British writer and broadcaster Jamie Dyer writes about his week in consuming and discovering vintage related media.
Hello and welcome to another edition of my blog on the Old Time Review website. There was a drought in content during the summer months, but things look to be picking up again. Here is my week in vintage.
Catweazle Returns to Broadcast TV!
As detailed in an article yesterday, Talking Pictures TV announced that they will show classic British TV favourite Catweazle, starring Geoffrey Bayldon. I discovered the show around five years ago, and it quickly became a favourite in my house. Bayldon, alongside an excellent supporting cast, created a timeless show that was an easy watch oozing with charm, magic and laughter. Talking Pictures will begin broadcasting Catweazle on Saturday 2nd of November at 3:30pm, continuing Saturdays & Sundays at the same time.
The Rise of Amazon Prime UK
I have previously written about the amazing amount of vintage programming on Amazon Prime Video in the UK. From Father Knows Best to Laugh In, the streaming service has been a haven for vintage TV fans like myself. However, I have noticed a major increase in more modern programming on the platform. While I enjoy the delights of Futurama, Bob’s Burgers and Modern Family, I hope the vintage material continues to be a prominent part of the service.
Interview With Producer John Eden For The Quo-Cast
While not strictly vintage, I feel this is appropriate. Alongside Old Time Review, I am also the host of a Status Quo fan podcast called The Quo-Cast. This week, I interviewed engineer/producer John Eden, who worked with the band between 1977 and 1981. In this hour-long conversation, we mostly discuss his recent remix of the Rockin’ All Over the World album. I share it here because I feel there are lots of transferrable pieces of information. You can to the full podcast here!
Michael Nesmith With Red Rhodes – Cosmic Partners The McCabe’s Tapes
I was excited to hear of an amazing new Monkees related release from 7a Records; run by Iain Lee and Glenn Gretlund. The independent label have announced they will release their third Mike Nesmith album, a previously unissued set of concert recordings from 1973. According to a statement on their Facebook page: “Cosmic Partners: The McCabe’s Tapes is a rare and previously unreleased concert recording featuring Nesmith and a small coterie of fellow musicians, including long-time recording partner and pedal steel player Red Rhodes.” I very much look forward to hearing this raw concert recording and supporting an independent label who have pulled yet another rabbit out of a hat. You can pre-order the album here.
Tell It To Me – The Johnson City Sessions – Revisited.
The fabulous Bear Family Records recently released a compilation of tracks from the Johnson City Sessions, recorded in 1928/1929. While not as famous as the Bristol sessions of the same period, the recordings are just as historically significant. Upon placing the CD into my Hi-Fi, it blew me away. The surprisingly clear sound quality started me off on a journey of musical discovery, featuring superb musicianship and catchy melodies. In an era before recordings were big business, the raw nature of these tracks is a refreshing change. I have been meaning to write a review for some time, but do not want to rush it. In the meantime, I suggest checking out their website for more details: HERE
Five Tracks Of The Week
Here are five vintage related tracks from my week.
- Gerry & The Pacemakers – Jambalaya (How Do You Like It, 1963)
- George Roark – I Ain’t A Bit Drunk (Recorded 1929, included on Tell It To Me)
- Chuck Berry – I’m A Rocker (Back Home, 1970)
- Status Quo – Rockers Rollin’ – John Eden Remix (Rockin’ All Over the World Deluxe, 2015)
- Michael Nesmith – Silver Moon
Thank you for reading this edition of the Old Time Review blog! If you want to get in contact, please email Jamie@OldTimeReview.co.uk.
