Physical media

After last weeks brief and sooner not had to mention anything about it post this week between sweltering in the heat that had followed me from the weekends activities I had spent a bit of time listening to some recordings on the newly installed amplifier after the hasty installation before going off as for me at least, it was and is all about the music and rather less "the gear".

The gear is a means to an end, the re-production (intended hyphenation) of that music as captured be it a vocal, a traditional instrument or a synthisizer at home as close to the performance as we can.

Thus when something is installed and I'm happy with it, then it stays around for a while because it is doing its job, it satisfies my ears.

It is interesting to note that physical reproduction via media is a fairly new thing becoming more popular from the early twentieth century and mass collecting really rather more from the nineteen fifties from records of shellac and vinyl, through tapes of various sorts to the compact disc.

People prior to that tended to have smaller numbers of titles with the Great Depression obviously affecting disposable income and in some ways the shift towards streaming rather than physical ownership is affected by things like sky high mortgage and rents and the overall cost of living crisis we're living through.

It doesn't mean there won't be physical media or for that matter people have turned their back on music and its reproduction simply that they're doing the best way they can given how life is and there are always those who hanker the the feel of owning something that's tangible.

In my lifetime I've bought different formats as each had their own strengths and weaknesses, a common criticism of the compact disc is the artwork and how you access it has less of the feel of holding and reading that gatefold cover and text is often small spread over many pages where the record is more like reading a newspaper.

Over the last year I have been picking a limited number of favourite albums from the nineteen eighties that originally had on compact for their seen at the time as outmoded lp record equilivents for that feel apart from anything about how some early compact discs sounded.

Examples of which do include Heart's self titled and Bad Animals albums, Depeche Mode's People Are People and Music For The Masses, the Tracy Chapman debut album from nineteen eighty-eight (a reissue after being deleted for decades) and The Pet Shop Boy's Please and Actually albums that were amongst the first cds I ever bought.

Holding them just feels different and more of a pleasure.

End of month edition

 It's the end of the month, one that has started with one set of concerns and concludes with other more troubling personally set that I'm not really able to get much into publically regarding my godchild that in some respects cuts though much of what I'm about and this blog is about leaving me upset, and very disappointed to put it mildly.

That's one reason I haven't been around on site for most of this week despite a good number of great posts and observations that in more normal times I'd of had more to contribute.

The other is thank goodness is just being away over the weekend where while getting organized has been a challenge not helped by feeling demotivated where at least I can get away from much of that and enjoy the Easter I really wanted this year with the bombshell I got on Easter Monday instead.

Hopefully I'll feel a lot better by next week.

Easter greetings

It's been an akward week with having some pain in my knees, having to keep an eye on dad as he wasn't too well plus having a few things to get done so I wasn't able to be around as much as I had liked this week and morever I haven't got done a few other things I had planned.

There have been a few things here that arrived such as a super audio cd pre-ordered way way back in late 2022 that has finally emerged and given today is Good Friday, a couple of easter eggs and cards.

I should be away next Friday for a bit of a get together all being well but until then:

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Hey! Hey! We're The Monkees

Something I had recently was three of the first five studio albums by the Monkees a band famously assembled for the TV show of the same name although two members Peter Tork and Michael Naismith were actual musicians.

For me the start point was this compilation on Music For Pleasure that while missing Alternate Title, does sound really good and gives a short but sweet overview of their hits and "deep cuts" such as She in its 1974 original form.

That's the 1981 reissue but using the original metalwork so it sounds just as good.

I had missed the tv show first time around by a few years but records by them were around the house as my older brother was old enough to of seem them and later on in the 1970's the BBC repeated the shows which I saw.

Much was happening in late 1965 and 1966, pop music was getting more sophesticated by the month with The Beatles issuing Rubber Soul and Revolver, the Stones issuing Aftermath, the Beach Boys issuing the brilliant Pet Sounds which was wonderful but had left what today we call "Tweenagers", the nine to thirteen year olds out who yearned for relatively simple songs that were relatable.

