So the racist Nimbys in Piddlington want to leave the UK? Fine by me - cut 'em loose. In fact we should move all the balaklava-ed facists there and build a wall round it. The refugees (to me they are not "illegal immigrants") can then move in where the racists were living. Problem solved.

First Record of The Weekend is Smoke Drip by Carlton Melton from 2012. Fine album, and homework for seeing them next week as part of the Other Side Promotions' Psych Weekender, which is probably my favourite live event of the year - its always a total blast!

The hot sauce production commences. The peppers shown are homegrown, the green chillis all from one plant!

First Record of the Weekend is Sextet by @acertainratio.bsky.social (A Certain Ratio) from 1982. I've always loved To Each..., and I've also got 1982 (the album, not the year!) and acr:mcr, but for some reason never got round to picking this up. Thanks to my mate Dan for reminding me I needed it!

Proof of Delivery

After a week with us, JoJo seems to be settling in 🙂 I'm smitten.

First Record of The Weekend is Kapt. Kopter & the Fabulous Twirly Birds by Randy California from way back in 1972. My friend Ian is to blame - he said I should play something to do with rain. Side 2 features a cover of the Beatles' Rain, followed by a track called Rainbow.

First Record of The Weekend is the fab new album from Hibushibire - Phantom Fuzzy Exotica, on @riotseasonrecords.bsky.social. A marvellous maelstrom of psych wondrousness. Can't wait to see them next Thursday at the Strongroom in London. PLAY LOUD.

Meet JoJo, the new member of our family. 😍 She's still settling in, and a little nervous, but very, very affectionate!

In Spain they had Totality, here we had Tortellini.

I'm now getting adverts for how AI can make "nice, soothing music" or somesuch crap - without any effort on my part, apparently. They can f*ck right off. Machines cannot and will not make music with heart and soul, it will always be empty and meaningless. Don't buy this bollocks.

It was our 34th anniversary yesterday, so we went out to the King's Arms in Godalming for a posh afternoon tea followed by fancy drinks. It was lovely!

No-one should have to pay for health care. Thanks goodness for the NHS here in the UK.

Mike Scott@mickpuck.bsky.social · 2mo ago

My friend, Texan musician Tim Bryant, needs to raise funds for his partner Annie's brain surgery. I've already helped them and will continue to do so. Please add your help if you can. Link to donate is here: www.gofundme.com/f/support-an...

First Record of The Weekend is Kiasmos with II Reworked. A gorgeous, lilting double LP from this Faroese-Icelandic duo - shades of an ambient/ electronic Sigur Rós with added orchestra. Lovely on this sultry evening. Thanks to Matthew at Record Corner for pointing me at it!

Hydration Break

First Record of The Weekend is @theorblive.bsky.social (the Orb) with Buddhist Hipsters. Picked this up in the estimable Record Corner in Godalming this morning, and I'm glad I did - it is sounding perfect on this hot summer's evening.

I'm loving salads in this heat. Baked spuds with cottage cheese, griddled watermelon and feta salad with mint and pomegranate mollases dressing, and a lettuce, cucumber, tomato, green bean and avocado salad with it. TBH I'm not sure I like my watermelon griddled.

While we were in Greece we left our trail cam running to see if any of the hedgehogs Sue has released turned up. When we got back we had loads of clips to go through. After wading through vids of about 6 different cats and several foxes, this beauty popped up...

Had a fabulous time last night at Vittoria Wharf Studios. @deviantamps.bsky.social were great, I really enjoyed my Black Tempest gig, and then Dope Purple blew the roof off! Lovely chaps too, go see them on this tour if you get a chance. Many thanks to Elios Assiter for putting us on.

This country is multicultural and rightly proud of it. If you don't like that, clear off somewhere else. Racists and fascists have no place here.

A reminder - this Wednesday 10th June - Black Tempest play a rare gig, supporting noise titans Dope Purple from Taiwan and also featuring the brilliant Deviant Amps. Vittoria Wharf Studio, Hackney Wick, London E3 2NT - doors open 7:45.

IMPORTANT NEWS - for those attending the Dope Purple/Black Tempest/Deviant Amps gig on the 10th June - VENUE CHANGE! New venue: Vittoria Wharf Studio Unit 4, Top Floor 10 Stour Road London E3 2NT Sounds like this is a great venue too. See you there!

First Record of The Weekend is Kombynat Robotron Live at Fuzz Club Festival 2025. This is one ferocious bastard of a record, I love it! Turn it up, mash your brains.

This was very tasty. Meera Sodha's Spring rice with feta and harissa pine nut sauce.

On Saturday we went out to meet some friends and were greeted by incoming weather...

Black Tempest interview about the Folding Space album in the marvellous It's Psychedelic Baby magazine: www.psychedelicbabymag.com/2026/04/blac...

Black Tempest on 'Folding Space': “To the Infinity of Space” - It's Psychedelic Baby Magazine

Black Tempest recently released ‘Folding Space,’ a new full-length that pushes Stephen Bradbury further out of the pastoral zones of 2024’s ‘Astral Pastoral’ and into something colder, more distant. W...

psychedelicbabymag.com

A date for your diaries...Wednesday June 10th, Strongroom Bar, Shoreditch.

BBC to cut 1 in 10 staff. May I suggest Chris Mason and Laura Kuenssberg are first to go? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

BBC to cut almost one in 10 staff in £500m savings

The BBC's interim director general says the cuts will require

bbc.co.uk

RIP Ozzy (AKA Squodge AKA OzPoz) We loved you dearly and will miss you terribly. You were a rascally rascal and we were lucky to have our 18 years in your company.