Bit Weary

Sometimes, in order to encourage myself, I read back in the blog twelve months. It is interesting to see what I was concerned about then.

Bit of a shock today. I discover I used to be interesting and able to write. Thirteen weeks since the last break and eighteen months since working in a full team have sapped a bit of oomph. See. Oomph sapping is not a metaphor anyone who could write would come up with. Or even up with which they would not come if you care about not ending a sentence with a preposition. Although you can end a sentence with the word preposition. Isn't English fun?

I also found the first few chapters of a novel I started. I'd forgotten the plot. It's really quite good.

I feel encouraged that it is only weariness that keeps me from those heights (certainly it isn't modesty) so a few days off in a few days time will be restorative.

Beer, Bible and Big Pizza

Holy Trinity and Trendlewood church members may have spotted the 'Notice of the Week' last Sunday. To try and make sure we don't underline everything we choose one or two notices of the 'if-you-only-read-one' variety.

On Thursday October 6th at 8.00 p.m. in the Trinity Centre, Nailsea I will be hosting an interesting men's evening.

Beer, Bible and Big Pizza will be four guys, in front of an audience, talking about the Bible. What are their favourite bits? Worst bits? Bits they'd tear out if given half a chance?

My guests will be:

• Richard Calverley, a former missionary, a current occupational therapist and a soon-to-be vicar's husband.
• Andrew Slade, a senior civil servant who has been a private secretary, projects director for the south-west development agency and big-wig at Defra.
• Paul Roberts, the only other reverend on the panel, who is a theologian and lecturer on liturgy and worship at Trinity College, Bristol.

It should be entertaining, a bit like a TV chat show, and non-threatening. All the audience members will be required to do will be to listen, drink beer and eat pizza, although there will be a chance for questions and comments.

I've set up a Facebook page for the event. Let me know if you are coming and how many guests you will be bringing so I don't end up having to eat a ridiculous amount of pizza and drink hundreds of pints of beer myself. Then again.

Music List - Uncatalogued Stuff

In searching down the crannies of the storage system (OK behind the cupboard) I discovered the following. I'm only posting this to really annoy those of you who thought music lists were finished:

Classic fm - Music from the Masters 2011 Vol 2 (2011)
Noel Gallagher - The Dreams We Have as Children (Live at the Royal Albert Hall) (2009)
Q - REM Jukebox (2008)
Q - New to Q (15 of the Most Exciting New Acts on the Planet) (2010)
Q - Born in the USA (2010)
The Best of the Secret Policeman's Ball Part 2 (2009)

Desert Island Discs

Thanks for bearing with me over the last couple of months. There have been posts on other matters if you peeked in the gaps but to summarise, and based on the rules that it needs to be eight short songs that could be played almost in full on the radio, my current desert island discs are:

Tonight
Drummer Man (1977)

REM
Imitation of Life (1991)

Los Lobos
Peace (1992)

The Four of Us
Sensual Thing (1994)

Toad the Wet Sprockett
Fall Down (1994)

World Party
Always (1997)

Shins
Pink Bullets (2003)

Atlum Schema
Codes (2005)

REM RIP

At the request of @steveclarke_ , and following the anouncement of the end of the world as we know it (gerrit?), my top five REM tracks:

All the way to Reno
Imitation of life
Losing my religion
Driver 8
Living well is the best revenge

And my three favourite albums:

Fables of the Reconstruction
Reveal
Accelerate

This was hard; tomorrow the list could be different. The band have given me pleasure over 25 years and I saw them live twice, separated by 20 years. Rock City, Nottingham in about 1987. Michael Stipe so down in the mix and almost singing with his back to the audience. He wore a masonic apron. As an encore they played Wheels (cha cha).

20 years later at Cardiff Arena they played two songs from most of their many albums and lots of Accelerate.

Thanks guys. It's been a blast.

Music List - Albums Z

So here we go. Final instalment. Except tomorrow I will list my eight desert island discs and then, at some point in the future, will do my DVDs. You may then ask to borrow them, so it will be good for you. This is a good way to eat a slug.

Then watch out for a sidebar item saying 'New music.'

I notice that the only post I illustrated with a picture (albums - M) got ten times more hits than all the rest.

A guy call Syd used to bring Hot Rats to every youth group meeting in 1971/2 so it got ingrained and I had to buy it eventually. Apostrophe(') is my favourite Zappa album.

Zero 7 were another band that emerged from my older son's bedroom. It was a surprise that something so mellow could be born of a drum n' bass DJ and has upped the household romance quotient.

Frank Zappa 1969 (V) Hot Rats

1972 (CD) Waka / Jawaka

1974 (V) Apostrophe (')

Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention

1975 (CD) One Size Fits All

Zero 7 2001 (CD) Simple Things

2004 (CD) When It Falls

2006 (CD) The Garden

2009 (CD) Yeah Ghost

Earl Zinger 2004 (CD) Speaker Stack Commandments

Music List - Albums Y

In the prog rock camp at school we divided into Yes fans and Genesis fans. With forty years of reflection I now suggest that Yes were the better musicians but Peter Gabriel's Genesis the better lyricists. Both were a bit Lower Sixth (a Roger Waters' expression). Mrs WWA and I made the decision to begin a relationship whilst listening to Genesis' Cinema Show. If I ever get hold of permission to play a church organ Rick Wakeman's work on Parallels will be my gold standard.

