2024 Review

 

The year began with a few constant things such as a week punctuated by the arrival of comics as it was back in the 70's and early 80's from a mixture of the new such as the Pheonix, Commando the D C Thomson part reprint part new story war based adventure comic, the monthly Adventure Plus Max mixing a short story with comic strips, a quiz and some humanties based facts althouh mysteriously my account got disrupted at the end of the first season of the year and Monster Fun.

Monster Fun mysteriously stopped at the Decemember issue although a issue for January had been planned with no real warning which was very sad as had been going great guns with real bio-kid involvement, moving to a monthly and even having some subscriber specials.

Having spent a fair bit on Little Boy clothing and refined appearences to allow for more blending in during  the school hols I only needed to renew a few sweatshirts of the sort favoured by a number of Junior schools today, more period socks including banding free grey ones which stick out a bit less and some Cub inspired uniform items,

I got out more than I did in 2023 spending days with the more likemind for very much totally innocent child-like fun with not one jolt of anything kink, ikky or off whatever some may choose to believe. They could not be more wrong if they tried.

Musically we did on balence spend more on records often new reissues as we found they sounded better than previous cd editions and a few choice used titles from a handful of quality sellers.

Major buys being most of the 1964 U.S. Beatles albums in mono, a seperate post of which was made about and the Now Yearbook three lp issues of hits from the 1970's which replaced long lost Ktel or re-recorded Hallmark Top Of The Pops compilations bought at the time.

A small group of beautique classical record reissues were bought as were the odd used title although given most classical output is on cd, most brand new recordings were brought in that format.

The domestic arrangments whilke prone to some incidents had settled down with things more understood although things like Respiritory virus did cause issues in October and Novemeber.

We should be away in February although I'll need to catch a train towards Herefordshire for the first leg of it which should be fun.

Onwards and upwards regardless of pressures is more my plan for the New Year.

Christmas pause edition 2024

This week is the last week before Christmas and some of reason for the delay was that I was away with little friends across the weekenbd where we did things like pin the Reindeer's nose blinded, played "pointless", a Xmas themed Bingo and had a party.

I handed out cards.

We did also have a meal together  before leaving although my train was delayed by some thirteen minutes due to difficulties locating staff which was better than finding as some services did not run as the drivers are not contracted to work weekends and refused to turn out to work leaving people stranded.

My Aunt who has health complications visited on Tuesday for a good hour or so which was good.

Just another day to see on the Advent calender and it'll be upon us.

Happy Christmas folks and all the best for the New Year.

Moving to end of Term

It's not quite Christmas according to a song playing on the radio which to be honest it can't be from the last regular one of 2022, things are a bit a bit low key indeed I've only just get started writing a few cards.

An added thing this year has been the computer change with lots of restoring and getting programs back on that unlike in the past aren't on discs to just load in with product codes but need downloading.

This time of year usually takes me back to school activities like the many plays and pantos I took a part in be it a a non speaking part or speaking and having to learn the words to songs to sing on stage to an audience of vistors, staff, younger children and obviously parents including your own.

You sorted out ways of memorizing your lines and stage directions, learned to hold you head high as you forgot them had ahem "wardrobe malfunctions" during practise sessions and finally did it well.

We had the Crimbo Party  and Dinner where we tried to be a be a bit more grown up even through we were still on fruit juice with our sandwiches and Xmas Puddings that still contained a six pence before health and safety stepped in saying we might swallow them.

Finally we had the Xmas Assembly with its readings and carols  followed by announcements of which the last was to be good and help at home.

Next week should be the last "proper" entry before Christmas Day where I take a bit of a pause.

Musing Friday

After the last couple of post which were uncharacteristically music related as we are starting the slow countdown to Crimbo here we are going a bit more back to what the blog evolved into.

I can hardly say about cos as the "back end" of this blog rather shows originally it was photography led but that was because I was trying to document things about my past, capturing memories while they were relatively fresh.

Everybody has their era and with me it crosses decades but in some ways starting formal education as the 1960's moved into the 1970's did kind of suit me and I was glad even with my disabilities that at school, church, things like cubs too, we were expected and were brought up to look smart.

We dressed up to go to the cinema, theatre and to eat out because it was an event, an experience that was seen as one where how we projected oursleves mattered.

