Listen to the Foot Stompin Free Scottish Music podcast

Even in the Rain by Deaf Shepherd

Here’s the latest podcast. We’re featuring Scottish bands in this edition. There are not so many CDs coming out at the moment but 2 to look forward to are ‘They Dressed in Yellow‘ by Fiddlers’ Bid and Donald Grant’s The Way Home. Both ate fantastic fiddle records that are approaching things slightly differently. We’ll play them on the podcast when they come out.

I’m heading to Quebec on Wednesday with pianist Dave Milligan for a few days. It’s an accordion festival with lots of music and stepdancing on the streets. I went a few years back and loved the people and their music. It will be nice to be back!

We’ve just announced the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame inductees. Everyone of them is amazing and given so much to Scottish traditional music. The list is

Performers:
Bill Black
Dick Gaughan
Rona Lightfoot
Jim Kilpatrick MBE
Phil Cunningham MBE
Sheena Wellington

Hamish Henderson Services to Traditional Music: Dr John Barrow

The inductees will be presented with their awards on the 28th November as part of the Scots Trad Music Awards. http://www.tradmusichall.com/index.htm

Even in the Rain by Deaf Shepherd
Track – Millenium Village
I’ve always loved this band and have followed them since their conception. Their particular brand of bagpipe folk always brings down the house. They recently performed on the BBC Radio 3 stage at Womad to great acclaim. They’ve recorded half a 4th album which should hopefully be out in the new year (and yes it’s nearly hear!)

May You Never Lack a Scone by Jock Tamson’s Bairns
Track – Gude Claret / Wee Hieland Laddie (song/march)
This is another band who I’ve alway enjoyed. Rod Paterson’s singing is hard to beat and their choice of tunes is always interesting and good. They were also in there right at the beginning of the Scottish folk fusion movement.

Dochas by Dochas
Chuir Lad Mise dh’Eilean Leam Fhin
This band are currently recording their latest release which must be available soon. Listening back to this track it is not hard to see why they have been successfull and why Julie Fowlis (the singer) has done so well.

On Safari by Keep it Up
Track – Edward
We don’t play much nowadays but when we do it is always fun.

Sugarcane by Shine
Track – Alasdair Og
We received a few comments about this band when I last played them on the podcast so I thought I would play them again. Their music is very original and the production of the CD by Jim Sutherland makes it sound very different. It would be great to have a sequel to the CD girls?

Albannach by The Whistlebinkies
Track – The Loch Ness Monster
This band have toured all over the world and released a mountain of records. Their old singer Mick Broderick did last month but he left a wealth of stories. Meanwhile the Whistlebinkies carry on and again it must be time for another CD!

BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2010 last years winner - Ruairidh Macmillan

The BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award is 10 years old this year and again we have a great lineup of young musicians for the semi-finals. From pipes and song to fiddle, accordion and harp we’ve got an excellent night of music ahead on Saturday 3rd October in South Lanarkshire.

The musicians are:
Steven Blake – pipes, piano (Livingston)
Patrick Callahan – accordion, harp (Glasgow)
Mairi Chaimbeul – clarsach, voice (Isle of Skye)
Shelley Clark – song (Sanquar)
Amy Corfield – fiddle (Paisley)
Andrew Gibb – accordion (Biggar)
Megan Henderson – fiddle, accordion (Fort William)
Emily Hoile – clarsach (Newcastle upon Tyne)
Lorne MacDougall – pipes, whistles (Carradale, Argyll)
Hannah Phillips – clarsach (Glasgow)
Daniel Thorpe – fiddle (Glasgow)
Kyle Warren – pipes (Helensburgh)

The semi-finalist concert on Saturday 3rd October is in Coulter Hall, Coulter starts at 7.30pm. Tickets are £8 and £6 conc. The concert is a culmination of a weekend of workshops where the young musicians learn about the music business from guest speakers.

Simon Thoumire, the event organiser said:
“It’s amazing to think that we have been going for 10 years and every year the quality of the musicians is superb. This will be another exciting night of music in South Lanarkshire.”

From this concert 6 musicians will win through to the final on 31st January, 2010 at Celtic Connections festival, Glasgow. This is an excellent opportunity for the young musicians to hear bands, meet influential people, play an amazing concert at the City Halls, Glasgow which is broadcast to a wide audience live on BBC Radio Scotland.