Yazoo 1983 (V) You and Me Both

Yeasayer 2007 (CD) All Hour Cymbals

2010 (CD) Odd Blood

Yes 1971 (V) The Yes Album

1971 (V) Fragile

1975 (V) Yesterdays

1977 (V) Going for the One

Neil Young 1989 (V) Freedom

The Young Knives 2006 (CD) Voices of Animals and Men

Tom Yorke 2006 (CD) The Eraser

Music List - Albums X

Apart from the dilemma as to which letter to file J-Xaverre under there is little to say about this. XTC - good song writers, especially lyricists. X-Press 2 was bought for the David Byrne influence and the single Lazy.

J-Xaverre 2003 (CD) Three Acid Stars

X-Press 2 2002 (CD) Muzikizum

XTC 1980 (V) Black Sea

The XX 2009 (CD) The XX

Music List - Albums W

The existence of the Marti Webb album tells me what a dull, middle-class family we were destined to become before St John's College got hold of us. Witness (from Wigan) were another band I discovered through late night drives home accompanied by John Peel. Stevie Winwood has been good company all my life and World Party's Always is a desert island disc.

The Wades 1992 (CD) A Touch of Heaven

Rick Wakeman 1975 (V) The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table

The Warner Bros. Music Show 1975 (V) (Sampler)

Warp 20 (Recreated) 2009 (CD)

The Waterboys 1988 (V) Fisherman's Blues

Marti Webb 1979 (V) Tell Me on a Sunday

Paul Weller 1994 (CD) Wild Wood

1995 (CD) Stanley Road

2010 (CD) Wake Up the Nation

Bill Wells Trio 2002 (CD) Also in White

Whale 1998 (CD) All Disco Dance Must End in Broken Bones

The White Stripes 2001 (CD) De Stijl

2001 (CD) White Blood Cells

The Who 1971 (CD) Who's Next

1975 (V) The Who by Numbers

Robbie Williams 1997 (CD) Life Through a Lens

1998 (CD) I've Been Expecting You

2001 (CD) Sing When Youre Winning

Mark Williamson Band 1980 (V) Get the Drift?

1984 (V) Missing in Action

Amy Winehouse 2006 (CD) Back to Black

Steve Winwood 1977 (V) Steve Winwood

1980 (V) Arc of a Diver

1982 (V) Talking Back to the Night

1986 (V) Back in the High Life

Wishbone Ash 1971 (V) Pilgrimage

1972 (V&CD) Argus

Witness 1999 (CD) Before the Calm

2001 (CD) Under a Sun

Stevie Wonder 1972 (V) Talking Book

1976 (V) Songs in the Key of Life

The Wonder Stuff 1989 (V) Hup

World Party 1990 (CD) Goodbye Jumbo

1993 (Tape) Bang

1997 (CD) Egyptology

2000 (CD) Dumbing Up

Music List - Albums V

Not much to say about the Vs. Stick with Vampire Weekend beyond your first reaction is my advice. I now love it.

Vampire Weekend 2007 (CD) Vampire Weekend

Suzanne Vega 1987 (V) Solitude Standing

The Verve 1997 (CD) Urban Hymns

2008 (CD) Forth

Voom Voom 2006 (CD) Peng Peng

Conversation Stoppers

If you tell a story it is acceptable to speak without interruption for a few minutes. As long as your company bought in to this rule. If you are simply chatting, what is the longest amount of time for which you should narrate?

I heard of a friend a while back who was talking too much without breathing and failed to notice that the line at the other end of the phone was dead. The person he thought he was speaking to called his wife on her mobile to tell her to tell Mr Long-winded that he had lost his audience. Several minutes ago.

It is different in professional situations where I often sit listening to people for a long time helping them to work out their own views by speaking. I like doing that.

But those who talk so much they don't notice no-one is listening any more. Annoying. Or worse; don't care as long as corporeal presence is still going on. Dreadful.

I know some people who need to tell the last story. Who talk to you in the car when you have arrived at their house. Who segue one story into another without breaking for you to comment (I hate this).

Please tell me when I am being boring. And try to notice when you are.

That will be twenty guineas. Good morning.

Music List - Albums U

U2 have made some great tunes (never seen them live) but I don't often get the urge to play a U2 album. If I had to keep one artist beginning with U it would be the wonderful Japan meets France meets jazz meets lounge meets I-don't-know-what that is the United Future Organisation. Try this. Great video. They're another band that came tunefully out of my older son's bedroom and my love for them overtook his. I'd also rate Underworld ahead of U2. I don't own Uriah Heap Live but I have a drumstick from the actual gig it was recorded at and you can hear me, Alan and Keith shouting in a quiet moment. So proud. Bought The Magician's Birthday the next day.

