Day: October 20, 2011

Albums I Listened to While Growing Up


Disraeli Gears – Cream

I have two albums that I listened to all the time in my youth. I have to thank John Peel and his radio programs for introducing me to these and many other bands. His programs were essential listening for many many years and, although I couldn't match him for the breadth of his musical likes especially in his latter years, I continued to listen to him right up to the end.

Bless you John, where ever you may be.

Disraeli Gears by Cream is the fist ever album I bought after hearing a number of tracks on the John Peel radio program. I was fifteen and at that time I lived in Battle, Sussex (UK). The only place to buy records (vinyl) was the local electrical store. They would put records by and let you pay for them weekly. Regular as clockwork I would walk down into town with my pocket money until had paid in full. I remember that Saturday afternoon walk, album tightly clasped, as I trudged the mile or so back home. That first playing, on the family "stereogram" made by my father, set the standard for my future listening. While my general musical tastes are diverse ranging through all musical genres. I keep coming back to electric blues and progressive rock.

My next album was On The Threshold Of A Dream. Quite a contrast from Disraeli Gears but once againa John Peel introduction. Pretty sure I bought this with money earnt in my first job. Just before I left home, headed down to Portsmouth, Hants (UK) to start my apprenticeship.

I was in digs for the next 3 or 4 years and initially bought a bright Red Dansette record player. Sadly mono so I couldn't enjoy the beautifull stereo of these two albums. However, that didn't stop me from playing them to death.

Threshold was totally worn out and I had to go buy another copy a few years later.

Triggered by going to see a number of bands in Portsmouth Guildhall (Led Zeppelin, Blodwyn Pig, Genesis) I slowly grew my album collection. Starting with Led Zeppelin II which was the album they were promoting when I saw them. This was quickly followed up with Ahead Rings Out by Blodwyn Pig as they were supporting Zep. Then Trespass by Genesis.

All of these albums formed the root of my record collection.

All of these albums are regularly played although I have either supplemented my vinyl collection with CDs and more recently have digitised all my albums so that they are available on my PC.

I have tried hard to like modern rock, and I do like bands such as Muse, Porcupine Tree and Elbow. However, I find I keep going back to those original albums. I am still following the band members who are still working and find I usually like their solo projects. Maybe not as much as when they were in those original bands but I feel there is a thread running through all their releases.

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View From The Conservatory


Well here we are again. Autumn, or is it Winter has got a firm grip. The temperature here inside is a balmy 15degC while the BBC Weather site is suggesting a max of 12degC today. Still at least its dry.

Since we now have new neighbours we have also a second cat “tag-team” patrolling our garden. I have previously mentioned the predatory pair of black moggies which are systematically reducing the squirrel and bird populations. Well it seems our new neighbours have two black & white cats. They have taken to snoozing in both our front and back gardens. So there seems to have been a bit of a coup or at least a territorial take over since the black team always used to sleep on or under our Adirondack seat but in recent times I have only seen the newbies there. Similarly, the black team used to sleep on our front door step during the afternoons. Now the near presence of the newbies snoozing by the fence seems to have frightened off the black team.

Now an interesting twist to this new state of affairs is the occasional presence of an enormous grey striped cat. As far as I can determine it looks like it may be a Maine Coon Cat or a derivative, whatever, this thing is HUGE !!!

So the status quo, from the cats perspective, has been tilted well out of balance. The result remains to be seen. Perhaps the re-jigging of territorial rights might distract these feline foes and that could be good news for the birds and squirrels.