Out of the (cloudland) blue...

Playlist

Cloudland Blue Quartet - Soundingfall

Cloudland Blue Quartet - 2017 Live Set

Cloudland Blue Quartet - We Drove (2019 Edward Spark Reconstruction)

Roy Harper - Valentine

Alice Cooper - Billion Dollar Babies

Bob Dylan - Blood On The Tracks

Deodato - Prelude

Edgar Froese - Aqua

Bruce Springsteen - Born To Run

Well, the first month of 2019 gone already...

Freezing this morning...

In the sky, Venus, the moon and Jupiter were lined up nicely...

A trip to Stockbridge at lunchtime resulted in zero purchases...

On the way up the hill as I made my way home, a discarded pair of glasses lay frozen on the ground...

Nice skies...

...and back to where it began, ten hours ago...

Today, a remix of my 10 year old track "We Drove" arrived from Creek compadre, Craig "Edward Spark" Sutherland...

It's here for the next few days only...

It is quite excellent - my vocal, I think, is all that remains of the original song - which you can find here...

A couple of covers were mocked up... 

Pictures of St John in Canada...

...although the lyric is based on a passage from "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway which name checks the Basque town of Saint Jean de Luz...

Which actually looks like this...

...and here's the Spark cover...

This evening, a trip back out to Roslin to pick up the recorder accidentally left behind on Sunday; and a chance for Anne and I to have a coffee and a chat with drummer Johnny and his lovely wife, architect and cake baker, Moira...

Back home around 9:30 and "Death in Paradise" entertained...

Highlight of the Day : A "new" CBQ track arriving...

Catching up with Mrs H...

Playlist

Black Widow - Black Widow III

Françoise Hardy - Voila

The Beatles - Revolver

Deep Purple - Deep Purple in Rock

Al Stewart - Past, Present & Future

The Move - Message from the Country

Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin I

Bootsy's Rubber Band - Ahh... The Name Is Bootsy, Baby!

Roedelius - Selbstportrait I

Wizzard - Wizzard Brew

Sly & the Family Stone - Stand!

Alice Cooper - Killer

David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars

Gentle Giant - Acquiring The Taste

T Rex - Electric Warrior (40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)

Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath

Françoise Hardy - In Vogue

Weather Report - I Sing The Body Electric

Electric Light Orchestra - On The Third Day

Amon Düül II - Tanz der Lemminge

Santana - Caravanserai

Yes - Time And A Word

Genesis - Trespass (1994 Definitive Edition Remaster)

The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (RM)

Roy Wood - Boulders

The Move - Looking On

The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground & Nico (Orig CD)

Chicago - Chicago Transit Authority

Joy Division - Closer

La Düsseldorf - Viva

Gong - Camembert Electrique

Uriah Heep - Salisbury

The Revolutionaries - Vital Dub Well Charged (RM)

Fehlfarben - Xenophonie

John Grant - Pale Green Ghosts

Sparks - Indiscreet

Emerson Lake & Palmer - Trilogy Fanfare 1970-1997 Remastered

Grand Funk Railroad - We're An American Band

Uriah Heep - Magician's Birthday

Grand Funk Railroad - E Pluribus Funk

Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel - Best Years Of Our Lives

Jethro Tull - Aqualung

Leonard Cohen - The Songs Of Leonard Cohen

Kansas - Kansas

Soft Cell - Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret

Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited

Hawkwind - Astounding Sounds, Amazing Music

The Beatles - 1967-1970

Elton John - Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy

Out the back window first thing, we spotted we Vince the Black Cat on a window ledge...

He is an old and raggedy but loveable wee man...

Out into the cold...

This evening, out for dinner and rinks with old chums, Margaret, Wendy...

...and Christine (and an old goat)...

...enjoying good chat and excellent fayre at Howie's at Waterloo Place...

Cullen Skink to start...

...and Venison Pie...

...and lovely red wine...

Excellent to see Margaret again...

