The (Next) Release

Although I wasn't absolutely blown away by the last Marillion album (see my reviews here and here), there is a web-page for pre-orders for album #15. Another double, like Marbles, and another chance to see my name in print.

HERE:

http://www.marillion.com/preorder/

I'll be signing up. I suggest you do too. A Better Way Of Life.

Had Too Much to Dream Last Night

A rather messy Tube this morning, with a train breaking down in front of us. Frankly, though it makes no difference whether I get to work at 9 or 10 these days...

I found some MP3 files by 'The Enid' yesterday, which was really a blast from the past. I've got several albums on vinyl (In The Region of Summer Stars, Touch Me, Salome, Something Wicked..., Aerie Faerie Nonsense, The Spell), but no CDs. Well, I found several MP3 fragments here, on their website. Great fun, but frustratingly brief snippets.

I saw The Enid back at Uni, in 1990 or thereabouts. Absolutely superb, with just Robert John Godfrey and Stephen Stewart (there may have been a drummer, but I think they were using backing tracks). Some bits just took my breath away...

Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came (excerpt) 0:59 Aerie Faerie Nonsense, @ 128 kbps
Childe Roland Coda (excerpt) 0:40
Fand Intro (excerpt) 1:13
Fand Sea Shanty 1 (excerpt) 1:48
Fand Sea Shanty 2 (excerpt) 0:58
Fand Orgasm (excerpt) 1:36
Fand Finale (excerpt) 1:22

Judgement 7:55 Demoes @ 192 kbps
Mars (Orchestral Prelude) 4:16 Demoes @ 128 kbps

The Tower (excerpt) 1:12 In The Region Of Summer Stars, @ 128 kbps
The Lovers Intro (excerpt) 0:48
The Lovers Climax (exceprt) 1:25
Judgement Part One (64 kbps; excerpt) 1:28
Judgement Part Two (excerpt) 1:05
In The Region Of Summer Stars (excerpt) 1:11, with just a short bit of the beautiful twin-tracked guitar

Raindown (excerpt) 1:04 Something Wicked This Way Comes, @ 128 kbps
Then There Were None (excerpt) 1:14
Something Wicked This Way Comes (excerpt) 2:31

Winter (Fanfare) (excerpt) 1:17 The Spell, @ 128 kbps
Winter (Climax) (excerpt) 0:59
Spring (Waltz) (excerpt) 0:47
Spring (Coda) (excerpt) 0:57
Summer (Chorus) (excerpt) 1:20
Autumn (Climax) (excerpt) 3:00
Elephants Never Die (excerpt) 1:28
Sentimental Side of Mrs James (excerpt) 1:11


Some shorter songs today to take my mind of the transport system and its victims - between 2.30 and 4 minutes:

The Calvary Cross - Richard & Linda Thompson
A Slow Divorce - Boo Hewerdine
Don't Hurt Yourself (Single Edit) - Marillion
Plasticine - Placebo
Tears In Rain - Vangelis
DJ Asylum (7" Edit) - The Orb
Painted Bird - Siouxsie And The Banshees
Did You Ever Love Me - Fleetwood Mac
Match Of The Day - Genesis
Just Let Me Breathe (Live) - Dream Theater, from Live Scenes From New York (Disc 2)
Five-Five-Five - Frank Zappa, from Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar (Disc 1)
Ivo - Cocteau Twins
Nimos & Tambos - Pure Reason Revolution
Don't Push Your Foot On The Heartbrake - Kate Bush
May You Never - John Martyn
Eibhli Ghail Chiuin Ni Chearbhail - John Martyn
Corpus Christi Carol (For Roy) - Jeff Buckley, from the Legacy Edition of 'Grace'
The Man With The Child In His Eyes - Kate Bush
Lap Of Luxury - Jethro Tull

T - 2; M -3.5; D - 3

Half Way Up, Half Way Down

Tuesday. Shuffle on all songs between 3 and 5 minutes...

One Minute Warning - Passengers OST
Dance Of The Seven Veils, A) Faithless - Pendragon. A shame it didnt' go into Parys B and C, but that's the nature of this playlist,
Merten Kosijat - Värttinä, from Kokko,
Hollow Hills - Bauhaus, from Press the Eject and Give Me the Tape
Pojaton - Värttinä, another from Kokko
05 - Vangelis, from Sexpower,
The Fisherman - Rick Wakeman (Sea Airs)
The Company - Fish
Dreamland - Joni Mitchell, from Shadows And Light,
Every Colour You Are - David Sylvian
Frontline - Captain

T - 3; M - 4; D - 3

Guilty Pleasures

After a great weekend seeing family, a return to 'work'.

My iPod is full of the likes of Yes, King Crimson, Gentle Giant, Brian Eno, Kate Bush, Cocteau Twins, The Fall, Sigur Ros. But I have several guilty pleasures when I'm feeling a bit bored of these on constant rotation. One is Chris de Burgh. I first heard 'Spanish Train...' about 25 years ago (Annie Nightingale?) and bought the album at Woods Record Shop in Huddersfield. I was there for the embarrassment of 'Lady In Red', although I did try (unsuccesfully) to seduce a girl on a ferry to Norway. She was the girlfriend of a mate, so it perhaps wasn't a great move.

Anyway, I tend to favour te early stuff. Kinda folk/rock/pop with the odd fleeting prog-type influence:

I Had The Love In My Eyes - Chris De Burgh
Summer Rain - Chris De Burgh
New Moon - Chris De Burgh
Hold On - Chris De Burgh
The Key - Chris De Burgh
Spanish Train - Chris De Burgh
Carry On (Reprise) - Chris De Burgh
Crusader - Chris De Burgh
The Lady In Red - Chris De Burgh
Fire On The Water - Chris De Burgh
Just Another Poor Boy - Chris De Burgh
In A Country Churchyard (Let Your Love Shine On) - Chris De Burgh

Also, Methuselah's Children Part 3 (of 7) from a Radio 7 dramatisation. Very good.

T - 4; M - 3.5; D - 3

Singing the Blues

Some Joni Mitchell to lighten the mood on a non-descript day:

Carey - Joni Mitchell
Morning Morgantown - Joni Mitchell
Sweet Bird - Joni Mitchell
In France They Kiss On Main Street - Joni Mitchell
The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines - Joni Mitchell
God Must Be A Boogie Man - Joni Mitchell
Court And Spark - Joni Mitchell
Rainy Night House - Joni Mitchell
Woman Of Heart And Mind - Joni Mitchell
Furry Sings The Blues - Joni Mitchell
The Wolf That Lives In Lindsey - Joni Mitchell

Then, on finding an article in today's Independent on the genesis of 'I'm Not in Love'

I'm Not In Love - 10cc

then some recently-acquired stuff:
Panic - The Smiths
Shoplifters Of The World Unite - The Smiths
Drive - The Cars
Girlfriend In A Coma - The Smiths (I'm currently going through an '80s thing, for some reason),
Toka Tola - Ozric Tentacles

More Baker and Kelly splendidness ahead this afternoon - I only hope it's released before I bugger off at 3.30

T - 4; M - 3.5; D - 3

Blasting Across the Alkali Flats in a Jet-Powered, Monkey-Navigated...

... Rather than being stuck here crushed together under ground with a sour-looking woman who insists on trying to put her bags on my feet. I've said it before etc., but the quicker I get out of this hell, the better.

Methuselah's Children Part 2 - Robert A. Heinlein, from a recent BBC Radio 7 adaptation, ripped from the stream with Roemer Software's Hi-Q Recorder

Next, some Rock/Pop. Basically if it's not quite Rock (e.g. it feels too 'light') but hasn't quite reached the depths of 'Pop', it ends up here.

Western High - Captain
N.L. - Notwist
Weathered Wall - David Sylvian
That's What They Always Say - Chris Rea
Southbound Again - Dire Straits
Promenade - Trevor Rabin, from the pre-Yes 90124 CD,
All The Midnights In The World - Prince. I seem to be the only person in the world who finds Prince, and this album in particular, banal.
Tell Me Why - Genesis. Speaking of banal,
Texas - Chris Rea
Trombone Dixie - The Beach Boys
James And The Cold Gun - Kate Bush
Would You Feel My Love - Trevor Rabin
Raw Ramp - T.Rex
Hold On (Demo) - Trevor Rabin. It's clear that other members of Yes had very little creative input into the 90125 album, especially (and disappointingly) Chris Squire. Still, the addition of some AOR radio-friendly input helped this band immensely,
Welcome To The Room, Sara - Fleetwood Mac. ditto here,
Praise - David Sylvian. Just gorgeous,
Family Man - Fleetwood Mac

Today's Metro reported some research on how music affects your mood and how 'sad' music doesn't necessarily make you sad. Very interesting stuff, although today's music selection was a bit average.

So that's it then. Almost Friday, and more Baker and Kelly. And a trip to God's Own County at the weekend to see family.

T - 1.5; M - 3; D - 1.5

Wippit Woes

Ahead of any re-think of my previous post, I checked out Wippit's pages.

