letters from storyville

Huge Melons - originally posted 28/07/2009

2011-10-28T09:16:00.000+01:00

Only a couple more days to go before start to prepare forr the journey home on Sunday. Back in tbe country house now but will return to Moscow in a couple of days to meet friends and go to see Suzanne Vega on Friday night.

Couple of days ago the family brought as huge water melon the size of a house home and I will provide pics of it when i come back to the uk for the full account. It was huge and normally I don't eat melon but have been kind of hood winked into eating it. Fairly nice. And enough of it to feed a small country.

Max had fall in the flat just before coming back to the datcha and gave me a fright. He fell off of the bed and banged his mouth and his gum bled a little. Wouldn't stop crying for ages and only after some quick thinking from Vladimir. I nearly feinted with shock too. Full details when we get back in the extended dairy.

Enough for now.

Meat time

2009-07-24T13:44:00.002+01:00

Today Max is going to have a meat soup that babushka has made for him from the finest russian beef. Today he gets a taste of his Russian life to come.

This morning we took him to the lab to have a blood, and urine test to see if they can find out just what is causing his skin problems which have gotten a lot better over the past few weeks. Poor little mite....there seems to be no escape for him

I am growing weary of my stay here now. My father in law is a man with head strong mind, he likes to control everthing, even my intake of vodka and beer. He is the kind of man that if say you are out taking a general stroll somewhere, will, deliberately go in the opposide direction from yours. Sometimes I feel like strangling him.

The pediatritian we took Max to see reckons he is laking in certain vitimins, the fault of us not feeding him a more meat like wider diet. With his skin problems though we have been mega wary of feeding him more exotic stuff. She has given us a vitimin supplement D3 for him and also told us to make the tests so that she can better understand the problems he may have with the allergy. She also thinks we should began potty training and vladimir has supplied two for Max to do the doings in. Can't wait for that.

Later today Max is having a guest, a young lady his age is popping over for an arranged marrage kind of set up. Should be interesting to see how he handles the ladies.

More later.

More insanity from Moscow

2009-07-23T09:26:00.002+01:00

Have now arrived in Moscow for a couple of days. Ira's parents wanted to bring him hear in order to have him checked out by a pediatrition in the Russian Childrens Hospital. I don't really see why as he seems pretty much ok and his Skin problems have cleared up quite nicely. I guess they don't trust English doctors at all.
I'm letting them take him but as far as any treatment goes, I will politely decline. I don't want his body to be further messed around when his skin is getting better.
I got hopelessley drunk last sunday in the country when Vladimir invited some neighbours around for a party. I had more than my limit for Vodka and crossed some cosmic threshold. I ended up prancing around the garden at 2am shouting up at the sky some kind of challenge to 2012...'come on 2012 I've have you' - the neighbours who were trying to sleep by that point shouted for me to shut up. It's the first time I remember that I've totally lost track of time after drinking. Missing time.
More on this when and the other stuff when I get back home and have a chance to upload my full report.

Thats it for now.

Vodka Stupor

2009-07-17T10:57:00.002+01:00

Hello from sunny Moscow. Been here for a week now, which has mostly been filled up with reading, (now on my second book) , watching tv progs on the iphone and my laptop and generally eating and drinking. Yesterday several babushkas arrived (well two, but thats a lot when you add them to Ira's mum, now also a babushka and iras's grandmother who is now a great babushka....i've decided that the word for describing a collection of babuskas is a Retainer.

They all flocked around Max and demanded to push their rinkled faces into his...poor baby. For the most part he has been enjoying the sun and the new surroundings....he has had his first swim in the large swimming pool heated by the sun, and quite liked it. He has been pooing himself silly and this morning enjoyed a humongous shit which even I was impressed with

We have had vbisits from relatives including Ira's mums cousin and wife ho brought their little 6 year old son who is quite a tear-a-way and likes nothing better than to insult strangers. Aparently he punched his babushka the other week and drew blood. And while here on site he insulted a ramdom old lady by calling her a witch!! He has left this morning which I am pleased about as he insists on playing with Max, driving him around the place on Max's car thing on wheels, at quite a fast speeed. Poor Max, but he seems to stand it.

Max was suprisingngly well behaved on the planes over. And didn't hardly winge or complain. And since being here and the centre of attention has loved the fresh air and good food.

Fresh veg and fruit are in abundance here and Ira's mum is aided by employed worker Zoire who helps out in collecting the harvest. And spends most of the time playing with Max.

Ira's grandparents are incamped in the sauna building downstairs and her mom and dad upstairs. Zoire is in the main house upstairs with me and Ira. The grandparents love Max and they Ira's grandfather (deduskhka) always likes to ingage me in conversation about his ailments like his eye operations and so forth....I have no idea what he is on about most of the time and just sit there nodding my head. They have left today with the cousins babushkas to go and see their flat....for a couple of days. So we are alone here for a bit, with ira's folks and zoire.

Last night I had a sauna with Ira's cousin and dad. The thing was so hot I could feel my skin coooking. It was hard to even sit on the wooden seating in there cause it was so fucking hot. Ira's mums cousin gave me a thourough thrashing with the leaves and cold water and I'm sure I herd him snigger as he did so!

We thinkwe saw a UFO the other night but I suspect it is a saterlite as it looked like a star moving across the sky quite fast, in the same direction, not changing direction. The night sky is really good here but I fear goiing out to see it cause the mosquitos will attack me. I've already got several bites and infamations on my legs. Pesky buggers.

Not much happenign now so will sign off. I'm writing a diary of my experiences here and will upload it when I get back in a couple of weeks. Along with pics and stuff.

I'm typing this on Ira's dads tiny eee pc 8inch screen so apologies for the typos.

Gonna get back to my book 2012 The War For Souls by Mr Strieber now so will sign off and try and write more here later or in the next few days.

Paka (bye)

Living life to the max

2009-07-05T22:08:00.002+01:00

Life is a series of swings and round-a-bouts!

Live From Storyville 28/06/2009

2009-07-05T21:57:00.002+01:00

Live from storyville 28/06/2009 direct download link

Guess who I was at a party with?

I get confused video

2009-06-28T00:28:00.004+01:00

Get your own valid XHTML YouTube embed code

Live From Storyville 04/11/2008

2008-11-04T13:21:00.002Z

A rare update on the state of the Treadwell world...driving, family, holidays, and giant light ships.
Direct download Live From Storyville 14/11/2008

Seymour Hersh on How Cheney Was Drawing Up Plans For a False Flag Operation Against Iran

2008-08-05T23:33:00.001+01:00

The Coming Global Corporacy Story or The Day After Tomorrow (Will Be Shite Like Today Was)

2008-06-19T22:42:00.000+01:00

Brothers (& sisters) let us not beat around the bush, these are hard times. I am a man of few words usually, but on this occasion I find myself with more than a few on me mind. Most of em, I'll grant thee are foul and disgusting and downright obscenities, but, and this is a big BUT, they alone express the way I feel about the direction we are headed. It's brown and it's sticky, and it smells of deceit, lies and perhaps the ultimate sin, manipulation.

"I am, therefore I input." This is the mantra we are being force fed on a daily basis. Do not think. Thinking is dangerous for the man upstairs. But I do think, and here's whats bothering me.

Do not expect to be given the opportunity to gain the opportunity for furthering your career by virtue of the years of dedication you have given.

Do not expect a fare, and reasonably level plainfield for all.

Do not expect to be treated like a fully developed intelligent multi-dimentional human being.

Expect to be thrust into an arena and face humiliation along with hundreds of other poor sods who have been so deceived by a few well chosen but ultimately over exaggerated words.

Expect to go through this staged process where the few will succeed with silvery tongues and bubbly personalities and the majority will be frozen with the cruelty of failure to act out success.

Expect others, who's only difference may be a name, to roll a double six and advance to go without paying this unfortunate forfeit.

Expect to be treated like shit.

Fellow inputters I have sat in many seats, and had many views, some have been better than others, once I was sitting by the window and could gaze longingly out at the free world outside. But another time sat right by toilet and had the wofting of all manner of unkempt aromas. I'll tell thee I wouldn't have been able to concentrate on me core darta back then.

Now I feel like I am actually sitting inside a giant cesspit. The stench of which is choking my sense of time, fairness and equality. Sometimes I am ashamed of my actions and lack of morality and respect, but how can I respect something which has no respect for me. Nay, something which treats me like a worker ant beavering about blindly for the so called good of the colony.

Are we making a difference? Only to a lie which has been convoluted for the greater good of those above. The Corporate world is fueled by stats. All that matters are numbers on a sheet. And if the decline of our enthusiasm, optimism, interest and respect suffers for the acquisition of those numbers then so be it.

My sanity has been brought and paid for. I am utterly demoralised. Confused by the hype, confused by the constant weaving web of policy and procedure. I am not full of beans, the beans have gone moldy and have been eaten by next doors cat. I am not a doom mongerer - I am a realist.

And they expect me to be happy to jump through a flaming circle of fire, dive into a pulpit of death and play a host of parlor games? In order to win what? More of the same drudgery!

I am sorry but my moral compass is pointing in the opposite direction, while shouting loudly in my ear, scarper lad, make with the feet!!!

Live From Storyville 04/05/2008

2008-05-04T14:23:00.002+01:00

Bathroom plundering, Podcasting, Cat trouble, Driving, Project Camelot
Direct download LFS 04/05/2008 Mp3 file

Messing With My Digital Camera

2008-04-13T16:53:00.002+01:00

Live From Storyville 04/04/008

2008-04-04T19:10:00.002+01:00

Doodle work book, Jean Michael Jarre, Coming Gigs, Swimming and more
Live From Storyville direct downloadlink

Live From Storyville 07/12/2007

2007-12-07T11:56:00.000Z

Human League 80s Nostelga, Car Troubles and more
Live From Storyville Direct Download

The Joys And Trials Of An Independent Podcaster

2007-10-11T23:42:00.000+01:00

Nearly every night of the week I rush home from work, gobble down my home cooked tv dinner, drink a bottle of Old Dogs Breath Ale and race upstairs to the computer. I eagerly open my e-mail and await the tidal wave of spam inviting me partake in all manner of dodgy dealings. But, among the lies and lures of million dollar lottery winnings, a sparkle of gold occasionally glitters before my eye in the shape of an mp3 file from bands based in such exotic locales as West Bromwich or Rowley Regis and soemtimes further afield.