A walk along to the top of Waverley steps and the three ladies headed down for various trains, while your correspondent got a bus home, only to fall asleep while watching a Tivo'd "The Goldbergs"...

Hmmm...

Highlight of the Day : Dinner with old chums...

Twenty one, yet again...

Playlist

King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King
Van Der Graaf Generator - H To He Who Am The Only One
Yes - Fragile
Emerson Lake & Palmer - Trilogy
Gentle Giant - In a Glass House
Focus - Hamburger Concerto
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
Genesis - Wind & Wuthering
UK - UK
Jethro Tull - Songs From The Wood
Be Bop Deluxe - Axe Victim

Joni Mitchell - The Hissing Of Summer Lawns

Captain Beefheart - Trout Mask Replica

Mick Ronson - Slaughter On 10th Avenue

Jean-Michel Jarre - Oxygene

Various - Fill Your Head With Rock

Gil Scott-Heron - Reflections

The Church - The Blurred Crusade

Genesis - Genesis Live

Wizzard - Introducing Eddy and the Falcons

Simple Minds - Sons And Fascination/Sister Feelings Call

Deep Purple - Made In Japan

The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Take Five

Queen - Sheer Heart Attack

Sex Pistols - Never Mind The Bollocks Here's The Sex Pistols

Cluster - Sowiesoso

King Crimson - A Young Person's Guide to King Crimson

John Coltrane - A Love Supreme

The Beatles - 1967-1970

Deutsch-Amerikanische Freundschaft - Alles Ist Gut

Soft Machine - Bundles

M - New York-London-Paris-Munich

Klaus Schulze - Mirage

Lionel Rogg  - Bach - Exploring the World of Music

Edgar Froese - Ages

Udo Lindenberg - Livehaftig

Various Composers - The World of Your Hundred Best Tunes : The Top Ten

Soft Cell - Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret

David Bowie - Low

Harmonia - Musik Von Harmonia

Kiss - Destroyer

The Durutti Column - The Return Of The Durutti Column

Amon Düül II - Tanz der Lemminge

Weather Report - Heavy Weather

Bootsy's Rubber Band - Ahh... The Name Is Bootsy, Baby!

A great big Happy Birthday today to the Exec Producer...

More cards arrived later, in the post...

This evening, I waited outside Haymarket Station for our celebratory meet up, listening to Fripp & Eno..

Along to Mia's Italian restaurant...

The EP was excited to see Hearts coach Austin McPhee sitting in the corner with two chums...

...and the food was excellent too - scallops and melanzane to start...

Chops and pizza...

...and lovely red wine...

...while Anne enjoyed second hand tales of life at her favourite football club...

An excellent night!

Out into the absolutely freezing conditions for a bus home, where we enjoyed part two of this week's "Silent Witness" and, of course, as it was Tuesday, "Holby City"...

Highlight of the Day : Celebrating...

A day of prog (and telly)...

Playlist

Emerson Lake & Palmer - Brain Salad Surgery Fanfare 1970-1997 Remastered

Yes - Close To The Edge

Genesis - Foxtrot (1994 Definitive Edition Remaster)

King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King (40th Anniv)

Jethro Tull - Aqualung

Yes - Fragile

Gentle Giant - Three Friends

Emerson Lake & Palmer - Trilogy Fanfare 1970-1997 Remastered

Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon

Focus - Hamburger Concerto

UK - Best of UK

Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here

Genesis - Wind & Wuthering (1994 Definitive Edition Remaster)

Ayreon - The Source

Jean-Michel Jarre - Deserted Palace

Judas Priest - Firepower

ZHU - Best Of Lang Lang

Various - Funk Soul Classics (Ministry of Sound)

Donna Summer - Endless Summer: Donna Summer's Greatest Hits

Chic - C'est Chic

Pink Floyd - 1971 Reverber/ation

Peter Gabriel - Hit

Isaac Hayes - Truck Turner Soundtrack

Jethro Tull - A Passion Play

Chickenfoot - Best + Live

Talking Heads - Speaking In Tongues

Gregory Isaacs - Midnight Confidential

Zazou Bikaye - Noir et Blanc

Bob Dylan - Dylan

Stamitz - Sinfonias

ISSA - Run With The Pack

Carlton Melton - Mind Minerals

David Bowie - Station To Station

Gentle Giant - In a Glass House

Van der Graaf Generator - H to He Who Am the Only One

Jethro Tull - Songs from the Wood

Aargh - I really shouldn't wait till Friday to write up Monday...

