Voice of the Sea (10 pics from '25)

Here's my eighth photograph to mark 2025. I paid two visits to Bristol this year. The second time was to record some new material with Phil Cooper. I wrote about the songs I recorded at the time, including this one. Fuelled by nothing more toxic than tea and biscuits we had a really productive session (I'd like to go back next year and do a couple more) and between takes we chatted in his garden. I was admiring the artwork on his boundary fence; turns out Phil's wife is not only green-fingered but an artist to boot as well. I may have to let her loose on the album cover!              

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Eric Spear (1908-1966) is probably best remembered for a television theme tune he was commissioned to write in 1960. Granada TV  were making a new serial set in the North West. Eric duly came up with the goods and wrote Lancashire Blues for the show which was to be called Florizel Street. They paid him the princely sum of £6 for his work. When Granada realised one of the cast (William Roache) couldn't pronounce the name of the show, it was hastily changed to Coronation Street. This isn't that.

 Eric Spear - Voice of the Sea (1964)

 

Spotlight (10 pics from '25)

Here's my seventh photograph to mark 2025. A few days in Suffolk back in September was most welcome. We stopped in an agreeable hotel in Southwold that not only served sensational beers in the bar (Adnams, natch) but  an establishment where kippers could be found on the breakfast menu; definitely a coastal thing - I'm thinking of Whitby and Newcastle where I also dropped anchor this year and where too the herring was a breakfast option. Southwold is also home to that rare breed of lighthouse - the inland type; in this case, found in a residential street a couple of hundred yards from the headland.

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São Paulo resident Rogerio Duprat was a devote of avant-garde art and music. At his peak, when blending psychedelia & classical music for his film scores, Duprat was dubbed the Brian Wilson of Brazil.

Rogério Duprat - Spotlight (1981)

The Apartment (10 pics from '25)

Here's my sixth photograph to mark 2025. Glasgow, November - walking back from the venue to the digs after seeing XGenerationX we wended our way down a leafy tree-lined avenue very reminiscent of New Walk that cuts through Leicester, taking you to the De Montfort Hall. Anyway, about half a mile down Kelvin Way and a particular apartment caught my eye. I don't care if it's wrong or if it's right.

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Duncan Lamaont was a jazzer through and through. Born in Greenock in 1931 he plied his trade in the myriad of jazz clubs that proliferated London's Soho in the 50s & 60s before pitching up at the KPM label. If you're ever asked at your local pub quiz who wrote the Mr. Benn theme music, look no further; tho' he used pseudonym Don Warren so as not to upset the Jazz fraternity.

Duncan Lamont - The Apartment (1975)

Love Deluxe (10 pics from '25)

Here's my fifth photograph to mark 2025. I'm not sure if it's been the same where you live but we've had some absolutely stunning sunrises and sunsets over the last few days; huge balls of fire in the sky doing their coming up/going down thing. And the beautiful pink backdrops they leave behind are equally mesmerising. It was one of those skies I happened upon on Friday evening. My friend Neil and I were between bars when I looked up and saw an ordinary sign looking anything but. 

  ★ 

Another track from the KPM stable. And another from Keith Mansfield. For those of you who follow such things, Mansfield's riddims have been sampled over the years by, among others, Danger Mouse, Gnarls Barkley and Fatboy Slim. 

 Keith Mansfield - Love Deluxe (1976)

Roswell

Anyone who's seen Asteroid City will know it evokes the whole Roswell vibe. Wes Anderson's unique homage to all things alien starring Scarlett Johansson and Tom Hanks is a visual delight. Imagine Andy Warhol working for NASA and you're half way there.

Asteroid City (2023) - Trailer 

Have Elle Cordova and Toni Lindgren seen Aseroid City? I'd put the house on it. Here's a song they wrote  wrote when their van broke down in Roswell New Mexico and were forced to stay in Roswell for 10 days; soaking up all the alien mumbo-jumbo Roswell had to offer: Roswell International UFO Museum, Roswell UFO Spacewalk and of course the infamous Walker Air Base in Roswell. It's called Roswell.     

