It Speaks To The Souls Of A Million Strangers

I am glad to be part of this current exhibition of art by 22 drummers at the Cornerstone Gallery, Hope University, Liverpool curated by Crash Ride Snare.

Teenage Fanclub have announced some more shows for next year - looky here.

Paddington 2 was an impossible act to follow, says I - but I enjoyed Paddington In Peru. 

And I sure liked this...

Hanif Kureishi's "Shattered" is a powerful listen.

So too is this Nile Rodgers interview for This Cultural Life. I particularly *loved* Ted Dunbar's wise words to Niles regarding Sugar Sugar...

Looking for some music to dig? Dig this...

Meanwhile this is a book about love. (Well done, Katy!)

Grimly fascinating Scottish true crime documentary series? To quote Glen Sherley -  Step Right This Way (a song that used to make Alex Chilton chuckle) for  'Limbs In The Loch'.

In fact here's that song.

What an * utter joy* it was to see this on the big screen at the good ol' GFT:

I am composing music for something I can't tell you about. (It doesn't involve Bob Dylan.)

Anyway. I know why you're really here...

Zimmy in Embra

So I saw BOB DYLAN last night at the grand ol' Usher Hall, Edinburgh.

At 7.30pm sharp and with zero fanfare, band members materialise onstage. The Zimmerman settles himself behind a grand piano but faces drummer Jim Keltner ie, he has his back to the two thousand-strong congregation of paying punters. He picks up a guitar. The Bob-meister proceeds to noodle (ropily isn't the word) through a random, spiky-with-generous-helpings-of-atonal-notes axe solo which serves as a prolonged intro to the usually-3-chord classic All Along The Watchtower. Tonight, however, it seems to have been shorn of two of its trusty chords. So much so that until the vocals decide to make an appearance I thought it might have been Political World which does have just one chord. After all hasn't there just been a significant political election in Bob's home country? But it wisnae it. Eventually The Z-Man deigns to turn and face the piano (and therefore, I suppose, us) to growl-sing, with flighty articulacy and the kind of attendance to and respect for established melody and phrasing that makes you think (before Enlightenment descends) 'What on earth is this?':

"There must be some way out of here..."

A delighted chuckle spreads to my shoulders. 83 years old and still not giving a flying monkey's feck. This is why we love Him. Nearly two hours and one standing ovation later, hopes of an encore are forlorn. The Maestro departs us once again.

Earlier that day I visited The National Portrait Gallery...

W. E. Henley by Rodin

...and also The National Gallery. This Rembrandt self-portrait is one of my favourites (photos don't do it justice, of course):

If you fancy something poptastic to listen to, I would recommend "Future Me" by Radhika

I've finished Alan Bennett's "Keeping On Keeping On" and now I am digging this:

And still I am drawn to drawing. (See if you can spot Paco de Lucia, Frank Meadow Sutcliffe or John Lavery)...

Fare thee well and adieu. x