The Afterword

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Sérgio Mendes, 83

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Obituary

“Brazilian musician Sérgio Mendes, who helped popularise bossa nova and samba with Western audiences, has died at the age of 83, his family has confirmed.”

Danielle Moore, 52

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Obituary

Crazy P frontwoman Danielle Moore dies aged 52

“We are devastated to announce the unbelievable and shocking news that our beautiful Danielle Moore has died in sudden and tragic circumstances”

My week in a camper van

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fentonsteve on VW Danbury Highline

Mrs F and I spent the week before last dashing round the North Coast 500 route in a hired VW Danbury Highline camper van. This was our first time in a mobile van (we’re more familiar with static caravans), so I thought, as there was an ATM thread recently, I’d jot down my observations.

We chose to hire this one in particular because it has a toilet, and I have Crohn’s disease (thankfully my guts behaved themselves and I didn’t have to use it). We collected it from Aberdeen, which meant the NC500 route (starting and ending in Inverness) became over 700 miles for us.

THE VAN

I drive a 1.6 litre diesel VW Golf Estate, and the Danbury Highline is only about 25cm wider and 75cm longer than my car, but twice as heavy when fitted out. Engine capacity was a little bigger (1.9 litre), with a six-speed gearbox, but with plenty enough poke for going up the steep mountain passes of the Cairngorms or to barrel long the motorway at 70mph. I didn’t work out the MPG figure but it was not far short of my car. I’m 5′ 11″ and I could » Continue Reading.

RIP Toumani Diabaté

by 17 Comments

Obituary

“Mali’s “king of kora” Toumani Diabate died on Friday at the age of 58 following a short illness, the musician’s family announced on social media.

“My dear dad is gone forever,” the Malian great’s son Sidiki Diabate, who is also a musician, wrote on Facebook.

Toumani Diabate was a master of the African stringed instrument, the kora.

He died at a private clinic in Bamako, the capital of the west African nation, another member of Diabate’s family told AFP.

Diabate was born in 1965 to a family of griots — storytellers who are the guardians of Mali’s traditions and oral histories.”

DJ Tomcraft, 49

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Obituary

I can’t say I was a fan, but 49 is no age at all.

“German DJ and producer Thomas Brückner, better known as Tomcraft, who was behind the massive 2003 club hit Loneliness, has died at the age of 49.”

Arthur ‘Gaps’ Hendrickson

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Obituary

“We are devastated to confirm that Selecter frontman Arthur ‘Gaps’ Hendrickson has died after a short illness. The world has lost a 2-Tone original, a talented musician and an absolute gentlemen. We have lost our beloved friend and bandmate. RIP Gaps” – The Selecter

The Scottish Band remastered

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26/07/2024

With thoughts of long-gone AWer James Blaast, I notice Chrysalis Records are releasing remastered albums The Cutter & The Clan and Once In A Lifetime (Live) as a 2CD set, or just the studio LP as a Barry Grint half-speed master.

I first heard Once In A Lifetime in my first week at university, the first I had heard of Runrig.

Years ago, I worked with the now head of Chrysalis back catalogue on a Furniture CD. And their recent reissues from the Specials, Selecter, Sinead O’Connor, Blue Aeroplanes, etc have been magnificent.

I wasn’t expecting that!

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Every evening I sit with Mrs F to watch something on the tellybox, and comb our long-haired tortoiseshell cat, before we climb the steps to bedfordshire. Usually it involves someone who has a blue light in or on their vehicle. Usually they blur into one for me. Often I nod off before the end.

Currently we’re watching Superman and Lois on the iPlayer, where the titular couple live on the Kent family farm outside Metropolis with their two teeange boys, one of whom has inherited superpowers from his father, and the other has changed body and voice entirely between series 2 and 3, but neither parents or twin sibling appear to have noticed.

Anyhow, at the world’s most boring school Prom, one parent (the town fireman) hit the dancefloor to get the party started to… The Jesus and Mary Chain’s Head On. Eh?

Split Ends

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This short weekly series began yesterday afternoon. I didn’t hear episode one (Dr Feelgood) due to a work meeting… and I forgot.

“With the help of music professionals, singer-songwriter Kitty Perrin looks at the reasons why some bands split while others continue.”

Ep. 1: Dr Feelgood Ep. 2: Liberty X Ep. 3: The Fall

Which makes me wonder: which Fall lineup is she going to cover, or is she going to squeeze quotes from all 987 ex-Fall members into 30 minutes?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001yqd9/episodes/guide

Are The Smile the new Oasis?

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I’ve seen two posts on FB this morning complaining about audience chatter at two different gigs by The Smile.

“Team outing to see The Smile tonight at Alexander Palace, what a night, so good. Question: why do people go to gigs to talk all the way through them? I just don’t get it. Still brilliant though.”

And, from the linked Birmingham Mail article “I saw The Smile at O2 Academy – they were amazing but one group of fans nearly ruined the night. Despite annoying gig-goers who couldn’t shut up, The Smile delivered a superb 90 minute set”. Set your ad-blockers to stun if you really want to read more.

Are all big gigs like this now, or do The Smile just attract the kind of beer-swilling gobshites who used to attend Oasis gigs in my youth?

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/saw-smile-o2-academy-were-28871048

The Specials on Sky Arts

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“The Specials emerged in the late 1970s during a time of great social, political, and economic upheaval in England. These deep subjects have heavily influenced their music right up to the present day.

The band’s songs Ghost Town, Gangsters, Too Much Too Young have bravely tackled issues of racism, unemployment, and social inequality, unafraid to reflect England’s shadow back onto itself.

With the passing of Terry Hall this film reflects on The Specials’ cultural impact. The Specials were not just a musical phenomenon but a cultural one that influenced fashion, style, popular culture, trends and even the mood of the entire nation.

This film explores how their legacy lives on in contemporary culture and how their influence can still be seen in modern art, fashion, and media. Their messages are universal. They soundtrack moments in history.”

I missed November’s episodes on Paul Weller and New Order*, the Specials ep airs next Tuesday (19th) evening on Sky Arts.

(*) can anyone help?

https://www.white-light.tv/all/record-on-the-specials-a-message-to-you

Do-du-du-du-doo

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Mrs F works for a well-known supllier of Bluetooth gubbins.

Jean-Michel Jarre came to visit yesterday. He’s keeping well for 75.

The 5-note riff from Oxygène IV (released in 1976!) has served him well.

Oxygène, Équinoxe, Les Chants Magnétiques, Les Concerts en Chine, Zoolook. Zoolook, the most recent of his work I own, was 1984 – 40 years ago.

Everyone’s Getting Involved

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Due to well, no public demand whatsoever, the Stop Making Sense soundtrack is getting a young persons makeover. “Coming soon”, whenever that might be.

Featuring 16 tracks by 16 artists. I have heard of some of them

@paramore @mileycyrus @lorde @girlinred @thenational @teezotouchdown @kevinabstract @badbadnotgood @toroymoi @blondshell @dj_tunez @jeandawsn @chicanobatman @the_linda_lindas @elmatoaunpoliciamotorizado @the.cavemen

https://hypebeast.com/2024/1/a24-talking-heads-everyones-getting-involved-tribute-album-tracklist-paramore-teezo-touchdown