Similar in someways to why we for much of the early to mid 70's we loved our Partridge Family, Barry Blue and Bay City Rollers records while our older siblings went for Prog Rock or more mature music.

Perhaps that explains why several years on I fell for their music?

The first two albums have the music that originally featured in series one of the tv show and are relatively simple, sometimes more comedy but included gems like Look Out Here Comes Tomorrow, Mary Mary, Take A Giant Step as well as the hits I'm a Believer, A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You  and the Monkees Theme.

Interesting More Of The Monkees  issued in the U.S. in January 1967 was an album they knew nothing about until a fan at a concert brought it for signing  having neither taken part in an album photoshoot nor even been given complimentary copies!

That resulted in a major dust up with Don Kirshner, the person who was in control of their music and they won the right to control their music.

The third album Headquarters recorded after that dust up  sees them write, perform and arrange more of their own songs such as "Alternate Title", You Just Might Be The One and Shades of Grey and probably is the one essential album beyond of a compilation.

These issues from 2021,22 amd 24 respectively all come with a bonus disc of alternate version such as those recordings actual used on the tv show or songs while being featured in the show were not part of the albums issued at the groups height of fame.

They managed two more albums before the tv show got cancelled as ratings had dropped (however often tv shows featuring teen bands tend to have short runs anyway) and in time they went their seperate ways.

I originally had these albums bought used in "mono" but really in the UK unlike the U.S. they were just the stereo recordings combined and cut in mono for the portable mono record players teens had back then so there wasn't much to be said for getting replacement originals and actually these records sound the best the albums ever could.

Organizational issues

 They way you find out about and keep in ouch regarding any kind of organized activity be it a day out or maybe a few days together at some place or other.

You may do things just by messaging or perhaps you have a dedicated secure invite only site that only those who are interested in going have access to.

You might think to publish information about dates and locations, sorting out room allocations privately first would be fine considering everybody is "approved" to be potential attendee first but how would you feel if you are informed you can only see that information once you have been allocated a room?

How would you know when an event was likely to take place, consider if you could attend and express an interest to the organizers when you wouldn't even see it?

That is the situation I am seeing elsewhere and it is maddeningly illogical as if *anyone* who wasn't approved to attend  belonged to the site, then the correct answer surely would be to expel them pending any future approval rather than have a siuation those who are cannot know what they need.

No more LIVE Blue Peter

We wrote about the changing world of children's tv several years back looing at its challenges, saw how effectively ITV scrapped Children's ITV and decimated the funded for any home grown programs.

This week I bring a kind of update.

The weekend started pretty much with waking up to reports from various weekend newspapers that the long running children's tv program, Blue Peter will cease to make live programs from its studio at Salford, Lancashire and instead be entirely pre-recorded.

The claim the show is to be axed however is not true as much as some have pushed for it over the years.

Shockingly last Friday's show was actually the last live one although neither presenters, the children taking part or us the viewers actually knew as none of us were informed.

It remains unclear as to what exactly the role of all three presenters, Abby, Joel and Shini will be beyond being in any pre-recorded clip as each will need to be "anchored" to form a cohesive program whither or not it is shown first on iPlayer online or transmitted on a traditional 'linear' tv channel.

Bonnie The Dog in the mid 1980's joined the show and today Henry fulfils a similar function,  a pet to children who may not able to have one and a way of show love, care and affection but in this format will Henry play a role.

His antics on set not always going where or doing what the presented wanted was always loved for the spontenity it gave you.

It is understood that the BBC is planning on axing the BBC CBBC channel for 6 to 12 year olds and going digital only at some future point, a channel that was first established in 2002 and the movement of all children's programming to it in 2012 after the "digital switchover" 

It's not as if Blue Peter has never had pre-recorded segments shot on film or tape from the 1960's onwards as those of us can recall things like John Noakes climbing Nelson's Column, the many summer expeditions that of necessity had to be or trips to various places but being live gave it an edge, the sense of not knowing what was going to happen next.

It made for memorable interviews on set, the possibility of a fluffed line or a animal misbehaving that as children we just laughed out loud at.

