Sunday, 31 January 2016
Head Space Daily Words...
My working week was a full on frenzy which ended abruptly on Friday at 5.45PM, at which point I moved into a different mode of existence. On Saturday morning I was in football manager mode, coaching my U11s team at the local park. In the afternoon I was on dad mode, taking my eldest son and a group of his friends to a 5 a side football pitch in Crossharbour, to celebrate his fourteenth birthday. Whilst they played I went to the pub to plot my line up for Sundays game. After pizza and cake back home and following a rousing rendition of happy birthday, I moved into music lover mode for Saturday evening. I was going to the Roundhouse in Camden to see Matthew E White officially end his Fresh Blood tour. It really was a fantastic gig, with guest appearances aplenty. Natalie Prass duetted on Why Don't You Believe In Me, Rebecca Taylor from Slow Club put in an appearance and Deep Throat Choir accompanied White on three tracks. It was uplifting stuff. At the end of the gig I bought a vinyl copy of Fresh Blood (having only had it on MP3 previously) and entered starstruck fan boy mode as Matthew E White signed my album. This morning was an early start with a 40 minute car journey for a 10.30 kick off in Dartford. I was back in manager mode and when our opponents arrived with too few players to be able to play the game, meaning our journey had been wasted, I could easily have gone into angry man mode. It's nothing a listen to the Fresh Blood album won't sort out and I will reset the dial back to working mode on Monday morning...
Head Space Daily Image...
This is a shot from the Matthew E White gig. The guy nearest to us was using sign language to sign every song for any deaf people in the audience. I have never seen this at a gig before and it is a fantastic idea. Why shouldn't deaf people be able to enjoy music?
Saturday, 23 January 2016
Head Space Daily Words...
It is almost two
weeks since the passing of David Bowie and on my journeys to and from work I
have been pouring Bowie’s music into my ears and absorbing it like never
before. The albums I own are Hunky Dory,
The Rise And Fall of Ziggy Stardust
and the Spiders From Mars, Diamond Dogs and Young Americans as well as a Singles Collection. During the week of
his death, 6Music became a Bowie shrine – and rightly so. When a person so
musically and culturally significant is gone, they have to be celebrated and
remembered.
When Space Oddity was released in 1969, I was
not on this planet. Hunky Dory was two years old and Ziggy Stardust had been
released then superseded by Aladdin Sane in 1973, the year I was born. I can’t
claim to have been there at the time, moved by what I heard or awestruck by the
persona presented. Instead, Bowie has been a presence that I have always been
aware of from a young age. He must have seemed quite a strange, and almost
dangerous character when I was too young to appreciate who he was. Familiar with images of Bowie and his bright
orange hair, tight fitting patterned outfits and lightning bolt makeup, being
referred to as Ziggy Stardust and the Thin White Duke, it must have all been very
confusing.
In 1983, one of
my clearest memories was when he was momentarily 'Motown cover Bowie', dancing in
a long raincoat with Mick Jagger in the Dancing
In The Street video. The only Bowie record I bought as a kid was the 7” of Lets Dance, which was released in 1983
and ten years later, when I was exclusively into dance music I bought the 12”
of Jump They Say, for the Leftfield remix.
Bowie was a
presence. You knew his music and could sing along to the choruses of all the
hits. It permeated your psyche without you even knowing it. The albums I mentioned
at the start of these words are fantastic pieces of work and along with the
Berlin three of Low, Heroes and Lodger, were all released in the 1970s. They
were all there to be discovered and devoured. In the 1980s and 1990s, I was
following my own musical trajectory and discovering my own sound, largely dance
and soul based music, which is why the first Bowie album to catch my interest
was Young Americans when he was in
his coked out soul boy phase. Ziggy Stardust and Hunky Dory soon followed and
both are stone cold classics. The albums all stand alone but are united by containing incredibly memorable songs which are
simultaneously musically brilliant and sing along pop/rock anthems. Bowie’s
image changed more than the music across these albums, although there was obvious
musical development and progression. The point of Bowie was always to change
and morph and re-present himself as something else.
I saw the David
Bowie…Is exhibition at the V&A a couple of years ago and it was a vast
collection of who he had been and what he had become. The items were more than
mere memorabilia but were artefacts presenting a life developed through music,
art and culture.
