oddly, Michele has just told me that the excellent
High Fidelity is on tv right now. i don't think she's aware of me doing yet another vinyl update right now!!
many thanks to Steve of the magnificent
Chilli Vinyl for some more rather excellent record finds!!! James and i were up at his store yesterday, i hope that James did not do all that much damage as he went running around!!
of my finds there, i am busy listening to
Another Monty Python Record by, erm, Monty Python. as for the rest of the stuff i found there, well....
the original issue of the 7" of
Ceremony by New Order was certainly smart. in rather good condition too, i have enjoyed giving it one or two spins already.
in the history of New Order,
Ceremony was their first single, and kind of the second time they had released it that year. it was, if memory serves correct, also the last ever Joy Division single, barring the numerous appearances and re-appearances of
Love Will Tear Us Apart. which is the better version of the song? they are both quality, and if you do not own either version, you should pretty much head off and get both versions as soon as possible.
and staying with New Order, having an original issue of
Power, Corruption & Lies, their second album, put in front of me was only going to have one result, and that result is it proudly sitting in my collection.
it was ace to find it still in good condition, and in the original "cut out" sleeve, following the artwork style and pattern of the (rightly) celebrated
Blue Monday 12".
this is the only way to hear this album as the band intended, oddly. for some inexplicable reason the CD reissues of the album dropped the track
Ultraviolence, and the Americans on their version felt the need to write "New Order" on the cover, as well as just slam
Blue Monday on the end of side one. go figure, and all the more reason to return to the vinyl of magic, kids - back then artists actually cared what was on the album and crafted it accordingly.
needless to say, the album is a classic in the view of your humble narrator. sure, the big hits and glamour all came after this, but here's the band finding their feet and launching to glory after a "difficult" first album as New Order. this is them, as it were, moving out of the shadow of Joy Division and casting one of their own.
in a gesture of moving away from CD and back to vinyl, i was delighted to find Steve had a gatefold copy of The Stranglers'
Live (X Cert) just sat there waiting for me to pick up! i have the CD, but some things are just meant to be heard in the spreading, open sound of vinyl, and this is one of those things.
live albums, be they tape, disc or vinyl, more often than not tend to be contractually obliged fillers, and are seldom any good. this is not true of
Live (X Cert). this one stands with perhaps only
Live At Leeds by The Who as an essential live addition to the studio work. excellent live passion performances of some classic tracks sit alongside one or two rarities, and the exchanges between Hugh Cornwell and certain members of the audience make it a great listen.
oh, and before anyone takes me apart, read my comments with care - yes,
Frampton Comes Alive is a great album, but as Mr Frampton's studio work never quite hit the heights of this one, well, that's the only album of his you really need!!
and finally, what a bonus! the 7" of the magnificent
Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley. aaah, to be back in the days of throwaway pop tunes that nonetheless became classics that still get played today. the overwhelming majority of music made in the last decade or so will, sadly, not live on in hearts and minds as long as this one. all things considered, the 00's will be remembered musically as the decade that few cared to make anything of consequence, the years of 60's and 70's acts returned to make fortunes off the back of the fact that the current generation of musicians cared more for being arrested to get publicity rather than be famous first and then try to see how far you can push the line.
as for Rick and
Never Gonna Give You Up, i seem to recall that the interwebnet pranksters, those "all your base are belong to us" types, are using Rick and this song across the world network for a variety of reasons? if so, nice one!!!
right, time to give the
2001 : A Space Odyssey soundtrack a spin, i guess!! and as for music, well, remember this - if it is not important enough to commit to vinyl, then it is not an important enough piece of music to give consideration to. CD is disposable plastic that anyone can do, vinyl is a crafted, considered work of art.
be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
first off, here is Richard proudly standing with an Amstel alcoholic beverage and some biltong. he was on his way to add a camel cigarette to this combination, making something of a triumvirate of quality, if you will. it was indeed very kind of Richard to stop long enough to pose for a picture with parts one and two of this trilogy. 
now this is a rather fortunate picture, as it captures the essence of Richard in his natural state. lying on a couch, watching TV when not asleep and keeping the TV remote handy on the off chance that something he sees offends him is something that Richard does rather well. another thing that Richard does well, as pictured here, is make what he considers to be appropriate gestures of non-verbal communication to make his thoughts and feelings clear to any passing audience. read into that what you will; and yes, the more observant of you will have noticed two remote controls that are within easy reach if only Richard's hands were not presently busy.
