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Author Topic: Blockheads  (Read 11835 times)
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Scroobius
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« on: May 26, 2014, 10:16:14 am »

Who remembers the Blockheads? originally the Loving Awareness Band in the days of Radio Caroline and then the backing band for Ian Dury. Top quality musicians back in the day.

I did not realise that they are still touring but they are!! I managed to get hold of some tickets and 3 (yer the same 3 that went to see Nigel K) of us went to see them on Friday. Unfortunately we arrived at 8pm and found that the Blockheads were not on until 10p.m. Even more unfortunately the two support bands were dreadful - truly awful. Anyway we stuck it out and it was well worth the wait. The original line up were there including Chaz Jankel (keyboard/guitar), Norman Watt-Roy (bass guitar), Mick Gallagher (keyboard/piano), John Turnbull (vocals/guitar).

The only problem for me was the singer - he was mates with Ian Dury but I do not see any other reason for him being in the line up. OK he could do the original Dury songs OK but the new songs well not so good. But anyway when the blockheads get going they are superb. This has to be another recommended set - they are on regularly around the south east and tickets are cheap. If you get a chance go!!
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« Reply #1 on: May 26, 2014, 01:51:58 pm »

Radio Caroline ...

Funny to read this. Back in my younger days, indeed the days of the "pirate stations being uncaughtable ships at sea", it was Radio Veronica and Radio Caroline. Oh, and Radio North Sea.
I now wonder ... I never realized that maybe Radio Caroline was not meant for us Dutch at the other end of the North Sea (the other two sure were); it looks like you imply Caroline was for the UK, Paul (was it ?). But could you also receive the other two ?

And hey, don't I recall that those ships regularly got smashed off their anchors and landed at Dutch beaches.
Those were the days !
Including Ian Dury & The Blockheads.

Thanks for sharing Paul.
Peter


PS: May Caroline was not (on) a ship at all; I forgot.
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Scroobius
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« Reply #2 on: May 26, 2014, 11:25:22 pm »

I remember Radio Atlanta but not for long as it joined forces with Radio Caroline thereby giving Radio Caroline 2 ships that could cover most of the UK. Not sure about Holland though. Also I remember Radio Caroline broke its moorings one night and ran aground in Frinton. No one hurt but it was repaired in Holland.

"On 2 July 1964, Radio Atlanta and Radio Caroline's companies, Project Atlanta and Planet Productions., announced the stations were to merge, with Crawford and O'Rahilly as joint managing directors. Radio Atlanta closed at 8pm that day. It was renamed Radio Caroline South and MV Mi Amigo remained off Frinton-on-Sea while MV Caroline broadcast as Radio Caroline North."

Nowadays Radio Caroline "transmits" on the internet - but that's no fun!!!!

I remember Radio North Sea International but not Veronica - weren't these some years later though?.

I used to listen to Radio Caroline on a Crystal Radio connected to the radiator in my bedroom. That was probably my first electronic project when I was around 10 years old.

Those were the days!!!

Cheers

Paul
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« Reply #3 on: May 27, 2014, 08:16:10 am »

I just looked it up and Radio Veronica started in 1960. I didn't even know that. What I recall though is that I always had it on during the whole night which was harmless because it started transmitting at 5am so it nicely woke me up with always the same tune. This was when I was 10 so not quite 1960.
At that time I had a transistor radio which was already quite old at that moment as I remember, but before that I had several of those old tube radios which later transformed to a stereo system. I think I was 11 when I did that, which was around the same moment when I "graduated" from primary school and when I received money from my parents to build my own turn table (kit).

So to speak, that was a father who saw his own hobby grow in his son (I was closely co-operating with my dad from when I  was 4 or 5 - model railroads, so that was easy), while I am as far with our son as him being able to check whether a fuse is blown or not. And he is 15 now. So yes, those were the days.

yahoo
Peter


* Nordeny01.png (300.46 KB, 503x496 - viewed 660 times.)
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For the Stealth III LPS PC :
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XXHighEnd Mach III Stealth LPS PC -> Xeon Scalable 14/28 core with Hyperthreading On (set to 14/28 cores in BIOS and set to 10/20 cores via Boot Menu) @~660MHz, 48GB, Windows 10 Pro 64 bit build 14393.0 from RAM, music on LAN / Engine#4 Adaptive Mode / Q1/-/3/4/5 = 14/-/0/0/*1*/ Q1Factor = *4* / Dev.Buffer = 4096 / ClockRes = *10ms* / Memory = Straight Contiguous / Include Garbage Collect / SFS = *10.13*  (max 10.13) / not Invert / Phase Alignment Off / Playerprio = Low / ThreadPrio = Realtime / Scheme = Core 3-5 / Not Switch Processors during Playback = Off/ Playback Drive none (see OS from RAM) / UnAttended (Just Start) / Always Copy to XX Drive (see OS from RAM) / Stop Desktop, Remaining, WASAPI and W10 services / Use Remote Desktop / Keep LAN - Not Persist / WallPaper On / OSD Off (!) / Running Time Off / Minimize OS / XTweaks : Balanced Load = *62* / Nervous Rate = *1* / Cool when Idle = n.a / Provide Stable Power = 1 / Utilize Cores always = 1 / Time Performance Index = Optimal / Time Stability = Stable / Custom Filtering *Low* (16x) / Always Clear Proxy before Playback = On -> USB3 from MoBo -> Lush^3
A: W-Y-R-G, B: *W-G* USB 1m00 -> Phisolator 24/768 Phasure NOS1a/G3 75B (BNC Out) async USB DAC, Driver v1.0.4b (16ms) -> B'ASS Current Amplifier -> Blaxius*^2.5* A:B-G, B:B-G Interlink -> Orelo MKII Active Open Baffle Horn Speakers. ET^2 Ethernet from Mach III to Music Server PC (RDC Control).
Removed Switching Supplies from everywhere (also from the PC).

For a general PC :
W10-10586.0 - May 2016 (2.05+)
*XXHighEnd PC -> I7 3930k with Hyperthreading On (12 cores)* @~500MHz, 16GB, Windows 10 Pro 64 bit build 10586.0 from RAM, music on LAN / Engine#4 Adaptive Mode / Q1/-/3/4/5 = 14/-/1/1/1 / Q1Factor = 1 / Dev.Buffer = 4096 / ClockRes = 1ms / Memory = Straight Contiguous / Include Garbage Collect / SFS = 0.10  (max 60) / not Invert / Phase Alignment Off / Playerprio = Low / ThreadPrio = Realtime / Scheme = Core 3-5 / Not Switch Processors during Playback = Off/ Playback Drive none (see OS from RAM) / UnAttended (Just Start) / Always Copy to XX Drive (see OS from RAM) / All Services Off / Keep LAN - Not Persist / WallPaper On / OSD On / Running Time Off / Minimize OS / XTweaks : Balanced Load = *43* / Nervous Rate = 1 / Cool when Idle = 1 / Provide Stable Power = 1 / Utilize Cores always = 1 / Time Performance Index = *Optimal* / Time Stability = *Stable* / Custom Filter *Low* 705600 / -> USB3 *from MoBo* -> Clairixa USB 15cm -> Intona Isolator -> Clairixa USB 1m80 -> 24/768 Phasure NOS1a 75B (BNC Out) async USB DAC, Driver v1.0.4b (4ms) -> Blaxius BNC interlink *-> B'ASS Current Amplifier /w Level4 -> Blaxius Interlink* -> Orelo MKII Active Open Baffle Horn Speakers.
Removed Switching Supplies from everywhere.

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« Reply #4 on: May 28, 2014, 04:30:20 pm »

Who remembers the Blockheads?

Me, esp. on tracks like "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick."  Yep, amazing stuff.  Hope I still have the 45 around the house somewhere.
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« Reply #5 on: May 29, 2014, 12:29:46 pm »

The first couple of albums and singles by Ian Dury and the Blockheads are classic albums. I play them frequently. The band was sooo good.

The pirate boats didn't reach as far as my hometown in northern part of Norway, but I was able to tune in to Radio Lux on AM during holiday trips to Oslo. I taped a show (with Tony Blackburn IIRC) in December 1978 which impressed me a lot, me being an amateur DJ at a local youth disco club. I copied all his clever song introductions and mixes.

Especially impressive was the instant crossover from Hit Me With Your Rythmstick to Foxy/Get Off.

Every time I hear that song by Ian Dury that Radio Lux tape comes to my mind. :-)

I could probably re-tell my whole life through the songs I remember when growing up. Music is such a strong memory catalyst.
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