Five-Spot

There are a number of mosaics, large and small, dotted around my neighbourhood. I found this little one (pictured above) on Saturday morning as I stepped outside a coffee shop I'd hitherto not frequented before. Did you know there are twenty-six different types of ladybird? No, me neither. This is a fin. A fiver. A five-spot, a.k.a. Coccinella Quinquepunctata.

Thelonius Monk - Five-Spot Blues*

* Monk (1917-1982) dedicated this to the Five Spot Café in New York's Bowery neighbourhood.

"His head's like a ghost town"

It's been a long while since I've got my teeth stuck into anything of note on the telly, but I've just binged Season One of The Tourist, starring Jamie Dornan, and was utterly gripped. It was relentless. From the opening homage to Duel to the final denouement, I was riveted, nay glued, to the box. The writing, the characters, the cinematography were all off the charts.

Trailer (2022)

Oh, and the soundtrack. Never has Johnny Mathis sounded so menacing. It's up on the BBC iPlayer if you want something to watch this weekend. I really think you should. 

Johnny Mathis - Just a Closer Walk With Thee (1965)

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It's all about me

It's all about me (1)

The crudely cropped Facebook screen grab says it all really. A collection of my photographs will be on display at The Abdication in Nottingham for the month of March. We're having a launch next Wednesday 28 February from 7pm. All welcome! 

It's all about me (2)  

I'm fascinated by AI. Fascinated with what it can do. Fascinated with what it might be able to do in the future. And fascinated (actually, make that slightly worried) about how it will affect us all going forward.

I know I often ask you to indulge me (thank you) and here I am asking you again (you love me really). A little earlier I 'asked' Bing (other AI portals are available) to 'write a blog in the style of John Medd.' This is what happened: 

“A Musical Odyssey: From Eno to ABC” 

Today, let’s embark on a musical journey—a voyage through soundscapes that resonate with nostalgia and innovation. Buckle up, dear readers, as we traverse the cosmos of melodies and memories. Two Enos for the Price of One It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything on the long-running Monday Long Song thread. Let me rectify that today. In 1983, Brian Eno and his brother Roger joined forces with producer Daniel Lanois to create a spectacular soundtrack album. The occasion? To commemorate a planned film celebrating the Apollo space program. One track from this celestial symphony stands out: “An Ending.” It’s not only part of that album but has also found new life in other films, including “Traffic” and “Trainspotting.” Yet, never quite like this. Clocking in at 57 minutes, I present to you Monday’s Long Song: 🎵 Brian Eno & Roger Eno - An Ending (1983) 🎵 Watch on YouTube And while we’re on the subject of Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno, who among you would like to behold one of his sexy Eno signature limited-edition turntables? It might seem pricey at £20K, but I dare say it’s a bargain (assuming I subsist on tinned baked beans for life and live in my car). Feast your eyes on this sonic marvel: 🎶 BRIAN ENO, “Turntable” (2021) 🎶 !Eno Turntable 

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If you were stopped on the street tomorrow and asked to name three bands that dominated the singles charts in the '80s, your trio would likely include Spandau Ballet, the Police, and Wham. But let’s not forget ABC—the architects of infectious tunes and chart-topping hits. According to my trusty Guinness Book of British Hit Singles, ABC spent nearly 90 weeks on the charts between 1981 and 1990. Impressive, right? But ABC wasn’t merely a singles band. Their albums were treasure troves of musical gems. So why did it take me forty-odd years to witness their live performance? A good question—one I can’t quite explain. Nevertheless, fate intervened, and on Tuesday, I broke my duck. From my vantage point in Row A of the Upper Circle, I witnessed a masterclass in showcasing 40 years of tune-smithery. The formula was simple yet sublime: the Southbank Sinfonia (a 35-piece orchestra conducted by Anne Dudley) teased us with a five-minute classical snapshot in the first half. Then, the band took the stage, playing the “ABC Songbook.” Hits like “When Smokey Sings,” “The Night You Murdered Love,” “Be Near Me,” and “Viva Love” filled the air. After a twenty-minute interval (just enough time for a white Magnum ice cream), it was time for the main course—the groundbreaking debut album: 🎤 Lexicon of Love 🎤 They played it in its entirety, and the crowd knew every word by heart. For those in the stalls, it wasn’t their first rodeo. Martin Fry’s voice held up, and the 2,000-strong audience provided a perfect backdrop for any notes he dared to tackle.

Anyway, dear readers, that’s my musical escapade for today. Until next time, keep your ears attuned to the symphony of life. — John Medd P.S. If you’re curious about my dotage and other musings, feel free to explore my blog. And remember, even monkeys fall out of trees.

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What did you think? I can see what it's done: it's stitched together two of my recent blog posts, changed some of the text around  and given it a formal beginning and end (something  I don't always bother with). As I was watching it 'type' in real time - the whole thing took less than 30 seconds - I thought to myself 'I'm redundant!'.

They've got it All

If you were to lay all the ex-members of the Fall end to end on the M61 you'd probably get moved on by the police. You'd also have your longlist for potential members of House of All. From that very long longlist they managed to narrow it down to just five who then thought it would be a good idea to channel the energy of Mark E Smith, their onetime leader and friend (mostly), and fashion a sound born out of a Manchester that barely resembles the city they first joined forces in.  

For what it's worth, and despite many reservations, I think it works. Lat year's album and the mini tour to promote it were well received, for the most part. Would MES have approved? Probably not, but that's hardly the point is it. I saw the Fall a couple of times and they were shambolic. But in a good way. What HOA will be like in a live situation is anyone's guess. But I'll blag a ticket if they keep going long enough. By which time I may have figured out what these lyrics are all about...

House of All - Turning of the Years (Marc Riley Session, 2023)

TopPop

In 1974 glam was still alive and kicking - Sweet, Slate, Mud, T Rex and Alice Cooper were continuing to put the fear of God into our parents every Thursday evening. Top of the Pops was still very much the launch pad that could jettison your latest single from the lower reaches of the charts one week to Top 5 the next. There was no other show quite like it. Or was there? Many European countries had similar shows that showcased indigenous and imported chart sounds. Holland for example had TopPop which ran from 1970-1988.

I'm not 100% sure if this lot ever made an appearance on the show. Their name was short-lived (as probably was this 1974 single) - Heart in America were just becoming a thing. But their Dutch namesake sure made a splendid racket.

Heart - Lovemaker (1974)