Stuck droning...

Playlist
David Reilly – Anthology 1077-2007 on Shuffleplay
Neal Smith – Sexual Saviour
Billy Cobham – Off Color
Chick Corea – Works
Kenny Burrell & John Coltrane – Same
Joe Henderson – Black Narcissus
The George Benson Quartet – The George Benson Cookbook
Chris Potter – Travelling Mercies
Gateway – In the moment
John Surman – Glancing Backwards
Grachan Moncur III – Evolution
Dennis Chambers – Outbreak

My 1,400th post...

A relaxed evening after having been self-soundtracked during the day, including during a rather annoying bus journey home due to the ongoing nonsense in Edinburgh re the building of one (ONE!!) tram line...

Listened to the second of my two new Neal Smith albums – the first was recorded around 1974 during what was supposed to have been a year off for the Cooper boys but turned out to be a permanent split with Alice failing to come back...

This one was released this year and is extremely heavy indeed – but very enjoyable – in fact, with the possible exception of the Billion Dollar Babies classic “Rock’n’Roll Radio”, the new album knocks the 70’s effort into the proverbial cocked hat...

An enjoyable hour and a bit of jazz listening drew on ten albums before “Have I Got News for You” rounded off the day...

Today sees the release of the ninth of ten volumes of my Anthology project with Volume Ten due on 30 November so, seeing as how, counting today, there are the requisite 31 days to go to cover the years 1977-2007, I’m going to suggest a track a day spanning that period starting with this...

“The Drone Effect”, featuring Bontempi Organ, tape recorder and fuzz-wah pedal is one of my earliest recordings (December 1977)....

It was influenced by “The Heavenly Music Corporation” the track on side two of Fripp & Eno’s “No Pussyfooting” which I’d bought on a trip to Germany in the summer of 1974...

The full 30 minute version of “The Drone Effect” was used in the early 80’s to bring parties to an end and send over-nighters off to sleep...

The edit is only around 90 seconds but it gives you the idea – nothing much changed over the full 30 minute version...

It's available via the link to download my music for free...

ANTHOLOGY 1977
DDHR - THE DRONE EFFECT



Highlight of the Day : Getting home...

Teenage lament....

Playlist
Tangerine Dream - Discography 1970-1983
Neal Smith - Platinum God
Purcell - Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary

Still strangely drawn to Tangerine Dream's music - will no doubt break away tomorrow...

Here they are in 1967...




Two CDs in the post, sent to me via e-bay by none other than Mr Neal Smith, drummer with the Alice Cooper Group and a childhood hero...

He wrote my name on the envelope...

He signed the CDs...

He wrote "thanks a billion"...

Doesn't matter what the CDs sound like - these actions alone were worth the dollars spent...

After a superb home made chicken curry from the fair hands of the Executive Producer, spent most of the evening compiling an 80 minute T Dream megamix to present to Mr Lennon and Dr Prog on Sunday evening...

Went through each of the 19 albums I have, chose a track, created a 4:15 or so edit and cross-faded them to create the mix...

Hope they like it...

Track of the day, while I can still be bothered to keep it up, comes from way back in December 1980 - a short paino piece recorded at the Gesamtschule Felsberg and featured on Volume One of the 10 CD 30 Year Anthology being released this year...

It's available via the link to download my music for free...

DDHR - A SUMMER RAIN



Ah, hair - and a discernable jawline...

The repeat of "TV Burp" and the Thursday staple "This Week" rounded off the day...

Highlight of the Day : A package from a boyhood hero/Anne's lovely curry...

Singing cat...

Playlist
Purcell - Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary
Tangerine Dream - Discography 1969-1983

Oh dear, went a wee bit mental on Tangerine Dream today - bought 8 of their post classic line up of Froese/Franke/Baumann albums which, for a long, long time, I have sworn were rubbish...

At £3 each though, what did I have to lose - there must surely be at least £3 worth of decent material on each disc...

All in all I was right and there is much in the way of entertaining electronic soundscape nonsense going on there....

On arriving home, a 2CD set of Purcell awaited - I only bought it yesterday at lunchtime on an e-bay whim - £2 plus postage...

Bargain...

Excellent dinner from Anne - lamb mince, mash and sweetcorn - tasty in the extreme...

Spent the evening (between listening to T Dream and Mr Purcell, the latter accompanying some washing up duties) watching repeats of "Big Bang Theory" and "Mock the Week" and ended the night with a nine game "Match of the Day" - with TD on headphones...

Track of the day today is from "Deeperdown" (2005)...

"Love and War" was one of four songs written in a single night for a gig on USA Election Night 2004...

The pic is from the gig itself...

The recording features Meg the Black Cat - and is available via the link to download my music for free...

