On Friday March 27th 2026, the day started in Morpeth and progressed to Cragside. After walking down to the iron bridge and up to the clocktower by the formal gardens we descended by the lake and drove the 6 miles of carriage tour after which we drive to the south side of the Tyne, which […]

My favourite piece of recorded music remains the title track from the album ‘Lovely’ by Spot, so the first piece of music I will mention in these writings is a new recording by Edwin de Herder, who played the amazing guitar solo on ‘Lovely’. The new track by Mama Loo is ‘Ziggy(Bowie knows..)’.

After a long gap, I resume my short and longer writings on my artistic ecstasies, starting with a novel. An Ape A Dog And A Serpent is a short funny melancholy profound novel about the film business from its early days to the 1940s and the passing of time for human beings.Gerald Kersh is one […]

In the musical connections my musical enthusiasms make, an album which is linked at the same level of vocal genius as Laura Nyro’s is ‘ Harmony Row’ by Jack Bruce. A true masterpiece.

I first heard ‘New York Tendaberry’ , on a tape I bought in Cambridge, Mass in 1987. Half a liftetime and 1000s of records and cds later, this remains one of the greatest and most unique records in rock music, still startling in its daring now. Very few singers have ever come near the places […]

Richard Thompson was already a great songwriter in his teens and has remained so for more than 40 years. It’s always exciting to hear his albums because you are very likely to find a song or two that you will always be with you. ‘ Mock Tudor’ is one of his best albums.

It’s a shame Steppenwolf have been overshadowed by other bands of their era, to the extent that a lot of listeners would only know them for ‘Born to be wild’ and a couple of their hits. Their albums contained some of the most politically incisive writing of any band active in the 60s/70s that hasn’t […]

More than 30 years ago I heard the self titled debut album by David Forman (pictured below) for the first time.     Purchased on one of my endless teenage expeditions to Notting Hill’s Record and Tape Exchanges, it has never left its place among my very favourite records. It is a truly great and […]

‘After Bathing at Baxters’ is probably the best album by Jefferson Airplane, a band who still sound still sound innovative today. In the last 40 years, very very few have even come close to the trail they blazed.

Tony Williams was one of the greatest musicians who ever lived. There are countless amazing recordings that he played on. ‘Ego’ is my favourite of any record that he appeared on, that I have yet heard. I remember the excitement of finding this CD in Concerto in Amsterdam many years ago. ‘Ego’ is a great […]