Call me slow, but I just figured out why I never used to be that keen on The Long And Winding Road but how recently I’ve come to like it — and even find it quite emotional. It’s not just because I’m getting old. It’s because for years all I had was the original version ... [More]
My recollection is this clip used to pop up on the ABC when they had five minutes to fill. Nowadays they’d probably just run a bunch of promos and adverts for the ABC Shop. The song is actually called “Love Is All”, from The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper’s Feast. I can’t make it along, ... [More]
(There are several versions of this song on Youtube. I like the versions with his full band, but this one — which appears to be with Uncle Bill — is excellent.)
John Lennon died thirty years ago yesterday. He was as old then as I am now. It would have been the following day, thirty years ago today, when the news broke in Australia. I remember getting home from school and switching the television onto channel 9, probably to watch Skippy or The Curiosity Show. A ... [More]
Oh no, help me. Since seeing this I’ve had the chorus to “Livin’ on a prayer” going around in my brain. Mind you, maybe the words “Oh, we’re half way there” are appropriate for a tram trip.
(My blogging is likely to be a little sporadic for the next week or two. I’m sure you can work out why.) Music can often be very powerful at capturing an emotion, a feeling, a memory. After that post a couple of months ago about songs on a theme, here’s another theme that’s become relevant ... [More]
This clip is to promote the new Goodies DVD, due out next week. I love the shot at about 1:10.
Gave the kids a laugh by showing them the state-of-the-art (for 1985) 3-D computer graphics in the Dire Straits: Money For Nothing video clip. Also good, the Calling Elvis clip, featuring the band as Thunderbirds… and the actual Thunderbirds too. All this was sparked by picking up Brothers In Arms the other week on CD, ... [More]
Fantastic: Atomic Tom performing Take me out, live on a NYC subway train using just iPhones. NB. Please don’t try this unless you are actually talented. According to the New York Daily News, the intro text about their instruments being stolen is fictitious. (via Eva Blanda)
Last night’s talk between Paul Kelly and Robert Forster appeared to be a sell-out. (Marita managed to get last minute tickets.) They chatted for quite a while about Paul’s new book, he sang a couple of songs (Sweet Guy, and You Broke A Beautiful Thing), and answered questions. The best question: What ever happened to ... [More]
These songs are on one of my iPod playlists. Can you figure out what distinguishes them? Del Amitri — Be My Downfall Jellyfish — I Wanna Stay Home Weddings Parties Anything — Roaring Days Ocean Colour Scene — Mechanical Wonder Paul Kelly — Love Never Runs On Time Corduroy — Mini Loudon Wainwright III — ... [More]
Some songs evoke a particular memory, of either a specific event or a period of my life. So it is with Paul Carrack’s version of Jackie DeShannon’s “When You Walk In The Room“, from 1987. I bought the 45 (rpm, single) of it, primarily because the (quite amusing) video clip included all of the cast ... [More]
Right now I’ve got no blog post written for today, so here instead is Van Halen’s Right Now (1992) — one of my most favourite ever music videos. I wouldn’t like the song half as much if it wasn’t for the video. (Better quality copy here which can’t be embedded.) Here’s another old music video ... [More]
In the history of recorded music, given the choice, there are few tunes I would be less inclined to listen to than “Careless Whisper” (perhaps better known by the lyric “Never gonna dance again”) by George Michael. Yet a lady on the train on Wednesday morning was listening to it on her iPod. All the ... [More]
A few quick reviews of things I’ve read or watched recently… (The DVDs fall into the category of “I’ve been meaning to watch that; I’ll buy that if it’s less than $10. Ooh, there it is!” One book was borrowed, the other I got for Christmas.) A Hard Day’s Night — got this cheap on ... [More]
At work I have a “Loud” play list, for when things are noisy in the office and I need to concentrate on something. Loudness helps, but an all-encompassing sound is even better for when I need to drown out other noise. Most artists in my collection have at least a few loud songs, but some ... [More]