The Afterword

Musings on the byways of popular culture

Menu

Navigation

5 years ago

by 70 Comments

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.

ATM Where shall we go!?

by 83 Comments

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.

Nick Lowe and Los Straightjackets

by 21 Comments

Venue:

The Stables, Wavenden

Date: 12/02/2025

To the Stables to see Nick Lowe! Or, more correctly, Nick Lowe and Los Straightjackets. Our journey there was enlivened by a tyre blowout in a pothole which was fun but we limped home and started again in Car 2 and made it in time to miss the support and have a restorative glass of wine.

The Stables is one of my favourite venues – great sound, excellent facilities, decent leg room, good views from all seats. Tonight was no exception.

Nick bounded on looking dapper as ever in patterned cream shirt, chocolate brown slacks and suede loafers. How does he continue to look so good? Avuncular as ever, he welcomed us to the evening promising lots of songs both old and new, Hurrah!

Then it went weird. I had not seen him with Los Straightjackets and they bounded on to great cheers so I was clearly in a minority, but I found the masks thing very disturbing. Why would you want your backing band to look like members of The Joker’s gang or the serial killer from a Scandi drama? We didn’t like it at all and had we realised they were » Continue Reading.

ATM Libre Office

by 18 Comments

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!

What is jazz?

by 94 Comments

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.

Porcupine Tree – “Fear of a Blank Planet” reissue

by 14 Comments

What does it sound like?:

This is a reissue of the 2007 album in a sumptuous set incorporating a remaster of the original album (Steve Wilson mixed albums don’t need a Steven Wilson remix, obvs), the spinoff “Nil Recurring” EP, a disk of demos, a live performance of the songs, a number of BBC and other sessions which includes tracks from other albums and finally a 5.1 surround sound Blu-ray. Also included is a well written book with many photographs and a film about the recording of the album. All you could possibly want then!

The album at the centre of this followed “Deadwing”, the PT album which heralded some much deserved success after the band completed the hard yards of global touring and making in-store appearances to an enthusiastic but frustratingly small(ish) audience though SW himself will admit that progressive music is a tiny genre of passionate fans and that’s how he likes it. Richard Barbieri notes that they were not making any money, but at least weren’t losing any. It is a concept album (naturally) inspired by the Bret Easton Ellis book “Lunar Park” and takes the perspective of the son of the narrator who lives in » Continue Reading.

Who’s The Boy With The Lovely Hair? The Unlikely Memoir of Jakko M Jakszyk

by 5 Comments

Author:akko M Jakszyk

This autobiography tells the story of Jakko Jakszyk, familiar to most through his membership of King Crimson and before that the Crimson playing ensemble of previous members (sans Robert Fripp). Maybe you know him as a touring member of Level 42 or as a technical mastermind for Jethro Tull reissues? As we learn through the book, there is much more to his CV than that. There is clearly no ghost writer here – you get the feeling Jakko is talking to you directly as he starts at his birth and moves through his childhood. We quickly learn that he was adopted, an event which goes on to shape the rest of his life. He is self-effacing to a fault throughout, constantly underplaying his achievements and putting them down to luck and being open and frank about his many false starts and dead ends. As a teenager he discovers the theatre as an outlet for his bubbling creativity, gaining an Equity card at an early age and throughout his career this thespian dimension pops up and down as the vagaries of the music business wax and wane. He gets steady work as writer and performer behind the scenes » Continue Reading.

Rory Gallagher – “Best of the BBC Collection”

by 18 Comments

What does it sound like?:

As the title suggests, this is a selection of Rory’s many BBC appearances spanning the early 70s to the mid-80s and as you’d expect, the sound quality is uniformly excellent. Many versions of the 1973/4 tracks also appear on “Irish Tour ‘74” which is considered by many to be the definitive Rory live album. Well, those tracks are equally excellent here in much better fidelity so are a pleasure to listen to, like an old friend appearing fresh faced and in great shape after the passage of the years. Other gems have also been pulled from the archives. A particular highlight is 1971’s “Used to be” from “Deuce” – certainly one of Rory’s best studio albums. He’s still with the first trio here who blow up a funky bluesy storm, Gerry McAvoy on especially great form. Another treat is “Banker’s Blues”, from 1973, with Rory on acoustic guitar and harmonica fingerpicking superbly with newly arrived Lou Martin on acoustic piano. Nice. Around half of the set is from a 1979 set at The Venue in London. This was a two-night show and, as it happens, I went to the other night. The band is » Continue Reading.