whereas the above picture was never considered as a possible basis for a birthday card for Grant, this image was under some consideration. you will notice the subtle differences in this picture from the very first one. whereas in the other picture Richard had a look about him that said "soon there will be a new Sword and the Sorcerer film, nice one, busting, ace", in this image Richard seems to be evoking the sentiment "i own the film Convoy on DVD and VHS, and i am quite prepared to own it in any other format the Japanese can think of.". 
and finally, another shot of Richard in his place of comfort. this one was taken some time after the other similar image, after he had finished a light afternoon nap with the TV on. i say finished his nap, but not finished in any sort of naturally occurring way. i believe his words made it clear that my regular filming and taking pictures of him had disturbed his presumably pleasant snooze. it is perhaps as a consequence of the rather abrupt nature that his sleep ended that left him in a rather tired state, hence only the one hand being used to make a gesture which was earlier defined.
the original issue of the 7" of Ceremony by New Order was certainly smart. in rather good condition too, i have enjoyed giving it one or two spins already. 
and staying with New Order, having an original issue of Power, Corruption & Lies, their second album, put in front of me was only going to have one result, and that result is it proudly sitting in my collection. 
in a gesture of moving away from CD and back to vinyl, i was delighted to find Steve had a gatefold copy of The Stranglers' Live (X Cert) just sat there waiting for me to pick up! i have the CD, but some things are just meant to be heard in the spreading, open sound of vinyl, and this is one of those things.
and finally, what a bonus! the 7" of the magnificent Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley. aaah, to be back in the days of throwaway pop tunes that nonetheless became classics that still get played today. the overwhelming majority of music made in the last decade or so will, sadly, not live on in hearts and minds as long as this one. all things considered, the 00's will be remembered musically as the decade that few cared to make anything of consequence, the years of 60's and 70's acts returned to make fortunes off the back of the fact that the current generation of musicians cared more for being arrested to get publicity rather than be famous first and then try to see how far you can push the line.
first up, here's James, doing his rather determined walk thing. i believe he was happily playing with Marmite not too long before the pic was taken. then, we have to assume, he stopped as he had a rather good idea come to him, so off he goes to act upon it. this is a rather common event with James, no idea if it happens with other children. probably!!
meanwhile, here's Lyla safely in Grandma's arms! i think she looks a bit tired in this picture, but one must give her something of a break. with Lyla, walking, yes, running, not quite there. she can walking with a somewhat elevated pace, but she is not as of yet in a position to keep up with James in the house and through the garden!
time for James to catch up on some reading, it seems! he rather loves books, and i suspect (perhaps hopefully and optimistically) that he is picking up on one or two words, or at least letters, as he goes along. probably just on association at this stage, but it is a start. 
well, as you can see here, James and his Grandad are eagerly checking this site to see if there are any updates! Richard tells me i have been rather slow with updates of late - my apologies for people who have been checking in expecting something and have gotten nothing, then! 
the first thing that comes to mind after watching it again is that there has been no performance in the past 17 years that has come close to being as good as Jodie Foster's in this film with regards to actresses or, if you will, by a "female actor in a leading role". this is easily the pinnacle of her career, which is saying something when you can hold up her work in Taxi Driver and The Accused as being some of the best the cinema screens have ever shown.
the somewhat accidental star of the show, of course, was Anthony Hopkins for his career redefining role as Dr Hannibal Lecter. so much has already been written of the chilling brilliance with which he plays the restrained psychotic cannibal that i suppose there is very little i could add, really. i will try anyway!
The long-awaited new album from Guns N' Roses - an industry in-joke called Chinese Democracy - is finished and ready for release.
first up, here she is in a class bunny rabbit or possibly rabbit pair of jimjams! they look adorable, and Lyla looks rather awake for a picture taken early in the morning. i will wager that she had quite a bit of energy to burn off that day!!
and here's Lyla, clearly happy and delighted to be sat near a rather smart looking Tigger! i think Tigger is at least the same size as Lyla at the moment, if not bigger than her. that tends not to last at that age, would like to see a pic of her with Tigger in a couple of months!
as you can see, he has taken something of an interest in driving Grandma's Jeep. actually, if i didn't know better, i would say he's trying to clock how one "hot wires" it, looking at the intent interest on his face! 