Not for us thrown on casual attire but dress shirts, ties that had to be fastened, creased short trousers and socks that had to be straight up with shoes you were expected to polish yourself.

Being more dressed like those boys as just normal and even when out I had a childs version of a sports type blazer not connected with your school one you'd wear to restaurants and a proper folded hankichief.

With that and your manners we were always welcomed back, respected, people who would be "gentlemen" in your later life equally respected by your community.

It would be great to see more of that about today's boys as much as a good deal has changed over the decades from when I were a lad.

Compilations of the past III - Challenges to Now That's What I Call Music

Having written two pieces on the road to the compilation series Now That's What I Call Music  you might of thought we'd finished this with the very first Now! in late 1983 but nothing stays still for long even though the popularity of Now did reduce the role of the likes of KTel and Ronco in making of the time chart compilations.

The success also lead to one entrant the Hit's team backed by CBS and WEA launching their own competing HITS series in late 1984 which run into the early 1990's but they were always the also run not that certain issues weren't welcomed when Now put out 12 mix volumes and we wanted a regular compilation.

Things hotted up in 1985 and three record companies, Chrysalis, MCA and Phonogram thought they could pull off a trick and undermine the big two and this was their first offering from March of that year.

What they had not counted on was just how litigious EMi/Virgin would be as they argued in court that to us Now in the title could confuse the public although the case was thrown out when the Now had to be in different type face.

This was a pretty decent compilation aided in a way by Now deciding in early 1985 to do a 12 mix compilation - Now Dance - so with only HITS offering Now 2 as a mainstream compilation there were plenty of spots of chart hits on Out Music although there's a good sides worth of minor hits.

It was moderately successful but the court case did muddy the waters and not every record store wanted to go full in on promotion not least when Now would go the whole hog with radio and tv advertising.

Now got back on the regular scene by June 1985 with Now 5 mopping up the hits of late spring and early summer although that was short on number ones.

Out Music had to respond and decided to go for November in time for the early christmas market but by that point the big two had started work on in order of release Hits 3 and Now 6 and had got first dibs on a good number of tracks.

They did find three discs worth of chart hits although few were top five and a disc of minor hits which musically were more interesting but an indication of the difficulties was licensing two Billy Idol songs, both reissues too.

This was to be the last issue in this challenger series with Phonogram throwing its lot in with Emi/Virgin from Now 7 but in truth what is scattered across these two albums are some fantastic records from 1985 such as Don't Mess with Dr. Dream the last chart entry for the Thompson Twins, Dire Straits Money For Nothing from their massively popular Brothers In Arms album, Go West, the break out group of 1985 with Call Me and the marvellous Everybody Wants To Rule The World by Tears For Fears.

Two's company, three's a crowd.

Previous post: https://thatuniformedschoolboytoo.blogspot.com/2023/04/compilations-of-past-ii-road-to-now.html

Meet The Beatles or why we're in 1964 all over again

The Beatles didn't quite change the World,single handledly but they were a major part of what catapulted the differential Britain of the early 1960's of doffing ones cap to our "betters" to the more open, more prepared to stand up for being yourself environment of the late 60's and into the 1970's when I came on the scene.

For a whole stack of reasons starting with Capitol U.S.A. deciding up to late 1963 it wanted nothing to do with The Beatles it was late issuing their records and other companies had limited agreements, the albums that American's got  from 1964 to 1967 were rather different than fans in Britain (and much of Europe) had.

They were however what in effect made The Beatles international superstars, expanding their fan base and record sales so while from 1987 and the deliberate standardization of their album catalogue on cd then tape and record to that they approved of, in recent years these American albums have from time to time emerged on cd in cd sets.

Today sees a bunch of seven albums reissued on vinyl in mono in a set and six available to be bought individually each unavailable in mono since 1968.

In 1963 The U.K. had had seen two albums and four singles before on January 20th 1964 America saw its first album (Although Vee Jay had an album in pipeline it came out later) and this album was compiled as the title Meet The Beatles suggested, an introduction featuring their latest single and mainly a selection of own compositions from their second U.K. album that had come out two months before.

Following a triumphant initial tour in the Winter of 1964 it was obvious there was a demand for another album with five, yes five, beatles singles holding down the top five singles chart and so Capitol issued The Beatles' Second Album in April on the back of the world-wide Can't Buy Me Love smash hit single.

