Awarded...

Playlist
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Before Aftersilence 1977-1995

New thoughts today on what might fill the boxes...

This evening, out with the MBFives boys for the first awards ceremony since 2007...



I've not played for a long time now and my invite came couched in "founding father" terms, given my participation in the original MB (Meadowbank) Fives back in 1982...

The awards are, in the main, comically negative, and I managed to pick up an unexpected two - unexpected given my long term absence from the pitch - although I did make up the numbers during Mr Nigel's stag day last summer - albeit attired in shirt, jeans and Chelsea boots...

I was happy to reclaim my very own "Dave Reilly? Didn't He Win Deadliest Finisher One Year? How Have The Mighty Fallen Award" for Slowest Player - it used to be the "Stanley Matthews Statue Award" but was renamed in my honour after I won it in 2001, 2003 and 2005...

Erm, and in 2006 - but I would hope that, that year, it was down to my broken ankle...

I lost out to someone called "John (Dom's Mate)" in 2007 but now, after five long years, it's back on my mantlepiece for "taking months to make it along to a game"...

My second award was "The Nigel Simpson Award for Player Most Likely to E-Mail Everybody About Anything At All" for "Best Communicator"...

As you might gather from the award title, the "best" is in there sarcastically and I managed to beat off the competition (Nigel Simpson) for spamming the guys regarding CBQ activity...

Cheeky buggers...

With two awards, I just missed out on player of the year, which was won by new boy Abdul, seen here on the left, who made it to three...



...counting both "Best Goalkeeper" and "Worst Goalkeeper" amongst his honours...

An excellent night - there were so many awards it was almost as long as the Oscars...

And it was accompanied by Germany beating Greece 4-2 - four cracking goals from the Germans, a good one too from the Greeks, along with a fairly inocuous penalty...

Made my way on to Waverley Bridge just before midnight...







...for an Airport Bus and a lift up the hill from the Exec Producer...

Surprisingly, very much not the worse for wear...

Lights out...

Highlight of the Day : Being awarded for stupid stuff...

Little boxes...

Playlist
Cloudland Blue Quartet - New Box Potential Content

Longest day of the year and it was dreich...



Some excitement uptown as a grenade was found...



Some excitement back home (after a prolonged traffic jam infested journey to the Royal Mail depot for a pick up), as the first boxes arrived for the proposed "special editions" of the new album...

Meg the Black Cat helped on the assembly line...







....as Portugal pipped the Czech Republic 1-0 to the first semi final place in the Euros...

"Mock the Week" entertained...

As did the first two episodes of the second series of French police series, "Spiral"...

Lights out...

Highlight of the Day : Boxes...

The drone continues...

Playlist
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Starlightnight
Cloudland Blue Quartet - The Drone Effect (Remix)
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Remake/Remodel EP
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Starlightnight Live Version
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Abandoned Souvenir
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Starlightnight Early Demos Version
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Acoustic Anthology
Moby - Hotel/Hotel : Ambient
Iron & Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean

To the far end of George Street this morning...



...and to nearby Fopp at lunchtime...

Soundtracked by proposed material for the "Starlightnight" release...

Two 2nd hand titles purchased for just £2 each - Fopp's deal is they buy these for £1 and sell for £2 so 100% profit - fair enough...

And so a Moby 2CD box, of which I already had a burn and a catchy wee Iron & Wine CD entered the collection...

Opportunistic seagulls once more in Rose St...





Is there any other kind of seagull?

Legal work on sister Pam's estate continues apace - I have no idea how much all this is costing...

I suspect it will be considerable...

But much to be fixed...

Such are things when a loved one dies and stuff needs sorted out...

Another trip to England is on the cards...

Back home a card from the postie signals two items to be collected - I suspect these will be the CDs for the upcoming release and. possibly, the boxes for the special editions of same...

In the evening, no football but the last episode of the excellent "Silk" very muchly entertained your correspondent, his Exec Producer and the wee black cat who owns them (even though she appeared to be asleep)...

Some listening then off to bed...

Highligth of the Day : Silk - sorry it's ended...

Travesty and chickens...

Playlist
Various - Last 9 Months on Shuffleplay
The Mars Volta - Nocturniquet
You Say Party We Say Die - Xxxx

Another sunny day...









Spent some time working out details for the release of the new LP in around 40 days' time - including sourcing boxes...

Home to find Meg the Black Cat sitting on a wrapped up painting with a story to tell...



