Donkey With A Chair

A bright sunny morning to herald a job interview. Not a 'proper' job, but one to fill the gap until my training course starts later in the year.

Thus, for the first time for a while, a commute. I've recently recorded (HiQ, while painting the bathroom yesterday) Stuart Maconie's Freak Zone and the Orb's Headline Mix (both BBC 6Music). The FreakZone is, now I remember to listen to it, becoming more and more a regular listen. Great Triumvirat track and very interesting piece on Peter Hammill's The Future Now.

The Orb Mix was not what I expected, being interspersed with an interview with Alex Paterson, but still very enjoyable. The 'Lighthouse Keeper' track was fabulous. His revelation of not being a Doctor made me, as a PhD, feel a bit like Frasier in this episode. I didn't like his crack about David Sylvian's singing, either. Ho hum.

So the music today. Lots of free downloads of legal albums from FreeAlbumsGalore and BigO together with other surprising stuff:

Halcyon - Canon Blue, from Halcyon EP
Spirits Up Above - Osibisa, Live in London 1972
the trees they do grow high - Edwin Morris, The Heart Bowed Down. Excellent ambient textures over skittering drum patterns,
Numbers - Mark.Nine, Artificial Horizon
Go up baldy - Hathaway Family Plot, Mystic Moods
Wash - Pagans, from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away,
Dog With a Bra - Pagans, ditto,
the kingdom comes - Tom Hanson, Wake of The Moon
far leys house - Edwin Morris, The Heart Bowed Down
Benoit B. Mandelbrot - Mandelbrot Set, All Our Actions Are Constantly Repeated
I Will Survive - Billie Jo Spears. This caught me completely by surprise. I forgot I'd downloaded some stuff for my computer-illiterate father. Awful. Karaoke. A shining example of where we are now in commercial music,
Rubber 12 - Alfredo Costa Monteiro, Rubber Album
Dead Head - Pagans,
Seven Piano Improvisations - Gapless Mix - Phillip Wilkerson,
Rondo - Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Live in Karlsruhe 1972 (Disc 2),
The Thousand Light Year Stare - Drunken Gunmen, Deep Space, Distant Future,
Living Without You - Randy Newman, Live In San Francisco, 1972.

A lot of the journey back was taken up with the Piano Improvisations by Philip Wilkerson, played just above the noise of the Tube train. Ambient in Brian Eno's original meaning, although probably not what the composer had in mind...

T - 3; M - 4; D - 1. I had forgotten just what a shitty, dreary place the rush hour Northern Line can be. Just dreadful.

Only Immortal For A Limited Time

Another trek in to the metropolis. I should be hearing about the dying embers of my career today...

An odd selection of 'Not Classical or Spoken'. Lots of stuff I didn't recognise, stuff I've probably heard only once or twice before.

Tears For Law (Garrathinya Run) - Yothu Yindi, from Birrkuta Wild Honey
New Times Square - Chris Rea,
No Man's Land - Syd Barrett,
You Woke Up My Neighbourhood - Billy Bragg,
Speed Trials - Elliott Smith, from a Worlds of Possibility compilation,
Behind The Sun - Red Hot Chili Peppers,
Bug Day - The Fall,
Life Is A Minestrone - 10cc,
The Art Of Slow Love [Compiled And Remixed By Youth] - The Art Of Noise,
All I Need - Air,
Dreamline - Rush,
For What You Dream Of (Full On Renaissance Mix) - Bedrock,
Soundtrack 2 / Act 5 - David Page Coffin, from the Caligari: An Exquisite Corpse soundtrack project.

A trip to the East Yorkshire coast at the weekend, to sit on the beach and watch the snow fall...

T - 4; M - 3.5; D - 4

Overnite Sensation

England levelled the series overnight, which put me in a better mood. I should be getting some news about the interview I went to a while ago, to see if I have a career still.