Summer Thoughts (10 pics from '25)

Here's my fourth photograph to mark 2025. I knew I'd turned a corner when I was well enough to leave the house and get away for a few days. Starting with #BlogCon25 in Bristol and then Whitby, it felt good to be sleeping in a bed that was neither mine nor the NHS's. I'd follow it later in the year with sorties to Stranraer,  London, Blackpool, Southwold and most recently the iconic XGenerationX tour which took me & Steve to Hebden Bridge, Glasgow, Nottingham & Leeds.

The tea hut in a chilly Whitby was framed by a brilliant blue sky; whilst pressing the shutter it was easy to fast forward in my mind to next year when, hopefully, the sun will be warmer and I'll have to dig out my passport in order to see it. Ah, thoughts of Summer. 

★ 

James Clarke's style was made for the KPM label: richly orchestrated, laid back and very Henry Mancini. 

James Clarke Summer Thoughts 1967 

On the Brighter Side (10 pics from '25)

Here's my third photograph to mark 2025. It was April, my final stay in hospital, and I was but a handful of days away away from receiving my leaving papers. This was the corridor leading to Morris Ward. I was on Morris Ward. Great things happen on Morris Ward and great people work there. They offer the ultimate emergency service. Like many parts of City Hospital, that's where lives are saved, mine included. I'll never forget that. I'll also never forget the first day I was allowed to leave my isolation room and slip anchor. I made it as far as the walled courtyard where the sun shone and I drank a cup of real coffee. I took this photograph on the way. For the first time in a long time I was filled with hope.

★ 

This mini series appears to have been hijacked by the KPM record label. And none the worse for that. Today I've gone with another one of their writers in residence: Johnny Hawksworth was a jazzer born in 1929 and, commercially, probably best remembered for his Thames Television ident (you'll know it as the precursor to the Sweeney!). Johnny provided the label with so much TV and film material - I'll probably do a little resumé of his work (and the other KPM stalwarts) in the New Year.

Johnny Hawksworth - On the Brighter Side (1982)   

Man With a Mission (10 pics from '25)

Here's my second photograph to mark 2025. Back in those lazy, hazy, crazy days of Summer, my good friend Ernesto and I decided to pay a visit to a mannequin graveyard; fifteen thousand mannequins in the middle of nowhere Lincolnshire. Someone in my writing class had given me the steer: 'It's made for you,' she said. Turns out she was right. I took scores of photos that day so editing to down to one was nigh on impossible. But I guess if you have Superman powers then nothing's impossible; here's that one photograph.

★

I'm currently obsessed with Library Music and the KPM label. Here's another exponent of the art; where easy listening soundtracks meet loungecore meets jazz and funk.

Keith Mansfield - Man With a Mission (1974)

Library Shares · Keith Mansfield - Man with a Mission - (KPM 1136) - 1974

Girl in a Sports Car (10 pics from '25)

It's been one helluva year, I don't mind telling you. I'm not generally one for hyperbole so I'll just say 2025 has been tough. If you want chapter and verse then take a peek at some of my back issues - you'll get the gist. But, and this is a big but, it hasn't all been bad. Friends and family (you know who you are) got me through this. Music got me through this. Books got me through this. Blogging got me through this. And my camera got me through this. During my recuperation I was still able, despite feeling quite weak, to get out most days and get some (much needed) air in my lungs and, whilst out and about, point my camera at whatever and whoever I bumped into.

So what I've done is select 10 photographs I took at some point during the last calendar year. They're not in date order or indeed ordered in any way. Just 10 shots straight off the bat. Also, I've tried to choose images that I haven't previously posted on my blog. Oh, and there may be a piece of music to go with them as well. I say may - I'm not 100% sure yet as to what the other nine pics will be (or even that I'll post them all this side of the New Year). 

