Lloyd Cole - not commercially available...

Lloyd is trying to be more available this year, apparently. But there was a time when (and the Commotions) were *everywhere*. Found an ace blog (http://greatwhitewonders.blogspot.co.uk), talking about rare records:

Lloyd - Standards - fab review - "Dad rock!" lol

Why I dislike warm weather

rant_mode=ON
I come across as very miserable in the summer. We seem to struggle with weather in the UK, to the extent where folks are grateful for small patches of sun.
I'm not grateful for it. I refuse to be defined, molded, shaped, dictated to or controlled by the weather! lol. My mood is independent of it.
It is inconvenient. I can do less.
Ok, let's try for some bad things about sunny weather, and some good ones.
BAD
1.  Need to slap on suncream all the time
2.  It's hot. I find that uncomfortable. It makes me miserable. Miserable isn't fun.
3.  We are all expected to sit outside when we go to a cafe or bar. I burn in the sun. I'd rather sit inside. In the UK, those that smoke have taken over outside. I don't smoke.
4.  Summer clothes are just not stylish. Acres of white flesh. Give me autumn any day. When it's really hot, how can you look good? I ain't getting no spray tan.
5.  Hayfever. Sinuses. Humidity.
6.  Friends. They want to sit in the sun. I don't. I end up on my own. See also family.
7.  It's expected to like the sun. I end up seeming weird(er) to folk
8.  Sleeping is much more comfortable when it's not hot
9.  Weather forecasters, parents, everyone just *talks* about the weather, about the sunshine. I don't. There are other things to talk about I think. 

10. It's implied that it's unhealthy to not be tanned (my mum maintains this). Why is this? I'm very very pale. I'm fine with that.
11.  Swimming and stuff seems to go hand-in-hand with sunny stuff. I can't swim.
12.  Out-doors'y stuff seems to go hand-in-hand with sunny weather. I don't really do out-doors'y stuff. Well, maybe a picnic. Under a brolly tho' (see below) *sigh*
13. Wasps.
GOOD
1.  It rains less when it's sunny, and thus I can use my bike
2.  Other folks seem to like the sun. That in itself is good, 'cause it's nice to be around folks who are cheerful

Basically, weather is just weather. Full stop.
Do whatever you want to do! Be happy! Whatever the weather!
What a selfish whinge-bag I really am.
/rant_mode

Lloyd Cole - Standards - my review

I posted this on Lloyd's Facebook page. Now I read it back...it's a bit fawning...but hey, I'm a huge fan. I got a chord song book of his signed at a gig last year, and I couldn't actually speak.
Sigh.
If I still listened to Vinyl, then my Lloyd albums (I have them all) would be totally worn out. I have "Standards" on CD (having gone thro' the wonderful part-funding exercise), and I won't be the only one to say that it has 3 or 4 songs which are so SO gloriously *musical* and fresh amidst Lloyd's catalogue, full of vigour and reinvention. This is a lively and spirited record, and I like it a great deal...(and these songs joined my playlist alongside 17 other greats such as Cut Me Down, Past Imperfect and Don't Look Back). ELEGANT indeed!

Lloyd on Swedish TV last week

Lloyd Cole is on Swedish TV, seems like a chat show, he's 55 minutes in and plays out the show. Can't say it's his best work (with the house band), but it's his new single, so that's something...
You can listen to it here :
http://www.svtplay.se/video/1292572/del-1?dela=1

Thinking about a record player

I've reached a point in my life whereby a record player, once again, would be cool. Seemingly, everyone else agrees. Except my 14 and 12 yr old sons, but give them chance...! All my CD collection is on my computer, all 600+ albums as FLAC, optical out to a smashing amp and speakers.
Hell...this is all a bit geeky, even as I write it!
But at least my living room looks pleasant, no cables, no ugly computers, even the speakers are lovely wood.
And maybe a record player...just looks *nice*.
My youngest son said to me "but why would anyone want to listen to an Album? a load of songs all by the same person!? why?"

Regret

I've enough regrets to last a lifetime. Enough guilt to start a religion. Enough mistakes to write a manual. How much JackDaniels in this!?

Fullness

Emotional "fullness". That's what I call it. That feeling of being full-to-burst...of a real need to experience beauty, creativity, just SOMETHING...
To drive through the Austrian mountains, to sit in St Marks Square (Florence, not Manchester).
Why is this important?
Well, philosophising about life feels...well...fake? Why is it necessary? Why not just sit, and knit, and have a cup of tea and maybe a custard cream?
Well, I *do* do that!
But sometimes...it just isn't enough.
Maybe tomorrow I'll consciously work on some unfinished songs, or start that novel/life-story I threaten to write. It might be something. It might be - whilst not unique - interesting.
Hmmmm.

Refreshed

Tidied up the blog, and put more content into the Tab headers.

Lloyd Cole - Standards

Lloyd Cole funded recording his new album with the help of a good number of fans, me included! Thus, I got a special edition of it today 2 weeks ahead of release, SO excited…

Crappy Songs

“She said I’m trying to write my novel, he said neither am I”.
A lyric I think by his Lordship Mr Lloyd of Cole (I’m a big fan).
So…is there a ‘novel’ in me?
I think not.
Because *humility* is my middle name.
Although I’m too humble to admit to it.
But yeah. More songs to write. Or more accurately, not finish.

New song

Written a new song. It's called "Waving from the other side", and is on my music page... (edit June 13 - no it isn't) Vocals not published yet...think I need someone else to sing it...

Cake

Made this.
Too rich, recipe too simple...

Kate Bush - "King Of The Mountain"

Not one of her classic songs (I love Hounds of Love for the drumming for instance), but what I *do* like is how she integrates guitar with more modern and complex rhythms. See 1min 46secs...

A record collection

An interesting blog, "Marcel", and some of the records he has collected.
Take a look at his Kate Bush collection here for instance.

My Synthesizer Fascination

Kate Bush was one of the first artists to make big use of the Fairlight,  on her Never for Ever album. It's round about the same time I was listening to Howard Jones, and Gary Numan.
Ok ok, I hear you say, Gary Numan in the same sentence as Kate Bush. Fair point.
I'm a guitar player, loving my Guild acoustic (but thinking about getting a Yamaha LLX6A like I bought for my son), yet I do (pathetically) try to dabble on the piano and synth.
As in me larking around :

The *amazing* thing is that the composing software I use (Mixcraft 5) has a Prophet and Minimoog emulator built-in. Amazing when you think that it's $50 software, and the Fairlight Kate used was around £20,000...

Love and Rockets

An unusual one this,  don't you think?  Did you ever see the UK tv series "Trigger Happy tv?". They have a great guitar sound, rich and full, often 12strings. Stick with the song, it gets better,  particularly around 2m30s :-)

Welcome n Stuff

I've had many blogs,  so maybe I like the sound of my own voice.  Terrible I know.  So just let me witter on about music.  Maybe some other things too.  I'll try not to talk about cake (too much).  No dropping crumbs on the floor...
OK, so that's the house rules out of the way, now let's have some fun :-)
Where's that old record collection of mine?