The Afterword

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A Sobering Question : what music do you want to be played at your funeral?

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This is a hard post. My dearest friend passed away last week, suddenly. Like me, he was slowly approaching requirement.

It is a traumatic time for his family, most of all, but also for all of his friends who, like me, had pictured years of retirement where we could go for a leisurely lunch which descended into an afternoon on the lash, followed by a phone call home to get one of our children to collect us.

One particular mountain to climb, which his partner has asked for my advice on is – what music to have at the funeral? (I will post the most likely outcome below).

So, I beseech all of my music-daft friends here to take action, to document the very specific details of what music you want- “Kashmir, Page & Plant at the SECC Glasgow as the intro” – lest you end up with ‘Angels – Robbie Williams’ – “well, it seems pretty popular for cremations these days.” ‘

Primevals go WAY DOWN SOUTH

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The Primevals have been making their own kind of din since 1983, and we have organised a short tour to promote our new EP.

Gigs are : Thursday June 20th – Leith Depot Saturday June 29th – Afternoon – Preston Goes Pop Evening – The Talleyrand, Manchester Sunday June 30th – The Black Prince, Nottingham Monday July 1st – The Lexington, London – Stewart Lee Event

Blogger Takeover CX

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Cautiously, I think we can agree that we are not entering Literally Spring – the daffodils have been and gone, the bluebells are out, and there is more than a rustle in the hedgerow.

So, gather round the picnic table, help yourself to some cider or some apple juice – it’s a little too early in the day for Calvados but that will be along soon enough – grab a bite to eat from the hamper and please tell us : what have you been up to this month ? And is there anything coming up we should be aware of ?

Blogger Takeover CIX

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Welcome to this special False Spring edition of Blogger Takeover. Actual Spring will be with us, in the fullness of time, but in the meantime batten down the hatches, put sandbags out to help minimise the impact of impending floods, and please tell us all – what have you been listening to, watching, reading, or otherwise using to distract yourself from waves hands ALL THIS?

Blogger Takeover CVIII

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Welcome to a very special Saint David’s Day Blogger Takeover. Please come in, help yourself to a cup of tea and some Bara Brith, or a glass of Brains if you’d rather, and tell us all – what have you been listening to, watching, reading, or otherwise using to divert yourself from grim reality ?

As today is a special day, an optional bonus question – what’s your favourite record made by people from the Principality ?

RIP Brother Wayne Kramer

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Wayne Kramer, guitarist in the MC5, has passed away aged 75, after suffering from pancreatic cancer.

I loved the MC5 LPs and was lucky enough to see the reformed band with the surviving members and guest stars – once in London and once in Glasgow.

Detroit News obituary – https://eu.detroitnews.com/story/entertainment/people/2024/02/02/mc5-guitarist-wayne-kramer-has-died-at-age-75/72456133007/

Blogger Takeover CVI

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It is the first Friday of a new month, a New Year, so please come in, help yourself to the leftover cheeses and oatcakes, pour a glass of whatever you like (we always seem to have port left over, or there’s sparkling water, too).

Please tell us – what have you been listening to, reading, watching, and – have you made any resolutions for the year ahead?

All best wishes to everyone for a better and brighter 2024

Jack McLean, “The Urban Voltaire”, RIP

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Sadly, I can confirm that Jack McLean has passed away. He had been in failing health for a number of years, but still greatly enjoyed being out and about.

One of his former colleagues announced the news yesterday (28th Dec 2023) – “Some sad news for all old Herald hands. Jack McLean, the self-styled “Urban Voltaire”, died this morning in Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth hospital. He’d been ill for a while and, despite a heart attack and various other ailments, had studiously and typically ignored medical advice. Funeral arrangements when available. RIP Jack.”

There was a previous discussion on him in reads – https://theafterword.co.uk/jack-mclean-the-urban-voltaire/

Blogger Takeover CV

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It is the first Friday of a new month, and propitiously, also the first day of a new month. Please come in, help yourself to some chocolate from the Christmas Tree, pour yourself a suitable libation from the sideboard, gather round the roaring log fire and tell us all – what have you been listening to, watching, reading, or otherwise distracting yourself from …. all this ?

Blogger Takeover CIV

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It is the day before the first Friday of a new month, and I may not be online on Friday, so – please gather round, hang up your wet coats and hats, help yourself to a cup of something warming and tell us all – what have you been listening to / watching / reading this month, and is there anything coming up we should know about ?

Blogger Takeover CIII

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It is the first Friday of a new month, so we all know what we need to do.

Come away in, help yourself to a glass of something refreshing, warm yourself by this roaring candle and tell everyone – what have you been reading, watching, listening to this month? and is there anything else you would like to share?

Blogger Takeover CII

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It is the first Friday of a new month (right now this is true in Melbourne if not literally true here in autumnal Glasgow. Nonetheless, please come in, gather round the firepit, help yourself to a bite to eat and a glass of whatever suits, and tell us all – what have you been listening to, watching, reading, or otherwise using to pass the time ?

And is there anything coming up that we should know about ?

Forgotten gems

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We had a lovely break on Islay last week, and as part of the holiday preparation I assembled as many as I could find of the annual “Year In Review” playlists, which let me listen again to various tunes which in their own ways marked the year in question.

One of the songs which stood out was by Joe Henry – Richard Pryor Addresses A Tearful Nation, which features Ornette Coleman. Ornette famously rejects sideman gigs, but took this one on.

There were a number of others, which I will chip on over time.

Do you have any long-lost gems you would like to share ?

Greatest Opening Couplets

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This gem popped in to my head today : Zodiac Mindwarp, from “Prime Mover” – “Well I love TV and I love T-Rex, I can see through your skirt I got X-Ray specs”.

In early 1985, we played at Gossips, in Soho – the next night we played Dingwalls supporting David Johansen, and then on to France. In the gents in Gossips, Mr Mindwarp was right beside me. He had just had it pierced, and was ALL OVER THE PLACE – I was reminded of the great Billy Connolly line in similar circumstances – “I handed him a card, and said ‘This man will help you’. He asked ‘Is he a specialist?’ and I said ‘No, he’s a clarinet player, he’ll teach you how to hold it’”.

Nonetheless, a cracking single, with a great opening couplet.

What’s your favourite opening couplet in a song?

Blogger Takeover C

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With all kinds of cricketing malarkey going on, it is splendidly daft that we celebrate the Century edition here of the perennial favourite.

“Raises bat, waves all round*

So, please, come in, help yourself to the fancy sandwiches with the crusts cut off, a glass of Pimms, or a lemonade, and tell us all – what have you been listening to, watching, reading, or otherwise using to divert yourself from the humdrum world ?