queen

howdy pop pickers

rounding off a month of mostly vibes posts, then, is one of the (or the) most celebrated records, albums or what have you. which would be Greatest Hits by Queen. called that because, look you see, no one titled such things as "Volume 1" or similar at the time. 

essentially, the "greatest hits" or "best of" release by a band or solo artist was, perhaps is, one of the ways in which the noble record industry worked out they could effectively sell the same music to people again and again. but not brutally so. there were instances where some fans might not have had all the albums from a group (or singer) and certainly there are many examples of some singles never featuring on an album. best examples of such are found across the careers of The Beatles and, more prominently, The Rolling Stones. 

an unusual, or interesting, thing seemed to happen with this first Queen Greatest Hits record. it appeared to take an already big band and make them even bigger, for this set outsold the impressive sales of their albums, and pretty much outsold every other record ever released. i mean, this was huge. rightly so, too, since this set encompasses some of the greatest music in like, totes forever. 

moving away from statements or a presentation of "facts" that i cannot substantiate, let me rather get to where we are now. this year, being 2021, apparently marks the 40th anniversary of this particular set. so, as is custom or standard, a grand re-issue has taken place. actually, yes, this got mentioned in passing on a bit i did recently about the non-Primal Scream release off of Bobby Gillespie. 

what this means, mostly, to me is that it is now 40 years since i got my first ever walkman, then. such is dated by the fact that the tape i would like to think was the first ever played on it was indeed Greatest Hits by Queen, recorded off the lp for me by Dad. in reality, i would imagine or suspect it was an Adam & The Ants tape first, but still. certainly i can recall the Queen tape getting played again and again, right up until the point where it fell from a balcony in a hotel and got smashed on connecting with the ground. 

there was, in truth, little or no interest in me purchasing (oddly, kind of for the first time) this album, or getting it again, when i saw it. mostly this was due to HMV having the CD at a north of £10 price, the novelty factor of the tape at north of £15 (but south of £20) and the vinyl at £whatever because tucked away i do have the vinyl what Dad taped it off, beautified by our kitten from the time nibbling off part of the corner of the cover. 

not too great, that pic above, but then again which of my pictures are excellent. anyhow, just here to show off the ridiculous high quality of vibes (music) which makes up this set. brilliant. 

so, no, the HMV pricing did not inspire a random purchase. however, an email came off of the label what Queen are on (i am presuming i ticked or didn't tick something when buying something by someone else on the same label), advising me that they had "specials" on the Queen Greatest Hits celebratory 40th anniversary thing. 

i am quite easy to lure in with the perception of a bargain or good value, or just part with cash if the right name is on something (anything). the link on the mail offered me the 2011 remaster of the CD for somewhere south of £6, a similar price (as in identical) for the tape with the classic, original cover, or a flat, straight £5 for a special tape with any member of the band i cared to select on the cover. done deal, that was, then. hence these pictures. 

yes, sure, Queen is, are or were one of those bands where you could argue each member was reasonably iconic and treasured, but let us be honest, Freddie was, is and forever shall be always out there on his own. so, for aspects and elements of nostalgia, i purchased the Freddie cover version (two pics joined together by moi above) for William, both for his growing tape collection and my own memories. indeed he does like Queen, and i recall (fondly forever shall) him being a bit worried when i played him the song Fat Bottomed Girls for the first time, as he believed we may be getting in trouble for playing such a clearly naughty song. 

this is, effectively, the forth instance of me owning a copy of this recording, but yet the first time i have directly handed coins to Queen for it. first was the frequently mentioned tape, second was a lovely set of all three (3) Queen Greatest Hits things from my brother one Christmas, third was a "disc only" copy i found in a shop for 49p. how fitting and apt that, for the 40th anniversary of this release, i was able to procure and secure a 10th anniversary release of the 30th anniversary release of it. or something like that, sorry i rang out of fingers as i tried to count. 

doubtful that this needs saying, but yes, i would think every single household in the UK, if not the world, should either have a copy of Greatest Hits by Queen or reasonable access to it. as staggering as the quality of all this is, what is all the more impressive is how the second volume of such, with some imagination called Greatest Hits II, gets bigger and better. but yet these are the anthem being, the well and truly iconic songs what made the band so treasured. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sexually expressive traffic cones

now then

yes, indeed, i am all for live and let live, dig what you dig, just don't be bogus to others with it, and all should strive to be excellent to each other. but sometimes i do wonder if this ethos, or approach, can every now and then be taken to places where, look you see, it need not go. 

such a place would be, as i have every confidence you have concluded (or assumed) from the title, is the rather murky, shady and secret world of traffic cones. well, maybe not shady, murky or secret per se, but that did sound rather good. 

most people, i would expect, shall give extremely little consideration to traffic cones. at best, if for some reason they are prompted to consider them, you'd think thoughts about such would really rarely be anything beyond how they are "functional", or serve a specific purpose. yes, true, as students or when of student age they represented no more than a challenge; an item to be claimed as a spoil of war, kept for no apparent reason at the home of a peer. 

traditionally, indeed functionally, the main quality and characteristic of a traffic cone is that it be very visible, as in almost none more visible. universally speaking, this is why they are predominantly a bright orange with some brilliant white magical reflective bit around them, so motorists and other such users of the roads may see them and be aware of danger, restrictions or a concern which they must pay attention to. 

going right ahead and fiddling with the dynamics of appearance strikes me as a matter which on the whole is unnecessary and needless. all have come to know and accept a traffic cone for what it is, and the specifics of colour give it that all important iconic identity. quite surprising, then, to see the below image on my travels. 

