Reaching parts...

Playlist
Uriah Heep - Sonic Origami
Heinichen - Concerti Grandi
Heinichen - Dresden Concerti
Elgar - Symphony No 1

Back to HMV at lunchtime today and, having checked the title of the Heinichen disc I bought at a market in France last year or the year before (we go on so many trips!), I splashed out on a new 2CD set of his "Dresden Concerti", which I spotted yesterday, reduced from £15 down to £8...

I also bought the Elgar box I came across yesterday, down from £26 to £8, which includes 5CDs...

I arrived home only to discover that all seven pieces on the previous Heinichen disc are included in the new set...

The music's great though and eight of the fifteen pieces are new to me...

Listened to this whilst watching Aberdeen draw 2-2 with Bayern Munchen and whilst partaking of Anne's excellent and very tasty Red Thai Curry....

Meanwhile, from e-bay, not another CD - a Queen of the South football top, which is not the most flattering of garments when worn over my 48 year old body - and as for the amount of static electricity created...

I shall wear it with pride, man boobs on full display, when I return to the fray...

Ran through my live set again before watching "Ashes to Ashes", which, unfortunately, is clearly nowhere near as good as "Life on Mars"...

Of course, I'll continue to watch....

Then a great new US sitcom on Channel 4, "The Big Bang Theory" - the lead male was familiar to me but I couldn't quite place him - a little research on the net and I find he was Rosanne Barr's son-in-law, David, in "Roseanne"...



That's him with the specs...

Gave up on the inane ramblings of "Question Time", wrote this, then went to bed with the sounds of Mr Elgar in my ears and an invite from fellow Creekster Stu Cobley to join him at the upcoming Ian Hunter gig next Tuesday - he is taking photos for a newspaper...

Ah, Mott the Hoople - what a band...

Highlight of the Day : Anne's Thai Red Curry

Instant poetry...

Playlist
Johnny Griffin – A Blowin’ Session
Golden Earring – Moontan
Golden Earring – Switch
Golden Earring – To the Hilt
Faure – Complete Piano Music
Allan Neave – The Isle is Full of Noises
Golden Earring – The Devil Made Us Do It
Thelonius Monk – 10CD Box Set

More Golden Earring today to get things off to a good start...

HMV at lunchtime and a very tempting Elgar box set on Warner of 6 discs for £8 caught my eye – one for later perhaps...

At home we cooked together (well, I say “together” – I did the dishes and sliced some French bread) – but not from the new recipe book I brought home – “The Best Ever Three & Four Ingredient Cook Book”...

A lovely, refreshing Greek yoghurt, cucumber and coriander salad accompanied chicken breast, marinated in red thai curry and cooked in the oven (I’m sure there’s a culinary word for that) with lime juice – zesty!!

After discovering we’d recorded the wrong channel last Wednesday and so have now missed two “Torchwood”s in a row, we watched last night’s “Criminal Intent” – first of a two parter (Ruth McCarter) – can’t wait till next week...

Then another rehearsal and an invite sent to Jamie to see what we might do together on these CBQ songs...

More Golden Earring – for you illegal downloaders out there, I recommend you search for the songs “Radar Love”, “Candy’s Going Bad”, “Vanilla Queen”, “Instant Poetry” and “(Kill Me) Ce Soir”...

Finished the day with this week’s “Reaper” and then a second lot of dish-washing...

Highlight of the Day : Anne’s cooking (again)

Hearing earring...

Playlist
Thelonious Monk – Straight No Chaser
Golden Earring - Seven Tears
Golden Earring - Moontan
Yes - Drama
Patti Smith - Horses
Allan Neave – The Isle is Full of Noises

Ran through the set for next month, watched “CSI”, which, tonight, was a two parter (Ruth McCarter) with an episode of “Without A Trace”...

Then, due to illness and fatigue, forced to retire at eleven, recording “Law & Order : Criminal Intent” for future viewing...

Did enjoy some rockin’ music from the great Dutch band Golden Earring though...



"Been drivin' all night, m'hands wet on the wheel " duh, duh, duh, d'duh....

etc...

Lights out...

Highlight of the Day : CSI/Without a Trace

Tasteless and annoying...

Playlist
Cobra Dorado – The Mysterious Life & Death of Judiah Too Young Man
Sparks – Hello Young Lovers
Sparks – Li’l Beethoven
Thelonious Monk -10CD Box Set
Patti Smith – Horses

To the hospital this morning for some tests which hopefully will prove I’m reasonably healthy for someone nearly 50, even if they are overweight and haven’t really had much exercise for over two years due to an ankle break followed by two shoulder operations...

I have re-enlisted for Wednesday night 5-a-sides and await a call up...

One of my favourite bands, Sparks, has announced they will play 21 consecutive nights in London this summer, performing each of their albums in their entirety and in chronological order, ending with the world premier of their new LP...

This led me to listen to their last two albums – their last, “Hello Young Lovers” was my favourite album of 2006...

Following the success of the Miles Davis 10CD Box I purchased another today – this time by pianist Thelonious Monk, whose career started some years prior to that of Davis. Consequently, the entire set’s in mono and the first few tracks bear the crackles of transfers from 78RPM discs (ask yer gran’ma)...

I also could not pass up a 2CD set of Patti Smith’s classic 1975 debut “Horses” – which I remember hearing at a party at my school a couple of weeks after it was unleashed and a good year or so before we’d even heard of punk rock...

Back home I wasted some considerable time tonight not being able to get on to the internet – however, this allowed me to abandon the PC and listen to several of Mr Monk’s CDs - after the first few tracks the quality is much improved and the music was just the job re soundtracking my reading of a book on Minimalist Art, including a piece on one of my favourites, Dan Flavin, who died in 1996, the same year this piece was exhibited...



On TV “Curb Your Enthusiasm” was excellent once again after a slow start...

As you can see, finally got on to the net just after 11 pm - one of the reasons I wanted to gain access was to see a message some anonymous caller had left on my mobile phone...

It turned out to be a tasteless pic of Superman, Batman and Robin with their rather large super-hero sized nether regions exposed to me in all their glory...

Not tasty...

Highlight of the Day : Larry David’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm”

Birthdays all over the place...

Playlist
Wizzard – Wizzard’s Brew
The Move – Shazam
The Move – Looking On
Nicky Hind – Hindsight
Miles Davis – Box Set 1949-1956
Various – Now and Then OST
Various – Invictus Club Classics Vol 2
Roy Wood - Mustard

Up around 6:30 and needed to get all the dishes from the last few days washed up but, prior to that, I needed to fix the CD shelf in the living room as it appeared to be wilting a little...

I also took the opportunity to rearrange the books on the shelf below, reversing their order (small to tall left to right instead of right to left) so that more light gets into the room from the lamp which sits alongside them...

Then did the dishes to the rocking sounds of The Move. Been listening to a lot of Roy Wood over the weekend and am really getting back into the first Wizzard LP, “Wizzard’s Brew”....

Rehearsed the live set again - this time without any music or lyrics - there appear to be only two of the eight songs which I don't yet know by heart...

Out to Loanhead for lunch at my mum’s, where we were joined by sisters Pam (up for a flying visit from London) and Sheila – today was the latter’s 52nd birthday - it's also our friend Yvonne Sonnenschein's 40th today and yesterday was niece Kitty's 4th birthday...

Sheila’s sons Andy and Alastair joined us too...



Their Auntie Pam entertained us as usual. Highlight was her strange tales of planebound gastro-enteritus. Very funny indeed (although probably not at the time)...

Then back to Edinburgh for niece Kitty’s party at her mum and dad’s house – here she is with her proud dad, trying to stop us from leaving at the end of the night....



As ever, sister-in-law Jane put on a huge spread for the extended families comprising two very tasty home made curries followed by a choice of apple pie or vanilla cheesecake...

The wine flowed copiously, however your correspondent was in driver mode...

Back home, while Anne watched telly, I copied the Miles Box Set and a few other recent acquisitions to the relevant jukeboxes...

Felt a bit under the weather today, an annoyingly sore throat and gyp from the shoulder, probably traceable back to the football fall the other night...

It’s annoying this getting old lark...

Highlight of the Day : Pam’s stories and Jane’s cooking

Get it on, bang a gong...

Playlist
Wizzard – Wizzard’s Brew
Wizzard – Eddy and the Falcons
Cloudland Blue Quartet – Through the Day (Soundscapes)
Cloudland Blue Quartet – Ersatzreal 2
Handel – Chill With Handel
Moby – I Like to Score
Capital Models - Anthology

Spent the early part of the day finishing off my research into the Miles Davis 10CD Box I bought last week...

I identified each track’s source session in turn and then the album from which each comes, then printed off the details to keep with the box...

It really is an excellent find and, over its eight and a quarter hours of music, contains 92 tracks taken from the following Davis releases:-

Birth of the Cool
Miles Davis with Horns
Conception
Dig
Miles Davis Vol 1
Collector's Items
Miles Davis Vol 2
Blue Haze
Walkin'
Bag's Groove
Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Giants
Musings of Miles
Blue Moods
Miles Davis and Milt Jackson Quintet/Sextet
‘Round About Midnight
The New Miles Davis Quintet
Steamin'
Workin'
Relaxin'
Round About Midnight
Basic Miles
Cookin'

You can get it right now at FOPP for just eight quid...



For the first time in several weeks, we drove to Stockbridge for breakfast at Patisserie Florentine – no croissants for me though – I had the “Toast Breakfast” – two slices of brown toast with orange marmalade, strawberry jam, a small glass of orange juice and a cup of coffee - Anne is still allowed croissants of course, as she is svelte...

In the Oxfam shop, I was struggling to find anything but eventually plumped for Moby’s collection of music from films, “I Love to Score”, including one of my favourites of his “God Moving Over the Face of the Waters” and his take on Joy Division’s classic “New Dawn Fades”...

Then, along the main street, I bought a disc of Handel’s sublime music for just a couple of quid at the Shelter shop and we shelled out around the same for a lovely loaf of brown bread at Herbie’s deli for lunch later on...

Then home and I set up the studio to record a rehearsal for next month’s gig – spent ages trying to locate all the right leads...

As I put things together and burned the latest version of the backing track disc, Anne was watching Hibs draw with Dundee Utd before heading to Tynecastle to see Hearts defeat bottom of the table Gretna 2-0...

I spent the afternoon playing through the set till my fingers hurt (a good thing – getting my calluses back)...

Meanwhile Queen of the South beat St Johnstone 3-1 at home, their sixth win in a row. This was a real six pointer as QoS are 4th and Saints 3rd. No change in the positions following the game though but QoS are now just two points behind Saints...

In the evening it was out to meet up again with Nicky and Jim – the attempted grand reunion failed due to the short notice but the four of us drank and talked into the night at the Cask and Barrel bar in Broughton St. We’d taken the car as we were running late and, since I’ve got a bit of driving around to do tomorrow, this wasn’t a problem – I spent the night on fresh orange with the occasional Red Bull – that didn’t stop me from spilling Anne’s first drink over everyone though...

Around 11:30, we were joined by Jamie and the tales of life growing up in South Queensferry were highly entertaining, including the one about a particular young man who, at the age of 15, used to spend his weekends, “getting it on” with his biology teacher – sobering to think she’s probably pushing 60 now...

One of the best tales of the night was Jim's regarding one of Nicky's dad's old friends in Bolton who, when Jim visited them a few years ago, insisted unequivocably that Elvis Presley was shortly to play at Bolton's football stadium...

It was only later that they realised she was talking about Elton John...

I discovered that in 1977/8, independently, Jamie and Nicky’s band in SQF and my own in Midlothian, were covering songs by Devo...

At 12:45 we left the trio of ex-Capital Models to it as the last orders bell rang...


Nicky, Jamie, Jim

It was great to see Nicky again and I gave him a copy of the Models Anthology while he presented me with two of his own discs - he's off shortly to Barcelona where some pieces he's written are being performed by a classical guitarist at a Music festival - he is undoubtedly the most musically successful ex-member of the group...

A good day...

Highlight of the Day : Chewing the fat with old chums

A Wizzard wheeze...

Playlist
John Coltrane – Dakar
Cloudland Blue Quartet – Ersatzreal
Roy Wood - Singles 1971-1976 (2xCD-R)

A very expensive lunch today at Time For Thai - £33 for a £9 set lunch and a couple of beers – possibly more sore than falling over last night – the food was good though...



A swift visit to HMV resulted in no purchases...