Anyway, let's start with the lovely Lisa. Lisa & Mike own a rather nice bar in my part of the world. Lisa heard I was poorly and said there'd be a drink with my name on it when I was well enough to venture out. And, sure enough, there was. Thank you, Lisa

★

Alan Hawkshaw was, together with Johnny Pearson, the King of Library Music. His compositions spanning 50 years can be heard all over film and TV. He also wrote the theme tunes for Grange Hill and Countdown. 

Alan Hawkshaw - Girl in a Sports Car (1973)

No brainer

It's no secret that Emerson, Lake & Palmer plundered the classical repertoire mercilessly. Their debut album was them performing Pictures at an Exhibition (Mussorgsky's piano concerto in 10 movements) live at Newcastle City Hall; I know, it's insane. Everyone, even non-prog fans knows their take on Coplands's Fanfare for the Common Man but for Monday Long Song I would never be so populist. Instead I've gone for their interstellar version of Alberto Ginastera's Toccata. This, and every other track on the album it came from (1974's Brain Salad Surgery), changed my life overnight. I bought the album the week it came out and I've still never heard anything quite like it.

ELP - Toccata (1974) 

And for anyone who wants to compare and contrast, here's the source material. 

Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra (feat. Astuko Seta) - Piano Concerto No. 1 (4th. movement) Toccata 

... 

 Alberto Ginastera (1916-1983)

Keith Emerson (1944-2016)

Greg Lake (1947-2016)

Carl Palmer (1950-)

I forsee terrible trouble

I think it's a pretty safe bet that had I still been running Vinyl Club (and I must admit I haven't ruled out bringing it back) that the Dan would have made a further appearnace. Would I have gone for 1977's Aja - their imperious slab of Yacht Rock? Maybe. But more likely, I think, I'd have reached a bit further back to their 1972 debut, the fully formed Can't Buy a Thrill - a statement of intent par excellence. This album really did raise the bar for everything and everyone that followed. If, heaven forbid, you found yourself on Death Row on your final day on earth savouring a final meal of your choice with a last brandy & cigar complete with your bespoke soundtrack, the chances are the tune below would still be ringing in your ears as you fried in the chair. Proper little ray of sunshine, aren't I?

I've never needed an excuse to play the delightful Elle Cordova and Toni Lindgren. Their musicianship, be it original compositions or classic covers, is absolutely jaw dropping. And this Steely Dan reinterpretation is no exception. It could originally be found on side one, track two on the aforementioned album. But as you can see in this video it is vey much at home on a balcony at 8,000 feet. 

Elle Cordova & Toni Lindgren - Dirty Work (2025)

To Heron back (#5)

Thankfully the rain held off just long enough today thus enabling me to get well over 20,000 (dry) steps under my belt. Highlights of Friday's urban hike? My first proper sighting of the new footbridge over the Trent; more horrific 'go slow' school children; a rather splendid pork pie and, unsurprisingly,  the ubiquitous Heron Foods. Oh, and I got my hair cut.

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So wots with these kids, then? To be found outside many a school in the county, anyone who's seen The Brood (classic 1979 body horror flick starring Samantha Eggar) will know the vibe that these things give off.

But enough of the children from hell already, here's that bridge I was telling you about. Back story -  developer builds swanky new apartments with river view. However, they're on the wrong side of the river: down-at-heel Cowlick Vs upmarket Lady Bay. No problem, speak to the local Council and voilà, let's build a £20M footbridge. The first new Trent crossing in 65 years. 

Anyway, that was enough excitement for one day. Time for a pie and a pint. The Old Volunteer always has at least one sensational dark beer on and a selection of filled rolls and pork pies. Come to daddy.

No pictures of Tracy my love hairdresser, sadly. Maybe next time...