U2 1980 (V) Boy

1980 (V) October

1983 (V) War

1984 (V) The Unforgettable Fire

1987 (V) The Joshua Tree

1988 (V) Rattle and Hum

1991 (V) Achtung Baby

1993 (Tape) Zooropa

2000 (CD) All That You Can't Leave Behind

2004 (CD) How To Dismantle an Atom Bomb

2009 (CD) No Line on the Horizon

Ultravox 1980 (V) Vienna

Underworld 1998 (CD) Second Toughest in the Infants

1998 (CD) Dubnobasswithmyheadman

1999 (Tape) Beaucoup Fish

2002 (CD) A Hundred Days Off

2007 (CD) Oblivion with Bells

United Future Organisation 1993 (CD) United Future Organisation

1995 (CD) Third Perspective

1999 (CD) Bon Voyage

2001 (CD) V

United State of Ambience 1994 (CD)

Uriah Heep 1972 (V) The Magician's Birthday

Music List - Albums T

Seeing gigs at pantomime or variety show (Freddie and the Dreamers, Bachelors, Sounds Incorporated, Searchers, Herman's Hermits, Dave Clark Five) with your parents doesn't really count, for me, as 'first gig.' The first proper gig was Ten Years After at Birmingham Town Hall in the autumn of 1971 supported by Keith Christmas and an early version of Supertramp. The first reverb-heavy 'One of these days boy...' and a guitar chord like someone dropping scaffolding and I was hooked. TYA were not the greatest band in the world but they were my first love and still uncover something primal when I hear them. Alvin Lee, Rick Lee, Leo Lyons and Chick Churchill - I thank you.

2 many DJs is another candidate for the great intros competition but you may be offended as it segues into 'F**k the day away.' Sorry. Still love it. Groove trumps offence any day.

Fall Down by Toad the Wet Sprocket is a desert island choice. Here it is. If you're at a PC and not tapping your hands on your desk within 30 seconds your arms are too short.

Much pleasure given to me over the years by Talking Heads' Remain in Light side 1 (younger people may not know what side 1 is - tough) and Traffic On the Road especially Sometimes I feel So Uninspired.

Other goodies well worth investigating. Some mighty fine things begin with T. And yes, I do own two Take That albums with pride.

2 Many DJs 2002 (CD) Part 2

10CC 1974 (V) Sheet Music

22-20s 2004 (CD) 22-20s

1975 (V) The Original Soundtrack

1975 (V) How Dare You

Take That 2006 (CD) Beautiful World

2010 (CD) Progress

Talking Heads 1977 (V) Talking Heads 1977

1978 (V) More Stories About Buildings & Food

1979 (V) Fear of Music

1980 (V) Remain in Light

1982 (V) The Name of This Band is Talking Heads

1983 (V) Speaking in Tongues

1985 (V) Little Creatures

1986 (V) True Stories

1988 (V) Naked

Talk Talk 1982 (V) The Party's Over

Tame Impala 2010 (CD) Innerspeaker

Tangerine Dream 1974 (CD) Phaedra

Tangle Eye 2004 (CD) Alan Lomax's Southern Journey Remixed

Taste 1970 (CD) On the Boards

James Taylor 1971 (CD) Mud Slide Slim

The James Taylor Quartet 1998 (CD) Blow Up - a JTQ Collection

Steve Taylor 1985 (V) On the Fritz

Tears for Fears 1983 (V) The Hurting

1985 (V) Songs from the Big Chair

Television 1977 (V) Marquee Moon

Ten Years After 1967 (V&CD) Ten Years After

1968 (V) Undead

1969 (V) Stonedhenge

1969 (V) Ssssh

1970 (Tape) Cricklewood Green

1970 (V&CD) Watt

1971 (V) A Space in Time

1972 (V) Rock & Roll Music to the World

1973 (CD) Recorded Live

1974 (V) Positive Vibrations

1989 (V) About Time

Texas 1989 (V) Southside

That Petrol Emotion 1987 (CD) Babble

1988 (V) End of the Millennium Psychosis Blues

1990 (V) Chemicrazy

Thin Lizzy 1976 (V) Johnny the Fox

Thirteen Senses 2004 (CD) The Invitation

2007 (CD) Contact

Thompson Twins 1983 (V) Quick Step and Side Kick

1984 (V) Into the Gap

Tracey Thorn 2007 (CD) Out of the Woods

Timbuk 3 1986 (V) Greetings from Timbuk 3

Tinariwen 2003 (CD) Amassakoul

Tiny Dancers 2007 (CD) Free School Milk

Tired Pony 2010 (CD) The Place We Ran From

Toad the Wet Sprocket 1994 (CD) Dulcinea

Peter Tosh 1978 (CD) Bush Doctor

Tower of Power 1974 (CD) Urban Renewal

1974 (CD) Back to Oakland

1987 (V) Power

Pete Townshend 1985 (V) White City

Traffic 1968 (V) Mr Fantasy

1970 (CD) John Barleycorn Must Die

1971 (V) The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys

1973 (V) Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory

1973 (CD) On the Road

1994 (CD) Far From Home

Travis 1999 (CD) The Man Who

A Tribe Called Quest 1993 (CD) Midnight Marauders

1996 (CD) Beats, Rhymes and Life

Truebrit 1996 (CD) 40 Essential Indie Hits

K.T.Tunstall 2010 (CD) Tiger Suit

The Twang 2007 (CD) Love It When I Feel Like This

Two Tribes 1992 (V) Two Tribes

Music List - Albums S

The letter S gives a reasonable impression of the whole gorgeous and messy cross-section of my taste. From the Screaming Blue Messiahs to Sancte Deus calling at Dusty and Sting. Pink Bullets by the Shins is a current desert island disc; they are great song-writers and fine lyricists:

'Over the ramparts you tossed
The scent of your skin and some foreign flowers
Tied to a brick,'

Hear it here.