Back home I eschewed Coronation St – haven’t watched since last Friday now and may well be officially “off it”...

However, I did watch Friday staples “Moving Wallpaper” (still good), “Echo Beach” (rubbish really) and “Al Murray” (still funny)...

Worked also on the backing tracks for next month’s performance, altering the set slightly and mocked up a new CBQ album comprising the songs recorded during the “Ersatzreal” sessions but, thus far, not used...

Today is the 34th anniversary of the first rock concert I attended - Wizzard at the Edinburgh Odeon - and look what I found when I googled "Wizzard" and "Edinburgh"...



Taken from this fascinating site...

Highlight of the Day : Finding a Wizzard ticket...

Taking a tumble...

Playlist
Lee Morgan - City Lights
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Ersatzreal
Francis Dunnery - Welcome to the Wild Country
Lindsay Sugden & The Storm - Same

A football challenge tonight, populated by my colleagues from the offices of "The Man" - the losers were to pay for the hire of the pitch and lunch and drinks tomorrow...

So, everything to play for - as they say...

Within 10 minutes, my team were 6-0 down and it was never going to get any easier for us - outplayed, with chum Spike, one year older than me and second oldest on the pitch, being outstanding, probably scoring around 15 goals on his own...

Over the course of the one hour of allotted time, we were trounced something like 26-14 - yes it really was that bad...

And I'd worn my replica QoS football top to try and bring some luck to my performance...



This isn't the actual one - mine is a lot naffer and at least three sizes too big for me...

Although I managed to score a hat-trick (and ahem, miss a penalty), I was totally out of condition, having had no exercise whatsoever since my last two brief outings last September, which, in turn, were my first games since breaking my ankle in November '05...

To make matters worse, towards the end of the game, as I headed towards goal to attempt a deadly finish, I was cruelly hacked down from behind and landed smack-bang on the injured shoulder - owyah! - so far no long term effects and just a grazed arm to show for it - I didn't even get a foul...

And so I am now ready to resume playing and intend to rejoin the old regulars for their Wednesday game as soon as possible...

Pre-match I attended physio and have wangled a free gym membership again which will start in two weeks time and lasts for ten...

Movement on the shoulder is almost back to normal though speed of movement remains problematic due to the pain factor - a factor which will be present for a good few months yet - and which has been increased slightly by tonight's tumble...

After the footie and a soothing shower, some TV in the form of "Reaper"...

Gave up on "Question Time" though and headed for bed early...

Highlight of the Day : Back on the pitch

Out of the attic...

Playlist
Various – Jazz & Classical Jukebox Shuffleplay
Cloudland Blue Quartet – Ersatzreal
James Jamieson – 13 Songs
Darren Thornberry – On the Edge
Cobra Dorado – The Mysterious Life & Death of Judiah Too Young Man
Lyndsay Sugden and the Storm – Same (EP)
Francis Dunnery – Welcome to the Wild Country

A bit of a rush re the gig tonight – including having to go into the attic and locate and fetch my Traynor Valve Bass Amp, which I’ve had since 1979 (and which Jamie used whilst we were in Capital Models together) but which hadn’t been fired up since making this film with Peri Urban in 2002...

Jamie arrived at Crispycat Towers around 6:15 with percussionist Billy and I discovered on the journey to the venue that they hadn’t rehearsed last night and that Billy had never even heard the songs until we played Jamie’s CD while we drove...

Jamie was trying to point out to Billy where there’d be stops in the songs but it was just too late for that so I suggested that when we left gaps, the djembe would continue...

The other three acts represented a strong bill. Darren Thornberry, Jill Hepburn and Lindsay Sugden, each of whom had also brought along guest accompanying players – the latter having actually taken the time to learn the songs to be played!


Jill, Lindsay
Darren, Jamie

Nonetheless, after great sets from Darren and Jill it was our turn to take the stage. We sort of sailed through the eight songs with just a few errors and Billy becoming perhaps a bit over excited in places...

Post gig we were buoyed by the complimentary remarks regarding how we’d done – for my own part, I was pleased to receive kudos from OOTB stalwarts Nelson Wright and Jim Igoe (the promoter) in relation to my bass playing and my backing vocals...

Of course you can’t really go wrong with Jamie’s songs as they’re so immediate and catchy...

Last up was Lindsay promoting her new EP. Great complex music...

At the end of the night I bought Darren and Lindsay’s CDs (I already have Jill’s or I’d have bought that too)...

In the audience were Anne, Lynn and our old Capital Models cohorts Jim Park and Nicky Hind – Nicky lives in California and is in Europe for a couple of months – he’s only in Edinburgh till Sunday though and so, in the bar afterwards as we sat and reminisced about the old days, Nicky and Jim suggested a reunion on Saturday night, appointing me as organiser – so, invites will be issued tomorrow...

Drove Lynn home and enjoyed some new CDs to finish off a good day – including the Francis Dunnery disc which arrived this morning from e-bay...

Highlight of the Day : Playing the bass for Jamie...

Box of miles...

Playlist
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Ersatzreal
Miles Davis - Just Squeeze Me
It Bites - Still Too Young to Remember (Remix)

Spent much of the day today listening to and researching the recording dates of the contents of a 10 CD box set of Miles Davis purchased for just £8 from FOPP...



It contains music from 26 different studio sessions, 90 tracks in all, recorded between 1949 and 1956 and is an excellent find - mostly material originally released on Prestige and some from the Blue Note archives...

From e-bay, a 3" CD single by It Bites - a remix I've never heard before of one of their last singles...

Didn't rehearse Jamie's tunes tonight as I wanted to save my fingers since my callouses have disappeared due to lack of use over the last five months and blisters started last night...

I did however put together copies of his revamped CD, which'll be on sale...

Anne made a great spicy pork dish from scratch from a wee cookbook I gave her as part of her birthday - it was delicious and there's some left over for tomorrow too...

In between enjoying the playing of Mr Davis and his cohorts, we watched "CSI", last week's "Law & Order : Criminal Intent" on tape and this week's episode "live" - including annoyingly long ad breaks...

Tasty music, tasty food, tasty TV - it doesn't get much better than this...

Lights out...

Highlight of the Day : Miles Davis/Anne's cooking

Bassist on call...