One memorable live show had people on from GirlGuiding in December 1970 where a camp fire was light as brownies and girl guides all sang around as nobody noticed until it was a bit late the campfire was getting out of control right next to them!

Things like "The Big Badge Wall" that celebrates achievements from posted art and details of challenges undertaken take on more as presenter show the weeks outstanding recipients as children cheer as they do for an artist performing or a live presenter challenge.

That is very stuff that will be lost from now on, the edge of the seat feel we get and which as children we so compared to a continuity linked series of pre-recorded items.

As ever the groan ups show their lack of understanding of what makes great tv even though we all know the world has changed since we first started watching not least how we do but we all saw saw things at the same time for very first time live.

Anyone who reads the BP Fan Club pages knows seeing and chatting about these live bits gets them so excited and happy. Many adults love live shows too for similar reasons but middle age preduces seem to think glorified podcasts are all we want.

This is a very retrograde step.

Annerversaries beget Memories

 

Events often bring back emotions and memories and this month has many dotted about not least that of Mum's funeral last Saturday, birthdays such as my own earlier in the month and yesterday it was Mum's which normally would of been marked by cards and a meal together.

In a few days time it would be my Parents wedding anniversary too.

Mum did lots of things, from helping in those earlier crawling, talking phases, helping with speech therapy over a period, trying to teach me how to tie shoe laces through encouraging me to take part in swimming competitions to suport in my career.

For that matter as I became more able, I helped support her in politics not least creating a major storm that put pay to an attempt to keep the public out of a major matter of community interest that conflivted with one members personal interests.

We both played major parts in the community taking part in civic events, representing the people of this area.

I took time out yesterday for silent prayer and reflection.

Thanks Mum.

Child Protection - some thoughts

 There are some topics I am usally wary of  mentioning one being anything connected to the parenting of actual children today for a number of reasons one being having no children of my own, I don't generally have a reason to push any one approach and for another a particular interest in some aspects is highly likely to totally misunderstood.

There is a ongoing discussion around the legal defence of "reasonable chastisement" when it comes to smacking children which given my adult work in child protection tends to be an area I legitimately had an interest.

I have views, you may have views too about that but we're NOT getting to debating that here and the wider parenting debate is one with polarized views, often hard for those of a generation to recognize.

Where I do feel there are issues is really more around legislating certain responses and measures that a parent may take as the one in law who is said to be responsible for that child so at the moment anything is observed or otherwise reported, a rigid process comes in and being in that line of work, I accept the need for investigation.

Often though it won't be an investigation, followed by guidance and maybe a warning but actually it will go into court in which I was involved personally.

We have "Bibles" of legal guidance inolving statute and case law established that you do look at in detirming if the case should go to court but there are whole areas where Parliament has decreed it is in "The Public Interest" that the matter should go before a court  regadless and a judge for them to detirmine.

That is where I while recognizing the concerns of others in Child Protection have my own in extending areas because the matter will not be resolved until it is heard in court and it may be he/she reviews and rejects it.

What has happened in the meantime is the parent has been investigated, other children interviewed and highly likely to kept a close eye on, the neighbourhood knows and is judging them and they may be suspended from work depending on the nature of it and contact with children or other vulnerable groups.

Because of the "blowback" many parents often leave contious disciplinary matters more to others rather than dealing directly with their own children which tends to enable some children to act in dangerous or anti-social ways.

The more you extend the States role in immediate family matters, the less actual parenting goes on and yet I would say, you might too, we have a duty to protect children so is bringing the law totally in which is a very blunt instrument necessary the right response all of the time which will happen if we criminalize some methods that society itself has differing views over?

Speaking personally I, feel in so far as abuse goes, we have the powers to  act as often those case have exceeded any legal defences and others can step in to those "on the edge" to provide better guidance and arranges for parenting course as where things go awry is in parents who lack the knowledge and confidence to parent fairly and where necessary, strictly, their children.

It may mean bring in support as some parents do struggle and struggling parents need help dealing with things such as housing issues, debt and own mental health issues and that is where behaviours that are a concern to all of us in child protection and welfare often stem from.

I'm less convinced more criminalization really helps us to do what matters. Protecting Children.