Mrs W brought all the Simon and Garfunkel records into our relationship but they were knackered from being played non-stop in a teenage girl's bedroom in the 60s and sit there useless with valuable sleeves.

The two minute intro to Ebeneezer Goode on Boss Drum is a genius piece of pop-building. Just when you think they can't lift it any more they add something else. Listen here. Clever to get massive club crowds singing '...eezer Goode' rather than  'Es are good.' Naughty naughty very naughty. Got banned.

Raphael Saadiq 2009 (CD) The Way I See It

Sade 1984 (Tape) Diamond Life

1865 (Tape) Promise

Sancte Deus 2000 (CD) A Journey Through the Renaissance

Santagold 2008 (CD) Santagold

Santana 1970 (V&CD) Abraxas

1974 (CD) Santana's Greatest Hits

Saw Doctors 1991 (V) If This is Rock and Roll, I Want My Old Job Back

Nitin Sawhney 2001 (CD) Prophesy

2003 (CD) Human

2005 (CD) Philtre

Leo Sayer 1973 (V) Silverbird

Boz Scaggs 1997 (CD) Come On Home

Scissor Sisters 2004 (CD) Scissor Sisters

Jill Scott 2000 (CD) Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1

Shirley Scott 2001 (CD) Talkin' Verve

Screaming Blue Messiahs 1989 (V) Totally Religious

Seasick Steve 2009 (CD) Man From Another Time

Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band

1978 (V) Stranger in Town

Sex Pistols 1977 (V) Never mind the Bollocks here's the...

Shakespears Sister 1992 (V) Hormonally Yours

The Shamen 1992 (Tape) Boss Drum

Shine 1995 (CD) 20 Brilliant Indie Hits

The Shins 2001 (CD) Oh, Inverted World

2003 (CD) Chutes Too Narrow

2007 (CD) Wincing the Night Away

Paul Simon 1986 (V) Graceland

1990 (V) The Rhythm of the Saints

Simon and Garfunkel 1966 (V) Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme

1966 (V) Sounds of Silence

1968 (V) Bookends

1970 (V) Bridge Over Troubled Water

Nina Simone 1971 (CD) Here Comes the Sun

Simple Minds 1985 (V) Once Upon a Time

1989 (V) Street Fighting Years

Simply Red 1989 (Tape) A New Flame

1995 (CD) Life

1996 (CD) Greatest Hits

Roni Size 2002 (CD) Touching Down

Six. by Seven 2000 (CD) 04

Sky 1980 (V) Sky 2

Smaller 1996 (CD) Badly, Badly

Smithereens 1991 (V) Blow Up

Marston Smith 2002 (CD) I Cellist

Smiths 1985 (Tape) Meat is Murder

1987 (Tape) Strangeways Here We Come

Snow Patrol 2004 (CD) Final Straw

Sounds Album 1977 (V) Good for Nothing

Sounds Album II 1977 (V) Sounds Like a Good Album To Us

Sounds Album III 1978 (V) Can't Start Dancing

Sounds Album IV 1979 (V) The Heavy Metal Album

Sounds Album VII 1981 (V) Into the Arena

Sounds Incorporated 1964 (V) Sounds Incorporated

Soup Dragons 1992 (V) Hotwired

Southside Johny and the Asbury Jukes

1978 (V) Hearts of Stone

Spandau Ballet 1983 (V) True

1984 (V) Parade

Sparks 1972 (V) A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing

Spiritualised 1992 (CD) Lazer Guided Melodies

1997 (CD) Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space

2001 (CD) Let It Come Down

2003 (CD) Amazing Grace

Split Level 1991 (CD) View of a World

Spoon 2007 (CD) Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

Dusty Springfield 1969 (CD) Dusty in Memphis

Squeeze 1978 (CD) U.K. Squeeze

Starsailor 2001 (CD) Love Is Here

Status Quo 1972 (V) Piledriver

Stealers Wheel 1973 (Tape) Ferguslie Park

Steely Dan 1972 (CD) Can't Buy a Thrill

1974 (V) Pretzel Logic

2000 (CD) Two Against Nature

Gwen Stefani 2004 (CD) Love. Angel. Music. Baby

Stereo MCs 1992 (CD) Connected

Cat Stevens 1972 (V) Catch Bull at Four

1975 (V) Greatest Hits

St Germain 2000 (CD) Tourist

Sting 1985 (V) The Dream of the Blue Turtles

1986 (V) Bring on the Night

1987 (V) Nothing Like the Sun

1993 (Tape) Ten Summoners Tales

1996 (CD) Mercury Falling

1999 (CD) Brand New Day

Stone Roses 1989 (V) Stone Roses

1992 (CD) Turns Into Stone 1994 (CD) Second Coming

Strawbs 1972 (V) Grave New World

The Streets 2002 (CD) Original Pirate Material

2004 (CD) A Grand Don't Come for Free

The Strokes 2001 (CD) Is This It

2003 (CD) Room on Fire

Style Council 1984 (V) Café Bleu

Suede 1996 (CD) Coming Up

Sugar 1992 (V) Copper Blue

1994 (CD) File Under Easy Listening

Summerhill 1990 (V) West of Here

Andy Summers 1998 (CD) The Last Dance of Mr X

Sundays 1990 (V&Tape)

Reading, Writing and Arithmetic

Sunshine 1972 (V) Sunshine

Supertramp 1974 (V) Crime of the Century

1975 (V) Crisis? What Crisis?

