António Sérgio and Halloween

It has been 17 years since António Sérgio left us.
And, for the first time, I am able to associate the memory of his passing with Halloween... Or almost, at least—since this is actually a protest song against the decay of a city and its society, rather than a reflection on the acceptance of death.
And, coincidently, right now, we're having a serious social decay where people can't buy a place to live, houses are scandalously expensive and people are really fighting against it.
It is one of the few songs that actually received permission to be included in the compilation dedicated to António Sérgio’s radio show, Som da Frente.

Again Dexys' Plan B and more

At Essen, Germany, 1983. Such an extraordinary concert this was.
Here's Plan B:


LOOOOVE this slow version of There There My Dear:

The galactically known Come On Eileen follows ...

The enchanting All In All:


And at last, Until I Believe In My Soul. A very different version: 

Plan B

The Dexys Midnight Runners live in 1981.

Antarctica ... starts here

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cantara

Lisa Gerrard, Dead Can Dance, 1987.

West End Girls

On 2023 November 21, Sleaford Mods released this hard-edged cover of Pet Shop Boys' classic West End Girls to fight homelessness.

I will continue

As long as there's a road to travel . We will continue . As long as there's a road to travel.
As long as there's wind and sea . We will not stop . As long as there's wind and sea.


Cheers

nothing to win and nothing left to lose

U2 - With Or Without You, 1987

António Sérgio, 16 years after

António Sérgio, one of the most innovative radio directors in the world and the best ever in Portugal, left us 16 years ago.

Unfortunately, radio is no longer the same and never will be again. And we will never have anyone like António Sérgio again.

Adrian Borland and his band The Sound were one of the many artists that only António Sérgio played in Portugal when they were still relatively unknown.


For the Portuguese public, as stated on the tribute page to António Sérgio on Facebook:
António Sérgio, um dos realizadores de rádio mais inovadores do mundo e o melhor de sempre em Portugal, deixou-nos há 16 anos.
Infelizmente, a rádio já não é a mesma que era e nunca mais será. E nunca mais teremos alguém como António Sérgio.
Adrian Borland (e a sua banda The Sound) foi um dos muitos artistas que só António Sérgio tocou em Portugal quando ainda eram pouco conhecidos.

eternamente tu

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Dance music in German

here she comes now

"Here She Comes Now" a 1967 song from Velvet Underground, here brilliantly performed by Nirvana, recorded in studio in 1990 and live in 1991.

smalltown boy

Kingston Sound System just released an album today that remakes classics from the '70s, '80s, and '90s. Like this Bronski Beat song from 1984, using Jimmy Somerville's original vocal recording.

this big hush

Shriekback, 1985


Live, 2017.

De-Evolution 45 years ago, the DEVO

Live at the Phoenix Theatre, during DEVO's Freedom of Choice tour, 1980.
Absolutely amazing.


The line-up: "Freedom of Choice Theme Song", "Whip It", "Snowball", "It's Not Right", "Girl U Want", "Planet Earth", "S.I.B. (Swelling Itching Brain)", "Secret Agent Man", "Pink Pussycat", "Blockhead", "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction", "Uncontrollable Urge", "Mongoloid", "Be Stiff", "Gates of Steel", "Freedom of Choice", "Jocko Homo", "Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA", "Gut Feeling/Slap Your Mammy", "Come Back Jonee", "Tunnel of Life", "Devo Corporate Anthem".

Najma, Dil Laga Ya Tha and the Face of Love

Najma (pronounced Nahj-mah) Akhtar najmaakhtar.com is a singer, musician and artist, born on 18 September 1962, in England. She's a pioneer in mixing South-East-Asian traditional music with jazz and many other musical styles.  
I believe that Najma was firstly and truly known by her participation in Philip Glass's 1986 album Songs From Liquid Days. Back then, the British Musical Scene was embracing many different exotic styles. For example, in 1983, Sheila Chandra became notorious with the song Ever So Lonely  
In 1987, Najma released her first album ‘Qareeb’ (Closeness) with this song Dil Laga Ya Tha.

Dil Laga Ya Tha (possibly meaning: I felt Like It) is not very different from another song which became very famous in 1996 due to Eddie Vedder who sang it with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. The song is the Face of Love.

And now, the reason why I'm posting this, is: I have a cassette recording with a radio show from António Sérgio and I was never able to identify Dil Laga Ya Tha. But now, there's a new tool from Google helping me. Much better than others existing long ago but unable to identify Dil Laga Ya Tha. 

everybody wants to rule the world

There are more than 140 covers of Everybody Wants To Rule The World. I believe this is the best of all!

The Wolf left us 15 years ago

"A wild wolf's howl is more than just a sound—it's the voice of freedom and the wilderness calling"

António Sérgio, "The Wolf" of the Radio used to play his very special radio shows very late at night.
"The Wall of Voodoo" was one of the bands he loved to play.

Elizabeth Fraser, 61th anniversary

And by her 61th birthday, Elizabeth Fraser was singing in Lisbon with their friends. Massive Attack, live at Meo Kalorama.

F A U S T O

Fausto. Fausto Bordalo Dias, one of the most important and influential artists in Portugal, Angola and Galicia died today. He grew up in Angola, where he learned to love all kinds of people and all types of cultures. An extremely human, sensitive, romantic musician and poet, he left an extraordinary legacy. And he left what is the most important musical work dedicated to Portugal.