Probably a question for the mods……

Having just updated Safari on my Mac, it reports what trackers the website has tried to contact and blocks them. On the Afterword site it gives two – doubleclick.net and google-analytics.com.

I presume that these are advertising trackers but wasn’t aware there was any advertising on this site – are they due to the embedded Youtube videos ?

We went to see Tenet on Friday night (which I really enjoyed, although still don’t fully comprehend). Anyway, before the film, they showed a trailer for the new Wonder Woman film which is set in the 1980s and used New Order’s Blue Monday. Nothing unusual about that you say….. but they have synchronised the trailer superbly with the track……

So according to the government it is okay to break international law in a ‘limited and specific way”.

I presume this means that if I go into Tesco (and not Waitrose) and steal only one two finger Kit-Kat (but leave the four finger ones behind) then I am okay….. ?

In what other ways are you looking forward to breaking the law in a ‘limited and specific way” ?

Not bad for a 72 year old……..

Amazing that this song is over 50 years old and still sounds fresh.

I’m really enjoying the Rose City Band’s latest album “Summertime” – after Junior posted it on here a week or so ago (Thanks Junior).

However, there is one track “Floating On” where I am immediately taken back to Pink Floyd’s Meddle ant the track “Fearless”. Its not a direct steal, but just sounds (to me anyway) to have the same sound / feel. Not saying its a bad thing – I enjoy both this track and the original “Fearless”.

Any other examples ?

Not seen any mention of Fantastic Negrito on here before, but have been listening to his new album, “Have You Lost Your Mind Yet?”, over the past week and it’s er… fantastic.

I first came across him a couple of years ago with the track Plastic Hamburgers. He reminds me a lot of Prince in the way he mixes styles – in fact I think I read somewhere that Fantastic Negrito is to blues in a similar way that Prince is to soul.

Anyway, here’s the track “How Long?” from the album….

I was debating whether to post this on the recent “I never knew that” thread or the older “Lockdown Licks” thread but in the end decided it deserved its own…..

Guy Pratt is back with a new episode of his Lockdown Licks, this time looking at Kirsty MacColls “Walking Down Madison” and “Days”. Very entertaining as ever.

What I learnt (at about 12.30 in the video) is how the album title “Kite” came about – its stemmed from a discussion with David Gilmour on compensation for his session work and his request was to just “send a Kite to Bosnia” – him stating that “Kite” was rhyming slang for a cheque…..

Best thing I’ve learnt all week.

Interesting article in today’s Times on how artists are selling their copyrights to an investment company, Hipgnosis (not the Pink Floyd cover designers – but a company joint owned by Nile Rodgers).

I don’t fully understand how this all works with regard to record companies / publishing companies and even the fact that recently artists seemed to have wanted to control their own copyright / master tapes etc etc.

I get that this is primarily aimed at managing the songs use in films / adverts / Trump rallies and that this is now one of the more lucrative revenue streams in music. But if this company now controls the rights, does that mean that it will also affect reissues / box sets / etc etc ?

Not sure if the link works or is behind the Times paywall.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/times2/sweet-deals-are-made-of-this-hipgnosis-and-the-stars-selling-off-their-songs-nmwzxxr0n

Today I have decided that this is one of my all time favourite tracks…….

I thought that you would all like to know that. Thats all.

Good piece in Rolling Stone on how COVID-19 could signal the end of America as we know it…..

Not sure I agree with the conclusion, but there’s plenty of food for thought in the article and there are certainly signs that it is losing its dominant position in the world (all this Tik-Tok, Huawei stuff has bugger all to do with security, it’s about US technology protectionism…).

Anyway, if the conclusion does come to fruition, would we miss America / what would be miss about America ?

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/political-commentary/covid-19-end-of-american-era-wade-davis-1038206/?fbclid=IwAR0Q_6Flkt1EeqIi_O3jVRuziTb-oXXdJySr15ldGhS9eYQPMHNJsOc3HFQ

A couple of days late, but it’s the 75th anniversary of the dropping of the bomb on Hiroshima.

There are many arguments regarding what happened…… was it a senseless waste of life, was the sacrifice of 150,000 to end the war early and save potentially millions justified, would OMD have existing without it, etc etc.

I’m not sure I know the answer, but I do feel that the threat of nuclear war (or at least a localised conflict) has now once again become an increasingly likely concern. Growing up in the 80s, watching “Threads”, Protect & Survive, CND, etc etc, it seemed inevitable then, only to dissipate during the 90s, 2000s….. So what changed ? Why do we seem to be gong back to a nuclear threat or is it just me ? Maybe it’s the increasing amount of idiots in charge, maybe the threat of cyber warfare setting one of these things off…..

Thoughts ?

Anyway, here’s a reworking of OMDs Enola Gay from Ooberfuse with Japanese artist Hibari, which is rather good.

In the realms of science and medicine, new research often undergoes review by peers before it becomes widely accepted. As such, I would like the present Chris’s Universal Music Theorem #572 for peer review by the esteemed body that is the AW.

Chris’s Universal Music Theorem #572 states that “Firth Of Fifth” by Genesis is the most “complete” piece of music in existence. This is based of the following widely accepted facts (see attached video for reference)…. – it has the best piano introduction of any song courtesy of Mr Banks (A): (reference 0.00 onwards obviously) – it has the best keyboard riff / solo in a piece of popular music, also courtesy of Mr Banks (A); (reference 4.35 to ~5.45) – it has the greatest guitar solo courtesy of Mr Hackett (S): (reference ~5.50 onwards) Given that any song with a singular best drum / guitar / tambourine / etc solo is deemed to be in the upper echelons of popular music, for a song to THREE such distinctions surely elevates it to supreme greatness.

With the proposal of the above theorem, peers now have a period of 60 days in which to counter propose, before this theorem becomes » Continue Reading.

It is exactly 40 years since the release of AC/DC’s album “Back In Black” (25th July 1980).

An album that arose from the untimely death of Bon Scott, with a new lead singer, that went on to become their most successful album ever. I know it’s an album that many have, but I didn’t realise how big it was – I read somewhere that it sold approx 50 million copies worldwide (with 25 million in the US alone) and as such has even outsold such behemoths as Dark Side Of The Moon and Rumours (which surprised me as you always here about those and Thriller being the biggest ever sellers).

Probably never bettered by the band (and some would say endlessly recycled by them). The riff from the title track must be one of the best and most recognisable out there.

So, thoughts on Back In Black, favourite AC/DC etc etc…….

I know there are a few fans of Dawes on here – just had a email from Bandcamp on new album, “Good Luck With Whatever” due on October 2nd.

Lead track “Who Do You Think You’re Talking Too” released on YouTube (and I presume the usual streaming platforms)

Gratuitously stolen from the interweb…

If you ask Rick Astley for his copy of the movie UP, he cannot give it to you as he will never give you up. However, in doing so, he lets you down. Thus creating the Astley paradox.

Surprised that this has not been mentioned yet, but a couple of weeks ago Richard Thompson released a new six song EP “Bloody Noses” on download / streaming (no physical release that I know of).

Not had the requisite six listens yet, but a couple of listens in and its very good – an acoustic EP with help from his partner on backing vocals. He also did a “launch party” on Facebook where it was played in full – see attached YouTube video.

It’s available on Bandcamp for USD$6 at the link below.

https://richardthompson.bandcamp.com/album/bloody-noses-ep

50 min documentary on R.E.M. playing Stirling Castle in 1999. Streaming on YouTube for 3 days only (July 19- 21st).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHrLtiWlvpM&feature=emb_title

My 19 year old has developed a taste for beer (his favourite being Proper Job IPA that a local bar here in SIngapore brings in on draught, so his taste is pretty decent !).

Anyway, as you are probably aware, beer in Singapore is on the expensive side and so he is thinking of having a go at brewing his own. Now I haven’t brewed beer since I was a student many many years ago (Boots kits if I recall) and so have no idea what’s what these days. I would imagine with the explosion in ‘craft’ beer over the past few years it should have improved immeasurably since when I last attempted.

My initial thoughts are to start him with one of the kits using concentrate to get him a feel for it first (the most popular kits here seem to be from Coopers, the Australian brewery) and then let him explore from there – the store I checked out did have raw barley and hops, so it can be done properly……

So anyone with any experience in brewing their own beer ? Any recommendations / tips etc etc

Hands up if you have heard of Kevin Gilbert ?

Expanding on my comment buried in the “Lockdown Licks” thread, I thought this topic deserved a wider audience (more people to totally ignore !).

The late Kevin Gilbert first came to prominence with his prog rock bank “Giraffe” in the early 1980’s. This led to him being invited by Madonna producer, Patrick Leonard to join him in a new band “Toy Matinee” which also featured Guy Pratt (from the Lockdown Licks thread), They only released one eponymous album in 1990, which although is somewhat generic 80s soft rock sounding, has garnered a bit of a cult following. I’ve been listening to this again lately after it being mentioned on Guy Pratts videos and I must say, I have been enjoying it.

After lack of record company support, the group dissolved and Kevin Gilbert went on to join the California songwriting collective “Tuesday Night Music Club” with producer Bill Bottrell. He brought along his then girlfriend, Sheryl Crow, leading to the recording of her mega selling debut album on which he co wrote many of the tracks (see you have heard of him).

After that relationship went sour, he reformed » Continue Reading.

I know there a few reggae fans on here (paging @Paul-Wad after your recent thread).

The “Live At The Rainbow” concert from 1977 has just popped up to stream on YouTube (not sure how long for). I also see they have just released a remastered version of the album from this concert.

This is rather good……

A stripped down 30 min performance from two of Madness (Suggs and Mike Barson) and a string quartet from their lockup in London.

I know there are a few blues fans out there in AW land, so this may be of interest.

Joe Bonamassa has just posted a new track from his forthcoming album which was recorded at Abbey Road. No details on album release yet but apparently features Pete Brown (Cream et al collaborated) as co-writer on some tracks.

Anyway, here’s “When One Door Opens” which starts as a standard blues ballad, but then rocks out about half way through. One of his best tracks in a long time in my view. Warning – video contains plenty of guitar porn…..

Cat Stevens / Yusof will be releasing a re recorded version of his classic Tea For The Tillerman in September. The lead track “Where Do The Children Play ?” has been released on the various streaming platforms and YouTube.

It looks like he has got the original producer / etc on board for the re-recording and I must admit that this first track does sound good.

What do we think? Worthwhile endeavour or just a copyright extension exercise (as its 50 years old) ?

https://catstevens.com/tea-for-the-tillerman²/