Listening to : Gypsy – I Trance You

At the risk of repeating myself, take a look at the photo above. I swear to you it was taken exactly a week after the one in the previous post, give or take a couple of hours. This is why the M62 is nicknamed Satan’s Slip-Road (which is not, as some people presume an anal reference) or the Devil’s Highway. It can be pretty grisly driving across there it must be said. It’s  also a reasonable depiction of the reality of what a British August looks like. On this particular trip (last evening) I almost had to pull over because my windscreen wipers didn’t have a fast enough setting to deal with the sheer ferocity of the downpour.
To say I need a dose of sunshine pretty soon would be an understatement pop-kids, and there are currently plans underway on that one. However, in the shorter term I’m in the mood for a bit of Balearica (see music link above). That track was featured on a cassette mixtape I played constantly on my Sony Walkman way back in the mists of time. The actual  tape became so thin with use you could see through it.  Such simple times. On the same topic, there is also a Balearic session on the cards this very evening in downtown Liverpool that should help matters somewhat. My Urban Sombrero is coming out tonight. Am thinking sunny thoughts as we speak by way of preparation. Will report back amigos.

Listening to: David Bowie – A New Career in a New Town

So the August heat-wave hasn’t  reached the UK yet. Today it was back on the road to the City of Culture (2008) in battering, relentlesss rain. I refuse to back down though, so I’m still sporting the Sonic Shorts and Urban Geisha footwear. I didn’t need to tell y’all that though, I’m sure. Shorts are The Law. Weather-wise, we certainly peaked early this Summer – though it’s not too late to rescue the situation.
I’ve said it before but I’m in need of a holiday, badly. I need to be somewhere, for an extended period of time, where there is no question about the climatic conditions. It’s just great weather, all the time, and that’s it. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned pop-kids, it’s that you never know what’s around the corner, so we shall see.
Anyhoo, I now have a weekend in Liverpool ahead of me, so stay tuned.

Listening to: Sonic Avenger – American Haiku

Greetings blog citizens. After a bit of an unplanned lay-off, I’m back in Cyberia. First thing to notice is the appearance of the new Live at Chéz Sonique mix over there on the right,  in a rather fetching pinkish hue. Yes, finally. Within those grooves, you will find my characteristic good taste and finesse in large measure.
Over time, I’ve had numerous queries as to why I don’t feature new material within the Chéz Sonique grooves. Well, I have a few personal rules. First is that all featured tracks are ones that I actually own, for the most part on vinyl, though that last part isn’t a hard-and-fast rule. Next, any choices have to be ones that I love deeply, for one reason or another. For instance, Steinski’s The Motorcade Sped On – I really could mime every beat, sound and syllable of that record. Very important release for me, and my own copy is a 7″ single that came free with the NME in the days when it still wrote about stuff people were really bothered about. But that’s just an example.
Of course, there’s plenty of current music that I care deeply about, and when the mood strikes I will be moved to feature it, but there are also a million virtual places to go to hear new material. Try the Hype Machine.
Let’s face it, everyone and his mate Kevin is a virtual DJ these days, and good luck to all of ‘em but the only place you’ll ever hear sonic selections like mine is right here, music lovers. For now, click on that sumptuous pink icon over there. You know it makes sense.

Listening to: Bent – Sunday Boy

And so another Sunday rolls around pop-kids, and this particular one is also Father’s Day. Hope y’all remembered. I got mine off to an energetic start  with a reasonably intense session down at the ol’ Sonic swimming-hole. Helps me get into the right frame of mind for the day ahead. That said, I’m not planning on doing much else today. I’m up, dressed and exercised – anything beyond that is a bonus. There are lawns here to maintain of course, but there are also people here to do that very task. I’d only be getting in the way if I tried to help. Tell you what I could do with right now though – a holiday. Never been in more need of one to be honest. Mind you, there’s always the Sonic Caravan. Extremely handy when a desire to escape society and reconnect with the squirrels and badgers arises. A bit like Superman’s Fortress of Solitude, but in Wales. And it’s a caravan. But the solitude part is pretty similar I think.
On the plus side, Cruel Britannia has been getting a passable amount of sunshine recently. Hence June, though not exactly flaming, has been warm enough to stop us Brits rioting and causing civil unrest, as we do at the drop of a hat. It’s tradition. There’s still time yet though…

Listening to: Dance 2 Trance – Remember Exxon Valdez

Y’know, until this oil-spill I wasn’t  aware that BP doesn’t even stand for British Petroleum anymore. It has effectively been Anglo-American since a 1998 merger with Amoco. This has somehow by-passed me I have to admit. That said, my brain retains mostly useless facts and statistics about obscure long-defunct bands, so this item never stood a chance in there.
Looking at recent news bulletins it appears that a subtle blame-game is is about to get underway.
Prez Obama’s oval-office address on the disaster (a fits-any-situation let’s-all-pull-together kinda speech that veered away from the central topic asap) used the phrase: We will make BP pay for the damage their company has caused. But a bit of light research reveals that the oil-rig at the centre of the disaster was owned and operated by an American firm, Transocean. They have apparently been questioned with regards to understaffing. On the night of the disaster there were just 18 employees on the rig, lower than any other retained record. None of these were engineers, electricians, sub-sea supervisors or mechanics.
The rig’s central safety device or blow-out preventer was made by another American firm – Cameron. The cement work carried out which was supposed to seal the well was carried out by yet another, Halliburton.
Before the current disaster, ExxonMobil was the worst oil-spiller in US history with the Exxon Valdez in 1989.
It’ll be interesting to see how this one plays out in the coming months/years, that’s for sure.
While I think of it, the BP-skull image above has been borrowed from the gallery of entries for Greenpeace’s competition to redesign the BP logo. Thanks to whoever designed it. Really hits the nail on the head.

