The Jem's Music best of 2014

For the Jem's Music swan-song of 2014, here's the top ten albums I've purchased of those released in 2014. Some exceptions but a pretty good crop overall I think. No brainer in my book for the number one slot though.

In reverse order...

December Download - the vids

My Jemtunes blog posts from time to time a selection of my MP3 downloads compiled on a monthly basis into i-Pod playlists. Here's the December Download with a few vids ...

1. Samantha Fish - Money to Burn
2. J.P. Soars - More bees with honey
3. Rival Sons - Electric Man
4. Slash (ft Myles Kennedy) - Bent to fly
5. Corobot - Nowhere to hide
6. Lionise - Breather
7. The Zico Chain - New Romantic
8. Marmozets - Good Days
9. Purple - Wallflower
10. Buzzcocks - Third Dimension
11. The Dispersions - 12 Monkeys
12. Jerry Case - Beyond Eyeshot
13. The Wave Pictures - Pea Green Coat
14. Huw Eddy - Winter Smile
15. Royal Southern Brotherhood - Let's Ride
16. Dread Zeppelin - Ramble On

Royal Blood - Brighton - December 2014

My Jemtunes blog posted my full review of Royal Blood's sell-out gig at Brighton Dome on 20 December. But, vids of that exceptional night have now started to hit YouTube, I couldn't resist sharing here too.

Here's 'Figure it out'. Most of you don't know what I look like but I'm there, right at the front, centre stage, going completely mental!

And now the 90s #3 10 - 1999

All the crucial words at Jemtunes. But here's a bit of Custard Pie...

And now the 90s #9 - 1998

Get the lowdown on the tracks at Jemtunes. Just the music here...

And now the 90s #8 - 1997

The lowdown on Jemtunes;the music here.

And now the 90s #7 - 1996

Text details on my Jemtunes blog. Music here.

And now the 90s #6 - 1995

For the low down on each track see the Jemtunes blog. Tracks here.

And now the 90s #5 - 1994

Check out Jemtunes on Wordpress for the details. Vids here.

And now the 90s #4 - 1993

Album details for each year of the 1990s at Jemtunes. Tracks here.

And now the 90s #3 - 1992

Details of each track at Jemtunes. Vids here...

And now the 90s #2 - 1991

Details on my Jemtunes blog. Vids here.

And now the 90s #1 - 1990

Details on the Jemtunes page. Vids here

Eighties Greatest #10 - 1989

For the text being the last posting in the 1980's series, check out Jemtunes.

Eighties Greatest #9 - 1988

For details of the track choice check out Jemtunes.

Penultimate posting - 1989

Eighties Greatest #8 - 1987

For details of the track choice, check out Jemtunes here.

Eighties Greatest #7 - 1986

The Jemtunes 'Greatest Eighties' series end this weekend

All the gen on the choices for each year there.

Video choice catch-up here.

Today - 1986 - Sledgehammer from Peter Gabriel

Eighties Greatest #6 - 1985

Jemverse has the details. Here you just get the vids. 1985 - Suzanne Vega

Eighties Greatest #5 - 1984

Jemtunes for the lowdown. Jess Music for the vids.

Eighties Greatest #4 1983

Jemtunes for the low down. Vids here.

Eighties Greatest #3 - 1982

Jemtunes is currently posting a track from an album released in each year of the 1980s. Details there; vids here.

1982 - Michael Jackson - Thriller

Eighties Greatest #2 - 1981

Jemtunes is currently working through the 1980s with a track from an album released in each year of the decade. Info about each there. Vids here.

1981 - Joe Jackson - Jumpin Jive

Eighties Greatest #1 - 1980

Over the next few days my Jemtunes blog is taking a trip back to the eighties and posting a track from an album released in each year of the decade. You can find out more about each choice there. Here though you'll get the music.

To kick things off here's 'Sus Blues' from The Blues Band album 'Ready'

Simply Seventies #10 - 1979

To round off the 1970s (see my Jemtunes blog for the details), here's Cheap Trick and 'Need your Love' from 1979

Next up - 'Eighties Greatest' (coming soon)

Simply Seventies #9 - 1978

Earlier this month, my Jemtunes blog finished a series about the 1970s. More details about each year of the decade there, but here you have the pleasure of the vids.

Today a classic from George Thorogood...

