Let Me Be Weak, Let Me Sleep

After another interminable week of nothingness, Friday.

Mask Movement 3 - Vangelis,
No Way We Can Lose - Yes,
Sleepless (Bob Clearmountain Mix) - King Crimson,
Glistening Glyndebourne - John Martyn,
Big Muff (Alternate Version With Drums) - John Martyn,
Joker At The Gate - Hawkwind,
Hurdy Gurdy Glissando - Steve Hillage,
And Dream Of Sheep - Kate Bush,

then, for my walk to and from the stations, Count Arthur Strong's 2nd Episode from his latest Radio4 Series. Splendid.

I've also found a few 'I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue' MP3s online, so now have lots to listen to in the run up to xmas. That and the 'All Day Breakfast Show'...

T - 4; M - 3.5; D - 3

ADBS Turmoil

As my new friend Kim said below in her comment, "I bought my subscription at the end of October and I've been satisfied!".

Well, I still haven't got round to subbing to Wippit - I assume (?) I can pick up the backlog since September - but this comment on Tuesday's BBC London show made me sit up:

"I don't want to open up the phone lines to hobble-de-hoys - that's how we got involved with Wippit"

Yikes!

It Makes You Suffer And It Makes You Cry

But, unfortunately, it's not, as Mr Hogarth, suggests, all worthwhile,

After a couple of days off, a return to the daily commute:

06 - LOVE - 12/11/92 Lee & Herring, from the FistOfFun archive,
Surprise, Surprise - Caravan,
Way To Blue - Nick Drake. A demo, with piano which is even more fragile and ethereal than the final version,
Hotel Hobbies - Marillion,
Septembre: Heat Beat - Brian Eno, sounding a lot like Boards of Canada,
Hard As Love (Demo Version) - Marillion,
Beach Theme - Tangerine Dream,
Tunnel Of Love - Dire Straits,
Band On The Run - Paul McCartney & Wings,
Arthur - Rick Wakeman,
Eleanor Rigby Reggae MashUp - The Beatles. Danny Baker first played this on Monday's BBC London show, and I've found it on YouTube here and ripped it with my new HiQ software. Excellent - forget the short-lived 'Ladies' Bras' debacle, this is worth pushing.

T - 4; M - 4; D - 3

Ill

No commute today due to illness. Great unpleasantness.

ADBS Update

After a lot of thought, and after lurking (perhaps unfairly) on The Treehouse and Cook'd and Bomb'd Forums for weeks, I have finally come, FWIW, to my decision re: 'The All-Day Breakfast Show In Color'

Although money's quite tight, what with all the 'TURMOIL' at work, I'm going to subscribe and see how it goes. As a contributor to the Treehouse said "... it seems to have become more about anti-Paul than pro-Dan (as in "I don't care if it is Dan, I'm not prepared to line Paul's pockets")".

My prevarication about this has been mainly around this anti-Wippit issue, although, as the product's very good, and seemingly becoming more stable and dependable, it's time to bite the bullet and stump up the cash.

Knowing my luck, it'll all go tits up in the New Year and I'll have paid a year's subs for nowt...

Hopefully, Eventually

After a gruelling weekend of birthday parties and seeing friends, a return to the desparation of 'work'. For the first time in ages, however, I was able to fit in a listen to the whole of an album, this being Chris Squire's 'Fish Out Of Water'. Not the exclusive signed copy, just the CD+DVD release. I prefer to keep my money for newer stuff, such as Marillion's next...

I was nursing a slight hangover this morning, after an over-indulgence of good wine and Glenmorangie.

