Wired

I looked at the greatfirewallofchina.org website to see if my LJ site was banned as bagrec described in his blog.Well, I tried it and, like his site, mine was banned as well,so all those Chinese folks will miss out reading my warblings. Nothing much subversive in my blog unlesss it's of a musical subversion.

Read The Wire this morning (well bought a week ago but this was the first chance to read it),and was interested by the David Toop article on Paul Burwell (of the Bow Gamelan Ensemble) who passed away recently,and the article about Nick Cave's new outfit Grinderman whose debut CD "No Pussy Blues" (Mute) i purchased yesterday. On my wants lists from the review section is the Daphne Oram overview (she became part of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop) and another Basil Kirchin release on the excellent Trunk records.Also in the Print Run section is another Christof Migone book with an attached DVD which i would like to get ,but uncertain of its availability as the printers is Galerie de L'Uoam.
His "Sound Voice Perform" book with CD (Errant Bodies Press) was fascinating.

Some good news on the horizon is that UKFS will be paying us this Wednesday for the upheaval caused by their "administrative error"!

Still awaiting word from the bank that shall remain nameless as to the outcome of the third letter i wrote - they have got til next Monday or thereabouts.

Next Tuesday we are off to Kent for the funeral of one of my Aunt's, so mixed feelings really,but it would be nice to see Tim and Karen again despite the circumstances we are visiting them.

Oh and a link to an article about Daphne Oram from the Beeb at:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2669735.stm

and a link to the label that has released "Oramics" that Wire reviewed. Actually Paradigm Discs is a fascinating label in its own rightt.

http://www.stalk.net/paradigm/

Grinderman

As you can gather this is the first day since Thursday that i have not been up to London doing surveys, and hence taking a partial day off. Been listening to the Grinderman CD and its Nick Caves's best album since that double from last year - very visceral and noise-soaked with controlled feedback and a dirtiness and howl that makes Grinderman a very appropiate title for the name of this new band.

The Sky / Virgin Media Problem.

Another gripe of mone at the moment is over the Sky/VirginMedia debacle which meant that last week i lost my basic Sky channels on my cable set up due to Virgin (who bought out NTL) not wanting to pay higher prices for the basic channels. The premium channels like Sky Sports are unaffected. But for me no current Stargate SG1,Stargate Atlantis or Battlestar Galactica. It looks like the Freeview people will also be affcected by June as Sky is determined to limit choice and to hike its prices up no matter what. In some way i do sympathise with Branson's Virgin Media Group but i am still left without the main reasons i have multi-channel TV in the first place. To be frank with you that leaves me hopping mad.

Interesting article from Monday's Guardian G2 section - an interview with Richard Branson,on this very subject.

http://media.guardian.co.uk/mediaguardian/story/0,,2026364,00.html