Musings on the byways of popular culture
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Hi all, bit of shameless self promotion here. I’ve been messing about with a collection of folky/country tinged numbers for a while and here they are to brighten up what’s left of a fairly rubbish summer. Treat yourself!
Country Folk by Jonathan Roberts
https://jonathanroberts.bandcamp.com/album/country-folk
18th August 2021: Prog legends Caravan announce the release of their new album It’s None Of Your Business to be released on CD format on 8th October 2021 and as a vinyl LP, on 8th November, on Madfish Music.
It’s None Of Your Business is Caravan’s first album since Paradise Filter (2013) and features nine new songs plus one instrumental track influenced, to a degree, by the events and restrictions placed on society over the past 18 months.
Caravan are Pye Hastings (guitar, vocals). Geoffrey Richardson (viola, mandolin, guitar), Jan Schelhaas (keyboards) and Mark Walker (drums). Lee Pomeroy (ELO, Rick Wakeman and Take That) has guested as bass player, following the departure of Jim Leverton, while Jimmy Hastings has also guested on flute.
The album was recorded, as restrictions allowed, ‘in the old-fashioned way’ between 24th June and 4th July 2021 at Rimshot Studio, Bredgar near Sittingbourne. “Sitting round in a circle having eye to eye contact, a large sound room was required,” Pye Hastings explained. “I much prefer this method because you can bounce ideas off each other as they occur, and voice encouragement when the whole thing begins to click.
“And it is much more rewarding to » Continue Reading.
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Video representation of a track from the multi-platinum award-winning* album ‘Judge a man by the company he keeps’ by The Eisenhowers. It was inspired by an awkward social encounter, during which a civilised discussion somehow turned into something quite ugly. Rather than punch the angry guy in the face, I decided to write this song. That’ll teach him. (*when I say the album is ‘multi-platinum award-winning’, this is my truth and how very dare you even question it, you utter Nazi).
While most of my living over the past few years has been based on proofreading, writing and record label consultancy (on archive projects), music creation has also been a part of the picture. I’ve been making recordings, often with myriad guests from the fully professional music game and from the local music community in NI, for 30 years. I’ve been fortunate enough that it’s been a hobby or side-line that has more or less paid for itself, with between £1,000 and £2,000 a year from airplay and sales (CD & DL) in recent years… up to a cliff-edge in 2019. I suppose the rise of streaming is a big part of that (and yes, you can find two CH albums, an EP and a couple of singles from 2015-2020 on Spotify et al. – the music might as well be heard, but the rewards are in pennies).
I had a handful of compositions I wanted to record this year, with fabulous mid-Ulster singer Breige Devlin, and thought I might as well try crowdfunding – selling in advance – to cover the studio costs. We’ll have a few guests on the eventual mini-album. In the photo with the Fundrazr » Continue Reading.
28/05/2021
My new album on Clay Pipe Music is open for pre-orders this Friday (28 May). Available on CD and vinyl. I know there are one or two fans of the label here…Sound clips and artwork on the website!
16/07/2021
I’ve posted hereabouts before on the psychedelic pop splendour of ethereal Belfast/Bristol personality Francis Kane O’Kane, with his current collective OTHERISH. Between 1988-95, he was the main man in Bristol psych-popsters ME – who are, in July, anthologised with ‘Crows Nightingales SHOCK (Best of Me 1991-95) by Bristol Archive Records.
Here is the Bandcamp blurb:
On 16th July 2021 Bristol Archive Records are releasing “Crows Nightingales SHOCK (Best of Me 1991-1995)”. This will be the first UK-released collection drawn from the many records put out in the early ‘90s by Bristol-based Anglo-Irish troubadours Me. With Me cited by NME at the time as “effortlessly the best band in Bristol”, this new selection of the band’s best work showcases the very distinctive sounds of the widely praised but often misunderstood Anglo-Irish pop-visionaries.
With four gifted songwriters onboard, Me’s songs were always bound to be insightful, wilful, hook-laden, bathed in soaring pop-sensibility and propelled upwards by tightly ecstatic vocal harmonies. Championed in their day (1988-1996) by the likes of John Peel, Mark Radcliffe and even Bob Harris, Me toured widely – USA, France, Czechia & UK – while putting out two richly varied double-albums and a handful of diverse and distinctive » Continue Reading.
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26/05/2021
A 90 minute session, 17:00 to 18:30 UK time.
To quote:
“This event is open to members of the public and healthcare professionals who would like more information on the topic.
