³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

A 'new sound' mix for Madmac ... including

'Magnetic Baby' by Semi Precious Weapons, and
'Short Sharp Shock' by Performance

Would be as surprised as Fred

Paolo Pablo handed Thunder Road from Bruce Springsteen's Live at the Hammersmith Odeon over to me via Get It On a couple of years back

I think this will have the backing of a fair number of bloggers?

DC

Not me.

awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

Sorry DC it's just I'm having that deja-vu feeling with this theme again.

Your grumpy correspondent

Norrie

There's no place for grumpiness on this blog.

Glasgow (a city which can't afford schools) is getting the Commonwealth Games and a legacy of more debt to our already impoverished grandchildren. So let's throw our hats in the air.

It's keeping JCB drivers busy.....

#1

Not just sound but how to wear mascara L.O.L.

'Old' sound mix to Kene... New DEVO recording "Something for Everybody" ~ Fresh

GIO... not a chance in hell!

Blogwise, Scotch Git's contributions to my musical appreciation have been welcome. This one in particular:
Saint Andrew - Eh Umna Therefore Eh Um
Bought something off the back of that. Others, too.

norrie always springs a few surprises. Like that Depeche Mode song (Leave in Silence) on Monday - had almost forgotten it. Great to hear it again! And that Lissie song he's requested a couple of times. Another stormer.

Henri - that Transglobal track he kept bangin' on about for his ma and sis. It was brilliant. Also the Adam Freeland/ Sarah Vaughan Fever mix - top notch, sir.

Billy from Alloa - Rodrigo y Gabriela, Tamacun. A rare find.

What my kids have shared with me. 2 songs requested, never played. It's fine - I'll just keep requesting them whenever it seems appropriate. ;o)
Foo Fighters Everlong
Duke Special Freewheel

What I've passed on to ma boys. They've definitely developed their own taste, but one I do hope to take credit for is
Billy Joel She's Always A Woman To Me

My oldest isn't as impressed, but the younger one sings and plays this with an emotional understanding that almost makes me want to weep. Please spare them both from complicated women.
I could Squeeze in some Queen, Elton, ELO, random classical music and Ella there, too, but this post is already too long.

#2 i've been at odds with Norrie for some time about this version. However I could nominate
Break your heart / Natalie Merchant
Here it Comes again / Black

which Norrie pointed me in the direction of via a mixed CD. Both stunning tracks.

I could also list several other tracks i have gotten into via the bloggers on here but since the topic is songs we handed on ourselves then i'd like to suggest

Maggies Farm / the Singing Hoover
Maggies Farm / the Singing hoover Live
Maggies Farm / The Specials
Maggies Farm / Solomon Burke RIP
Maggies Farm / Rage Against the Machine
Maggies farm / Barbara Dickson
Maggies Farm / Tools Hibbert
Maggies Farm / The Blues band
Maggies Farm / tin Machine
Maggies Farm / Grateful dead
Maggies farm / Charlie Daniels Band


You see a pub i quiz in has a barmaid called Maggie and the recent challenge from the regulars is to come up with a different version every week. I'm starting to struggle now so any others would be good to know.
and Solomon Burkes version would be good to hear.









Play it for Norrie.

Following the recent recommendations theme I downloaded a number of tracks, and passed them on to a friend I see rather infrequently. Last week he raved about two tracks in particular:
In sleep - Lissie (another thank-you to Norrie)
Zorbing - Stornoway (apologies, I can't recall who recommended it).
He now has both CDs.

My eldest son inherited my Springsteen-appreciation gene: as such happy to second "Thunder Road" (any version)

Joe
Linlithgow

i just remember another relevant example. I used to have Nanci Griffith's "Flier" album. Some one borrowed it, and it never came back.

Please play "Sothbount train".

Joe
Linlithgow

Apologies: Southbound train.

Goodnight!


J
L

Thanks for nice comment Mary D, paolo and Joe.

I am going to be a complete sook. I would never have bought Dame Shirley Bassey's lp Performance had it not been for Bryan and Babs raving about it.