 

whereas i am (patently and obviously) no fashionista, i confess to be rather taken with this bold, elegant look for a traffic cone. that green and purple should (probably) not work, and yet it does. in some part i believe this is enabled by the stark white trim. 

leaving aside how oh so very stylish it looks, i am not at all sure that encouraging traffic cones to express their sexuality, or whatever, via colour scheme is wise. for a start, i do not for one moment believe, or accept, that the purple and green colours would be visible from a distance. also, when visible, they are likely to be a distraction rather than a prompt for warning. many motorists may find themselves enchanted, staring at them, wondering what these different colours mean, and in so doing be distracted and drive into or over someone or something which they perhaps had no intention of doing. 

if my basic, rudimentary understanding of how the modern world works is in some way correct, yes, i understand that i shall be stood accused of all sorts of "ists" and "isms" for daring to suggest that traffic cones should perhaps not be dressed in any old colour they like. there is every chance i may well find myself all "cancelled" by the "cancel culture", whatever the f*** it is that all actually means or involves. but every now and then one has to make a statement of (or on) safety, regardless of which sensitive soul may get all terribly offended on behalf of someone (or something). 

have you seen different, possibly exciting, coloured traffic cones on your way around the world? if so, then for goodness sake make use of the facility on all of these posts to leave a message. let me not be alone in such knowledge until i get all cancelled or what have you. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

don't you know blood lust paranoid metal

howdy pop pickers

and so it was, recently, Father's Day. in several countries at least, in particular the UK. certain other nations mark this on a different day, look you see. well, anyway, for that day of this (2021) year, i got a very welcome, most delightful and greatly appreciated "f*** off" from my boys. by that i mean they got me a relatively newly released, previously unreleased two, not three, CD set called F*** Off! Bad News by Bad News, featuring (ahem) Bad News live and in concert. 

there are welcome gifts, there are excellent gifts and then there is the amazement and wonder of hearing something which is new to you by someone that you have always loved and treasured. even if this was a simple rehash of what was on their (sadly only) two albums, Bad News and Bootleg, this was going to be great. instead, what i got was even better, for it was all sorts i had not heard before. and yes, just as funny as what was already out. 

included here are the two greatest, most legendary, iconic and quite possibly only gigs what ever got done by Bad News, those being the show at the Hammersmith Odeon and their celebrated performance at Monsters Of Rock, Castle Donington. the latter, which was chronologically the first of the two yet resides on disc two, was of course in focus during More Bad News, the second (of two) documentaries about this much cherished, loved and partially talented band. 

very much a case of damned if they did and damned if they didn't, this, with respect to the actual release. for make no mistake at all, the sound quality here is shockingly bad. i really doubt that this is down to shoddy work off of the label what made these available to the (in my case extremely grateful) public and all down to these being recordings made that there was never an intention to release. my honest suspicion is that the Hammersmith Odeon one, in particular, is either an audience recording, or done on one of them slimline mono tape decks left on the stage. but, my word, you can hear enough. 

essentially, or in real terms, the Hammersmith Odeon show is very much a "show". let us be honest, few if any were into Bad News for the music. no, it was the humour, as childish and obscene as it is, that we wanted. so, this "gig" is exactly what you would expect, with it being banter, swearing, some fighting, and a bit more swearing, then little bits of music here and there. it's hilarious. 

one thing the record label what released this can get knacked for is the very, very sloppy work on the packaging. it's like someone played the tape and simply guessed what the names of the songs were. hence Hey Hey Bad News being listed as We Are Bad News, and Bitch Hell Mother somehow becoming Bitch Of Love on one disc. everything about the booklet is also "this will have to do", featuring some random stills and, for some reason, just the lyrics to Drink Till I Die. also, now that i look at the track listing, calling Cashing In On Christmas just Christmas Song is plain wrong. 

correctly named on each (of the two) discs is a song i had certainly never heard before, Vampire Spunk Merchants From Hell. no song could ever live up to such a remarkable title, and yet this one does. what a shame that, so far as i am aware, no studio recording of this exists. or if it does, it has not been released. maybe, perhaps, one day. 

for some inexplicable reason the shoddy packaging manages to sell this set quite short. sellotaped on the end of disc two are three (3) excerpts from television appearances by Bad News. not entirely sure or certain of exact provenance, what with no details whatsoever being on the box or inlay, but i am all but sure one is off of Wogan and one is off of The Tube. 

memories are not always to be relied on, but from what i recall of it, when asked why Bad News ceased to effectively "be" in the late 80s, Colin Grigson (under the guise of his alter ego, The Rik Mayall) said they all loved it, but there was "no point doing something only 37 people appeared interested in". well, either i am one of a very select, distinguished audience, or they sold themselves short. or maybe it all just ran out of steam. 

i would imagine, or assume, that all with an interest in everything Bad News would either have this or believes they have enough to be getting on with. well, if you don't have this, get it. yes, poor sound quality and yes, could not care less packaging with a lack of interest in details, but still. it's very heavy, it's very metal and it's very bad news. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i like to watch

heya

so, i've watched a few films of late. three, as point of fact. well, actually a few more, look you see, but these are the three i felt warranted in commenting on here. yes, these are the ones what are freshest in my mind. 

to be honest (as i try) i have kind of found that i have fallen from favour with watching films. once i would have considered myself, or accepted the accusation of being. a film "buff'", seeking all opportunities or chances to have a watch of something. i guess for a variety of (agreeable) reasons such times and chances all faded away, and so the habit went.

yet, when i steal time, when i motivate myself to sit and watch a film, i still find it all so immensely enjoyable, and take a sort of tacit vow to do so more frequently. but, i don't. no matter, enough of such sentimental hygiene drivel, on with what i did get around to looking at. 

a vague link between these three (3) films were that they were ones i had not seen before. further, they were bought cheap, and on something of a partial whim, for i spotted them and considered how yes, over the last few years, each was a title i had (mentally) noted as being one what i would wish to see. not with any great enthusiasm, of course, for i believe the "most recent" of these came out some four years ago. so i was not in all that much of a rush.

by and large, i found each (one) of the three (3) to be agreeable viewing. not necessarily great, or exceptional, but did the job. certainly, i would not wish to care to revisit any of them, but all the same remain satisfied that i watched each. and so, all three in a bit more detail. for those of a sensitive nature what need such stressing, a *** SPOILER WARNING *** is hereby decreed. 

in starting where (i think) i started watching off these three, it was one that i had in mind for a fair while. this would be in the form of How I Spent My Summer Vacation, which from what i recall got released in a few countries as The Gringo or similar. 

provenance of my copy would be a market stall selling 3 DVDs for £2, so an exact cost would be circa 67p or so. rounded up. 

the plot? a getaway driver (Mel Gibson) is heading to Mexico (as appears to be the case with all criminals in American movies) with a great deal of money which is not his. he gets intercepted by the Mexican cops, who in such films are always corrupt, and thrown into some sort of improbable prison which appears to operate as a village. there he works on ways to survive, and hatches an improbable (also frankly ludicrous) scheme to save a family, reclaim his money and exact an unlikely scenario of "revenge" against people what he presumably stole from, or off of, in the first instance, hence the whole premise. 

