build My World Around You (Trojan 1968) (Trojan Mod Reggae)
The Shacklefords – The City Never Sleeps at Night (Capitol 1966)
Barry Benson – Sunshine Child (Parlophone 1966)
The Spencer Davis Group – Keep On Running (live session) (Radio 1966)
Jonny – Candyfloss (Turnstile 2011) (Under the Influence)
Keith Powell & Billie Davis – When You Move You Lose (Piccadilly 1966)
The Wildcats – What Are We Gonna Do in’64? (Reprise 1963)
Toni McCann – No (Sunshine 1965)
The Monkees – I’ll be Back On My Feet (Colgems 1968) (Connect 3)
The Hondas – Twelve Feet High (Eden 1962) (Connect 3)
Ten Feet – Got Everything But Love (RCA 1966) (Connect 3)
Timebox – I’ll Always Love You (Piccadilly 1967)
The Luvvers – Most Unlovely (Parlophone 1966)
Ann-Margret – You Turned My Head Around (LHI 1968) (Two of a Kind)
Ann-Margret – It’s a Nice World To Visit (But Not To Live In) (LHI 1968) (Two of a Kind)
The Untamed – My Baby is Gone (Stateside 1965)
Jimmy James & The Vagabonds – Ain’t No Big Thing (Piccadilly 1966)
Tony Newman – Let The Good Times Roll (Decca 1968) (show theme)

That’s it for this week. Next week’s show is a Jocknroll special, to celebrate Burns Night on the 25th, when we’ll be playing laods of Scottish acts.

Don’t forget, if you’re in the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy you can hear Where The Action Is on Channel 3 on your bedside headphones or on 1287AM on the Medium Wave between 1702 and 1900 every Sunday.

That’s it for this week. Until next time, it’s good day and good health.

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Where The Action Is: Playlist – Sunday 9 January 2011

Another week and another edition of  Where The Action Is, my usual mix of mod, soul, girl groups, Motown, sunshine pop, ye-ye and all manner of alternative tracks from the late 50s through to the early 70s! As usual we’ll have two games of Connect 3, where you can guess the link between three tracks, two tracks to celebrate the birthday of Scott Walker and this week we have a Foreign Language track from France Gall. There’s also the Half-Time Instrumental and Two of a Kind from The Zephyrs.

Julie Grant – Count On Me (Pye 1963)
Tony Newman – Let The Good Times Roll (Decca 1968) (show theme)
Kim Weston – Looking For The Right Guy (Tamla 1964)
Ronnie Jones – My Love (Decca 1965)
Suzi Jane Hokom – Need All The Help I Can Get (MGM 1966)
Tamiko – Rhapsody (Atco 1964)
The Gamblers – What’s Happening (Decca 1965)
Helen Shapiro – Walking On The Shore of Nowhere (Pye 1970)
The Shangri-las – The Train from Kansas City (Red Bird 1965) (Connect 3)
Annette Funicello – Train of Love (Vista 1960) (Connect 3)
The Cryan’ Shames – First Train to California (Columbia 1969) (Connect 3)
Sanford Clark with Al Casey – The Fool (MCI/Dot 1956)
Scott Walker – The Lady Came from Baltimore – Philips 1967)
Scott Walker – The Old Man’s Back Again (Dedicatyed to the Neo-Stalinist Regime) (Philips 1969) (Birthday: 09/01/44 Scott Walker)
The Rats – Gimme Some Wine (CBS 1965)
The Sharps – Have Love, Will Travel (Jamie 1958)
France Gall – Laisser Tomber Les Filles (Philips 1964) (Foreign Language)
The Contours – First I Look at the Purse (Gordy 1965)
Jimmy Nicol & The Shubdubs – Night Train (Pye 1964) (Half-Time Instrumental)
Anita Harris – London Life (Pye 1965)
The Cheatin’ Hearts – The Bad Kind (Columbia 1966)
Tommy McCook – Thunderball (Trojan 1965) (Trojan Mod Reggae)
Billy Fury – Suzanne In The Mirror (Parlophone 1967)
The Darlenes – (I’m Afraid) You’ll Hurt Me (Stacy 1963)
Amen Corner – Our Love Is In The Pocket (Decca 1968)
The Maple Leaves – Golden Ether (Bubblegum 2010) (Under the Influence)
Billie Davis – No Other Baby (Piccadilly 1965)
The Cookies – In Paradise (Atlantic 1956)
Tommy Bruce – Over Suzanne (Columbia 1964)
The Freshmen – Just To See You Smile (Pye 1969) (Connect 3)
Truly Smith – My Smile Is Just A Frown (Turned Upside Down) (Decca 1966) (Connect 3)
The Isley Brothers – Behind A Painted Smile (Motown 1965) (Connect 3)
Lee Hazlewood with Duane Eddy & Orchestra – The Girl on Death Row (Jamie 1960)
Antoinette – There He Goes (The Boy I Love) (Piccadilly 1964)
The Zephyrs – Wonder What I’m Gonna Do (Columbia 1964) (Two of a Kind)
The Zephyrs – She’s Lost You (Columbia 1965) (Two of a Kind)
The Barker Brothers – You Can’t Stay Here (Kent 1956)
The Bats – Listen To My Heart (Decca 1966)
Tony Newman – Let The Good Times Roll (Decca 1968) (show theme)

