Spring Playlist

There is so much great music around at the moment & much of it new to me.

White Rainbow’s (not my favourite colour of rainbow!) Sky Drips Drifts starts off as a kind of Ash Ra Tempel tribute & then ends as a zen centring freakout that is very popular down our way.

Freakout fully describes Whitman’s Shooting @ crazy Elk that almost has been dropping the java @ 7 a.m. & laughing out loud.

Below is a further list of what shakes the breakfast dishes in our house:

J. Tillman (drummer with the superb ‘Fleet Foxes’ everyones favourite indie Americana band at the moment.) I have Vacilando (?) Territory Blues & Cancer & Delirium.

David Thomas Broughton – Anchovies/It’s There Somewhere/ Vs 7Hz

Foot Foot – Snuggle & Buck

Uton – We’re Only In It

Jon Hassell – Maarifa Street

Andrew Bird – Everything

Head of Wastistaquet (SP) Montagne

United Bible Studies

Natural Stone Buildings

Winston Jazz Routine – Sospiri

Lucky Dragons

Iditwod – a Ghost, elf………..

Owl Service – Garland of Song

Jake Holmes

Grouper

Pocahaunted

Birds of a Feather

Since my father died, I have seen robins in unlikely places at odd times of the year. Since my father-in-law died, you could add to this strange appearances of bird feathers, open doors & everyone waking up at 3.33 a.m.

Last night I awoke startled at 3.33 a.m. Perhaps I am seeing something that is not there or reading too much into it. For instance, there may be a fair degree of autosuggestion about the 3.33 a.m. as I was aware that my mother-in-law wakes up at this time.

I believe that you just have to accept all that comes your way. As I stood in line in the Post Office yesterday, I met my hairdresser & arranged my next visit to the chair.

I opened up the flyer from The Arches & lo & behold, I saw that David Thomas Broughton is playing. As he is a new discovery for me & one that I have been ranting about on these pages, I know that I will have to go.

Cullen Skink

Being on holiday as the sun came out, we set off to drive up the Crow Road. No not that one you ninny, the one that starts in Lennoxtown & climbs & climbs.

It is a bit like the practice ramp for the Rest & Be Thankful.

I had recently walked up this way through the Campsie Glen. As we drove around the back end of the Campsies, we had to stop at the celestial view of the mountains, absolutely outstanding & more so, as I was not expecting it.

As we headed into Killearn, we were hungry & stopped for a late lunch & I had a delightful & substantial plate of Cullen Skink.

Fast forward 24 hours & I am out for a walk on the Kilpatricks & just driving on the hill at Station Road, when snap went my accelerator cable & the car started sliding backwards down the gradient.

As an avid listener to Radio Scotland although not a fan of Tom Morton alas, I was a little perturbed to hear him banging on about Cullen Skink, as I phoned the breakdown lorry from my moby.

It is a funny old world & it’s full of clichés.

More Talked About than listened to

As I am strolling through some of my many Sun Ra albums, a sudden thought crossed my mind.

Perhaps this was related to me reading a recent ‘Wire’ epiphany by Jerry Dammers on Sun Ra.

Is Sun Ra like Sun City Girls, Daniel Johnson, Jandek, Nihilist Spasm Band, No Neck Blues Band, Captain Beefheart & Wild Man Fischer, an artist more talked about than listened to?

Walter

I may have mentioned before how I was fascinated by the number of people named Walter that have entered my life.

One of these re-entered my life recently, but he cannot recollect how we sat together in Maths for 4 years. I have challenged him on this fact, but although he denies it, I have a feeling that there is some unsavoury history that he is deliberately blocking.

Anyway I see him at least 1 day per week & as I opened the local newspaper, he is staring out at me.

The fact that Walter has long hair & hippie beard perhaps suggests that he has been posted missing since the late 60s. Weird.

From the Campsie Glen to Balloch Castle

As the weekend was dry, I decided to get some walking done.

On the Saturday, I had my first proper walk up the Campsie Glen & it was then I realised how my body was aging rapido.

My thumping heart forced me to have a few breaks on the climb up. However my friend was surprised that I did not stop at the car park half way up & walk from there. I assured her that I saw this as cheating & would never consider doing that. On reflection, if there is a next time, I would do this as it would leave me the energy to explore further on the tops.

At the top, I was disappointed as you looked over towards Glasgow, however there was a terrific top of the world feeling at that height looking down onto the plains.

The next day was a different kind of walk mostly on the flat except the little incline up towards Balloch Castle.

I was pleasantly surprised as the suddenly splash of colour of the Rhododendrons & other plants, in amongst the bare trees.

There is a greater impact as many of these bushes are tree height.

Death By Vegetables


I don't know whether it's the fact, that I tried to increase the exercise factor or the massive intake of vegetables or the sunshine in the morning, but I feel so much lighter these days.


I could be because I have been re-listening to Fat Freddy's Drop - 'Hope' & the end of a harsh winter, but I hope this positive mood continues despite minor setbacks like snapping the accelerator cable on a major incline on the Kilpatrick Hills & slipping backwords without power.

Best Band Names, No 53



How to explain silence to a dead Hare

All They Do Is Pass, Pass & Pass


Ok they may play quality football, but can they drive 10 minutes from home & see scenes like those above?

