The Afterword

Musings on the byways of popular culture

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RSD UK 2021

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This year’s wallet-emptying “celebrations” will take place across two Record Store Day “Drops” on Saturday 12th June and Saturday 17th July.

Downloadable list on the page linked.

I was a bit underwhelmed by it all last year. I liked being able to pre-order and not having to queue but with no events in store and an allocated slot to collect, it felt a bit like a drug deal. Or what I imagine a drug deal would be like. And going online afterwards to buy the left-over stock before the flippers was good.

https://recordstoreday.co.uk/news/posts/2021/official-record-store-day-uk-releases-revealed/

Cambridge Folk Festival 2021off

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The statement below from CFF. The status of other festivals in the link.

“We are sorry to share the news this summer’s Festival will not be going ahead. Despite the government roadmap out of lockdown, there is still a lot of uncertainty for festivals and whether they can safely take place. Questions over everything from whether artists will be able to travel internationally to whether we would need to enforce social distancing and masks-wearing for everyone on site. It’s a lot to plan for without knowing for sure whether the event will even be allowed to happen. We’ve held out hope until the last possible moment, but summer is fast approaching and we can’t hold off a decision any longer. So, with regret, we are setting our sights on 2022. If you are a ticket holder, you should have already received an email notifying you of your options for a full refund. If you did not receive the email, please reach us on tickets@cambridgelive.org.uk. If we don’t hear from you, your booking will be rolled forward to 2022 at 2020 prices by default. Thanks to all our fans for the patience and loyalty they have shown as we try to » Continue Reading.

Sky Arts alert: Blitzed: The 80s Blitz Kids Story

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This docco was on last weekend. I’ve only seen half of it, but well worth a watch. Repeated this Friday 19th, 11pm-1am on Freeview channel 11.

I’ve just finished Dylan Jones’ book covering 1975-1985 (has it been reviewed on here?) and it was excellent. At 650+ pages, it could easily have been longer.

I remember Covent Garden at the end of the 70s – rubbish in the streets, tube station closed at weekends, prostitutes and dealers going about their trade. I was a bit too young, and badly dressed, to attend the Blitz club.

Almost everyone who went there went on to be something in the arts. There was a lot more to the early 80s than monophonic wasp-in-a-jar synths.

30 years ago today

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Curve released their debut, the Blindfold EP, 4th March 1991.

I was on ‘revision leave’ from university and took a mid-morning stroll into town from my mum’s house. As I entered the record shop, Dave signalled to me from behind the counter. “I’ve got something I think you’ll like” and stuck it on the record player. I slapped my fiver on the counter before the vocals had started.

My pal and I hung out with them for the afternoon when they played the Cambridge Junction (he won tickets on the local radio station). They were all lovely. There was an Indie Disco in the venue after the gig, the whole band came out front, I can remember guitarist Debbie and I bouncing around the dancefloor to NIN’s Head Like A Hole.

Years later, Debbie was working in London record shops. I was in the Notting Hill MVE with my German friend, as I approached the counter she asked “Hello Steve, how’s Cambridge?” and we had a catchup.

The silent man from Stuttgart waited until we were outside the shop and uttered one word: “How?”

The Psychedelic Furs tour

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22/04/2021

Three dates in Sweden and Norway, then a quick dash round the UK.

Much as I dislike the Cambridge Junction, I’ll have to go. I’ve not seen them since 1990.

I imagine these will be postponed.