That goon Nigel Farage just appeared on the TV, my grandson, aged 6, asked “Is that Donald Trump?” I said “No”, the grandson replied “Well he talks stupid.”

I`ve had a lot of issues with Amazon lately.

I try to buy from independent record stores but sometimes they cannot get what I want in stock and I buy lots of physical music and movie releases, therefore finances have to be considered.

Checking my card accounts over the weekend I discovered that I had been charged up front for 15, yes FIFTEEN pre-orders.

Not just that, they had charged me for the same order twice, on two cards. And not just that they had charged twice on two cards for three different items. And not just that they have charged me for an item I had cancelled and that was a pre-order!

So I contacted one of the card companies and raised a dispute over the double charges and the cancelled item. So I`m not worried the card company will sort that out.

The problem is Amazon Customer Services. I have attempted to resolve the charging for pre-orders, speaking to over 10 different Amazon Reps in India, South Africa and The Philippines. I`m not going to go into their explanations except to say it is a load of bollocks.

So has anyone had the same issue?

Does anyone know » Continue Reading.

…I`M ENJOYING IT!

…..A GOD!

Big Big Train the UK`s Premier Prog/Folk band have a new album out in May, details below. This is the follow up to their last studio album, `The Second Brightest Star` (2017) and their live album from 2018 `Merchants Of Light.

In a year that has already seen the Re-Release of 2019, Van`s `The Healing Game` even though The Fabs `50th Anniversary Abbey Road` (yes Tiggs, it`s out in September) and new albums from The Long Ryders, Rustin Man, Yola amongst others which will be vying for album of the year. All to no avail BBT`s `The Grand Tour` is a certainty.

Here`s the details; Big Big Train will be releasing Grand Tour, their new studio album, on May 17th 2019. It is available for pre-order now: follow the links on the front page of our website.

Inspired by the 17th and 18th century custom of the Grand Tour, where young men and women travelled to broaden the mind, Big Big Train have made an album of songs set in distant lands and beyond.

Grand Tour features nine new tracks which will take listeners on an epic journey over land and sea and through time and space.

Drummer Nick D’Virgilio » Continue Reading.

This box includes Ronnie’s 4 solo albums – Anymore For Anymore (+ singles), Ronnie Lane’s Slim Chance, One For the Road and the cruelly underrated See Me. In addition it features tracks from Ronnie’s Mahoney’s Last Stand album with Ron Wood and Rough Mix with Pete Townshend. The final disc of the set focuses on Ronnie’s time in the US with live highlights and studio tracks never previously released. The set also featured lots of rare and unreleased material – be prepared to here fantastic cover versions of The Wanderer, Rocket’ 69 and The Joint Is Jumpin’ as well as unheard Ronnie compositions plus live recordings, tracks for the BBC and highlights from a legendary Rockpalast concert. The set is curated by long time musical associate of Ronnie’s, Slim Chancer musician Charlie Hart. Comprehensive sleevenotes focus on Ronnie the musician, the songwriter, the collaborator and split the post ’73 period into three distinct parts . Writers are Paolo Hewitt, Kris Needs and Kent Benjamin covering Ronnie’s Austin years.

Packaging – 6 discs housed in a hard back book with outer slipcase. The package also include a book of Ronnie’s lyrics and an A2 fold out poster.

Link and picture » Continue Reading.

Got this from SpinCDs today, if you are owed money from them you may have got this message if not read it. It could be of benefit to you, good luck.

This message is brought to you by The Harkonnen Consumer Aid And Advice Agency.

Cds steve@spincds.com via gmail.mcsv.net

The directors have taken steps to place the Company into Liquidation. We will be supported in this process by Baldwins Restructuring & Insolvency. Notice of the impending Liquidation of the Company has been provided to creditors and the Company will formally enter Liquidation with effect from 11.59pm on 15 October 2018.

We apologise to customers who have pre-paid for orders which have not been delivered. Where payments have been made by card, you should contact your card provider who may make a chargeback request under s75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

We anticipate that card providers will require evidence that the Company has ceased to trade. Accordingly, a notice is available to download at http://baldwins.insolvencynotices.co.uk. In order to access the document please enter the code QS4787-24502 when prompted.

If any customer requires further information, they should email spinrecords@baldwinandco.co.uk . A response will be provided within 2 business days.

» Continue Reading.

I just posted about this album somewhere else on here but thought it deserves greater exposure. It arrived at Harkonnen Towers this afternoon and has been on repeat all afternoon.

I give you Chingón with `Mexican Spaghetti Western`;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvttRqa5H0s&list=PL7A1FD0D331211B2A&index=1

Just a head`s up with regard to Spin CDs based in Newcastle, UK.

I know there have been warnings from others on here with regard to these bandits.

I decided to place an order for some albums in February. They are the European `Grey Area` releases, recorded radio shows from the `70`s, perfectly legal in the EU. They were due for release in April, but the release date was put back every month, October being the latest date. The thing is the same items on the Spin site have intermittent been advertised as `Shipped In 24 Hours`.

When I have phoned or emailed Spin for an explanation, I have had no answer and believe me I`m talking upwards of 50 emails and a dozen phone calls. The above example is obviously a scam, they advertise items that they either get a small number of or none at all. Spin also take your money up front.

Why did I order from them if I had prior knowledge of their dodgy practices? I was hoping that maybe they had changed their ways, maybe their shambolic organisation had improved and maybe I could get a good deal. The trouble is I have too » Continue Reading.

Just looking at Gabby Logan & Danny Murphy gabbering on about Englands chances tonight, she in a leather jacket he in a M&S zip up jumper.

So? You may ask, well it`s the first time I`ve seen a football World Cup taking place in a location colder than Inglaterra at the same moment in time.

