If you want to know who the hottest musical property in the world is right now, look no further …

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/jan/14/james-bond-billie-eilish-to-provide-no-time-to-die-themehttps://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/jan/14/james-bond-billie-eilish-to-provide-no-time-to-die-theme

Found this site today. Best ever albums list aggregated from over 40,000 separate charts that have been submitted to the site.

Plenty of the usual suspects, Radiohead surprise me, not that they feature, but so many of their albums. Few other surprises, Neutral Milk Hotel at 14? Wtf? Never heard it, maybe it is a masterpiece. Personally happy to see Yankee Hotel Foxtrot at 45.

If you don’t like it, add your own list and change it!

https://www.besteveralbums.com/overall.php

For me, can only be this one.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kszLwBaC4Sw

Enough of Northern Irish politics, solving Labour party issues and worrying about who “Croz” is, here are my top 15 gigs of the decade if anybody cares. Feel free to add yours …

1. Paul McCartney – Sept 20 2018, Bell Centre Montreal

Not actually the best concert of his I have seen or even the best live music I heard in the last decade, but I took my then 12 yr old daughter and hearing her singing along, seeing her dance and the wonderment on her face made this the best concert going experience I have had. Real horns helped too.

2. Kate Bush – Sept 24 2014, Eventim Apollo, London

I never thought this would happen, who did? I avoided spoilers before flying over and showed up knowing (almost) nothing about what she was going to do. Not without some minor issues (son Bertie), but a stunning theatrical experience that I doubt we will ever see the like of again, She sang magnificently and the closing Cloudbusting had me in tears (not for the first time, that night)

3. The Zombies – Apr 1st 2017, Le National, Montreal

Odessey and Oracle in full from the front row, doesn’t » Continue Reading.

Greetings from “Winterlude” in Chicago. A fairly astonishing evening last night, looking forward to another show tonight!

https://youtu.be/SlucrrJ5exo

It’s only Dec 6th but the charts are once more taking on a familiar look:

[see first comment]

Am guessing this is a result of streaming (mainly), want a good pension plan? Write a Christmas hit! Wonder if what is played in stores now count for the charts as this kind of breakdown seems to be especially early this year.

This was sold at 9am UK time today only by badlands.co.uk.

Rather a surprise after the bootleg series version was only released a couple of weeks ago. I decided not to get up at 4am to try and score a copy. Apparently it sold out in less than a minute, possibly less than 1000 copies available. Anybody get one?

Always one of my favourites in my youth. Long run up, idiosyncratic action, very fast. RIP.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/dec/04/bob-willis-former-england-cricket-captain-dies-aged-70

Who could the artist be (no googling!) ?

(first comment)

Yikes!

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/nov/28/wilco-jeff-tweedy-home-shot-chicago

Usual rules, first 5 songs that come up on random and you have to be perfectly honest!

1. Daniel and the Sacred Harp – The Band 2. There’s Always Me – Elvis Presley 3. Help Me Rhonda (live) – Beach Boys 4. Love or Money (extended version) – Prince 5. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow – Dusty Springfield

I was very very drunk, I fell down some stairs in a Paris nightclub (mid 80s) and chipped both my front two teeth. They were patched up for a decade or so. Finally mid 90s I got crowns for both of them. These have fallen off and been replaced periodically. One of them has now finally given up the ghost and I need an implant or a bridge. The implant is recommended because the bridge (while cheaper) would also infringe on healthy teeth around my deceased front one.

So apparently I need to see two specialists, one who will extract the remains of the tooth and put in the metal rod part of the implant and the second will make the new tooth and put it in. Will take several months allowing for healing. The cost $8000!! (=5000 pounds), about 50% to each specialist. This is about double what I was hoping for. Naturally it is (mainly) not covered by my dental insurance through work. Is this cost normal? Anybody else had similar work done?

If this is really the case then I think I have bought my last box set …

In an idea stolen from the excellent SDE website. Let’s match up albums from similar eras against each other. It helps if they have an equal number of tracks, but each contributor may make judicious changes to the track orders to balance them if they want.

First all star match up in the comments.

https://www.superdeluxeedition.com/feature/the-hits-album-versus-now-4/#more-154227

I was lying back in the dentist’s chair a few minutes ago, being given the news that I needed an implant costing $5-6,000 🙁 Naturally there was some music playing at low volume in the background to hopefully soften the blow. The track was “Come On Eileen”. I do own this track (I bought Too Rye Aye on release). but even if I had never played it I think this song would be the one I have heard more than any others. Maybe a Beatles song would be second, Hey Jude probably.

What do you think are yours? Doesn’t have to be a track you own, naturally.

So this week we have 3 of my top 7 or 8 favourite artists all having new entries in the top 20 (without me buying any of them).

