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We issue the solo and collaborative work of musician, podcaster and abstract artist

DAVID REILLY

This is the Cloudland Blue Diary, with daily entries

from Sunday 5 March 2005 through to Monday 5 January 2026...

 (Scroll down for the latest entries)

To go to another section of the site, click on an icon below

ABOUT    NEWS    MUSIC    PODCASTS    ART    RECOMENDED LISTENING

                         

In the diary, currently, 150 days are "picture only", across 6 periods in 4 of the 21 years:-

2016: 15-17 October (3 Days)

2021: 8-21 May (14 Days)

2022: 18 April - 10 May & 6 July - 5 September (85 Days)

2023: 1 - 15 October & 18 October - 19 November (48 Days)

It is always the intention to update "picture only" days with the relevant text but doing so is, of course, subject to opportunity (and, indeed, memory!)

CRISPYCAT RECORDINGS ON BANDCAMP

To go to the Bandcamp discographies of these Crispycat related artists, click on an icon.

                    

Crispycat Recordings released the first 25 Cloudland Blue Quartet albums (recorded between 1996 and 2012) to Bandcamp in 2013.

A further 8 LPs were released between 2013 and 2019.

Then, with the advent of lockdown, David spent much more time on new Cloudland Blue Quartet works, with the result that, since May 2020, new music has been released almost every month, with over 90 further new releases having been issued in the last five years.

The current 14 strong pipeline (see below) will take matters to the end of 2026, beyond the 30th anniversary of Cloudland Blue Quartet's debut recordings, pushing the total CBQ releases available on Bandcamp to 140.

Meanwhile, retrospective releases by David's groups Creek, Crazy Wisdom and Capital Models have also been being issued by Crispycat Recordings and these are set to continue, with around 50 planned over the next 18 months or so...

In 2025, Crazy Wisdom and Capital Models also released new recordings, with seven new EPs from Crazy Wisdom and their remastered back catalogue, which you can find here; and, from Capital Models, two new studio LPs, a live LP and an update to their all encompassing "Repertoire" virtual box set, all of which, along with original recordings from 1980 and reunion tapes from 2011, can be found here...

LATEST CLOUDLAND BLUE QUARTET RELEASE

Wednesday, 31 December, 2025: Twentytwentyfive (Compilation of Rarities recorded throughout 2025) (18th in The Collections Series)

As always from Crispycat Recordings, entirely Free to Stream or Name Your Price (including zero) to Download (with bonuses)

"Happy New Year Everybody! (When it comes!)

2025 has been my most successful year since starting out in 1977

I'd like to say a huge thanks to everyone who has streamed, downloaded, supported and talked about CBQ this year

My final release of 2025 is a 4.5 hour collection of 36 songs, soundscapes, covers, remixes & live recordings by Cloudland Blue Quartet from January to December 2025, with a selection of collaborations and "integrations" with Crazy Wisdom, Capital Models, Edward Spark, Ian Sclater, Oddsfiche, Joe Higham, Assistant, Alastair & Harris Wilson, Alan Brodie, Language Lab, Richard Durand, John Coltrane, Marcin Steczkowski, Brian Eno and Robert Fripp

For downloaders there is a further 75 minutes of bonuses by way of pieces previewing 10 new CBQ LPs, due to be released throughout 2026

If you download the WAV files, you can create your own 5CD box set or have them pressed privately to LPs. The world is your oyster!"

CLOUDLAND BLUE QUARTET RELEASE SCHEDULE

   

Friday, 16 January, 2026: Shostakovich (10th in The Composers Series) (Recorded March 2025)

Friday, 6 February, 2026: Low Peach Winter Sun (40th in The Soundscapes Series) (Recorded July 2025)

Friday, 6 March, 2026: Materialisation (with Joe Higham) (41st in The Soundscapes Series) (Recorded June and July 2025)

Friday, 3 April, 2026: Dissolution VI (6th in The Dissolution Piano Series) (to be recorded March 2026)

   