Can you hear her?

CLOUDLAND BLUE QUARTET - LOVE AND WAR



Highlight of the Day : Discovering Tangerine Dream weren't as bad as I thought between 1979 and 1983...

Darn Russkies...

Playlist
Yes – Discography on Shuffleplay
Cloudland Blue Quartet – 1997-2008 on Shuffleplay
Tangerine Dream – Dream Sequence

Nothing much of any import today...

Feeling a wee bit tired for some reason though...

A nice review of the new track “Blend” left in the comments two days ago and one for “Waiting to Die” from yesterday...

With the house back to its full complement, we took the opportunity to watch last night’s “Spooks” before tonight’s episode...

Poor old Adam Carter bit the dust - as is the way with the series’ leading men – and appears to be being replaced by Sir Guy of Gisborne from “Robin Hood”, the very attractive Richard Armitage...

Late on, confirmation that I will attend Tangerine Dream’s concert in Edinburgh on Sunday night as a guest of Martin Lennon, music reviewer for the Edinburgh Evening News and indeed leaver of the fine comment re “Blend”...

Dr Prog will also be in attendance and a pre-gig drink is envisaged...

A busy weekend ahead then with the visit to Partick Thistle on Saturday...

Another suggested download, available via the link to download my music for free, is "Lucifer Falling" from Callingstill (1997)....

CLOUDLAND BLUE QUARTET - LUCIFER FALLING

Highlight of the Day : New Spooks...

Not grooving but cooking, watching, listening and tagging...

Playlist
The Bad Plus - Motel
The Bad Plus - These are the Vistas
The Bad Plus - Give
The Bad Plus - Suspicious Activity
The Bad Plus - Prog
The Bad Plus - For All I Care
The Bad Plus - Blunt Object Live in Tokyo
Yes - The Definitive Yes Story (DVD)
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Blend
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Ersatzreal Companion EP #1
Count Brodski's Fifty Album Compilation on Shuffleplay
Yes - Discography on Shuffleplay

A Bad Plus day on the jazz jukebox...



Home alone tonight as Anne was off with chum Michelle to see Bryan Adams, the groover from Vancouver, in concert in Glasgow, before spending the night in a hotel, possibly his, probably not...

Consequently I could do what I wanted...

I cooked...

A tasty pasta dish using:-
groundnut oil
a large onion
some kind of spicy powder of which the name eludes at present
tomato puree
chopped tomatoes
veggie mince
red wine
pasta

and...

a tin of peaches - oh yes, a masterstroke indeed...

I watched "Dispatches" re the ongoing financial crisis and just how bad it's going to get - which by this account is pretty bad - and I'm afraid I must concur...

At 9, the return of "Spooks" but it's being recorded while Anne's away so, instead, I settled down to watch a three and a half hour DVD of the story of one of my all time favourite bands, Yes...



At 1 am to the PC to write this and listen to some of my own music:-

Blend
Blend Remix
Chocolate on Your Bread (an earlier version of the song which became "The Golden House" on "Ersatzreal")
I'm Waiting for the Man (Velvets cover)
Virginia Plain (Roxy cover)
Waiting to Die

The last of these is available via the link to download my music for free...

CLOUDLAND BLUE QUARTET - WAITING TO DIE



Continued into the night with a shuffleplay session of the fifty albums I gave to Count Brodski for his 49th birthday back in August...

I mentioned the other day, I’d been “tagged” by Mr Avenues and Alleyways...

Staying up very late has given me the opportunity to respond to said tagging...

There are six rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.
5. Let each person know they've been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

Ok so here's the link to Avenues and Alleyways...

The rules are set out above...

Here are six random things about me:

1. I was up to my knees in quicksand at the age of around four and had to be pulled out by a housewife who came to my aid after seeing my plight from her kitchen window. It was probably just very deep mud...

2. I will NEVER clap along at a concert...

3. I was (I believe) conceived at Butlins in Ayr in the late summer of 1958 and returned there on holiday with my parents in the very early sixties. The aroma of the Ikea restaurant near Loanhead reminds me of the aroma of the dining room at Butlins in 1960/61/62...

4. I once attended a post video shoot party thrown by Marc Almond of Soft Cell. The video was for the single “Torch”. I was on my way to Paris with Anne...

5. In the mid-90’s when I had my shop in St Mary’s St, I was having a drink in the World’s End Bar when who should come in but Alistair Darling. I approached him as he held court in front of his young acolytes and asked “Mr Darling, are you a socialist?”. “Yes” he replied, proudly. “Buy me a drink then” I retorted. Suffice to say he declined my request...

6. Often, the very last thing I think before I fall asleep is “I’m going to have to die one day - what a bummer”...

I'm now tagging Sid Smith, Impossible Songs, Norman Lamont, Jim Park, Peri Urban and Martin Lennon...