Supremes 1974 (V) Greatest Hits

Esbjorn Svensson Trio 2000 (CD) Good Morning Susie Soho

The Swimming Pool Qs 2003 (CD) Royal Academy of Reality

My Music - Albums R

Some substantial letters towards the end of the alphabet and, as we reach R, Radiohead make their entry. I reckon they have been the most creative, risk-taking band of the last twenty years, almost never producing an album that I like first time through but only their debut I rarely play these days. Gerry Rafferty's album has some good tracks other than Baker Street. Jess Roden, first encountered as the vocalist with the Butts Band supporting Roxy Music at Birmingham Odeon, is one of the finest white soul r&b voices of recent history. Dan Reed fused rock, electronica, hip-hop and great songs. One of my finest gigs of all time was him at Newcastle Riverside (a now defunct, members-only venue) in about 1991. REM have always been good value. Saw them twice, twenty years apart. Roni Size made me realise there was more to drum n' bass than I thought (thanks DJ 'Jamin), Roots Manuva made hip hop acceptable to the white masses and the title track off Power in the Darkness was a desert island disc for many years with its wonderful anti-establishment rant about what sort of freedom the Tories wanted at the time. It was a liberal manifesto. Hear it here. The rant starts at 2:14. N word warning. It was 1978. Reverend and the Makers Heavyweight Champion of the World is an outstanding song which dwarfs the album.

Radiohead 1993 (CD) Pablo Honey

1994 (CD) The Bends

1997 (CD) OK Computer

2000 (CD) Kid A

2001 (CD) Amnesia

2003 (CD) Hail to the Thief

2007 (CD) In Rainbows

Gerry Rafferty 1977 (V) City to City

Robert Randolph & the Family Band

2003 (CD) Unclassified

The Rapture 2003 (CD) Echoes

Red Hot Chili Peppers 2002 (CD) By the Way

Dan Reed Network 1988 (V) Dan Reed Network

1989 (V) Slam

1991 (V) The Heat

Lou Reed 1972 (V) Transformer

REM 1983 (V) Murmur

1985 (V) Fables of the / Reconstruction of the

1986 (V) Lifes Rich Pageant

1987 (V) Document

1988 (V) Green

1991 (V) Out of Time

1994 (Tape) Monster

1996 (CD) New Adventures in Hi-Fi

1998 (CD) Up

2001 (CD) Reveal

2003 (CD) In Time 1988-2003

2004 (CD) Around the Sun

2008 (CD) Accelerate

Reverend and the Makers 2007 (CD) The State of Things

Roni Size Reprazent 1997 (CD) New Forms

Rilo Kiley 2007 (CD) Under the Blacklight

River City People 1989 (V) Say Something Good

Roachford 1988 (V) Roachford

Tom Robinson Band 1978 (V) Power in the Darkness

Jess Roden 1974 (V) Jess Roden

1977 (V) The Player Not the Game

Jess Roden Band 1976 (V) Play It Dirty ... Play It Class

1976 (V) Keep Your Hat On

1977 (V) Blowin'

Rolling Stones 1971 (CD) Sticky Fingers

1974 (V) It's Only Rock n' Roll

1984 (V) Rewind

1989 (V) Steel Wheels

Roots Manuva 2001 (CD) Run Come Save Me

2005 (CD) Awfully Deep

2006 (CD) Alternately Deep

2008 (CD) Slime and Reason

Roots Manuva meets Wrongtom 2010 (CD) Duppy Writer

Don Ross 2006 (CD) Live in Your Head

Roxy Music 1972 (V) Roxy Music

1973 (V) For Your Pleasure

1973 (V) Stranded

1974 (V) Country Life

1975 (V) Siren

1979 (V) Manifesto

Röyksopp 2001 (CD) Melody A.M.

Leon Russell 1970 (CD) Leon Russell

Music List - Albums Q

Here is a nice list of all the CDs that have been free with Q over the last twenty years or so. Sheer Heart Attack is the best Queen album (IMHO).

Q 1992 (CD) Now That's What I Call Free

1992 (CD) Sweet Sixteen

1993 (CD) Free CD

1993 (CD) Free CD

1994 (Tape) Freewheelin'

1994 (Tape) Living in the Eighties

1994 (CD) Really Free

1995 (CD) World of Noise

1995 (CD) Assorted

1996 (CD) Mmmmm...

1996 (CD) Decade. The Very Best of 86-96

1997 (CD) Hello. The Best New Music of 1997

1997 (CD) Splash

1997 (CD) The Best of the Best 97

1997 (CD)

1998 (CD) Summer Festivals 98

1998 (CD) Best

1999 (CD) Here Comes the Sun

1999 (CD) The Best Tracks from the Best Albums of 99

2000 (CD) Essential Chill Out

2001 (CD) Essential Chill Out

2001 (CD) Best of 2001

2002 (CD) Rise and Shine

2002 (CD) The Best Tracks from the Best Albums of 2002

2003 (CD) Rocks

2003 (CD) Best of 2003

2004 (CD) Essential Glastonbury

2004 (CD) Ultimate Song Writers

2004 (CD) Best of 2004

2005 (CD) Rule Britannia!