Saturday, 11 April, 2026 (Record Store Day): GLAM! FOUR (5th in the GLAM! Covers Series) (Recorded February-October 2024, to be revised early 2026)

Friday, 1 May, 2026: Cobalt (42nd in The Soundscapes Series) (Recorded August 2025)

Friday, 5 June, 2026: Dark (43rd in The Soundscapes Series) (Recorded August 2025)

Wednesday, 10 June, 2026: Drift (Slow Songs 1996-2026 30 Years of Cloudland Blue Quartet) (19th in The Collections Series) (to be compiled May 2026)

   

Friday, 3 July, 2026: Across the Landscape (44th in The Soundscapes Series) (Recorded October 2025)

Friday, 7 August, 2026: Broken (19th in The Songs Series) (Recorded November 2025)

Friday, 4 September, 2026: Elevation (45th in The Soundscapes Series) (Recorded November 2025)

Friday, 2 October, 2026: Music for Guitar and String Quartet in 18 Movements (46th in The Soundscapes Series) (Recorded November 2025)

    

Friday, 6 November, 2026: Swan Songs (6th in the GLAM! Covers Series) (Recorded December 2025)

Friday, 5 December, 2026: Disquietmusik X (10th in The Disquietmusik Frippertronics Guitar Series) (to be recorded November 2026)

(All artwork, releases and release dates subject to change)

UPCOMING LIVE PERFORMANCES

            

There are currently no performances planned

Performances include solo appearances, as Cloudland Blue Quartet, presenting sets of either songs or soundscapes, and group performances, with the current line up of David's 1980 new wave band, Capital Models 

At present there are no plans for his electronic improvisational quartet, Creek, to play live and nothing in the calendar for Cloudland Blue Quartet or Capital Models but a gig by vocal/electronic trio, Crazy Wisdom, is mooted in 2026...

PODCASTS

Since 2014, David has produced almost 750 editions of the "Cloudland Blue Eclectic Selection", his weekly podcast on Mixcloud, reflecting his esoteric taste in music and encouraging listeners to broaden their musical horizons.  

Unfortunately, with only the most recent 10 able to be made available on the Mixcloud platform, each new podcast replaces the one from 10 weeks before.  

To obtain an MP3 download link for any currently unavailable Cloudland Blue Quartet Eclectic Selection, simply e-mail your request to crispycat@hotmail.com.  

Click on the pic to go to Mixcloud...

A day of tidying and vocal removal...

Playlist

Up late today - although, to be fair, I was snoozing whilst listening to the last hour or so of this week's podcast...

Someone has to...

Another set of goalposts in the street...

Great...

To the machines and writing this...

For many, this is probably the bluest Monday of the year...

Brought my worriedaboutsatan collection up to date after being reminded by a bot that I like his stuff...

Also some time spent today trawling Bandcamp for anything good released thus far in 2026...

Which resulted in downloading and listening to further new to me stuff but only an EP from 2026...

Started recording my daily Top 10's for 2026 (click to expand)...

Hellbach have remained at number 1 since New Year's Day...

Six 2026 releases thus far - Hellbach, zakè, Martin Stürtzer, Alex Jellici & Matias Lanz, Wil Bolton and Aldebrand the Reverberant...

This morning, I decided to do some "tidying" in the computer room...

...and, following some feedback from Johnny B on an unmentioned here suggestion re the band, I decided too to work on creating "better" mixes of the Capital Models original canon - using FADR to remove the vocals and produce stems (of sorts) that could be remixed...

"What was your suggestion Dave?" I hear you ask...

"I'm thinking a project for us in 2026 could be to record a new album of new material.

I watched an interview recently with Brian Eno and, on discussing his production work with people such as David Bowie, Talking Heads, U2, Coldplay, James etc etc, one thing he said he did was, when working with a group of people, in order to magnify the importance of "everybody not playing at the same time", was to experiment with different sets of people taking part in smaller groups, to produce new ideas.

On that basis, I've looked at how members of a quartet (or a quintet if Paul wanted to participate) could collaborate on new material for a wide ranging LP by the band. 