Listening to: LTJ Bukem – Watercolours

Greetings my people, on this not so sunny Sunday. Currently writing this, watching an episode of Ironside and contemplating getting washed. I may not even bother, who knows? This is what Sundays are all about I think, the contemplation of life’s big questions. Yes, as you can no doubt tell, today finds me in a suitably spiritual frame of mind.
It’s been a strange couple of weeks here in Cruel Britannia. Body-parts turning up in local canals, courtesy of a serial-killer with a daft name and a random killing-spree by a taxi-driver with tax problems, a grudge and a gun. Bad combination that. Come to think of it, that last one would make a good idea for a film. On second thoughts maybe not,  it’s been done before to some considerable acclaim. What with that and the Conservatives winning the general election, it’s about time we had some good news. I’m certainly in need of some, but then I’m a glass-half-full kinda guy these days pop-kids. Everything is gonna be great is my mantra of choice.
Anyhoo, today is Ma Sonic’s birthday, and yours truly is on kitchen duties this afternoon. Then tonight I will be rocking the wheels of steel at an exclusive shindig to mark this fabulous event. I’ll save y’all some cake.

Listening to: Louis CK – Being White

Ok, I think I’ve had enough of this dicking about with blog-code stuff now. It can reduce your will to live considerably I can confidently report. Plus, you really have to be in the mood to face doing it at all, which is why it’s taking longer than it should, but I’m worrying unduly about it. As long as it’s readable and doesn’t hurt your eyes to look at it, that’ll do for now. I’ll add bits and pieces as I go along now, that is, when I can figure out a way to do it which doesn’t take up all of my day, which it is doing at present. Eventually technology shall be my slave pop-kids, but right now it’s anything but.
On a separate topic, one great discovery I’ve made this week is U.S. comedian Louis CK. Click the link above for a sample. I’m heading for his Youtube clip-collection every time I need a hearty guffaw, which is pretty often right now I  tell you.
Anyhoo, Summer is on it’s way, or so it’s rumoured, and hopes are high for a hot one amongst us shivering Brits after a weekend of near-Mediterranean temperatures. Let’s all think positive thoughts people…

Listening to:  The Equals – Police On My Back

Well, here I am at that peculiar stage in any supposed process of improvement, whereby I find myself surrounded by more chaos and confusion than in the days of the Old Order – in this case Blogger.
I’m experienced enough to know that this is all part of the process however. Whether it’s tidying up a long-neglected room or trying to make new sense of a collection of html/css gubbins, all will become clear soon enough. Saying that, my task hasn’t been made easier by imbibing a series of alcoholic mood-softeners in the form of white wine, rosé, and at least a couple of glasses of Amaretto. Yeah, you heard me cowboy, Amer-frickin’-retto, ok? Goddamit, why does the latter have to be so more-ish? Warm, on ice, in cakes, over ice-cream, even in glue (don’t ask)…I’ll take it however it’s offered. The way I see it, at least this afternoon, is that it’s all part of the artistic process. Well maybe not artistic, but the process, however it’s referred to. Like I said in a previous post, it’s an ongoing….thing.
Bear with me.

Listening to: Elvis Costello – Tramp the Dirt Down

Yes indeed citizens, today is Election Day for us Brits. We all get to scurry out to our local voting booth (or in my own case, portakabin) and scratch a little X with an unstealable pencil next to the name of whichever idiot we’d like to have calling the shots from Downing Street for the next 5 years. Today’s proceedings are particularly tinged with gloom due to the common notion that there’s a very good chance that the Conservatives will get back in. Yes, lots of us are sick to death of New Labour, but the answer isn’t to go out an re-elect the party they replaced. Many people who can recall their time in office during the 80’s and 90’s will feel distinctly queasy at this prospect. I’m one of these, so one way or another, I’ll be having a drink or two tomorrow once the outcome is known. Fingers crossed pop-kids, after all, you never know…

Listening to: The Avengers – Theme

Greets, my people. As you can see there are some changes ongoing around here. Yes indeed, I finally had to call it a day with Blogger. For technical reasons far too boring to detail, I have lugged the entire contents of my humble site over to the good folks at Wordpress. Everything is glaringly unfamiliar to me at this point, but the locals seem friendly enough, even if I don’t understand much of what they’re saying. So, rather than labour for weeks in private,  getting the relevant tweaks done then unveiling a nu-site, I though I’d just make changes on-the-fly so that I can stay on air. If everything looks completely different next time you visit, please do not be alarmed. That’ll be the result of me wrestling naked with Cascading Style Sheets.
Onward™…