Musings on the byways of popular culture
I was out for my walk on Southampton Common yesterday morning, and I have never seen it looking so dry. I thought the pond and lake were in a sorry state this time last year, but they’re even worse now. Clearly the only solution is to harness the power of the Afterword and compile a suitable playlist to summon forth the rains! Any suggestions?
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August 1968. Kempton Park Racecourse, Sunbury, South-West London.
I’d never heard of this gig but that’s a pretty stellar line-up. Friday, from 8pm, The Herd, with Peter Frampton, Marmalade, Jerry Lee Lewis and Time Box. The first three acts named would have been very wary of following Rory Gallagher’s Taste, an incendiary live act.
Saturday afternoon saw a load of jazz whereas the evening was sensational. Deep Purple kicked things off, the band were only 5 months old, then The Nite People, Joe Cocker, (almost a year to the day before his groundbreaking performance at Woodstock,) Tyrannosaurus Rex, (Marc Bolan’s folky band, pre-T Rex,) Arthur Brown and Ten Years After. Somewhere, they squeezed Ginger Baker in, (Cream’s farewell concert at The Royal Albert Hall, with Yes as support, was just 3 months away,) before Jeff Beck appeared. The Jeff Beck Group in August ’68 was still the classic lineup of Jeff, Ronnie Wood on bass, Mickey Waller on drums and Rod Stewart on vocals. They had released the album, Truth, just a week earlier and were, by all accounts, a fantastic live act. Headliners were The Nice closed out the night, the band featuring Keith Emerson, just a few weeks » Continue Reading.
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Tidal is going from $16 to $A20 a month compared to Qobuz at 12/13.
Any one here compared the two?
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For the few on here interested in such things, I really have to draw your attention to the astounding Rickenbacker 101 site, the work of one Richard Smith. I own all the available books on Rickenbacker, including the wonderful tome by the Kelly brothers, but this site has appeared from nowhere in the past 12 months to become the definitive source for all things Rick. It is well written, superbly illustrated and operates from the maxim that no rabbit hole is unworthy of exploration. What’s more, he adds new content every few days.
And it really is a fascinating topic: an absolute minnow in the guitar world that had lightning strike three or four times, saving it from obscurity and making it one of the most distinctive product lines in rock and pop history.
A family-owned company where seemingly no harebrained idea was rejected out of hand. You want a guitar with lights inside that flash on and off as strings are plucked? Sure! Slanted frets? No problem! A 12 string that converts to a 6 string with the pull of a lever? Of course! A company so obstinate that after two members of the biggest band in the » Continue Reading.
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Was the original title for the album that became “The Beatles” and soon after the “White Album”
This link offers approximately another couple of LPs worth of stuff recorded roughly at the same time. Some unreleased, some recorded later for solo projects and a few alternate versions
It’s a great listen! I used to say the White album could easily have been a triple album, but maybe actually a quadruple one!
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At last another Roxy reissue, and only nine years since the debut album was given the same treatment….must confess I didn’t think we’d see any more unless they sold their catalogue but pleased to be proved wrong, especially as this is an absolute classic.
https://superdeluxeedition.com/news/roxy-music-for-your-pleasure-reissue/
This proper cheered me up this morning. Hope they enjoyed a good drink and catch up afterwards.
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As rare as a solar eclipse, some new music from a former member of XTC just dropped. Link in first comment.
Not sure if this is a sign of more to come (his last “resurgence” fizzled our pretty quickly) or just a one off, but nether the less a cause for celebration for XTC obsessives.
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Hi folks, me and GLW are planning a few nights in Berlin, somewhere we’ve always fancied a look at. We know nothing. Any good places to stay, tips, things to do you can recommend? Thanking you in advance.
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This is provocation, from somebody. But OK if there are 3 good Joy Division songs, which ones are they?
If I had to pick just three, they would be –
Atmosphere (I love a party with an atmosphere) Presaged the glory of New Order’s best dance music, but with Ian’s words, not Barney’s
Love Will Tear Us Apart (Love Will Bring Us Back Together) A cliche, but when it’s done well (Susanna and the Magical Orchestra), it’s devastating
Shadowplay Matches good lyrics, Ian in full voice and music vigorous and vibrant
I think there are many other serviceable and portentous Joy Division songs, but if forced to choose, these are the ones I would go for now.
Tell me (and @freddy-steady) yours, if you like – plus reasons.
Bugger, I’ve just heard Transmission. That’ll be my joker.
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Top Tracks in Fakenham is closing after 18 months – sort of – and going back to being an online shop.
I haven’t yet been as they only open 4 days a week, and are closed on Sundays and Mondays, which is when I am passing by en route from West Runton to home.
In other news, Holt Vinyl Vault is facing a rent rise and is considering its options.