Don’t forget, if you’re in the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy you can hear Where The Action Is on Channel 3 on your bedside headphones or on 1287AM on the Medium Wave between 1702 and 1900 every Sunday.

That’s it for this week. Until next time, it’s good day and good health.

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Where The Action Is: Playlist 2 January 2011

Happy New Year to everyone from the entire Where the Action Is team, which is, of course, just me!

As usual a new year means a new theme song for Where The Action Is and following in the footsteps of The Quik’s “Bert’s Apple Crumble” (“stolen” by CBeebies) and Floyd Cramer’s “On The Rebound” (“borrowed” by Jamie Oliver and Sainsbury’s) it’s the turn of sticksman Tony Newman and “Let The Good Times Roll”, the B-side of his 1968 Decca single “Soul Thing” and a remake of the Bunny Sigler original medley with “Feel So Good”.

As usual we’ll have two games of Connect 3, where you can guess the link between three tracks and this week’s Foreign Language track from Jacqueline Taïeb. There’s also the Half-Time Instrumental and Two of a Kind from The New Faces.

The Sopwith Camel – Hello Hello (Kama Sutra 1966)
Tony Newman – Let The Good Times Roll (Decca 1968) (show theme)
Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazelwood – Lady Bird (Reprise 1967)
Billy Fury – I’ll Go Along With It (Parlophone 1967)
The Cookies – Chains (Dimension 1962)
The UK Bonds – The Last Thing I Ever Do (Polydor 1966)
The Monkees – I Can’t Get Her Off My Mind (early version) (Colgems 1966)
Dusty Springfield – Sweet Ride (20th Century Fox 1968)
Sidewalk Skipper Band – Strawberry Tuesday (Capitol 1968) (Connect 3)
Meantime – Friday Kind of Monday (Atco 1967) (Connect 3)
Thursday‘s Children – Just You (Piccadilly 1965) (Connect 3)
The Marmalade – Butterfly (CBS 1969)
The Peasants – Got Some Lovin’ For You Baby (Columbia 1965)
Jody Miller- Queen of the House (Capitol 1965) (Birthday: 02/01/36 Roger Miller)
The Montanas – You’re Making a Big Mistake (Pye 1968)
Dino, Desi & Billy- The Rebel Kind (Reprise 1965)
Jacqueline Taïeb – Le Coeur Au Bout Des Doigts (Impact/Festival 1968) (Foreign Language)
Roy Anton & The Peppermint Men – Nothing Comes Easy (Parlophone 1965)
The Sunsets – Savoy Club Stomp (Ember 1963) (Half-Time Instrumental)
Shirley Matthews & The Big Boys – Big Town Boy (Atlantic 1963)
The Flying Machine – Hey Little Girl (Pye 1970)
Ewan & Jerry with the Caribbeats – Oh Babe (Sick and Tired) (Blue Beat 1967)
Don Cole with Al Casey – Snake Eyed Mama (RPM 1957)
Jan and Dean – The New Girl in School (Liberty 1964)
Winston G – That Way Too (Parlophone 1965)
BMX Bandits – Back In Your Arms (Shoeshine 2003) (Under the Influence)
Doris Troy – Tomorrow Is Another Day (Atlantic 1963)
The Beau Brummels – Don’t Talk to Strangers (Autumn 1965)
Duane Eddy & Miriam Eddy – Guitar On My Mind (Reprise 1967)
The Searchers – Second Hand Dealer (Pye 1967) (Connect 3)
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – I Second That Emotion (Motown 1968) (Connect 3)
The Blinkers – Dreams Secondhand (Pye 1969) (Connect 3)
The Goodnight Kisses – Devil in the Dark (Atco 1965)
The Mark Four – Slow Down (Mercury 1964)
The New Faces – The Life That I Lead (Pye 1967) (Two of a Kind)
The New Faces – Walk Tall Like a Man (Pye 1966) (Two of a Kind)
BB King – Don’t Look Now, But I’ve Got The Blues (Kent 1958)
Tony Newman – Let The Good Times Roll (Decca 1968) (show theme)

