I picked up something that might be awful but also could be brilliant while at Snap, a record shop in Hexham. The owner gave me one of his own albums, too. He had a @soniccathedral.bsky.social cap on, so reckon it’ll be decent. Lovely shop, btw. More than worth the trip. Anyway, pics soon!

Drove down to Whaley Bridge today, via a quick hello to the team at Press On Vinyl in Middlesbrough. My stampers were being done, so test pressings next week, perhaps?!

Just a couple of pieces picked up today. Both from RPM in Newcastle.

First stop in Newcastle upon Tyne was Beatdown Records. Amazing store. New stuff up front and preloved out back. Friendly staff (although it’s just a really friendly city). Didn’t buy though. I’m after some specifics.

I did go see a Sister Ray Davies site of special interest. No fog on the Tyne.

Went to two shops today. The first was a place in Alnwick. Antiques and vinyl. The Beehive. Wanted £50 for an album that’s currently £3.80 +p&p on the Cogs. Albums stacked overlapping so flicking was a pain in the rear end. After five mins I gave up. A 0/10 experience for me.

Woke to the sound of gentle bleating from the sheep and the coolness from overnight rain. RAIN! I’d forgotten about rain. Morning! Off to hunt down some record shops later.

February Birthday Girl Dances in Rain

Alt: A little girl dressed in red shorts and a white strapped top, and black ballet pumps, does a little shimmy as she boogies in the rain while watching a motorcycle go past.

static.klipy.com

Watching Superman (1978) and eating Celebrations. Tomorrow I’ll go in search of records.

Having a break from driving at a café in the Lake District. A lot of caravans. A lot of people who don’t know how to drive when towing a caravan.

Morning

Sleepy Sleepy Head

Alt: A small dog weating a blue towelling jumpsuit is leaning against a cushion on a sofa. They do a big yawn then fall back to sleep.

static.klipy.com

One of the benefits* of having cancer is that despite there being ZERO accessibility consideration for merch at Nick Cave’s thing, the volunteer staff are really fab and helpful. So I was able to snag one of these before they sold out without queuing for 4 hours in the sun. * yeah, lol

Been a great day of music so far. English Teacher were phenomenal. As was Cate Le Bon. Less great: the DJ at the vape bar playing to no one while staff tried to tempt people in and being ignored. Funniest thing so far, though, is the pasta van asking £13 for tomato sauce pasta. Zero customers.

Always something to love on this station. Happy third birthday #LWSTD

Sean Carroll@seanedmund.bsky.social · 6d ago

🎈Love Will Save the Day FM is 3! 🎈 For a community run, community funded station this a really big milestone. We've also just launched our shiny new website where you can tune in live right now to hear a live party from Cosmic Bob and a whole bunch of our regulars. www.lovewillsavetheday.fm

Off to Brighton a little later. Nick Cave gig. A birthday gift from months ago. Excited to see Cate Le Bon, mostly. Am officially ‘difficult’ as my dietary needs necessitate me having to go to a different entrance so I can get some food into the venue. I swear the email sighed as it arrived.

Last day of work for a while. Of course this has meant Teams calls since 9am and some respite by making me travel into London for a three-hour client meeting. I can now look forward to some time enjoying caring about the tiny details on a vinyl release. And sleeping in.

Sorry @andymack.bsky.social, it's not that "the Stalbans" is a terrible place, but the urinals in The Horn are ick. 😜

Unspun Heroes®@unspunheroes.com · last wk.

Boston always reminds me of St. Albans in the UK. It's close to the place people really want to go (NYC and London) but it holds so much history it's caught up being quaint, suburban and touristy rather than modern and metropolitan. That said, I did like spending time in Boston. Less so St. Albans.

Bought a vinyl reissue. The original goes for upwards of £250. It came. Just a sleeve and the record (in a printed inner). There's no insert. No words to read. £32 inc. postage. Zero effort.

I've always heard that if you're injured while in the US to *never* call an ambulance. This is why - and it's more fascinating than it might seem: davidoks.blog/p/why-americ... Music related quip: will anyone bring out Ambulance LTD's debut album on vinyl?

Why American ambulance rides are so expensive

The unfortunately botched economics of emergency care

davidoks.blog

Would always bump into Bill at Ani DiFranco gigs. Polite and friendly, and shy (which I never expected, considering how excited he got about badgers!) and very clearly a music fan.

Matthew Sweet@drmatthewsweet.bsky.social · last wk.

Farewell Bill, most radical of the Goodies. Present at Grosvenor Square with Tariq & Vanessa. Turned his harassment by the Met into slapstick TV comedy for kids. Angry, hairy, furiously talented.

You're not supposed to admit you're struggling. But we r - and I know for a fact we're not alone. The grassroots is dying - it needs U to keep it alive. Buy something from a small label/press. Tell ppl about it who don't often support such things. Explain to them why it's so important. PLS SHARE.

I do like a good, slightly bonkers conspiracy theory. This has all the right bits to become one: IKEA fake weather windows: www.reddit.com/r/IKEA/comme...

From the IKEA community on Reddit

Explore this post and more from the IKEA community

reddit.com

Working away to some Italian disco boogie that sounds vintage but isn't. They did a fab Tony Allen collab (although, is any Tony Allen collab bad?) nugenea.bandcamp.com/album/bar-me...

Bar Mediterraneo, by Nu Genea

9 track album

nugenea.bandcamp.com

Found an old CD in the depths of a cupboard. Didn't recall the band, but apparently I bought it from a live show around 12 years ago. Anyone remember Breton? It's this album, War Room Stories: youtu.be/KjhtVd2TOD8?...

Envy

YouTube video by Breton - Topic

youtu.be

I do like an album cover that invites this many questions: menitrust.bandcamp.com/album/equus-...

Equus Asinus, by Men I Trust

14 track album

menitrust.bandcamp.com

Was on a work call this morning and I was able to drop a 65daysofstatic video into the chat. It was this one, created entirely in code by the talented @zenbullets.com way back when: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMp3...

65DAYSOFSTATIC - Prisms (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

YouTube video by superballmusictv

youtube.com

Been “officing” all day. But I did sign off artwork on the gatefold sleeve for Of Tide & Trail, the next Unspun Heroes release. So, you know, that’s a win.

Thanks to the The Art of Cover Art newsletter (theartofcoverart.substack.com/p/preserving...) I've been enjoying looking at the cover art on the Cambodian Vintage Music Archive page: thecvma.bandcamp.com/music and listening to some great music. Check them out.

The Cambodian Vintage Music Archive, Inc.

CVMA Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Subscribers gain access to authentic record-sourced music and an experience unlike Apple Music or Spotify. New catalogs are released every Sunday at 7 PM EST (Monda...

thecvma.bandcamp.com

Last night I was playing Mrs Unspun the original jazz track sampled in songs she knows. This came about because I was playing some tracks and she said, "Ooh this sounds familiar". Turns out it wasn't because she heard it in SATC* but because I like downtempo electronica. *Her entire jazz reference

Found myself a 7-minute walk from Flashback Records. Never been in the Essex Road store. Be rude not to pop by.

From last week. Only spotted today. It’s damn good. Nice work @phillibe.bsky.social 👏🏼😎👍🏼

Rachel Stockton@mamarayray.bsky.social · 4w ago

Hope everyone is doing well 🫠♨️ It seems appropriate to share this hot & funky mix from @phillibe.bsky.social with tracks including Don't Sweat The Technique and Get Up In Your Hot Pants 😂 May you enjoy the drum breaks & heavy basslines 🔊🔊🔥🔥 www.mixcloud.com/BreaksBassFa...