The Afterword

Musings on the byways of popular culture

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Psychedelics

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As someone who has dysthymia / chronic depression / persistent depressive disorder yadda yadda yadda I’ve explored a few avenues in dealing with this condition. Currently on Sertraline, have been on Citalopram before, fluctuating between 50mg and 100mg. Can’t say I notice a great deal of difference to be honest. Also had CBT, hypnotherapy and ‘person-centred counselling’. I’m aware this will make me sound like a know-it-all (clearly I don’t, which is why I’m posting this) but once I became aware (like, pretty much immediately) of the therapist repeating back to me in slightly different words what I’d just said to them, it felt a bit futile to continue.

Anyway, I’m feeling that only a pretty profound experience is likely to shake me out of my all-pervasive ennui. Two approaches I’ve looked at recently intrigue me. First one psychedelic (therefore unfortunately highly illegal except in very exclusive research settings). Second one legal but pretty expensive (£3k for an average length of treatment plus travel costs, time off work etc).

Any thoughts on this most welcome.

Cheers, Des.

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We said goodbye to my best friend today. It was a lovely service, 28 people turned up (more than we expected) and author Paolo Hewitt and I shared our memories of him. When Paolo ‘went’ I thought there was no way I would hold it together but I did. I wasn’t going to let Des down. It has been the hardest four weeks of my life and all the work and effort to arrange everything (he was an orphan, the product of a 60’s & 70’s children’s care system that was not fit for purpose) has triggered a breakdown. I have finally thrown myself at the mercy of the experts, put my hand up, and asked for help. My friend of 44 years is gone, at just 61. His mental health struggles eventually beat him down but he is finally free. He went out to this. It is about Paul Kossoff’s struggles with drugs but I have always had Des in my mind when we would sing it. I grinned from ear to ear and stared at the coffin the whole time it was playing. Cheers, Des.

» Continue Reading.

Commonwealth Games – anyone give a rat’s?

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If you didn’t know they are on at the moment being held on Australia’s Gold Coast.

There is the usual glorification of Australia’s towering performances in the pool before we descend many flights of stairs as we compete in the track and field.

It has always struck me as a bit pathetic – Australia, Canada and England beating up on the the little countries.

What is the feeling where you are?

A big W

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Good news. ‘It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World is back up on Netflix again.

A sprawling ’60’s comedy. Probably far too long but it contains both Jonathan Winters and Phil Silvers in fine form.

And Terry-Thomas

And Ethel Merman!

Knock yourselves out.

Did he jump, or was Lyndsey pushed?

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Reports around this evening that Lyndsey Buckingham is no longer in Fleetwood Mac – some say he has quit and some say he was fired.

This would seem to be a fairly fatal blow to the ticket sales for that projected farewell tour! Like them or not, he is pretty indispensable I would say.

I Will Understand You

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Some of it is for dancing, some of it makes me laugh. Sometimes I’m awed by the beauty or the mind that created it. And some of it can crack me up emotionally, film and TV scenes, a story or just a passage in a book, but mostly it’s music what does it. ‘Stay’ by The Blue Nile is one such track. Whenever I try to sing along to it I can’t get through the line, ‘Stay, I will understand you’ without a massive lump in my throat choking up the words. It’s such an unusual line, and so desperate. I think it’s probably their best song.*

So if you care to, why not take an emotional journey and share the art that does you in, cracks you up & hits you in the feels – that is so good you can’t get the words out. [or, just enjoy the video]

https://youtu.be/QMfraXGzUq0

You have champagne every day, ends up tasting like prosecco

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Lodestone’s recent post prompted a discussion on repetition and saturation. Fear of over-saturation is a thing I have a fear that overplaying will cause certain artists, my very very favourite ones, to lose their magic. Or if you will, if you play Kate Bush every day she will end up sounding like Kate Nash. Kate B not N is one, The Jam are another, David Bowie, New Order and 80s Prince also. Rationing has enabled their magic to stay with me for decades now. Artists not in this very very top bracket in my mental HMV don’t cause this fear, because playing Doves, brilliant though they are, every day for a month is not a real issue. We could also go quasi-religious on this: my outlook being fundamentally protestant in that a listen of Hounds of Love has to be ‘earned’ through plays of several long-unplayed records, while there are on this site many catholics who can happily have Abbey Road on daily repeat and enjoy its magic undimmed. Assuming you are of the protestant persuasion, who is in your ration book?

Greatest female vocalists

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Inspired by Lodey’s post mentioning Ella and Louis and seeing Jamie Cullum doing a rather good version of “Sinnerman” at the Singapore Jazz Festival, I spent most of Sunday evening listening to the some of the all time great female jazz Singers….. Ella, Nina, Sarah Vaughan and some Aretha for good measure…..

My conclusion is that Nina Simone is probably the greatest ever female vocalist. Anyone care to disagree ?

And here’s Nina doing my all time favourite “Sinnerman”. An amazing song / performance (the whole album “Pastel Blues” is fabulous)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vDZsABHUbQ

Using Amazon Italy

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I’ve noticed quite of you northern hemisphere types referring to bargains on Amazon Italy (AI).