God, what a mess.

The search thing is far too blunt a tool.
The catalogue is poor to say the least, and the promise of '10,000 free tracks to subscribers' looks fairly hollow, given the number of non-free tracks and uninteresting (to me, at least) free catalogue.
Searching for obvious things such as 'Yes' or 'Jaco' came up with nothing useful.
The download thing, if my past experience (and more recent experience with the 'We're Back' ADBS file) is anything to go by, is still terrible and prone to error.

If (and it's a big if still) I go back, I'm just going to have to live with it.

All Day Breakfast Show

Well, it's back back back.

The Danny Baker All Day Breakfast Show on Wippit.

So now what do I do?

All the recent chaos, culminating in the excuse of parental illness, was really poor. Yes, his parents were ill, and he did the right thing in taking time off (IMO, FWIW).

But:

Why no news at all except cryptic messages on various Wippit and ADBS websites?
Why did Mr Baker continue the BBC London show without mention (although, to be fair he did miss a couple of shows)?
Why was the juvenile 'keep watching the skies' persisted with? We're not children,
Why, whenever Wippit's service was criticised, the excuse came back: well, 95% of thnigs are fine,
Why is the Wippit interface soooo poor?
Why, now that the ADBSiC is back, do we forget about the previous month as if nothing had happened?
Why is any criticism responded to with 'hey, the guy's parents were ill' (what you do mean Wippit's servers are down all the time and the download process is abysmal? - cut us some slack, his dad's been ill)?


So now what?

Stump up £50 and hope that Wippit improves and the ADBSiC continues with fewer breaks?

Also, the decision to drop from 5 shows a week to 'at least 3' is crap. He's obviously hedging his bets and continuing the BBC London show.


I've decided - if I get the new job, I'll subscribe to Wippit and the ADBSiC. If I don't, I won't. There, that'll show 'em.

Judging by some comments in the Treehouse and at Cook'd and Bomb'd I'm not alone...

Wide Awake on the Edge of the World

Well, the job interview yesterday went well, although the HR interview was a bit scary.

Nothing to do at work today, but I'm going in anyway...

Chronology 6 - Jean-Michel Jarre, from Aero. Pretty awful 're-imagining' of classic tunes - should be left well alone, IMO,
Turn Me Loose - It Bites
Same Dreams - Gnidrolog
Russia On Ice - Porcupine Tree
Go! - Marillion, from the overlooked .com album,
Trans-Island Skyway - Donald Fagen. Beautiful guitar riff, used to great effect in a couple of Chris Morris' Jam episodes,
Shot in the Dark - Ozzy Osbourne,
Still Loving You Tonight (London, 1991) - Jethro Tull
Musical Interval - Scott Matthews
The Lap Of Luxury/Now Wash Your Hands - Marillion
Spider of Destiny - Frank Zappa
HeartAttack In A Lay-By - Porcupine Tree

T - 4; M - 4; D - 3

Attack Ships On Fire Off The Shoulders of Orion

Ahead of tomorrow's interview and a life-line out of here:

Versatile Heart - Linda Thompson
Homesick - Kings Of Convenience
Somewhere Here On Earth - Prince
Anthem - Leonard Cohen
Lord Willoughby - Jim Moray
Tenemos Roads - National Health
Born To Run - Marillion
The Plum Blossom - Vangelis
Nine Cats - Porcupine Tree
Tears In Rain - Vangelis

Excellent Baker and Kelly Podcast last week. Things look to be happening with Danny Baker's BBC London thing, and possibly the ADBS, although there is still nothing concrete. Very frustrating.

I've found another bunch of Podcasts recently, including 'The News Quiz' and 'Thinking Allowed', which are filling the ADBS-shaped holes.

M - 3.5; T - 3; D - 4

Sometimes I'm A Strong Man

Sometimes cold and scared, and sometimes I cry...

Friday. Again.

And now Alan Coren's died. RIP Alan.

Some female singer/songwriters:

Sunsi - Kate Bush, from some Studio Sessions
Top Of The City - Kate Bush
The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines - Joni Mitchell
Kite - Kate Bush, from some more Studio Sessions
Late November - Sandy Denny
When The Bridegroom Comes - Judee Sill
Maybe - Kate Bush, more Demos
Soldier Of The Heart - Judee Sill
King of the Mountain - Kate Bush
Strange Phenomena - Kate Bush
Knight Moves - Suzanne Vega
My Man On Love - 2 - Judee Sill
Radio 1 Xmas Jingle - Kate Bush, more Demos
Summerbreeze - Emiliana Torrini
The Painter's Link - Kate Bush
Machine Ballerina - Suzanne Vega
Free Man In Paris - Joni Mitchell
Introduction - Joni Mitchell, from Shadows And Light
I's A Muggin' (Rap) - Joni Mitchell
Wayward - Vashti Bunyan
Leather And Lace - Stevie Nicks
Ken - Kate Bush
Ask The Mountains (Extended Version) - Vangelis with Stina Nordenstam, currently being used for some advert or other,

T - 3; M - 4; D - 3. Don't. care. any. more.

