Radiohead

It's hard to explain in mere words the feelings this wide and encapsulating music generates - that reverberates and expands and contracts and ebbs, send shivers or vibrates you soul.
Yorke has a voice that grabs your attention as it surrounds the bass, drums, guitar, and piano. It's a fluid instrument that can be scary at times, exhilarating, escapist, mesmerising, unpredictable... In fact the opposite of your average MOR sounds! So beware! Their music is not for the weak of heart - but rather those who wish the journey to challenge, surprise and inform their senses.. If I feel full of unresolved conflicts or confusions - their music heals. I'll never forget how I felt at their gig in Edinburgh 2006 - and to appreciate this band you need to hear them live. It was a warm summer August night during the festival and it felt as if their music floated us upwards into the air, the way the wind might surge and groan... Well maybe it was simply the crowds all singing along to their songs - and jumping and waving their arms in the air or was it rather Colin Greenwood's bass thudding upwards through the grass under our feet.

In February they surprised us all, yet again, with a new album- with none of the usual pre-album build up or single releases (how wonderful!) - yet everyone wants to listen. It all reminded me of the Beatles in their day- when everyone simply couldn't wait to get their hands on their next album.

On watching the new 'Lotus flower' video - I was struck how closely photography, dance and music can be as one. One of the joys of Radiohead is knowing you'll discover more and enjoy the album more over time. Radiohead released their eighth album, The King of Limbs (2011) in a variety of formats.

The Milngavie Folk club March

Is having two of Scotland folk songwriting legends!

Rab Noakes - 26th February 2011.
Michael Marra - 12th March 2011

Rod Stewart - Reason to Believe

Feelin' Nostalgic....
Many moons ago in my school days in Edinburgh - Mr Rod Stewart was played constantly - the one song that was great to sing was 'Reason to Believe' written by folk singer Tim Hardin (along with B side 'Maggie May' of course) . Ah lovin' the joys of Youtube...! Even if I've never seen the old crooner live I can watch him live there. He's not one of my favourites to listen to his albums - but he sure did record some singable songs.

Reason To Believe - sung by Rod Stewart :
This was written by Folk singer Tim Hardin, who originally recorded it in 1965. Hardin wrote some popular songs and was a very influential musician, but he had severe drug problems and died in December, 1980 at age 39. His death came shortly after John Lennon's. Stewart released this again in 1993 as a live, acoustic version for MTV Unplugged. Appearing on the album Unplugged... and Seated, this is the version that charted. Stewart's original version was released as a single with "Maggie May" as the B-side. Disc Jockeys liked the flip side better and played "Maggie May" instead, which became the hit. The 1993 Unplugged version was recorded at an MTV special with Ron Wood, who played with Stewart in The Faces. It was the first time they performed it together in 22 years. Stewart commented that his wife at the time, Rachel Hunter, was 1 year-old when it was first released.

T IN PARK- tickets on sale Friday 25th February 2011. Headliners, Foo Fighters, Coldplay, Artic Monkeys, (plus Tom Jones, White Lies, Noah and the Whale, Hurts, Bright Eyes, more )

Brits 2011

Late February - and Awards ceremonies time yet again began with the Baftas and the lavish Brits this week. Often I have to admit to complete boredom with the samey brash American dancing girls, and wonder is this awards ceremony really about music at all.. On the other hand perhaps awards help us to reflect on the past year. My year always starts with Celtic in January. Then I enjoyed Mumford and Laura Marling in March 2010. I noted that Mumford had a terrific gig response at the summer festivals - and the packed audience at the ABC was certainly bouncing through their set.

BRITS 2011:  Mumford won - British Album, Laura Marling - British Female Solo Artist,  Plan B - British Male Solo Artist, Take That - British Group.  Arcade Fire - International Album.  The lovely Adele sang her 'Someone Like You' - I am sort of impressed this year.  The Brits

I even wrote up a little poem (!) last April to  -   
Mumford and Marling in Mombai

Along with

Winston, Ben and Ted Twane, 

Our English countrymen,

We find India.

A place of exhilarating colours, confusions and contradictions..

We perform at Bandra Fort

Where the seats are grass steps.

We crossed those lines, sought

Refuge in high stars and strange crowded pathways.

In Delhi, we caught the feared Delhi runs

Where cows and naked children run free -

In the bustle and chaos of street markets

We wander.

We do the Dharahar Project

With Indian songs over 500 years old -

And that's when our English folk feels oh so new.