So a few questions.

Do you all speak Italian or do you just muddle your way through or is there an English version?

When I call it up on a MacBook the formatting is all out of whack. Is this normal?

I usually use Amazon USA or OK. The former is usually a bit cheaper but the postage is hellishly expensive.

Are there any other tips re using AI ?

Martin Cockerham RIP

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This is a difficult post for me to make. Mainly because this is only story being discussed on the Spirogyra Facebook group of which I am a co-administrator, appointed by Martin. Difficult because his death was announced this week but I am unable to verify the story. He apparently died in a hotel in Thailand on his solo travels after meeting fellow musicians in Europe. I knew he was ill and often travelled to the far east for health and spiritual reasons. He was well known for many years in Hare Krishna circles by the name Mahaksa Das and had released solo records as Rainbow Empire.

My link to Martin came about because of his Bolton connection and my admiration for the three LP releases as Spirogyra between 1971-73. I made contact with him through his family in Bolton and then with his former girlfriend Barbara Gaskin. He even thanked me for my very small part in the release of the Spirogyra demos CD Burn The Bridges in 2000. I know from his postings he had been planning to release further Spirogyra recordings this year through Cherry Red Records.

A couple of weeks ago he met up with fellow » Continue Reading.

Greatest Live Album of All Time Part 234

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Just released on Friday, this is an essential E St Band show. It was Danny Federici’s last full gig (he died a few months later) and thus could be considered the final E St Band show as none since has contained the full original line up.

Maybe they knew this, there is almost punk intensity in the opening salvo of Radio Nowhere-Night-Lonesome Day-Gypsy Rider, things slow down with a devastating Magic duet and we then get a stunning delta blues version of Reason to Believe. It is hard to keep things at this level but Bruce and the band manage that effortlessly, with Max Weinberg especially on superb form.

This tour was on the back of the Magic album, his best in 20 years and all the songs from that release show up really well here. There is also an emotional Sandy, a lengthy Kitty’s Back and numerous other delights.

If you love Springsteen then this deserves to be in your collection, truly a sensational live performance.

Bs

http://live.brucespringsteen.net/live-music/0,19238/Bruce-Springsteen—The-E-Street-Band-mp3-flac-download-11-19-07-TD-Banknorth-Garden-Boston-MA.html

ATM: Comics

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Every once in a while I have a go at getting into comics and it never quite happens. A previous ATM many years ago – possibly on the original Word site – pointed me towards Watchmen, V for Vendetta, The Dark Knight Returns, Hellboy and League of Gentlemen. All excellent works, I’m sure, but they didn’t connect with me.

Recently watching Thor: Ragnarok and Guardians of the Galaxy – pure, colourful knockabout fun with little assumed knowledge – has inspired me to try again, and using the free (and not necessarily legal) resource readcomiconline.to as recommended by someone here, I have set off in search of the source material.

The original Guardians books look gorgeous and thrilling and all the reasons I wanted to get into comics in the first place. But they are also – to me – fairly impenetrable. I dipped into ‘Annihilation’, which is apparently where the modern iteration of the Guardians first appear (I realise they are different from the movie characters) but didn’t really have a clue what was going on.

Then I found out there was a prelude to that story in two other collections, ‘Thanos’ and ‘Drax the Destroyer’ so have » Continue Reading.

Ain’t this a treat?

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https://arthurmag.com/2009/05/20/uncle-skullfuckers-band-daniel-chamberlin-explains-the-discreet-charm-of-the-grateful-dead/ Lured in my the e-mucic thread boy Blockchunk (or whatever it’s called), by way of Rocknerds brilliant rant, I looked back through his previous and found a link to this delightful piece. And I get it.

Same time, same music anyone?

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For at least the last ten years or so Sunday breakfast at The Chateau has been soundracked by Ella & Louis – it fits just perfectly with boiled egg & soldiers and plans of what to do with the rest of the day (today has been cancelled because of the rain – more rain in the past month than we did all of last year, who knew we have moved to Manchester?)

Any of you lot have similar traditions re playing the same music at the same time?

https://youtu.be/CIYS9EQWkXg

Roooooaaaaad Triipppppp

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I just completed a 4.5 day road trip to Texas and back. 2 and a half days there, 2 weeks in Texas, and then 2 days back.

My early conclusions: America is great; Springsteen writes with truth; you can plan road trips around music; and family is great. This may be a post in many sections, so I’ll probably add in the comments as I go along.

Let’s deal with America is great. To give you a sense of the trip, we left Virginia on Saturday morning. West Virginia by midday to collect my son. Then Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas and finally Texas. They’re all very different states. Coming back was Texas to Louisiana, then Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, WV and home.

So what leads me to the conclusion that America is great? Part of me thinks that you have to do a road trip like that to get to the conclusion. It’s a sweeping epic that just unfolds in front of you. I’ve been interested in American history for ages, and I never shook the feeling that every inch West we went had been explored and carved out by someone in a bygone and forgotten time.

From mountains, to flat farm » Continue Reading.