Simply Seventies #8 - 1977

Earlier this month my Jemtunes blog finished a mini-series posting ten tracks from ten albums, one from each year of the 1970s. More details about each choice on Jemtunes, but here are the vids.

Today - 1977 and 'Psycho Killer' from the Talking Heads album '77'

Simply Seventies #7 - 1976

Earlier this month, the Jemtunes blog on Wordpress was running a mini-series called "Simply Seventies". This meant posting a track from an album released in each year of the decade. Details about the choices for each year at Jemtunes, but here you'll find the vids.

1976 - Al Stewart - Year of the Cat (from the album of the same name)

Simply Seventies #6 - 1975

My Jemtunes blog on Wordpress is working its way through the 1970s posting a track from an album released in each year of the decade.

You'll get the details of each on Jemtunes but the vids here.

Today - 1975: Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti. And two tracks - Custard Pie and Boogie with Stu...

Simply Seventies #5 - 1974

This month Jem's Music is featuring the video clips relevant to my Jemtunes blog series 'Simply Seventies'. Ten tracks from ten albums over ten days (or so) - one from each year of the decade.

Today - 1974 - Mountain - Avalanche and 'Last of the sunshine days'

Simply Seventies #4 - 1973

This months, my Jemtunes blog on Wordpress is working its way through the 1970s posting a track from an album released in each year of the decade. Details there but the vids here.

1973 - The Carpenters - 1969-1973 - Goodbye to Love. (One of the best guitar solos of all time).

Simply Seventies #3 - 1972

This month my Jemtunes blog on Wordpress is featuring 10 tracks from 10 albums from each year of the 1970's. More detail of each selection on Jemtunes, but you'll find the vids here. Today it's 1972 and 'Smoke on the Water' from Machine Head by Deep Purple.

Simply Seventies #2 - 1971

Over the next few days Jem's Music is posting video clips from the album featured on the Jemtunes blog on Wordpress - a mini-series revisiting the 1970s with a track from an album released in each year of the decade.

Today it's Hunky Dory from David Bowie

Simply Seventies #1 (1970)

My Jemtunes blog on Wordpress is currently taking a trip back to the 1970s and posting ten tracks from ten albums - one for each year of the decade. For the detail behind each choice - see Jemtunes. Here though - you'll find the vids of the choices for each year.

Today - 1970: "Mr Big" from Fire & Water by Free.

The Anthem Challenge #10: CCR - Fortunate Son

This is the final episode in the Jem's Music mini-series "The Anthem Challenge". Originating from my Jemtunes blog and inspired by a fellow blogger from Jersey, over the past ten days or so I've posted ten tracks from ten albums that mean something to me. This is the tenth.

From the 1969 Creedence Clearwater Revival album "Willy and the Poor Boys", 'Fortunate Son' is perhaps the best anti-war song I know. Epitomising the spirit of a generation, its poignant message lives on and speaks volumes about the utter futility of any war, anywhere.

Nuff said. Enjoy the music.

The Anthem Challenge #9: Royal Blood - Figure it out

The Anthem Challenge originated from my Jemtunes blog and was inspired by a fellow blogger from Jersey. It's all about posting ten tracks from ten albums over ten days (or so) that mean something to you with a few words about each and why.

Anthem #9: Royal Blood - Figure it Out

Royal Blood hail from Worthing in West Sussex, UK - just a few miles from where I live. In just two years, they've seen a meteoric rise to rock god status from humble beginnings in a Worthing seafront bar to a sell-out European tour, dates in the US and Japan, the fastest selling rock album in three years and a multi-thousand and growing worldwide fan base.

And I have two tickets for their Brighton gig on 20 December. Gold-dust as the entire European tour sold out in an average of eight minutes.

The Anthem Challenge #8 - Underworld: Beautiful Burnout

The Anthem Challenge originate from my Jemtunes blog and was inspired by a fellow blogger from Jersey. It's all about posting 10 tracks from 10 albums over 10 days (or so) that mean something to you with a few words about each and why.

Anthem #8: Underworld - Beautiful burnout

Back in the day - up until just four years ago when for health reasons I had to jack it all in - I played bottom surdo in a Sussex based samba band called 'Beach Bateria'. A surdo is a big deep-sounding drum used to keep the bass rhythm of the bateria going. Mine was really big - 24 inches!

For several years I sourced the music, tunes and sound bites that inspired the pieces we wrote, rehearsed and performed for carnivals, fayres and processions across Southern England.