Playlist
Various - Jazz & Classical Jukebox Shuffleplay
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Ersatzreal
James Jamieson - Precious : Revised Edition
Manfredini - Concerti Grossi, Op 3

The Coop's 60th birthday today...

And here he is in his 1973 Billion Dollar Babies Tour prime....



I love this picture and I'm pretty sure I had a huge poster of it on my bedroom wall - in fact the entirety of all four bedroom walls and the door were covered in pictures of, or articles on, the Alice Cooper Group from 1972 onwards, with just one small corner set aside for Cockney Rebel from 1974...

Surprisingly, I didn't play any Coop stuff today - but I know it all outside in...

Unlike the music of Mr James Jamieson - which is a shame because, today, his bass player advised he wouldn't be able to make Wednesday's gig and so Jamie roped me in to play alongside him once again...

I have just two days to get to grips with the eight songs he's playing - and at a time when I've not played the bass for eighteen months (in fact since the last time I played for Jamie) or the guitar for five months...

All eight songs are on his revamped LP though...



...and he popped by to help me out tonight. We soon had everything under control. Tomorrow night he's rehearsing with his percussionist but I won't be - so the first time we play together will be at the gig...

After Jamie left, we enjoyed another superb episode of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" which, once again, featured the Funkhouser, this time with Larry stealing stuff from the FH's dead mother's roadside shrine...

A good end to a surprising day...

Remember the Coop...

Highlight of the Day : Back in Jamie's band...

Rehearsing and cooking...

Playlist
Various – Jazz & Classical Jukebox Shuffleplay
Jaco Pastorius – Word of Mouth
Various – Invictus Club Classics Vol 1
James Jamieson – Precious (Revised Edition)
Various – MP3s from Yesterday’s Compilation Haul
Gary Numan & Tubeway Army – The Premier Hits

Left Anne sleeping with her very sore hand, the wee lamb, and headed to the music room to sort out the 160 or so CDs removed from the living room over the last couple of months – getting them into alpha order within their genres but not integrating them into the collection – that’s a day long job...

By the way, if you’re in FOPP over the next few days, I can recommend the two £1 Invictus compilations – great stuff...

Did three lots of clothes washing...

Spent much of the rest of the morning working on the cover for Jamie’s revised version of his CD, which will be on sale on Wednesday night for a fiver from Secret CDs....

Then to Tesco with Anne for some shopping, including the ingredients for this evening’s meal....

Anne watched telly in the afternoon and early evening whilst I put together Jamie’s CDs then rehearsed my own set for March 5 – a long way off but I need to relearn my songs after so much time away from the guitar...

Then it was cooking time – my main tasks being washing dishes, changing light bulbs and taking photographs of the proceedings...



The dish was lovely braised salmon with mustard and a gruyere herb crust on a bed of cherry tomatoes and onions accompanied by potatoes....

Very tasty!!

Highlight of the Day : Cooking with Anne...

Not so handy...

Playlist
Various – Jukebox Shuffleplay
Various – The Best Disco Album in the World...Ever!
Various – Now and Then OST
Various – Love at the Movies
Various – School Reunion The Smoochies
Various – Ultimate Chick Flicks
Various – Chick Flicks The Sequel
Various – Ultimate Chick Flick Love Songs
Various – Happy Songs
My Chemical Romance – I Brought You My Bullets You Brought Me Your Love

Up early as usual at the weekend but, as you can see, failed miserably to record the antics of a local seagull attempting to feed on a wayward bone in our neighbours’ back garden...



Three weeks since I was at the library with Dr Prog and so I needed to return the Killers, Bonnie “Prince” Billy and Tortoise CDs...

Drove into town, dropping Anne off at the pampering salon on the way, and parked at “The Saturday Place” over on the East Side beneath Arthur’s Seat and walked into town having called Dr Prog to arrange the meet at the library...

On the way, I stopped in at the Oxfam shop and bought far too many compilation CDs (see today’s playlist) and a disc from My Chemical Romance...

There are probably around fifty or so tracks on these compilations which I wanted to have in the collection, so that probably justifies the eight quid outlay...

Arrived at the library later than I’d expected due to the elongated browse at Oxfam – I took the route past the University Buildings where I wasted so much time not studying but trawling record shops and, consequently, failing exams at the very height of Punk Rock....

I failed to study enough in the building on the right and just plain failed in the building on the left – oh well...



Dr Prog was already in situ when I finally made the library and he had a very large bundle of world music CDs and DVDs in his hand ready for a-borrowing..

For my own sins – although goodness knows I hardly need more music in the house - I took a loan of discs featuring the works of Dittersdorf, Manfredi and Pergolesi along with Robert Wyatt’s latest “Comicopera” and, inspired by the inclusion of his “Down in the Park” on the various artists CD “OK Computer” I got with Uncut or Mojo whilst on Arran, a Gary Numan Greatest Hits disc – I remember having “Replicas” when it first came out and the works of Mr Numan have a place in my collection – indeed I’m listening to “Cars” as I type this drivel...

We popped along to a nearby café and enjoyed a sandwich and coffee each – here’s the good doctor pondering his choice...



Then down to Richer Sounds for the Dr to replenish his Blank Mini-Disc supplies....

We said our farewells and headed in opposite directions – I called Anne to find out if I ought to bring any sustenance home, only to find she’d had an accident with a glass and sliced open one of the knuckles on her right hand – owya!!

Back home, her hand looked pretty bad and extremely painful...

She relaxed watching football, though her Setanta subscription was causing her annoyance as it just switched off for no apparent reason – she finally got through to them around 11 pm to have it fixed, having missed her beloved Craig Gordon letting in three for Sunderland against Liverpool...

For my own part, I listened to music and enjoyed Queen of the South making it to the last eight of the Scottish Cup for the second year in a row...

Ended the day with telly – “Primeval”, last night’s “Moving Wallpaper/Echo Beach” and “Al Murray” then “CSI : New York” and, finally, “Sportscene”, including highlights of the mighty Queens’ win against Morton (2-0 away from home)...

A good day apart from Anne’s hand injury...

Highlight of the Day : Last eight for QoS again...

Return of the guitar...