NewsQuiz 22 Nov 07 - BBC Radio 4 Podcast. If only they could do the same for ''I'm Sorry, I Haven't a Clue',
Summer-Blink - Cocteau Twins,
Starship Trooper: Life Seeker (Single Version) - Yes,
Terrapin - David Gilmour,
Song To The Pharoah Kings - Return To Forever,
Tale In The Hard Time - Fairport Convention,
Legend Of A Girl Child Linda - Donovan,
Winter Wonderland featuring Chris Botti - James Taylor (!),
I Want The One I Can`t Have - The Smiths,
River Of Time - Van Morrison

I'll record the Pink Floyd Part 2 later today (Days in the Life... on Radio2). It really irritated me that last week 'Echoes' was described as being part of the 'More' soundtrack, when anyone with even the slightest knowledge of PF will tell you it's from 'Meddle'. Annoying,

T - 4; M - 3.5; D - 4. As I'm getting later and later these days, the Tube's less and less crowded.

Vacant Stare

Friday, and nothing has been achieved this week. My company is in its final death throes and the end is in sight - there may be some chance of redundancy to release me from this nightmare...

Some 'Electronic' music, mostly Vangelis and Jean-Michel Jarre, as an ambient backdrop to reading 'The Independent'.

Today's Baker & Kelly Podcast should be interesting, given the events of Wednesday night at Wembley...

T - 3; M - 3; D - 3. Pretty average, if downcast, end to the week.

Time And Relative Dimensions

A propos nothing, wasn't the Children in Need Doctor Who thing great? I've just watched the YouTube thing, after looking through the discussions on Cook'd and Bomb'd (Cook'd and Bomb'd > Forum > Discussion > Picture Box > Topic: The New Doctor Who thread).

"This is my dressing-room; my inner scrotum"

A welcome return to Count Arthur Strong the other day. Splendid stuff, and made me laugh out loud half a dozen times. Great.

Today (Thursday), there's a Kraftwerk thing on Radio 4, and I need to catch up with the 'Days of Our Lives' Pink Floyd documentary on Radio 2. Plus, there's the Charles Hazlewood show from last night, which I fell asleep 10 minutes into.

I've now downloaded the full version of Hi-Q from here, as the 96 kbps on offer from the free version is becoming too restrictive. While I'm on this spending splurge, and as the 'All Day Breakfast Show' is reportedly becoming more reliable from Wippit (and iTunes), I think I'm going to subscribe to the annual thing and take it from there. Watch this space...

As work simply becomes a question of turning up and then leaving 5 hours later, I spent most of the early morning constructing plastic toys for my son on his birthday.

Ho hum.

Gone To Earth - David Sylvian & Robert Fripp, from the first, better, 'Damage' CD,
All Of My Mother's Names - DS,
Promise (The Cult Of Eurydice) - DS,
Weathered Wall - DS,
Waterfront - DS,
I Surrender (Single Edit) - DS,
Gone to Earth - DS,
Orpheus - DS,
Blinding Light Of Heaven - Sylvian/Fripp,
Pulling Punches - DS,
The Scent Of Magnolia (Edit) - DS, from the bonus disc from the 'Everything & Nothing' compilation.

This is my 300th post.

T - 4; M - 4; D - 2

Dumbing Down

So a junior office worker is allowed access to copy all family records onto a CD-ROM and them stick them in the post? Well done, everybody.

More frustrating illiteracy and innumeracy on the Tube, too. A forty-year old reading a children's book. Not Harry Potter, but something intended for 10-year-olds, and recipient of the Whitbread Children's Book Prize and Smarties Award. Plus, the woman sat next to me was really struggling with her SuDoku. With her puzzled brow and constant rubbing out of numbers, it was all I could do to resist helping her out. Bloody hell.

Jazz, Blues and Folk today:

Cantaloupe Island - Herbie Hancock,
I Want To Take You Higher - Sly & the Family Stone,
The Last Time I Saw Richard - Joni Mitchell,
People Music - Herbie Hancock,
Children's Song - Chick Corea & Return To Forever,
Diamond Day - Vashti Bunyan,
A Love Supreme, Pt. 4: Psalm - John Coltrane,
Next Time Around - Sandy Denny,
Winter Is Gone - Nick Drake,
Freezing Fire - Weather Report,
Instrumental I - James Taylor,
She Moves Through The Fair - Fairport Convention,
Sweet Jannie - Van Morrison,
Ever After - Neil Young,
Isn`t It Nice To Be Home Again - James Taylor,
Rise At Dawn - Paul O'Reilly.