Love Hertz

I've just started reading Last Train to Hilversum - Charlie Connelly's love letter to radio; I too have a ton of memories the from the box of voices; as Charlie says in the first chapter, "we're all radio people." Maybe at some point I'll share some of my radio milestones spanning the last 60 years but right now I'm too engrossed in this delightful tome. If you're stuck for stocking fillers this year then look no further... 

In the days before Van Morrison turned into a total bellend he recorded this paen to the wireless. I have a feeling it may get a mention in later chapters. 

I am down on my knees 

At the wireless knobs 

Telefunken, Telefunken 

And I'm searching for Luxembourg, Athlone, Budapest, AFN, Hilversum, Helvetia 

In the days before rock 'n' roll

...

Van Morrison - In the Days Before Rock 'n' Roll (1990)

You say you want a revolution

Welcome to December's Photo Challenge. Our year end Finale, if you will. I said this time last year that due to circumstances beyond my control we'd have have a truncated year this year, but I reckon we've crammed more into ten months of 2025 than we did last year and the year before. Am I right? I'm not wrong.

So, this month I was looking for things that rotate and things that revolve. And no, I didn't receive many scratchy 45s (or 33s for that matter). Instead I received a bumper mailbag full of left field stuff. If it went round and round you sent it to me. One again I was in awe. See what you think. We also have a special guest - the original Mod Housewife herself - welcome aboard, Amy!

As is tradition, Rol Hirst gets to spin the wheel first: "Hi John, Here are some things that revolve and rotate. 1) A mechanism for opening reservoir drainage channels. 2) Our local wind turbine. 3) Me as a teenager who should know better with two of my younger nephews, in a barrel. Cheers, Rol." Thank you, Rol - better to be in a barrel, than over a barrel. A great start to proceedings.

As an ex-railway engineer and scooter-mad Mod, I was expecting David to hit me with train turntables and Lambrettas. Not a bit of it. "No turntable shots I’m afraid, John. But I have found three photos for you. Firstly, a Christmas Big Wheel in Leipzig. Often on my longer trips I have to use a launderette, this was in Zagreb. And finally a shot from my current trip. The emergency helicopter taking off from the hospital adjacent to The Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide during a game in the Women’s Big Bash. David." Cheers, Coops. Good effort. I presume you're in Oz for The Ashes?

Our San Diego correspondent, Riggsby - and his wife Jingyi - has gone into hyperdrive; my email inbox overfloweth. "Hi John, we  recently visited the Petersen Automotive Museum in LA. Incredible collection of vehicles. One gallery displays the history of tyre development. The illuminated tyre overlaps a bit with the lighting theme last time."

"Sushi boats carried around on a circulating channel of water. Surprisingly, this Japanese Restaurant is in the heart of San Francisco’s Chinatown." 

"We were at Clear Lake, California this week and saw this old-looking caravan at one of the campgrounds we passed. We stayed in Nice, CA (I kid you not; pronounced niece by people but nice by the navigation)."

"Half a dozen more things that went or go round spotted at one of the wineries near Clear Lake including part of a windmill, an old carriage wheel, and an air conditioning unit!"

"… and the last round and round theme pics from our visit this week to Nice and Clear Lake. This windmill, at the Wild Diamond Vineyard, was pumping water from a well. The style looks old-fashioned, but the windmill looks new. We saw quite a few of these whilst driving south though the Napa Valley. Wild Diamond is a reference to Lake County diamonds, crystals in the soil that can be found particularly after heavy rain."

"This pic from Jingyi is a reflection of the Ferris wheel la grande roue de Montréal, which she rode while there for a conference." 

"This stone mill pic was taken by Jingyi in Yunnan Province, China. The region, near Tibet, is known for its beautiful lakes and mountains, and the inspiration for the name Shangri-La. The food, rice or grain is added through the hole and ground by turning the top sone with the handle."

"And finally, pedalos on the man-made lake at Shoreline Park in Mountain View, California." Wow! Thank you, Richard. A most exhaustive collection. Thanks again.

Johnny Legs has gone for two home and one away: "Centrifugal Governor at Papplewock Pumping Station." You do know that's my new name for you, Johnny: The Centrifugal Governor"! - JM.

"Turbine from the Kirk (Croatia) hydro-electric power plant."

"A soggy day out in York." 

"And the historic mill of Sanssouci in Potsdam, Germany." Nice one, Johnny. And the first carousel of this month's collection.

Tim from Hucknall: "Hi John, here are my Top 5 for this month. 1. Big Wheel - Slab Square, Nottingham. 2. Thorpeness Windmill - a particularly charming one. 3. Euro Windmill - Palma, spotted en route to the suburbs to source fine craft beer at La Velo taproom. 4. Fontaines DC in rather jazzy format. 5. My first attempt (this weekend) at pottering. Great fun & it definitely went round. Cheers, Tim." I love 'em, Tim! Who knew pottery could be some much fun. D'ya fancy turning your hand to a Johnny Vegas teapot?!

Celia from Sun-dried Sparrows: "Hi John, hope all's good with you! It's amazing what you can do with a phone camera, a coloured nightlight and an empty washing machine: here's my arty shot of the inside of ours. Well, it goes round, doesn't it?! All the best, C x." It does indeed, C. And it's precisely because of your pic that I immediately back-heeled all the launderette shots I'd got teed up. This definitely gets you a podium finish.

Alfa Dave with his pride and joy: "Here you go, John: I’ve just had the wheels refurbished on the red peril (it’s an Alfa 159 😉) so thought this might fit the bill." Cheers, Dave. It does indeed. When are you taking me out for a spin? 

East End Ernie next: "Hi John, apart from a few dull snaps of windmills I couldn't find any photos to fit the theme so in desperation I took a photo of a turnstile at the football and whacked a silvertone filter on it in the vain hope that would somehow make it more interesting. Apologies for being a bit crap this month. Ernie." Ernie, my man, don't sell yourself short. This is turnstiletastic! A podium finish, for sure - JM."

And then, a couple of days later, I received a further missive from young Ern: "Am I too late to add a second entry? You may recognise the venue. I only went to photograph the rotating glitter ball but Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigby kept spoiling the shot."

My reply to Ernie is screen grabbed below:

I haven't told Ernie yet who the 'other PC contributor in the room' was; though he must have seen her. This from Amy Rigby (for it is she): "Hi John, I'm so glad you liked the latest blog, and I'd be thrilled for you to use my pic (I came across it a couple of weeks ago in her, then, latest blog post. I asked her if I could use it for Photo Challenge - JM)  - it was such a perfect moment when that striped truck pulled up just as I was about to take a photo! Do you need a higher res version ? Is the Running Horse still going - for some reason I thought the owner was ready to retire but maybe he found a buyer? It was such a fun show there - one year ago this month! I'm getting my book out in the UK in March, hoping I can come back to Nottingham/thereabouts! Thanks so much and take care, Amy." Thank you, Amy! And how fortuitous that you stopped in that rest area in Berwyn, Chicago. As soon as I saw that concrete mixer I thought, that's going in! A podium finish, for sure.

Miss Turner's been to Scarborough Fair. Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. Here she is with her friend Miss Slater.

She even took a little video...  

And finally from Miss T "Us playing cards in The Blues Dawg on a repurposed cable bobbin - featuring Mr. Medd's hands!" Nice one, Miss Turner. Card and Carousels - a perfect combo.

Claire Nottingham has gone route one: she call this 'The hands of time'. Thank you, Claire. 

Adam says: "Round And Round. Only one way to go with that as a theme, from New Order, a February 1989 single, Fac 263 (for the Factory catalogue fans) and one of the songs from one of their best albums, Technique. Manchester via Ibiza." Thank you, Adam. I was expecting a ton of vinyl pics but precious little did I receive.

Pete Zab's just back from the fun fair: "Hi John, a varied selection for you, two from Goose Fair, some motorbikes, a windmill and some abstract inspired CDs. All the best, Pete" Cheers, Pete. I remember when CDs were the future.