Playlist
Various – Jukebox Shuffleplay
Natalie Merchant – Motherland/Ophelia/Tigerlily
John Coltrane – Dakar
Heligoland – Pitcher Flask & Foxy Moxie
Bernd Satzinger’s Wurschtsemmerl – Same
James Jamieson – Precious
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Ersatzreal
Various – Jazz & Classical Jukebox Shuffleplay

James Jamieson called me out of the blue today and, as Anne was off to Dunfermline tonight on a birthday night out with colleagues, I invited JJ round to Crispycat Towers...

He’d managed to record just one song since we last spoke but brought round a disc of his proposed set for his gig on Wednesday night...

We proceeded to trawl through my hard drive and listened back to the demos he’s recorded since putting out his album “Precious” at the tail end of 2004 and, including the 2008 version of his song “Yesterday Man”, we located eight bonus tracks to add to the disc and spent some time mastering the new version of “Precious”...

Then we listened to it...

And off he went into the night with his “new” CD in his hand and I felt inspired...

I dug out my own last CD, “Ersatzreal” and got my guitar from upstairs and proceeded to play for the first time since last September...

Anne called and asked that I go over to Dunfermline around 11pm to bring her home – which left me enough time to put together the 30 minute backing track CD for my own gig on 5 March – 8 songs from “Ersatzreal” – then into the car where I attempted to sing along as I drove – I remembered most of the words...

Anne was in a nice wee bar Café Continental with the last stragglers from the night out, chums Chris-with-a-Ch and Ferret (don’t ask)...



...where I joined them for some Diet Coke followed by Fresh Orange and Lemonade....

Around an hour or so later we were finally ready to leave but not before some strange looking woman of indeterminate age had hit on me with the delectable chat up line “I’m off to the bathroom, do you want to talk business”....

Weird....

We took Chris home leaving Ferret to party on (it’s his birthday on Sunday hence the night out) and were back at Crispycat Towers around 1 am...

Highlight of the Day : Playing my guitar again at last..

Chairman of the bored....

Playlist
Richard Shindell - Vuelta
Richard Shindell - Somewhere Near Patterson
Richard Shindell - Sparrows Point
Various - Invictus Club Classics
Various - Invictus Club Classics Vol 2
Lee Morgan – City Lights
Art Blakey – A Night in Tunisia
Cecil Taylor – Conquistador!
Jaco Pastorius - Word of Mouth
The Concert of Sound - 21st Century Classics

OK so I find going to the gym thee most boring thing in the world - but I need some exercise and I'm not yet ready to resume five-a-sides on a weekly basis so, basically, it's walking...

Every weekday morning, after walking down the hill from Crispycat Towers to catch the bus, I'll be alighting at Haymarket and walking into the town centre and, as has been the case for some time now, around lunchtime, I will be seen trudging along the length of the Princes St parallel Rose St to FOPP and back...

Of course this means that, most days I'll need to buy a CD or a book or a DVD or something to go into the big skip when I snuff it (or to Dr Prog and Count Brodski's collections should they outlive me)...

Today, two £1 compilations of tunes from the Invictus Label - top stuff - 42 tracks for two quid - has the world gone mad???



Then on the way home, I will reclimb the hill to Crispycat Towers - all the while enjoying the offerings of the Jukeboxes...

But not tonight - a wee drink and then, much to my surprise it transpired Anne was still out and about at 9pm with chum Lynn, having been out for lunch earlier in the day - so I joined them for a swift half and an Americano at All Bar One before Lynn's Ross came to pick us up and take us home....

While Anne listened to the happenings surrounding the transfer window - I wrote up the last three days of this nonsense whilst listening tracks from the last few CD acquisitions as I converted them to MP3 and added them to the famous jukeboxes...

...which included a couple more from e-bay too...

Highlight of the Day : Beer and Coffee with Anne and Lynn

Handball ref - ref, handball - och for f.....

Playlist
Various – Jukebox Shuffleplay
Erasure – Nightbird
Lee Morgan – City Lights
Art Blakey – A Night in Tunisia
Cecil Taylor – Conquistador
Natalie Merchant – Motherland/Ophelia/Tigerlily
John Coltrane – Dakar
KD Lang – All You can Eat
Heligoland – Pitcher Flask & Foxy Moxie
Lucia Micarelli – Music From A Farther Room
Allan Neave – The Isle Is Full Of Noises
Wes Montgomery – Finest Hour
Bernd Satzinger’s Wurschtsemmerl - Same

The unrelenting acquisition of CDs bought for no other reason than they are perceived by me to be “a bargain” continued apace today, with a further fourteen entering the red book, kept since my first CD, Brian Eno’s “Thursday Afternoon” twenty three years ago...

Up early and left Anne still a-slumbering as I visited the doctor and received an “all clear but watch yourself” scenario from my new bestest friend who bears the same name as my brother-in-law and my song-writing nephew...

A new mindset is required in relation to my overall food intake otherwise I’ll be dead in ten years or less...

With that happy message ringing in my ears, we were off to Glasgow for a day’s shopping followed by the CIS CUP Semi Final between Glasgow Rangers and Heart of Midlothian – tickets purchased before Hearts’ season went down the pan...

Arrived in town around 11:15 and drove out beyond Hampden, parking at Kings Park...





....from where we took a train back to Central Station, arriving around midday...




After a nice sandwich at “Breadito”, we split up, with me visiting record and, surprise, surprise, clothes shops and Anne visiting shops she liked...

A few hours later, we met up, me having bought ten new CDs – seven from FOPP, two from Missing and one from Borders and Anne having succeeded in acquiring an “outfit” for her brother Keith’s wedding in the summer along with sundry other clothing purchases and me surprising everyone with having also procured four new shirts...


We went to my new favourite Glasgow coffee shop, "Ten"...





...where we enjoyed some lovely coffee - a machiato for me...




A superb early evening meal was had at Fratelli Sarti on Renfield Street (highly recommended - two course plus coffee for £9.95 – drinks on top)...





....before we headed back out to Kings Park on a train full of singing Hearts supporters...



The game was overshadowed by the crushing inevitability of a Rangers victory however, when the breakthrough finally came, a few minutes into the second half, the Gers’ captain Barry Ferguson clearly handled before firing a fierce volley into the net...

The injustice effectively ended any hope Hearts had of progressing and a further, legitimate, goal, killed the game after 68 minutes – we stayed till the bitter end though and suffered the further injustices of various pointless police switching off of traffic lights and blocking of roundabouts which delayed our return to Crispycat Towers via a circuitous route involving the M74 to Carlisle...

