No arguments this had to be the clip of the day - September 29th, 2008 is my dad's 90th birthday. A western fan since way back, a Desert Rat wounded in 1941 at the Battle of Sidi Rezegh, a travelling salesman for West Cumberland Farmers for over 40 years; as politically incorrect as you can be (and none the worse for that) and a top man. This is his choice today.

I actually got him the Magnificent Seven collection - four DVD's on a boxed set so I imagine they'll get some hammer.

He's looking for Joel McCrae next so that's my target over the next few weeks, tracking down a few DVD's by Joel.

Some top performers in this band - The Yardbirds from 1965 with a number they borrowed from Herman's Hermits.

The Yardbirds are noted for starting the careers of three of rock's most famous guitarists: Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. A blues-based band whose sound evolved into experimental rock, they had a string of hits including “For Your Love”, “Over, Under, Sideways, Down” and “Heart Full Of Soul”. They were a crucial link between British R&B and psychedelia.

The Yardbirds were pioneers in almost every guitar innovation of the '60s: fuzz tone, feedback, distortion, backwards echo, improved amplification. They were one of the first to put an emphasis on complex lead guitar parts and experimentation.

The bulk of the band's conceptual ideas, as well as their songwriting, came from the quartet of singer/harmonica player Keith Relf, drummer Jim McCarty, rhythm guitarist/bassist Chris Dreja, and bassist/producer Paul Samwell-Smith, all of whom co-wrote the Yardbirds' original hits and constituted the core of the group.

The band's musical foundation would also lay the groundwork for the formation of the 1970s rock band Led Zeppelin.

There have been many band memers over the years but they did re-form agaon in 1992 right through to the present day.

According the Total Rock website, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page are to possibly rejoin the Yardbirds for a reunion tour some time in 2008.

Lead vocalist John Idan would retain his front man position. Ben King would also remain as lead guitarist as any reunion with Page and Beck would be temporary.

A classic track from a 1973 Top of the Pops show. Mott the Hoople, good roockers in anyone's book.

Mott the Hoople were a 1970's English rock band with strong R&B roots and known for being part of the popular glam rock scene of the early to mid-70's. They are best known for the song "All the Young Dudes", which was written for them by their fan David Bowie which appeared on the 1972 album of the same name. I muvch prefer this one however.

And what of the name? Although the group toured and recorded in Italy as The Doc Thomas Group, their gigs in the UK were played first as The Shakedown Sound, and later as Silence.

Silence recorded demos at Rockfield Studios in Monmouth, Wales, which were shopped to EMI, Polydor, Immediate, and Apple with no success.

In early 1969 the group came to the attention of Guy Stevens at Island Records, who liked the group but not with Stan Tippins as lead singer. Advertisements were placed ("Singer wanted, must be image-minded and hungry"), and Ian Hunter was eventually selected as lead singer and piano player. Tippins assumed the role of road manager.

Stevens changed the band's name to "Mott the Hoople" from a novel of the same name by Willard Manus; the book is about an eccentric who works in a circus freak show. T

heir debut album, Mott the Hoople (1969), was a cult success, and their repertoire included cover versions of "Laugh at Me" (Sonny Bono), and an instrumental cover of "You Really Got Me" (The Kinks).

I used to love this record. Thought it was great and very surprised when my dad said it was an old song.

Clarence "Frogman" Henry (born March 19, 1937, Algiers, New Orleans, Louisiana) is an American rhythm and blues singer.

Fats Domino and Professor Longhair were young Henry's main influences while growing up. When Henry played in talent shows, he dressed like Longhair and wore a wig with braids on both sides.

His trademark croak, utilized to the maximum on his 1956 debut hit "Ain't Got No Home," earned Henry his nickname and jump-started a career that endures to this day. "You Always Hurt the One You Love" and "(I Don't Know Why) But I Do", both from 1961, were his other big hits.

Henry opened eighteen concerts for The Beatles across the U.S. and Canada in 1964, but his main source of income came from the Bourbon Street strip in New Orleans, where he played for nineteen years.

His name could still draw hordes of tourists long after his hit-making days had ended. Clarence Henry's pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.

In April 2007, The Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame honored "Frogman" for his contributions to Louisiana music by inducting him into The Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame.

The Temperance Seven had this big hit in 1961 and gave the world whispering Paul McDowell.