Bored, fed up, tired. And it's only Wednesday.

T - 4; M - 4; D - 3

I Don't Feel Pleasure and I Don't Feel Pain

After 2 solid days of rain, a break in the clouds accompanied my walk to the Tube. I had an early start today as, being the bottom of the food chain, I had been delegated the task of letting an engineer in to fix one of our redundant machines. Joy.

I had no real clue what I wanted to listen to today, so started with 'Ambient/Electronic' then got bored of that among the noise of the train and switched to 'Rock, Prog and Rock/Pop':

Strangers - Raoul Bjorkenheim,
Born, Never Asked - Laurie Anderson,
Second Swarm - Bass Communion,
Punk Rock - Mogwai,
Great To Be With You - Yes,
Prophets Of War - Dream Theater,
Three Of A Perfect Pair - King Crimson,
Formentera Lady - King Crimson,
Woodstock - Matthews' Southern Comfort,
Gone to Earth - David Sylvian,
Tux On - Marillion,
Love You - Syd Barrett

T - 4; M - 3.5; D - 3

Celebration

Well, it's been one year since my first tentative steps into the 'blog' landscape.

Almost 300 posts and 3300 hits on the site (since I started counting back in January). Highest daily hits 53, lowest 0.

My ratings of the Tube (T), Music (M) and fellow Drones (D) have been highly variable, but average out at something like T - 3; M - 4; D - 3, although I haven't bothered doing statistical analysis.

I've seen 'Mixing It' come and go to be replaced by 'Where's the Skill in That?' on Resonance FM, Mark Radcliffe moved from the civilised 10-12 slot to the useless 8-10 period, and Danny Baker enter, leave and haltingly re-enter the Podcast world with 'The All Day Breakfast Show'.

I've seen my company stumble and fall, lose half its staff and refuse to give in. My workload has decreased from fairly busy to nil, and I've had countless job applications, and half a dozen job interviews, turned own on the basis of either being over-qualified or not qualified enough.

I've bought many great albums, and a few duffers, and replaced over half of my vinyl collection with MP3s from a variety of sources. I've seen my iTunes collection grow from ~50 Gb to almost 100 Gb.

I've been involved in countless Tube delays and received over £100 in compensation, which is a Good Thing. I have been involved in no fights or arguments with fellow drones, although tempted many times, and this too is a Good Thing and a testament to my good nature.

Here's to the next 20 glorious years...

Happy birthday to my blog
Happy birthday to my blog
Happy birthday, dear BlackLineBlues,
Happy birthday to my blog.

Radio Highlights

Interesting radio schedules this week and in the run-up to xmas:

Mondays 6.30pm Radio 4: I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue link
Tuesdays 6.30pm Radio 4: Count Arthur Strong link
Thursday 11.30apm Radio 4: Kraftwerk: We Are the Robots link
Plus, the return of Word of Mouth some time soon link

And... With the overwhelming lack of things to do at work, and with the seemingly imminent departure (?) of Danny Baker from BBC London, I'm considering a subscription to Wippit (aaaargh!) for the All Day Breakfast Show in Color as a kind of masochistic xmas present to myself.

A Fool And His Money

After the recent 'Family Tree' release of Nick Drake (and family) Demoes, comes this:


















On vinyl...

The 180g albums have been available for a while, but very expensive (OK, £20 or so, not that expensive), but these apparently are 135g. Why?



This is weird (from NickDrake.com):

http://www.nickdrake.com/fruit-tree-news.html

Quote "The vinyl sounds great but we make no ludicrous claims to it being of 'audiophile' quality"

What??? Ludicrous? I just don't get it. Why not 'audiophile'? Why don't they just do it properly, including a 12" booklet, not just shoving the CD-sized booklet in the box?