Not much happened today other than compiling a few prog playlists, having been set the task of creating an 80 minute introduction to the genre for a novice...

My main one would be "Close to the Edge" by Yes, "Supper's Ready" by Genesis, "Way of Life " by Gentle Giant and the whole of "Karn Evil 9" by Emerson, Lake and Palmer...

I discounted King Crimson as Robert Fripp always insists they were not prog...

Of course I couldn't leave it at that, I then chose my "top ten prog acts" and chose one track by each - adding back King Crimson plus Van der Graaf Generator, Jethro Tull, UK, Focus and Pink Floyd to the above...

Then, using those same ten bands, one track from each of the years from 1969 to 1978...

This is how I waste my time...

Talking of which, the entire evening was spent watching TV...

So it goes...

Highlight of the Day : Listening to prog...

Unexpected, then, expected....

Playlist

Lou Reed - Transformer (RM)

Lou Reed - Berlin (RM)

Lou Reed - Sally Can't Dance (RM)

Lou Reed - Coney Island Baby (RM)

Chicago - Greatest Hits Live

Deadmau5 - 4x4=12

Capital Models - Anthology

Capital Models - 2014-03-19 3 Sets

Capital Models - 2017-02-11 Run Through 

David Reilly - Anthology : Rubinmusik 1977-2016

Zahara - La Pareja Toxica

Alice Cooper - Killer

Emerson Lake & Palmer - Tarkus

The day started well...

Some listening and surfing then to the grocery store for breakfast and lunch provisions...

At 1, down to pick up (drummer) bassist Keith for today's trip to Roslin re Friday's gig at his 60th (in December 2018) birthday party...

En route, a call imparting tragic news - his sister had died in a car crash in the early hours of the morning...

I took him home ...

He insisted Friday would go ahead...

Back to Roslin and, although we kind of knew we wouldn't be playing on Friday, we nonetheless ran through the set twice - the first without bass, the second with me depping for Keith...

The afternoon was reflected upon by guitarist and photographer , Stu...

Over to Anne's mum's for the fortnightly family tea - which ought to have been steak pie in honour of Anne's upcoming birthday but her mum is selling her house and so no cooking could take place this afternoon re viewing...

Accordingly, a trip to the nearby Chinese Food emporium with Olly & Kitty accompanied, of course, by "Dead Babies" - the default takeaway picking up soundtrack...

...and the meal was enjoyed...

Here, the birthday girl...

Mary will also soon undertake a family portrait at her art class - brother-in-law Keith is the chosen subject...

During the course of the evening, confirmation of Friday's cancellation came in from bassist Keith, advising reality was kicking in...

Terrible, dreadful news...

Home for "Les Miserables" and to advise invitees to Friday's event of the postponement...

To bed with prog rock in the cans...

Lowlight of the Day : Tragedy for an old friend...

Acquiring stuff you already have can still be good...

Playlist

Carlos Perón - 11 Deadly Sins : Music for Fetish and Erotic Sessions

Quincy Jones - The Italian Job
Various Composers - The Cloudland Blue Classical Eclectical 2019 Vol 3

Tom Waits - Blood Money

Rod Stewart - The Best Of Rod Stewart

Händel - Partenope

The Beatles - Chronology

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - B-Sides & Rarities

Marin Marais - Suites pour viole de gambe - Juan Manuel Quintana

Pink Floyd - The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn (Stereo)

