No.385: “The Highwaymen” by The Highwaymen (1985)
This ensemble of country music superstar outlaws (Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson) released two highly successful albums together and also performed live on numerous dates around the world touring those releases.
The albums themselves featured group renditions of some of the band’s
individual songs, plus some new collaborations and versions of old standards. The first single was a classic in itself:
Much better than Donny lol.
My mate I told you about always mentions he saw Bowie on the Hunky Dory tour in '71 and he still has the ticket.
Same here with Rod. Love those old Mercury albums up to the mid-70’s before he went all Los Angeles on us. Couple more to come I think.
Likewise mate, you’ll have to wait quite a long time for Northern Lights though…
Meanwhile, here’s Annie singing on probably her finest performance ‘Going Home’. We had it earlier for her solo album Annie In Wonderland but it’s well worth hearing again I think:
Unlike some I did not like Rods early stuff but now his voice seems to fit his songs better.
Like his ballads but he is still a great rocker at heart
Superb! Thanks. Such a contrast to the current lot of females who think that shouting is singing.
I’ll have to make this the last one for now. Mrs. Floydysaurus wants me to do some housework!!
No.384: “Captured” by Journey (1981)
We’ve been fairly quiet with Journey, a couple of albums early on I think but that’s because most of their other works like this one are classics. Captured is a live album from the tour which precedes the massive Escape album later the same year and features these fantastic musicians and the soaring vocals of Steve Perry. They really were in a class of their own this group in the 80’s.
Back later today (or tonight) when we will continue with Eric 
Like that too mate. Thanks for posting
Yeah, Rod is great isn’t he? On the subject of later recordings, this is his MTV “Unplugged” version of the classic Van Morrison song ‘Have I Told You Lately’. He almost breaks down completely in the middle of this superb song:
Very true, Longdogs. Can you imagine Rihanna tackling that? Eh Eh…Going Home…Ay Ay Ay! Oh Oh! Useless.
Regarding my top 3 choices.
Yes im an early Zepp fan, back then known as heavy or hard rock, after the first 3 i liked bits, but they did lose it for me nowadays im a fan of Robert Plants work back to the roots but with a modern twist.
As for Floyd.
Ummagumma was the album that led the way for many of their following albums as the experimental side was, incorparated into many of the familiar Floyd Hallmarks.
The following and very underrated Atom Heart Mother proved the point.
I have all the albums from Ummagumma until The Final Cut, each proved to be a delight, but The Wall nailed it for m, Rogers dominance with his very personal views being brought out and aired for all to see.
I would also have included the Final Cut if four had been reqd, even though the band had just about fractured by then.
Also have Momentary Lapse of Reason and The Division Bell, but no others after Roger went.
As for the Beatles enjoyed them all but felt the 3 i chose worked best as albums.
To be fair Mr Plant has done some great solo/duet songs where he is not prancing around. i.e Gone Gone Gone.
In the Mood with Phil Collins on drums
Cant stand The Plant / Krause album Solo or most of the eighties stuff.
Just being fair Nom but have to admit that I could never watch him nor a few others of that ilk.
I do think the 80’s was a hard time for music…so hard that even the Pet Shop Boys were seen as innovative and fresh.,and yes I did like them and their sound 
Dont care what they look like its what they sound like for me, he is a bit older than nme but i can dance like him (dad style ) but my voice would sink a thousand ships.
Fair points Nom but not always to do with looks. Stage presence did have a lot to do with these acts and how they presented themselves, and some did not present themselves very well or in Plants case too well.
.
Thanks Nom, Solo. Interesting thoughts there on Zepp and the Floyd 
Carrying on with some more records in a moment when I set things up…
Here’s… God!
No.383: “Journeyman” by Eric Clapton (1989)
A stirling E.C. album if ever there was one. Some of Clapton’s later releases were and are continuing to see some superb music on them. Journeyman featured no less than fifty different musicians playing on the album, the cream of the crop. That’s what happens when you are “God” and can afford it I guess.
Just talking about the mighty Zepp were you not, lads…
No.382: “Coda” by Led Zeppelin (1980)
Yep okay so it’s not an official album but I include Coda because it’s a record which is comprised of new material released from the vaults and not an official compilation of tracks already heard. Fans enjoyed this record as a fitting end to this great band’s recording history and the eight songs featured on the album highlight a decent enough cross section of their work.
Plainly there were no official studio excerpts from this release on video, but I have found versions of a couple of tracks on the album recorded live.
No.381: “Join Hands” by Siouxsie & The Banshees (1979)
The second album from the Bromley contingent known as Siouxsie & The Banshees. It’s a typically macabre document of this band’s penchant for all things horror and thriller-like and sealed their place as fore runners of the post-punk (or even punk itself) scene. Famously, lead guitarist John McKay and drummer Kenny Morris mysteriously vanished without trace on the eve of their tour to promote this album, leaving Siouxsie to recruit a one Robert Smith of The Cure at the very last minute.
The three tracks I’m showing here are firstly the rather disturbing single ‘Playground Twist’ with it’s amazing swirling guitar sound from that ‘disappeared’ guitarist, the non-album classic single ‘The Staircase (Mystery)’ and a shortened excerpt of the band’s first ever song, a version of ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ (14+ minutes in album studio form), which they originally performed live in 1976 with Sid Vicious on drums (!).
No.380: “(The Gospel According To) The.Men.In.Black” by The Stranglers (1981)
The first of two albums released in 1981 from this durable, brilliant band, the other was La Folie, mentioned earlier in my list. Weird, wacky, strangely demonic in places, the album explored a light-hearted view of religion all done with the Strangler’s knack for dark humour and excellent professional playing ability. The second track here became a song used vastly on all sorts of adverts and themes and has been used as the band’s walk on song at all of their concerts since - the wonderfully insane ‘Waltzinblack’.
Last one tonight, and it’s a killer of an album. I would be very surprised if you have heard of this amazing ultra-rare record:
No.379: “Orgasm” by Head Machine (1969)
I know absolutely nothing about this band at all, coming across this record as part of the ‘Electric Soup’ series of 24-album DVDs I purchased from a local car boot sale enthusiast about 12 years ago, who compiled them himself.
An utterly incredible concept album about what the title mentions - Orgasm - and that is more or less the sole context of this album. Nothing rude or disgusting about the record, just a series of tracks which explore the sensual side of sex. The performance from from the lead vocalist put his all into his singing and is someone you can see is truly excited by his subject matter.
Guys, if you have any info about this band, please let me know
Here’s the album in it’s entirety:
