Continuing the musical theme which has taken hold around here, there is one genre of popular music that I didn’t mention in my post the other day. It has many fans all over the world, but is a uniquely US phenomenon. I am, of course, referring to the occasionally cheesy, often maligned, but nevertheless richly varied and sometimes downright fantastic musical style that is Country and Western.
My dad was a huge country fan, so I guess that being exposed to the likes of Don Williams, Tammy Wynette, Billie Jo Spears and countless others during my formative years was bound to have some effect on me. I don’t really have guilty pleasures (I’m just not the type to get all guilt-ridden over simple harmless enjoyment) but if I had to lay claim to one, Country and Western music is probably it.
So, while I’m wearing my heart on my sleeve and risking a little disparagement from those who feel they may have more sophisticated musical tastes, here’s two or three classics to be going on with…
As many of you who know me are probably aware, my musical tastes are pretty wide-ranging and can be a bit eclectic. Alongside heavy rock/heavy metal, electronica, a bit of rap/hip-hop and a love of classical pieces, I’m also rather fond of the British folk scene. Or, indeed, the folk, roots and world music scene in general.
Since I currently seem to be on a bit of a musical sharing adventure at present, here’s today’s offering from Adrian’s music library. Show of Hands have been doing their thing on the English folk circuit for many a year, playing their own original material as well as their own versions of classic folk standards. This is from their album “Arrogance, Ignorance and Greed” (a cracking album all round) and is their wonderful version of Keys of Canterbury.
Some songs only really work when performed by their original artists or in some particular version that becomes the classic one that everyone loves and remembers. Others, however, can take on new leases of life when re-arranged or performed by someone else.
For me, this is a classic example of that phenomenon. An excellent original, with two rather different, but also excellent, interpretations from what you might call opposite ends of the musical spectrum. Enjoy!
Here’s one that did the rounds on Facebook and other social media a while ago. Some of you will have already heard it, some of you may well know of the band already or even be ardent fans. In any case, it’s a song that never fails to put a smile on my face and we could all do with that about now I reckon.
So, without further ado, I give you The Dead South!
A while ago, I put a little posting up on here about Wigtown – Scotland’s national book town which is only a mere 30-odd miles or so from my home. I mentioned that it is a wonderful, bookish sort of place and that it has a rather fine book festival each year.
Although I only touched upon the subject briefly in my previous ramblings, it should also be mentioned that Wigtown, as well as being the home of numerous book sellers and other bookish types, is also inhabited by some rather good authors. Two who are worthy of particular note are Shaun Bythell (proprietor of “The Book Shop”) and Jessica Fox. Between them, they have written a set of three books that, while not a trilogy as such, work rather well if you think of them like that and read them together. All three books are based upon real people and events in Wigtown, they cover some of the same period of time and they are all an easy and entertaining read.
So, without further ado, I give you today’s recommendations from Adrian’s bookshelves:
The Diary of a Bookseller (Shaun Bythell). Written in the form of a diary (of course) covering a period of about a year, I suppose you might call this the first volume of Shaun’s memoirs. Or, at least, his memoirs as they pertain to running a bookshop in our current times. Funny, witty, sometimes a little sad, occasionally heartwarming (he may never forgive me for saying that) and, all in all, a fantastic read for anyone who has the least interest in books and the book trade.
Confessions of a Bookseller (Shaun Bythell). The second volume of the bookselling memoirs. Following on from the previous volume and covering another year (or thereabouts) this continues in the same vein, showing the funny, sometimes frustrating, but always delightful side of running a bookshop in a place like Wigtown. (Well, delightful for us readers anyway – some events might be less delightful if you actually had to live through them yourself.)
Three Things You Need to Know About Rockets (Jessica A Fox). Not a diary this time, but still autobiographical and covering some of the same time period (and involving some of the same characters) as you will encounter in Shaun’s books. If you’ve ever had the urge to give up on whatever you’re doing and follow a sudden, crazy urge to travel a few thousand miles around the world and do something totally different, you should read this book. Jessica did exactly that when she upped sticks from the west coast of the USA, stopped working for NASA and travelled to the west coast of Scotland to work in a bookshop. In fact, to work in The Book Shop (see above). The day-to-day adventures of adjusting to rural life in south-west Scotland, dealing with the lunatic schedule of the Wigtown Book Festival, learning to drive on the wrong side of the road in an exploding car and a little romance all followed. And other stuff that I won’t mention so that I don’t spoil the book for you, but it’s a thoroughly enjoyable read for anyone.
Now, in the interests of full disclosure, I should say that – living here and frequenting Wigtown on occasions – I do know both Shaun and Jessica. So it is possible that my enjoyment of all three books was slightly enhanced by my familiarity with some of the people and places involved. However, I’m certain that I would still have enjoyed them even if I’d never seen or heard of Wigtown before in my life. They’re just good books that are well worth a read.
The other day, I was sitting around doing something or other (as you do) when Glenda sent me a link to a video. At first, I didn’t pay it much attention but when I got around to watching it, I was absolutely entranced.
It isn’t very long – only about 8 minutes or so – and was filmed by a cameraman called Chris Bryan. In principle, it’s very simple, but in practice it is so incredibly well-done and utterly mesmerising to watch. The skill and patience that must have gone into capturing this footage and presenting it so beautifully just takes my breath away. Or would do if the incredible natural beauty of the images themselves hadn’t already taken it.
Sit back for a few minutes and enjoy the sea in Mocean…
Eight minutes of sheer beauty and delight from the talented Chris Bryan.