Without an artist
like Bowie putting our feelings into words, telling his stories and developing
his artistic personality in front of our very eyes, modern music art and
culture cannot move forward, or does so at a far slower and less flamboyant
pace. A force like his is needed to give people the confidence and belief to
positively express themselves, whoever they are, wherever they may be and
whatever their background. Which begs the question, where is the next Bowie?
Such artists will be harder to come by on the commercial conveyor belt as not
much is allowed to be spontaneous anymore. Talent is bred in the petri dish of
the Brit School, stage school and TV talent shows. Nothing grows naturally.
When someone
passes, you feel a sense of guilt and my only wish is that I had listened to
David Bowie’s music more often and had a wider knowledge of his work. Judging
by the fact that he is number one in the current album chart, with nine of his
other albums in the Top 40, many other people have had the same thought. Once
the vinyl copies of Black Star have been replenished in London’s record shops,
I shall become a proud owner. 2016 will be the year of David Bowie...
Head Space Daily Tune...
David Bowie - Fill Your Heart
Starting out all Motownesque, this is one of my favourite and perhaps lesser known tracks from Hunky Dory, which becomes a joyful romp of Bowie happiness...
David Bowie - Soul Love
Another lesser played track, this time off the Ziggy Stardust album. The strange vulnerability and sadness of Bowie's voice really comes through...
David Bowie - Right
Bowie is at his most slick and soulful on Right which has great vocal and musical arrangement. Superb...
Starting out all Motownesque, this is one of my favourite and perhaps lesser known tracks from Hunky Dory, which becomes a joyful romp of Bowie happiness...
David Bowie - Soul Love
Another lesser played track, this time off the Ziggy Stardust album. The strange vulnerability and sadness of Bowie's voice really comes through...
David Bowie - Right
Bowie is at his most slick and soulful on Right which has great vocal and musical arrangement. Superb...
Head Space Daily Image...
The shop window of Sister Ray Records on Berwick Street...
A photo I took at the David Bowie...Is exhibition at the V&A in June 2013...
Wednesday, 30 December 2015
Head Space Daily Top Ten Albums of 2015...
1: Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit And Think And Sometimes I Just Sit...
Courtney Barnett swept into my life earlier this year, like a crisp no nonsense breeze direct from Melbourne Australia. Her album has been my most played, default sound of 2015. The winner of last year's HSD Top Ten Albums was Kate Tempest, a female artist with a unique sound and voice, signed to Ninja Tune, (HSD Top Ten Albums 2014.) Courtney is also a female artist with a unique sound and voice, signed to Ninja Tune. There must be something in the water at Ninja Towers!! Plenty of superlatives can be applied to Sometimes I Sit And Think... - funny and thought provoking, self-effacing yet positive, melancholic but uplifting. She also delivers a great live show, as I witnessed at Green Man Festival (HSD Green Man 2015 Review) and The Forum at the end of November, (HSD Courtney Barnett at The Forum.) As all true artists should be, she is consumed in the moment, whether writhing on the floor to pick a solo, kneeling to beat her guitar into submission, or assuming a deceptive slacker pose - her presence is always captivating. Courtney captures suburban mundanity in her songs and invests it with meaning and humour. In Depreston she sings of “a collection of those canisters for coffee, tea and flour.” In Aqua Profunda she has a brief unspoken appreciation of a fellow swimmer, “I much prefer swimming to jogging.” She also deals with environmental issues that are obviously close to her heart. Kim’s Caravan faces up to the destruction of the Great Barrier Reef, “the Great Barrier Reef, it ain’t so great anymore,” whilst Dead Fox confronts the night time delivery of supermarket lorries, carrying fruit and veg pumped full of shit - but what the eye doesn’t see, the heart can’t grieve over. The sing a long poetry of Elevator Operator and the story of Oliver Paul are a joy to behold. Courtney Barnett is not only a breath of fresh air but is a force to be reckoned with. Music and lyrics should speak to us about our lives, Courtney does this to perfection and she is the Head Space Daily Number One album of 2015...
Take a listen to the three tracks below...
2: Matthew E White - Fresh Blood...
