Why do we write about music? After all, mere words can not express the pleasure we get from listening to our favourite songs. How do you communicate the excitement when you hear something for the first time and your inner music critic says "Wow, that's amazing!"? How do you explain what makes this song special?…Read more Electric Ladyland
Wicked Soul
Wickedness, Lesson 3 - Seduction Seduction is a game. It has rules, like chess. And, like chess, you're more likely to win if you have studied the game and developed your technique. The key thing is to judge the pace. If you dither too much you will be beaten by the clock; if you are too eager you will…Read more Wicked Soul
Lucky Man
They say bad things and London buses come in threes. Of course, when you're waiting for a bus you want it to come quickly; you don't want bad things to come at all. But come they do. Sadly, in the space of a few weeks, the deaths of three prominent figures in the music business have been…Read more Lucky Man
Into the Night
Life is mostly mundane. We all have our daily routines: the school run, walking the dog, watching the latest episode of our favourite soap opera. Of course, every day is different in small ways, too: a new crossing lady today, the Labrador with the dark chocolate eyes has lost his ball, the TV soap has been postponed to…Read more Into the Night
This Is The Life
Until recently Crotchety Man's living room contained a TV, a video recorder and a conventional Teac Hi-Fi system consisting of an amplifier, a digital radio tuner, a CD player and a pair of speakers. The TV was a basic model but it had a good picture. The Hi-Fi system wasn't that expensive but its KEF Q-Series…Read more This Is The Life
This Is The Last Time
Keane released their first album, Hopes and Fears in 2004. It's a collection of strangely captivating songs, more pop than rock. Superficially, there's nothing much to lift them from the mediocrity of the mass music market and yet they soothe like an Indian head massage, seep through your skull and infiltrate the mind. This is the Last Time is probably the best known…Read more This Is The Last Time
Fine and Dandy
Back in June 1994 Crotchety Man and some friends bundled into a couple of cars and travelled down to the small West Country town of Upton-upon-Severn for the annual jazz festival. It was a warm and sunny day, perfect for a day out, and we were in good spirits. I remember very little of the bands…Read more Fine and Dandy
Red Right Hand
Crotchety Man is easily bored. Because of that he is always listening out for something different. Red Right Hand is deliciously different. The very first sound you hear is the Tang! of a tubular bell ringing out over a deep bass riff with punctuated organ chords and the soft swish of brushes sweeping taut snare drum skins. That's an…Read more Red Right Hand
Tokyo
Sophie was a confident young woman now looking for friendship, romance, love. She had come to this restaurant a few times before. It had an Alice In Wonderland theme, which appealed to her sense of fun and Sophie always felt comfortable here. Tonight, though, as she walked past the sign saying "private function" and made her way down the steps to the basement, she was…Read more Tokyo
When I’m Sixty Four
Now that I'm older, lost all my hair many years ago, Will you still be sending me a valentine, Birthday greeting, bottle of wine? If I nod off at a quarter three, slippers on the floor, Will you still need me, will you still feed me, Now I'm sixty four? If the Beatles idea of old…Read more When I’m Sixty Four
Crotchety Man 