I thought some of my previous workplaces were bizarre but this is comedy gold.
Two previous series are available on Youtube (I guess).
2012 the Olympics pre-cursor is also essential viewing.
Long live the BBC!
Musings on the byways of popular culture
I thought some of my previous workplaces were bizarre but this is comedy gold.
Two previous series are available on Youtube (I guess).
2012 the Olympics pre-cursor is also essential viewing.
Long live the BBC!
Listening to the ho-hum title track to Magical Mystery Tour, I was reminded again what a weak track it actually is, especially coming hot on the heels of ‘Pepper’. But come to the coda, and fade, and it all suddenly gels – a plinky-plonk piano ambles skywards, vaguely referencing the main theme, beneath the sound of clinking glasses and one of Macca’s best bass moments – a pulsing, dark little groove, that bubbles and squirms its way out of the song.
I think it’s a proper little HJH moment, and thinking about it, they did seem to chuck in little goodies at fade-outs or codas. Backwards tapes on ‘Rain’, the honking laughter on ‘Within You’, those big, straffing lush guitar lines at the end of ‘Strawberry Fields’ and of course, HJ itself, about 5 minutes bloody coda.
So, what are your favourite endings? Happy or otherwise…
by Jeff 61 Comments
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Tigger: David Jacobs
Dave Amitri: Mike Read
Minibreakfast: Jackie Brambles
Moose The Mooche: Kenny Everett
Colin H: Bob Harris
Gary: Alan Freeman
Doctor Volume: Tony Blackburn
Chiz: Paul Gambaccini
Bricameron: Bruno Brookes
Mikethep: Simon Bates
Mojoworking: Emperor Rosko
I think it’s still too soon (and always will be) to include Sa-vile, nah then, but other suggestions are welcome. Let’s get this Roadshow on the road!
The great man is touring the US for the last time in the month few weeks, playing Mahavishnu music in quantity for the first time in decades. Here’s his promo vid:
Freedom for Canvey!?$@!? All a bit ‘Passport to Pimlico’ isn’t it…will Wilko need a passport to gig ‘on the mainland’?
What did you get me?
Disappointed that country music is a “boring brown”.
Aged 51. Cause of death, cirrhosis of the liver. Incredibly sad.
The legendary Dave ‘Maha Dev’ Codling, ex Quintessence rhythm guitarist, has recently revitalised his 1979-80 US band Made In Japan, fronted by Tony Fried. Here’s a video for new song ‘Think Pink’.
These days he edited a decent review of albums for Murdoch’s The Australian, occasional interview pieces with visiting musos and phone in stuff for indie radio shows. I had a few discussions with him usually debating the merits of a Dylan review and he was happy to reply.
As it happens, I will soon be seeing Ed Kuepper playing his Aints band doing Saints songs. Although Ed had left the Saints by then it will be a fitting tribute if he plays some stuff from that period.
Assking for a friend.
Taking the beloved Baroness to a George Michael Legacy thingy at Blackburn Kings Hall for an early Christmas Prezzie on December 16th. She`s a massive fan of G.M. and that band he was in.
It`s a surprise for her, I`ve got middle of front row tickets. No disrespect to any fans reading this but I can`t stand the fellow and his mate Graham Wiggerly.
I`m thinking of taking my ipod and headphones. Would that be disrespectful or a wise move?
Ophelia is on her way. Make sure you don’t climb any Willow trees as she did. Otherwise, you may share her fate.
Personally, I’m looking forward to Hurricane Smith.
by Mo 3 Comments
I’ve got 2 tickets going spare for Rhiannon Giddens at Bristol Colston Hall on Sat November 18th. They’re in Row U seats 13 & 14. Absolutely gutted I can’t go so they may be wet with tears when they arrive if there are any takers. They cost me £45 for the pair and I’ll pay for recorded delivery. Sob sob sob.
Here’s the test. You can take it right now. No registration is required and the results will remain confidential unless you choose to make them public.
