The recent posts on the demise of CDs, discussions on vinyl and spotify show that many of us still have our own collections of music (be it physical or digital).

I know we have down this before, but I think it was a long time ago…. how big is your music collection and any other interesting details of its composition ?

I’ll show you mine in the comments.

Just a reminder that today (Apr 2nd) is Bandcamp Friday, during which all proceeds from sales are given to the artist.

Any planned purchases / recommendations to share with everyone ?

https://bandcamp.com

I know there is a lot of love for Line Of Duty on here and the new season has just started (I still haven’t actually watched any of it yet !) but surely the best crime drama in recent years has got to be Unforgotten, which finished season 4 last night.

Don’t want to say too much or give away any spoilers, but that final episode last night was superb – understated yet emotional, a reveal that was surprising yet was not implausible. All four series have maintained the high quality and if you have never watched, I would highly recommend.

AKA – It’s new release Friday !

Mono, a Japanese group that I only just discovered this past year, have a new album out on Bandcamp (and probably on all streaming platforms) – “Beyond the Past • Live in London with the Platinum Anniversary Orchestra”.

For those that don’t know them, they are probably best described as “post rock’. If you like Sigur Ros, Explosions In The Sky, etc then you will probably like this.

Only had a first listen this afternoon, so this is not a review. Just one of those non mainstream releases that I wanted to highlight (and give me an excuse to post the below video from the album below).

https://monoofjapan.bandcamp.com/album/beyond-the-past-live-in-london-with-the-platinum-anniversary-orchestra

For some reason, I’ve been watching a lot of stand up comedy these past few weeks – from the Bill Bailey Limboland that was on BBC last night, some Billy Connolly, some Eddie Izzard, some Dave Allen…….

Even though I’ve seen some of these multiple times, they still bring me great pleasure and some still have me in tears of laughter every time. It seems to be an art form that has always been there and whilst the formats may change over the years (from shaggy dog stories to one liners and back again) the fundamentals still remain solid – just someone with an great ability to make us laugh through their words.

I’ve seen many comedians over the years, both on TV and live – I spent many a summer from Uni and the years after going to the Edinburgh festival (my parents moved there when I went to Uni and so had free accommodation) and was lucky to see many of those that became stars later in their early incarnations – Eddie Izzard, Frank Skinner, Paul Merton to name but a few…..

I guess the one I come back to most is Billy Connolly even though I probably » Continue Reading.

Was watching last weeks edition of Later with Jools Holland and Sir Tom Jones chose this clip of INXS doing an unplugged version of “Never Tear Us Apart”, which I don’t recall seeing before and impressed me.

I guess a successful unplugged performance shows the strength of the song as well as the talent of the artist (I guess predominately singers). Whilst they can sometimes be a bit twee, a good unplugged performance can really add to the enjoyment of a song (and sometimes change a song from “meh” to great….)

So what are the best (and maybe worst) unplugged performances…… ?

I know there a few Gretchen Peters fans on here and those are probably aware that she makes available a free download each month via her website.

To celebrate reaching 150 downloads, she has just consolidated all into an “album” via Bandcamp. It can only be accessed via a unique redemption code that was given in her monthly newsletter (so I can’t share the link to download).

Anyway, if you are interested, head over to her website and sign up for the newsletter and you hopefully you will get the code.

“Celebrating 150 free downloads of the month! 150 free downloads a free download every month, since 2008

Since July 2008 I’ve been giving away a free download every month to subscribers to this newsletter. It began as an offhanded suggestion, thrown out by someone on my team as we were brainstorming about how we might reach out to fans (this was before social media had taken over the world). It turned out to be by far the most popular feature at my website, with some fans compiling the tracks into “albums” complete with musician credits, venues, dates and even cover art.

February marked the 150th free download, and as » Continue Reading.

I know there are a few Church fans on here……

Just received notice that Intervention Records have am upcoming reissue of Starfish on CD/SACD (along with a 180g vinyl that was announced earlier). I have a few of the Joe Jackson releases from IR and they are very good. albeit expensive. Comes with a few bonus tracks.

https://www.interventionrecords.com/records/starfish-expanded-edition-cd-sacd/

We’ve just been to a proper concert for the first time in ages – a string quartet performance of Vivaldi/ Four Seasons and some other pieces. Very enjoyable.

Anyway, whilst enjoying the recital, I was wondering why classical musicians always use sheet music, yet a rock band / jazz band / etc always play from memory ?

My first thought was that classical was more complex and so more difficult to memorise, but thinking about it, surely something by Coltrane is just a complex as something by Mr Bach ? So is it that a rock / jazz outfit would heavily rehearse a particular set – but then a classical ensemble have played these pieces many many times ?

The only thing I can think is that classical is expected to be more “precise” in that each instrument is only part of the overall piece and can’t afford to improvise in any way. But then again a guitar is only part of the overall pieces.

So do they really just read note by note and play or is there some memory also ? Is the sheet music just for show in that the audience expects it to be there » Continue Reading.

Whilst sending the boy to school this morning, I was listening to BBC World Service. They have a series “In the Studio” where they talk to various creative types – from clothes designers, musicians (last week was Max Richter), whisky blenders to writers…..

Anyway this week was a guy called Patrick Woodroffe, who is the creative director for the Rolling Stones as well as being one of the foremost lighting directors in the Rock / Pop world – he seems to have worked with everyone. This program (about 30 minutes long) was talking to him during the rehearsals of the upcoming Genesis reunion tour – even if you are not a Genesis fan, its still worth a listen with anecdotes from his varied career and insights on the relationship between sound and the visuals. Very enjoyable listen which is also available on BBC Sounds (should be available world wide as this was from the World Service after all !)

As an aside, it seems that they are still not 100% sure on whether the Genesis tour will see the light of day and as such even filmed the last couple of days of full rehearsal just in case…….

» Continue Reading.

The next album in the XTC Steven Wilson / 5.1 reissues has just been announced to be Apple Venus Vol 1. I, for one, am looking forward to this……

“2021 News: Restoration of multi track tapes is underway for the XTC album APPLE VENUS (vol 1). As soon as the cleaning & rebuild finishes, the man with the expert touch, Steven Wilson, will be making a 5.1 & new stereo mix. Another great quality APE release to look forward to”

https://twitter.com/apehouseXTC

To console the masses on here that are disappointed by Taylor only making #61 in the end of year poll, Prog Master Steven Wilson has recorded a cover of one of the tracks from the folklore album as part of his Future Bites sessions……

Its quite impressive that he managed to record and post this so quickly after the results of the poll came out and that he shows such consideration for the AW community.

I just noticed that in the menu bar above, this is now a “Forum” instead of a Blog and that now post to the Forum in the sidebar. It probably happened ages ago, but I only just noticed……

Does this mean that we are looking for a more discussion – my understanding of the difference is that a blog is an opinion piece, a forum is a platform for debate (I’m probably wrong). Does that mean an end to my days of no reply postings 🙂

Following on from the discussion last month on the censored versions being played on BBC Radio in these days of “enlightenment”, the latest controversy to befall this track is that it’s been released as a Christmas EP by no less than Jon Bon Jovi. It’s terrible.

If you can last that long, you’ll also note that it contains new radio friendly lyrics – something about an braggart that’s lost his swagger,,,,…

Again, it’s terrible….. but I guess it’s for some charity or something so maybe we can cut him some slack. Did I mention that it’s terrible ?

The album “Hymn To The Immortal Wind” by Japanese group Mono (not the 90’s britpop group of the same name, which I initially thought it was). Its from all the way back in 2009 (this is an anniversary release)

If you like Explosions In The Sky, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Sigur Ros etc, then this will be right up upper proverbial street. Very cinematic in style, instrumental music that combines simple melodies, space and slowly building lush arrangements with moments rock noise (its produced by Steve Albini). I’m on my fourth listen in the last couple of days and an utterly transfixed. Off to discover their back catalogue……

Here’s the gorgeous “Burial at Sea” from the album…..

Head on over to Bandcamp for a free album download from prog rockers, I Am The Manic Whale. (their last album “Things Unseen” is very good)

https://iamthemanicwhale.bandcamp.com/album/christmas-selection-box

Love them or hate them, Foo Fighters are always entertaining and probably one of the best bands that I have seen live. They have been going for 25 years now – it only seemed like yesterday (well not really, but you know what I mean) that Nirvana were gracing our turntables, and yet now a quarter of a century later, the drummer’s “new” band (in which he is not even the drummer) are still going strong.

They have posted a film on YouTube looking back at their 25 years, which is good fun (plenty of taking the piss out of themselves) if you have a spare 25 minutes.

Anyway: Foo Fighters – love them or hate them ? Best bits etc etc

Any takers ?

A strictly limited (I.e. 1 only) boxset for 10 grand. Bargain.

https://www.superdeluxeedition.com/news/steven-wilson-to-release-an-ultra-deluxe-box-set-limited-to-one-unit/#more-162689

I finally got around to watching the recant BBC documentary on the Boomtown Rats last night, which I really enjoyed. It’s still available on iPlayer for those in the UK or have a VPN (warning: it does include obligatory talking head bits from Bonio).

I do remember Rat Trap, Like Clockwork and especially I Don’t Like Mondays on Top Of The Pops when I was younger, but I didn’t realise how big a group they were at the time – the documentary certainly gives the impression that they were one of the biggest groups around at the time (in the UK anyway – they never seemed to crack the US).

I haven’t listened to them for years, but at their peak they produced some very fine tracks – I dug out Fine Art Of Surfacing this morning and it still stands up.

I don’t recall any discussion about them on here, so any love in these parts ? Does anyone still remember them ?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000jjr5/citizens-of-boomtown-the-story-of-the-boomtown-rats

There were a couple of mentions of certain films being too long and others that had their moments of brilliance in the thread on Funniest Movies – does that suggest that comedy is best suited to a shorter running time ?

Thus, as a companion to Twang’s thread on funniest movies. how about a complementary thread on Funniest TV Shows….. ? So are you a Terry & June fan or a Young Ones affecianado ?

My list would have to include… – Police Squad (as mentioned in the comments about Naked Gun) – Fawlty Towers – Blackadder – The Young Ones (a bit dated but I think still stands up, with enough moments of silliness to carry it – “Amazulu ? Is that right – I’m a Glaswegian….” – A League Of Gentlemen – A Very Peculiar Practice (I have a real soft spot for this…..)

Many others that could have made the list, so over to you………….

I know that we covered the Guy Pratt / Lockdown Licks sessions a while back – well now its the turn of Steven Wilson. He has a new album out early next year to plug and has started a “Future Bites Sessions” on YouTube with him doing tracks in his home studio,

Last week was a new track “King Ghost” from his forthcoming album and today he posted an old Porcupine Tree track “Collapse The Light Into Earth” (one of my favourite PT tracks)

For the music nerds amongst you, his comments on the YouTube post give some details of the Home Studio kit.