I am an independent podcaster. I have been producing a podcast called Homegrown now for nearly two years and nearly 100 programmes.

I have had a healthy interest in music radio since an early age. I used to love listening to the likes of Roger Scott, Peel and still enjoy the whispers of Bob on a Saturday night. When podcasting came along a couple of years ago I quickly saw a chance to Indulge myself in my love of the intimacy and immediacy of the medium.

I knew I wanted to produce a music podcast focusing on independent new music, throwing in the odd well known name where I could. My other love has always been the written word, and writing poetry and other bits and pieces. So I decided to mix the music with a healthy dose of poetry and spoken word material, which seems to work really well.

Of course, being a music podcaster, I need to seek permission to play the tracks, which thanks to the likes of myspace and dedicated podsafe music websites such as the podsafe music network, has made a really tiresome chore quite easy. Since I started podcasting in 2005 I have forged some very useful alliances with online music distributers and promoters. I can now source the very wide and eclectic mix which Homegrown encompaces, anything from trad folk, country, blues, rock, electronica and classical, from websites designed specifically to take advantage of the bloggers and podcasters ability to distribute and promote music freely.

In very much the same vane podcasters and bloggers have made very important and unions, for example I am a member of The Association Of Poetry Podcasting, which is a group of growing podcasters who now feature poetry readings in their programming. In fact, the whole poetry podcasting scene is growing at a healthy rate and this is having a strong effect on the slamming and live spoken word scene. Many of which are now podcast in some form or other. I myself have been lucky to interview the Birmingham Poet Lorette in my studio come bedroom set up.

A plus of producing a music podcast is the thrill of finding something waiting on the mat from the postman, it's great to receive CDs and I have never quite gotten used to the fact that I don't have to part with any cash for them, I suppose years of paying £15 for obscure hard to find CDs in HMV has had a detrimental effect on my psyche. It's also lovely to get e-mails from bands who recognise the small contribution us smaller podcasters are making to the local independent music scene.

It's not all plain sailing however. The three P's, Producing, Posting and Promoting, despite being the podcasters holy grail, are a right pain in the bum. Building up any audience is hard enough at the best of times, but when there is so much competition out there it's not easy to make your RSS feed stand out in the crowd. Many late nights posting on forums, messaging myspacers and posting links all of the internet do take their toll. I'll be the first to say that I hate promoting what I do, I'd just love for people to take a listen and enjoy the mix of music. But, they have to know it's there in the first place. So I'm always on the look out for a good opportunity to put the word out and let people decide if they like it.

At the end of the day though. What really matters is that for approximately 45 minutes I get to put together, what I think is a fantastic mix of diverse and sometimes challenging music and poetry. It is the very mixture of this material which makes each of the contributers stand out in their own right. I truly believe that genere oriented programming is flawd, I don't want to listen to two hours of the same song over and over, I want variety and something I haven't herd before. And that is what us independent podcasters are doing. We are allowing artists who might never see the light of day, to be herd within the traditional setting of a radio programme. It's radio for the masses. And while I absolutely love listening to some of the BBC's podcasts and also to the excellent Word podcast, there should be room for us die hard podcasters who have been doing this since the start, and who haven't got a ready made audience waiting to listen. We have had to build our audience, sometimes literally by hand.

Hey, but enough of that, I just wanted to tell you a bit about me and how being a podcaster has changed my life. I'd love to invite you to take a listen to Homegrown, the programme website is www.homegrownpodcast.co.uk - you can listen there online or download the mp3 file. Alternatively you can subscribe through ITUNES, just look up Homegrown in the podcast directory.

Cheers, Nic

Live From Storyville 23/09/2007

2007-09-23T21:17:00.000+01:00

This is an audio walkthrough of our 400 photos of our 10 day trip to Scotland featuring Edinburgh, Cairngorms, Lochness, Skye, Loch Lomond and Glasgow. Photos of Castles, Rosslyn Chapel, Nessie, Lochs, Mountains and more Castles!!
Designed for you to view the photos while you listen. Please follow this link to Flickr to do this.
Download direct Live From Storyville 23/09/2007 here

Live From Storyville 20/09/2007

2007-09-20T16:13:00.000+01:00

Scotland, Vladimir's Visit, and Podcasting
Direct Download Live From Storyville 20/09/2007

Live From Storyville 20/08/2007

2007-09-20T16:11:00.000+01:00

Sorry forgot to post this one oringally
Direct down Live From Storyville 20/08/2007

Live From Storyville 18/07/2007

2007-07-19T22:32:00.000+01:00

Post Rickie Lee Jones Gig Thoughts
Live From Storyville 18072007 Direct Download

Live From Storyville 06.07.2007

2007-07-06T11:36:00.000+01:00

Pre Cornbury Festival Rambling
Direct Download Live From Storyville

Live From Storyville 17.06.2007

2007-06-17T00:47:00.000+01:00

High Hopes
Live From Storyville direct download

Live From Storyville 12.06.2007

2007-06-17T00:45:00.001+01:00

On A Downer
Live From Storyville direct download 12/06/2007

Live From Storyville 31.05.2007

2007-06-02T02:26:00.000+01:00

More meanderings.
Live From Storyville 31.05.2007 direct download

Live From Storyville 23.05.2007

2007-05-24T00:36:00.000+01:00

Home Alone, TV-DVD Lip Sync Problems, HG+
Live From Storyville 23/05/2007 direct download