hmn, would be my actual review. as most reviews tend to say, this is, despite itself, a really good film. the issue, of course, and the reason you would assume it was a disaster (catastrophe, in fact) at the box office, comes in the form of Mel Gibson. yeah, the world just let him ramble on with his unbelievable xenophobic historical rewrites, praising him and giving awards for inflammatory yet entertaining tosh like Braveheart (a low point being the provisional IRA just hanging around in a Scottish forest in the 13th century, waiting for someone to join the anti-English quest) and plain sh!t like The Patriot. letting him get away with all of that just left him believing he could say as he wished, and sure enough the world turned against him when he stopped attacking just the English, and went very darkly racist, sexist, misogynistic and antisemitic.  one of cinema's greats was taken from us as no one thought to stop his ludicrous views early on. 

i am pretty sure this film was a cautious "last throw of the dice", a testing of the water to see if there was any chance this formerly lucrative and bankable star could have a redemption path. based on the pure quality of the film alone, regrettably the answer was, or remains "is", no. had he made this in the earlier 2000s, rather than being given a free hand to ramble on about all sorts of ugly, nasty things, then the world might be a better place. oddly, this film works well as a strange, quasi-sequel to Payback. well worth a look if you, like me, recall class, good Mel Gibson, and can cast from mind all thoughts of his disgrace and fall from grace for ninety (90) minutes or so. 

up next is the somewhat more expensive delights of Bad Lieutenant, which cost me a nice, neat, round £1 down (or up) at Poundland. yes, this was very much and mostly the most impulsive of impulse purchases of the three (3) films here. for clarity, this is indeed the one what got released as Bad Lieutenant Port Of Call New Orleans, but for some reason the title has been shortened on the DVD artwork. 

on to the plot, and this is at times an abstract and at times quite specific "re-imagining" or remake of the infamous Harvey Keitel film of same name, from the early 90s. now that was one dark, heavy, uneasy watching experience, with absolutely nothing in the way of redeemable characteristics to any character in it. not so here. 

my point of interest here was just how dark Nicolas Cage (in the ostensible Harvey Keitel role) would go in this version. would we get to see (mindful of earlier spoiler warnings) get to see Nic go full tilt naked, dancing around with a crack pipe? or get totally smashed out of his trolley in a church, start hallucinating Christ, throwing bottles at said hallucination and calling Him a "wrecked f***"? how about shooting the radio in the car whilst driving? often close to such disturbing moments, but not the whole distance. which may not be all that much of a bad thing. 

whilst not exactly a "fun for all the family" version of the film, this is a heavily sanitised, toned down version of Bad Lieutenant. and that it remains often very uncomfortable tells you just how harsh the original was, precisely, if you are not familiar with it. certain scenes are recreated in a less graphic way, and the crime at the heart of the ostensible plot is watered down, a lot. but still gruesome and vile. 

the most noticeable, indeed peculiar, thing is that the titular character is given a reason for being the very bad lieutenant (more of a naughty copper, perhaps). which (and you were given a spoiler warning) sets up a whole unlikely, preposterous and fluke redemption arc. kind of the point, or premise, of the original was to present the seedy, the dark, the ugly and downright evil, all being just that with no given reason, and absolutely no redeeming sought or possible. quite an interesting idea, this one, to take a film, go ahead and "re-imagine" it, doing so in a way that totally tilts the purpose or point. strangely, and unexpectedly, it does work and it is a very good, if not for all, film. 

as i understand it, due to a number of "misunderstandings" regarding tax liability, as well as some ad hoc random purchases of castles and dinosaur skeletons (fossils), Nicolas Cage basically has to star in as many films as he is offered. similar fates have befallen other actors for reasons fiscal. however, whereas Seagal and Snipes make unwatchable tripe, and Kevin Bacon sells phones, Cage has an uncanny knack of turning up in lots of at worst average films. mostly he does the over-acting thing here, but every now and then one gets a reminder of why, once, he was so celebrated, loved and laden with awards. for a nice touch, Val Kilmer randomly turns up, and is as good as ever.  

finally, then, another off of the market, so for 67p (rounded up) i got to see the third of an unexpected trilogy, War For The Planet Of The Apes. 

whereas i really, really liked the "first" of this trilogy, Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes (and to this day i believe John Lithgow has not had enough credit for his part in it), i was left disappointed and outright bored by the follow up, Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes. so dire and tiresome i found it, with particular emphasis on how wasteful they were with Gary Oldman, that i was amazed to learn they had gone ahead with a third film. one that i had no interest in. but, then, it turned up cheap.

i was even more surprised to find that the critic and fan consensus was that Dawn was in fact a better film than Rise, and that many considered this one, War, to be even better. which i suspected meant that i may find it even worse. but, you know curiosity and low cost drew me in. 

as it happens, or turns out, yes, this one was quite good. i enjoyed it a lot more than Dawn, and probably would consider it at least as good as Rise was. for matters of plot, this sees lead ape Caesar just wishing to live in peace with the apes, away from humans, and no conflict. but with humans all but extinct via this "virus", some (led by barbaric, vengeful Woody out of Cheers) wish to fight the apes to the death for control of the planet. 

for me, the most curious thing about these semi "prequel" films is that none of them do what the title says. in the first instance, Rise didn't really show a rise, bar some references in the end credits. as for Dawn, well, it didn't really show the dawning of the planet of the apes. and here we are with one called War, that does not show an actual war, outside of the battle at the start, since the one at the end is not really apes vs humans. but still, two good films and one that lots but me liked. 

not really much else for me to say on this one, yet it feels like i should. what to put here? yes, the effects are outstanding, the performances are solid (as in good not wooden) and the whole thing held my attention. all as a Planet Of The Apes film should be, and the only two to ever fail one or more of them were Dawn and that wretched thing featuring Dirk Diggler out of Boogie Nights. 

right, well, there we have it. one day, soon, when i remember to do so, i suppose i shall drop these off at a charity shop or similar concern, so others curious may purchase and watch. helping a good cause out whilst doing so cannot be faulted. in real terms, somewhere between 30 and 40 years ago i would have paid at least double what i paid for the most expensive of these just to rent the tape for an evening. how times change. 

uncertain and unsure if any of this has been of all that much interest, but all the same thanks for reading, or at the least checking out the cover artwork in Commodore 64 mode. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

drove a diesel van

hola

just another update on my propensity for random purchases, although how random they are would be determined by your generosity of thought in respect of memories provoked. to slightly cut to the chase, i recently procured a new wallet. no, i had no need for a new one, look you see, but here we are. 

there was i, more or less minding my own business, wandering a market type of market. ever eager, indeed keen, to support commerce and help the world we made (despite its many flaws and faults) churn, i glanced at all stalls, to see if i might be able to hand over coins (or notes) in exchange for some item or another. 

