Night of the reptiles...

Playlist
Paul Linklater – Smooth Sailing and How
King Crimson – Live 2008
Editors – In This Light and On This Evening
Various – 100 Hits Dance Mix

To FOPP at lunchtime, armed with a token from last week’s Secret Santa...

Bought several presents for others along with the impressive new album by Editors (after some e-mail discussion on its merits with Macclesfield Craig) and a 5CD set of “dance hits”...

Tasty...

Also picked up two more Francois Truffaut films on DVD, “Bed and Board” and “Finally, Sunday!”....

Still not watched the other three recent purchases in the same series...

After a quick turnaround at Crispycat Towers, it was time for the annual “Reptile Xmas Night Out”...

Actually I don’t recall the last time we had one but, in the days of our record shop, the taxman allowed us one night out a year which could be put against the company as expenses...

This evening then, we made our way through the bitter cold to the inviting warmth of Le Di-Vin wine bar...



...then, after a cheeky wee aperitif each...



...upstairs to Le Petit Folie...



The largest portion of steamed mussels in the history of portions of steamed mussels was enjoyed by your correspondent...



...while the Exec Producer commenced with a tasty mushroom and tarragon brioche...

Mains comprised sirloin steak for me and rump of lamb for Anne, both accompanied by extremely tasty potatoes Dauphinoises, home made ratatouille and a little “pate” of vegetables...

Rounding things off was the delicious crème brulee...



I can assure you the Exec Producer enjoyed it much more than this moodily lit portrait might suggest...

All the above was of course accompanied by a lovely, and fitting, French Red...

Back home through the bitter cold to an excitable Meg the Black Cat...

Good times...

Highlight of the Day : The Reptile Night Out...

Decorum maintained, just...

Playlist
King Crimson – A Young Person’s Guide to King Crimson

As predicted, soundtracked once again by King Crimson, with the double LP given to me by Santa Claus in 1976...



Xmas celebrations continued with a very enjoyable leisurely lunch with Mr Mark and Mr Spike at Le Bon Vivant, scene of last Tuesday evening’s drunken debacle...

This week however, things were reasonably civilised and sedate until we abandoned the white wine for pints of Kronenbourg and were joined by an Irish Property Magnate and his entourage...

Luckily, the Exec Producer also arrived, just in the nick of time, to maintain a semblance of decorum...

Here she is with fellow Jam Tart nut, Mr Spike...



We left at a reasonable hour, abandoning offers of more drink from property developers and night club owners...

McDonalds beckoned for some quick early evening sustenance...



Back home, your correspondent snoozed on the sofa before announcing it was time for his bed...

Xmas eh?

Highlight of the Day : Chatting with “The Man” chums...

The landscape player...

Playlist
King Crimson – In the Court of the Crimson King
King Crimson – Lizard
King Crimson – Red
Neal Morse – Cover to Cover
King Crimson – The 21st Century Guide to (Vol 2)
King Crimson – Cadence and cascade (3xCD-R)

A day soundtracked by the might of the Crim other than Neal Morse’s covers album which accompanied our cooking exploits re our fave dish, Red Thai Chicken Curry...

Fared miserably with this week’s “University Challenge”...

Drew up a wee wishlist re Santa related goodies – which included the latest versions of three King Crimson albums...

Tomorrow I will be mostly listening to this...







Highlight of the Day : Cooking with Annie...

Providence...

Playlist
Depeche Mode – 1984-2009 (CD-R)
King Crimson - Red
King Crimson - Lizard
Wetton Downes – Icon III

Mucked about on the PC creating an 18 track personal best of Depeche Mode after last night’s excellent concert - as Anne watched the semi final of “Strictly”...

Thereafter, “Merlin” from last night was good...

Fired up the turntable to listen to this in its original form...





In the late afternoon to Anne’s mum’s for tea but no Jane, Bobby and the kids this week – so a wee bit quieter than usual...