This was compiled around restrictions on their earlier recordings already licensed to other labels so featured the cover versions first issued on their second U.K. album, single b sides and two tracks recorded for an forthcoming British extended play four song record.

Compared to the stereo version which was very echo laden, the mono version was not and so the reissue of this is most welcome.

Those jolly chaps, the Beatles, starred in a movie that attempted to show something of what being beatles was like with much of their liverpudlian humour and in North America, a sountrack album having all the songs originally slated for the film release and four instrumentals featured by the George Martin Orchestra was issued.

This was six New Songs plus four from the film soundtrack and a German Language song wrapped around a picture from that Ed Sullivan show they appeared on earlier in the year.

Issued in time for the christmas market, Beatles '65 featured new recordings that showed growing lyrical and musical maturity with songs such as I'm A Loser and I'll Follow The Sun coupled with the new smash hit single I Feel Fine in its exclusive additional reverbed mix.

Each record has a four page lp sized set of notes and comes with replica inner sleeves matching that the record on original issues came with advertising other Capitol albums.

As a couple of other lps are with Mr Claus late of the North Pole they will be added later.

Oh Brother!

 

Relationships within families can be strained sometimes around things set very much in the present and others go back to early childhood actually and they may cross over which when it comes to some of mine is definately the case.

My older brother was fine but my younger brother was something else from an inability to play any kind of a game without wanting to alter the rules so he'd win regardless to non stop pressuring from the minute we arrived on holiday for money for various things such as the amusement arcades, sweet shops not ever getting to grips with the notion your holiday money as for the whole week and if you saw anything special then you'd need to make a case to the Bank of Mum and Dad.

Gnerally I always managed mine to cover childhood essentials like a comic or two to read, sweets and the odd souvenirs before getting to things like the slot machines, leaving them to the last full day.

He just blow it in one and then started wanting to "borrow" but given there was nothing to say he's have it give back I'd dig my heels in.

The other thing was the number of times I caught him out telling outright lies about where he'd been, impersonating his mum on the phone even to "check" if a cheque mum had written for him had been cashed which he had no business doing.

Like Dad he suffers from dramatic statement syndrome which everything wrong with him is played up beyond where it really is expect you to drop everything for him.

So you might understand how things are with me.

Respinning the Compact Discs

We've occasionally commented around changes with my stereo system on this blog although they are infrequent as having got a system to the point I'm happy with its reliability and sound unlike some looking for the next step over the rainbow, I prefer to leave it be and enjoy the resulting music.

While at one point the compact disc looked as if it was going to be phased out, sales have started to rise, used discs can be had for peanuts and having a player around continues to make sense not least as few classical new titles get a vinyl release.

Starting first, this is the Cambridge Audio CXC100 v2 compact disc transport, which sinks its  not in considerable cost into advanced servo controls for clean tracking of discs and the unannounced incorporation of CD Text, which gives you album name and track details on discs encoded with it.

It was designed to work with their own streamers and amplifers with a digital input as of itself it just plays the disc so needs that to be literally heard.

I partnered it with a used bargain, the 2012 original Rega DAC-r, a extremely high quality digital to analogue converor that takes the naughts and ones from the transport, cleans up any "jitter" and converts it into analogue sound you connect to your stereo.

It has two optical inputs which generally I don't use, two co-axial ones all of which handle from 32 to 192 kilo bits per second at 16 to 24 bit resolution and a USB one which only goes as far as 48 kbs which might of been an issue if say playing "High Resolution" files from a computer via that input and was put right on the 2016 revised model.

What is a very nice touch is it does actually have digital outputs so that cleaned up digital signal can for instance be recorded without having to unplug sources.

Onlike a good number today rather than Upsample every source before decoding it, it plays each at its own native resolution which makes for simplier circuits and cleaner sound of which this has bags of detail and exceptional timing so it is very easy to follow the busiest parts of say a piano performance without everything starting to sound blurred while the softer passages retain their delicate feel.

It makes the most of regular cds while being able to bypass the inexpensive circuits of other digital products such as the DAB+ tuner.

I'm delighted with the sound of it.

Spooky weekend

 

We're kind of getting ready to be off later on today for a Halloween meet and party so between wen dealing with the unexpected this week I've been sorting out my costume, other clothing like proper traditional little boy shirt, tie and short trousers for a meal and things to bring for party food.