Simply choose which of the two following songs you prefer:
It was after band practice, one Saturday in ’72. I was breaking down the kit, ready to carry it back down the hill to our house. We practised in Chris & Steve’s house (guitar and bass) on most Saturday afternoons. My brother Phil & I (guitar and drums) lived at the bottom of the hill, on the same road. Anyway, as I was unscrewing the bass drum pedal, I became aware of someone standing next to me. I looked up. It was Steve’s girlfriend, Angie. She smiled down at me, her blonde hair falling across her face.
“Do you want any help?” she asked.
They hadn’t been going out very long, so I didn’t know her too well. She was tall, slim and incredibly pretty. And she had a smile to wrap yourself up in. It lit up her face. And she smiled a lot. She was a really happy kid.
“Thanks. You could undo the nuts on the cymbals for me.” She nodded.
At 16 I had the most severe acne that one doctor at the hospital had ever seen. I am 61 years old now and am still taking daily pills to keep it in check. It has » Continue Reading.
by IanP 72 Comments
Mrs P and is out getting a haircut in the West End so I’ve lit the fire, opened more than one lager, and so far listened to the best of The Damned, the Stones blues covers album, and currently 1965 by The Afghan Whigs. I’ve made a massaman curry for later and if I can’t persuade her to listen to more music we’ll catch up on the last series of The Walking Dead before the new one starts in the next week or two. What you listening to?
by ip33 6 Comments
Sums up modern America more than The Residents? Disturbing, frightening, discordant but sometimes beautiful.
The new box set on Cherry Red has only reconfirmed my admiration for this band.
Have the best? version of Satisfaction on me.
Back in the day I had couple of rare vinyl albums that I sold in the early 2000s for a nice profit.
Does this market still exist for vinyl or CDs?
I have nothing to sell but am just curious.
It’s early days but I’m really enjoying Neil Finn’s new record Out of Silence, as I did his last, very different, album Dizzy Heights. It was recorded in various sessions put out live on Facebook (the films are all online) but the record stands up on its own beyond the notion of that particular experiment . It’s darker and more sombre than much of his best known output, both in lyrics and in the largely piano and orchestral arrangements. Maybe that’s a function of age – he’s 60 next year – maybe just the subject matter he has taken on, including the Bataclan murders in Terrorise Me. But it’s beautiful in a largely minor key, understated way.
I’ve dipped in and out of Crowded House and Finn brothers’ solo material. But the more I listen the more I think that there are very few songwriters since the 60s who can match his unerring ear and ability to write wonderful melodies. The comparison with Paul McCartney has been made so many times it’s become a cliche, but you can see why. He shares with McCartney and a few others like Brian Wilson, Burt Bacharach, Carole King, an apparently effortless ability to » Continue Reading.
Sharon and I are exploring honeymoon options.
Right now it looks like France (already covered) and Scotland. So I throw us on your mercy. What we’re looking for, in an ideal world, is a hotel with stuff to do in the countryside. Trossachs, Cairngorms, Islands, that kind of thing. Equally, a hotel where I can lounge about and get gradually schnookered drinking cocktails while Sharon is out doing that outdoorsy stuff she does…
There may be a stop over in either Glasgow or Edinburgh, depending on final destination.
Massive – it’s over to you!
And I don’t mean fretwankery guitar solos, I mean using the guitar for sounds, for moods, for experience. There seems to be a momentum for largely solo guitar sonics that is a delight. In recent months I have seen Duke Garwood, Ryley Walker and heard/bought the excellent Justin Adams, all of whom seem to favour dense soundscapes over lookatme jiggery pokery. I think all this a renaissance of the instrument, as accomplished as the 60’s/70’s wizards, but without the diddle. Ain’t it great! P.S. Adams went to Eton 5 years ahead of Cameron, D.
Did anyone in the UK see this week’s ‘The Apprentice’? There was a guy whose plea to remain ‘in the process’ was that he had ‘a background in breakdancing’. We got to see some of this in the show and more in the ‘You’re Fired’ show after it.
I know nothing about breakdancing but, as far as I could tell, he was crap at it. Was I right?
Serious question. Does anyone know? I’d have thought check-in was a way of saying ‘I’m here,’ but obviously not if you can do it online, days before your flight. What purpose does it serve? And how do travel companies know whether or not you’ve turned up?
Yours confused, of Leicester.