Here’s a review. The album is available at a streaming service near you.
https://ultimateclassicrock.com/frank-zappa-funky-nothingness-album-review/
Musings on the byways of popular culture
Here’s a review. The album is available at a streaming service near you.
https://ultimateclassicrock.com/frank-zappa-funky-nothingness-album-review/
I wonder whether Starc will come in for Hazelwood? He is a much better bat and can provide the occasional really nasty ball. I expect Boland to be much better next outing and he did well as Nightwatchman. England has trouble. Stokes must be pretty buggered physically to only take those 2 overs. Moeen – how can he bowl ? Doesnt seem like the type to “ push through” . And would take more than a week for a blister rubbed raw to heal. Can Bairstow open? You cant afford those misses that seem to always happen with him.
So one of those annoying phone people we all bitch about posted this from 3 months ago. Derek must know the song well, the timing is excellent and the soloing beautiful. Both smiling at each other’s contributions.
.
Ok England ain’t in it but still, lovely conditions, 2 pretty good teams and having had a real tussle of a series in India not long ago. Some top flight bowlers on both sides with a wicket looking to deteriorate. I am hoping Scott Boland is the new Glenn McGrath albeit late in his career. Best economy rate in the world in Tests 2.18. Jimmy Anderson is second with 2.27.
Coming to town soon. Am in 2 minds. The band line up sounds interesting and Ash Naylor should sparkle things up, But I found with Hypnogogue there was a lot going on for not much purpose.
If so, do tell.
Obituary
Broderick Smith was a ten pound pom arriving in Australia in the late 50s aged 11. So many of the great Australian bands of the sixties and early seventies had key musicians from overseas, principally the UK. Brod was a singer and harmonica player fairly quiet and unassuming the the video clip at Sunbury Rock Festival I’m gonna post when he was on acid being an exception. He made his name with a band called Carson who took their lead from Canned Heat reinforced by them releasing a single Booogie Parts 1 and 2. I have vague recollections of seeing them at our High School Annual dance. Having skulled half a bottle of whisky, what could possibly go wrong, I was hauled onto the stage and can vaguely remember lying under the mic stand while Broderick sang. Not my finest hour. After Carson he formed Australia’s best country-rock band The Dingoes. Their eponymous album still gets regular spins at Chez Wells – I rate it highly. There was a big band then he moved to the country, Castlemaine in central Victoria, he performed occasionally and released albums even less occasionally. He evolved into a country folk storyteller often appearing » Continue Reading.
Obituary
From Facebook RIP Ralph Humphrey, fantastic drummer and educator, known for his work with Frank Zappa in the early 1970s. Humphrey started his recording career in the Don Ellis orchestra in which he was a member from 1968 to 1973. This challenging ensemble, unique for its complex compositions and varied styles of music, was the best school to prepare Humphrey for his next career move. He became a member of Frank Zappa’s group just before the recording of Over-Nite Sensation, joining one of the best incarnations of Zappa’s groups: Sal Marquez – trumpet, vocals Ian Underwood – clarinet, flute, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone Bruce Fowler – trombone Ruth Underwood – percussion, marimba, vibraphone Jean-Luc Ponty – violin, baritone violin George Duke – synthesizer, keyboards Tom Fowler – bass
Humphrey continued to work with Zappa on two more albums: Apostrophe (‘) and Roxy & Elsewhere.
Humphrey talked about his early experience with Zappa’s band and working on the album Over-Nite Sensation: What Frank did with my drum set sound in the mix, it made them sound nice and snug, tight and clear. Frank would half-jokingly say that he hated jazz. I think he hated traditional be-bop jazz. But he surrounded » Continue Reading.
I have run out of RCA plug inputs at the back of the amp. Both have optical connections. Should I buy an optical cable to connect the cd player to the amp and free up some RCA inputs or will it sound shit?
Maybe it was the name Mink Deville, maybe there were too many other rabbits to chase down other burrows but this stuff is right up my ally. White soul singer, touch of the George Ivan, Morrison esp on the live stuff, New Orleans, Latin, a cumbia version of Hey Joe.
