Terry Snyder and the All Stars, Persuasive Percussion (1960) I am a bit of a sucker for these sorts of things – credited to Terry Snyder and the All Stars this is great, apparently, for stereo-testing. Those albums that are for audiophiles and hi-fi snobs – lol. All good fun. I can’t resist when I […]
Kenneth Ray Rogers has died. Known to the world as – he was sometimes the butt of jokes, more often celebrated (rightly) as a legendary singer and performer. He was a bit of a songwriter too, but his greatest skill was knowing what songs worked best – his greatest hits all covers; he celebrated the […]
Early James Singing For My Supper Easy Eye Sound / Nonesuch Early James – born Frederick James Mullis Jr. – is 26 years old but he has this grizzled-but-chiseled voice that is equal parts Mark Lanegan and Nils Lofgren. That might seem a strange mix – but these are strange times. And it works. It […]
A Nightmare On Elm Street was the one that cured me from getting scared – or worried at all – by horror films. The entire franchise, I mean. Not just the first film. But certainly the first four are the ones I adore. Well, number two is a bit shit (sorry!) But it gets a […]
Above The Shadows Director: Claudia Myers HIPZEE / Myriad Pictures / Boundary Stone Films / Bondit Media Capital / Gravitas Ventures What a hard sell this must have been – a romantic sci-fi drama that features, to varying degrees, MMA, Jim Gaffigan, Megan Fox and a cover and cover design that suggests the whole thing […]
Tony Allen & Hugh Masekela Rejoice World Circuit / BMG This is the first posthumous release since Hugh Masekela’s passing – and the first and only time these two African masters of music collaborated. It was long talked about to get Masekela (trumpet) and Allen (drums) together and the bulk of this session took place […]
I’m not sure I can take much more of this, he said. His takeaway Tupperware overflowing.
The Beatles, The Essential Beatles (1972) I didn’t grow up with this odd-af compilation – but I know a lot of people that did. I did grow up with The Beatles though – I sometimes wonder why anyone wouldn’t. And the compilation I grew up with (as well as the albums in general) was Beatles […]
Deep Water Directors: Harry Wootliff, A Mackay, Jim Loach Kudos / ITV / Beyond Unfairly reported as being “The British Big Little Lies”, Deep Water is a six-episode series based on two books by author Paula Daly. Yes, there are some similarities to Big Little Lies, but, if you’ll pardon the pun, this is just […]
When Bob Dylan took the stage at Live Aid it was with the biggest hype you could get at that time, personally delivered by Jack Nicholson. The crowd was screaming and Bob mumble-strummed – lost in the 1980s – he part introduced Keef and Ronnie from the Rolling Stones, some guys that decided to come […]
Don Gavin Live With A Manhattan Virtual Comedy Network LLC. Don Gavin is a lifer comic – cruise ships, clubs, open mics, bottom, top or middle of the bill – you’ll find him. He’s been at it for years and has miles on the clock still to run. He’s good. Very good. Very funny. And […]
Murry Wilson & Snow The Break Away EP Omnivore Recordings Murry Wilson shares the prize with Joe Jackson (father of the Jackson 5, not the super singer/songwriter) as one of the world’s worst Professional Fathers – these manager/Svengali types that invented the cliché of channeling their own rage through their sons (and daughters) and being […]