Last years winner Ruairidh MacMillian has had a busy year and is due to record his debut CD with Greentrax Recordings in the autumn.

Many thanks to our sponsors who are Scottish Arts Council, Celtic Connections Festival, Greentrax Recordings, Foot Stompin’ Scottish music, Musicians Union, Traditional Music and Song Association, and Watercolour Music. Please support them.

This Award exists to encourage young musicians to keep their tradition alive and to maximise their musical potential by the pursuit of a career in traditional music. The winner will be provided with high profile performance opportunities and the necessary tools and advice they require to launch a career in traditional music.

ENDs

Note to the Editor
Contact Simon Thoumire Hands Up for Trad on 07775 854572, info@handsupfortrad.co.uk, www.handsupfortrad.co.uk
Previous BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award winners:
Gillian Frame, Emily Smith, Anna Massie, James Graham, Stuart Cassells, Shona Mooney, Catriona Watt, Ewan Robertson, Ruaridh Macmillan
http://www.handsupfortrad.co.uk/press/Young_Traditional_Musician_semifinalists_2010.htm

Four Seasons in One Day by Alistair McCulloch

Listen to the Foot Stompin’ Free Scottish Music Podcast No 43

Hi Folks,

Summertime’s always busy when the kids are off school. I always feel very guilty working with them in the house. Working at a computer is such a non sharing activity. You just look ahead and see nothing but the screen. Hanging out the washing, loading the dishwasher, hoovering are fine because they can follow you around playing games etc. I find this guilt the most incapacitating thing about home working. Making the podcast is always funny as you have to shut the office door as the TV is often blaring with some cartoon and often if you listen carefully to the chat in the show you can hear the telly in the distance! Also with the door shut you can’t see anything and the kids know this and use the time to hit each other which inevitably ends in tears and you have to open the door again and record with the noise. In my early podcasts I used to do them with one child sitting on my knee. I must find them for a laugh.

As I said on the podcast this weekend its the World Pipe band Championships in Glasgow. As usual there’s an amazing lineup of bands from all over the world (apart from Lahore as they’ve strangely been refused entry). It’s been broadcast live on BBC online which is brilliant. You can watch it here http://bit.ly/3ycw62. YOu can catch all the results on the Foot Stompin’ results page here http://www.footstompin.com/public/article/world-pipe-band-championships/world-pipe-band-championships-results.

So to mark this fact I’ve featured two pipe bands on the podcast. We start off with Twelve Thousand Miles by Manawatu Scottish Pipe Band. This is a great sound and I love the way they’ve recorded the start of the track The Road To Lipetsk.

Alistair McCulloch is a great fiddler who performs in many different bands. This set of reels from his album Four Seasons In One Day is really kicking – he must of been knackered after playing Marco’s Reel/Jim Connor’s Welcome To Grand Central Station/Gibby Gray/Trip To Shanghai. I can’t stop thinking of Crowded House when I hear the album title though!

This next album is the fifth collection of Old Songs and Bothy Ballads to be recorded at the Fife Traditional Singing Weekend. The Old Songs & Bothy Ballads: Grand to be a Working Man album comes from the May 2008 singing weekend. I picked this track because I love community singing. I don’t think it gets any better when every voice in the room sings the chorus. Jimmy Hutchinson is one of Scotland’s top tradition bearers.

I don’t know anything about this next band unfortunately apart from it really swings and I would dance to it! Dance for Joy by Reel of Seven

Our second pipe band track. The thing that drew me to these Parade Marches is I used to play them every other weekend in the 65th Edinburgh Boys Brigade Pipe Band. I can still picture the rainy gala days and muddy spats. The track comes from the album Legacy by the Winnipeg Police Pipe Band

We finish up this podcast with Stramash by Colin Steele. Colin has been working on and performing this project for the last few years and it has gone down a storm. As you will hear from the track Steele’s Reels, it is a great fusion of traditional and jazz music featuring many of Scotland’s top musicians.

