The Final Death of Summer

A summer without any time, working two jobs, could destroy the most hardened of souls. Alas! my soul remains unbroken, but my plans remain unfulfilled. Time worked considerably against The Beechwood Sessions. Having a job in the evenings - when I am at my most creative - killed off any chances of getting more material recorded and polishing up those recordings already done.

The long-term project remains the same and the hope is that Christmas break from university works a little more in my favour. So in the meantime The Beechwood Sessions continues to be developed and so does a small follow-up project - Take Victoria Southbound - long in the pipeline. We'll get there eventually I expect.

You - the reader - must make it your mission to seek and listen to Madeleine Peyroux's new album 'Half the Perfect World'.

Bruce is the Answer

I often consider Bruce Springsteen as being the leading light of 'dad-rock' figure - the basis for this being that he is in fact possibly my dad's favourite artist. I have as a result of many hours spent in pubs with Dad and many pennies spent on jukeboxes fostered quite an appreciation for "The Boss" over the years. This year though my appreciation for Springsteen has been rekindled mainly due to the release of We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions. The type of American roots music on the record is very different to his work with the E Street Band and to his solo work but yet the music was still exceptionally Springsteenian - it has the big sound delivered with passion and meaning.

On the basis of this album, I decided to give Born in the USA a listen again and found myself thinking how great the songs are - so athemic and so gritty. Additionally I downloaded 'The Ghost of Tom Joad', a song about social injustice in 1990s America, and found that Springsteen's stripped-down Americana sound is as much a match for the work he did with the E-Street Band as the work he has done recently with the Seeger Sessions Band.

I can't do the music, or Springsteen, any justice by describing them and the emotions they can give you. All I can say is go onto iTunes and look for: Shenandoah and Oh, Mary Don't You Weep (from We Shall Overcome); Born to Run (Born to Run); Born in the USA, Glory Days, My Hometown and Dancing in the Dark (Born in the USA); The Ghost of Tom Joad (The Ghost of Tom Joad); and Streets of Philadelphia (Greatest Hits).

What a Stupid Day

Today was a stupid day. Did my second teaching session which went really well. Again got commented on that I look/act like a REAL teacher so that was nice. Only criticism was that I didn't ask if people knew what Macbeth actually was and instead assumed some prior knowledge. Luckily everyone did know! Hurrah!

So the bad points: Had a bad nights sleep last night and woke up far too early; got fed up with people being rude during other people's lessons and despite bollocking two women, one of them was playing up again today; got ran into by some idiotic woman whilst walking home.

The incident with the car involved me about to walk across the road on campus when a car pulled round the corner at about 10 mph and headed towards me. Because there was a barrier that cars have to stop at I assumed she would slow down and walked out. Did she slow down? No. A had to shuffle back two steps quickly and yet she still hit me - she stopped about 50cm from the barrier. I just stood there in amazement with my arms out and declared "What the f--- is wrong with you - you just f------ hit me!". She whispered "sorry" and looked shocked - she blatantly hadn't seen me! So to reiterate my annoyance I said "next time look where you're driving you stupid b----" and walked off. She was the final straw today.

ANGER MANAGEMENT HERE I COME!

Portland Bill Rocks

For your visual pleasure here is a picture of waves breaking against the rocks at Portland Bill, Dorset. The shot was taken just as the sky was clouding over hence the moody blue colour of the sea.