A bit niche this, apologies…

I’ve spent a bit of time getting Media Monkey set up, tags ok, artwork etc. I want to get a report by artist with all their albums which I have in MM. Ideally in release date order. It looks like this is possible in the Reports section but what you get off you run the report is Artist then the album title duplicated by the number of tracks on the album. As if it’s listing the tracks but using the album name each time.

Any ideas? I could load it into Excel and do a pivot table but it’s a lot of data and surely it’s a basic requirement so I suspect operator error.

Any ideas? I’m on the latest version, Gold.

Brit version, that it, much as I love the Byrds etc. That lovely period in the late 60s and 70s where folkies grew a rhythm section was just fab. Obviously Fairport were a huge driver of this, liberating folk solo artists and duos to make extraordinary music with a rock rhythm section whilst keeping the essence of the music. Post your favourites. (Yes, another list thread). Playlist to follow.

I know this has come up before but what are your alternative eshops to Dodgers? I’m engaging in a bit of futile gesturing but it makes me feel better. I’m curious where you get books, clothes, tech etc.

Ta

“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” and “Smiley’s People” have appeared on iPlayer. The original dramatisations with Alec Guinness. Both superb. This is a public service announcement.

Folk legend reaches the end of the road. He did it his way.

A message from Eliza Carthy:

“Dear everyone, A month ago, Martin, at 84, was diagnosed with late-onset Alzheimers Disease. While his doctor initially suggested that Dad would and should be able to tour in the Spring, and we were hoping to use the tour to say goodbye to Dad’s many fans, it now appears that this won’t be possible or advisable for his health. Dad sends his love and regrets to everyone hoping to see him one more time. Eliza will fulfil these shows, and will try to honour his legacy as much as possible. Our family thanks you for your patience and love.”

Apparently it is Old Rock Day. So post some old rock.

My submission in the comments. Obviously there are many candidates!

Pointless genre definitional arguments welcome!

https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/old-rock-day/

Link below…

Someone commented in another thread to the effect that streaming is better because how many times have you bought something then never listened to it. Of course we all know that one, but many of the albums I have loved for ever didn’t immediately grab me, but the investment of £££ meant I ploughed on then the penny dropped. Had we had streaming back in 1975 I probably would not have discovered The Mighty Tull, Little Feat, John Coltrane/jazz, Dylan, country music, folk music… – in fact other than shiny pop music which rehashes very familiar ideas, most requires a bit of an investment.

Streaming goes the other way. 10 seconds of 3 tracks and an album written off. A mate recently said he didn’t like Nerina Pallot’s “Fires” and on examination it emerged he had “sampled” three tracks. managing to miss “Idaho”. Hmm.

So who might you have missed had you not persevered? Or who never clicked? The Dead still escape me despite making an effort.

The Hep would be rolling his eyes? Isn’t one of his tropes that you shouldn’t make an effrot?

The New York Times reports there is a bio pic in production about Bruce Springsteen which focuses particularly on the period of his life when he made “Nebraska”, post – River tour and pre therapy and mega stardom. It stars Jeremy Allen White as Bruce and the Boss is actively involved in the production. Looks interesting.

View post on imgur.com

I don’t hear much about Nerina Pallot on here but she’s got a lovely run of “playing everything” videos on YouTube which I thought I’d mention. She’s great fun on F*cebook and does a beautifully written regular newsletter. I first discovered her on a BBC Live at Abbey Road and I was smitten by “Driving through Idaho” . Her albums are always top quality grown up pop. More below,..

The documentary about The Immediate Family – Danny Korchmar, Leland Sklar, Russ Kunkle, Waddy and Steve Postell has popped up on Netflix. I loved it. Essential viewing for any fans of the West Coast/Laurel Canyon world!

Link in Comments.

Mrs. T and I have a fancy to spend some in Northumberland this summer – everything I see of it looks looks lovely but I don’t know it at all. So, Massive, where to stay, where to go, what to see?

Thanks!

Fabulous long form video with Mike Campbell talking about his guitars and demonstrating famous parts. What a great player and great bloke. And some gorgeous guitars.

We all know what I mean. It seems crazy now, looking back. Thinking about especially 2020 the world turned upside down. In my diary on 12/03/20 is said “Coronavirus now getting quite worrying. Wish I wasn’t going to see Ben Watt on Saturday. Just feel like staying in”. in fact I posted here to that effect which is an interesting discussion to reread. Actually the gig was cancelled but I don’t think I’d have gone if it hadn’t been.

Until now it had been like Bird Flu or other supposed disease disaster scenarios and I didn’t really think it would amount to much, until the footage from Italy started to to appear on the news, then there was a growing sense of dread as it crept across Europe, then it arrived here, ten a period when you didn’t know anyone who had had it…then fairly soon you did, then you hardly knew anyone who hadn’t. In fact I got it late, in 2021 and it was unpleasant but dying was less likely then.

In fact I enjoyed the first lockdown. The weather was lovely and we caught up on garden jobs and sat and enjoyed the peace and quiet. We » Continue Reading.

The dreaded holiday planning season is upon us. I find myself bereft of ideas, having decided not to disappear into rural France for a change. Any ideas for a week in late May welcome. Thinking the Med but not fixed on it. Other ideas very welcome.

We slightly got into this in another thread recently but this is to make it clearer…

I can’t tolerate Copilot popping up all over the place so I think it’s Adios for MS Office. I used open Office on the boy’s PC and it was fine so I know the functions I need (nothing very clever) are there. Before I go the whole hog, are there any hidden gotcha’s I need to think about? Browser wise there are plenty of options. I’m thinking more about OneDrive etc, which I already cordially detest, which can occasionally duplicate everything or delete everything.

Experiences please!

Lyrics by AI! Very nice too.

See inside…

We rolled in from a splendid dinner at the pub last night and I put on Coltrane’s “My favourite things” (as you do, late night with the wood burner going and something peaty in a glass *). My friend said, “Is this jazz?”. Yes, I said, this is jazz.

But it’s an interesting question. So I ask the Massive, what is jazz?

* Lidl Ben Bracken Isley since you’re asking. Sensational at cheap money.