Indispensible: Adam Wilson presents The Quiet Revolution

It's been a long, long time since I found a radio show that I wanted to listen to every day/week/month etc.

A few months ago, one of my favourite artists, Paul McClure, posted on social media that he would be appearing on the show called The Quiet Revolution. It was on a station fairly close to Paul's residence called Harborough FM. The show was presented by Adam Wilson.

I thought that Paul would get the usual couple of tracks to play and a few minutes of on air time. But to my delight, Paul was on for most of the show. He participated in the tracks that were played and played quite a few tracks from his latest album, Smiling From The Floor Up.

But what surprised me even more was Adam knew his music. Radio presenters these days rarely care about the music - with the exception of people like Whispering Bob Harris who actively participate in all aspects of promoting quality music.

Adam is cut from the same cloth as Bob. OK, he may not be on a national radio station but people who like the music that I do should be listening to The Quiet Revolution.

It is broadcast on alternate Tuesdays - the next show will be broadcast on Tuesday 9th September 2014 - between 10pm - 12am.

You can tell from the shows that Adam really loves his music - he gives information about the artists and mentions reviews of the latest albums. He loves discovering new music and sharing them with his audience.

He plays a mixture of Americana, Folk, Blues & World Music and as the title suggests, of the quieter moments.

Here are just some of the artists who were played on Adam's Show.

Paul McClure - Long Gone Out Of Here

Jones - Phil The Hat

Kenneth J Nash - The Way That She Moved

Dan Whitehouse - The Painter

Gretchen Peters - Blackbirds

Kris Delmhorst - Bees

Emily Barker - Nostalgia

Following his show, Adam lists the music he has played and attaches links to artists if you want to investigate further. I've bought quite a few artists after hearing them on The Quiet Revolution.

This blog is all about the music, and Adam plays music that I like. And if you're reading this blog, then you should check him out.

I live in Wales, so I use my Tune In radio app to sit in comfort and let the sounds wash over me - you can do this or listen online through the Harborough FM website.

So go on, check him out on April 21st at 10pm and every other Tuesday after that.

And if you like what you hear - support him (he's a nice guy) and drop him a line. Or visit the link below to see what he has played on earlier shows.

Tell him Macwood sent you.

Twitter - @awquietrevhfm 

http://www.adamwilsonsquietrevolution.net/

Indispensable: MOJO Magazine

 

 

Long before the advent of the internet, anyone who was interested in rock music could get information through several various channels. Number 1 was the radio. You also had TV in the form of The Old Grey Whistle Test. You had your mates, who would come up with all sorts of info and recommendations. And you also had The Music Press.

 

 

In my formative years of the 70s, we had 2 really big publications for anyone interested in Rock music. The Melody Maker, first published in 1926 and went right through to its merger with NME in 2000 and Sounds who were the new kids on the block and was published from 1970 - 1991.

 

 

 

 

 

These were the setters of taste, the suppliers of information and ne stop shop for anything Rock. I used to get these two EVERY week. I bought many an album on the basis of reviews from these papers. You got to know the journalist's taste. Writers such as Chris Welch and Paulo Hewitt.

 

 

Another major British music paper was first published way back in 1952 and was a mainstay of music journalism all through the 1960s was NME ( New Musical Express). When punk arrived in the mid 70s, jumped wagon and became the New Wave mag of choice.

 

 

 

I bought NME infrequently and relied on Melody Maker and Sounds for my musical info. Now all these were 'papers' and looked and felt exactly like the current newspapers.

 

One short lived 'magazine' was SFX which produced its work on a C60 cassette. I think I may even have a couple in the attic. this lasted about a year from 1981-82.

 

But the big breakthrough came in 1986 with the publication of the first Q magazine.

 

 

established by journalists David Hepworth & Mark Ellen, it brought a fresh new face to Rock Journalism in the UK. Featuring colour photographs and more in-depth articles, it quickly became the place to go for quality Rock journalism. Today, it has more of a POP bias but can still contain some good articles.

 

However, as Q was starting to follow a more Pop template, it left a gap for the more mature music fan. This was duly filled on October 1th 1993 by MOJO magazine.

 

 

 

Since I bought the first publication back in '93, MOJO has become my music Bible. The quality of journalism is fantastic and it has alerted me to many a great new band while still keeping us informed on the comings and goings on our favourite artists.

 

 

 It now includes a monthly CD with lots of great music every month and some excellent themed CDs such as the St Pepper CD where various bands produced cover versions of the songs on  the albums.

 

 



 

They also have a great end of year list of the Best Albums in all the differing genres.

 



 





 

I have received MOJO since edition one and have subscribed for most of that time. Subscribers get some nice souvenir covers as seen in the 20th Anniversary Edition below.

 

 

MOJO also has an excellent online presence and social media offering which gives excellent up to date information if you're out and about or on the move.

 

But nothing is quite like getting your hands on the magazine.

It's the magazine I look most forward to popping on the doormat every month.

 

 

 

Twitter - @MOJOmagazine

 

http://www.mojo4music.com/

 





Indispensable: 'Whispering' Bob Harris

 

 

Over the years there has been one constant in my musical life. The radio. OK, it may not have the influence it once had - see Queen's Radio GA GA - but I am from an era where radio was a constant source of enjoyment and information. If you loved music - you listened to the radio. Simple as that. Those were the days where you listened to the charts and it would be talked about in the school yard the next day. Radio 1 was essential listening - and in the night, it was Radio Luxembourg. On the AM frequency, it used to fade in and out but would play records that you just never heard on Radio 1, let alone Dial-a-Disc (remember that?)