Back home, a further four discs were behind the door from e-bay and I listened to a few tracks from my new purchases, which succeeded in cheering me up...




Meg the Black Cat pondered whether any of the new discs might be edible...

Of course we’d forgotten to record “Torchwood”, “Reaper” and “Coronation St”, although Anne watched the repeated late showing of the last of these and we retired well beyond midnight...

Highlight of the Day : A day in Glasgow

Uneventful birthday....

Playlist
Bob Dylan – Time Out of Mind
Bob Dylan – Love and Theft
Bob Dylan – Modern Times
Bob Dylan – Dylan
Joe Zawinul – Faces and Places
Lizst – Annees de Pelerinage Vols 1-3
Chris Spedding – Motorbikin’ Live 1991

A day of (mostly) Dylan – perhaps inspiring me for the next CBQ album? Who knows what goes on in my head...

From e-bay 3 discs of Liszt’s piano music, an excellent world music/jazz disc for the late, great Weather Reporter Joe Zawinul....



...and a misleading Chris Spedding disc bought thinking it was a best of but turning out to be an inferior seventeen year old concert...

Music for cooking and dish washing only...

Made my own pasta dish tonight as Anne, despite it being her birthday, was a little under the weather but hopefully back to 100% for tomorrow’s trip to Glasgow. My cooking proved that Anne is the master and I am a foolish apprentice...

On TV, “CSI” was good but we couldn’t stay up for “Law & Order : Criminal Intent” and so taped it instead...

Not much of a birthday for a poor ill Milano...

Highlight of the Day : Joe Zawinul from beyond the grave

Carpenter music...

Playlist
Various – Jazz & Classical Shuffleplay
Bob Dylan – Time Out of Mind

It seemed every other track on shuffleplay today was by jazz saxophonist, Joe Henderson - which is no bad thing - some excellent blowing, man....

To FOPP today and, despite the impending avalanche of jiffy bags, I purchased the last three Bob Dylan albums, with my decision being based on the tracks from each included on the triple CD set I bought last week (and the fact that I was able to get all three for £10)...



A call in the afternoon from James Jamieson, who's been off the radar for far too long. Turns out he has a gig coming up on 6 Feb - at the same club (Secret CDs) where I'm due my first outing of 2008 on March 5...

Crispycat Recordings will revamp his 2004 album "Precious" for the gig, with the addition of some new, acoustic tracks...

At FOPP, I also purchased a couple of DVDs - "Robots" (from the makers of "Ice Age") and the original Batman movie from 1966 - back when it was fun....

As a kid I used to watch every episode and was an avid collector of the Bubble Gum cards. So I spent the early evening watching this and very enjoyable it was too...

Home made soup for tea tonight then I nipped out for some flowers, card and presents for Anne’s birthday tomorrow....

Of the Dylan, so far I’ve only listened to the first, “Time Out of Mind” and it’s mighty good...

Only watched one other thing on TV tonight and that was Larry David’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm” but it was very much a case of quality over quantity - wing donation (anonymous v named), the laws of dry cleaning, masturbation...

Very funny indeed...

Highlight of the Day : Larry David again

Quiet, loud, quiet, loud etc etc

Playlist
It Bites – The Big Lad in the Windmill
It Bites – Once Around the World
It Bites – Eat Me In St Louis
Francis Dunnery – It Bites (CD-R)
James – Laid
James – Millionaires
James – Pleased to Meet You
Handel – 10 Concerti Grossi
Various – Motown Dance Party
Dave Edmunds – Subtle As a Flying Mallet
Explosions in the Sky – All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone

Up early again - and spent some time transferring CDs onto the Jukebox again...

I suddenly rediscovered the brilliance of It Bites and dug out all their CD singles to add too...

Made a couple of lists of early 1970’s music for no reason in particular other than I like to remember those simple times when all I did was play football in the park and listen to records in my room...

Breakfast at 10:30, then out to the Dean Gallery as they had a small exhibition of surrealism – however, the main exhibition was of the work of architect Sir Basil Spence, father of much of what is worst of 1960’s architecture and designer of, amongst other things, Coventry Cathedral and the Crematorium where my dad was cremated almost five years ago – and where I’ve seen many others dispatched too...



Lovely mushroom and tarragon soup for lunch in the café...

Back home I listened to music while Anne watched footie before I took her to her mum’s for the family tea which, tonight I missed...

I was off to Glasgow for the Texan four piece, Explosions in the Sky...

Count Brodski ought to have been with me but a clash with a Polish (not Czech - thanks Mr Stu Cobley) stag weekend in Krakow won the day...

Opening act was Matthew Cooper from Portland, Oregon who goes by the name Eluvium – just him, his guitar, some piano sounds, a laptop and some looping technology – I was impressed!

Explosions in the Sky played for over 90 minutes virtually non-stop, moving from very quiet to very loud over and over again with high register guitar lines and non-continuous rhythmic drumming – by the time they finished I’d had enough really – but that didn’t stop me from listening to their LP in the car on the way home (as I had done going) and, generally liking their music and admiring their prowess...



What annoyed me most was (as usual with gigs these days) the audience, with their constant wandering to and fro and incessant chatter to each other and texting on their phones – whatever happened to respecting the performer?

Home and checked e-bay – far too many of my bids have been successful and there will be a few CDs popping through the door over the next week or so...

Highlight of the Day : Rediscovering It Bites

Vino collapso...

Playlist
Bob Dylan – Dylan
Various – Motown Dance Party Vol 2
Handel – 10 Concerti Grossi
Alice Cooper –School’s Out
The Killers – Hot Fuss
Tortoise – Standards
Robert Fripp – Arny’s Shack 1 January 1980
JS Bach – St John’s Passion
Icehouse – The Berlin Tapes

Twenty eight years today since the sweet thrill of industry was captured...

Up at 6 and continued the ongoing process of transferring “worthy” albums to the jukebox (it takes around 10 mins per album) – I’m up to “H” and “I”...

Meg the Black Cat advised she was in charge of the computer...



Out solo to the podiatrist – half an hour early by mistake, so to the nearby deli for a quick coffee with Mr Dylan on the headphones...

Post footwork back home...

