Wow, This Photographer Looks Great!

Seeing the excellent work of Beth Crosland makes me want to get married all over again.

The "pleasure of your life"!?

OK, I know I am excited, but...

Columbia Phonographs...they have an advert on the back of Count Basie, One O'Clock Jump

For the best reproduction of your records, play them on a COLUMBIA phonograph. COLUMBIA, THE GREATEST NAME IN SOUND, is the originator of the modern "lp" record and the "360" phonograph. Your dealer [uh, which dealer, do they mean?] can demonstrate a varied line of COLUMBIA phonographs, styled to enhance the decorative scheme of your home. See him [or her?] today for the pleasure of your life!

All caps are theirs...and it's very good.

Re-Connecting with Betty's Youth

Al, aka my new hero, rescued my 2008 birthday present - a usb turntable purchased by my old lady (Thanks, honey...just what I wanted!). This much prized toy collected dust on our desk for 15 months since we couldn't make it work and finally got shoved over the closet when we moved in September. That is...until last night when Al resurrected the machine in about 7 minutes.

Out comes the first installment of my Mom, Betty's, vinyl collection! She had it throughout my childhood, but it was virtually never was played!!! A mystery and a crime, for sure, but one that now leaves me with the hobby to flip through Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Harry Belafonte - "Jump in the Line - OK...I believe you!" and discover Julie London...your number please....


Wow. Track 1 - Makin' Whoopee. I don't know about you, but they don't make 'em like that anymore.

There are dozens more to explore...you will know where to find me...


Thanks, Betty. I miss you.

My 2009, in brief...

Yet another year in pictures.

Nancy Kerrigan's got nothing on Suerie and Molly - New Year's Day 2009!

McKenna, Aidan and Taryn love their Aunt Molly (and chocolate)...unsure of the order.

Sissinghurst circa September 2009.

Francesca!!!

Fame Monster - I met her!

Ride Natty Ride

Barbie in Deal.

Meeting Zev via Skype

What caused the banking crisis?

Untitled.

Hello Kitty.

Artist of 2009.

44 is so hot right now.

Lunch with Maximilian.

Concerned about global warming, I confirmed the wind chill factor on the Arctic Circle is still cold.

A public display of affection (sometimes abbreviated PDA) is the physical demonstration of affection for another person while in the view of others and is particularly offensive when it is my wife with William Wallace in front elderly couples enjoying a Sunday ferry ride.

It certainly glows...

You are a Canadian spy working for the Allies. Code-name Moose.

Untitled.

Hippies!

Eat Pray Love

Blame it on the Boogie.

Hanukkah cookies!?

River Street adventures await.

Untitled.

Swoon, I'll catch you.

What a way to end the year!

And the photo of 2009...


Wilhelm V., Duke of Bavaria (1579 – 1597), had a thirsty and demanding royal household, which was dissatisfied with the beer brewed in München. As a result, beer had to be imported to München from the city of Einbeck in Lower Saxony. Wilhelm ordered his royal court to come up with a way to reconcile cost and pleasure. On September 27, 1589, the chamberlains and council members, C. Strabl, A. Amasmeyr, S. Prew and G. Griesmair, approached him with an idea: why not build their own brewery?

Lowbrow Posting

Let's talk about the Decline of Civilization, who is responsible for this post...

Bonnie Tyler.

Total Eclipse of the Heart.

And this, which was created by Beavis and Butthead or similar art critics. What is with the shirtless football players and who edited that?

Artist of 2009?

Number 1 Bus

Back to Blogging in 2010

Blogging is a challenge, but determined to get back into it in 2010.

What's been great since my last post five years ago...

This, which my wife saw. Holy shit. Love that he commemorates the 41 shots on such an occasion. Plus, this is even better. Obama may not have earned it, but he's got potential and loved his this speech. Worth watching many times.

And this, which I highly recommend. No shows yet for 2010, but watch this space.

And a lot of this, even if I am embarrassed to admit that.

Mostly just this and this, however. Both have enhanced my life greatly.

Dying to see this in 2010.

Новый Уренгой (a.k.a. Novii Urengoi)

A lovely little nook in the Arctic... bless Russian internal flights, especially from 2 a.m. to 7 in the morning.

(Euro) Vacation Love

Eat, Love, Pray

Etruscan Invaders

Uxuriousness..that's my favorite kind of love. Excessive love of one's wife and handsome soldiers.

I am speechless.

Miss Bavaria 2009!

Kershaw is Back!

The best reason for going out and buying Songlines this month is the live Ali Farka Toure track on the enclosed CD that was recorded in Andy Kershaw's flat in 1987 when Toure made his first trip to the UK.

Kershaw doesn't seem to be back on BBC yet, but seems to be much better off now. He chooses the playlist on the Songlines CD this month (also an unreleased Tinariwen track!) and I hope he will be back on the air soon.

I Told You All! No Mud!!!

Holy Bloc Party!

Did I mention is was d-r-y! I have been spoiled and may need to quit glasto while I am ahead considering all the mud slop I have dragged my behind through.

God bless Hober and the fact that The Boss was less important to everyone than Franz Ferdinand, who got my "holy shit, I didn't expect them to be that good" award.

This is the old lady sporting her hot pants near the rubbish bin and loos, which I think is a really nice art shot. I mean, I don't mean to say she looks trashy. Quite the opposite. Get it? This picture really is for Noam and Shelagh, who realized that these were THE hot pants for the Mrs.

Emily, this was the Joby-cam!

This is me, dancing during Lily Allen...or someone that sounded like Lily Allen. At least I know I saw Lily Allen, but it was from a far way away. She was good. Fuck You was very entertaining.

Rolling Stones next year?! That would be cruel to me.

Now we have to focus on moving and other essential elements of life. No more screwing around. Glasto is over, but there are more photos HERE at El blog de arena!

My Wellies Seem Heavy to Carry!!!

Nothing like a bit of LIGHT rain!

The forecast might not actually adhere to the 10-day predictions. Imagine that. Bridgewater again...


...but perhaps the BBC knows better and this is actually closer than Bridgewater.

Leave the Wellies at Home?

10 day forecase for Bridgewater, UK, closest city to Glastonbury...

Art’s Own Kind

Very excited to see this exhibit tomorrow, Art's Own Kind - Afrobeat and the Art of Lemi Ghariokwu, which is on at Rich Mix in London for the next month.

There's even a blog to teach me something before I go...

Why One Endures the (threat of) Mud at Glasto?

It is very simple.


In about a month on a stunningly sunny day, mark my bloody words, I will park my butt in a field in front of a massive Pyramid...this Pyramid in fact, but with fewer farm animals, less snow and only sun.


There I will watch one of my favorite Touareg rock bands.


This is really just an intro to the Eagles of Death Metal (who I actually didn't know), but it would really fuck with your brain to go from Tinariwen to Spinal Tap!!!


I am not making this up (see here)...and Spinal Tap can only be followed by something like Dizzee?!?!!


Now, just when you think it is over, the organizers go all "Woodstock" on us and resurrect Crosby, Stills and Nash.


Just when I am too overwhelmed, imagining my mother-in-law seeing CSN at Woodstock 1969, I have to duck out of Kasabian to make it to see the finale from Senegal...


Then realizing that was just the pre-finale and running at a full sprint, I dash back over to the Pyramid thingy to catch the last songs of Franz Ferdinand!


And that is just my schedule on the second day...