Live From Storyville 05.05.2007

2007-05-06T22:40:00.000+01:00

Stress
Live From Storyville 05.05.2007 direct download

Live From Storyville 30.04.2007

2007-05-01T23:11:00.000+01:00

TM
Live From Storyville 30/04/2007 Direct Download

Live From Storyville 18.04.2007

2007-04-18T23:12:00.000+01:00

Cats and Wallmounting
Live From Storyville 18.04.2007 direct download

Live From Storyville 14.04.2007

2007-04-13T23:52:00.000+01:00

Tomato Catchup
Live From Storyville 13.04.2007 direct download

Live From Storyville 20.03.2007

2007-03-21T22:35:00.000Z

Painting, Bumrush and TM
Live From Storyville 20.03.2007 direct download

Live From Storyville 16.03.2007

2007-03-17T21:16:00.000Z

Live from the rubbish tip of my living room.
Live from Storyville 16.03.2007 direct download

Live From Storyville 12.03.2007

2007-03-13T08:38:00.000Z

Back from the wilderness.
Live From Storyville 12.03.2007 direct download

Live From Storyville 05.03.2007

2007-03-06T01:13:00.000Z

Slam Idol Open Writing Challenge Day 10
Final draft and performance of Out Of Time
Live From Storyville 05.03.2007 direct download

Live From Storyville 04.03.2007

2007-03-04T22:03:00.000Z

Slam Idol Open Writing Challenge Day 9
Reaching the conclusion of the poem...and editing.
Live From Storyville 04.03.2007 direct download

Live From Storyville 03.03.2007

2007-03-04T01:37:00.000Z

Slam Idol Open Writing Challenge Day 8
A little more progress. Starting to worry about finishing !!
Live From Storyville 03.03.2007 Direct download

Live From Storyville 02.03.2007

2007-03-02T19:46:00.000Z

Update on the Slam Idol Open Writing Challenge Day 7
Live From Storyville 02.03.2007 direct download

Live From Storyville 27.02.2007

2007-02-28T00:07:00.000Z

Slam Idol Open Writing Challenge Day 4
A little more meat on the bone
Live From Storyville 27.02.2007 direct download

Live From Storyville 26.02.2007

2007-02-26T23:27:00.000Z

Slam Idol Open Writing Challenge Day 3
A couple more verses and thoughts on the poem
Live From Storyville 26.02.2007 direct download

Live From Storyville 25.02.2007

2007-02-26T00:18:00.000Z

Slam Idol Open Writing Challenge Day 2
A Couple Of Verses and a working title?
Live From Storyville 25.02.2007 direct download

Live From Storyville 24.02.2007

2007-02-24T21:48:00.000Z

Slam Idol Open Writing Challenge Day 1 - Thoughts and subject matter.
Live From Storyville 24.02.2007 direct download

Live From Storyville 23.02.2007

2007-02-24T21:42:00.000Z

I wonder what I was up to 20 years ago?
Another glipse into the past.
Live From Storyville 23.02.2007

Live From Storyville 21.02.2007

2007-02-21T23:27:00.000Z

Podcast Peer Awards, Bum Rush The Charts, Slam Idol Challenge and Respect to John B's Musical abilities!
Live From Storyville 21.02.2007 direct download

Bum Rush The Charts

2007-02-21T21:43:00.000Z

This is a cool idea. To show the awsome power of social media in action and to send the music biz a big message, a group have got together and have come up with the idea of getting an idependent music artist to number one in the ITUNES music charts for one day, 22nd March 2006. They are asking everyone to purchase this song from ITUNES on this day. And they have signed up as an affiliate of the iTunes Music Store, and every commission made on the sale of the chosen song by Black Lab called "Mine Again" will be donated to college scholarships, partly because it's a worthy cause, but also partly because college students are among the most misunderstood and underestimated groups of people by big media.

The date for the combined effort is 22nd March. You can find out more about this at their web site at http://bumrushthecharts.blogspot.com/

Homegrown nominated in Podcast Peer Awards

2007-02-21T21:05:00.000Z

Homegrown has been nominated in the Poetry Podcast category of the Podcast Peer Awards, along with some other great poetry podcasts - Cloudy Day Art, Slam Idol, Little Reds Writing Hood, Indie Feed Performance Poetry, Everyday Muse and Mike McGee. The Awards are chosen and voted for by podcasters.

Check out all the other finialists at the Podcast Peer Awards site, the winners will be announced on March 4th.

So does this mean I get to dress up and attend a top notch swanky awards dinner type affair?? No, not really, but I am thrilled to be nominated and wish all my fellow podcasters the best of luck.

Live From Storyville 20.02.2007

2007-02-21T00:02:00.000Z

Indigo Girls Concert thoughts and reaction.
Live From Storyville 20.02.2007 direct download

Live From Storyville 19.02.2007

2007-02-19T21:45:00.000Z

Mondays! Slam Idol Challenge! Bionic Cat!
Live From Storyville 19.02.2007 direct download

Slam Idol Open Writing Challenge

2007-02-18T22:28:00.000Z

I will be soon particpating in a unique audio blogging experiment masterminded by podcaster Simon Toon who hosts the Slam Idol podcast, a poetry contest via podcasting. Simon's idea is to have several poets take part in a contest and make daily audio blogs about the creation of their poetical entry into the competition.