I will now leave a comment on each of their blogs telling them they're tagged...

None or all of them may well continue this nonsense...

Finally, I will let Mr Avenues and Alleyways know I have carried out my tagging task...

And so I have stayed up later than I ought to have...

But I could do what I wanted...

Off to bed with more Yes on the cans (and Brahms)...

Highlight of the Day : Staying up very late indeed...

Blue and blend...

Playlist
The Bad Plus – For All I Care
Various – October Singles
Bartok - String Quartets
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Blend

A day of creation which, ultimately, proved unsatisfying...

The Bad Plus started the day as they ended yesterday – a splendid album...

I compiled a CD of “singles” from albums acquired during October...

In the morning post breakfast, we toyed with the idea of going to a wine emporium to put together a case...

In the end we decided against it and so, instead, I painted...

I selected Bartok’s string quartets and took a canvas to the attic along with my paints and brushes and proceeded to lay down the first foundation of “Untitled #9”...



Which is blue...



When looking at this please remember the old adage “fools and bairns...”

After lunch – once again Anne’s excellent lentil soup – I retired to the PC room to re-record the vocals on the new CBQ song “Blend”...

I also added in some percussive sounds and then worked on a remix...

All in all around five or six hours’ work, either side of dinner, on a four minute song...

Dinner was very tasty indeed - a new addition to Anne’s canon, home made fish pie, featuring smoked haddock, prawns and cod...

Burned four versions of “Blend” to disc – the original “lost” version from last month, my attempt to recreate it, including slightly dodgy vocals, today’s version with the “good” vocals and today’s remix...

Of course eventually a day like this becomes one of not being able to see the wood for the trees...

Anyway, the version with the new vocals for listening or downloading is now available via the link to download my music...

CLOUDLAND BLUE QUARTET - BLEND



Let me know if you get past the first minute...

Stephen Fry in America and "Match of the Day 2" rounded off the day...

Highlight of the Day : Painting and recording...

Bad and dangerous...

Playlist
Soft Machine – Seven
Sparks – BBC Session
Girls Aloud – The Promise & Other Singles
Schumann – Murray Perahia Plays Schumann
Locke – The Broken Consort
Neal Morse – Lifeline
Various – 31 Best Albums of 2008 So Far On Shuffleplay
The Sleepy Jackson – Personality
The Bad Plus – For All I Care
Hawkwind – Out of the Shadows (DVD)

Up at 5:48 – listening to Soft Machine then listening to Sparks on the Mark Lamarr show last night – extensive interview, albeit with the rather annoying Mr Lamarr, and five songs plus an online exclusive...



Heads up for this came from Count Brodski...

Then to the Girls Aloud website to see their new single’s video – their player features almost every video they’ve done...



Of course I have the majority on DVD...

A good start to the day though...

Wandered downstairs and took all the CDs off the living room shelf to “have a look” at the last 100 acquisitions laid out on the dining room table...

Took some pictures, including Meg the Black Cat getting in on the act, then put all the CDs back again...



Tried to save some kind of flying beast from the marauding spiders outside the living room window...



A leisurely breakfast of boiled egg and toast, coffee and juice whilst listening to Neal Morse and watching everything outside being blown about in the wind and rain...

Decided to venture out to investigate a possible new printer – against the advice of Meg the Black Cat who, weather wise, was going nowhere today...



When it came to it though, after much hemming and hawing I decided I didn’t really need a new printer – not a reason which is usually at the forefront of my mind when considering buying stuff...

Back home, Anne had prepared some lovely lentil soup for lunch as we watched Rangers beat Hamilton, coming from behind...

I got wrapped up against the elements again to go into town on the bus as Anne went off to Tynecastle for the game against Aberdeen (a 1-1 draw, while Queens defeated Ross County 2-0 away in Dingwall to remain top of the league for the third week in a row)...

In FOPP (of course), I bought the new Bad Plus album, along with another Iain M Banks SF book (which I probably won’t read), a CD/DVD by Australian band The The Sleepy Jackson and a DVD of Hawkwind live in 2002 – total cost £21, with the Bad Plus costing £14 – this is how I justify a large cost for a single CD, by buying other stuff to bring the average price down...

I am mad...

In another shop, I bought two new watches and some paint brushes and acrylic paints for the upcoming artistic creation scenario...

Then it was time to go home – the stormy conditions and total outgoes thus far making it unattractive to stay in the proximity of shops...

On the bus home I started the book – promising...



Back home I enjoyed the Sleepy Jackson then settled down for the highlight – the new Bad Plus...



My mantra is, of course, that there’s no place for vocals in jazz...

Eight of the twelve tracks feature vocalist Wendy Lewis who, like the Bad Plus hails from Minneapolis...

She’s the singer in the band Redstart, which has shared members with Bad Plus drummer Dave King’s band Happy Apple...

She is not a standard jazz vocalist in the annoying (for me) style of a Cleo Laine, a Billie Holiday or an Ella Fitzgerald – she is, essentially, a pop/rock vocalist and her contributions to this album add rather than detract from proceedings...

Highlights thus far for me include a version of the Bee Gees’ “How Deep is Your Love” (coincidentally the recently purchased Neal Morse album also sports a cover of a Gibbs Brothers work)....

My favourite though, is not, as expected, either the Pink Floyd song or the Yes song but a Flaming Lips number, “Feeling Yourself Disintegrate” from their album “The Soft Bulletin” – which, thus far, I don’t own...

After “Merlin” which this week actually, finally, showed some promise, it was off over to Fife to visit chum Chris for an entertaining evening involving a Kraftwerk DVD, a compilation of all Rik Mayall and Ade Edmondson’s “Dangerous Brothers” sketches and their Comic Strip film regarding Peter Cook’s murderous Mr Jolly...



Entertainment at its violent, slapstick best...

A takeaway from the local Indian emporium sustained us and we headed home around 1 am, the wind and rain having finally ceased...

An enjoyable day...

Highlight of the Day : New Bad Plus / The Dangerous Brothers

Back, out...

Playlist
Cloudland Blue Quartet – Ersatzreal Companion EPs
Cloudland Blue Quartet – Callingstill (Yellow)
Skids – Scared to Dance
Powderfinger – Dream Days at the hotel Existence
Addison Project – Mood Swings

Out early into the dark, the wind and the rain...

Home in the dark through the wind, thankfully the rain had ceased...

I did nip to HMV on the way home but The Bad Plus’ new CD was a whopping £16 there – HMV owns FOPP – in FOPP the CD is £14 – different markets, different prices...

Tomorrow...

The evening was spent doing nothing much – “Coronation St”, “Have I Got News For You”, “Al Murray” with its rubbish but actually quite entertaining line up of Cilla Black, Des O’Connor and Philip Scofield and “Jonathon Ross” featuring Tony Curtis and Girls Aloud performing their new single – which was worth waiting up for...

Yesterday an e-mail from China from old singer-songwriter chum Scott “The Pirate” Renton of Uhersky Brod – noting there is a Cloudland Youth Hostel there and sending this pic...

No football for another seven weeks now as the doc confirmed the other day ligament damage to my right ankle which is causing reasonable limpage on the old CBQ undercarriage...

I have been tagged by Mr Avenues and Alleyways and must now think of six mildly interesting factlets about myself and post them here...

My thinking cap is on...

Lights Out...

Highlight of the Day : Girls Aloud...

Once more into the void...

Playlist
Cloudland Blue Quartet – Ersatzreal Companion EPs
David Reilly – Anthology Vols 7 & 8
Cloudland Blue Quartet – Acoustic Setlist
Cloudland Blue Quartet – Ferry Fringe Souvenir Set (Unreleased)

A meeting at lunchtime with sister Sheila, so no FOPP for a change...

An invite to hospitality again at Partick Thistle on 1 November as Queen of the South will visit – and to the Radio Forth Awards on 12 November at the Assembly Rooms...

In the evening, Anne was out with Lynn for drinks and chat and I took the opportunity to update the Crispycat website with the last three releases and added more downloads to the Crispycat Library – a kick in the pants off 400 tracks there now available gratis...

Then out to bring the ladies home...

Highlight of the Day : Updating...

Best behaviour...

Playlist
Terje Rypdal – Skywards
Cloudland Blue Quartet – Ersatzreal
Billion Dollar Babies – Battle Axe

In FOPP at lunchtime (what a surprise that I was there!), I found The Bad Plus’ new album in the racks at £14...

I didn’t think it was out till early 2009 but here it was and it includes covers of Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb” and Yes’ “Long Distance Runaround”...

In fact the whole disc is covers...



I plan a purchase before next week...

In the evening, Anne came to meet me and we walked along to St Andrew Square and, a place I’ve never been before, Harvey Nichols Department Store...

The store itself was shut by now but we were heading for the still open top floor and the restaurant there and wine shop...

Chums Sid and Debbie have a subscription to wine-tasting evenings throughout the year but, due to unforeseen circumstances, couldn’t make it along tonight and had asked if we’d like to step in...

Hmmm, let me think...

And so here we were...

The French Sommelier was very entertaining indeed and we enjoyed an opening glass of champagne then six wines which retail for prices we’d baulk at paying, with each costing double that if ordered in their restaurant...

