World Wide Woozle episode #671

Welcome back campers, let's get started.

I'm a bit run down but I'm OK

Thank you to everyone who wished me a happy birthday. And a shout out to my brother for the reminder that I am now eligible for accommodation specifically for those aged 55+. I celebrated by having brunch with two very good friends, a long walk in the nature reserve, and dinner with the Northside Velo crew. Given my lack of cycling for almost a year, I am slightly concerned that I may become the team mascot! Honestly though, I had a much, much better day than I'd expected and I'm very grateful for that. My birthday is the day of the year where I miss my immediate family the most. Somehow, even when I was unwell and difficult to live with, they managed to make it special.

Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes - Better Days - https://youtu.be/bJnGv8M0v8Q

They could've been your mates

I recently watched the first episode of a documentary on the SBS about the work being done to extend and remodel parts of the Australian War Memorial. I shouldn't have read about it on one of the news pages that allows for comments because it made me sad. Seriously, if you think the War Memorial is glorifying war then you need to take a long hard look at yourself. Maybe head over there one day for the Last Post Ceremony, walk along the Rolls of Honour among the names of 103,000 Australians who died in war, and stand in the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier. In the museum part, take a look at the conditions ensured by POWs, or read about the Bangka Island Massacre. Remembrance, respect, and commemoration are what this place is about.

The Externals - Edge of the World - https://youtu.be/Fg32Pvg1cU0

I know his name

I'm not sure whether this is good or bad news, but, in Scotland, filming is underway on a remake of the best motion picture ever made, Highlander. I saw the 1986 classic for the first time at the drive-in theatre in Moe and have since seen it far too many times for my own health. It features a Frenchman playing a Scot, a Scot as a Spaniard, and an American as a Russian. So, of course for the remake we have an Englishman as the Highlander, an antipodean as the Spaniard, and again an American as a Russian. For me, the only good news is that Queen will still be in the soundtrack and Karen Gillan (a Scot) got a starring role. I watched the film last week and I think it's time for me to at least consider a copy on BluRay as the DVD version is a bit of an average transfer.

The Proclaimers - Cap In Hand - https://youtu.be/DMMSndY7H5A

I thought I might explore the importance, or perhaps the influence, of album covers. I feel as if with the advent of streaming they may have become less important. Given the time I spent making sure that the right artwork appears in my online music library it would seem that they remain important to me. There are also seven LP sleeves in frames and on the walls in my humble abode. So, I'll start with one of my favourites. Stormwatch by Jethro Tull. I imagine there are two or three people in total reading this that may have listened to the record and that's OK. I challenge you to look at the album cover below and imagine what the music might be like. For those not in the know, Jethro Tull plays folk influenced rock music with a bit of a progressive bent. There's almost always a flute involved, and the flautist/vocalist often stands on one leg looking like a cross between a court jester and an olive drab flamingo. I see the artwork and hear crashing waves, I smell the oilskin jacket I once had, and I feel the cold sting of the North Sea when, as a wee lad, my Grandfather tries to assure me that I am NOT going in for a swim. And it all feels timeless.

Jethro Tull - Old Ghosts (live) - https://youtu.be/b6iwufdF0VY

I think that's enough for this episode. It looks like you're all stuck with me a bit longer as I begin my 55th revolution of the sun.

Keep smiling,

The Woozle (50 +GST)

"And now that I live to see my melodies betray me

I'm sorry the love songs all mean different things today"

Jason Isbell, Gravelweed, 2025.

World Wide Woozle episode #670

Hi everyone, and welcome back.

In this episode I was considering writing about the war, the price of petrol (gas for my North American friends), spending $300 million dollars, and maybe even football. After a bit of a think I've decided not to do that. There are so many things going on that are a total bummer and you can read about them somewhere else if you want to. I'm not ignoring the real world, just putting it aside for a little while. So, "sit back, kick off your shoes, start losin' the blues!"

