Thanks for reading and another brilliant year of music.
I’ve been writing for this site for a while now, as evidenced by Paul Kerr’s brilliant AUK Back Pages series, which I highly recommend as some holiday reading as you explore the highways and byways of this wonderful site. This column has morphed and moved with the prevailing times. Teaching during lockdown, teaching post lockdown, thinking about ‘retiring’, retiring, etc. etc. and, as usually happens at this time of year, one tends to reflect on what has happened and what is to come. In this last year I have been one of the News Editors for the site as well as a columnist and reviewer. It has been my first full year not in full-time employment since 1986. I have promoted my first gig – the wonderful combo of Pete Bruntnell (full band) and Small Town Jones (duo) both magical and I broke even! I have helped establish a brand new radio station in Black Deer Radio (currently online but who knows if DAB may come knocking) which plays stuff I and, according to listener figures, loads of others like (at least 10K per day at last count).
I’ve been to countless gigs, too many to mention but some do stick in the memory (BLH at the Roundhouse, Iron & Wine in Cambridge and Brown Horse in Norwich are three that resonate). Broken down in Italy and then driven over one of the top five most dangerous Alpine Passes …..in torrential rain. Celebrated sixty years here in Marrakech (see photo in radio app). Directed a sold out show and seen England play cricket more than once. I am hugely lucky. On top of all that I have somehow found the time to listen to some sublime music this year. My top twelve albums of year feature in the radio show below. The top forty-five songs of the year will be available on Mixcloud over the next two weeks or you can wait till the New Year to access through this column – up to you but if you go to Mixcloud all your Christmas cooking prep music will be waiting for you under ‘Sounds from beyond the Shed’. Have a great holidays if you get one and thank you for continuing to read the ramblings of a slightly emotional and very grateful old man.
The two tracks this week speak for themselves.
As ever …