During the tasting we were treated to a plateful of cold meats and cheeses with bread and oatcakes...

We started on white with a light sweet and fruity Argentinian Torrontes followed by a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with a distinctive smell of cat-pee (apparently normal for a good sauv-blanc)...

Then, my favourite of the night, a £41 French dry white Anjou which had a treacly, almost toffee apple taste to it...

The first of the three reds, another French, was smooth and sweet with a strawberry taste but was, for me, a little too weak to please...

A more full bodied Argentinian Cabernet Sauvingon followed, bearing a superb aroma, plenty of alcohol and a lovely oaked taste...

The last wine of the night was a Spanish Reserva wine, peppery, woody with a kind of sour dryness and a strong enjoyable after taste...

Then to the restaurant for a three course meal (soup/mackerel pate; sausage & mash/risotto; apple crumble/sticky toffee pudding) at the end of which we were well and truly stuffed...

We walked to the far end of Princes St and caught the bus home...

The difference between this and last week’s tasting at The Great Grog, was the lack of competitiveness – last week’s teams scenario meant we couldn’t learn about the wines as we tasted them, rather we had to guess for ourselves their origins, grape types and prices which, all in all, wasn’t very satisfying...

So, tonight was indeed, an excellent night...

Highlight of the Day : A “real” winetasting...

Complex...

Playlist
Neal Morse - Lifeline
Fripp & Eno - Beyond Even
Terje Rypdal - Skywards
King Crimson - Larks Tongues' In Aspic 80 Min Mix

Took my usual walks today but no purchases...

Dark when I left the house, dark when I returned...

At home, a Terje Rypdal CD I bought on e-bay on Friday - good service but, shabbily, a hand written back cover...

Not to worry..

This is my ninth TR CD and is top notch stuff...



Anne watched Man U thrash Celtic 3-0 - QoS remain top scoring Scottish side in Europe with two goals...

Meanwhile, upstairs I listened to Mr Rypdal then compiled an 80 minute "Larks' Tongues in Aspic" King Crimson mix comprising:-

Larks' Tongues in Aspic Pt 1
Larks' Tongues in Aspic Pt 2
Red
Requiem
Larks' Tongues in Aspic Pt 3
Vrooom Vrooom
Larks' Tongues in Aspic Pt 4
Heaven and Earth
Dangerous Curves
Peace - A Theme
Level Five

I am 47 minutes into the playback as I type...

Tasty...

Browsed my fave blogs and will shortly (33 mins) shutdown for the night...

No SF last night as predicted, instead, taped comedy - and forgot to mention Anne's brilliant lamb casserole and mash...

Salmon and salad tonight...

She spoils me...

Highlight of the Day : New Rypdal...

Each to his own...

Playlist
King Crimson - Cadence and Cascade (3CD-R)
Neal Morse - Lifeline (2CD)

Almost still dark when I left the house this morning into the rain...

Typical though, that I have spent much of the weekend ill - and almost unprecedented that, two days in a row, I took to my bed in the middle of the day - and now, Monday morning, I seem to be on the mend...

Walked from Haymarket to the town centre enjoying the new Crimson compilation created over the weekend...

And it soundtracked too, my lunchtime walk to FOPP, where I found Neal Morse's brand new 2CD set, "Lifeline" and purchased it at (choke) full price...

I didn't even know it was coming out...



Worth every penny though...

There are few acts around these days who produce such high quality music and Mr Morse seems to do so with consumate ease...

Of course I am an atheist and think people who believe in a higher power are sadly deluded, although I accept it helps them through their lives...

So, Neal Morse left Spock's Beard a few years ago now, proclaiming he'd found Jesus and God and that he'd decided to dedicate the rest of his life to their worship...

As a consequence, his lyrical themes are quite overtly religious...

I have said before though, that some of the best music ever written was done so by way of the worship of a God (in whatever form was topical at the time), so I have no problem with the words on this excellent CD...

And, over and above the sermons being preached on disc one, the bonus second disc comprises mainly covers, including one of The Osmonds' classic "Crazy Horses"...

Top stuff...

Might watch "The Day After Tomorrow" later but Anne probably won't be up for a couple of hours of science fiction...

Highlight of the Day : New Neal Morse...

Cold crimson...

Playlist
King Crimson – Cadence and Cascade (3CD-R Compilation)
King Crimson – Live in Chicago August 2008
The Police - Singles
Various – Singles May to October 2008 on Shuffleplay

Up at 6 as I couldn’t sleep due to the cold symptoms – always the way for me when I get like this...

Absolutely knackered but decided to expand Keith’s Crimson Compilation to a three disc set, adding another studio compilation and excerpts from the Chicago 2008 show I downloaded recently...



I suppose this may be overkill but I’m hoping he’ll like the band...

Watched “Something for the Weekend” with Anne then went back to bed around midday as I couldn’t keep my eyes open...

Slept till nearly five, missing the Edinburgh Derby, in which Hearts came back from an 80 second goal to draw 1-1 with Hibs...

Burned a disc of Police hits for other brother-in-law Bobby, as requested by him the other night...

Anne went off to our step-niece Rebecca’s 18th birthday party leaving me to mope around the house feeling sorry for myself, listening to singles taken from CDs acquired since May...

Anne returned around 9:30 to find me snoozing on the settee and we watched the results show for "Strictly Come Dancing" followed by "Match of the Day 2"...

A disappointing under-the-weather day...

Highlight of the Day : A new Crimso compilation...

Hawk'n'how...

Playlist
Hawkwind – In Search of Space
Hawkwind – Doremi Fasol Latido
Hawkwind – Hall of the Mountain Grill
Hawkwind – A Space Ritual
Hawkwind – Live in Chicago 1974
Hawkwind – Warriors on the Edge of Time
Hawkwind – The Charisma Years
King Crimson - In The Court of the Crimson King
King Crimson - In The Wake of Poseidon
King Crimson - Lizard
King Crimson - Islands
King Crimson - Larks’ Tongues in Aspic
King Crimson - Starless and Bible Black
King Crimson - Red
King Crimson - Discipline
King Crimson - Beat
King Crimson - Three of a Perfect Pair
King Crimson - Thrak
King Crimson - The ConstruKction of Light
King Crimson - The Power to Believe

Up early and transferring Hawkwind albums to the jukeboxes, including a couple of live 2CD sets and a compilation...



Walked down to the bus and took it along to Jane and Bobby’s to pick up the remains of our cake, our new cutlery set and the car...

Drove home feeling not too great – streaming eyes and nose re this goddam cold...

Nonetheless, out to Loanhead around midday to my mum’s, as we’d promised her a birthday lunch and we’re now around six weeks on...

She gave us a lovely picture frame as a twenty fifth anniversary present...

Off to the Howgate, one of our favourite restaurants – I think the last time we took mum here was the first day of this blog back in March 2005...



Soft drinks all round as I enjoyed an excellent cullen skink followed by Scampi and hand cut chips and salad...

Anne had the soup of the moment followed by excellent beef pie, again with hand cut chips...

Mum forewent a starter but followed her oven cooked rib eye with potatoes, yorkshire pudding and veg with a passion fruit sorbet...

While mum enjoyed her sorbet, Anne and I had lovely coffee with a small piece of home made tablet...

After this enjoyable leisurely lunch we set off home, dropping mum off at her house on the way...

Back at Crispycat, I took to my bed for a few hours – by the time I awoke, Queen of the South had been beaten 2-0 away at Airdrie – luckily the other results went our way though, so Queens remain top by the skin of their teeth...

Watched “Merlin” – rubbish with plot holes a mile wide – before starting a King Crimson compilation project...

Brother-in-law Keith has had his interest in the group aroused by a work colleague who has been raving on about them...

Took a break for the much anticipated return of “Harry Hill’s TV Burp”, which Anne had kindly taped for us whilst she watched “Strictly come Dancing”...

Then “Have I Got News For You”...

Back to the King Crimson project – I’d decided on one piece from each of the 13 studio albums but, due to track lengths, I had to create special versions of several songs using editing software on the PC – a very enjoyable, if fiddly, task...

Back downstairs for “Match of the Day” while the final mix was burning to CD...

Off to bed, listening to my handiwork...

Highlight of the Day : Belated Birthday lunch...

Fruity...

Playlist
Various – Rock & Pop Jukebox on Shuffleplay
Hawkwind – In Search of Space
Hawkwind – Hawkwind
Tim Buckley – Anthology
Bob Marley – Catch a Fire
John Coltrane – My Favourite Things
David Bowie – Young Americans
The Go Betweens – Best Of
Van Morrison – Verden Fleece
Joni Mitchell – Court and Spark
Hawkwind – Doremi Fasol Latido

Back to FOPP again, where I carried out my planned Hawkwind raid, picking up their first four studio albums for £3 each...

Also bought what I thought was a rather trendy FOPP shoulder bag, made from recycled plastic bottles (£2 including a charitable donation – I was the first person to purchase one apparently)...

Anne declared it far from trendy...

The cold continued to dog my day...

In the evening, to brother-in-law Keith and wife Maureen’s for a celebrationary dinner with sister-in-law Jane and husband Bobby and Anne’s mum...



I’d forgotten Anne had suggested an extensive cutlery set would be a good 25th anniversary gift, so, opening the large package presented to us was a surprise for me...



Keith had cooked the meal, a starter of Moroccan salad followed by a lamb stew (including strawberries – a master stroke) and cous cous, and a chocolate moose for sweet...

Tasty...

And, to round things off, a specially created cake...



Much wine was consumed by all other than (driving) Bobby – who always seems to want to get home to his kids – so Bobby, Jane and Anne’s mum headed home around 10:45 while Anne, Keith, Maureen and I shot the proverbial breeze till two in the morning...

A taxi delivered us home to Crispycat Towers around 2:20 am...

Straight to bed, with very annoying cold symptoms still very much present...

A good night...

Highlight of the Day : Dinner at Keith and Maureens’...

Unwelcome waterfall...

Playlist
Various – Compilations Jukebox on Shuffleplay
Jacques Brel – Grand Jacques

To FOPP at lunchtime with the intention of purchasing four Hawkwind albums, three of which I already have – but these new ones are remasters with extra tracks...

In the end I walked away with a two disc set by Jacques Brel, comprising his first three albums (recorded mid fifties) along with some bonus tracks...

In the evening, a long-standing invite to a wine-tasting evening, offered the opportunity to get well and truly hammered...

Last time I attended such a “do”, I ended up wandering the streets incoherently before finally getting into a taxi, only to find that, by the time I’d gotten just half way home, I’d run out of cash – a rather long walk and a rather large headache ensued...

However, mid afternoon today, I was suddenly seized by the onset of the first “big” cold I’ve had for a while...

By the time I’d finished the contest involving the tasting and attempting to determine (a) the grape type, (b) country of origin and (c) price, of eight bottles of wine, and having just ordered a tasty G&T from the free bar, an offer of a lift home from colleague Raymondo was an opportunity not to be missed...

Cancelling my drinks order, I bade my farewells to the assembled throng and was home around 8pm...

The cold undermined my Brel listening and I instead watched the series finales of both “Ugly Betty” and “Desperate Housewives”, neither of which I’ve watched for ages and so I was none the wiser regarding many of the plotlines on offer...

Meg the Black Cat did her best to cheer me up by jumping onto the coffee table and cuddling the wedding anniversary box of chocolates received from Anne’s bestest chum Lynn (much of which had earlier been consumed by the Cloudland Blue duo)...



So, what might have been a good “bad” night, was rendered rubbish by the continual coughing, sneezing and general flowing of water from various parts of my head...

Great...

Highlight of the Day : The part before the cold kicked in...

Return of the big pink tin openers...

Playlist
The Flower Kings – Unfolding the Future
Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes – Sun Giant EP
Devics – Push the Heart
Schubert – Piano Music for four Hands
Various – CDs Acquired in October

A year today since my last shoulder op – on my right shoulder which, unfortunately, still gives me gyp and is not quite as flexible as it ought to be – I have a further appointment at the infirmary re this next month...

In the meantime, another hearty breakfast was enjoyed at the castle before packing and settling the bill...

A very relaxing and enjoyable stay indeed...

We had thought about going to Glasgow today before heading home but decided instead to head straight back to Edinburgh for Meg the Black Cat who’s been on her own in the house since we left on Monday – Anne’s chum Lynn popped in on Monday night and last night to provide sustenance...

So we drove home through the drizzle, taking the B road towards the town of Denny and enjoyed some beautiful, if misty, countryside – including this reservoir with a submerged tree...



We were soundtracked by the Fleet Foxes LP I bought yesterday – I have to say the jury’s still out after a couple of listens – there are things there that are enjoyable but things also which are annoying...

At home, Meg was none the worse for her experience – if anything she probably relished the peace after the visit of a small German boy last week, intent on stroking her and picking her up at every opportunity...

My latest acquisition, a disc by The Devics, was behind the door from e-bay, along with an inordinate amount of anniversary cards...

This CD is, in my opinion, better than the Fleet foxes...

Nonetheless, I then listened to the FF EP as I went to pick up some sandwiches for lunch before spending much of the afternoon on t’interweb...

Tried to play some songs on the guitar but I’ve forgotten the chords and the words yet again...

We watched the final episode of “Harry and Paul” – very sad to see it go but another favourite, “Harry Hill’s TV Burp”, starts again on Saturday...

Back in the old routine in the evening as Anne enjoyed Coronation St while I sat upstairs listening to music (some delightful Schubert piano music) and read this month’s edition of The Wire...

Split my last 100 Cds into monthly folders on the hard drive and added back those from June which had been deleted as they'd fallen out of the last 100, along with all those acquired in May, since when 136 albums have entered the physical collection - I won't count downloads as there's, frankly, just too much music...

If there can be such a thing...

I need to burn all the Krautrock rarities which Jorg provided to me and of course I copied the entire hard drive of his I-Pod too...

