Jonny’s in the Trunk

Following up on an Eno’s ambient ‘Music for Airports’ kick & my own love of library musics (even although I am not that comfortable with the terminology- I mean it is not really music you would play in a library, it is rather a collection of stored music in order that you may want to use later, or not!).

Incidently Brian Eno’s recent appearance on ‘Question Time’ even although, each time he spoke he was cut short, was an inspiration.

However, here is a plea for ‘real’ library music, music you can play in a library environment.

What about music for say: toyshops, saunas, swimming pools, for the nursery, for the garden & other site-specific challenges e.g. music for the building site, the coastline, travel, the underground, mining, farmers….

My elder son I feel is convinced I have a screw loose as I was enjoying an outstanding album last week called yes you guessed it: ‘Music for Toyshops’ find it & surprise youself.

Hold the Latte, Make mine a Mate

Happy Highlander phoned from Angle Land & wanted to go & see Jim something @Tchai Ovna in Glasgow.

I did a little research & discovered it was a Jim Byrne & sent a text south. Another artist at the venue was also thrown into the mix to cause some confusion: a James Apollo was also listed.

Mrs B phoned & found out they were 1 & the same person a la Sir Vincent Lone?

My car was resting in the car hospital & in an attempt to save time I navigated my companeros through the rat runs west of Glasgow. Unfortunately this laid - back approach was unappreciated by an animated Highlander, who had to empty his bladder pronto.

Even when we had parked the car, my Randy Newman memory lapses caused me to re-trace my steps from the last time at this venue & this caused further delays & yet more confusion.

In the finest manyanna trip, we got there, got seated, emptied bladders & settled down with Che Guevara’s favourite tipple.

Twa Gauchos supped Rancho Mates like they were born to do so.

James Apollo was as good as his reviewers had stated. I don’t know if it was the overindulgence in the beverage, but I kept hearing tangos & for the band to finish with an outstanding version of Current 93’s ‘All the Pretty Horses’ was all too much for me as I had been listening to it that a.m.

Vaya Con Dios, Hasta la Vista & Vamos Muchachos.

Favourite Album Titles of the Millennium, Part 49

While listening to Mira Calix’s ‘Elephant in a Room’ that is splattered all over this month’s ‘Wire’ mag, I came across another interesting album title.

Burning Star Core’s ‘3 Sisters that Share an Eye’, I almost fell off the floor laughing.

It is Getting Dark Too Dark to See

Clydebank's Memorium to Syd Barrett

The 2 Weasels Hate the Winter

Enough of This Already?

Playtime

Boys & Toys

Creatures of Light & Darkness

I

I mean I would class myself as an obsessive Jackie Leven fan & like the Happy Highlander we would have around 16 of his cds.

How delightful that a friend of my elder son is also a fan. He has just as many cds & a dvd that I am hoping to watch soon.

This is what happens with the man once you get listening to him & enjoy that voice & his incredible talent, you just want more.

Folktronica

Has Bjork’s recent albums sent you around the junkshops looking for those nifty musical boxes.

Listening to Nurse with Wound has cornered me into an Anthony & Johnson & Baby Dee kick.

Incidently the latter is playing Glasgow’s Arches around birthday time. It is slightly tempting.

However sifting through a heap of folktronic is throwing up lots of stunning sounds too.

Hydrabad Snow World

Although I am by no means a Paul Merton fan, his series on India has been a treat.

It brought back all those memories of anarchy, madness & mayhem that exist in that unforgettable land.

The doctor breaking 3 crazy world records within an hour encapsulates so much that is India.

The scientific approach to something that is so far off the radar appeals to my sense of the surreal. I just love it you get lost in the crazy rules of an ‘Alice in Wonderland’ existence where anything can & does happen.

Other examples of this in the series included flights on a stationary airplane for poor people, snake handling for volunteers & Snow World in the middle of hot Hydrabad. Sad that it is finished.

Merry Go, Merry Go, Merry Go Round, Boo Boo Boo


At least during my break, I did meet my mate Larry, who used to work with me in the Singer Sewing Machine factory back in the day.