one stall which caught said (or my) eye was one selling a number of things. specifically, mind, it was that a number of belts were on display. i appear to have "issues" with this particular form of garment, but i would not wish to trouble you with my plight. rather, then, see what i noted there, and what i bought. and let there be no surprise at this, as just moments earlier i mentioned it was (is) a wallet. 

yes, indeed, that is a likeness, or representation of the most iconic portrait, of Ernesto Che Guevara, the celebrated Argentine medical student turned revolutionary. depending on how you define what he did and that term. i figured why not buy it. 

indeed, there was a time, late teens and well into my twenties, where and when it was so that any item bearing the likeness of Che generally got purchased. evidence such as this has a tendency not to lie, so i guess then that i was one of those types of student types. 

as it happens, this very subject cropped up with Spiros, when reminiscing of our youth. he had randomly recalled that time when i needed to go and get permission to remain where i was at the time, which was South Africa, to stay in the country as a guest, like my family, so that i may continue to study. so i went along, to an official looking building in Pretoria, in the last throes of the "apartheid" government (which was a bit right wing), wearing a Che t-shirt that had a hammer and sickle on it (which is regarded as being a bit left wing). quite an uncomfortable session, but there you go. 

by no means do i consider myself expert on the subject of wallets or in any form some kind of connoisseur type, or whatever. but, this one looks functional enough, what with it having flaps, folders, pockets, pouches and that. i have modified or "pimped" it, of course, removing that keychain aspect. 

no, not really sure why i went to all the trouble of making such a modification, as i really have little intent or interest in ever using this one. my current wallet, true, is quite old and a bit worse for wear. yet remains functional, and anyway the two of us have been through a fair bit together. 

maybe i may well use this from time to time. doing so would rely on me for some reason wishing to visit somewhere or other without my regular one. i have no thoughts on what that would or could be, but yet leave that option open. 

sean excelentes los unos con los otros!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

till there was rock you only had god

welcome, art types

that feels like a more contextual greeting than the usual for something vibes related, look you see. or, perhaps not. but also yes, this is that thing i do where i try not to write too much of David Bowie each month. although, in this instance, it is not really music related. 

it was so that, recently, i was browsing for gift ideas for someone that i used to know (rather well). as luck, or good fortune, would have it, a random, sporadic, no i am sure they are not listening to and watch all we are doing on the internet ad turned up. since the item which presented itself (from what i recall, on one of them social media things) looked on impulse perfect, off i went to purchase. 

unexpectedly, they had items which my eyes were immediately drawn to. thus, not only did i secure or procure the intended gift, but i added some apparently much needed wall art to my place of exile. 

presented, of course in the greater good and glory of Commodore 64 mode, is an artsy interpretation of the cover for the album The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars, recorded of course by David Bowie. and assembled musicians. the trick being, as i have every confidence you can see in the above (yet even more confidence in the below), it is presented in the style of "stained glass". 

of the one i purchased as a gift, well, that is not mine to speak of or showcase, but it looked really excellent, and was an absolutely perfect (to my eyes) interpretation or imagining of the cover. seeing some of Bowie available drew my attention, with said attention being kept when they were offering them at half the usual price. or, if you will, at a 50% discount. 

for wall art in general, or specific, this is something i have not gotten around to in any great hurry, and am not quite so fussed, truth be spoken. one or two friends, contemporaries even, have encouraged me to do so, based on the aesthetic and psychological peace of mind (or joy) such brings. well, with these, as there are two to showcase, i would imagine it could be said i have made a start. 

and there you go, in the above image, it (the album cover in stained glass), presented in not a Commodore 64 mode. with it at kind of an angle to avoid reflections and what have you, and to also try to counter the the fact that it is (ahem) "temporarily" housed in a £1 12" x 12" frame bought for simple reasons of why not off of Poundland, several years ago. 

whereas, to keep it a little briefer with the abridged title, Ziggy Stardust is not quite my favourite album, and if i were forced to pick probably Station To Station or The Buddha Of Suburbia, it is easily one of Bowie's most iconic, if not the most iconic. also, on my first glance at the website, it struck me as immediately being really, really cool in this stained glass format. ever since it arrived, and i got around to placing it in the (ahem) will do for now frame, all it has done is grown on me as looking all the more impressive. i purchased, i believe, wisely. 

yet no, i did not immediately click "buy". the people what are doing these ones, and many others (and they are called We Are Glass, which explains a lot of Gary Numan designs) were evidently very keen for me to have some Bowie wall art up. this was showcased by the fact that, at the time i visited them, they were presenting all customers (patrons, maybe) with a free Blackstar stained glass design with each Bowie one purchased. so, buy, i did, to be sure. 

quite so, yes, i have kind of got "bookends" here. whereas Ziggy (to shorten further) was far removed from being his debut, there is little point debating the fact that it was the album which elevated Bowie to superstar status, the one which showcased him as one of the world's most gifted and important musical beings. it is so that Blackstar marked his exit from the stage, in a way the world had seldom seen before and is unlikely to ever see again. or, yes, hear. 

in regards of the title of this post, yes, well spotted if you noted it was a quote from the relatively obscure and partially rare Sweet Head, a song recorded but not released for Ziggy until one of the fancy CD re-issues, 1990 or 1991. and i don't think it has featured on a release since. brilliant song, and no real answer has ever been given (or sought) as to why it was discarded. probably as it is fairly obvious, since it is a little bit too overtly sexual and slightly blasphemous (or sacrilegious) in an era when doing so could get you, in theory, into a fair bit of trouble. also, thematically, what this one song says in relevance to the "concept" is pretty much covered by Hang Onto Yourself and Star. 

care to see the Blackstar stained glass thing in non-Commodore 64 mode? go on then. 

erm, quite. yes, they would appear to have decided it should be Greystar, or indeed Graystar, if that is your preference on spelling. i like the simplicity of the design, and of course the iconic depth to this album cover, but no, if on sale i would not have purchased due to the colour issue. still, does look rather good on the wall, even in a sh!t cheap frame, that may get replaced eventually. 

plans to further beautify the walls of my lodgings in my place of exile? not especially, in truth. this was all far from a planned such gesture, let us not forget. of course teenage me would be distressed to learn older, if not grown up, me has a place of my own and has not put really, really smart posters everywhere, but things change as the planet revolves again and again and again. 

