(P.S. Tried posting this on your blog but I couldn’t get OpenID to work)

Many thanks indeed to the divine Lena for keeping everybody here abreast of my condition and indeed for ringing for the ambulance in the first place, without which Punctum would have been consigned to the next world for sure. Also many thanks for all the kind comments which have arisen in my absence; these certainly made my stair exercises (and making-the-tea exercises too! No slacking in world-class stroke units, that’s for definite, although both the wobbleboard and wobble cushion happily eluded me, as did the more gruesome exercises referred to by Rosie elsewhere – my main hassle was being bothered by earnest staff to participate in surveys or research/data collection studies!).

Happily I am now safely enconsced back home at Punctum Towers and continue to make a great recovery, although I have been reminded in no uncertain terms by the distinguished neurologists who have followed me up that it’ll be early doors for Punctum if I do not radically change my ways. Next time I might not be so lucky.

Getting back to work on TPL has been good therapy (and helped me to work with a computer again) so without further ado I present the latest chapter:

http://nobilliards.blogspot.com/2012/01/led-zeppelin-physical-graffi.html

Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds – Elton John
Mandy – Barry Manilow
Please Mr Postman – The Carpenters
Laughter In The Rain – Neil Sedaka
Fire – Ohio Players
You’re No Good – Linda Ronstadt
Pick Up The Pieces – Average White Band
Best Of My Love – The Eagles
Have You Never Been Mellow – Olivia Newton John
Black Water – Doobie Brothers
My Eyes Adored You – Frankie Valli
Lady Marmalade – Labelle
Lovin’ You – Minnie Riperton
Philadelphia Freedom – Elton John
Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song – BJ Thomas
He Don’t Love You (Like I Love You) – Tony Orlando & Dawn
Shining Star – Earth Wind & Fire
Before The Next Teardrop Falls – Freddy Fender
Thank God I’m A Country Boy – John Denver
Sister Golden Hair – America
Love Will Keep Us Together – Captain & Tennille
Listen To What The Man Said – Wings
The Hustle – Van McCoy
One Of These Nights – The Eagles
Jive Talkin’ – The Bee Gees
Fallin’ In Love – Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds
Get Down Tonight – KC & The Sunshine Band
Rhinestone Cowboy – Gen Campbell
Fame – David Bowie
I’m Sorry/Calypso – John Denver
Bad Blood – Neil Sedaka
Island Girl – Elton John
That’s The Way I Like It – KC & The Sunshine Band
Fly Robin Fly – Silver Convention
Let’s Do It Again – Staple Singers

A whacking great 14 of these never even reached the UK Top 50. BJ Thomas’s lovely lazy thing was a Radio 2 staple, but Bad Blood? Fire? Fallin’ In Love? Don’t think I’ve ever heard these, on the radio or anywhere. Disco taking a grip late in the year, and some real corkers.

Isn’t it odd that John Denver only had one (monster) hit in the UK? Four number ones in the US; nothing wrong with I’m Sorry, or his Jacques Cousteau tribute Calypso.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FjWmUsp73Y

(Somebody there probably got one of the white label/press kits of Big Star’s Sister Lovers, though.)

As with 1960, it was a year of novelties (Running Bear, Whispering Grass) and lack of direction due to a major boom (R&R, Glam) imploding with surprising rapidity (no deaths or prison – yet – for the Glam heroes, though, so less obvious explanation). Kenny’s Fancy Pants and Hello’s New York Groove were great pop 45s, but no rivals to Hell Raiser or Cum On Feel The Noize.

Studio technology to blame? There’s a distinct thinness of sound and a squeakily dry, reverb-free sound on ’75 recordings. Think of Ian Hunter’s Once Bitten Twice Shy and compare it to Mott’s Roll Away The Stone; Roy wood’s Oh What A Shame vs Angel Fingers, Hold Me Close vs Rock On. I should understand the reason for this, but I don’t.