RANT

The BBC.

Where do I start?

After all the pissing about they've done to Radio over the last year (Mixing It, Mark Radcliffe, Andy Kershaw etc etc: see here, here, and here), they're now going to start on TV. Actually, that is precisely what's needed, but they're going to get it wrong.

I remember when the TV used to close down in the afternoon, from just after 'Pebble Mill' to the start of Children's television. About 3 hours or so. This meant you got up and did something else. Not watch 3 hours of house-buying, antiques-hunting, wittering women and imported soap operas. It's the future, I tells you.

My personal hatred encompasses (but is not restricted to):

Jonathan Ross,
'Celebrity'-driven inanities (dancing, cooking, wallpapering),
idents,
soaps,
Graham Norton,
programmes (including the news) about soaps,
Vicar of fucking Dibley,
Russell fucking fucking Brand,


the News (sorry, the BBC News, from the BBC):
double-headed News (thanks, Natasha, thanks Bill),
standing outside a building pretending you're 'on the scene', and
personal opinion and half-remembered toss masquerading as news.

And while you're at it, merge BBC3 and BBC4 (there's never enough to fill it anyway, and some of the 'comedy' things on there are just absolutely dreadful).

So what will happen. A re-branding. More repeats, not good ones - Dr Who, old plays, science-related stuff, music (OGWT) - but Vicar of fucking Dibley and Only Fools and bloody Horses. Then a re-design of the website. Then news on every bloody hour. For about 10 seconds. More cheap celebrity underwater snooker, or whatever the current flavour of the month is. And JONATHAN ROSS. WITH GRAHAM NORTON. TOGETHER AT LAST.

/RANT. For now. See also Charlie Brooker...

Indi Music

Thursday, although it could be any other day. I've been invited to a second interview in my attempt to resuscitate my career. Just think, I could be out of here by the end of November.

More tantalising ADBS comments on yesterday's BBC London show, while Danny and Baylen were discussing the proposed job cuts at the BBC - "That's all right, we've got the other thing coming".

The Ballad Of 32 - Frankie Goes To Hollywood,
John Barleycorn - Jethro Tull. My search for more 'John Barleycorn' versions is up to 9, but I still need a Martin Carthy one.
After The Ordeal - Genesis,
Crux - Van Der Graaf Generator,
Get`em Out By Friday - Genesis,
I Need You Tonight - ZZ Top,
Snail Hair Dune - David Torn, Mick Karn, Terry Bozzio,
Them Heavy People - Kate Bush,
The World Underneath/The Return-Yamme Zan Dah - Epsilon Indi,
Annie Says - John Martyn,
The Kick Inside - Kate Bush.

T- 3; M -4; D - 4, including a rather atractive girl who joined me across the carriage and cheered me up no end.

ObSessions

Still no sign of the 'All Day Breakfast Show', although there was yet another tantalising hint on the BBC London show yesterday - he's apparently been working at the weekend and will return 'on Tuesday'. Come on Danny, put us out of our misery - what's the point? And while you're at it, stop playing Country & Western on the London show.

Australia - Tim Van Eyken, Andy Kershaw Session Feb 2007
Violaine - Cocteau Twins, BBC Sessions (Disc 2)
John Barleycorn - Tim Van Eyken, Andy Kershaw Session Feb 2007
Back Side of the Moon (Tranquility Lunar Orbit) - The Orb, Peel Sessions
Strange Fruit - Cocteau Twins, BBC Sessions (Disc 1)
4am - Cherry Ghost, Radcliffe & Maconie Session May 07
Muddy Brown River - Fyfe Dangerfield, Charles Hazlewood BBC Radio2 Session 30May07
Strange Phenomena - Kate Bush, Studio Sessions
Mango Tree - Angus and Julia Stone, Mark Radcliffe Session Feb07
Glorious Fool - John Martyn, Andy Kershaw Session May 2006
In Our Angelhood - Cocteau Twins, BBC Sessions (Disc 1)
Serpentskirt - Cocteau Twins, BBC Sessions (Disc 2)
Bonny Breast Knot/Bareback Polka - Tim Van Eyken, Andy Kershaw Session Feb 2007
Dream Song - Scott Matthews, Mark Radcliffe Session 14.12.06
Luka - Suzanne Vega, Radcliffe & Maconie Session 30 May 07
Fifty-Fifty Clown - Cocteau Twins, BBC Sessions (Disc 2)
Dear Heart - Cocteau Twins, BBC Sessions (Disc 1)

No real enthusiasm for this commute any more, if indeed there ever was any.

T - 3, M -4.5; D -3

A Creature of Habit

A miserable, grey rainy start to the day. I no longer care when I get to work, as no-one else seems to care, either. Suits me.

What slightly annoyed me was that, in an empty carriage, a woman had sat in my chair. I mean, the chair I usually sit in. There, in the middle. This could ruin everything.

Some prog rock on Shuffle, which rapidly turned to the source... Let me explain:

Chatauqua - Spock's Beard
Thoughts - Spock's Beard. So redolent of the great Gentle Giant that I just had to indulge myself.

Surely one of the greatest bands ever. Sadly overlooked among the throng of Yes, ELP, Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull etc etc.

Plain Truth - Gentle Giant, from Acquiring The Taste
Proclamation - Gentle Giant, Playing the Fool: The Official Live
Edge Of Twilight - Gentle Giant, Acquiring The Taste
The Boys In The Band - Gentle Giant, Octopus
Empty City - Gentle Giant, Interview. Man, this is beautiful,
Pantagruel`s Nativity - Gentle Giant, Acquiring The Taste
River - Gentle Giant, Octopus
Sweet Georgia Brown [Breakdown In Brussels] - Gentle Giant, Playing the Fool: The Official Live
On Reflection - Gentle Giant, Free Hand
Acquiring The Taste - Gentle Giant, Acquiring The Taste
Medley: Peel The Paint I Lost My Head - Gentle Giant, Playing the Fool: The Official Live
School Days - Gentle Giant, Three Friends
Give It Back - Gentle Giant, Interview
Nothing At All - Gentle Giant, Gentle Giant

The Tube was a disaster this morning. But, with the superb music and the lack of urgency, who cares? I should get my money back for this trip, so everyone's a winner.

The lack of the All Day Breakfast Show is getting beyond a joke. I think that's it, with a re-focus on the Bakey/Kelly thing.

T - 1.5; M - 5; D - 2

R&B

Since when did R&B mean corporate banalities in a soul style?

Way back when, R&B was Chuck Berry, John Lee Hooker and, at a pinch, Clapton. I spent some of the weekend at the Jazz Club on Dover Street, where 'dinner jazz' was followed by the type of crappy disco soul that I used to have to put up with when I was 16. Not funk, as advertised, but hour after hour of high-NRG 'R&B'. Balls.

It's A Beautiful Day For A Daring Raid

After one of those weekends where you feel like you need another to recover, a first listen to the new Robert Wyatt CD - Comicopera. I didn't get round to listening to it on my 'proper' hi-fi over the weekend.

Trademark multi-tracked vibrato-rich vocals, with loping jazz-blues and willfully amateurish trumpet playing. Splendid, although there isn't much variation towards the end. I can take or leave the Spanish-themed stuff, too. Not quite as immediate as 'Shleep', but good nontheless.

Stay Tuned - Robert Wyatt
Just as You Are - Robert Wyatt
You You - Robert Wyatt
A.W.O.L. - Robert Wyatt
Anachronist - Robert Wyatt
Beautiful Peace - Robert Wyatt
Be Serious - Robert Wyatt
On the Town Square - Robert Wyatt
Mob Rule - Robert Wyatt
Beautiful War - Robert Wyatt
Out of the Blue - Robert Wyatt
Del Mondo - Robert Wyatt
Cancion de Julieta - Robert Wyatt
Pastafari - Robert Wyatt
Fragment - Robert Wyatt

Plus, some recent downloads to replace my vinyl:

Here Comes The Feeling - Asia
After the War - Asia
Are You Big Enough? - Asia
2 H.B. - Roxy Music

T - 4; M - 4; D - 3

Period of Relection

Well, yesterday's interview went well. I'll still keep my other options open, though.

I saw this preposterous idea in the Metro the other day. What the Tube really needs is more things creating heat from cooling fans and more machnery to go wrong. The number of times I've seen the Windoze 'blue screen of death' on these crappy plasma screens... Now the idea is to have ceiling-mounted projectors to blow hot air onto our heads. Presumably they'll have to install air con to counteract the effects...

Ambient music this morning, for a chilled-out Friday of nothingness:

Mother and Child - David Sylvian, the instrumental version from 'Camphor'
Flight Feet & Root Hands - Andreas Vollenweider
25 Avril - Mad Jazz Piano - Brian Eno
Where We Lived - Brian Eno & Jah Wobble
1987 - Robert Fripp
Drugged - Bass Communion. This is an amazing piece of work. The shimmering guitar chords always take me by surprise and send a shiver down my spine every time,
The Dredger - Ice
1986 - Robert Fripp
Madrigals of the Rose Angel - Harold Budd
The Healing Place - David Sylvian

T - 4; M - 4; D -3

Escape Plan II

Well, another interview today, as part of my continuing efforts to salvage my career, so no commute. More larks tomorrow

Roxy And Elsewhere

Did you see what did there?

On the back of Danny Baker playing 'Editions of You' on his BBC London show last night, a commute accompanied by my Roxy Music collection, which is really just the Eno albums:

For Your Pleasure
H.B.
The Bob (Medley)
In Every Dream Home A Heartache
Sea Breezes
Virginia Plain
The Bogus Man
Would You Believe
Ladytron
Editions Of You
Grey Lagoons

T - 4; M - 4; D - 3

'Cause in This World of Troubles My Music Pulls Me Through

Bugger me, my music collection's good.

While I was feeling sorry for myself, I put the 'Pod on Shuffle and listened to the following while watching the rain fall...

Rising Thermal - Jon Hassell/Brian Eno
Fruit Tree - Nick Drake
Spiral - Jethro Tull
They're Red Hot - Robert Johnson
Thank You, Whoever You Are (Promo) - Marillion
Brujo - National Health
Leave It - Yes
Kupuri - System 7
A Clearing - Brian Eno
Nobody's Car (London, 1984) - Jethro Tull
Market Square Heroes (Battle Priest Version) - Marillion
Pirates - Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Upside Down - Hawkwind
Future Baby Mama - Prince
Little Sir Hugh - Steeleye Span
T.N.T.F.X - National Health
He Tried To Show Them Magic - Ambassadors Return - Pure Reason Revolution
Colourflow In Mind - Porcupine Tree
Winter Sadness - Kool & The Gang
Last Rendez-vous - Jean-Michel Jarre
Sossity, You`re A Woman - Jethro Tull
Hounds Of Love - Kate Bush
Drone In D - Fyfe Dangerfield
For My Lover - Tracy Chapman
Puirt-A-Beul Set - Julie Fowlis
We Agree - Yes
View From The Hill - Fish
Lotteryland - Richard & Danny Thompson
Resist - Rush
Scrap Yard - Tangerine Dream
Night By Night - Steely Dan
New Feet - Brian Eno And David Byrne
Cinema - Yes
Clowns And Jugglers - Syd Barrett
Soldier Of The Heart - 2 - Judee Sill
Your Signs - Notwist
The Jug Of Punch - The Clancy Brothers
Duchess [Live] - Genesis
Hard As Love (Demo Version) - Marillion
Love Me Do - The Beatles
Unfamiliar Wind (Leeks Hills) - Brian Eno
Golf Girl - Caravan
Stories For Boys - U2
Hallucinations - Tim Buckley
The Fall Of The House Of Usher - I Prelude - Alan Parsons Project
Manoeuvre - AMM
Cruel Sister - Pentangle
Tears - Rush
Ripples - Genesis
I Am Waiting - Yes
Release, Release - Yes
Hello Hello - Caravan
The Sphinx Returns - Van der Graaf Generator
Tunnel Of Love - Dire Straits
Chase The Blues Away - Tim Buckley
So Long Ago, So Clear (With Jon Anderson) - Vangelis
Pilgrims - Van der Graaf Generator
In The Tower - Yes
Taking the Veil - David Sylvian
Streets Of Fear - Hawkwind
Drop In From The Top - Richard Wright
It's A Sight To Behold - Devendra Banhart
Hazey Jane II - Nick Drake
The Damage - Marillion
Unquiet Slumber For The Sleepers... - Genesis
Octopussy - System 7

Now for some BBC London Danny Baker. The word from the Treehouse is that the ADBS will be back, and Wippit will refund everyone so far as an apology.

Nadir's Last Chance

Another day off sick. I haven't felt this miserable for a while.


On the way home last night I was listening to the new Porcupine Tree 'Nil Recurring' EP on my 'Pod, when the guy next to me shot me a sideways look and then continued to stare at me for 30 seconds. OK, I'd got to a loud bit, but I was so absolutely pissed off, I could have just punched him in his shiny face there and then.

Something must be done to end this.

Out of Control

Still feeling ill, but came in anyway - got a Power Point thing to do for my job interview on Thursday.

The commute on Friday was disgrace. If London Undergound has any sense of customer service, they should have been handing out bottles of water and crisp fivers to everyone caught up in the fiasco. Yet again signal failures at Finchley.

Welcome to the weekend. Have a good one, now.

Balls.

Mark Kermode's Podcast was better than recent editions because a) he was there, b) the tedious interview with stars and producers was flagged up and at the end and c) the cretinous jingles were reasonably unintrusive. Control (the New Order biopic) sounds interesting. I didn't get round to seeing 'The Bourne Ultimatum' in the end - couldn't summon up the energy.

The Baker and Kelly Podcast was also great fun (two shows a week, 'if the money's right'), but still no word on Wippit/BBC/ADBS. I am so glad I didn't fork out on the ADBS in Color. The first 5 shows are still sitting in Wippit, tantalisingly. Do I stump up £10 (plus transaction fee, plus line rental, plus Paul's 'I'm a millionaire - betcha can't guess how' fee) or wait until the ADBSiC return and subscribe (only for Wippit to fuck up again). Conundrum.

Tangerine Dream's 'Thief' soundtrack today. I think I've said this before here, but my only Tangerine Dream concert saw my date snogging my best mate, the entire gig being played with all the lights on (Health and Safety I guess, but it just looked silly) and a fairly tedious time being had by all.

T - 2; M - 3; D - 2

Do You - You - Feel Like I Do?

Friday. Another job interview lined up for next week, so things are looking up slightly. I'm still giving a lot of thought to the teaching training, though...

Splendid things in today's Independent. Bladerunner: The Final Cut is to be released in December, there's a new Robert Wyatt album out, there's a review of a Joanne Newsom gig (5/5) and a reminder in it to buy more Roy Harper. Great stuff.

Had no real rush to get to work today, so a slow amble through subterranean London's (world class) transport system passed by pleasantly enough.

My weekend seems to start, these days, about 5 minutes after the Baker & Kelly football podcast is released on iTunes. Download, transfer to iPod, turn off computer, bugger off home.

More recent acquisitions over the last month or so:

So Called Friend (B-Side) - Porcupine Tree,
E - Chris Rea,
Would You Feel My Love - Trevor Rabin,
Firefly - Chris Rea,
Second Sight - Kula Shaker,
Dr Kitt - Kula Shaker,
I Love You Still - Pavlov's Dog,
A Hardly Innocent Mind - Pavlov's Dog,
Tell Me There's A Heaven - Chris Rea,
Here Comes The Flood (demo) - Peter Gabriel
The King Of Carrot Flowers Pts. Two And Three - Neutral Milk Hotel
Out On The Highway - Kula Shaker,
No More Mickey (demo) - Peter Gabriel,
The King Of Carrot Flowers Pt. One - Neutral Milk Hotel,
Do You Feel Like We Do? - Peter Frampton, from the splendid '... Comes Alive' album

T - 4 (the best in the world, hurrah!); M - 3.5; D - 3

ADBS In Color - October Update

Some more news on the 'All Day Breakfast Show' from the Treehouse forum.

Under the "Re: Ssssshhhhhh - It's the Secret Show!" header, from Paul @ Wippit:

"Right… ADBS is coming back. We will make an announcement about when and how very soon. It’s in COLOR, possibly HD but not necessarily in ‘stereo’."

Okay. No mention of a Danny Baker music show, so it looks to be back back back in its original form. Hmmm... might be worth looking at.

But, it's got to be a) any good b) easy to download (my experience with the freebies was often poor) and c) they must give better feedback than what's just happened. I guess if and when (as hinted) Mr B's GLR show comes to an end, he'll have free-er rein to do what he wants when he wants and not be restricted by the BBC. Plus there's the Baker and Kelly stuff up there as well.

I'm gonna follow the progress very closely. With my current precarious career position £50 could be needed very soon.

Peace In Our Time

Thursday. Almost Friday. Nothing much happening today, although the Royal Mail seems to have gone on strike. That should mean fewer invitations to enter prize draws or improve my windows and doors.

A mix of recent downloads and other purchases to while away the time. I still don't feel too good.