some consideration shall be given, mind. the ones i have do look rather splendid. at least, to me. it is only moi who must be pleased by such things, and similar i need only please myself. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

bold and uncouth

hello there

sort of kind of one of them observational things, look you see, but one that treads along a path which usually i would avoid here. you shall see, if you read on, but sensitive souls should consider themselves well warned. 

but first, this. i had reason, dear reader, to be on the outside (if you will, surrounding) grounds of my lodgings in my place of exile, and those reasons were entirely cigarette related. in doing so, or in so doing if that in some way sounds more impressive, i observed a random, stray ladybird, merrily and verily wandering around. 

a sense of sentiment i have tells me to say that it had been quite some time since i last saw such a creature, in the flesh or however is best to describe. certainly, i cannot recall seeing one in a locale noted for being more concrete (or similar) than wildlife. also, truly, my fondest memory of ladybird is rather the celebrated books of my youth. especially the one where the lady makes loads and loads of porridge and floods a village; an earliest of early memory is for some reason having Mum read that one again and again. 

what struck me most about seeing this ladybird, other than how totes awesome and cool it was to see one once more, was the brash boldness of the creature. it was, after all, and in fairness, just merrily pottering around in an area where all sorts of predator birds lurk. ones that shall pounce and attempt to eat anything at all. no fear expressed or exposed here, my word. to live so would be something. 

the thought brought to my mind another recent (sort of) sighting, yet in another land and not really ladybird related. also, nowhere near as lovely. depending on how one defines lovely. 

i warn you now of crass profanity and obscenity, laced with aggression, but here you go. this is a mug what i spotted as i went about doing things of stuff. 

quite rude, than. and overtly hostile, if not outright aggressive, even in the softer, soothing tones of the greater good and glory of Commodore 64 mode. presumably this was one of them "gift" mugs, bought for a bit of a laugh and what have you. 

my understanding of my situation is that, momentarily, i currently have far more mugs than i could ever wish to want for, or have need to own. and yet i feel a strange, or not so strange, desire to purchase one of this nature, just for show and that. i may well just do so. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

didn't know about day of release (delayed)

howdy pop pickers

and so more of the musical themed posts i suggested would dominate the month, look you see. in this instance, one that i surprisingly had no idea even existed until some 24 hours (more or less) prior to it being released, and so promptly went and purchased as soon as i could. which turned out to be some 24 hours (give or take) after the release of it. oh, what is it? Utopian Ashes, credited to Bobby Gillespie (yes, that one) and Jehnny Beth (also yes, that one). 

it says much of the sorry state my musical awareness has fallen to that i only knew of Bobby Gillespie out of Primal Scream doing something new just before it came out. that i became aware of it was down to the chance of me hearing Zoe Ball announce him as an imminent guest. much of my time dedicated to seeing what music is due is regrettably spent on the hopelessly inept, woeful Bowie site (yes, this one), just about pointlessly checking if they will yet let me give them money for either the missing volume of Brilliant Live Adventures (which i long since lost interest in, but still) or any other new release what they often make available for all of five (5) minutes. perhaps what i should take from this is that if the Bowie Estate really have no wish nor need for my coins, they can go without. but, Bowie. 

whereas i did not hear the live session Bobby and Jehnny (if i may address them so) did in respect of promoting the record (verk requirements stepped in), at least it was so that i was aware a record was out. and so i pledged, or took an oath, to head to my preferred music shop so as to purchase. 

just what's this one all about? and why is Bobby Gillespie doing something what is not under the name of Primal Scream? the answer to the first kind of (sort of) explains the other. essentially, or if brave actually, Utopian Ashes is a thematic concept album, concerning the turbulence of a relationship ending. it's a collaborative effort between the two credited, both good friends and both having gone through, in their separate relationships, the same demise. 

for many, for we, the people, it is a comfort zone to see Bobby Gillespie as Primal Scream, and indeed vice versa. and yet, no matter how after a couple of songs in the "feel" of the music is a direction you could totes sense the Scream going, the "too rock and roll for Luton Airport" band would have been entirely the wrong conduit to convey music so deeply personal. 

yes, by the way, this is one outstanding album. kind of. it is, by some considerable distance, the best thing what Bobby Gillespie (sorry, i am not all that familiar with Jehnny) has done since the double whammy of XTRMNTR and Evil Heat. at first. the opening songs are amazing, and then it sort of drifts, maybe lags, into a subconscious sense of deeply uncomfortable listening. but i really rather suspect this was entirely intended to be so. 

there is the record on display as you (more or less) walk into HMV, then. right there just below some sort of "40th anniversary" re(-re-re-re-re)-release of Queen's magnificent Greatest Hits (in the first incarnation of such) album. not bad positioning for what is effectively a niche release. 

going with the business of honesty which i try for here, i didn't really ever expect to hear another good record off of Bobby Gillespie in this lifetime. the last two, possibly three, Primal Scream albums just didn't connect with me, at all. one or two great moments, but even then. i am sure the records were saying something somewhere, but it wasn't me meant to be hearing it, it felt. not so with this. 

oh, a Silvertone records release, no less. to my working knowledge this will be just the third release purchased off of this label, the other two (of course) being The Stone Roses and Turns Into Stone off of The Stone Roses. and yes, multiple purchases of them two. i had no real idea that the label was still a going thing, but here we are. 

whilst the last couple (or more) Primal Scream releases didn't say too much for me, this one resonates a great deal indeed. one, or just plain moi, suspects and expects that this will be very true of any number of people that encounter the record. uncomfortably close to sentiment and feelings, at times. hence me declaring this one to be quite, quite brilliant. 

from what i can recall of what i read up on this release after the fact, one or two of the songs were indeed issued, made available or otherwise "dropped" as singles. they are, in isolation, superb cuts, but this record, Utopian Ashes, really does warrant, deserve and need to be heard all in one shot. and yes, i wholeheartedly recommend that you do just that. 

does this album register on my vaguely important (perhaps to me alone) consideration of album of the year? very much so. at this stage probably a stand off between this and the James one. but, let us see what remains of the year in vibes. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

as this seems to be a thing now

heya

for some reason it appears that the 35th anniversary of something (or other, look you see) has now become very much a "thing". in days gone by i am aware of more rounded, zero ending anniversaries being the same, which is to say a thing. perhaps these odd numbered, centre of a (decimal) ten anniversaries are a natural extension, or just some marketing making mischief. 

anyway, no matter, as this gives me something to write of here. it just to happens today, the date of publication at the least, marks the 35th anniversary of the day on which audiences in at least one place in the world were able to go to a cinema and watch Aliens. 