I love the bearded wonder that is Matthew E White. His beard is not that of a hipster, it isn’t a passing fad. In fact, he was probably born with a beard, as a symbol of his lyrical wisdom to come and with music like this, he won't be a passing fad either. I was introduced to Mr. White and his Fresh Blood album in the early part the year and like all good music, it made me come back for more, in the knowledge that it would keep on getting better. All the albums in my top ten achieve that goal. Matthew E White’s music is breath taking. It gets inside your head and takes you to another place. It is lyrically meaningful, spiritually uplifting and musically sublime. Tickets have been bought for his show at The Roundhouse on January 30th. I have not tired of listening to Fresh Blood all year, which is a great sign of being something special...
Click on the link below to listen:
3: UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA – MULTI LOVE...
Unknown Mortal Orchestra has been my favourite band for the past few years and seeing them grow and develop has been a real pleasure. With Multi Love, their third and most accessible album, they stay true to their slightly distorted musical outlook and the sound truly belongs to them. Psychedelic, soulful, funk, rock and pop are all words that could be used to describe their music and every label in that description could easily be applied at different points within their albums or live sets. They have become one of the very few artists or bands that I have seen perform on three or more occasions, having seen them at the Electric Ballroom (UMO Electric Ballroom 2013) Islington Assembly Hall and their recent gig at Shepherd’s Bush Empire was my favourite live show of 2015 (UMO - Shepherd's Bush Empire.) Their live show has grown in stature and taken on a persona of its own – pushing the music way beyond the constraints of a recorded format and freeing it up in the live arena. Ruban Neilsen, the main man, has relinquished total control, allowing the other band members the freedom to express themselves and it has worked a treat. The addition of a superb keyboard player has taken the music in another direction, the drummer is sensational, and the bassist who holds it all together needs to be given his wings!! To be able to produce incredibly good music, with a unique feel, time and again is the sign of a band at the top of their game. Multi Love is another super UMO LP...
Click on the link below to listen:
4: NATALIE PRASS -
This is a simply beautiful album of pure, heartfelt gorgeousness. Hailing from Richmond Virginia Natalie is part of Matthew E White’s Spacebomb family, her album being recorded alongside White’s Fresh Blood LP. Prass is a charismatic, stylish and vibrant performer, with a timeless, crystal clear voice, full of honesty and emotion. She also wears a great pair of shades. The music wraps itself around you, from the soaring Bird Of Prey and the raw, emotive Violently – a song of simmering desire – to It Is You, feeling like it has stepped out from the soundtrack of a ‘50s musical (HSD Christmas Day Tune.) Her London gig at KOKO, scheduled for late November was called off, so I am anticipating her return. In the meantime I am clinging to the memory of her performance at The Green Man Festival and re listening to one of the best albums of 2015...
Click on the link below to listen:
5: Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly
It takes something special for hip hop to truly register and make a mark with me. It must be saying something positive and not be all bitch, ho, bling and misogyny. The landmarks of Jungle Brothers, Tribe, Jurassic 5, Outkast and Missy Elliott are some of the key albums in my collection. To Pimp A Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar is up there with them. It is not so much a series of songs as a damn funky and defiant, social and political statement, questioning the life and times of black America, whilst he also indulges in some introspective self-analysis. The music soundtracks the development of black culture, through a jazz, funk, soul, electro and naturally, hip hop score. To Pimp A Butterfly is the most meaningful hip hop album I have listened to since Public Enemy's It Takes A Nation Of Millions...
It presents a vibrant voice, boldly speaking out and the lyrics have to be listened to. When he played Reading in the Summer, how many of the kids actually heard what Kendrick was saying? Whether it becomes a classic, only time will tell but it is a winner in my book. Have a listen and make your own judgment...
Click on the link below to listen:
1: Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit And Think And Sometimes I Just Sit...