I have so many Nick Drake CDs, but have resisted the vinyl. This now means (IMO) at some future point a boxed set of the 'audiophile' - remastered, 180g vinyl - LPs will be released together with booklet. Just get it over with...

Perfectly Safe; Feel Quite Well...

... Why Don't You Just Go To Hell?

Egg. There are many albums (i.e. vinyl) that have passed through my hands, and many that now reside in my living room. There are also many that I regret not buying. One is the original Buckingham/Nicks album - which was available to me for £50 - when I returned the next day it had gone. Another is the original 'Egg' LP for £15.

I've finally found some downloads and was listening to them at the weekend - Magnificent Prog.

As I fought for arm-rest room between two small, but clinically obese, woman, I listened to 'The Civil Surface' and 'Egg' this morning:

TCS:
Germ Patrol, Wind Quartet I, Enneagram, Prelude, Wring Out the Ground (Loosely Now), Nearch, Wind Quartet II,

E:
Bulb, While Growing My Hair, I Will Be Absorbed, Fugue in D Minor, They Laughed When I Sat Down at the Piano..., Song of McGillicudie the Pusillanimous (Or Don't Worry James, your Socks are Hanging in the Coal Cellar with Thomas), Boilk, Symphony No. 2.

A heady mix of the Canterbury scene - Caravan, Soft Machine - but similarities with Gentle Giant, Gryphon and even vocal elements of Philip Glass (see North Star). I love this stuff. I prefer 'Civil Surface', but the Symphony (told you it was prog rock) is great.

T - 4; M - 4.5; D - 1.5. The two fat women were only balanced by the approving glances - again! - from a young lady walking the other way. It must be my silk scarf...

It's All Yours, Ants

So there we have it. Untold millennia of evolution and we get to this:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7100914.stm

I reckon we give up now and hand it over. Clearly, we've failed.

1 0 0 1 0 0 1 SOS

Do Away with People Wasting my Precious Time

Well, there's no-one here. What a surprise. A beautiful, crisp, clear Autumn Friday, and everyone's 'working from home'.

I actually felt quite relaxed and laid-back today, with my 'Not Classical or Spoken' playlist and the weekend stretching before me like a great shoe with its lights on (© Danny Baker).

It Ain't You - Tom McRae,
Jam Back At The House - Jimi Hendrix Experience,
La Petite Fille De La Mer - Vangelis. Back at Uni, this album (Apocalypse des Animaux) was my seduction tape. It didn't often work, but if the target of my affection said 'I hate this' then it became a useful filter device,
Golf Girl - Caravan,
Mother Stands For Comfort - Kate Bush. Another target of my affection. Oh man,
Moving In - Trevor Rabin, which later became 'Hold On' with Yes,
See Emily Play - Pink Floyd,
Hello Hello - Caravan,
The Last Man On Earth - Pendragon. A bit over-long, but there's a great guitar solo at the end,
Mary - Robert Fripp, from the superb 'Exposure' album,
3/5 Of A Mile In 10 Seconds - Jefferson Airplane,
Virginia Plain - Roxy Music,
Last to Know - Asia. I'm not a huge fan of Asia, but I have all their albums up to Aria. This was great as I walked to work, with my face pointing directly into the sun and my eyes half-closed behind shades.

T - 4; M - 4.5; D - 4. I even got a lascivious smile from an attractive girl with long blonde hair.

Tired and Emotional

Interesting Danny Baker BBC London show yesterday. Nick Hancock and Rory McGrath turned up - after a long lunch at the Groucho Club - to promote their 'They Think It's All Over' DVD game, and got cut off after 20 minutes for swearing and generally being arses.

Good fun, if all a little juvenile, and Rory even tried chatting Amy Lame' up whilst going on about his "Bearded Tit" 'gag' autobiography.

Catch it while you can on 'Listen Again'. It'll be there until the 20th - Go to Wednesday and forward to 1:00:00 or thereabouts.

