May 14, 2024

The eleventh week in the 12 week Gulls Window Circus folk-like series runs from T-W in alphabetic order.
Toadstool is Brad White before The Lune. Russ Tolman is post-True West. Trembling Blue Stars is Bobby Wratten after Field Mice. Jack Waterson was a founding Green On Red member. Willimantic Shrin is Joe and Dawn post-Bimbo Shrineheads. Viva Saturn has Rain Parade members.
Artists you may not have heard that I am glad to present here are Tony, Caro & John, Travis Pickle, Twizzle, Dino Valente, Martha Veléz, Irmão Victor, Viva Saturn, Andrew Wasylyk, Geraint Watkins, Mats Wawa, David Westlake, and Bobby Whitlock.
All tracks earn their keep, so try a complete listen.

Folk rock, psychedelic folk, indie folk, acoustic rock Are the tags

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May 7, 2024

The tenth week in the 12 week Gulls Window Circus folk-like series explores the fertile letters S & T. The joy of an alphabetical show is that what artist you hear is pre-determined – only the song selection is negotiable. I love that particular negotiation, by the way! So by alphabetical coincidence this show finds many of my all time favorite artists [Dan Stuart, Subway Sect, The Summer Hits, The Teardrop Explodes, Television, Johnny Thunders], but also many secondary faves. I love the feel of the whole in the this show, and think you will hear one or two songs that may cause you to explore an artist further.

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April 30, 2024

The ninth week in the 12-week folk-like series on Gulls Window Circus. Some well-known names hidden behind career outliers: Rusty is Elvis Costello, A. Savage is from Parquet Courts, The Scrubbers is Steve Marriott, Rainy Day is Kendra Smith [at least on this song], American Spring is Marilyn Wilson [Brian Wilson’s wife at the time], The Springfields is Ric Menck of Velvet Crush and The Tyde. Terry Stamp was guitarist in Third World War. Joey Stec was in The Millennium, John Sebastian fronted The Lovin’ Spoonful, Alexander Spence was in Moby Grape. Bet you can’t wait to hear Patti Smith paired with The Smiths!… It’s all here – dig in now.

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April 23, 2024

The 8th week in the twelve-week folk-like series starts with eight songs that catch up to where we are in the alphabet (we are at P) with missed artists. Michael Quatro (Suzi’s brother) does a Thin Lizzy cover. The track by Together fits in this show, as it is Keith Relf (Yardbirds vocalist). Other artists in this show appearing outside their usual bands are Jorma Kaukonen (Hot Tuna), Christine McVie (Fleetwood Mac), and Kimberley Rew (Soft Boys, Katrina & The Waves). The Rockets are Crazy Horse before they chose that name, so you can hear Danny Whitten. Artists I want to make sure you hear in this show are Pip Proud, PLVG, Jeannie C. Riley, Anthony Rochester, and Paul McCartney And Wings from their lesser-known 1971 Wild Life LP.

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April 16, 2024

The seventh week in the 12 week folk-like series on Gulls Window Circus covers the letters N-P. It is filled with unlikely artists [Leonard Nimoy, Nohelani Cypriano, Tubeway Army, The Only Ones, Orange Juice, Pest 5000] doing folk like tracks, some lesser known artists [Don Nix, Spooner Oldham, The Otto Show, Pale Man Made, Priscilla Paris, Ottilie Patterson, Dan Penn, Port Sulphur, Nancy Priddy], some side-projects [Al Perry & Dan Stuart from Green On Red, Robert Pollard from Guided By Voices] and The Only One’s Peter Perrett gone solo. These are all held together by a tight selection of artists that perfectly capture the mood of this series.

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April 9, 2024

The sixth week of the 12 week folk-like series on Gulls Window Circus. We finish the letter L, fully cover the letter M, then start N. Nick Lowe covers Johnny Rivers, Steve Miller Band covers Robert Johnson, Mortimer cover Beatles. Tony Molina uses a phrase/feel from the Neil Young ‘Don’t Cry No Tears’ track. You can enjoy Slapp Happy’s Anthony Moore solo, and Moby Grape’s Bob Mosley solo. I’m glad to bring you Charlie McAlister, Movietone, Mink DeVille and The Moles. In fact, every track is a jewel.

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April 2, 2024

The fifth week of the 12 week folk-like series on Gulls Window Circus. A few current artists I really like [Jordan Janes, KRGA, Inger Lorre], several artists I want you to hear [Kisswhistle, The Legendary Jim Ruiz Group, The Lee Riders, Claudine Longet, The Long Ryders, The Lotus Eaters, Love Tractor] and many others that provide the spice to this show and stand strong on their own, possibly ranking as your favorites of the set.

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March 26, 2024

The fourth week of the 12 week folk-like series covers the letters F-H, with a starting track by Bob Dylan. Ruthann Friedman wrote ‘Windy’, which The Association turned into a classic, but you will hear a lesser-known track from her. This series is so carefully chosen, that to write a summary with less than every artist mentioned feels wrong. Check out Gontiti, an artist I discovered from the biopic about Klaus Nomi ‘The Nomi Song’. Some longtime favorites are in this show: Friends Again, The Go-Betweens, Vic Godard, Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci, Danny Graham, Green On Red, Steve Harley, Robyn Hitchcock, Holsapple & Stamey, but every track is an ace.

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March 19, 2024

The third week of the 12 week folk-like series on Gulls Window Circus, alphabetically covering the letters D-F. Stuffed with unlikely but fitting finds, even going so far as to unearth my sister’s private press West Virginia band in 2000, The Elktones. Names that should be known to regular listeners include Delaney & Bonnie, Ned Doheny, Durutti Column, Everything But The Girl, East River Pipe, The Farmer’s Boys, Felt, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Brigitte Fontaine, Robert Forster [Go-Betweens] and Free Design. Joys for those who love to dig further would be Karen Dalton, Luther Dickinson, Donna Regina, Donnie & Joe Emerson, Fairport Convention, and Flunk. As well as uncovering my sister’s band, we hear Firecat, the 1999 Tim Sprague band(of Crow Follow – we used to play together in GingerBread Men as well). Jay Ferguson, who used to front Spirit and Jo Jo Gunne is here, Bill Fox who used to front The Mice as well. A few treats you are unlikely to have met: Grandma Dixie Davis, Terry & The Pirates [Terry Dolan], Downsiders, Family, Family Of God, Fantastic!, Emmett Finley, Flying Norwegians, and Robert Lester Folsom, each more-than earning their spot on board.

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March 12, 2024

The second week of the 12 week folk-like series on Gulls Window Circus. Last week the closing Michael Chapman track was cut short, so today I start with a different track by him. Then you get 15 tracks I uncovered since last week that precede ‘Ch’ in the alphabet. As I said last week, every track has a story as well as telling a story. Darryl Blood was the guitarist in my 90s band Turkish Delight, Beth Capper was vocalist in Oiler. Seana Carmody was in Swirlies. The City was Carole King’s band before going solo. The Colour Field was Terry Hall from The Specials/Fun Boy Three, and also includes Teardrop Explodes drummer Gary Dwyer. Hugh Cornwell was vocal/guitar in The Stranglers. Sarah Cracknell is vocalist for Saint Etienne. Each track gleams in this show.

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