Having a good number ghoulish bats isn't a bad idea either to hide amongst the trees or in old garden sheds for treasure hunts and the odd giant spider.

There are lots of decorations up around here as I noticed going out across the week and I'm sure a ghoulish time will be had.

Blown away

 

Strong winds send everything in the air, caps, leaves you name it and we've certainly had a few of them of late as I noticed on Tuesday when whole sections of pavement were taken up with broken branches and trees making my way back home from having my Covid Booster.

Given how the weather was at the weekend I'd decided the best bet was to stay in read the weeks comics which also made sense given I was recovering from this virial infaction and got any chores done like taking things out to the bins out of the way.

I did watch the final of the BBC Young Musician of the Year which is comprises of a series of rounds where each performer choses works to showcase an element of the abilities and are judged by three judges leading to an eventual winner.

This year it was a Canadian pianist studying in the U.K. who gave a dazzling performance of the Russian composer Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto and so during the week I was listening to set of Beethoven's Piano Concertos on record that I've always admired while the booster symptoms slowly faded away.

Thirty One years of Numskulls

After a short trip out wednesday which helped after weeks being locked in we return to staples of sorts.

The Beano remains something of a childhood focus that has run throughout myself being the only comic continiously in production still we are marking an anniversary  this week.

Starting on 16th October 1993, a new comic strip was added to the Beano as it went A4 sized from it's old smaller exercise book sized semi colour self as the connection between iconic series like Dennis moved into multimedia.

The series was called Numskulls after the little people that live in your head and the adventures they had through the individual children they live in and has proved to be quite enduring even in an era of new series and added characters as in the Bash Street Kids.

Catching up in '87

Well it  is Friday and we're slowly recovering here after playing catch up for most of this week catching up with things that had to be put rather on hold last week as I wasn't really up to doing much at all to be honest.

Most of the things around the Now Yearbook series are on the other blog for a very good reason but as explained there because of the series of cds I bought back then really I had little reason for getting most of the late 80's ones.

The late eighties were interseting for me as I went from post to post with gaps when systems supposed to help just tied me in knots as I watched Network 7, Blue Peter, followed the 1987 General Election, Tomorrow's World and Brookside.

Tastes rather like me hadn't really changed from the early 80's and even beyond.

Musically while the scene was evolving with more attention being played to club related styles and associated artists much of what I had loved for a long time was still on the charts as difficult as it was to begin to start a cd collection while still buying new records and oddly enough tapes that year although the big back catalogue news was the Beatles albums coming out on cd.

The compilations series Now and Hits were out on cd in 1987 but their first two releases, Now 9 and Hits 6 only came out on single cds although the record and tape versions were doubles and in a way while much of the main Now Yearbook wasn't needed I felt this extra bit did offer some of the missing material.

By 1988 both series were committed to double cd issues and it wasn't until 1991 that I said "Goodbye" to them just buying albums by artists I loved.

Day off

 

While normally I'd be thinking back to ones school days, watching the procession past the house along the very route you walked all those years ago, today's a bit different.

Sat here I'm thinking more of the days I didn't get there which might of been things like the many hospital appointments having my disabilities brought for examinations and the like, miagraines of which I had a good many and the usual childhood viruses.

Colds were not uncommon and sometimes it would be the phone call from school, as I got older checking someone would be at home and making my own way or typically it would develop overnight and so Mum would ring in your absence.

This morning I just like I was being kept home sneezing away, on the cough mixture and limsips.

Moving on

 

As you may of guessed or perhaps might of directly experienced it's a very wet day rather like the weekend gone minus the storms so I'm stuck here, eating a banana.

One thing over the time as we get towards Christmas and with it the anniversary of period Mum became very unwell is in the literal sense, picking up all the pieces because unlike the heavy magazine and tv push on minimalism, having little more than the clothes you usually wear, just the furniture and fittings you need Mum was the more the opposite.

She had wardrobes full and beyond say her books which were quite considerable set out on shelves, she was heavily into cutting articles out of magazines and newspapers, even saving whole pull sections and part works on themes that interested her.

