Ray Cooper….or Tommy Cooper?
Tiny Quiz – nothing to do with the inkies
Please be assured: this has nothing to do with the NME, etc.
Below are quotes from two members of a band, about a single track on one of their records.
Can you guess: which band and which record? If you’re feeling really astonishingly wonderful today, maybe even the track (might be a bit trickier)?
Band member A: “The ultimate destruction of rock ‘n’ roll is to destroy it with itself – and that’s to take out the ‘n’ roll part. Johnny B Goode stands for everything wrong with ’50s rock and roll: the cheerfulness and the neatness of the tune. So the basic idea of (…) was Johnny B Goode with one chord, repeating – and what it needed to go with it was a big, multitracked, fuck-off wall of guitars.”
Band member B: “It has a sort of majesty, we all felt it was the mission statement. It’s because of its incredible simplicity. Obviously there’s a bit of a chorus going on, but essentially it’s one chord. This is a possible music. Again, it’s this abstract thing: what’s the least you can do and it still be music?”
NME Review – Another Tiny Quiz (Something for the weekend…)
Here’s an extract from a review in the NME. No clues: no year, no journalist name… Which album do you think is being reviewed? It’s a bit rococo/Pseud’s Corner – but great fun (the quote, that is…)
“It unfolds in arabesques and divaricating asymtotes, bespeaking an hermetic inspiration given only to those few for whom the head is in radiant and complete harmony with the heart and hips”
Mike Ratledge RIP
Obituary
Sorry to hear that Mike Ratledge died yesterday, after a short illness. He was a huge part of my listening over a lengthy period of years with the mighty Soft Machine – and I’m sure that I won’t be the only one here.
NME Review – a Tiny Quiz
Here’s an extract from a review in the NME. No clues: no year, no journalist name… Which album do you think is being reviewed?
“This album worries me. It worries me because so much of the music here is so blatantly lacklustre compared with the exhilaratingly high standards already set by (…). By most other standards, this album would be almost brilliant, but for (…) it is easily (their) worst album to date.”
MARSHES TO MOUNTAINS – a charity compilation download from Bandcamp
As advertised – “OVER 200 SONGS FROM SAVANNAH MUSICIANS FOR JUST $30 – ALL PROCEEDS GO TO WESTERN NC HURRICANE & FLOOD VICTIMS”
The MARSHES TO MOUNTAINS story:
“On September 27, 2024, cities, towns and remote rural communities in the mountainous region of Western NC were horrifically devastated by unprecedented wind and rain from Hurricane Helene. Described as a “Thousand Year Storm,” it brought tornadoes and almost incomprehensibly swift and savage flash flooding to areas which were in many ways completely unprepared for that sort of extreme weather event.
Over 100 people died, and more than 100,000 homes were severely damaged or completely destroyed. Hundreds of necessary bridges must be replaced, and the rough estimate to repair just the state-owned roads in NC which were damaged by Helene has been placed at “several billion dollars.”
That doesn’t include hundreds more privately owned dirt and gravel roads which have been washed away.
Right now, three months after this natural disaster, thousands of people who were suddenly made homeless (virtually none of whom were insured against such an unforeseen occurrence as a tropical storm or hurricane in this high elevation, inland area), are living outdoors in tents, while temperatures dip into the » Continue Reading.
Dame Mitsuko Uchida
…is 76 today: a good enough reason to post an example of what she does best.
Jean Sibelius born 8th December 1865
Yes, indeed: so let’s have some, to celebrate…also taking the opportunity to mention Valtteri Bottas, a man without a seat for 2025. I hope he finds one, I always liked his attitude – even when he stopped winning things.
Jazzzzzzz – delicious hot…
I was in our local Hospice shop today – I spotted a copy of Bix Beiderbecke: Vol. 1 – Singin’ the Blues, on a proper CBS CD, for a mere 50p. Reader, I purchased it…
Well, this unassuming purchase has made me smile more than just about anything else I’ve bought for some considerable time! Let joy be unconfined!
Anyone else bought any music recently which resulted in a surge of unexpected joy? Doesn’t have to be a chazza purchase, of course…
“The Afterword likes to wear their ignorance with pride.”
An interesting assertion about the Afterword Massive© , made on another thread. Anyone broadly agree? Anyone broadly disagree? There’s only one way to find out…
Sheep and Goats…
When you see “Eruption” coming up on a playlist, are you expecting:
Van Halen; or
Focus?
Bowie in Berlin Documentary this evening
Transmission on BBC Radio Four this evening, then presumably moving to BBC Sounds afterwards. Link to programme page in next post. Looks interesting!
NME Review – another Tiny Quiz
After the excitement of the election – and the inevitable tension – here’s a tiny quiz, to relax the fibres and massage the cortex.