Some recent (free) acquisitions from various sampler sources. Remember, if you like any of this stuff, support the artists:

I Keep Faith - Billy Bragg, from an excellent Anti- sampler, to be found here. This track is from Mr Bragg's latest album, which will definitely be joining my collectoin soon...
Saturation (Unmastered) - John Frusciante. I'm not a great fan of RHCP, but this sampler of demoes is interesting,
Fallout (unmastered) - John Frusciante,
Dear Mr Fantasy - Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood, live, found at BigO.
Transliterator - DeVotchKa, this had a good review in 'The Independent' at the weekend, and the CD might be finding its way into my collection soon, if ths is anything to go by...
With The Wolf - Rainbow, from BigO; a bit muddy production on this rough mix, but very interesting,
Don't Lie To Me (Studio Rehearsal) - Big Star,
Come And Get It - Badfinger,
Comin' Home (A Light In The Black) - Rainbow,
Glad - Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood,

Then, some catching up with a huge backlog of 'Thinking Allowed' Podcasts on my walk from the station: Superheroes and Ribbons BBC Radio 4.

T - 4; M - 3.5; D - 3

Seconds Out

Well, my second and last commute this week turned up the usual dross. However, my spirits were lifted by aspects of the overnight cricket (291-5 at close) and a chance to catch up with colleagues.

Some recent downloads from BigO and FreeAlbumsGalore:

Ambulance Blues - Neil Young, Live in Amsterdam, 2008: Solo Acoustic Set,
Vampire - Peter Tosh, from Equal Rights Demoes,
A Man Needs A Maid - Neil Young,
I Like It, I Love It - Lyrics Born, from an Anti- Digital Sampler Spring 2008,
In The Street (Studio Rehearsal) - Big Star, from Nobody Can Dance,
Seeing People You Know - The Young Republic,
4 Ghosts I - Nine Inch Nails,
You Get What You Deserve (Live) - Big Star,
Down By The River - Neil Young.

Then:
TMS: Day 1 (2nd Test) NZ v Eng, 13 Mar 08 BBC Radio 5 live Sports Extra Podcast

T - 3; M - 4; D - 3

Not Waving But Drowning

After a very tedious week last week, culminating in the Friday interview (which went very well, thanks for asking), a trip to London to see my 'work' colleagues...

... only to find them all 'working from home'.

On the way, some '80s music, bringin back all kinds of memories from my formative years. I have most of these on 7"vinyl:

I`ll Find My Way Home - Jon & Vangelis,
Owner Of A Lonely Heart - Yes,
Psycho Killer - Talking Heads,
King Of Birds - R.E.M.,
Handsome Devil - The Smiths,
Close (To The Edit) - The Art Of Noise,
Madame Butterfly - Malcolm Maclaren,
Drowning in Berlin - The Mobiles,
19 - Paul Hardcastle,
Hide And Seek - Howard Jones,
Painted Bird - Siouxsie And The Banshees,

Then, on the walk from the station through Chelsea, the latest Nine Inch Nails album, from here. Available for free (Vol 1) or various prices for other versions (full I - IV sets). Very good - all kinds of moods, sounding like slowed down King Crimson (tCoL), Sigur Ros and Brian Eno, but also doing its own thing. Recommended.

5 Ghosts I,
4 Ghosts I,
6 Ghosts I,
1 Ghosts I.

T - 4; M - 3.5; D - 1. A real low point. A fidgeting coughing woman sat next to me intent on treading on my foot, and just general dreariness, impoliteness and tedium. A 45 minute drive to Slough might be a very Good Thing if the job comes off.

We Lay Down And Wept

After 5 days away, a return to a day of despondency and cleaning up in preparation for the final curtain. I have another interview on Friday, which I desparately need...

Some ambient to accompany some reading, then a recent download from BigO:

Dem Wanderer - Eno, Moebius, Roedelius, Plank,
The Dance No. 3 - Laraaji, from the excellent Virgin Ambient Volume 2 - Imaginary Landscapes,
The End Of Words - Material,
Nuages - Ryuichi Sakamoto,
Sandtreader - Harold Budd. The SamadhiSound Podcast interview was interesting, but seems to have been the last in a very short series, for now, at least,
Pearls & Tears - Andreas Vollenweider,
forages in pine trees - chefkirk, a FreeAlbums Galore download (Music for Elevators), where you can now find links to Radiohead remixes and the new Charlatans album. Remember, if you find an artist you like, support the artist by buying their CDs,

Castles In The Air - Don McLean, Live at A & R Studios, NYC,
Winterwood - Don McLean,
Babylon - Don McLean, with rather tedious audience participation.

