It's been chilly, damp and foggy in most of the UK for the past few days. What more appropriate choice of topic for this week's blog, then, than an album called Masters of Fog? https://open.spotify.com/album/5RAZAzKGlhdLrwmV0p97UY?si=iafK0LIuQBWhBd89Iy-_gQ The 6th album by Tonbruket, released 27th September 2019 According to Discogs, Tonbruket is a Swedish music project whose sound…Read more Masters of Fog
Album
Medicine Box
Image by the WordPress AI The latest edition of my university college magazine, the brick, dropped in my inbox the other day. In the Student Life section, there was an article whose headline picture was of a rock band. It was titled 'Girl Like That' | Lucy Peer, and I found my inner voice asking,…Read more Medicine Box
Tripliciti
Triplicity (with a 'y') is any group of three things. In astrology, it is specifically a group of three signs belonging to the same element. Tripliciti (with an 'i') is a group of three fingerstyle guitarists: Andy McKee, Calum Graham and Trevor Gordon Hall. All three are consummate masters of their instrument; together, they create…Read more Tripliciti
Tall Stories for Small Children
This way to Santa's Grotto ... Christmas is coming. It's the most wonderful time of the year for small children. But for adults, it's a tall story of peace and goodwill to all men. Guy Manning is an English multi-instrumentalist who knows all about the snow-white lies we tell to our children and the grubbier…Read more Tall Stories for Small Children
The Water’s Edge
In my first year at secondary school, there was a boy in my class by the name of Waters. He wasn't the most obedient of pupils, and the form master decided that a lesson in behaviour was in order. He told Waters to stand on a chair so that the boy was leaning out of…Read more The Water’s Edge
Yellow Sands
Or, Eight Tales of Pixie Mischief The Fairy Feller's Masterstroke, a painting by Richard Dadd (1864) The English painter, Richard Dadd, was born in 1817. His aptitude for drawing was evident early on, and he was admitted to the Royal Academy of Arts at the age of 20. While on a tour of Eastern Europe…Read more Yellow Sands
Cunningham Bird
The parrot is a cunning bird ... ... but that is not what this blog post is about. An album by Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks was released on vinyl in 1973. It was called, simply, Buckingham Nicks. Shortly afterwards, Buckingham and Nicks joined Fleetwood Mac, and their debut offering was eclipsed by their new…Read more Cunningham Bird
This Could Be Texas
The wind is picking up. A hurricane is coming. Run, Dorothy! There's been a lot going on in Crotchety Land recently, and I haven't been paying attention to what's happening in the wider world. In particular, I haven't been keeping an eye on the Mercury Music Prize. While I've been distracted, the winner of this…Read more This Could Be Texas
The Story of Mr. Bogd, part 1
Once upon a time, there were four musicians from Sweden who decided to form a prog rock band. They called themselves Ritual. Over the next 15 years, they recorded and released four studio albums and one live. Their fifth studio album, The Story of Mr. Bogd, part 1, was released earlier this month, after a…Read more The Story of Mr. Bogd, part 1
Lives Outgrown
I retired in the autumn of 2014. The calendar says that's less than 10 years ago, but it feels like a completely different life. Instead of writing software for a business making subsea welding robots, I now manage a website and provide I.T. support for a charity that offers educational opportunities to those in their…Read more Lives Outgrown
Crotchety Man 