Shocking!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crFQpOCDfEc

Should we be happy? It seems we should but realistically nothing has been agreed, no deals made on paper anyhow.

Two nutters with the greatest egos the world has ever seen and now you can sleep easy at night. Bollocks!

Maybe when Trump opens the first Condos on Wonsan Beach, maybe…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-vaySN8SWk

Or else.

Inspired by @Uncle Wheaty`s here`s Classic Rock`s 50 Best Songs of the `90`s. Not a lover of 80% of the tunes (I have 10 of them) I`m going to Uncle`s thread.

https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-50-best-songs-of-the-90s?utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=22056&utm_term=10147094&utm_content=385297

Find live link in comments. Please.

I have an Acer Aspire V3- 771 laptop.

During the last couple of days I have noticed that the display colours are fading. This is affecting the full display and in every window I open. I`m not that computer savvy, hence this post. Does anyone have any ideas.

Thank you.

PS: if I do not get back to you right away it`s because I have to leave for a Hospital appointment anon.

What could possibly go wrong?

Remarkably, Van Morrison is about to release his third studio album in little over six months. You’re Driving Me Crazy is a collaboration with jazz organ virtuoso Joey DeFrancesco.

Morrison’s 39th studio album features fresh interpretations of Blues/Jazz Standards such as Miss Otis Regrets, The Things I Used To Do and Every Day I Have The Blues and Morrison originals including Have I Told You Lately, The Way Young Lovers Do and Magic Time.

Jazz organist DeFrancesco is a relatively young musician (he’s also a trumpeter and vocalist) who signed a deal with Columbia records at the age of 16 (in 1987) and was performing with Miles Davis a year later. Others in the band for this new Van Morrison album include Dan Wilson (guitar), Michael Ode (drums) and Troy Roberts (tenor saxophone).

You’re Driving Me Crazy will be released on 27 April 2018 via Legacy Recordings.*

[*Thanks to Special Deluxe Edition for the above, hope you don`t mind Mr. Sinclair] 8-))

Bloody hell, the old goat is really going for it, 3 ell pees in a year! I haven`t heard of DeFrancesco but he seems to have exemplary pedigree, playing with Miles Davis at 17. That`ll do for me, » Continue Reading.

Right apart from the fact that it appears that Americana is very popular around here I`m going to stick to the facts. After a re-count Jason Isbell has been voted a close winner over St. Vincent in the AFTERWORD TOP ALBUM OF 2017 POLL. Over 90 of you voted for up to 20 artists each. Over 625 albums and 615 bands/artists were nominated, representing the diversity of musical tastes around here.

Thank you to all who took part and commented, this has been an enjoyable exercise for me. I would like to thank those Prog Rock giants The Flower Kings whose music has helped me in this endeavour.

Disclaimer: Any mistakes and missing umlauts are intentional. The results are in Comments. Admin could the results be displayed at the top of the column for a 7/8 days, thank you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhMgy894v5Q

Thanks to all who have taken part, commented, criticised, applauded, or just viewed the posts. The response has been far greater than I expected, given that many of you have also posted on @SteveT’s blog which inspired my blog.

I hope to have all the results collated within 7 days, thanks to anyone who may wish to help but I enjoy doing this kind of thing. Yes I know get a life, the thing is I lead a busy life and that’s the way I like it.

So a Happy, Healthy, Peaceful New Year to everyone reading this and those who don’t, BH xxx

I did promise on here to do a review of the secret Christmas prezzie I was gifting the Baroness. She`s a massive Boy, I mean George Michael/ Wham fan, so what better than `Faith: The George Michael Experience` or something like it. Can`t stand him myself, so it goes. The nearest place FTGME was showing was Blackburn, about an hour away. So, I booked a meal at an Italian Restaurant en route. It was out in the `sticks`, we found it no probs, great meal also. We come out of the restaurant and it`s 3 below zero, a thick fog had descended and we had to make a 25 minute journey in 30 minutes through narrow country lanes we had not travelled before. After I drove, through pure instinct, we arrived safely. When I revealed to the Baroness at the front of the theatre, what she was to see, she was made up. Right the concert, which songs did `George` sing. How well did he and the band perform the songs. Did `George` look like `George`. Where was Andrew Ridgley. How was the audience. I will answer those questions as well as what I experienced enables me to do. First » Continue Reading.

I have been trying to get friends who are interested in most of the things/subjects that crop up on the AW to begin accessing our portal to all things groovy/not so groovy. Some like it and have loitered around but a friend commented to me that they thought some of us seem to consider ourselves “a cut above the rest”…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgC8iz_ALik

…over to you.

Monday: Robert Plant @ Wolverhampton Civic Hall. I`m not going to write a review, @NigelT has already done that for The Goldem Mane`s UK `17 tour and far better than I could. I would just like to say that at “three score & nine” (Robert`s words last night) Mr Plant was feckin` marvelous, his voice has no right to belong to an old fella his age. His band were something special also, a performance I will remember for a long time.

Tuesday: When this was delivered by a white van man from the tax dodgers I wondered why the feck I had bought this. I`m not really a fan and they are 80% white men playing black man`s music. However I can`t resist a bargain and at £27 for 19 CDs well you know it`s part of my illness and I had to have it. I am rambling on about the Average White Band a bunch of men from Scotland playing funky R&B and I love it. I`m 4 CDs in and completely won over. Bloody great band and this in a week when Mavis Staples has received numerous plays on the Harkonnen wind-up phonogram.

I wonder » Continue Reading.

Following on from @dai`s post in August. Neil Young is to open up his Archives on December 1st. Initially access and downloading of available files will be FREE. Apparently the quality of download will depend on your broadband speed. The higher the speed – the higher quality download will be available.

The link in comments will take you to Shakey`s web (inactive at present) page.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnAgc1kgvLc