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No mention as far I can see so far for what round ours is the comedy event of the year so far, the return of Bolton’s finest deadpan comedian in Ann Droid. We’ve been big Diane Morgan fans since Philomena Cunk first appeared on Weekly Wipe well over a decade ago. Ann Droid’s her most mainstream venture yet: writing and leading a classic BBC1 sitcom.
And it’s a triumph. The set-up is that somewhere in the very near future robot carers are available to those needing a little more help around the home. When Sue Johnson’s elderly widow Sue-Sue-Sue-Sue (first episode gag) breaks her arm, her son arranges for the equivalent of a 10-year old Skoda to help bear the load: the titular android (in fact named Linda by Sue), played by Morgan in a light purple tracksuit get-up and trademark bob. Initially angry and refusing to engage (much like the arrival of the robot vacuum in our house), by the end of episode one she’s accepted her new robot underling as a life companion. There’s the inevitable set-up work to do in episode one, but we’re up to episode four and it’s getting better and better.
The basic gag » Continue Reading.
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I think we’re a pretty smart group here. So, I’m thinking none of you actually planned a trip to Las Vegas primarily to see one of the four Morrissey shows booked there next week. I mean, it’s Morrissey. Even if you love him – I do not, though I did have a pretty contentious/fun time interviewing him back in the day – you know his history. So there is nothing, nothing at all shocking about this announcement:
Jim Sullivan on FB
Morrissey canceled his four-show Las Vegas residency at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas scheduled for August 14, 15, 18, and 19, 2026. His team cited “unforeseen logistical challenges” for the sudden cancellation.
Those darn, “unforeseen logistical challenges” rear their ugly head again. Could be he’s tired. Could be the venue wouldn’t stop serving meat. Could be Johnny Marr was rumored to be lurking in the area … no one knows.
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Might I suggest that you don’t read it whilst eating?
https://njbrannigan-zvxuy.wordpress.com/2026/08/08/diary-of-a-lump-35/
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And it’s an 11 minute epic! It’s very Neil with somewhat sentimental and clunky lyrics and a familiar tune, but I think it has something – Second Song
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AW folk,
I’m looking for something which will convert my spidery hand scratchings to accurate formatted text for a lengthy piece of writing.. Does anyone have any suggestions for either a specific gizmo or an app for either MS laptop or iPad..
TIA
Plus, can recommend the forthcoming Hollow Hand record.. They’ll be appearing at your local juke joint sometime soon.. Plus my brother and sis in law have a new offering as Big Lightnin’, called Original Sin.. Retro rock n roll, a la Medway garage vibes.Shske your moneymaker !
I hope you dig my latest mix Feelin’ 1994 pt.2, featuring some of my fave music and TV comedy show samples from this year, link in comments.
Soul Coughing : Screenwriter’s Blues Justin Warfield : Live From The Opium Den (David Holmes main mix) The Sabres of Paradise : Wilmot Stereolab : International Colouring Contest Underworld : Mmm… Skyscraper I Love You Stina Nordenstam : Little Star (B-Zet mix) Massive Attack : Protection Bomb The Bass : Dark Heart Portishead : Sour Times
includes samples from :
The Fast Show The Day Today Knowing Me, Knowing You… with Alan Partridge
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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.
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Gather round, please, and share your news!
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A thread related to the other two on films.
There are a few films that I found astoundingly good and affecting but I don’t think I could watch again. In my case the three that immediately spring to mind are; Johnny Got His Gun, Dalton Trumbo’s truly harrowing and disturbing (to me as a late teenager) anti-war tale, Johnny Got His Gun, Eraserhead – watched at a late night showing a few years after its original release – on stuff I shouldn’t have done, given the content, and Ai No Corrida (In the realm of the Senses), again a late night show, not the sex but the ending…
Any films you couldn’t put yourself through again?
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The England squad for the forthcoming test matches against Pakistan has been announced with Root as captain, recalls for the previously discarded Pope and Lawrence and an underwhelming bowling attack other than Archer… thoughts? To be fair both the returnees have had good seasons in the County Championship.
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Monzo using Van’s Days Like This in their latest TV advert tonight. Can’t remember hearing his music used in ads before. Has he sold his catalogue?
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Anybody been watching/listening to the Proms this year? Any strong recommendations for catching on the iPlayer before they vanish? I’ve only seen three so far: first night was a game of two halves; prog prom discussed elsewhere; and the John Wilson/Sinfonia of London concert was well worth the entry fee, for the Walton concerto alone.
Any more good ‘uns?
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On a thread this year – possibly only since March, there was a discussion which involved several quality mens jacket/shirt/trouser suppliers.
The thread itself, was not about clothing originally but I think people like @pencilsqueezer joined to post clothing suppliers they went back to.
Of course I meant to note down the companies involved at the time and now cannot find the thread. Could someone who perhaps posted – definitely painter style jackets were involved – point me to it and I’ll definitely note down this time.
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Ok dumb question, most of us will listen to favourite albums dozens or hundreds of times, but which album have you listened to the most? Not necessarily your favourite album
