Edinburgh 2017 #1 - A Quick One For Hogs Head

The thing I love about Edinburgh is that it's easily walkable while being spaced out . It reminds me a little of Whitby. This weekend I coverd over 50K Step which is a fairly hefty rate for me. Anyway I had intended to visit the numerous record shops in Edinburgh that I had missed on my previous visits.

First on my list was Hog's Head Music which was closed last time I went (it was Sunday morning) and this time I managed to walk past it , so I turned round to head back and stopped outside the place.

I went it and they had a lot of stuff but it's difficult to decide what to buy for these days as I am very old and have most of the stuff worth having. I say a limited endition (limited to how many they can sell probably) copy of  "A Rough Guide to Bottleneck Blues"  which was a bargain in my opinion at a tenner. I was talking to the guy who runs it and we had a good craic , but was sad to hear that he's closing the place in two weeks. Essentially he's been doing it for thirty years and wants to have a holiday and decide what to do next.

We shouldn't HAVE to work forever and places like this are a joy to have but even when you have been doing something you love for that long , you may still want a change. You can find them on Facebook here.

So basically if you want to see this brilliant record shop you need to get yourself to Edinburgh in the next fornight, befor New Years Eve's 2017/18, and it really would be worth your time and effort. I'll leave you with "Jitterbug Swing" from the album, just think if I hadn't visited Hog's Head Music I would have never heard this great song and neither would you, and it's not even the best song on the album.

On Christmas Day Reach For Love

I really wasn't expecting to post today but so far I've had a brilliant relaxing Christmas. I've managed to talk to some friends and family, got some lovely presents, and am listening to one of them , The Rolling Stones "Blue & Lonesome" , Mick Jagger sounding bluesier than ever almost like Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters or, dare I say it Captain Beefheart, and that is just one of the wonderful albums I received today , which I am now transferring to my music server.

There's no snow so it's not going to be a White Christmas I don't think although there's parts of the sky that are black while others are blue and sunny. So really who knows what the weather is going to decide to do.

Be Like Frank

I am sort of wondering what song to play on this one , and though I haven't posted in the #LikeNoOther sequence for ages, which makes me think of Wild Man Fischer but I don't think that's one for today. I remember Frank Zappa telling a story about Larry Fischer meeting his brother one day:

"Larry had the axe, his brother had the bad luck" , which made me chuckle, though I hope his brother was not too traumatized







Just looking out the window and it looks like one of my neighbours has got a new drill for Christmas, I so detest getting or buying anything practical for Christmas and Birthdays, this should be a time of getting something pleasurable and out of the ordinary. I know that is not an option for a lot of people but if you need something you should get it immediately as soon as you can afford it, not wait for Christmas or a Birthday.

I was wondering what to play and it was staring me in the face, Marcel King's "Reach For Love" , it's Shaun Ryder's favourite Factory single, and a truly wonderful uplifting record, from the sadly missed singer , love Marcel's voice. I found this New York Mix which stretches it out to five and a half minutes, and if there's one thing better than a good thing, it's more of a good thing, and this certainly is a wonderfully good thing.



Anyway I hope your day is going brilliantly , I hope that you are going to rest and then kickstart another year of fun, good deeds , enjoyment.

The Art of Geoff Marston

Geoff Martson's Blues Suitcase Cards

Geoff Marston does Tom Waits

Every now and then you see something that stops you in your tracks. Sometimes it's something similar to something else , acombination of the familiar presented in an original way.



Today at the Summertyne Festival I was wandering through The Sage foyer to the concert area , when I saw an amazing display of suitcases !! I always imagine this image of Robert Johnson is him sitting on a battered suitcase.

Tom Waits

 
Anyway what Geoff Marston has done is set his paintings on real suitcases!! The look amazing and are an amazing piece of art combinng paint with a suitcase instead of your normal canvas. The problem being then is how do you display it ? You need room to do that but they do look fantastic.

About Geoff Marston

The artwork looks like an excellent blues album cover , and most of the artist are archetypal American musicians such as Hank Williams , Muddy Waters and Tom Waits.

Hank Williams

 Geoff also does mounted prints of his work as well for the more standard art display . There are examples of his art dotted around this post , obviously influenced by his love of music and major involvement with the Jumpin' Hot Club.






Check out his work , you will have seen nothing like it.