England Rugby Hopes - Hanging By a Thread.

A social outing I had arranged for Saturday evening had to be postponed but my disappointment was tempered by the fact it would enable me to watch England v Wales in the Rugby World Cup. And a fine match it was too.

However my enjoyment was somewhat tainted by the manner in which the England team allowed a winning position and performance to slip away from them.

A week earlier I had applauded Japan for opting to push for a winning try against the mighty South Africa when a successfully taken penalty kick would have given them a very creditable draw. Oh how I admired their determination and cheered their success. It was a brave decision which rounded off a superb performance.

Yet when England were faced with the same choice with 3 minutes remaining, they opted for a lineout and a try scoring opportunity and I groaned. And of course it all went horribly wrong.

So why did I applaud the Japanese and criticise the English for making the same decision? Simply because England had lost a 10 point lead, Wales were clearly in the ascendancy and having won their first game, a draw would have not been a bad result for England. A successful penalty kick would have brought them back into the game with 3 minutes remaining to possibly push for a win.

The decision was wrong and consequently England now must beat Australia next week to have any chance of progressing into the quarter finals. Of course I will still be cheering for their success but with little real confidence.

I suspect that the prices of England replica rugby jerseys might fall dramatically in the next seven days.

As a footnote I should add that Wales thoroughly deserved their success for their second half performance. Well done Wales.

Bob Dylan - The Cutting Edge 1965-66, The Bootleg Series Volume 12.

After what has been literally months of speculation as to what would make up Bob Dylan's Bootleg Series Volume 12, all was revealed this week when we were informed that it would consist of unreleased outtakes and alternate versions of the songs recorded in 1965 and 1966. Let's be honest, this is no major surprise as these recordings are very close to being 50 years old which would mean that the copyright would pass into the public domain - unless they became commercially available first. However, the news has caused a flurry of excitement in the music press, the Dylan fan community and yes, even among my own friends, who are all anxious to get their hands on this material. 

Well, one must remember that this was the period in which Dylan issued no fewer than three seminal albums (one of which was a double), albums that even today are regarded among the best work by Dylan and indeed any other recording artist. In case you are not old enough to know this, or happen to have arrived from another planet, the albums in question are, 'Bringing it all Back Home', 'Highway 61 Revisited' and 'Blonde on Blonde'.

The Bootleg Series began way back in 1991 (can it really be 24 years ago?) with 'The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3'. It was a way of appeasing fans who had collected Dylan's unreleased work in the studio and on stage on, well yes you guessed it, bootleg albums and tapes. We were then given seven years to digest this package as 'The Bootleg Series Volume 4' was not released until 1998. Since then the pace has increased somewhat with the last four volumes all arriving in the seven years since 2008. And the packages are becoming increasingly more elaborate with basic and more expensive deluxe versions on offer.

For Volume 12 (released on 6 November), the choice is even greater with a basic 2 CD version entitled 'Best of the Cutting Edge' and a Deluxe Edition containing no fewer than 6 CD's. Such a collection is great if one wishes to listen to multiple versions or takes of the same song. I love the song 'Like a Rolling Stone' but seeing that Disc 3 of this set is made up of 20 versions of it, I wondered if I my love would endure hearing it over and over for an hour or more. It doesn't sound to me like the best audio experience and certainly not one you would wish to inflict on your non Dylan loving friends or family. However I expect that this will indeed be the most popular of the editions on offer.

The thing is, that we Dylan fans all tend to be completists and simply have to own every possible version of a song that has been committed to tape. Not that the so called Deluxe Version will give us that. For to obtain every single note recorded by Dylan in those two years. one would have to choose the limited edition (only 5000 units). This consists of 18 CD's (379 tracks), nine mono vinyl singles in picture sleeves and a 180 page hardcover book. And the price for this version? Well in the UK you would get one penny change from £600.

Despite the fact that most Dylan fans (myself included) already own some of this material on bootleg albums such as 'The Genuine Bootleg Series'  (4 volumes) or 'Thin Wild Mercury Music' , there are few among us who will not hesitate to purchase one of these packages in November. Advance orders for their personal preferences have in many cases already been made. For myself, I have pretty much decided that I am going for the Deluxe 3 LP and 2 CD version complete with a booklet of liner notes and unreleased photographs. I think that should be sufficient for me.

Where Will It All End? (The Mystery of 3D Printers).

I don't have a technical bone in my body or cell in my brain for that matter. And science I'm afraid leaves me totally mystified. I can just about get by with simple human biology but the nearest I ever got to enjoying chemistry was watching episodes of 'Breaking Bad'. As for physics - well don't get me started.

So, the concept of producing real objects using a 3D printer just leaves me scratching my head. This video comes closer than anything else to helping me to understand what 3D printing actually is but it still left me a long way from actually believing it could be done.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0EJmBoLq-g

On Monday evening however, I had my first experience of actually seeing and touching an object that had been totally created by a 3D printer. No, it's not a toy guitar, but a ukulele (a real, playable instrument). On first glance I thought it had been constructed from Lego but then I was told the unbelievable truth. Apart from the tuning pegs and the strings, every part of this had been "printed".

Totally amazing!

Where will it all end I wonder?

The Roots of Canned Heat's Going Up The Country

A while ago I made reference to how Canned Heat's 'On The Road Again' was heavily influenced by the Floyd Jones song of the same name which had in turn been influenced by Tommy Johnson's 'Big Road Blues'. 

Another 1960's hit by Canned Heat 'Going Up The Country' also owed a massive debt to another song that had been written many years earlier. 

Henry Thomas was born in Texas in 1874 and after leaving home began writing and playing songs accompanying himself on guitar and quills, an instrument made from cane reeds, giving a similar distinctive sound to Peruvian Pan pipes. He recorded a total of twenty four sides for the Vocalion label in the two years between 1927 and 1929. After that nothing is known of his life though he is believed to have died in 1930.

One of the songs written and recorded by Thomas was 'Honey Won't You Allow Me One More Chance' which was re-interpreted as 'Honey Just Allow Me One More Chance' by Bob Dylan on his second album, 'The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan'.  The Lovin' Spoonful also recorded the Thomas composition 'Fishin' Blues'.

Another Henry Thomas song 'Bulldoze Blues' was recorded by Johnny Miller in 1927 as 'Up The Country'. This was later picked up and rewritten by Al Wilson of Canned Heat and they released the track in 1968 as 'Going Up The Country' reaching number 11 in the US singles chart. It also featured in the movie 'Woodstock'.

Despite the words being totally rewritten the song is clearly based upon the composition of Henry Thomas including the part played by Thomas on quills which was recreated on flute by Jim Horn. Unfortunately Henry Thomas never received any credit for this work from Canned Heat.

Take a listen to both songs below and see what you think.
Canned Heat - Going Up The Country
Henry Thomas - Bulldoze Blues

Incidentally a collection of all of the released tracks by Henry Thomas has been released on Yazoo Records. Titled 'Texas Worried Blues' I think it is an essential recording for any fan of early country blues. 

Los Alcázares

Escaping the oppressive heat of the city of Murcia, last week I visited one of my favourite spots on the Murcian coast. Los Alcázares is situated on the western shore of the Mar Menor, a salty body of water that is separated from the Mediterranean by a narrow spit of land called La Manga. 

Outside of the main season and especially early in the morning when the beaches are almost empty, the calm waters can make this one of the most tranquil spots I know. I certainly find it a wonderful place to take a good healthy walk.

But not before a spot of breakfast. 

Once refreshed, I set off on my walk, noticing that others had more leisurely pursuits in mind.

One of the spots I always pop into is the historic Hotel La Encarnacion which features a central courtyard area that appears to be something out of colonial India with it's wicker furniture, trailing ferns and potted palms. It is a cool oasis on a hot day and always worth a visit. 

Finally I dragged myself away from this wonderful location bathed in glorious sunshine. Who would have thought that within ten minutes I would run into a thunderstorm of Biblical proportions? Roads were flooded, cars were abandoned and torrents of water were gushing down hillsides leaving total carnage in their wake. And all in a matter of minutes.

As I negotiated the flooded roads that leisurely breakfast in the sunshine suddenly seemed a distant memory.

Ian Anderson performs Jethro Tull, A Rock Opera at Sage Gateshead

By my reckoning I saw Jethro Tull three or perhaps four times during the late 1960's and early 1970's. I then took a break of over 30 years before catching them at Newcastle City Hall in 2008 during what was billed as their 40th anniversary tour. A couple of years later I then saw them again in of all places, a marquee tent in South Shields. They were enjoyable but there were already signs that Ian Anderson's voice was not quite what it had once been.

Anderson is now 68 years old, he and long time collaborator Martin Barre have gone their separate ways and to all intents and purposes, Jethro Tull no longer exist as a band. However, Anderson continues to record and perform under his own name and his latest live project is "Jethro Tull - A Rock Opera". It is a concept very loosely based upon the life of the real life 18th century agriculturalist from whom the band took their name. However the story is transferred into modern times to incorporate messages concerning climate change, GM crops and animal cloning. At the mention of the term "rock opera" I didn't exactly recoil in horror, but my recollections of Anderson's failing vocal ability helped me to decide that this show was not for me.

However, a pal offered me a free ticket for Sunday evening's performance at Sage Gateshead and I felt it would be impolite to turn it down. Nevertheless I went along with mixed feelings and certain reservations.

I also came away with mixed feelings and certain reservations. Let me explain.

The stage show makes considerable use of video footage to aid in telling the story of Jethro Tull. The videos also feature a number of "guests" who play the parts of the young Tull, the older Tull and Tull's wife Susannah. As they do a considerable amount of the singing, I feel it is a very clever ploy on the part of Anderson to allow him to deliver a two hour show which I feel certain his voice would no longer be able to sustain. And of course Anderson is also surrounded by a fine group of young musicians. Full marks to him then for ingenuity in coming up with this way round his shortcomings.

Nevertheless despite giving him credit for this, I was left feeling a little short changed as much of what we were hearing was pre-recorded, but I had come to see a live performance. Hence my mixed feelings and reservations.

On a more positive note I have to say that the selection and quality of the music was first class. Anderson tells the Jethro Tull story using older material from the glory days of his former band mixed with a handful of brand new numbers. As expected it was the older stuff that appealed more to me and I gather to the crowd around me. Although usually regarded as a progressive rock band, there was always an element of Jethro Tull's music that was rooted in English folk. Consequently there are many songs with a vaguely pastoral theme that could be utilised to tell the story of an agriculturalist. These included 'Heavy Horses', 'Songs From the Wood', 'Jack in the Green' and 'Farm on the Freeway'. Somehow Anderson was also able to weave in old favourites like 'Aqualung', 'With You There To Help Me', 'Living in the Past' and 'Locomotive Breath'. The links with an agricultural theme seemed tenuous but I had no complaints as these were some of Jethro Tull's finest moments.

The programme was divided into two sets and it was pleasing that the second part featured more actual singing from Anderson himself. The section featuring 'Living in the Past', 'Jack in the Green' and 'The Witch's Promise' was particularly impressive but despite the quality of the musicians on show, it wasn't Jethro Tull. 

And perhaps for me, that was the main problem.

Now, where did I put my copy of 'Stand Up'?

Murcia

It is always a pleasure flying into Murcia San Javier airport in daylight hours. Particularly when the flight path crosses the Mar Menor and allows views like this.



The actual city of Murcia lies 28 miles (45 km) inland from San Javier and happens to be the seventh largest city in Spain.

The city was founded by the Moors in AD 825 and was actually the capital of the last Muslim emirate in Spain from 1223 to 1243. It has been the capital of the province of Murcia since 1833.

As I arrived in the city last week, one of the first sights to greet me me was that of the Town Hall in the flower-filled Glorieta right on the banks of the Segura River.

From there it was very easy to explore the maze of narrow traffic free streets that provided welcome shade from the searing hot sun.




In such places there are always strange and interesting sights to be found. 

For example I wondered what kind of bird had been responsible for this beauty.

Having explored the bullring, the Roman Theatre, the bridges and the many churches I eventually found my way to one of the highlights of this wonderful city, the Cathedral Church of St Mary in Murcia.

Built by King Jaime I on the site of the great mosque, work commenced in 1394 though it was not completed until the 18th century. Consequently a number of different styles were employed with the interior being predominantly Gothic and the main facade being Baroque in style. 







After a final ice-cold drink in the shade of one of the many city squares, I headed for the cooler temperatures of the coast of which more later.