Freedom – No Compromise

That’s the name of the album that this next song is from. Steven Van Zandt, or Little Steven as he’s better known released it in 1987 and this is my favourite track. I heard it on the radio many times, never bought it and then wished I had, years later.

I went to one of those record fairs… the ones where people turn up and set out their stall to sell their old vinyl records… sell your old vinyl records!? .. madness. Anyway, while walking around the record fair I came across the album, Freedom – No Compromise, and straight away it was in my mind to buy it. I thought I’d go and look around some more, see if anything else caught my eye but if it didn’t I’d go back and buy it. Then I came across a couple of other records that I wanted and bought them… and that left me without enough money to go back and buy the Little Steven album…”not to worry” I thought, “I’ll come across it again”. I never did.

So along came the internet, and downloads… so much music, and of course I downloaded this song as soon as I found it. I really do like this song, it’s rock music with a sort of Latin soul feel to it.., if you know what I mean. I haven’t heard it on the radio for a long time now, but I don’t know why because it’s a very catchy, upbeat tune. I do realise that there’s a political message in it.., only I just listen to the song for the music. It took me so long to finally get the song, now I play it regularly and it always gets my feet tapping… I never tire of listening to it and that’s why it has to be in the desert island digital collection, a dead cert top tenner. There’s a wonderful guitar solo towards the end, it’s brilliant, as is the whole song. It’s called Bitter Fruit…, which is not something I come across on my island, everything is fresh and sweet. Coconut vodka time I think, laptop cranking out some Little Steven music.., and dancing on my own on the beach ’till dawn.

Him And His Guitar

It’s the summer solstice today, June the 21st… and it’s pouring with rain as I type this post, typical. No sunshine here today I’m afraid, it’s days like this that make you long to be on a desert island.. maybe not on your own, but endless days of sunshine seem most appealing when the weather turns nasty here.

So to cheer myself up I’m posting two songs for the digital collection today.., two epic songs from the legendary Leslie West because his music always lifts my spirits. He’s at his awesome best on both of these tracks… I’d have to have my entire Leslie West collection with me on my island, all of it, because this is how the guitar should played in my opinion. He was great with Mountain but I prefer his solo stuff, it’s more bluesy and a little less rock than the stuff he did with them and I think this style suits him best. The thing I like about him is that he just lets rip, he’s not too subtle, and I think he has a good voice.

So, to the music. The first one is from his album called As Phat As It Gets, and the track is called Me And My Guitar… it’s a real gutsy song with some fine guitar work throughout. No holds barred, he just goes for it and gets a great sound from the guitar.

The second one is from Dodgin’ The Dirt…. a track called Juke Joint Jumpin’, .. brilliant.

I’ll get the fire going, crack open a coconut vodka or two and watch the sun set on another busy day, while Leslie West hammers the living daylights out of his Les Paul…. and seeing as how it’s the solstice I’ll have a dance around the fire. It may not be Stonehenge, but at least the sun will have been shining all day…, one thing I wouldn’t miss about home if I was marooned.., the rubbish weather!… let it rip, Leslie..