Some had been moved out of her room by Dad but left very much as is so yesterday I worked through some and removed a chunk that were not really connected with her while keeping such as features on aircraft she'd help build, her interest in football such that of her last programs for matches she attended and moved books that were just left strewn downstairs into the vacated spots to both tidy things up and in a obvious way move things on rather than leaving the placing looking more like a well preserved shrine

Personally I feel that's really rather more what she'd of wanted, life going on and the life of house reflecting that as much as you hold on to some effects as much as the memories.

Computer use, engagement and manners

Certain parts of the internet are going into overdrive regarding a certain beatles box set release that I'm undecided if we'll review here or elsewhere, that's not really what we'll be dealing with as such this topsy turvey weatherwise week.

Yes there is more to life than them but really it was way internet behaviour shows itself of which discussion about that and another topic that's really more the topic.

One being the topic of different times - some things are seen as normal the past that may not be the lack of connectedness in the world such as popular culture took longer to travel around the time so film titles, record releases and the like varied for good local reasons in much the same way our schools and how they dealt with us has changed with some things thank goodness  are gone and others  now present causing modern concerns.

Younger members posting lacked - and failed to look into - why that all happened even though there's a whole industry writing books plus a good few websites that cover those points.

They just had a view everything is as it is now in a way that, for instance when I was in school studying say history or discussing topics we were always made aware of differences in what was seen as accepted at the time and the issues people were grappling with.

Like the Reformation was as much about religion as diplomacy and politics with plotting and counter plotting that individuals might find themselves in the middle of.

The other was what I'd call the drive by post where a person posts a question and is heard of no more with no thanks or further questions to gain clarification leading to a resolution of he question.

It's left in mid air with those who replied feeling used or toyed with where we were expected to engage having asked the question and thank them for their contributions.

That was really the way these posts left me thinking and very much why I'm typing this here.

Then and Now

 

Now there were and area many ways boys presented that whole unfastened not tucked in shirt look is one I could never seen been accepted from the 1980's and before simple because shirts were seen as formal attire and those had to be fastened even if some casual sorts would leave the collar unfastened and not entertain ties.

While in the 1980's I accepted trainers and indeed did wear them the idea of wearing them short ankle socks with tailored short trousers again wasn't something we did, you'd wear them with games shorts or tracksuit bottoms.

As to the shorts length, well they're so long and one really does wonder just why as the 1990's moved into the 2000's they became almost knee length rather like in Football one minute were were still in fairly short shorts and then - Wham! - they came so long.

I remember bursting out loud laughing when I first saw them and yet by the end of that season, near enough every Premiership time had adopted them.

While it is fashionable to sneer at Enid Blyton and many more classic authors in favour of those who slavishly follow every P.C. cause and push issue after issue in what is supposed to be a jolly fun read which is why we always used to encourage reading, suprisingly these authors we read are still popular with children.

A gripping yarn is really all that matters.

Out!

The week before school returned tended to be an option for holidays as short of of getting a B&B in Blackpool around Autumn Half Term where with the lights being up and running there season was longer than pretty much anybodys that was as good as it got if we couldn't of get something fixed a good couple of months in advance.

Across the decades though spending a good day or so in Llandudno in September is very much a ritual that has its start point in those day and so by the time you see this, then I should be off walking along the prom, down the pier jetting out into the sea and visiting shops.

There won't however be any record shopping unless there is a collectors fair on as the town lost its independent store and then in recent years the HMV branch due to rent issues between landlord and group which is a pity as I used to enjoy that a lot.

Stuffed toys, coconut ice, ice cream and fish and chips are likely to be on the agenda.

Stuff to consider when out together

 

That's where at least I'm at emulating although my shorts don't have turn ups (and I can only think of a couple of casual shorts that had a shorter turnover.

What I'm talking about this week refers to even in places that won't be named by people whose name, gender and that aren't going to be disclosed  but because I feel the subject needs some talking about.

The redacted version is a person was seen off site on a photograph engaged in and having attire more associated with "adult content" tm - how the photograph came to be seen is another matter.

Normal rules are: no pictures without permission, no identifying features of site to deal with reverse image searches.

Thing is if some place in full public view in less than a quarter mile is where you are doing something "adult", there's every probablity people staying very near you may see it and it wouldn't take much enquiring to find where you might stay and they may of seen you around a day or so before too.

Thus the likelihood is your group is likely to be outed probably in a state of disgrace to the venue holder who is likely to bar you from future bookings.

