What does it sound like?: When in 1993 Anthony Phillips was approached to give a live solo performance as part of the Living Room Concert series for US radio programme Echoes, a … [Read More...]
The Afterword
Musings on the byways of popular culture
Nights In
Colosseum: ‘Live ’71’
What does it sound like?: The first thing that strikes you about this new 2CD live album from Colosseum, professionally recorded across several shows in early 1971, is how … [Read More...]
Massive Wagons – House of Noise
What does it sound like?: OK, let’s just cut to the chase. The Wagons are not likely to find much favour here at the Afterword. There won’t be any top 100 listings. They are … [Read More...]
Absolute Beginners Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
What does it sound like?: Absolute Beginners is a film that can't make up its mind if it's a musical or a series of pop videos. It fits into Julien Temple's directing style quite … [Read More...]
Nights Out
Chester Folk Festival Online!
Venue: Nowhere, yet everywhere Date: 29/05/2020 Nights Out? Are you serious? In the tradition of Russian election results, this is part announcement and part review in that we … [Read More...]
Womad NZ -was this the last music festival of the year?
Venue: New Plymouth Botanical Gardens, North Island, New Zealand Date: 13/03/2020 New Zealand is the first country of size to herald in the new year.This year it may have been … [Read More...]
Pat Metheny , Auckland Town Hall
Venue: Auckland Town Hall, New Zealand Date: 10/03/2020 I've never been a fan of Pat Metheny. In fact, I have never been a fan of jazz guitar though there are notable exceptions. … [Read More...]
Stewart Lee on tour 2020
Venue: Oxford Playhouse Date: 24/02/2020 This was the first time I have seen Stewart Lee live despite being a long time fan of his previous work on TV and on stage. The show … [Read More...]
Films
The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer
Year: 1970 Director: Kevin Billington I remember wanting to see this when it came out only for it never to show up at my local Odeon on its 1970 release (those were the days!) … [Read More...]
A beautiful day in the neighbourhood
Year: 2019 Director: Mariel Weller I was thinking about seeing the film 1917 then I read a tweet where the poster said they felt like they had had the shit kicked out of them by … [Read More...]
Uncut Gems
Year: 2019 Director: The Safdie Brothers This is latest film from the Safdie Brothers about whom I have to say I knew nothing before this. It’s in the cinemas but also … [Read More...]
1917
Year: 2019 Director: Sam Mendes “From the director of Skyfall” yells the poster and the trailer, which is true but not the point. The story is simple enough, though I won’t go … [Read More...]
Reads
Utopia Avenue
Author:David Mitchell Someone once said writing about music is like dancing about architecture, but disregarding this sage advice, David Mitchell returns with his big music novel, … [Read More...]
A Philosophical Investigation/The Shot
Author:Philip Kerr A pair of reissues from the back catalogue of the late Philip Kerr. Both were written in the period between 1991 and 2006 when the Bernie Gunther novels were … [Read More...]
Dream Theater…..On Track
Author:Jordan Blum Dream Theater are one of those bands that I feel I ought to like more than I actually do. In theory, the concept albums and long complex pieces should be right … [Read More...]
The Hair Carpet Weavers
Author:Andreas Eschbach The Hair Carpet Weavers starts with the story of just that: a hair-carpet weaver - a man spending his entire life, as his predecessors did, weaving one … [Read More...]
Games
Game help!
Platform:XBox, PC/Mac Age Rating:3+ Year of Release:2019 Review:I'm in need of a new game or two. This year I have played - 1 PUBG - I like it generally but I feel that I'm up … [Read More...]
Nier 2: Automata
Platform:Playstation Age Rating:16+ Year of Release:1949 Review:This batshit crazy Japanese manga-esque RPG explore-and-destroyer has been a game that’s broken through into the … [Read More...]
Noticeboard
Judy Dyble & the man from Huge Big Train – album in September
Dyble Longdon Announce Release of Between A Breath And A Breath Release date 25th September 2020 9th July 2020: Dyble Longdon is a collaboration between iconic vocalist Judy Dyble … [Read More...]
At last, the “Greatest Irish Album of the 1990s” is finally available…
The mighty Stonefish recorded three EPs in Belfast in 1995-96, two of which escaped at that time, one of which didn't before the cauldronesque trio of pur molten rock imploded into … [Read More...]
British Jazz Acts in Live-Streamed Concert Tonight 8pm UK Time.
22/06/2020 A live-streamed concert from The Vortex Jazz Club in Dalston, tonight at 8pm. A link on the page should take you to the stream for when it starts. A link to a … [Read More...]
My Darling Clementine Claxon
https://youtu.be/xGo16UOI4Ws Fans of this estimable duo, the Mr and Mrs of country duets, Michael Weston King and Lou Dalgleish, will be eager to catch this second instalment of … [Read More...]
1979
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZYpCZ46FTE In 1979, I was the bass player and singer in a new wave band called ‘Impulse’. (40 years ago. Yikes!!) I got back in touch with the … [Read More...]
‘The St Buryan Sessions’ – Sarah McQuaid asks for help
I won't say much about this (because Sarah says lots within), save that I'm a huge admirer of Sarah McQuaid as an artist and as a person. Like a lot of cottage industry musical … [Read More...]