Don’t forget, if you’re in the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy you can hear Where The Action Is on Channel 3 on your bedside headphones or on 1287AM on the Medium Wave between 1702 and 1900 every Sunday.

That’s it for this week. Until next time, it’s good day and good health.

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Where The Action Is: Playlist Sunday 12 December 2010

This week on Where the Action Is it’s time to crack open the chest of festive tunes. Usually my selection is from the late 50s through to the early 70s but for the next weeks the Christmas tracks played will be old and new. 

As usual we’ll have two games of Connect 3, where you can guess the link between three festive tracks, a birthday track for Connie Francis and this week’s Foreign Language track from France Gall. There’s also the Half-Time Instrumental and Two of a Kind from Sufjan Stevens.

Eels – Everything’s Gonna Be Cool This Christmas (Dreamworks 1998)
Floyd Cramer – On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)
Marvin Gaye – Purple Snowflakes (Motown 1964)
Kim Weston – Wish You a Merry Christmas (Motown 1994)
Valerie Masters – Christmas Calling (RGM 1964)
Saint Etienne – I Was Born on Christmas Day (Heavenly 1993)
Jackie DeShannon – Do You Know How Christmas Trees Are Grown (Imperial 1969)
Darlene Love – Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) (Philles 1963)
I Am Kloot – Sunlight Hits The Snow (We Love You 2001) (Connect 3)
Cocteau Twins – Frosty The Snowman (Fontana 1993) (Connect 3)
Harpers Bizarre – Snow (Warner Bros 1968) (Connect 3)
KT Tunstall – Mele Kailimaka (Christmas in Hawaii) (EMI 2007)
The Orchids – Christmas Is The Time To Be With Your Baby (Columbia 1964)
Connie Francis – I’m Gonna Be Warm This Winter (MGM 1962) (Birthday: 12/12/38 Connie Francis)
The Flirtations – Christmas Time Is Here Again (Deram 1968)
Rufus Wainwright – Spotlight on Christmas (Unreleased 2004)
France Gall – Il Neige (Philips 1965) (Foreign Language)
Teenage Fanclub – Jesus Christ (Creation 1997)
Russ Conway – Snow Coach (Columbia 1959) (Half-Time Instrumental)
Juliana Casablancas – I Wish It Was Christmas Today (Rough Trade 2009)
Chuck Berry – Run Rudolph Run (Chess 1958)
Dan Lyth – Maybe This Baby Could Save Us All (Moojuice 2009)
Patti Page – Pretty Snowflakes (Mercury 1955)
Ron Sexsmith – Maybe This Christmas (Nettwerk 2002)
Superchunk – Child’s Christmas in Wales (One Four Seven 2010)
Dropkick/Alice Marra – I May Never (Sound Asleep 2010) (Under the Influence)
Camera Obscura – The Blizzard (4AD 2009)
The Free Design – Close Your Mouth (It’s Christmas) (Project 3 1968)
Fountains of Wayne – I Want An Alien for Christmas (Atlantic 1997)
Scott Walker – Winter Night (Philips 1969) (Connect 3)
Fleet Foxes – White Winter Hymnal (Bella Union 2008) (Connect 3)
The Beach Boys – Child of Winter (Christmas Song) (Brother 1974) (Connect 3)
Paul Revere – Wear a Smile at Christmas (Columbia 1967)
Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings – Ain’t No Chimneys in The Projects (Daptone 2009)
Sufjan Stevens – Put The Lights On The Tree (Asthmatic Kitty 2002) (Two of a Kind)
Sufjan Stevens – Come On! Let’s Boogey To The Elf Dance (Asthmatic Kitty 2003) (Two of a Kind)
Manic Street Preachers – Ghosts of Christmas (Download 2007)
Floyd Cramer – On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)

Next week’s show will be the second and final Christmas special and on Boxing Day I’ll feature my favourite tracks from my show this year.

