What does it sound like?: An audio collage created in Audacity, incorporating brief samples from various sources, and FX. Not a mixtape. You may recognise some of the sources. … [Read More...] about Thirty Minutes To Slumberland
The Afterword
Musings on the byways of popular culture
Nights In
Foreigner – Head Games (Deluxe Edition – 3CD + Blu-Ray + 60 Page Booklet)
What does it sound like?: Foreigner took Hard Rock into Pop Rock, bordering into Soft Rock. They ended up creating a smooth sound, driven by electric guitars turned up to nine, … [Read More...] about Foreigner – Head Games (Deluxe Edition – 3CD + Blu-Ray + 60 Page Booklet)
Genesis – From Genesis To Revelation – 4 CD + 1 Blu-Ray
What does it sound like?: Genesis have sold an estimated 100 to 150 million albums worldwide. When this debut set was first released, it sold a grand total of 650 (sales were … [Read More...] about Genesis – From Genesis To Revelation – 4 CD + 1 Blu-Ray
King Crimson – Islands – 2026 deluxe reissue
What does it sound like?: This excellent cd plus bluray set is the latest in an ongoing series of in depth looks at each of the band’s seminal, and dare I say groundbreaking, … [Read More...] about King Crimson – Islands – 2026 deluxe reissue
Nights Out
Anoushka Shankar at Blue Note Tokyo
Venue: Blue Note Jazz Club, Tokyo Date: 10/10/2026 We booked from Australia. $A160 each.Anoushka Shankar daughter of Ravi, half sister of Norah Jones. Was trepidatious as my … [Read More...] about Anoushka Shankar at Blue Note Tokyo
Cabaret Voltaire
Venue: Town Hall, Birmingham Date: 10/10/2026 The Cabs were a band whose music - while advertised and reviewed in NME assiduously - was completely unavailable to me during the … [Read More...] about Cabaret Voltaire
Lady Maisery – 3 voices – 3 instruments – top quality folk music.
Venue: Pound Arts Centre, Corsham, Wiltshire Date: 02/10/2026 Finishing work for the week, and with prime position tickets acquired some while ahead, I was really looking forward … [Read More...] about Lady Maisery – 3 voices – 3 instruments – top quality folk music.
Agnes Obel
Venue: QPAC Concert Hall Brisbane Date: 17/09/2026 First time of seeing Ms Obel, worse, I was accompanied by 5 others, including Mrs Druff who'd never heard a note of her music. … [Read More...] about Agnes Obel
Features
Paddy Keenan: Rakish Paddy Blues
Colin H on Paddy Keenan
Last week, we lost uilleann piping legend Paddy Keenan (1950-26). (The photo above is a PR pic from2000.) I interviewed Paddy for a magazine piece in 1997 and then again in 2014, specifically for my book with John McSherry, ‘The Wheels of the World: 300 Years of Irish Uillean Pipers’ (Jawbone Press, 2015). I also interviewed, for Paddy’s chapter, his 1970s Bothy Band colleagues Dónal Lunny, Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill, Matt Molloy and Kevin Burke, and I incorporated some material from his childhood friend and fellow piping icon Finbar Furey (who received his own chapter).
I’m sharing the chapter on Paddy here as a freely available doff of the cap to one of the greats – like every great piper, he was truly a one-off.
Arranging that second interview with Paddy was quite a saga. For some reason, he was very vague about committing to a time and place to do it. He was due to play at an Irish language centre in Belfast around this time and we left it that I’d check in with him during the interval and sort something out. On the day, he said he’d give me 10 minutes after » Continue Reading.
Films
All Rivers Spill Their Stories To The Sea
Year: 2026 Director: Jeanie Finlay I went to a screening of All Rivers Spill Their Stories To The Sea last night, followed by a Q and A with the director and producer. The film … [Read More...] about All Rivers Spill Their Stories To The Sea
Everybody Digs Bill Evans
Year: 2026 Director: Grant Gee Everybody Digs Bill Evans isn’t your standard music biopic. You know the kind of thing: protagonist suffers tough childhood (poverty, bullying, … [Read More...] about Everybody Digs Bill Evans
The Odyssey
Year: 2026 Director: Christopher Nolan The latest in Christopher Nolan’s one-man mission to Save Big Cinema, after Barbenheimer ruled summer 2023. Where better to go for another … [Read More...] about The Odyssey
Sirât
Year: 2026 Director: Oliver Laxe A dad and young son wander through a desert rave in Morocco, handing out a missing person pamphlet to anyone who will talk to them. It’s his … [Read More...] about Sirât
Reads
The Shadows of Kensington Gore
Author:Ross Montgomery The sequel to last year’s Murder at World’s End finds the detecting duo of Stockingham and Pike relocated from Cornwall to London. As the city prepares for … [Read More...] about The Shadows of Kensington Gore
The Discworld Bestiary
Author:Paul Kidby Terry Pratchett’s long-term illustrator Paul Kidby has produced this wonderful coffee table style book, which provides a look into the many weird and wonderful … [Read More...] about The Discworld Bestiary
The Heights
Author:Ian Rankin Regular Rankin readers may experience a sense of déjà vu with this new novel, which is actually a substantially reworked and expanded update of the 2023 short … [Read More...] about The Heights
On Track – Yes 1968-1991 / The Jesus & Mary Chain
Author:Stephen Lambe, Robin Kennedy The author has revised and expanded his 2018 single volume look at the long career of Yes, creating two separate books, the second of which … [Read More...] about On Track – Yes 1968-1991 / The Jesus & Mary Chain
Noticeboard
Blondie – High Noon
26/02/2027 "Iconic punk rock royalty, Blondie are back with High Noon, their long-awaited twelfth studio album and first collection of new material in nine years, set to be … [Read More...] about Blondie – High Noon
NEC Motorhome & Caravan Show 2026
16/10/2026 The big campervan etc show is back at the NEC. It runs all week from Tuesday to Sunday, Mrs F and I are going on the Friday. We have our Rapido V62 on order, due … [Read More...] about NEC Motorhome & Caravan Show 2026
National Album Day
17/10/2026 This year's NAD theme is (urgh) 'Iconic' albums. This seems to - again - be an opportunity to buy charity shop staples on coloured vinyl at expensive prices. But I … [Read More...] about National Album Day
Chris Spedding lymphoma crowdfunder
Late 60s/early 70s jazz-rock legend Chris Spedding - who went on to simpler music and bigger success after that - has non-Hogkin lumphoma. His family have started a crowdfunder to … [Read More...] about Chris Spedding lymphoma crowdfunder
An audience with Martin Carthy (of sorts), Cecil Sharp House
FREE -Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon 360 degree visual playback – Leicester – FREE
08/08/2026 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gj4WCIekzck I have two tickets for this going spare. Due to recovery from some minor surgery we are now unable to attend. Playback … [Read More...] about FREE -Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon 360 degree visual playback – Leicester – FREE