That understandably really annoyed the person in whose name the booking was made as they'd be one dealing with the fall out.

I raise it as a reminder of why as LB's we have to be mindful of how some who have other interests which legally they've every right to, IF NOT CHALLENGED,  can impact our days away if we don't make it clear when we consider acceptable behaviour while together and some of those things *may* be best in either totally in private or at some more "adult" event even if that's your bag.

The end of the line for Mamod

Somethings, some smells even are connected with pasts and this week one came into the news.

You owned one or had access to one at home or school but countless schoolboys remember the smell from model steam engines some using our old flammable friend Metholated Spirits or for a good while tablets following concerns about injuries from using Meths and pressure from safety authorities.

They came in many forms, steam trains, motor cars and the sort of steam engine we saw at fairs in our towns and cities, made in what was the County Borough of Smethwick, Staffordshire just on the Birmingham city border, in the Black Country.

What has resulted in the sad news that production is to cease is mainly the actions of the Terrorism Authorities who said the tablets used in over 75% of models to generate the head to create the steam traction were being used or could be used to make bombs and so they could no longer be sold.

Meths was ruled out by the safety people although we're still alive, well having used it and god knows what else back in the day.

This meant although the could sell the models, the owner could not see them working which was exactly why we bought them.

They were not still boxed glass cabinet items you collected but things we played with and retooling to convert to other fuels would of been too expensive.

They were living, breathing things boys and men loved.

I remember Chistmas 1980 having mine and loving it playing with assistance from dad, driving Mum wild with it outside.

R.I.P Mamod steam engines.

Designing the right pair for me

Experiments  this week at the cooler end as it was getting a bit much at the tail end of last week and we return to a staple of discussion both at the forum and on the blog.

One issue with me personally is I have Scoliosis, which is the medical term for curviture of the spine which is both painful as the spine doesn't properly support me, often is warm and makes getting anything around the waist to fit properly difficult unless it is elasticated or better still fully adjustible.

Elestication on shorts therefore is a must and yet even doesn't make for a snug heading to some chafing if you fall between waist sizes.

(Pix credit Albert Pendergrast Ltd)

Seeing it was getting towards the end of the School Hols and what would be the start of Autumn Term I thought  I try an experiment as a pair of charcoal grey short trouser was getting a bit worn in the seat (when you have difficulty staying upright, you put a bit more pressure around there).

I ordered up a pair pair of grey David Luke short trousers specifying the inside leg be reduced from seven inches to three, something with me height has very much the same proportions I grew up with but also requested belt loops as they like most tend not to come with belt loops.

Indeed it is unusual to see belts on shorts trousers, only appearing on the longs of older children in the way we were used to/

There would be little point in specifying a belt loop, without a belt and as it happened  you can get tradition snake buckle one that intersects fastening it and what is more they ARE elasticated to so they mould to fit tightly rather than trying to lift upwards rubbing my spine.

Having arrived a couple of days ago I can say double elasticity does work as they fit snuggly free from any movement around my waist and especially spine feeling very comfortable.

In terms of appearence, the length is right, I would wear longer around six inside leg ones in more formal settings such as meals out with family and that but for straight ahead adult-child me activities that just feels right.

Moreover the belt doesn't merely make for a better less painful fit, it does further take my appearence back to that ten year old as look back from the mirror or a passing window while out.

I know now what I need to get the perfect pair.

Clara Schumann

 

Some classical music composers are well known, being household names even amongst those who aren't greatly interested such as Mozart, Beethoven,Chopin and Holst and yet others are seldom heard and even less played regardless of their musics quality.

Clara Schumann a member of well known family that included Robert whose works are much programmed in concert halls is such an example.

Clara Josephine Schumann (née Wieck; 13 September 1819 – 20 May 1896) was a German pianist, composer, and piano teacher. Regarded as one of the most distinguished pianists of the Romantic era, she exerted her influence over the course of a 61-year concert career, changing the format and repertoire of the piano recital by lessening the importance of purely virtuosic works. She also composed solo piano pieces, a piano concerto (her Op. 7), chamber music, choral pieces and songs.

Part of the reason may down to her anxiety and issues with how she saw her own works, often requiring her brother's support to compose and have performed for the public in an era that required a certain amount of self publicity and getting sponsors to act as advocates for your music.