Courtney Barnett swept into my life earlier this year, like a crisp no nonsense breeze direct from Melbourne Australia. Her album has been my most played, default sound of 2015. The winner of last year's HSD Top Ten Albums was Kate Tempest, a female artist with a unique sound and voice, signed to Ninja Tune, (HSD Top Ten Albums 2014.) Courtney is also a female artist with a unique sound and voice, signed to Ninja Tune. There must be something in the water at Ninja Towers!! Plenty of superlatives can be applied to Sometimes I Sit And Think... - funny and thought provoking, self-effacing yet positive, melancholic but uplifting. She also delivers a great live show, as I witnessed at Green Man Festival (HSD Green Man 2015 Review) and The Forum at the end of November, (HSD Courtney Barnett at The Forum.) As all true artists should be, she is consumed in the moment, whether writhing on the floor to pick a solo, kneeling to beat her guitar into submission, or assuming a deceptive slacker pose - her presence is always captivating. Courtney captures suburban mundanity in her songs and invests it with meaning and humour. In Depreston she sings of “a collection of those canisters for coffee, tea and flour.” In Aqua Profunda she has a brief unspoken appreciation of a fellow swimmer, “I much prefer swimming to jogging.” She also deals with environmental issues that are obviously close to her heart. Kim’s Caravan faces up to the destruction of the Great Barrier Reef, “the Great Barrier Reef, it ain’t so great anymore,” whilst Dead Fox confronts the night time delivery of supermarket lorries, carrying fruit and veg pumped full of shit - but what the eye doesn’t see, the heart can’t grieve over. The sing a long poetry of Elevator Operator and the story of Oliver Paul are a joy to behold. Courtney Barnett is not only a breath of fresh air but is a force to be reckoned with. Music and lyrics should speak to us about our lives, Courtney does this to perfection and she is the Head Space Daily Number One album of 2015...
Take a listen to the three tracks below...
2: Matthew E White - Fresh Blood...
I love the bearded wonder that is Matthew E White. His beard is not that of a hipster, it isn’t a passing fad. In fact, he was probably born with a beard, as a symbol of his lyrical wisdom to come and with music like this, he won't be a passing fad either. I was introduced to Mr. White and his Fresh Blood album in the early part the year and like all good music, it made me come back for more, in the knowledge that it would keep on getting better. All the albums in my top ten achieve that goal. Matthew E White’s music is breath taking. It gets inside your head and takes you to another place. It is lyrically meaningful, spiritually uplifting and musically sublime. Tickets have been bought for his show at The Roundhouse on January 30th. I have not tired of listening to Fresh Blood all year, which is a great sign of being something special...
Click on the link below to listen:
3: UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA – MULTI LOVE...
Unknown Mortal Orchestra has been my favourite band for the past few years and seeing them grow and develop has been a real pleasure. With Multi Love, their third and most accessible album, they stay true to their slightly distorted musical outlook and the sound truly belongs to them. Psychedelic, soulful, funk, rock and pop are all words that could be used to describe their music and every label in that description could easily be applied at different points within their albums or live sets. They have become one of the very few artists or bands that I have seen perform on three or more occasions, having seen them at the Electric Ballroom (UMO Electric Ballroom 2013) Islington Assembly Hall and their recent gig at Shepherd’s Bush Empire was my favourite live show of 2015 (UMO - Shepherd's Bush Empire.) Their live show has grown in stature and taken on a persona of its own – pushing the music way beyond the constraints of a recorded format and freeing it up in the live arena. Ruban Neilsen, the main man, has relinquished total control, allowing the other band members the freedom to express themselves and it has worked a treat. The addition of a superb keyboard player has taken the music in another direction, the drummer is sensational, and the bassist who holds it all together needs to be given his wings!! To be able to produce incredibly good music, with a unique feel, time and again is the sign of a band at the top of their game. Multi Love is another super UMO LP...
Click on the link below to listen:
4: NATALIE PRASS -
This is a simply beautiful album of pure, heartfelt gorgeousness. Hailing from Richmond Virginia Natalie is part of Matthew E White’s Spacebomb family, her album being recorded alongside White’s Fresh Blood LP. Prass is a charismatic, stylish and vibrant performer, with a timeless, crystal clear voice, full of honesty and emotion. She also wears a great pair of shades. The music wraps itself around you, from the soaring Bird Of Prey and the raw, emotive Violently – a song of simmering desire – to It Is You, feeling like it has stepped out from the soundtrack of a ‘50s musical (HSD Christmas Day Tune.) Her London gig at KOKO, scheduled for late November was called off, so I am anticipating her return. In the meantime I am clinging to the memory of her performance at The Green Man Festival and re listening to one of the best albums of 2015...