Might sell my body on the internet

Remember I said I was rebuilding my digital music library? Well I'm there. It was a mammoth task but now there's a hard drive with all of my CDs ripped onto it. I'm not stopping playing CDs but I really wanted access to my own music library without having to rely on the corporate greed and algorithms of companies simply out to make a buck. The iPods work well and I'm sure I look very 2005. I don't like to sit still though and I have plenty of time on my hands. So I thought I'd investigate building my own music server. That way I can listen to my own collection wherever I am, including in the car. I used to be good at IT type stuff and I'm sure my brain will let me delve into a solution to make this happen. To be fair, it looks fairly simple just using a Raspberry Pi computer and a hard drive combined with a couple of pieces of software. Is it super nerdy? Probably. Is it unnecessary? Definitely. Will it be fun? I think so. Watch this space.

St. Vincent - Digital Witness - https://youtu.be/mVAxUMuhz98

Wearing badges is not enough on days like these

I like this next song a lot, and it's one I've performed live a couple of times. One day I'll do that again. As a result of taking a swing through Mark Seymour's solo back catalogue I stumbled across his version of Steve Earle's song, Jerusalem. I present it here without commentary other than that I too did not learn to hate in Sunday School.

Mark Seymour - Jerusalem - https://youtu.be/PPU6ndIHamo

Way up on high, the clock on the silo says eleven degrees

Let's stick with Mark Seymour for a moment, because I want to talk about his music in addition to that amazing cover version. Most of you will be familiar with his work fronting Hunters and Collectors, and I imagine it is hard for him to escape all of those classic songs. I would encourage you though to try something more recent. Mark has an instantly recognisable voice but also a talent for storytelling in songs in a similar way perhaps to Mick Thomas from Weddings, Parties, Anything. The songs sound like the places they are about as well as the people involved. In recent years I've spent more time in Melbourne than I ever did when I lived in Victoria. Walking the suburbs, riding the trams and trains, and finding the places that are comfortable for me. A lot of Mark Seynour's songs feel like Melbourne. Maybe I'm not describing that at all well. Have a listen.

Mark Seymour - Stars of Fitzroy - https://youtu.be/0gsCDHJd_E4

Hey, hey, mercy woman plays a song and no one listens

Years ago I went to see Mia Dyson play. I really enjoyed it, but not the crowd who managed to talk, eat, and drink through her super show. Wrong venue I guess. Mia is another storyteller, and I remember the audience actually taking notice after being told about this song. She'd met a woman who had been forced to give up her baby for adoption. All these years later, this track still hits hard.

Mia Dyson - Jesse - https://youtu.be/cLHOp_ts2uQ

I've come to talk with you again

Over Easter I walked up some big hills. I can't walk up them as quickly as I want to but, this is progress. The more I walk, the more I want to be away from the noise of cars. I can manage it most of the time in the suburbs and parks near my house, but getting into the bush is a total winner. During my hill walks I think I saw one person in three days. Perfect. I saw trees, echidnas, kangaroos, wallabies, birds, rocks, and a cairn. This weekend I'm a bit achy so the hills will have to wait a few more days to see me again. I'm not at all grateful about this back injury, but somehow it conspired to point me to a place I feel at home which was something that was missing without my bike.

Icehouse - Great Southern Land - https://youtu.be/vp-Ew23q3JM

Tune in next time for Jeep news, there's been a slight delay!

Keep smiling,

The Woozle

"There's no time for us
There's no place for us
What is this thing that builds our dreams, yet slips away from us..."

Queen, Who Wants To Live Forever, 1986.

World Wide Woozle episode #669

Welcome back and thank you to all my regular readers, listeners and correspondents. Your cheques are in the mail.

This is a public service announcement, with guitars

Remember, World Wide Woozle playlists are here.

I don't know how to live but I've got a lot of toys

For those following along at home, by the time this is published I will be two-thirds of the way through re-digitising my entire CD collection. There are about 1300 albums to get through. I've got plenty of time on my hands at the moment and once you get into a groove it's just a matter of cycling the discs through the computer. So far, only two CDs have failed to cooperate. They will be replaced post-haste.

