Of Eric, Grace, Bonnie, Bobby and Alison

Morecambe & Wise and the tribute statue to Eric in his home town Morecambe, after which he took his stage name. [click any pic to embiggen]

It's another snippets post today, dear reader:

• National treasure news: It's the centenary today of one of Britain's most beloved comedians, Eric Morecambe, "the funny half" of the prime-time-TV staples Morecambe and Wise. He was a phenomenon, and their popularity led to an endless stream of top guests, including one soon-to-be-Dame:

Morecambe & Wise - Shirley Bassey:

• Where does time go? news: Over at the superb Bitterness Personified blog, Mr Graham Russell reminds us that we're all getting old - it is 45 years since Grace Jones' magnum opus the album Nightclubbing was released! Gulp.

Grace Jones - I've Seen That Face Before (Libertango)

• It's a Heartache news: The legendary Bonnie Tyler is "seriously ill but stable" after undergoing emergency surgery in Portugal, where she has a home. Get well soon, darling!

Bonnie Tyler - Holding Out For a Hero

• Ol' Mackie news: It's ninety years since the great swinger Walden Robert Cassotto, better known as Bobby Darin was born!

Bobby Darin - Mack the Knife

• And finally: The utterly faboo Miss Alison Goldfrapp was 60 years old yesterday! Another gulp.

Goldfrapp - Strict Machine

And the weather? Up and down like a whore's drawers again, dear reader - one minute brilliant sunshine, the next black skies, rain and even thunder. Britain, Britain, Britain.

Another pop potpurri

It's been a busy time here at Dolores Delargo Towers! Instead of, as one might have expected after a fun-packed holiday in Spain burning the candle at both ends (as is our wont), taking a bit of a breather and a wind-down - with the combination of a garden rocketing away before our eyes and needing to be sorted-out and the "party of the year" for Eurovision pending this weekend, there's been loads of work to do.

Today alone, while cleaning, I tackled an unwanted infestation of moths and their grubs that I found have half-eaten the carpet behind chairs in the bedroom and I built a new set of garden shelving that we hope will make a big difference in accommodating our rapidly-expanding collection of plants (all Spring I have been splitting and dividing overgrown specimens, which inevitably increases the volume, and (obviously) shopping for more - especially on my Easter jaunt to Essex). The Madam's been back at work, but still embarked on scrubbing-down the front room in anticipation of guests. Phew!

Time, methinks for a bit of a musical interlude, with some of the "newer" choons that have caught my ear of late [thanks, Mr DeVice for spurring me into actually finishing a draft blog idea I have had pootling around for ages]...

Let's open with a pleasant surprise! I have always had a soft spot for Dame Elton John, but when I found out that his newest choice of collaborator was a country'n'western artiste, I dreaded the outcome. I was entirely wrong - I love this! A real nod to his heyday:

Elton John & Brandi Carlile – Who Believes In Angels?

A singer who never disappoints is Our Sophie - here's her brand new (and rather good) single:

Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Taste

The engimatic Ms Goldfrapp's new one's pretty catchy, too:

Alison Goldfrapp - Find Xanadu

It's been a bit of a cavalcade of "welcome returns" in the past few months - not least for none other than the Mael brothers!

Sparks - Do Things My Own Way

...and here's another:

Andy Bell - Don't Cha Know

At last! The hoo-ha about the reformation and return of the original trio of Sugababes has so far been a bit of a "damp squib" - however, this one has their full signature hit-making sound, so let's hope it becomes one:

Sugababes - Jungle

Here's an oddity that I have been hanging on to for too long without sharing it here - it's an absolute work of genius!

Franz Ferdinand - Toxic (Britney Spears cover) in the Radio 2 Piano Room

And finally - saving the best for last, it's Our Princess!

Alok & Kylie Minogue - Last Night I Dreamt I Fell In Love

Enjoy! And, as ever dear reader, let me know your thoughts...

---

PS

My post about the posthumous premiere of Stephen Sondheim's Here We Are, that we went to see the night before we flew to Spain, is over at the Dolores Delargo Towers Museum of Camp...

Stompin'

Despite being in recovery mode after another "gathering of the clans" boozy session in the Wetherspoons pub in Holborn (Penderel's Oak) last night, I foolishly decided to tackle the black mould under our front room bay window, and it's taking longer than I thought.

Time, methinks, for a break, a fag, and a collation of some of the "newer" music that has caught my ear of late...

First up, an object of lust here at Dolores Delargo Towers makes a very welcome return-to-form (with a fab video, to boot):

Jake Shears - Too Much Music

Slowing the pace a little, Dave Gahan and Martin Gore pay a fitting tribute to their friend and bandmate Andy Fletcher, who sadly died last year:

Depeche Mode - Ghosts Again

Bringing the tone back up again is an artist who is more than a little inspired by the Depeche Mode boys [and also happens to be the mastermind behind the live band that accompanies the "ABBA-tars" at ABBA:Voyage]:

James Righton - Touch

Here's a quirky little number by one of the godmothers of electropop:

Alison Goldfrapp & Claptone - Digging Deeper

And now for something completely different (not quite "new", of course, judging by the masks in evidence):

The Hot Club of Jupiter - Stompin' At The Ajani

Then, there's this complete and utter work of genius from the sadly under-appreciated Waldeck:

The Avener & Waldeck feat. Patrizia Ferrara - Quando Quando

And, finally - the big number. I love this!

Adam Lambert - Holding Out for a Hero

As ever, let me know your thoughts...

Cetaceans vs Cafe del Mar

Meditation music moguls say their companies face ruin after thousands of whales sued for backdated royalties.

The giant, furious mammals say they want to be recognised as ‘credible artists’ and are suing for breach of copyright and theft of intellectual property.

Martin Bishop, a humpback whale, said: “I spent years honing my clicks and whistles, only to have them exploited on albums such as Ocean Sounds Vol 73 and Whale Music to Snooze To.

“My echolocation was developed so I could find my child, not to help some fucker from Slough when his ‘nerves are playing up’.”

“We’re also seeing if we’ve got a case against Cafe Del Mar. We were doing ambient sounds way before the Ibiza chill-out albums.”

Meditation boss Julian Cook said: “We’ve tried using more compliant animals, such as seals, but it’s just not as relaxing.”

The Daily Mash

Of course.

Speaking of bizarre "whale noises" and relaxation music - how about Alison Goldfrapp at her most enigmatic?

Goldfrapp - Lovely Head

Sigh.

[That wouldn't sound out of place amongst the collection of "Spy Music" I featured a while back]

Alison vs Baccara

Reading the lovely little Tony's blog about the Goldfrapp concert at the Royal Albert Hall sent me on a mission to dig out some of their classics on YouTube. Then I came across this one... Love it!!!

Goldfrapp - Yes Sir, I Can Boogie