Peace (7" Radio Edit) - Apollo XI. This is probably common knowledge by now, but this is The Orb. I have memory of coming home from the pub at Uni and falling into bed (alas, alone) just in time to hear John Peel introduce the session. I was transfixed for half an hour, and thus began my affair with The Orb. I have to admit, though, that I found their later stuff a bit dull.
Oxygene 12 - Jean-Michel Jarre. This album is not as bad as I thought it might be,
Hold On (Demo) - Trevor Rabin,
Rah Yabki (street mix) - Cheikha Rimitti with Robert Fripp and Flea. Bought on impulse because of Mr Fripp's involvement,
Out On The Highway - Kula Shaker.
Oakum - Ozric Tentacles. Not much sign of evolution from 20 years ago, but pleasant enough,
Left-Handed Theory - Premiata Forneria Marconi
Aero Opening - Jean-Michel Jarre,
You & I (Live 1990) - Pavlov's Dog,
Strangefolk - Kula Shaker
Psychic Chasm - Ozric Tentacles
Freedom - Sunday All Over The World. A really interesting project with Robert Fripp and Toyah, his wife. Also featuring Trey Gunn, and a possible alternative, along with Fripp/Sylvian, to 90s King Crimson.
Love Will Find A Way - Trevor Rabin from 90124. Interesting, if only to bring my Yes collection more up-to-date.

T - 4; M - 4; D - 3

Kermode Rant

It slipped my mind during my recent cold, but I'm becoming increasingly annoyed by the Five Live Mayo/Kermode Podcast.

Leave aside that 1 out of 4 are not Kermode, but someone else who hasn't seen many films,

Leave aside the annoying ident jingle that encroaches into the beginning and end of it,

What really annoys me is inviting the director/star of the latest film on the show to ask them asinine questions: 'Do you think it's your best work ever?', 'What was x like to work with?', 'What makes you so great?'. And then be really fawning about the film in question - 'challenging', 'remarkable', 'really well edited'.

The worst in recent weeks was last week with some American guy with a deep voice, and then two bozos live from the US.

Total discussion of films, approximately 20 minutes.

Bones and Powders

Well, I've finally got to the end of the Baker and Kelly compilations, and very fine they were too.

After the days off for cold, I began to regret coming back so soon. Staring down a long tunnel, or looking through a telescope the wrong way...

Shuffle All:

A Place to Call My Own - Genesis
Blue Hour - Turin Brakes
You Make Loving Fun (rough) - Fleetwood Mac
Crime in the Desert - Brian Eno & John Cale
4 A.M. - Cherry Ghost
Sad Horses - No River City. I have no idea where I've got this from,
The Bell in The Sea (demo) - Marillion
Late November - Sandy Denny
Rainy Taxi - Porcupine Tree
Stranger By The Minute (Edit) - Porcupine Tree
Saviour, Are You With Me? - Mick Karn
Lily Pond - Vashti Bunyan
The Old Master Painter - The Beach Boys

On the job front, I have a couple of things to consider before I make the next move. Still no news about my current position.

T - 4; M - 4; D - 3

The Other Show

Well, more news about the ADBS, I think.

Danny's GLR show mentioned '...the other show's back next week'. With 'The end of days' and developments with Danny Kelly, perhaps Wippit are getting their act together and Danny is being forced to choose between the BBC and the All Day Breakfast Show.

It still doesn't excuse Wippit's general crappiness and the lack of feedback from Dan, though.

We Approach The End Of Days...

Another day off recovering from my cold. Time to catch up on ligging around in my dressing gown and re-arranging my record collection. Interesting comment, via 'Listen Again', from Danny Baker: 'We approach the end of days, in the afternoon retreat', much discussed on the Treehouse.

Octopus, Octavarium, Octafish, Octandre, October

Well, the weekend came and went, and inflicted me with a cold. So, yet another day at home and no commute.

It seems that the 'Ladies' Bras', first promoted by Danny Baker's 'All Day Breakfast Show', has reached the Top 40 after being taking up by Radio 1. A remix, apparently. On the subject, my speculation is that Mr Baker is seeing more of a future in a music-based show, as mentioned last week on BBC London's two-handers with Mr Kelly. Baylen Leonard is doing the Breakfast Show (why, I don't know) and David Kuo is apparently producing a Podcast for Motley Fool.

The fact that the (currently free) B/K Podcast is still being made by Wippit leads me to believe that the relation between B&K and Wippit is still okay, despite the speculation. Why else would it be continuing?

I predict the end of the ADBS, to be replaced by a B&K music show, if the rights issues can be sorted. The football thing will probably continue and also part-replace the ADBS. But Wippit seriously need to get its act together. Anyone can become a millionaire by taking people's money for no service...