Along with this, I have to say a massive thanks to DJ Chippy and DJ Pat who answered my calls for old iPods to use. Getting the devices to talk to the newer version of Apple's software is a bit of a fiddle but I seem to have it sorted out now. Between those two iPods and a couple of small ones I still have here, I reckon I'll get the whole collection offline. The fun now is splitting it up in some kind of fashion that makes sense only to me!

Stars on 45 - https://youtu.be/7skQvj-aBV8

So your bags are packed and you're ready to go

Last weekend Zoë and Zac were here in Canberra. It was only a few days over two years since I'd seen them last. And then on Friday, Angus popped in to see me on his way through town. Living away from them is challenging at times but hearing about all the good things in their lives really helps to give me some perspective. I'm an extremely proud old Dad.

Neil Young - Comes A Time - https://youtu.be/qxH_4e7W7hc

There's only one way to rock

I've been distracted by the release, finally, of Van Halen's expanded edition of the 1986 classic LP, 5150. Thanks to DJ 3825 for hooking me up with a way to listen to a super high quality version whilst I wait patiently for a good deal on the physical media. To me, this record is one of the best that the band made. Everything is strong here; the players, the songwriting and the production. Nothing is perfect, but in terms of hard rock music, this comes very close. It's worth buying for the live concert video alone. Seeing a band playing so well and having a ton of fun is what this kind of music is all about. The concert footage also highlights how important Michael Anthony's high backing vocals are to the Van Halen sound. There are a few issues though. I mean, why do we only get three 2026 remasters of live tracks from the concert video when the whole thing is also on another CD and sounds quite different? Hmmmm.

Van Halen - Best of Both Worlds (live) - https://youtu.be/xs7v7qEyldY

I was a high school loser

It's no secret that I do a lot of walking. At the moment it's around 50km a week (more if I'm not feeling all that happy). Frankly, I'd much rather be mixing that up with some cycling but you all know the story about me having to be patient. There are upsides to walking. I listen to a lot of audiobooks and podcasts, and I know all the local dogs. I'm sure the whole neighbourhood recognises me as well. After seeing Zac using his drone last week I am seriously considering getting one to get some cool photos and maybe video of my favourite nature reserve. I can walk for a couple of hours there and see no-one except kangaroos, wallabies, echidnas and, if I'm lucky, a quokka! The issue I am having is shoes. They simply don't last! I have wide feet and that, coupled with the need for orthotics, makes it hard to get good footwear. Yeah, yeah, yeah; it's a first world problem. 

Steven Wilson - Personal Shopper - https://youtu.be/sX22dFMSNcg

This year gone by ain't no piece of cake

Today is the birthday of Bing, the gentle pusher of prog. We've been mates, no brothers, for many years now. I've lived at his house on two separate occasions, we've played many gigs together, and he's a generous spirit. So do me a favour and click HERE to listen to one of his great songs. Happy Birthday Bro.

Porcupine Tree - Time Flies - https://youtu.be/JTEWlSTQ1RI

That's it. Thanks for reading and hopefully for listening as well. Stay tuned next time to see my new Jeep!

The Woozle

"And you can shake your fist at the TV set
And you can slam your hand in the table
And you can cry and curse through tight, locked teeth
Just as hard as you are able
But you can't run away from trouble
'Cause there ain't no place that far
No fuel left for the pilgrims
That's just the way we are..."

D.A.D., Jihad, 1989.

World Wide Woozle episode #668

Welcome back, let's rock. I just wanna have some kicks...

Ramones - Rock N' Roll High School - https://youtu.be/oz7KYUkdlvE

World Wide Woozle playlists are here. It's the cure for what ails you.

