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Outraged!!!!

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If you’re someone who likes to sit down and eat cereal for breakfast you’re no doubt aware that the finest sweet cereal on the UK market is “Golden Nuggets”. The Golden Nuggets are painstakingly dug out of the earth by Klondike Pete and his mule assistant Pardner. Golden Nuggets were first made available in the stores in the Seventies when I was a boy but disappeared from our supermarket shelves due to the “great nugget shortage” of the 1980s. They reappeared in the late 1990s due solely to the hard work and labour of Pete and his trusty cohort. The new vein of nuggets was so successful that Pete ‘n’ Pardner were able to expand their endeavours to the internet and introduce themed games which revolved around working in the Golden Nugget Mines. Imagine the pleasures of eating “Golden Nuggets” whilst playing “Runaway Mine” on the site http://www.fantasyworldoffun.com .

However now we come to my moment of outrage. Visitors to fantasy world of fun in recent weeks have found that their site has disappeared:

They have spoilt my fun (and more importantly the fun of millions like me) and replaced it with an advert for some annoying old women who claim to hand-knit something called shreddies. I think they should grow up and pay Pete ‘n’ Pardner the respect they’re due for their hard work. Protest! Picket! Write angry letters! Write furious e-mails!! Do something!

The Long Run to Long Road

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The Eagles are MY band. Like I grew up on this kind of music. So it’s nice to have them back around on their new album “Long Road Out of Eden” and preparing to do something more than just play the old songs when they tour here next month. I was offered free tickets for all their shows at the o2 arena so I’ll be taking in a few of those with a VIP pass (which is nice).
I’ve been listening to the album a lot as I’m preparing to write up a review in the next issue of Natural Progressions (subscriptions available here – drop me a line). One thing that struck me is the depth of the good writing here and not only from Don Henley which you might come to believe was the case if you follow the line of some of the reviews that are already out there. Henley’s finest moment is to be found on Waiting in the Weeds which is probably as good as this album gets but there are other highlights on offer too.
Amongst my favourites you will find the Joe Walsh song “Last Good Time in Town”. This song benefits from Joe’s worn and battered (and humorous) outlook on life and has great vocals, harmonies and guitar. Eagles at their finest. Another gem worth digging for is Larry McNally’s “I love to watch a woman dance” (a feeling I can understand!) which has a sensitive vocal from Glenn Frey. “Cause to dream sometimes, that’s the only way to go places you can’t get to any other way”. First became aware of McNally when he wrote that song “For My Wedding” which featured on Henley’s solo album.
Henley would have wanted this to be a solo album (he says). If he’d won the argument I think we’d be missing out on some great music.

Lumbar puncture

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There are some things in life I never get tired of. Music is one of them. The “Spinal Tap” joke is another one of them. What is it about this film and all that has been done under that name since that I find endlessly enthralling and limitlessly funny. I was just watching the video that they made for their “Majesty of Rock” single which I think was taken from their album “Break Like the Wind” and I find it fascinating the way that they are so dead on in skewering the ridiculousness of so much rock music.

When I say that rock is ridiculous, I don’t count this as one of its bad elements. It just needs to be kept in check. Spinal Tap have managed to harpoon this tendency again and again. There was something so ironic about them performing at Live Earth which was about the only thing which made the day bearable.

Steely Determination

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Friends not only die – they get you through situations like this (you know who you are!).
As well as friends I’ve had a lot of music along for the ride. Some of these bands have been with me for thirty years now so I know that music is an important part of my life.
One important thing on my player at the moment is a box set by Donald Fagen (he who is lead singer of Steely Dan). The box brings together the three solo albums Don has recorded in his career – 1982’s The Nightfly, 1993’s Kamakiriad, and 2006’s Morph the Cat. If you know these albums you’ll know just how good they are. If you don’t know them and can’t imagine liking Steely Dan or anything associated with it, why not give one of them a spin? Look at how broad my musical tastes are on my profile, you might just find something here. These albums are jazz, they are rock, they are adult and articulate, they are spiritual and sexual. They are restrained energy personified.
Now if you know the three albums and agree with everything I’m trying to say, you might still not want the box set but you’d be making a mistake. The albums are presented here in a variety of musical formats – enough to make anyone’s amp and speakers come to life if you choose the right one – across 6 discs with videos and out-takes and the whole smorgasbord. Still not tempted? There’s a seventh disc. The unimaginatively titled “Trilogy – 10 extras” is a masterwork all on its own. It has a cover of Al Green’s Rhymes, it has a jazz piece that Fagen wrote for an accomplished player, it has three live tracks and singles that didn’t make the albums. You can’t buy it on its own and it’s not to be overlooked.

The Nightfly Trilogy has something for you and music can get you through the tough days.

Death, the last enemy

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Hi

Death is a bastard. Because of the nature of my day job I seem to encounter it a lot more than the average man on the street but don’t let that fool you into thinking you ever get used to it. You never get used to it. Losing someone you’re caring for and helping others through is hard, but losing someone you cared for before they became ill is harder. I never want to get used to losing friends and loved ones and if I ever do I’ll know that I have become less of a human being than I want to be. People matter more than most everything else and friends are top of that list. Tell me if I stop caring…..

Larry Norman – 1947-2008

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Only Visiting this Planet
So Long Ago the Garden
In Another Land
Something New Under the Son
Stop this Flight
Stranded in Babylon
Tourniquet

Larry Norman probably released way too many cds. I pretty much own them all. But if I was new to his music I’d probably want to buy one (or more) of the seven I’ve listed above. There were others….. Bootleg, Upon this Rock, Home at Last…. which I could use to round out a ten but seven seems a good number when you’re thinking about Larry. I first heard his music in 1982. I first met him in 1984. I brought him to London to play a concert in 2001. He was an inspiration every step of the way and I don’t think my life would have worked out the way that it has without the soundtrack of his songs – which is tough when you think he’s not going to be recording anymore. I found Larry difficult in many ways but this was out-weighed massively by his contribution to my life in many, many ways.

Brighton by the sea

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So I made the journey from home in London to Brighton to catch Swarf last night. If anybody actually read these things you may remember I raved about them a couple of weeks ago as a neglected electronic band much deserving of acclaim and exposure.
The gig was at the Prince Albert where I’d previously journeyed to see them at the end of last year. I’d known that there were two bands on the bill but was disappointed to see that Swarf were the openers rather than the “headliners” but, hey, when it comes to good music, we’ll take what we can get.
Swarf were on great form once again although if I’d been on the desk I would have pushed Liz’s vocals a little higher in the mix. They did some new songs which I’m not familiar with which was brave in this kind of environment where some of those gathered had principally come to see the “The Last Cry” (the other band on the bill). These sounded great and I presume that this means that there is a new album at some point which is something to look forward to. If someone else was there and has a setlist I’d be very appreciative…..
Great complex keyboard arrangements with some unusual soundings show up the bands creativity whilst the mercurial vocals are better than anything else you’ll hear around at the moment. Highlights: Parlour Tricks, Supine, Not Enough and some of those newies I don’t know the names of. Great night out!!