i consider myself to be one of the "lucky" ones, as i got to see Alien in that lengthy period where any such thing as a spoiler for the film was virtually impossible. not entirely sure, but i think i saw that one in late 83, or maybe even 84, via a late night showing of it on either BBC 2 or Channel 4. no, i had absolutely no idea who, if anyone, might survive by the end of that motion picture. a viewing experience which has not been realistically possible ever since the unexpected sequel turned up. 

little, if anything, of the original Alien film screamed "needs a sequel". it was brilliant, and very much self-contained. but, that said, there were threads to pull on if required. the whole concept of the company which sent the Nostromo out to space in the first instance, and the question of where these alien eggs may have come from. pulled these threads most certainly were, by James Cameron and company, to create one of the most devastating, mind blowing, exhilarating and terrifying experiences audiences have ever been hit right in the face by. 

one perpetual notion which circulates as "fact" is that sequels are "never" as good as the original film. time and again this is disproved. whereas Alien was incredible, Aliens took it to all new levels. even greater sequels to great films had happened before, like with The Godfather, and from time to time would happen again, like The Dark Knight. but the "wow" factor here was the sequel took on the form of a virtually entirely different genre, yet retained all elements to be true to the original, and worked just as well on a "new" audience as it did those who loved the original. 

just a moment taken here, then, to pause and reflect on the greatness of James Cameron. many film makers, directors and what have you, could claim to "own" the 80s, or be the best of the best. yes, sure, Spielberg, John Hughes, etc. but, you know what, for us into our teenage years during that decade, with the first ever video machine at home, and loosely followed laws by corner video shops in regards to certificates on tapes and the age of the person renting, The Terminator and Aliens were amazing. hard to imagine why the great genius what made these two has decided to squander his talent and life on making films of Ferngully Smurfs In Space, but no matter. 

using the greater good and glory of Commodore 64 mode for this celebration is most apt. in an really rare move, and one which shows how awesome Aliens was, it was so that both games made as a tie-in thing for the film were excellent. of the two, it was the one where you had a first person shooter set up, and could change characters, which was probably the best. 

whilst i doubt it was the very first (for a start, Saturday Night Fever got a heavily edited "special edition" release to catch a younger market), i think Aliens was the first film i can remember coming out with a slightly different edit. over time i have come to appreciate the taunt, perfect editing of the film as it got released in the first instance, but still, that 'special edition' with some 18 minutes shoved in was very enjoyable. especially them tracer gun things. 

rather compelling is the case that this marks the 35th anniversary of a decent Alien film being released. sadly, it is one that just about all would have to agree with. whereas the films that followed, be they direct Alien sequels or prequels, or of the vs Predator nature, have some moments of excellence and are not entirely devoid of merit, they are nowhere near the quality of Alien and then Aliens. people who get upset by any sort of Star Wars prequel should really consider what we, who loved Aliens, had to sit around and wait for a number of years for to get Alien 3. it was, like, totes bad. 

yes, Bill Paxton. legend has it, thanks to Aliens, that he is the only actor ever to have been killed by the most decidedly unholy trinity of a Terminator, an Alien and (thanks to Predator 2) a Predator. well, i have long argued that Lance Hendriksen (Bishop out Aliens) also suffered the same fate, but others argue not, saying his Terminator demise was merely implied off-screen, and if he actually got "killed" in the traditional sense of the term by an Alien is debatable. so yeah, all right, go Bill. 

nothing much else to add, really, except they come mostly at night, and by jove yes, now is the time for you to give consideration to either watching Aliens again, or watching it for the first time. bloody good it was, if not acid blood, thank you. 

game over, man, game over. 

some more swans

now then

just some more swan things for you, look you see. a picture of them doing there thing, and a video too. well, doing one of their things, i suppose i should clarify, for it is my understanding that a swan shall do a lot more than simply float, cruise, glide or swim down a river. 

no, alas, i have not done any further research into the matter of who, precisely, "owns" (or rather is custodian of) which or all swans found on British waters. let us just assume it is Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, or for the benefit of future historians, the reigning monarch. 

yes, the swans are seemingly heading my way. i believe they may well have assumed, or taken it as quite the given, that i had some food substances for them. sadly not, for i was just out in the evening to enjoy a cigarette (sorry). no, it would not be suitable or appropriate to offer a cigarette to a swan, not with the ludicrous cost of them. 

my understanding, anyway, is that swans are territorial, vicious, brutal, unforgiving and very strong. i would expect anyone what tries to do anything foolish with a swan, like touch it, would get at least one arm twisted and snapped. rather just leave them be, then.

above is a few seconds of the swans, doing one of their (many) things. i trust that watching it gives you several moments of blissful, meditative tranquility. 

i do not have anything to write here which would be all that more interesting than having a look, or another such look, at that video. or the picture. so, that's that. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Universe by Marie Marx

howdy pop pickers

yes, another music post for the month that is this month, look you see. well, i appear to have been getting my ears wrapped around a fair few new tunes of late. and why not, for this is how life should be. in this instance, it's a very welcome return from, as the title gives every clue, Marie Marx.

it doesn't really feel like all that quite so long ago when I heard Marie for the first time. that was an album stumbled upon by chance called This Is The Thing, which you can read of by clicking here. quite a surprise to see that i first heard it over four years ago. to be honest yes, a lot of discs go through my stereo, but that was one which found itself being played a fair few times. actually, i remember "finding" it again as i recently packed up my collection, and yes it did get another play. still as good. 

but that was then, this is now, and we have a new record. it's called Universe, and it's a wonderful, enjoyable listening experience. going on reports i am seeing, however, you may well be aware of this already, as happily Marie and the record are getting some attention from radio stations home and abroad. 

whilst nowhere near as iconic or culturally as important as the origins of the old grey whistle test, i do have a form of "test" for new music. i, as you may have guessed from several years of this blog, really love writing. just about always, i wish for, want, need and provide music as i write. so, whenever some new music comes my way, i sit and write, be it for here or correspondence to a friend. for want of a better word, the measurements are how often i pause to turn up or down, to do the unthinkable of skip, or just down tools and listen for a bit. 

so, let's apply that test. i was writing some (formal) correspondence to a good friend, pressed play. the first song, the titular Universe, starts off with just Marie's voice. oh, that's bold, i said, and welcome. one or two words got typed, but mostly i found myself not distracted but fascinated by how the piano rolled around on my speakers. song two, which i now know to be a lead single for the album, Am I Enough? comes on. very little typing, oh there's some depth to how she's singing, that quasi-country guitar is really, really good, this is great. 