Hang on to your hopes, my friend

I've got time on my hands, and quite possibly too much of it. Whilst working my way through listening to every single CD I have, I noticed something interesting. My level of frustration with Spotify and YouTube has ramped up significantly. I don't want the same ten songs or albums recommended to me all the time. I Got You, by Split Enz is a wonderful song, but I don't need it to be suggested three times a day. As a result I have gone back to listening to Spotify only for podcasts, audiobooks and new releases. Then I discovered that back in the day I had converted all my CDs to MP3 using a lower than optimal bitrate. So the quality isn't fantastic. Remember I said I have time on my hands? Well I've been re-ripping all of my CDs so that I can listen to them on the move. The point that I'm eventually getting to is that this has been a great way to expand my listening. There are CDs I'd forgotten I had as well as quite a few not on Spotify.

Jim Breuer and the Loud & Rowdy - Old School - https://youtu.be/dx_e8YaQpS0

I'm writing this over a long weekend that includes International Women's Day and thus a good opportunity to highlight one of my favourite artists. Fanny Lumsden is from regional NSW, not all that far from Canberra really, and I've been a fan for a while now. You may remember me going to see her play live a couple of years ago; what a great gig! Recently I ordered one of her CDs that I didn't have. At the same time I took a chance and ordered a book that Fanny had written about the album. Now, what arrived in the post is an excellent example of how to engage with your fanbase (because we all know that money from streaming services is a joke). The CD was in there, the book is very cool and also autographed, then there was a signed photo, bookmark, and a sticker. That's neat. If you're reading this from the UK then lookout as Fanny and her band, The Prawn Stars, will be there very soon.

Fanny Lumsden - Great Divide - https://youtu.be/ISMLkHrHCWo

Know your product

A few years ago I became aware that Painters & Dockers had released a live CD recorded at a show in Auckland back in the late 1990s. Their 1986 live record, Bucket, was a cassette I played over and over towards the end of my high school years. My investigations revealed that only 500 copies of the Auckland CD were ever pressed so I resigned myself to either listening to it via streaming, or maybe finding a pirate copy somewhere. A copy of Overt and Deliberate popped up for sale during the week via Dixon Records in Melbourne. Ooooh, my precious! I quickly hit the buy now button and the CD should be here this week. Hmmmm, it was a bit extravagant but I know I'm very happy to be able to have a physical copy! 

Painters & Dockers - The Boy Who Lost His Jocks On Flinders Street Station - https://youtu.be/ym2bvFrpQ6E

Tonight, I'll be starting all over again

Just as I thought I was going to be back riding my bike, Murphy and his law came calling. It hasn't been any fun at all. The upshot is that I have some new drugs and I may be getting a couple of injections in my spine. Knowing how much I love needles this is going to be quite a challenge. At this stage I don't care if the injections work for three days, three weeks, or three months. I just need a break. Of course, they might not have any impact at all.

Divinyls - Back To The Wall - https://youtu.be/yrBd96o7y4Y

Old man, take a look at yourself

This year I'll turn 55. One of the things about poor mental health is a tendency, for all the wrong reasons, to want one's affairs in order. Recently, whilst feeling decidedly unhappy I renegotiated my mobile phone plan and my health, vehicle and home insurance. It truly astounded me just how much money I could save with about fifteen minutes of effort for each of those. Now that the cost of living is about to rise again, I'm rather glad I did it. The impending birthday has meant that every person and their dog send push emails, social media posts, and the odd carrier pigeon regarding retirement. As a result, I put on my big boy pants and spent some time with a financial advisor. The first meeting was quite a revelation as apparently I will be able to retire at 60 if I want to. To be honest, I thought I'd be working for a lot longer, and I still might. Our government is far from perfect but here in Australia we've had compulsory superannuation since 1992 (thank you Mr Keating), and I've had it since I started working in 1989. I have another meeting later today where I am sure the advisory company will no doubt want me to be investing in stocks, shares, property, weapons of mass destruction and the like. Frankly, it's no secret that I am Scottish and quite risk averse so they might be disappointed! If I can pay off my house, afford to eat, and buy a CD or record once in a while then I think I'll be OK. I'm also wearing out sneakers at an astounding rate but that's a story for another day.

Bowling For Soup - Getting Old Sucks (But Everybody's Doing It) - https://youtu.be/N4e_IZFwTfM

Put his ear to the wall, then like a distant scream

HELP! If anyone out there has an old iPod gathering dust that they don't want/need then please get in touch before I'm forced to eBay or the hell that is Facebook Marketplace! I've got a couple of them here but they don't hold many songs. I'm looking for one of the larger capacity ones so that I can continue my offline music listening quest!

I ain't got no home, I'm just rambling 'round

And lastly, by the time I publish this it will be Canberra Day. I came here in 1989 expecting to be staying four years and never coming back. I'm still here. A few years ago, when I was the only one in the family left here, I seriously considered going somewhere else. Then I thought about it and realised that I really like Canberra, and nearly all of my friends are here. Canberra isn't a big city, but it's got everything in a relatively small space. Most importantly, the bush isn't far away and it has a fairly progressive social demographic. For many, many years I've thought about the fact that I don't really have a hometown. I've been here since I was 17 so maybe it's time to admit that I'm a local. This song is clearly not about Canberra, but it's a great example of Gerry singing about his hometown.

Gerry Cinnamon - Diamonds In The Mud (live at Hampden Park) - https://youtu.be/bz8JPzOGR3Q

Keep smiling,

The Woozle

"Four strong winds that blow lonely
Seven seas that run high
All those things that don't change come what may"

Neil Young, Four Strong Winds (Ian & Sylvia cover), 1978.

World Wide Woozle playlists

365 days with The Woozle: Spotify version | YouTube version | Tidal version

• World Wide Woozle current listening
• 2025 Aussie rippers
• WWWoozle sadsongs

World Wide Woozle episode #667

Welcome back to World Wide Woozle Sea Cruises for a three hour tour. Vomit bags are available, just ask the friendly crew, or wave in a desperate manner.

In truth, if I never go on a boat again in my life it will be far too soon. If there is a punt to take me across the River Styx one day then it would want to be a very, very short ride.

Lionheart - Don't Pay The Ferryman (cover) - https://youtu.be/gNiqfVSPoJg

Albums that matter episode #5 went live recently. Please check it out at this link. Episode #6 is well underway and going through the requisite quality control, spell checking, and me throwing it all out and starting again (twice).

Sigh, I got caught out by some AI generated music. Spotify served it up in my Release Radar playlist and, to be honest, I thought it sounded pretty good. And then my spider-senses started tingling. Why did a relatively underground punk band from the 90s suddenly sound very, very much like Queen. It just didn't add up. The song credits are suss,  and I am fairly sure that this is definitely NOT the same group. If the members of 7 Year Bitch have indeed experienced some form of reincarnation then of course I will be only too happy to say that I was wrong. I'm not playing the song in question here but you can find it easily. If you do, let me know what you think. Meanwhile, here's the band in full flight.

7 Year Bitch - Hip Like Junk - https://youtu.be/tlNIshpjkVI

I also read that Spotify has no issue with publishing AI created music. It's not real, and it's not creative. It's just shit. This may cause me to cancel my Spotify subscription. 

Megadeth are a metal band that folks seem to really love or dislike intensely. I know very few heavy music fans who sit in the middle somewhere. Dave and his current iteration of the band have released what is to be their final album. They're also out on the road doing a final tour, including shows downunder supporting Iron Maiden. I'm in the minority. I don't hate them but I am very much not a fan. They're OK. I have spent some time listening to the final, self-titled long player. It's solid. Lyrically there are a few cringe-worthy moments but other than that I would be loath to complain. This is hard, heavy, and I guess, traditional, thrash metal albeit a bit slower these days. Dave can't help that he was born with that singing voice, and it often fits well with the feel of the band and the lyrical content. Like some other singers though, I get it, I respect it, but I find a whole album a bit of a challenge. The production of albums means more and more to me in recent times and Megadeth have nailed it on this release. Everything is clear and sits in a space without muffling something else. That can be quite a challenge in heavy music when the bass drum, bass guitar and low strings on the guitars are all in the same range. 