This will be an interesting and maybe eye opening look at the creative process in action, or for me, in-action. One thing is for sure, it will inspire me to write something. What that something will be is anyones guess.

Keep listening to the audio blogs for further info, Simon is going to collect the daily blogs and edit them into a round up of all the poets progress. Go to his web site for more information on the contest. Or check out the Association Of Poetry Podcasting forum here.

Live From Storyville 16.02.2007

2007-02-16T21:09:00.000Z

Musical audio blogging, shopping, Cleo first Cat Flap Sucess, the weekend is here.
Live From Storyville 16.02.2007 direct download

Live From Storyville 15.02.2007

2007-02-16T19:45:00.000Z

Cat Flap Update.
Live From Storyville 15.02.2007 direct download

Live From Storyville 14.02.2007

2007-02-14T23:35:00.000Z

Live From Storyville 14.02.2007 direct download

Thoughts on Valentines day and more.

Live From Storyville 09.02.2007

2007-02-09T21:29:00.000Z

It's snow joke...walking in snow and audio blogging.
Live From Storyville 09.02.2007 direct download

Live From Storyville 07.02.2007

2007-02-07T21:01:00.000Z

A trip back to the highs and lows of a 16 year old Nic Treadwell in June 1985...Nic's pet dog Robo bites his way through the family, Nic writes a report on why school is shit, Nic's mom tries to trick him with fake cornflakes and Dad gets a new car!!
Live From Storyville 07.02.2007 Direct Download

Live From Storyville 06.02.2007

2007-02-06T17:07:00.000Z

Wanted by the Library, tv last night, deathbed and more
Live From Storyville 06.02.2007 direct download

Live From Storyville 03.02.2007

2007-02-03T23:54:00.000Z

Books, Persuit Of Happiness and more
Live From Storyville 03.02.2007 direct download

Live From Storyville 02.02.2007

2007-02-02T19:55:00.000Z

illness, Trip into Space, Old tapes and world domination via podcasting
Live From Storyville 02.02.2007

Live From Storyville 31.01.2007

2007-01-31T23:53:00.000Z

Not another one?
Live From Storyville 31.01.2007 direct download

Live From Storyville 30.01.2007

2007-01-30T23:29:00.000Z

More audio blogging thoughts
Live From Storyville 30.01.2007 Direct Download

Live From Storyville 29.01.2007

2007-01-29T23:58:00.000Z

Terry Gilliam, Rev Marc Time, The Word and more
Links to Sunday Morning Hangover
and to The Word Magazine Podcast
Live From Storyville 29.01.2007 Direct Download

Live From Storyville 28.01.2007

2007-01-29T00:05:00.000Z

Ben Folds gig, Wolverham-tone-ians and more.
Live From Storyville 28.01.2007 Direct Download

Live From Storyville 27.01.2007

2007-01-27T22:13:00.000Z

Wallplug triumph, Catflaps and more
Live From Storyville 27.01.2007

Live From Storyville 25.01.2007

2007-01-25T23:21:00.000Z

Ray Mears, Krakatoa the musical, easy listening mouth trumpets and more.
Live From Storyville 25.01.2007 direct download

Here are the other audio blogs I like:
Simon Toon
John Buckley
Andy Taylor - Rantings Of A Northern Bloke
The Naked Englishman - Richard Vobes

Live From Storyville 24.01.2007

2007-01-24T23:20:00.000Z

More thoughts on Audio Blogging and the cat makes an appearance.
Live From Storyville 24.01.2007 direct download

Live From Storyville 23.01.2007

2007-01-24T00:28:00.000Z

Another audio blog today...music maketh the man...so how do I fair, take a stroll through my CD collection, there may be some surprises in store.
Live From Storyville 23.01.2007 Direct download

Live From Storyville 23.01.2007

2007-01-24T00:23:00.000Z

Here are some ideas I've been having for future audio blogs.
Live From Storyville 23.01.2007

Jeff Wayne's War Of The Worlds Live DVD

2006-11-07T00:51:00.000Z

I've been a huge fan of Jeff Wayne's classic double album since I first herd it on a School Holiday in Wales back in the Early 80's. Like many others I used to turn all the lights of and listen to it in the dark and imagine the visuals in my head. I've always thought that the power of Jeff's music in the piece is to be able to transport you into the frightening world of the martians. The deadly heat ray, the creeping red weed, and the solitute of desolate London. I'd waited for years for someone to put visuals to the music, and when Jeff himself announced he was touring the show, I was first in line to get tickets. The NEC Birmingham show was without doubt like nothing I'd seen before. Just everything I hoped for the piece and a lot more. Tonight I've bee watching the tour DVD of the Webley show and the level of production detail that has gone into it is astounding. The 5.1 sound alone worthy of buying the DVD, Jeff and his team have really used the medium as it was intended, not just few effects and crowd noises as on a lot of music dvds these days. No, the band and orchestra and effects really do encompass you. The quality of the sound too is superb, clarity of each sound. Having 23 cameras there, the director was not short on shots and has just the sweep and majesty of Wembley really well. Not to mention the beautiful animatioin sequences created specially for the show. I grew up listening to this album and to hear it live and with such love and enthusiasm is a joy. Jeff promises more shows next year and an animated feature film version. So, looks like it will be around for a good deal longer.

