Gig in Paris

Supporting the ever brilliant Monochrome Set. Why not come along? 15th March

The Stars Look Down 1940 - Full Movie

Movie about mining - a British classic. Wiki here

Steam at Midsomer Norton

Yesterday we went on a short trip to the Heritage Railway Station at MSN. Was great fun and pleasant to see the station awash with steam.

Cheer Up! Ye Poor British Miners

Mining songs from the North Somerset and Beyond - by Dave Byrne and the Guss and Crook Band and Chorus.
  I picked up this cd (a tenner from Radstock Museum) and I have to admit it's well worth getting if you have an interest in Mining. The music's good and well executed. Proceeds to Radstock Museum.
"These workers' songs are not folk songs in the recognised sense but songs written for a particular purpose," he writes. "Usually to garner support for miners in times of industrial strife, to raise morale and funds for miners on strike or sold on broadsheets to raise money to support the families of colliers killed or wounded at work." The CD is being sold to support the work of Radstock Museum, which is the best place to go to learn about the local coalfields. The album was made possible thanks to the research carried out by museum trustee Tom Randall at the time of the mine closures and in subsequent years. Dave has been singing for nearly 50 years.
The CD is available for £10 from Radstock Museum, Waterloo Road, Radstock, North Somerset BA3 3EP, tel: 01761 437722, or directly from Dave on 01761 419224.

Read more: http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Songs-help-memory-miners-live/story-20251617-detail/story.html#ixzz2nYYU5qI4

 1898 photograph of Camerton colliery lads wearing the guss and crook harness, with a group of adult miners. They are also wearing caps with candles in them.

Flodden 1513

Today is the 500th anniversary of this battle between Scotland and England. The last time a British monarch was killed on the field of battle when James of Scotland perished at Flodden.

new Animals & Men ep out

 

This review from Maximum Rock and Roll is by Allan McNaughton: "A new self-released 10" from eternal post-punk underdogs Animals and Men. I think the four tracks are a mix of old and new material,but it was all recorded this year.If you've heard the band,you won't be in for any surprises musically:primitive,simple bass-driven post punk with Susan's detached vocals over the top. The surprise is that they still sound somewhat fresh and relevant.They do what they do without pretension and there's something very admirable about that,especially after all these years.My hat is off to 'em." MRR #367.....

Spain in Flames

Go here to see about a new feature film set in the Spanish Civil War and watch the trailer.

Howlin' Wolf - The Howlin' Wolf Story. The Secret History of Rock and Roll

'Oh Death!' (traditional) Animals & Men

Spiritual that is a track off our forthcoming vinyl ep.

Remembering the genius of Reg Presley

Harvey Keitel in the Duellists

This look has probably influenced Adam Ant in his current incarnation.

We are the Tyning Boys

We are the Tyning Boys
we are the Tyning boys
we know our manners
we pay our tanners
We are respected wherever we may go
Out on the long wide road
we always carry our load
We can laugh we can grin
We can lose we can win
We are the Tyning Boys
(Song reproduced in a letter in the NR Journal about Whitelands -)

Adam Ant - Cool Zombie - Full Official Video

First video for ages - what do you reckon? Alright I reckon

Mud Sharks Dave Barbarossa

I've always been a fan of drummer Dave - from back in his days playing in Adam and the Ants and Bow wow wow but this book is so good it has blown me away.... again. It tells the story in the style of page-turner fiction of his early life and his musical paths and the people that were central to that story. It is a work of genius IMHO - rather like his drumming. Buy it here.

Lines of Wellington

Interesting new film with John Malkovich in the title role with some well known faces in there too. Apparently a TV series as well...wiki

Băneasă's Green Glade - Andy Irvine 1976

We had a deer visit us this morning which got me to humming this old Planxty tune. Charming.

In Baneasa's green forest out under the trees
We'd lie on our backs, we'd live at our ease
We'd wake in the morning at the first shafts of day
And watch the shy deer as they scampered away

We'd rise from our warm beds as the sun it got higher
And cook up our breakfast on a sweet scented fire

In the still early morning a cool gentle breeze
And the echo of woodpeckers rings through the trees

We'd sit in our glade till the heat of the day
Walk down to the zoo to sing and to play

Well the money rolled in and the people looked on
When the hat was quite full we'd up and be gone
In Dimovitsas tavern we spent money free
And drank to our friends wherever they may be.

We'd talk of old times, fond memories we'd trade
At dusk we'd walk home to Baneasa's green glade.

Happy world Rhino day

9eme Legere book

  'Incomparable' - a new book published by Osprey on the life and times of the 9eme Chasseurs.

Author: Terry Crowdy

About this book
An elite battalion under Louis XVI, the 9th Light Infantry regiment were with Napoleon from almost the beginning, turning the field at Marengo and breaking the Austrians. They then spent over a decade fighting their way across the continent, following Napoleon to the bitter end. Bringing their Eagle out of hiding when Napoleon returned from exile in 1815 they almost saved the day again, at Waterloo, spearheading a charge to rejoin Napoleon. But unlike at Marengo, they failed. Napoleon dubbed them ‘Incomparable’, and their story is extraordinary even by the standards of the dramatic and turbulent years in which they lived. Buy it here

200 years ago today

The Moscow fire.

Borodino action footage