THE HOLLIES - FOR CERTAIN BECAUSE (1966) CLOWN - PARLOPHONE  - RON RICHARDS

Let's be totally honest the Hollies were a paupers Beatles - a very poor pauper, and as far as I am concerned got even worse after Graham Nash left to join David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Neil Young (to a certain extent)  to form the legendary Crosby, Stills and Nash.

However their fifth album "For certain because" - (released as Stop! Stop! Stop! in the States) was their first dabble into the realm of psychedelic music, and of all their albums that I've heard- and trust me I've heard a few -  This is the one that stands out.

Overall the album is still pretty pop-py in keeping with their squeaky clean / sugary sweet image, but a couple of tracks do stand out "suspicious look in your eyes" is a beautiful 60's pop tune, the track "Clown" on the other hand is not what you'd expect to hear on the album.

I can possibly imagine during writing the album they decided "ok guys i think we should play it a little bit risque at least for one track just to show we can also fit into this whole psychedelic movement that's all the craze" - which explains why the track is only two and a bit minutes long - the shortest and best track on the album.

It starts with some circus like music and then Bobby Elliot comes in on drums with a beautiful kick start, with either Allan Clarke or Nash on vocals - the rest of the track then carries on at the same pace it's almost like an interlude or skit in the album but with beautiful vocals and simple yet brilliant lyrics.

THE FUN BOY THREE - THE LUNATICS HAVE TAKEN OVER THE ASYLUM (7" SINGLE) FAITH HOPE AND CHARITY - 1981 (CHRYSALIS)

With all the issues we are currently having in the UK- political turmoil, unemployment, a new series of Big Brother; I have decided to create a new section that reminds us why this country was once and still is Great Britain - at least musically.

We start the series with the classic Fun Boy Three track - Faith, Hope and Charity one for you and one for me - a typical Fun Boy three track - jungle drums, choir singers and more jungle drums with a bit of the quirkiness from their days in The Specials

Can't fail with this one - A UK CLASSIC 

MIDNIGHT FLYER - MAKIN TRACKS - JOEL RECORDS (77) - JACK CONRAD

Midnight Flyer- I kept thinking Where have I heard that name before, I kept racking my brain and opening every vault of musical knowledge I had to remember why that name was bugging me so much. Then it dawned on me it was the name of an Eagles track and but not the actual name of  a band, good thing to because I would be surprised if the Eagles had anything to do with this album, not saying the Eagles weren’t geniuses in their own rights  - but this album is different level.