Back home, highlight of the day as we caught up with this week’s episode of “Spooks” pre “Match of the day 2”...

Highlight of the Day : Spooks

Right not wrong...

Playlist
Various - Now That's What I Call Music 1972-74
The Move - Anthology 1966-1972
Henry Cow - 40th Anniversary Box Set: The Road Vols 1-5
Depeche Mode - The Singles 81-98
Depeche Mode - The Singles 01-09

Up at 6 after a, frankly, dreadful night with very little sleep - I kept dreaming I was the astronaut in the film "Moon"...

I don't recall what on earth I was doing at 6 - I think just listening to some old music and surfing the net...

An appointment with Helen the Podiatrist at 8:45 was attended on time - my last scheduled session...

Then, into town to return the CDs borrowed three weeks ago (already!!)...

I wasn't intending taking anything else out but quickly picked up box sets by The Move and Henry Cow...

A swift trip over to Falko Konditorei resulted in brioches and rye bread entering Crispycat Towers...

Home around 10 for breakfast followed by some tasty music from The Move and Henry Cow of course...

Rye bread for lunch topped with tasty coleslaw, tomatoes and cheese before Anne headed out for Hearts V Dundee Utd (0-0 with Qos beating Morton 2-1 to stay second)...

Then, a compilation of Depeche Mode singles post 1998 was put together before heading off down the road on foot to meet up with fellow Creeksters Craig and Stu for our trip to Glasgow to see the Mode in concert tonight...

We arrived at our parking slot around 4:30 and headed to the station for the short trip into the centre...





Creek lives!



It was bitterly cold as we whiled away the time around the shops in the town centre without a single purchase being made...

Anne arrived by train around 6 and we sought sustenance at "Chopstick" the noodle bar on the corner of Renfield and Argyll streets - and very tasty it as too...

A five minute train trip took us back to the SECC and we were soon in our seats awaiting the evening's entertainment...



The gig itself was excellent - I must admit to not being fully au fait with the entire DM back catalogue but I knew the majority of the songs - the lighting and video screens were spectacular too...

I was won over...



As ever though, we were blighted by idiots around us - in particular a strange family of four in front of us...

The daughter watched almost the entire performance through the screen of her I-Phone while the young son seemed to be in an inappropriate relationship with his mother - which had obviously involved much tutoring in the music and lyrics of the Mode...

Not content with child rearing crimes, the mum also had, officially, the worst sense of rhythm on the planet when it came to clapping along to the music...

And she insisted on standing up at every opportunity, despite having paid £10 extra for a seat with a perfect view..

My own expensive view was therefore blocked almost continuously by her rhythmically challenged appendages...

Not to worry - in the end it was more funny than annoying and a great night's entertainment was enjoyed by all until, all too soon, it was over...



Craig delved in deep at the merchandise stall, and spent a small fortune...



He was a very happy man though, having waited 25 years to see this band play in Scotland again...



A quick stop for some refreshing juice and we were off back through the fog to Edinburgh in the Stumobile...

A very enjoyable day...



Highlight of the Day : Enjoy the Silence, Personal Jesus, In My Room, It's No Good, Walk in My Shoes etc etc...

Tonight we're going to party like it's 2009...

Playlist
Wetton Downes - Icon III

Out into the fog and frost this morning...



Today was "The Man"'s main Xmas party and we kicked off around 1pm in the office with the Secret Santa...



As you can see bottom right (as pictured with chum Spike), Mr CBQ donned a makeshift red outfit to pose as Mr Claus and issue prizes and kisses to all...

Then to the nearby Bar Roma for a slap up feed...



...at which the wine was flowing, of which your correspondent partook copiously...



After a swift G&T at Mathers, we found ourselves in Rutland No 1 for the rest of the evening (despite having booked 30 places on the guest list at a night club on the other side of town)...

Unlike earlier this week, self control kicked in and I spent the rest of the evening on Diet Cokes as my once comprehensible chums became less and less so...