Secure employment even for the best was uncommon and thus over time we heard nothing of her works, indeed it wasn't until the 1996 Proms season a work was performed and on the opening night of this years prom in July we were treated to a performance of her Piano Concerto.

That artist made a recording a few years ago for Decca Records with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic coupled with selection of other piano works  and I recently bought a copy out of curiosity, finding the complexity of her scores fascinating.

Thoughts while away

 

It's been a warm week while I've been away - more about on Monday on the other blog - but paused near the River Lune near Lancaster you are struck by how in North Lancashire much of the natural beauty has been preserved given the urban nature of Carnforth, Warton and Lancaster rather than the sprawling nature of the Manchester area or the damage in my own area of North Staffordshire from insensative uncontrolled development.

Much of this area is in an Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is stunning visually and also in terms of the wildlife it helps support which shows, when supported we need not lose as much open countryside as happened elsewhere.

That's what concerns me with new government's planned planning restrictions in the so called grey belt.

People even in the more built up areas like here need gaps, green spaces for our well-being nevermind improving conditions around which many of us live.

Olympics 2024

 

Today sees the Olympic and Paralympic Games open in Paris, France at 18:30 BST with a fantastic opening parade co-ordinated by Thomas Jolly the ceremony's artistic director.

It will begin at Austerlitz bridge and end among the gardens, fountains and palaces in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower at Trocadero where there will be almost 100 boats carrying more than 10,000 athletes, plus a host of dignitaries, which sail past Paris' iconic landmarks, including Notre Dame cathedral and Pont Neuf.

He says the aim is to "Illustrate the richness and plurality shaped by its history, which has been influenced and inspired by the diverse cultures that have passed through it, while itself serving as a source of inspiration."

I'm mightily looking forward to watchiing it and the many events.

The tale of the tape has run

 Well it didn't come home losing by two goals to one and the manager resigned but we're back this week with a different entry.

The tale of the tape as  told over the odd entry had a move in  December of 1985 with the arrival of a auto reverse seperates deck with Dolby B and the then new C noise reduction but that turned out to be a disappointment as it its recordings were less than open.

By November of 1991  thoughts were moving towards a major change withing the hifi aided by a large pot of money so I bought what I thought was the best value cassette deck a Technics three headed machine so you could hear what was coming off the tape and some fancy tape tuning stuff to get the best from whatever tape you used to record on.

That didn't sound too great with the internal circuits masking much detail so for a long period we moved to MiniDisc, the domestic digital format until the last home deck died (and the format being dead).

We'd bought a decent Yamaha deck from the early 90's which although it only had two heads actually sounded better than the Technics ever did but I was still longing for that monitoring in real time advantage.

Well I saw recently a suitable machine that had the advantage of being fully serviced, calibrated serviced, and aligned which given this machine was made in 1994 really needs to give of its very best as like us, they are getting old.

The AD-F 850 was made in Singapore at a point where a newer form of Dolby noise reduction, type S was on the horizon aimed at seeing off the challenge of digital recording by improving on what cassette could offer but just missed this mode.

Although it is a little plastic feeling compared to top decks by people such as Nakamichi, it was cheaper and does make extremely good recordings aide by adjustable bias and record sensitivity although it lacks a calibration oscillator.

The biggest gain though is it has a dual capstan transport to provide the smoothest most accurate passage of the tape across the heads for the highest quality which is something that Technics model never had.

Compared to that, it is a revelation, sounding very open, stable to the point you wouldn't know you were listening to a reproduction.

The wheel has turned finally getting the machine I wanted.

Is it coming home?

Yet another wet day in what is supposed to be the Summer months and it's been the kind of day you couldn't go down to the park to play or for a kick about  so it's been more of a matter at catching up with a bit of tidying up and sorting out things like why my portable cassette deck doesn't feel like spinning.

Fortunately for those of of starved of of a kick about we've had a competition in Germany for the men's Euro 2024 competition.

Although England's playing had been somewhat lacklustre with me thinking I'd seem more action in Sunday morning community club matches, scraping through to the semi finals on penalties.

If you're English, then you know, possibly driven mad by, all the stuff about winning the 1966 World Cup and how they've not done much to match that over the decades.

Well with a second ninetieth minute goal, they've got themselves to the final against Spain which will take some preporation for as they are a great side so we'll see if  Football really does come home this time.