It was a story of chickens...

Anne's mum's (in Anne's opinion "scary") painting of us in Canada...





...has been removed from its spot on the kitchen wall, to be replaced by a much better painting, of chickens - also by Anne's mum...





Later watched England (ranked 6th) struggle to beat Ukraine (ranked 52nd or so) by 1-0 - Ukraine had a goal cleared from behind the line...

Once again England managed to defeat a plainly better team but, once again, it's about getting the ball over the goal line - mind you how the fifth official, who was literally within 10 yards of the goal and standing exactly in line with the goal line, did not give a goal to Ukraine beggars belief...

In the end though, even a draw would have seen England win this (weakest of the four, based on world rankings) group and they will play Italy on Sunday in the quarter finals...

Well done England - you have made very little go a long way...

Highlight of the day : New painting in the kitchen...

Cheats ought to never win but often they do...

Playlist
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Starlightnight

A fine morning...



...and a fine afternoon...



In the early evening, having listened back to yesterday's work today, I set about remixing the song "Vendome" for the umpteenth time...

This is definitely the final work, music-wise, on the LP - it is officially finished...

It was supposed to have been done by 30 November 2011...

The writing and recording has now spanned over 18 months - probably the worst 18 months I've experienced, truth be told...

But onwards and upwards...

I also amended the running order to move the opening soundscape to the middle of the album - it will now start with the rather upbeat (for me, anyway) "The Actor takes the Stage"...

Then, footie, with Spain playing in their usual frustrating fashion - like Germany last night, trying to walk the ball into the net - ironically, they almost literally succeeded in doing this with 3 minutes to go and sent Croatia home - Ireland, beaten 2-0 by Italy, also left the building with a disappointing, though expected, nil points...

So, if England make it through tomorrow by gaining at least a draw against one of the two worst ranked teams in the tournament (co-hosts Ukraine, the other was co-host Poland), they will face either Italy or Spain...

In other football news, the inevitable has been confirmed and there is indeed evidence that Glasgow Rangers cheated for over a decade by paying their players more than they declared to the Scottish Football Association...

They did this by using Employee Benefit Trusts (EBTSs) which allowed them to sign players whom, if the going rate of Income Tax and National Insurance had been paid, they would not have been able to afford...

At the time, there was nothing wrong with the use of EBTs - but Rangers' players and agents weren't satisfied with having an offshore tax free fund that they knew could be called upon in an ad hoc fashion - they needed it in writing and it is on this point that the EBTs failed (you can't have a contract in relation to them stipulating certain payments at certain times)...

So Rangers failed on two counts (1) their EBTs were not really EBTs because they had side contracts and so they owed the taxman millions in unpaid tax and NI and (2) they never told the SFA about those contracts, which meant they were paying their players more than they were declaring and so were cheating their competitors...

In other words, while EBTs were fine, their very nature made them hopeless for footballers - all earnings needed to be declared to the SFA - and to declare those EBT "earnings" in a contract (which the SFA would have required had they known about them) rendered them fully taxable...

In this way, Glasgow Rangers cheated every team they played against during that period - including Queen of the South in the 2008 Scottish Cup Final...

Some work on the cover for the new album, then to bed with the final version on the nut-phones...

Highlight of the day : Definitely finishing the album...

The opiate of the people, or at least, my mum...

Playlist
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Starlightnight
CCS - A' B's and Rarities
Coheed and Cambria - Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV Vol 1
Brian Eno - Discreet music
Various Artists - Future Sequence 1
The Bad Plus - Do the Math
Madredeus - Essencia

Up early and back to the synth for final additions and tweaking before burning the last (last?) version of the new album...

The family was to have been going to North Berwick this morning to scatter Pam's ashes, as requested in her Will...

However, we had to call off as my mum was unwell...

She's on new medication which is having side effects...

A lunch for eight was cancelled too...

Instead, Anne and I drove over to The Shore in Leith for a very enjoyable duo lunch...



We were a bit early so had a walk around the dock area...













...before heading inside...



To Loanhead to see my mum - who now appeared to be high as a kite on her various "opiate based" drugs...



She seemed happy enough...

Our driving today was soundtracked by the new album, to which the Exec Producer gave an executively produced thumbs up...

Back home for some relaxing listening and reading before watching Germany v Denmark...

Germany were very frustrating, in an Arsenal, Barcelona, Spain kind of way - you know, trying to play a hundred "one-twos" and then walk the ball into the net...

