Advert for Punk CD including such anarchic heavy hitters such as Men At Work, Crowded House, Huey Lewis & The News, Erasure & The Thompson Twins

There are some supposed “Classic” albums which to my (potentially) cloth ears ain’t all that. Each to their own, and I’m fully aware that the human being is not an homogeonised entity where everyone likes the same stuff.

But I do feel I must be missing something. After reading the Patti Smith piece in Mojo, I fished out Horses for another listen. Still not not covinced. There are other albums which I have a blind spot with, so I tried them too. These are: Jeff Buckley – Grace Nirvana – Nevermind

And do you know what – they still leave me completely unmoved, and unable to understand why people speak of them in such gushing tones.

So, what am I missing? Have I got cloth ears? Will there suddenly be a moment when it all “clicks”?

Those Corporate behmoths of Walkers (the Crisp people) are running a campaign to find out what ex-flavour of Crisps the great unwashed want to bring back into circulation. This seems to be a bit of a pointless escapade, as there can only be ONE winner.

The answer is Beef and Onion

The greatest flavour of thinly cut fried potato ever All was well in the world, and then Walkers started to get all aspirational and posh, and replaced them with STEAK & Onion (the fools).

Oh, and there is £100k up for grab in the Prize Draw that goes with it

Note: I don’t work for Walkers (but Mrs D does)

(What do you mean this stuff is not important?)

https://www.walkers.co.uk/bringitback

Communal singing at rocking-est.

Personally, I could watch the synchronicity of the drummers all night

According to BBC News, there has been a drop in the number Organ Donations in the last year (the first drop for 11 years). The solution? Give Keith Emerson a call – he’s bound to have a few spare Moogs and Hammonds knocking about (with or without knife damage).

On a more serious note – I have a Donor Card, so one day there will be a rise in numbers (although quite what use my liver and lungs would be to anybody, I don’t know?).

Wales will be changing the “rules” in December, whereby consent is assumed unless you specifically opt-out. The rest of the UK may well follow. And why not? Obviously discounting religious and/or medical restrictions, this can only be a good thing.

(unfortunately)

http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t490/Rigid_Digit/judge_zps91fjomrb.jpg

Yes, its back – and it’s still only July.

Two Leagues created:

The Afterword 48937-14152 The Afterword Head to Head 48937-14180

If nothing else, it makes Saturdays more interesting

http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t490/Rigid_Digit/afterwordfpl_zpsc162d76d.jpg

Finally, after 30 years, I now OWN a copy of Dexys Midnight Runners Don’t Stand Me Down.

In 1985 I stood in Our Price with enough cash to buy 1 album. The choice was Dexys or The Pogues – Rum, Sodomy & The Lash. The Pogues won, and I never got round to actually buying the Dexys album. Besides, I taped the album from a mate and that did fine for a while

I started looking again a couple of years ago, and discovered that it was available, but would set me back the cost of one kidney. I have got the album, but it is a CD-R copy from a “questionable” source Earlier this year, Amazon were offering it at £15 – and guess who had just had a whopping great bill for a dead car, and more expense for house repairs? And when this financial inconvenience was solved, the offering on Amazon was no more … Until last week, when a third party seller popped up offering DSMD for £11.99 + £1.26 p&p.

Thank you very much!

And it’s here, I now own the musical equivalent of the Holy Grail.

Will it change my life in any way? » Continue Reading.

John Entwhistle at Number 1. Not really a surprise

Who’s missing? I nominate Ali McMordie

http://www.udiscovermusic.com/the-50-greatest-bass-players

Mentioned before (Jam Archive on show at Somerset House on 26th June). In conjunction, Universal will be releasing a 22 Track Jam Best Of. More trawling and repackaging of the back catalogue. As far as I can see, this is basically Snap with a few more B-Sides and album tracks added. Call me cynical, but I reckon that the vast majority of visitors will already own Snap (and probably the rest of the catalogue too), so what particular “gap in the market” is this filling?

(Except of course for my mum to get confused when trying to find me a birthday present, stumbling across it on Amazon, and thinking “I’m sure he likes that band?”. She has already bought me The Blues Brothers Soundtrack – twice!)

http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/visual-arts/the-jam-about-the-young-idea

from Amazon summary of Classic Quadrophenia:

“As legendary British rock band The Who celebrate their 50th anniversary, their landmark record ‘Quadrophenia’ is released in a new orchestral version orchestrated by Pete Townshend’s wife, Rachel Fuller. The rock opera is performed by The Royal Philhamonic Orchestra, with Alfie Boe filling the shoes ofJeff Daniels.”

and their spelling of Philharmonic is a bit phonetic too.

Maybe he was in Quadrophenia and I just missed him – maybe he was in the Beach Fight sequence with Jim Carrey and Keanu Reeves

No it doesn’t

This summer sees a new exhibition charting the history of The Jam with accompanying new CD compilation and a limited edition book examining the band’s lasting influence.’The Jam: About The Young Idea’ – will open at London’s Somerset House on 26th June and will be packed with items hand picked from The Jam Archive.

(not my words – text nicked from e-mail)

http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/visual-arts/the-jam-about-the-young-idea

or a cynical marketing ploy to get more people buying stuff on Record Store Day? (and then lobbing it on EBay at vastly inflated prices)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-32251994

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http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t490/Rigid_Digit/blairjoker_zpsw1tsuksj.jpg

First track (You’re Not Alone) from solo album due in May

First impressions: There’s a touch of the Steve Harley about the voice The “der der der der” middle bit is vaguely recognisable from somewhere, but I’m bu**ered if I can place it.

Interest has been piqued enough to take a punt on the album when released, especially now I have heard the first single (see below)

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http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t490/Rigid_Digit/fabulousbakinboys_zpspp1mwzpc.jpg

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http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/celebrity/prince-harry-called-up-to-join-the-fall-2015032396574

That is the headline on the BBC News pages.

Now, I know that Pete is a bit mutton, but where does he get off telling us when and how long we can listen to music.

Whilst removing frost from the car windscreen this morning, I found myself singing The Jam’s “Scrape Away”.

I went shopping, and when we returned couldn’t find the bread. “Where Did Our Loaf Go?”

Spent late morning/early afternoon in the garden. I was singing in my head “Pruning Back The Hedge” (to the tune of Talking Heads “Burning Down The House”

Hoovering needed doing, and I had the urge to grow a moustache and sing about how I yearned to get away from domestic mundanity (I can report there was no urge to dress up in drag (honest!)).

First drink of the night just finished – I’m on the way to being “Comfortably Numb”

Never did get the chance to enthuse about this Box Set as the pub burned down before I managed to compose anything.

Brought to you be the compilers of the excellent Scared To Get Happy: A Story Of Indie-Pop ’80-’89 Set, this 4 CD set celebrates an often overlooked period of music, often unfairly referred to as “The Jam and some other bands. Oh, and Quadrophenia too”. All the big names are here: Secret Affair, The Chords, Purple Hearts, Squire, Merton Parkas The Jam do not appear (only in the guise of The Jolt performing the Weller song “See Saw” – and (perversely, possibly) that is a good thing. It gives lesser known bands a chance to shine. Bands which (in my opinion (which may not count for much!) that should’ve been massive like The Truth or The Prisoners (a retrospective statement, as I only discovered them 3 or so years ago) to worthy contenders, maybe not so vividly remembered names like The Combine, Untamed Youth, Beggar and The Vandells. The mid-80s Mod Revival-Revival is also represented in the shape of The Moment, Makin’ Time and the Gents.

Makes you want to buy some » Continue Reading.