Jean Genie

Well, the Charles Hazlewood Show last night was, as ever, interesting and annoying in just about equal measure.

The music mix wasn't eclectic as it has been previously, and I could have done without three of the last four tracks, but each to his own.

James Brown: Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved; Album: Revolution of the Mind
Jamie T: Calm Down Dearest; Album: Panic Prevention
Tom Waits: The Piano Has Been Drinking (Not Me); Album: Small Change
David Sylvian: Jean The Birdman; Album: God’s Monkey

- Hang on. This was introduced as Jean - to rhyme with Dean or Gene - despite the title being sung a dozen times or more. It was also described as recent. Well, if 1993 is recent then, yes, it's recent. Plus, it's from the Sylvian/Fripp album 'The First Day', not God's Monkey... Plus, it's hardly the best example of his 'husky voice'. How about something from 'Nine Horses' or 'Blemish'?

Vashti Bunyan Session:
Train Song
Winter is Blue

Maria Callas: Non Piu Mesta from La Cenerentola (Rossini)
Cecilia Bartoli: The Marriage Of Figaro - Giunsi Alfin Il Momento .... Al Desio (Mozart)

now you start to lose me...
Wyclef Jean: Where Fugees At; Album: The Ecleftic
Wyclef Jean: Diallo; Album: The Ecleftic
Youssou N’Dour: Birima; Album: Eyes Open / Joko From Village To Town / The Guide - Wommat (3 CD Set)
Pauline Malefane: Last Winter

Hmmm.... 7/10 for this show, I think.

Peace of Mind and Sanctuary

Feeling a bit sorry for myself this morning, despite the nice sunny start.

Just sooooo bored at work, and human contact is becoming minimal as everybody keeps their heads down and pretends to be working (myself including).

My iPod came up with a great 'Not Classical or Spoken' mix which suited my mood perfectly:

So Boot If At All - Soft Machine,
Johanneslust - Eno, Moebius, Roedelius, Plank,
Annie Says - John Martyn,
Stink Foot - Frank Zappa,
The Fat Angel - Donovan,
Rivendell - Rush,
Nostalgia - David Sylvian - sublime,
Spirals In Hyperspace - Ozric Tentacles,
Scrap Yard - Tangerine Dream,
Won't Get Fooled Again - The Who,
The Democratic Circus - Talking Heads,
It's Not My Name - Landscape.

T - 4; M - 4; D - 4

Charles Hazlewood is Back

One of my favourite radio shows, Charles Hazlewood's Radio 2 programme returns tonight.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/hazlewood/

BBC Radio 2, Wednesdays, 2200-2300 (10 - 11pm)

Don't Panic

With nothing to do at work, I found a website with lots of comedy MP3s, specifically, Stephen Fry/John Bird in Radio 4's Absolute Power and Douglas Adams' 'Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy'. All very splendid, as the latter contains the last three books, not just the old 'H2G2' and 'Restaurant' tapes.

I got to work at 10 o'clock today. Normally, the train is relatively empty at that time, but today it was packed. I guess everyone's got those Winter blues.

Some Folk, Blues and Jazz, from my very subjective Genre specifications:

Northern Sky - Nick Drake,
Heartstopper - Emiliana Torrini,
Cracking - Suzanne Vega,
Silly Putty - Stanley Clarke,
Packing For The Crash - Tom McRae,
No Mans Land - Fairport Convention,
From The Morning - Nick Drake,
Penitent - Suzanne Vega,
Jamican Boy - Stanley Clarke,
Tangled Up In Blue - Bob Dylan,
River People - Weather Report,
Happy Birthday 1975(Rap) - Joni Mitchell, from 'Mingus',
Deacon Blues - Steely Dan. Sublime,
Palms for Lester - David Torn, Mick Karn, Terry Bozzio,
By TV Light - Turin Brakes,
They're Red Hot - Robert Johnson.

