I only recently became aware of IDLES, having seen a performance on ‘NPR Tiny Desk Concerts‘ – I thought they were superb – absolutely spirit of Punk rock ‘ F*ck You’ brilliant.
Far more accomplished musical […]

A genuine giant- great songwriter & a fantastic performer.
I have no doubt the music will live on as long as folk need top tunes & rhythms.
RIP Toots.

I have both versions, having had a bit of a Silver Seas thing a while back.
I love the ‘Blue’ album, and prefer most of the song versions on it.
Very nice stuff.

Very well put, Kid – I totally agree.

In a nice bit of synchronicity, I just finished re reading Robertson Davies’ ‘ Deptford Trilogy’ myself last week. Earlier in lockdown I reread ‘The Cornish Trilogy’ as well. Incredibly stimulating & satisfyin […]

My teenage daughter highly recommends the Anker Soundcore 2 – the advantage over ( presumably) the Mk 1 is that it’s water resistant – good for outdoors & bathrooms- & is no more expensive. It also has an i […]

Happy birthday Bird & nice to varda your dolly old eek, Moose!

Update: the sky is metaphorically black with hats & joy is unconfined in my locality as the pickle has returned- I bought 2 jars of course, & it took all my restraint not to panic buy the lot- ‘cos you never k […]

It’s not exactly ‘I’m A Lazy Sod’ is it?

Hoorah!
I believe you are referring to ‘Hard Lovin’ Man’ with it’s strange reference to bludgeons in the pre-song chat.
Definitely punk – at the more basic, primal end of the scale & bearing a marked structu […]

Have an ‘up’ Hawk – that period was a brief golden age with tons of great stuff, seemingly coming out all the time & a generally friendly vibe on dance floors that played it!
I recall it being a real musical sho […]

Hi Arthur – I can’t reduce it to 5, so give this dozen a perusal (in no order at all)
New Rose – The Damned
Action Time Vision -ATV
Complete Control- The Clash
Perfect Day – The Saints
God Save The Queen – S […]

Obviously you are correct Dai, that Jerusalem could not work for the UK – I would genuinely like to see it adopted as the ‘ ‘England song’ for sporting events, like footy, Rugby & Olympic type stuff. At least […]

Personally I never sing the national anthem – there is nothing in it that resonates at all for me. Similarly, I won’t even stand up for Rule Britannia or ‘Land Of Dopes and Tories’ .
Jerusalem can be seen as re […]

Seconded.
Visionary & transcendent- gets me every time- even sung by the massed ranks of the Women’s Institute!

While our musical tastes differ – I love TSOP & Reggae – I think you are spot on about Jonathan Richman.
Jon Savage chose The Modern Lovers as the starting point for his superb ‘England’s Dreaming‘ book on pu […]

Seems improbable now, but when I started grammar school in ‘74, all the ‘smart’ 6th Formers wore flared black cords & would lecture anybody within earshot about how Floyd Live at Pompei was the ‘pinnacle of West […]

Cheers, Junior!

Punk has had more impact on me personally than any other ‘genre’ or ‘movement’.
Having participated in audiences & garage bands & discussed the whole thing at inordinate length with numerous pals & fellow […]

WInter Vegetable Stew (known pejoratively as ‘stinky stew‘ in Jungle Towers – it isn’t!) – makes 5 to 6 meal sized portions. Takes 50 mins start to finish inc. clearing up.

1 Swede
2 large carrots
3 mediu […]