The Afterword

Musings on the byways of popular culture

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The Pogues

by 30 Comments

Venue:

City Folk Festival, Lansdowne Park, Ottawa, ON

Date: 14/09/2025

The Pogues without Shane MacGowan. Worthless surely? Not really.They were never all about Shane, there were other songwriters in the band (e.g. Jem Finer co-wrote Fairytale of New York amongst others), they did instrumental tracks sometimes and quite a few cover versions. The last 2 or 3 times I saw them Shane was “unwell” and either Joe Strummer or Spider Stacy was on vocals. And they made 2 albums without him after he was fired from the band.

They were the first band I became a bit obssessed about seeing live. First time was supporting their future producer Elvis Costello at Hammersmith Palais in 1983. Later in the decade I moved to Switzerland, I bought If I Should Fall From Grave with God on release and was so impressed I bought the rest of their back catalogue within days. I then saw them live for the second time in Zurich in May ’88 where despite the time of the year I memorably witnessed them performing Fairytale of New York together with Kirsty MacColl. Over the next half a decade or so I saw them many times either in Switzerland » Continue Reading.

An Evening With Wilco

by 14 Comments

Venue:

Edmonton Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium

Date: 30/08/2025

Also Calgary Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium (29/08/2025)

I bought tickets and booked flights for these concerts in April. I have travelled to the US on many occasions to see Wilco live, but I am currently boycotting that fine country for obvious reasons and these were 2 of only 3 Canada dates this year (the other being Vancouver), they were also the last 2 nights of an extensive tour that has taken them to many different parts of the world. The shows were also billed as “An Evening with Wilco” which meant there was no support act and they played 2 sets. As Jeff Tweedy explained middle of first set “We will come back for a 2nd set and we will play different songs!”. So a fair bit of travel and expense but I worth it I thought for 4 Wilco sets.

Something happened between April and late August, a friend of mine who had been battling cancer for a while received the appalling news that there was nothing more they could do to save him. Desperately sad, he’s only 50 with 2 teenage girls. He has tried to pack quite a » Continue Reading.

Yet Another Bruce Springsteen Boxset Coming

by 30 Comments

A 4 disc Nebraska set is apparently slated for release in October, 3 CDs and a Blu-ray. The Blu-ray content is likely a specially filmed appearance of him playing the album in full this year. For the CDs we could be getting a remastered album, a disc of outtakes and “Electric Nebraska” if it exists. Maybe live E St band performances of Nebraska tracks could also be included

Elvis Has Left the Building …

by 11 Comments

… but he was never there.

An atrocious Elvis experience, punters charged up to 300 quid for “Super VIP” which includes a mid-show champagne experience, commemorative glass, dedicated seating, a drink at each of the three bars and cloakroom access. Bargain!

“Mrs Baldwin said that the show was “absolutely atrocious” and thought she had paid the money for a once in a lifetime experience but “you could have seen this at the local theatre for £30”.

“It was a shambles from start to finish, there was no Elvis, it was just a video of him that you could watch on YouTube,” she said.”

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20prvvgypyo

Bruce Springsteen – Tracks II: The Lost Albums

by 40 Comments

What does it sound like?:

What do you think of when you think of Bruce Springsteen? A guy with a headband roaring “patriotic anthems” (sic)? This is or was the cliché, mostly welded into place by his enormous success in the mid 80s with the massive selling Born in the USA album. To some extent this incarnation still exists particularly on stage with the E Street Band. But take a look at the studio albums that preceded and succeeded that massive commercial breakthrough, Nebraska is probably one of the bleakest, most uncommercial albums ever released by a major artist, then Tunnel of Love was another low key mainly solo effort that partially details the story of an unhappy relationship, what he was going through at the time. So there are multiple sides to his art, and he has proved to be much more versatile throughout his career than perhaps many casual fans or non fans realise.

After Tunnel of Love and something of a tabloid scandal, he started a family with new wife Patti, and released very little in the 90s, 3 studio albums (2 with a new band and another mainly solo effort), there was also a » Continue Reading.

The Word Nostalgia

by 85 Comments

Apparently I saved a pile of stuff from the old website. Just found it. If anybody has a favourite thread they want to kind of see again let me know and I will see if I have it.

Arise Sir Roger Daltrey!

by 24 Comments

Whatever you think of the honours system in general, his dodgy political views, his voice or his trout farming enterprises, one has to admit he has done sterling work for the Teenage Cancer Trust for decades.

Steve Winwood and Graham Goldman also picked up MBEs.

New Stones Album

by 27 Comments

This is from The Scum’s website (I copied it from iorr.org) so you don’t have to click there:

ROLLING ON

Rolling Stones are working on NEW album after dropping plans for massive summer tour – with stars already in studio

Their last album Hackney Diamonds shot straight to No1

Ellie Henman Mike Sullivan 10 Jun 2025

THE Rolling Stones are working on a new album after dropping plans for a massive summer tour, The Sun can reveal.