2005 (CD) Glastonbury Jukebox

2005 (CD) Best of 2005 Vol. 1

2005 (CD) Lennon Covered

2006 (CD) Best of 86-06

2006 (CD) The Eighties

2006 (CD) Mellow Gold

2006 (CD) Take It Easy

2007 (CD) (Best of) 2007

2007 (CD) Live from Glastonbury

Queen 1974 (V) Sheer Heart Attack

Queens of the Stone Age 2002 (CD) Songs for the Deaf

Q-Tip 2008 CD) The Renaissance

Forgiveness

I preached three times on forgiveness yesterday. Interesting how the lectionary theme reached that on the tenth anniversary of September 11th 2001. I mainly focused on the gospel but was niggled by the Old Testament reading - the great passage at the end of Joseph's life where he forgives his brothers.

Or does he?

You see the sentiment in Genesis 50 is of restoration of relationship. He reassures his brothers. He promises to provide for them and their children. He does forgiveness in every possible way. But will you find the expression, 'I forgive you' on his lips? You will not. Maybe because he knew that the message that his recently-deceased father had asked for this was bogus (that is the suggestion). Maybe because he thinks forgiveness is God's task not his (a reading of v19). Maybe because he holds something back, and who would blame him?

Fact is that saying forgiveness without doing it is useless. And this comes out in the Gospel where Peter asks how many times he should forgive his brother. He gets this daft parable response about a servant who is let off an amount equivalent to 1,000 times the annual revenue of Samaria, Judea and then some and then throttles a guy who owes him a miserly amount. Both debtors end up in jail, one being tortured. Whoever thought torturing someone was more likely to make them find money they hadn't got?

Forgiveness is in God's gift. Not holding grudges against those who have sinned against us is in ours.

The ancient proverb, pre-Bible, that we don't do to others what we don't want them to do to us is made entirely positve by Jesus in Matthew 7 and Luke 6. He probably had some Leviticus on his mind when he said it. Do do to others what you do want them to do to you.

Do it. Have a good week.

My Music - Albums P

Pantha du Prince is a recently acquired ambientish chill-out album. Gorgeous. The Psychonauts were previous holders of the precious task of chilling me out when necessary. Ann Peebles made one of the great singles in I Can't Stand the Rain (desert island subs bench) but I hadn't realised how good her back catalogue was until someone bought me this compilation. Saw Tom Petty in about 1977 at Birmingham Town Hall. I don't think he ever made as good an album as his debut and he made the brave decision to open his set with Lunar (a really slow number but very atmospheric). The hairs still stand up etc. Police albums mighty fine, especially Ghost in the Machine. Chuck Prophet was the guitarist with the excellent Green on Red. Brilliant country rock technique. This is a good letter. I want to play them all.

Pantha du Prince 2010 (CD) Black Noise

Patty Hurst Shifter 2006 (CD) Too Quiet on the Losing End

Ann Peebles 2006 (CD) The Best of

The People 2004 (CD) Number 1 Hits

Percee P 2007 (CD) Perseverance

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers 1976 (V) Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

1978 (CD) You're Gonna Get It

Pink Floyd 1971 (V) Meddle

1973 (V) Dark Side of the Moon

2003 (CD) Dark Side of the Moon (30th Anniversary)

1975 (V) Wish You Were Here

1977 (V) Animals

Plan B 2010 (CD) The Defamation of Strickland Banks

Robert Plant 2002 (CD) Dreamland

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss 2007 (CD) Raising Sand

The Police 1978 (V) Outlandos d'Amour

1979 (V) Regatta de Blanc

1980 (V) Zenyatta Mondatta

1981 (V) Ghost in the Machine

1983 (V() Synchronicity

Pop Will Eat Itself 1992 (V) The Looks or the Lifestyle

Post War Years 2009 (CD) The Greats and the Happenings

Prefab Sprout 1985 (V) Steve McQueen

1988 (V) From Langley Park to Memphis

Elvis Presley 2003 (CD) Elvis (Daily Mail)

Pretenders 1980 (V) Pretenders

Prince 1988 (V) Lovesexy

2003 (CD) Compilation

Brian Protheroe 1974 (V) Pinball

Procul Harum 1974 (V) Exotic Birds and Fruit

Chuck Prophet 1997 (CD) Homemade Blood

2007 (CD) Soap and Water

Psychonauts 2003 (CD) Songs for Creatures

Music List - Albums O

Oasis 2006 (CD) Don't Believe the Truth

Of Montreal 2010 (CD) False Priest

Mike Oldfield 1973 (V) Tubular Bells

The Old Grey Whistle Test 1976 (V) Take Two

The Open 2004 (CD) The Silent Hours

The Orb Featuring David Gilmour 2010 (CD) Metallic Spheres

Orbital 1994 (CD) Snivilisation

1999 (CD) The Middle of Nowhere

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark 1980 (V) Organisation

1981 (V) Architecture and Morality

The Original Movies Album 2007 (CD)

Beth Orton 1996 (CD) Trailer Park

Music List - Albums N

Well here's a snapshot of the variety you get in my collection eh?

