What’s inside our bumper-packed December issue of the Beat…
Slade on Top Of The Pops in 1973 (credit BBC archive)
With all those festive tunes played once again at this time of the year, one of the biggest hits was released some 60 years ago! Who can forget Noddy’s rasping ‘It’s Christmaaaas!’ coming over the airwaves. So fitting that we should put Slade’s guitarist Dave Hill on our December cover.
Inside, the flamboyant glam rocker tells Ian Woolley about their early days, how he came up with ‘that look’, and how he’s still keeping the Slade fans happy with his current band along with what Christmas means to him and his family.
Denny Seiwell (left) with Wings
Talking of Christmas songs, who can ever forget Paul McCartney & Wings’ 1977 festive offering ‘Mull Of Kintyre’ which stayed at the top of the charts longer than the Christmas decorations?
Ian chats with the group’s drummer Denny Seiwell about his Wings career and what he’s been up to in Flying With Wings – ‘The Denny Seiwell Story‘ in a two-page special.
PJ Proby
Now we know you’ve been following the PJ Proby story from the man himself through the year but this month he tells in his own words about that infamous pants-splitting episode that got him banned.
“The velvets gave way at the knees, due to my dynamic stage act and me doing kneeslides on stage. This did not make the headlines that time”, PJ tells us in the three-page article.
John Firminger looks back at the life of Carl Perkins ‘The Godfather of Rockabilly’.
Richard Pilkington shares a cuppa with Jane
Jane’s cuppa tea guest in December is Richard Pilkington, one-half of the Blackheart Orchestra.
Richard talks about crying, poetry, and 1971.
Now a name many may not have heard of is Raymond Froggatt.
Mike Stott tells us the tale of this UK country singer who died in July. His massive fan base referred to him as Froggie – would see him consistently named Britain’s Top Male Country Singer on eight occasions.
Heralded as the pioneers of folk rock, acid rock and country rock, and influenced so many of the musical movements, Andy McArthur looks at the history of the Byrds in his new book.
Boy George’s long-awaited autobiography is out. ‘Karma’ is dissected by Ron Tennant along with delving into some early hits that include Cliff, Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin.