The Most Astounding Fact

I realise that I've not been active round here for a while. Sorry to the world and thanks to NobblySan for the nudge.

What is the most astounding fact about the Universe? A deep question which has tied up philosophers, theologians and scientists for millennia. The astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson was asked this in an interview for TIME Magazine in 2008 (I think).

I would have said 'the direction of the arrow of time'. But thinking of the reverse: atoms and molecules converging through the soil to produce a corpse which is then animated as you, to exist for an undefined period gradually getting younger until doctors or midwives push you inside another person who then has inverse copulation...

Well it's no more strange then what we do by living 'forwards'. You'd be used to it because that's how it was. How would you tell the difference? I prefer it our way though.

DeGrasse Tyson chooses a different fact:

The Most Astounding Fact (Neil deGrasse Tyson)


We are stardust indeed.

Woodstock ~ Joni Mitchell
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John Martyn, One World.

The remarkable song writing of the late John Martyn joins with a very subdued Dave Gilmour.

Perfectly...

John Martyn.and David Gilmour- - "One World"
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The 1st BBC Comedy Prom

For those in the UK only (sorry) the full concert is on the BBC iPlayer for a few more days, though clips are sprouting on YouTube. It is a magical divergence for the often dry and dusty annual Promenade Concerts from the Royal Albert Hall in London. Tim Minchin hosts a gala of music and fun which is a must see. Yes, this Tim Minchin!

I can't yet find the clip I want to play so bugger the Proms, this will have to do.
From earlier in the year, Tim's Lullaby:



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Glastonbury 2011

I wasn't there but thanks to the wonderful BBC iPlayer I've probably seen more than if I had been. What I did miss was the micro-atmosphere though: the sights, sounds and smells as you walk around, the endless stalls where you can spend an afternoon just shopping, and an entire world of food.

The Beeb recorded many hours of video and it's all on their website, from short clips to full performances. It's well worth a dig round.

The highlight for me was the remarkable Bellowhead. Watch the clip then go here for more of their set. Much foot-tapping is guaranteed.



Note: I've never embedded BBC stuff before so I don't know if this will work outside the UK. Hope it does, if not I'm sure YouTube will provide. Grow into these trousers... >>

Warning - Do NOT listen to this song

The Badger Song


I told you not to listen! Grow into these trousers... >>

It's the end of the world as we know it!

Judgement Day is a' comin', Saturday 21st May. Wow that's like... this weekend!

I thought it was going to be just before Christmas 2012, according to the Mesoamerican Long Count Calendar, but Christian preacher and radio broadcaster Harold Camping thinks otherwise. The long-awaited Rapture, when all good Christian souls will drift off up to Heaven, will be on Saturday and conveniently arranged for 6pm in all time zones around the world (not sure about Samoa). The rest of us folks will be 'left behind', milling about incoherently or something. But not me, I have a plan: if you think you will be Raptured simply post your address in the comments below and leave your front door open. I promise someone will visit your ex-home as soon as they can to feed the dog, cat, budgie, goldfish etc, water any plants and generally take care of things. Car keys, bank account details and passwords left in obvious places will all help provide this service.

On the night itself I have a gig at a local pub where, the last time we played there, the entire valley had a power cut plunging all into darkness. The band has always joked that it was all our fault for ramping up the volume but it could be an omen. If we have time to play 'knocking on heaven's door' I'll be happy. In fact, I feel fine...

It's the end of the world as we know it
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RIP Polly

You kept me entertained in the late 70s, and you were a formative punk rocker. I doff my cap to:

Marianne Joan Elliott-Said aka Poly Styrene (3 July 1957 – 25 April 2011)

A legend with a quieter side...

Poly Styrene - Shades
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Just for Duncan @ MadHatters

Slurping my morning coffee and blearily reading The Mad Hatters my day perked up wonderfully when I found Duncan had posted "The Mad Hatter's Song" by The Incredible String Band.

It got me thinking, are there any other songs with 'Mad Hatter' in the title? I could only come up with this.

Edgar Broughton Band Mad Hatter


There must be more, any other suggestions? Grow into these trousers... >>

Crack, crunch!

The Gypsy has just told me that, during heavy winds yesterday, a tree has fallen onto the pub where our band is based. See here.

PCSO Orham Yigit outside the George Pub, Cleckheaton after a tree fell into it
Photo credit: The Spenborough Guardian.

Looking at the photo that window is in the main concert room, next to the stage and on my side too! Thank goodness it was in the morning and not when there was a 'do' going on. No one was hurt but it makes you think. We used to rehearse in that room and leave the gear set up unless there was another function coming up. Recently the owners have let use use a back room, which is much more cozy for practice than an empty hall, and all our gear was in there. I guess I'll see the damage when I go down tomorrow afternoon.

Note: The band's website is taking shape (thanks 'Techno'), just waiting for a bunch of new photos (thanks Neil) and hopefully a couple of tracks for download. Soon... Grow into these trousers... >>

Late Night Music

I just tripped across this tune by the late great Jerry Garcia. We are just learning this in the band. Thin Lizzy made it famous, but we do a punked up full on rock version (Metallica, poop).

But here is a proper version :

Jerry Garcia-Whiskey in the Jar
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Early evening music - John Martyn

I just tripped across this track by the late, great master. The oil rigs are a puzzle to me, the music is class...