T - 3; M - 4; D - 2

And the Man in the Mirror has Sad Eyes

Tuesday, and nothing much to report, I'm afraid. I didn't get round to listening to ISIHAC last night, so I'll have to catch up at work today...

Shuffle 'Not Classical or Spoken':

Bassically - Taps Stanley Clarke,
Why Am I So Short? - Soft Machine,
Up To Me - Jethro Tull,
St. Louis Blues - Herbie Hancock,
Turn That Heartbeat Over Again - Steely Dan,
Riverman - David Sylvian & Robert Fripp, from Damage,
Jughead - Prince. God, this is awful,
Heart Of Lothian (I. Wide Boy II. Curtain Call) (Album Demo) - Marillion,
Holland, 1945 - Neutral Milk Hotel,
Soldier Of The Heart - Judee Sill,
Bros - Panda Bear. This is very interesting, but I just wish it went somewhere,
Kokoku - Laurie Anderson.

M - 4; T - 3; D - 3

Clue

Hurrah! 'I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue' is back is back for its 50th Series.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/comedy/clue.shtml

All we need is a Podcast...

It's Dark, Dark in the Daytime

Some recent purchases to take my mind off the pathetic service provided by London Underground and the tedium provided by my job. The Rolling Stones and The Who didn't really feature in my collection, other than the odd track from compilations, so I bought some recently. Most of it's okay, but not earth-shattering. I guess you had to be there...

Quadrophenia - The Who,
Jumpin' Jack Flash - The Rolling Stones,
Uh Oh Love (Alternative Version With Steel Drums) - Talking Heads. I also realised that all my Talking Heads stuff was either on vinyl or tape and needed updating,
Cities (Alternate Version) - Talking Heads,
In A Lifetime - Talking Heads,
She's A Rainbow - The Rolling Stones,
Pornoghrapher's Dream - Suzanne Vega, from her most recent album,
Won't Get Fooled Again - The Who,
Mother's Little Helper - The Rolling Stones,
Call Me Lightning - The Who.

The Baker and Kelly Podcast was very funny, althought their non-appearance was glossed over somewhat. I guess, as they said, it all comes down to money.

T - 2; M - 3; D - 2

Built-In Obsolescence

For the first time in ages, I saw someone using a CD Walkman on the Tube this morning. It looked so odd, with its bulk and spinning silver disc.

I've got a good feeling about today. Friday, mainly, but also because the Management are 'working from home'.

Recent album purchases - Neil Young's Chrome Dreams II, which is largely excellent, although it does drift more into Country occasionally:

Beautiful Bluebird,
Boxcar,
Ordinary People (fantastic)
Shining Light
The Believer
Spirit Road
Dirty Old Man
Ever After

Then another recent download, one track from the new Eagles, mainly because it (the track, not the album) has got good reviews: Long Road Out Of Eden

T - 4; M - 4; D - 4

Heart of Glass

An 'interesting' morning.

I was asked by a couple of schoolgirls if I would buy something from a shop for them. When I asked what, they said 'cigarettes'. I said an over-effusive 'No No', sounding a bit like I was talking to a 4 year old.

Then, I arrived at the Tube to be confronted with a 'Suspended' notice - Police investigation which had closed the line down. The bus replacement service is terribly slow, but I had no option. Then a mother from my son's nursery turned up and started flirting with me in the bus queue, which was nice. It would have been nicer if she hadn't been 6 months pregnant...

The travel chaos left me with plenty of time for music:

01 - MONSTERS - 08/10/92 Lee & Herring, from Lionel Nimrod's Inexplicable World Series, available at FISTOFFUN. Not as funny as I remember it.

Then 'Return of the SuperApe'. Not as good as 'Super Ape', but still good.
Dyon Anaswa - Lee 'Scratch' Perry and the Upsetters,
Return of the Super Ape,
Tell Me Something Good,
Bird in Hand,
Crab Yars,
Jah Jah Ah Natty Dread.