One of these was the kick-line from Underworld's 'Beautiful Burnout'. At about 5'10" into the track the drum-line kicks in big-time with a time signature that messes with your head so much that we just had to sample and use it. It took maybe six months to master but became one of our most successful signature pieces for static gigs.

The Anthem Challenge #7

The Anthem Challenge originated from my Jemtunes blog and was inspired by a fellow blogger from Jersey. It's all about posting 10 anthems over 10 days (or so) that mean something to you with a few words about each and why.

Anthem #7: Pink Floyd - Money

Starting back in 2006 when a good friend of mine purchased an old farmhouse about 20 miles north of Le Mans in France, a group of us started going to the annual 24 hour endurance race at the beginning of June. It became an annual event known as 'Le Mans the Easy Way". We even had t-shirts made up!

One of the highlights of the weekend has long been 'the Pink Floyd moment'. This usually happens long into the small hours of a morning after a few glasses of a good beaujolais and around the glowing embers of a fire pit. Fortunately the farmhouse is quite remote. Just as well really as 'the Pink Floyd moment' isn't exactly a quiet one!

The Anthem Challenge #6

The Anthem Challenge originated from my Jemtunes blog and was inspired by a fellow blogger from Jersey. It's all about posting ten anthems over ten days (or so) that mean something to you with a few words about each and why.

Anthem #6: Led Zeppelin - When the Levee breaks

I've just purchased the 2014 re-mastered version of Led Zeppelin IV - about 43 years after purchasing my original vinyl version just after its first release in 1971. I might have changed a bit in the intervening years but I can tell you, the album certainly hasn't!

Playing the re-master now, all these years later, takes me back to those halcyon days with my mono Dansette on the floor of my bedroom, upsetting my Mother and siblings as I tried in vain to coax just a little extra volume out for the crescendo of 'When the Levee Breaks'.

It says something for the longevity and brilliance of an album when it sounds and feel as fresh as it does with so many years between its first release and subsequent re-master.

The Anthem Challenge #5

The Anthem Challenge originated from my Jemtunes blog and was inspired by a fellow blogger from Jersey. It's all about posting ten anthems over ten days (or so) that mean something to you with a few words about each and why.

Anthem #5: Rory Gallagher - Bullfrog Blues

There's really one main reason why I've picked this one today - quite simply it's one of the best 12-bar blues tracks there is. By anyone, ever. And yes, I know it's a cover but it's an incredible cover. No brainer really. Nuff said. Enjoy. (As I will - again).

The Anthem Challenge #4

The Anthem Challenge originated from my Jemtunes blog and was inspired by a fellow blogger from Jersey. It's all about posting ten anthems over ten days (or so) that mean something to you with a few words about each and why.

Anthem #4 - Ten Years After: I'm going home

This is from the Woodstock festival and, to my mind, one of the best performances of the song the band ever did. The late Alvin Lee's fretwork here is simply stunning and, when you consider the fact that he'd only just got over a nasty bout of flu, is even more amazing.

I've had a love affair with Woodstock and everything about it since I first saw the film version in a seedy little cinema close to where I live back in the early 1970's. I'd heard of Ten Years After before then, so I already knew the song. But this ten minute version quite simply blew me away. It still does.

The Anthems Challenge #3

The Anthem Challenge originated from my Jemtunes blog and was inspired by a fellow blogger from Jersey. Essentially it's all about posting ten anthems over ten days that mean something in your life and saying a few words about each and why.

Anthem #3: Steve Howe - Australia

This track comes from the 1975 solo album 'Beginnings' and, although I now have the album on CD as well now, my original vinyl version is unplayable; it's got a huge scratch though the middle! This is the reason for this anthem choice. I lent the album to my then girlfriend when we were at art college in 1977. She lived in a one-room bedsit and the only place for the record player was the floor. Add that to a mini party and you have a recipe for something not great. I still have the damaged goods almost 40 years later though - along with the then girlfriend to whom I've been married since 1979.

The Anthem Challenge #2

The Anthem Challenge originated from my Jemtunes blog on Wordpress. Essentially, pick ten anthems over ten days that mean something to you and say a little about each.

Anthem #2 - Cozy Powell - Na Na Na

This came out in 1974 and I can still remember getting the single from my local record shop. It's one of my all time favourite 'feel-good' tracks with Frank Aiello's vocals complementing the late Mr Powell's drumming prowess perfectly. Forty years on and the track is still on one of my i-Pod playlists. Says something for its longevity.

Unfortunately, due to limitations with the BlogSpot YouTube search engine, I can't post the video of the song for you here (one of my reasons for switching to Wordpress as I recall. Here's the YouTube URL link which should do the job.

The Anthem Challenge #1

Here's the challenge - post ten anthems over ten days with a bit of narrative to each to say why they have meaning to you.

This challenge originated from my Jemtunes blog, but I thought it would be nice to share with a wider audience

Anthem #1 - Patti Smith - Because the Night

Co-written in 1978 by Patti Smith and Bruce Springsteen and released as a single from the 'Easter' album, this just has to be here because it's also the anthem for me and my soulmate - Sal. We were married in 1979 and this was the tune of choice at the time. We've both still got the copies of the single we got for each other on its release and the tune gets at least an annual airing every year on our anniversary.

Led Zeppelin - IV (1971)

Issue 91 of 'Classic Rock' magazine - published in April 2006 - featured the 100 Greatest British Rock Albums ever. As I am fortunate enough to have 61 of these in my collection, this is day 61 in a mini-series for Jem's Music - sample tracks from each of the albums I own from 100 through to 1

Day 61: Number 1/100: Led Zeppelin - Four Sticks (from IV - 1971)

Completely by coincidence, this week marks the remastered re-issue of the 2-disc collector's version of IV. A well-deserved Number One slot.

The Who - Who's next (1971)

Issue 91 of 'Classic Rock' magazine - published in April 2006 - featured the 100 Greatest British Rock Albums ever. As I am fortunate enough to have 61 of these in my collection, this is day 60 in a mini-series for Jem's Music - sample tracks from each of the albums I own from 100 through to 1

Day 60: Number 2/100: The Who - The song is over (from Who's Next - 1971)

Pink Floyd - Dark side of the Moon (1973)

Issue 91 of 'Classic Rock' magazine - published in April 2006 - featured the 100 Greatest British Rock Albums ever. As I am fortunate enough to have 61 of these in my collection, this is day 59 in a mini-series for Jem's Music - sample tracks from each of the albums I own from 100 through to 1

Day 59: Number 3/100: Pink Floyd - Money (from Dark side of the Moon - 1973)

The Sex Pistols - Never mind the Bollocks (1977)

Issue 91 of 'Classic Rock' magazine - published in April 2006 - featured the 100 Greatest British Rock Albums ever. As I am fortunate enough to have 60 of these in my collection, this is day 58 in a mini-series for Jem's Music - sample tracks from each of the albums I own from 100 through to 1

Day 58: Number 4/100: The Sex Pistols - Holiday in the sun (from Never mind the bollocks - 1977)

David Bowie - The Rise and fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972)

Issue 91 of 'Classic Rock' magazine - published in April 2006 - featured the 100 Greatest British Rock Albums ever. As I am fortunate enough to have 60 of these in my collection, this is day 57 in a mini-series for Jem's Music - sample tracks from each of the albums I own from 100 through to 1

Day 57: Number 5/100: David Bowie - Starman (from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders from Mars - 1972)

The Beatles - Abbey Road (1969)

Issue 91 of 'Classic Rock' magazine - published in April 2006 - featured the 100 Greatest British Rock Albums ever. As I am fortunate enough to have 60 of these in my collection, this is day 56 in a mini-series for Jem's Music - sample tracks from each of the albums I own from 100 through to 1

Day 56: Number 6/100: The Beatles - Come Together (from Abbey Road - 1969)

Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti (1975)

Issue 91 of 'Classic Rock' magazine - published in April 2006 - featured the 100 Greatest British Rock Albums ever. As I am fortunate enough to have 60 of these in my collection, this is day 55 in a mini-series for Jem's Music - sample tracks from each of the albums I own from 100 through to 1

Day 55: Number 7/100: Led Zeppelin - Custard Pie (from Physical Graffiti - 1975)

Led Zeppelin - II (1969)

Issue 91 of 'Classic Rock' magazine - published in April 2006 - featured the 100 Greatest British Rock Albums ever. As I am fortunate enough to have 60 of these in my collection, this is day 54 in a mini-series for Jem's Music - sample tracks from each of the albums I own from 100 through to 1

Day 54: Number 8/100: Led Zeppelin - Ramble On (from II - 1969)