The Mantra & the Drone


Listening to Grouper as the sun kisses the snow-capped tips of some Munroes as I travel rapidly through the windmills of my mind.

I Dream of Elks


Sometimes there can be decent programmes on tv. Take the series on seasonal looks at Yellowstone National Park.


I dont know if it is the music, the voiceover or the stunning photography but I am hooked on it.

Prawny Too Bad



Dont know where that title came from. Oh no now I remember, I was wolfing an Asda prawn cocktail & thinking about the recent exposure to John Martyn on BBC4.


I had seen him live many times & 'Soild Air' takes you to a faraway place & he did write so many memorable songs.

We miss you.

Freaking the Freaks with the Utmost Freakiness


Ok my next door neighbour want to listen to my J.Tillman albums, you know that wonderful drummer with Fleet Foxes & then my 4 other players in my 5-a-side team let me carry them for the 2nd half of the game.


My neighbour then asks for me to bring 2 dvds home & then he goes out!


Gregor at work assumes (he is correct of course) that I know who Mort Garson is & could I get him : Ataraxia. Done mate you owe me big stylee.

To top it all you put the TV on & there is a programme called 'Grow Your Own Drugs' by James Wong...........I think it is very very wrong pal........you will end up with a very confused life, unlike mine.

An Avant Gardener Looks at Life in the Fast Lane with the Compost Accelerator




And we all shine on, like the moon & the stars & the sun

And we al shine On & On & on & on

Radio Mountaineering




I know what you are saying, Radio Scotland does not set out to be wierd. It just is.


That is not having a go at them it is excellent radio that pushes the boudaries more than the 'Wire' favourite Resonance FM.

Take the gardening programme on the radio. It is ok, you can get by without the visuals, by using your imagination & that's a good thing.

However the other night (Oops I forgot to mention, I only listen in the car, so I get bitesize chunks only, they are not joined up...perhaps this accounts for some of the oddity?), where was I ........ok.....


......A climbing programme, now you have to remember, I am driving a hunk of metal down narrow roads & this requires more than half of my brain, the other half was trying to understand the instructions concerning movement & holds on a cliff face, step by step, hand by hand.


My wife was also talking to me in a diabetic speed rush.............I thought to myself, maybe I have heard enough of this to summon my old sherpa team from Katmandu (they might be past their sell by date by now, I fear) & head up Mount Everest.


I only saw this from below now is the time for the view from the top??

Master Musicians of Hop-Frog


If I do not renew my 'Wire' subscription soon, I will miss out on artists like the one above. So not cool!


As I was falling behind on my listening to the 'Wire Tappers' so I stuck them all onto mp3 cds to try & catch up.


I mean what is a 'wire tapper' someone who listens in to the hum of electical currents or the wind in the wires?

Anyway my endevours got me listening to Hanne Hukkelberg again. Outasight!

Mad March

Okay where's we at. Too many funerals this month not enough births. Too many painful anniversaries of father/father-in-law's births/deaths.

Too late to register on the witness protection programme, so I will deal with it.

I am not going to mention the Hoops epic victory as I do not want to upset our rivals. Talking of that glorious game, today although I did manage to score one exceptional goal (hardly worth getting up out of bed for 1 goal...ed), I did play a killer miller, type of upfront supporting role to set up others, much younger to supply the final touch.


It's a team game remember! Although I suspect I will have to run this past one of my team mates, who must need glasses or contacts, to miss me hovering yards from a sure goal scoring opportunity.


On the musical front I cannot get enough Tango to satisfy my needs.

Scranky Black Farmer


Reading Graham Hood's 'Empty Pocket Blues: Life & Music of Clive Palmer.

I was really looking for more details on his trip through Afghanistan in 1966. Chapter 4's title breaks me up : Balmore Bamiyan Barlinnie. This is reference to the Afghan town where the giant Buddahs used to reside for centuries before the Taliban destroyed them. A black mark on the tolerant side of Islam!

Balmore is that area north of Glasgow where many of the folkies rested up. See also the ISB bootleg named after this area.

Barlinnie was home to Clive when he became the first person charged with the illegal possession of acid.


I had forgotten he was on my vinyl copy of the Liberty sampler 'Son of Gutbucket'. I have been catching up on all the Famous Jug Band albums & I have mentioned C.O.B.'s 'Moyshe McStiff & the Tartan Lancers of the Sacred Heart' already on this blog!.

It is a good read & well recommended by this librarian who is now reading Cormac McCarthy's 'The Road'. I believe this novel is also being made into a movie like 'No Country for Old Men'.



I am enjoying it, but it is so so bleak & depressing & dark.

Letter (Hats Off to Larry)


There now follows a letter that my ancient friend Larry has kept since 1974. Sweet, but please excuse the childishness & rampant psychedelia

The Trees Grew Emotions and Died


Album cover above just in case you think I make these titles up.

Strange though we just got the nod that the Council are coming next week to dig up the old trees in our street that are lifting up the pavements & stopping disabled access.

R.I.P. Ian Carr (Nucleus)


You funked & rocked my jazz right up from 1970. Peace.