Tempting to think now it will all be plain sailing...

A pleasant and relaxing day. This morning was spent in the merry city of Gloucester, avec famille, buying buttons and the Guardian newspaper before lunching in the Guildhall café-bar. This afternoon I shall prepare a vegetarian curry and listen to some music. This evening I shall serve and eat the aforementioned spicy dish, watch the Seven Ages of Rock, listen to some more music and retire to my bedchamber sated and calm.

I’ve discovered a splendid little website called Lost-in-Tyme that offers many albums for download. I tend to click on the Alternative - Punk - New Wave..... link but the others are worth exploring as well. The bulk of the recordings can be filed under ‘lost classic’ and I’ve been dipping in and out a fair bit recently, replacing some vinyl that has been gathering dust for too long and discovering some new stuff. I downloaded Kilimanjaro by The Teardrop Explodes this morning, an album I own and absolutely played to death at 33 rpm during the now distant 1980s. I know all the songs off this album backwards and reacquainting myself with the likes of Bouncing Babies, When I Dream and Went Crazy after all these years was rather charmingly nostalgic; I felt two-and-twenty again. I’ve also downloaded the second album by The Sound, From the Lion’s Mouth, which I’m playing as I write this. I also own the first Sound long player, Jeopardy, and I’d contest that both offerings represent a slightly diluted Echo and the Bunnymenesque ambience. It’s satisfactory but not world changing fare. The debut album by McCarthy, I am a Wallet, sits stoically on my desktop waiting for a click. The guy and gal from McCarthy formed the marvellous Stereolab so I’m keen to check this out.

The Fall will be headlining this year’s Ashton Court Festival on the Saturday. On the Sunday, The Good, The Bad and The Queen will receive the baton from Mr Smith and his crew. Gravenhurst are playing. So is Horace Andy. I’m tempted. Are you? Here's an action photo (taken at the height of that summer's Cole family cartwheel craze) from the 2005 festival to whet your whistle.