Tap are back

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/arts/article/spinal-tap-ii-elton-john-and-paul-mccartney-turn-it-up-to-11-h2pxslqkp

Hello all. I’ve revived my David Bowie; Albumtoalbum podcast and for the first episode in ages, have author of The Complete David Bowie, Nicholas Pegg join me for a poke around the innards of 1984’s ‘Tonight’. Not an album I went into this conversation with any high regard for, but as ever Pegg is balanced, reasonable and of course, possessed of an almost frightening level of knowledge and insights. Hope you enjoy

The last of The Band leaves us.

Set fuzztones to max. What a legend.

He had written a note on his FB page for this very eventuality

“Hi to all, and many thanks to all of you who have been reading my rock stories for all this time, it has been greatly appreciated! Please note, that if you’re reading this now, this is my final vignette, as I am no longer residing on this plane of existence, and have “moved on”, to wherever that may be. I’d like to think there is something beyond where I was to where I am now, assuming that the millions of suppositions as to what is next, are accurate. I’d like to think that I’m thoroughly enjoying my new “residence”, and that the countless rumors that there is a big working “studio in the sky” are true, and that we are, dare I say, making heavenly music! I am also hoping that I am currently engaged in renewing relationships with a ton of friends and acquaintances, many of which go back for decades. I’ve had a good run, and I am delighted it lasted as long as it did. I’m also delighted that I am told I have a » Continue Reading.

I often have Radio 4 on in the background when I am working, and Michael Mosley’s cosy ‘Just One Thing’ series became a regular part of the morning routine. It was on just the other day, I think, I had it on in the background and he was excitedly extolling the virtues of flax seeds, in that artlessly enthusiastic manner, a bit reminiscent of Richard Briers.

The jolly music, cheery tone – all very soothing. And so was the reassurance that adding some flax seeds to your diet or popping a couple of cherries into your granola every now and then would do you a power of good.

It was only when his death was confirmed today I remembered how much his work actually really helped me in the past. Years back, when he was banging on about the 5:2 diet, I bought the book and shed a good amount of avoirdupois when nothing else had worked.

I soon slid out of intermittent fasting, and back into eating crap and not moving around much. Then, some years later, I got diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I didn’t get far with the NHS supplied info, no real problem » Continue Reading.

I just can’t see the point of these brands. I’ve tried, in each case, but can’t get along with them.

Sanyo Gola shoes Crosse & Blackwell

What brands just make no sense to you?

New episode of albumtoalbum (finally) out now! With yer man on the uranium ukulele Reeves Gabrels

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/davidbowie-albumtoalbum/id1355073030

Saw this on Twitter courtesy of beatlepodstar @stevenc

Garth Hudson is in an assisted living and not doing too well. A friend of his is asking fans to send him a postcard to cheer him up. Details in the tweet

https://twitter.com/levonthehawk/status/1497728746886885378?s=21

If you want them, DM me cheers

Abba were the first band I can remember. When I was three or four, ‘Arrival’ had come out and my parents bought it for me and would sit with me patiently, listening to the whole LP over and over again. I can still remember identifying the songs by their tones and feels, not having a clue what they were on about. Which was definitely a blessing in the case of ‘Dum Dum Diddle’.

The cover was (and is) gorgeous and became synonymous with the music for me. Four goodlooking people in white boiler suits standing around a still helicopter, in a mysterious dusk. Sure! Why not? The beautiful title track, all yearning chorale and folkish melody entranced and soothed me, after the terrifying screaming finale to the preceding ‘I Am The Tiger’.

The following year I was gifted ‘Abba The Album’, by a friendly nurse who worked at my dad’s surgery. It had to be explained that this was Abba – I still remember that, weirdly clearly, I initially didn’t understand that this was the same group of people as those standing around the helicopter. But again, here was a mysterious cover with lots to look at, colourful » Continue Reading.

I have decided to buy a bass. Budget £400- 450ish, am drawn to Squier models, currently looking excitedly at a Squier CV Jag. Intrigued by Mustang but wondering if short scale might feel a bit fiddly (I am a substantial slab of bloke at around 6’3 and broad in the beam).

Wildcard is a 50s CV Precision, this bloke’s review of it is pretty tempting and it looks stunning

I am veering towards the Jag as it blends P and J pickups, and review videos balance out the joys of these configurations in one package vs fiddly ‘stack’ controls.

A bass playing friend has recommended I go for a “proper” bass [his words] and just get a Jazz bass.

Any Fender bassists here who could give me any tips? I know it is not possible to physically try one out at the moment, I just want something with a lovely fat, rich soft tone which is approachable for a guitarist (Fender Jazzmaster) to learn on.

New episode of Albumtoalbum is out now and its the first instalment of a chat with bass-wallah Guy Pratt whose stock of HORAs is on a par with Ellen, Hepworth at the very least. We don’t get very far in our discussion of Lodger, but I did have a lot of fun with him. Have a listen! 🙂

View post on imgur.com

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/davidbowie-albumtoalbum/id1355073030#episodeGuid=tag%3Aaudioboom.com%2C2020-04-23%3A%2Fposts%2F7564339

If Keir Starmer wins the Labour leadership, popular “disk jockey” and severely-wronged public figure and beat obituarist Paul Gambaccini says he will stand (or run) against him at the next election.

From The Times:

Paul Gambaccini, the BBC radio star, is threatening to stand against Sir Keir Starmer at the next general election in protest at the Labour leadership hopeful’s handling of Operation Yewtree.

The disc jockey, who was arrested in 2013 on false allegations of sexual abuse, blames Starmer, the former director of public prosecutions, for the “torment” he suffered at the hands of the Metropolitan police.

“I can assure you if the Labour Party makes Keir Starmer their leader, I will run against him at the next election,” he said.

Mr Gambaccini claims that Sir Keir, who headed the Crown Prosecution Service from 2008 to 2013, launched a “witch-hunt” against him and the likes of Sir Cliff Richard and Jimmy Tarbuck, “ruining countless lives”.

In 2013, Sir Keir responded to the Jimmy Savile scandal and sex-grooming cases by issuing new guidance to prosecutors to focus on the credibility of allegations, not the alleged victims, when deciding whether to prosecute.

In a valedictory interview on the Andrew Marr » Continue Reading.

This is really good. Swedish guys sample Trump in a vaguely mid 70s Zappa/Dan idiom and it works out pretty funny

I’ve been reading excerpts from Reg’s forthcoming autobiography in the papers. The extracts thus far have been v entertaining and hair-raising (toupee-raising?) in equal measure with the blizzards of gak fuelling the monstrous ego, all related with self deprecating wit. Who else is looking forward to this?