You may find this session useful if:
You have experienced tinnitus as a side effect of Covid-19, long Covid or after receiving the Covid vaccine Your tinnitus has become worse within the past 12-months You are concerned about receiving the vaccine due to your tinnitus If you are a healthcare professional/researcher who would like to know more about Covid related tinnitus”
A camera and microphone are not required, you will be able to submit your questions using the Q & A function. Participation is free (donations welcomed) but you will need to book a place. The panellists are:
Nic Wray, Communications Manager for the British Tinnitus Association Professor Kevin Munro, Professor of Audiology, NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre Dr Eldré Beukes, Research Audiologist, Anglia Ruskin University Henri Roe, Senior Audiologist and Hearing Therapist, I Am Ear
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Apologies if this posts twice, but I just tried to post this about an hour ago and it doesn’t seem to have worked, so trying again.
I’ve made a wee album and posted it on Soundcloud. Link should be attached here. You can listen or download for free.
It’s very mellow, and I deliberately went for a pastoral, early 70s sound, like Hergest Ridge or Ummagumma. So if you like those you might like this. If you choose to listen, many thanks!
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20/03/2021
There will be a virtual festival on the evening of March the 20th. It is a grab-bag mystery line up of international artists of the acoustic alt-country and singer-songerwriterly bent (probably). If you’re not going out, you might want to stay in. As angry from Manchester points out, it’s just likely to be repeats on TV. For the background, read on. Link in blog. https://skirky.blogspot.com/2021/02/what-helstock.html
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27/08/2021
Reading and Leeds are going ahead, apparently. Everyone will be vaccinated by then, of course. Hmmm…
Two main stages mean no clashes.
I have to say, the lineup looks very poor. I’m not sure if Offspring The Elder will be interested. I’m not keen.
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01/02/2021
Delighted to announce a new fortnightly world music programme – from the UK to Africa, from the Middle East to New Zealand, from Pakistan to Japan. And beyond. On 1 February, the world music alphabet will commence with “A is for Afrobeat”.
Do listen in, here:
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22/04/2021
Three dates in Sweden and Norway, then a quick dash round the UK.
Much as I dislike the Cambridge Junction, I’ll have to go. I’ve not seen them since 1990.
I imagine these will be postponed.
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03/11/2021
ACR head out on the road for 13 dates in November.
Hare & Hounds for me, vaccine permitting.
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07/10/2021
Field Music have announced a 9-date October tour. We’ll hopefully be safe by then.
Typically, on the one date I can make, I am double-booked.
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15/01/2021
Celtic Connections has a special place in the heart of many musicians. It is the festival whose namechecks sound most genuine. Collaboration and cross-pollenation (musically, please, Moose) are the names of the game, and both artists and audience come away invigorated – or at least they do after they have recovered from partying in Glasgow for weeks on end. That last point explains why I have only been the once. To do the whole festival, if you are not a resident of the Central Belt, would consume a chunk of your annual leave and, personally, I like to get value for money for my leave, measured in daylight hours. Further, my preferred form of festival accommodation is a gazebo over the back door of my Landrover. It needs no explanation why that doesn’t appeal during a Scottish January.
So, this is one occasion when I’m really quite pleased that a festival has had to go online. It’s ‘pay per view’ as it were, which is a positive, contributing to both artists and the future of the festival. I’ve signed up for the full ‘Festival Pass’ (a snip at £40) which will give me links to at least one gig » Continue Reading.
I wasn’t originally going to post this on the Afterword, because it isn’t related to music, books, TV, Richard Thompson, progressive-rock, etc. Plus, in these times, we *all* have friends in difficulties of one sort or another – and there’s only so much any of can do.
But on reflection, it’s a friend in need, a long way from home and it’s potentially life-changing… so I’ll just leave the link here and if you want to share it somewhere or contribute a small sum, then great.
In brief: Veronika is from Slovakia, and is a massage wizard. She has lived/worked in Belfast for a few years, but has only one relative in the UK. She very recently married a fellow mainland European in Belfast, who was also in Belfast more or less alone, but who has relatives in Scotland. Veronika was diagnosed with a brain tumour late last year – and moved to Scotland a few weeks ago, permanently, with her husband (both giving up their jobs), for two reasons: (1) to get surgery with one of the best UK surgeons for this condition in February; (2) to stay with her husband’s relatives while recuperating, which may take months.
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… is the third album by The Eisenhowers. The music might best be described as adult-oriented (by that, I mean middle-aged) pop/rock, drawing on influences like David Bowie, Elvis Costello and Steely Dan. The album boasts high production values and there is some quality musicianship throughout, with the lyrics putting the spotlight on a varied cast of characters.
‘I like your girlfriend’ features a sleazy b-list television personality on the prowl, while ‘Mr McIntosh has left the building’ channels the spirit of The Kinks in reflecting the thoughts of a retiring office clerk as he spends his final day in employment. In the acerbic and spikey ‘My gang’, an ambitious and grasping politician lays bare his polarizing philosophy, while ‘How will you know when you know’ explores the state of mind of an impoverished and disillusioned musician. In ‘The Joker and The Penguin’, two comic book characters have a discussion about the nature of free will. There’s a David Bowie tribute thrown in for good measure (‘And then he flew towards the sun’), while the uplifting country rocker ‘Read my Lips’, might, in a parallel universe, have been a hit for Shania Twain.
The album is available » Continue Reading.
01/01/2021
Hello all – just a heads up that I’ll be hosting a Twitter listening party on January 1st at 7pm GMT with esteemed author and Pushing Ahead Of The Dame blogger Chris O’Leary. We’ll be rattling through The Man Who Sold The World. I’ve never done this before, so hope it won’t be too much of a disaster but would love to have the AW Massive on board!
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17/12/2020
At 5:00 p.m. (UK time) Songs From Under The Floorboards presents a Factory Records Special programme, travelling on a journey from the first record on that label in 1978, to its final release, just before going into bankruptcy at the end of 1992.
The show will take in, naturally, the big-hitters – Joy Division, New Order and The Happy Mondays – but also include some American Urban music, Algerian Rai, as well as a number of the (potentially) lesser-known names. Tune-in here to listen live on Thursday:
Also, I’d like to thank @fentonsteve for mentioning me and these shows in the Blogger Takeover thread.
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(with profuse apologies for not giving advance notice)
“Following radio programmes with music from Manchester and Sheffield, we travel north of the border, and make a round-trip musical journey from Edinburgh to Glasgow, via Dunfermline, Dundee and other places along the way..”
If you wish, you can listen to it here:
www.mixcloud.com/gnetradio/gnet-radio-martin-tolcher-sits-in-for-tim-and-daisy-28112020/
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12/11/2020
“Songs From Under The Floorboards is back again on GNet Radio this Thursday 12 November at 5:00 p.m. UK time with something a little different…
…Instead of a 6-song look at an independent record label in the middle of the programme, this show will be a Rough Trade Records special. A number of requests have been received to feature Rough Trade, but given the longevity of the label (1978 to tomorrow), it is impossible to cover.
Therefore, from Stiff Little Fingers (1978) to Hello Forever (2020), via Robert Wyatt, The Fall, The Smiths, This Is The Kit, The Strokes and many more, nearly every song will be from that label.
I hope you can join us!
You will be able to listen live here:
www.gnetradio.com
Listen again here:
www.mixcloud.com/gnetradio/
And, if you wish to catch-up on last week’s Bonfire Night show:
www.mixcloud.com/gnetradio/martin-tolcher-songs-from-under-the-floorboards-05112020/”
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31/10/2020
“After he hosted a well-received personal history of Manchester music at the beginning of this month, Martin Tolcher now turns his attention to an (almost) A to Z of music from Sheffield…
26 artists, from ABC to Zongo Brigade – ‘Almost’, as there are some letters missing, but there should be plenty to entertain, inform and educate (in that order!) in this 2 hour show.
Available live here:
www.gnetradio.com/listenlive
And on listen again:
www.mixcloud.com/gnetradio
In case you missed the Manchester show, it is available here:
www.mixcloud.com/gnetradio/gnet-radio-martin-tolcher-in-for-tim-and-daisy-10102020/ “
This is somewhere between a Blog post and a Noticeboard item. First, the Noticeboard bit. News from Sarah McQuaid:
A bit of sad news: I’ve very reluctantly made the decision to cancel both my 5-week February-March tour in Netherlands/Germany/Denmark and my 3-week April-May Ireland tour. It just feels like too risky a time to undertake any international touring, given the risks of lockdowns, quarantines and so on. That leaves both me and Martin Martin Stansbury Audio – Cacophony Cottage Studio with another 6 months of mostly empty diaries to fill … so this would be a good time to (a) contact Martin about any recording, mixing or mastering projects you might have in mind (see https://www.facebook.com/martinstansburyaudio for info and testimonials) and (b) consider joining me on Patreon, if you haven’t done so already. I’m also available to record backing vocals and guest guitar/piano parts, as well as for score commissions.
I have lots of plans for writing and co-writing new material, working on my songbook project, beefing up my composition and home studio skills, and improving my guitar, piano and percussion chops — but none of that generates any income in the short term, so I’d be very » Continue Reading.
A dignified calling-it-quits from the great man. Here is his Facebook announcement:
Gone Fishing
It’s been a great 50+ years of being a working entertainer, but I reached the difficult decision that touring and stage shows are no longer possible. I’ve cancelled the upcoming shows, and am not accepting offers for new ones. That’s the short version. For the longer version continue reading… As a folksinger, I never really thought much about getting older. It seemed to me that I could just continue year after year, decade after decade, singing and playing as I had done for most of my life. As the years went by, it got more difficult to keep touring, but I did it, mostly because I’d been doing it my entire life. It was the life I knew and loved.
In 2016 on April 1st, April Fools Day, I got really dizzy in the parking lot of the hotel, and started seeing as though I were looking through a kaleidoscope. That evening the show went on as though nothing had happened. I had no idea I’d just encountered a mini stroke until weeks later, when I was told about it. It didn’t appear to affect » Continue Reading.