Teenbeat: 1979 revisited

Yesterday happened to be my birthday more of which will be written about elsewhere but birthdays are anniversaries that bring back memories from the past and for me 1979's was important as it was a year before my GCE's and I was laying the foundation of my record collector as a boy who loved music.

The Rolling Stones were an influence on me and between owning a few of their albums on record and having taped copies of others I bought this album originally issued in November 1966 as it had all but one of their pre 1967 singles on it.

It also happened it's September 1969 counterpart "Through The Past Darkly" was bought the same birthday for me by my older brother.

In terms of art and packaging it was excellent with a gatefold sleeve with the seriously arty "fish eye" picture of the group and photos on the gatefold.

The rear picture was used for the (inferior) U.S. version and at the time it was issued in mono and stereo.

If that wasn't enough there was an insert with even more photos and some information about the recordings.

It was a late 1970's pressing and I loved the disc, copying to tape straight away but it left after an ill advised clean with Surgical Spirit that destroyed one stylus as it unbonded the glue holding the stylus tip to the carrier.

I did get a early 80's edition but the cover and the vinyl was thin and by that point the insert had been dropped so I was very fortunate to spot a near mint (cover, insert, vinyl condition) edition from 1976 that was a very close match for that original recently.

So by this birthday, I've been able to restore it to the collection the way it was. 

In the same year an album entered my then meagre collection, a birthday present from the local independent store in the northern district of the city whose looks and track selection never really left me even in the days when it just was no longer available new in any format.

 

The collage style cover, bold coloured title and a great tag line on the rear top of the jacket just screamed Beatlemania as America fell for them in a package that mixed covers, new to america originals and a couple of newly recorded tracks that were to come on a British extended play 7 inch record.

 

My first copy with an Apple label went  for same reasons as the first album I mentioned being replaced in 1986 by a Purple capitol copy as I learned this and the other albums I grew up on were to be replaced by UK versions coming on compact disc too and hurried up being "last chance" copies for posterity.

After a long period where they were ignored as if they never existed, deleted from the catalogue they've  been reissued accepted as part of the legacy hence last years issue of the 1964 Capitol Albums in mono, a good number of which were bought.

 I decided to get a near mint  american stereo edition in the short lived 1980's rainbow rim label to go with my Canadian issues of the era probably as good as this record ever sounded, one I've always wanted.

This came while away for a few days and I'm delighted.

Looking back on it, a good number of those early albums were restored, often with period issues because to pick them up and play them takes me back to that time and all the memories from it.

This life and family

After last week's return with a fall that resulted in a much bruised lower arm and hand we have caught up on the blogs and seeing I really try to avoid writing too much about objects here I thought we'd go to something more fundermental.

Inspiration of sorts was down to an internet access issue where I was staying where it was said "We'll see the BT Engineer as they may not be familiar with the rest of you and what if they said something to either locals or the place owner?"

Needless to say after two attempts they still didn't come but anyway I digress.

This thing has on and off being going on with me personally since the late nineteen seventies in different ways from resuming with a more casual "play wear" look as I fought and ditched jeans to getting more olive hiking shorts for wearing when out hiking or visiting places with my parents.

As the decades moved on I found more around the sorts of short trousers and the kind of look I looked toward for more everyday life beyond work that intensified just before and especially through the Covid era to the point from getting up then that was how I was dressed, more like a school age if not school aged boy.

It's often said of smokers that being so familiar with smoke and its smell, you get blind to how it appears to others with in your jackets and coats and by around 2021 I was so used to me being more a boy and for that matter my folks were, you'd think nothing with it.

As with many families, we have people come over Christmas and for that matter we'd go visit them so when it was an Aunt phoned to say she and my older Cousin would be visiting I thought nothing of it beyond generally enjoying their company especially when I was a teen with them.

Well they came and it wasn't long before my Cousin noticed I was in short trousers and long socks  - wearing a shirt and tie has always been the norm for me when visting family socially from the earliest days - and my cousin just asked why as it had been a good number of years since we'd seen each other.