Posted in bagpipes, fiddle, Gaelic, harp music, music, scotland, scottish Tagged: guilt scottish scotland bagpipes ]]> http://footstompin.wordpress.com/2009/08/13/foot-stompin-free-scottish-music-podcast-no-43-mid-august-2009/feed/ 1 footstompin Four Seasons in One Day by Alistair McCulloch http://footstompin.wordpress.com/2009/07/16/foot-stompin-free-scottish-music-podcast-no-41/ http://footstompin.wordpress.com/2009/07/16/foot-stompin-free-scottish-music-podcast-no-41/#comments Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:08:14 +0000 Simon Thoumire http://footstompin.wordpress.com/?p=171 ]]>

Listen to the Foot Stompin’ Free Scottish Music Podcast No 41

A Good Suit of Clothes by Fiona J Mackenzie

We’re back again with the podcast. I took a couple of weeks out there to be at Hands Up for Trad’s 10th Tinto Summer School. It was a great success with our highest roll ever at 61 young people. It was held at Wiston Lodge in South Lanarkshire and the young folks learnt lots of trad music, played football and rounders and sang campfire songs. You can find out more at www.tintosummerschool.com. Here’s a link to the 2009 tinto summer school video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PlAwcq-W_k.

I’ve also just released my latest album / video art entitled Self Portrait 2009. It’s the first ever UK album to be released on YouTube and is a series of videos documenting my life and music in 2009. Some of it is Scottish music some of it isn’t… Here’s an article in The Herald about it and you can view it here http://www.footstompin.com/simonthoumire. Tell me what you think (it’s meant to be radical…)

Nae Sleep Tae Regent Street by The Dangleberries
Track – The Screamin’ Yab Dabs
I don’t know much about this band but they make a lot of noise! They seem to be a heavy metal version of the Red Hot Chili Pipers (they also say that they were first!). It’s a lof of fun anyhows and we sell a lot of them at Foot Stompin’.

A Good Suit of Clothes (Deagh Dheis Aodaich) by Fiona J Mackenzie
Track – Òran a’ Chianalais
Fiona is a Gaelic singer resident in Inverness who won the Mod Gold Medal in 2005. She has been working for Highland Council directing the Màiri Mhòr Gaelic Song Fellowship from 2002 -2009. We play a great track which struck not only because of the great singing but the excellent supporting musician ship

Double Take by Ian Robertson & Rob Alderton
Track – Jigs
I put this track on and instantly started tapping foot. This real dance music and proves that you don’t have to play at 10,000 miles an hour to swing

I Saw the Wild Geese Flee by Jim Reid
Track – The Wild Geese/Norland Wind
We heard last week of the death of Jim Reid last week. Jim was a songwriter and tradition bearer of high renoun. He was presented a few years back with the Scots Singer of the Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards and accepted the Award by saying ‘Aboot time tae’. A perfect acceptance. Norland Wind is Jim’s version of the Violet Jacob poem The Wild Geese which he recites first on this track.

Tribute – Dougie MacLean
Track – Ca’ the Yowes
Dougie MacLean is appearing on the 25/26th at The Gathering in Edinburgh. This looks like a great event and features lots of Scottish bands including Capercaillie, Julie Fowlis, Battlefield Band, Daimh, Breabach and much more. Check it out here http://www.clangathering.org/.

Huinka by The Chair
Track – The Folky Gibbon
This is a great band from Orkney. This record has been out for a while now but always comes out in our house when it is time for dancing. Look out for them at a festival near you.

Listen to the Foot Stompin’ Free Scottish Music Podcast.

Michael Marra - Silence

Listen to the Foot Stompin’ Free Scottish Music Podcast No 40

Wayhay we’ve made it to 40 podcasts! Actually there are more podcasts than this kicking around as I seem to have been doing this for years now. I must find them all – surely I must have them backed up…

Anyway here is the podcast playlist.

People And Songs Of The Sea by Compilation

Track – Farewell Tae The Haven (Davy Steele and Ceolbeg)

It was great hear Davy’s voice again when I first put on this track. Davy died in 2001 and I think his voice as been missed in the scene. I very nearly formed a band with Davy years ago with Gregor Borland but just as it happened he got the unmissable opportunity to join the Battlefield Band. He was so excited when this came along and the band definitely helped him gain the recoginition he deserved. This is a lovely arrangement by Ceolbeg as well.

Leaving Mingulay (A Fagail Mhuighalaigh) by Maggie MacInnes

Track – Beinn A’cheathaich

Maggie is the daughter of the legendary Flora McNeil and in this album you can really hear her class. The recording also sounds fantastic – it is really clear.

The Collection by The Iron Horse

Track – The Iron Horse Medley

During the ninties this band were working all over the place. It’s amazing how a band stops playing and the memories fade. They made quite a few CDs plus music for a documentary called ‘The Gamekeeper’ that was very popular. This CD captures all their past glories.