Just a comment, too, on the FreakZone Podcast. See also: All the best Freaks are here, please stop staring at me.

Much better - 30 minutes instead of <20, and the witty banter was replaced by interesting banter. Perhaps the Professor simply cared more for the chosen genre of music this week - it seemed like it. Perhaps they read my comments...

T - 4; M - 3; D - 3, although by now, I'm kinda past caring.

The Long March

Another trek into more futility. Today and tomorrow should do it for this week.

'Electronic' music today, although I tend to go my artist rather than individual albums or tracks, so many of these are un-electronic:

Opus 4 - The Art Of Noise,
We were poor... - Paddy McAloon, from his superb 'I Trawl the Megahertz' album,
The Model - Kraftwerk,
Ask The Mountains (Extended Version) - Vangelis with Stina Nordenstam,
Twenty Eighth Parallel - Vangelis,
Equinoxe 4 - Jean-Michel Jarre,
Hearts - Jon & Vangelis, from a 'Change We Must' live/demo CD, I think,
P.S. - Vangelis,
Sharkey's Night - Laurie Anderson,
Movement 5 - Vangelis,
The Tao of Love - Vangelis,
Part 2 Fais Que Ton Reve Soit Plus Long Que La Nuit - Vangelis. Despite my extensive Vangelis collection (probably about 30 LPs and 15 or so CDs), I was unware of this until recently, and managed to find this MP3, clearly taken from an LP, if the pops and crackles are anything to go by. An interesting historical record.

T - 4; M - 3.5; D - 2

Hurting In A Different Way

Well, I wait for ages, and then two jobs come along at once: an interview the week after next, and a place at a University course, if I want it, in September. Decisions, decisions.

A spectularly futile day awaits today, as I've been told 'it might be good' if I come in. Unlikely.

Basin Street Blues - Jimmy Smith,
Princess Of Light - Robert Miles,
One Inch Rock ('68) - Tyrannosaurus Rex,
Come On Back - Caravan,
A Forest - The Cure,
House - Marillion, easily the best track on the .com album, and continuing a tradition of superb, extended final album tracks,
Radioactive Toy - Porcupine Tree,
Reunion - Patrick O'Hearn,
Sex Machine - Sly & the Family Stone, an extended jam and not really, IMO, particularly sexy.

This, however, is:

Half An Hour Is For Free - The Devil In Miss Jones (featuring Fats Bob Trumpet),
The Porn King - The Funky Filter,
Hatesex - Mr. Juno,
Suck My Disc - SonnyJim

T - 4; M - 4; D - 3

Living Here In Joytown

Well, after a day off, nursing an injured shoulder compounded by lugging IT gear around on Monday, a return to the futility of 'work'.

I've just swapped to my 160 Gb iPod, as the 60 Gb is becoming too difficult/time-consuming to manage properly (my home library is approaching 120 Gb), so I've got my whole library with me today. 'Not Spoken or Classical':

Beachball - Chef, from an r.e.m.IX remix album found here.
As You Are Now - Suzanne Vega,
Stay Hungry - Talking Heads,
Circle Dance - John Renbourn,
Here Comes the Sun - The Beatles,
Valedictory - Gentle Giant,
Joytown - Kevin Gilbert,
I've Been High - Her Space Holiday/Marc Bianchi, from r.e.m.IX again,
I Feel The Earth Move - Carole King,
This is No Rehearsal - Porcupine Tree,
Pearl-2 - Judee Sill,
Johnny On The Monorail (A Very Different Version) - The Buggles,
Burning Bridge - Kate Bush,
In Dulce Jubilo - Mike Oldfield, via a 'Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers' CD with a brutal edit,
Electricity - Joni Mitchell,
Down Through The Night - Hawkwind,
La Villa Strangiato - Rush, from a 'Pink Pop' festival concert, recorded from my cassette collection.

If I leave home at 9, I can be at work at 10.30 and miss all the drones on the Tube. I can miss even more if I stay home, but I'm going to have to show up for a few weeks more...