I’ve just ordered a triple CD 1976 -2009 covering the Mink and Willy years. I expect I will then be delving into specific albums -any recommendations
I have been doing this long enough now to realise that it aint just luck. Thep and the Baron et al consistently do under par whilst muggins lke me flounder around from bogey to bogey, occasional birdie , even an eagle then back to bogey. So what is your approach ? Religiously stick to the same word ? What is your second word? Focus on vowels?
Moi, I usually start with a word ending in a Y or an E and try to include at least 2 vowels. Second riw I try to follow up with all the vowels excluded in line 1.
After that it is a free for all.
Quite a few of the Massive have hearing issues, who’d have thought? So I thought my first impressions might be of interest.
I am 66. My hearing has been dodgey for I reckon 10 years, poor for 5 and this year, having to rely on subtitles on the TV permanently I felt it was time to do something about it. The diagnosis: ok in low to mid-range and moderate to severe loss in the upper register. The line falls off a cliff as the frequency increases. I also have tinnitus- a high pitcheed eeeeeee prominent during silences and exacerbated by stress.
On Tuesday I had them fitted and set for me -after a weekend ogf Jason Isbell then Nathaniel Rateliff and the Nightsweats, proving I am nothing if not recalcitrant.
I went to Costco for mine, and no, I didn’t have to buy a pallet of them. Costco are the biggest suppliers in America and have all the lastest technology. A guy I know with serious hearing issues reckoned he saved thousands going there. That was good enough for me. As the picture shows these puyppies from Phillips were recommended. Phillips is a new entrant with the aids being produced » Continue Reading.
Venue:
Melbourne- the Palais and the Forum
Date: 06/04/2023
Every Easter the East Coast Blues festival is held outside Byron Bay. This means heaps of roots artists tour the country at the same time. Sideshows are on offer for most of the acts.This year I saw Jason Isbell supported by Allison Russell on Thursday and the other 2 acts on Monday.
I wouldn’t have seen Isbell but for the support. Allison Russell has been reviewed on here previously. Very tough childhood before a vocal career including Birds Of Tokyo. Her only solo album “Outside Child” released in 2021 is excellent. For this show she had an all-female band of guitar, keyboards, percussion and Allison on vocals and errr….clarinet and banjo. Wonderful sonorous voice – reminded me of an animated Joan Armatrading. She could be a star but with this band I don’t think so. Apart from thnking they just weren’t very good there is the composition. Why not a bass? Why not a drum kit, given all the percussive efforts seemed to mimic drums anyway? A full band maybe, a brass section -it would be really something. But then again it would be pretty conventional and I don’t think » Continue Reading.
Many will know of Lucinda Williams’ stroke. Dai did a review of a show a while ago. Sheis in Oz for some shows and in an interview she said she still can’t play guitar and walking is challenge but thinks her voice is fine maybe better than before. Keith Jarrett has had multiple strokes so his playing days are over. A veteran of the Melbourne scene is Stephen Cummings who was in a band called Sports and has had a long solo career. He had a pretty significant stroke a while back but has fought back and has put out a new video clip. It’s a nice song but the effort to enunciate is moving and seeing him walking awkwardly is affecting having seen him perfrom for over 40 years. Major respect for his determination. Here’s a clip from 4 years ago and I will post the post stroke clip in the comments.
Robert Forster solo artist and former GoBetween is touring Europe with his son Louis. He has recently released an album after his wife Karin’s serious cancer illness. He has been writing periodically to his followers on Facebook.
Greetings from Cologne.
I am sorry for my absence from my town to town reporting, but I am still recoverying mentally and financially from the most brutal, terrifying, depressing weekend of my touring life. A weekend in hell.
Last Friday nights show in Dublin was beautiful. A wonder, I had told Louis how great Dublin audiences were, and everything that night met expectations and more. Thank you.
Over Saturday morning breakfast I discover by text, both our British Airways flights – from Dublin to London, from London to Hamburg, to make the Sunday night Hamburg show have been cancelled. In panic we go to Dublin airport where there is NO BA service desk. Instead we are given a card – ‘call that number’ – that’s the service.
My manager had been calling the number. Rescheduled flights may be got on Monday. No guarantees. So we are stuck at Dublin Airport.
Aer Lingus have a service desk. I buy two tickets leaving for » Continue Reading.
This is a straight quote from a Facebook page of Don’s Tunes. And his quote comes from Martin Power’s book, Hot Wired Guitar: The Life of Jeff Beck
Hope it’s ok. As many people don’t use FB I thought the text was best.
Jeff Beck: “I remember my mum warning me about tinnitus,” he later told Clashmusic. “She told me clearly what was going to happen. And that was when amplifiers were [only] five watts. She’d read about someone who had a continuous ringing in his ears. At the time, I equated loud noise with being good. [But] in about 1990, which was when I got it, my drummer was using these giant cymbals, which crashed into each other. I think they’re the worst thing ever. I won’t have them onstage with me ever again.” Best defined as a persistent buzzing, ringing or whistling in one or both ears, tinnitus was often caused by a specific condition such as infection, the side effect of certain drugs, a blocked auditory tube or even head injury. But in musicians it was usually more attributable to the results of playing at high volumes over a protracted period of time, with subsequent (and often » Continue Reading.
And the presenter is just as I expected.
It’s been a while. This one’s a doozy. Highly venomous snake and spider in the one story.
A music guy i know posted this on Facebook. Pretty convincing.
Write 4 verses of lyrics in the style of Steely Dan about the pointlessness of relationships.
Verse 1: Ain’t nobody ever tell you, it’s the same old game You just end up getting burned, no one stays the same The thrill of the chase will come to an early end And soon you’ll be alone again and around the bend
Verse 2: Trust is a loose word, and it won’t get you far You’ll find yourself missing the way things used to be The flames may flicker but no one can truly see What will become of love in the end eventually
Verse 3: Caught up in a web of uncertainties and fears We search for someone who’ll stay and vanquish all our tears But as soon as we start to feel safe, it’s gone away No soulmate can keep us content, forever and a day
Verse 4: All the hopes and dreams that we used to cling on to Now just seem so pointless in the end, what else can we do? No matter how we struggle, it’s all in vain The love » Continue Reading.
Obituary
Rockin Pneumonia is suspected * Possibly not true.
Blue Juice is a long running show down here. Mohair Slim the announcer really knows his stuff, plays lots of singles and has brought out quite a few acts to Australia. A fan of the show compiled this massive playlist.
A bit torn on this one. I respect a bands right to not play any show they want. On the other hand, where does it stop? The offending artist Dylan Frost of the band Sticky Fingers was an arsehole back in 2016 and apologised. He is on medication and, according to the promoter, hasn’t done anything of that sort since. But it is not good enough for King Gizzard who don’t believe in redemption apparently. I wonder whether they consulted Thelma Plum who he abused and intimidated in 2016? I don’t have a dog in this fight – I won’t be going to Bluesfest, I am not a fan of KGATLKs and don’t know the other band. It certainly adds another layer to the complexity of compiling a band lineup.
This is the successor to Thep’s thread, his having reached the designated “thread full” 300 coments.
I have a lot of African records and I want to start culling. I intended starting with 100+ 7″ singles.Mainly Zimbabwean artists- Thomas Mapfumo, Devera Ngwena etc. This is obviously a specialist category so I guess I will have to go to the international marketplace, so I would appreciate some advice. I expect being a seller in Australia is going to be a barrier as postage costs to the main markets will cost more. Then again our postage costs are nothing like the extortionate US postage costs.
*Ebay or Discogs or someone else *Quite a few on Discogs have not sold ever. Any ideas on pricing? *Any recommendations on shipping policy. *I have a Paypal account, I assume you don’t post until the money is in the account. Should I insist on Paypal only? *A friend suggested posting a sound file with each single. This seems like a lot of work. Thoughts? * Is there a facility for offering them as a job lot?
Thanks in advance.