He is 75, widowed & still walks on the hills twice a week. He thinks he has not seen me since our wedding day (33 years ago) & he still has the letter from India signed 'the Intrepid Traveller'. Was I always that pretentious?.

It has been a long time, but to see how active he still is was just so good..

If 6 Was 9



Its been a strange week so far. A broken car, a postcard from Whitby & a text informing me that Mitch Mitchell had died.

All this during a holiday that is not a holiday. Out of the 5 days, I have been at work during 4 of those.

The Hesitant Snakehandler

I got caught out again this year, as I waited in vain, for those couple of weeks of steady sunshine, that never arrived, over what was a forgettable summer.

Last year I ended up taking holidays in January or I would have lost them. This year it is in November. Both of them dead winter months of short days & long nights, mostly spent indoors. I mean what is the point in taking holidays at that time of year if you are not going abroad?

I have to do what my ancestors have always done: go within.

Listening to Sakir Oner Gunhan’s ‘Kara Kasli Yar’ seems to capture the mood of sadness that accompanies the dark winter months.

This Balkan mixture of ecstatic joy & deep sorrow has much in common with our own Celtic music tradition.

Perhaps it is just that we love to celebrate joy following sadness, as spring follows winter.

Northern Diversions

As I drop the second raw egg into the car radiator to nurse it over another harsh winter, I grasp the opportunity to take stock of my life.

Another birthday fast approaches & I still have lots I wish to accomplish.

I found God at an early age, I am content, I could die tomorrow & I would be fine.

Travel: dint everyone go to India in their teens?

Family: One son married off & in a far away place. How I wish the other one would get sorted.

I’m in Heaven When You Smile

Sunday early hail chapping at the window & Jackie Leven singing Burt Bacharach. Does it ever get better than this?

Actually the arrangements on ‘Jackie Leven Said’ give fleeting glimpses of how immensity of this talent.

The brass sections echo Jackie’s voice so well I am reminded of Marvin @ his peak.

Is 1 touch football finding a home in Paradise?

I have caught glimpses of magic during recent Celtic games. Maybe I am just being over optimistic. Perhaps I am seeing something that is not there?

I saw slick passing movements & running off the ball. For 5 minutes it was like watching brazil in the 70s or the ghost of Henrik Larsson & Lobo Moravcik.

As the big target men are all crocked, it is the time of the little men: McGeady, Brown, Maloney, Mcdonald & when it works it is so exciting, the way football should be played. If only they could do this every game.

5 Leaves of Solid Air Left

Did this really happen to me recently? Was I playing a Gene Clark cd & then rabbiting on & on about how refreshing & timeless it sounded?

I will have to check this blog’s archives to back-engineer my scorched memory.

Anyway ‘White Light’ by Gene Clark sends me right back to Colin & Phyllis’s place, sometime back on the cusp of the 70s. A venue that was steeped in that country rock vibe of Gram Parsons, Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers……..etc…………..

Albums & places & time are all grouped there in the memory somewhere.

Before he became a Highlander, I was often found at my friend’s place, forever the home of Van Morrison’s ‘Astral Weeks’ for me.

Another amigo from that period (now gone) will forever be associated with those classic Steve Wonder albums (when Tonto’s Headband were backing him).

Same time, another address in Maryhill & it is non-stop Grateful Dead. Just around the corner in Belmont St & it was Joni, Beach Boys, Dylan & let’s not forget Harry Nilsson.

Moving further south to Muswell Hill, London & we are swaying to Joe Walsh’s ‘The Smoker You Drink’ & Steely Dan.

Take a few paces East & South & we are on Colva Beach, Goa & it is George Harrison’s ‘All Things Must Pass’. How apt.

Moving on a few years & I find myself at Les’s in Manchester & his flatmates sound choice of solid soul & reggae & dub.

What do I remember of my own listening at home over any of that period? Naturally there would be ‘Solid Air’ & ‘5 Leaves Left’ & a strong dose of what used to be termed ‘Progressive Music’ by the media, although it was not the pap now referred to, by that term.