I bailed around 9pm, eight hours into the celebration, and was home in front of the fire with the Exec Producer and Meg the Black Cat around ten feeling not at all worse for wear...

A very enjoyable day with much fun having been had...

Highlight of thas Day : Partying down...

Peace in our time...

Playlist
Justin Rutledge - Man Descending
Sam Baker - Pretty World
Gentle Giant - In a Glass House
Wetton Downes - Icon
Wetton Downes - Icon II
Emerson Lake and palmer - In the Hot Seat
Wetton Downes - Icon III

Another cold and frosty day...



A stroll in Princes St Gardens at lunchtime...



..and, in the evening, some Xmas Shopping was undertaken...



Back home, a recently ordered CD from John Wetton and Geoff Downes had arrived and soundtracked the evening...

Also entertaining this evening was "Curb Your Enthusiasm" - the "itchy" episode...

Highlight of the Day : Curb...

Contrite...

Playlist
Grand Funk Railroad – Thirty Years of Funk
Rheostatics – Claire (Live)
Rheostatics – Dope Fiends and Booze Hounds (Live)

The day started well, as I set out into a frosty morning...



Soundtracked by the mighty Grand Funk, I had promised Anne an early return despite a post work drinks binge with a large Dutch Corporation at Harry’s Bar...

Tonight it went Cranberry shaped...

I enjoyed around six cranberry juices before heading for the bus, arriving home around 8pm...

Anne was out uptown with Lynn for pre Xmas drinks while her contrite partner spent the evening writing up the last three days and continuing to listen to the Mighty Funkmeisters...

And watching the recent Rheostatics one night reunion on Youtube...

Now I’m awaiting a call to go and taxi the ladies home...

Highlight of the Day : Not getting drunk...

Irresponsible...

Playlist
Grand Funk – Shinin’ On
Grand Funk – Good Singin’ Good Playin’

The day started well, as I set out into a frosty morning...



Soundtracked by the mighty Grand Funk, I had promised Anne an early return despite a late meet with a fund manager up from London, followed by dinner at a tasty wee restaurant, Iris in Thistle Street...

Of course it all went pear shaped...

Drinks in Tigerlily (no longer barred as the psycho doorman responsible has been given the boot) then to the restaurant where the food was excellent...

I enjoyed seared scallops and Italian ham followed by rib-eye steak with fries and green beans...

The wine was flowing and I suspect I drank 2/3rds of a bottle of tasty Spanish Rioja...

Also out were the fund manager and his sales guy and from the offices of “The Man”, Kris with a K, Keith and Yuill...

It all started to get a bit messy when we agreed a bet to be resolved next June – with each of us picking a stock or fund to have improved in price by the greatest percentage...

Meal over, we waved the fund guys off in a taxi for the airport and it was at this point that I ought to have made my excuses and left but oh no...

I was convinced to go to the bar next door for one more drink – then, after more than one more drink, back to Tigerlily for “one more drink” – I eventually left around 10:10, making it home by 11 – three hours later than promised...

The Exec Producer was quite rightly less than happy, and Meg the Black cat didn’t like her tail being accidentally stood upon by a drunken oaf...

Idiot...

Highlight of the day : The lovely food of Iris...

Untidy, asides...

Playlist
Grand Theft Bus – Made Upwards
Bidiniband – The Land is Wild
Rush – Moving Pictures
Syd Barrett – The Madcap Laughs

Mondays always seem to be the low point of the week...

Wrote up the diary for yesterday while Anne was out at Keep Fit (the last till after Xmas)...

Listened to the two new CDS from yesterday...



Looked at the bed-settee in the CD room and decided against tidying...



Upon Anne’s return, to the accompaniment of a very tasty lamb mince, mash and green beans, we watched “Miranda”...

This is a programme I’ve not mentioned here before but I’ve not missed an episode so far and, for my sins, I do find it very funny indeed...

It seems to me to be in the best tradition of UK sitcoms, with the asides to camera reminding me of Frankie Howard’s great “Up Pompeii”...

