The dreamer's roundabout and his untethered hot-air balloon The time has come, the blogger said, to write of many tunes ...Of songs and gongs and streaming sites. Of roundabouts and moons.And why the sand is shocking pink, and what's beneath those dunes.With apologies to Lewis Carroll Zoungla is a progressive psychedelic rock project led by…Read more Dream Machine
Fundamental Values
The human touch Spotify searches on the topic of "core values" threw up several pleasing tracks: Justice's Groove by Stanley Clarke, Compassion by the Dalai Lama, and Fundamental Values by Nils Frahm were particularly enjoyable. I could have chosen any of those for this blog post, but (as you can see) I plumped for the…Read more Fundamental Values
One For All
For the first entry of 2026 in this blog, I'd like to set a warm and welcoming tone. Let's forget 2025 and the unforgivable antics of the egotistical bullyboy leaders of the East and the West. Instead, let's cross our fingers, and hope for better things to come. The key to a happy new year,…Read more One For All
Latibulate
Little Jack Horner, waiting for his promised Christmas pie In 2025, we were promised many things. The war in Ukraine would end. The terrorists of the Hamas organisation would be eradicated. The European nations would take back control of their borders. A golden age was just around the corner. But what we got instead was…Read more Latibulate
Fever Dream
The stairway from a heavenly sleep ... The Third Age Trust runs a number of interest groups online (collectively known as the IGO groups). A new one was started about 3 months ago; it's called Exploring Prog Rock. So, of course, this third age gentleman and fan of the genre had to sign up. At…Read more Fever Dream
This Is No Time To Panic!
There is a rising tide of violence and hate in the world today. But, if you are a protest singer, that presents an opportunity. So, for example, Grace Petrie's gonna do well out of this. At least, I hope she will. With her 17-minute EP, This Is No Time To Panic!, Grace has summed up…Read more This Is No Time To Panic!
Shchedryk (Carol of the Bells)
A detail from a Ukrainian postage stamp from 2022 At the turn of the last century, the composer, Mykola Leontovych, arranged a traditional Ukrainian folk song for a choir of students at Kyiv university. The song, sung in March in those days, tells of a swallow heralding the coming of the Spring. But the timing…Read more Shchedryk (Carol of the Bells)
Cons and Clowns
Courtney Marie Andrews has managed to sum up the state of the world in three words: "Cons and Clowns". It's bad enough when we encounter confidence tricksters and misguided fools in our everyday lives, but when we elevate them to positions of power, the situation becomes well-nigh hopeless. Fortunately, though, the ever-optimistic Ms Andrews was…Read more Cons and Clowns
Wild Is The Wind
Living wild. Old Man Crotchety is in a sentimental mood today. Sentimental, but not at all gloomy. Outside, it's sunny, and the air is autumn fresh. It is a bit breezy, though. So, here's a version of Wild Is The Wind by the wonderful blues-rock singer and guitarist, Joanne Shaw Taylor. https://open.spotify.com/track/3PWcYUrHSwfFubOB2NLdMH?si=8a5ec2f3f750418f A track from…Read more Wild Is The Wind
Lizard
A fresh look at a beloved lizard. This is the second time I have blogged about Lizard, King Crimson's third studio album. In my earlier post, I noted that Robert Fripp had described it as 'unlistenable', and respectfully disagreed. This time, I will not be pulling my punches. The 2025 David Singleton Elemental Mix reveals…Read more Lizard
Crotchety Man 