The Collection by Tannas

Track – Mairead Nan Cuiread – The Bob Parson’s Strathspey

I watched this band start and end. They started off as Fire in the Glen playing in the bars and evolved into Tannas doing concerts. For their 2nd album (they made three in all) they got Donald Shaw into produce and you can really hear his influence in the sound of the track.

This Feeling Inside by Mairi MacInnes

Track – Follow the Light

I have to admit to not knowing a lot about this album. I purely picked it because of the quality of Mairi’s vocal – it is beautiful! I’ve only met Mairi a few times but it is a joy to hear her sing here.

Silence by Michael Marra

Track – Silence

As I said in the podcast Michael is a real master. His voice on this track is brilliant. I don’t think he receives the proper recognition of his talents. Most of his records are not easily available which is a travesty. Not only is Mick a great singer songwriter he is also a painter and recently just had his first exhibition.

Listen to the Foot Stompin’ Free Scottish Music Podcast No 39

Foot Stompin' Free Scottish Music Podcast No 39

It’s been a busy few weeks. The major thing that has happened is THE SUN IS SHINING! When the sun shines I notice the number of work emails slow down as people head outside! In fact I’ve just been sitting in a deckchair and felt guilty about not getting on with my work…

2009 seems to be year of babies for folk musicians and congratulations go to piper Finlay MacDonald and his wife Jo on the birth of their first son Elliot.

Finlay works at The National Piping Centre and yesterday I attended their 10th annniversary lunch which Prince Charles was attending. The music provided was top notch. There were performances from Gillian Chalmers, Tia Files, Marrisa Vachon, Norrie MacIver (4th year RSAMD Scottish Music course), TNT, 1st year RSAMD Scottish Music course, 3 very young pipers, The current highland dancing world champion accompanied by Chris Armstrong who also performed an amazing solo. The last act finished off with all the tutors playing ‘dueling bagpipes’ which was great fun. The finale was all the pipers who played during the show plus board members and Phil Cunningham. It was a real tribute to the work of the National Piping Centre. The Prince wasn’t in for long but heard quite a few of the performances. I would have liked to have heard him say a few words on the merits of the Piping Centre to the many budding donars who were present.

Podcast playlist:

The Missing Gift by Anna Massie Band

Track – The Badger

The Anna Massie Band have announced their ‘dissolution’ and are currently on their farewell tour. This band have been very popular for the last few years. Anna is in high demand as a session musician and has just joined Blazin’ Fiddles.

Strewn with Ribbons by Lauren MacColl

Track – The Profit

This Lauren’s 2nd CD and is much of the music is collected from book The Highland Collections. I used this book alot when putting together – with Dave Milligan – our Third Flight Home CD. Lauren’s playing is really beautiful and the backing thoughtful.

Farrar by Duncan Chisholm

Track – Nuair Bhios Mi Leam Fhin

This CD won Album of the Year at the 2008 Scots Trad Music Awards. Duncan has a beautiful tone to his playing and really carries this opening track off when others would think twice about starting with a slow air. Congratulations also to Duncan and Jo who also had a baby boy at the end of April

The Gathering Storms by Archie McAllister and Ross Kennedy

Track – The Milltimber Jig / Priscillas / Donald MacLean

Archie is probably one of Scotland’s most gifted fiddlers with a real dazzling technique. You can watch him in action on the Foot Stompin’ YouTube channel (you’ll also catch Lauren MacColl here as well)

The Strathspey King by James Scott Skinner

Track – Allegory: The Miller O’ Hirn/Mackenzie Frazer/The Auld Wheel

James Scott Skinner is the man! We are so lucky in Scotland to have so many great composers. I love Scott Skinner’s tunes and play them regularly.

Laughing Girl by Jenna Reid

Track – The Laughing Girl

This is a great track and a brilliant opening to a record.

Peatbog Faeries Live

Listen to the Foot Stompin’ Free Scottish Music Podcast No 38

Hi Everybody – not been as regular as I would like apologies. Is anybody else busy but can’t remember what they’ve been doing? That’s me! Anyway the podcast is still coming every two weeks and over the last two weeks I’ve been experimenting with Ustream. Foot Stompin’ are planning an online Folk club which anybody can watch and join in. I’ll keep you updated as we go along.