As before, here’s an extract from a review in the NME. No clues: no year, no journalist name… Which album do you think is being reviewed?
“This is not a bad album. There’s just no point in listening to (…) being anything less than brilliant. Here (…) is just drunk and boring someone in some dark cafe.”
Tiny Quiz – Bank Holiday Variant
Here’s a variation on the Tiny Quiz, since it’s a Bank Holiday weekend. You know the Ultimate Music Guide specials which Uncut produce? One of the standard items is a “top 30” tracks, as voted for by stars, journalists, fans and personalities.
Here’s a quote from a musician, describing his or her favourite track by another musician.
Who is giving the quote? Who is the quote about? What is the track being described?
“…it has soulfulness too, but it’s mutating into something else. Listening to it now, it reminds me of something by Van der Graaf Generator. There’s prog-ness about it, but it has a real energy and drive. Christ knows what (…)’s singing about…”
It’s Uncanny…
…are they, by any chance, related?
Regards Ena B Maxwell.
ATM – coax or optical?
Quick survey, before @fentonsteve comes along with the physics of signal transfer – and the answer!
All other things being equal: and considering a CD transport with both optical and coaxial outputs, into a decent DAC with both optical and coaxial inputs; and good quality optical and coaxial cables of the same (short) length; which will give the best sound, theoretically (ie, I know you’re supposed to use your ears to decide)?
Thanks.
NME Review – a Tiny Quiz for the ages
I wasn’t planning to post another of these so soon – but I came across this quote and, frankly, couldn’t resist. Since the previous quote was so short and open-ended, this verbose verbiage (sic) should be a piece of cake – so I’m expecting a winner this time around!
Here’s an extract from a review published in the NME. No clues: no year, no journalist name – and I’ve redacted some giveaway words.
Which album do you think is being reviewed?
“(…) have reduced themselves, or extended themselves, to selling bittersweet fantasies and seductive happy endings, making music where the nostalgic tendencies are impossibly correct, the modern moments ironically obvious and the moods delicately (remotely) controlled.”
NME Review – Return of the son of Tiny Quiz
Here’s an extract from a review published in the NME. No clues: no year, no journalist name – and I’ve redacted the title. I’ve deliberately moved away from corporate snark – when you know the album, you may or may not agree with the conclusion – but you can’t deny the positivity!
Which album do you think is being reviewed?
“(…) is the ONLY contemporary rock album.”
NME Review – the return of a Tiny Quiz!
Here’s an extract from a review published in the NME. No clues: no year, no journalist name – and I’ve redacted three words which might give it away. Please note that the odd-looking “mediocrity” is transcribed exactly as it appeared. MOR – oho!
Which album do you think is being reviewed?
“Much as I’d like to drag (…) up from the depths of MediOcRity and say (…) has found the candy floss and bubblegum appeal of once sadly boring acts like Dollar, I’m afraid to say that (…) has missed the boat…”
Mags giveaway!!
I’m having another clear-out, found four music mags which might find a home on here, rather than ending up in the recycling.
Pictures in first comment (don’t want any Mod trouble) – if you want any or all of them, PM me to make sure that I see it. First come first served, of course – if I have no response by Monday, they’ll be in the recycling bin on Tuesday.
See you round the campus!
Random music post – a KFD production
Once again, posting some music which I found by accident. I suspect it will appeal – to some, anyway. It has a strange melancholy character. Any more late 60s/early ‘70s Italian movie themes?
UFO theme – big band arrangement
I wasn’t sure where to put this, hence starting a new thread. I came across this by accident, while looking for something else – it occurred to me that it might interest some of you. Read in the comments that this was a rehearsal – and that they were sight-reading! Makes it all the more remarkable!
Tiny Quiz 2 – another NME review!
Since it’s still the weekend, here’s another tiny, tiny quiz. Credit to @Kaisfatdad, who sent this quote to me – so he is, of course, banned from taking part (unless he chips in with a cryptic clue or two)…answer will appear tomorrow!
Here’s an extract from a review in the NME. No clues: no year, no journalist name… Which album do you think is being reviewed?
“Great music for people who’ve wasted their youth to sit around drinking beer and wasting the rest of their lives to”
NME review – a tiny quiz
Since it’s the weekend, here’s a tiny, tiny quiz.
Here’s an extract from a review in the NME. No clues: no year, no journalist name… Which album do you think is being reviewed?
“So effortless, they sound as though they could do it sleeping, blindfolded, one hand tied behind their backs…it’s very, very boring. Their accountants will be pleased.”
Happy 70th Birthday, Poison Ivy!
Yes, indeed: Poison Ivy Rorschach, long time Cramps guitarist, is 70 today…who’d a thunk it? She’s the reason I own an orange Gretsch! I’ll put a vid in the comments…of course!