11 – Western Stars Songs From the Film – Bruce Springsteen 13 – Three Chords and The Truth – Van Morrison 17 – Colorado – Neil Young and Crazy Horse

Additionally Bay City Rollers are straight in at 20, Queen are as 12, The Beatles are at 21 and Elton John is at 27.

What does this all mean? Not much really, but it’s nice to see more names I recognise in the charts.

https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-chart/

How many do you own? A prize for anyone in 3 figures.

I managed a creditable 6:

Lana Bowie Cohen PJ Radiohead Kate

https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/the-200-best-albums-of-the-2010s/

Inspired by @Tiggerlion ‘s dissection of Transfomer, let’s reduce classic (or almost classic)( albums to the 4 really necessary tracks. Why say it in 40-45 minutes when 12-15 minutes is enough.

Lou Reed – Transformer

1. Walk on the Wild Side 2. Satellite of Love 3. Perfect Day 4. Vicious

All you need. I am sure we can all think of more …

According to fb.

” Announcement. Ginger is critically ill in hospital. Please keep him in your prayers. Thank you everyone “

Shockingly I think I have read only 2 of them, Bob Dylan’s Chronicles Vol 1 and Martin Amis’ Experience.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/sep/21/best-books-of-the-21st-century

It is 1971. Mathematically proven.

http://pretty-eight-machine.com/every-year-in-music-ranked-from-1954-to-2019/

Can’t argue too much with (most of) the top 5 but some truly baffling choices e.g. The Great British Bake Off considerably higher than The Bridge. Laughable! And Killing Eve at 30? Ridiculous.

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/sep/16/100-best-tv-shows-of-the-21st-century

Gene Clark – No Other

Drools…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cpswwciIoo

https://www.superdeluxeedition.com/news/gene-clark-no-other-deluxe-box-set/

Unimaginable not too long ago.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/vinyl-cds-revenue-growth-riaa-880959/

SDE:

Super deluxe edition, 3 CD+1 Blu-ray:

Disc 1: 2019 Stereo Mix

1. Come Together 2. Something 3. Maxwell’s Silver Hammer 4. Oh! Darling 5. Octopus’s Garden 6. I Want You (She’s So Heavy) 7. Here Comes The Sun 8. Because 9. You Never Give Me Your Money 10. Sun King 11. Mean Mr Mustard 12. Polythene Pam 13. She Came In Through The Bathroom Window 14. Golden Slumbers 15. Carry That Weight 16. The End 17. Her Majesty

Disc 2: Sessions

1. I Want You (She’s So Heavy) (Trident Recording Session & Reduction Mix) 2. Goodbye (Home Demo) 3. Something (Studio Demo) 4. The Ballad Of John And Yoko (Take 7) 5. Old Brown Shoe (Take 2) 6. Oh! Darling (Take 4) 7. Octopus’s Garden (Take 9) 8. You Never Give Me Your Money (Take 36) 9. Her Majesty (Takes 1–3) 10. Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight (Takes 1–3 / Medley) 11. Here Comes The Sun (Take 9) 12. Maxwell’s Silver Hammer (Take 12)

Disc 3: Sessions

1. Come Together (Take 5) 2. The End (Take 3) 3. Come And Get It (Studio Demo) 4. Sun King (Take 20) 5. Mean Mr Mustard (Take 20) 6. Polythene Pam (Take 27) » Continue Reading.

7″ square x 3” deep, 2-part rigid card box containing: 4 x CDs, 4 x 7″ singles, book, printed memorabilia, enamel badge

4 x CDs (in individual card wallets) • 2019 newly remastered stereo and mono versions of original Arthur album from HD sources • Mono and stereo single versions, B-sides, alternate mono / stereo mixes, demos, BBC mixes and Dave Davies’ solo • 2 new recordings of Ray Davies with The Doo Wop Choir, including one previously unreleased track • 3 previously unreleased tracks written for Arthur, and recorded by the ‘Come Dancing’ Workshop Ensemble (1998) • New Ray Davies remixes of album tracks ‘Australia’ and ‘Shangri-La’ • 81 tracks total, comprising 5 previously unreleased tracks and 28 previously unreleased versions

4 x Arthur related 7” singles (with reproduced original international artwork) • Drivin’ / Victoria / Shangri-La / Hold My Hand (Dave Davies solo)

Softback book • Extensive essays by world-renowned Kinks experts, original cancelled Arthur play co-scriptwriter Julian Mitchell, and original album sleeve designer Bob Lawrie • New interviews with Ray Davies, Dave Davies and Mick Avory • Band photos, original release international cover artwork and memorabilia

Printed memorabilia • Reproduced original photos & posters

Badge • » Continue Reading.