Last week you learned about hexadecimal numbers with episode FF (255). This week, therefore, is number 256. That's an important number to IT geeks like me as things like banks of memory have it as a multiple. You know, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024 and so on. Think megabytes, or kilobytes like me if you're old enough.
256 is also a special number as it was my "Employment Category Number" a long time ago in the Army. Each job has a number and Computer Operators were 256. That's probably all changed now.
But enough of that, let's have some tunes.
Zoë turned 17 and got her driver's license today. She promptly dropped Alison at home and drove away into the distance! I was a lot older when I finally got my license but the sense of freedom is no doubt just as exciting. I'll be waiting at home slightly nervous this evening as she drives herself to and from youth group – no passengers for a while I think. Here's a track from a band that I first saw when was just older than 17 and no more.
The Radiators - 17 (I wish I was) - http://youtu.be/ohxD8bpFFEA
DJ Al-Eeeee and I are pretty lucky to have kids that have turned out (so far) reasonably sensible. This week it transpired that Angus had removed himself from the sports programme at school. I'll admit that it was a bit of a shock given his religious fervor attached to anything remotely sporting! But, when questioned he revealed that they really didn't do much and he was sick of having to catch up on schoolwork. Not a bad decision for a 15 year old. I wish I was that sensible sometimes!
Chuck Berry – School Days - http://youtu.be/Xt7Y2aNxvzM
I recently played a song by Living Colour. As a result I went back and listened to their albums that I have. What a fantastic band. This is the song of theirs that made me sit up and take notice. One of my Geography lecturers introduced a session about the sense of place using it, you can probably work out why.
Living Colour – Open Letter (To A Landlord) - http://youtu.be/6V5VkMqM07s
"Audrey Horne" is a Norwegian rock band. They're named for the character on the TV series "Twin Peaks" – I had to use a search engine to find that one out. If they'd have been called "Laura Palmer" I would have spotted the reference immediately. Initially I thought it was just an odd name. Anyhoo, I've heard a couple of their tracks on sampler CDs as well as on the internets and they aren't half bad. Good solid melodic rock.
Audrey Horne – Redemption Blues - http://youtu.be/8FRHn5tRzl8
I could rant, rave, swear and generally bemoan the latest cycling doping revelations but I'm not going to. I was burned by the Armstrong saga having been such a huge fan and now I'm just sad about Stuart O'Grady. Speaking up because you did something wrong is difficult and takes courage. Speaking up because you're about to be revealed as a cheat isn't really quite the same.
Love/Hate – Why Do You Think They Call It Dope? - http://youtu.be/HtAxLs7nmiU
Few artists seem to be as polarizing as Marilyn Manson. Having seen him interviewed a few times I'm really not convinced as to how outrageous he is, he's just another actor. But, he does it well and sells a lot of records. Putting all that aside I listened to a few tracks of his recently and was surprised at how strong and recognisable his voice is. That's probably half of his success. Here's a cover that really works for him.
Marilyn Manson – Working Class Hero - http://youtu.be/kfsLZIh34yI
While our politicians, lawmakers, refugee advocates, the UN and media continue to speculate about refugee processing there are people drowning in a desperate attempt to get to our country or at least away from theirs. And now there are calls for a Royal Commission. Have you ever had to wait for an interminably long time at the hospital emergency room in pain…amplify that a thousand times. There isn't an easy solution but I'm really starting to feel that reducing this problem to numbers, laws and commissions only allows us to forget that regardless of their motivation, it's people we're talking about.
John Lennon – Instant Karma - http://youtu.be/EqP3wT5lpa4
My Granny, Daisy Marshall, turns 90 on Saturday. I reckon that's a pretty fair effort! I remember when she was "younger" and she ran meals on wheels for people even younger than her. My family in Scotland seem to be allergic to the internet so she'll probably never know about this but I want to play a song for her anyway.
Gerald Adams – Daisy - http://youtu.be/8EfGuzUZB3k
And that's the end for another week.
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