Crumbs.

I’m not sure what to write about today, so I’ll just tell you what I have been doing. I sold my Robert Crumb book yesterday. I was pleased about that because I regretted buying it in the first place. In the early 1970’s I used to read those hippy type comics and I used to think they were funny. I don’t agree with censorship, I believe in freedom of speech and I don’t want to sound puritan but now I am older I find some of that stuff is racist misogynist semi-pornography. Anyway, I hope the person who bought it enjoys it but I’m glad it is off my land.

I am going to replace it in my shop with a book about Aneurin Bevan. I saw it on eBay and put in one bid and it was mine. What I like about it is the fact that it is signed by the author Michael Foot. If you haven’t heard of Michael Foot he was a great socialist and leader of the Labour Party from 1980 to 1983. He died in 2010 aged 97 after a long and brilliant life. As well as being a great politician he was also a great writer and orator. One of his first books was called Guilty Men published in 1940 which named those responsible for appeasing Hitler in the 1930’s. That book was partly responsible for Labour’s victory in the 1945 election. 

The subject of this signed biography Aneurin Bevan was in my view the greatest Welsh person of the 20^th Century. He was responsible for Britain starting the National Health Service in which health care was free to all citizens regardless of their circumstances. It was this country’s greatest achievement and at the time was the envy of the world. It was all the more remarkable because it was started when the country was bankrupt after the war. The post-war Labour government achieved great things. This present government are a shambles in comparison. I might read this book before I sell it.

I don’t what to do for the rest of the day. Despite the rainy weather I might venture out to the pub in a bit because I haven’t seen any friends since Monday.

My Brilliant Eclectic Taste In Music.

It had been a wild and stormy night and this morning is taking no lip off the night before. I don’t think I’ll be venturing far today. I wasn’t sure what to write about on my blog page and then I remembered something that has been bugging me. A few days ago, I mentioned that a friend accused me of only liking Folk music and Van Morrison. Then yesterday another friend who I have known for fifty-five years agreed with her and said 80% of my music must be Van & Folk. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is an attack on my eclectic music taste, so I thought I would put the record straight once and for all.

I haven’t got a huge collection of albums by some people’s standards, that is because in the olden days whenever I was in a state of financial embarrassment, I used to sell my record collection. However, I have got about 350 cd’s. (I have got some cassettes and vinyl as well, but I haven’t got anything to play them on).  It is true that I have every album by Van because he has the finest body of work of any artist in popular music, but I also have music in almost every genre you can think of. I have Pop music, Rock, Jazz, Country, Folk, Soul, Blues, Punk, Reggae, World Music, Americana, Hip-Hop, Poetry & Spoken Word, Classical, Irish, French, New Wave, Progressive, Psychedelic, you name it and I have it. The only type of music that I don’t have is Opera which I have never got into.

I just took some photos of my cd’s to prove my point, but I don’t think you will be able to read them easily. They are all jumbled up and in no particular order. I’ll just go down one side chosen at random from my tower of song. From the top, Christy Moore, Miles Davis, Radiohead, Richie Havens, Janis Joplin, Billie Holiday, Connie Converse, Charlie Parker, 10,000 Maniacs, Del Shannon, Idlewild, Maroon 5, The Rankin Family, Jah Wobble, John Martyn, The Dubliners, Baka Beyond, Buena Vista Social Club, The Smiths, Bridget St.John, Kate Rusby, Bob Dylan, Tony Scott, Mavis Staples, Sinead O’Connor, Bonnie Raitt, Bap Kennedy, The Velvet Underground, John Otway, Judy Collins, Big Bill Broonzy, Emmylou Harris, Tom Waits, Joni Mitchell, Alanis Morissette, Echo And The Bunnymen, The Waterboys, Iris Dement, Shelagh McDonald, Norma Waterson, Television, Ray Charles, Joan Armatrading, Lucinda Williams, Nick Drake, Rolling Stones, Tom Waits, Shawn Colvin, Robert Plant & Alison Krause, Keith Christmas, Anais Mitchell, Lana Del Rey, Jack Savoretti, Ani DiFranco, Macy Gray.

I think that makes my point and I rest my case. Looking at that sample of 56 albums the thing that strikes me is not what genre they are but how well female artists are represented in my collection. Anyway, while I have been writing this, the sun seems to be coming out. I can’t sit here all day. I might venture out after all. See you later.

Strangely Strange Yet Oddly Normal.

I’ve got some big news this morning. I’m going to see Robert Plant next week. Yesterday I saw a rumour on the internet that he has got a new band together called Saving Grace and they were playing a low-key date on 16^th February. When I investigated further, I found out that have been added to the bill when Fairport Convention play at Bath Forum. I managed to snap up a ticket. That should be a night to remember. Robert Plant and Fairport go back a long way. Sandy Denny sang on a Led Zeppelin song and Robert Plant has played at their annual Cropredy festival. I wonder if Robert might sing with Fairport? All will be revealed in due course. I’ll tell you all about it at the end of next week.

This morning I have been listening to yet another new album that came in the post yesterday. It is by Dr. Strangely Strange and is called Kip Of The Serenes. I first heard of this band in 1969 when I was still at school. Island Records brought out a sampler album called Nice Enough To Eat. Those sampler albums were great, they only cost about 14/6p. I first heard Nick Drake on that album and King Crimson, Quintessence and lots of other great music. The track by the Strangelies was called Strangely Strange Yet Oddly Normal. I forgot about them for decades. I was reminded of them again recently when I was reading the Joe Boyd book White Bicycles because it was Joe Boyd who produced this album in 1969. I looked on eBay and bought a copy.