by song three, Chasing Rainbows, the only thing i typed (and this is normal for my letters) was sorry, will be back in half an hour or so, i am listening to this album now. there's a playful, enchanting whimsical feel to this song, and in truth it was the "feel" of it that i loved so much from the other album. not, i stress, a carbon copy, though, this carries every sense of being fresh and yet refreshingly, immediately familiar. 

comparisons are never really fair, but often the only practical way to word an idea of how a record sounds. effectively, the nearest closest i can give you for a "if you like this" is probably, allowing for different genders, Crowded House. same smooth, soothing, enjoyable audio experience, hearing someone has taken a song to the perfect level of harmony and melody through sheer will of passion. 

at some point, i don't remember or recall where (but wish i could give credit), i learned of the basic secret to acting. that is, the whole trick is not to learn the lines, but to feel them. the same is all the more true, if not more so (i know that makes no sense, but bear with me) with music. a lot of my quarrel with all this "new" music is too much of it is just someone going "on, those words work together, they shall do", and filtering the sound so it works on something like a streaming service, or a singular wireless speaker. here, on Universe, it all comes out great purely because the singer is singing exactly the words they wish, working the music to sound entirely as it should. 

for those of you a bit tired of my writing at this stage, indeed you can with some immediacy here some, if not all, of the album. streaming is indeed convenient, and i believe you can find Marie Marx on all those services, be it Spotify, Apple or the others. there's a video for the first single, Am I Enough?, which you can find by clicking here. i am absolutely thrilled for Marie to see, at the time of writing, the number of views (or "hits", kids) is well north of 10,000. 

my imagination sometimes (daily) gets the better of me. but, to my mind, once upon a time (or perhaps even now in this brave new world) this is the sort of gem of an album you'd discover by virtue of getting a lift from a friend of a friend, or even a friend's parent, and they had the tape in the deck. or, for a different audience, you'd find yourself in a pub or bar, this was playing and the conversations were all unusually hushed as subconsciously all in the place had an ear keenly on this music. every now and then i have a fear that with all the filters now gone, where anyone has the freedom to make and release music, so much is being lost and missed. and then i become aware that i can still discover and love a record like this, one which will be played often and makes my day a whole lot better. 

to the business end, if you will, or how to access this album. well, your starting point should probably be over at the Marie Marx facebook page, which is found right here. unsure what they do with any international orders (perhaps you should stick with the streaming things, but the disc and artwork are beautiful), but free postage in the UK comes with the CD or the record, found over here. 

personal favourites? well, the choice of lead single to be released ("dropped", kids, i know) is outstanding. but, after two (or three) listens the previously mentioned Chasing Rainbows and the truly brilliant Crown of Thorns stand out the most. yet this is a record to be played in full, which is the greatest compliment i, or anyone else, could pay any artist. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

making friends for a former prime minister

greetings

a post with some hopefully beneficial information, look you see, as well as a glimpse at one of the ways in which i find means to amuse as i presently enjoy exile. should, of course, anyone be reading still. whereas i do this all for my own entertainment, catharsis maybe, i have noted readership has dropped from thousands to hundreds. quite so, for the novelty factor of me does wear off. 

one thing i really, really like doing is playing a quasi-knock off variant of Scrabble. i think it is called Words With Friends or something like that, i just press the button for it. anyway, i routinely (that is to say regularly) play against one or two friends, and also, once in a while, some random stranger who has invited me to play. 

except, of course, in many (most) instances, it is not so random. like most online, interactive and communicate things, it is littered with automated "bots" or actual, human types, with both being eager and keen to befriend you, possibly or presumably in furtherance of extracting money off of you. 

yes, maybe, really i should perhaps just ignore the conversation requests, or block them and report or what have you. but, sometimes any conversation is better than none, and i do take a slice of amusement from this, even if fundamentally or ultimately i am having this conversation with no one but myself. 

there are much, much better articles out there concerning this approach to scam, and i would suggest you do a google for them for more information. which means don't necessarily follow my lead here, but you are living your own life. surely someone out there somewhere shares my sense of humour. 

generally, all of these approaches start the same. one (in this case moi) is asked how they are, where they are playing from, what they do for a living, etc, and then a request to "friend" them on something called 'google hangouts' comes. no, me neither, as in i do not have a Scooby Doo (which is cockney rhyming slang for f*****g clue) what that is either. as you may have detected in the above image by now, i believe that this william P. chap is an ideal friend for a not terribly well thought of and not at all fondly remembered former Prime Minister Theresa May. 

from what i can recall of that dark time when she was somehow Prime Minister, the only people she ever spoke of as actually liking was a "small Italian community" in the constituency which she, to their misfortune, represented. still does, i believe. which prompts all sorts of ghastly questions about the quality of opposing candidates. for all i know (and it goes without saying i care not) these two have formed a friendship, of sorts. 

usually i am quite aware that it is either a "bot" or scammer i am speaking to by the time an approach to hang out with them on whatever "google hangouts" is comes along. this would be due to the answers i give to questions that get accepted blindly. or maybe i am being presumptuous. no, i think telling someone that i am a theoretical gynaecologist based in Guantanamo Bay for an unspecified amount of time determined by various government institutions would prompt at least a comment, if not further question. but, it never does. sigh. 

some form of learning seems to be going on, be it by the eager scammer or the bot things (whatever they are). before i used to get images of scantily clad ladies inviting me to games. it has taken, what a year or so of mentioning that i am eager to learn the ways of the homosexualist for them to send a male profile my way. 

what is it that they want of me on this "google hangouts" thing? no idea in truth, but it will have some sort of fiscal implication. maybe they wish to have unrestricted access to my bank, or (and this is popular on them dating sites and apps, i believe) wish for me to invest in some cryptocurrency or similar, or offer a mail order bride thing. well, whatever, no, not interested. 

absolutely no idea if this has been useful, or in part entertaining, for any of you what still read this, but i can but hope it is so. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

to the car wash once more

hello there

well, what can i say but this is a perhaps long overdue carwash facility update for you. i know several of you think these are interesting, look you see, so here you go. 

and yes, of course, exclusively or entirely in the greater good and glory of Commodore 64 mode. it may well be a bit bold of me to say "exclusively", but if we are honest what are the chances of someone else also documenting their trips to the car wash in Commodore 64 mode? 

further even more also yes, as you can see it is back to this relatively new (to me) one what i recently became a patron of. and, in all likelihood, shall have to pause being a patron of. not by choice, believe you me. far from it, as it happens, as it is really a smart one. well, as far as car wash facilities go. i am not all that fussed, no matter how much i write of them. 

