Laura Cantrell - A Tonic For The Lockdown Blues

INTERIOR. MORNING. LIVING ROOM IN SUBURBAN GLASGOW, SCOTLAND.

A 49 YEAR-OLD DAD, ever stylish but could use a haIrcut, STANDS SQUINTING AT a TV SCREEn. BIG PIXELS MOVE AROUND VIGOROUSLY. 10 year old daughter sits on a bean bag also staring at the screen, wiggling a plastic controller contraption.

DAD:
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

DAUGHTER
(WITH AUSTRALIAN INFLECTION AND IMPLIED "D'UH"):

 "KILLING ZOMBIES."

* * * 

Last night I watched some Kevin Bridges. His wee routine about a Jihadi suicide bomber on a tourist flight from Glasgow to Mallorca was particularly good.

I dipped into a TV doc about Peter Sellers for few minutes and, it being a goodly while after midnight, was about to sip the last of my Johnnie Walker Red and ascend the Wooden Hill to Bedfordshire when I decided to sneak a wee glance at Faceboke.

Who should pop up with a live-streamed, solo acoustic set but Laura blinkin' Cantrell!!

What a tonic for the lockdown blues! A realtime connection with a great artist.

As I like to remind folk now and again, I released Laura's sublime debut album "Not The Tremblin' Kind" on my label 20 years ago, (zoinks!), and - along with her subsequent releases - it still hits the spot. She's a pal but I'll alway be a fan.

Anyway, this live session was just what I needed when I didn't know I needed it. The whisky tasted sweeter and the night got younger.

Laura sang this gem (among many) which made me listen to it again (I bought the LP "Going Up On The Mountain" on ebay a few yonks ago, searching for things associated with the late John Herald - John plays some guitar and sings some harmonies):

Here's an old blog about an amazing trip playing in Spain with Laura. Seems a lifetime and a world away now.

Laura, you were sounding great as ever. Until we meet again... *raises imaginary glass of whisky at computer screen*

OH BY THE WAY... Lady Cantrell will be live tweeting as we all listen to Not The Tremblin' Kind on Tim's Twitter Listening Party. Sunday 21st June, 9pm (UK time)...

See y'all then.

OK. Other stuff I have recently liked:

Tunnel 29 - powerful telling of a true story about West Berliners digging a tunnel under The Wall.

The Dyatlov Pass Mystery - a dark, disturbing true tale about 9 Russian students hiking to their deaths in the Ural Mountains in 1959.

Broken Greek - Pete Paphides ruminates on a childhood as an elective mute, turned on by Sting and Come On Eileen. (Did I ever mention I saw The Police supported by The Cramps at Glasgow Apollo when I was 8 years old? I did?! Oh...)

Billy And Us - Episode 2. Shipyards and Leotards. I do love Billy.

Keith Floyd Uncorked on DVD. Here's Episode 1 on youtube if you give a monkey's...

I also watched Disney's Cinderella avec child. Not entirely sure I'd ever seen it all the way through. Now I keep breaking in to "Salagadoola mechicka boola,  Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo..." for no good reason. Help.

I'm reading this and it's off to a cracking start:

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Let’s see what this rapscallion has to say for himself...

A post shared by Francis Macdonald (@francismacdonald) on May 22, 2020 at 4:52am PDT

Oh and Grayon's Art Club is fab lockdown TV, in my humble opining...

Please Father, that is all I can remember. Now for a good Act Of Contrition.

Toodle pip.

Swingin' Along

Hope folk are bearing up OK.

We bought a swing seat for the garden. Sitting on it feels like going on holiday (not really).

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A post shared by Francis Macdonald (@francismacdonald) on May 6, 2020 at 4:19am PDT

I've been watching Keith Floyd, Better Call Saul and Normal People.

I happened upon this curio about Monty Python making shows for German TV in 1971. On first arriving they were taken to visit a concentration camp. I won't repeat what Graham Chapman shouted when it was closed.

If my experience is anything to go by - any 11 year-olds you know might enjoy Homeschool History on BBC Radio 4.

I caught up with an old doc by director Stephen Bennett called The Boys Of Ballikinrain: a viewing experience to remind you that all behaviour has a reason - and that we need to count our blessings.

Stephen directed "Eminent Monsters" which received its BBC premiere last night (as I type). An important documentary about state-sponsored torture with a story that stretches from Canada to Guantanamo to Northern Ireland and beyond, I was glad of the opportunity to compose the soundtrack.

My music also features on the current series of both "Beechgrove" (BBC Scotland / BBC TWO) and "Emergency Helicopter Medics" (Channel 4). And I wrote the theme tune for "Inside Central Station" - back for a second series on the BBC Scotland TV channel.

A reminder that I contributed a song - Punk Rock Boy - to Juniper's debut album.

Don Fleming and Ira Kaplan play guitars. Crazy. More info here.

(Reader's voice: "Stop boasting!")

Apparently it's 14 years since we lost Grant McLennan. I wrote this about his passing in 2006.

We still have his songs.

My late mum used to sing this.

Stay safe.