Musings on the byways of popular culture
If you have always hankered after doing something, something different or starting over, there is no time like the present.
However, I read an alarming report on BBC news from Marvel Guitars in Timperley, Greater Manchester, who have seen a surge in demand for musical instruments in recent days.
“Ukuleles have flown out this week,” said owner Rick Manning. “It’s something that young kids can just pick up and start.”
Oh shit.
Among the subjects under discussion, including the Scottish Munro’s, films of the Pixar Studios and the life and works of Adam Smith, is the ‘members’ and music of Steely Dan.
Now, I’ve never seen Adam Smith live, but like many on here I know a thing or two about Don and Walt’s baby. So, why not give it shot and post your score back here?
Tomorrow early evening, Beeb 2.
Just spotted on BBC News, lead story, comment number 1019
‘FauxGeordie’ …………..
(Comment concludes ‘Any old lie from any old hare-brained toff will suffice’. ‘Pffft’
Surely the former mucker of this parish?
Today is local election day and my wife and I have cast our votes. We voted differently. We always have. I voted in the hope that my small contribution will form part of a drive towards ‘Remain’ or the revocation if Article 50.
At times our ‘discussions’ about the overarching Brexit situation have degenerated to physical assault (her on me, to be clear).
Any others here experience this situation with their partners and how do you handle it?
I just want to cut the fuckers off, while they’re not looking. However, each to their own.
Is it a ‘good’ look?
I heard this little gem on a commute yesterday afternoon and thought I’d share it here.
The Afterword is of course not a place to reminisce, but this will resonate closely with many of our teenage backgrounds, particularly the musos among us.
You may need to sign up to BBC iPlayer but it’s worth it to pass a charming 45 minutes.
And yes, Mud were shite.
or creates a strange metallic taste on your palette, or brings you out in hives or creates a general feeling of nausea, then look away now.
Following the reformation of the classic band as a touring entity they have gone through many stylistic changes, musical directors and more than a few musicians.
This link takes you to a very recently posted vid of their May 2000 show in Detroit.
This is it. They were and have never been better.
This is Steely Dan.
Apparently this young Australian songstress has had to issue images of herself naked in order to counter the impact of the same images having been released without her permission or prior knowledge.
This raises disturbing issues for Afterworders. What would you do if you were confronted with a pic of you in your birthday suit on this very site?
Would your ‘syrup’ be big enough to ‘cover it’?
has just dropped Bob Marleys ‘Live At The Roxy’, It’s good, probably very good, in particular Rebel Music, but only because I’ve not heard it before. I am sure with ‘live albums’ there will always be an element of ‘you had to be there’,
But first impressions tell me it’s rather lumpen. The ‘life’ is missing compared to ‘Live’. I’m still listening to CD1 but still to be convinced, ‘I Shot The Sheriff’ is lifeless.
Is there better Bob out there?
My car packed up on a local bypass and, having delivered it to a local garage I ( not eagerly) await its return and associated cost. I am now sat in a pub.
The pub TV has a ‘Now ’80’s’ tag in the right hand top corner. The vid on continuously roll is full of utter, utter tat. The usual ’80’s tat.
Why do I feel this? I love music in all forms, but I really cannot get this period of pop/ rock where, as I see it, the visual (video) image became subservient to the music it served.
Am I wrong to think this? Why?
I’ve recently noticed that The Afterword remains remarkably free of those fascinating news stories often tucked away in mainstream media, possibly deemed unworthy of the attention of their news hungry readers. This must change. The site has to bring itself into the 21st century and embrace the new.
In a bout of sheer selflessness I have taken it upon myself to kickstart (hey!) this initiative and invite you all to come to the party – if you can temporarily drag yourselves away from Mail Online.
The guidelines are simple. I am the Managing Editor and no one questions anything I say, write or do. You lot are a combination of a few underpaid subs and a substantial number of interns (unpaid, of course). I have given much thought (clickbait generator, Moi? Heaven forefend) to the article titles suggested below and it is your job to flesh them out. Cut ‘n Paste any one or more that appeals and articulate with meaningful, objective copy. Too hard? ‘kay. Define your own title (if you think you can do better) and Phil Space is your uncle.
Your endeavour will not go unreward. Prizes for the best news items selected in closed conference » Continue Reading.
I really know little of the subtleties of current Irish and N Irish politics and I am interested to learn your opinions on the likely impact of the Conservative/DUP arrangement. In particular is it a threat to the ‘peace process’?
…. I thought as I tapped the picture hook into the wall.
Keen Afterworder’s may remember this fabulous mock–up Afterword ‘cover’ produced by the site’s very own Adobe genius, Mr Grey-Area. I couldn’t believe it when I saw it. It could have not been more fitting.
Fitting as in a risqué 57th birthday present to Mrs attackdog. The image speaks for itself but the important part of the message is, of course, the text. It reads as follows:
Gentleman: Ms puppykins, you have made me the happiest man in the world by agreeing to marry me, because I have never met anyone of the gentler sex with such breadth and depth of knowledge as you possess: of arpeggios, and instrumentation and popular culture. Ms puppykins: (silently to herself) Mr attackdog, you are indeed a truly gentle man, regarding whom I count myself most fortunate to have met, but I swear that I will bring the towering seas of my wrath down upon you if you ever play your Steely Dan recordings again in my presence, when we are wed. The seated gentleman: (mutters under his breath) ……. ‘Only a fool would say that …’
I have c ommenteded on here » Continue Reading.
I don’t know if this already publicised but my Amazon account has just alerted me the release of ‘Bowie Live Nassau Coliseum ’76’ in double CD and vinly format. The CD is a mere £12.99. The release date is 10/2/17.
When I looked a few months ago following a Dame debate, I could find hard copy only as part of a reissue collection costing tens and in some cases hundreds of pounds.
Sounds like a steal to me.
Prompted by Sals ‘Cry’ post below I was reminded of one of those overused rock aphorism’s, ‘He can make it cry’ when describing a particularly effective guitar passage, usually the solo. I am sure I’ve recognised this in music many times, but I can only think of one example where the guitar does actually ‘cry’ – step forward Mr Kossoff – (particularly at 2min 30secs).
Are there any other examples I should be aware of?
Read the following carefully:
“It further reinforces our creation of a leading global specialist media platform with data at its heart, which we are monetising through diversified revenue streams. We look forward to developing further these iconic and much-loved brands and to continuing to serve their communities of dedicated enthusiasts around the world.”
Yes, Metal Hammer, Headbanger, Classic Rock et al, are saved to mosh another day.
‘Neuroscientists scanned Sting’s brain in an effort to understand creativity’.
So says a ‘factoid’ on the Beeb’s website without adding any detail, or revealing the results of the scan.
Can any Afterworders fill this void?
Is one of you lot (not me Guv, honest) Stuart, 55, from Glasgow?
A light and amusing insight on the record buying demographic, populated mainly by the late 40 – 50 somethings. Who’d have guessed?
I particularly like one record shop employees view that they see themselves as ‘social workers’ to their clientele.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/aug/12/vinyl-destination-who-is-actually-buying-records
I’m going to apologise in advance for placing this ‘help’ enquiry on the blog. I intended to PM an Afterworder (Mr GCU Grey Area) directly, but cannot for the life of me remember how to do so.
I have just upgraded a Mac Pro to OSX 10.11.5 El Captain, which is great. What is not so great is that I can no longer use my Microtek Scanmaker 9800XL. The previous driver (Scanwizard Pro?) is not recognised by the updated software and I cannot find a suitable alternative driver – possibly because I am looking in the wrong place.
Therefore,I would be most grateful if anyone could suggest where I might look, or otherwise how I can resolve this problem? Many thanks and love, kisses and Steely Dan songs to you all.
I suspect like many on here, following The Dames dramatic exit, I have been reacquainting myself with his legacy. I remain convinced amongst his greatest output is Stage.
I have a CD which I think is a retail version from long ago. It sounds awful. The mix is tinny and does not do justice to the quality of the performance.
Can anyone help me with the best remastered version available, ie. bin number, reference or whatever?
Many thanks.
and not one of you fuckers has congratulated me.
Anyway, I’m no Stephen Fry. I’ll stick around.
Today I played Blackstar for the first time. I wanted to allow my first listening to be untarnished and uninfluenced the hyperbole surrounding its release.
He has since died.
It is a masterpiece. It is superb. It is an amazing, considered epitaph. What a glorious exit.
Never a great Bowie fan, but I was knocked sideways when I first heard ‘Stage’ in the late ‘70’s or early ‘80’s and today found a spliced DVD of the live album on YouTube. The production is not great, but it contains everything you need to know about his importance, his place and his impact in popular music.
Rock n’ Roll.
Thank you.
Goodbye David Bowie
Steely Dan.
Shout my wife and daughter, just back from London today. As Mothers and daughters do they are conferring in another room. I have since put on Coltrane, Marley, Martyn, Mitchell, Cinematic Orc., Tzuke.
I am only trying to wind down with good music and a Glenmorangie.
I will not allow Boney M, Madonna (did she actually ever do a Christmas song?) and definitely not Jusin Beiber (jeez).
Afterworders, your Xmas Eve listening suggestions please. Both wife and daughter generally receptive to good music.
Help.
Spotted in the ‘From The Message Boards’ item in a recent Private Eye. I am sure this will give many of you something to smile about this fine autumn morning. It references a “new’ book, ‘Dull Men of Great Britain’.
‘As a serious record collector I collect mint vinyl (stored in optimal conditions which I have described before) and don’t own any form of gramophone (records are not for “playing”: styli damage grooves and turntable heat causes warping). The only non-mint discs I possess are valuable mis-pressings and mis-labelings: the Holy Grail of record collecting – nay, ALL collecting. Hence no such serious collectors appear in this rather silly book. – PCS 3042
If you don’t play them, how do you know they are mis-pressed and mis-labeled? – Jon
i got some record’s that are even more rarer i got a copy of the beatels sergeant pepper in the sleeve of dawns greatest hits and a copy of disc one of elvis 40 greatest hits in the sleeve of cherish by david cassidy i got them at car boots for 50p each but they must be worth a fortune – Record Fan
Those are neither rare, nor collectable or valuable » Continue Reading.
Just before the old place (or was it the old, old place) went down I vaguely recall a ‘blues’ thread which listed some of the ‘modern’ or more recent bluesmen treading the boards and spanking their planks.
A neighbour who is really into the blues has asked me which bluesers I’m listening to (mainly because I play the guitar and he once dragged me along to a Walter Trout gig). In truth I’m not really that into ‘pure’ blues and don’t know who to recommend. I tend to like more ‘melodic’ blues based stuff and was only able to offer up John Mayer and Tedeschi Trucks as fairly recent arrivals on the scene.
Is ‘our’ blues specialist Junior Wells?. Anyway, any suggestions and links from you kind folks would be much appreciated.