Natty 2008 (CD) Man Like I

New Order 2001 (CD) Get Ready

The Nice 1971 (V) Elegy

NME 2005 (CD) The Soundtrack of Your Summer

Alva Noto & Ryuichi Sakanoto 2010 (CD) Insen

Nu Yorican Soul 1997 (CD) Nu Yorican Soul

Music List - Albums M

Well here we have John Martyn and Massive Attack, fine companions on life's journey. I recall the opening bars of the Mission's set at Nottingham Rock City in about 1987. Three guys with guitars, back-lit, long hair blown by wind machine and one foot on a monitor. Iconic rock image. Good gig. But I want to show you the finest gatefold vinyl sleeve I own. Man's album is great guitar boogie but, as you will see, the cover picture of the band on stage opens out to a huge map of Wales, breaking off from England and being pushed away. Super Furries eat your hearts out. This is how to do Welsh nationalism.

Madness 2003 (CD) Utter Madness

Mail on Sunday Compilation 1998 (CD) 66-98 The World Cup Years

Jesse Malin and the St Mark's Social 2010 (CD) Love it to Life

Man 1972 (V) Be Good to Yourself at Least Once a Day

Phil Manzanera 1975 (V) Diamond Head

Maps 2007 (CD) We Can Create

Marillion 1983 (V) Script for a Jester's Tear

Laura Marling 2010 (CD) I Speak Because I Can

John Martyn 1973 (CD) Solid Air

1996 (CD) And

1998 (CD) The Church with One Bell

2005 (CD) Bless the Weather

Steve Mason 2010 (CD) Boys Outside

Massive Attack 1991 (CD) Blue Lines

1998 (CD) Mezzanine

2010 (CD) Heligoland

Massive Attack v Mad Professor 1995 (CD) No Protection

Maxim 1996 (CD) Class of 96

Paul and Linda McCartney 1971 (V) Ram

Paul McCartney and Wings 1973 (V) Band on the Run

Mike McGear 1974 (V) McGear

MC Solaar 2003 (CD) Mach 6

Ralph McTell 1974 (V) Easy

Medicine Head 1974 (V) Thru' a Five

Medieval Christmas 2006 (CD)

Mellow Jazz Christmas 2006 (CD)

Mercury Rev 1998 (CD) Deserter's Songs

The Meters 1974 (V) Cissy Strut

1975 (CD) Fire on the Bayou

Mew 2005 (CD) And the Glass Handed Kites

MIA 2007 (CD) Kala

George Michael 1987 (V) Faith

1990 (V) Listen Without Prejudice

1996 (CD) Older

Mike and the Mechanics 1985 (V) Mike and the Mechanics

Steve Miller Band 1976 (V) Fly Like an Eagle

1977 (V) Book of Dreams

Charles Mingus 1974 (CD) Mingus at Carnegie Hall

Minus 8 2002 (CD) Minuet

The Mission 1986 (V) God's Own Medicine

1988 (V) Children

Missy Elliott 2002 (CD) Under Construction

Joni Mitchell 1973 (Tape) Court and Spark

1978 (V) Don Juan's Reckless Daughter

Mixmag 1999 (CD) Weekend Warm-up

Moby 1999 (CD) Play

2002 (CD) 18

Modest Mouse 2004 (CD) Good News for People Who Love Bad News

2007 (CD) We Were Dead before the Ship Even Sank

Mojo 1997 (CD) The Mojo Machine Turns You On 3

Moloko 2001 (CD) All Back to the Mine

Thelonius Monk 1957 (CD) ...with John Coltrane

Monty Python 1974 (V) Live at Drury Lane

Gary Moore 1990 (V) Still Got the Blues

Morcheeba 2001 (CD) The Independent on Sunday

Alanis Morisette 1995 (CD) Jagged Little Pill

Van Morrison 1972 (V) St Dominic's Preview

1990 (V) Enlightenment

2007 (CD) At the Movies

Mos Def 2009 (CD) The Ecstatic

Motown Gold 2001 (CD) Compilation

Mott the Hoople 1973 (V) Mott

Mountains 2008 (CD) Choral

Ms Dynamite 2002 (CD) A Little Deeper

Mungo Jerry 1971 (V) Electronically Tested

Muse 2001 (CD) Origin of Symmetry

2006 (CD) Black Holes and Revelations

The Music 2002 (CD) The Music

Advertising Error?

We bought some new Bibles for our church young people and children. Found a good deal on Amazon and I opened the box today. Here, unedited, is the full selection of advertising offers Amazon felt would appeal to a person who ordered twenty children's Bibles:

1. 14 days free subscription to Love Film.
2. 15% off at Homebase.
3. £40 voucher to use against a Naked Wine order.
4. Save £40 at The Whisky Exchange.

Our ten year olds like nothing better than a few glasses of quality booze and a film after a hard day's DIY.

