Not quite a “tune” for the summer return, but an opportunity to recognize people who light the world up by seeing it in a different way. Thank you Robin Williams, David Foster Wallace and Jorge Luis Borges, whose “Celestial Emporium of Benevolent Knowledge”, in a fictitious Chinese encyclopedia, includes this classification of animals:
Covers
You can always judge a singer by their covers. This clip brings together two of the warmest voices, and one of the weakest moustaches, in modern rock.
Berti
Huge week for German football, taking Spanish giants to the cleaners in the Champions League semis.
Some years ago, ex-German national coach, Berti Vogts, was undergoing a torrid working over by the Scottish press, while his Scottish national team were in the doldrums. In a press conference following a rather more positive result, he bemoaned the lack of credit he was getting.
Moon
Best intro and best drummer. Keith Moon used to hammer the drums so hard, in the early days of the Who he’d get to the venue ahead of time and lash his drum kit to pillars to keep them upright through the gig.
Problems
Hollywood drinks party, 1974. Ian McLagan, keyboard player with the Faces and the Small Faces, overhears Peter Grant introducing himself to Bob Dylan.
H2O
Last week saw one of the most feted and influential bands inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame. And Nirvana were too.
Ferguson
You may know that Sir Alex Ferguson retired this week as Manchester United manager after 26 years and 38 trophies (including Champions of Europe twice, Champions of England 13 times).
An opportunity to reflect on one of his best quotes, sharing his mistrust of Italians:
Horses
Very nice song about some horses. In a room.
Buckley
Thought anything I wrote would just get between you and the song, so please assume there’s a poignant and interesting pre-amble here.
Donnie
I bought a record on eBay last week, and it arrived on Saturday. It’s a 12” EP from 1980 by an LA band called City Lights and I was excited to get it.