No “Flashforward” tonight though – it’s off, like the Keep Fit, till 2010...

Still suffering mucho pain in the left arm and right shoulder following the great down the stairs roll of 2009 - not to mention an ongoing staved left thumb scenario...

A visit to Peri Urban is postponed till next week due to his own ailments...

A call to mum found her in good spirits...

That’s about it...

Light’s out...

Highlight of the Day : Lovely mince...

Moonage daydream...

Playlist
The Flower Kings – The Sum of No Evil
Beardfish – Destined Solitaire
Dio – Inferno : The Last in Live
The Uglysuit – The Uglysuit
Deep Purple etc – Purple Rainbows
Various - 70's Blockbusters
Various Composers - 100 20th Century Classics

Up at 6:30 and listening to Prog Rock...

Watched last night’s “Strictly Come Dancing” – yes it’s come to that...

I want Ali to win...

Tried to learn Nilsson’s hit single “Without You” written by Messrs Ham and Evans from Badfinger of course (but no one beats Nilsson’s 1972 version)...

Took Anne over to sister-in-law Jane’s to join her family watching Hearts lose 2-1 to Hamilton and have two players sent off during the game and another two sent off in the tunnel afterwards...

Meanwhile I headed uptown and started this years Xmas present shop...









Managed also to pick up some things for me – Syd Barrett’s first solo album (I'm listening to it now as I type this up and he really wasn’t that good was he?), a compilation of the best of the Purps and their various offshoots and a double DVD of Tenacious D...

Picked Anne up from Jane’s - husband Bobby seems to read this now reasonably regularly - or at least he looks at the pictures and the playlists - he was asking me about Paul Linklater and telling me about his recent discovery of Thea Gilmore...

We came home and enjoyed a Chinese takeaway - if I pay, I usually tip but I might stop this until the delivery chaps learn how to shut our back gate...

Last night’s “Impressions Show” and the brilliant “The Thick of It” along with three episodes of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” from series 5 were watched...

A James May programme on space flight was fascinating and took me back to the book “Moondust” which I bought a few years back, which contains interviews with, and writings on, the nine men still living of the twelve who walked on the moon between 1969 and 1972...

More surfing, then “Match of the Day 2”...

Highlight of the Day : Space...

Every child grows up, except one...

Playlist
Cloudland Blue Quartet – Acoustic Setlist
Cloudland Blue Quartet – Through the Day
Various – Top 30 Artists MP3 Shuffleplay
Paul Linklater – Smooth Sailing and How
Guilt Machine – On This Perfect Day

Up at 6:30 and listening to recordings I made in September 2008 when I was considering a return to full gigs...

The gigs offered to me recently, which I had to turn down, involved 40 minute sets so I thought I’d take a listen...

Not bad...

At nine, out for breakfast provisions, then cooking it with Anne...

Then, next week’s “Spooks” from last night on BBC3 – more great stuff...

Meg the Black cat also entertained...







Correspondence with Peri Urban, drawing his attention to the last soundscape album I did using the Loop Station back in 2005 and gave it a listen myself – this stuff may form part of what we intend to do soon...

Dug out all the equipment, set it all up and proved to myself how shit I am at playing the guitar...

Oh well...

“Peter Pan” – a live action version not the Disney cartoon – took our fancy in the afternoon – very entertaining but very sad at the same time – brought a tear to the old man’s eye...

At 4:30 drove Anne into a still-packed-with-Xmas-shoppers Edinburgh for the first of her Xmas celebrations this year – heard on the radio that QoS had come from behind to draw 1-1 at home with Inverness – Queens are still second but Dundee are 5 points ahead...

Back home watched a film on Fiver about some superheroes but I don’t know what it was called – I’m sure the star was Tim Allen – aha “Zoom: Academy for Superheroes” – it passed the time...

Got the acoustic out and ran through a 40 minute set – not too bad...

