Abilene

I know how late it is, get off my back will you, I have had a few blank moments, so lets not go there, lets talk about something totally different (and at least happy) the lost art of the b side!

The straight and narrow has not been that straight of late, but the music has helped and mainly cd's with obscure b sides, hence the title of this blog, come on smart arses, lets see who gets this one and lets see if you can do it without Google!

Spirals has been the order of the day and some journeys on the plague carrier  have only been helped by said music it was while listening to the said title of the blog that I realised how much I miss playing vinyl and all the happy memories that go with it, the single that it comes from I bought for 25 pence because I couldn't afford the album, and I'm so glad as it's in my top five songs from this particular band, my journey home usually lasts about and hour and I must have played it over and over about a dozen times as I had truly forgotten the track and I rediscovered the joy of it, I had forgotten it was on the extended version of the album and after a crap day it was what was required.

It had great history with me, I know none of my friends cared much for the band but it was a track that just got hooked it has always been in my internal jukebox and I probably hum it or sing it (in my head) at least once a week, well more actually since I have rediscovered it. I would be unhappy not have what's left of my vinyl collection, but I would be devastated not to have my singles collection. whenever I travel I listen to music it truly is the one thing that lifts my spirits, from my dodgy prog albums to my collection of punk singles, those dodgy one hit wonders who sometimes the b sides were better than the a sides, not forgetting non album EP's I remember sitting in my then girlfriends house (how sophisticated I was at 14) listening to her playing her fave song of the day that dreary lucky number by Lena Lovich which I still hate today, after an annoying number of listens and just to break the monotony I turned  it over and fell in love with the b side "Home" she hated it, I pinched the single, to which I still have, but would gladly return it as I picked up a Lena compilation with said track on and yes it's the only song I play!

All of my good days have music in them, I remember the summer days with my friends out in the country with crappy tape decks, when my friends got cars and I did tapes to educate them (actually it was the best way of getting to hear the music I liked) I remember times as a kid waiting my turn to borrow the record player me and my brother shared, and it's the one thing he as an older brother never denied me my equal time, playing music, maybe he knew what pleasure I derived from it, those of you who know me know that I can be quite obsessed about music, and can talk the ears off anybody who presses the "music" button in me! my idea of heaven would be winning the lottery and getting the opportunity to play music 24/7 all the time, oh and to blog interesting things! ok so I would have to buy a separate house as some of my music is............cough splutter.......special! ok so it's not to everybody's taste, but it is mine and some of the tracks I like simply because they are that crap!

Dark days in paradise tend to get brightened by music and although I know I have issues (me with my reputation) music usually is without a doubt the best medicine so I will have to have my prescription filled on a regular basis, it's the way forward, the future is bright .....it lies in the grooves of vinyl or the flat surfaces of cd's or amongst the sound waves of MP3's, I have had this sitting for nearly a fortnight but was to lethargic to actually want to get the written word down as though it might break something, the deed is done now and I feel happier for it, work is work (no comment for legal reasons) and home life is pure pap purely because the wife isn't firing on all six cylinders with bursts of hyper activity and then days of being wiped out, there doesn't appear to be a happy medium at the minute, I just wish that she could find a balance for everybody's sake, simply because we are all worried for her.

So the duck is broken and the new year is upon us well and truly, I still intend to only do 52 blogs in the course of the year, so I might do a few in the course of a few days and then might run silent run deep for a while so go with the flow boys and girls, thank you as always for the many kind words and encouragement, remember to keep spreading the disease, numbers have been fluctuating but hardware/software issues have not helped, but radio free Europe will be on the airwaves from now until ...well lets see? that's me done and dusted onwards (as I reread this blog there are at least 18 different song titles sprinkled like pixie dust through the thing) the one thing I have to ask, do you all still like doing the name game? or have I painted myself into a corner, do I break out of the stereotype and should I blog and then try and make a humorous title from that, who can forget the wonderful "The whore of Babylon and the dashing blonde pirate" and all the others that I did let me know (you always do) as I do feel as though I have painted myself into a corner (and the bloody paint ain't drying) and to be honest I'm sick of taking the piss out of Nils who does try valiantly but I think he thinks my sarcasm is actually disguised as affection towards him, it is really like shooting fish in a barrel, any hoo enjoy it's great to be alive and lets hope this years brings health and happiness more so than last year did ( can it get worse\? probably so lets avoid that one shall we!) so until next time  play nice and.................Toodles.