In 1968 the Broadway musical Hair opened in London's West End. It caused quite a stir in the British news media. It was praised for its songs and production but there was some vehement criticism, too, mainly for the 20 second scene in which the actors stood naked on the stage. Hair was a story about…Read more Walk On Gilded Splinters
Track
Autopsy
It's almost exactly 50 years since Fairport Convention gave their first performance at St. Michael's Church Hall, Golders Green, London on 27th May 1967. To commemorate that occasion the band called their recent half studio, half live album, 50:50@50. The album was released earlier this year and the band is on tour in the UK right now. Crotchety Man discovered too…Read more Autopsy
Magic
I shall be away from the temptations of the blogging machine this weekend so, this week, the Crotchety notes will be published in advance of the usual Sunday date and may be somewhat staccato. ----- For my Track of the Week I've chosen Magic by Bruce Springsteen. There's no particular reason for this; it just struck…Read more Magic
Oh Woman, Oh Man
Inspiration comes from many places, some familiar, others less so. It lurks in bushes where it can't be seen and it hides in plain sight among the ordinary, every day objects of our humdrum lives. We may have passed this way many times before but our blinkered eyes missed the beauty of the city park and gazed past…Read more Oh Woman, Oh Man
Fine Time
A song from 1988 appeared again on the Crotchety Early Warning Station's radar screen a few days ago and it reminded me of the 7" singles I used to have. Although I spent my formative years in the days when sales of singles far outstripped those of albums I only accumulated about a dozen of them.…Read more Fine Time
Summertime
After childhood and adulthood there is a third age of man, an age in which the ignorance and naivety of youth have evaporated, the responsibilities of work and parenthood have been largely left behind and we are free to use our time-ripened talents in any way we choose. In affluent countries with modern healthcare the number of third-agers…Read more Summertime
Brass In Pocket
There's been a deliberate focus on new songs recently on Crotchety Man so I think it's now time to remember an old favourite. Brass In Pocket was the first big hit for The Pretenders in January 1980. Chrissie Hynde never liked the song but the public loved it and she still plays it when she's touring…Read more Brass In Pocket
Redemption Song
I realised the other day that I have sinned. This blog has no mention of Bob Marley! Fortunately, it's Easter and Jesus died to redeem us of our sins (or so the Christian Church would have us believe). So, by way of penitence, I have chosen Redemption Song as my Track of the Week. Both the…Read more Redemption Song
Bottle
Paul Weller will be a father again this summer. It will be his eighth child. The announcement came hard on the heels of the news that The Modfather's 13th solo studio album, A Kind Revolution, will be released on 12th May. Shortly after that a film called Jawbone will reach the movie screens. The soundtrack to Jawbone was written…Read more Bottle
Thight Lines …
... and Screaming Reels No, I haven't spelled that wrongly¹. My Track of the Week really is called Thight Lines and Screaming Reels. Then again, it must be a spelling mistake. Somewhere between Colin Hodgkinson's pen and the record company an extra 'h' must have crept in. Perhaps it was a communication problem between an English…Read more Thight Lines …
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