Dame Shirley Bassey - The Girl From Tiger Bay

and for the youngest, who I have introduced to David Gray

David Gray - The One I Love

but she also loves Ziggy Stardust (her words not mine)

David Bowie - Soul Love

#12 Joe as I get a regular ribbing for it might as well offer you the further correction of Nanci Griffith - Flyer

;o)

My daughter (Kat in Glasgow), bought me the Mumford & Sons album for my 50th, in an effort to bring me up to date. It worked, and of the many great tracks available I particularly like:-

Dust Bowl Dance

The problem is that she hadn't heard all the songs herself, so I gave her the CD a few months ago and it's still lying in her flat amongst a heap of half-eaten pizzas, semi-broken laptops & assorted junk.
I suspect this was the original plan, kids!!!

Paul from Ayr

Well, 'eclectic' in the sense that artists were diverse, but the music comprised of hits that happened to be instrumentals from different eras, which is hardly an eclectic selection from the source material:famous instrumental hits.

In fact, far from being eclectic, the playlist was entirely predictable.

Of course, us city dwellers have no idea how folk think in Orkney, but suspect our Bryan might have misheard Chris from Orkney: 'This show is inane tonight'.

After all, how could a show comprising of some the world's best known instrumentals played within the same two hours be seriously thought 'insane', unless we consider the wasted opportunity to avoid predictable and boring.

Possibly the worst edition of GIO I can recall.Very disappointing, made me feel like switching station..I've never felt like that before.

reagrdez youse

henri

#9.. thanks mary doll!

"Contrasts Essonic" ~ Daphne Oram for 'enri.

I thought the theme was slanted towards cultural heritage through the generations, as well as inheritance in more general terms. Much tighter than the free-for-all the blurb at the top of the page suggests.

"Nine miles of two-strand topped with barbed wire
laid by the father for the son

Good shelter down there on the valley floor,
down by where the sweet stream run"

'Farm on the Freeway' - Jethro Tull


Or one given to me by my daughter and son-in-law;

'Texas Flood' - Stevie Ray Vaughan

#17

Sometimes on a Thursday I switch over to Bob Harris and forget to return.

>8-D

#5
No what you mean Norrie. I dont think we`ve even had Space as a theme since the last time we had this one. (Cap R might be able to check if he has time inbetween his eztensive list making).

Anyway, as you`re flavour tae sook ur chaw on for this theme, I`ll go with

Tonight The Streets Are Ours - Richard Hawley

for whom I gave you the nod on.

#21 |Great track Adam, and the nod still appreciated.

It's when themes try to be topical that they become contrived....and repeated.

In last few months we've had
Songs we made our kids listen to
Songs our parents made us listen to
Songs we gave someone on mixed tapes.

Eclectic? - ha ha!

#17 I agree entirely, except I often switch station. Every time morrissey is played in fact - which is too often. In fact once was too often.

I thought last night's show was great! So what if it was predictable? So long as the music's good I don't care! Would you rather listen to unpredictable rubbish?

I'm not optimistic about tonight. It looks like one of those shows where the stories are more important than the music. I'll pass.

:o)

Yes, I like unpredictable rubbish and listen to it all the time as you can see from my blogs.

This will not be popular with a lot of bloggers but I am grateful to Bazza, Mazza and Nozza for teaching me that Mozza is really pretty good:
'The last of the famous international playboys'

I know I introduced Nozza to the work of Bettye LaVette:
'Love reign o'er me' surely has to be 'got on' on Get It On sometime as it's just wonderful.

The Daughter, I'm proud to say, has alongside her Jonas Brothers posters, two great Bob Marley posters...the football one is particularly good:
'Redemption Song' is her favourite and is quoted on one of said posters.

The Daughter also revived my interest in rap + hip hop (She listened to a couple of CDs and then played that kind of music nonstop)
'Hard Knock Life' - Jay-Z.

#10 Maggies Farm, Stephen Malkmus does it on the soundtrack for 'I'm noy there'

#28 is that the track by the Ulsterman announcing his arrival?

