Maidstone Visit

It seems i have been away for a long time but yesterday i was quite busy and when i arrived home last night too tired to do much else than write one report.

As it is, i had a long day at the Office and then in the evening had another Wetherspoons visit in Maidstone. It was steak club day so i had a very juicy tender sirloin steak washed down with a vino and a glass of that zesty Sixpoint Bengali Tiger Ale. I actually took some photos (well he would, wouldn't he?).


( Photos here )

I have taken some more visits from my Russian comrades, this time in Ashford and Canterbury.

An Oddity Morning

There is a term which the Wire magazine has used, although i am not certain if they were the first to use the term, of  "Outsider Music".. This is music which is many ways less professional and just wonky or weird, such as the music of Jandek or Tiny Tim. Here is one of those oddities that was recorded in the seventies and finally found its way onto CD in 2001. Yesterday on BBC Radio 4 i was reminded of the album that,since its release on CD, went viral.  Pete Paphides,  in the BBC Radio 4 doc, tells the story of a very special Canadian school recording that inspired the film School of Rock.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04dm5qj

"Hans Fenger was a rock 'n roll musician who got his first job as a teacher in the bible belt area of Langley, Canada, in the 1970s. He didn't follow the normal teaching methods, never had a lesson plan, didn't use a curriculum and instead taught the children the pop songs of the days - the Beach Boys, Wings, David Bowie, The Eagles. Together they made a record of these songs which each of the pupils took home.

Years later, Brian Linds, a radio presenter and actor, found the LP in a charity shop and took it home. He sent it to another radio presenter and producer, Irwin Chusid, who began playing the mystery recording of Space Oddity. It was a massive hit and Irwin secured a re-release of the songs on CD to massive critical acclaim. David Bowie was among those who praised the record.

Here, Pete Paphides speaks to those involved to hear how the record was made and why it had such an enormous emotional and musical impact."

This is well worth listening to.


So from the Langley Schools Music Project CD "Innocence And Despair " their version of "Space Oddity "

Originally pressed as a private press LP of just 300 copies it has become a much celebrated collection. Here is a link to a documentary on the project. Such a feel good documentary as well.

Links here -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVycW8BPuQI&list=PL5B201F1C90B2BF09
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67AoD8Un0Iw&list=PL5B201F1C90B2BF09&index=2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kth_S6bKw10&index=3&list=PL5B201F1C90B2BF09

The documentary is split into three parts.


Enjoy.

Speedy Gonzales Flo

I popped out to the post office this morning, well mid morning, to dispatch a couple of CD's off. Florence the cat was asleep on cousin's bed at the time. I come back and not noticing her, she zips out from the back door into the garden and will not come back in. As she is still getting use to the outside, i will now have to wait till cousin comes in from work at one. I am under strict instructions not to leave the house whilst she is outside unsupervised as we live on a busy main road.

This means everything i do today will be late including going to the Office.

Outsider Music

The cat decided to come back in again at around 12.50 this morning so i was able to get off to the Office and do a four hour stint. I then decided to go home again. Make it an easy day.

So going back to the outsider music post from earlier today, here is another track from the Langley Schools Project CD and a solo vocal version of  of Desperado.

Under the cut i have more outsider music that will make you either laugh, cry, wince or simply enjoy for the naivety of the sound.

( More outsiders )

Enjoy.