Then back to shuffle briefly:
Renee - Talk Talk. I've been looking for the Mark Hollis solo CD, but I can't find it anywhere,

Danny Baker played some Camel on Monday (BBC show) which jogged my memory for the 80s 'Stationary Traveller' album. There's some great guitar solo-ing on this album, although the electronics (drums/synths) grate after a while:
Pressure Points,
Refugee,
Vopos,
Cloak And Dagger Man, the nearest Camel came to a 'hit', I think,
Stationary Traveller,
West Berlin,
Fingertips.

Finally, some Philip Glass from some recent purchases to replace my old vinyl:
Etoile Polaire (North Star),
Victor's Lament,
River Run,
Mon Pere, Mon Pere,
Are Years What, all from North Star.

Arrived at 10.30. Nothing to do, so it doesn't really matter.

T - 1; M - 3.5; D - 3

Interstellar Overdrive

No movement on the Danny Baker front. No word about the 'technical difficulties' that beset the Baker & Kelly' 'cast, and I'm so far out of the loop on the ADBS that I'm rapidly losing interest. FWIW, messages on the Treehouse and Cook'd and Bomb'd (now registered users only) suggest that things are improving, service-wise.

Still he read my e-mail out yesterday on the BBC London show...

Some recent downloads and purchases today to alleviate the boredom:

Winter (Fanfare) (excerpt) - The Enid
Return To Patagonia - Lemon Jelly
O Little One Sweet - Trad. (arr Bach), from a recent freebie CD with the Classic FM mag (my wife's)
The Demon King The Enid
Thinkin' One Thing & Doin' Another - Miles Davis, from On The Corner
Leo - John Coltrane, from Interstellar Space
Just George - Part 4 - Giles, Giles & Fripp
The Reaping - Coheed & Cambria, from their latest album.

I am big fan of C&C, after being introduced to their CDs by a former colleague 18 months ago. This latest album, 'Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume Two: No World for Tomorrow', is excellent, although heavier than recent ones, I think. There's certainly a lot more singing and fewer lengthy instrumental passages. Still very very good. In particular, the 'End Complete' suite is fabulous, following similar suites in previous albums (especially The Willing Well)

The End Complete I - The Fall of House Atlantic
II - Radio Bye Bye
III - The End Complete
IV - The Road and the Damned
V - On The Brink

T - 3; M - 3.5; D - 2, particularly maddening was the arse who settled down in the seat next to me and then expanded to try to take over the arm-rest. I'm not a small man, and a sideways look made him stop, but what the hell did he think he was doing?

Electric Oscar Winning

Another turbulent slow journey through the leafy North London suburbs. The driver had no real idea what was going on 'as my radio is broken'.

Some Jazz this morning. Mmmm, nice...

Desert Song - Stanley Clarke,
Do It Again - Steely Dan, one of my son's favourites,
Flamenco Sketches (Alternate Take) - Miles Davis,
Medley: Vertical Invader / T.H. / Dr. Honoris Causa - Weather Report,
Catch Me If U Can - Scott Henderson, Steve Smith & Victor Wooten
The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines - Joni Mitchell
Hot Fun - Stanley Clarke
Palms for Lester - David Torn, Mick Karn, Terry Bozzio
Three Clowns - Weather Report
Lillette el Ouihda - Cheikha Rimitti, with Robert Fripp and Flea.

A film poster caught my eye, purely because I could work out what it was trying to say. I can't remember the title, but it looked to include Michael Douglas, so I will avoid it like the plague. The reviewer's verdict was: 'ELECTRIC OSCAR WINNING PERFORMANCE', which is surely missing at least a hyphen, if not a comma as well.

T - 2; M - 4; D - 3

Rain and Tears

Another Chelsea Monday, and nothing to do. The two hour commute through static traffic and chaotic Tube didn't help my mood.

