Why I'm keeping this blog going

Well, it's simple really: nearly ten years. That's how long I've been doing this - sure, there have been periods of inactivity - but it's a huge chunk of my life! This 25% segment covers all of the incredible stuff too: my reincarnation as a Radio DJ, the divorce, the rebirth of the Joneses, the actual birth of my children.
Blogs are a little old hat now - everyone's got Tumblr, haven't they? But there's something about a blog -it's polite, measured, and slightly aloof. It's a place where you lot can actually find out what I'm like, as I tend to speak with my real voice. How many of you out there use facebook in a (let's face it) slightly preening fashion? I know I do - it's all about the smart remark, the witty rejoinder, the devastating putdown. In essence, facebook has actually become Lamebook, and most people seem to like it that way (it is great entertainment, after all)
But a blog - that's calmer. Quieter. I like it that way, and I'm keeping it that way.

Back in the saddle...

In more ways than one, I suppose. One of the best things about living out in the 'burbs are the green spaces. I've never really found urban cycling much fun - I much prefer to be out and about in places like Ashtead Common. Don't get me wrong, I've not sudden;y changed into some sort of lycra-clad bike nazi, yelling "Let's off road!" and covering myself in mud: I just like open countryside. It's a legacy of being brought up in deepest Wiltshire, I presume.
I've been experimenting with the Strava app over the last couple of days - and it seems to be fantastic - mapping out my rides, and comparing segment times with other cyclists who ride the same trails. Help, I appear to be just a tiny bit competitive. Not too much mind you, it's too much effort. I just want to beat my own times, that'll do me just nicely.

...And one more thing

I think I should whack a few random posts up here quite soon - just to get rid of all of the Amplify posts on the front page. It was fun while it lasted, but it's gone. In the strange world of social media (hello Shadowglobe!) that's just the way it goes.

Where have I been?

Well - Japan, Australia, Birmingham.....and a serious diversion to that place called fatherhood, again. And Milo makes four. Quite amazing, really.
Lovely to be here in the suburbs, there's something peaceful about it all.
Familiar too, seeing as I was born just up the road. I'm learning to get out and about on my bike, too: I'll be healthy if it kills me.....
Today's listening pleasure comes from Winter Hours, something quite wonderful sent my way from my old friend Moe.
For those of you who may want to read my musings because of my connections to the band, I can tell you all now - I'm working INCREDIBLY hard on getting that programme of remasters and reissues sorted. As soon as there's news, I'll let you all know.
I'll leave you with this, I think. One of those random songs that popped onto the car stereo this morning, as I was doing my daily journey to pick up bits'n'bobs for the little boy. OK, it's nominally about Winter - but it has a sonic palette that equally suits a sunny summer morning.

Oh, hello Blog.

It's been too long, really. Must get round to doing more updates.

So - it's been a particularly intense year for me.

Jesus Jones gigs, a house move, and another wee one on the way. That's enough for anyone, I suppose.

More soon.

Brilliant archive of "Smash Hits" magazines

How many do you remember? me, most of them. I missed the first issue, but bought no. 2, and carried on buying it well into the 90's. I think that's why finally ending up on the cover was SUCH an honour - it had been part of my life for so long.....

Amplify’d from likepunkneverhappened.blogspot.com

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Xmas Powell Peralta deck!

It'll be interesting to see how these limited run decks go down with the collecting fraternity. Anything limited tends to be highly sought after, so that's a plus - but the flipside of that is that Xmas tends to be.....well, a bit niche, I guess.

Dig the nose though (and that's the graphic AND the deck!)

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Retro Argos Catalogue from 1985.

This is just brilliant - I had the cassette racks, my girlfriend had the alarm clock AND the music centre, my mate had the calculator......

Sometimes, a little nostalgia can be a very, very good thing.

Amplify’d from www.flickr.com

Take a blast into the past of retro goodness with this wonderful scan photostream of the entire 1985 Argos Catalog. From vintage toys, to vintage duvets, cooking tools ... It is all great and all fun ... Take a look back to a more funky time.

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The Onion Vs. Skateboarding

The Onion is utterly amazing, we all know that - but when it takes on skating, it moves up to a hitherto undiscovered level of AWESOME.

Amplify’d from www.theonion.com

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Chrissie Hynde, as honest as ever....

Amplify’d from www.bbc.co.uk

"I found my perfect lover, but he's only half my age," sings Pretenders star Chrissie Hynde on her new album.

She is referring to Welsh singer-songwriter JP Jones, her current recording partner, who is 31 years old to Hynde's 59.