T- 3; M - 4.5; D - 4.5

Last Stand

Monday morning. A ridiculous trek to find that, yet again, my boss had decided to 'work from home'. Arsehole.

This morning's shuffle of 'Not Classical or Spoken' produced this prog-heavy selection:

My Fairy King - Queen,
Then - Yes,
Cat`s Squirrel - Jethro Tull,
Year 2000 Non-Compliant Cardia - Mogwai,
A.W.O.L. - Robert Wyatt,
Vincent - Don McLean,
For Free - Joni Mitchell,
Blood - Kleshnikoff, from Plague Songs,
Aspirations - Gentle Giant,
No One Can (Album version) - Marillion,
Achilles' Last Stand - Led Zeppelin,
Two Hearts Beat As One - U2, from their early 'good' period,
Lucky Seven - Chris Squire. Bliss.

T - 3; M - 4; D - 4

Let Me Take You Far Away

Well, I've been ordered to come in again, despite the fact that NONE of the Senior Management will be around. I'd better be a good boy, I suppose.

Stick It Out - Rush,
Bridge (live) - Marillion, from the single CD Alone Again In The Lap Of Luxury III
Holiday - Scorpions,
Baby Can I Hold You - Tracy Chapman,
Vote For Miles - Miles Davis,
Star Spangled Banner - Jimi Hendrix, Live At Woodstock 1969
Win Fall CD 2088 AD - The Fall,
Every You Every Me - Placebo,
Behind the Lines [Live] - Genesis, from Three Sides Live
It's You - Talk Talk.

T - 4; M - 3.5; D - 2

Brooding on the Infinite

Well, my company limps on into oblivion. There is now a good chance of being paid my notice period and at least some redundancy at a 'future time', so I've still got to wander in occasionally.

This morning some recent downloads found on FreeAlbumsGalore, as mentioned the other day.

As my iPod is almost full (and my home library now extends to 120 Gb), I didn't have time for a drastic cull of it's contents, so just transferred a few albums:

Music for Elevators Vol. 1 - Various Artists,
Sun Ra and The Blues Project do Batman and Robin,
Early Japanese Electronic Music - Various Artists, from 1956, and
Stay EP - Wil Deynes.

oiece - skylined, from MfE
The Riddler's Retreat - Sun Ra and the Blues Project,
tram14 - popcrash, MfE,
Batman Theme - Sun Ra and the Blues Project,
Better Way - Wil Deynes,
Nervous - Wil Deynes,
Joker is Wild - Sun Ra and the Blues Project,
Stay - Wil Deynes,
Batman and Robin Swing - Sun Ra and the Blues Project,
Variations on numerical principle of 7 - Makoto Moroi+Toshiro Mayuzumi, from EJEM,
fahrstuhl zum schafott - tomoroh hidari, MfE,
Batman and Robin over the Roofs - Sun Ra and the Blues Project,
Works for musique concrete Y - Toshiro Mayuzumi, EJEM,
triangulo - mendigo, MfE.

All in all, very interesting. The 'Elevator Music' is very good, although it would cause me to linger in the lift, rather than use it simply as a means of transport. There are 2 other Volumes available through here.

The Sun-Ra music is good fun, although some pieces seem to be going through the motions. On balance, pretty good grooves.

The Japanese music is fascinating, sounding a lot like Vangelis's 'Beaubourg' twenty years later. Lots of bleep and buzzes, and sampled speech, with occasional rhythms trying (and failing) to break through.

The Wil Deynes is less interesting, being straight forward rock/pop in a James Blunt-ish vein. It'll probably sound better in Summer, but it didn't fit well in this morning's playlist.

Today's title comes from a Round the Horne CD set I found here. Whilst a lot of it has aged, especially the musical interludes, it still has its moments, particularly the Julian and Sandy sketches and the double entendre overload. "It's all that larver bread you've been eating...".

T - 4; M - 3.5; D - 3

Winter Sun

I think I've been neglecting ths spirit of this blog lately, what with turmoil at work. With the late winter Sun at my back, and with a day off tomorrow, it's time to sit back, relax and re-focus...