All Tracks between 2.30 and 4 minutes turned up this rather splendid selection:

Eastern Girls - Landscape
To The Women In My Life/Le Lis - Billy Cobham
The Other Half - Marillion
Oh Daddy - Fleetwood Mac
Drive - The Cars
Dachau Blues - Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band
Looking Around - Yes
Hello Chicago (Chicago 1979) - Yes
A.W.O.L. - Robert Wyatt
"Bleibst du mir stumm, störrischer Wicht?" - Richard Wagner, from Siegfried of the 'Ring Cycle'. I removed the whole Cycle because it was inaudible in the din of the Tube, but put it back a couple of weeks back. Was very useful when I was cutting the lawn yesterday...
Emergency 72 - Turin Brakes
Rain and Tears - Aphrodite's Child
Blossom - Nick Drake
Strange Things Happen - Billy Bragg
Automotive Engineering - Jethro Tull, after the 'blues' phase, then the 'prog' phase, came the 'folk' phase and this, the 'not very good' phase.
Uniform - Jethro Tull. See above,
Godman - David Sylvian
The Army Now - The Art Of Noise
Untitled - Tom McRae
Babooshka - Kate Bush

No Baker and Kelly Podcast last Friday - due to 'technical difficulties' - and a shambolic BBC London show with Baylen Leonard and some guy. I turned off after 10 minutes.

T - 2; M - 4; D - 3

Progressive Pomposity

Interesting, if inaccurate, piece on re-formation of 'pop' groups in today's Independent. There was really no point other than saying 'they're only doing it for the money'. Lots of snidey bits about Genesis and Yes, which irritated me immensely.

More prog:

Dun Ringill - Jethro Tull,
Passion Jig (Chicago, IL, 1992) - Jethro Tull,
The Musical Box - Genesis,
Constant Motion - Dream Theater,
Jack A Lynn - Jethro Tull,
Caught In A Web - Dream Theater,
Ego Tripping At the Gates of Hell - The Flaming Lips,
Time To Kill - UK,
Silence Is The Answer - Epsilon Indi.

Another interestig podcast from 'Thinking Allowed' to accompany my bad-tempered walk to work.

T - 3; M - 3.5; D - 3

Strange Feeling

... Oh, don't you need somebody to talk your troubles to,
Ah, lord I know I wanna catch the morning train, lord the first thing,
Oh, I wanna hear you say we're gonna take that strange feelin',
Oh, take it all away

So, the latest job thing turned up nothing again, and I'm rapidly running out of options. The monthly pay cheque helps, but it's all rather unfulfilling and unsatisfying.

To add insult to injury, the Tube was a nightmare. The platform at King's Cross reminded me of the events of 7/7/05. It was all rather spooky.

Shuffle 'Not Classical or Spoken':

Kind Hearted Woman Blues (Take 1) - Robert Johnson, from The Complete Recordings (Disc 1)
Entry Of The Crims - King Crimson, a freebie from DGM,
Go Through This (New York 1980) - Yes. The 'Drama' line-up and not their finest moment,
Taking Tiger Mountain - Brian Eno
Hibou, Anemone And Bear - Soft Machine. If music such as this didn't exist, I think I'd go mad,
Suckling The Mender - Cocteau Twins. Ditto,
This Heart Keeps Beating For Me - Captain,
The Three Shadows Part III - Bauhaus,
Come With Us - Brian Eno And David Byrne,
Astronomy - Jethro Tull,
Lo And Behold - James Taylor,
Deborah - Jon & Vangelis,
One Mile Below - Siouxsie. I still haven't got round to listening to this album in full, but the tracks I've heard are fantastic,
Sweetness - Yes,
The Marshall Plan - Blue Oyster Cult,
21st Century Schizoid Man (LP Version) - King Crimson, from the 'Dunlop' ad of ten years or so ago,
Strange Feelin' - Tim Buckley.

No 'All Day Breakfast Show' yesterday. They're going to be hard-pressed to keep up their latest 'guarantee' of 'at least three' a week. Hmmm. Turmoil.

T - 1; M - 4; D - 2