Then watched my third film of the day, “In Bruges” on DVD – funny and tragic...

A call from Anne took me back into town for a midnight pick up...

Highlight of the Day : Peter Pan, childhood memories...

I'm celebrating Xmas, get me out of here...

Playlist
John Coltrane - The Complete Impulse! Recordings
Paul Linklater - Smooth Sailing and How

The moon was out this morning...



...as I headed for the offices of "The Man" with the far out sounds of the John Coltrane Quartet in my lugs...

Although this is just the first week in December, Xmas celebrating is already in full swing and, this afternoon, we closed things down and ate and drank ourselves into the veritable spirit of Xmas...



By the time we called it a day, we were down to just me and five lovely ladies, Wendy, Caroline, Margaret, Gillian and Tracey, who insisted on posing for your correspondent's camera in Girls Aloud mode...





A lift home from the Exec Producer (I will be on taxi duty tomorrow) helped to minimise any potential worse for wearness on my part and, back home as Anne watched the final of "I'm a Celebrity" I enjoyed the sounds of Mr Paul Linklater...

"Have I Got News For You", hosted by Jo Brand, ended the day...

Highlight of the Day : Partying with the ladies...

Self portrait, car, and rejection...

Playlist
Transatlantic - The Whirlwind
Guilt Machine - On This Perfect Dat
Various - Recent CDs on Shuffleplay
Depeche Mode - Playing the Angel
Return to Forever - The Anthology
Gentle Giant - Edge of Twilight

A drink post work then home with the camera popping in my face (yes that's how many drinks I had) - this was the best of a dreadful (and otherwise deleted) bunch...



...and I was reduced to taking pictures of passing cars...



"Coronation St" was accompanied by a lovely curry from Anne...

However, as she started to watch "I'm a Celebrity Get me Out of Here", I had to get out of there - it really scrapes the barrel and I am totally opposed to its gratuitous cruelty to bugs, insects and spiders...

Surfed and wrote this up while waiting for "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "This Week"...

Also corresponded with Creekers Craig and Cobblers re arrangements for our attendance of Saturday's gig by Depeche Mode in Glasgow...

Reluctantly turned down an invite for CBQ to play some gigs later this month...

Highlight of the Day : Anne's experimental chicken curry...

Machinery and satsumas...

Playlist
Gentle Giant - Edge of Twilight
Various - Top 30 Artists MP3 Disc on Shuffleplay

This evening, off down to Peri Urban's to discuss some possible ways forward...

I played him the song of his I'd learnt and he seemed reasonably impressed...

However, the majority of the night was spent mucking about with his I-Pod Touch and the various music apps he has on board...



I must say it was an impressive sound and we are perhaps going to move forward in an electronic improvisatory stylee...

Home for a couple of satsumas, then bed...

Highlight of the Day : Peri's machinery...

Steak and giant...

Playlist
Return to Forever - The Anthology
Transatlantic - The Whirlwind
Beardfish - Destined Solitaire
Gentle Giant - Edge of Twilight
Gentle Giant - Pretentious
Gentle Gient - Giant Steps

Soundtracked today by the new discs from Transatlantic and Beardfish...

Tasty prog-related tunes...

And of course the Return to Forever anthology, on which all the tracks have been remixed and much of the meddlesome post production trickery has been removed...



By way of thanks to prognut workchum Willie, tonight, post a superb sirloin steak based dinner from the Exec Producer and another hilarious episode of "The Thick of It", I worked on a suitable introductory compilation re the wondrous music of the mighty Gentle Giant...



I recreated two compilations from the 70's which have only three tracks in common...

Of course I already have a ready made two CD set but, oh no, that would be too easy...

Elsewhere, Queens surrendered the top spot in the First Division, going down 2-1 at home to Dunfermline - the winner being scored from the penalty spot by ex-QoS star Willie Gibson...

The Giant lifted my spirits though...

What a band...

Highlight of the Day : Steak and giant...