 

 

I used to be a massive fan of Alan Freeman. During the 70s, he used to have a Saturday Show that used to play all the great Rock Music of the 70s.

 

On TV, there was the usual pop shows, Top Of The Pops, Supersonic, etc. but the one beacon of light for the serious music fan was BBC 2s The Old Grey Whistle Test.

 

 







 





 

The programme ran from 1971 to 1987. And for it's glory years, from 1971 to 1979, it's host was the inimitable 'Whispering' Bob Harris. Bob had already been a DJ for Radio 1 when he hosted Sounds of the 70s on Radio 1. Bob was like your big brother who was into music. His laid back style and obvious love of music shone through. Danny Baker, another man with an immense knowledge of music, gives a nice tribute to Bob on OGWT.

 

 

 

 

With the explosion of Punk in 76-77, Bob carried on with his Whistle Test duties but handed it over in 1978 to fellow DJ Anne Nightingale. Through the 80s, Bob was 'lost' to a national audience when he started work for various local radio stations including GWR, GLR & LBC. 

 

 

 

In 1997, Bob returned to BBC Radio where he broadcasted in a late night slot and a weekly Bob Harris Country. Both continue to this day.

 

Bob's shows have provided me with a multitude of great new music. He is a champion of new bands, similar to that of John Peel in the 70s. He has been a great supporter of American music and has introduced many a great new British band including The Dreaming Spires, Co-Pilgrim, Nick Capaldi,  Lisa Redford and many, many others.

 

 

Bob with Lisa Redford

 



 

 

Bob with Nick Capaldi

 



 

I sometimes listen to his Saturday Show live, which is on from Midnight Saturday until 3am Sunday morning. But more often or not I record it on my PVR and listen on Sunday morning. But you can always catch it on Iplayer. He also has great sessions every week from artists who come in and play live.

 



http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006wqtf

 

 Bob with Ethan Johns

 

 

Bob's reputation has a quality broadcaster has meant that he has access to may of the world's top music stars, which is a testament to his unique style and music knowledge.



 

 

He has also been the subject of his own tribute song!

 

 

 

Bob also has a show called Bob Harris Country, in which he plays all of the best Country music and has introduced many a great artist to British audiences, such as Kacey Musgraves. He makes regular trips to Nashville to track down the best and most interesting artists such as the excellent John Fulbright.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006x527

 

 

Bob was also awarded the Americana Music Association Trailblazer Award and it was presented by the one and only Emmylou Harris (No Relation!!)

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/worldfolkandjazz/8827121/Salute-the-trailblazer-Whispering-Bob-Harris.html

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00l809d

 

 Bob with Kacey Musgraves

 

 

Bob's autobiography is also well worth a read.

 

 

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Whispering-Years-Bob-Harris/dp/0563537752/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1386757535&sr=1-1&keywords=bob+harris

 

 

So, more power to your elbow Bob and keep bringing us some great music.

 



 

 

http://www.bobharris.org/

Twitter - @WhisperingBob

INDISPENSABLE: Clubhouse Records

I remember back in the 1970’s that record labels were often havens for music loving listeners. You could identify yourself with a label. Labels such as Asylum, Elektra, Charisma, ECM & Mute. Labels that you could trust to give you brilliant, classic, quality & innovative music.  I haven’t come across a label in which every artist had been hand-picked to give that sort of quality and attention to detail since Windham Hill. Well, not until now.

                                                                            

 
 

Back in 2012, I came across a band called The Dreaming Spires after listening to a Bob Harris Show. I did a little bit of investigation and found they were on the Clubhouse Records label. I did not know such a label existed anywhere in the UK. They had a website, so I took a look. Upon further investigation, I started listening to all the other artists associated with the label. Lo and behold, I enjoyed every one.

The Dreaming Spires - Everything All The Time

Formed back in 2010 by a group of musicians, they reside in rural Buckinghamshire and support a small but quality stable of artists. The label is run by Tristan & Danny Tipping with help from family & friends. It is a label run by people who love music FOR people who love music.

Last year alone they have released 4 albums by the artists Leeroy Stagger, Troubadour Rose, The Cedars & Case Hardin. Every one is worthy of a place in my top albums of 2013. Music of Quality & Distinction.

Case Hardin - Three For The Road

Robin Bennett & Paul McClure - Yer So Bad

The quality of the music released has continued into 2014 with the releases so far of the new album by Paul McClure - Smiling From The Floor Up and the new Redlands Palomino Company album - Broken Carelessly.

The Cedars - Used Cars



Paul McClure - Smiling From The Floor Up

Paul McClure - For You

Clubhouse Records also produced a great tribute to the Bruce Springsteen Nebraska album where the artists used a 4 track tape recorder, exactly as Bruce had used in his recording.

The Redlands Palomino Company - In These Lines

New signings for 2015 include Don Gallardo & Cale Tyson - direct from Nashville.

Don Gallardo - Home

Cale Tyson - Old Time Blues

The Dreaming Spires - Searching For The Supetruth

So, if you’re in the market for some quality Americana, Alt-Country, and Roots & if you’ve never heard of Clubhouse Records or its artists, it’s time to seek them out. They're lovely people who care about music and their followers. Oh,and tell them Macwood sent you.

On Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ClubhouseRecords/photos/

http://www.clubhouserecords.co.uk/

http://www.paulmccluremusic.com/

http://www.casehardin.com/

http://www.thecedarsonline.com/

http://www.thedreamingspires.co.uk/

http://www.troubadourrose.com/

http://www.redlands.moonfruit.com/

http://leeroystagger.com/

http://www.dongallardo.com/

http://www.caletyson.net/

On Twitter - @ClubhouseUK