Tuning into Lauren Laverne this morning on 6Music during my ablutions, and I caught half of a song. Another one of those earnest, sensitive singer/songwriters was my first thought. Gently strummed chords, the barest hint of a melody. But Christ, the vocals! Thin, reedy, nasally and whiny. It was familiar but I couldn’t quite place it. It got worse as it went along. One of those American folkies beloved by the press I reckoned.

Almost right. It was Kermit, Am I out of touch?

I’m in charge of the Washing machine at Steady Towers and I’ve been thinking.

I don’t think I’ve ever used half of the functions it has. Never used the “Reduced Ironing” button, never had the need to do a pre-wash. Could count on one hand the number of 90, 60 degree or wool washes I’ve done.

So how about a washing machine that only has a 40 or at a push a 40 and 30 degree wash?

Sell it for £150 quid, gap in the market surely? I’m sure there will be reasons why . And do you have any Dragon’s Den type inventions you’d like to share?

Seems to have resurrected himself of late.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-52703265

A mate of mine has put this up on Soundcloud so I’m sharing it where I can.

Of course it’s ace. And I’ve got tickets for the Manchester show in October…surely we’ll be allowed out to play by then?

https://youtu.be/6DA95FFBJNs

Sixteen minutes…yikes!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-52061447

Off to meet my mates for a mini jolly boys in York in a couple of weeks. Some of us might go to the big match at Bootham Crescent where the home team take on Altrincham and I know York is a nice place for a bimble. Your usual recommendations for food , drink etc.

Ta.

I know there are a few fans on here etc.

A European tour plus one date in London. Saturday 13 June O2 Forum.

I’m planning to go!

Some great small venues out there still. Some still fondly remembered…Hello there the Roadhouse in Manchester.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-51263579

But plans fell through. So I treated myself to Dad’s Army, the episode with the captured German submariners which you’ll know for the “Don’t tell him Pike!” Quote. Almost as ubiquitous as Fork Handles.

Anyhow, the performance of the actor who played the Submarine Captain was a tour de force. A swaggering cock sure but comedic performance. Step forward one Philip Madoc. You nailed it, and some. Married to Ruth Madoc apparently.

So, I might have not got my rare night out but still, little victories.

Balls

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/neil-peart-rush-obituary-936221/amp/

The Chameleons, supported by a very rockist Icicle Works at the Ritz, Manchester last night…a top top gig.

And Reg was back!

But a thread for those songs you hear and go ‘Wow, what’s that , where did that come from?”

My choice, Party Fears Two by the Associates…bonkers.

https://youtu.be/fZSMDaewz2A

I was “researching” the year 1912 for a crossword clue and stumbled upon this…scroll down through the months!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1912

I know it’s naff, I know it’s terminally unhip but I still love Crime of the Century.

As much as I love Black and White by the Stranglers, Signals by Rush and Life’s Hard and then you Die by It’s Immaterial, non of which are particularly whiny.

https://youtu.be/tfhq0IUIi6k

Good fun, this.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-49824441

On this day in 1980, your boys played their first official gig supporting the mighty Comsat Angels at the Bridgehouse London. Plinky plonky electro pop and brooding proto goth…sounds good to me!

This lovely place is turning into Mojo magazine. Posts on the Beatles, King Crimson, Bob Dylan, 1972, The Weight. I could go on.

Not that I like new music myself.

I know.

They’d pretty much jumped the shark with their previous album, Sparkle in the Rain, and this album was where they’d lost the plot. All the imagination and gloriies of New Gold Dream two release previously were buried in bluster.

Well, yes. But I had, for some reason a hankering to play it today, as an accompaniment to a day of tedious cleaning jobs And blasting it out while I was home alone , I absolutely loved it. Plenty of overblown nonsense of course but it was miles better than I recall and than I’d let myself believe.

So, any nice musical surprise for you out there recently?

Prompted by watching that Go -betweens documentary, where the band kept going, kept going, kept going , despite commercial failure and indifference from the public. They must have incurred some quite serious costs over the years, recording, touring, etc. Even just flying between London and Sydney must have cost a pretty penny.

So how do bands survive if they’re not successful ? Other jobs? Parents with deep pockets. Or do they exist in artistic poverty?

Recorded it months ago and finally got round to watching it. 30 minutes in…it’s absolutely brilliant and I can’t really put my finger on exactly why as I’m not actually a huge fan of them, 16 Lovers Lane excepted which is a sublime album.

Anyone else out there seen it?

Did we know this?

Looking forward to it and England are many people’s favourites. Probably rightly so. Not sure why we’re playing Australia so close to the start though.

The drummer has fractured his foot so the forthcoming UK gigs are cancelled. Really gutted, was the highlight of my year.

I have a postal vote and made the mistake of opening the envelope late last night. Clearly I’ve not been paying attention up here in the North West of England as there are any number of Parties on the ballot slip I was unaware of, up to 8 candidates in each Party – most of whom I’ve never heard of – APART from the last (hopefully) candidate on the list…Robinson, Tommy.

I have no idea who is favourite for my region (and it must be a big region, the North West) but I think I need to wake up. I’ve never voted tactically in my life but think this could be a first.