i could indeed continue here to speak of the lack of use of this car wash for a little while, but that would take away the use of that text later. so, for now, one of them splendid animated GIF things. 

someone was very much using it before me, hence me being able to film that. if film is the correct term, but you know what i mean. as it turned out, due to some classically bad planning, i arrived to use the facility on a day where they offered some form of discount, so it was a bit busy. 

my lack of being able to use this one for a while is no really big drama. it is just that some roadworks are planned for the road which allows access to it. these roadworks are anticipated (or planned) to last for as many weeks as Frankie Goes To Hollywood remained at number one with their second single, and oddly calendar wise almost at the same time of year. which is a nice thing to reflect on when i am not making use of it, i suppose. 

yeah, or yes, that's them big massive floppy soft brushes in action (although it is a still image), doing their thing, at this point cleaning the windscreen. 

right, so that's that for this. i hope all of you who seem to enjoy these whimsical looks at what goes on at a car wash have been thoroughly entertained by this. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

posted online release

howdy pop pickers

oddly and unusually, that is a note perfect introduction for this post. a little while ago, as in when this what i write of was imminent for release, look you see, the artist (or artiste) in question did indeed host Pick of The Pops on Radio 2, so as to celebrate his birthday and plug this new release. 

and the new release being plugged or promoted on the radio, and written of here, was or is the improbable, quite unexpected "best of" Noel Gallagher and his High Flying Birds. 

no, or very little, disrespect is meant by the use of terms improbable and unexpected. whereas in the past i have openly questioned how openly Noel is about it all being all the money, two factors caused me to do that "eyebrow raise" thing. one would be that this Noel solo venture had existed for a decade or so now, which sounds longer that it feels. the other was that they mostly exist in this strange time and space era of "streams", and so in terms of traditional, maybe now old fashioned actual sales, neither Noel nor anyone else really has "greatest hits" any more. 

yes, as is the modern trend, this "best of" or greatest hits has been released on tape, or cassette if you like, too, and i purchased it. also yes is that it is presented in the greater good and glory of Commodore 64 mode. no, i do not have the tape any more. as it happens, William has heard one or two of the songs what Noel Gallagher has done on his own and liked them. since he is enjoying building a tape library, it is his. 

the dawning of Noel Gallagher as a solo entity was something of a turning point for me and my devout dedication to bands and musicians what i like. usually, or the norm, was for me to pledge allegiance to them what i liked, purchasing their records once they had departed whatever band they were in that i liked, a lot. this was true of the first solo album (or if you insist the High Flying Birds) from Noel, but not the second, or third. i wasn't particularly taken with what i heard on the first, and the elements released of the next two failed to register an interest. 

it wasn't really, i don't think, a bland "oh it's not as good as Oasis" thing. by the end, Oasis were nowhere near as good as Oasis; that last album what they did might as well have been called "contract obligations". rather i just found it a trifle bland, or that whatever it was Noel was writing, singing and performing of right then didn't really register with me. yeah, i am sure he lost a lot of sleep over the fact that he didn't catch the imagination of a random, questioning fan. 

enough of what was heard on the releases from the second and third albums under the guise of the High Flying Birds, as well as the recent vinyl and download only "EP" things, said that if any sort of compilation was released then it would be an autopilot purchase, and so here we are. 

something, or a bit, of a frustration is that the "standard' two disc set of Back The Way We Came, for that is the name of this set, does not include one of the finer moments from his EP indulgences. the song Wandering Star, a semi dalliance with a Christmas song, is absent. my understanding is that one could obtain that on the "deluxe" three (3) disc set, but there was no reasonably priced combination on his web thing that let you get that version and the tape. also, much of the third disc looked like it would get played once, at best, so it seemed excessive to purchase for the one song which might, if i remembered to do so, get played once a year. if Noel did not believe the song was worthy of being on the "main" two discs of this retrospective, well, that's that. 

on this, or that, note, there seems to be no technical reason whatsoever, at all, for this being a two (2) disc set. from what i recall of it being on the stereo, the length of each of these discs is so that one disc would have housed the whole lot, or would have if some further fat was trimmed. like, for instance, either of the two "new" songs, or the one live thing on it. unsure on the who, what or why of this being forced as a minimum of a double disc release, but it is done now. 

quite easily the best aspect of this release, and i mean absolutely no slight or disrespect with this, is the linear notes. when speaking of music, his own in particular, Noel is always fascinating, interesting and something that you could listen or read to for ages. well, i could, and can. to no longer avoid the tired, almost obligatory comparisons, whereas Liam is pure rock, he who wishes to throw teles from hotel rooms, get banned off of airlines and deported from ferries, Noel has always sought, even from the relative young and early age from the start of his musical career, to be an elder statesman of rock. 

the notes ooze pride in what he's done. which is not out of character for him, of course, but we do live in a time where artists tend to downplay stuff. no longer, true, does he declare that he has written some of the greatest songs of all time, but even then the perpetual, presumed permanent endurance of a, for example, Wonderwall or Don't Look Back In Anger suggests he was right back then. but, his enthusiasm and passion for speaking of what he's done, beyond "yeah this is great", is infectious. 

but the actual music? well, it never dips below "average". exactly how far it goes up and above beyond average is, as with any musician, down to personal taste. his solo career has, for me, seen some songs come along that are truly great, that yes, do stand or sit comfortably next to his well known most popular works from the past. that this far down the road he can produce songs like Everybody's On The Run, What A Life, In The Heat Of The Moment and one which i really like, Black Star Dancing, means that i shall forever give any Noel Gallagher release a chance. 

how, or where, do i stand on saying "yeah, go and get this"? it depends what you want off of music. strangely, this is the kind of set you would sit down and listen to, or quite possibly have on the go whilst driving. which once were the two only ways to take in music. i am unsure that this is for those that are all excited about streaming and what have you, that tend to have music like wallpaper, in the background. 

pretty sure that the "volume one" aspect of this set is either contractually obliged or just banking on optimism. if Noel can keep banging out tunes than never dip below "acceptable" for another ten or so years is not under question, just if he can do so with the frequency and volume (size) to justify, quantify or fill another retrospective set. one suspects he shall give it a darned good go. 

should one throw in Beady Eye, oddly it is probably (i am not counting) that Liam has done more music than Noel since Oasis. for some reason, though, i don't think Liam's Greatest Hits will be out any time soon. unless he comes up with a really witty name for a set which takes the p!ss out of the title Noel has given his...........

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!