What does it sound like?: Who’s old enough to remember the annual summer festivals at Knebworth then – many of us I suspect! Let’s go back in the old time machine to the … [Read More...] about Lynyrd Skynyrd – Live at Knebworth ’76
The Afterword
Musings on the byways of popular culture
Nights In
Al Stewart – Year Of The Cat 45th Anniversary Deluxe Edition Boxset
What does it sound like?: This is a four disc set. It consists of the remastered original album plus one newly mixed and mastered outtake on CD One, a 1976 full band concert from … [Read More...] about Al Stewart – Year Of The Cat 45th Anniversary Deluxe Edition Boxset
Loudon Wainwright III with Vince Gordano and The Nighthawks – I’d Rather Lead A Band
What does it sound like?: This relatively new album released in 2020 is called I’d Rather Lead A Band, taken from an Irving Berlin song included in this collection of classics … [Read More...] about Loudon Wainwright III with Vince Gordano and The Nighthawks – I’d Rather Lead A Band
Be Bop Deluxe – Drastic Plastic
What does it sound like?: The final release in the Cherry Red reissue series of the Be Bop Deluxe studio albums, this is the band's fifth and last album. Available as a 4cd, 2dvd … [Read More...] about Be Bop Deluxe – Drastic Plastic
Nights Out
Having a laugh with Crowded House
Venue: Spark Arena, Auckland Date: 21/03/2021 The recent thread on stand up comedy made me think of Neil Finn. It is rare for a musician of his quality to also be a very funny … [Read More...] about Having a laugh with Crowded House
Was this thefirst music festival of 2021 – Summersalt one dayer
Venue: The Briars, Mt Martha outside Melbourne, Vic, Oz Date: 20/02/2021 Last March I attended Womad NZ, pretty soon after borders shut, doors slammed and the world has never … [Read More...] about Was this thefirst music festival of 2021 – Summersalt one dayer
He Was In Heaven Before He died – A Tribute to John Prine
Venue: The Jazz Cafe, Camden, London Date: 09/12/2020 A night out you say? In London? In late 2020? Well, yes. Thanks to cabaret style table seating, table service for drinks and … [Read More...] about He Was In Heaven Before He died – A Tribute to John Prine
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...] about Chester Folk Festival Online!
Features
12 Bowie albums in 12 months: The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
Dave Amitri on The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
Month three into 12 Bowie albums in 12 months as someone who had never heard a Bowie album before and I’ve arrived at “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars”. It will be plain old “Ziggy Stardust….“ from now on. I definitely approached this with trepidation as it’s clearly very important to an awful lot of people. I hope my attempts to view it from a different angle are appreciated. As usual I limited my reading to a scan of Wikipedia and it immediately strikes me how ground breaking the image must have been in 1972. The Top Of the Pops “Starman” performance was obviously a turning point in Bowie’s career. I remember how people reacted to Boy George 10 years later so in 1972 the concept of a bisexual alien on the telly on a Thursday night must have caused quite a stir. Much Blue Nun spat out into the fondue across 70’s suburbia. My mission is to see if the music lived up to the image or was it all flares and no knickers?
On the first » Continue Reading.
Films
Godzilla vs Kong
Year: 2021 Director: Adam Wingard In the dark cinema and in a very comfortable reclining seat, I had a moment that I think will make me a happier person all round. You see, I was … [Read More...] about Godzilla vs Kong
Mick Fleetwood and Friends – A celebration of the music of Peter Green
Year: 2021 Director: Mick Fleetwood Like live shows add an extra dynamic, so too does seeing a movie of a concert in a cinema rather than at home on the box. Alas for most of … [Read More...] about Mick Fleetwood and Friends – A celebration of the music of Peter Green
From The Manor Born – The Story
Year: 2020 Director: Rob Reed and Paul Harris Definitely not for everyone, this. But thought it was worth flagging here for people who are interested. Basically, it's a four hour … [Read More...] about From The Manor Born – The Story
A Streetcar Named Desire
Year: 1951 Director: Elia Kazan Damn. My NY resolution is to consume more of the classics in one form or another, and the project began strongly with films of A Man For All … [Read More...] about A Streetcar Named Desire
Reads
The Crocodile Hunter
Author:Gerald Seymour I’ve read every one of Gerald Seymour’s novels since his debut with Harry’s Game, unbelievably forty five years ago now, and I have to say he very rarely … [Read More...] about The Crocodile Hunter
Decades – Alice Cooper in the 1970s/Uriah Heep in the 1970s
Author:Chris Sutton/Steve Pilkington Two new additions to this series which runs alongside the On Track books, but which concentrates on an artist’s work in a specific decade, in … [Read More...] about Decades – Alice Cooper in the 1970s/Uriah Heep in the 1970s
Good Night and Good Riddance
Author:David Cavanagh Sub-titled 'How 35 years of John Peel helped to shape modern life', this book was published in 2015. I read it at the time and corresponded briefly with the … [Read More...] about Good Night and Good Riddance
On Track – Gong/Aimee Mann/Level 42
Author:Kevan Furbank/Jez Rowden/Matt Phillips Could there be three more different artists than the latest subjects of these books, two of which I am reasonably familiar with, the … [Read More...] about On Track – Gong/Aimee Mann/Level 42
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...] about Game help!
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...] about Nier 2: Automata
Noticeboard
The Electric Brae – free album on Soundcloud
Apologies if this posts twice, but I just tried to post this about an hour ago and it doesn't seem to have worked, so trying again. I've made a wee album and posted it on … [Read More...] about The Electric Brae – free album on Soundcloud
Helstock 2021
20/03/2021 There will be a virtual festival on the evening of March the 20th. It is a grab-bag mystery line up of international artists of the acoustic alt-country and … [Read More...] about Helstock 2021
Reading & Leeds Festivals
27/08/2021 Reading and Leeds are going ahead, apparently. Everyone will be vaccinated by then, of course. Hmmm... Two main stages mean no clashes. I have to say, the lineup … [Read More...] about Reading & Leeds Festivals
Musica Mundi (journeys from the Reform Club)
01/02/2021 Delighted to announce a new fortnightly world music programme - from the UK to Africa, from the Middle East to New Zealand, from Pakistan to Japan. And beyond. On 1 … [Read More...] about Musica Mundi (journeys from the Reform Club)
The Psychedelic Furs tour
22/04/2021 Three dates in Sweden and Norway, then a quick dash round the UK. Much as I dislike the Cambridge Junction, I'll have to go. I've not seen them since 1990. I imagine … [Read More...] about The Psychedelic Furs tour
A Certain Ratio tour
03/11/2021 ACR head out on the road for 13 dates in November. Hare & Hounds for me, vaccine permitting. … [Read More...] about A Certain Ratio tour