The last two of the seven CDs purchased recently on e-bay arrived in the post - a Motown compilation and Handel's Concerti Grossi - along with my ticket for Explosions in the Sky tomorrow night from Count Brodsi...

After toast and coffee, we walked for the bus into town – we are researching trips...

A healthy filled roll for lunch and then back home – where I foolishly returned to e-bay and ended up bidding for around 20 CDs – I am mad – hopefully my bids won’t all come to fruition!

For the first time in a while, a double win for our teams today, both away from home – Queens beating Dundee 3-2, much against the odds, while Hearts overcame Aberdeen 1-0...

In the evening, the family January meal, which replaces the purchase of any meaningful Xmas presents, and we visited McKirdie’s Steakhouse, after drinks at Cuba Norte...

For me, a lovely starter of sautéed chicken livers followed by sirloin steak with mushrooms, mustard mash and veg – v tasty indeed...

No pudding...

The restaurant has a BYOB policy and we’d taken two bottles of Chianti, of which I consumed more than was good for me...

As can be seen from some of the pics below...



Bus home, Harry Hill on tape, sleepy-peepy....

Highlight of the Day : Another nice meal

You can't make a cat laugh...

Playlist
Various – Jukebox Shuffleplay
Yes – Keys to Ascension
Girls Aloud – Tangled Up

Friday night used to be takeaway night and regular visitors will know that we used to (too) often indulge in Indian, Chinese or Italian takeaways more than once a week but now, with the new regime, we are eating home cooked food at every opportunity...

Tonight, Anne made a delicious North Indian Lamb Curry (from scratch) which was as tasty as any takeway and, hopefully, a lot more healthy...



These days I find it hard to drag myself away from the TV on a Friday evening and so it was I found myself repeating last week’s viewing....

2 x “Coronation St” (with a 30 minute e-bay/Yes DVD break)...

“Moving Wallpaper/Echo Beach” – I’m losing interest a bit in the soap but the first part re its production is still good...

“Al Murray’s Happy Hour” – what a funny man ...



Not according to Meg the Black Cat though...

Ended the day considering buying all the old Girls Aloud CD singles to get the non-album tracks – but I probably won’t...

Bad news for Cheryl Cole in the papers today – my immediate and rather selfish thought was “I hope it doesn’t damage the group” – how pathetic of me...



Highlight of the Day : Lovely home cooking - again

Chicken and chorizo'ish...

Playlist
Various – Jukebox Shuffleplay
Queensryche – Operation Mindcrime
Eurythmics – Greatest Hits
Goldfrapp – Black Cherry
Explosions in the Sky – All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone

To physio today and young Mary-Jane was impressed with the big man’s movements and added a couple more excruciatingly painful scenarios to the list...

Anne’s cooking took centre stage tonight – her chicken on a bed of cherry tomato and onion sauce was enhanced by the inclusion of some spicy chorizo and accompanied by asparagus and green beans and a bottle of cheeky Italian red...

Then, while Anne watched “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”, I listened to the three discs which arrived from e-bay (initially whilst doing the dishes and tidying up the kitchen) – a classic of eighties US prog from Queensryche, an eighties goldmine of hits from Eurythmics, and an electronic tour de force from Alison Goldfrapp...

Ended the day with the Thursday night staples of “Question Time” and “This Week”

Lights out tonight with Explosions in the Sky following a text from Count Brodski who’s off to Poland this weekend and so who can’t attend Sunday’s gig in Glasgow – for which he’s apparently posted me a ticket...

What a nice man..

Highlight of the Day : Lovely home cooking

Devilish...

Playlist
Various – Jukebox Shuffleplay
Faure – Complete Piano Music

As you knew would happen, I finally succumbed to the lure of the 4 disc box of Faure’s complete piano music – recorded by Mr Jean Hubeau just a couple of years before he died...

And very beautiful it is too...

Spent much of my time today listening to this and it put me in mind of another 4 disc set I have – Debussy’s complete piano music – one of my all time favourite classical sets....

On TV, the debut tonight of new US show “Reaper” which I found to be excellent – one of those shows where, whilst watching, I found myself thinking “I could watch this all day if they were to just make it so that it did that”...

Elsewhere, “Torchwood” continued – it’s still getting better but just isn’t quite where it ought to be yet....

Between these two, the first episode of “Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA” – more repeated scenes than the UK version (US attention span difficulties?) but, essentially, the same set up and just as fascinating – if I was thinking of opening a restaurant, he’s the man I’d want telling me what to “fucking” do...

Lights out...

Highlight of the Day : Reaper

Drivel quotient high....

Playlist
Various – Jazz & Classical on Shuffleplay
Handel – Violin Sonatas/Oboe Sonatas
Mozart – 100 Best Mozart
Electronic – Raise the Pressure
Ferry Corsten – Mixmag 03/06
Bob Dylan – Dylan
Cimarosa - Overtures

As I lay on the music room floor last night doing the exercises which will hopefully one day allow my right arm to return to normal, I had this view of my guitar, which I’ve not played now since early September...



The sky was red this morning but the forecast snow never materialised...



At FOPP I succumbed to my 3rd £3 Yes DVD in recent weeks, this time the classic line up reunion concert from 1996 “Keys to Ascension” – I have both of the double CD sets which feature the concert and accompanying studio recordings...

Also restarted my search for 18th Century music with a disc of Cimarosa’s opera overtures - apparently, other than Herr Mozart, he’s the only composer whose operas have been performed continuously since his lifetime. Mr Cimarosa was very popular indeed in the late 1700s...

Also fell for the latest 3CD retrospective from Bob Dylan...

The red one...

I already have a 3CD compilation released in Australia around 1979 or so but only 20 of the tracks are duplicated and some are different versions....

So, of the 90 tracks spread of over the six discs, there are 70 which are unique to one set or the other...

Of course it’s Bob Dylan we’re talking here so the singing’s not that great – the packaging is though – by the time we get to the third disc it sounds like he has a peg of some sort keeping his nose closed...

Despite these small criticisms, I’m still enjoying being introduced to his wider catalogue and may buy more of the later stuff...

As well as these new purchases, when I got home, the first two e-bay discs had arrived and, after an excellent beef stew from the hand of Anne, I spent the early evening in an electronic haze with, aptly, Electronic followed by a banging trance set from Ferry Corsten...

