Best Ever Albums

Re: On This Day

Johnnyo — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 04:37:31 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 09/17/2026 08:37

musicoed wrote:

Johnnyo wrote:

15th September

In 1984, Frankie Goes To Hollywood's 'Relax' became the longest running chart hit after spending 43 weeks on the UK singles chart.

I love this fact since “the establishment” (mainly the BBC TBH) banned the song form being played, it still broke the record. Just shows, you can’t keep a good S&M song down! It ended up selling two million copies in the UK

By todays standards, the video is rather tame but i decided not to post it as I don't want to cause any unintended discomfort to any one. Shame, it's actually a very decent video for it's time

I remember that year very well—perhaps even better than what happened to me last week!))
That summer, I finished school and went to apply for university. Unfortunately, I had to return home in September because I didn't get in. I had only six months left before being drafted into the army.
At the time, my only source of fresh information about music was a shortwave radio.
I listened to the BBC Russian Service’s music programs, hosted by the most engaging storyteller I had ever heard.

The broadcasts lasted just 30 minutes and aired once a week, at midnight between Saturday and Sunday.
Radio interference sometimes made it impossible to make out a single word. Yet, I would still record the shows on a tape deck, then spend the week listening to them over and over and transcribing the text into a notebook. Hundreds of music lovers across the country did the same; thanks to this, practically every broadcast has now been digitized and transcribed.

I imagine that only a tiny fraction of a percent of people in the USSR had heard of this song back then. Yet, listeners of the BBC Russian Service were well-versed in the best tracks from the British weekly charts.
Even forty years later—and despite all modern technology—I don't think anyone has managed to come close to that level of quality in music commentary.
Far from every song received an in-depth commentary from the host, but this particular song was given plenty of airtime in the broadcast from February 10, 1984.

Quote:

… a few words about the number one spot on the weekly list
The song is titled "Relax" and is performed by the band with the long name Frankie Goes to Hollywood. It is a disco track that is, all in all, unremarkable—or rather, positively unexceptional. The lyrics of one verse describe intimate, obscene acts—and in rather crude terms at that. For this reason, about three weeks ago, Mike Read—a DJ at BBC Radio 1, a station aimed at young people—refused to play the song. Other program hosts followed suit and stopped airing it as well. Eventually, management took an interest; after examining the technical details of the act being "sung about," so to speak, they decided to officially ban the song. By then, however, the public had developed a taste for it, and this playful, sexually charged track was flying off the shelves. Consequently, the record climbed to number one on the national charts.

A paradoxical situation ensued: during the BBC’s *Top of the Pops* television program, the countdown would reach the number-one spot and the song would be announced, yet neither the standard music video nor a live performance by the band was shown. The "Relax" record thus became a sort of forbidden fruit—albeit one that was easily accessible—and many bought it simply out of a sense of mischief, as the BBC’s ban only served to draw the general public's attention to this otherwise ordinary song. Matters went so far that the head of Island Records—the label that released the single—sent a mocking letter to BBC management, cordially thanking them for their help and contribution to the song's success.

Perhaps a touch of corporate coolness comes through in this review. But back then, I found it all absolutely fascinating—like dispatches from another planet!))

What a fantastic anecdote and an insight that I had never really appreciated or comprehended before (certainly not at the time). That's what I was hoping for from this thread and I really appreciate you taking the time to post this musicoed.

I think that we, in the UK (the "west" in general to be honest), took for granted how easily accessible music was for us, very much in contrast to what you have said about life in the USSR at the time.

Brilliant piece of writing and greatly appreciated

Re: On This Day

musicoed — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 04:10:03 GMT

Author: musicoed

Posted: 09/17/2026 08:10

Johnnyo wrote:

Quote:

Perhaps a touch of corporate coolness comes through in this review. But back then, I found it all absolutely fascinating—like dispatches from another planet!))

Re: On This Day

Johnnyo — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 04:41:01 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 09/16/2026 08:41

16th September

There were a couple of important anniversaries today so your going to have to wait 365 days for the one that I didn't pick

In 1996

K (1996) by Kula Shaker

Was released

I loved this debut album from Kula Shaker on its release some 30 years ago and still have a very soft spot for it today.

This is psychedelic rock in the vain of The Grateful Dead and The Doors which was a huge influence on Kula Shaker's first and second albums. What the band did was not unique, in fact, you might even call it derivative but, and it’s a big but, they did it with such energy and it felt like they really believed in what they were doing. They were also very good musicians which goes a long way as well.

So, yes, it’s very 1970’s with a significant nod to mid 90’s brit pop and the combination is great. There’s also a huge nod to George Harrison with the Indian influences.
All in all, I really love this album

Link

Re: On This Day

Johnnyo — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 08:30:12 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 09/15/2026 12:30

15th September

In 1984, Frankie Goes To Hollywood's 'Relax' became the longest running chart hit after spending 43 weeks on the UK singles chart.

I love this fact since “the establishment” (mainly the BBC TBH) banned the song form being played, it still broke the record. Just shows, you can’t keep a good S&M song down! It ended up selling two million copies in the UK

By todays standards, the video is rather tame but i decided not to post it as I don't want to cause any unintended discomfort to any one. Shame, it's actually a very decent video for it's time

Re: On This Day

Johnnyo — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 03:34:34 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 09/14/2026 07:34

14th September

Can’t believe this was 12 years ago however, in 2014 A life-size bronze statue of Amy Winehouse was unveiled in Camden, North London.

To be honest, I’m not a fan of the statue, I think that it’s a bit “naff”, so I’m just using this post to highlight a better tribute to the great singer.

Right next to the Hawley Arms (the best pub in Camden by the way) is a mural of Amy which is quite stunning.

NB – Amy used to “help out” behind the bar at the Hawley pulling pints and it’s a bit of a shrine to her. Visit if you are able

Re: On This Day

Johnnyo — Sat, 12 Sep 2026 04:19:16 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 09/12/2026 08:19

I’m a big Creedence Clearwater Revival fan so this one is rather nice.

On this day in 1970, the band had their first UK No.1 album with

Cosmo's Factory (1970) by Creedence Clearwater Revival

(probably my favourite CCR album). It stayed at No. 1 for nine-weeks.

In the US it sold over three million copies and six of the album's eleven tracks were released as singles in the same year. Quite extraordinary. What’s even more impressive is that they all reached the top five of the Billboard Hot 100. That’s some going.

Re: On This Day

Johnnyo — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 11:10:19 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 09/11/2026 15:10

This event from this day in 1964 has no significance for me at all, I just thought that it was interesting

the London Evening News reported that a 16 year-old Eltham Collage boy, introduced as Laurie Yarham, was the winner in a Mick Jagger look-a-like competition. Laurie looked like Mick Jagger and seemed to know his every action and the audience at Greenwich Town Hall were delighted, until the winner turned out to be Mick's younger brother Chris Jagger.

Boom!

Re: On This Day

Johnnyo — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 03:11:04 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 09/10/2026 07:11

On this day in 1966

The Beatles started a six-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with

Revolver (1966) by The Beatles

the group's ninth US chart topper.

This has always been my favourite Beatles album and it's clear to me that this is a huge leap forward from Rubber Soul (an album I also like) and that Sgt. Peppers would not have happened without this album. I find Sgt. Peppers rather a hard listen TBH.

I can see why this is considered The Beatles' most experimental album. The song writing is more innovative and the use of a diverse array of instruments was ground-breaking at the time. I'm also pretty sure that they never played a live show after the release of Revolver so it marks the shift from a live group to a studio-focused one and the freedom in what they could recording that gave them. Love the use of Indian music and psychedelic music.

I cannot deny that there are some iconic tracks like "Eleanor Rigby" and "Tomorrow Never Knows," and "Taxman" is a banging opener. I could be wrong but was this also the first time that the Beatles had extensively used an orchestra when they did on "Eleanor Rigby".

Re: On This Day

Johnnyo — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 03:08:40 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 09/10/2026 07:08

dihansse wrote:

https://www.davidbowieworld.com/mijn-bo...ight/#main
Maybe this can help...
But I don't seem to be able to download the wav's.

Cheers man. I did a little search last night and cannot find the demos at the moment. I'm assuming that they didn't survive. maybe even recorded over. Who knows. Shame.

Re: On This Day

dihansse — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 15:21:53 GMT

Author: dihansse

Posted: 09/09/2026 19:21

https://www.davidbowieworld.com/mijn-bo...ight/#main
Maybe this can help...
But I don't seem to be able to download the wav's.

Re: On This Day

Johnnyo — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 12:05:00 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 09/09/2026 16:05

albummaster wrote:

Nice idea for a thread and personal recollections always more interesting than anything AI can come up with. Interesting about the demos, might have to check into those.

Thanks AM

I was thinking the same thing about the demos. Do they exist? Some investigation needed

Re: On This Day

albummaster — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 11:55:43 GMT

Author: albummaster

Posted: 09/09/2026 15:55

Nice idea for a thread and personal recollections always more interesting than anything AI can come up with. Interesting about the demos, might have to check into those.

Re: On This Day

Johnnyo — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 03:45:40 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 09/09/2026 07:45

This is a nice one from 1977, and you need to watch it till the end.

David Bowie appeared on Marc Bolan's ITV show.

Marc, sings Life’s A Gas and then David does ‘Heroes’.

Then comes a duet between the two until Marc falls off the stage, much to David’s amusement. Don’t you love live TV!

After the show the pair recorded demos together, which were never finished because Bolan was killed in a car crash a week later.

Link

On This Day

Johnnyo — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 03:38:39 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 09/09/2026 07:38

This is not a new concept but thought that I'd try my own version.

When I feel that there is something worth sharing. I'll share, on that day, something of interest to me that happened "today"

It might be a memorable gig, an album release, anything that I find interesting in the field of music.

You might also have thoughts to share on something that happened "today" so please feel free.

Not sure when the first of my posts will be but hopefully soon.

I'm playing to do one for each day before I restart so this one may out live me. we'll l see