Not another re-release…

by 8 Comments

Just putting it out there… Twang rereleases are like buses (etc)

You saw this back in 2020 when some were quite nice about it. Well, due to, ahem, distribution problems it had to be withdrawn but now it rides again. Some tracks were rewritten, some just had a few tweaks to the mix. But I like so here it is.

Bandcamp: https://jonathanroberts.bandcamp.com/album/locked-down

Spotify:

60s Melodrama

by 103 Comments

I heard “You don’t have to say you love me” the other day and was moved to do a playlist of great 60s melodrama so here it is. Please add your suggestions below. I discussed with @Feedback_file who immediately said “what’s the definition of melodrama”. Here’s Wikipedia:

A modern melodrama is a dramatic work in which the plot, typically sensationalized and for a very strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodramas typically concentrate on dialogue that is often bombastic or excessively sentimental, rather than action. Characters are often flat, and written to fulfil established character archetypes. Melodramas are typically set in the private sphere of the home, focusing on morality and family issues, love, and marriage, often with challenges from an outside source, such as a “temptress”, a scoundrel, or an aristocratic villain. A melodrama on stage, filmed, or on television is usually accompanied by dramatic and suggestive music that offers further cues to the audience of the dramatic beats being presented.

Interestingly there isn’t much soul music which I think qualifies because the emotions are too real. Melodrama is greatly exaggerated with a pinch of fromage. Also, whilst melodramatic songs are usually dramatic, » Continue Reading.

ATM – install new PC

by 35 Comments

I’ve finally bitten the bullet and decided to replace my existing ancient Dell tower PC with a reconditioned HP desktop. It’s ages since I have done this so any advice welcome. Obviously I’ve backed everything up to OneDrive and an external drive.

Particular concerns:

1. Moving Outlook – not losing contacts, folders, old mail etc- I dimly remember there’s a data folder somewhere? it would be nice if the accounts could move too 2. iTunes – I have an ancient version to avoid Apple upgrade trauma as my still functioning iPod is probably no longer supported. Is there a better alternative now? 3. Separate logins for me and the Mrs. Currently we just use mine which means my OneDrive etc is peppered with Mrs. T’s documents, scans, images etc which it is fair to say she doesn’t have much of a structure for. objective is I separate then then all her stuff will be on her OneDrive away from mine. Can you share applications across different logins eg the banking software etc? 4. Can you just connect the two machines together and copy everything over? USB? Ethernet?

Advice, war stories gratefully received.

Alors, cheville cassée !

by 36 Comments

Mrs. T and I were having a lovely holiday in France until 2 days ago when we did a very simple 2k forest walk and she slipped whilst trying to avoid a puddle and broke her ankle in two places! The pompiers arrived in 20 mins and, having called a man with a chain saw to clear the path who arrived in 10 minutes, got her to A&E where they did x-rays, diagnosed the situation and kept her in over night, ambo to clinic first thing yesterday where they reassembled it with 6 pins in the afternoon. I picked her up at lunch time and bought a large bag of drugs with the shopping list they gave me. Perfect.

Now I wonder what’s next. What is the recovery process? How do I transfer a French case to a British hospital? When to travel back? Etc etc unknown unknowns.

Any experience/advice very welcome!

ATM Smoothies

by 63 Comments

My sister has been on at me to get a smoothie maker. This partly as I have some stomach lining damage to sort out and I envisage a sort of super smoothie with all the good stuff in it. But…but. I hate buying more shiny kit for the kitchen that never gets used. Any views, experience here?

Slide Masters

by 81 Comments

I was moved to create a playlist of some of my favourite slide guitar tracks/players. After the great input to my Great Guitar Instrumentals list last year, which still gives me pleasure, please feel free to suggest additions/changes!