Click on the link below to listen:
5: Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly
It takes something special for hip hop to truly register and make a mark with me. It must be saying something positive and not be all bitch, ho, bling and misogyny. The landmarks of Jungle Brothers, Tribe, Jurassic 5, Outkast and Missy Elliott are some of the key albums in my collection. To Pimp A Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar is up there with them. It is not so much a series of songs as a damn funky and defiant, social and political statement, questioning the life and times of black America, whilst he also indulges in some introspective self-analysis. The music soundtracks the development of black culture, through a jazz, funk, soul, electro and naturally, hip hop score. To Pimp A Butterfly is the most meaningful hip hop album I have listened to since Public Enemy's It Takes A Nation Of Millions...
It presents a vibrant voice, boldly speaking out and the lyrics have to be listened to. When he played Reading in the Summer, how many of the kids actually heard what Kendrick was saying? Whether it becomes a classic, only time will tell but it is a winner in my book. Have a listen and make your own judgment...
Click on the link below to listen:
6: SONGHOY BLUES – MUSIC IN EXILE
Songhoy Blues first came to my attention at The Green Man Festival in August and the energy of this Malian foursome is raucous and infectious, causing smiles to spontaneously erupt on faces and for normally static feet to involuntarily dance. This is Afro rock straight from the heart and they have a back-story which more than justifies the name of their LP. They are musical nomads. My understanding of the lyrics is zero which goes to show that music is about spirit, vibe and the power to move you. The band is tight and the guitarist just blows me away. His powers are immense. With this, their first album, Songhoy Blues are no longer in exile and it will be exciting to see how they develop and where they go to next. It should be a journey well worth taking...
Click on the link below to listen:
7: FATHER JOHN MISTY – I LOVE YOU HONEYBEAR
It has taken me a while to fully appreciate this album, which is no bad thing, as you want an album to grow on you, rather than be an instant hit then fade away. FJM is the larger than life alter ego of Josh Tillman – former drummer with Fleet Foxes – and to begin with, you wonder if you are in on the joke. When a personality dominates the music, it makes it harder to initially listen to without that personality clouding your judgment. You have to learn to forget the persona and focus on the words and music, which are so good, before bringing the personality back into the mix and marrying it up with the tunes. Although it took a little time to register with me, when it eventually broke through, there was a thoroughly endearing and sincere figure waiting to wrap me up in his musical world. I Love You Honeybear is an excellent and intriguing album which takes root and only gets stronger. I can't wait to see Father John perform at The Roundhouse next May...
Click on the link below to listen:
7: FATHER JOHN MISTY – I LOVE YOU HONEYBEAR
It has taken me a while to fully appreciate this album, which is no bad thing, as you want an album to grow on you, rather than be an instant hit then fade away. FJM is the larger than life alter ego of Josh Tillman – former drummer with Fleet Foxes – and to begin with, you wonder if you are in on the joke. When a personality dominates the music, it makes it harder to initially listen to without that personality clouding your judgment. You have to learn to forget the persona and focus on the words and music, which are so good, before bringing the personality back into the mix and marrying it up with the tunes. Although it took a little time to register with me, when it eventually broke through, there was a thoroughly endearing and sincere figure waiting to wrap me up in his musical world. I Love You Honeybear is an excellent and intriguing album which takes root and only gets stronger. I can't wait to see Father John perform at The Roundhouse next May...
Click on the link below to listen:
8: GHOSTPOET - SHEDDING SKIN
I very much like listening to Ghostpoet’s voice. He has a captivating drawl, a sound that is unmistakably his. This album has greater urgency and variety than its predecessor and gets back to and beyond the level of his debut album Peanut Butter Blues and Melancholy Jam. His voice sounds vital. He has added to his sound this time round, with the guitar on Off Peak Dreamsgiving way to the pounding bass of X Marks The Spot and the additional voice of Nadine Shah bringing an extra layer of melancholy. This is a very good album and Ghostpoet is an artist I would like to see live in the future...
