Friday, May 28, 2021

Andy Kershaw Plays Some Bloody Great Records

28 May 2021

Regular readers may remember I was a big fan of Andy Kershaw’s much missed BBC Radio 3 show. I really enjoyed seeing him live, promoting his autobiography in December 2018, and it was a treat to hear him back on Radio 3 in 2020 for ‘The Kershaw Tapes’ in which he introduced recordings made on his trusty Sony Walkman Pro cassette recorder during his travels in Africa and the Americas in the 1980s. Two more episodes of ‘The Kershaw Tapes’ aired on Radio 3 a few weeks ago and are available to listen to on BBC Sounds: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000vqjl and https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000vwq0. This week I have been immersing myself in the first episode of Andy’s new podcast ‘Andy Kershaw Plays Some Bloody Great Records’, available at: https://andykershaw.co.uk/podcast-1/. It’s great to rediscover his inimitable delivery and a typically eclectic mix of music old and new from across the world. As I have noted here before, I'm not always that keen on Andy’s favourite music but I do share his insatiable appetite for music that is new and different, and his sheer enthusiasm for music is infectious.

Labels: ,

Friday, May 21, 2021

'The Get Up' by Madness

21 May 2021

Madness are one of those bands who have been part of the soundtrack of my life: I’ve always loved their particular blend of two-tone ska, zany fun and a hint of melancholy. Sadly I’ve not yet managed to see them live but last Friday I leapt at the chance to watch ‘The Get Up’ - a special online Madness concert from the London Palladium. This global livestream featured Live performances of new and classic Madness songs, framed by scenes of the band arriving at the theatre and watching themselves from the stalls (scripted by and featuring Charlie Higson from The Fast Show). There were some great special guest singers for a couple of numbers. But it was just lovely to see the band working through its extensive back catalogue, sounding wonderful and clearly having a ball. Here’s a brief flavour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQZ-r5oT9lo

Labels: , ,

Friday, May 14, 2021

East Riding of Yorkshire

14 May 2021

We had a lovely holiday in the East Riding of Yorkshire last week, staying in a cottage near the village of Tickton, just outside Beverley. That area feels a lot like the fens of Lincolnshire, with flat fields bounded by straight ditches and big skies filled with stunning sunsets. Beverley is a very nice town, dominated by the impressive Minster, with a long stretch of pedestrianised shopping streets, pretty buildings and little alleyways. We did lots of walking, particularly a little further north in the Yorkshire Wolds around the villages of Huggate and Thixendale where gently rolling hills surround a myriad of almost artificially perfect grassy dry valleys. We also visited the coast, at Hornsea and Bridlington, and it was great to see the sea for the first time in over a year. Above all, after such a long period of lockdown it was just wonderful to be somewhere different: it felt like a much-needed break.

Labels: