Welcome back.
Loads of official footage of the Ozzy Osbourne farewell concert is now online and many of you will have seen the most excellent version of Changes sung by Yungblud. Yep, it's awesome and potentially the highlight of the whole show. A few years ago though, Charles Bradley recorded a version that is superb. If old school R&B / Soul Music makes you smile then this one is a must.
Charles Bradley - Changes (live) - https://youtu.be/zfaOf70M4xs
Here's some brand new music for you all. This is the debut track for Canberra quartet Soforth. If you only listen to one track from this episode then please make it this one. Supporting local music is cool and even cooler in this case as I know one of the young folks in the group. I'm especially digging the tempo changes and the spluttering, surf fizz guitar line. Soforth push hard and then back off in a way that so many bands are unable to do. They understand the power of space in the sonic maelstrom they create. Great vocals, restrained and then hard hitting drums, all wrapped up with a pulsing bass line that keeps you guessing. I'm very much looking forward to hearing the upcoming EP.
Soforth - Ringing Tone - https://youtu.be/dLqQTTo5XWo
Did you ever not listen to a band as a result of their name? I did. I wrongly assumed that Viagra Boys were either a dumb hip hop act or the reincarnation of Vengaboys, neither of which interested me. Fast forward to a few days ago where one of my OG music pushers, DJ D-Dubya, told me to have a listen. I trust him. Very few people out there think about music (and music gear) the way he and I do. I'm unsure how to describe Viagra Boys so have a listen for yourselves. I guess if you like Iggy Pop then this might be right up your alley.
Viagra Boys - Sports - https://youtu.be/QjL7D33xpS4
Spotify is a problem. We all know that the algorithms aren't transparent; some of the very wrong recommendations prove this to me on a regular basis. I miss out on stuff I would definitely like and get bombarded with drivel. Then there's the issue of artist payments. And now we have the company being linked to arms manufacturers prompting some artists to remove their music from the Spotify catalogue. Here's the thing though, only spending your money on products and services that align with your version of right/wrong/justice is nigh impossible. You'd better not be wearing any cheap arsed clothing manufactured by workers in developing nations who are being paid next to nothing. You'd better not be using one of those fruity mobile phones or wearing swooshy sneakers. Who's using YouTube for all of their music and not paying a cent? I could go on but you probably get my drift. So what do we do? We do the best we can without turning ourselves inside out. I'm currently investigating an alternative to Spotify. This is as a result of the artist payment and algorithm frustrations. Feel free to let me know if any of the streaming alternatives are any good. Yes, I have a lot of CDs, records and cassettes and I use them a lot. But in the car and on the move I'm a streamer. Also, I'm typing on an ancient MacBook which won't be replaced anytime soon. But when it does I'll have to balance my Scottish tendencies to look for the absolute best value for money and look at the company making the device and how they are behaving. As Billy Bragg said, "if I only listened to ideologically sound pop music then I'd soon get tired of the Red Army Choir..."
Billy Bragg - The Marching Song of the Covert Battalions - https://youtu.be/lz2REwKVmnk
Since having to learn to sing 99 Luftballons as part of German class at school in 1985, I've had a bit of a fascination with popular music that isn't in English. I mean, there's a massive proportion of the world singing in other languages after all. Here's a couple for you all to check out, they are regulars on my playlists.
Anna Coddington - Kātuarehe - https://youtu.be/PrwPfjZY08M
Gyllene Tider - Sommartider - https://youtu.be/CnBfiQyeDcI
Last time around I wrote about problems with my physical and mental health. Well, they got worse and it continues to be quite a journey. Thankfully, after a number of visits to the chiropractor the pain in my back and down my leg is much reduced. I have a lot more work to do in order to make it stronger and more flexible, but significant progress is being made. I was extremely stressed about having dry needling, and I hate it, but it does seem to help. I've needed to use my newly developed meditation skills to deal with having needles stuck everywhere. Yep, I'm soft. While my physical health is much improved, getting my brain to play along is proving more of a challenge. I had to take some time off work and then go back part time because I simply couldn't cope. As with my physical health, I am doing what I am told by those in the know to address this. Written on my reminder board at the moment are the following:
- Don't give up
- Your brain needs food
- Do your yoga
- Remember to meditate
- Don't be a hermit
- Take the long term view
Easier said than done.
Don McGlashan - Start Again - https://youtu.be/YwwF2xNRF4k
Let's finish with something that's a lot of fun. This group did a whole heap of awesome versions of movie theme songs and this is my favourite one.
At The Movies - The Never Ending Story - https://youtu.be/REXpzTtplZg
That'll do.
Keep smiling,
The Woozle
"Would Jesus feel safe in his skin if he came to your town?
And would you still believe in Jesus if you found out he was brown?"
Jordan Smart, Who Would Jesus Bomb?, 2024
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