Influences
The Grandmothers at Porgy & Bess, Vienna
This concert was billed as “The Music of Frank Zappa performed by Original Members of the Mothers of Invention”, which is a bit of a mouthful, but the band are basically the latest incarnation of ‘The Grandmothers of Invention’. Bunk…
A Lament for The Culture
I’m currently coming towards the end of the month’s challenge to create short musical pieces and accompanying photographs based on prompts from FMSPhotoADay. The results so far can be found on my previous post on the subject, but I thought…
Two Lords of Looping
It has been a while since I recommended any music here, but there are two musicians I have been listening to a lot recently who both have new albums out and are well worth investigating if you like instrumental music…
Peter Hammill at Porgy & Bess, Vienna
Last night Peter Hammill visited Vienna to play a solo set at the jazz club ‘Porgy and Bess’. I last saw him in Glasgow, at the Oran Mor, which was a fantastic gig and a hard act to follow, since…
Thick as a Brick, in Budapest
I can hardly believe it is 17 years since I last saw Jethro Tull, on the “Roots to Branches” tour (in Glasgow). I recall being a little underwhelmed at the time, having the feeling that the fun had gone out…
Paris in the Synthtime
I’m just back from a week in Paris where I visited the fantastic Cité de la Musique, home to the Musée de la Musique with its extensive collection of instruments from centuries ago up to the modern era. The focus…
Brokeback Cowboy
The latest to come out of the Roy Harper stable is not his long-awaited next studio album, but this little film. It’s a joke you’re probably familiar with, but it’s so well-presented that I couldn’t help but smile. I’d love…
Mad Dog Days
RIP John Martyn Another month, another rock legend passes on… It’s been over 20 years since I saw him perform (as a duo with Danny Thompson). It was the first gig I had been to where I had never heard…
So Long Lonesome Cowboy Burt
Jimmy Carl Black RIP 1-2-1938 to 1-11-2008 Another rock legend has left the stage… JCB was the drummer with the Mothers in their earlier days and stamped his unique sound onto some of the finest albums in the Zappa collection.…
Gimme Dat Harp Girl
I don’t normally pay much heed to the ‘latest big thing’ in musical circles – there is just so much hype about usually very little substance, but there is a new album by a quite unique artist that has been…