Don’t forget, if you’re in the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy you can hear Where The Action Is on Channel 3 on your bedside headphones or on 1287AM on the Medium Wave between 1702 and 1900 every Sunday.

That’s it for this week. Until next time, it’s good day and good health.

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Where The Action Is: Sunday 5 December 2010

Firstly apologies to regular listeners  for the lack of a Jocknroll special last week. The weather put paid to it. I shall instead be using it to celebrate Burns Night in January 2011. I did, however, manage to get to the studio to record this week’s show. I’ll be in the Wild West at the third and final day of the Glasgow Popfest at Stereo, featuring the very wonderful The Orchids, so you’ll have to put up with me on tape.

This week on Where the Action Is we celebrate the music of those from the world of rock and pop who have passed away in 2010 with a special edition of the show entitled “Gone But Not Forgotten”.

As usual we’ll have two slightly different games of Connect 3, where the three tracks will each involve someone who died this year. There’s also the Half-Time Instrumental and Two of a Kind from Big Star, who lost two members this year, as did The Action.

The Action – Love is All (Unreleased 1967/1968)
Floyd Cramer – On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)
Stone Poneys/Linda Ronstadt – Different Drum (Capitol 1967)
The Isley Brothers – Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While) (Tamla Motown 1968)
Lesley Duncan – See That Guy (Mercury 1965)
The Kinks – Tired of Waiting for You (Pye 1965)
The Kinks – Dead End Street (Pye 1966)
The Free Design – Bubbles (Project 3 1970)
Johnny Kidd & The Pirates – Hungry for Love (HMV 1963) (Connect 3)
Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas – Chinese Girl (Reaction 1967) (Connect 3)
The Dakotas – The Spider and the Fly (Philips 1968) (Connect 3)
Willie Mitchell – That Driving Beat (London 1965)
Bobby Hebb – Love Love Love (Philips 1966)
Reg King & BB Blunder – Little Boy (United Artists 1971)
The Carpenters – Goodbye to Love (A&M 1972)
The Essex featuring Anita Humes – A Walkin’ Miracle (Roulette 1963)
Redbone – The Witch Queen of New Orleans (Epic 1971)
Neil Christian and the Crusaders – The Road To Love (Columbia 1962) (Foreign Language)
The Kinks – Village Green (Pye 1966/1967) (Half-Time Instrumental)
Eddie Fisher – The Chase (Ramrod 1960)
Crispian St. Peters – You’re On My Mind (Decca 1965)
The Action – Twenty Fourth Hour (Parlophone 1967)
The Action – Never Ever (Parlophone 1967)
The Supremes – Someday We’ll Be Together (Motown 1969)
Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell – If I Could Build My Whole World Around You (Tamla 1967)
The Boston Dexters – What Kind of Girl Are You? (Contemporary 1964)
The Buzz – I Gotta Buzz (Columbia 1966)
The Showmen – It Will Stand (London 1962)
Chairmen of the Board – Give Me Just a Little More Time (Invictus 1970)
The Action – Mine Exclusively (BBC 1966) (Connect 3)
The Action – Interview with Reg King (BBC 1966) (Connect 3)
The Action – Baby You Got It (BBC 1966) (Connect 3)
The Action – Shadows and Reflections (Parlophone 1967) (Connect 3)
Big Star – Daisy Glaze (Stax 1973) (Two of a Kind)
Big Star – When My Baby’s Beside Me (Stax 1972) (Two of a Kind)
Solomon Burke – Home in Your Heart (Atlantic 1962)
Floyd Cramer – On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)

So  it’s goodbye and thanks for the memories to Mike “Ace” Evans (The Action), Reg King (The Action), Kenny Edwards (Stone Poneys), Lesley Duncan, Pete Quaife (The Kinks), Chris Dedrick (Free Design), Mick Green, Willie Mitchell, Bobby Hebb, Tony Peluso, Anita Humes, Lolly Vasquez, Neil Christian, Eddie Fisher, Harvey Fuqua, Tam White, Norman Johnson, Solomon Burke, Alex Chilton and Andy Hummel. God bless you all.

Next week’s show, weather permitting, will be the first of two Christmas specials, full of weird and wonderful festive tunes.

Don’t forget, if you’re in the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy you can hear Where The Action Is on Channel 3 on your bedside headphones or on 1287AM on the Medium Wave between 1702 and 1900 every Sunday.