I am on my second listen now and I like the album. It comes with bonus tracks and a lavish booklet which gives you all the info you might need. The obvious comparison is with the Incredible String Band and it was actually Robin Williamson of the ISB who recommended them to Joe Boyd. I don’t think they are as good as ISB though, neither in musicianship or song writing ability. It’s not fair to make comparisons though. When I heard the opening track and the recorder playing it reminded me of Vashti Bunyan. The band evolved out of the Dublin hippy counter-culture scene of the 60’s but like two other Irish bands of that period that I like, namely Mellow Candle and Tir An Nog they don’t sound particularly Irish, although there are lots of Irish references in the lyrics. They have a medieval sort of sound which was popular at the time and suited the lifestyles of when everyone wanted to get back to the land and live in communes. Anyway, I think it is a very pleasant charming album. My favourite track so far is Donnybrook Fair  and I have enjoyed listening to it on this nice spring-like Wednesday morning. I see there is a book coming out soon about this band and the Dublin scene of the time. It’s called Fitting Pieces To The Jigsaw by Adrian Whitaker. I might buy it, or I might not.

Robert Plant Concert At Glastonbury Abbey 2014

This was the last time I saw Robert Plant. It was at Glastonbury Abbey in 2014.

What's Going On?

It is Tuesday morning at 10.07. I am enjoying a cup of tea and listening to Trailer Park by Beth Orton. I bought it in Warminster yesterday. The reason I bought it is because Beth is playing in Frome in March. I didn’t know anything about her, so I thought I’d get acquainted with her music. I like this album. Her music is described as Folktronica which a mixture of folk music and electronic. After one listen I particularly like the track I Wish I Never Saw the Sunshine. Anyway, when she plays in Frome I’ll tell you all about it. I bought one other CD as well which was What’s Going On? By Marvin Gaye. I got that one because a certain person said that I didn’t have any soul music in my collection. “All you’ve got is folk music and Van Morrison”.  Buying this will shut her up because I think this album is a classic. Maybe the best album in the soul genre of all time. Actually, it is one of the greatest albums in any genre. Considering it is nearly 50 years since it’s release it is very relevant to today’s world. The lyrics are quite prophetic, for instance in concern for the environment which wasn’t a big issue back in 1971.

I wasn’t going to drink yesterday. I had a J2o mango & apple in Wetherspoon’s but I got bored and suggested going somewhere else. In the second pub I had a pint of Thatcher’s cider and we had two games of pool. I won the first game and she won the second. That’s because I can’t concentrate for more than one game. I never went out last night.

I read some of my Krishnamurti book but that takes a lot of concentration as well, to understand what he is on about. I read all of the Wikipedia entry on him last night. I do agree with him on a lot of things such as global outlook: A vision of the whole as distinct from the part; there should never be a sectarian outlook, but always a holistic outlook free from all prejudice. I think that is relevant to the Brexit nonsense that is going on. Britain turning away from its partners in Europe. It will end in disaster. All the countries of the world have to work together to solve the world’s problems. Humanity is part of nature, and if nature is not cared for, it will boomerang on man. Only the right education, and deep affection between people everywhere, will resolve many problems including the environmental challenges.

Snow, Sun & Sawdust.

Last night, finally on day 33 of 2019 I had two pints of cider. I didn’t mean to, I was going to stay in, but my friends phoned up and wanted to know why I hadn’t been out. You can’t ignore people, so I went to the pub. The first pint tasted odd, quite acidic and bitter. I think my taste buds must have gone funny with a month off. By the end of the second drink it was tasting how I remembered it. In the old days I would have gone home afterwards and drank a bottle of wine as well, but I’m not doing that any more.

This morning I woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed, and the sun was shining in a cloudless sky although the snow hadn’t melted yet. I knew I had to go for a walk as it was such a nice day. I got my wellies out of the shed. I don’t think I had worn them since Glastonbury 2016. Then I set off, intending to go up the White Horse and see if there was any tobogganing going on. When I got to the top of Alfred Street it looked a bit too icy and steep for my liking. I walked along Bratton Road and then up that lane next to the cemetery and then along the side of a field. I got as far as some farm buildings and I wasn’t sure if I was allowed up there, so I turned back. Also, I didn’t want to meet a farm dog. It was a nice walk though and felt warm in the sun.

When I got home, I thought I better do the mountain of washing up that was in the sink. While I was doing that, I listened to my new album by Killers called Sawdust. The reason I bought it the other day is that I saw them at Glastonbury. When I say I saw them, I mean I heard them from a distance when they played an unannounced set on the John Peel Stage in 2017. After one listen, I like this album a lot. I was surprised to hear their versions of Ruby Don’t Take Your Love To Town and the Dire Straits song Romeo And Juliet. They were both great. I’m glad I invested 50 pence in buying it.

Then I read my Krishnamurti book for February 3^rd. Today’s topic was Can The Crude Mind Become Sensitive? It also covered whether a stupid person can become intelligent. You can’t stop being stupid by reading books. There are lots of well-educated people who are incredibly stupid, you only have to look at some politicians to see that. If you are behaving very stupidly the way to solve it is by observing your stupidity and it will solve itself. Anyway, I scanned it. Read it for yourself if you want. I think if you click on the picture it should be readable.

It’s still only 3.00 in the afternoon. I’m not sure what to do for the rest of the day but it will involve watching Les Miserables. I think it is the final gripping episode tonight.