I found a great blog yesterday - FreeAlbumsGalore - which links to various sources of free, legal music files and associated info and artwork. The full album list is here, and, while most of it is obscure and probably not to everyone's taste, if you don't like it, there's always iTunes, as it says at the bottom of this page.

A Gigantic Dub - Tommy McCook & The Aggrovators,
Dark Entries - Bauhaus,
One White Whale - Laurie Anderson,
Unheard Answer - Epsilon Indi,
On the Turning Away - Pink Floyd,
Movement 5, Soil Festivities - Vangelis. Still one of my favourite albums of all time,
C.R.E.E.P. - The Fall,
Desire - Talk Talk,
Yes, O Yes - The Fall,
From Now On - Supertramp. From The Fall to Supertramp - oh the joy of 'Shuffle',
Dying on the Vine - John Cale,
Dragonflys - Devendra Banhart,
A Child Is Father To The Man - The Beach Boys,
Stop - Pink Floyd, from The Wall,
Dreams of Surf - Vangelis.

A late, casual start to the day, as there's even less to do these days: T- 4; M - 4; D - 4

When Does Reason Stop and Killing Just Take Over?

A trek to work today, to get the meltdown of my company confirmed.

Lots of Prog, from what I call 'The Big Four'. King Crimson, Yes, Jethro Tull and Pink Floyd. Whilst not all albums from all these bands can be classified as 'Prog', they're my favourite bands.

I suppose the second division of prog-related favourites includes bands like Marillion, Rush, Van der Graaf Generator, Genesis and Gentle Giant, plus, at a pinch, Led Zepellin.

I'll have to come in tomorrow as well... Balls.

Dwarfish Trumpet Blues

Well. Two things today. I) Possible Company meltdown and II) Telephone interview to offer me a way out of the pain. In preparation, some Prog:

Universal Garden - Conspiracy, much better than the version on Open Your Eyes,
Aristocracy - Caravan,
Your Time Is Gonna Come - Led Zeppelin. Just great,
Matte Kudasai (Alternative Version) - King Crimson,
The Wizard (USA Promo with Dwarfish Trumpet Blues Story) - Tyrannosaurus Rex,
Moonloop - Porcupine Tree, all 18 minutes of it,
Brightness Falls - David Sylvian & Robert Fripp,
Yellow Peril - Steely Dan. I still have no idea what this album is...
Incommunicado - Marillion,
Pre-Dawn - Sunrise - The Enid, then the first 10 minutes of
The Revealing Science Of God - Yes, from Keys to Ascension I. God knows how they persuaded Rick Wakeman to play this again.

T - 3. Commuting is very difficult if a) the trains are spaced 8 minutes apart, and b) the indicator board indicates incorrect information. M - 4; D - 3

Thank You Disillusionment

Late start today. I've brought my computer bag with me for the jumble sale when the inevitable happens...

Some Steven Wilson-related stuff today. If anyone can be described as a polymath in today's dumbed-down uni-dimensional music 'scene', he can. Porcupine Tree, Bass Communion, No Man, IEM, solo work, plus production work with Opeth, Fish and Marillion, and many more.

Chloroform - Porcupine Tree,
Way Out Of Here - Porcupine Tree,
Queen Quotes Crowley - Porcupine Tree,
The Sound Of Muzak - Porcupine Tree,
Third Eye Surfer - Porcupine Tree,
Loss Side 2 - Bass Communion,
Wastecoat - Porcupine Tree,
Ghosts on Magnetic Tape (Reconstruction) II - Bass Communion,
Collapse The Light Into Earth - Porcupine Tree,
Radioactive Toy - Porcupine Tree,
Cover Version - Steven Wilson. There's a box set of all the 'Cover Version' project coming out soon; I've only got the first one, but the set of 6 looks tempting...

T - 4; M - 4.5; D - 3

"But is it worth it, all that time wasted?"

"... Time we could've spent completely nude, bare, naked"

An early start today, for no good reason.

Lots of Prog, Rock and Rock/Pop in today's playlist:

Whiskey River - Budgie,
Every Fold - Wigwam,
Seven On Seven - Robert Fripp & Andy Summers,
General Crossing - Jethro Tull,
Ghosts - David Sylvian & Robert Fripp, from 'Kings', which appears to be a Russian bootleg: the title 'Ghosts' is rendered "God Saved My Life"...
Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd,
Incommunicado (Album Version) - Marillion,
Tinto Brass - Porcupine Tree, the XM version,
Pig - Soft Machine,
Bringing Down The Light - David Sylvian & Robert Fripp. There are few sounds better than Mr Fripp in full flight...
Seven Wonders - Fleetwood Mac,
Snowbound - Genesis,
Baby Lemonade (Bonus Track - Take 1) - Syd Barrett, from Barrett,
Villanova Junction - Jimi Hendrix Experience, Live At Woodstock,
Sexual Healing - Kate Bush. Nowhere near as good as it could have been - all rather mechanical, not help by the synth bass and generally soulless vibe. Strange.

The end of days could just be around the corner, as my company has until this Thursday (!) to sort out some sort of loan to carry it through a merger. If it can't find it, then it's all over. I have an interview on Thursday...

T - 3; M - 4; D - 4

Progness Report

After a relaxing weekend spent with family, a return to the commute accompanied by lots of Prog Rock. I met a guy in the local Oxfam shop who was wearing a 'Budgie' t-shirt. Although I'm not a huge fan, I was attracted in the 80s by the Roger Dean covers, especially 'Squawk', and we had a chat. They're still going, and are currently touring Australia.

Onto Prog:

One More Try - Wigwam,
Burning Bridges - Family,
So Called Friend (B-Side) - Porcupine Tree,
What You`re Doing - Rush,
Fallen Dreams And Angels - Pendragon, from Acoustically Challenged,
So Far Away - David Gilmour,
Abandon Ship! - Van Der Graaf Generator,
Rock & Roll Stew - Traffic,
Punk Rock - Mogwai,
Working Man - Rush,
Funky Deux - Richard Wright,
Light Mass Prayers - Porcupine Tree.

Relatively painless journey in, as I try to complete a job application form I should have sorted out ages ago.

T - 4; M - 4; D - 3.5

Size of Sorrow

Some recent acquisitions from the dreaded W*ppit. Hell, I've stumped up my £50 for the cancelled ADBS, so I might as well go on a magpie-like trawl through the database of rather odd obscurities they have:

Piggy - Sigue Sigue Sputnik,
Blistered Heart - Badly Drawn Boy,
Ray Of Light - Sigue Sigue Sputnik,
Oceans - Gary Numan,
Don't Let Me In - Steely Dan, from something called 'Old Regime',
Pissing In The Wind - Badly Drawn Boy,
Size Of Sorrow - Tears For Fears,
Fall In A River - Badly Drawn Boy,
Metal - Gary Numan,
Everybody Loves A Happy Ending - Tears For Fears,
Asylum - Gary Numan.

A pretty uninspiring selection, I have to say, although it is my fault, of course. My mood was lightened by Episode 4 of the current series of Count Arthur Strong's Radio Show, broadcast last week and ripped with HiQ (see previous posts). If anyone wants some of these, leave a message here somewhere, and I'll get back to you somehow.

T - 3; M - 3; D - 3. Rather average day, really.

Thinking Sessions

Monday, and after the unpleasantness of the end of last week and the continued Tiscali incompetence, a return to 'work' accompanied by some BBC Sessions:

Back Side of the Moon (Tranquility Lunar Orbit) - The Orb, from Peel Sessions,
In Fear Of Fear - Bauhaus, more Peel,
Glorious Fool - John Martyn, from an Andy Kershaw session. Recent news about him (AK) is depressing,
A God In An Alcove - Bauhaus, Peel,
A Huge Ever Growing Pulsating Brain That Rules from the Centre of the Ultraworld (Loving You) - The Orb, Peel, all 20 minutes of it as we waited for the Piccadilly train to move,
Mo Ghruagach Dhonn - Julie Fowlis, from a pre-Radcliffe/Maconie Mark Radcliffe session,
Paper Aeroplane - Angus and Julia Stone, ditto,

T - 2.5; M - 4; D - 4, especially the rather attractive young girl who shared the long Piccadilly Line wait with me...