Well, I hadn't anticipated that so I though it was better to stay in the middle lane and simple say I much prefer to as they feel more comfortable on me rather than going down the lines of just why that was.

Mentally being sat next to her was not unlike that picture: Only one of us really was more the grown up and that's better for me.

Returning notes

We are back and in time as I hurt my left hand and side of my face in an accident, blogs will be updated in some semblence of order as I also catch up on post such as bank statements as well as comics that came in that period.

The area where I stayed had a lot of countryside around it although also had a lot of very narrow roads, practically farm tracks with a hint of tarmac tover undulating hills that on arrival had us wondering if we'd done in the suspension system of the car!

It was great to just get out and away from all the politics, endless updates on various sites and that and just play games, go for walks and have fun as little boy me.

This was one of several areas where the Snowdrops were out in force, next to the farmers fields and in the hills you could see in the afternoon the cattle moving across  which was a fascinating sight to observe.

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Paused edition

 

By the time most of you see this, I will be onboard a Transport For Wales train going across the Marches for a few days break which with the state of the world at the moment isn't a bad idea.

Fortunately a few injuries I sustained a couple of weeks ago are recovering well as cancelling wasn't something I was looking forward to doing as a break from things is definately needed and it's years since I was anywhere near where we're staying.

Forum will be looked after well until my return but next week's post will probably be delayed by a couple of days.

Toodle pip!

1971

It is another month and after all the frustrations of the last few weeks everything on the upgraded BT service is now working, like we can get phone call which only goes to remind you of the extent to which we rely on these things and expect them.

At the weekend the Chart Rundown for this last week in February 1971 as playing and I did find myself drifting back as The Pushbike Song and My Sweet Lord played out.

Back then we did have a phone, it was on what was called a "Party Line", you shared a line as the network was only just expanding and that was one way of getting people on which given the nature of Dad's job was a must.

That was to change in a couple of months as we made the first of two moves into area with newer interstructure and your phone had its own line.

Back then I was in the last year of Infants before transferring to Juniors which was co-sited although those who read the other blog will know how we fitted everything in given the small totally unsuited building was something else.

We even sat in the road protesting until they gave us a new building! Radical,eh?

Back then it was cowboys and indians play with cap guns when not looking at the cattle in nearby farm yards, playing with miniture figures and collecting cigarette cards about various people and places from grandad.

Nan got me The Beezer and Topper although I also read The Beano but on wet playdays we read comics from the school stock cupboard so you saw some you never had like Cor.

I read most of Enid Blyton's Mr Twiddle series, laughing under the bedclothes at night at his madcap adventures and misunderstandings.

It was the year I first bought my own records one of which was James Taylor's version of You've Got A Friend and I had T Rex records bought me and in any event my older brother would play me his.

Television was very much Playschool, Blue Peter and anything by Oliver Postgate and co although we catch How! when my folks backs were turned on ATV.

Catching up on past things

 

Well a month has past although I had noticed something just that I will put aright in a few days time but meanwhile there are other things to be getting on with and one reason things have been a bit later than usual has been part of the gradual process of getting around to things put off over the years.

Specifically sorting out cupboards that Mum had last touched around early 2021,  getting a bit overgrown with old receipts, out of date medication, untouched tablet storage boxes and bits of dads stuff bought however no longer here so no not needed.

Then there was long running saga over surface areas for food preporation which was in part really down to dad using them for kitchen appliances like toasters and seperate ovens and in part to the habit of putting all the in use mugs across the limited remaining making putting food out difficult but having little inclination to tackling.

After a dramatic Sunday when that was involked as reason for breaking a plate, I just took the bull by the horns and sorted the cupboard  rehousing the mugs out of the way and for good measure a tablecloth that had seen better days got changed.

When Mum was alive but being unwell she was relectant to do tackle much and always reluctant given his issues, Dad's tendency to leave stuff strew about.

We'll see how this all goes.

Junior Beat: A new Badfinger album

 On what is likely to be quite a stormy day I'm playing a new record that's really not new as in freshly recorded but it's new out.