Eventually they topped the group with three wins out of three..

Portugal also went through after coming from behind to beat the hapless Dutch, who go home pointless...

Updating this then bed...

Highlight of the Day : Finishing the album / lunch out with the EP...

Get the synth out...

Playlist
The Bad Plus - Do the Math (2CD-R Best of)
Brian Eno - Discreet Music
Harold Budd - The Pavillion of Dreams
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Starlightnight Demos
CCS - A', B's & Rarities
Coheed and Cambria - Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV : Vol 1

Up at 6:24 and updating this...

Meg the Black Cat kind of helped out as usual...





Some surfing - found some interesting music at Heat Death Records which, in turn, led me to a site, Ubu, where MP3s of Brian Eno’s groundbreaking Obscure Record label releases are available...

The full set of ten now sits on my hard drive (though I had a few already)...

Also downloaded two free ambient compilations from bandcamp from the Future Sequence label...

Still not very mobile but got the bass out the loft and started to rework some of the tracks on the new album – even though release is imminent...

What am I playing at...

Abandoned the bass and got the 1980 purchased Yamaha CS5 synth out the loft and headway was made...



This took up most of a rain-lashing-down-all-day day...

Much laborious tweaking took place and, in addition, a sixteenth track, "On the Eve", energed...

Two new CDs arrived - CCS and the first of a few by Coheed and Cambria...

Limped through the rain to the store for provisions as, tonight, in reference to the revamped background info at the top of this blog, I had decided to cook...



A very tasty dish was concocted to the sounds of CCS...



Chicken breasts, red onion, red, green and yellow peppers, cherry tomatoes, paprika and cayenne, creme fraiche and pasta...



Accompanied by a very nice Chilean Shiraz...

Footie was once again watched (soundtracked by Coheed and Cambria) with Poland and, surprisingly, Russia going out...

Last night we watched the first four episodes of "Curb Your enthusiasm" series three - tonight a further two were enjoyed, along with "Live at the Apollo"...

Lights out on a productive day...

Highlight of the Day : Musicking and cooking...

The department of finishing...

Playlist
The Bad Plus - Discography
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Starlightnight Options
Genesis - Platimnum Collection

Today, once again, the problem with my achilles raised its head, or rather, foot - and so, I could not walk...



Confined to the house, I honed the The Bad Plus collection for brother in law Keith...

And I listened to all the material gathered for possible inclusion in "Starlightnight" versions...

Not sure...

In the evening, football - France finally overcoming Ukraine to win 2-0 and England winning 3-2 against Sweden...

After a victory like this, the media and pundits will no doubt up the ante re what a great team and performance this is/was...

Cracking, unstoppable header by Carroll to put England 1-0 up at half time...

But, worryingly, re their slim chances going forward, England's defensive shortcomings were easily exposed twice in ten minutes early in the second half, firstly for Sweden's equaliser and then, a second time, to put them into a well deserved lead, considering they were outplaying the English in every department despite the wide gap in world rankings...

For those now singing England's praises, a listen back to what was being said about them in in the five minutes between the Swedes' second goal and Theo Walcott's well placed volley for the equaliser, might instill a touch of reality and, indeed, humility to the proceedings...

But "at the end of the day", it's the department of finishing which wins out - and Wellbeck's winner was a six yard flick worthy of your correspondent in his heyday...

Yep, it's goals that count so, home you go Sweden, no doubt "sick as a parrot"...

Highlight of the Day : Sweden's second goal...

Silence is the question...

Playlist
Kenny Burrell - All Night Long
Kenny Burrell - All Day Long
Ethan Iverson - Construction Zone
Ethan Iverson - Deconstruction Zone
The Bad Plus - Best of The Bad Plus

Jazzy guitar, flute and sax jams on the headphones today whilst out and about...

Back home watched some footie with Anne...

Meg the Black Cat was uninterested...



..and joined me upstairs...



...as we eschewed Ireland's 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Spain, in order to compile a best of The Bad Plus collection...



...for brother in law Keith who, on the basis of some Happy Apple material provided to him a good while back, has now, like Dr Prog and I, procured tickets for their gig with Joshua Redman on sax in this year's Jazz Festival at the Queen's Hall....

Tasty...

Oh - and Glasgow Rangers were liquidated...

Highlight of the Day : The music of The Bad Plus...

Thoughts thought...

