Royal Oak

1994 - Kind Of Blue. How's that for originality? According to my dad "Blues And The Abstract Truth" was our house's first CD, in about 1988.

Rory Gallagher - "Tattoo". A rocking listen it was too.

I used to have that Art Pepper (an OJC reissue). When I went down the path of CD, my sister got it. I wonder if she'd give it me back? I bought it on Contemporary/Boplicity used vinyl in a second-hand book and record shop on Barlow Moor Road ten years ago. I hope it wasn't your copy traded in by your sister! Come to think of it, I didn't see it when I called round over Christmas! Unless she was burgled, I doubt she'd have let it go - she's a bit of a hoarder.

You know, I picked up a copy of that in '76, and still haven't read it... I guess it was the tail end of my Camus obsession, and I just never got to it. But I transport it from place to place rather than getting rid of it, so I guess there's still hope. It's been on my shelf for months. It's quite apt at the minute, as we are on the verge of a flu epidemic/pandemic (can't remember which) here in England, with a nice little pocket where I live, in the North West. Are you listening Bill? I've only ever read "The Fall" of Camus, and I enjoyed that too. Not so much for the "existential" thing, but his prose, which I find pleasingly spare, yet substantial. I seem to recall some liner notes applying the same sentiments to Monk - compared it to roast beef - much meat, no sauce. May have been the Sonny Rollins meets Monk LP.

I used to have that Art Pepper (an OJC reissue). When I went down the path of CD, my sister got it. I wonder if she'd give it me back?

Albert Camus - The Plague Enjoying this very much.

Not so bad today, but still below freezing all day.

Free - "Free At Last" (Island)

Now: Badfinger - "Straight Up" Earlier: Jesus Christ Superstar. A sentimental purchase from a charity shop, which didn't half take me back to just about every Easter Sunday of my childhood.

Mmmmm, seeds. I always hated that popping sound and the plume of smoke they created

I second what Bill said. I scraped the car windscreen at 8am; it was frozen again by 8.30! Bloody Winter, I hate it.

Same here. Very cold, without the beauty of the snow to soften the blow.

"Spoilt Rotten - The Toxic Cult of Sentimentality" by Theodore Dalrymple. Utterly convincing, as ever.

Impressive snowfall there Bev. The snow has reached the NW - looks like I'm going to be pulling the kids home from school on a sledge this afternoon.

Jeanette Winterson - Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit. I remember watching the TV series about 20 years ago, but never read the book. The mother is portrayed much more sympathetically in the book than on TV (up to now, anyway).

Nice pic Bev, looks somehow artificial. Snow in the NW today, though not yet as bad as it was in January.

Bloody cold. 4 months of this to go.

I told my friend to step on the gas of the Opel Manta and 'follow that car' but she was gone in a flash. Ah well.. Ford Escort Ghia and Opel Manta! When I was at school they were among the most desirable cars for spotty 16 year-olds dreaming of their provisional driving licences!

Wow, someone came out and said it! I quite liked "Could You Be The One" and bought "Warehouse" on the strength of it, but never got it. Same with Jesus and Mary Chain.

FWIW I agree, for exactly the same reason!

The Andre Agassi autobiog "Open". If he wrote this without a ghost, he's an elegant writer.

Call me sappy, but I love Chet Baker's (vocal) rendition.

Many happy returns Daniele.

That's quite a revelatory interview. Ray was a guest on Steve Wright's BBC Radio 2 show a couple of days ago. Given that Wright's interview style is notoriously sycophantic, the whole thing could be pared down to: Wright: "Ray - you're great" Davies: "I know"