London American years continued (1964&1965)

Hi pop pickers. It's been a while since I posted a series of entries around the Ace Records (and they are Ace!) series "The London American year By Year" series which explores a range of recordings as issued by this most iconic UK label.

By way of a background capsule, London American was a label owned by UK Decca for recording licensed from many at the time small US record labels for marketing and distribution in the UK making use of UK Decca's strong operation.

In time many of the labels whose recordings had been licensed set up their own UK operations such as Atlantic and Liberty while others got absorbed into increasingly big US concerns or with changing tastes the labels ceased to exist as outlets for new recordings such as Sun.

Ace began this series way way back in 2009 with the 1960 volume covering a number of recordings I heard on many 'oldies' shows while I was younger that played material from period immediately before the popularity of Merseybeat and the British Invasion of North America's airwaves had began.

There had been something of a hiatus since 2012's last release the 1956 volume captured much of the initial rock and roll boom witnessed on radio, television and your local movie theatre.

The most recent release like it came out this very week, is this, the 1965 edition which showed how a combination of changing tastes, increased competition by UK EMI and Pye Records for licenses and that British Invasion had reduced the output considerable and the number of genuine hits.

This said the set does include a number of gems such as Dobie Gray's the In Crowd a number of hits by the Righteous Brothers, Shirley Ellis's infectious The Clapping Song which was covered in the early 80's in the UK, a great version of Trains,Boats and Planes by Burt Bacharach and a UK act signed in the States and issued by London American - the Pageboys - and their song When I Meet a Girl Like You

1964 for many of us was when Beatlemania  struck, we got Stoned with Richmond's finest and an English accent was a guarantee of acceptance!

In throws of all that,  even the mighty Beach Boys would struggle chased off the top spots by some many darn fine UK artists however America still had a few tricks up it's sleeve not least Phil Spector's unforgettable productions that were licensed by London American so we're treated to such numbers as Crystals and Ronettes plus hits from Atlantic, Kapp and Monument stables  such as Ben E Kings Around The Corner, the Drifters with One Way Love and Otis Redding's  Come To Me.

It was also event licenses that had been profitable such as those to Sun Records and Cadence  from the 50's were becoming irrelevant.

Although it had taken some time to put together this compilation - licensing often is complex - the result is highly enjoyable adding a  fine collection of songs to ones collection of favourite oldies.

The Wind Rises

It's Halloween  soon but apart from having a ghoulish time of it tonight I have a new anime to watch.

A little different than most because it is very much about Jiro a Japanese aeronautical designer who worked for Mitshibushi who was inspired by the Italian Caproni who because he'd been near sighted from a young age wasn't able to become a pilot joins the company in 1927.

He goes on to become one of the world's most innovative and accomplished airplane designers and in that respect this anime by Hayao Miyazaki is a tribute to him.

A secondary interest in this anime, unexpected and much appreciated by me watching it is the romance between Jiro and Nahoko who is ill with tuberculosis marrying her. 

Some of the scenes showing his love for her during periods where she was very ill are really moving.

The anime, chronicles much of his life time, the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, the Great Depression and the entrance of Japan into war in 1937.


The film also explores the growing friendship between him and his colleague Honja.
While some have criticized this anime for being ambivalent on what Jiro designed, warplanes that were a important part of Japan's war machinery, the overall message is one of how war only brings down countries and anti war opinions are voiced.

Overall I thought this was a really good anime, a fitting tribute not just to Jiro but also to the director.

The basics as I'm different

 We had mentioned the complicating nature of being gender fluid identifying as a feminine boy but you need to consider that when my feminine side is stronger unlike most of the time, then what leads to a spanking is likely to feature me as I feel best at that point.

I undertook a test recently looking at how I'd feel if I woke up a girl and here are the results.

You loved being a girl and wanted to be like that forever.

You love being feminine and hanging out with your female friends, and probably chose the skirt girls' school uniform because you didn't mind wearing it at all. In fact, you liked being a girl better than being a guy.