 The three founder members were Paul McDowell who originally played trombone, Philip Harrison (originally played banjo) and Brian Innes who got together at Christmas 1955.

 Gradually the band evolved into a nine-piece ensemble with a light-hearted and humorous performing style, although they were all serious musicians. The name "Temperance Seven" was suggested from Douggie Albert, of the Albert's fame. The Albert's were cult figures in the art scene in the mid 1950's and were fore-runners to the sort of humour that became Monty Python. The Temperance Seven was a subtle play on words — the number seven being "one under the eight". That there were nine members or "one over the eight" implied intemperance.

It was in 1961 that the Temperance Seven achieved national fame with the number 1 hit "You're Driving Me Crazy" Arranged by Frank Skinner, which was produced by George Martin, quickly followed by "Pasadena" which reached No 4 in the charts.

They toured Britain widely that year and their performances acquired a set routine beginning with the last few bars of "Pasadena" (which became their signature tune) and ending with the stirring strains of the "Gaumont-British News". By the summer of 1961 their fame was such that they appeared at the London Palladium.

During this memorable performance, when opening with the first few bars of "Pasadena" the band members seemed distracted and uneasy: there were only eight of them on stage.

It had been rumoured by the host — Bruce Forsyth — that there had been a dressing room fall-out with vocalist Paul MacDowell. Just as the band reached the point of the vocal, a cloud of smoke saw a megaphone-wielding MacDowell propelled upwards via a trapdoor, to begin his refrain bang on cue. The audience was mesmerised only to be further caught out by Pasadena's legendary double false-ending.

The Temperance Seven came to popularity during the resurgent Jazz era of the early 1960s. Their unique sound, coupled with their musicianship and ingeniously humorous compositions, set them apart from their contemporaries; however, they arrived at the cusp of that era and as popular tastes changed with the emergence of Elvis and The Beatles, the Temperance Seven gradually slipped into obscurity although the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band attempted to wear their mantle for several years whilst claiming no affiliation.

The original Temperance Seven were dissolved in the late 1960s, but the band continues to perform with new personnel. From time to time original members make guest appearances. Many members of the original band reunited for a BBC radio programme about the group in 2003.

No not the veteran Cameroons footballer - country star Roger Miller performing his biggest hit from 1965.

Roger Dean Miller (January 2, 1936 – October 25, 1992) was an American singer, songwriter and musician, best known for his mid-1960s country/pop hits such as King of the Road, Dang Me and England Swings. He also wrote the music and lyrics for the Tony-award winning Broadway musical Big River (1985).

In the 1970s, Miller appeared in ads for Monroe shock absorbers, backed by a re-recording of "King of the Road".

Miller wrote and performed three songs in the 1973 animated Robin Hood film as the rooster/minstrel Alan-a-Dale. One of these, a high-pitched sample of "Whistle Stop", was later used as the musical accompaniment for the Internet phenomenon "Hampsterdance".

Miller was married to Mary Arnold, who herself was a musician, a member of Kenny Rogers' backing band, Kenny Rogers and The First Edition. Band leader Kenny Rogers introduced the two. Arnold now manages Miller's estate.

His eldest son, Dean Miller, is a singer-songwriter in his own right. Roger's Christmas song, "Old Toy Trains" was written about his son, who was only two years old when the song came out in 1967.

Miller provided the voice of Speiltoe, the equine narrator of the Rankin/Bass holiday special Nestor, The Long-Eared Christmas Donkey (1977).

A lifelong cigarette smoker, Miller died of lung and throat cancer in 1992. In a TV interview, he once explained that he composed his songs from "bits and pieces" of ideas he wrote on scraps of paper. When asked what he did with the unused bits and pieces, he half-joked, "I smoke 'em!" One of his songs, "A Man Can't Quit", centered on the subject of addiction to cigarettes.

Great record but does anybody know what it was all about? Just another example of the words not necassarily meaning anything as long it's got a catchy tune and there's a good voice. I remember having this argument with two former colleagues John Reynolds and Tim Hamblin.

Gene Chandler (born Eugene Dixon, July 6, 1937, Chicago, Illinois is regarded by soul fans as one of the leading exponents of the 1960's Chicago soul scene, along with Curtis Mayfield and Jerry Butler.[His signature hit is the  Billboard Hot 100 chart song, "Duke of Earl" (1962). Chandler wrote and performed many more songs, and collaborated with many of the greats in the soul and R&B world.

After spending three weeks at number one on the Billboard Magazine charts, Chandler got a cape, a monocle, a top hat and a cane. He simply became "The Duke of Earl" and his concerts drew a large crowd. Occasionally he would come out for an encore, usually "Rainbow." "Rainbow" was one of Chandler's collaborations with Curtis Mayfield, and the only song Chandler has ever recorded three times. Each time the song has been re-recorded, it became a hit all over again.

After a number of years on the road, Chandler decided to become more involved with the business end of the music industry. He produced, wrote, arranged, and he had another major hit in 1970 on Mercury. "Groovy Situation", was a pop and R&B success (his second biggest hit after "Duke Of Earl".

In the late 1970's, even whilst he was placing hits on the disco chart, the nostalgia craze began. DJ Wolfman Jack put together a traveling show of "oldies" acts, and Chandler joined them in the travels around the country.

In 2002, his  hit recording of "Duke Of Earl" was inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame.

He still performs in Chicago, Las Vegas and elsewhere around the U.S.at the age of 71.

Class singer who burst on the scene as a teenager with Diana and made a whole batch of excellent records - this being one of them.

Born 30 July 1941, in Ottawa, Ontario) he is actually of Lebanese origin but became a naturalized US citizen in 1990.

Anka's parents, who owned a restaurant, were of Lebanese Christian (Maronite) descent. He sang with the St Elijah Syrian Antiochian Orthodox Church choir under the direction of Frederick Karam with whom he studied music theory. He also studied piano with Winnifred Rees.

Anka recorded his first single "I Confess" at the age of 14 and in 1957 he went to New York City where he auditioned for Don Costa at ABC, singing what was widely believed to be a lovestruck verse he had written to a former babysitter.

In an interview with NPR's Terry Gross in 2005, he stated that it was to a girl at his church whom he hardly knew. The song, "Diana", brought Anka instant stardom as it rocketed to number one on the charts. "Diana" is one of the best selling 45s in music history but this one was one of four monster hits he had while still a teenager.

Sorry about the Mr Bean lookalike in the video. If he could only see what he looks likeL Good record though from the lads originally billed as Britain's answer to the Everly Brothers.

The Brook Brothers were Geoff Brook (born Geoffrey Brook, 12 April 1943, Winchester, Hampshire) and Ricky Brook (born 24 October 1940, Winchester, Hampshire).

The Brook Brothers started out as a skiffle group in 1956, and after winning a local talent show, changed their look and sound to approximate the style of The Everly Brothers. They signed to Top Rank Records in 1960 and released a cover of the song "Greenfields" by The Brothers Four in 1960.

The tune was a hit in Italy but attracted little notice in their home country. After a few more singles were released, they switched to Pye Records, and their second release, "Warpaint" (written by Howard Greenfield and Barry Mann), became a UK Top 5 hit. This song was also recorded by Bill Haley, among others.

Following the single's success they released a full-length album and toured with Cliff Richard and Bobby Rydell. They took part in the annual NME Readers' Poll-Winners Concert at London's Wembley Pool on 15 April 1962. They were produced by a young Tony Hatch, and made an appearance in the film, It's Trad, Dad.

The Brook Brothers entered A Song For Europe for the 1962 Eurovision Song Contest, but did not advance in the contest.

The group's popularity faded as The Beatles's sound became more popular, and they left public view by 1965. Their entire cache of Pye recordings was reissued on CD by Castle Music in the 1990's.

Not the best mimer in the business, Crispian is featured here on Australian tv.

He was born with a more humble handle - Robin Peter Smith on April 5 1939, at Swanley, Kent, and although Wikipedia tells us he is best known for his 1966 hit, "The Pied Piper" I reckon this was his best one.

As a young man, St. Peters performed in several relatively unknown bands in England. In 1956, he gave his first live performance, as a member of The Hard Travellers. Through the late 1950s and early 1960s, he was a member of The Country Gentlemen, Beat Formula Three, and Peter & The Wolves. In 1964, as a member of Peter & The Wolves, St. Peters made his first commercial recording.

Rather sadly on 1 January 1995, at the age of 56, he suffered a major stroke. His music career was severely weakened by this, and in 2001, he announced his retirement from the music industry. He has been hospitalized several times with pneumonia since 2003.

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