Various Composers - The Romantic Age

L.T.D. - Love To The World

Tom Waits - Small Change

Field - Piano Music, Vol. 1

Slowly Rolling Camera - All Things

John Cale - Music For A New Society

Bjørn Riis - Forever Comes to an End

Dave King Trucking Company - Adopted Highway

Amon Düül II - Phallus Dei

Craig Armstrong - The Quiet American: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Ronnie Montrose - 10x10 [Featuring Ricky Phillips And Eric Singer]

Alan Pasqua - The Antisocial Club

Porya Hatami & Arovane - Kaziwa

Too Many Zooz - Subway Gawdz

Carman Mainer Martin - Music for Bassoon and Piano

King Crimson - 2018 Tour

Witold Rowicki - Polish Modern Music
Various - Cloudland Blue Eclectic Selection 2019 Vol 4

Deadmau5 - For Lack Of A Better Name

Metallica - S & M

Chicago - Chicago II - Live On Soundstage

Lou Reed - Lou Reed (RM)

Lou Reed - Transformer (RM)

Lou Reed - Berlin (RM)

Lou Reed - Sally Can't Dance (RM)

Lou Reed - Coney Island Baby (RM)

First thing, this week's Eclectic Selection prepped but, as yet, without chat...

The Classical Podcast was, however, completed and uploaded - all of these thus far have made the Mixcloud charts...

Out for a birthday (couple of days early) breakfast with Annie Milannie to the Piece Box...

Yum...

A walk from Polwarth to the Grassmarket to meet up with Dr Prog took me past various charity shops...

In Cancer Research at Tollcross, a box of CDs at 5 for a pound...

Oh dear, how could I refuse...

Got these for said quid...

Turns out I already have the Muse (but not with the DVD in this version) and the third of the three Deadmau5 banging selections...

The Metallica live 2CD includes the recording skills of one time member of the Capital Models/Pure Bears circle of chums, Steve "Chick" McLaughlin...

By the time I was supposed to have been at the library to meet the Doc I wasn't; and so we met instead at the foot of Victoria St in the Grassmarket and popped into the Grassmarket Centre for a coffee (for me) and a bottle of Coke, a black pudding roll, a fried egg roll, two coffees and a slice of cake for the Progmeister...

Here he is queuing up amongst the about to go on a walking tour around the old town mainly Spanish tourists...

Good chat and coffee in nice surroundings...

It's packed one minute and deserted the next as people head out on their tours...

A walk to Fopp for your two music buying idiots...

These were partaken of (the Doc got a new Brian Auger trio disc for eighteen squid)...

I am, of course, a fan of, deeply unfashionable, Chicago - two concerts from the end of 2017...

In addition to those, until today, I had no physical copy of Lou Reed's solo debut...

I could have bought that disc on its own for £6 but, on consulting my physician of prog, I plumped for this 5CD box, as it includes 10 bonus tracks not previously in the collection...

This is how the minds of idiots work...

A tram with the doc, on his way for a swim, out to Anne's mum's to pick up provisions for my mum and the car - Anne and Mary off to Tynecastle to see Hearts triumph 2-0 against the Johnstone Saints (Queens lost 2-1 to Partick Thistle in Maryhill)...

Back home and these had arrived - my RHA's gave up the ghost in Spain...

This is my fourth set under the 3yr guarantee that still has a year and half to run...

Put together the between track chat for the podcast and then set off out to Loanhead (listening back and checking) for a good, upbeat visit with my mum - including the signing of Anne's birthday card for Tuesday...

Home and, just as I was shutting the garage, Anne arrived back from the footie with the buoyancy which only a much needed win at Tynie can provide...

Uploaded the podcast and, then, a very tasty tea indeed of home made, from scratch (but, sadly, unpictured), macaroni cheese with bacon and chorizo...

We watched all three episodes of "Manhunt" with Martin Clunes - noting his wife was the producer..

Good, entertaining stuff, although tinged by the thought that the events depicted did actually take place...

Ended the day with finalising the ripping of all the new acquisitions, before heading to bed with Uncle Lou in the cans...

highlight of the Day : Anne's macaroni...