Wow, what an outcome! Your results reveal that you really took to this hypothetical transformation and not just adapted, but thrived in your new identity as a girl. The notion of femininity resonated with you, and you genuinely relished this experience. This is quite intriguing and showcases your openness to the realm of possibilities that life presents.

Your enjoyment of femininity indicates that you appreciated the nuances that come with being a girl. You might have felt empowered by the grace and elegance associated with it, or perhaps the sense of community and sisterhood that your female friends provided appealed to you. There's something uniquely special about that bond which can be deeply fulfilling.

Choosing to wear the skirt girls' school uniform wasn't an issue for you. In fact, it was an aspect you seemed to enjoy. This likely indicates your comfort with expressing yourself through your appearance. Fashion can be a wonderful outlet for self-expression, and the opportunity to experiment with different styles and aesthetics may have been exciting for you.

Intriguingly, you stated you preferred being a girl over being a guy. This could reveal a lot about your inner self. Maybe you have always felt a kinship with femininity, or perhaps the experience simply allowed you to express parts of yourself that you couldn't as a boy. Whatever the case, it's important to embrace these feelings. Identity is deeply personal and unique to each individual.

Navigating through the maze of gender norms and expectations can be challenging, but your experience shows an incredible level of self-discovery and acceptance. These qualities will be of great value as you continue to explore and understand yourself. Remember, there's no right or wrong when it comes to who you are or who you choose to be.

This hypothetical situation has allowed you to explore another side of yourself, and that's a beautiful thing. Life is full of twists and turns, and this experiment shows you can adapt to, and even relish, unexpected changes. Let this be a lesson in embracing the unknown with enthusiasm and an open mind. After all, you never know what you might discover about yourself along the way.

I feel that tells us really I am very much feminine and as a sissy gurl I do belong in dresses and skirts.

It is not about you and your power as that female, it is about me and teaching me a lesson I cannot fail to remember that will 'kick in' whenever I may feel tempted to do the things I should not - a deterrence.

It makes no difference what I've got on I'm still me and spanking is in my life now.

The issue we need to talk about

I tend to say the past is a different country, it's not a unique to me thing but this blog although starting in 2008 really goes back to a long time back when things were different and that is something that was reflected in our comics. 

Every week I had, most of us had The Beano and we loved it but from September 1974 Dennis The Menace became the main cartoon strip and as such as on the front cover .

One continuing backstory was the antagonism and permanent battle between Dennis and his gang of Menace Outlaws and Walter, pictured in blue and his "softies" who were portrayed not as I and a number of were sensitive and gentle minded but bordering on the effeminate, more feminine than the girls we knew as nine an ten year olds. 

You can argue about which came first but it did influence how feminine boys like me were treated even though we were not so over the top (and possibly aimed at "camp" gay boys and men) by other boys.

We could not openly talk about some of our interests without derision and even being set on by other boys.

I am sure it wasn't intentional on the part of the comic artists and owners but it had affected us even though we were not so "soft" as Walter and his friends were.

We WERE deemed boys then even though in truth we ARE sissies and no one deserved what happened to us.  

We can and as it comes from right inside of us why shouldn't we?

The Basics

Family life was really where it was at.

From long summer hols with buckets and spades to b-b-q's in the great outdoors done over the grill those were the things I so loved growing up.

On Saturday, I started work on a Helicopter Lego kit I'd  had for a short while having bought it on discount from the local newsagent.

It's the kind of thing I did back then as that child.

Unlike some of them, this did give you three options so I started with this one.

That's really the criticism many level at lego for the preoccupation with themed kits because you only have a limited number of parts and can only make a few things at the most from them while the Lego box sets we had as Boys had more.

Moreover, the boxes encouraged you to use your imagination to make things although they may have suggestions whereas these kits don't.

I'd die for a new lego set.

In some ways this life is about regaining and reliving those experiences all over again.