Podcast Playlist:
The Automatic Eye by David Heavenor
Track – Between the Eyes
I’ve know David for a few years now and have always enjoyed his songs. The reason I picked this to start of the podcast is that it does exactly what it says on the tin – hits you right between the eyes. This is from David’s third album.

Shouts by Gary Innes and Ewan Robertson
Track – “Can’t sing tonight I’ve left my teeth at home”
You can’t beat a great tune title! I’ve been listening to this album a few times lately as I love this track. The accordion is played brilliantly. Gary is an amazing guy. Apart from being a top accordion player he is also a shinty player of the first order and regularly appears on TV and radio with his sport. If you like this you’ll like his first album How’s the Craic?. You can also download a ringtone from the Shouts album in the Foot Stompin’ Free ringtones section.

Fama Clamosa by Mackenzie
Track – Fama Clamosa
This an oldie CD but sounds really refreshing. I really like the way the girls get the African grouve behind the Gaelic.

Live by Peatbog Faeries
Track – The Anthropologist
I’m sure you’ll all be bored of me going on about the Peatbog Faeries in the podcast however here is their new Live album. I still prefer to listen to this band actually live however it was great to hear this version of The Anthropologist with Nigel Hitchcock on sax. This guy is amazing!

Hinterlands by Wendy Stewart & Gary West
Track – Full Moon Down Under
This is an interesting track. Both musicians do great work in their own right and they work together really well as a duo. This track reminds me of a landscape. What does it remind you of?

Anthem For The Common Man by Battlefield Band
Track – The Four Minute Warning
To finish off I’ve returned to one of my favourite all-time bands. This album was a real groundbreaker when it came out. It divided peoples opinions across the board. One side like the band experimenting and the other thought drum machines were blasphemy in folk music! I was with the former and while it doesn’t always work the band were very brave to move in the direction. Interestingly I think they’ve gone in the other direction now and are very traditional sounding in terms of their arrangements – with an electric keyboard!

See you the next time.

Just back from the Scottish fleadh in Motherwell. What an amazing amount of talent from our young musicians. Hosted by Taylor High School (surely the ugliest high school ever built – closer to a nuclear bunker than a school), there were hundreds of young people playing amazing tunes. I really enjoyed just entering the place. As you walked through the doors the music just hits you and as we walked the corridors to my son Charlie’s whistle competition, the quality of the musicianship in some of youngsters was breathtaking. The Ceoltas in Glasgow must be providing the majority of Scotland’s best young musicians. St Rochs school on a Tuesday night (where we go) is home to the Irish Ministrels branch. There are at least 120 young people from the age 5 to 20 there every Tuesday all playing the music. They all enjoy it but the thing I’ve noticed over the years of knowing these guys is that the kids all listen to traditional music. So many of the young folks I’ve taught over the years don’t listen to the music in their spare time which completely misses the point of playing traditional music. You’ll never be any good if you don’t listen it. You’ll never understand the nuances of what makes a great reel, song etc.

At St Rochs all the tutors are volunteers and they all work very hard for the kids. The main man is Frank McArdle. What a guy! He has given his life to teaching the kids music (and maths) for 30+ years. But more than that he has created and nurtured a generation of great musicians and invested in them a love and understanding of music. On a Tuesday night many of his original students are back with their own children and it all starts again with Frank leading the way. He needs an Award!

On another note Tinto Summer School is nearly full which is fantastic. If you would like more information check out www.tintosummerschool.com.

I heard an amazing piece of music yesterday by Arvo part. It was his setting of the Robert Burns poem My heart’s in the highlands. Check it out http://www.footstompin.com/public/forum?threadid=478930

Listen to the Foot Stompin’ Free Scottish Music Podcast No 35.

Oringinal Transatlantic Sessions

Hi Folks,

We’ve had a busy few weeks with our Distil project. We had our annual residential weekend in New Lanark with tutors Ken Hyder, Stephen Deasley and Carina Normanssen and had a great time. You can read more at the link. On that weekend I also managed to video top Scottish fiddler Lauren MacColl and you can see the videos of her playing at Foot Stompin’ YouTube channel. You can hear and watch lots of amazing Scottish players.