Late last year the iconic British band Badfinger was proud to unveil the forthcoming release of their long-lost album "Head First" scheduled for 2024 - exactly 50 years after it's original recording. 

1974 is one of those years I  seem perpectually stuck in to which music often takes me back to and this should of been their third album for Warner Bros after a fresh deal upon leaving Apple Records that itself was winding down.

This historic release features Peter Ham's final studio recordings and marks a significant milestone in the band's legacy, bringing forth an album that has been shrouded in mystery for decades. With hits such as "Come and Get It," "No Matter What," "Day After Day," and "Baby Blue," Badfinger has long been recognized as a formidable force in the power pop and classic rock genres of the 1970s. 

Originally recorded in 1974 at The Beatles' renowned Apple Recording Studio on Savile Row, London, "Head First" encapsulates a transformative era in Badfinger's storied career. 

The sessions for "Head First" took place during a tumultuous period for the band, marked by personal struggles and external challenges not least an explotative contract signed by a greedy manager, which ultimately led to the album being shelved and indeed was referenced in two of the featured songs.

For years, only a rough mix survived, with the master tapes thought to be lost. However, the recent rediscovery of the original multi-tracks has allowed for a meticulous mixing and mastering process, breathing new life into this long-hidden masterpiece. 

This release promises to provide fans with an authentic glimpse into the creative spirit of Badfinger during one of their most artistically rich periods and one I enjoyed playing from the moment it arrived earlier this week.

A change but for the better

 The week has gone backwards in a good number of ways not least with being returned to the pre internet era as major failures caused the telephone to go and the internet to evaporate in the ether.

It's been a different experience as routines moved from reading the news online, checking over things like Tumblr where you post and reblog things which for me are connected around being that eternal boy and our own site to one centred more around watching television, reading your comics, weather permiting playing outside that it wasn't at the weekend and that.

And in a funny way it was liberating to get up not grabbing ones chromebook to look at life but actually make it, live and experience it they way you did and maybe there is something in all this I would be best to learn from.

Get back to where you were back in the seventies.

Ten

The significance of Numbers.

Ten: The age in the year I remain in lots of ways

The number of sides of the singles I stacked up at the time on the autochange record player back then, across five discs of favour hits.

Ten tracks per side of many of our compilation lps on K Tel and Ronco.

Ten the number of lads who formed two sides for informal footy in the plaground and on the street.

Ten, the number of slots plastic cassette holders had we used to tape cartoon tunes and favourite songs.

Ten, today's date we have our internet changed. 

Thick I'll suck on my straw and finish this drink off.

New year and Radio

 

(Pix credits W-T-O/Ai @ UR forum)

We formally enter the New Year having at on Wednesday and watched the New Years Day concert from Vienna which is usually a very Strauss driven but fun affair that I always did from my earliest days.

Indeed I used to record it on reels of tape and when I had a Hifi VHS video recorder on that too in full blown stereo as at the time that machine was wired into my hifi for classical and pop commercial video replay apart from anything I recorded usually on TDK HS tape.

I'd of loved to have gone for a pleasant walk but it is raining cats and dogs here as I type having got a bot damp dealing with the rubbish earlier on.

(Pix credits: BBC)

It was announced on Tuesday, the BBC DJ Johnny Walker had died after leaving Radio 2 in October last year, aged 79.

Like many of that generation he came from the "Pirate" stations that challenged the BBC's lack of broadcast pop music especially hit records in the 60's with only the odd show broadcast and that lead to the founding of Radio 1 in 1967 and he joined that.

As a young boy he was one of the DJ's I listened to a lot although his passion for music was such he was known not to care for much of the music of the early to mid 1970's we liked and did get in trouble at times for refusing to follow the "playlist"which was mainly the chart hits where he'd sooner play album tracks and the like.

He came back the BBC in the 80's doing the Saturday afternoon show playing what we call today "classic rock" much of which was being issued on the Compact Disc that lead to resergence in interest of some of these artists before going on to present retrospective chart countdown shows of the short I do enjoy to hear as they bring back associated memories.

These days I mainly listen to Boom Radio but he is missed by many of us.