A better storyline this week on “CSI” with an hour’s break for some more Dylan and some Cimarosa and then “Law & Order : Criminal Intent”...

One more pic from this morning...



OK, that’s enough drivel now – lights out...

Highlight of the Day : Anne's beef stew - tasty!

What you want to be when you grow up...

Playlist
Various – 100 Recent Albums on Shuffleplay

Yet another purchaseless visit to HMV today – the copies of the Faure box set are dwindling...

I convinced myself not to buy considering 7 CDs are winging their way to me from e-bay as I type...

An evening of goggling the gogglebox with two episodes of “Coronation St” sandwiching a better heat of “University Challenge” which featured the freaky Cambridge team from last week – luckily Manchester beat them and they won’t be back...

Then, whilst recording the second part of “Messiah : The Rapture”, we watched the first in a new series of “Grand Designs” where a couple spent £350,000 building a house in a hole in their garden – it looked a lot better than it sounds...



I’d like to have been an architect...

The day ended with another first episode, this time of Larry David’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm” which was superb – looking forward to it being a staple for the next 10 weeks if we can remember to look at the cable schedules rather than just the usual five terrestrial channels..

Highlight of the Day : Curb Your Enthusiasm

Taping not uploading...

Playlist
Various – Classical Jukebox on Shuffleplay
Jean-Michel Jarre – Oxgene
Porcupine Tree – Fear of a Blank Planet

Up early again...

It’s good to be up early at the weekend – the intention is always not to waste free time – of course at some point time is, for want of a better word, wasted – or is it?

I decided to take all the classical tracks I deleted from the main jukebox back in April 2006 (but which I, of course, backed up to 2 DVDs) and load them up into what has thus far been the jazz jukebox...

Annoyingly, while the first DVD went without a hitch, the second failed miserably in every attempt at being recognised by the computer and so half the collection, all tracks with titles commencing with a “P” and beyond, remain in limbo...

At 10 we were off out post a quick home breakfast of coffee, toast and juice – the new regime means the takings at Patiserie Florentin will be down I’m afraid – our target was Cineworld, scene of many enjoyable movies in the Summer during the Film Festival but, today, for a preview screening of the Reese Wihterspoon produced “Penelope” starring Christina Ricci and James McAvoy...



Quite an enjoyable film but a strange scenario re location and accents with half the cast being American and the other half British and with stock footage of New York combined with scenes obviously shot in London with cars driving on the left – but maybe that’s being picky – it was a fairytale set in an unreal world I suppose and it was OK (for free)...

Back home and some lovely home made vegetable soup for lunch followed by more trying to get the content of an MP3 DVD onto the computer (while Anne watched Rangers beat Inverness with a last minute goal)...

I even found a programme which claimed to allow me to convert the soundtrack of a DVD into a WAV file – of course it didn’t work either – so an afternoon of frustration...

Bought The Mail On Sunday purely for the free Jean-Michel Jarre – a remastered recording of his classic first album “Oxygene” – I’d forgotten just how good it is....

Finished off the day (after Anne had watched “Ice Dancing on Ice with Celebrities”) with “Match of the Day 2” while I recorded both “Messiah : The Rapture” (episode 1 of 2) and “Alien v Predator”, both for future viewing – and of course I still have the dreadful “Primeval” from last night...

Highlight of the Day : Classical music back on the agenda

Celebrate good times, come on......

Playlist
Various – 100 recent Albums Jukebox Playlist on Shuffleplay
MacAlpine Brunel Chambers – CAB
Thad Jones – Detroit-New York Junction
Paul McCartney – Memory Almost Full
Various – Troja Dub Box Set
The George Benson Quartet – Live 1973
The Horace Silver Quintet – You Gotta Take A Little Love
Tony Williams’ Lifetime – Emergency

Up at 6:15 and decided to change the CDs on “The Shelf” (I keep 100 CDs in the living room)...

Rather than the last 100 in chronological order, I amended this to:-
50 Non Jazz/Non Classical (20 New; 10 Recent; 10 Re-Issues; 10 Compilations)
30 Jazz (15 Pre 1970’s; 15 Post 60’s)
20 Classical

So that took a wee while and passed some time...

I ended up with around 35 different CDs on the shelf from those which had been there before – especially since, of the last 100 I’ve bought, only 3 are classical...

At 11:30 Anne departed for Tynecastle for the latest Hearts v Hibs derby (12:30 kick off), leaving me to potter about and indeed watch some of the match on Setanta in between bidding unnecessarily for CDs on e-bay which I really don’t need...

I ended up winning discs by Queensryche, Handel, Electronic, Ferry Corsten, Goldfrapp, Eurythmics and a double Motown compilation – all of which should be winging their way to Crispycat Towers next week......

Meanwhile Hearts beat Hibs 1-0, on balance probably deservedly so - a fast paced match but with very little skill on display...

Spent the afternoon watching Sky Sports News soccer results thing with the videoprinter waiting for Queens to score some goals – eventually they did and my favourite team overcame Greenock Morton 3-0 at Greenock by virtue of a second half hat-trick by substitute Stephen Dobbie – an excellent win which takes Queens to the giddy heights of 4th in the table – but it’s still very tight...



As of today, Anne and I have been together for 28 years and, by way of celebration, we went for an early evening dinner to a little Italian place at Haymarket, La Bruschetta....

Candlelit, with Italian baroque to accompany a superb meal for which I’d especially shaved my head and donned my black shirt – as opposed to the brown jersey/tracky bottoms and weeks-on-end-unshaven head I’d been sporting earlier in the day...



Can you spot the difference?

Mushrooms and goats cheese followed by lamb for Anne, a small portion of Rigatoni with tomato and Italian sausage sauce followed by fillet steak for me, both accompanied by sauted potatoes with Rosemary, and French beans, with a sweet for each if us comprising profiteroles in Belgian chocolate sauce accompanied by Americanos...

My first treat really of the new regime, under which I’ve lost a couple of pounds so far and which must now be my template, basically, until I die – if that day is to be staved off for as long as possible...

The lovely Italian red wine was my first alcohol since New Year’s Day, other than a glass of Advocaat and lemonade during the latter part of our stay on Arran...

We were home in time for “CSI : New York”; the new series of “Law & Order” and “Match of the Day” – a good day...

Highlight of the Day : Anniversary dinner with Anne