Sir Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood have been in the recording studio since April.

They have laid down 13 songs and are in discussions over a release date for their 25th studio album.

The band’s last album, Hackney Diamonds, their first original work in 18 years, went straight to No1 following its release in 2023.

Sir Mick and Keith, both 81, and Ronnie, 78, have been holed up in West London’s Metropolis Studios.

A source said: “Mick, Keith and Ronnie have been secretly recording their new record with their drummer Steve Jordan.

“They’ve got 13 songs they’re happy with and they are discussing when they can release it.

“Originally, the plan was for them to bring their huge US tour » Continue Reading.

Greatest Flop Single Ever

by 58 Comments

I vote for this one, it could have been a Beach Boys release (co-written and produced by Brian Wilson), but the band (i.e. Mike Love) rejected it. Would have fit right in on the 2nd side of Today or Pet Sounds with a Brian or Carl vocal. Temporary Beach Boys member Campbell nevertheless does magnificently and this is one of the great lost singles of all time (but has featured on some compilations)

The Musical Box

by 6 Comments

Venue:

Algonquin Commons Theatre, Ottawa

Date: 29/05/2025

Probably well known to a number here, The Musical Box are a band from Montreal that recreate Peter Gabriel era Genesis in a live setting.

They are doing a “Genesis 1973” tour. I went primarily to keep a mate company. I like this era of Genesis, but am by no means a massive fan. It was also in a small venue with excellent sound which helps.

And they were truly excellent, amazing musicianship. I could almost imagine it was Gabriel on stage, apparently recreating the original stories/introductions without a trace of a French Canadian accent. I didn’t love all the songs, but all were recreated with much conviction. Special mention to “Phil Collins” who was superb throughout. A fun night out after escaping a massive thunderstorm on the outside.

The audience:

As you would expect

It made me think..

Beatles Mono Vinyl Set To Be Reissued

by 40 Comments

The value of my set just plummeted by 50%, but the original was magnificently done. Great sounding records, beautiful sleeves and a superbly detailed hardback book.

If you are interested in vinyl and The Beatles then this is probably the best way to hear the albums. At least up to Pepper, mono was given way more attention than the fairly perfunctory stereo mixes.

It’s very pricey. Of course it is.

https://usastore.thebeatles.com/products/the-beatles-in-mono-14-lp-box-set?utm_source=Email&utm_campaign=TheBeatles20250527&utm_medium=email&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fforums.stevehoffman.tv%2F&utm_board=the-beatles&utm_country=GB&utm_linkurl=TheBeatles.lnk.to%2FIn-Mono-Box&lf=b5f8446d0bac8f889605658a6d8e24be&pa=33152467&utm_content=UMGUK50008-1228482

VE Day

by 24 Comments

Is it a bank holiday over there? Nothing particularly special is happening here despite Canadians being heavily involved in the war in Europe.

It’s 80 years, is it still worth all this hoopla that seems to be going on in the UK? Kind of ironic that a week after many voted for Reform that a historical defeat of facism is being celebrated. Seems to me that a more current facist threat from a former ally should be more relevant

I am not underestimating the sacrifices and the extreme losses of life that occurred in WW II, but there is already a day to remember those annually in November

Mayday Competition – Prizes!

by 10 Comments

I have a copy of Uncut’s Top 500 albums released since 2010 magazine. Please no one post who has read the magazine or looked up results online.

How many of the top 20 can you guess? You have 5 choices. If you guess no. 1 you get 20 points down to 1 pt for 20th place, so maximum points would be 80 if you get the top 5. Polls close tomorrow at 6pm in the Eastern time zone (11pm BST).

I will buy the winner a pint next time our paths cross.

Canadian Election

by 8 Comments

Was yesterday. Results indicate the Liberals will fall just short of an overall majority. The electoral system is almost identical to the British one, first past the post with a certain number of seats needed for majority rule (172)

This is a remarkable turnaround, just over 2 months ago the conservatives had a 25 point lead in the polls heading for a majority of over 100 seats. Then 2 things happened, Justin Trudeau resigned after his former close colleague, Christina Freeland effectively took him out in a Geoffrey Howe style manoeuvre, and then Trump came out with his “51st State” nonsense while applying tariffs.

The NDP (closest party to UK Labour) vote has collapsed, leader Singh lost his seat and has resigned. Trudeau didn’t stand in Montreal and the glorious Portillo moment has arrived with slimy right wing Trump wannabe, conservative leader Pierre Poilievre losing his seat here in Ottawa!

So none of the main 3 party leaders on Jan 1st are still MPs today. Quite remarkable!