The Afterword

Musings on the byways of popular culture

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John Le Carre

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I’m surprised no one has mentioned already that one of the greatest British novelists has passed through to the other side. I’ve read most of his books, all good, some brilliant. The core Smiley ones, Tinker Tailor, Honourable Schoolboy and Smiley’s people (aka The Karla Trilogy) are deservedly seen as highlights but The Spy Who Came In From The Cold is a classic and the others are all worth a look. I reread A Small Town in Germany numerous times decades ago on a kibbutz where the library was rather limited and it never failed to grip me.

It’s sad he’s gone but he had an excellent innings at 89 and what a legacy. RIP.

Listening on properly big headphones

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No, not some 14 quid ear buds to your phone via Bluething!

Big Stingray Phones jobs, plugged into the stereo! My exploration of the Porcupine Tree has led me to late night listening to long trippy tracks through my lovely AKG K702s. What a joy. I’ve gone mad listening to long forgotten treasures on, yes, “cans”. There’s no tool like an old tool. I just wish they had a curly lead like proper headphones but they’re hopelessly unreliable.

The Afterword #105: The 80scast

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Twang finally finds the key to the pod and virtually gathers with Tiggerlion, Dave Amitri and special guest Hilary to discuss the 80s, a decade beloved and reviled by equal numbers of people. Perhaps, the team muse, a decade with plenty to feel down about in the world needed frothy, fun, happy and irreverent music to provide some respite.  Unless, Twang sighs, you were a miserable git anyway.

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/theafterwordpodcast/80scast.mp3

Easy rocking Cajun tinged accordian.

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I need an example of easy rocking, cajun tinged accordian. A swinging, sightly funky groove with some tasty driving accordian maybe. Any ideas? I have some running round my head but can’t think of the songs. Suggestions welcome!

Jimi Hendrix – Live in Maui

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What does it sound like?:

By all accounts the original recording was a victim of a fairly wasted organisational team at the gig meaning a fair amount of digital magic had to go into this reissue to get it up to scratch. Whilst I’ve heard better sounding live albums it’s not bad. Apparently the drums suffered from terrible wind noise in the mics so Mitch Mitchell recreated his performance in the studio afterwards which is going some. It’s fair to say it’s rather thin sounding, truth be told.

Anyone who is familiar with Jimi and especially live Jimi will know what’s in store here, sensational guitar playing with the odd side order of duff notes and out of tune riffage, such being the cost of breaking all the rules. I think it sounds bloody great actually. I especially like the fact that there are live versions of tracks which turned up on “The cry of love”, the much maligned album pieced together after Jimi’s death but which I’ve always liked a lot.

Jimi chats quite a bit and it’s always good to hear that stoned slurred sounding hippy stuff coming from him.

What does it all *mean*?

It » Continue Reading.

Funniest movie?

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As it’s Friday, time for a handy natter abiut your favourite funny films. At Twang Towers we have (well, Jr and I) decided the top five are:

Animal House

Blazing Saddles

Airplane

Spinal Tap

The Blues Brothers.

Opinion hasn’t settled on a ranking but I think it’s between House and Saddles with House possibly edging it.

Yours?

Help me buy a whisky?

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I’ve just finished a delicious bottle of Scala – The Orcadian which Mrs. T gave me for my birthday which was about perfect – single malt with a touch of peat but didn’t leave residue on your tongue, its only problem was you always want a drop more. Anyway, I can’t have one as it’s all gone now. So, recommendations please. Quite interested in some of the new interesting ones if anyone has experience? I had a nice bottle of Welsh single malt my (Welsh) mum bought me. Norfolk whisky? But what’s your favourite tipple?

ATM Small TV question

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My mum is approaching being bed ridden so I want to get her a small TV for the bedroom – 22″ maybe. Also there’s no antenna in there but she has good WiFi. Any advice on models, solutions? I haven’t tried to run, say, Freeview over wi-fi. Is it even possible? Smart TV etc?

The West Wing – worth bothering now?

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I do like a glossy TV series, especially politics, intrigue, lots of idealistic people doing clever things and against the odds coming out on top. Loved Designated Survivor, Madam Secretary and of course Borgen. But I never saw The West Wing. I’m sure I’d love it but is it too old now? I mean, I’m re-watching the Sopranos again but that’s the greatest show ever. Is it too late to watch The West Wing?