The Secret

2006-10-16T23:23:00.000+01:00

A friend of mine sent me a link to the above, a film called "The Secret", it's a documentary style educational movie, which looks deeply at the laws of attraction, manifestation, visualization and self empowerment. It uses some of the top philosophers, theologians, free-thinkers, entrepreneurs, and physicists on the planet today to explain the basic principles of an age old technique which has been passed down through generations of powerful secret society's and wealthy groups, and has only just emerged in the public arena in the past few decades with the rise of interest in spiritual matters. It's nothing new if you have gone into these areas before, writers like David Icke have been talking about the laws of attraction for years. But what this film will do is bring it to a world-wide audience in a medium which will inspire, move people emotionally, and ultimately bring forth a mass change in the way we think of our everyday lives.
The laws of attraction are simple. What-ever you think of, dwell on, feel and expect to happen, will ultimately happen. If you dwell on the negative things in your life, more of the same will turn up, however, start focusing on the things you want, imagining and believing you will have these things, and hey presto they turn up one way or the other. It works with anything apparently. A new job, a new relationship, a new car a change of home, all can be willed into existence with daily doses of focused energy on what it is you desire. Basically that's the crux of the film, and it's beautifully made, graphically/visually and orally it's an challenge to the norms we all live with every day. I have known about these laws for years, but never really thought about really using the technique, but after watching the film today online, which incidently uses a fabulous streaming technique to bring almost DVD quality pictures to your PC, I am inspired to start experimenting with some of the ideas in it.
So, do yourself a favour, go to the web site http://thesecret.tv/ and view the film. I guarantee it will make you think of life in a whole new perspective.

Live from Storyville 13/10/2006

2006-10-13T22:56:00.000+01:00

Another audio blog from Moscow
Live From Storyville 13/10/2006 direct download

Live from Storyville 11/10/2006

2006-10-11T09:57:00.000+01:00

An update on our visit to Moscow
Live From Storyville 11/10/2006 direct download

Letters From Moscow

2006-10-10T19:56:00.000+01:00

Thought I'd write a blog inbetween these bits of audio. And I haven't really gotten round to recording any more audio yet.
So our visit to Moscow so far...Saturday our flight was delayed by an hour because someone failed to board the plane, and the authorities at BA had to search for his baggage and remove it from the plane in case it was a bit suspect. So we arrived an hour late, and waited ages for our bags to appear on the re-claim, after which we were hurriedly taken to Ira's folks flat and had a bite to eat and a few vodka's. On Sunday we pretty much slept until midday, later in the evening we went to a restaurant to celebrate Vladimir's 60th birthday, I'm not sure which one, maybe both as he has two, an official and un-official, I think it has something to do with the fact he was born in the small town and wasn't registered until some days after his birth. So the restaurant was very nice, loads of food, most ate a small pig which had been cooked especially for our party, I'm glad to say we didn't have to see it slaughtered. I opted for lamb with apple and mint which was very nice, unfortunately I can't remember how nice, as my taste budds by that time had been severely stunted by the continual shots of vodka. Vladimir had taken no chances and had brought a bag full of alcohol (which incidentally we nearly lost by leaving it in the taxi we arrived in), including some expensive voda, about 6 toasts into the evening everything started to become hard to remember. We did dance though, to music supplied by local heart throb no doubt, a young lad giving it his all to several rock power ballads, at least he sang in tune and didn't over cook any of the performances, even though he sang to backing kareoke tracks. The evening finished around midnight, when we were still the only party in the place, I think maybe Vladimir had brought out the entire place.
When we arrived back at the flat, Vladimir and Ivan (Vladimir's brother, aka Uncle John, and before you ask I have no idea why he's called Uncle John) decided they hadn't yet consumed enough Vodka to make them fittingly ill, so broke open another bottle, calling me into help them out. How could I refuse, I had a couple of shots and decided that was quite enough, after they had gone to bed I stopped up a little and watched TV before retiring to the stool in our bedroom, where I sat for about an hour contemplating whether I would be throwing up. I decided to get into bed and after closing my eyes, my next memory is of Ira waking me the next morning.
Not a lot happened Monday, me and Ira took a walk in Moscow, through red square and around Arbat where we brought several much needed items. Cornflakes and tea bags for me being a couple. It's just the tea Ira's family make is without milk and to weak when I add it. And being an avid tea drinker I really need to have something which doesn't resemble a kind of cloudy milky mass.
Everytime I come to Moscow to visit with my wife's family I have to prepare myself for Vladimir's relentless hospitality, he's hospitable to the point of irritation, he will offer you twenty things at once and not even think of the consequences of you having them. So this morning I had breakfast of ham and eggs, Vladimir offering me Vodka and Beer, and Ira's mom giving me tea and coca cola. There is no point at which Vladimir will stop his onslaught of Vodka pleeese, and although I love him as my father in law and a decent enough man, one or two weeks of him are more than enough in any one go. He's very active for his age, and from the moment he wakes in the morning until the moment he closes his eyes at night, he's constantly on the go, trying to impress, offer the best, be a gracious host. I commend him for this, but wish he would just relax a little sometimes, take a chill pill and give his guests some space.
Today, we went to buy a present for him, he wanted a printer, and settled for a lazer copier from the local supermarket "Metro", the place is hugely impressive about three times the size of our local Asda and is a combination of Asda, B&Q, Homebase, MFI and Ikea, you can most of everything there, including baths, tires, laptops, office furniture, and all manner of food. It's pretty incredible really. It's wear we will later pick up several bottles of Vodka to bring back home. Later in the evening Ira visited the local dentist to see if she could get a filling redone. I've never seen a dentist like it. Extremely up market, very clean, posh, modern looking, soft music plays in the hall way, as you await your dentist to call you in, you sit on plush soft furnishings, it really is home from home, and apparently cheaper than the UK private dentists too, and you don't have to wait for an appointment for weeks. The UK really had a way to go to compete with it.
Tomorrow night we will be visiting what I've read is one of Moscow's best kept secrets, a small but friendly blues club. More on that and the rest of my trip coming soon in written or audio format, plus I still have to record a podcast later on for Homegrown. Providing I survive the Vodka.