The couple met at a party in 2008 and travelled to Cuba together on a whim. There, they wrote a collection of songs that charted the course of their ill-fated May to December affair. Read more at www.bbc.co.uk

 

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Where have all the guitar bands gone?

Something that's been coming for quite some time.....this happened to dance music 10 years ago, and it took quite some time for it to recover.....

Amplify’d from www.bbc.co.uk

From The Beatles to the Arctic Monkeys, Britain's great rock bands have belted out the soundtracks to our lives and carved a place at the heart of our culture.

So why have so few new bands broken through in the past couple of years? And what are new acts doing to keep guitar music alive?

Killers frontman Brandon Flowers and The Kings of Leon are the only such acts to have cracked the top 10 so far this year.

Two years ago, more than a dozen guitar-wielding bands - including Coldplay, Oasis, Razorlight, Kaiser Chiefs and The Kooks - reached the same heights.

But then the world seemed to get bored of the conventional guitar sound and the term "landfill indie" was enthusiastically wielded to beat down bands that sounded safe and stale - The Pigeon Detectives, The Fratellis, The Enemy, The View, Editors and The Courteeners among them.

The disillusionment can be traced back to record labels chasing quick hits rather than acts with longevity, according to BBC 6 Music DJ Steve Lamacq.

"In this current climate, people are signing bands who have got one or two good tracks, hoping they can make one good album," he says. "And inevitably a lot of these bands are going to come and go.

"You end up ruining the sense of trust between tastemaker and audience, or record label and audience, or even musical genre and audience.

"If you stop believing in a certain sort of music, it's going to take a lot for you to come back."

If Radiohead emerged with their debut album today, it would be "unthinkable" that their long-term prospects would be recognised, he believes.

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Pink Floyd reforming?

It's not the same without Richard Wright

Amplify’d from www.bbc.co.uk

Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason has said the legendary rock band may get back together to play concerts for charity.

The group, who have sold 200 million albums, last performed at the Live 8 concert in London in 2005.

He said the group could do "something that's not necessarily for us, but do something for the right reasons and enjoy doing it."

His bandmates Roger Waters and David Gilmour famously fell out in the 1980s but charity recently brought the pair back together for the first time since Live 8.

The band's keyboardist Richard Wright died in 2008. Read more at www.bbc.co.uk

 

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Any Ashton back to Xfm as PD!

Welcome back mate, the station was at its best when you were in charge before, and it will be again.

As some of you may know, Andy and me go way back - not just from Xfm days, but also when we worked together on setting up Shadowglobe: one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. I'm so chuffed that he's back.

Amplify’d from radiotoday.co.uk

Andy Ashton is returning to Xfm as Programme Director, replacing Australia-bound Paul Jackson. In addition, Head of Music Mike Walsh has been appointed Deputy Programme Director at the Global Radio station, covering both London and Manchester on FM. The move for Andy sees him return to the station after spending the last few years working for Communicorp as Programme Director of Dublin station SPIN 103.8. Andy said: "After three years working internationally, I'm really looking forward to bringing that experience back to the UK and home to Xfm. I'm delighted to be joining Global Radio for the challenge ahead, building on one of the world’s great music brands in London, Manchester, across the UK on digital and around the world online. It's an exciting new chapter for me and for Xfm - I can't wait to start!" Global Radio’s Director of Broadcasting Richard Park said: “Andy’s knowledge and experience in music and broadcasting is widely respected. His appointment will bring fresh dimensions to the Xfm team, driving what is already a nationally-recognised and iconic radio brand to new heights.” Read more at radiotoday.co.uk

 

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Always Autumn, never Fall.

That's partially because I'm on this side of the Atlantic, but mainly it's because I can use the word "autumnal". That's exactly the weather I woke up to this morning - low, misty cloud, a dampness to the air, the trees heavy with leaves, a luminescent greyness hanging over the streets of West London. The air is still warm, but you can feel Summer's warmth slowly starting to dissipate.

No-one does this turning of the seasons better than we do: sometimes people decry the dank, rainy British seasons, but I always welcome them with open (and fully clothed) arms.

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How to replace earworms!

Inspired stuff - get that annoying song out of your head by replacing it with another random tune.

Amplify’d from unhearit.com

We created this site for those of you that have a song stuck in your head and you can't get it out no matter what you do. Using the latest techniques in reverse-auditory-melodic-unstickification technology, we've been able to allow our users to "unhear" songs by hearing equally catchy songs. So all we're doing is making you forget your old song by replacing it with another one... sorry.

Listen to this random song instead Read more at unhearit.com

 

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