That’s it for this week. Until next time, it’s good day and good health.

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Where The Action Is: Playlist 21 November 2010

This week on Where the Action Is it’s more of the usual mix of mod, soul, girl groups, Motown, sunshine pop, ye-ye and all manner of alternative tracks from the late 50s through to the early 70s.  We continue to feature tracks from Hey, Beach Girls!, a fabulous new compilation from Ace Records.

As usual we’ll have two games of Connect 3, where you can guess the link between three tracks, a birthday track for Art Garfunkel and this week’s Foreign Language track from I Campioni. There’s also the Half-Time Instrumental, a Trojan Mod Reggae track, Two of a Kind from The Liverbirds, as well as The Orchids – I’ll be playing a track from their beautiful new album The Lost Star every week in November – in the Under the Influence feature.

The Fire – Father’s Name Is Dad (Decca 1967)
Floyd Cramer – On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)
The Starlets – You Don’t Love Me (Tower 1965)
The Monkees – Love Is Only Sleeping (Colgems 1967)
Bobby Fuller Four – Love’s Made a Fool of You (Mustang 1966)
Paul & Ritchie & The Cryin’ Shames – Come On Back (Decca 1966)
The Beach Girls – He’s My Surfin’ Guy (Vault 1963)
Beverly Jones with The Prestons – Hear You Talkin’ (Parlophone 1964)
Hal Blaine & The Cougars - (Dance With The) Surfin’ Band (RCA 1963) (Connect 3)
Grant Tracy – Taming Tigers (Ember 1962) (Connect 3)
Emmit Rhodes – Tame The Lion (Dunhill 1973) (Connect 3)
Annette Funicello – Monkey’s Uncle (Vista 1965)
Susan Lynne – Don’t Drag No More (Capitol 1964)
Simon & Garfunkel – Keep The Customer Satisfied (Columbia 1970) (Birthday: 21/11/41 Art Garfunkel)
The Majority – One Third (Decca 1966)
Little Pattie & The Statesmen – Drag Race Johnny (HMV – Australia 1964)
I Campioni – Non Farla Piangere (Don’ Make My Baby Blue) (CAR Juke Box 1966) (Foreign Language)
Ann-Margret – You Turned My Head Around (LHI 1968)
John Barry – Big Shield (Ember 1964) (Half-Time Instrumental)
Andrea Carroll – Hey, Beach Boy (United Artists 1966)
The New Breed – Unto Us (Decca 1965)
Lee “Scratch” Perry – Kimble the Nimble (Trojan 1968) (Trojan Mod Reggae)
The Westwoods – Will You Love Me (Like You Did Last Summer) (A&M 1965)
Mark Douglas – It Matters Not (Ember 1962)
The Debutantes – Shake a Tail Feather (Standout 1967)
The Orchids – Les Spectacles de la Foire (Pebble 2010) (Under the Influence)
Jackie DeShannon – I Don’t Think Much of Myself Now (Liberty 1962)
Duane Eddy & The Rebelettes – Your Baby’s Gone Surfin’ (RCA 1963)
The Birds – No Good Without You (Decca 1965)
The Surfettes – Sammy the Sidewalk Surfer (Mustang 1964) (Connect 3)
Sidewalk Skipper Band – Strawberry Tuesday (Capitol 1968) (Connect 3)
Jan and Dean – Sidewalk Surfin’ (Liberty 1964) (Connect 3)
Loose Ends – Taxman (Decca 1966)
Del Shannon – Mind Over Matter (Liberty 1967)
The Liverbirds – He’s Something Else (Star-Club 1966) (Two of a Kind)
The Liverbirds – For Your Love (Star-Club 1966) (Two of a Kind)
The Searchers – Goodnight Baby (mono version) (Pye 1965)
Floyd Cramer – On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)

Next week’s show will be the St.Andrew’s Day/Jocknroll special when I’ll celebrate Scottish artists from the late 50s through to the early 70s and the following week, “Gone But Not Forgotten” will celebrate the music of those artists who have passed away in 2010. On 12/19 December I’ll celebrate the festive season with appropriate tracks, many of which you won’t hear on other stations. My last show of the year will be a Best of 2010 when I’ll feature all the best of the new (oldie) releases I’ve played in 2010. This will go out on Boxing Day.

Don’t forget, if you’re in the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy you can hear Where The Action Is on Channel 3 on your bedside headphones or on 1287AM on the Medium Wave between 1702 and 1900 every Sunday.

That’s it for this week. Until next time, it’s good day and good health.

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Where The Action Is: Playlist Sunday 14 November 2010

This week on Where the Action Is it’s more of the usual mix of mod, soul, girl groups, Motown, sunshine pop, ye-ye and all manner of alternative tracks from the late 50s through to the early 70s.  We continue to feature tracks from Hey, Beach Girls!, a fabulous new compilation from Ace Records.

As usual we’ll have two games of Connect 3, where you can guess the link between three tracks, a birthday track for Cornell Gunter of The Coasters and this week’s Foreign Language track from Richard Anthony. There’s also the Half-Time Instrumental, a Trojan Mod Reggae track, Two of a Kind from Jackie DeShannon, as well as The Orchids – I’ll be playing a track from their beautiful new album The Lost Star every week in November – in the Under the Influence feature.

Jan and Dean – A Sunday Kind of Love (Liberty 1961)
Floyd Cramer – On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)
The Marmalade – I See The Rain (CBS 1967)
The Honeys – Shoot The Curl (Capitol 1963)
Noah’s Ark – Paper Man (Decca 1967)
The Charmels – As Long as I’ve Got You (Volt 1967)
The Sweet Inspirations – It’s Not Easy (Atlantic 1969)
The Box Tops – Together (Mala 1969)
Donna Loren – Cycle Set (Capitol 1965) (Connect 3)
Jason Crest – Turquoise Tandem Cycle (Philips 1968) (Connect 3)
Kes Wyndham – Broken Bicycle (Pye 1971) (Connect 3)
The Angels – (You Can’t Take) My Boyfriend’s Woody (Smash 1964)
The Rockin’ Berries – Barterers and Their Wives (Unreleased 1966)
The Coasters – Down In Mexico (Atco 1956) (Birthday: 14/11/38 Cornell Gunter)
The Westwoods – I Miss My Surfer Boy Too (A&M 1965)
Nino Tempo & April Stevens – The Coldest Night of the Year (Atco 1965)
Richard Anthony – Je Ne Dirai Rien (Columbia 1967) (Foreign Language)
The Fleetwoods – Surfer’s Playtime (Liberty 1963)
Sounds Incorporated – Keep Moving (Decca 1963) (Half-Time Instrumental)
The Liverbirds – Talking About You (Star-Club 1965)
The Wailers with The Marshans – We’re Goin’ Sufin’ (Etiquette 1963)
Owen and Leon Silvera – Next Door Neighbour (Trojan Year Unknown) (Trojan Mod Reggae)
David Jones – The Girl from Chelsea (Colpix 1965)
Carol Connors – Lonely Little Beach Girl (Mira 1966)
The Righteous Brothers – See That Girl (Philles 1965)
The Orchids – The Girl and the Soldier (Pebble 2010) (Under the Influence)
The King Pins – Rod Hot Rod (Larse/MGM 1964)
UK Bonds – Anything You Do Is Alright (Polydor 1966)
The Orlons – Surfin’ (Parkway 1963)
Grant Tracy – Bye Bye Jeanie (Unreleased 1965) (Connect 3)
The Applejacks – Bye Bye Girl (Decca 1965) (Connect 3)
Lulu – Bye Bye Heart (Ace of Clubs 1967) (Connect 3)
Dion – Make The Woman Love Me (Warner-Spector 1975)
Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs – Sugar Shack (London 1963)
Jackie DeShannon – Don’t Turn Your Back On Me (Imperial 1965) (Two of a Kind)
Jackie DeShannon – Needles and Pins (Liberty 1963) (Two of a Kind)
The Montanas – Take My Hand (Pye 1967)
The Monkees – The Girl I Knew Somewhere (alt. version) (Colgems 1967)
Floyd Cramer – On The Rebound (RCA 1961) (show theme)

In the run up to Christmas there will be a number of other themed shows including the St. Andrew’s Day/Jocknroll special (Nov 28), featuring only Scottish artists, and a special show in December, “Gone But Not Forgotten”, celebrating all those from the world of music who have passed away this year. Feel free to suggest any tracks for these forthcoming shows.

Don’t forget, if you’re in the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy you can hear Where The Action Is on Channel 3 on your bedside headphones or on 1287AM on the Medium Wave between 1702 and 1900 every Sunday.

That’s it for this week. Until next time, it’s good day and good health.

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