Polled reflections

 As I write this I'm blasting out a couple of albums, the Christopher Cross debut and Out Of Our Heads, the American version of that Rolling Stones album, looking out on to the street seeing people go back and forth.

Earlier on I had been out to the Polling Station seeing people vote, having cast my postally a good six days in my grey short trousers and turn over top socks, talking with them, obviously NOT discussing politics.

The last time we had a General Election, December 2019, was notable for being the first one I turned out to vote quite openly as an adult boy and was the last one before losing an Aunt and obviously Mum on a cool morning walking in to cast my vote in what whatever your leanings was a very decisive vote.

It was also decisive for being the first time many people had seen me in public and it had to be it was accepted, setting the scene for what happened during that period non of us foresaw and to so many are living with, Covid and the Emergency when our paths were forced together and I resumed being a boy all over again.

Now, we don't do politics on this blog - the odd bit of current affairs at times - but yesterday may well see major changes as results are counted today.

To whoever forms a government: Good luck as things are tough, tougher than we thought four and a bit years ago.

Annuals

Long,warm week here a one item is delayed as it went "up north" with little real reason and so has make its way towards me with some rerouting which is annoying but what can you do?

Been working on tidying a few things up here betwen the heat  and one thing there's a fair few of is books, specifically annuals of various kinds.

We usually kept our eye peeled and ears opened for any advance information that years annuals and back when I was a younger child such an advertisement and an order form were fairly common in publications your parents, relatives and that saw plus often the catalogue companies carried a number so together with a new school jumper you might of recieved a copy of the Tiger annual for the upcoming year.

There are a number of cubs annuals here, some officially endorsed others not and today they remain popular with people so go to any "antique" or auction house and you'll see them and f course on Ebay you'll find a load listed too.

Part of the reason is they do take people back to that time in their lives (some of us haven't left it!), others may be replacing copies lost or taken away as they got older and it was felt they didn't need them anymore.

Condition plays a part, spines on book can and do get damaged by tiny, excited hands, bindings get a bit worn and dust jackets at least a little feathered at the corners but I'm relaxed over much of this cos while I did take reasonable care of books, for me the fact it was owned and loved matters a lot.

So long as its not falling apart and is at least a "good reading copy" I'm fine.

Annuals despite all the digital world are still around although scouting and girl guides ones have stopped this century.

Weekends, steam and risks

 Friday, for most of us the last day of the school week and the start of the weekend, so you'd make your way back posing by the door before setting off.

Then weekends could mean doing other things that were messy, smelly and rather fun like using Oxford commas (lol) thanks to the wonders of Meths!

Turn of the decades me had a little steam engine that run on Meths as for that matter did my History teacher, P.O.C. who even showed one one day when we had a few spare moments and didn't mind going a bit off subject although he did put the link between steam and the industrial revolution in it must be said.

I enjoyed the smell of the thing although when I used it, I certainly wasn't in "sunday best", seeing puffing away and back then nobody raised an eyebrow at being handling meths and lighting it at the age of 15.

Given some my mates were smokers at that age perhaps we had experience of handling stuff current generations perhaps might lack.

It's like Bunsen burners back then we knew how to handle them and lighting up but not a few schols don't do that sort of hands on sort of science terrified about health and safety today but really the best way to be safe is to learn first hand how to handle things.

Performing a real "risk assessment" and handling ready for the real world.

Of bears and things

 Not feeling that great today I'm afraid so I'm upstairs and resting which kind of takes me on to something that is very much a part of this life.

Perhaps for some the last memory you might of had of handling a teddy bear might of been toward the last days of your schooling when it may of been your teams mascot.

I can recall being seen with a teddy much above thirteen was seen as a a wee bit embarrassing if you were a boy especially if you were sharing spaces such as a dorm or a tent camping.

I was never really like that at home although they could only be the odd one on a shelf at home and not seen to be had been played with although I'd hid the odd small one in my room to put by the pillow at night.

You really wanted him always with you like taking him out but unlike girls who get away with cute stuffy backpacks we never could once we started to be seen as  "big boys" not least cos teddy is the one thing you could tell your secrets to and just listen.

Although he's a bit dear at some £116.99 wouldn't you want a schoolboy  teddy with his very own satchel and gift of a cone of sweets for your class?