This week’s Stronger Than Dirt (Saturday, June 15, 8-10pm) will be a pre Juneteenth celebration of Black voices and artists from the US along with a few from abroad. Some featured artists include Bobby Freeman, Sly and the Family Stone, Love, Death, X-Ray-Spex, Selecter, ESG, Bellrays, Special Interest, Brontez Purnell and many more.
COVER ART OF THE WEEK: Fronted by the talented multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Arthur Lee, Love played an integral part of the Los Angeles music scene of the mid 60s and were one of the earliest racially diverse rock bands. While they never achieved the popular success of other bands from the area, they have since garnered critical acclaim. Their third album, “Forever Changes,” topped out at 154 in the US charts but is now considered by many as one of the best albums of the psychedelic era. Released in November 1968 on Elektra Records it featured a front cover design by William S. Harvey and a band photograph on the back by Ronnie Haran. (Click on image to enlarge)
DUSTY DIAMOND OF THE WEEK (a vintage gem from the STD vaults): Sexton Ming is a British poet, artist and musician who worked extensively with Billy Childish as a member of the Medway Poets and Stuckist art movement. His prolific music output between the years of 1987 and 2017 included punk, garage rock and more frequently quirky outsider music. “(I’m in Love with) Danny Edwards” is a shambolic blast of Medway garage rock with breathy vocals by Ming. Produced by Liam Watson (who also played bass), it was released in 1995 on an EP on Damaged Goods Records. Listen to it here:
Promo art from the 2002 “Meet the BellRays” compilation on Poptones Records. Original art and design uncredited.