Live from Storyville 09/10/2006

2006-10-09T08:56:00.000+01:00

Here is some audio recorded during my drunken state last night. Luckily I managed to survive this bout of vodka.
Live from Storyville 09/10/2006 direct download

Live From Storyville 06/10/2006

2006-10-07T00:20:00.000+01:00

I've created an audio blog feed through clickcaster called Live From Storyville, I intend to post links to the mp3 files here for your audio pleasure, hopefully do some of these while away next week. Here's my first, a kind of test.
Storyville Live 06/10/2006 direct download

Day Sweats

2006-10-03T02:11:00.000+01:00

Of late of I found that I am prone to breaking out into what can only be described as "day sweats" - these can be broken down into three distinct categories;
1. Shopping Sweats - it's that moment when you walk into a shop and are faced with a product that you really want, but really really don't need - it's that long lost Ivor Cutler CD, it's that special edition of It Came From Outer Space, with the 30 seconds extra footage of the flying saucer, it's that useless gadget - the clip on book reading light and it's that one off exclusively made shirt with the frilly sleeve. Oh yes, these items can send you to the edge of despair in a single lunch time. The sweat begins to form as you weigh up the possibilities, buy or not to buy - and nearly always you end up at the counter facing the sales assistant, your face awash with sweat, looking like you've just stepped out of the shower, you hand over the offending item from your sweaty paws. Later that night you play, wear or use the item for the first and last time.
2. Normal Everyday Exertion Sweats - These are simply sweats which come about by doing nothing out of the ordinary. Walking up a steep street on a sunny Autumn day in a poorly chosen coat can bring on said sweat. So can a bit of house hoovering. Not to mention carrying a full bag of swag from the meat market after Saturday auctions.
3. Psycho-Sweats. These little blighters can let the cat out the bag at forty paces if your not careful. They can be brought about by...Realizing you were supposed to meet a friend for lunch an hour ago, while you are eating the sandwiches which you brought ten minutes ago. By being woken up in the middle of an important business meeting by the phrase, "are you getting all this down!!" And of course by your wife, when she remarks, "Why don't we get a new kitchen" In fact the mere mention of any kind of DIY connected subject can reduce yours truly to a slippery wet puddle on the living room carpet.
So, am turning into a compulsive shopper, getting to old, or developing a deep embedded decease of the brain. Jesus, I'm getting a sweat on, I better stop...

Aliens Over Stourbridge

2006-10-01T23:53:00.000+01:00

I know it's hard to believe but according to the premier UFO group(UFORM, UFO Research Midlands) of the West Midlands, the area is presently experiencing what those in the know fittingly call "a flap". Yes, for reasons only known to bug eyed off worlders, lone people dressed in all weather cagouls, standing in remote car parks and sporting night vision binoculars, are seeing all manner of strange lights in the skies.
I learned this when I attended UFORMS recent meeting, come lecture, where their was an excellent presentation by leading Italian researcher Paola Harris. I normally hop down to the monthly meetings when something takes my fancy. Paola has certainly been around the UFO block a fair few times, having met and put up in her home, many of the heavy weight researchers who have visited Italy, including Major Phillip Corso, Nick Pope and Dr John Mack.
She had a good start though, by being mentored by J. Allen Hynek, the founding father of UFO research. You name it and she's got an opinion on it. Her web site http://www.paolaharris.it
is well worth checking out if you want to keep up with happenings in Italy and other parts of Europe. If your in this neck of the woods and you feel like checking out UFORM, then nip over to http://www.uform.org/main.htm
In the meantime, if I see anything the least bit strange in the skies, I will try and get a pic up on these pages.

The Captain and The Queen Of Melancholy

2006-09-21T23:28:00.000+01:00

It's been a good week for musical releases this week, well, if you like your singer-songwriters that is. One of my musical hero's, grammy winning Shawn Colvin has released a new album These Four Walls, her first for five years. Shawn is one of those artists who despite regularly playing gigs around the states, likes to take her time between writing and recording. She also keeps herself busy with her triathalon competitions (swimming, bicycling and running) and I dare say looking after her daughter Caledonia takes some time as well.