Matthew & Samantha are currently cruising': Hi John, a roulette wheel and ceiling fans aboard the Sapphire Princess. And, from home, the Falkirk Wheel rotating boat lift. Thanks, M&S. See you both when you hit dry land.

Walt from Germany: "Hi John, for the current challenge I only found one picture in my collection that fits the theme. A rotating disc at a children's playground in my hometown. All the best, Walter." Danke, Walt. Love the colours.

Alyson aka Truly Scrumptious: "Hi John, here is a photo from when we visited friends in Berkshire many years ago. We went for an autumnal walk and stumbled upon the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang windmill. Our friends knew about it but it was a lovely surprise for me. A lovely memory of a great trip." Thank you, Alyson. Mind that barbed wire fence.

K from the Kotswolds "Hello John, a great challenge, as always. Hope you enjoy these offerings:

1. I went to a park whilst working in Cheltenham, looking for a roundabout in the kids’ play area. This is what I found. Health & Safety gone mad, as they say! 

2. Yes, it’s a roundabout outside Stroud train station. Yes, it’s static. But cars (not pictured) rotate around it, does that count? 

3. On my way to a gig in Bristol, I encountered the annual festive market and obligatory big wheel. Christmas is coming!

4. Sound Records in Stroud. The lovely big wheel in the window is constantly rotating, showing off their wares. I unfortunately picked the morning when they were changing the display! 

Thanks, K. Don't hang around too long in kiddies' playgrounds - it's not a good look!

The Swede "The only rotating things I can find in the archive are my first set of wheels. And in 1961 I clearly couldn't get anyone to push me, so I got out and pushed myself!" TS, you're a diamond: even tho' you clearly didn't take this picture I absolutely love it.

Mulberry Kate: "A man and his dog looking wistfully out to sea. (I know them both well - JM). These are the wind turbines at Skegvegas. I have an irrational fear of wind turbines." Thank you, Kate. Great work. Never thought I'd be comparing you to Trump but he too has an irrational fear of what he calls windmills. Then again he has an irrational fear of most things: Democracy, Mexicans; Biden, Bruce Springsteen, compassion, decency, the truth. I could go on...

Charity Chic: "Whitlee Wind Farm just south of Glasgow, the largest of its kind in the UK. And the light in our holiday cottage which unfortunately did not rotate." No worries, CC - let's just pretend they did.

Vaughan a.k.a. the man looking wistfully out to sea: "Hi John, a Micrometer on a brake disc, a Focke Wulfe FW-190 at Cosford, an angle gauge, camshafts, a dial test indicator, London Eye from tourist bus stop, racing tyres at Donington and an electricity meter, V." All I can say, Vaughan is Ooooooosh, Spedooooosh! 

Well, what did you think? How great were they? Our gallery needs a new wing. I'll have a look in the piggy bank and see if we can find a few bob. Before I do that it just leaves me to wrap things up with a couple of mine.

Crosby Beach, Nr. Liverpool; if you haven't been yet, what are you waiting for?

The Cathedral Quarter in Belfast.

Retro rotary style phones in an Amsterdam shop window.

My globe.

One of the last remaining foosball tables in Nottingham - The Robin Hood in Sherwood.

The Brudenell in Leeds and Marcus Geard from the Slackers. He takes his rotating 'bass stool' on tour with him all over the world.

And finally, some (not very steady) video footage of my BBC 2 kitchen clock. There's something about that sweep hand...

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Thank you again to everyone who gets involved. I'll post January's theme in the comments section in a couple of days. In the meantime, here's a link to all this year's challenges:

March: Shadows

April: Spring

May: Games

June: Where we eat

July: Street art

August: The seaside

September: Colourful houses

October: Pylons & wires

November: Lighting

And if you want to go back even further, take a look at our offerings from 2023 & 2024.

See you next year! J x