Megadeth - I Don't Care - https://youtu.be/-E4O5VlRYOY

Assuming that I don't fall off my perch overnight, or simply forget, the 365 Days with The Woozle playlist will have made it through two months without a hiccup. Some days I am torn regarding which song to add and I have to remind myself that this is an ultra-marathon project rather than a challenge to Allan Wells (look him up). If you've forgotten the links, or not checked them out yet then your choices, for now, are Spotify or YouTube.

Jet - Rollover DJ - https://youtu.be/Pd5QE-UXq2A

Last week, after 7 months of waiting, and a couple of false starts, I rode my bike twice. It was nothing fancy and grannies on step through, fixed wheel bikes, could probably ride faster, but it happened. For about 40 minutes each time, I felt better than I have in such a long time. Of course, it's slow progress but the setbacks are getting smaller, less painful, and a bit easier to deal with inside my head. My next trick is retraining my body to sit down for longer than a few minutes at a time. Other than a couple of occasions, and in the car, I haven't sat down much in that whole 7 months.

AC/DC fans.net House Band - Stand Up - https://youtu.be/Z-kLeedpilg

That'll do. Collect your belongings on the way off the SS Minnow.

The Woozle.

"All the kings and queens in the Bible

They could not turn back time
So what chance have I, of a miracle
In this life of mine?"

Vika and Linda, If I Could Start Today Again, 1999.

World Wide Woozle - Albums that matter episode #5

Hello music fans, and welcome back for episode #5.

Album # 5: Johnny Cash - American III: Solitary Man (2000)

In the early 2000s I bought this album, on cassette, from a clearance bin, on a whim. I thought the cover looked cool. At the time I knew who Johnny Cash was but had never listened to him, at least not knowingly. Here's what happened...

If the Pogues were the gateway into one type of music then this Johnny Cash album was another. After the initial jaw dropping moment of how he covered Tom Pettys', I Won't Back Down, this long player seeped into my bones and it's still there around twenty-five years later.

This is a dark album which I imagine reflects that Cash was quite unwell at the time of recording. Johnny, with producer Rick Rubin, took some of his originals along with a wide range of covers and turned them into a statement. Later on I would learn that Cash, always clad in black, sang songs for the downtrodden, the poor, the "lonely old", and the outcasts. If you've ever felt left out then listen to this album and, for at least 42 minutes, you won't be alone.

American III introduced me to Will Oldham's music, made me go back and listen to some old Nick Cave, and beckoned me down a path towards country music. Without this album I doubt I would have got to Kris Kristofferson, The Chicks, Steve Earle, or Gillian Welch.

Years later, in the band, we'd do a version of I Won't Back Down. I'd introduced it to them because I loved the Cash version. I don't think anyone ever listened to it though and, apart from the intro, it was much more Tom Petty. Still, it will always be a Johnny Cash song for me.

Over the years I have enjoyed reading and hearing stories about this album being recorded. From Tom Petty dropping in to sing backing vocals on his song and doing another into the bargain, to the buffalo that didn't like the air conditioner on the cabin the studio was in...they'd butt into it so it had to be turned off to record!

Not long after getting this cassette I saw a collection of Cash's songs on CD. That collection was called Murder, and all the songs were about that. Later I'd discover that there were also great related anthologies called Love and God. Murder is an exception, in that it's a compilation worth listening to. It's sad, angry, and full of people looking for redemption.

Nowadays I have a lot of Johnny's albums. It can be a bit overwhelming trying to sort through the multitude of compilations but there are great CD versions of his early long players out there for only a few bucks. Still, if you've never listened before, or only know Ring of Fire, then grab a copy of American III: Solitary Man, and settle down for quite the experience.

Johnny Cash - Would You Lay With Me (In A Field Of Stone) - https://youtu.be/F5LMaF6ThOs

Thanks for reading this,

The Woozle