In a quartet, each member could work on 8 pieces, across a total of 15 - as follows

Solo Tracks (1 each)

Dave

John B

Keith

John W

Duo Tracks (3 each)

Dave, John B

Dave, Keith

Dave, John W

John B, Keith

John B, John W

Keith, John W

Trio Tracks (3 each)

Dave, John B, Keith

Dave, John B, John W

Dave, Keith, John W

John B, Keith, John W

Quartet Track (1 each)

Dave, John B, Keith, John W

In a quintet, each member could work on 16 pieces, across a total of 31 - as follows

Solo Tracks (1 each)

Dave

John B

Keith

John W

Paul

Duo Tracks (4 each)

Dave, John B

Dave, Keith

Dave, John W

Dave, Paul

John B, Keith

John B, John W

John B, Paul

Keith, John W

Keith, Paul

John W, Paul

Trio Tracks (6 each)

Dave, John B, Keith

Dave, John B, John W

Dave, John B, Paul

Dave, Keith, John W

Dave, Keith, Paul

Dave, John W, Paul

John B, Keith, John W

John B, Keith, Paul

John B, John W, Paul

Keith, John W , Paul

Quartet Tracks (4 each)

Dave, John B, Keith, John W

Dave, John B, Keith, Paul

Dave, John B, John W, Paul

Dave, Keith, John W, Paul

John B, Keith, John W, Paul

Quintet Track (1 each)

Dave, John B, Keith, John W, Paul

Any thoughts on this at all?

Seems a bit more stimulating than just playing covers all the time

Given that we are completely unsuccessful as a covers band, it might be more enjoyable to be completely unsuccessful doing our own music?

Await your thoughts.

I realise it's entirely possible, we might not be willing to put the time in required to do all this..."

This is probably viewed as far too much work and daunting - especially considering how little we actually play together...

Only JB responded - rightly suggesting discussions would be best - but also suggesting we work again on the original songs (hence my work today)...

As for the others - despite them having read the post, the usual tumbleweeds...

Particularly annoying given that both Paul (for whom this offers a way back into the group) and Johnny W, completely ignored the post to chat about other stuff...

Annoying too that Johnny W, having, out of the blue, suggested a totally random song the other day that we might cover, and after I did the work on a song sheet and MP3 for everyone, has provided zero feedback...

Johnny B seems the only interested party...

Lunchtime - corned beef and tomato roll (which, in the pic looks particularly unappetising but which was superb) and a "Bones"...

This afternoon and early evening spent creating the new instrumental mixes of the original songs...

And tidying the room (slightly) as mentioned above...

This evening, the pasties we were going to have on Friday were enjoyed with Branston Baked Beans - tasty...

Some telly in the new minimalist living room, with no shelves of CDs...

"Celebrity Mastermind", "Only Connect" and a back to normal "University Challenge" - just 65 points scored tonight - poor...

Two "Chicago PD"...

Some "Newsnight" and dishes...

And a BBB - "Bones" Before Bedtime...

Bit of a wasted day in the big scheme of things...

Retired pre midnight...

Highlight of the Day: Probably the creation of instrumental CMs stuff...

Today's New Music:

Xmas is over...

Playlist

Up late - the days are finally kind of beginning to resemble again, what days they actually are...

Anne off to Pickleball at 8:30, me doing the research and notes for the podcast...

Then, recording and uploading and initial listen back...

Home made soup and a roll for lunch...

"Taskmaster" part 2...

A not very good film about a murder in Egypt...

Taking down Xmas until December...

...and putting it up into the attic...

Inside - podcast listening; outside, frost...

A brief interlude of Baroque was considered, then, abandoned...

Chili and a French red wine for tea...

...followed by an evening of telly...

The second semi final and the final of Xmas "University Challenge", 140 and 130 scored by your Crispycat Team...

Dishes and three more episodes of "Chicago PD" before bedtime at 12:15 am...

Highlight of the Day: Podcasting...

Today's New Music: