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  1. Randy Newman is one of my favourite people ever. I remember watching a ‘solo’ TV concert of his (with an orchestra) with my mum in the early seventies. He was always a grizzled old man with a wry sense of humour, a pithy turn of phrase and a twinkle in his eye. He’s never changed, his first LP pretty much as good as his last, though Sail Away captures his essence best of all. Top, top man.

  2. Bless him. Anyone who has a lovely lurcher asleep and happily oblivious at his feet while he blurts out a quick coronavirus song is a bona-fide nice guy in my book.

    But then Randy was already one of my good guys. Good stuff.

  3. Randy is indeed a brilliant songwriter and a top guy. But I haven’t had much luck seeing him live in concert. On three separate occasions in the last 12 years or so, I’ve had tickets to see him live in Stockholm. The first two of those he cancelled. The third is on 17 May, which of course will be cancelled too. Indeed, it should’ve been cancelled weeks ago, but presumably the promoters don’t want to announce the cancellation formally, as then they would have to give people their money back. [Sigh.]

    • I have tickets for London 7th June which is also not cancelled yet either on the venue site or his site.
      Costelo cancelled Brum on 18th March and there is no rearranged date yet nor any offer of a refund. Nick Cave and Crowded House on the other hand gave rearranged dates at the time of announcing the original cancellation. It doesnt sit well with me that millionaire musicians can sit with my money in their bank account until they decide their next move.

      • Do the musicians have the money?
        I thought it was the promoter who has it and the promoter pays the artist around the time of the performance.

        • That’s right. The money will be sat between a mix of the venue (if they have their own box office), ticket agents and promoters, and the artist will generally have very little to do with any delay in the decision-making.

  6. Wish I could sing and play the piano like that. His piano playing is a wonderful combination of modern American classical (Aaron Copland, Charles Ives etc) and blues and ragtime. His voice is what it is, like Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits.

  7. I never understood how ‘Putin’ wasn’t a bigger deal? ( how much time have I got left to edit this to my satisfaction?)

    It’s got everything. A brilliant lyric. A nice melody. World War Two girl back up singers in uniform.
    😘

  8. As it was mentioned in passing in the latest Mojo, I dug out the “Nilsson sings Newman” album, released in February 1970. Same month as “Morrison Hotel.”
    Fantastic record and, as with most fantastic records, doesn’t hang around too long – 25:17!

  9. I’ve seen Randy live a couple of times. But in reference to Duco01’s comments about having difficulty seeing him, I had that experience at Theatre Royal Drury Lane. I was in a lovely box with a great view of the stage. A solo gig at the piano, he walked on and was immediately obscured by the piano lid. I only got to see him again when he walked off.

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