Maybe there can indeed be too much music...

Highlight of the Day : Coming home to Meg the Black Cat

Silver...

Playlist
Neal Morse – Sola Scriptura
Dream Theater – Systematic Chaos

A huge breakfast was followed by a quick getaway and along the country roads to Stirling where we used the excellent Park & Ride facility to leave the Cloudland Blue Mobile on the outskirts and purchasing £1 return tickets each to the town centre...

A new watch joined the CBQ collection and a visit to Europa Music was also undertaken – nothing purchased there, despite much thinking about a 12 CD set of Schubert for a mere £8.99 - the downside being I thought I had much of what was on offer already...

On into the Thistle Centre where two CDs by Fleet Foxes were acquired at Zavvi – recommended by an entry on Impossible Songs’ blog and the band having been touted strongly by Zulu Records during our visit to Vancouver...

I have yet to hear their music...

A 2009 cat pic a day calendar was also purchased...

A walk around the town and we ended at the Beanscene Café where we sat and enjoyed an Americano each whilst reading – Anne, The Times and me, the recently purchased “This is your brain on music”...



Back out into the worsening day, cloud-wise, and we made our way up to the castle and enjoyed the views before descending back into the town, whereupon the drizzle started...



I bought four 2ft x 2ft canvasses with a view to producing some new pieces over the next few weeks – for no particular reason...

Back to the castle and a rest before getting dressed for our candlelit dinner to celebrate the fact that we were married 25 years ago today...

Broccoli and Brie soup for Anne with garlic mushrooms for me, followed by a lemon sorbet then fillet steaks - stilton and berry sauce for Anne, pepper sauce for me, with potatoes dauphinoise and fresh vegetables, followed by a sweet of apple strudel with crème anglais and a raspberry jus...

I imagine you are able to predict that it was tasty...

We relaxed with wine in the drawing room...



...before taking a walk in the illuminated grounds by the castle to end the evening...



Highlight of the Day : Anniversary dinner...

The calm...

Playlist
Various – Now That’s What Anne and I Call Music

A last breakfast together and Ansem broke his Cheerios record today by eating four platefuls...

Some last minute shopping at Tesco and Oddbins, then we were off to the airport and, all too soon, it was all over and the Germans were gone...

Anne and I returned to Crispycat Towers, back once more to its usual child free self and Meg the Black cat was also noticeably more relaxed...

Around one, after lunch of home made chicken and vegetable soup, we set off for our 25th Wedding Anniversary stay at Culcreuch Castle near the village of Fintry, about twenty minutes west of Stirling...

We checked in around 2 meeting Thomas the Black and White cat who has adopted the castle as his home...



After being shown to our suite, we headed out in to the grounds and walked to the village...



...and, from there, on to the nearby Courtyard Café where we enjoyed coffee and cake...



Then we continued on and round to the other entrance to the castle grounds – the full circle was probably around 4 miles...

We enjoyed a few drinks in the bar before returning to the room to prepare for dinner...



Lovely haggis with neeps and tatties for me and chicken in honey and lemon for the Exec Producer...

Very tasty...

Highlight of the Day : Getting away from it all

That's right, that's right etc...

Playlist
Concerto Koln – Box Set
Various – Number One Singles MP3 DVD

Up early and the, by now, usual breakfast, featuring Ansem and his amazing Cheerios consumption – three plates today...

Not to worry...

Out and off into town where we parked in Chamber Street and headed to the National Museum where we enjoyed ourselves for a couple of hours with Ansem especially taken by the racing car exhibition...



We all took turns to be an astronaut...




We also saw Dolly the Sheep...



In the quad of the University, Ansem and I had a race to see who could run around it the fastest – we each took 22 seconds but he got it down to 20 on his second attempt – my body wouldn’t consider a second attempt and I admitted defeat...



Then to the picture shop, Jorg having obtained the necessary measurements from home...



Three pictures were purchased for transport back to Deutschland then we went back along to Head Records to allow Jorg to buy one last CD, an early Humble Pie album...

A light lunch was enjoyed at Café Topaz...





...before we headed back to the car and dropped off the pictures and carried on up to the castle...

Pictures were taken and walls were climbed upon...





...then we wandered down the Royal Mile, enjoying a bagpiper...





...and street performance by an escape artist from Detroit...




Back home and our final dinner of the visit was an enjoyable (more enjoyable than mine from last night anyway) pizza each from the St John in Corstorphine...

After Ansem had retired, the three of us sat in the living room chatting whilst enjoying many of the tracks from an MP3 DVD of UK No 1 hits – highlight of the night being Anne’s rendition of the school disco dance to Mud’s “Tiger Feet”...

Highlight of the Day : Anne does Mud