Click on the link below to listen:
9: YOUNG FATHERS – WHITE MEN ARE BLACK MEN TOO
This is a big step up from Young Fathers last album Dead, which won the Mercury Music Award 2014. It is far more musical and is delivered with greater confidence – as you would expect. There is a terrifically joyous, anarchic feel, as if the album is being thrown together on the fly. What really impresses me is the variety of the sound. It changes constantly, throwing up surprises and twists and turns. Where Dead could fall into the trap of being samey, with one truly stand out track, this follow up, with its unsettling tone, never lets you rest. Every tune has something going for it. This is a band and an album where the singing is not perfect, the music is not perfect (the drums often sound as if they are trying to catch up with the rest of the track) but it somehow works – perfectly. There is a message running through this album - as the title suggests – stirring up feeling of racial unity and divides in multicultural Britain and it is fitting that they will be supporting Massive Attack on their tour next year...
Click on the link below to listen:
8: GHOSTPOET - SHEDDING SKIN
I very much like listening to Ghostpoet’s voice. He has a captivating drawl, a sound that is unmistakably his. This album has greater urgency and variety than its predecessor and gets back to and beyond the level of his debut album Peanut Butter Blues and Melancholy Jam. His voice sounds vital. He has added to his sound this time round, with the guitar on Off Peak Dreamsgiving way to the pounding bass of X Marks The Spot and the additional voice of Nadine Shah bringing an extra layer of melancholy. This is a very good album and Ghostpoet is an artist I would like to see live in the future...
Click on the link below to listen:
9: YOUNG FATHERS – WHITE MEN ARE BLACK MEN TOO
This is a big step up from Young Fathers last album Dead, which won the Mercury Music Award 2014. It is far more musical and is delivered with greater confidence – as you would expect. There is a terrifically joyous, anarchic feel, as if the album is being thrown together on the fly. What really impresses me is the variety of the sound. It changes constantly, throwing up surprises and twists and turns. Where Dead could fall into the trap of being samey, with one truly stand out track, this follow up, with its unsettling tone, never lets you rest. Every tune has something going for it. This is a band and an album where the singing is not perfect, the music is not perfect (the drums often sound as if they are trying to catch up with the rest of the track) but it somehow works – perfectly. There is a message running through this album - as the title suggests – stirring up feeling of racial unity and divides in multicultural Britain and it is fitting that they will be supporting Massive Attack on their tour next year...
Click on the link below to listen:
10: MARIBOU STATE – PORTRAITS
This album is classic Ninja Tune – downbeat, occasionally uplifting, soulful electronica, with a nod to the dancefloor. You can spot it a mile off and it always hits the mark. This type of Ninja release is like a stick of rock, with all the traits mentioned above stamped right the way through to its very core. There have been several excellent releases on the Ninja label this year, from Romare’s commercial feel, to the abstract and foreboding sounds of Lapalux. Portraits is my downbeat Ninja winner in this year’s Top Ten...
Click on the link below to listen:
Tuesday, 29 December 2015
Head Space Daily Words...
A fog descends over the holiday season and I am in the grip of a Christmas stupor – a yuletide fug. Since my works do on December 18th, I have drunk alcohol in the form of wine, Guinness or lager every day. My time zone has been realigned. I am waking each morning with a slightly groggy head, getting up by nine and going to bed at midnight – and it is all good. When we take a summer holiday, we have a complete break from the norm and this end of year fortnight is the same for me. Break the routine but also keep things moving. It has been a busy time. A Swedish Glöggparty got things underway, with plenty of good people, food and drink, which was followed the next day by my U11 football team’s final game of 2015 – resulting in a 3-2 defeat. Plenty to work on in our next training session!!
Hanging out in Tate Modern is always a pleasure and the Alexander Calder exhibition was a stand out display. I like to be able to follow an artist’s progression at an exhibition and his cosmic mobiles were a true rounding off of his life’s work. End of year time off is a good moment to get things done, like trading in your rickety old motor for a newer version, meaning you will be able to safely travel for more than two hours in the knowledge you will get from A to B without breaking down. This mission has been accomplished.