Playlist
King Crimson - A Young Person's Guide to King Crimson
King Crimson - Starless and Bible Black
Various - Top Twenty Albums on Shuffleplay
Various - Natural Progression Vol 20 March '09 - Aug '10

Thirteenth of June - it would have been sister Pam's birthday today...



Got through it ok - mainly by not dwelling on matters...

A call to my mum at lunchtime - feeling ill and, indeed, ancient, due to side effects of some new painkilling patches for her shoulders - which kill the pain but make her nauseous...

Can't win...

As with most 13th of Junes, the weather was good...





E-mails from Pam's chums...

A ferret on a leash this morning entertained...



And, in the evening, a celebrationary Red Thai Chicken Curry - a dish adopted from the Exec Producer and cooked for her pals by sister Pam...

In footie, wins for Portugal and Germany but nothing settled...

And so, life goes on - but thoughts were thought...

Highlight of the Day : Getting through...

Get the liquidizer out...

Playlist
Edgar Froese - Ages
Cloudland Blue Quartet – Starlightnight (Early Demos Version)
Cloudland Blue Quartet – Remix & Cover EP
Cloudland Blue Quartet – Nimrod
Cloudland Blue Quartet – Souvenir XIX (Abandoned Version)
Various – A Beginner’s Guide to Fado
Cloudland Blue Quartet – Aftersilence

Another day listening to potential extras...

In the evening, Poland v Russia – first half and start of second half – we were supporting Poland as underdogs...

Fado in my lugs to block out the England name-dropping commentary – we need a red button to keep the crowd noise but remove the commentary – hell I’d subscribe to Sky if they offered that – actually, even if they do or did offer it, I would still never subscribe to Sky – that company has ruined football...

When we left it, Russia were one up...

Later we found the Poles had managed another draw...

Maybe they’ll do a “Scotland ‘74” and exit at the group stages unbeaten...

We had abandoned the footie for the penultimate “Silk” – great stuff...

Coffee was enjoyed from the new CBQ mugs...



In other news, something happened which I knew in February would happen and Glasgow Rangers will be liquidated on Thursday...

This is good news but now the SFA and SPL must stand for football integrity (rather than money from Sky) and ensure any Newco starts in Division Three...

Then, we can all, including Rangers fans, move on...

Highlight of the Day : Rangers’ imminent liquidation...

Car hopping...

Playlist
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Starlightnight Extras Options
Various - Shuffleplay Favourites
JS Bach - Partitas (Glenn Gould)
Coheed and Cambria - Various Tracks
Edgar Froese - Stuntman
Edgar froese  - Aqua
Edgar Froese - Ages

For the record, yesterday I defrosted my gym membership...

Deep joy...

Listening today to options for bonus material re the upcoming CBQ LP...

And, for just £2.99 into the coffers of Mr Amazon, a disc of singles, album tracks and rarities by Alexis Korner's band, CCS is winging its way to me...

For those of you old enough to remember, their cover of Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love", was the theme tune to "Top of the Pops" for most of the 1970's...

Later on, this car-hopping seagull entertained...







In the early evening, I watched the second half of England v France, having missed both goals...

Everyone is commenting about this tournament, that the old "we could go all the way" mentality of the English media is missing...

Sadly, all it took for it to raise its head again was an everyone-behind-the-ball 1-1 draw against a once great footballing nation now ranked outside the top ten...

Mind you, how England manage to be ranked sixth...

Must be all the diddy teams they beat whilst being drawn in ever the easiest qualifying groups...

And I vowed to myself I wouldn't let the grapes of sourness poison this post...

Sadly, I am driven to it by biased commentary and comment and by pundits who were plainly watching a different game from me...

Later on, post a very tasty macarnoi from the Exec Producer, I kept one eye on Ukraine v Sweden, whist listening to some shuffleplay faves and perusing the internet...

Very entertaining and a fairytale come true for the Ukrainians and, in particular, their captain Schevchenko, who scored both goals as they came from behind to beat Sweden 2-1...

So now, England play Sweden on Friday - a game which Sweden must win and then take something from France if they are to progress...

Sadly, if Sweden do win, England will probably beat Ukraine and scrape through anyway...

It's only a game eh?

At the suggestion of Dr Prog, JS Bach's partitas soundtracked writing this up...

Late doors, some Coheed and Cambria second hand for a couple of quid from Amazon...

To bed with Edgar...

Highlight of the Day : An unexpected win for Ukraine...