She confesses that after her last CD Whole New You she didn't write a song for three years, which is a long time for any self respecting songwriter, even I, as some kind of bedroom piano doodling songwriter manage to churn something out every few months or so, though I think I could probably stretch that period even longer. I suppose it all depends how badly you need to get things off your chest. Aaron Yorke, a songwriting friend of mine pumps out ditties at a fearsome rate, an album a week. Shawn has again teamed up with her long time musical partner John Leventhal on the new CD, they've been working together for nigh on twenty five years, his masterful signature guitar work is present not only on Shawn's work but on Marc Cohn's too, with whom he also collaborates. Both Shawn and John have the process of coming up with melancholic storytelling folk/pop songs down to a fine art. Their songs have the weird ability to feel downbeat even when the tempo is upbeat. And as for Shawn's vocal style, well, it's kind of massively understated, she has a beautifully clear voice that delivers a sound which feels that no effort was needed on her part what-so-ever. In other words completely natural. These Four Walls contains some truly stunning songs that I'm sure over the coming months will find their way into some of my all time favorites.

Also this week the maverick partnership of Elton John and Bernie Taupin entered a new chapter with The Captain And The Kid, and anyone who watched the recent BBC session Elton and band recorded recently will be in no doubt that this new work continues the duo's return to those classic recording that us fans really loved. In fact this album is a sequel to the critically acclaimed album Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy, which was kind of an autobiographical history of how the duo started off together and ended up in the States. I bought that album again today on CD, having only had a tape copy of it from years ago when I went through most of Elton's catalog, I hadn't listened to it for many years and enjoyed the experience of hearing it again, especially songs like Someone Saved My Life Tonight and Better Off Dead. On the sequel Elton and Bernie have carried on documenting their career together up till present day, which is some mean feat for 11 songs. Not only that but the CD was recorded in the true spirit of those classic albums, virtually in twenty days in a theatre with the whole band. There is some truly fine playing on the songs, and it's nice to hear Elton's piano taking centre stage in the mix. Also obvious pop songs are welcomingly left off the record. This is a an album from a songwriter and piano player who have managed to regain that vital spark which catapulted them to stardom. And Elton John purists will love the results.

I'm Not A Performing Monkey

2006-09-18T02:16:00.000+01:00

I'm someone who likes to choose his moment, admittedly, that moment is around 10 years too late, but, I do get there in the end. I like to decide the when and where, the who and what and the how and why pretty much in everything I possibly can. I think it reasonable that most people do. It's called freedom. Freedom to do the right thing, freedom to make mistakes, freedom to talk, freedom not too. Freedom to say no.

I do not like artificially made situations. I mean situations that are designed specifically to get a response from you. A response which will somehow magically reveal your failings or strengths. Its almost a natural response in me when put in such positions to either fade into the decor or find any way to escape. Either way, I have a strong sense to do exactly the opposite of that which is expected.

I think it may have something to do with the fact that I have never been a "go getter". In fact anyone who is makes me extremely nervous. My worst nightmare is to be shut in a room full of pumped up over achievers who want nothing more than to win win win. And who will go to any lengths to get what they want, including punching the air and crying woo woo wooaahh. It's not that I begrudge them their woos, I certainly don't. It's that I find it very difficult to get that worked up about anything, except that which reaches deep down into my gut and makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. A state which is mostly reserved for me through music and films. But I just can't muster even a millionth percent of that engery to a situation that is so insignificantly detached from who and what I am, it's like comparing Van Gogh to Rolf Harris.

I certainly take my hat of to those who have that gift, that natural ability, and it seems to be most of the populous. I suppose for me it's a case of how bad do I want it. In most cases not half as bad. I don't know, I just can't turn myself on and off like a performing monkey. If I ain't in the mood, If I don't think something is genuine, If I think I am being scrutinized, cheated or compromised I get a little apprehensive.

So of late I have become increasingly frustrated and disheartend by the methods that are being used to lure good people under false pretences. A false sense of hope, the outcome being that people are used in order to fill a necessary temporary gap. I know this kind of thing has been going on for centuries, but it doesn't excuse the fact that it is pure manipulation on the part of the perpetrators.

I just can't and won't be played with, so I want no part in it.

Half Man Half Biscuit

2006-09-01T01:02:00.000+01:00

Just come back from seeing HMHB in sunny Bilston, Wolverhampton tonight, as a buscuit gig virgin I had plenty of pre-conceived ideas about what the night may hold. I'm glad to say my blood lust was satisfied, the band were every bit as good as I thought they might be. My only one disappointment is that there wasn't any Joy Division Oven Gloves for sale! They did however perform JDs Transmission.

Faves of the night included Running Order Squabble Fest, the excellent Footprints and Twenty Four Hour Garage People with an illustrated whats on the till assistants ipod interlude. Not forgeting Joy Division Oven Gloves and We Built This City On A Trad Arr Tune.

Can't wait to see em again.

Welcome to Letters From Storyville

2006-08-18T11:18:00.000+01:00

This is my new journal. Here I will be posting my thoughts to the world. It's all very interesting. In the mean time you may like to check out my web site at www.storyville.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk