1965

I’ve never really been a fan of The Kinks though I’ve come to love Waterloo Sunset and Sunny Afternoon because, well, who doesn’t? And Ray Davies once walked past me coming out of Costa in Highgate so we’re *almost* friends.

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On the surface, this is little more than a thinly disguised rewrite of Like A Rolling Stone. But there’s something special about it too… especially that familiar guitar sound. Those licks, borrowed more or less straight from Mike Bloomfield’s on the Dylan song, are played by a young session player called Jimmy Hendrix.

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Roy Head – Treat Her Right

18th October 2023 · 1960s, 1965, Music

Roy Head had his solitary hit single with Treat Her Right in 1965 – aided by his extraordinary dance moves on TV shows like this.

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When I get the urge to hear some soul music, I often go straight to Otis. And when I go to Otis, I tend to go straight to Try A Little Tenderness. It was only when this came on the radio the other day that I remembered what a highlight it is on the immortal album Otis Blue.

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The deeper I delve into the vaults of old soul, the more buried treasure I find. Like this 1965 gem by The Brilliants.

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Not only is this one of the catchiest songs of all time but the story behind the song is remarkable… and lives up to the title.

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This Northern Soul classic came out in 19675, two years before The Invitations came to the UK to perform. It didn’t go quite as they expected.

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The Toys were a teenage trio who formed at high school in New York in 1961. They sold two million copies of their only hit single. (more…)

Twinkle – Terry

17th March 2022 · 1960s, 1965, Music

In the pantheon of one-hit wonders, Terry by Twinkle deserves a place at the top table. (more…)

Marc Bolan – The Wizard

8th February 2022 · 1960s, 1965, Music

Straight outta Stokey…. this was local boy Marc Feld’s first single, released by Decca in October 1965. With its stripped-back R&B sound, it could be filed under Freakbeat, and you can already hear the nascent influence of psychedelia and fantasy in the lyrics.

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