As tonight’s programme doesn’t really have a theme, perhaps predictably, I would request the following rubbish to be played on your eclectic programme: ~

2032 from 2032 by GONG

which I made up a mixtape of and gave to my ex-partner who gave it to my best pal.

Hmmm that's strange. I got a mixtape from the girl of my best friend with the track 2032 by GONG on it.....

Oh! Can't not mention Scotch with his many Michael Marra requests. I've been to a MM gig now and he's every bit as entertaining as I was told he'd be...
'If Dundee Was Africa' - Michael Marra (but don't know if you'd be able to find it...Bryan may not approve of the reference to Aberdeen of course)!

#25

Personally, hearing 'Albatross' or 'Stranger on the Shore' one more time really doesn't do it for me.Conversely, if your request of 'Loup' had been played, I feel certain lots of folks would have been charmed and intregued.

The problem with predicatble is that it doesn't take us anywhere: we can get predicable on any teatime hits/golden oldies show on commericial radio. It's a mediocrity trap we have to fight to prevent GIO falling into.

JfE was right when he said that GIO as an idea is was a work of genius but, for me, quite often what makes the playlist seriously panders to the lowest common denominator - moreso recently, I think. Well, we all get lazy form time to time.

I'm not being snobby here, but there is, in fact, no demand for populism from the audience.

'Albatoss' was an international smash hit in 1968.It has appeared in dozens of compiliations down the years, is a staple of commercial stations the world over on playlists pandering to the lowest common denominator that obtain advertising revenue by constantly playing golden oldies - commerically, that's safe and understandable.

The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ is not a commercial station and is not ordained to complete at this level: entertain, yes - slide into mediocrity, no.

If there are say,six requests are made for 'Albatross' on instrumental night, it'll get played. This is thought to be somehow democratic.

In fact, I think it was less than this. I have counted two requests on Facebook, one of them from a bloke who also requested Samba Pa Ti and Jessica.

Yet, given that it is such a well known and seemingly loved track,with constant and endless exposure since 1968 - is two requests for it really representative of a great demand to hear it? No one on the blog requested it, for example, yet we all know it - so arguably, lots of people who could have, didn't request it.

The principal contributors to the show are a small group of dedicated bloggers, and although Facebook has zillions of friends, a tiny number regularly contribute and an unquantifable number (though I think they are regulars too) text the show - the bloggers and facebookers do this too.It's probably the case that the requests from those people who can be regularly bothered to make requests, somehow, approximately, refelct some kind of demographic significance in a wider sense.

When you look through the sample from bloggers and facebook requests, what is striking is the complete absence of a huge demand to hear the obvious and famous tracks that were played on last night's show.

Overall, there is great diversity in the requests - truly eclectic - but the show doesn't really seem to understand that the number requesting diversity hugely outnumbers the populists and falls, in my view, into mediocrity by not properly or accurately reflecting it's audience.

That is to say, last night's show did not reflect what the audience are interested in hearing.

It is our duty to point this out and not allow a great programme to slide into mediocrity though the casual acceptance of the victory of obvious and turgid populism over the diversity inherent in what people really listen to and in turn, what they really would like to hear - whether they have heard it before or not.

If that is the promotion of 'unpredictable rubbish' then I'm all for it.

At least that would be interesting and make the ongoing fun of requesting all the more worthwhile and not the pointless exercise yesterday was: we were asked to request instrumentals, if we'd known that the paprameters of eclectisim were as narrow as worldwide smash hits, I for one, wouldn't have bothered.

I should add that I'm not getting at the folks who run the show, doubtless they know better than us, but I do think that there is something in what I'm saying that is worth thinking about.

The show cannot grow on populism, there's too many in that marketplace already.

regardez youse

henri

#27 Oops! Not been listening to the show so much...didn't realise Redemption Song was played the other day.

blimey!

#31 - That was you?


#33 - Would you care to elaborate?


#34 - (Sharp intake of breath!)

;o)

Henri. I do agree with you...said the same thing many a time myself but got fed up of moaning! Sorry about the Acker Bilk request ;o) . I have a soft spot for that tune but really I would have preferred one of my Jamaican Ska choices to have been played. As usual we got something by Madness which, though a perfectly decent track, has been played umpteen times.

Yip...

#17 You'll loose Bryan's ear commenting like that... wonder, were you of the same opinion listening on Friday past?

#19 Way too deep for the average GIO listener / subscriber but nonetheless do agree with the assumption.

#23 Spot on but does it change anything?

#25 Unpredictable rubbish also supports the ethos behind tonights theme in a record spinning kind of way...

More RUBBISH please!

#30 - I salute your predictability!!! Did that scaly rash ever clear up?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Ìý~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Feed The Predictable ><[[[[[[[°>
Ìý~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

;o)

#31

While I agree entirely with your general point (and I think R2 regularly has a more eclectic playlist), I don't think last night's show was that strong an argument for it.

If it had been, we'd have had Apache (rather than Fingel Bunt, which was entirely new to me), One Step Beyond (rather than Los Palmas 7) and Close to the Edit (rather than Moments in Love).

While Albatross may be a bit of an obvious choice for the theme, and was well known in 68, it's far from the first Fleetwood Mac track that come to mind - or even in . And when did we last have PCO on the show? (That would be never, as far as I can tell, although I've requested them many times).

I've said it before - my ideal GiO show would contain 10-15 obvious standards, with the rest being more interesting ones, and to make it perfection, one or two that I've not heard before. Last night's show wasn't bad in that respect.

I do think the show was better at this in its earlier days though, when I'd be buying a track or two online every night.

#21

Last Space theme: 29th July 2010
Last Thunder Road plays: 26th Aug 2010 (no particular version cited) or 12th July 2010 (Live in 75)

#28 - #29 -

"You're from Belfast? Are you a Billy or a Dan?"

"I'm noy there."

;o)

#41

I meant #33 of course.

And you're right (#17) about the wider range of artistes - of all those played last night, only one (Madness) was in .

#40 Yes, I treated it with some moysteriser.

# 30 + 31 ...

Can't quite believe this, however I too received a mixed tape with 2032 from 2032 by Gong on it. Must be a sign that something special might just happen tonight ... eh MM, Gaie, Cynthia, Scotch et al?

Unpredictable Rubbish Galore please ...

Feed The Fish ...

This theme sounds a bit like that one, this one or the Thursday theme from yon week.

#33 - Henri - I concede. My #25 is more of a rant than an argument. But I still enjoyed the show!

:o)

#44 Would anyone describe this list as eclectic?

Capt, don't suppose you have a GIO's 25 most frequently requested list for comparison?

#42, 44 & 47

Fine work Capt.

Is PB still in charge of the Blog?

Thought HH's piece was worthy of comment.

I could probably speak for most bloggers (at least those that get requests played) that the biggest kick is when a longshot comes in.

#52 I agree, worthy comment. It also proved something else in that HH cannot be AfR because HH used too many big words in his blog

#53 I agree with PP also. That "pigs have flown" (TM) moment when the reluctant press of the "play" button by BB takes place.

DC

anyone ever seen John Beattie + Ricky Ross in the same studio?

more unpredictable rubbish please ...

#56 I've got a great suggestion for a theme..........

UNPREDICTABLE RUBBISH

#50
Most requested tracks?

Nope, but could bash it together in about 20 mins.

#51
Thagyewverrmuch

#53
Yep, completely agree.

Though it does reflect on us a bit like the following joke:
Q: How many hipsters does it take to change a lightbulb
A: Just one, but the bulb's very obscure and you might not like it.

We now have 3 requests for GONG, or 9 if it is covered under unpredictable rubbish, or 11 if it is also covered by references to fish feeding.

The show where you choose the music.............

"Go Fred Go" ... support your local Fish

#57 ... love it ... gotta be a gimme

#48

Fear not Senga, I'm guilty of the odd rant myself - excpet mine go on for three days. On our next trip to Blackpool we shall listen to lots of unpredicable rubbish.No doubt this time it'll be you that sneaks off whilst I'm in the lavy.

#38

Good point, mad mac, genrally speaking I'm with the others, the real thrill is when something gets played against expectation and many of those have gone straight to the ipod.

So, I'll stop ranting now and get on with it and just to prove my gratitude to GIO overall and my fellow bloggers in particular here's a small selection of some of the 'unpredictable rubbish' I've downloaded or gone on to purchase as Cd's.

Things gifted to me by fellow bloggers that I can recall and identify:

Amadou & Mariam- La Realite - can't remember who

Arab Strap - The Fisrt Big Weekend - Vic Galloway

El Rayo X - David Lindlay - Gaie

If I had a Boat - Lyle Lovett - Scotch - Git

Where Have All the Cowboys Gone - Paula Cole - Julie?

Some Guys Have All The Luck - the Persuaders - Paulo Pablo

Relator - Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johanssen - Frank In Denny

Walk Away Renee - Billy Bragg - Captn Ramius

Hoppipola - Sigur Rios - JfE

Tales Of Brave Ulysses - Rotary Connection - Glen Miller

The Smiths - overall, Bryan Burnett

Fearless Heart - Steve Earle - Norrie

I haven't given much back, to be fair, but a couple of things I've given to GIO directly:

Blackmiail - 10CC.

Chariots - Transglobal Underground

American Dread - Dreadzone still never heard it, deserves to be heard after their stupendous glasgow gig last week

and a couple of people mentioned how much they enjoyed

Fever - Sarah Vaughn - Adam Freeland Mix

At one time or another I've given just about everyone close to me a copy of The White Album ( Martha My Dear would be good) and I bought a box set of Kate Bush for my daughter, Katie, who shares my love this woman's work. It would be good to hear Somewhere In Between - Kate Bush ...

or any of the above, some of which might be unpredictably fabby

regardez vous

henri

#50

Top 25 played track names (with data back to start of 2010, plus a little from Dec 2008 - Jan 2009), in descending order:

1 - 8 plays) Hanging On The Telephone
1 - 8 plays) Crazy
3 - 7 plays) Red Red Wine
3 - 7 plays) I Gotta Feeling
3 - 7 plays) Born To Be Wild
6 - 6 plays) The Captain
6 - 6 plays) Teenage Kicks
6 - 6 plays) She Sells Sanctuary
6 - 6 plays) Pencil Full of Lead
6 - 6 plays) Our House
6 - 6 plays) One Day Like This
6 - 6 plays) Let's Dance
6 - 6 plays) In My Arms
6 - 6 plays) Human
6 - 6 plays) Don't Stop Me Now
6 - 6 plays) Bad Boys
6 - 6 plays) Baby Love
18 - 5 plays) Young Hearts Run Free
18 - 5 plays) Wuthering Heights
18 - 5 plays) White Winter Hymnal
18 - 5 plays) This Charming Man
18 - 5 plays) The Passenger
18 - 5 plays) The House Of The Rising Sun
18 - 5 plays) Take Me Out
18 - 5 plays) Smells Like Teen Spirit
18 - 5 plays) Reward
18 - 5 plays) Mrs Robinson
18 - 5 plays) Mr Brightside
18 - 5 plays) More Than A Feeling
18 - 5 plays) Midnight Train To Georgia
18 - 5 plays) Labour of Love
18 - 5 plays) La vie en rose
18 - 5 plays) I Drove All Night
18 - 5 plays) Hong Kong Garden
18 - 5 plays) Here Comes The Sun
18 - 5 plays) Going ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ
18 - 5 plays) Fever
18 - 5 plays) Empire State of Mind
18 - 5 plays) Don't Go
18 - 5 plays) Creep
18 - 5 plays) Chocolate Girl
18 - 5 plays) 10/10

Some of these are different songs (Crazy - Seal-v-Patsy Cline), as well as different versions (Red Red Wine - UB40-v-Neil Diamond).

If I get 20 mins, I'll do an automagically updating version.

Thanks Capt, but I asked for requested. It would be an interesting comparison.

#63
I'm gobsmacked . was sunshine on Leith's 28 plays all between feb and dec 2009?

#63 #65

It would be interesting to have a breakdown by performer. I perceive a preponderance of Eurythmics and Proclaimers tracks, for example. I'm sure The Captain has this information.




It's a little ironic to blame the programme for repetition of themes given the frequency of the "eclectic/populist" argument on this blog.

#62

POINT OF ORDER!

Ah'm no' takin' the rap furr 'If I Had a Boat'

It's the only Lyle Lovett song Ah cannae' stand!

>8-D

#54
I'm not an Elton John doppelganger!!

#63
Knew Hanging on...would be there at the top.

So as we're about go live tonight... nothing has changed despite the stats!

Rubbish is dead, long live rubbish!

#66

The juxtaposition is not valid. Repeat themes are foisted on us more often than is necessary, but original themes would hardly guarantee original playlists. Nor do I believe that "populist" is the best word to employ in this context. "Popular" would, IMHO, be more accurate.

And another thing!

As some pointed out a wee while ago, (Gaie? Glen? Cannae' remember), we may as a group regard ourselves as being 'eclectic' but as individuals most of us are requesting the same songs and/or performers again and again. I am probably the worst offender, although oddly enough I feel no guilt whatsoever. Maybe if my frequently asked for songs were given airtime I would not feel the need to repeat myself. I would not feel the need to repeat myself.

>8-D

B.T.W.
Disappointed that a reference here on the blog doesn't generate any degree of interest with some but a play does! No apparent sense of exploration for that of approval by GIO!

The show where you really don't choose the music!

#70

Speak fur yer'sel!

#72

Mais oui!

#62, #67 I requested it Scotch! That's me off the Christmas Card list then :o(

#74

My dear Julie, I refuse to celebrate Xmas in any way, shape or form whatsoever, as well you know!

You're on the Channuka Card list, along with everyone else!

>8-D

No, DC. Not the Chaka Khan list.

>8-D

Whose idea was it to represent Glasgow with an inflatable version of an unfinished tin shed?

BRING ME THE INFLATABLE SHED OF ALFREDO GARCIA!

#77 Sorry Glen it actually is finished....I know, I know....

Trust Glen to let the city down.......

>8-D

#75
Is that when you dress up as a giant armadillo?

Pity about the cutbacks though - the whole second tier of Government (Scottish Parliament) and third tier (Council) and Quangos and Scottish Enterprise etc etc would have been ther in the good old days. Bet the SPT still sneaked an invite though.

Mind you they wasted less on their junkets than TIE.....

#81

Paolo and Julie's

>8-D

#82

Spent ten squillion pounds and only a dummy tram to show for it.

...and there's

~84 ah but I suppose once they get it going it will reach within 3 miles of an airport to a mile and a half short of a city centre.

I understand the dummy tram is incapable of unassisted movement.

>8-D

Fred ... you must be starvin' mate ...

#88

If only the 9.5 squillion pound fact-finding mission had been extended to include cities with real trams. False economy.

We've got a tram!

Did they make it noisy so's folk would hear it before it ran o'er them?

Glasgow had trams years ago, of course. The councillors scrapped them and feathered their nests by selling off the prime sites occupied by stables to unscrupulous property developers. A number of oat suppliers and manure futures traders went bankrupt as a result.

Aye but once it is finished we will show those East Europeans. I mean honestly their rickety auld trams:

Three years ago I was In Nice and the town centre was upside down with the new tramlines being built. I went back this year and it was finished. it was superb, it goes the whole length down the main shopping street round the bend at the bottom onto another street and back. It can do it about two minutes quicker than the bus could.

I have no memory of Glasgow trams. My mother said whenever she took me on a tramcar in Glasgow I would fall asleep instantly.

#93

I heard it was a dung deal.

Bergen's got a new tram system. Had one previously, which they got rid of. They've not reused the old tracks that are still there but even so, I was there a 3 years ago, 2 years ago, 1 year ago - not much evidence of turmoil. There again a week past, it's all up and running.

#97

Some of them made a pile.