Grace & Danger - John Martyn
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A bit of nice music

And an unusual find...

I was picking up a takeaway pizza the other night and got talking to the good people behind the counter. As is often with me the topic turned to music when this this poor guy was pulled out of the back room and, to his embarrassment I'm sure, encouraged to sing.

I thought immediately that he had a good voice. So here is a plug for Payam Edraki, long may his songs be played.

Folk Music "Setareh" پیام ادراکی
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It gets better

Many young people go through their education as victims of bullying and hate campaigns because of their sexual orientation, which is seen as abnormal by their peers (who are probably just as confused by their own developing sexuality) and by narrow minded adults who are over-righteously heterosexual.

Many other young people keep their mouths shut but still carry the fear of 'being found out'.

This is wrong

But hang on in there guys and gals:

it gets better-----a music video by rebecca drysdale



Visit the It Gets Better Project. Grow into these trousers... >>

Busy doing nothing...

Not true...


I've actually written some code over the past couple of days. The band now has a domain and we'll be launching a website real soon now. I am no graphic artist, I'm much more happy to work on back end stuff with server scripts and databases, and I got a PHP/MySQL database running online today. I am over the moon!

Stay tuned for more. Grow into these trousers... >>

Here's to a great 2011

I'm still here folks. This winter has been a bad one for me health wise, and for most of my close friends. The flu has been knocking us out one by one. The unexplained thing is that it seems to make no difference if you had the seasonal vaccine or not; you still get it. Some rogue strain that the vaccine manufacturers didn't anticipate? Perhaps but whatever, for the first time in about three weeks I feel almost back to normal; well enough to make one in for a bit of a jam session tomorrow afternoon in a local pub. I'll see if I can take the pace. Next up for the band is The Fleece Inn at Elland (28^th Jan) which I remember from years ago as a top real-ale pub, though I haven't visited for a long time. I hope it has kept it's traditions.

Playing bass is one thing I want to keep involved with this year, it's such good fun and the band is really starting to gel. Live gigs are the best rehearsal of all so I hope we'll be playing every fortnight at least, by Springtime. But my other big fascination, as many people will know, is with space exploration and 2011 looks set to be a good year.

It all starts tomorrow with the Mars Express spacecraft's close (111 km) flyby of the Martian moon Phobos. This is one of a series of encounters to study and map this small moon and will provide invaluable data for the upcoming Russian Phobos Grunt mission which intends to land on Phobos and return samples to Earth. Phobos Grunt is currently set to launch this November and reach Phobos in 2013.

February sees the Stardust/NExT flyby of comet Tempel 1. This should be interesting as the comet was visited in 2005 by Deep Impact which, as the name suggests, launched an impactor to stir up the comet's surface. NExT will re-examine the crater to look for any changes over the last few years.

Next up is the MESSENGER spacecraft (The Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging mission) which will enter orbit around Mercury on 18 March with a (Earth) year-long primary mission of mapping the surface (in 3-D) and studying the planet's magnetic and gravity fields. Expect some great images, though I am amazed they can can keep the craft cool enough so close to the Sun.

In August the Dawn spacecraft arrives at asteroid Vesta, the second largest object in the asteroid belt after Ceres which Dawn will move on to study in 2015. Dawn will spend 7 months orbiting Vesta recording images and spectrographic data.

Not last, and far from least, sometime in autumn may see the launch of the most ambitious project ever sent to Mars. The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) is a rover the size of a small car (2.8 meters long) and packed with scientific instruments. Follow the link to see the 8-point mission objectives which include everything from looking for signs of life to determining the processes of water and carbon dioxide cycling (in other words, Martian weather).

OK, the MSL was the last for now, I'm running out of steam and a bottle of Black Sheep Ale keeps singing to me from the fridge. 2011 looks good so far, later in the year I want to be back out in my vegetable plot and greenhouse growing tasty things to eat and I also plan to make some homebrew beer, an old hobby which I have neglected in recent years.

So cheers all! May the coming year be at least as fun for you as I hope it will be for me. Grow into these trousers... >>

This is becoming a habit!

I missed another Sunday post. We were playing again but I had forgotten it was another early start. Sitting with a steaming mug of coffee just after lunch, and expecting to have ample time, I thought I would ring the guys to see what the plan of action was.

"We've just finished loading the van mate. Pick you up in about 10 minutes."

I really must get better organised. Failing that, here's a little tune to put us in the Christmas spirit:

slade - merry christmas everybody


All have to do now is learn it for Wednesday night. Have fun! Grow into these trousers... >>

Oops - missed Sunday

Well, not really. We were playing at a charity fundraiser in aid of motor neurone disease, the whole day rocked and I stayed much longer than I had planned to. Many thanks to the bands who gave their time, notably The Travelin' Band, Area 67, Mark James and everyone else who made it a day to remember. Grow into these trousers... >>

Late night music - Bowie

Haven't done one of these for a while, but I still have dreams of playing bass on this track.

David Bowie - Let's Spend The Night Together
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Spot the goat

The work these guys must put into making their videos makes my jaw drop. OK Go do it again with their latest opus:

OK Go - White Knuckles - Official Video


Their previous video is here and is well worth seeing too.

And did you spot the goat? Grow into these trousers... >>

Late night music

I think I've posted this before, but again tonight it is capturing the right mood for me...

Joni Mitchell - Coyote
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