There is a comedy slot on BBC Radio 4 at 6:30 p.m. weekdays. One of the programmes is called "I've Never Seen Star Wars". In it the comedian, Marcus Brigstocke, talks to well-known people and encourages them to do something they've never done before, especially if every other Tom, Dick and Harry on the planet seems…Read more Dirty Harry
Track
Imagine
As I write this the death toll from the jihadist attacks in Paris on Friday night stands at 129. Another 99 people are critically ill and 350 altogether were injured. As I read the news bulletins the following morning my first reaction was anger. Then came a deep sorrow: for those who lost their lives, for their…Read more Imagine
White Rabbit
Mrs. Crotchety and I were watching the news the other day. There was a piece about the holiday-makers stranded in Sharm el-Sheik after the recent plane crash in the Sinai. A rankled Englishman was complaining about the delay and lack of information. I noticed he was wearing a Hot Tuna T-shirt and remarked that there…Read more White Rabbit
Fanfare for …
The ghosts of October have melted into the first fog of the autumn and November has arrived in our village. Last night the Crotchety Couple cowered inside while excited young voices passed by our house, rising to a crescendo and fading away again. Then, unexpectedly, there was a brisk rapping on the front door. Fear gripped my heart as I went to…Read more Fanfare for …
Shiloh
It's a year now since Crotchety Man retired - a year plus a week since my last day at work and a year minus a week since I officially ceased to be employed. Over those last twelve months I have moved 100 miles south, swapping the busy tourist city of York for the relative quiet of a Leicestershire village, and…Read more Shiloh
Black Horse & Cherry
In 2005 (in the UK) a song called Black Horse and the Cherry Tree by KT Tunstall was getting a lot of play on the radio. It's been variously described as pop, folk, blues and indie rock. Needless to say, none of those tags capture the essence of the song, not even taken together. It's short…Read more Black Horse & Cherry
Through Barricades
It's hard to imagine now (even for me) but Crotchety Man was once a quavering choir boy. In fact, there was a time when my brother and I were joint head choristers at our local church. He had the better voice and greater confidence but I was older, which made it difficult to promote one of us…Read more Through Barricades
Nights In White Satin
There was a special offer on the Web: all six of the books shortlisted for the Man Booker prize 2015 for just £30 (in hardback). Mrs. Crotchety and I agreed that this was too good to miss and soon a courier delivered them to our humble home. Choosing the smallest and shortest of them, Satin…Read more Nights In White Satin
Vienna
Back in January 1981 Ultravox released the single, Vienna. It was played a lot on the radio and shot up the UK pop music chart. I had it earmarked for the best single of the year and a certainty for the number one slot. After the musical wilderness of the seventies Vienna was a breath of fresh air. In…Read more Vienna
Mountain At My Gates
When I launched this blog I wrote that it would feature a lot of indie music, but that hasn't really happened so far. There are a couple of reasons for this. Crotchety Man's memory goes back over fifty years and 'indie' is a relatively new term in music journalism; a lot of what I have written about pre-dates it.…Read more Mountain At My Gates
Crotchety Man 