For the jazz and blues buffs among us, Val Wilmer’s classic 1977 book on black Americans in jazz ‘As Serious As Your Life’ is getting a new edition on March 1 through Serpent’s Tail. As far as I can tell, it’s had four covers and three subtitles in its time, the original subtitle being ‘The Story of the New Jazz’, then (in 1999) ‘John Coltrane and Beyond’, and now ‘Black Music and the Free Jazz Revolution 1957-77’. The new cover – a rather austere presentation, given the font and layout – is an adaptation of the original cover pic. Richard Williams provides a new foreword.

Publisher’s blurb:

‘In this classic account of the new black music of the 1960s and 70s, celebrated photographer and jazz historian Val Wilmer tells the story of how a generation of revolutionary musicians established black music as the true vanguard of American culture.

Placing the achievements of African-American artists such as Albert Ayler, Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane and Sun Ra in their broader political and social context, Wilmer evokes an era of extraordinary innovation and experimentation that continues to inspire musicians today.

As vital now as when it was first published in 1977, As » Continue Reading.

Mongo Shakers are musical collaborators who’ve worked together for around 30 years in East London. The core members have been Matt & Chris, who have mostly tinkered away in various home built studios, drafting in pals to play on recordings, but also playing the odd gig. Over time I’ve seen the sophistication of their work increase to the point where I class myself as a fan who’d happily buy their stuff. Anyhow, very sadly Chris died in February 2017 & Matt has crafted a labour of love to complete their final work together as a full album & as a tribute to Chris. If you think soundscapes, Moby, Holger Czukay with a sprinkle of KLF, you won’t be far off. If that’s your bag, have a listen. Any and all feedback would be appreciated by the numerous musicians on the work.

You can now access it in many different ways: you can stream it for free on soundcloud here: https://soundcloud.com/mongo-shakers/sets/this-is-four

you can pay to download it from Bandcamp: https://mongoshakers.bandcamp.com/releases

you can stream it on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/3APvCNA3seTZdL4eiFdRAX

you can buy it on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/this-is-four/1324416989

I love it, maybe you will too. Apologies that for some reason, I can’t make the » Continue Reading.

For those concerned that we don’t get enough doccos on Scots Gaelic singers, be concerned no more:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09jlxl9

02/08/2018

First headliners – Patti Smith, John Prine, Janis Ian, Roseanne Cash.

At last, some details have been released:

In April 2018, Madfish celebrate Wishbone Ash, one of Britain’s most enduring and best-loved rock acts, by releasing a comprehensive deluxe 30 CD box set, The Vintage Years. Loaded with rarities, memorabilia, a new interview and a lavish 156-page hardback book, a third of this new collection features previously unheard & unreleased material.

Following decades of being starved of unreleased material from the true vintage years from Wishbone Ash, fans will soon be able to enjoy the long-awaited, remastered anthology from this esteemed and influential band in its pure quality in both musical and printed content.

Check out the trailer for the box set here: https://youtu.be/ptd1wjsy8GA

This box set is strictly limited to 2,500 copies and includes all 16 studio albums between 1970-1991, all of which feature bonus material including rare album outtakes, B-sides and 12 previously unreleased studio tracks. These are presented in mini-gatefold sleeves. Three of the 16 albums are currently out of print on CD (Nouveau Calls, Here to Hear & Strange Affair). The box set will feature brand new cover artwork designed by Colin Elgie, the original designer behind the award-winning Live Dates sleeve artwork.

There are 3 » Continue Reading.

09/12/2017

https://youtu.be/7ELg4nAo0yA

Should you be any where near the leafy environs of Kelvedon in Posh North Essex on December the 9th, do drop by The Institute, where the self-styled kings and gods of East Angliacana will be performing songs from out of our own heads in the company of both Disappointment Bob and one Fern Teather. Please form an orderly queue in order to recycle all those Fern jokes we had after that last library gig was cancelled.

No, not that one, the other one…

It seems FRoots magazine is in financial trouble. A kickstarter page has been created to raise £20,000 towards buying editor Ian A Anderson and his small team enough time to revamp the business model while still continuing to create the magazine.

I hugely admire Ian for creating and running the magazine since 1977 or thereabout, and I wrote for it a fair bit in the 90s, and the odd time since. I’m not really ‘in the folk world’ but I believe it would suffer without this delightfully quirky and ornery organ of (needed) publicity and comment. I’ve pledged something myself. Here’s the link:

I’m a huge fan of Tolkien – if you’re not, move along, nothing to see, etc. – and of the better scholarship about him and his literary creations (the best commentators, in my view, being Tom Shippey and Verlyn Fleiger – who herself has a new anthology of essays and talks on Tolkien out very soon – and historian John Garth, plus the late great Humphrey Carpenter).

Added to the list of great Tolkien scholars are the husband and wife team Wayne Hammond and Christina Scull. Their colossal ‘JRR Tolkien Companion & Guide’, a double book set comprising ‘A Reader’s Guide’ and ‘Chronology’, was published a number of years ago and represented a mammoth achievement – a finely crafted, forensically researched book of biographical data – almost days by day in places – alongside an encyclopedia-type volume of essays on Tolkien’s works, his peers, influences, episodes in his publishing history, schools and colleges attended, academic work, etc., etc.

Well, there’s now a new edition, expanded to a three volume set – or 1.3 million words. It’s on amazon UK at £78 – that’s a huge saving on the RRP of £140.

There are great numbers of third-rate, poorly » Continue Reading.

My friend Adele, one of the Wookaladies, has very kindly created a couple of slideshow promo vids for me, to do with books and music. No hard sell intended – just momentary distraction: if you’ve 4 mins to spare, here’s fragments from the first 16 years of John McLaughlin’s professional career.

Regular Afterworders will know I’m a huge fan of singer/songwriter and celebrity Cornwall dweller Sarah McQuaid. Sarah has just announced Bandcamp pre-order options for her new album – ‘If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous’ – with legendary guitar-slinger and celebrity Yorkshire dweller Michael Chapman producing.

I didn’t care for the production on Sarah’s last album, but this one sounds like a terrific new path, from the expansive, spare, analogue sound of preview track ‘The Tug of the Moon’.

Sarah hopes to press ‘go’ on a vinyl pressing for the album (which is scheduled for February 2018 release), but needs enough pre-orders for this option to happen. I’ve just made my contribution. Hope others will too.

Here’s what Sarah and Michael have to say:

I’m delighted to announce that my fifth solo album If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous will be released on 2nd February 2018 and is now available to pre-order. Produced by guitar legend Michael Chapman (memorably described in The Guardian as “the godfather of new cosmic Americana”), the album features what I’m convinced is by far my best batch of original songs and instrumentals ever … plus another co-write with the » Continue Reading.

03/11/2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8d2xu_X6UE

Once again, my band Neil Gowans and the Winos are heading our own night at London’s glittering Zigfrid von Underbelly, featuring two regulars at this parish. This time out, we’re lucky to have support from Sean ‘Dr’ Millar, a redoubtable songwriter from Ireland who some of you may have heard of. Starting up are the country-flavoured Tupelos, a fine outfit starting out. We’re a saucy Nick Lowe/Elvis/Feelgoods amalgam, with a few choice covers thrown in the mix. Zigfrid von Underbelly is at 11 Hoxton Square London N1, entry a mere fiver, kicking off about 8pm. If you can make it, say hi to the lanky bass player!

02/11/2017

If anyone in the Berks/Bucks area fancies it, we’re starting a small run of gigs (hopefully with more in the works) on Thursday at Global Café in Reading.

Support comes from the splendid Rocket Kings, and doors are at 8:30.

The latest ep is now online, with possibly my fave selection of tunes so far. Includes the inaugural Compact Disco spot featuring a recording that makes me so happy I can’t really put it into words.

This is just a heads-up for anyone who may be interested and missed the Kickstarter campaign: my very limited edition companion volume to ‘Bathed In Lightning: John McLaughlin, the 60s and the Emerald Beyond’ (Jawbone, 2014) is now available via the good auspices of Peter Muir at Market Square Music.

For a day or two I knew how it felt like to be New Order circa ‘Blue Monday’ – some default postage rates glitch meant that I was losing money on every copy bought! But Peter has (I am told… touch wood…) sorted the whole thing out now and copies can be purchased (at £14.95) for the moment exclusively via www.marketsquaremusic.com – with postage anywhere in the world.

The book will be listed on amazon.co.uk in due course BUT it will be £19.95 and will only post to the UK. I’ve opted to have this amazon listing because it’s a widely known/trusted online retailer, but from a one-item, low-run seller’s point of view it’s a bit of a killer, hence the higher price to mitigate that. Also, one cannot alter amazon’s default ‘rest of world’ postage rates, hence UK-only from amazon once it’s up there. I hope that makes » Continue Reading.