Yesterday – also with Distil we hosted a Writing for Film workshop in Stirling Tolbooth. This is a project we’ve started to give Scottish traditional musicians the opportunity to learn from film composer Jim Sutherland. The musicians learn as they go and the process ends with them writing music to a film that is shown as part of the Scots Trad Music Awards weekend on November 28th. The workshop yesterday looked at the group trying to write a score to a Tom and Jerry movie. It wasn’t easy and the thought that came out of the lesson was the as writer you have to find the personality of the character(s) to make a good score. I’m looking forward to the next one in May.

I enjoyed making the podcast today. The first CD featured lots of musicians including Aly Bain and Jay Unger. The opening track (which I’m on!) has so much energy to it – I wish I remembered more about it! It was great to be on this TV show with so many amazing musicians. One of the things I do remember about it was beating virtuoso fiddler Marc O’Connor at snooker…

The Original Transatlantic Sessions Volume One (audio CD) by Compilation

Track – Far from Home

http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/the_original_transatlantic_sessions__volume_one_audio_cd

I think Jim Malcolm has one of the best voices in Scottish music. He is also one of the hardest working musicians. This is his first CD for a couple of years and I love the opening track Balley of Strathmore. This song by Andy M Stewart takes me right back to my childhood and listening to Silly Wizard. I remember the LP ‘So Many Partings’ so well and sitting to learn all the tunes from Phil and Johnny Cunningham.

The First Cold Day by Jim Malcolm

Track – The Valley of Strathmore

http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/the_first_cold_day

It good to see Alyth finally releasing a new CD. Her debut An Iomall was ground breaking in its arrangements and production. Alyth has been touring with the Chieftains lately and worth getting along to hear.

People Like Me by Alyth McCormack

Track – Nuair Bha Mi Og

http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/people_like_me

I’ve known for Rachel Hair for a long time and it is great to see her moving to the top. Her harp playing is very distinctive and I like the sound she is making with her band. When I taught for the Edinburgh Feis on a Wednesday night – seems so long ago – we all used to go for pizza on the final night of term. There was often 10-15 of us in the restaurant trying to get discounts with (the kids) Young Scot cards and deciding whether to have the ice cream factory or not. Great days!

The Lucky Smile by Rachel Hair

Track – Back Home

http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/the_lucky_smile

I’ve probably mentioned this before but I’ll never forget my appearance on stage with Runrig to induct them into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame. It was the simply the best experience ever. I’ve never had a crowd cheer like that, it was like a drug. In my next like I’m going to be a rock ‘n’ roll star!

10 – The Long Journey, Isles FM by Compilation

Track – Faieas Air an airigh – Runrig

http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/10__the_long_journey_isles_fm

I play this band often as I think they’re great. I love the rawness of their sound. I heard them last at Celtic Connections at the Old Fruitmarket. They were rocking with some interesting dancing on the stage. They’re about to have a major lineup change and looking forward to hearing their next sound.

Magnificent Seven by Blazin’ Fiddles

Track – Miss Johnstone

http://www.footstompin.com/products/cds/blazin_fiddles__magnificent_seven

Ear

I mentioned briefly in my last post that I’ve been trying to listen more. I used to spend a lot of time sitting, staring and listening. I’ve always thought that whilst sitting in a room or on a park bench you can hear the most beautiful music all around you. Sometimes it might be abstract and others there might be some kind of natural rhythm running through it. Whilst holding workshops I sometimes ask the classes to put down their instruments and just sit and listen to the sounds. Simple things like air conditioning can become very interesting when combined with other sounds. The other week I was teaching at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and I ask the class to sit and listen to what was going on. We heard a duet between an opera singer (in one room) and a sax in another. This combined with chairs scraping along the floor in the building and the sound of the outside world made it very interesting.

Of late though I’ve found I’ve stopped doing this (children, work, etc etc etc) and I want to start again. That is listening to everything. I want to sit on the parch bench but also on the couch listening to CDs.

Lately with CDs I have time to listen once and then move on. This is not fair to the artist. This is defeating the process of a musician making a CD. There is no way I can understand what the musician was thinking when collecting the tracks, rehearsing and putting them into the final track order on the CD. Listening to a music should be an experience. This is one of the reasons I’m not really into downloads. They breakup the artist process. Surely track 5 on an album is that for a reason. I don’t like ’shuffle play’ either as you can imagine.

Are downloads killing the artistic process of the album or are musicians having to work harder to provide perfect one-off tracks? A question for another time…

Wish me luck. I’m now off to savour the sounds of the local indian restaurant…