BTW, lap steel and dobro are allowed, pedal steel not. That will be a playlist in the future. My list/rules etc!

Robin Trower – “Bridge of Sighs” (50th anniversary edition)

by 52 Comments

What does it sound like?:

Macclesfield, 1974. I am 16, 3 years into learning the guitar and keen for new music. I pop into Barry White’s record shop in Brook Green, location of many cool sounds. On the counter there is a mysterious looking sleeve with a strange exotic font and what looks like an ear but closer examination reveals it is actually an unidentifiable morphing shape hinting at a depthless vortex into which to fall. The music fills the shop – at one moment funky, the next rocking and bluesy, then spacy with swirling effects and layers of guitars. I’ve heard of Robin Trower, mostly second hand and of the “Hendrix ripoff” variety, but have never actually heard him. It doesn’t sound at all like Hendrix, I love it and my carefully coveted pocked money and paper round pay is exchanged for a copy. I’ve come back to this album many times in the ensuing decades, particularly the live album he released a few years later and never tire of Robin’s playing and particularly Jim Dewar’s great bass playing and sensational singing.

And so to the 50th anniversary of Robin Trower’s 1974 album “Bridge of Sighs”. This is » Continue Reading.

The Afterword Detective Agency

by 19 Comments

In the deepest recesses of my memory I remembered a Melody Maker article back in 1976 about a band who had done a storming version of “Love potion no. 9” with a remarkable lead singer, but I could recall nothing else. A bit of Googling and YouTubing revealed what I think is probably the record (which I didn’t actually hear at the time) and it is indeed a stormer. Apparently the band is The Mad Hatters, possibly with a Chris Gent as lead singer. Mike Batt produced it. I can find nothing else out about them though though there is another single on YouTube.

Anyone out there know anything? Surely with our collective knowledge we can answer the question, who were The Mad Hatters and where are they now?

The Afterword #108: DID with Steve T

by 32 Comments

Steve T joins Twang in the pod to discuss which of his favourite tracks, book and luxury he would take to a desert island should fate place him there. If this format reminds you of a programme by the nation’s favourite broadcaster, this is, of course, a complete coincidence.

If you’d like to be abandoned on a desert island with only one book and a few MP3s, contact Twang.

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/theafterwordpodcast/Steve_T_DID.mp3

Dean Parks on Steely Dan and others

by 4 Comments

Apologies for the slightly nerdy / niche nature of this, but I fell into watching this interview with Dean Parks, session guitarist who did some notable Steely Dan tracks amongst many other. What a self effacing and nice bloke with encyclopedic knowledge of his instrument and what he used for what. Like many experts he answers question articulately and in detail with a touch of wry humour along the way. Well worth 45 mins of your time if you’re vaguely interested in how great pop music gets made. I felt some here would enjoy it.

Something for the weekend Sir?

by 50 Comments

Any plans for the weekend? I’m happy to say I do not. Mrs. T is going to the theatre on Saturday so I’m home alone with a good movie, subtitles on and guitar in hand. I’ve been relatively busy lately so a bit of idleness will be welcome. How about yous?

My tip – there’s a nice documentary about the making of “Wildflowers” by Tom Petty on Prime. Very watchable.

Have a good one.

New Joe Jackson album

by 13 Comments

You can’t accuse Joe Jackson of ploughing the same old groove. His new album is old music hall classics! Looks fun from the video, though I imagine many will be mystified!

ATM – home security

by 63 Comments

Slightly gloomy subject but our neighbours were burgled recently – they had poor locks on the front door and the feckers walked straight in. But it prompts me to look at video doorbells, cameras, lighting etc etc. Another neighbour has gone with the Blink system which seems nicely designed and integrated with cameras, lights etc…but what does the massive think? Other options? Good/bad/indifferent?

In fact we have little worth nicking in this day and age (who steals 8 year old tellys?) and have no cash in the house but it’s the toerags getting in and ransacking the place which is just horrible.

PS – of course, the scrotes will get in if they want to – the whole objective is to make it look like more hassle than moving on to a less well protected house.

PPS – I’m not getting a dog!