Music List - Albums L

Leafcutter John may be the strangest album I own. It's a sort of ambient but precisely what sort I couldn't tell you. It usually annoys me but I feel somehow, I know not why, obliged to plug away until I get it. Lexis is a great drum n' basss album which I heard on John Peel. He introduced me to some fabulous stuff. Los Lobos produce great tracks but a whole album never quite delivers enough. Peace is one of my current desert island discs. There's a long live version here. Little Steven was guitarist in the E Street Band. Do you neeed any further credentials?

Ladyhawke 2008 (CD) Ladyhawke

Seth Lakeman 2002 (CD) The Punch Bowl

2006 (CD) Kitty Jay

2006 (CD) Freedom Fields

2008 (CD) Poor Man's Heaven

The La's 1990 (CD) The La's

The Last Shadow Puppets 2008 (CD) The Age of the Understatement

Lazy Dog Volume 2 2001 (CD) Lazy Dog

LCD Soundsystem 2010 (CD) This is Happening

Leafcutter John 2006 (CD) The Forest and the Sea

Led Zeppelin 1969 (CD) Led Zeppelin

1969 (V) Led Zeppelin 2

1970 (CD) Led Zeppelin 3

1971 (V) Led Zeppelin 4

1973 (CD) Houses of the Holy

Leftfield 1995 (V) Leftism

John Legend and the Roots 2010 (CD) Wake Up!

Legends 2003 (CD) Daily Mail

John Lennon 1975 (V) Rock 'N' Roll

Les Savvy Fav 2007 (CD) Let's Stay Friends

2010 (CD) Root for Ruin

Level 42 1984 (V) True Colours

Lexis 2000 (CD) Branch of Knowledge

Huey Lewis and the News 1986 (V) Fore!

The Libertines 2004 (CD) Exclusive Observer CD

Limp Bizkit 2000 (CD) Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavoured Water

Little Dragon 2007 (CD) Little Dragon

Little Steven 1987 (V) Freedom No Compromise

Living Colour 1990 (V) Time's Up

London Electricity 2003 (CD) Billion Dollar Gravy

London Symphony Orchestra and Guest Soloists

1972 (V) Tommy

Lone Wolf 2010 (CD) The Devil and I

Los Lobos 1984 (V) How Will the Wolf Survive

1992 (V) Kiko

2006 (CD) The Town and the City

Lupe Fiasco 2007 (CD) The Cool

Music List - Albums K

Not much to say on the Ks except that there was an outbreak of bands beginning with this letter in 2004. Angelique Kidjo is the album I played in the car on the way to visit my Dad in hospital during his final illness. Can't listen to it any more. I have warned you about this before. Kokomo were an excellent soul/funk band like the Average White Band. Sample here.

The Kaiser Chiefs 2005 (CD) Employment

Kasabian 2004 (CD) Kasabian

2006 (CD) Empire

2009 (CD) West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum

Katrina and the Waves 1985 (V) Katrina and the Waves

Keane 2004 (CD) Hopes and Fears

Nick Kelly 1997 (CD) Between Trapezes

Angelique Kidjo 1994 (Tape) Ayé

The Killers 2004 (CD) Hot Fuss

Carole King 1971 (V) Tapestry

Kings of Leon 2003 (CD) Youth and Young Manhood

Kokomo 1975 (V) Rise and Shine

Music List - Albums J

A dull list of Js to contemplate. Jaga Jazzist is one of my weirder jazz albums but the rest of the ones begining with jazz are all tutorials for me. Except Jazz Liberatorz who, along with the United Future Organisation, push the boundaries and cross-over of jazz.

Joe Jackson 1979 (V) Look Sharp

1979 (V) I'm the Man

1982 (V) Night and Day

Michael Jackson 2001 (CD) Greatest Hits History Vol I

2003 (CD) Number Ones

Jaga Jazzist 2003 (CD) The Stix

The Jam 1983 (V) Snap

Bob James 1977 (V) Heads

Jamiroquai 1993 (Tape) Emergency on Planet Earth

2001 (CD) A Funk Odyssey

Jars of Clay 1996 (CD) Jars of Clay

Norman Jay 2003 (CD) Journeys by DJ

Jazz Classics 1994 (CD)

Jazz Liberatorz 2007 (CD) Clin d'oeil

Jazz Pianists 1994 (CD) The Great...

Jazz Piano 1994 (CD)

Jefferson Starship 1979 (V) Freedom at Point Zero

The Jesus and Mary Chain 1987 (CD) Darklands

Grace Jones 1985 (CD) Island Life

Jesus Jones 1989 (V) Liquidizer

1991 (V) Doubt

Jethro Tull 1972 (CD) Living in the Past

1972 (V) Thick as a Brick

1975 (V) Minstrel in the Gallery

JJ No. 3 2010 (CD) JJ No. 3

Elton John 1970 (V) Elton John

1970 (V) Tumbleweed Connection

1971 (V) Madman Across the Water

1973 (V) Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

1976 (V) Blue Moves

Johnny Boy 2007 (CD) Johnny Boy

Robert Johnson 2002 (CD) Contracted to the Devil

Daniel Johnston 2009 (CD) Is and Always Was

Ewan Jones 2009 (CD) Ordinary

Howard Jones 1984 (V) Human's Lib

1985 (V) Dream Into Action

Junip 2010 (CD) Fields

Jurassic 5 1998 (CD) Jurassic 5 LP