JJ and J – A Tribute to J.J. Cale

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I’ve been listening to a lot of JJ Cale recently, who seems to suit my mood, and started writing songs which, if not like him (no one is like him) caught some of his mood. So I recorded them in a little EP I present here for your pleasure. There’s a cracking guitartastic track with old pal David called Brand New Blues where “licks” are “traded”, and elsewhere Twang Jr makes his recording debut on lead guitar and alto saxophone. It’s bluesy, tuneful, fun and a bit melancholy. My basic mood at the moment.

As the song goes…

“In these troubled times I wanna chose The gentle rocking sound of JJ playing the blues”

Link thingy here:

JJ & J – A Tribute to J.J. Cale by Jonathan Roberts

Bass singers

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I love a bass singer. All that power. Here’s a great example by Jimmy Ricks. When he sings … “one fist of iron, the other of steel if the right don’t get you then the left one will”

,,,you’re glad he’s not talking to you. And those notes at the end!

https://youtu.be/adoeYmbEC2Q

Any others?

Richard and Linda Thompson – “Hard Luck Stories”

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What does it sound like?:

Surely redundant, isn’t this question? If you don’t already know you’re probably not interested in the first place. Richard and Linda at their superb peak, in demo, remastered and various guest roles over the duration of their career. Richard proves again that he is one of our finest singers and guitarists, Linda that she is surely the greatest female vocalist of that era – yes it’s touch and go vs. her friend Sandy Denny, but there’s something extra in Linda’s voice – she can infuse a mood above the pure tunefulness. At one minute cold, another bawdy, another soft and vulnerable, then rocking out. There’s a live version of “The Great Valerio” I played 5 times straight. Sensational. And a version of “I’m a dreamer” which out Sandy’s Sandy. It sounds fabulous, is what.

What does it all *mean*?

Hmm, this is a good question. Surely most people have all this stuff, and those who haven’t can probably make do with the various compilations already out there. Yes there are unreleased tracks on here, but, whisper it, they’re not really indispensable other than to the most incurable completist. Interesting nonetheless. All that said, if » Continue Reading.

Oh joy

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Just realised “Sir Henry at Rawlinson End” is on Spotify. Cheers me up enormously.

The 4th album

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A friend of mine posted the following on F*book. Interesting idea.

I just realised a thing. Is there some kind of law that says that the 4th studio album a band makes will be their best work? (For ‘best’, read ‘my personal favourite‘!) I give you the following evidence: Queen – Night at the Opera Bowie – Hunky Dory Dire Straits – Love over Gold Led Zeppelin – IV Yes – Fragile Marillion – Clutching at Straws (although actually I think Misplaced Childhood is even better, so it breaks down here) Exception to the rule would be Pink Floyd, where I think their best work is albums 8 and 9.

What do we think?

Can you ever replace the singer?

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I can’t think of many bands where the singer was successfully replaced. Sabbath? No. Even though Ronnie James Dio is a great singer, just, no. Genesis? Hmm. Tougher – Phil did a good job but it wasn’t the same. AC/DC – well producing one of the most successful albums of all time with Brian tends to make a strong case but really, Bon was the man, wasn’t he? In answer to my own question I think there’s only one case I can think of where it worked. Gillen to Coverdale. IG was great but DC was even better (yes, different, but I go to the DC albums most).

Are there any other examples where the lead singer was successfully replaced?

Veggie recipes?

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The boy, age 16 and bang on cue, expresses an interest in becoming veggie. Actually I suspect this will be slightly selective – the Papa John’s Meat Feast is hard to give up. But I’m not opposed to a bit of veggie though I know almost no simple, quick recipes. Ideas welcome! Spicy flavours especially appreciated, and I do enjoy my pulses.

Recommend an album!

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I’m off for two weeks hols in rural France on Thursday. Please recommend one album each for me to download from Spotify. You must know my thing by now. Tip – currently loving Bonnie Young Horsemen.

Folk festival on Sunday anyone?

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The lovely Folk By The Oak festival one day festival is, of course, cancelled along with everything else but is running as a free event on Sunday evening with voluntary contributions to a charity for financially challenged musicians. Some great names playing including Jim Moray, Mary Chain Carpenter, Kris Drever and Sir Richard Thompson. I went to the real thing with absent friend Phil Pirrip a few years ago so I’ll be at the Speckled Hen bar at 7.30, pewter tankard in hand. See you there.

https://www.folkbytheoak.com/about/familynestfest/

Here’s to Dads!

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We do this every year and I see no reason not to now. Post something your Dad liked. Mine was more of a Sinatra/Ella/big band guy but he did like a bit of Santana, especially this one.

HFD Dad I miss you every day.