Our traditional Christmas Eve Movie, this year at the RichMix in Shoreditch, was preceded by a last visit of 2015 to the 24-hour Beigel Bake, which has featured in these hallowed pages on several occasions. My word, it was rammed, with the queue stretching out on to the street. There was a big call for Holiday Beigels!! After waiting for ten minutes, the announcement came that they had run out and to come back in one hour. One hour later, after a patient wait, I left with a bag of a dozen steaming beigels. That shop does a roaring trade.
This year’s Christmas film was naturallyStar Wars:The Force Awakens and what a fantastic film it was too. There was not the awful CGI of Episode 1, nor the sleep inducing Trade Federation nonsense of episode two and whilst Revenge of The Sithwas better, it never really felt like a Star Wars Movie. Anyway, we can forget all that, as The Force Awakens takes it back to being an action adventure movie set in a Galaxy Far Far Away. It was A New Hope for a new generation. With original characters and nods to story threads from the first three movies, The Force Awakens is future nostalgia at its best and I can’t wait to see Luke Skywalker in Episode 8 – Mark Hamill was looking good - as he takes on theObi Wan Kenobe role of guru and mentor to his daughter.
Christmas Day is always a good time. Presents are opened to the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack and calls made to family, before the kitchen action begins and the wine starts flowing. This year we had goose for the first time, rather than turkey. The bag that the goose came in said it would feed 8-10 people, which may be the case if half of those people are vegan. There was hardly any meat on the bird, meaning a serious lack of leftovers, which are an essential element of Christmas meals. The goose tasted fine but we are back on the turkey next year. After dinner, a fire was lit for the first time this winter, the wine kept coming and like a cotton headed ninny muggins, I fell asleep during Elf – another essential Christmas movie. My Christmas record this year was Gilles Peterson Presents Sun Ra And His Arkestra: To Those Of Earth... And Other Worlds - a selection of damn fine cosmic jazz – which is currently in my earphones as I write these words.
As is tradition, Boxing Day is for football and we went to watch our local non-league team, Dulwich Hamlet, magnificently beat Kingstonian by five goals to one. Hamlet are a regular past time for me and my boys and with our Premier League team, Aston Villa, being run into the ground by a clueless owner and board and relegation to the Championship virtually guaranteed, Dulwich will become a more regular event, until Villa sort themselves out, or at least until the 2016/17 Championship season gets underway. Going to Dulwich Hamlet is about watching good football and feeling connected to a club and community – another thing Villa have lost in recent years.
Sunday was the short journey to Canary Wharf in Docklands and ice skating for my boys. They love it. With the tropical winter we have been having, it did occur to me that they might be skating on slush but all was good. The thrill of going round and round on the ice holds a great pleasure for many - but not me. I have no sense of balance, perhaps due to being tall and lean and therefore my contribution is to sit with a beer and provide moral support. A visit to the ice rink never fails to go down well.
To avoid any hint of cabin fever, a trip to Herne Bay to see the in laws was Monday’s order of the day. Getting away to the coast is one of life's guaranteed good shouts, whatever the time of year and the Bay was busy – packed with people getting out, having a stroll and taking in the fresh sea air. I love the old and new of the British seaside. A crumbling pier stranded at sea, stands decrepit against the back drop of a legion of wind turbines, sails turning to provide local electricity – the new taking over from the old.
Right, that brings us up to date. As always, photographic evidence accompanies this post. Today has been a day of recharging and looking ahead to New Year. A gathering of neighbours is taking place tomorrow. As for now, some more episodes of Modern Family are calling and no alcohol has yet passed my lips, although the evening is still young. . .
Head Space Daily Tune...
Here is a tune by Sun Ra, taken from the new Sun Ra comp which was my Christmas vinyl...
Sun Ra - When There Is No Sun
I was very sad to hear of the passing of John Bradbury, drummer with the Specials today. A truly great band have lost a truly great part of themselves. Thanks for the music JB...
The Specials - It Doesn't Make It Alright...
The Specials with John Bradbury, far right - which is something he fought against all his life...
Sun Ra - When There Is No Sun
I was very sad to hear of the passing of John Bradbury, drummer with the Specials today. A truly great band have lost a truly great part of themselves. Thanks for the music JB...
The Specials - It Doesn't Make It Alright...
The Specials with John Bradbury, far right - which is something he fought against all his life...
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